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There wasn't much of a view outside her bedroom window other than dry grass and overheated livestock, but Daphne Feng tugged the moth-eaten curtains aside anyway. Sunlight streamed through the faded glass, and the rusted frame groaned as she pried her window open. The blistering heat hit her like a slap in the face, same as it had for the past year. She decided to keep her window shut to preserve what little coolness had trickled into the house when the sun was down.

However, the heatwave wasn't the only thing leaving an uneasy feeling at the pit of her stomach.

It was the day of the Reaping. Daphne had barely slept a wink last night. Instead, she'd melted away hours looking up at the night sky and drawing star charts, an activity that usually calmed her nerves. This time, however, it failed.

Looking out from her bedroom, the attic that topped off a small wooden building the Fengs called home, Daphne had a full view of the ranch, which wasn't breathtaking. Chickens clucked and rustled in the coops below, kept safe by a mesh fence from any passing predators. Five sheep grazed lazily in the pens outside the barn.

Beyond the barn and the animal enclosures were neighboring ranches, then stretched miles of rolling plains and small scattered hills. The bland yellow of the dead foliage was occasionally interrupted by a splash of shriveled, green grass or shepherd paths carved throughout the years. This landscape was repeated throughout the majority of District Ten, and yes it was boring, but it was home.

Tugging on a pair of dusty overalls, Daphne headed downstairs to find her mother Esther already awake and by the dinner table, wrapping a couple of freshly laid eggs in a straw basket. A scruffy, lithe border collie sat beside her on the ground, his eyes and ears alert as always. His tail wagged as Daphne entered the small kitchen.

"'Morning, Daph," Esther greeted her with a warm smile, her tone merry and bright as if this were any other weekend. Normally, she'd have been well on her way to work now as a baker's assistant, but because of the Reaping, her boss has been kind enough to let her have the day off.

Daphne wished her good morning as well, though she knew from the wrinkles around Esther's eyes that her mother only had one thing on her mind. Esther never got those wrinkles unless she was stressed out about something.

Daphne had a brother once, Aedon Feng, three years her senior. He was fifteen when he was reaped into the hundred-forty-fifth Hunger Games. He hadn't walked out victorious.

Daphne still can't shake the image of that damned knife plunging into his abdomen. The District Three tribute who'd thrown it was killed in a similar manner a couple days later, and Daphne didn't feel sorry for cheering when it happened.

This year would mark the hundred-fiftieth Hunger Games; a Quarter Quell. The twist was similar to the fiftieth, where there were four tributes drawn from each district instead of two. Except this time, two tributes would be selected as normal, and those two would each have to pick one person to join them in the Games.

Daphne remembered her head spinning when President Frose had come over the television to deliver the news. That was the moment when all the teens in Panem began thinking about who would be the most ideal candidate to elect into the Games alongside them if they were unfortunate enough to be drawn.

"The hen laid eggs this morning," Esther said, wrapping the basket of eggs in a blanket she'd weaved from wool from their sheep. The delicate plum blossom pendant hanging from her necklace glinted in the sunlight. "I'm going to drop these off at the Caflischs', and when I get back, you and Barley can have some milk."

The dog's tail wagged harder at the mention of his name and "milk" together in the same sentence. Daphne chuckled and bent down to give him a scratch between the ears.

She and Barley headed outside after Esther had left to trade with the Caflischs across the dirt road that passed their ranch. The Fengs' main industry consisted of anything that could be derived from sheep or chickens, such as wool, feathers, and eggs. Their neighbors the Caflischs bred and herded cattle, producing leather and milk. Often, the Fengs would trade whatever eggs or wool they could afford to spare in exchange for a jar of milk, or a yard or two of leather.

Everyone in District Ten belonged to a small community in one way or another. The Fengs were fortunate enough to live in a small cluster of ranches that functioned symbiotically together, trading for supplies amongst each other. There was a marketplace about half a mile down the central dirt road that the children, Daphne included, often venture into to hang out, buy things, or sell items with their parents. There was also a school a couple blocks from the marketplace that they all attended.

Daphne took a deep breath, inhaling nothing but arid, dusty air. Panem had been plagued by a drought for a couple years now, with District Ten and other the southwestern districts being hit the hardest by heatwaves and dust storms. Most were pretty used to the constant blaring temperatures by now.

Daphne quickly retrieved her crook from the barn, stringing a whistle around her neck as well. Her main job out here was herding the small group of sheep, making sure they grazed in at least one grassy area every day. Of course, their pen was built atop one of the only grass patches on the property, but her father says that it's good for them to get an hour or so of grazing fresh grass as well. They needed some exercise anyway.

Daphne tugged open the gate to the sheep pen, and one by one, they filed out. Barley dashed back and forth, a black-and-white blur nipping at heels and barking to keep the sheep contained as she was occupied holding the gate open. As soon as the last of the five sheep had exited, Daphne let the gate swing shut behind her as they began their walk.

