After that the rest of training went by smoothly; thankfully Cato left me alone at lunch and for the rest of the day. It seems he had gotten whatever he wanted after that confrontation, and I was glad that he felt no need to bother me anymore. After lunch, I had gone to the knife-throwing station, then to archery, animal hunting, and camouflage (which I was horrible at by the way). I also made sure to revisit the stations that I had been at before lunch to refresh my skills and knowledge. When training was over the tributes headed to the elevators accompanied by the Peacekeepers to make sure that we didn't become too rowdy. To my great displeasure I was in the elevator with the Careers; it seemed that no matter what I did I couldn't seem to avoid them.

The girl from Two looked at me, dark eyes surveying me. "Maybe you're not completely useless Three," she sniffed. "Might be better than your partner."

From his place beside the two tributes from One, I could see Micro pale. "Good, then maybe I won't die on the first day," I muttered trying to keep my voice low.

From behind Two, Cato barked out a laugh, his blue eyes locking onto me with an intensity hard to ignore. "Hear that, Clove? Three thinks she has a chance of surviving past day one." He leaned over Clove, toward me, "Remember. You're mine, that means my kill and when I see you on day one I will kill you."

"Fine," I rolled my eyes, smirking inwardly at the surprised look on Cato's (and Clove's) face. "That's what you're supposed to do, isn't it? Even if I would happen to survive past the first day, there's no way I'd even make it into the top ten." I shrugged.

With slight surprise and curiosity, I noticed a disturbed look on Cato's face after I had spoken. I wondered if what I had said bothered him and then quickly dismissed it; he didn't care about me. We hadn't known each other for very long, and at the most all he felt was attraction. But that attraction wouldn't stop him from killing me, I knew that. The elevator stopped on One's floor and the two tributes gracefully exited, two Peacekeepers following them. The remaining two stayed in the elevator with us.

"Your partner wants an alliance with us," Clove spoke up, earning a sharp look from Cato.

I could tell they were surprised when I laughed. "I'm very aware of that, and I'm also very aware that I was not included in his plans in any way shape or form." Out of the corner of my eye I could see Micro flinch. My eyes darted up, meeting Cato's. "I don't have any allies, and there's no reason for two from Three in your alliance. Makes me easy prey, doesn't it?"

"Yes," Clove readily agreed. "For some reason, I think you'd be more useful than your partner though."

Micro paled, and even though I should have taken advantage of the situation I just couldn't. Even though he wasn't loyal to meet, I still felt some loyalty toward him. "Thanks, but no thanks. As soon as I turn my back on you, I'd be dead. Cato has made that quite clear," I said and the smile previously adorning Clove's face fell.

"You sure?" She asked. The elevator dinged as we arrived at their floor. "You might be making a huge mistake Three."

"Probably," I agreed. "But he needs you more than me, and it would benefit you guys to have someone from Three with you. Even if it's not me."

Clove nodded, but the frown on Cato's face deepened. She slunk out of the elevator, but he was much slower to follow. It wasn't until she snapped his name that he moved at all taking the other two Peacekeepers with him. Once they were gone, I found that I could breathe easier and I slumped against the interior of the elevator my previous bravado and confidence completely gone. Micro was watching me, a suspicious look in his dark eyes. Not that I could blame him; I had had a great opportunity to double-cross him, something that I absolutely should have done, but I didn't take it.

The elevator stopped on our floor and silently the two of us exited. Micro was wary of me, and I was pensive wondering if I should have actually taken Clove up on her offer. It was a courtesy that I didn't think extended to many others and I couldn't help but wonder if I was a fool to not take it. It was too late to dwell on it now, I thought sitting at the dinner table. Conversation was mundane with Sugar asking us how our days went, as if being trained to kill people the same age or younger than you, was normal. Perhaps in the Capitol it was, but out in the Districts it was the opposite – it was barbaric.

I noticed as we ate, that Beetee and Wiress were both gone and admittedly it made a little sad. I had known Beetee most of my life, and while he had been here I knew that there was at least one person I could trust. Now with him gone, I didn't know if that was true anymore; it was quite clear that I couldn't trust Micro. Maybe, I would be able to trust our new mentor, Aven, whenever he finally arrived. The elevator doors slid open and a tall, wiry man with dark hair and golden eyes walked in, hands tucked into a worn pair of denim jeans. His eyes were the only Capitol thing about him; everything else screamed District 3.

