EDIT 11/17/2014

Hey, guys! I've re-written this story because I felt like it. This version is much better than the last and Prim is more in character. The only one who isn't is the mother. I'm not going to change that. Just know that she's OOC.

I might might might continue writing this story, but if I do, there will be slow updates because I've got a bunch of other stuff keeping me busy.

Alright, here's the new and improved 'Just Lost'

"How have you gained possession of such a powerful object?"

"Well, Bruce and I were- wait, you know what it is?"

"..."

"Thor?"

"...There is a rumor that is spread across the realms of something called an Infinity Gauntlet. It is said to wield enough power to destroy the entire Yggdrasil. It consists of six gems: the Mind Gem, the Soul Gem, the Space Gem, the Power Gem, the Time Gem, and the Reality Gem. Each one, with their respective powers, contain enough energy and power to cause mass destruction and death. No one has brought the six gems together in a very long time."

"Whoa… which one do you think this is?"

"I believe this is the Time Gem. It is truly fascinating… but you must not meddle with it. I highly suggest that you return it to it's original place, or that you hide it again."

"Of course, of course. I'll give SHIELD a call and- Tony, don't touch the gem!"

"Aww, c'mon Brucie! At least let me show it to the rest of the team."

"Not until Director Fury sends backup. We should get this onto the Helicarrier and see what to do then. They can probably keep it safe."

"Ugh, fine…. Hey, Fury! We've got a present for you!"

Prim's POV

"Beh-eh-eh!"

My goat, Lady, bleats at me as I begin to milk her. A bowl underneath her belly catches the white liquid and Lady bleats again. I giggle and scratch her head with one hand. It was only one year ago that Katniss came home with the injured goat in her arms. She and Gale had sold a buck and, with the money they earned, bought Lady for me, since it was my birthday. Mother helped me nurse her back to health and now the little goat loves us. Even if she's less-than-happy about being milked.

The bowl is almost half-full and I pause for a moment, flexing my hands. Buttercup leaps onto the stool next to me, a limp mouse in his jaws. He puts it down for a moment and nudges my arm, wanting to be petted.

I smile and gently scratch his furry orange scruff. The cat purrs and nuzzles my hand. A few moments later, I pull away and continue to milk Lady.

Upset that I stopped petting him, Buttercup lets out a loud meow. He nudges my arm again and I giggle, "Not now, Butter. Eat your mouse and I'll pet you later." Buttercup doesn't take 'no' for an answer and puts a paw on my leg. He meows once more and I sigh.

Leaning down, I scoop up some milk in my hands and bring it over to him. The dirty orange cat eagerly laps it up and purrs in delight. I shush him, "Shh! Don't let Mother know!"

Once he's finished drinking, he lays down and starts eating his mouse. As I turn back to Lady, I notice something in the distance and pause. The forest's treetops line the horizon, displaying a bright green in the rays of the sinking sun. A flock of startled birds flutter out of it, letting out loud screeches before flying off. My smile falters a little and I wonder if Katniss is in those woods, hunting game for District 12.

Looking away, I start milking Lady again. As I do, my mind wanders back to the forest. I remember one time when Katniss took me in there. The place terrified me, but I was rather young at the time. The memory is fading, but I remember the trees seeming so tall that they blocked out the sky and the undergrowth threatening to trip my every step. And when Katniss hunted, I felt so bad for the animals that I had started crying.

My thoughts are interrupted when Lady bleats loudly. I snap back to attention and realize that she's run out of milk.

"Sorry, Lady." I apologize, stroking her back. Taking the rope off of her neck, I let her return to her pen in the backyard. Picking up the bowl of milk, I turn around and walk back into the house. Buttercup, having finished his mouse, leaps off of the stool and trots after me.

"Mother, I've finished!" I call out as I open the back door. Mother comes to greet me and takes the bowl out of my hands, "Good job, dear. Katniss should be back soon. Could you organize the herbs while I start dinner? I just sent a patient off and I haven't had time to clean yet."

"Sure." I reply, walking over to the room where she takes care of sick people. Leftover herbs and salves are strewn here and there on the table, as well as the counter. I use a towel to wipe the herbs off and into my hand. Carrying them over to the cabinet, I take out the jars in which we keep the herbs. Frowning, I notice that most of them are empty or nearly so. Mother usually grows some in the backyard, but since winter is nearly upon us, they're starting to shrivel up. Perhaps Katniss could look for some in the forest on her next hunt? That is, if she's not too busy.

