Waking up the next morning alone is normal for me. Cato is probably working out before the tributes get there. The peacekeepers are probably all intimidated and scared of him. Except for his two older brothers. They are both peacekeepers out of two. They look after two. His older brother is also a victor. He seems to have settled easier but looks can be deceiving. His older sister works at the academy teaching knife throwing. She taught me when I moved there. My brother taught them hold to wield a trident. He also taught them how to fish and swim. Generally, people from two can't swim. That is also a big weakness of the careers. Most of the time they can't swim unless someone from four is there. Maybe Seeder could teacher male to swim, that could help. I head over to breakfast and see Cora and Dirk are in their training outfits.
"If you want to be a career show off your weapons skills but don't neglect the survival skills. Those will save you most of the time," Finn offers.
"Good luck you two," I say with a smile.
Cato comes out of the elevator just as the two get in. He sits down beside me and starts to eat. He's still wearing workout clothes and all sweaty.
"How was your workout?" My brother asks in between bites of food. He just shrugs and keeps eating. We all finish up. "Well, Fopra, you and I can go get some sponsor's while me sister and brother-in-law figure out a good strategy for our tributes," Finn takes her hand in the crook of his arm and escorting her out to the elevator.
She giggles at his antics. She has been around us long enough to no longer swoon but enjoy his antics. I wait till Cato is done eating. I read a book on survival while he showers after we both head down to the lounge. I see Seeder and walk up to her right away. We hug.
"Hi Seeder. How was your sleep?" I ask.
"Hello Cato, Aqua. It was as a good as it gets here." She says with a sigh. "I got to talk to my male tribute, Thresh. He seems to be willing to listen to direction. He is very quiet even when he walks so that will be useful." Cato nods agreeing.
He teaches the little ones to be quiet with games like hide and go seek tag. I helped him come up with that idea when the kids were having trouble learning.
"Does he know how to swim?" I ask.
"I'm not sure I will have to ask if he doesn't do you think you and Cato can teach him?" She asks.
"Yes, we can," I say after looking at Cato to check if that was okay. "Have him work on sword fighting and knife throwing. Cato is usually working out early morning so if he comes early morning Cato will be there to act as supervision. If he does that it should cover most of his bases. During the day tell him to master prepping food, making traps, foraging, making fire. Those are the big ones that will help him survive."
"Finn to me that once four is out our sponsor money goes to eleven." Cato says quietly to her. She looks surprised and grateful.
"We want him to have the best chance possible." I say with a smile. Peets walks over to use.
"Hey guys," he greets. Cato nods so does Seeder.
"Hey Peeta. How was your sleep?" I ask looking at the black circles under his eyes.
"It was good," he says trying to sound awake.
"That's a lie," I say sympathetically.
"Yeah," he agrees with a sigh, "How do you guys sleep so well?"
"We don't we just lean on each other when we need," I say.
"Come join us on four after everyone goes to sleep," Cato offers. Peeta looks shocked at him.
"Okay, thanks," He agrees hesitating.
"Relax Peeta, we are a family remember." I say.
"But Cato has killed people outside the games," he says scared.
"Yes, but we all have our ways to cope. Some cope better then others. Cato was taught to be a killing machine not what to do once you leave the games. The academy now has the mentors teach that after Cato. They don't want it to happen again," I explain.
"That makes sense," Peeta says with a smile hopefully understanding my amazing husband.
"You know Cato teaches the three-to-five-year old's at the academy." I say proudly.
"You're joking," Peeta says not believing it.
"Nope," I say popping the "P" "They say he is one on the best teachers that they have ever had for the little ones, and he loves it."
"I would have never expected anyone to trust him with their kids," he says honestly.
"In two they call it victor sickness and think that more training helps get rid of it. It was his older sister who thought training the little ones would help. He helps them with speed, strength, being quiet and some sword fighting moves," I say.
"Wow, it's so different in twelve. You are looked at like a hero. Twelve is very poor in general so when you have money to give, you're a hero," he says looking down. "But they have no idea the horror's you face."
"Nor did two till Cato but after him we all started sharing our stories with the class, we even bring in victors from different places." I say.
"So, what were you all talking about?" he asks.
"Before you came, we were just saying we would give our sponsor money to the male tribute of eleven, Thresh." I say.
"You can do that?" he asks surprised.
"Yeah, if your tribute's die in the bloodbath or the day after and thing after that it goes to next years games." I say.
"I didn't know that" he says.
"Haymitch didn't tell you?" I ask confused. "He gave his small amount of sponsorship to Finn and I during our games. It went towards buying Finn's trident," I say pleased. "We were planning to return the favour last year."
"Did you?" he asks.
"Yeah, we just made the cut. Our female died on the day after last hour. Male died bloodbath." I say. "It went to your medicine from what I know."
He smiles at me and gives me a hug.
"Thank you," he says. "I wouldn't have survived without it."
"That's why we do it," I say.
"So, your giving yours to eleven this year?" he asks.
"Yeah, my brother told Cato this," I reply.
"I will talk to Haymitch I want to do that as well. I trust you decision is sound," he says.
"Thank you. I'm not always correct, but Cato is. Better to give your money to a winner they will appreciate it more." I say.
