Chapter-4

A/N: I have a plan for how I want this story to go now, so that's exciting. We just have to get to the reaping, which will come soon, I promise!

Chapter 4

"Katniss! Wake up! It's time for school!" Prim yells in the doorway.

I get up, get dressed, and head to the living room. I see my mother and Prim, smiling at me.

"Happy birthday Katniss!" they both say.

My mother has some days where she actually gets out of her chair. Our birthdays, holidays, and when people come in needing medical aid. Other than that, she is unaware of the world around her, watching the wall, as if my father will suddenly appear right before her.

We eat breakfast, bread again, but I'm not complaining. It's much better than starving. After breakfast, we start walking to school.

Today, I'm able to get our tesserae. We survived the months following my father's death, with no help thanks to my mother. But there is one person to thank: Peeta Mellark.

Peeta saved us from starving. That day in the rain, I'll never be able to stop owing him. He took a beating to save me, a girl he didn't know. A girl he didn't need to care about at all. But for some reason, he did care. And I'll always be grateful to him for that.

I can never repay him for what he's done. It's always the first favor that's hardest to repay, and that favor was saving my life. How can I ever repay that?

We head to school, meeting up with Peeta and Delly, like usual. It's been nice, having friends, that is. It's weird though, us being from the Seam hanging out with two Merchants.

We chat for a little on our way to school, and Peeta asks if he can stop by after school today.

"Sure Peeta, of course, but why do you want to stop by?" I ask, genuinely confused.

"You'll see, It's a surprise. A good surprise, don't worry. I think you'll love it."

We get to the school, say our goodbyes, and head to our first classes. Classes are boring, like always. Lunch is uneventful, just the occasional happy birthday from a few of my friends. The only people I consider my friends are Madge, Delly, and Peeta. Other than those three, I don't really talk to anyone else.

Prim and I walk back home. We're quiet, and it's perfect. Prim knows I'm not a big talker, so she doesn't try. Not that I'd ignore her if she did, but she just knows I prefer a quiet walk.

I can't stop thinking about Peeta's surprise. I can't imagine what it would be, but Peeta's thoughtful, so whatever it is, I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

When we get home, I can't help but feel excited. We can stay alive. I can get the tesserae for Prim now.

We play cards together, Prim, my mother and I. It's weird, having my mother play with us. Especially when she's closed herself off from her kids since her husband died.

An hour later, we hear a knock on the door. I get up to answer it, since I'm fairly certain it's my friend knocking.

"Hey Katniss," Peeta says once I open the door. He walks in, his hands behind his back, hiding something. Is this the surprise he has for me?

"Peeta!" Prim yells, running to give him a hug.

"Woah, someone's excited to see me," he says laughing.

"What's that behind your back?" Prim asks.

"It's a surprise," he says with a smile. "For Katniss.

He hands me a box, from the bakery. It's a medium sized bakery box, and is a little heavy. If there's bread in here, this is the heaviest bread I've ever held.

"Well, open it Katniss," Peeta says smiling.

I set the box on the table, and open it. Inside is a small cake, decorated with Primroses on the sides, and Katniss on the top. In the middle, there's writing small letters. "Happy Birthday Katniss!" It's amazing how detailed each flower is. It must've taken days to design it.

"Oh Peeta," I say with tears in my eyes. I've never even had a cake, as they were too expensive to afford, but Prim loved looking in the bakery window at them when we passed it. I don't even know what to say, but apparently my face does the talking, because Peeta smiles at me when I turn to him.

"Thank you Peeta. We've never had a cake before."

"You're welcome. Here, let's eat," he says happily.

We sit down and eat some cake. It's sweet, and has a flavor to it that makes me smile. Chocolate. Peeta remembered that I loved chocolate.

He leaves when we finish eating, saying he has to work at the bakery, but promises to visit us soon.

In an hour, I'll leave to get tesserae. Thanks to Peeta, I'll have this chance to. If it weren't for him, my family would be dead.

As I leave to get the tesserae, Prim gives me a hug. We don't need to speak for me to know what this hug was for. It's for the tesserae. For putting my name in the reaping bowl willingly.

On my walk to the Justice Building, I notice it's gotten warm out. It's May 8th, so we're nearing Summer fast.

I'm almost to the Justice Building now. It's starting to get dark, but I'll be home before curfew.

"Katniss?"

I stop walking, looking around. I recognize that voice.

"Is that you Katniss?"

It's Peeta. What is he doing outside of the bakery?

"Hey Peeta," I say.

"What are you doing out so late?" He says. I'm starting to get angry now. Peeta's my friend, my best friend, but he doesn't need to be questioning me. I'm my own person.

"Tesserae," I say angrily. He'll know what this means and leave me alone so I can go get it.

"Tesserae? Katniss, you can't! You'll be putting your name in the Reaping!"

He sounds worried. Why does he care so much? We're friends, yes, but my family has to survive. He's got to understand that.

"I have to Peeta. It's the only way Prim and I can survive.

