Beth's POV
I crept across the grassy slope of the mountain as I looked for prey. I saw a mountain lion, and slowly got closer. It started to relax, and that was my Que. I threw a thomahawk at its neck, and watched the beast die a painless death. It didn't even know what hit it. I got my weapon back and situated it over my shoulder in attempt to haul it back to district 7. I took a few steps and fell flat on face, realization setting in that this carcass weighed more than I did. I heard a deep chuckle and boots. "Andy you ass, get this thing off me!" I yelled at my best friend. "say the magic word" He said trying not to laugh. "I can't fucking breathe." I mumbled. "That's not it" he said lying on his stomach in front of me. His icy blue eyes taunting my bright green ones. I gave him a death look. Just then I had an idea. I fluttered my eyes a bit, then pretended to faint. He hopped up and shoved the lion off me. "shit" I heard him mutter. " Just then I spun and swept him onto his butt. I sat up and laughed my ass off at his shocked expression. Then he realized what I did and tackled me and held my arms down " What's the magic word?" He said smiling down at me. I tried getting out from underneath him, and failed horribly. "I'm waiting" He sang. "fuck you" I said. "your defiant, I'll give you that" he said getting off me. He handed me a bag and we picked berrys for the next hour and a half, then together we haul the beast down to the black market, that our fathers run. Since they run it, it's like a second home for us. We take the 200 pound body down to the cook. He then had his sons haul the huge beast away to skin it, the butcher paid us and we bought two legs of goat we killed yesterday. I stayed to chat with the butcher, while Andy played with my red ponytail. We then sold a gallon of blackberrys to the herb seller. Now that we hauled the mountain lion back, we went back to the fence to our hole that goes under it. We slid under it and went and hunted 4 game birds, 2 rabbits, and picked 3 baskets of greens. We split everything up, and traded at the Market. After that I went home and cooked my dad and I dandelion salad with berrys and rabbit. As I was cooking I was thinking of my mom. She left before I knew her so I grew up with my dad. I met Andy when dad quit his job as a seamster and started the Market with Chris, his lifelong friend. We didn't get along at all at first. I was 8, and he was 10. We hated each other till the black market business turned out to be terrible money, and we were lucky to get any food in a 3 day span. So I took a thomahawk and went in the woods for the first time. A few days later I saw Andy in the woods, and we made a pact then. I now hunt with throwing thomahawks and a full sized axe. I went to go get changed out of my green hunting jacket, worn out jeans, and black t-shirt. The ripped jeans and baggy shirt were Andy's at one point, until he out grew them, then gave them to me. The green jacket was given to me by our mayor when I provided him an elk. Andy outgrew this outfit 3 years ago, and it's still baggy on me. Andy's 6'4 with piercing blue eyes, shaggy black hair, and a shining smile. I'm 5'6 with emerald green eyes, long flaming hair, and tons of freckles. I stepped out my boots and slipped on an oversized grey long sleeved shirt, and black cloth pants. Suddenly a knock at the door alerted me. My dad was already passed out on the futon in the small loft space He uses as a bedroom. I opened the door of our small hut to see Andy standing there. He looked at me and said "I've never seen you with your hair down before. You should wear it like that tomorrow." "Thanks" I said "Anywhore, I forgot to give you this, it's for luck." He pulled a small ring out of his jacket pocket. I looked at it closer. It was a silver tree, the symbol of our district. I smiled and hugged him. " I love it, but you need it more, we both applied for tesserae, and your 17, while I'm only 15." "Don't worry about it, I've got your stubbornness to protect me." I smiled and hugged him one last time before he ran off. That felt weird. Like when Andy showed up something happened in my gut. Like this weird fluttery feelkng. I'm probably just tired I thought to myself. I lied down and fell asleep.
