The Lone Wolf

Chapter 18: Katniss

I sit alone with our daughter while Peeta goes home to get all three of us clothes. Its just so strange. I thought I had at least a month until I held my baby in my arms. She starts crying and I realize she hasn't eaten since very early this morning. I pull down my shirt and let her latch on. It feels weird right now, but it also feels right to have her here in my arms.

When she finishes I lift her up on my shoulder and start walking around trying to burp her. When she does so, she spits up a little and I take a scrap of Peeta's shredded clothing to wipe it up. She starts to cry and I sigh as I walk around, gently bouncing her to quiet her. I start softly singing as her cries start to die down.

"Hush now my little one,
Please don't you cry,
Lay your head down,
On my shoulder and sigh
Sun's gone away,
Momma will pray,
Silence will keep
All the while you're asleep."

I look at my shoulder and see her beautiful blue eyes starting to close. I softly hum as I feel her tiny little breaths start to slow and eventually she lets out small little breaths as I sit back down. Peeta walks in and smiles as he walks over to me with a bag of clothes.

"Hey," he says.

"Hey," I reply.

"They're all really excited to see her," he says.

"I don't want to be bombarded as soon as we get home," I say as I lay Rain in his arms and start to get dressed.

"They know," he says. "When we get home, it's just going to be our closest friends." I lay down a blanket and Peeta gently lays Rain on top of it. He watches me as I carefully put a diaper on her and dress her in the baby clothes Peeta brought for her. "You're really good with her you know. She didn't wake up once while you dressed."

"She's a newborn with a full stomach," I say. "She's pretty sound asleep right now."

"You wanna get going?" he asks. I look at the baby in my arms and smile.

"Yeah," I say. "I think it's time for Rain to sleep in a real bed." I look in the bag and notice some thing else in the bottom. I pull it out and find that it's a sling made out of a deer hide. "What's this?"

"It's for Rain," he says. "I made it so you can carry her around a little easier. Because I know how much you like to take walks."

"You made this?" I ask him and he nods. "When did you find the time to do this?"

"When you used to take your naps before bed," he says. "I lined it with muskrat fur so it'd be really soft and warm for her." I smile at him.

"It's perfect Peeta," I say. "I love it." I sling the pouch over my shoulder and gently lay Rain in it. It holds her close to my body and I stand up. "Lets take our baby home." Peeta goes out first and holds back the vines as I walk out into the sunlight. He leads me home but stares at me as I'm moving much slower than usual, even slower than yesterday while I was still pregnant.

"You okay?" he asks.

"I pushed something through my pelvis yesterday. I'm a little sore," I say. "But I'm fine."

"Do you want me to carry you?" he asks.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking the mile and a half home Peeta," I say.

"You're sure?" he asks.

"I'm fine," I say. "Lets just get home so I can go to sleep in my own bed."

"Okay," he says taking my hand. We get to the steps of the porch and Hunter runs out the door.

"Luna Katniss!" he says. "You're okay!"

"Of course I'm okay," I say ruffling his hair. "Why wouldn't I be?" Rain cries out and I stand straiter and lightly bounce her so she calms down.

"You had the baby?" he asks.

"Yep," I say.

"Is that why you left?" he asks.

"No, She decided she wanted to be born yesterday while Peeta and I were in the woods," I say. "So that's what happend."

"She?" he asks. "Mommy said it would be a boy."

"Well," I say. "Although its very rare, your Mommy was wrong this time."

"Can I see her?" he asks.

"Lets wait until we get inside and Luna Katniss can sit down," Peeta says picking the little boy up and taking all three of us inside. I'm met with Delly giving me an 'I told you so' look and Gale standing there showing of his signature smirk.

"Well," Delly says. "Lets get a look at the little guy." I slide the sling back over my head and gently hold Rain in my arms. She blinks open her big blue eyes. "Oh he is such a cutie."

"She," I say.

"It's a girl?" Delly asks. I nod.

"Her name is Rain," Peeta says smiling over my shoulder.

"She's beautiful Catnip," Gale says as he watches Delly gently take my little girl from my arms.

"Thank you," I say.

"I'm going to give her a quick check up," Delly says. "Do you want to come with?" I nod and follow her into the clinic after giving Peeta a peck on the cheek.

Delly gently lays Rain on one of the tables and unwraps her from her sling and blankets. She takes out a flexible ruler and measures how long she is and then takes her over to a scale to see how heavy she is.

"Now this is going to be a little off because you obviously have fed her, but she's a healthy eight pound six ounce baby girl," Delly says. "You should be very proud."

"I am," I say. "I didn't think it could be possible to feel this much joy with Snow's threats looming over our heads. But I just can't believe I'm actually holding my little girl. She's just so perfect."

"I know she is," Delly says laying her into my arms. "And I know all you want to do is hold her all day. But right now you both need to just go upstairs and get some rest. Let Peeta take some of the load off you shoulders and only get up today if she needs fed. You need both need rest right now. Other than that, both of you are perfectly healthy."

"So, just do what feels right?" I ask her.

"Pretty much," she says. "You already know how to take care of your baby. It's mother's instinct. Just remember if you have any problems, I'm right here."

"I will Delly," I say. "And right now I think I'm going to take your advice and take a nice, long nap." I look at Rain to see her eyes starting to droop. "I think we both need it." I leave the clinic and Peeta meets me literally right outside the door.

"How is everything?" he asks.

"Fine," I say. "Right now, think we both need a nap though."

"Well I think I might join you," he says. He takes my hand and I lean on his shoulder as we go to our room and all three of us lay down together, not to be woken until Rain needed something.