For the next few minutes, I organize the herbs and take note of what is needed. Then, I turn and walk out of the room. Buttercup is sitting in the small hallway, gazing up at me with big orange eyes. I smile at him and he follows me as I walk into the kitchen.

Just then, Katniss enters the house, her boots slightly dirty and her game bag chunky. At her arrival, Buttercup flattens his ears and hisses. Katniss doesn't even glance at him and instead smiles at me, "Hey, Prim. Mother." She nods at Mother, and then walks over to the table. Plopping down her game bag, she opens it and reveals a large, plump quail.

I feel a pang of pity when I see it, but Buttercup leaps onto the table and sniffs the bird with interest. Katniss wrinkles her nose and pushes him away, "If you eat the quail, we'll just cook you instead!"

Buttercup spits at her and I scoop him up in my arms. He growls, lashing his furry tail. Katniss glares at him before taking the quail out of the bag and turning to Mother. "I'll pluck it while you start up the fire." she says. It was more of an order than a offer, but Mother nods and goes to the stove.

As Katniss sets the quail down on the counter, I set Buttercup down and walk over to her. She glances at me and smiles, "Hey, Prim. What's up?"

"Not much." I reply, averting my eyes as she starts plucking the bird, "I was organizing the herbs earlier and I noticed we were low on a few things. The ones outside haven't been growing very well, so I thought you could look for some during your next hunt?"

"Sure." she says, eyes focused on the quail, "Just tell me what you need and I'll keep an eye out for them tomorrow."

"Okay." I try to remember what we need more of, "We're low on dock leaves, chervil, fennel, juniper berries, ragweed, yarrow…" I stop when I see Katniss frown slightly.

"Ragweed, ragweed… what does that look like again?" she asks.

"It's dark green, has ragged leaves, and kind of looks like a fern." I describe it to her, "The juice relieves swelling and prevents infection."

She pauses and then turns to me, "You and I both have Mother's herb book memorized. It's not in there, is it?"

I shake my head and reply, "We… haven't updated that book in a while."

She makes a humming sound before saying, "Okay, well, I'll try and look for it. Dark green, ragged leaves, and looks like a fern?" I nod and she turns back to the quail, "I'll try to remember tomorrow when I leave for my hunt. Maybe Gale will know what it looks like."

I nod again and look down at my feet as she starts plucking the bird. A moment later, one of its feathers falls off of the counter and floats towards the ground. I catch it and gaze at it fondly, running my thumb over its white spots. I think of what the bird was like, roaming around in the forest. It must've liked its home, but I can't remember anything good about it.

Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, "Or I can go with you!" I immediately clamp my mouth shut. What am I thinking?!

Katniss looks at me in surprise, "Really?"

I open my mouth, hesitate, and then say, "Well… I mean… just for the herbs. Not to hunt or anything." I spare a glance at the quail and wince.

"No, of course not." she says, "I wouldn't expect you to. But, um, are you sure, Prim? The last time you went into the forest, you didn't like it too much."

I nod and continue fiddling with the feather, "I know, but I was younger, then. And if there's the chance that…" I falter, "... next year I get Reaped-"

"Which you won't." Katniss puts in.

"- then I can't be afraid of trees and bushes." I finish. My sister gazes at me, and then asks, "Is this really about herbs? Or is it about the Games? Prim, you don't have to train yourself for that. Your name's only going in there once-"

"No, this isn't about the Games." I interrupt. Katniss pauses before nodding, "All right, then. We'll go early tomorrow- I'll wake you up in the morning."

I smile and hug her, "Thanks, Katniss."

She hugs me back, "Of course. Anything for you, little duck."

Later in the night, I crawl into my bed and curl up underneath the sheets. Sleep doesn't come easily. I keep on wondering what will happen tomorrow in the forest. Old, scary memories of the woods replay in my mind and hug my knees to my chest, fear beginning to creep in on me.

The bed dips as Buttercup hops beside me, curling up against my back. I turn around and pull him close, burying my face into his fur. He meows softly and snuggles into my side.

Grateful for his companionship, I let out a sigh and slowly fall asleep.

The next morning

I wake up to the sound of Buttercup's hiss. Opening my eyes, I see him glaring at Katniss, who has just entered my room. I smile at her and she smiles back.

"Hey, sleepyhead." she says softly, "Start getting ready. We're leaving soon."

"Okay." I reply, sitting up as she leaves. Buttercup meows in protest as I roll off of the bed and gaze out of the window. The sun is just starting to creep over the horizon, staining the usually dull, gray sky with orange streaks. It's a beautiful day. I smile, feeling hopeful, and start changing into warm clothes, since it's nearly winter. I don't have any hunting boots like Katniss's, but I find a pair of strong shoes and put them on.

