Hey guyz, this chapter is really really REALLY short. And I'm not sure if I like it. Hmm. But the next one will be better. Maybe. Anywho enjoy and Happy Reading!
Chapter 6
I sit up in bed and stretch. I don't really want to get up, but I know I have to. I quickly shower and then dress before going out to breakfast. I take my place and note that the two boys aren't here. "Morning Katna," Woof says with a warm smile. I smile back as I heap my plate with delicious food. "So, when will we start prepping for the interviews?" I ask and then take a bite of some peas. "Well, just as soon as you've finished eating." Woof answers in a happy mood. I'm not sure why he's in such a good mood but oh well, at least he's not in a bad one. "Where are the boys?" I ask reading his expression. "They already ate." Our mentor says with a shrug. I look at the clock on the wall. 8:30. They must've been up really early for me to of missed them. I shrug it off and finish my food.
Afterwards Meena takes me and Tianna and teaches us how to look while we're there. "Don't forget to smile," She says. "The audience needs to love how you look, Woof will teach you how to act, but for now focus on looks. Give me your best smile," She instructs. I give her a fake sarcastic smile while Tianna gives her her normal smile. "No no, it's no good, like this-" Meena demonstrates the 'perfect smile' and we both copy her. "Very good," She says feeling successful. I roll my eyes. This is boring. "Now, eye contact is very important when you're speaking with anyone. Make sure to look him in the eyes a lot when he's talking and also, gesturing, gesturing is important." She rambles on. "When you speak be sure to use hand motions if you can, that's good, and don't forget to smile! The audience won't like you if you're scowling all the time." She explains and both Tianna and I nod. "Even if you don't feel like smiling and being happy you must pretend. You will want sponsors in the arena and to get them you must get the audience to love you. Got it?" She asks hopefully. "Got it." Tianna and I say simultaneously. Next is the session with Woof.
"Ok, first off," He begins. "They may ask you about yourself, in fact they will ask you about yourself, and they might ask you about your family-"
"Whoa. I am not gonna go up there and talk about my family." Tianna speaks up crossing her arms over her chest. Woof sighs. "It's ok, you can do it," He assures her. "No! I can't!" She argues. "It's alright Tianna," I say. "You'll do fine." She sighs, nods, and slumps down in a chair. "Ok, Katna, tell me a little about yourself," Woof says looking to me. I gulp. "What do you want to know?" I ask shyly. "This isn't good, don't be shy, be strong be-um, be tough." He tells me. I take a breath and nod. "Now, Katna, tell us a little about yourself," He starts again. "What is it you want to know?" I ask putting on a tough sounding voice. "No no, ok, toughs not working, lets try something different," I throw my hands up in frustration. I can't be what he wants. We try being cocky. Not working. He tries getting me to be humble, witty, funny, sexy. Nothing is working for us. Not even being mysterious. "Katna, we've got to work this through, um, lets see-" He thinks hard trying to find an act for me to follow. I keep disappointing him, and I wish I could meet his approval but none of those are me. I'm not funny, witty, or sexy. I'm just me. My hand reaches up and I clasp my locket. I begin to wonder what Woof's girlfriend was like, I wish she didn't have to die, that was tragic. "Lets try Tianna for a little while," He suggests. So we help her pick a way to act. She gets funny right smack down, she's great at all of them but Woof settles for funny. I sigh and can't help but feel a little jealous. She can be what he wants. But I can't. "We'll work on you later Katna," Woof says. "We've waisted the whole morning already, go have some lunch and we'll decide things later." Woof says sounding a little disappointed. I nod and walk back to my room and eat lunch alone.
Why can't I do anything right? I regret the last time I saw my mother. I yelled at her, I was sort of mean. Although, I did tell her I loved her before she left. Maybe she's doing alright. I hope Zinnia, Merlin, and Zerek are being well cared for. I sigh. My brothers sixteen, he can provide for them. All of them. Suddenly I start to wonder where Drake really was at breakfast. Maybe he did eat early but then where did he go? Oh well, it's not my business what he does. He may be my best friend but no matter how close we are he can still do whatever he wants and I have no say in it.
