Suzanne Collins owns Hunger Games and all Characters within said Trilogy

I own nothing, Just a fan who wants more Hunger Games.

Please Review and tell me what you think. I am getting real excited closer I get to the actual Games. I feel I have a real good idea for our heroe's protagonist.

The next morning after breakfast Rory and I are ushered to the elevators by Effie and taken to the gym in the lower levels of the Training Center. We are a few minutes early but we seem to be the last ones to arrive. The Careers from Districts 1 and 2 are already looking over and handling many of the weapons even though we haven't officially been given the go ahead to practice. It also looks like both Tributes from District 4 have joined them as well. However most of the other tributes seem to be nervous, standing around with their arms crossed like if they touched anything they may get into trouble.

I am much less nervous about showing up to training than I was last year. But I have one up on all of the other tributes here. I am a previous Hunger Games Victor. I've been through all of this once and I have survived. Being a Victor has some pluses but it also has its minuses. Haymitch said that many of the tributes will look up to me this year. They will watch me and try and learn things by example. But being perceived as one of the strongest contenders to win coupled with my celebrity will undoubtedly paint a target on my back during the Games. A Career tribute I have no doubt will be gnawing at the bit to brag that he has taken out a Victor.

I walk into the gym trying my best to look as confident as possible, to look like a Victor. Haymitch has also instructed Rory to keep his head and shoulders high. He follows me into the gym exuding confidence. The only thing I notice that may give his nerves away is how tightly his fists are clenched at his sides. He is doing a remarkable job really, considering everything that has happened over the last few days. I haven't even seen him cry. It's uncanny how much he is like Gale.

Atala, the Capitol woman who oversees the gym calls for us to gather around her and she starts up the exact same speech she gave us before we began training last year. Generally it goes that in a few short weeks all but one of us will be dead, to make sure to learn survival skills, not just fighting skills, and that we are not allowed to spare with each other. If we need a partner to practice anything, a trainer will be provided. Then she releases us and we are allowed to wander around the gym and choose between stations where trainers are happy to teach us any number of skills.

I choose to first head to the knot tying station and Rory follows me. The trainer seems to remember me from last year because he smiles as we walk over to his station. I begin tying a few knots and he seems pleased when I remember how to set the trap that will leave a competitor dangling in the air by their ankle. Rory does even better than I do at the knot station as he seems to have found a way to take the same trap and widen the trigger point. In my trap someone would have to step in a circle with about a 2 foot circumference but in Rory's trap the circumference of the trigger spot is at least doubled with a much quicker recoil.

Since neither Rory nor I struggle with knots or traps we decide we should move on. We make our way to the fire starting station and I am determined to start a fire with only a knife, rocks, sticks, and dry leaves. It is much harder than I imagined. I am definitely thankful that my back pack contained matches last year. I takes nearly an hour but I finally manage enough sparks to coax into a flame. Rory helps by softly blowing oxygen to the base of the fire and applying dry leaves.

At this time Rory has noticed that many of the other Tributes have started serving themselves from a buffet that has been rolled into the gym and asks me if we can go eat. I would just as soon avoid the crowd but I think if we do that too much we will look intimidated instead of being intimidating.

"Yeah Rory, let's go grab a plate" I tell him.

We put out our fire and walk over to the buffet where I choose some roast beef, potatoes, some buttery asparagus and watermelon. I still choose to sit at a table with as few other Tributes as possible and Rory is right on my heels. This table is large enough for at least 8 people to sit around comfortably but it's just Rory and I and the Tributes from District 5. They introduce themselves to us as Cho and Ash, she is fifteen and he is sixteen. And just as I suspected on Reaping Day, they very much seem like a couple. She is holding his hand tightly and they are constantly making eye contact and smiling at each other. Ash asks me a few questions about the Games last year, specifically about the rule change that saved both Peeta and I and how likely it is that it may happen again.