Then, I grab a pouch for herbs and walk out of my room. Katniss is waiting for me, dressed in her hunting clothes and carrying her game bag. She smiles when she sees me and says, "Perfect. Let's go get Gale and then we'll head to the forest."

I nod and follow her into the kitchen. Mother is there and she looks up as we enter. "Good luck." she says, "And be safe."

"We will." I reply, walking after Katniss as we exit the house. I frown a little and ask, "Should we eat first? You're going to need your strength if you're going to be hunting."

Katniss smiles, "Don't worry, little duck. We'll find a nice snack in the forest. Do huckleberries sound good?"

I perk up, "Yes!" Katniss has brought huckleberries home sometimes and she knows how much I love them.

Gale's house isn't too far away. When we get there, we see that he's already waiting outside. He grins at Katniss as she approaches, "Hey, Catnip." His gaze shifts to me and turns into one of confusion, "Oh! Hi, Prim. What are you doing here?"

"She wants to go into the forest again." Katniss explains, "We're low on some herbs and I don't know all of them, so she decided to come along."

"All right." Gale says, nodding, "Maybe I can even teach you some snare tricks." I smile and he turns around, leading the way to the District fence. As we walk, I notice some people that are already awake give Katniss and Gale an approving nod or small wave. They don't pay much attention to the people, but occasionally they send a smile back.

Before I know it, we're at the District fence. We come to a stop and Katniss pauses, her head tilted slightly. I realize that she's checking for the electric hum in the fence and listen myself, hearing nothing. Gale slips underneath a weak spot in the fence, and then he and Katniss help me through. I flinch at the wires when they brush against me, but I'm soon on the other side.

The forest looms over me and I hesitate, trying to forget how scared I was the last time I came here. Katniss moves to stand by my side and asks, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

I take a deep breath and nod, "Of course. I can do this."

Before we walk into the forest, Katniss says, "Since I'm hunting, try to move silently. Don't put too much weight on twigs and leaves or they'll snap. Distribute your weight evenly among your feet and take high steps to avoid tripping on undergrowth."

"Okay." I say, doing as she says. I watch as she retrieves her bow and arrows from a hollow log and gestures for me to follow. Gale nudges me forward and walks by my side as we enter the forest.

"It'll be all right." he reassures me. For a second, he frowns slightly, "But…" Glancing up at Katniss, he calls out, "Catnip! I think you should teach Prim how to climb." Katniss and I both look at him and he explains, "Sometimes we run into packs of wild dogs. It'd be better if you could be able to climb out of their reach while we chase them away."

"You're right." Katniss says, "Why don't you check the snares for game while I teach her?"

"Sure." he nods, turning around and disappearing into the forest.

I turn to Katniss and she beckons me to follow her. Turning around, she walks up to an elm tree and puts her foot on a root. "Watch." she says, leaning forward and quickly shimmying up the tree. She grips the knots in the trunk with her hands, which are then replaced by her feet when she's able to reach the branches. I watch as she shows me how to move from branch to branch, calling out pointers and tips. Then, she climbs back down and tells me to try.

Katniss shows me the first knot to reach for, much to my gratitude. Taking a deep breath, I begin to climb. The first part of the trunk is a struggle, but it gradually gets easier as I make my way up. My hands quickly find the knots and bumps; when I reach the branches, I'm not breathing too heavily. I look down to Katniss for approval. She grins and gives me a thumbs-up.

"Now, since you're smaller than me." she calls up, "you can climb up to higher branches. They can hold your weight, but don't go too high, or they might snap." I glance up at the higher branches. They are a few good thick ones, but the higher they go, the skinnier they get.

I feel strangely squirrel-like as I scramble amongst the branches for the next few minutes. Katniss continues to encourage me, but pauses when she hears rustling in the distance. Gale reappears, grim-faced and empty-handed.

"Nothing." he grumbles. I carefully climb down and Katniss helps me to the ground. She glances over her shoulder and asks, "What happened?"

Gale shrugs as she begins to check my hands for scrapes. "I dunno." he replies, "Looks like it rained a bit last night, though. That might've loosened my snares."

"I thought you said they worked even in the rain?" I ask.

"They do." he says, but then shrugs again, "I guess I was slacking off a bit yesterday. Must've not pulled them tight enough."

"Bad luck, then." Katniss says, picking up her bow, "Well, I can still shoot some game for us."

I stiffen and wince. "I'm going to stay behind when you spot some." I say and she nods. Turning around, she leads the way deeper into the forest. I trail behind the two, looking around for any familiar herbs.

