Summer has cooled into fall and Katniss can only watch in awe as the land around her changes. Denocte is filled with the colors of fall. Leaves are orange, red, and brown and the sky is more cloudy than normal. The temperatures are beginning to drop, leaving the area with a crispness that foreshadows the cold winter to come.
But in this day, this All Hallow’s Eve, Katniss can feel the closeness of the living and dead. She can feel Metaphor just out of reach, his words filling her mind and keeping her sane. She knows her lover is near, she can feel him with each beat of her heart, each breath of her lungs. She knows he is close and she wishes she could reach out and touch him again. It’s bittersweet, to miss someone so greatly and know that they are just out of reach.
She finds herself in the forest by the lake, meandering her patrols as she did every evening. Kibou is tucked away at home (or so she believes) and most of Denocte should be asleep. There is something eerie about the forest tonight. The wind howls a little more than normal and she can make out a few words. Someone, or something, is calling for help. The warrior in her is ready for the challenge, to protect her court and to rescue the one asking for help. Little does she know that who is calling for help might not be a friend…
