Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own the hunger games! BUT if I did, I would change a few things… BUT, since I don't own the hunger games, nor most of it's characters, the lovely and brilliant Suzanne Collins does :D
Author Notes: This is a pretty long ne, and DEFINETLY one of my favourites! it's the interviews, and then the start of the game! PLUS peeta and clove meet! could they become friends? lets see...
The next few days go by in a blur. I make friends with all the tributes, and avoid Glimmer and Marvel at all cost. At night, Cato and I watch movies and talk, and then I help Enobaria into my room where we both sleep till morning.
I'm confident in my survival skills, since I have done every survival course three times. I've only done the weaponry courses once though, and that was to improve on my archery skills. I like to stick with my knives, and any other weapon feels dirty to me.
Last night was the private training, and I scored a ten. I'm annoyed really. My knife throwing deserved at least and 11. I threw knives accurately at every mannequin, plus I did some with my eyes closed. Then, after my impressive display, I threw twenty knives at a wall to form my name.
Cato scored a ten, as well. He was happy, until Katniss scored an 11. I was happy for her to begin with, but after thinking about it, and Cato complaining non-stop, I realized that I hated that. She got a higher score than me, so all the sponsors must be lining up to sponsor her. I'm mad at her, but I'm thankful that I listened to Enobaria's words on the first day of training. I can't rely on sponsors, especially when tributes like Thresh and Katniss are my enemies.
I'm waiting for Marvels interview with Caesar Flickerman to finish. Caesar looks hideous and grotesque as usual, with his abnormal hair colour, and colored lips and eye lids. His colour theme for this eye is midnight blue. It freaks me out, but I'm grateful that it's not crimson red like it was a few year ago. It looked like he was bleeding everywhere, which freaked me out.
"And up now is Clove Dander from District 2!" The crowd goes wild and I step on the stage. I'm wearing a long red dress that makes my curves stand out. My hair is freakish, since it is tied up in three different areas at the top and bottom of my head, but it flows down my back the way I like it.
I smile to the crowd and wave to them, I even blow a kiss.
"So, Clove, you volunteered for a little girl. Claire, was it?" Caesar asks. I nod my head.
"Did you know her?" he presses on.
"Nah, but did you see her, she looked so scared. I had to help her. Poor thing was shaking when I got up there." I give the audience my most sincere and caring look. They all 'aw' at what I say.
"So, what's your specialty?" Caesar asks.
"Knife throwing." I simply say. It's not a secret, not since the first day of training, that is.
"Interesting! Dander, that seems familiar. Have any of your relatives competed before?"
"Yes, actually. My grandmother. She won 40 years ago. Sadly, she isn't alive anymore, so I won't see her till at least another forty years." I'm being confident and putting my message out, that I'll win, without being too obvious. The crowd loves it. They all laugh and smile at me.
"Clove, how do you think the other tributes will be? Any threats?"
"Hm, no. I could take them all on, except maybe the girl from 11. Have you seen how vicious she looks?" I look back to Rue and wink at her. Thresh, Rue, Peeta and Katniss understand my joke, but the audience just thinks I'm teasing her. They all laugh and smile.
We chat some more, mostly about life back at home, and I try my hardest to appear charming and sweet, with just a tinge of deadliness.
"Oh, and that's all the time we have for Clove Dander from District 2! Clove, may the odds be ever in your favor!" I walk off the stage and Cato is introduced on.
By the way he talks, sound and moves, it's clear that he is going for a blood thirsty killing machine.
"I'm really looking forward to being in the arena. I just can't wait till I can spill some blood. Especially the boy from four." Cato looks over to Odi, and by the look Cato gives him, I can tell Odi won't last the first day in the arena.
"Wow, specific. But what do you think about your allies." Caesar eyes me when he says this. I look at Cato, my eyes like blades. I want to look lethal.
"Well, Glimmer from 1 is quite good with her hands, if you know what I mean." He wiggles his eyebrows, and Glimmer blows a kiss to Cato. If no one were watching, I would have jumped out of my seat and clawed her face off.
"And Marvel, he's a sweet guy. Like a big teddy bear. Such a nice guy, really. It's nice to have an ally you can sleep soundly around, and not be afraid that he'd kill you in your sleep." I look to Marvel who is fuming, and I don't blame him. What Cato has said is the worst thing you could say about a Career. That they're nice and sweet.
