It was a brave face that the mare had to put on each and every day. She had promised Isra that she would be her champion of battle, that she would protect Night Court with her life. While she had been mildly successful, she had been unable to save the one member of the court that meant more to her than anything else. She had watched the life drain from Metaphor’s eyes and it was an image that had haunted her each and every day since his passing. Katniss felt almost lifeless, as if her soul had left her body following his passing. The only thing that seemed to remind her that she was still alive was the steady kicks given to her from the child that grew within her womb.
The pregnancy had been something that Katniss and Metaphor had wanted, that they hoped would bind their love forever. But since Metaphor’s death, the pregnancy had been a secret that Katniss harbored, something she had not told a single soul of, not even Isra and not even her own bonded. Finnick, as deeply bonded as he was to her, had known about the baby far before Katniss had even considered telling him. But he remained quiet on the matter, knowing that it was Katniss’ secret to share, not his own. With her growing waistline, she wondered just how long she could maintain her little secret before she would have to face it’s reality.
Dawn had arrived once again, the sun once more peeking just over the horizon. Another night had passed, another night of restless sleep. Katniss had awoken long before anyone else in the court and she had begun her patrols early. Finnick had lightly protested the early morning, but ever the dutiful companion, he had started off on morning patrols without complain.
By the time she arrived amongst the heart of court life, the sun was well on its way towards its mid-day peak. With a sigh, Katniss slows her pass, her feet making the steady “clip clop” amongst the cobblestone streets. Eyes void of emotion, looked over the homes were individuals still slept and even made eye contact with those who were early risers. She wanted to badly to connect with them on a more personal level, to be the friendly neighbor she had always been. But there was something about the death of a lover that simple made life difficult to walk through. She needed a friend more than anything during this hard time. She needed something that she could not get from Finnick. While his companionship was sacred to her, it was not the sort of bond like sisters had. It was in this moment that Katniss wished she had more friends, more friendly faces to talk to and more opportunities for her depression to be forgotten if only for a single moment.
@Runaveig
