Trigger Warning: Rape
Clove POV:
I take a deep breath as I aim at the target, I'm holding the bow from the ranged weapon station and trying to use it effectively. I'm not completely sure why I decided to try to use the bow, I've practiced with knives already as well as had a spar using a sword today.
I know it's important to know how to use different weapons in the arena. I've never used a bow before, they had one in the Training Centre back home but I had always ignored it. Why use a bow when you can throw knives?
But now here I am, trying to shoot arrows at the dummies. I release the bow string but accidently move my arms as I do, the arrow whizzes past the dummy and hits the wall behind it. I hear Glimmer let out a short laugh and I turn to her glaring.
Angrily I throw the bow back onto the stand and grab some knives. I throw them and they all hit the target. I shoot a glare her way, how dare she laugh at me when she was either pathetic or mediocre at using almost every weapon. Sure she could use a bow but nowhere near as well as Katniss.
I'd noticed that she seemed to spend most of her time hovering around Cato, I wonder why District 1 sent her. I know District 1 has the same system as mine where they select tributes to volunteer for the games. I wonder how pathetic the rest of the girls were for her to be the best.
Marvel on the other hand, he seems like he at least was competent. I'd seen him with a spear, he fights ferociously. He can also use a sword well enough. When it comes to ranged weapons he struggles though and I suspect he may be slightly short sighted due to the fact he squints when trying to focus on objects that are far away from him. When he throws a spears it always seems to end up to the left of the target.
I glance at Cato over by the sword station, he's happily decapitating dummies, showing off his strength. That's what he plans on relying on in the arena, his strength and sponsors. I move over to the camouflage station and watch the other tributes as I learn how to disguise myself.
The District 12 male tribute wanders over and I glare at him, he shrugs and starts painting his arm like tree bark. I studiously ignore him and continue watching the other tributes. Katniss wanders over from the edible plants station.
She glances at me, my lips twitch into a semblance of a smile and she returns the gesture. I turn back to my work, this is not my strong point. I sigh and wash the paint off my arm. As I'm doing this I hear Katniss speak, "Where'd you learn how to do that Peeta?"
"I used to decorate the cakes in the bakery back home."
I snort, the male District 12 tribute, Peeta as Katniss had called him, turns to me.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asks, I angrily glare at him.
"There's not going to be many cakes in the arena are there 12?" I sneer, I see him bite his lip unsurely before glaring at me. I glance at Katniss and immediately regret my actions, she's staring at me, her eyes pleading me to just walk away.
"No but you never know when certain skills will come in useful." Peeta growls. I storm over to Peeta, I barely reach his shoulder but I glare up at his face.
"Is that a threat 12?" I ask menacingly and his blue eyes widen, He takes a step back. I've scared him and I send him a smirk. His eyes harden and he straightens.
"So what if it is?" He grunts and my smirk widens.
"You don't want me as an enemy 12." I say threateningly not taking my eyes off him for a second, "Or you might find that your death is neither quick nor painless." Peeta backs away, fear evident in his eyes. I smirk cruelly at him and when I glance at Katniss I see that I've gone too far, my eyes soften a bit before I turn away from them both a stalk away.
The bell for lunch rings so I approach Cato, Marvel and Glimmer. Cato grins at me when I approach him and whispers in my ear. "Glad you're starting to act like a Career Clove." I send a glare his way, knowing he's talking about my confrontation with Peeta.
It's a well known fact that Careers pick fights before entering the arena. I suppose it's because training with the weapons gets boring after a while since we've done that most of our lives. I sit down with my fellow Careers and pick at the food in front of me.
I can't help but feel guilty for picking on Peeta like that. I was just so pissed off at everything. I glance over at Katniss who's sitting close to him, I scowl, feeling a stab of jealousy but shrug I off. Of course she would stay by him, he was from the same district as her.
"Tomorrow afternoon we have to show off to the gamemakers " Marvel states and I turn to him. "Everyone know what they're going to do?" He asks. Glimmer beams at him.
"Well I know what I'm going to do, I'll show them my skills with a bow." She says snobbishly and I resist the urge to snort, what skills? Sure she's better than me at it but taking 6 shots to kill is not practical, it gives them plenty of time to run away or attack.
"I'm going to use the sword, my mentor said I'm allowed to kill a few avoxes, I'll give 'em swords and fight 'em off." Cato laughs and smacks his fist into the table. I turn away, killing avoxes? Just to impress the gamemakers, killing tributes in the arena was one thing, the thought of killing just for the sake of it left a bad taste in my mouth. I purse my lips, I'm getting soft.
Marvel stares at Cato speculatively and I wonder if he's going to say something against it but instead he just nods. "Make sure not to get injured." He says calmly, Cato laughs again.
"Like any dumb avox could hurt me." He remarks. "What about you Marvel? You going to show off your spear skills." Marvel nods slowly.