"And four, don't get me started. Pathetic, really. Don't know what went wrong in District 4 this year." Cato stops. He's trying to avoid giving input on me.
But Caesar doesn't care.
"And Clove?"
"Clove? Don't trust her one bit. I mean look at her. She looks all sweet and charming, but when she has a knife, better watch out. I actually saw what she did to her ex the day before the Reaping. Let's just say he's lucky he was moving his hips, otherwise the poor guy wouldn't be able to have kids." The audience laughs and I wink in the camera. I hope Ty is watching. I know he is, but what I really want is for him to see the hatred in y eyes. I'm over him now, and I'm completely fine over the break up, but I still enjoy his expression when I threw that knife at him.
"But other than knives, she's no threat to me. I'll just have to hide her knives before I kill her." Cato looks at me now, and I give him my most sexy and seductive glare and blow him a kiss. I look to Glimmer and wave at her. It's her time to be mad now.
Cato gets off the stage, and the girl from three steps on. All the interviews go past quickly. Odi's angle is humble, whereas the girl from 6 acts like she is above the world. Rue is the only one I really par attention to. She is small and magical, and floats onto the stage like a fairy. Caesar and Rue talk to each other like they are best friends.
When Katniss goes on stage, she is mystifying. Her dress resembles a flame. I love it. I both admire her, yet hate her. She's already stolen my spotlight in the clothing department, and everyone else's for that matter, but she lacks in personality. By talking to her a few times, I can tell that she is sullen and hostile, but she can't show the audience that.
It's not till Peeta goes up that the energy in the room livens up again. He is funny and smart, and just plain charming. All the Capitol women in the audience melt, and I would too, if I didn't have Cato.
They are talking about Peeta's love life when he drops a bombshell.
"Because…because she came with me." Everyone is shocked at Peeta's words. The camera's direct to Katniss' face and she is as red as a tomato.
I finally understand what Peeta has said. Peeta is in love with Katniss.
District 12 has stolen the spotlight from us. Again.
We had no private time in the elevator, since we had to share it with all the other tributes, but when we got out the elevator, Cato pulled me into his arms and kissed me. We didn't know Enobaria and Calsh were there until they pulled us apart.
Enobaria dragged me to my room and forced me to sit on the bed. She looked me in the eye, and in a clear voice, said the words I expected to hear from her.
"Don't trust that boy! I want you back, and if it means killing him, then so be it!" tears begin to spill from her eyes, and I find that I am comforting Enobaria yet again.
Enobaria pulls back from me and gives me a golden anklet. Its chain is gold and it has bone-white stone placed every two millimeters apart. I stare at it with awe.
"I heard you didn't have a token, so here. My mentor gave it to me before I went into the games, and she made me promise to give it back to her. I'm making you promise the same thing, but I want it back from you. Not some stupid Capitol person. You're gonna hand deliver it to me. Am I making myself clear?" I nod at Enobaria, who I have come to love in a week. She's like my mother, except, I don't find her nauseating, and I know that she loves me for me, and not because I could be a potential Victor.
She hugs me so tightly, I feel as if a fat guy is sitting on my chest. She pulls away and looks me in the eye.
"Remember, you are not a monster. The games bring out the worst in people. Do you understand? No matter what happens, the things you do to the people in there, you are mot a monster."
We are both getting teary, but before a tear can drop from my eyes, Enobaria presses her lips to my forehead, and kisses me goodbye. She walks out the door, and when it closes, I can hear the sobbing that she is making. The sobbing sounds we're both making.
I hardly get sleep that night. All I can think about is Cato, Katniss, Enobaria, Rue and the last words little Claire Dove said to me. What if I don't make it?
…
Cypris changes me into the outfit I will wear in the arena. I'm wearing comfortable, black pant and a dark brown shirt. I'm wearing the anklet Enobaria gave to me. Cypris and I don't talk. She doesn't even look at me in the eye when I'm leaving. I hate her anyway.
I close my eyes, and I'm raised into the arena. We are in the woods. I expected this. I wait a minute until I can walk off the platform. I'm anxious. I see Cato starring at me. I give him a small smile, and he nods his head to me.
The gong goes off and everyone runs. I see Rue is the first one to get her pack and run off. Tough as soon as I get off my platform, Moshe towers over me and pins me to the ground. He's too heavy. He doesn't have a weapon, but he's using his hands to suffocate me.