Spotting some yarrow, I dart over and pluck a few stems of the small white and yellow flowers. Carefully tucking them into my pouch, I dash after Katniss and Gale, who have stopped to wait for me.

"Sorry." I say, catching up to them. Gale shakes his head, "It's fine. Come on, there's a river nearby."

I follow them and soon hear the sound of rushing water. Like Gale said, a wide river appears, full of blue-green water and large boulders. I notice patches of plants by the shore and walk over to them. Kneeling down, I gently touch one and try to recall what it is.

It has thin, spiky leaves, and I quickly remember that it's fennel. Careful not to poke myself, I pluck some stems off and put it next to the yarrow in my pouch. Then, I turn around and walk back to Katniss and Gale, who are taking a break beside the river.

As I sit down on a large, flat rock, I say, "This is actually kind of fun. The forest isn't as bad as I thought it was." I gaze at the river, its water streaming over rocks and smoothing them, "It's actually kind of pretty."

"I'm glad you like it." Katniss says with a smile. A flicker of gray in the river catches my eye and I knit my eyebrows. The flicker appears again and I realize that there are small fish in the water. Leaning forward, I try to touch one as it passes by, but they dodge my fingers.

Katniss lets out a soft laugh, "Don't fall in, little duck." I blink and look up at her, slightly surprised. She had laughed. Laughed. I rarely hear her do that. Back at home, there's not much to laugh about, with life being so miserable. But here in the forest… I think anyone could be happy here. Even her.

Gale seems to notice my surprise and says, "I think Catnip smiles and laughs here more than anywhere." I grin and nod in agreement. Katniss wraps an arm around me and pulls me into her side. As I snuggle against her, I spot something strange in the mud next to the rock. It looks like two teardrop-shaped holes in the ground. I nudge Katniss and point the them, "What's that?"

Katniss glances at it and her eyes widen slightly, "Deer tracks."

Gale looks up, "Really? Haven't seen a deer in a while. The last time we did was, what, two springs ago?"

"We should get it." Katniss says, grabbing her bow and standing up. Gale rolls his eyes, "And what are you going to do with it? You can't just walk into town with a 200 pound deer on your shoulders. The Peacekeepers will freak."

"You don't know that." Katniss counters, "They only ever start paying attention when Reaping Day is coming up. Trust me, they'll be more than happy to eat nice, juicy, illegal deer-meat."

Gale smiles, "Fine." He takes out his knife and stands beside her. I hesitate, not really wanting to see them kill a beautiful deer.

Thankfully, Katniss acknowledges my hesitance and says, "It's okay. You don't have to come. Just stay here and stay out of trouble." I let out a sigh of relief and nod. Turning around, Katniss and Gale both start tracking the deer. I watch them as they examine the ground and move into the forest, disappearing amongst the trees. Sighing again, I stand up and start searching for herbs. I find more fennel and stuff some into my pouch. I even come across some horsetail, which is good for easing infection. Mother doesn't use it too often, mainly because there are other herbs good for curing infection, but since those are starting to die, I add some horsetail stalks into my pouch. Unfortunately, most of the other herbs that I need don't grow near the river.

Pausing, I glance at the shore, and then at the forest. Katniss might not be back for a little while… it couldn't hurt to step aside for a moment and get some herbs. I won't go too far, just far enough to find some dry-growing herbs.

Making up my mind, I cautiously leave the river and venture into the forest. The rushing of the river starts to fade away as I go deeper into the trees, searching for herbs. Spotting the

bright green, large leaves of dock, I kneel down and quickly pick some. Fallen leaves crunch underneath my feet and I remind myself to walk lightly. Standing up, I continue searching for herbs while listening for any signs of movement. Birds chirp in the trees above me, filling the air with song. I smile and look up, gazing at the birds as they flutter from branch to branch, twittering and warbling. One bird in particular catches my eye and I blink in surprise. It's a mockingjay! I've only ever seen one once, but Katniss has described them to me. She would tell me how mockingjays would stop and listen to our father's singing before copying it.

Smiling, I take a breath and then whistle out a tune. Immediately, the mockingjays start repeating my tune and it rings throughout the forest before turning into something else.

One of the mockingjays swoops down and almost touches my head. I giggle and watch as it lands on a large, scraggly bush a bit away. My eyes widen when I realize that the bush is actually a juniper bush. Jogging over, I push aside some branches and find a cluster of juniper berries, large, blue, and ripe. The mockingjay caws and flies away as I start plucking them. My fingers get stained with purple juice when I pick a slightly overripe one and it bursts at the touch.

