Hi guys! This story will be in both the POV's of Cato and Clove. It'll switch off each chapter. enjoy.


Clove's POV-

He stared at her with eyes the color of dark honey and a smirk on his face as he raised the axe. She looked around for anybody to help her but nobody was there. They were all dead, because of her. He began to cackle, and his face shifted into an awful sight. He grew horns where his ears should have been, and his teeth were now ragged and sharp. His eyes were vacant black holes, and his hair was made of fire. She winces as her brings the axe down on her head. But she never feels it. She hears somebody screaming, it's getting louder, and louder. She frantically looks around for the source of the screaming but finds nothing. At last she looks back towards the man and is frozen; he is no longer th-

I woke up screaming. It was my screams I had heard in that nightmare – not somebody else's. How great. All I could remember at this point from the horrid dream was the moment when I was almost killed. I'd had no idea why I was dreaming about some monster murdering me, but it gave me chills that ran down my back icily. Deciding it was time to get out of bed because I didn't want to be late, I heaved myself up. The room was blazing hot, and I was sweating I just realized. I was thinking about trying to find a rag to wipe my face off, while also ranting about how badly I hated summer inside my head. The stupid sun was too hot for my liking; I was forced to wear shorts that showed off my unshaved legs and knobby knees. Not that flattering if you ask me.
After wiping my face clean of sweat and oils I put on a white tank top and a pair of mesh gray shorts. I had training today for the Hunger Games, unfortunately. I was the smallest one in my group. I trained with the seventeen and eighteen year olds – even though I was sixteen. Wonder why? I was just always better than everybody and their prissy selves. I could throw a knife from thirty feet, and I wouldn't miss by even a centimeter. I was also good with hand-to-hand combat. You know, being tiny does have its advantages. People underestimate you. People don't pay attention to your strengths and only look at your weaknesses, which is actually a good thing. Nobody expects the unexpected; and that is my tactic. I pulled my hair up into its usual pony tail and went into my kitchen for a bowl of oatmeal. As I was munching on my food I thought about the reaping tomorrow. This year, we had two people volunteering since it would be their last year to do so. Cato Vinx and Holland Tarantino.

Cato was just this big, muscular, tall, rabid killing machine as far as everyone knew. Personally, against Holland, and how the other districts did in the past, Cato had a 98% chance of winning. Lucky him, handsome, soon to be rich and skilled. It always confused me why no girl ever dated him. Then it hit me. I'd remembered when I was with Sapphire Hugo about 4 months ago and she told me a little story. It was about how Cato had lured her into, you know, getting it on with him. She broke down crying halfway through telling me about it and I'd had to walk her home with her tears splattering my shirt.
So Cato, all in all, was just a manwhore who thrived on victory. Splendid. Holland on the other hand was really sweet. I like her actually, she's feisty but kind. And can throw a spear straighter than anybody I've ever seen. It's crazy, she'd be a for sure victor if Cato weren't to volunteer this year. I finished my meal and put the bowl into the sink for myself to clean later. My mother never did things for me, always told me it was my responsibility to take care of myself. Maybe she was just trying to help me grow up but it really made me want to throw a knife into her skull sometimes.

I grabbed my bag for training and headed out the door towards the institution. The wind was blowing slightly and the air was moist as the sun beat down on me. The plaza was buzzing as people were setting up their shops for the day and parents were rushing to work, children hurrying to school, and then there was me. Training began at 7 a.m. sharp, and ended at 5 p.m. We spend the first two hours learning about different survival techniques, how to make essential needs, out of just about anything and how to camouflage ourselves, etc. Next, we spend another two hours practicing good interview manners, how to speak properly, and how to make the best impression possible. After that, we have thirty minutes to eat lunch then we get to the fun part. Weapons training, strength building, agility, rope climbing, rock walls, and more. We get five hours, and thirty minutes to do all of that. It's the best part of training.
The feeling of throwing a knife into a target and hitting the bulls eye every time is my high. I was also good at other things; I just didn't excel in them as well as I did with my knives. For every birthday and holiday we have, I ask for a new set of knives. It's wonderful. Every Friday at the institution, we have competitions. Our trainers give us all scenarios that we have to act out with a small group of other people as the other students watch. They're all set as anything that could happen in the arena, and your goal is to be the last one standing. We don't get weapons but only have to pretend that were impaling somebody or snapping their neck. It's quite fun though.

