Hey, I apologise for the late update; just moved back to Uni and I've been busy catching up with my housemates and all that jazz. :D But here it is…

Oh and it got pointed out that I forgot to credit people for creating tributes; Literally, I'm so sorry. I'm too scatterbrained for my own good! :D

So, let's say a BIG Thank You to:

Sophie Elizabeth, for Sandy Burghardt

AshBuggy, for Claude Dew

MorningHutcherson202, for Livvya Howell

AND PenMagic for pointing it out! So, I think that's all for now…

Mags, District 4 Mentor

Lived a good old life I have; me, eldest living victor nowadays. 5 years I was born before them Hunger Games, since then they killed off 1403 young pups, 1426 by the end of these games and what for eh? 67 blooming years old I am and I'll never know the answer to that question. Were only 5 when it began, but I know Panem were a better place before them, and what gets this old woman out of bed everyday is the hope that one day, before I croak me last breath, Panem will be the way it was when I was just a little pup. Hope, a very powerful thing; and trust me, at 67 I know that as a fact.

Been a mentor now for 52 of me 67 years, since winning the 10th Games; that's 104 of me pups I've sent and then tried to get out of that damned arena. Done pretty well to if I must say, brought 18 pups back here to the litter, but I've lost most of them: morphling, suicide and all that. Me though, still here and all because of hope. I weren't expected to win me games, being only 15 and all but I did; cause of hope and because I've got a good head on me shoulders. I've hung onto that hope every year since, and you can call me a batty old woman if you must, but I got a feeling in me old bones that tell me this we're all going to see change. A very much needed change I must say.

Reaping day is almost over now, just got me girl tribute; added me new pup to the litter. That Bala, good pup I can tell. Reminds me of meself a little, they don't expect her to come home and she isn't that liked because of that poppycock rumour bout her mother, a good egg if I've ever seen one: That woman isn't a killer, I should know. A runt she is, that Bala, but there is a fire in her eyes; that glint of determination I know all too well, the glint that says she is one to watch and will cause all sorts of surprises, and the little speech she gives after her reaping is proof of my assumptions.

'Hello District 4, hope you enjoy my games but most of all I hope you enjoy my home-coming. For I will come back and you people who have taunted me, you will pay. That is a promise. I Bala Eaglehawk, will return Victor and there isn't a thing any of you can do to stop me. You want to see a witch, you'll see one'

Definitely a fire and one if untended could create an inferno, well this pup has some yap and as she storms offstage I can't help but think I may be grooming another victor. Ocean Naylor nudges me; oh another one of me pups but he isn't one I like too much, won himself the 54th games with his spear skills: a career through and through.

'Well Mags, looks like you and her will be having a lot of fun; seems as feisty as you, you old dog.' The bloody cheek of youth nowadays eh? We will be having fun, as he so aptly put it, I'll be bringing her home if it's the last thing this 'old dog' ever does.

'Aye, fire in 'er eyes. I'll be working' wi' her, you can 'ave your career. It ain' all 'bout brawn Ocean, you gotta 'ave a brain as well.' He laughs at my garbled speech, all tanned skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. Thinks he knows it all, poor pup; he knows nothing and he can laugh all he likes. I'd like to see him survive a stroke and live to tell the tale like I have, he wouldn't; his head is empty, all he has is that 'career training' and I know that doesn't help you with anything apart from becoming an arrogant fool. Mr. Naylor here is all the evidence I'm ever going to need on that front. So, what is there to a bit of not-so-friendly competition between mentors eh?

I turn back to watch that Capitol whelp, Flavio Redforks with all those cosmetic alterations that mar what may have been handsome features and that purple wig perched on his overly large head as he reaches into the male reaping bowel; If Bala isn't here to see her competition I'll do it for her, I am the mentor after all. The mentor who is going to help Miss. Eaglehawk come back here to district 4 to her mother and live up to the promises she just publicly declared.

The escort waltzes over to the microphone, I try rather hard to not look directly at the fool, the pink hue of his skin is so bright it could blind a woman of my age and my eyesight is rather important to me, it's remained when other things have faded throughout the years. Me hearing isn't as sharp as it once was, me speech is almost indistinguishable by most and me old body is frail. I am not going to go blind on top of all the other problems which plague me old body.

'Neptune Odessius' I look into the crowd to find a young lad emerging from the congregation of 16 year olds, got a nice strong build and bright greens eyes but before he makes it to the stage he is thrown to the ground rather violently by another lad, extreme and unnecessary violence isn't required until you get into the arena. Seems like we have a volunteer, not rare her in District 4 but I can tell there's something a little 'off' about this one and I don't like it, I don't like it one bit.

He has the typical career build, 6'3'' I'd estimate since he would dwarf my hunched frame easily; he has sun kissed skin so I would hazard a guess he was a worker on the ships, strong too I'll assume seeing as his long limbs ripple with clearly defined muscles; I'll give it to the boy too, that he is incredibly handsome in the sense of having broad cheekbones, plump lips and that shaggy brown hair that the youths of today deem 'cool' so he will having no trouble in getting sponsors at all; but something about this young man irks me: arrogance, the smirk on his lip screams that he believes himself to be the Victor already, if only it was that easy boy, if only. He'll be the perfect tribute for Naylor, arrogant and brawny.

My suspicions regarding the boy are confirmed once he has mounted the stage, he turns to the crowd and he winks; the whole situation becomes more pathetic in my humble opinion when girl in the audience begin to swoon and call out 'We love you Kai', these young girls have no self respect. In my day you never saw a respectable woman swoon over a man, the men pursued the women and courted them; how times change. Flavio bounces over to the boy, clapping his hands like a child presented with a shiny toy.

