The training sessions start the next morning. We get seven days to train; six with the other tributes, and one with only our mentor. I know nothing about fighting, but I can hunt and I can swim. I make it a point to learn some fighting skills before the week is over. I also decide that I should learn a great deal of survival skills.

I start at the fire-building station with Octane. She's the only person that I know here, so I want to start out with her until I get a bit more comfortable with this funny-smelling atmosphere. Learning how to start a fire turns out to be really easily. I already know a whole lot about stuff that does and doesn't burn, as there were special lessons in Advanced Shop Class about what things can be burned as fuel. I also know some of the things that cause sparks, as a spark is needed to start an engine. I smile and move on to the next station.

This station is the edible plants station. This one takes me a lot longer, but I eventually am able to recognize some edible things from various environments. And I also am able to identify some of the basic signs of poisonous plant-life. I decide to return to this one tomorrow.

I leave and find the medicinal plants station. These are a little easier to remember because most of them have a process that needs to be performed before they can be used as medicine. I remember things better if they have multiple steps. That's just another effect of growing up in District Six, I suppose. I can remember every step in the assembly of an engine, and I have trained to memorize things like that my whole life. I guess that's why I'm better at memorizing a long process than a few short and independent rules.

I finally reach the weapons and fighting station. But what should I pick? D.C. of District 2 is throwing knives. Neptune has a trident. And Mille of District 9 has a sickle. What should I try first?

Coal Black walks up and grabs a pick axe. He slams that into the foam bodies of the training dummies as I watch and contemplate what I should pick. His dark eyes shine with anger, and I smile because I realize he's probably picturing Pritchard's face on every one of them.

I walk over to the rack of weapons and pick up a spear. I'm alright at throwing things, so maybe I should try this. I aim at one of the targets and suddenly notice that Loyla and Sapphire are watching me. I hurl the spear toward the target, and it misses, flying over its head. I hear laughter but don't bother to find out from whom. I cock my head to the side and retrieve the weapon. But I forget that I'm in the middle of a target practice arena. One of D.C.'s knives almost pins me to the floor, and I know it's not an accident. Fortunately, I hear it coming and duck out of the way just in time. More than that, I make it look like a coincidence as I lift my spear from the ground. Then I look over to where the knife has landed before glancing at D.C. and commenting, "You missed the target."

Mascara snickers and Neptune smirks, and so I know that I've fooled them. But I notice that Coal has pinned me under his black gaze. I smirk at him and mouth, "Watch this." He relaxes his stance and watches me. I feel the weight of the weapon in my hand and quickly calculate the trajectory and estimate the desired velocity. Then I throw the spear, and it glides six inches away from D.C.'s head and past him, embedding into the face of a foam training dummy. The pack of Careers stares at me in shock. "That's how you hit a target," I explain with a grin. I hear Coal laugh. I see Neptune frown. I smell D.C.'s anger. And then the bell rings that signals lunch.

At lunch, Coal sits with Octane and me. He introduces himself as the tribute from District Twelve, and Octane rolls her eyes and leaves to sit with the people from District Seven. "What was that about?" he asks.

I frown. "She doesn't like me. Plus she overheard something my mentor said about the tributes from District Twelve never winning. My guess is that she doesn't like you either, because of that."

Coal shrugs. "Well I'm not here to make friends."

"Nope," I answer. "You're here to win, right?"

Coal grins and nods. "You know it."

"And that's why you'll make a good ally. You know the odds are stacked against you, but you have a reason not to quit. You're not like the rest of them," I reply.

"Ally? Me?" Coal raises his eyebrows skeptically. "What if we have to end up killing each other?"

I answer honestly. "I'll probably let you win. You have someone important to go back to. Me? I'm one of a set of identical triplets. If the world loses me, there are two others left that are just like me."

Coal looks amazed. "You aren't just mining me?"

I give him a strange look. That must be some kind of District 12 slang. "I don't even know what that means…"

He smiles. "Good. Shake on it?" He holds out his hand. It seems I've just made my first ally, so I take his outstretched hand and shake it.