Suddenly, I hear a loud rustling sound coming from behind the bush, along with a grunt. Immediately, I freeze, my heart already beginning to rabbit. When the rustling starts up again, I drop into a crouch and hide behind the bush.

"Hurry up, Tony!" A voice suddenly calls out, far too close for my liking. I gasp and then clamp my hand over my mouth. My breath comes out of my nose, loud and ragged. I desperately try to control it as I hear another voice.

"Hold up, I'm not used to travelling like this! These stupid plants keep tripping me up."

The rustling continues and a third voice says, "Here, give me your hand."

"I think I hear a river." a fourth says and my eyes widen. How many people are here? "We should head over there." the fourth continues.

Carefully, oh so carefully, I push aside some branches and peer out from behind the bush. Six people are standing on the other side, a few meters away. Instantly, I think of the Capitol. One man has tanned skin and brown hair, as well as a fancy goatee. He seems to have fallen and is being helped up by a taller man with short, wavy blond hair and a large torso. Beside him is a man of similar structure, if a bit more muscled and his hair is longer. Standing a bit away are a woman and a man. The woman looks lithe and strong and has sinuous red hair. The man has somewhat spiky dark blond hair and is looking around, body tense and alert. I notice the bow and arrows that he carries and inhale sharply. They look very high tech and… Capitol-like.

As I try to catch a glimpse of the sixth one, the man with the bow turns around and looks in my direction. I quickly duck and let go of the branches, making them rustle a bit. I pray that he doesn't find me, but he must have very good eyesight because he takes a step towards me, "Hey… hey!"

My heart leaps to my throat and I whirl around, running in the opposite direction. I hear them give chase, crashing through the undergrowth as they pursue me. I whimper in fear, running as fast as I can. Katniss has told me the punishments for hunting- or even being found- in the forest. Whipping. Torture. Death.

The forest blurs around me as I let out a bloodcurdling scream, "KATNISS! KATNISS, HELP ME!"

Through all the blur, I make out an elm tree a few feet away from me. Dashing towards it, I scramble up the trunk in the blink of an eye, the bark digging into my skin and scraping my hands. Ignoring the pain, I climb up to the highest branch that can take my weight.

Gasping for breath, I look down at the ground with wide eyes. My pursuers seem surprised that I can climb, but before they can make any attempt to climb after me, an arrow whizzes past them. To my relief, Katniss and Gale appear, crashing through the bushes.

"Get away from her!" Katniss screeches, looking furious. She has her bow locked and is pulling the string back hard. Gale has a knife in both of his hands and they stand in front of the tree. The people closest to them jump back in surprise. The man with the bow knocks and arrow and aims at Katniss.

Silence.

Trying to calm my rabbiting heart, I shift my position on the branch and peer down at the scene below me. My sides ache and my breathing is ragged, but I try to get a closer look at the people. To my surprise, I see that they're all injured. The one with the goatee is only just catching up and I notice a limp in his step. The man with the bow has a bite mark on his shoulder, as well as scratches. The others have various injures, too, except for one, which I haven't seen before. In addition, they all, including Katniss, have some sort of unreadable expression on their faces.

After a few moments of silence, Katniss asks in a cold voice, "Who are you?"

None of them reply.

"Answer me!" she demands. When nobody says anything, Gale speaks up. "Did the Capitol send you to spy?" he asks. The red-haired woman shakes her head, not breaking eye-contact, "No. What's the Capitol?" I see Katniss relax the slightest bit, but she's still on the verge of killing them.

"Are you lost?" she asks, her voice still cold, "Are you even from Panem?"

There's a pause, and then the man with the goatee says, "Yes. Yes, we are lost." The wavy-haired man beside him shoots him a warning glare, but the man continues, "And no, we're not from Panem. We messed with shit that shouldn't have been messed with and we appeared here. Now can you guys lower your bows and tell us what the hell is going on? What's the Capitol? What's Panem?"

Gale glances at Katniss and I swallow. I don't know who these people are, but looking down at them and their injuries, I can't help wanting to heal them. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, I call down weakly, "I-If you're n-not from Panem, then where are you from?"

The red-haired woman looks up at me and I flinch, drawing back a little. The goatee man also looks up and replies, "We're from New York."

"New York?" Gale questions, "Is that in the Capitol?"

"I don't know." the goatee man replies, "I don't know what you're talking about. What's the-"

Suddenly, Katniss interrupts him by asking in an almost unrecognizable voice, "Who are you?!"

There's a pause, in which the goatee man glances at the red-haired woman. She holds Katniss's gaze and replies, "I go by the name of Black Widow." I frown a bit. That's a strange name.

