An Echo in the Woods {Caitlin,Natic,Lex,Serenity}

Gallagher had only waited a few moments after asking if anyone was in the area and able to help him when he heard the thud of an object hitting the bare forest floor. Strange, I would have thought that anything I had knocked out of place would have fallen sooner. He only had to bend his head down a few degrees before he what had fallen to the ground. Or rather who, as it appeared that a girl had fallen from a tree due to the leaves still taking their indolent descent from where she had previously been climbing. She was actually quite pretty, in a delicate sort of way. Oh...Well I'm going to end up embarrassing myself.

With his usual optimism, Gallagher started trying to think of something to say without much luck. This stranger wasn't making things any easier for him by being silent, but at least she wasnt making fun of him. He started thinking maybe he could ask her for help, but she didn't look strong enough to be able to catch him. He could ask her how much it hurt when she fell, but that might sound insensitive. He could...

Gallagher then began aware of how much time was passing, not in small part due to the growing soreness on his behind. For fear of appearing more awkward, he quickly asked her "Are you okay?" in a hushed voice. He watched her for a few moments, then averted his eyes downward.

Privilege Principaux

Privilege didn't normally go into the woods. When he was a child, that fairytale lullaby song thing, 'if you go into the woods today, you're in for a big surprise' about some teddy bears having a picnic hadn't ever comforted or entertained him. It had confused him- teddy bears were inanimate objects, they didn't have tea parties... it had scared him a little bit too. If teddy bears were having tea parties in the woods, who knew what else they were doing? The woods sounded like far too dangerous a place to be. Whenever he knew of someone who had gone into the woods it was usually to go hunting anyway- there will still a lot of wild animals out in the woods of District 5, and so that was just as scary as partying teddy bears.

However, as he'd grown up, he'd begun to realise the woods wasn't that horrifying. If he went in, he never went that deep, so it was ok. Usually, he'd go with somebody- make his mother go with him or something. Today, he'd decided to go for a nice walk. It was good to get out of the city, where the smog from the oil refineries sometimes became very oppressive. In the woods, the air was fresh and scented like pine needles- Privilege's favourite smell. The fresh air was probably better for his skin anyway.

Quite contentedly, Privilege waltzed his way from his house near the Victor's Village out of the city to the suburbs, and then into the woods. There were a few tracks he could take, because he knew they were safe. He was wearing comfortable boots for walking, with his jeans tucked in so as to not get them muddy- it was winter after all. On his top half, he wore a warm winter coat over a colourfully printed shirt. His hair was hidden under a plain black cap, and a bright blue scarf was draped carelessly around his shoulders.

It wasn't long before he came across something very distasteful. A hunter had been here! he knew, because he could see a great big boy deer lying on the ground, obviously dead, with an arrow sticking out of its side and blood dripping down its leg. He gasped at the sight, but wondered why the hunter had just left his prize (for this was a very, very big animal) on the ground without taking him back to the city to be sold. Immediately after thinking that, Privilege heard voices, and assuming it was the hunter, ducked. When no arrow whistled over his head, he stood up again and brushed down his jacket uncomfortably in case anybody had seen him dodge an imaginary arrow.

He turned his head to the sound of the voices, and picked up people introducing themselves. Through the trees, only a few metres away or so, was a handsome boy who'd just introduced himself as Araval, a boy in a tree called Gallagher, which was a fancy name. There was also a girl, brandishing a piece of tree like a sword at Araval. Random. Privilege was pretty sure her name was Rose or Rosie, because he recognised her. Actually, the boy in the tree looked familiar as well. Maybe Gallagher went to school with him and Rosa.

Privilege stepped up to the three, and noted Araval's bow and quiver. They weren't dissimilar to the ones Privilege had at home- he liked to practice archery. His mother had suggested he take it up after his first Reaping. Just in case. He was a pretty good shot, but he'd never been out hunting like Aravel. He shot his yellow-fletched arrows into a target in his backyard. He could get it in the bullseye from the roof about thirty metres away! Well, he'd done it twice. Maybe three times.

'Hello,' he said, after Gallagher had finished introducing himself. 'You look like you need help out of that tree. Why don't you want his help?' he asked Gallagher, gesturing to Araval. 'He's a lot taller than you are, and stronger,' he added, to Rosalie or whatever her name was.

Gallagher positioned himself so that he could follow Araval's instructions, a little apprehensive about this plan, but after all, he had called for help in the first place. The embarrassment he felt about asking for help, especially from strangers, was only compounded by the fact that it slipped his mind that a Peacekeeper could have easily heard him. These thoughts occupying his mind, his slid off of the branch he was sitting on and onto Araval's back, grabbing onto his shoulders. He then adhered to the further suggestion that he should relax his body when Araval put him down by some tree roots. He was embarrassed to say where it hurt, and having a girl right there didn't help.

"Umm...my rear? Oh, and also my left forearm." Gallagher then took this opportunity to observe the most recent newcomer to their little group. He was dressed for winter, with an air of money to his attire. There's something familiar about him. Maybe from school? Well, he is definitely in a different year, since we don't have class together. Wait! I know his name, it's a fitting one - kind of like mine, now that I think about it. Privilege. Gallagher then stayed in a sitting position, waiting for further instruction.