After lunch is over, I return to the edible plants station and try to retain a bit more knowledge. After that, I head to the knot-tying station. I learn some decent basics, and then Neptune walks over, a low growl protruding from his throat. He picks up a piece of rope and starts to work with it, and then turns to demand that the male tribute from District 10 bring him a training dummy. The half-wit smiles and does as he's told.

Neptune stands there, and I watch his fingers as he works, trying to absorb the visual process of whatever he's doing. "I know what you were trying to do back there, Canis. You'd better watch yourself." The District 10 boy wheels over the foam dummy and Neptune shoos him away. I keep watching Neptune's fingers. The District Four wolf-mutt continues, "You'd better watch yourself, District Six. Playing games like that will cause you to get your bass kicked."

I shake my head, still staring at his hands. "I don't have a bass."

Neptune chuckles. "Well, I'll make you one and tie it on you just so I can kick it." His fingers stop, and I see that he has made a noose. He hooks it around the neck of the dummy and pulls it tight. Then he leans down and growls into my ear, "Watch yourself, Wolfgang. I certainly will be."

He begins to walk away, but I catch him with my words. "My quarrel isn't with you, Neptune. You haven't done anything to me… yet." I hear him stop, and so I turn to look at him. His back is still facing me, but I continue to speak anyway. "You don't think I know what D.C. was doing back there? He was trying to kill me. Now I have no problem with that, once we're in the arena. But you know as well as I do that trying it now is illegal. I repay like with like. Think about that before you decide to make me your enemy based on what I did to someone else."

Neptune's fists clench, and he whirls around on me. "You mess with my pack, you mess with me," he growls.

I raise a single eyebrow, as I am unimpressed with his display. "And you're going to make your pack based on what? Tradition?"

He's staring daggers at me right now, but I manage to keep my cool. "I'll make my pack," he growls, "from the strongest members."

I laugh. "Oh. So that's why you're choosing a human over another wolf-mutt," I say sarcastically, "because everyone knows that humans are so much stronger."

Neptune morphs and steps closer. His canine tail is raised as he leans over into my face. "There is only room for one alpha male in my pack. And that's me."

I smirk. "And do you plan on making Loyla your alpha female?" I joke.

"You insufferable little bass-hole! Just wait until we get in that arena. I'll be coming for you!" he pokes me in the chest before turning and stomping back to the weapons training area.

I spend the rest of the day at the knot-tying station, trying to reconstruct what I saw Neptune make. I remember the process, but I have trouble mastering the fluidity of his movements. I eventually finish and test it a little before walking over to the weapons area. I stride up to the training dummy directly next to the one that Neptune is using. He's switched to practicing with knives.

"Hey, Neptune," I say. He pauses and looks at me, and I loop my noose around the neck of the training dummy. "Thanks for teaching me how to make this." I pull the rope fast and hard. The noose tightens around the dummy's neck so quickly that it cuts through the soft foam and chops the figure's head off. The foam head falls to the floor and bounces once before laying still. I watch Neptune blanch. And then the training day is over, and I return to the suite.

"So," Ford asks me, "how did training go today?"

Octane tattles on me before I can say a thing. "He's allies with the District 12 boy."

"What?" Ford frowns. "Didn't I tell you not to do that?"

Octane stands there with a self-satisfied smirk. I guess she's already decided to be enemies.

I answer Ford with, "Yes." That's all I say. I go to sit at the dinner table. When everyone else is seated, I eat. I don't talk to anyone; not when Sugar compliments me on my interview, not when Ford rants about my alliance with Coal, not even when Chortle asks me if the roast pig is good. I sit there and say nothing. I'm done talking for today.

My bed is a welcome sight. But Oliver told me to take a shower tonight "like a civilized citizen". I never promised that I would, but I might as well. I don't want anyone bothering me, and taking a shower is a good way to keep people away. This time I choose the aloe button. It's not nearly as smelly as eucalyptus.

I change into my pajamas. And then, I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.