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[the_effect_she_has]

WHO: Katniss and You
WHAT: A week in the life of a Mockingjay
WHEN: Covering the first week of Haring
WHERE: All around Skyhold
NOTES: Warnings for possible suicidal triggers via music.

Katniss Everdeen is a young woman who does not like to be idle when it can be helped, especially when she is waiting to know where she can help. So if you are looking for the rather brusque 'Some Other Archer', you will find it hard to miss her.

1. Distributing Food and Supplies Through The Survivors

Skyhold has literally become the pilgrimage of hundreds who are seeking to flee from Corpheysus's reign of terror, who are looking for balance in a world gone mad without a Divine, or have lost their homes in one of the many wars blossoming across Thedas. Many of them came without a stitch on their backs, or food to feed themselves -- or their families.

Yet, in the last week, a tall young woman with serious grey eyes and dark hair braided along the side of her head has been handing out provisions - fresh meat mostly, and cleaned leathers and warm furs. Candles, cooking fat, and there are even healing poultices, simple things. She asks for nothing in return, and thanks makes her nervous -- but she is there almost every day to offer assistance where she can. Children make her easier - she brings them necklaces made of leather and small stones, and little toys made of bone.

Do you meet here here or ...

2. Outside in the training areas outside of Skyhold

Someone has taken the time to set up what can only be considered a crude archery training area, out of old barrels and crates, with targets painted on. But it's not just straight targets and dummies, no. It's practically an obstacle course - with the targets being at different heights, and various objects that one had to move around to get a clear shot. It's not just a test of accuracy, it's one of agility and of quick thinking.

Katniss trains here every day, practicing her shots in a dozen different scenarios. Up high, down low, jumping and rolling out of the way to make a shot. Shooting and moving at the same time, weaving between targets. She wants to challenge herself, that's clear enough. Against what? Everything, apparently.

Want to join? Want to gawk? Want to take your barrel back? Come and speak with her, unless you want to speak to her ...

3. Alone On The Ramparts

It's the song that will capture your attention. A beautiful, clear female voice will echo down to you as you climb the stairs to the ramparts, perhaps to go on guard duty. Perhaps only to see the stars. Yet while the voice will make you smile, perhaps, the song itself might just chill you down to the bones.

Or at least wonder who would sing such a song.

"Are you, are you?
Coming to the tree
Where they strung up a man they say murdered three
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where the dead man called out for his love to flee
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where I told you to run, so we’d both be free
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where they strung up a man they say murdered three
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight in the hanging tree..."

If you go hunting down the voice, you'll find it soon enough. Katniss is sitting with her back against the ramparts, looking up to the sky and singing upwards to the stars. As if she is trying to reach someone with her voice that she just can't seem to get to.

Will you come and sit with her, or pass by?

Comments

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss flashed her a half smile, leaning on her bow a little. "Then ... I suppose we'll have to go out on a mission some day then, eh? See how we react on actual battle field conditions."

That would be the real test, right there.

[serannas]

"Yes, I would like that. Hopefully someplace with better weather than the Fallow Mire. I just came back from there recently." And she's far from the only one who didn't enjoy the conditions there. She'd tried to keep her spirits up with warm wine, friendly conversation, and numerous changes into dry socks, but the mood of the Mire was still pretty grim.

"Now I think I'd better head back inside to wash up. What about you? Walking back or staying awhile?"

[the_effect_she_has]

"I've heard a lot about the Fallow Mire." Katniss murmured, as she hooked her bow back onto her back, and started to pull arrows free of the target. "Mostly that it lived up to its name."

She looked around at the targets, "If you give me a moment to gather my arrows - I'll join you. I hate to waste when we're so thin on supplies as is."

[serannas]

"Of course. It's what the hunters in my clan did too, when they could." She puts her staff on her back and moves towards a target. "Need help?"

[the_effect_she_has]

"Well, if you help your hunters ... then yes, as long as you can pull arrows out without breaking the shaft." Katniss gave her a quiet little smile, before she carefully pried out another one.

[serannas]

Ellana has some experience with arrows. One hunter years ago used to show off to her when they took off into the woods together, and she'd help him pull out his arrows. She twists one back and forth as she pulls back, until it eventually comes free. Then she continues on with others, humming as she does so to make the work feel less tedious.

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss nods her head in silent approval, as she too start to pull the arrows out, one by one. Carefully putting them back in her quivers, checking them for damage. Without thinking about it, she starts humming along with Ellana, and it makes the work go faster between the two of them.

[serannas]

She half-turns to look over at Katniss when she joins in, surprised that she knows the tune. But she doesn't comment until she's finished, bringing her collection of arrows over to her.

"I didn't know that our Dalish songs were known among other races," she says, sounding pleasantly surprised.

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss stops for a moment, before she puts the last of her arrows in the quiver. Then she turns and looks at Ellana, straight on. "My mother was Dalish -- and she taught my sister and I many of the old songs."

[serannas]

Ellana's eyes light up, and she looks on Katniss with new eyes. So what they say is true: a child of an elf and a human will look completely human.

"I had no idea! And Dalish, you say? Well, aneth ara, lethallan." To Ellana, the idea of elves and humans mingling excites her. She knows it will be a long time before humans as a whole will ever look kindly on her people, but here she's been finding pockets of good people who treat her kindly.

[the_effect_she_has]

To say that Katniss was surprised would be an understatement of the world. She was shocked, to the core, because Ellana's gaze held no disdain. No prejudice, no hatred. She was Dalish and she called Katniss 'lethallan' without a moment of sarcasm.

Katniss put a hand to her mouth, for a moment, because if she did not a surprised sob might have come out. Instead, she gave Ellana a watery smile, "Ma serranas, lethallan."

[serannas]

"Oh, ir abelas," she replies on seeing Katniss's reaction. "Not sorry I said it, but I didn't mean to surprise you so. You're the first person I've met who's half elf and half human, or at least the first who has admitted it. I like the idea of elves and humans together, even if most don't. So much would need to change in people's minds before a majority would accept it."

That's the sad truth, but that doesn't mean that people won't accept it someday, far off in the future. She's hopeful of it.

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss shook her head, swallowing down the lump in her throat, "It's ... considered to be a shame, you know. People are such idiots about it - 'you're not human, you have elf blood', 'you're no elf, you look human'. I am ... I am just so used to being hated." She breathes in deeply, regaining control. "Ir abelas. It is an old wound, easily aggravated. I am ... learning that perhaps it is not one that is shared by all Dalish, or all humans. Or all ... anything."

She brushed hair out of her face, turning away so she could gather her quivers and calm herself, "...Yes, much would need to change. As it is - I am proud of my dual-heritage. I want to share it, with humans and with elves. I don't think we can judge each other on the acts of individuals, when there are so many good people on both sides. But, clearly, even I have to learn that lesson."

[serannas]

"I've been learning the opposite: to judge individuals instead of the whole group. I've met men of Tevinter and Orlesians who hold no animosity towards elves. It's a good start."

Once Katniss has her quivers, Ellana starts back for Skyhold. Today has been a good, productive day and now she's ready to wash up and relax.

And fade?

[the_effect_she_has]

"Yes ... yes it is." A faint smile covers her face, and it stays there as she follows Ellana back to Skyhold. Hope was rather thin, these days, but perhaps ...

Just perhaps.

Yup!

[serannas]

If Katniss needs a little hope, she can always come to Ellana. She's an eternal optimist, and has hope to spare.