gonna try a little harder {unitato}

[Knuckles]

Addy

Rays of sun glisten between the branches of every tree littering the woods, yet the brightness was slightly deceiving. Birds chirped through the sky as they bounced from tree to tree fighting against the frigid wind. Addy drew her old jacket tighter around her shoulders as she ventured further from her home. Dead grass crunched beneath the weight of her body only serving as a reminder that winter was harsh. Sometimes stories of innocent children and the elderly freezing to death - which should never happen considering the number of trees cut down on a daily basis - riddled the depths of a never understanding mind. If only other people cared more for the world gathered around them, maybe Panem would become a much better place.

The corners of her lips twisted into a large grin. Gathering plants was the plan for today because those starving families needed someone, and Addy would deliver soup to those that were in need. Trying to find the right mixture of plants took time and patience since it was a risk. Some plants brought out the flavors of other berries while some made it taste completely bitter. Not to mention the possibility of grabbing a poisonous plant by mistake - she would never live with herself if she accidentally killed someone over a mistake as drastic as cooking something deadly. Thankfully that has never happened, and hopefully it never did.

A gentle breeze filled the air with an icy chill drying out her cracked lips even more. It was a downfall to the winter months, but it was one she figured many people were used to. Yet it was still as painful as ever because every time a smile formed, the small cracks grew larger. Not to mention licking her lips to moisten them only made it worse.

For a moment, she froze in her tracks watching squirrels run in circles while climbing the trees. They were magical creatures, and sometimes all it took was a little understanding to realize what was going on. Watching them jump from limb to limb without any problem in the world was something Addy could do forever. Animals deserved a chance in life, and yet each time a tree came tumbling down, another squirrel or bird lost a home.

But soon she moved on knowing that the plants wouldn't gather themselves.

It only took a few trips before she found the perfect place, and this was exactly where she would go. Each time she took the same trail never drifting from it. Animals shared the stash, yet she never once cared. At this very moment Addilyn was the one trespassing onto their land, their property - it happened all the time with lumberjacks working the way they do.

What would happen if there wasn't any trees left?

That question often rest on her mind, but she never found the answer. Hopefully it would never happen.

The grip on her jacket loosened the moment the plants caught her eyes. Both hands were needed to gather them because sometimes she accidentally gathered more than she could carry. The grin grew larger until she was smiling from ear to ear imaging how many people this soup would fill the moment she went to hand it out. Hopefully enough left overs remained.

550 words