I don't really want to be having this conversation. I know the answer to this question though without a doubt. But there is no point in crushing their hope. Besides maybe if they do play it up for the cameras enough and a rule change comes through, it will benefit me and Rory just as much as them. So I simply tell them "If you get the audience to love you, anything can happen I guess".

Mostly I have kept my answers simple and to the point hoping they will catch on that I really don't want to get to know them and just want to eat my food. They don't seem to be catching on though. They continue to eye each other and ask about Peeta, and how he's taking it being my mentor. Eventually, I just ignore them turning to ask Rory about his food selections, which also look delicious. I think what actually gets them to quiet down though is the hooting and hollering we hear from the Career table.

About three quarters of the Tributes are sitting down to eat right now. The Careers from Districts 1, 2, Navy from 4, and the large boy from 11 are all sitting at a table laughing and boasting. Districts 1, 2, and even 4 are expected Careers but I can't help but feel disgust when I see that a Tribute from 11 has joined them. Thresh or Rue would never have joined them even if they were offered and I know Thresh was. The only Career that seems to be missing from the table is the female Galilee from 4 who is with a trainer at the spear station. She's talking intently with the trainer and then I see her change her stance and raise the spear. After she throws, the spear reaches the dummy and collides with such force that the shaft is driven half way through it.

The career table goes nuts with applause and Navy shouts "Great job, Lee!"

For most other Tributes in the room though mouths drop in fear and astonishment. I look to my left and realize that Rory himself is even staring with worry in his eyes so I nudge him and give a little shake with my head to tell him to change his face. I can't help but look at the table full of Careers and Galilee and count seven of them, a Career Pack of seven. The Cornucopia will be extremely dangerous this year. Surely the Gamemakers will place my bow and arrows dead center in front of the Cornucopia hoping to draw me into the heart of the fight. But with seven careers and not to mention the other tributes who may try to grab loot for themselves, getting my weapon of choice is going to be near impossible and very deadly.

After we have finished eating I decide it's time for my own weapons demonstration. In a way I feel like Galilee put on that show just for me to see. I need to show the Career Pack that I will not be intimidated by them, that I am also a force to be reckoned with. That's what I hope to be proving anyway. Inside I very much feel intimidated.

I make my way over to the bow and arrows station. I strap the sheath of arrows around my back and pick up a silver bow. It has a lot more weight to it than my bow from home but this one is very sturdy and near identical to the one that was in the Games with me last year. I take my place behind a strip of tape that has been placed on the floor. There are three standing targets down range each one about 50 feet further than the other. I load my bow, aim and release my arrows into the bulls' eye of each target.

The instructor of this station who up until now has only been watching me comes over, "You hit those very easily, would you like to try something a little harder?" he asks me.

"Sure." I tell him.

He walks over to the side wall of the station and retrieves a rolling cart full of dummy turkeys and ducks. "Alright, I'll be behind you throwing these up in the air and you can try and shoot them down."

"Simple enough" I nod, turn to face the firing range again and load my bow.

The instructor throws a duck high over my head and I instantly lock onto it. I aim making sure to give my arrow just a moment lead on the duck and release. My arrow flies and skewers its target right in its chest. I look back at the instructor to see that he is pleased. I reload my bow and he tosses another bird into the air with the same result. The instructor tries the throw me off by tossing the birds at different angles and trajectories. Since I still don't miss one he begins throwing birds one right after another testing my speed. He empties the cart of birds and I empty my sheath of arrows. We go down range to collect the birds and arrows and start again. He constantly shifts from testing my speed to testing my aim but I don't miss one.

