I really need to get to work on the cover art for this story- but me, lazy-bones over here, haven't had a decent idea for it. What would y'all want? I was thinking something that will work with the plot, regardless of what point the story is at. Although, Coriolanus with a trapper's flap hat would be pretty awesome to see- even if it's just once. Ideas, please!
No POV:
"Yes I'm hungry- did we catch anything??" Coriolanus asks
"There wasn't anything in the traps earlier, but we can check again." Lucy Gray replies as she sharpens Coryo's knife and conceals it in her boot
"Okay, walk with me?"
She stands up and agrees to come along. The first trap is not far from camp, there's nothing in it. "Welp. Let's look at the other ones." Coriolanus prompts- sounding fairly enthusiastic.
A brief silence follows, but it's broken when Lucy Gray becomes curious about his positive demeanor
"You liking it out here?" She asks
...
"Are you kidding?"
...
"I love it out here. It's almost like we have our own little world." He answers with a bright smile
They find the second trap, which has been triggered, although it yields no prize. "No luck?" Coriolanus looks to Lucy Gray, as if waiting for her backup plan.
"Hmmmm..." She scratches her head "Do ya like mushrooms?"
He scours his mind for a memory of trying one, but comes up with no avail. Cabbage soup. Nope, no mushrooms. Leaving the final answer at "-never had one, but I'd like to try."
...
"I think I saw some over here" Lucy Gray leads him to a shady spot underneath a pine tree.
Coriolanus stands still for a minute, leaving Lucy a bit confused. She follows his gaze and realizes that he's staring at a giant one.
"You okay?"
No answer.
A nudge on the arm gets a response out of him, although it makes her laugh
"Look at that thing! It's as big as my head! ...can I eat it now?"
"I guess you could, but it might taste better after it's boiled-"
...
"Oh, sorry -heh-heh ... I'm just hungry. I don't mean to be impatient or impolite.."
"Pffff- don't worry about it. You apologize too much" Lucy Gray tells him
"Grab a bunch of them and bring them with you. Those ones are edible, remember to ask me before you eat anything else, though. I don't want you to... err- die"
Coriolanus begins in a jokingly sarcastic tone "Awww! You really do care" followed by a giggle, which makes her blush
...
"You're just now finding that out???" She joins in
"I'm very nervous-"
"You can probably tell, most of the time anyways" He adds
"Not nervous because of you- of course not- rather, because of me. I have a great tendency to self-destruct when I feel things are going too good."
"Good to know. I'll snap you out of it. Promise."
"What's a signal I can give that'll tell you everything's okay? Like, if you look all anxious 'n stuff?" Lucy Gray tries to help by giving him some more emotional security.
Getting him to open up will be a crucial step to his happiness, with that goal in mind, she devises a plan to keep him reeled in to reality.
"Hmmm... would you just take my hand? No context needed. Just that. I will ask no questions." Coriolanus suggests
...
"Of course I will- I like doing that anyways."
-and like that, a deal is made.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As they are about to hug it out, a loud snapping sound comes from behind them, interrupting.
"Did we catch something!?" Coriolanus exclaims, starting in the direction from which the sound came
"I dunno- there's only one way to find out"
...
"Alright then, c'mon" He gestures for her to follow
They approach the source of the sound and discover the next course to their meal
"Another rabbit." Lucy Gray says, matter-of-factly
"At least it beats that squirrel we ate yesterday."
...
"Good point."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coryo unties the rabbit and grasps it by the hind legs. "Hey! Got the knife? It's still alive!" He calls out, followed by Lucy Gray hurrying over to where he's standing
"Let's put him out of his misery. Quick and painless, I hope." She draws the knife from its safe-keeping in her boot, swiftly driving it into the vital area on its chest.
It stops struggling immediately after, and Lucy Gray assures herself that she didn't cause it any unnecessary pain- putting it out as quickly as she did.
...
Coriolanus stammers as he thinks of the prior hunting experience, something pleasant amidst the violence comes to mind
"So... ehh... would you?"
"Would I what?" She replies, confused
"Would you... show me how to skin it, again?"
"The way that you don't need a knife?"
Truth be told, he remembers exactly what she taught him. The reason for a review is entirely different.
-He wants to feel her warmth against him again, her soft, yet rugged hands atop his own.
-Seeing the dinner prep as a perfect opportunity to experience it once again, without making it awkward.
...
"Oh‐ yeah sure, come here" She makes no fuss about having to re-demonstrate
Perhaps she too would appreciate some human contact, despite having slept beside Coriolanus the whole time last night.
She comes up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist before finding his hands with her own -intrigued by how he still emits the sweet scent of roses, even though he's been away from civilization for a few days.
"Is he made of roses?" Lucy Gray wonders
Her hands guide his through the steps she'd previously taught. Coriolanus basks in the happiness that comes with her embrace, although ending up the same way as last time- covered in blood from his fingertips to the middle of his forearms.
Last time, the blood led to a fun time in the lake, washing off. However, the lake is a fairly lengthy trek from the new campsite.
Oh well- the stream will come in handy for any washing to be done. They figure this out almost immediately, but Coriolanus is once again feeling a little sad as Lucy Gray has left go of him.
He follows her to the stream where they wash their hands and the large mushrooms he'd picked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back at camp, they pour some of the clean water into their singular cooking pot, boiling the meat alongside their foraged mushrooms- making a pretty nice soup.
"You know, this dinner is a lot better than any I've had back home." Coriolanus compliments as he tastes the final product.
"All we need are some spices- which are plentiful out here- and it'll get even better." Lucy Gray suggests, maintaining a pleased expression as Coryo's clearly enjoying the dinner she'd made
...
"I'd be dead out here in the woods if it weren't for all your help." He admits, in an attempt to show his gratitude and to possibly boost her ego
"I wouldn't let you die- you know that."
"...and plus, I wasn't born knowing how to survive in the wilderness. You pick it up as you go- listening to other people and their stories, reading field guides, or running from Peacekeepers..."
"You've taught me a lot. Please don't run from me- the Peacekeepers are worthless scum, anyways. I was forced into their ranks, offered a promotion to officer, but the Capitol made me go back. Now I'm here and I'm very happy."
He scoots a bit closer and reaches an inviting hand in her direction. She takes it, and they finish eating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With full bellies and warm hearts, they lay back and stare up at the stars
"You know what I'm thinking?" Lucy Gray whispers
"Yep. I'm pretty sure I do."
"Then what is it?"
"The two of us? We're meant to be together. It's written in the stars."
...
She giggles some more and rolls over to hug him "You mind reader."
"Like a wizard or something."
"Nope! It's just how I feel. Honesty." Coryo says
"That's even better."