Hey so this is my first fan-fiction of Katniss/Cato. I changed some things up like Katniss on the 70th hunger games at the age of 13 so she is 17 and Cato is 18 while some other things as well.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins does.

Burned

1. The Reaping

Sitting on this chair listening to Effie talk on stage while Haymitch, the only other living victor in District 12 was drinking as usual I mean this guy practically breaths alcohol. But he won the 50th Quarter Quell by using the arena force field to cut some chick head off with an axe.

I won the 71th Hunger Games by using shooting my enemies with a bow and arrow. That and hiding. See that's the thing that surprised most people that I can hunt, climb, and am healer (sort of my mom and sister are better healers) and I'm from District 12 the poorest District in all of Panem. As I tune in to what Effie was saying just in time to hear who was going into The Hunger Games.

"Our female tribute for the 74th hunger games is…. Maggie Merdith!" Effie said in the high annoying voice that annoys pretty much all of Panem. I see a skinny 5'1 blond with dull blue eyes. She looks like she's about to cry. I feel pity for her, she probably won't make it pass the bloodbath during the first day. She goes and stands by Effie.

"Now for our male tribute!" Effie says excitedly I don't see why I mean we only have 3 victors in the past 74 years only 2 of us are alive. In District 12 the Hunger Games is the synonym for death. I get pulled out of my thinking as Effie practically screeches "Peeta Mellark!"

He sounds familiar it's not until I see him walking up I recognize him as the baker's youngest son. His sandy blond hair and sky blue eyes his height being 5'7. I can feel my face turning sad but I quickly put on my emotionless face on so the cameras don't notice. Last thing I need is a scandal like "Victor of the 71th Hunger Games in love with Peeta Mellark tribute of the 74th Hunger Games". Or President Snow to have someone else to hold against me. I may have never talked to Peeta but he's probably the reason why I could even become a tribute in The Hunger Games.

I remember when I was 11 my father died in a mining accident and my mother was so depressed all she did was sit of her bed and look out the window, one day I went to the richer part of town to go look in the dumpsters for food to eat. The baker's wife caught me looking into her dumpster and said a lot of mean thing that would have probably brought me to tears if I wasn't so desperate for food. Peeta saw me and calmed his mom down 5 minutes later he came back outside while his mother was yelling at him calling him worthless and other stuff. Now I see why she is nicknamed Witch. Peeta throws me the 2 loaves of bread were they meant for me? I don't care I took the loaves and got home few days later started to hunt for food. If it wasn't for Peeta Mellark I probably wouldn't even be here right now.

As the tributes are escorted to the building to say goodbye to loved ones me and Haymitch are escorted into the train. I'm startled when Haymitch says "So are we saving the blond boy this year?" Of course he noticed Haymitch may be a drunk but he is very smart and observant.

"I don't know what you talking about." I ask in innocent. Something I lost 2 years ago…

"Don't play dumb with me Sweetheart I saw the way you looked at the boy, though I agree I want to save him too that girl we got this year is going to die in the bloodbath." He slurs it's kind of scary how much we think alike.

I was about to reply when Effie and our tributes boarded the train. I sent Haymitch a look that says 'we'll talk about this later'. I'm pulled out of my staring contest with Haymitch when Effie asks if I could show them there rooms.

As we get to Maggie's room I turn around and ask "Which one of you wants Haymitch to mentor you?"

Maggie speaks up and says "I don't care" Peeta nods agreeing

I say "ok so Haymitch will mentor Peeta while I mentor Maggie." Maggie looks relieved I can't blame her Haymitch is a hardass he only tried to keep me alive because I threw a knife showing how good of an aim I have from 15 feet away. Peeta looks horrified as I said that. Haymitch appears to not care but he does, he's just sick of kids dying when they're under his watch. That or he heard about the knife story I'm not surprised all of Panem heard it once he told Caesar Flickman the story of how he knew I stood a chance of becoming victor that year after I won. Sometimes Haymitch blurts out random stories when drunk. This is always now that I think about it…

"Ok Maggie this is your room. Peeta come with me." I said Peeta started following me to his room.

As he's about to go in I say "Dinner is in 10 minutes" over my shoulder. As I walk into the bar I see Haymitch drinking "do you think I'm a bad person for wanting Peeta to win?" I ask kind of scared, I failed to bring home six of my tributes. I want to bring home 1 this year.

