Warriors ("Allies" Sequel)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next couple of days go by normally. I do what I usually do, which is sleep in a pipe room instead of following my schedule. My mom and Prim spend most of their day in the hospital and when I see them at night, they're almost too tired to talk to me. Gale and I have gone hunting a few times and if it weren't for the fact that we have to wear trackers and are not allowed to go over a certain perimeter, it would be just like old times. Beetee met with us one day and gave us special weapons, he gave Gale a crossbow and gave me a bow and some special arrows that either catch fire or explode depending on their color.

Although Finnick talks to me, I feel him distant, which makes me believe that maybe he did hear what I said to Gale.

Today I decided that I would join Gale on his lunch time and meet him at the cafeteria.

"I'm just saying," Gale says. "If we had our own weapons, hunting would be easier. Familiar, even."

"Don't you like the weapons Beetee gave us?" I ask, but honesty I'm just trying to keep the conversation going so he doesn't notice my lack of interest.

"Well, yeah but they're for fighting, for the war," the word makes me cringe.

To even think that my bow is now meant to kill people instead of hunting animals makes my stomach turn.

Just in that moment Finnick sets his tray next to mine. "What are you guys talking about?" He asks.

"Hunting weapons." Gale says.

"Oh," he says, and I see him frown a little. "Well, I should leave, then. I'm sure I wouldn't understand your system."

And that answers the question that has been hunting me the last few days. Yes, he heard.

"Nonsense," Gale says. "We can talk about something else."

Finnick finally sits down and we all eat in silence, until we're interrupted by Plutarch and surprisingly, Effie.

"Katniss, darling!" she exclaims. "It is good to see a familiar face around here! They've been keeping me in a compartment!"

"Miss Trinket, we don't have you in a compartment. You can go in and out whenever you want," says Plutarch, and by the way he says it, I know he's mentioned it several times. He nods at us and leaves.

"That's what you say." Effie says. "Nice to see you, boys." She says as she shakes hands with both Gale and Finnick.

"So, what are you doing here?" I ask.

"I'm here to take care of your image, darling. We all want to see you be the Mockingjay, but particularly, a glamorous one, which reminds me," she takes out a black folder and places it in front of me. "This is for you," she says.

I open the folder and find myself looking at beautiful sketches for gowns and suits, all made by the same person who had been dressing me over the last year.

"Cinna," I whisper.

"He wanted you to have it until you decided to be the Mockingjay on your own," Effie says.

"Thank you."

"They made the Mockingjay suit," she says as she points at a sketch of a battle suit. "You will be the best-dressed rebel in history!" she says proudly.

I lift my head from the drawings and Finnick smiles slightly at me. He knows how much Cinna meant to me, so I return the smile and keep eating in silence.

After we finish eating, Effie tells me we have to meet Plutarch to start a series of 'propos' to encourage the Districts to stand with us and fight against the Capitol. I'm not thrilled about the idea, I've never been good with words or encouraging people to do things; Peeta was.