Mentors

7

As I step out of my house, snow falls lightly. I zip my jacket and walk down to the hob. Greasy Sae bids me goodmorning, and I buy a loaf of bread from her.
Walking back to victors village, I approach a concerned Peeta.
"Goodmorning, is something wrong?"
"Katniss. Something happened to Gale."
"What?" I say.
"New peacekeepers. Commander Thread. Hurry." he grabs my arm and rushes the way I just came from.
"Peeta, what's going on?"
"I was told that he was leaving the woods with a wild turkey. He must have been walking around with it to trade the game when Thread saw it. Gale said he found it dead in the woods just on the line outside the fence. If they had known that he was hunting, he'd be sentenced to most likely death." he explains.
"Where is he now?" I ask.
"I wasn't sure, but I think I just found out." Peeta comes to a stop, and sees a circle of people surrounding the square.
"Oh my god." Peeta says.
"What? I can't see!"
Peeta pushes through the crowd, with me following him. I see Peacekeeper Darius unconscious on the ground. Gale strapped to a post by just his wrists. His shirt tossed aside, leaving what used to be his back. Now just a slab of meat. The man who must be commander Thread has a whip in his hand, covered in blood. I can confirm what the situation is. The turkey Peeta had just told me about hangs over him, with a nail through its neck.
"No!" I scream, as Peeta runs up to the new head peacekeeper. I run after him, and hold my hand up to stop anymore impact on Gale's deformed back. He raises the whip and it hits my left cheek. I stumble backwards into Peeta. He catches me, lifting me onto my feet so I'm standing. I already feel my eye swelling up.
"Get out of my way, he's a criminal!" Thread shouts.
"No. Do it again. I dare you." I say.
He pulls a gun from his belt and points it at us.
"Go ahead." I spit.
Peeta stands in front of Gale, so that Thread can't get to him.
Haymitch pushes us out of the way.
"Hey! Do you know who these two are?" he hollers.
"I don't need to. They are interfering with a confessed criminal."
"Ever noticed that the supposed criminal is the cousin of hunger games victor Katniss Everdeen? You just messed up her face! She's getting married next month, she has a photo shoot in less than a week! Besides, according to Capitol laws, they state that if a man or woman is to break the law by crossing district boundaries, they are punished with 30 to 40 whiplashes. You reached the maximum lashes. I would clear the square, buddy. These kids could buy your fucking life."
I'm too concerned on being able to regain vision to listen to the rest of their bickering.
"Clear the square!"
Peeta runs over to Gale and unhooks his wrists from the post. Someone brings a board to lift him onto, and Peeta and Gale's friend in the mines, Thom, lift him onto it.
"Bring him to Katniss's mother." says Haymitch.
We rush through the door, and my mother clears off the table rather quickly, placing Gale onto it. Mother is looking through a cabinet and Prim examines my face.
"She'll be okay, it didn't hit her eye." 
Prim runs outside and hands me snow in a package to put on it.
I stand there useless, with it held to my face, and Peeta's arms around me from behind. I can tell he wants to help, too.
We watch them work basically magic. He is mercifully unconscious, or he would be in much more pain.
"I can't see this." I whisper.
"Would you like to go inside, Katniss?"
Prim asks.
"No, I mean I can't see this.. as is in my eye." Between the swelling and the few tears that uncontrollably blur my vision, I have no idea what's going on as they drug Gale with various medicines.
"Peeta, could you bring Katniss inside for me?" I hear my mother ask.
"Of course, Miss Everdeen."
I grab onto his shoulder and he leads me into the living room and seats me in a rocking chair. He starts the fire in the fireplace and wraps me in a blanket, as he would wrap a baby. I move over and offer for him to sit next to me. We sway back and forth in the chair, letting nothing but the sounds of the fire speak.
"I wish I could see your face, mine is all messed up." I whisper.
"Well I can see your face, and it's still beautiful, as per usual."
Before I speak, he talks again.
"What you did today was so brave and selfless, and I'm so proud of you. Gale is going to be so thankful."
I sigh.
"Well, Gale and I weren't exactly left on great terms before this happened. But I am beyond proud of you for stepping in first."
He cradles me in his arms, and I lay in his lap, as his toe rests on the floor kicking off to have the rocking chair stay in its slow movement.
Closing my eyes make them feel better.
I wake up about an hour later, still in the same spot on his lap. I can see my surroundings. Peeta has fallen asleep, too. I carefully unlatch myself from him and check on Prim in the kitchen.
"How is he?" I choke, looking at his snow covered back.

"He was in a lot of pain. We didn't have strong enough medicine, but your school friend Madge came in the snow storm, and brought Gale a medicine that really helped. He's passed out cold on sleep syrup."

Madge and Gale never got along, so why would she bring him medicine?
I take a seat on the stool next to him and take his hand.
"You'll be fine." I assure him, even though he can't hear me. I can't stand looking at him any longer without getting the urge to tear up. Words spill out without warning.
"I'm sorry I got mad at you. You're my friend, you know that? I know how kind you are."
I turn my head and see Peeta in the doorway, with a look of sympathy.
"Will he be okay?" I whisper.
He nods, and sits next to me on the stool. We sit there in silence, and I rest my head on his shoulder, as I examine Gale's back wounds.
"I should probably go home, it's getting pretty late." Peeta says. He kisses my forehead gently and heads toward the front door.
"Peeta." I stop him with my voice, having him turn my direction.
"Thank you, for everything."
He smiles a little bit.
"Don't mention it."