I remember the first time we hunted in the woods together. My father had cut the hole in the fence years before Drake and I hunted together. He would take me out and teach me about the woods and animals. So after he died one day I decided to go out to the woods again. Drake and I had already met, we grew up together and went to school together, but he was always a grade above me being two years older. Anyway, I went out to the woods alone for the first time since my father couldn't take me. I liked it out there so I went back everyday. Four days of this before I finally saw Drake, I was holding my Shadow Bow ready to strike a dear but it ran. I was a little sad and that's when I saw him, he was setting a trap over beside a bush. I wandered closer but I guess he felt my shadow coming and he whirled around and grabbed onto my shoulder. 'Its you,' He said in awe. I nodded frightened and he let go. Then he led me around and showed me all his traps. I never knew how to set a perfect trap so he showed me. I was very shy, but he liked to talk. After we checked all his traps and took all the food he caught we decided to come back everyday and hunt together. Since then we've been best friends.
After lunch it's more time with Woof. Again, I can't be what he wants. I try my very best to be the girl he wants me to be but I just can't. "Why is this so difficult for you?!" He yells at last finished with my idiocy. "I'm sorry!" I yell back. "But I just can't be something I'm not! I've never been funny and I'm certainly not sexy and I can't be humble to save my life! It's just not going to work!" I yell and then turn away in complete anger. Woof doesn't speak. I almost decide to leave but something stops me. "Maybe-" Woof says at last. "Maybe you should just be yourself then," He says and I turn back to face him. He looks tired and worn. Like he could collapse at any minute from exhaustion. "Just answer questions honestly and be your own personality." He says and then walks away. I take a deep breath and think about what he said. Maybe I should just be myself. Maybe they'll like me for me. I eat dinner quickly and then wander the halls of the Training Center not wanting to go to bed. I know it's late. The suns gone down and stars twinkle brightly out the window.
I walk to one window and just stare out. I wonder if my family might be looking at the same stars now. The same moon, the same dark sky. I feel in my heart a deep longing to be with them again. It's deeper than I've ever had. I miss them so much my heart is literally being ripped in half. A tear escapes my eye and I don't bother to wipe it away. "Katna." A ghost-like voice whispers from behind. "Who-who's there?" I ask spinning around. It's no one. I'm probably hearing things. I turn back to my window and jump back as a pale face stares me down. The figure has white hair, two pieces are braided by her shoulders, some is pulled up in two loops atop her head. More is flowing behind. She has a clip in her hair that has the picture of the crescent moon and some waves of water. She's got blue eyes and a white dress. She just watches me. Her hair is blowing but there's no wind. I step closer and look down. She's floating! She's not standing on anything she just floats! And there's a glow around her, it makes her seem radiant and even more beautiful than she is.
"Do not be afraid," She says in an echoey soft voice. "Wh-who are you?" I dare to ask. "I am a spirit. Surely you've been told of the spirits before?" She says in a girly tone. She giggles slightly and then becomes serious. "Yes, I was taught in school about the spirits," I tell her staring in awe. "Yue." She says. I don't know what that means but ok. "You don't have to be afraid at the interviews, or in the arena." She says. Her voice is so calm and soothing. It makes me feel safe and like I have a guardian protecting me at all times. "The spirits will help you, you will be safe." She says. "What about Drake? Will he be safe too?" I ask hope returning to me. Her smile fades and so does her glow. She starts moving away from the window sill. "Sadly not all things can be saved." She whispers and then starts to disappear. "Wait!" I yell. "I don't wanna be saved if he's not! Wait!" But she's gone. I breakdown and sob. I refuse to believe she'll save me from the arena. I won't be saved if my best friend can't be saved as well.
I slowly pick myself up and drag my feet to bed. I get dressed and crawl in bed, sleep soon follows with dreams of evil spirits and the arena. Blood everywhere and Drake, dead.