The Flames of the Mockingjay

Together and Alone

Esmeralda was in her room reading, after making sure that Paige was able to start her advance medical training. Paige looked excited to start, it something that she has been waiting for as long as Esmeralda could remember.

After a bit, Katniss came and knocked on her door. "Hey I know you probably might not like to but Gale just came to tell me that, Coin gave us special permission to hunt above ground. If you want to come?" Katniss asked honestly not knowing what Esmeralda would say.

"Umm sure why not?" Esmeralda thought out it, "I don't think I'll do any actual hunting but I'll take my knives just in case." Esmeralda got up from her bed.

"Okay I'll meet you that the hanger" Katniss told her while turning around and exiting the room.

Esmeralda has tried hunting many times before once she got out of the arena the first time, but every time was the same outcome. An anxiety attack, tears slowly falling down her face, or uncontrollable shaking. She put on her knife vest that she brought back from 12, and put her jacket over it. She quickly made it to the plane hanger and saw Katniss with Gale.

Once they finally make above ground, and Esmeralda felt like she hadn't seen the sun in forever, so she closed her eyes and took it in for a bit. Katniss walked around and then got on her knees touching the grass as if it was the first time doing so.

"Come I can hear something?" Gale called them over to a hiding spot, and sure enough walks up a deer.

Esmeralda was about to reach for a knife but couldn't come to grasp it, so she just decided to watch. Katniss picked up her bow and aimed her arrow that the animal, she was about to release when she stopped when the deer looked at her.

"He's not even scared," Katniss put her bow down.

"They've never been hunted before" Esmeralda told her.

"They have nothing to be scared of" Gale added.

"If feels wrong to do so" Katniss got up and put her bow away.

The three of them walked around for a bit until they found a stretch of water and a piece of broken down building. Something about this place felt familiar to the three of them, it felt like home.

Katniss informed the two that she was going to walk around the building to see if they had edible berries.

"So Es I was going-" Gale started.

"It's Esmeralda, I've told you before" Esmeralda said while still looking at the water.

"Okay Esmeralda, I have a question for you"

"Go on"

"It seems like you don't like me, why is that?" He asked wanting a genuine answer.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you, I don't know, there's just something about you that doesn't sit right with me Gale. You're a friend of Katniss so that gives you an up but other that that I don't know I can pin point it."

"Is this something you shared with Katniss? Something that would make her want Peeta more?" Gale asked and this time she actually made Esmeralda look at him.

"Okay I'm going to tell you two things, and I need you to listen closely because I'm not going to repeat myself. Whatever Katniss feels for both you and Peeta, is something that she has to come to understanding on her own, and I have not told her anything about my thoughts on you. And second how at a time like this would you dare to ask questions like this, there are people right now fighting to stay alive and you are worried about feelings being mutual. Right now she's is focused on moving forward. Making sure that nothing sucks her back into the nothingness that is the hell hole that the Capitol made for us. Is Peeta something that is keeping her going? Yes. But don't you dare make it a competition for affection. Maybe this is why I don't like you." Esmeralda tried to stay as calm as she could while talking to Gale, she got up and walked away before she said or did something that she couldn't stop herself from doing.