Finally after nearly an hour at the station I realize I've gotten lost in what I was doing. My tunnel vision must have kicked in and the whole gym faded away from my notice. I realize I was happy, probably for the first time since the day before the Reaping. I turn and I notice nearly everyone in the gym has been watching me. Districts 1, 2 and the boy from 11 are near the far wall whispering to each other. Galilee is eating at the table oddly enough smiling with her District mate Navy who is scowling. Some of the other tributes are at training stations but are not paying attention to their lessons. The rest have simply gathered behind me, not trying to hide their astonishment at all. I look for Rory to see that he has taken Haymitch's advice and has gone to the knife throwing station on the other side of the gym. He's been practicing obediently while I have effectively distracted everyone in the gym.

At five o'clock Atala tells us the gym is closing and like clock work Effie is standing near the elevators to collect Rory and I. There are a few escorts waiting for their Tributes as well but many have already been collected over the last half hour. Effie seems very excited over something, she looks like she is bursting at her seems to tell us something or maybe just to ask about training in general. But she is waiting for the privacy of our apartment to do so.

When we reach our apartment and the door is firmly shut behind us the Effie bomb explodes "I can't wait to tell you the good news!"

"Well, spit it out already Effie, before you hurt yourself" I tell her.

"Peeta and Haymitch have been lining up sponsors for you all day. They already have the largest bank of sponsor money recorded Pre Games. And if that wasn't good enough news the newspapers have you in the top 3 favored to win. Betting pools have sky rocketing numbers this year with nearly half of all bets being place on you Katniss."

Effie says with so much excitement I think she just might vibrate out of her heels.

This is good I think. I generally consider the whole betting process and statistics vile but having the favor of the audience is going to make it harder for Gamemakers to trigger traps on me, well at least early on in the Games. When we get down to the last few tributes the Games can belong to anyone. A Gamemaker trap could easily take me out then with little repercussion from the audience stand point. Then I think about what Effie told me about the sponsor pool of money already flowing in and I actually begin to feel good about mine and Rory's chances. Maybe we can even avoid the blood bath at the Cornucopia completely and just have supplies floated down to us in silver parachutes.

"That's great news, Effie. Thank you" I place my arm around Rory's shoulder because I want to make sure he knows that this isn't just good news for me, but good news for us. "See, we're going to be alright." I tell him.

Rory smiles and softly says "Thank you".

Peeta comes around the corner from the hall, "Looks like Effie told you the good news already".

I meet Peeta in the middle and give him a big hug. I just know that it was him who got the sponsor donations. He and his words can achieve almost anything they set out to do. "She couldn't hold it in. You should've seen her in the elevator on the way up. I thought she was going to burst" I say looking up into his eyes. He wraps is arms around me and we just hold each other.

Then from the living room, Haymitch asks "How was training? You didn't shoot any Gamemakers, did you?"

"No, and it was fine. Mostly pretty uneventful" I say.

Then I hear Rory pipe in loudly, "Are you kidding me? The girl from 4 was showing off what she could do with a spear and then Katniss went over to the Bow station and creamed her."

"You shot a Tribute Katniss? In Training?" Effie says looking appalled.

"No, I didn't shoot anyone Effie! I shot targets." I say shaking my head. Am I ever going to live that down I think.

"You should have seen it. There wasn't anyone in the gym who wasn't staring at Katniss's shooting. She's amazing. Gale always said she was good but I had no idea until I saw it myself. What we saw last year on TV was nothing."

Haymitch cocks his head toward me, "Really? You're that good huh?"

I just shrug.

"What about you? Did you take advantage of the time to practice or were you too busy staring too?" Haymitch asks Rory.

"I did. After about 20 minutes I was sticking the knife every time. But I was still off where I was aiming, usually to the right. But I'll work on it. I promise." Rory adds enthusiastically.

Rory and I both go take showers and change from our training outfits. We meet the team just as supper is about to begin. Tonight a cheesy soup was served before the main course that was to die for. Then in came two Avoxes carrying the main course. It is a large roast pig with an apple in his mouth much like the one that I thought got me into so much trouble last year in my personal training session. I bury my face in my hands but I can't hide the hysterical fit of laughter that has come over me. I manage to rein it in and put on a serious face but it only lasts a few moments before I burst again. Everyone that is at the table must think I've snapped and maybe I have.