"That makes sense. Has two ever had to give money away?" he asks Brutus walks up behind him.
"Yes," Brutus says. Peeta jumps Brutus joins our small circle beside him and smiles. "In one game we gave all the money to four. Almost everyone did. There was about five people left after the first day flood. The rest killed each other two days later."
"Annie Crista's win," he says when it downs on him.
"Yes, her games." I say with a sigh,
"Why isn't she a mentor?" He asks.
"You will meet her at some point and realize why," I say cryptically.
I never say anything bad about Annie. No one else does either. All the victors are protective of one another. We would defend each other to the death.
"Okay," he agrees.
I notice Katniss standing in the corner with Haymitch. I wave them over. Katniss just scowls. I also see Cinna who was on my prep team when I was a tribute.
"Cinna!" I yell running over to him. I hug him tight.
"Hi Aquamarine," he says calmly hugging me back.
"What are you doing in the victor's lounge? Only victors are allowed in here." I say.
"Peeta invited Portia and I." he says.
"Is she here?" I ask excitedly she was on my prep team as well.
"Not yet, Aqua," he says with a chuckle. We walk back over to the group.
"Cinna," Cato greets with a nod.
"Cato, how are you?" Cinna asks.
"I'm doing well. Aqua is keeping me sane. I Miss my class back home," he answers politely.
"That's good to hear. You going right back to your class when you get back?" Cinna asks.
"Some of them the five your old's will be moving up a level," Cato explains.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Cinna says.
"It's alright. They've been with me for two years," he says.
"I don't think I've ever heard Cato speak that much." Peeta says to me.
"He will have his moments," I say.
"I'm surprised he didn't dismiss him," he says.
"He wouldn't dismiss Cinna like that. Cinna was on my prep team with Portia for years, he would never treat them badly Cinna also designed my wedding dress," I say.
"Oh, that make sense," Peeta says.
"So, what's this Peeta is telling me about supporting eleven?" Haymitch asks.
"Cato says make tribute eleven, Thresh is going to win," I say.
"Ahh, I guess we are going to support him. A new winner for eleven is long overdue." Haymitch says.
"I could not agree more," I say.
"Why would we listen to a killer career?" Katniss asks with a sneer.
Cato growls. The other victors glare, because when you become a victor, it doesn't matter what you did during the games.
"Katniss everyone here except Cinna are killers, Cato isn't the exception," Peeta says.
Cato clenches his fists. I put my palms on his pecks to get his focus on me.
"Cato," I call sweetly.
He looks down at me. His nose flares. Seeder grabs a bottle of water. Enobaria has a granola bar for him. Food and water do help him calm. They both hand the items to me.
"Hey look. I have a snack and water for you," his breathing calms.
"Would you like me to take him up to his room?" Brutus asks.
"After he eats sure." I say giving him the water and snack.
He quickly drinks the water. He then slowly eats; he calms a little bit and Brutus leads him up to my room.
"Katniss, I told you to be careful around him," Haymitch scolds.
"Well, he's a career. They killed Rue." She says.
"He didn't kill Rue. He hasn't been in the games for five years," I say. "Here is where no one judges you did what you had to, to survive. Yes, careers to offer a good show for the capital which gives more sponsors and gives them a higher chance of survival."
"Well, they enjoy killing," she says trying to prove her point.
"Did you enjoy killing Marrian?" Gloss asks.
"No!" She denies.
"Well, it sure looked like it," he says.
"And… what it looked like isn't how I actually felt." She says.
"And you just proved our point," I say.
"If you feel like being judge mental you can tell snow you aren't going to mentor because you will make a lot of enemies here." Cashmere says obviously pissed off.
"Cashmere, you cant say that" Blight says, "She's having a hard time adjusting to being a victor."
"Well, she should be a little more kind about it. We've all been through hell and back again to get where we are. We all did what we had to, to survive. You don't see us judging her," Cashmere says.
"Cashmere, Cato will be alright. He just needs a little time. So does Katniss. She needs our support as well." I say.
"Fine, I'll be nice, but I also won't be surprised if she shoves it in our faces." She says walking off in anger. Katniss storms off as well Haymitch throws up his hands in defeat.
"I have tried everything for her," he says.
"What is she passionate about?" I ask.
"Caring for her family." He offers.
"So, she's a caretaker. She probably no longer does that because she has money. That will do it for her. Maybe helping her find something to do at home will help her find peace here," I suggest. "I remember she was very good with the bow and arrows, maybe showing her the training area will help her."
"Yeah, I think that will help her," Peeta agrees. I look around and notice Cinna has left. I guess he had things to do.
"Maybe after she will join group training." I say. "But one step at a time."
"I would be willing to help her with her knife skills," Enobaria offers.
"That's good. That will show her to trust us all even the careers. Finn can teach her how to fight with a trident. I can teach her to fish." I say planning stuff out.
"You guys are really willing to do that for her?" Peeta asks shocked.
"Of course, she's one of us. She's just having a hard time adjusting. We will have to keep her away from Cato for the first little while," Blight says.
"Why don't you do that for Cato?" Peeta asks.
"We have, he's a lot better then he way, but he will have a hard time for a lot longer. We are putting in the work with him though," Enobaria says.