Willow and Rye

Prologue

A twig snaps behind me, causing me to wince slightly. Turning around, I find Peeta wincing as well.

"I know, I'm still too loud." He sighs. "Should I just go back to the meadow and look for dandelions or something?"

"No, it's okay. I want to teach you to hunt and I can't do that if you're in the meadow. Let's climb a tree and wait for game to wander by." I insist, taking him by the hand to stop him walking back to the meadow.

"Alright." Peeta agrees quietly.

I find a tree that I like and begin to help him climb it. We sit on a branch that's much lower than I would have chosen, had I been on my own but I dont push him to go any higher. He holds the last of my father's bows cautiously, and it isnt long until a rabbit wanders under our tree.

"Watch me." I instruct, pulling an arrow from the sheath on my back and raising my bow. I take careful aim as I pull the arrow back and seconds after I release it it lands in the eye of the small creature. "Come on, let's clean it, then I can show you how to shoot and set traps."

"Okay." Peeta nods, still looking unsure about hunting all together.

It's late evening when we head back to the fence after a full day of hunting. Peeta has gotten quite good at skinning the little creatures but he really isn't much of a shooter. Still, it's some progress all the same. We lay side by side in the meadow now, watching the sky turn into a swirling mixture of pinks and oranges with a hint of gold behind the clouds as the sun sets over the rubble of what used to be District Twelve. Peeta smiles and reaches for my hand. I'm hesitant at first, but after a moment I lace my fingers through his.

"Thanks for trying to help me learn how to hunt." He turns his head to smile at me.
I lean over to kiss his cheek. "You're a great teacher, you know that?"

"Really? Then why are you so awful at shooting?" I tease. Peeta laughs and looks back up at the sky.

"I'm just a bad student." He replies after a moment, still chuckling.

"Well I can't argue with that." I giggle. "Do you want to head back?"

"Sure." Peeta nods. "We should probably check on Haymitch anyway."

"You're probably right." I yawn, sitting up on the grass and stretching

"I'd be happy to come along next time you hunt, even if I just end up skinning the game."

"I'd be happy for the company." I smile.