A stinging nettle pricks my ankle. it hurts but i don't make a fuss, i can always find a dock leaf.

when i do meet up with Gale, he is lying on his stomach, his broad face is intent on his traps. i feel a pang of love for him, like i'm his sister- that is. i think of him like that now but yet when i met him as a scrappy little kid we always fought over who caught what, now we are more mature.

i think of what to say. "Have you caught anything?" i ask lamely.

"Yes, a deer, two rabbits, two squirrels and two foxes!" Smiled Gale, he didn't seem to notice me when i came in now he is aware he looks even more chuffed. i was pleased to, that was a big feast, and now i'm here to catch more than he did. what am i saying? i sound so competitive! maybe i'm just stressed about the reaping, maybe it's envy? what's the matter with that though? lot's of people get jealous on a regular basis don't they? it's not as if i'm being snippy or snappy with him, i just feel a little isolated from it all- now i'm rabbiting because i want rabbits!

"Oh yes, well done." i say flatly. "But now it's my go!"

i retrieve my bow from the hollow log at the end of his poaching site. i scatter up the tree like a squirrel. i see a fox myself already, i take aim and release. it's not my usual clean shot through the eye it's a...miss! i can't believe it! i scared him off too now. i get so mad i want to stick my arrow through Gale's head. No! i'm so stupid. Gale would never upset me deliberately, in fact he is still giving me half of his collection.

"Try again, Catnip!" he smiled up at me. i breath deeply.

i take aim and hit- it's actually a human!