There was a large patch of grass on the other side of the hill just off the property. More often than not, that was where Daphne took the sheep to graze. Today was no different, and the herd pretty much had the path memorized by now, making both her and Barley's jobs easier. Occasionally, a sheep would veer off path or slow down, but all it took was a nudge from her crook or encouragement from Barley to get it back on course.

When they reached the crest of the hill where a large plum tree reached towards the sky, the sheep headed straight for the vibrant, healthy green grass flourishing along the slope without guidance. Daphne cracked a smile as she sat down on a plaid blanket placed in the shade of the plum tree, Barley laying down panting beside her. She sat there for a good half hour, soaking in the peaceful atmosphere.

Up here, she could see even more than she could from her bedroom window. She could see the Espinozas' ranch, which sat on the other side of the hill. If she turned back towards the direction she came from, she could see the Aguilars' property an acre or two next to theirs. The Caflischs' property was in the same direction, straight across the central dirt road.

From this vantage point, Daphne could take a peek into what her neighbors were up to. Azalea Espinoza and her triplet younger sisters were currently tending to a couple goats, probably milking them. Lysa and Tobe Aguilar had just left their home and were traveling in Daphne's direction, no doubt headed for the same hill. Esther and Alice Lin-Caflisch conversed on the dirt road. Caelum Caflisch was practicing his aim with a homemade bow behind his family's barn.

Daphne sat there, her back to the sheep, allowing herself a guilty moment in which she admired Caelum a bit more than she should've. He was a perfectly average guy; average looks, average smarts. He would always walk around school with a book in hand, brushing aside his dark tousled hair as he turned the pages, lost in a world of his own.

Daphne wasn't sure what it was that had drawn her towards him ever since they were kids, but all she knew was that she'd been holding onto feeble hope for all these years that one day... maybe one day he would look at her with the same affection as he would at a book. It frustrated her enough to make her want to throw something at him.

Possession of weapons was prohibited throughout Panem for citizens, but most people put together makeshift tools to train their children in case they were ever reaped for the Hunger Games. Daphne's father Rourke had made fighting knives from wool shears and taught Aedon and her how to use and throw them with deadly accuracy.

But that hadn't been enough to save Aedon in the Games.

Daphne was shaken from her sudden grim turn of thoughts by two voices drawing nearer. A smile crept onto her face as Lysa and Tobe Aguilar crested the hill, Lysa carrying a small basket in her arms.

"I knew I saw you up here!" Lysa beamed as she and her twin brother approached Daphne and Barley. As they sat down, Daphne swiveled back around so that she was once again facing her sheep.

The three of them had left this blanket here a long while ago, since every morning it was a tradition to meet at the top of this hill, beneath this plum tree, and eat breakfast while Daphne's sheep grazed. They picked a couple fruits from the tree, Lysa filling her basket to sell down at the marketplace later.

Each of them took a plum to eat, laughing and chatting about whatever came up. Lysa, Tobe and Daphne had always been a tight trio, bonding just minutes after being introduced as toddlers. Lysa and Tobe were fraternal twins, both sharing the same wavy yellow locks and hazel eyes. Daphne remembered they used to find her dark hair and eyes fascinating in contrast to their lightness when they were younger.

Although Daphne's skin tone wasn't out of the ordinary, it was her unique facial features that attracted the attention of many who first saw her. Esther says that their family had originally come from a far off continent in the east called Asia long before Panem was founded.

Alice Lin-Caflisch was also from the east, which is probably why Esther and her had always been quite close as there weren't many others in District Ten. Caelum's facial structure showed hints of his half-east heritage, which had always intrigued Daphne when she was younger.

After a bit of lighthearted conversation, Tobe blew out a breath. "So... Reaping day."

The grins faded from their lips. Even Lysa went silent. For a moment, the only sounds were their own chewing noises and the typical livestock clatter that was the background music of District Ten.

"How many times is your name in, Daph?" Tobe asked tentatively.

"Eight," Daphne said. Eight slips of paper with the name "Daphne Feng" would be entered this year. She was seventeen, but living in District Ten meant that applying for the tesserae wasn't out of the ordinary. When she was twelve, she'd applied twice, while Aedon took the other two.

After that year, when Aedon had been snatched away by the Games, Esther and Rourke had forbidden Daphne to apply for any more tesserae. They weren't so dirt poor that they couldn't live without a tiny spoil of grain and oil anyways.

After a long pause of quiet contemplation, Lysa addressed the topic looming over them. "What a Quarter Quell. It's a brutal one."

Daphne and Tobe agreed quietly. They sat there, all of them gazing at the half eaten fruit in their hands. Even Barley went quiet, lowering his head and looking at Daphne with wide, saddened eyes.

Daphne knew they had all thought about who to choose if it were their names drawn. She'd never considered for a heartbeat bringing Lysa or Tobe into the arena with her. No way she would subject them to that.

She tried to think on the bright side. There were hundreds of teens in District Ten, hundreds of tesserae applied for every year. Thousands of names in those glass balls. The chances were low.

Low, yet Aedon was not here today.

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