"I'm going to spar with a trainer." He says before turning to me. "What about you Clove?" I smirk at him, surely it's obvious what I'm going to do.
"Knife throwing." I say, although this is only part of the truth, I have a plan that will hopefully get me a decent score.
Lunch ends and we return to the training room. I find myself watching Katniss, she seems to follow Peeta around. I glare at him not liking his close proximity and he catches me a few times and I smirk when he does. I enjoy the way his face pales when he catches me looking at him and he usually messes up what he's doing.
I'm standing with the other Careers watching the other tributes. They seem to get a kick out of seeing the other tributes failures. Peeta seems to have become a favourite target for them. I suspect I had something to do with that but I don't mind too much, better him than Katniss.
After watching him for so long I realise just how pathetic he is, He can't seem to use a weapon nor get by in any of the survival skills. He attempts to climb the netting at the climbing station. He's struggling and I smirk when I see this and his eyes meet mime. He gulps and falls from the netting with a thump.
Cato and Glimmer burst out Laughing. Marvel grins and folds his arms while I smirk and shake my head. Katniss runs over to him and I tense, why does she care about him? I feel extremely jealous as she whispers something in his ear. He nods and stands up, he grabs a weight and throws it across the room easily.
I narrow my eyes, so he's strong , stronger than Cato by the looks of it. I'd seen Cato struggle with that weight the day before. Katniss looks over at me with an unreadable expression. I look away not wanting Cato to notice me watching her.
I'm glad when we are finally allowed to return to our apartments. I change out of my training outfit and sit down at the table for dinner. I feel Cato watching me as I eat, eventually I can't take anymore and I turn to him. "What is it Cato?" I snap, he grins at me and reaches for my hand. I scowl at him and pull away.
"You're really sexy you know that?" He says huskily. I glare at him and turn back to my food. I'm glad a have a knife in my hand even if it's not a sharp as the throwing knives I'm accustomed to. I can still do damage if he tries anything.
He pulls his chair closer to mine and leans over my shoulder, "Come on Clove, don't be like that." I pull away and look over the table to where our mentors are sitting with and our escort. Our escort smiles obliviously at me but I can see our mentors looking between us knowingly.
"Cato, eat your food, leave Clove to eat hers." Cato's mentor snaps and Cato retreats reluctantly. I glare at him before deciding I'm done eating and getting up. I decide to go to the roof and I've barley made it across the room when Cato shouts out to me. "Hey Clove where you going?" I decide not to answer and continue walking.
I enter the lift and find myself being shoved into the wall. I'm swiveled round and I find myself staring at Cato. He grins at me as I try to push him off, he's larger than me and there's nothing I can do. "Where're you going?" He asks, I glare at him.
"Get the fuck off me pretty boy or I'll…"
"Or you'll what?" He smirks and tightens his hold on me, "Or you'll throw a knife at me? What knife, you're nothing without you're knives Clove." He laughs and I purse my lips. He pushes his hips forward and I feel the bulge in his pants.
"What the fuck are you doing? Get the fuck off me!" I scream, struggling to get out of his grip, he smirks.
"You know you want this." He whispers, "I'm going to enjoy this, and so are you." I can feel the bulge in his pants, I clench my teeth and try to escape his hold. When I can't get free I spit in his face, he laughs making him release his grip slightly. I manage to get my leg free and kick him hard in between his legs. He doubles over in pain and I practically run back to the apartment.
Oriel looks up as I enter, she's surprised I returned so soon. I glare at her and storm to my room. I can't believe that bastard tried that! I sit down on my bed and try to calm myself but it's no use. I need to go to the roof but I can't risk Cato following me.
He's bound to be incredibly pissed about what I did. The roof wouldn't exactly be a safe place right now if I'm alone. If only I had a knife, if I had a knife I could easily fend him off. I hear Cato re-enter the apartment. He's stomping around angrily and when his mentor asks him what's wrong he shouts profanities at him.
I hear the bedroom door next to mine slam shut and take this as a sign that it's safe to leave my room. Oriel stands by my door with her arms folded. "What's going on Clove? Why is Cato in such a bad mood?" She asks sternly as if it's my fault. I smirk well I suppose it is my fault he's angry but the bastard deserved it, I'm going to kill him in the arena, slowly and painfully.
I push past Oriel and she grabs my shoulder, "Don't touch me." I say coldly. How dare she touch me, I hate that people are always taking liberties like that and I'm feeling extra sensitive after what happened with Cato. Her expression softens and she withdraws her hand.
"Clove, tell me what happened." She says worriedly and I snort.
"None of your fucking business, just tell that bastard to stay away from me!" I exclaim angrily. I run to the lift and quickly press the button for the 12th floor. I sigh as the doors close and the lift starts moving.