District 2 was not like what I'd expected. The population was divided up amongst many towns scattered around a large, single peaked mountain. The towns were small and sat at the edges of quarries that marred the landscape like insect bites scratched into craters. Despite their proximity to the quarries, the streets and houses were kept clean and free of as much industrial dust as possible. Still, the houses were nothing grand; just simple brick boxes that kept the heat in during winter and out during summer. It was surprisingly unimpressive for such a wealthy District.

I was born and raised in District 4, the daughter of a Ship Captain and a Teacher. From the time I was old enough to talk my mother started training me for the Hunger Games. First teaching me the very basics; simple ways to find drinkable water, the plants that could alleviate aches and those that caused them, and how to find shelter. By the time I was twelve there was little I didn't know about the survival tactics that could one day save me from my fellow child. Captain Neilsson, my father, taught me basic fighting before I started attending classes, both in and out of school.

That was how it worked in District 4. Parents decided whether or not to train their children before the schools and professionals could take over once they were old enough. Only a small portion of children went into training, all that was needed was one for each year, to volunteer in place of any untrained citizen that may be selected. But it was always enough for there to be arguments between the Careers as to who would be allowed to volunteer in that year. Volunteering was brave and honourable, because it protected the weak. Still, the arguments weren't normally about who would volunteer but rather who shouldn't. It was honourable to protect those less equipped for the Hunger Games but, despite being a Career district, everyone who volunteered did so in the belief that it was the last thing that they would do.

Volunteering was honourable. Returning home was lucky.

My mother passed away shortly before my twelfth birthday, of an illness that we knew little about, except that in the Capitol it was easily treatable and rarely fatal. That started the decent for my father. He began to hate the Capitol and told me and my siblings that we were not to volunteer for the Hunger Games. Captain Neilsson lost his wife to the Capitol's neglect; he would not lose a child to their bloodlust.

I have two brothers and a sister. The oldest brother is two years my senior and the youngest two years my junior. My sister was five years younger than me. My parents both came from single child homes and my grandparents were long dead.

Then, when I was sixteen, my father died. Drowned at sea when a storm hit his ship one night during a routine fishing trip. The future of my tiny family now rested on the shoulders of my eldest brother, the only one old enough to legally obtain a full time job.

Which he did; although I have no idea how he did it. That is why I am now in District 2, because my brother somehow managed to convince a quarry to employ him and organise his transfer from District 4. It was something that rarely happened, most people died in the district that they were born in. Normally the only people who went to any other district were the ones chosen for the Hunger Games. The ones who were chosen to die.

It was my first day at the Academy. There were two career paths in District 2, being a Career Tribute and being a Quarry Worker. I didn't want to be a Quarry Worker and I sure as hell didn't want to be a Peacekeeper, which is what Careers who never compete in the Games become. I'd wanted to work on the boats like my father had but there were no boats in District 2, there were barely any bodies of water at all.

So what was I doing? I was doing what my father would have wanted me to do... protecting my sister. I would take on the Career classes but there was no way that I was actually going to volunteer for anyone but Maya.

My first class of the day was Survival Tactics. My brother Aloki was in this class, he still believed that being a Tribute was honourable and he wanted to bring honour to the family. I refused to let Maya take this class, she would never be a Career, I wouldn't let her throw her life away for the Capitol's entertainment.

Career Tributes in District 4 were not the same as they were in District 2. Here they were clique-y and arrogant. I didn't know anyone and they didn't seem too interested in changing that fact. Aloki seemed to be having the same problem, so I didn't take it personally.

"Do others really have problems with this?" Aloki laughed softly as we weaved stiff grasses into small mats and bowls.

It was obvious that some of the others were struggling, to say the least. Many seemed to have difficulty holding the reeds without cutting themselves on the sharp edges, let alone weaving numerous ones together. Aloki and I have been doing this for years, we knew where to hold the reeds to avoid cuts and had finished our designs before most of the class had gotten anywhere near half way, if they'd started at all.

I smiled to myself as I grabbed another handful of reeds, "We do have an unfair advantage."

I noticed that a few of the older Career's were watching us, their baskets were better than most but that wasn't hard to do. Despite being further along than the others, their baskets were still mediocre. I could see gaps in the reeds from ten feet away, guaranteeing that their baskets would be of little use for holding water and their mats would not keep the rain out.

