Author's Note: Yay I finally got the first chapter done! It's kinda short but at least i got it done. I've been in California this week so, yeah.


The countdown begins as I'm lifted up to the arena. I look around to see that a large forest and a wheat field surround me. I lock my gaze on a mysterious small black bag. There has to be knives inside of it! I also look around to see him. Peeta Mellark, the boy I'm deadly in love with. I also see Cato, the boy who's in love with me. The first time I saw Peeta was at the chariot rides. Looking stunning in his fiery outfit.

I try to regain concentration, and lock my gaze back on the small bag. As soon as I get out of here I have to find Peeta and tell him how I feel. Then I hear the countdown get lower and lower.

"7,6,5,4,3,2,1!"

Tributes ran here and there, and I ran straight for the black bag. I open it and, yes! There are knives inside. I grab a dagger out of it, and take the whole bag with me. I also acquire a backpack and see Katniss and the District 9 male grappling over a backpack. I shoot my dagger at the District 9 male and it lodges right in his back. I aim at Katniss too, but she dodges the knife with her backpack. I chase after her but find that it is no use, she outran me.

I turn around to see Peeta fleeing for the forest. Cato runs side by side with me towards the forest. I speed up my running to get ahead of Cato, but I run out of breath quickly and he manages to catches up with me.

"Slow down girl, I can't run that fast."

There are dirty things I want to say running around in my mind, but I decide not to say them. Even though I don't like Cato, we are friends and I don't want to see him hurt, especially not now while we're in the Hunger Games. I manage to reach the forest before the dizziness catches up to me. All I see are blurry, bloody figures, and I can't focus right. Cato yells my name, and I ignore it. I regain my focus and blink twice to make sure.

"Clove, can we go now?" I hear Cato ask this twice before I say yes.

The forest is covered in so much greenery that it is hard to walk around in. Bush here, tree there, large rocks ahead. I feel like I'm walking in zigzags. I find Marvel and Glimmer waiting by a large tree and when they catch sight of us they seem so relived to see us.

"Did you kill anyone?" Marvel asks.

"No, because we're not careers." I say sarcastically.

"Oh so, you didn't? Well, I did." Glimmer asks.

I think to myself, "Why are District 1 tributes always so stupid and so full of themselves?"

"Maybe you should've taken sarcasm classes Glimmer." Cato backs me up.

Glimmer nods her head, then opens her eyes and tilts her head to the side as if she's perplexed.

I hear the canons go off and I guess that signals the end of the bloodbath. I hear twigs snap and I signal the rest of the alliance to listen. Marvel peers through the bushes and says that it's the District 3 male.

"Maybe he's trying to find us." I say.

During the training we asked him to be part of our alliance since he was smart and seemed decent enough to help us out. While the rest of the team seems focused on Marvel, I remember that I was supposed to find Peeta.

"Clove, you're handy with knife throwing, so you can stay part of our alliance." Marvel says.

I have no exact clue what the discussion was about but I reply with an okay. I need to make up an excuse to go find Peeta.

"Hey guys, I'm just going to go to the bathroom right here. And I might go hunting for food too." I tell them.

"Okay, but be back before the death screenings." Cato says.

I promise them I will, but I will probably end up breaking it. I walk through the forest for about 7 minutes before I hear a whispering voice. I stop walking to listen.

"Katniss, Katniss, Kaaatnisss…."

I believe it's Peeta's voice because he's in love with her. I'm relieved that I found him so that I can actually explain to him. The first time I tried talking to him he ran away in fear of me. I was crestfallen at the time, but I got over it just in time for the games. When I stop to listen again, he's still there, but just not whispering her name, but mine.