stillplaying | 13th Game [video]

[There's a bashful look on her face when she opens the journal. It's been a whole day now, a whole day since she returned from her kidnapping. Since she had discovered Prim had arrived in her absence, since she had gotten to once again spend the whole day and night in the company of her sister. It had been amazing. A dream that she had never thought possible. Prim was dead and yet... yet, for whatever reason, she had been brought here.

Perhaps she should have alerted those outside of her household that she had returned. But all she had wanted for that one day was to spend it alongside Prim. To tell her everything that had happened in the months - year - following her death. To tell her about Commander Paylor and the new government of Panem. To tell her of all those she had met here, of Peeta and Richard, Teddy and Sokka and Zevran and Rapunzel. It had been the wee hours of the night by the time she had gone to bed.

But sometime in the mid-morning, she remembers promises she had made. To the man who had helped her in learning how to get her voice back. To the boy who was now suffering from a death penalty of his own. She had promised them both a song. And it seems now like such a small price to pay to gaining not one, but two, important parts of her life back.

She ducks her head for a second, fingers playing with the buttons and beads on the handmade necklace Sokka made her. And then she clears her throat and begins to sing with a voice that, as Peeta once claimed, would silence the birds:]

As I look at the valleys down below
They are green just as far as I can see
As my memories return, oh how my heart did yearn
For you and the days that used to be
High on a mountain top, standing all alone
Wondering where the years of my life have flown
High on a mountaintop, wind blowing free
Thinking about the days that used to be

Well, I wonder if you ever think of me
Or has time erased your memory
As I listen to the breeze whisper gently through the trees
I wonder if you ever think of me

High on a mountain top, standing all alone
Wondering where the years of my life have flown
High on a mountaintop, wind blowing free
Thinking about the days that used to be
High on a mountain top, standing all alone
Wondering where the years of my life have flown
High on a mountaintop, wind blowing free
Thinking about the days that used to be

High on a mountain top
Thinking about the days that used to be
And I wonder if you ever think of me

[When she's done singing, she smiles sheepishly and shrugs.] I promised a song to a few people. I hope you enjoyed it.

[She opens her mouth a second later to say something more. And then she pauses and, for once, actually takes the time to construct a filter. To make certain that Prim cannot see what follows. Because even though Katniss' own birthday is only a few days away, she's not thinking of that day very much. It pales in comparison to a much more important day approaching at the end of the month.]

Does anyone have much experience throwing birthday parties? My sister - Prim - she's here now. And her birthday's in a few weeks. We could never afford a proper celebration growing up. I'd like to give her that. Give her everything that she couldn't have back home. [She frowns for a moment, brow wrinkling in thought.] I also need to build an addition to my house. Where'd I go about getting the material for that?

[ooc: for those interested in what the song might sound like. though this isn't exactly how i picture katniss' voice. nor does she have musical accompaniment in this post.]

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Ask Ikki for pie-cake. She excels greatly at these. Perhaps having your beloved sister around will cheer you up a bit more, yes? And prevent you from shooting arrows at complete strangers and their dogs.

[Even if Loki is trying to be helpful, he goes about it all wrong. The reminder of their first meeting, him and that damned dog that might as well be a muttation in its own right, only makes her eyes narrow. And does little to hold back the scowl that quickly forms on her face.]

Your dog interfered with my hunt.

Ah, my fault, I completely forgot that you are a horrible wench.

[Loki smiles and keeps the tone of his voice light and friendsly.]

My thanks for reminding me. Second of all...why hunting when the Malnosso provides you with a large quantity of food. Please do not tell me you got those memories taken away as well.

[She sighed and rolled her eyes, feeling her patience starting to quickly disappear. Was this supposed to be entertaining? Or did this boy truly have no idea of how annoying he was?

Either way, this was not really the conversation she wanted to have right now.]

Is there a point to any of this?

[Loki crosses his arms.]

I gave you friendly advice, you answered with a sneer. Do you really expect me to exchange pleasantries with you?

I do believe in the concept of second chances and similar things. But you still appear to be a wench.

It wasn't the advice.

[And she had thought once that she had bad manners. That she was completely unlikable, hard to please. It was almost reassuring to meet someone that Effie would probably have more difficulty "civilizing". Her lips twitched into a brief smile at the thought.]

Your dog interfered with my hunt. Appeared out of no where looking a lot like a wild dog. And I wasn't going to let him attack me, too.

Thori does not attack people. He is a good dog!

[Loki sounds rather passionate about Thori being a good dog. Because Thori actually is kind of not a good dog. Thori applies the cocked leg to almost every thing he lays eyes on.]

And after that you aimed your arrow at me. Please do not tell me your sight is malfunctioning and you are unable to keep a dashing godling and a dog apart.

[He huffs.]

[Did he not listen to a single word she had said? She didn't care if his dog didn't attack people. Didn't care if he was a good dog or a bad dog. All that mattered in that moment was that he had appeared out of the blue. Looked enough like a dog that would attack a person.

Idiot. Complete and utter idiot.

She doubted, really, that he would have reacted much differently if someone had sneaked up on him within the woods.

Annoyed, she doesn't have much to say allowed. Nothing more but scowling yet again.]

[So this is a scowling-competition? Allow Loki to scowl right back. And this is a battle he won't lose. It is on, Katniss Everdeen.]

[It's a battle she has no interest in participating in. Not right now, not when she's in such good a mood. Prim's here. That's all that really matters, right?

So, when the boy only scowls, doesn't say anything return, she ends the battle quickly. And shuts the journal closed.]

[Loki leaves Katniss a message.]

I declare this my victory. Therefore I am the victor of the Scowling Competition.

Deal with it.

13th Game [video]

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[video] [I seem I have invented the word 'friendsly' in my previous tag :"|

[video] [I didn't even notice! XD]

[video] [thank god!]

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