"Katniss, you're showing very poor manners" Effie hisses.

"I know. I'm sorry Effie. I really am. But I can't seem to help it." I say gesturing to the pig. Hoping that someone besides me will get it but no one seems to. "The pig?" I ask pointing to it. Then I begin really looking at Peeta, he should get it. "The pig, the apple, the arrow. Get it? Last year?" Finally, I see the lights come on in everyone's eyes. Peeta and Haymitch begin to laugh with me at least a little bit but Effie still doesn't look pleased.

"What? I don't get it?" Rory asks.

"When it comes time for your personal training session Rory you best not heed any advice from Katniss." Effie says to Rory.

"Why? What?" he asks looking at me.

"Last year, the Gamemakers weren't paying attention very well in Katniss's personal session. They were too busy eating a roast pig with an apple in its mouth. So Katniss decided she would get their attention by shooting an arrow into their observation box. She skewered the pig's apple to the wall and scared all the Gamemakers to within an inch of their lives." Haymitch tells Rory. "That's why you should think about any advice she may give you. She tends to be an emotional decision maker. Not good. It was funny as hell though."

I lean into Rory and softly tell him, "One of them fell in the punch bowl". Rory laughs but is quickly stopped by the look Effie sends him.

The rest of the evening is pretty relaxing. Rory spends most of his time in front of the television trying to get a handle on Hunger Games predictions and gossip. I don't know how he can watch it. Whatever little bit I see makes my stomach turn.

Peeta and I sit at the table. Peeta has out his notebook and is grilling me on any observations I made today about the other tributes in our training session. If I only had myself to worry about I would tell Peeta that I don't care about his notebook because dwelling on the Games in whatever fashion sends my nerves through the roof. But I have Rory to look over and talking about observations and strategy as much I hate it, just may give me the edge to keep us both alive a little longer.

"Could you tell who was in the Career pack this year?" Peeta asks.

"Usual suspects, plus 4, and the boy from 11." I answer.

"That's seven of them." Peeta says clearly looking disappointed. "None of them have approached you to join them have they? Haymitch said they might."

"No, we've mostly stayed out of each other's way" I say. "Why would they approach me to join? I killed or inadvertently killed nearly all of them last year."

"Everyone saw how talented you were last year, plus if you impressed them as much as Rory says they just might tomorrow." Peeta says.

"Well, there is no way in hell I would join the Career pack." I say quickly.

"I'm definitely not saying you stay with them any length of time but maybe it's a strategy to get through the blood bath at the Cornucopia. You could get your hands on some supplies and your bow and sneak away in the middle of the night." he says.

"They haven't asked me yet, but I'm not sure I could sign up with them. It's a slaughter Peeta. There's no way I could gain their trust without participating. Plus I'd need to trust that Rory would be safe as well. I don't believe for a second they'd let a 12 year old join as a Career." I finish

"You worry about YOU. Let me and Haymitch worry about Rory. Please? If they ask you, just consider it." he begs.

"Are you kidding me? No. There is no way I am leaving Rory to fend for himself in the arena. We are an alliance and that's that." I assert myself. I am starting to get angry with Peeta now. I know he wants me to come home, but to so easily sacrifice the safety of Rory to accomplish this goal seems more cold than anything I ever thought Peeta capable of. "Wasn't it you who said when we were learning to mentor that no tribute deserves to win any more than any other. That includes me, Peeta!"

I seem to have left Peeta speechless for the first time I think ever. I decide that I should leave this conversation while I am still ahead. I call to the living room "Rory, I'm heading to bed. See you in the morning."

Peeta doesn't come to my room tonight. That's just as well. I'm still angry at him for his suggestion of Rory's abandonment. But I miss him tonight. When I am on the train or in the Capitol I have gotten used to him being with me. Looks like I'm in for another rough night.