The man with the bow narrows his eyes before saying, "You can call me Hawkeye. Now, please, lower your bow."

"You lower yours first, Hawkeye." Katniss retorts, still aiming at him.

"How 'bout you lower them at the same time?" the goatee man suggests, raising his hands in a calming matter, "One… two… three."

Slowly, the two archers both lower their bows, but they're still tense and glaring at each other. Glad that the weapons are down, the goatee man perks up, "Good. Now, back to the naming matter. I'm Tony Stark. The big, long-haired blond over there is Thor. The other big blond next to him is Steve, AKA Capsicle." 'Steve' glares at him when he says this, "Fluffy hair and glasses is my buddy, Bruce Banner." I notice that I haven't seen him before and realize that he was the one I was trying to see when Hawkeye spotted me. "And together, we are the Avengers." Tony finishes.

Katniss and Gale glance at each other, and then Katniss says somewhat reluctantly, "I'm Katniss Everdeen and this is Gale Hawthorne."

Steve looks up at me and clutch the tree branch a little tighter. "What about her?" he asks, and then says a bit louder, "You can come down now, you know. We won't hurt you."

I hesitate, but something about his voice makes me believe him. Glancing at Katniss, I see her nod up at me and then I start climbing down the tree. It's a bit harder, mainly because my hands sting with scrapes from the frantic scramble up.

Once I'm down, Katniss and Gale step slightly in front of me, just to be safe. I gaze at the newcomers with wide eyes, feeling self-conscious under their stares. Grabbing onto Katniss's jacket sleeve, I stammer nervously, "I-I'm Prim. Katniss's si-sister."

"Hello, Prim." Steve greets, smiling a bit, "Sorry about chasing you."

"Er…" I reply clumsily, "It's all right. I guess…" There's an awkward pause after that, so I ask, "How'd you guys get hurt?" To Hawkeye, I say, "That's a nasty bite you've got on your shoulder."

"We were ambushed by small yet numerous and savage creatures." The one called Thor says. I tilt my head at his strange accent. Next to him, Bruce clears it up for me, "It was a large pack of wild dogs. They attacked us."

"We chased them away, of course." Tony says somewhat boastfully.

I brighten up. "I can help with that." I say cheerfully. Bouncing past Katniss, I take Hawkeye's hand (he looks quite startled) and I lead him back to the river. "Careful, Prim." Katniss warns as she and the others follow us. I bring Hawkeye onto a large, flat rock and order politely, "Sit down, please." He glances at his friends before sitting down.

Taking off my pouch, I spread out the herbs on the rock face. For a moment, I study the wounds on his shoulder. It looks like one of the dogs had leapt onto him and bit him while scratching the rest of his arm with its claws. Nothing I can't heal.

Leaning over, I tug some thick moss out from in between the rocks and soak it in the river. Then, I carefully start cleaning the wound. Hawkeye doesn't wince at all, which surprises me. Once the wound is clean, I snag some leaves off of a bush and wash them in the river. Turning back to my herbs, I mash up a stalk of horsetail and put the sticky poultice on the leaves. Then, I rip a dock leaf in half and crumple it up in my hand. To Hawkeye, I warn, "This might sting a little." Shifting his arm to a better angle, I squeeze the dock juice onto his wounds. He inhales sharply at the sting, but then attempts to cover it up with a cough and a brave face. I smile and cover his wounds with the leaves containing the horsetail poultice.

"Do you have any other injuries?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"Er, no, this is good. Thanks."

Standing up, he walks back to his team, who all look surprised. Bruce walks up to me and asks, "Where did you learn that?"

I blush. "Well," I begin, "My mother heals people for a living. I like to help her with her patients. She keeps a book about herbs…"

Bruce nods and sits down next to me, "Have you ever considered using Ashwagandha to help with the healing?" I stare at him confusedly. He lets out an embarrassed laugh and says, "Sorry. I used to be a doctor in India and often times I had to use natural herbs."

"Oh," I nod, not having a clue what India is, "That's neat. I don't think we have any Ashwag… er- what you said- here."

"Right, okay." he says, "Well, do you need help healing? I… managed to stay out of the dog fight, so I can help. If you need it, of course."

I smile at his offer and nod, "That would be great. Could take care of the smaller wounds on your friends while I take a look at Tony's leg?" He nods and I gesture to the herbs, "Are you familiar with these herbs?" After a pause, he shakes his head and I quickly explain, "Once you clean the wounds with moss, mash up a stalk of horsetail into a poultice and put it on a leaf. Then, rip and squeeze dock juice onto the wounds and then apply the poultice. And, if you want to know, horsetail is used for curing infections and stopping bleeding, and dock leaves sooth scratches."

