All of the credit of this story goes to Eleanor. I don't really own much except the idea. And Echo. I own the name Echo, how cute is that!?
Breeze's point of view:
It was strange being on the train with Katniss, Peeta, Whisper and Effie. It was like being among friends ... And a random, over-excitable, crazy lady. Don't get me wrong, Effie was fine, it's just her accent and her sayings and just about everything else. Basically, if Effie changed everything about herself, she would be a really nice person.
The food was so nice but it was sickening almost. Whisper and I were trying to work out a decent portion size where we could retain enough energy and put on some extra wait for the Games without making ourselves sick.
As Whisper and I walked into breakfast we noticed the look of pure concentration on Katniss and Peeta's faces.
'What's up?' I asked as casually as I could. Katniss looked up at me, a small frown on her face.
'Well, we know what you're good at but we need to figure out what Whisper can do. And we need to work out a strategy for the both of you,' Katniss informed us and I frowned as well, turning to Whisper.
'Do you know what you're good at?' I asked him but he shook his head. I turned back to Katniss. 'Give him some different weapons, see if he has a natural skill or talent for any of them and, if not, work on the one he was best with.'
Katniss looked slightly shocked before laughing, 'I'm meant to be the mentor not you!' She cried and we all laughed. Katniss paused for a second. 'I think that would be a good idea though,' she finished and I grinned, punching the air with my fist.
'Woo, I'm such a genius!' I yelled and they all looked at me like I was crazy. Okay, so I never act like that, but being in the Hunger Games is a very stressful experiences. I guess it's getting to my head.
Whisper lent over to Peeta and stage whispered, 'I think she's finally lost it,' in his ear. We all laughed again.
***
Katniss and Peeta sat at the opposite end of the room to Whisper and I, who were sparring in the blind hope of finding something that Whisper could work with.
We had tried him with throwing knives, normal knives, swords, maces and just about any other weapon that would be used in hand to hand combat or as a short range weapon. The only thing he had going for him so far was the fact he could pick me and Katniss up at the same time, with ease.
'Peeta, come and help me give Whisper a few tips for wrestling. I think brute force is going to be his thing,' I asked and Peeta nodded, pulling himself to his feet.
'Right, well, as far as I can see Breeze is right, strength is going to be your thing. Now, if we can cram enough wrestling moves into your head you might actually stand a chance in a fight,' Peeta agreed. Katniss also clambered to her feet and made her way over to us.
'You three seem to be forgetting one thing. As much as Whisper needs help for this then Breeze is also a competitor and she also needs to work on her skills,' Katniss reminded us, hooking her arm through mine. 'Come on, we'll practice a little way off so they can focus,' she said softly to me, pulling me a little way off.
'Whisper needs more help than me, you know he does!' I exclaimed in hushed tones and Katniss glared at me.
'Yes and you need some help too!' She whisper yelled back. 'What's your hand to hand style?' She asked at a normal level.
'Knives or nothing,' I grinned. Katniss chuckled.
'I figured as much. Long range?' She continued and I shrugged.
'Pretty much anything. Bows are my best and I can make my own; spears are good and, again, I can make my own; and throwing knives,' I answered and Katniss nodded.
'That's my girl. Food and shelter?' She asked and I rolled my eyes.
'I'm perfectly capable of hunting, Katniss, I've been going out with Gale and you to feed my family for as long as I can remember!' I cried. I heard Peeta and Whisper chuckling from where Peeta was showing Whisper some wrestling moves.
'Shelter,' she demanded and I huffed.
'Trees,' I answered and Katniss's face crumbled slightly. I remembered Rue. 'Oh, god! I'm so sorry, Katniss! I forgot!' I cried and Katniss shook her head.
'It's okay, it doesn't matter. If you have too, how will you run away?'
'Again, I can move around in the trees as good as anything. If I can't get off the ground I'm a fast runner and I can run for a long way.'
'How fast can you do a mile?' Katniss wondered and I shrugged.
'Last time I timed it, it took me three minutes and forty two seconds,' I answered and Katniss let out a low whistle.
'That's good,' she stated and I nodded. 'Okay, so when you get off the panel at the start what are you going to do?' Katniss asked and I shrugged.
'Either run in quickly and grab a long range weapon; kill as many people as I can; then get the hell out of there or run straight in the opposite direction. Or I might just do what you did,' I shrugged. Katniss rolled her eyes.
'So basically out of the three options you chose all three. That's helpful,' Katniss laughed and I grinned.
'I want to see the other tributes first. If they're all really big and butch or fast then I'll just get the hell out of there. If they look slower or weaker than me then I'll go all the way in. If they look of a similar skill to me then I'll go halfway in, grab something then get the hell out of there. How does that sound?' I asked and Katniss nodded.
'That's good. But you can't judge your opponents just by the way they look,' Katniss paused for a second, looking at Peeta and Whisper. 'What are you doing about your brother?' Katniss asked and I bit my lip.
'I have no clue whatsoever. I don't want to leave him but I can't just drag him everywhere with me. We'll have to talk about that as brother and sister,' I sighed heavily.
Katniss and I both sat on the ground, watching Peeta and Whisper spar, and my entire body felt heavy as I realized that my choice could well effect whether Whisper lived or died. And now I had a terrible choice to make:
Help Whisper and face me or both of us die or leave Whisper on his own, in which case it was almost definite he would die, and stand a greater chance of surviving myself.
Now, that's a tough choice. I'm sorry this one was so short but I couldn't think of anything else to put in. I promise the next one will be longer.
Sorry I haven't updated in ages as well. I was in Kenya and then I had serious writers block.
Like it? Love it? Hate it? Want to shove my head in a mincer and laugh hysterically as I die a slow and painful death? Let me know, R&R ;)
Smiles! Xoxo!!!