Sam Nkata Creek, 18

District 4 Male

Sam woke up to the sound of snoring. Chip was curled into his hairy chest, mouth open, snoring away. Sam felt a small smile tug at his cheeks. While he and Chip would never be together romantically, he still cared for his friend. Chip knew him in a way no one else would.

Carefully extracting his large body from Chip's embrace, Sam pulled on his boxers and headed into the bathroom, grabbing his toothbrush. He bared his teeth and roared, but quietly enough to not wake Chip. He brushed his pointed fangs until they shined, then splashed some water on his face and made his way to his closet.

Today was a day for celebration, so he had to look fabulous. He'd be mocked for being a bear, and hiking to the bluffs in his usual heels would be a nightmare. So normal clothes it was. He put on a pink cotton button-down and khaki shorts, leaving his fuzzy feet bare. Ha, 'bare'. It sounded like 'bear'.

Sam opened his sock drawer, pushing past everything to the scraps of fabric in the back. It was the smashed face of his very first fursuit; the one his mom had stomped on after calling Sam an embarrassment.

He carried it to his desk and carefully began to undo the stitches around the ear. Once it was detached, he strung a leather cord through a small hole and tied it tightly. Ta-da! A necklace. Sam would be volunteering tomorrow, and he wanted a piece of his true identity with him.

No one expected the weird bear kid to want to volunteer, but that was just it. He was a bear, and in the Capitol, he could show that. He'd have access to cosmetics and surgeries they could never offer in District 4. While training started out a punishment, it had become his life.

"Sam?" Chip asked in a sleepy voice.

"Morning," Sam replied, giving his friend a toothy grin. "Sleep well?"

"I'm a little sore," Chip giggled. "But other than that? I slept like a baby. You've got a comfy bed."

"I know," Sam replied, still grinning. "Are you coming to the bluffs?"

Chip hesitated.

"I don't know if I'd be welcome," he said slowly, not meeting Sam's eyes. He frowned. Like Sam, Chip had a fursona. He was a fox. And while Sam was big and loud and scary, Chip was quiet and shy and skinny. He couldn't stand up to jerks like Amphi in the way Sam could.

"I won't let anyone bother you," Sam assured Chip. "You deserve to come."

"Thanks man," Chip said. "But I'd rather pass. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure thing," Sam said, watching Chip shrug on his shirt. Once he was dressed, he gave Sam a sad smile and waved before heading out the door.

Sam sat down on his bed, rubbing his fingers over the fuzzy brown fursuit ear. He wished people were nicer to him and Chip. Just because he was weird didn't mean he was bad! Once he won, he'd start a trend, and Chip could come live with him in the Victor's Village. Because being weird was good.

Theo Wondderoo, 17

District 8 Male

Theo tapped his pencil against his lower lip, lost in thought. His back ached a bit from sitting at his desk for so long, but he barely minded. His focus was on the story unfolding on the pages of his notebook. A bloody, brutal fight between two rival pirate crews was taking place in his head, but getting the words down was proving to be difficult. He needed it to be perfect.

A phrase popped into his head and he nearly dropped his pencil in excitement. Snatching it up again, he began to jot down his ideas. Theo only had a few more minutes to get this scene done before he had to start on his math homework; which he admittedly was excited for.

Theo loved to be challenged, both mentally and physically. It wasn't that he had something to prove; it was that he found putting love and passion into everything he did extremely rewarding. Whether it be improving his swing in tennis or being asked to direct the school play, achievements and growth never failed to make him happy.

Finishing up the fight, he tucked his notebooks away and pulled out his math homework. Calculus wasn't his favorite, but it always presented something new, which he could respect. As he dove into the world of continuous change, everything else faded away, and before he knew it, it was time for dinner.

A knock on his door startled him out of his mathematical headspace.

"Theo! Dinner time!" his brother Jeff said through the wood.

"Coming!" Theo called back. He put his nearly-finished worksheet back in its proper folder and joined Jeff in walking down the stairs.

Their house was on the older side, but it was still very nice. Theo had lived there his whole life, and he loved it. Their dining room had nice green wallpaper that gave a regal feel, and, combined with its high-backed chairs, it felt like a proper castle dining room.

The smell of warm meat flowed from the kitchen, and Theo's mom was setting the table. Jeff took a seat at the head of the table, and their mom raised an eyebrow. Sheepishly, he shuffled to a different chair. Dad always sat at the head of the table.

He came into the room with a big pot of stew, and theo took his seat, waiting patiently. Beef stew was poured into his bowl, then everyone else's, and dinner began. Hot rolls were passed around and idle chatter filled the cozy room.

"How was tennis yesterday?" his mom asked.

"It was great!" Theo replied. "Margaret and I won all our matches. It was really challenging, but we did good. And Margaret is improving a lot. Did you know she'd never played tennis when we first met?"

"Margaret is a sweet girl," Theo's dad said. "Do you two… you know… like each other?"

Jeff burst out laughing, and their mom shot him a glare before returning her gaze to Theo, expression eager.

"Margaret is just a friend," Theo told them. "And I don't think she's into guys."

Margaret was pretty, but she'd never shown an interest in him; which didn't bother Theo. He wasn't quite ready for romance anyways. His focus was on other pursuits.

Noah Brimms, 17

District 11 Male

Noah turned the note over and over in his hands, unable to keep the grin off his face. This was going to be good. Ever since his pathetic little sister Chloe moved out, he and his brother Samson took pleasure in torturing her and her wimpy little friends. And now one of her snot-nosed followers had broken the law.

