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“Ow….damnit!”
He couldn’t help his laugh, eyeing the reddening mark across her knuckles where the thin but springy sapling had snapped back across it. “I told you, it’s harder than it looks.”
She glared at him as she rung out her hand to ease the sting, hiding a wince in a frown. “This is a waste of time, Gale. Why does-”
“Here,” he broke in, ignoring the way her face darkened as he gestured to the branch and length of twine by it. “Try again, but tie it more towards the middle this time.” She looked unconvinced, but still took the tiny tree by the top again, bending it back taut and beginning to wrap the rough twine approximately in the middle.
Gale watched her silently. She worked slowly and with little technique yet, the lattice that formed the rest of the trap had been constructed…well…he wouldn’t do it that way. But she wasn’t hopeless. Besides the finicky sapling, the rest of the snare was holding. By next afternoon they might even find a rabbit there. Maybe. He wasn’t going to hold out much hope, but it cost him nothing to try and teach her. Double the amount of snares set meant double the game, and he had no doubt she needed it as much as he did.
“Well?” She was looking at him expectantly, tapping her fingers against the line of twine, which was holding taut and seemed to intend to stay that way. Impressive, for only a second try. But being a second try, he wasn’t going to tell her so.
“Hm…well, if you’re looking to catch a mouse, I’d say that-”
“Ugh!”
He wasn’t prepared for the flurry of dry leaves that flew into his face, leaving him to bat them away as she stood, snagging her bow off the ground. He bit back a laugh, it would only piss her off more, he hadn’t known her for long, but knew she did take things just a touch too seriously.
Like him. Huh.
“Wait, Katniss!” he was finding it hard to keep a straight face as he lurched to his feet after her, but she was holding the bow. And besides, she was easy to tease, but he didn’t want to offend her, even by teasing. He was starting to see the upside to this partners thing, last week had gone by that much easier with just the help of the two wildfowl her bow had brought down, and he had noticed her thin little face gaining just a bit more color. “Hey, look, it was good actually. Really good.”
She turned, half placated. “...Really?”
“Well, for a beginner. Your technique could use some work.”
“So could yours.” She jerked her chin down towards her bow, shooting him a meaningful glare, then turned on her heel, darting off into the trees. Yes, well. He gave her snare a last look and followed after her, his game bag on his shoulder. “Good thing you’re here to teach me.” he remarked as he caught up, reaching over to flick the goosefeather fletching of one of her arrows. Her look told him to shove it, and he bit back another laugh. There probably would be a rabbit in the snare come tomorrow after all.