I wake up the next morning to find that the broken pieces of glass now disappeared, and that my thoart and eyes hurt from crying again as I drifted off to sleep. Going to supper last night was a bad idea. I didn't look in the mirror first, so the looks of pity on Ako and Nowl's faces at first had me stumped, until I sat down and Nowl asked me if I was okay, when I nodded and drained my milk did I realize that I must have looked pretty rough. We barely talked all supper, which was unusual for Nowl, and I found myself- even though I didn't want to talk- missing his voice.

With that thought came an afterthought, did I like Nowl Flight? But as soon as thought reached my head did I laugh. Yes, I like Nowl Flight, a lot, because he is my best friend. There is no other word for it, I mean, he's good looking, but nothing to fantasize over. He was simply my only friend. But who had been on my mind was that boy from district twelve who had winked at me. At first I had daydreamed a bit about him during our quiet supper, until I realize that the wink could mean something comepletly different, he could be saying that he wants to kill me. He could have picked me as an enemy right off the bat. But I didn't want him as an enemy, he was far too goodlooking, and when he laughed at cow girl's joke, he had the perect dimples, throughing his head back at the just right angle..

Breakfast! Right breakfast was more important than what I was last thinking about, as it was food, and it meant that I wouldn't be cooking for Calif, so I made my way down to the dining room of our district and sat again, next to Nowl.

"Morning bird, sing a tune!" Nowl said this request everytime I went down for breakfast. It might have been embrassing the first time, but after Nowl had threathened tickling the tune out of me, I gave in, and no one laughed, but clapped. Therefore this morning, I hymmed a bird's song, sat down and smiled. We were all still in our pjamas.

I had only just finished putting food on my plate when I heard the voice of my mentor, "trainning day," Mailis walked without the bounce in her step. She was all business today, "Ako, what should they do?"

Ako, the blue man, noticing that this was the time to strategize put down his fork and took his eyes away from his eyes, "what are your skills?"

"Sword fighting," I told him, knowing that that was the only thing I've ever practiced, "that's it."

"That's a lie," Nowl smirked, I raised my eyebrow, I hadn't been lying, "you can swim."

"How do you know that?" I screeched. Blood boiling, I blinked to keep the tears from sufficing.

Nowl looked taken aback from my outburst, he stuttered, "I-I saw you swim a long t-time ago. Sorry, but you were really good at it," he paused, then added, "sorry."

That answer made sense, but getting angry over someone knowing that you can swim wasn't resonable enough. I became aware that everyone became silent at the table and was looking at me with shocked expressions. I hastely tried to explain myself, "no, Nowl, I'm sorry. It's just," I kept blinking back tears, but my voice broke as I quietly mummered, "it's something my dad tought me."

Ako was the only one who didn't look like he understood what I had said, but Mailis must have surely heard the gossip, and Nowl already knew about my father before I told him.

"I-I'm sorry bird," Nowl said, pity in his voice.

"It's okay, Nowl," but my words of comfort to him didn't stop him from getting up from his chair, and telling me to get up, once up, he pulled me into a gigantic bear hug. Once the hug broke off, I pushed my emotions to the back of me and said, "Nowl, what are your skills?"

This seemed to bring everyone in the room back to the Hunger Games, Mailis looked intently at Nowl for his answer, but it was me who answered for him, "he's stealth. Sneak's up on me and gives me heart attacks at least ten times a day."

"Perfect!" Mailis smiled, for the first time since she told her story, "Nowl, that awesome, anything else?"

Mailis seemed to be really encouraging Nowl, who was blushing at her random compliments.

"I er- read a lot of books that might help me," he paused, "and I know bird calls."

Everyone went silent, apparently Mailis and Ako thought that of his three skills, reading and bird calls where not what they were expecting from a district two kid.

"No weapons skills?" asked Ako, who's voice tried to hid his disapointment.

"I mean, I've taken weapon classes, all of them, knive throwing, archery, sword fighting, boxing, and spears, just I'm not very good at them," it was getting awkward as Nowl trailed off.

"You should spend a lot of time in camouflage," I spoke up, "I know that it sounds cowardly, but hiding until the games is at a low number has been the best strategy for a lot of tributes. You can confuse them with bird calls, too." I didn't know how to say this, and it probably wouldn't have come across as good, but over protective and it would give away my plan for death, but I really would have rather said, 'but I plan on hiding you so you don't get hurt, because I want you to win'.

And just as soon as I thought it, a plan was forming in my mind, to keep Nowl camouflaged and safe, while I got food for him sounded like a good way to go, then I could take out whoever was left in the final three, then kill myself, so Nowl wouldn't have any blood on his hands, but then my mind sighed at me, Nowl wouldn't let you do that for him, he's far too nice. Plus, when would I get to tarnish my mother and Calif?

My mother and Calif, I choked on my food thinking of them because well, I hadn't been thinking of them. Why had the two main reasons for volunteering for the Hunger Games not popped in my mind since, oh god, before the chariot races? I hadn't thought yet a good way to posion my mother's name, and deface the diamond-clad wedding ring Cal gave me.

"Pauper?" Nowl slapped my face lighty and I jumped.

"Thinking hard about it?" Ako asked.

"About what, sorry?"

"What are your weaknesses? Stuff you should be practicing?" Mailis asked impatiently.

"Oh, the edible plants station, and archery," I paused, "oh- and hand-to-hand combat."

The mentor and the escort nodded at that, then turned to Nowl, "I think I should learn hand-to-hand combat, and maybe try to master weapon."

There was a very long pause, and Mailis opened her mouth several times before getting the words out, awkwardly "are you two allying in the arena?"

I looked at Nowl, and he me, it was a subconsious agreement we made the first time he called me bird that made us both say, at the same time, "of course."

We smiled, and finished our plates in pointless chatter, now knowing our plans for later that day. I returned to my room before going down to the training arena. I had just enough time to put on makeup and through my blonde hair up before, and in haste I spent my time thinking about today than paying attention to my appearence. After a half an hour I got out of my pjamas and stood glaring at my wardrobe willing it to pick out the clothes for me, for I didn't feel like going down like I am in my bra and underwear.

"Coming bird- oh sorry!"

"Jesus, Nowl!"