Noah's father was deployed to 11 when Samson was two years old. He and Chloe were both born there, after his mother agreed to leave her position as the Head Trainer at the Academy in District 2 and move with her husband. Samson had just returned from 2 after completing his training, and once Noah was 18, he'd finally be able to join his father and brother as a Peacekeeper.

But for now, he was stuck enforcing smaller laws and punishing people for less serious infringements. In fact, the execution of William Warner would be his most important task to date.

Noah pulled on his boots and rolled his shoulders, loosening up his muscles. Shredder, one of their massive family dogs, let out a whine and pushed his wet nose up against Noah's leg.

"I know buddy," he said, giving Shredder's ears a rub. "It's so exciting! They're finally seeing my potential." The dog whined again and trotted into the kitchen, pawing at the cabinet they kept the dog food in.

"Okay, fine. Just because today is special." Noah took a large piece of jerky from a jar and tossed it to Shredder, who wolfed it down happily. Noah gave him another pat before heading out the door.

It was a short walk to the Justice Building, and he walked with a bounce in his step. It probably didn't make him seem very intimidating, but he was too excited to care. Besides, there didn't seem to be anyone around.

As he got closer to the town square, the sounds of a gunshot rang out. Noah quickened his pace. They hadn't done it without him, had they?

He turned the corner and shoved through the crowd, purposely knocking shoulders and stepping on toes. Once he reached the front of the crowd. he saw Emerald McLean, the Head Peacekeeper, fire a shot into the air. William was tied to a wooden post in the center of the square, very much alive. He felt his shoulder relax.

"Silence!" Emerald bellowed. Everyone fell quiet, except for a few soft murmurs from further back. Noah shot a glare in that general direction before marching forward, meeting Emerald's eyes. She gave him a polite nod.

"Today, we are gathered for the punishment and public execution of Willian G. Warner for stealing funds from his employer. The execution will be carried out by Noah Brimms, son of the prestigious Carlisle Brimms."

Emerald turned to Noah, holding out a gun, but Noah shook his head.

"If it's alright ma'am, I'd like to use my weapon of choice." And he slipped a sleek silver knife from his sleeve.

Emerald nodded, holstering the gun and stepping back. Taking a deep breath, Noah tuned out the mass of people and twirled the knife between his fingers, feeling its weight. Then he turned to William and smiled.

There was a look of fear on the boy's face, and Noah reveled in it. This piece of outer-District scum deserved everything coming his way. He took up his throwing stance and drew in one more deep breath before throwing the blade.

It sunk perfectly into the boy's chest and his body slumped against the pole. As always, Noah's aim was perfect. William Warner was dead.

Sump Landon, 18

District 12 Male

'Lavender's green, dilly dilly'

'Lavender's blue'

'You must love me, dilly dilly'

'For I love you'

"Shut up!" Helena shouted from the house. Something hit the wall of Sump's shed. Ignoring her, he curled in on himself, stifling a cough, and shoved his shirt into a tighter ball beneath his head. He was lucky; it was summer, and so he could sleep without shivering.

Well, mostly. His thin body was wracked with fever, so shivers and sweats alternated throughout the night. The recent tuberculosis outbreak in 12 had already killed over 20 people, and many more were infected, just like him.

Sump rolled over on his back, watching the moonlight filter through the missing shingles in the roof. He was sad. Miserable and sad. For 18 years he worked as a slave to his adoptive parents, and now, when he was so close to being free from them, he caught a deadly disease. He'd die before ever getting to experience what he wanted most.

The idea of love was what kept him going. Love that he never saw in his parents, but love that he saw out on the streets, where he sang and danced and performed for coins and food scraps. The look in Nat Everdeen's eyes when he saw the apothecary girl. The way Haymitch Abernathy looked at Maysilee Donner before she died.

He'd never have that. But that was okay. Seeing it in others was enough. Seeing that there was joy and happiness, even in crappy little District 12, was enough motivation to fight; to fight his cough, his sickness, his parents.

When he was younger, he thought someone would save him. Doctors from the Capitol would visit him every year. One year, when he was 9, he told Dr. Kirsten how the Landon's treated him. She said "it was not her place to coach a parent". Robert Landon had beat him with a stick for hours when he found out.

Well, no more. He'd been dead in a few weeks, and then he'd be free. And they could work their asses off to survive, instead of beating his.

There was a small shuffling from the corner of the shed and Sump sat up, clutching his chest. A little rat was sniffing around, dust clinging to its whiskers. Smiling, he scooted forward, holding out a small piece of partially-moldy bread; his dinner. He always saved some for Dale, the rat who visited the shed every night.

Dale scurried forward and snatched the bread from Sump's fingers, immediately scarfing it down.

"You're a hungry little fellow, huh?" Sump whispered. Dale squeaked, and Sump smiled. "I wish you and I could be family. You're Dale. I could be… Yale. We'd be twins. Two little forgotten boys who want more."

Dale took another hunk of bread and then began to groom himself. Sump laid down on his side. Dale and Yale. The boys who wanted more. Maybe they could be a little family. Dale wasn't a Landon though. No one deserved to be a Landon. Maybe they could be the Morley's? Dale and Yale Morley. Yes. When he was in this shed, when he could be himself, he would be Yale Morley.

Hi everyone! We're officially halfway through the Intros! Thank you to SilverflowerxRavenpaw for Sam, Carlpopa707 for Theo, wiifan2002 for Noah, and Very New To This for Yale. I had a lot of fun writing these four boys. Please leave a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. Reviews make me ridiculously happy, and I really need some serotonin today.

You all are so lovely. Thank you for joining me for this story!

Have a nice day, be kind to each other, and never stop reading!

- Fiona