I sit near the edge of the river, washing my family's clothes of the coal dust. I sigh, watching as the black coal washes from my mother and sister's white tunics, sad that they are stuck with me around. They are Apollan Healers, who heal the injured with their power and knowledge while I, a Hestian, work on turning the dead trees in the Broken Forest into usable coal for the other clans. My work drags pile of ash into their home and as a result, I must clean their linens constantly so that they wouldn't be upset at me for unsanitary work conditions. I carefully ring out the clothes and hang them on the line next to me. 

"Hey Catnip!" I hear a voice call behind me and I sigh, turning to my friend. 

"Hello Gale," I say, my long black skirt brushing across my boots as I turn to look at my friend. Gale is tall and olive skinned, like many of us who work in the coal arts, with eyes the grey of ash. I can't help the flutter in my chest as he stands there in his hunting clothes, the image of a perfect fire bringer. "What brings you to the river?"

"I was about to go trade some of my snared prey in the village and wondered if you wanted to go in together with our hunting lot and coal stores to try to get a better price? I'll split the Hob pull with you, fifty-fifty," he gives me that stupid little smirk of his and I shake my head.

"I've got too much work to do here," I say. "I have laundry to finish an dwork on the south treefall. Not to mention that there is still food to catch and begin heat up for dinner."

"Come on, Katniss," He says softly. "You can do that later. We can watch all the other clans and see the pitiful stake they try to claim they have there where they are safe from our horrible Hestian fire." I blink at him and sigh, turning and wringing out the last garment to be hung. 

"Fine, but only to sell the prey and coal," I say. "Like I said, I have a lot of work to do here." I pin up the clothing and dump my wash bin into the river. I carefully pick it up and go towards the shack of a house I live in, gathering the bucket of today's coals and a sack of prey from the closet. I meet Gale outside the door and shuck on my jacket. 

"Here, let me take that for you," He says taking the sack and bucket, setting them into the cart he has a large black ram pulling. I pat the animal and it grunts. Gale smirks and leads the ram forward up the trail, me walking slowly beside him, having to pick up my long black skirt to keep it from being snagged in the thick undergrowth. I watch as the trees begin to part and we start for the village fence. One of the guards looks at us an dI nod to him as Gale speaks. "We're two Hestians looking to trade in the Hob."

"Proof of Clanship?" He asks and I hold out my hand, a small red flame flickering in my palm. I look at Gale and he does the same, his fire much more aggressive, burning more orange as an irritation at being stopped at the border. "Alright. Cause no trouble." He unhooks the gate and swings it open for us. I nod to him as I walk by and Gale reaches for my hand. I glance at him, frowning. 

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Do you want people to think that you're up for the taking?" He asks and I still look at him. 

"As far as I'm aware, I still am," I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Come now Catnip," He says. "You know it would be better to just allow us to become soul bound in an advantageous marriage, seeing as we are from the same clan and there wouldn't be an issue. Your art wouldn't have to be practiced away from home because we would live in the Broken Wood." I still shake my head.

"I haven't decided that I want to remain in the Hestain Clan, Gale," I say. 

"What else would you do?" he asks. "Fire bringers are Hestians. That's all we can be." I shake my head. 

"I don't know, become a Dinian Huntress?" I say softly and he scoffs.

"Really?" Gale smirks and I shoot him a look.

"Now what would be so bad about joining the Dinians?" I ask. "They live a good life, and I do hunt well with a bow and arrow. I'd like it, I think." 

"You don't seem the vestal virgin type, Katniss," He says and I shove him. "You enjoy hanging out with me. The company of men is greatly hated by the Dinians. We couldn't be friends anymore."

"I'm only thinking of being something more than someone who burns would down to coal carbon for others to use, okay?" I say and Gale rolls his eyes. 

"Face it," He says as we walk towards the Hob marketplace. "It is all we are good for. That's why our kind stick together and stay away from these people." He looks around rather disgustedly and I keep my arms around myself as we enter the large building. 

I look around at the sights and smells, the bustling of the small little tables. There are Sidonian fisherman with piles of exotic fish and other water creatures as well as barrels of water from them. Piles of Phestian machines and table upon table to Demet crops alongside the Venetian Beauty remedies that usually clutter the Hob. 

I smell the meat stand near the far back and follow Gale a few feet back, my eyes darting from side to side at all the lovely things people can make with their gifts. I notice a small metal bird pin setting on a Plut's table and keep my eyes on it a moment, bumping into someone, causing him to drop a pair of large flour sacks, covering my black dress in the cream colored powder. I fall on my but and catch myself with my hands. 

"I'm so sorry, are you okay, Miss?" the man above me asks, holding out his hand. "Here, let me help you up." I look at the hand and carefully take the burn scared hand. 

"I'm fine, really," I say as I dust myself off a little, standing up. "it was my fault, walking with my head turned-" I stop as I look into a pair of sky blue eyes.