"Oh children!" Sugar squealed, clapping her hands like a seal. "This is Aven."

She moved to continue speaking but Aven interrupted her, "Yes, I'm sure that they remember me. My Games were only two years ago." He looked between Micro and me, and like Micro had predicted completely dismissed him. "You come with me." He pointed at me.

Reluctantly, I stood up following after him. I wasn't quite sure what to make of his attitude; he seemed unpredictable. I didn't like unpredictable; I liked knowing what was going to happen before it happened. But just looking at him, I could tell that that wasn't how Aven operated. No, he thrived on being unpredictable and outside of the normal. An anomaly if you will. He shut the door to his bedroom and spun around to face me, the previous vivacious expression dropping from his face.

"Beetee told me to help you," He said. "Obviously we'd like to keep both of you alive, but you are his priority and therefore you're now my priority." I nodded. Aven sighed raking a hand through his dark tousled locks. "What stations did you go to today?"

"Fire, shelter, edible plants and insects, snares, knife throwing, archery, hunting, and camouflage. Then I went back and reviewed fire, snares, shelter, and plants," I told him.

Aven nodded, "Good. Keep up that well-rounded thought process, that will help you more in the arena than you could ever know. Tomorrow try to get more weapons training in. And your partner?"

"He's allied with the Careers, I'm sure he'll be fine," I replied. Aven quirked a brow so I elaborated. "Micro, is allied with the Careers and I'm not, he made sure of that. For now, he'll have protection. At least until the numbers start to thin."

Aven sighed, evidently irritated. "Then I won't have to worry about him. Very much." He frowned, "Why aren't you with the Careers?"

I shrugged, not telling him that they had offered me and I had still turned it down. He wouldn't understand and he'd only get mad at me.

Seeing my reluctance Aven waved off the question. "No matter. I'm sure you'll do fine even without them." His face softened, "I know it's hard to contemplate taking the life of another person, I was in your place two years ago, and it doesn't get any easier. I wish it did, but it doesn't. You just have to remember what you're doing, and that is trying to survive. Above everything else remember that, and do it. Survive."

I nodded. Aven smiled, and then I headed to my room to sleep. He had given me a lot to think about and I was sure that the next few days of training would go similarly to today. The next two days, passed exactly as I had predicted (minus a few interferences from Cato, who was growing increasingly annoyed by District partner and more possessive toward me, for reasons I couldn't quite comprehend) and I took Aven's words to heart, constantly reviewing the survival stations even as I trained with weapons. I discovered a particular affinity for hand-to-hand combat and daggers, something that will help me in the arena at least until I go against someone bigger than me. Someone like Cato or Thresh (the boy from District 11). Yesterday, had been the last day of training and that meant training scores. Honestly, I hadn't done as bad as I had expected.

I had tried to demonstrate to the Gamekeepers my versatility, by doing edible plants, archery, and my hand-to-hand combat. My efforts had paid off, and they had given me a surprising but not unwelcome nine. Micro had gotten a six. Cato had gotten a ten; Katniss the girl from Twelve got an eleven, and Peeta had gotten an eight. Katniss's score had been surprising to me; while training she hadn't seemed all that ferocious or capable, but her quiet demeanor and withdrawn nature suddenly made sense. She had been doing it to keep suspicion off of her and throw us off in the arena. Since we didn't have access to the training center anymore, I'd assume that those who had scored lower suddenly wished that they had been able to practice more now that they knew how capable she was.

I fidgeted in my chair, as Palla straightened my wavy hair. "Stop moving around so much," she scolded. I stopped wriggling. "Honestly, you'd think that you were five-years-old." She huffed.

But I knew that she wasn't really annoyed with me. "Sorry," I smiled cheekily.

"Hush," she scolded me. She brushed through my hair, making sure that it was straight. "You should be with the Careers, Larka. You know, that right?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, "I know."

"Then, why aren't you?"

"Micro needs them more than I do."

"As noble as that is Larka, you need to think of your own survival first." She told me. "You can't save him. The Careers will kill him, you know that."

"I know but at least with them he'll survive longer," I answered. "He hasn't done any of the survival skills, Palla. He was relying on the Careers and I can't snatch that alliance away from him, not when without it he'd die. At least I can survive for a little longer than he can." I don't mention how Cato has threatened me.