'Oh, I always get so, so excited when someone volunteers. It's so majestic, so what is your name?'

'Well, the name is Thallasa, Kai Thallasa and I'm glad to introduce myself to you all here today as the future Victor of the 62nd Annual Hunger Games' He smirks as his statement is met with a huge roar of applause; the misguided idiots who are gathered seem to be pampering the lads blatantly over sized ego. Flavio steps forward in order to conclude the ceremony but is stopped by Kai throwing his hand out.

'Although it isn't customary I think I should follow in my ever so charming district partner's footsteps and give a small speech if that's ok ?' The escort begins to nod his head with such fervour that I think his wig will fall from his head, Thallasa just smirks at this.

'Well I do not come here promising revenge like our districts dearest witch spawn, I only promise that I'll be a fine ambassador of our glorious district and that when I return I will bring our home the much deserved honour it has been deprived of for the last few years. Oh and as for the 23 other tributes I'll face in the arena: May the odds be ever in your favour, for once you'll seriously need them. Thank you' what an arrogant little twerp? It seems my opinion isn't representative of the whole populace though, for they are stamping their feet, clapping and calling out in support of the lad, even Naylor is on his feet clapping in appreciation.

I hobble forward to shake his hand; since Bala is absent I as mentor have to represent her. He grasps my hand firmly and I look up into his eyes: chocolate brown but they radiate no warmth, cold and steely they are. Call me superstitious if you will, or even decree me senile, but these are not the eyes of a pup, these are the eyes of a bloodhound or a wolf; there is some shadow hanging over this boy, and in all my ears I've never seen anything like it and I am more than a little scared.

I look over to Naylor, he just raises an eyebrow claiming Kai as the tribute he will mentor; a smug grin on his face but he shouldn't be smug, not at all. He may be brawny but that isn't everything and I can literally see the lines being drawn. Bala vs Kai, David vs Goliath. Let the battle begin.

Bala Eaglehawk, District 4.

I lay eyes on my district partner for the first time as I am led by a squadron of Peacekeepers towards the train station, towards the Capitol. He is, for want of a better word, terrifying; he is everything a tribute, a career specifically trained to enter these games and slaughter anyone who crosses his path and then there's me. I thought I could do this but my resolve is crumbling; I take a deep breath to calm myself, and then I walk towards the train and enter the compartment, it's empty and I sigh in relief. I cannot do this, I'm 13 and that boy is a mountain: tall and strong. The silence is broken when I hear a voice, a baritone laced with malice.

'Oh if it isn't the witch spawn' I turn and it is my partner, his eyes narrowed at me; the eyes of a predator as they stalk their prey. A multitude of responses swim in the forefront of my mind but I remain silent, I have no interest in provoking the boy before me; he looks lethal and I can only imagine the damage he could do.

'Well, why so quiet eh? Not as fiery now are you? Ha, your little show was very entertaining I must admit but everything you said: empty promises. How can you expect to win? You're a scrawny little bitch. Oh, and I'll have you know that it'll be my pleasure to rid District 4 of you and your witch mother forever.' My temper is beginning to flare, at first I thought this boy simply didn't like me; but his eyes shine with an emotion I cannot name, a hunger and although I can only ever guess my assumption is that the hunger is for blood, or more specifically my blood. My earlier fear has vanished as I draw myself to my full height.

'Oh, spare me the threats you arrogant bastard, you don't know what'll happen; but let me tell you, no promise actually, that I'll do everything I can to make sure your brought back in a box.' His eyes widen in shock, as if someone actually standing up for themselves and not agreeing with his words is a capital crime. Well too bad, I won't play by his rules.

'You bitch, you'll pay for that' He flies towards me, admittedly he is fast but I dodge his charge; I jump onto his back and the momentum carries us crashing into the table, he tries to turn but my knee is placed between his shoulder blades. I've never been attacked but I feel strange, the adrenaline gushing through my veins makes me stronger and more powerful.

'Well, how does it feel to be beaten by a 13 year old witch now?' My ears are ringing and he struggles in vain to over power me, but this still doesn't keep his mouth shut.

'Once I get back I will kill your mother, like she killed that little boy.' I see red, I cannot describe the rage I feel, the way he has attacked me in the most personal sense, targeted my weakest spot; I snatch a knife that was thrown to the floor as we fell to the floor and without thinking I pull back his head and place the serrated edge along his throat.

'One more word from you, you arrogant bastard and I'll slit your throat and then gut you like a fish. Learn to play nicely with the other children' he has the nerve to laugh, and so I slowly draw the blade against the exposed flesh of his neck; not too hard but hard enough to draw blood and then I do something I'd never usually do, I bring the knife to my lips and lick the scarlet fluid from the knife's edge. I scramble from on top of him in a worried frenzy, what's happening to me? I have been a tribute in the games for only over an hour, and I've started to become a monster; something despicable, the witch that my District have christened me all my life.

Before he gains his feet I am out of the door and running through the corridors, I'll face the repercussions for my rash actions later, and then once again in the arena; but now I finally do realise I'm not weak, I am strong and my resolve is back. I hear someone else enter the train and then I hear Flavio Redforks' shrill voice.

'Oh my goodness, what has happened in here?'

This is a shorter chapter, I wanted to upload as soon as possible but do not worry the second part will be up either later today or tomorrow and then District 4 will be over with until we arrive at the Capitol. I found Mags incredibly difficult to write and we'll see more of her in the next chapter. Thanks to backt0theburrow for Kai, he'll have his time in the spotlight next chapter too ;)

Now review, I love to hear your thoughts :D xxx