the night speaks for itself [sweetrage!--open]

(ooc- Mind if I jump in, since I love RPing with you two so much?)



~Alena Aaron~

Two rabbits hung from Alena's belt, a big brown hare, and a slightly smaller white one. There would be some dinner tonight, something to cook and save for a later time. Her stomach would have something in it, and perhaps allow her to sleep in some peace tonight, without the constant rumbling and grumbling. The constant Hunger in the poor District was unbearable.

She sat there listening carefully, for any sound, or sight. Alena had trained herself to be focus on the tiniest things, anything that could signal game. When you were as desperate for food as her and her father were, you learn quickly to hone your hunting skills. Working in the mines, her father barely managed to keep their leaky roof other their heads. It was all up to Alena to get food, and trade for other things that they need at the Hob. All of which was highly illegal, but when you were this desperate, you didn't care anymore. She'd been whipped once already for hunting, and still fear hadn't warded her away.

That was when she heard movement, followed by voices. She wasn't alone like she originally had thought or hoped. Notching an arrow onto her bow string, she crept closer, moving like a shadow through the undergrowth of the woods. Something she'd perfected when hunting sensitive game such as deer or rabbit. That was when they came into view. A boy and girl. The girl was eating what looked like some sort of meat, it made Alena's mouth water. She had to remind herself that she had a decent haul tonight. Her ribs were becoming more noticeable week by week, she grew more from a girl to a woman, yet could not afford her body the extra food it needed.

What could these two be doing out here tonight? Hunting like herself? Plotting something? Spying for the Capitol? It was the last one, she'd have to kill them both or risk dying via firing squad in the District Square. Die in the very place that had become beloved for the celebration of Arbor and Aranica's victories. How her home had managed to produced to Victors, after so many years of nothing, was beyond her.

She materialized from behind a tree, her arrow tip moving from one to the other, ready to let fly if either of them threatened her. The boy had a bow with him. But Alena was confident that she was the faster shot, and her arrow was already ready to go, she had a major head start. Despite the dark of the night, at this range she could make out their figures well enough for a lethal shot. The girl worried her more, she could have a concealed weapon on her. Alena hated fighting hand to hand, but if it came to that, she had her hunting knife with her, and was willing to fight. Staring down the two, her voice was accusing and cold. "I haven't seen either of you out here before..."

OOC: Yes, please do! xP But it's weird reading about Alena but RPing with a different character xD

Hunting.

This boy was hunting.

Even I couldn't control my face as my eyebrows rose up, higher, and even higher. Hunting was illegal, and this boy was going to trade it with the market, no doubt. For a brief moment I thought of my own market back home in District 1. Not entirely my market, not really, but I was always there. Always. Eating breakfast, eating lunch, eating dinner. I was rarely ever home, and my parents didn't care. That didn't come as a surprise to me at all. As long as I kept out of the way, they could pretend I wasn't part of the family, that I was some random, shameful person of another world.

I took another glance at him, studying him silently. My face had lost its glow now, but I didn't care. He looked like he needed the food anyway, and I knew what he was seeing of me; someone well fed, someone with lean muscles. Strong. A Career. I tried to tell him without speaking that I wasn't a Career, not anymore. But I couldn't work my mouth into focus as a warning of betraying my own District whispered through my head.

A few seconds later though, the whispers were the least of my worries. Because a few seconds later emerged a quiet sound, a few shuffles. And the familiar feeling of danger. I flinched, once again going for a dagger, coming up empty-handed. I could feel the closeness of the arrow, though I couldn't see it. My shoulders were shaking not out of fear but of anticipation. And I fixed my gaze to the trees where I was sure the threat was coming from.

"I'm Nyrah," I said loudly, lifting my head higher. The boy--Coran--might seemed tired or cautious, but I wasn't going to. "And I would lower your weapon if I were you. My own skills should suffice in killing you if you lay one finger on me. Besides," I added, "District 1 always had good connections with the Capitol. Hunting is illegal here. I turned to Coran, quietly, waiting for the right moment.

And then I pulled out my trump card, my strange behavior that set me apart from everyone else. I smiled. I swept my banes revealing my misshaped eye. And then I said, "But I won't turn you two in."

Once again my gaze flew to Coran, but even with the silver light from the moon, I couldn't read his expression very well. At least the girl had lowered her arrow. At least now the spaces from the trees above were enough for the light to shine on her face, so I could get a good look of what I was facing.

For a moment though, I didn't bother answering the girl's question. Instead I faced Coran once more, beaming. "If you're from District 9, then you must be a very good hunter. I would love to see what you can do." Those were weird words enough, but made weirder by the fact they were coming out of a District 1 citizen's mouth. No one encouraged hunting unless they really needed the kill. And I certainly didn't need it.

But I couldn't avoid the inevitable. I let my strange eyes flicker to the girl, and for a moment my fake expression slipped. This one had a bit of a temper, although I couldn't blame her. She was from District 12, and I was from District 1. We were supposedly polar opposites. The least fortunate met with the most fortunate. "I was born like this," I said, pointing to the blue eye that had once been hidden behind my banes. "And I can assure you no Capitol citizen think it to be a pretty sight."

I raised my eyebrows then and crossed my arms. "So we've made our introductions. Now it's your turn."

This was getting pretty interesting. I kept my eyes on the girl named Alena, my eyebrows slightly raised, my mouth a small smile. A pleasantly interested expression.

But on the inside, I was feeling a dark churn of black irritation. I would let this girl rant, let her continue to speak as if she wasn't talking to someone who had trained as a Career. But I would keep all of my conflicting, negative emotions in check and in the back. I wasn't going to speak out like her. She had no right to talk about anything of the Upper Districts like that anyway.

But I kept on telling myself that Alena didn't understand. Alena didn't know.

Thankfully Coran had enough sense to interject, stopping the girl from continuing her rant that was, surprisingly, making me wish even more that I'd brought my dagger. Not to kill her or injure her, of course. But keeping a weapon had always made me feel better. Probably because I'd trained for such a long time. Now I listened to Coran as he described the consequences, reminded me of my place--even if I was from the Upper Districts. I could tell he was angry with me, but I fixed my face into indifference. Let him be mad.

I shrugged. "I can stay quiet easily." My gaze lingered on Alena as she put her bow away, and I raised my eyebrows. "So how about those skills of yours, Coran? Care to show us?" And though my question was directed at the District 9 boy, I was still watching Alena.