Chapter 3
Training started soon enough for the 24 tributes. Katniss and Thresh found themselves drawn to the same survival stations and mostly kept to themselves there, catching up and talking about old times. Thresh explained about his situation with Rue.
"You finally got the sister you said you always wanted!" Katniss teased.
Thresh blinked, then smirked. "How did you remember….?"
"Oh, you were always doting on Prim!"
Raised voices suddenly drowned them out. The monstrous Career boy from 2, Cato, seemed to be on the verge of picking a fight with the boy from 6. Peacekeepers swooped in to break it up.
"Six, where's my knife?"
"I don't have it, man-"
"Liar, you stole my knife! He took my knife!"
"All right, that's enough!"
"You're the first one I get in the arena, Six, so watch your back, huh?" The guard dragged Cato away.
Trying to get back on topic, Thresh and Katniss were suddenly aware of a figure in the nets up in the rafters. It was Rue…. and in her hands, she gleefully twisted the missing knife.
Katniss and Thresh looked at each other and stifled giggles. They figured if Rue could swipe from right under Cato's nose, she at least had a decent chance in these Games.
Lunch was welcome, as everyone was dog-tired. Katniss sat right next to Thresh and Rue at their own table; the black boy noticed Peeta looking at her from across the cafeteria. But to the girl before him, her district partner might as well not exist.
The three picked at their food in silence for a time, Thresh encouraging Rue to eat her greens. It was a very fine line to walk, though. A tribute did not want to gorge him or herself on food before being almost certainly starved in the arena. At last, Katniss set down her fork.
"I've been thinking…."
"Oh, really?" Thresh smirked over the rim of his glass.
Katniss smirked back, and Thresh could almost swear she was blushing. "Shut up. I've been thinking – we three are getting along so famously-"
"Aren't those the lyrics to a song somewhere?" Rue chirped.
"Rue, don't interrupt," Thresh chided, but Katniss didn't seem to mind. She smiled affectionately at the little girl.
"Since we get along so well, I was wondering… how about allies?"
Thresh thought about it, reclining in his chair. "So you're offering?"
Katniss eyed him. "Do you see anyone else at this table?" Thresh shrugged No in response. "Are you accepting?"
Thresh eyed her. "Do you see anyone else at this table?" Katniss threw a carrot at him.
Over the next several days, the trio continued to train together in the Center. In the evenings, they would hide out in a Rooftop Garden Rue had found to plan out an arena strategy. All three stayed there until it was well after dark; Thresh often had to carry a sleepy Rue back to their quarters.
Finally, on the last day of training, the tributes had their private sessions with the Gamemakers. The trio vowed to not share what they each did even amongst themselves, lest word get out to less friendly tributes. When the scores were released, Rue pulled a respectable 7, Thresh a 10 (putting him right in with the Careers) and Katniss an unprecedented 11!
The two older kids now had targets on their backs. But perhaps those targets would at least help them avoid unnecessary fight and thus better guard their little protectee.