I'm struggling to get him off me, but I see Peeta behind Moshe and Peeta hit him on the head. Moshe falls off me, and I can finally breathe. Peeta helps me up, and we both run to find weapons. We search together. I find my knives and he finds a spear. Moshe is still alive, and now he is trying to attack Peeta. Peeta is to slow to see this, but I do. I throw a knife and it lands straight into Moshe's throat. His cannon goes off immediately, and deep down, I'm grateful his death was quick and short.
Cato is beside me now, and the Cornucopia blood bath has ended. Cato's arm is wrapped around me and his sword is pressed against Peeta's neck. One bad move, and Cato's blade will slice Peeta's neck.
I push Cato away. "No. He saved my life, we are not going to kill him." I demand. Cato looks at me funny. Glimmer saunters over, while Marvel is dragging Clave over to us.
"This kid's mentor asked us to ally with him. What do we do?" They look to me, since they obviously know we have talked.
"Let him stay too. He said he can dig up the bombs underneath us and reactivate them."
They all nod, and Marvel lets go of Clave.
We move on, and the guilt of my first kill weighs heavy on me.
…
Marvel and Glimmer stay behind to help Clave dig up the bombs, so Cato, Peeta and I go hunting. All through our trip, Cato keeps a close eye on Peeta. Peeta stays close to me, and I can't blame him. I see Odi hiding behind the bush. Odi knows that I see him, and he knows I will tell Cato. I don't want to tell Cato. I don't want Odi to die.
"Can you see anyone?" Cato asks. I stare at Odi, he stares back.
"No one." I say to Odi. A flood of relief overcomes his face and he hides deeper into the bush.
Cato walks in front of Peeta and I. Peeta walks closer to me.
"You saw the kid. Why didn't you dob him out?" Peeta whispers. I have no decent answer.
"Why didn't you?" A smile creeps up on Peeta, and we are both smiling. We walk in silence back to the Cornucopia.
Marvel, Glimmer and Clave have finally dug up the bombs and Clave is trying to reactivate them.
"Find anyone?" Marvel asks. Cato shakes his head and throws his sword to the ground. Cato is angry at this, and I'm scared that he will explode any minute.
Glimmer runs over to Cato and presses herself against Cato. "Ooh, baby, it's okay. We'll get them soon." She coos.
I clench my fist but remain calm. Peeta is staring at me. I ignore him. Glimmer and Cato continue flirting. I start a fire, since I'm the only one who knows how to. I sit there, tending to the fire, and Peeta is beside me.
"She's a ditz, you know. Cato's just doing this for the sponsors." I look to Peeta, and I smile. I like this guy.
"I'm not worried. But what about you? You and Katniss, that is." Peeta shakes his head with a small grin on his face.
"Nah. It's just for the cameras." I stare at Peeta in the eyes. I know he's lying. I can sense it. I've seen the way he is around her, and it isn't hard to tell that he's in love with her.
"No, you like her. I can tell. I also know when The Career ask if you like her, you'll deny it and say it was all for the cameras. You'll talk crap about her, and they'll believe you, except, I won't. I won't tell them, you're lying because I owe you. Plus, I consider you likable. And when we're about to kill her, you'll try to stop us, and Cato will kill you. I can't stop that from happening. You'll die eventually, but I won't make it now."
Peeta and I look at each other. The fire pops and we both jump. Cato is staring at us, a deadly look set into his face. Peeta seems nervous, but I punch him lightly in the arm.
"Act normal. Cato can smell fear." And we both laugh. It's stupid, really, but I like Peeta. He seems easy going and fun, the total opposite to a Career.
"Fire!" Clave screams. We look to where he is pointing, and we see smoke. Cato grabs his sword and starts running in the smoke's direction. Marvel grabs his spear and Glimmer grabs her bow and arrows. Clave grabs a random weapon, but I tell him to stay. Peeta doesn't have a weapon, so I throw him one of my knives. We follow them to the fire.
...
Peeta and Cato sit by the fire.
"Do you think they'll review?" Peeta asks nervously.
"I don't know. Maybe?" he whispers. " They don't usually review," Cato spat out.
Peeta laughed. "Maybe they wont review, but they might for me!" Peeta laughs.
Cato rolls his eyes and walks away. He finds Rue sleeping in a tree. Cato looks up at her and thinks. should he kill her now? If no one reviews, then he will have no choie...
REVIEW OR RUE DIE! DONT LET HER DIE!