"Okay, once you have finished one basket and one mat you can move on to shelter construction. There are some larger reeds in the open stations, you should be able to get some form of shelter together before class ends." the teacher announced before turning towards a struggling student.

I looked at my array of baskets and mats, I'd surpassed the requirement four times over and decided I should move on. Aloki was ahead of me, racing to the closest station with the cheesiest grin on his face. I knew what he was doing. He was showing up the others, the District 2 Careers. I would growl at him later, this wasn't a game; not in our family.

I sat down at a station next to Aloki and sorted out the supplied reeds in front of me. The reeds were long and strong, too much so. It would take hours to weave a neat square out of them and I couldn't tear them by hand. I decided to just go with it; this wasn't about being pretty or neat, this was about surviving.

Time passed with almost dizzying speed, as it often did when I was putting my skills to a logical use. Class was due to end soon and I had finished my shelter, a square of woven reeds skewered on the top of four sharpened sticks. It was just big enough for me to sit cross-legged under. And I did so, with my back facing the 'entrance' so that I could fiddle with the loose ends of reeds.

"Do you need a knife for that?" someone asked from behind me and I glanced casually over my shoulder at them.

It was a tall young man, well built and fairly handsome. His ruffled blonde hair did little to abate the ferocity that was so evident within him. There was no mistaking what he was. It was in his blood and in his fate. He was a Career Tribute, a Victor in the making. Although how close he was to completion was hard to decipher.

"I'm fine." I mumbled and turned back to the reeds. I didn't have time to be making friends with people who would so willingly throw their lives away for a one in twenty-four chance of fame.

"You're good. Where did you learn to weave like that? And so fast, too?" He was either stubborn or stupid, I wasn't sure which but both were annoying traits.

I sighed but didn't look away from the reeds, "District 4."

To my chagrin he seemed to take my response to mean that I wanted to talk to him and in my periphery I could see him sit down beside me. He leant forward so as to try to catch my eye but I remained stoic in my inspection of the reeds. It would take a lot more than a couple of blasé questions and a charismatic smile to win me over. Especially considering his suicidal career choice.

"So you're the one they've all been talking about?" he said, keeping his stare fixed on my face.

I shrugged, "I wouldn't know 'cause they haven't been talking to me."

"Well, there's been this rumour going around that one of District 4's best Career Tributes was moving here. And that she's intelligent, cunning and incredibly talented. And she is so breath-takingly beautiful that it's dangerous."

Still I didn't look at him. I knew he was trying to get a read on me and I had no intention of just giving in to him. Part of being a good tribute was knowing when and what to reveal to your opponent. As far as I was concerned, this boy was already my competitor. Should we both end up in the games this year, I didn't want any emotions to get in the way of my potential victory.

"Sounds like gross exaggeration to me." I said and glanced towards the young man.

I noticed that Aloki was watching us and he didn't look too happy about what he saw. There were a lot of reasons why he wouldn't like this scene and they all stemmed from the simple fact that we were all each other had; well, us and our other siblings. We were both looking out for our family and as far as we were concerned everyone was a threat to our fragile little family unit.

"I don't know," he said, "the beautiful part seems about spot on."

That comment made me angry, because I knew that he was expecting it to soften me. He was trying to get me on side but it wasn't going to work. I wouldn't let it. The idea that a stupid little come on would get me to let my guard down was so insulting that I could barely think of anything to say in return. Regardless, my tone was enough to show that I didn't appreciate his assumption that I was some silly little girl who'd roll over for a few trivial compliments.

"To be honest, I don't give a shit how 'spot on' the rumours were. I'm not here to make friends, so maybe you should go bother someone else with your lame attempts at flirting." I snarled as the teacher opened the door and the old school bell rang.

I jumped to my feet, knocked over my shelter in the process, and stormed from the gymnasium where the class was held. Aloki was hot on my heels and we made our way to our next class in silence. Combat Training. It was great to have a physical outlet for my anger and I was glad for the blonde boy's presence in Combat Training because it meant that I could keep fuelling my annoyance until I was absolutely exhausted.

It also meant that I could watch his expression change as he realised exactly how much of a threat I would be, if we were in the same Games together. Let's just say that he wasn't wearing the same expression when he left the Combat Hall that he wore when he entered.