Haymitch looks at me and says "Nah it's not your fault for wanting to save him I chose you over Dorian." He slurs so bad I can barely understand maybe if I had help with the mentoring some of them would survive. But what he said spiked up my interest. "I always thought you like Dorian more than me" I mumbled it was true he always praised Dorian and insulted me said 'I had as much charm as a dead slug'.

"I did like him more than you, but you're a survivor he wasn't." That hurt even though Dorian and I never talked until the reaping, but he protected me from the other tributes. Stopped guy from chopping my head right off with an axe. We had an alliance I did care for him though he was my friend it pained me to see him get ripped apart by mutts.

That's when Effie screams "dinner!" Honestly is that woman always so happy?

"Are you coming Haymitch?" Asking but already out the door he always gets drunk every year then eats later.

As I walk into the dining room I see Peeta, Maggie, and Effie already there I take a seat next to Peeta and Effie. There already stuffing their faces I bet that's how I was when I was first on this train. Effie looks disgusted as usually when she sees how District 12 eats, but in District 12 people die of starvation everyday she shouldn't be surprised. As I put food on my plate Peeta asks "where's Haymitch?" Oh Haymitch I'm stuck mentoring the 2 of the tributes again.

"Drinking." I said in an emotionless tone I'm so going to wake him up by pouring a bucket of w—

"So when are me and him going to discuss strategies and sponsors?" Peeta's voice slightly full of panic. Your mentor is your life line in the games, they're the ones that give you advice and help get you sponsors in the arena. I guess he knows that. Smart Boy.

"You're going to discuss it with me is that ok Peeta?" I ask in slight amusement as he calms down a little. Can't blame him Haymitch won't do a damn thing to help the boy I think Peeta knows this too.

"Are you allowed to mentor both of us Katniss? I thought that each person has their own mentor what if we find out each other secrets that can help us win in the arena?" Maggie asks in her soft voice she has a good point but it's better if you work as a team.

"Usually but Haymitch will probably be drunk most of the Hunger Games so I usually mentor both the tributes. Now what I'm going to say is very important ok?" I wait for nods they nod and I know I have their full attention. Not to brag but when you become a victor at such a young age people tend to listen to you. Then again the only kids that don't listen are the tributes and they end up died. I can understand why Haymitch drinks so much. They don't listen and end up dying in the first 3 days.

"I want you both to stick together as a team, form an alliance with each other and watch each other's backs. Now District 12's tributes tend to ignore my advice and usually end up die in the bloodbath or the next 3 days by themselves, if you guys remember I had an alliance with my district partner Dorian he saved me from getting my head cut off with an axe. Don't include others in your alliance. Stay closed off the only reason people are friendly at training is to learn you weak points and kill you in the arena. Now if you done with dinner let's watch the recaps of the reaping." I stand up Maggie says she doesn't feel good and is going to sleep Peeta and Effie follow me.

As we sit down on the couch I press the button on the remote and it begins. From district 1 a pretty girl and skinny guy are volunteers. Of course not surprising they are probably Careers. Careers train for the games beforehand then volunteer, it's illegal but Careers are usually found in Districts 1, 2, and 4. The Districts are rich enough so that they don't get in trouble. Districts 2 comes on it's an attractive blond boy with sky blue eyes and is pure muscles the guy screams Career, but I think I saw him on my victory tour when I met Brutus and Enobaria I think his name is Cato. Next is the girl she's tiny with black hair and green eyes but the way she looks at the crowd you can tell she is a Career also. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 go by fast. I mean usually Careers are the victors of the Hunger Games. What catches my eye are District 11 tributes. The boy is pure muscles enough to rival District 2 boy, but it's the girl she's so young and reminds me of my sister Prim. She didn't even begin her life yet. After the reaping recaps are done Effie bides us goodbye in her usually happy voice.

Doesn't it hurt to smile that much?

"So do you have any questions?" I ask Peeta slightly slurred because of my sleepiness.

"You look tired I'll just ask you at breakfast tomorrow with Maggie and Haymitch." Such a nice boy. Then again if he wasn't so nice I'd probably be died right now. As we say goodnight I lean in and give him a hug. He looks shocked as I walk out the door and into my room. As I get dressed in some Capitol nightgown I think of what Cinna has in store…