The Rebel Queen

9

I sit near the fire, carefully sharpening my sword. Peeta pokes at the meat cooking over our fire, turning it over on his rotisserie. Having been a lifesaver of a cook for me, he has developed his own tools in the blacksmith shop during his free time.

This has been become the comfortable new norm for me since the burning of 12. Since that night he asked about being moved to the barracks, the issue has never come up again. I like having hime close, within arms reach around a fire. And I think, well he really doesn't seem to mind my company much either. We train every morning and he is becoming more and more a powerful fighter. 

It's been two months and the beginnings of winter are just starting to affect us. The fruits are starting to wither and die and any vegetables that haven't been saved are rotting. The prey is mostly small things caught in traps, the herds moving to winter in a warmer place. 

"I saw snow today, outside the blacksmith tent," Peeta says and I look up at him, shrugging.

"The trees keep us sheltered for the most part," I say. "And the tents will bare a lot more snow than they would appear. Once a true snow falls, it will even help insulate and hold heat in here."

"Its a lot prettier out here," He says. "I always used to hate snow, it was so ugly and muddy and grey back home." I nod and set down my blade. 

"I remember," I say. "I had holes in my shoes and my socks were not dry until the spring clover bloomed." We both chuckle and he shakes his head.

"Do you remember the peppermint sticks that they used to send out?" He asks and I blink at him a moment. I feel my cheeks flush a little and I shake my head.

"Well, I don't remember getting any of my own," I say. "We really didn't get much of anything for the Capital handouts in my family." Peeta looks away and shakes his head.

"Wow, way for me to stick my foot in my mouth," He says and I look back at him, laughing a little. 

"Well, I do remember them though, because you would sneak some into my bag at school with a little doodle tied to them," I say and he turns red himself.

"That wasn't me," He says and I give him a look. 

"I'm pretty sure it was," I say. 

"Well I wouldn't know what you are talking about," Peeta says getting up and grabbing some salt to throw over the meat. The flap of the tent rustles and I look up as my General ducks in. He sends a glare at Peeta and then looks at me. 

The two have definitely shown their disdain for each other and do everything to avoid one another. I already knew that Gale wasn't fond of me allowing Peeta to stay here, but this is the first time he has needed to approach me in private since the inclusion of the new tentmate. Peeta is a little tense at the intrusion of this safe place for him. I have a feeling this is not going to end well no matter what the issue is.

"The hunting party just returned with two deer, Lady," Gale says and I nod, glancing at the food on our fire.

"Has anyone claimed it?" I ask and Gale looks at me.

"Everyone has meat on the fire, so surely it would go to the barracks to increase rations," He says and Peeta speaks up.

"Why would you need to eat it right away," He asks and Gale looks at him. 

"What? Do you expect us to hang them in the trees to draw in the starving predators?" He asks and I roll my eyes.

"I'm suggesting that you don't stuff your bellies just because when winter is still coming and food will only be scarcer," Peeta says and I can already feel a headache starting to pound in my temples.