Deep in the Meadow: A Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 2: Forming an Alliance

There's a knock on my door. "Who is it?" I ask.

            "Prim? It's Katniss. can I come in?"

            "Yeah." I get up and open the door. "What?"

            "It's time for dinner; we're going to eat and then watch the recap of the Reaping," she says.

            "Okay," I reply, and follow her to the dining car. There's a ridiculous amount of food lying out. No one can eat this much, and it disgusts me how much food they make for six people, when so many people in the districts are dying of starvation.

            "So, Daren, what's your story?" Gale asks before eating a spoonful of lamb stew. Effie shoots him a look telling him he was rude.

            "Well, my father works in the coal mines, of course," Daren says, "my mother died giving birth to my younger sister, Heather. She's 11 now, so she'll be entered into the Reaping next year. Other than that, there's really not much to know. What about you three?" He gestures to the rest of us.

            "Our fathers were killed in a mine accident. I have two younger brothers and a little sister," Gale says.

            "You already know we're sisters," Katniss says, looking to me.

            "I have a cat," I say, not wanting to be left out of the conversation but not having anything else to say. "Named Buttercup." Daren nods and continues eating. I look down at my food and realize I haven't taken a single bite yet. Katniss has wolfed down almost her entire bowl of stew and eaten half of one of her bread rolls. I quickly start eating; the Reaping will be playing soon so I have to hurry.

            After 10 minutes or so, Effie announces that it's time to watch the Reaping replay. Hopefully we can pick out some possible allies. I sit on the sofa between Katniss and Gale, and Daren sits in one of the three chairs, the other two taken by Effie and Haymitch. The TV flicks on and starts playing the announcement of names from District 1. None of the tributes really catch my eye except for Rue Stenberg and Dianna Bass, girls from 11 and 4. Rue is 12, like me, and Dianna is 13 (she volunteered for her 12 year old friend). I know they probably aren't the strongest allies but I think they'd be trustworthy, and we wouldn't have to worry about them as a threat.

            After we've finished watching the Reapings, we discuss allies. "So, Daren, do you want to be our ally?" Katniss asks.

            "Sure, if you promise not to kill me," he replies with a small laugh. I don't find it funny, making jokes about death when we're about to go into a fight to the death with 44 other tributes.

            "Okay. Any other ally suggestions?" She asks.

            "I like Rue from 11 and Dianna from 4," I say.

            "Okay, that's a possibility. Dianna was the one who volunteered for her friend, right?"

         "Yeah. I like her. And Rue; she seems nice."

      "Any others?" No one responds. "Okay then, we have Rue and Dianna, we'll see if we can get to know them and possibly become allies," Katniss says.

          "Who made you in charge?" Daren asks, annoyed.

          "No one else was saying anything, so I took the lead," she responds, unfazed by his rude remark.

            "We should probably decide on one or two leaders if we're going to have an alliance. I mean, someone has to make the final decision," he says.