Everlark- The Years After the Epilogue *Editing*

For the first time

We walked through the forest, the birds were still waking up and jumping from tree to tree singing their calls to the rest in the word. There were some rabbits washing their faces down by a small pond and the sun streamed through the canopy, catching light onto Willow's hair, making it shine copper. After a while Rye started to fuss, so Peeta had taken him back to the house. We both made our way through the trees until I found that ever so familiar one, its bark had slightly grown over and had sealed itself closed , but I managed to break through it. They were still there. I couldn't believe it. There lay my father bow and arrows, and even my miniature one. All of a sudden I felt at peace, the memories came flooding back and I felt like I was at home. I looked up to the trees and whistled the harvest whistle, mockingjays hopped from tree to tree, repeating it.

''Mum, how did you know these were here?'' Willow asked.

''Because they're mine...and now dear this is yours'', I said handing her the small bow and a few arrows.

''Oh wow, these are so cool. Pleeeease show me mum, come on!'' I smiled down at my daughter as I took a deep breath.

''You're gonna have to do me a favour alright?'' I said, Willow nodded her head enthusiastically. ''Okay, can you throw this stone as high as you can into the trees up there, we need the birds to fly up so we can get a clear shot'', I asked, guiding her arm into the direction I wanted. With a great force Willow threw the stone, I pulled an arrow back and quickly shot the bird to the ground. It was like I'd never stopped.

''Oh my gosh'', Willow whispered in the silence. ''Will I be able to do that?'' She asked.

''Of course, come on lets go get find him and I'll show you.'' We spend the next half an hour, again walking through the forest to find a place where It'd be easy to teach her the basics. ''Okay, hold your bow, no not like that silly come here'', I moved Willow's hands into the right position, ''Yeah that's right, okay is your whole body sturdy?'', I tickled her in the side making her giggle a little.

''hahaha muuum stop!'' She says, the sun is reflecting from her eye, giving her a glisten to it.

''Ok, ok. Now I want you to put this right there'', I give her an arrow, showing her where to clip it onto the bow. ''Yeah that's good, now as strong as you can I want you to pull it back and aim up there, but don't let it go yet until I say so. Ok?'' She mumbles a quick 'yeah' and pulls back the arrow as hard as she can aiming it at a gap between two trees. ''Just lift your elbow a little higher my love and you've got it'', she does as I say and that's when I throw a stone up into the trees, awaking all the birds, sending them flying into the sky. ''NOW!'' I yell excitedly, her arrow flies straight into the trees, piercing through what I think was a wood pigeon. Willow gasps in astonishment.

''Mum, I got it! I got it!'' She runs through the grass to find her arrow straight through the chest of the bird. She was a natural.

''Will, that's great. You know once I tried to teach your Auntie Prim when she was about your age, but she couldn't quite get the hang of it you know'', I thought about Prim and the numerous amount of times I'd tried to teach her to hunt, instead she'd try and nurse the dead animals back to life, she was too caring and only ever thought of others.

''I bet she misses you Mum, that light shining there, that's her I know it is''

''You know Willow, I think you're right'', and she was. I felt at home here, like both Prim and my Father were watching us. ''Come on you let's get home to your dad and brother''.

''Ahh yes, I wanna tell dad about me shooting and Rye too!''

''Come on then''.

We walked back through the forest and over the meadow into District 12 again. Willow ran up the pathway and burst into the house boasting about how 'great and fun' it was shooting and how she was 'a natural just like mummy', that last statement warmed my heart. I walked into the room to see Rye on the floor playing with his building blocks. ''Hello my special boy'', I said picking him up to hug him tight, his small arms wrapped around my neck and he gave me a small kiss on the cheek. ''Aw thankyou handsome'', I said blowing a raspberry into his neck. I put him back down, just as Peeta's arms snaked around my waist, I turned around and whispered into his ear.

''Always''.