"All right." Bruce nods, looking impressed. I smile, feeling proud, and then walk over to Tony and help him make his way to a boulder. He's limping heavily and his left pants is drenched in blood. When he sits down, I scrunch it up and examine the wound. After a moment, I frown. It doesn't look like something that would come from a wild dog. The two gashes are curved and are surrounded by much smaller scratches.

Glancing up at Tony, I ask, "Did this come from the wild dogs?"

He shakes his head, "No. I stepped in some weird snare thing. It was connected to a tree and lifted me up into the air. Luckily Leg- Hawkeye here shot the string. Though I didn't appreciate the rough landing." He adds with a glare at Hawkeye.

I turn to Katniss and Gale, who are sitting a bit away and muttering. Gale looks up and gives a sheepish grin, "Oops."

Steve looks at Gale. "You made that?" he asks in awe. Gale nods, "I make snares, Katniss shoots, and Prim heals." He smiles, "I guess we're our own little team."

I shrug, and then remember something. Tilting my head, I ask, "What happened to the deer?" Katniss pauses, her eyes widening for a moment. Gale stands up and says, "Don't worry, I'll get it." She nods and he disappears into the woods.

Turning back to Tony, I continue to examine his leg for a couple of minutes, pondering what to do. Cobwebs and moss won't be able to stop this amount of bleeding. I might have to use some of Mother's bandages and maybe some of her herbs, too. To Tony, I say, "I want you to rest your leg in the river and let the water wash it thoroughly. I think I'm going to have to get some of my mother's bandages to cover this up." Standing up, I help him over to the shore and have him sit down on a rock. Once his leg is in the river, I move to tell Katniss that I have to go, but then Hawkeye catches my attention.

He nods at Katniss's bow and asks, "Archery?"

Katniss stiffens a bit and says a little challengingly, "What about it?" Everybody pauses to watch the scene unfold before them. I sit down on the boulder that Tony was on, ready to intervene if a fight starts.

"Are you good?" Hawkeye asks casually.

"I'm okay."

"She's the best!" I say. He glances at me, then back at Katniss. "Care to demonstrate?" he asks. Shrugging, Katniss grabs her bow and stands up. She turns to me and asks, "What should I shoot?"

I scan the area and see a berry bush. Running to it, I pluck a berry and then position myself in front of a tree. I look at Katniss and she nods, nocking an arrow in her bow. Everybody watches as I toss the berry into the air and, in a split second, Katniss aims and shoots at it. The arrow hits the berry right in the center and imbeds itself into the tree behind me.

We all applaud and she smiles a little, giving a small bow. I hug her and am about to tell her about getting the bandages when I'm interrupted once more. Gale stumbles out of the bushes, carrying a small buck on his shoulders.

"Good thing it wasn't too far away when he shot it," he pants, sliding it onto the floor, "because this thing is heavy-" He pauses, gazing at our faces, "Did I miss something?"

"Lady Katniss showed us her competence in the skill of archery." Thor says.

Hawkeye gives my sister a half-smile, "Nice shooting."

"Thanks." she says, looking a little smug.

Meanwhile, Gale drags the buck to the river, downstream of Tony, and takes out his knife. "Do you guys know how to start a fire?" he asks as he prepares to skin the deer.

Black Widow nods and stands up, "Hawkeye and I will start one."

"Good." Gale says, "Katniss, you wanna help me with this?" Katniss nods and walks over to him, crouching down on the shore. I avert my eyes as they start skinning the deer and say, "Katniss, I'm going to have to get some of Mother's bandages for Tony. I'll be right back, okay?"

My sister glances over her shoulder, "Are you sure you can find your way back here?"

I nod and am about to turn around when Bruce calls out, "By the way, the horsetail and dock leaves are used up. But I've healed everyone else's wounds."

"All right. I'll try to find some more on the way." I say before walking into the forest again. The trip back to the fence is pretty quick. I pick some more dock leaves on the way and even find some chervil. When I reach the fence, I listen for the electric hum like Katniss did, and then slide underneath the weak spot. Now in District 12 once more, I quickly jog back home.

Peeking through a small window, I see Mother bidding goodbye to a patient at the door. Thankfully, that's in the kitchen, so I cautiously creep through the back door and sneak into her medicine room. It's still a mess and my heart lurches when I realize that she'll be back to clean soon. Pulling open a cabinet, I search desperately for what I need. Stuffing a few helpful herbs into my pouch, I open a drawer and grab a couple of bandage wraps.

