Katniss

After Madge and I spent some time at the sword fighting station - Ampitrite wandered off at some point - we make our way towards lunch.

"So, anyone you want?"Madge aks and I shrug."Avalon maybe. And Curie, I guess."

She gives me an odd look."Really? I mean, they seem sweet, but sweet isn't much an ally quality, is it?"

Obviously, she's right. But I still feel defensive; this whole thing has me on egde since before the reaping."Avalon's brave and she's smart. They both are. Curie's just... different."

"Well, I agree that Avalon's smart,"Madge replies, grabbing a plate and handing me one."She's District Three and all. Still, no one takes them seriously, really. Olive nicknamed them Brains and Jabberjay."

At my puzzled expression at the second nickname, she elaborates."The things Curie says, they're all quotes. Poems, books, songs."She lowers her voice."Lots of pre-cataclysm stuff, too. She shouldn't even know half of it. Then again, neither should I."

I don't really know what to do with that piece of information, so I just go ahead and load my plate before turning to survey the room. The girls from District One sit at a table with Diana from Two, Marina from Four and Jonsa from Six. Everyone else is mostly sticking to themselves. Well, except for Amphitrite Odair, who waves overly enthusiastically as she catches my eye."Katniss! Madge! Over here!"

Resigned to having to ally with her, I make my way over with Madge. Well, Amphitrite isn't the worst possible person to ally with, I suppose. And Prim said I should. If not for any other reason, I'll do it for her.

"The Career alliance is not working out so well this year, huh?"the girl from Four says without even waiting for us to sit down properly."They still think I might join them, saw no reason to tell them no outright. But Olive apparently told Diana to - and I'm quoting here - stick it where the sun doesn't shine almost as soon as they got on the train."

I can't help myself, I let out a snort of laughter. Maybe Olive is a ally worth considering, afterall. Plus, I'm pretty sure Madge and Prim will make me ally with her no matter what I say.

Just at that moment, a tray full of food is set down next to mine."Hey, losers."

Okay, so maybe I spoke too soon. Madge smiles."Hey, Olive."

"Kentwell,"Amphitrite says, but she sounds good-natured enough. Olive grins at her."Glamour's giving you the stink-eye, Odair. Talking to a traitor to the alliance and all."

Amphitrite turns around and blows a kiss to the girl from One, then turning back to us."So, seen anything you like yet? Not already at this table, I mean."

"Demeter seems competent,"Olive offers,"You know, the darkish one from Nine."

It feels weird discussing the other tributes like this, assessing them and making guesses about their skills and how long they might survive. It's what the Capitol citizens do and it doesn't sit right with me. But then again, this is about survival, not about some bet for fun. I still mostly keep quiet as the discussion carries on.

"I was thinkin Willow, maybe,"Madge remarks at one point. Olive Kentwell shakes her head."Nah, Seven's useless this year."

"Says who?"demands Amphitrite.

"Says me,"Olive replies without a care in the world."Oh, and Johanna Mason. Hopeless, she called them, to be exact."

This is followed by stunned silence for a few seconds. The girl from Four is the One to break it."Johanna Mason discussed her tributes with you? What the hell?"

Olive smirks, looking absurdly proud of herself."Well, not everyone relies solely on connections, you know. We're not all related to Finnick Odair."

"Is this going to be a 'who has the most impressive relatives-slash-connections' contest?"Madge interjects lightly."Because I think Katniss would win that on account of the whole youngest victor ever thing her sister has going on."

Amphitrite giggles."The little usurper. Don't think Finnick forgave her yet."

And that's the way all of lunch goes. I'm oddly glad once we're shooed out of the cafeteria and back to training. This is why I usually eat alone with Madge. Smalltalk is horrible; I'd rather prepare for my imminent death.

Or, well, imminent unless Haymitch's plan works, whatever it is.

But unless our safety can be found at the bottom of a bottle of liquor, I'm not overly confident.