Palla hums, a frown on her face but doesn't press the subject. She finishes brushing through my hair and hands me a pair of sterling silver gladiator sandals, that complement the black hi-low skirt and the silver sleeveless shirt tucked into it. It's an understated outfit, and it may not make the best impression but I find I am okay with that. I can survive without sponsors; I hope. As the interviews began I noted some of the basic strategies: Glimmer (the girl from One) was trying to be sexy, Marvel (her partner) was trying to be a jokester, Clove arrogant and sarcastic, while Cato was cold and calculating, portraying himself as the ice-cold killer all Career tributes were expected to be.

I felt nervous as I went onto the stage where Caesar Flickerman was waiting and I hoped that I didn't truly bumble this interview – if I did it would certainly spell my demise. I couldn't le "t that happen; Beetee, Aven, Mama and Bran were counting on me to survive.

"Welcome, welcome!" Caesar coos, pressing a kiss to my cheek and making me blush much to the amusement of the crowd watching us. "I've heard a lot about you, Larka! The girl from District 3, who got a nine on her training score!" He indicates for me to sit down and I do so slowly. "Tell me about your life back home," he urges.

"What do you want to know?" I ask with a laugh.

"Any boyfriend?"

A flush decorates my cheeks. "No. No, boyfriend just an overprotective brother," I mumbled, my cheeks still bright red. "My brother wouldn't let me have any boyfriends. Well, he encouraged me not to."

"Why is that?"

"Like I said, overprotective." I shifted, "It kills him that I'm here but I'm sure that he'd get over it once he tastes the food." The lie tastes acrid on my tongue but it succeeds in making the Capitol and Caesar laugh.

"Do you think he'd be surprised at your training score?"

"Probably," I shrugged. "He trained with weapons briefly, but my whole focus has been on inventing and engineering. Stuff that District 3 is known for."

"I see, I see," Caesar hums. He eyes me speculatively, "Are you prepared for the Games?"

"I think so." I smiled again. "There's still a lot that I haven't shown you guys yet."

That succeeds in raising questions and intrigue, which rises when I head backstage because it's Micro's turn to be interviewed. I pat my warm cheeks, watching the rest of the tributes being interviewed. Things were going great, many of the tributes weren't memorable at all, until Peeta spoke. I couldn't blame him, he was trying to stay alive like the rest of us were but it still irritated me. What did he do? Oh, only declared his undying love for one Katniss Everdeen, his District partner. I could see the shock and ire on her face, once she processed what she had said and looking at Peeta I realized that this wasn't a strategy – he really meant it.

That just made me even more irritated. I huffed, looking away a small pout on my lips. Inadvertently my eyes meet Cato's dark gaze, and like always when I catch him staring at me I flush. Something, has changed between Cato and I since the end of training but I'm not quite sure what it was yet. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to find out. His lips curve into a smile and then he's gone, following after Clove and the other Careers to discuss strategy I presume. This is the last night before we face the horrors of the Games, because come tomorrow morning our numbers will dwindled. I look around the assembled faces, and my heart pangs. It will be hard, but it is necessary.

I glide into the elevator, biting my lip so hard that I'm sure it starts to bleed. Tomorrow, everything would change. Tonight, like my first night in the Capitol, I sleep restlessly. My dreams, when I do manage to fall asleep are vivid and nightmarish, and I always wake up in a cold sweat, a scream hovering at the edge of my lips. It is as the sun starts to rise, that I decide to stop trying to sleep anymore. I am tired and exhausted, but I know there is no hope of trying to sleep anymore, it won't make much of a difference.

Everything is silent in on our floor as we silently get ready. I fidget with the light coat I'm wearing, as Palla walks me to a small pedestal that will take me up into the arena. I hesitate stepping on it, even with the Peacekeepers watching and no doubt glaring at me, urging me to move on and to forget my cowardice.

Unexpectedly, Palla draws me close. "Be careful," she whispers and then lets me go.

I step onto the pedestal, staring at her even as the room begins to fade and I rise into the center of the arena. To my right was the woods, and directly in front of me was the Cornucopia. I decided that the Cornucopia was my first target, and the woods my second. If all else failed I'd go left and hope that I'd find something that way. I tensed, preparing to spring as the clock began to count down, each number ringing in my ears.

Ten…

Nine…

Eight…

Seven…

I inhale deeply, my heart thrumming in my chest.

Four…

Three…

Two…

One…

I sprang off the pedestal, the only thought echoing through my mind: Run! Survive!