Whirling around, I'm about to exit the room when I hear Mother's footsteps approaching. Heart thudding, I quickly change course and run into my room. Quietly shutting the door, I turn around and see Buttercup sitting on my bed.

He perks up when he sees me and jumps down, rubbing up against my legs and purring. I shush him and scoop him up.

"Be quiet, Buttercup." I whisper to the orange cat. He loudly meows in response. "Shh!" I tilt my head and listen for Mother's footsteps coming down the hallway. When I don't hear anything, I peek my head out of the door and look around. I see her shadow and hear her shuffling about in her medicine room.

Putting down Buttercup, I quietly sneak the other way and creep out of the backdoor. Immediately, I sprint away from the house and towards the forest. A few people glance up as I dash by, but I don't stop until I reach the District fence. Slowing down, I let out a sigh of relief and almost forget to listen for the hum of electricity. When I don't hear anything, I quickly slip underneath the weak spot. One of the wires catches on my shoe and I turn around, pulling it free.

To my surprise, I see Buttercup running towards me on the other side. My eyes widen and I exclaim, "Buttercup! What are you doing here?"

My cat easily slides underneath the fence and stops in front of me, meowing loudly. He rubs up against my legs, begging for attention. I sigh and pick him up.

"Poor baby." I can't help cooing to him, "I know you must be bored without me. But the forest is dangerous- you shouldn't be here." Buttercup nuzzles his head into my neck and then pulls away, gazing up at me with pumpkin-orange eyes. I soften up and hug him, "Oh, alright, you little furball. I'll bring you along, but you have to keep quiet about our new friends, okay?" He meows and settles into my arms.

Smiling, I make my way back to the river. As I walk, I murmur to Buttercup. "See if you can spot any herbs." I say, looking around. The ginger cat simply purrs in response, gazing at the forest with great interest. A few minutes later, I notice a patch of bushy plants surrounding an outcropping of rocks. Curiosity gets the better of me and I walk over to it. Crouching down, I realize that the bushy plants are actually ragweed.

Setting Buttercup on the ground, I gesture to the plant and say, "This is ragweed, Butter. It's actually the reason why I came into the forest in the first place. Katniss doesn't know what it looks like." Buttercup sniffs the fern-like plant curiously, sneezes, and then looks up at me with an irritated meow.

Picking a few stalks, I put them in my pouch and scoop up the orange cat before continuing my trek back to the river. When I reach it, I see Katniss, Gale, and the Avengers all sitting around a small fire and cooking the now butchered deer.

Katniss smiles when she sees me and asks, "Did you get the bandages- Why is Buttercup here?"

Buttercup hisses at her and lashes his tail. She rolls her eyes as I set him down. Tearing off a bit of roasted deer entrails, she tosses it at the cat, "Here, you oversized rat." Buttercup hisses at her, but gratefully eats the entrail bit. Next to him, Steve leans over and scratches his scruff. My cat jumps in surprise, but then sniffs him and, having apparently approved of his scent, lets the man pet him.

Meanwhile, I make my way over to Tony, who's still sitting on the riverbank with his leg in the water. Pulling his leg out, I examine it while taking out my herbs. The blood has mostly washed away and now the wound looks clean. Handing Tony a small bottle filled with pale yellow liquid, I say, "This is sweet-sedge sap. Drink it and it'll help prevent and lower infection." He does as I say and grimaces at the taste.

Using some goldenrod that I got from Mother's store of herbs, I crush it and mix it with dock juice and some chervil that I found on my trek. After putting the poultice on Tony's wounds, I carefully wrap it with the bandage that I got.

"All done." I say triumphantly. Tony lets out a sigh and says, "Thanks. You could be a great doctor some day, kid." Standing up, I help him limp back over to the others around the fire.

Katniss has just finished saying something and, from the looks on the Avengers' faces, I assume that it was about the Hunger Games.

"That's horrible!" Bruce exclaims. Thor shakes his head, scowling, "These savage mortals do not deserve to live like kings and queens while the districts suffer!"

"Are you sure we can't do something to help?" Steve asks Gale. He shakes his head, "No, probably not. The Capitol is too powerful- you might even make it worse."

I sit down next to Katniss and she passes me a piece of cooked deer meat. Buttercup trots over to me and curls up by my side, gazing at the flickering flames of the fire in fascination.

"So, that's our little tale." Katniss says with finalization, leaning back a bit.

I glance at the Avengers and ask, "What's your story, guys?"

Well, that was longer than it used to be.

-Perwinkle Skittles