"No Katniss! I'll bring you bread every week, I'll make sure you guys don't starve. Just please, don't get the tesserae," he pleads with sadness in his voice.

"So you can get beat every week? No Peeta, that's not happening."

"Please Katniss."

"Peeta, I have to get the tesserae. It's our only chance of surviving."

He runs inside, but I'm not sure why. Is he mad at me? I start walking towards the Justice Building when I hear him run out of the bakery. I turn around to see he has a small bag in his hands.

"Peeta, I'm not taking your charity! You've helped us enough, and we really appreciate it, we really do, but I can't keep asking you to take beatings for us."

"It's not charity Katniss. And you're not asking me to do anything, I'm doing it because I want to. Here," he says handing me the bag.

I look inside, not accepting it, but curious of what's inside. It's a cookie, with white frosting on top. But what's most special about this cookie, is the dandelion frosted on top. A dandelion!

I hug Peeta, not letting go for anything. He hugs me back, but I can tell he's confused. I hold on though, because he saved me again. He doesn't know it, but he saved us again.

Dandelion. My father took me to the woods last year, before he died. He showed me all the different plants that were edible, where to find them, how to cook them. Dandelions can be eaten fully. The stem, plant, and flower are all edible. It was my favorite plant in the woods, other than the fruit that grew like strawberries and apples.

"Thank you Peeta. I know how we'll survive now. I'm going to hunt, like my father showed me to."

And with that, I turn and head home. I didn't get the tesserae, but I didn't need to. We'll survive.

The next morning, I head to the woods. My sister wasn't awake, so I left her a note telling her I'd be back later.

I lay down on my stomach and slide under the fence between the woods and the district. It's supposed to be surging with electricity, but it isn't. It still keeps the animals out, and the people in.

I don't go far, maybe 200 feet in. Just enough to gather plants and if need be, run back to safety. It's a lot more scary without my father here to help me and protect me, but Prim needs me.

Every day I travel to the woods, going deeper and deeper daily. I use my father's old bow, to hunt and protect myself, but mostly to hunt. I get squirrels and rabbits daily, and trade at the Hob. What I have left, we cook and eat.

Peeta comes over occasionally, to eat dinner with us. He brings bread and fruit, while we cook the game I got that day.

I go in the woods daily for months, getting braver and braver every day. We haven't been hungry since I've started, and for that, I'm eternally grateful for Peeta. If it weren't for that day in the rain, I'd be dead along with Prim.

Today, I'm hunting in the woods. I've gotten three squirrels and a rabbit. It's the same as any other day.

I'm walking back towards the fence when I hear a twig snap behind me. I pull an arrow out of my bow and aim without even thinking when I see him. A boy, with dark hair and grey eyes like mine. We could pass as brothers, with how alike we look. It's almost scary.

"Woah woah, I'm not here to hurt you," he says, looking scared but calm at the same time.

I lower my bow, and apologize for aiming at him, explaining that I thought he was an animal. He's lucky I didn't shoot, because he'd most likely be dead. Well, I'm lucky I didn't shoot, because I'd be dead too. I'd be killed for murder, trespassing, and treason, along with my family.

"I'm Gale, what's your name?"

"Katniss," I whisper.

"Catnip? Alright Catnip, it's nice to meet you."

"Katniss," I say louder, making sure he heard me right this time.

He laughs, like I've told the world's funniest joke.

"I think I'll stick with Catnip," he says with a smile. I can't help but smile too, although I'm a little mad.

"Why are you out here? It's dangerous, you know," I ask jokingly.

"I hunt for my family. It's the only way we'd survive, since my dad died."

I remember now. I remember why he looked so familiar. He was there, when I got the medal of honor for my father after his death. He got one too, for his father. His dad was the man who helped my father save everyone but themselves.

"I remember you. I'm sorry about your dad, Gale."

"It's alright, stuff happens. Just another reason to hate the Capitol."

"Gale! You can't say stuff like that, you'll be killed on the spot!"

"By who? Who can hear us right now?" I think about this for a second. Can they hear us? "Exactly, we're safe to speak freely here, and that's what I'll do."

We talk a little more. I learned he's 14, 2 years older than me. He's got 3 siblings, Rory, Vick and Posy. Posy is his youngest sister, while Rory and Vick are the middle children.

He shows me his snare traps, and I show him my fathers bow. He promises to teach him how to set snares, if I make him a bow for himself.

I don't know when it happens, but we decide to be partners. Hunting partners, that is. We help each other hunt, and check the traps together. Gale is smart, he's not a very good hunter with a bow, but his mind makes up for it. He sets perfect traps, for fish, animals, and even fruit. He set a mesh net around a strawberry bush so the animals couldn't eat them, and we could collect them.

Over the months to follow, we become close. Not as close as Peeta and I, but close nonetheless. I consider Gale a brother, someone who will protect me and I'd protect him.

A/N: I know this chapter was short as well, but next chapter will fast forward to the reaping Prim is in. I think I've added enough filler, time to get on with the show! :)