I reached the center for training after a little while and stepped inside. Almost everybody was there, and they were all sitting around, talking like usual. I set my bag down and looked up at the clock. 6:57 a.m. it read. We always started exactly at seven, no exceptions. Sitting down on a bench and playing with my thumbs as the other kids piled into the main room and I waited for Sapphire. At last, at seven precisely, she burst into the place just as our teachers came into the room to take us to our classrooms. She smiled at me and walked silently over to me. Sapphire was really the only friend I'd ever had. We met way back in our first year of training together when we were doing hand-to-hand combat with each other. She'd pinned me to the ground and I'd gotten angrier than ever because I'd wanted to be the best. So I kicked my legs up and kneed her in the gut. She doubled over and I grabbed at her hair and yanked. I must've pulled out a big chunk of it, because she still has a slight bald spot in the same place where I tore it out.
She forgave me though, after a very long time in our 3rd year. We'd been bes- or just good friends ever since. After she sat down next to me, we were all splitting up into our groups for our morning lessons. Sapphire wasn't as skilled as me, so she stayed in our age group with the rest of the sixteen year olds. I waved her goodbye and followed my group into our assigned classroom. The seventeen and eighteen year olds were one big group to make it easier on the instructors; I entered the room and sat down. My seat was smack in the middle of the classroom and I was surrounded by people who annoyed the ever living shit out of me.

On my right was Marina Flowers and she had to be the most girly, bitchiest person to ever try to be a career before. She was 17, and thought she would be the one who the teachers chose to volunteer next year. Which sucks for her because it was probably going to be Gemma Stark who's going to get chosen, but, you never know? It would be the Quarter Quell next year and maybe she'll improve by then. I let out a light laugh at that one. Marina would never improve. On my left was Ash DePouis; he was okay. In front of me sat Ursulus Thansley and behind me was none other than Cato Vinx.
What I hated most about my spot was that they always talked to each about the most pointless things. Ursulus and Marina would chat about the most recent trends in nail polish, then Marina would turn around to flirt with Cato. Cato would reach across me to tell Ursulus he was always open for her, then Ursulus would turn him down and try to talk to Ash who would proceed to talk with Cato about how hot Marina was. I knew all of their dirty little secrets and I doubt they even knew I did. Hell, I doubt they even acknowledged the fact I sit right in the middle of all of them. Finally, after everybody was seated, the teacher came into the room – but something seemed off.

His name was Izzy Sable and he became the victor of the Hunger games in the 60th year. He's been teaching here ever since. Izzy looked at us all with a serious face and his hands behind his back. I was expecting him to talk about the reaping tomorrow, and to have us all commend Cato and Holland for their bravery, but he didn't. Instead, he stood there. Solemn and adamnt until finally he spoke.

"Class, there's something we need to discuss." His voice seemed different, but I couldn't put my finger on it. He continued. "As we all know, Cato Vinx and Holland Tarantino were to volunteer as our tributes this year for the annual Hunger Games, am I right?" he spoke sternly, then the class nodded as our response. "I'm afraid to say that Holland will not be able to participate this year." He put his head down as he said this. I was confused.
Not be able to compete, why? What happened? Had they expelled her, is she hurt? Everything possible that could happen was racing through my head at that moment and I almost missed what Mr. Sable said, but I didn't.

"Class, Holland passed away last night. She drowned in Lake Utualt while fishing with her family. I'm sorry." His voice faltered for a minute, but he fixed it just as soon as it happened.
My mind was frozen and I couldn't speak. Holland, dead? Drowned? But she knew how to swim? I twisted around in my seat to look at Hollands desk. I halfway expected her to be there, smiling and reassuring us it was a joke. But she wasn't. The desk was empty and it would stay that way.
Izzy walked over to his desk and pulled out papers and passed them out as our day began. By the time it was lunch hour, I'd almost forgotten about Holland until I sat down with Sapphire and she began to babble on about who they were going to choose last minute to volunteer. I went along with everything she said, except for when she mentioned Marina, I gave her a glare and said something about how that low life priss would chicken out at the last minute. We ate our lunch and talked until it was time for training.
I practiced my knife throwing, my spears and eve decided to do some strength training today. By the end of the day I was exhausted and ready to leave, but our main instructor wouldn't let us leave just yet. His name, Julius Kapperbalt, was so weird I'd always thought. Kapperbalt sat us all down in the gym and stood in front of us smiling from ear to ear.

"Now kids, we've all heard of the tragic incident that claimed Holland, but that is no excuse to not have a victor volunteer tomorrow."
I sucked in my breath, sort of giddy to find out who would replace Holland. I never really knew her, but I would miss her presence none the less. Mr. Kapperbalt paused, then began speaking again.
"This girl, in my eyes has potential better than more than half of the people who have come through my program. She has excelled in all of our areas of learning and I can promise has the spark that could bring pride and glory to our district this year. I am not implying that our dear Cato Vinx does not have that spark, he does indeed, but this young lady is different."
I could hear Cato scoff behind me at what Julius said.
I looked around for a second; contemplating who it might be then I looked back at Kapperman. He was staring straight at me when he spoke.

"Please show your respects and gratitude to our new volunteer, Clove Catero!"


What do you think? A nice read and review would make me extremely exultant you all(: Give me advice too! How I should phrase my story, how to improve my characters, etc! thank you all! The next chapter will be up as soon as I get at least 2 reviews!