Sophie O'Donnel POV

I can't believe that it's been almost a week since I was Reaped. It's like it all happened in a rush. Saying goodbye to my dad in the Justice Building, then being practically pushed onto the train into the Capitol. I was feeling really anxious the whole train ride, but Rodney seemed an odd mixture of angry and excited both at the same time. We didn't talk much – not that we ever did back in District 9.

Now both of us are standing side by side, watching the other 22 tributes nervously. I can feel a weight growing in my stomach as the nerves start to get to me. I do a couple of breathing exercises that I learned when I was younger to try and calm myself down. I can do this.

It's the first our three training day's and I'm already feeling the pressure. Everyone is just standing there, no-one willing to make the first move. We all appear calm on the outside, but we're all judging everyone else, seeing who's the strongest, the weakest.

Ayame Wolfe – I remember her when I watched all the Reapings because her hair was even redder than mine – is the first person to break the silence. "Alright we better get this started. Everyone from 1, 2, and 4 come to me. To the rest of you, all I can say is you better start training." With that she walks off into a corner, clearly waiting for everyone else to follow her. Some do, while the rest of us are left behind. But now that the silence is broken, everyone seems to come to life, walking over to various training stations and practicing their skills.

I feel a little lost. I'm not exactly sure of what to do. I've never really had any training before. I think the best thing for me right now is to learn how to use a weapon, I mean; I have to learn how to protect myself in the arena somehow right? Even still, there are just too many choices. The sword, dagger, bow and arrow. I just don't get any of it. My eyes fall on a particular weapon. It's a spear. For some reason I'm drawn towards it. I guess a spear is ok. It stops enemies getting close to me, and if I need to I can throw it. Plus it could be useful for getting fruit and things out of trees. I pick up the weapon and test the weight. It feels pretty good in my hands. I take a few swings around my body to test the movement, nearly hitting the girl next to me in the process. She looks so young. "Sorry!" I say out of reflex, before realising that this is training and I'm meant to be trying to act tough.

Before I can come back with something more appropriate, she smiles up at me. "That's ok. You seemed pretty focussed there so I'm sure you didn't mean it. My names Cailey by the way." The little girl says as she jumps up and down.

I sigh and can't help but smile at her antics. "My name's Sophie and I'm so lost right now."

"So am I. I thought that I'd try to learn some weapon skills but I'm afraid I won't be able to because I'm not as strong as some of you bigger kids." Her admission is followed by a quizzical look on her face. "What's with your voice?" she asks questioningly.

I laugh "don't worry about that, it's just my accent, I'm not originally from Panem."

Cailey looks shocked at the news. "Really? I didn't think there was anyone else outside of Panem."

"Yeah there is" I reply. "But everyone is just so poor; it's not even worth living there. That's why my father approached the Panem government and they let us move here."

Cailey appears speechless and just nods her head almost absentmindedly, absorbing every word.

"You were worried about the weapons because you thought you were weak right?" I ask her.

She nods, and it looks like she's about to cry. The poor thing, she's probably so scared right now.

"Come with me" I say, pulling her over towards the knife station. "I think because you're smaller, and probably a lot more agile than some of us bigger kids, you'll be able to use one of these better than anyone else here". I watch as her face lights up at the news, and she grabs a hold of the weapon in her hand. She lakes a couple of quick swings and I laugh. Then a look of seriousness comes across her face and she deftly swings her arm forward, throwing the knife at a target in the distant. There's a resounding thud as the blade embeds itself into the wood. It isn't anywhere near the bullseye, but the fact that she hit the target at all surprises me. I guess my little ally has some tricks up her sleeve after all.

Emilia Escot POV

I'm one of the five that follow the girl who made that announcement at the start of the training. She seemed like she knows what she was doing and I was fine to follow her lead. The six of us stand in a tight circle waiting for someone to break the silence. It's the Red-head again who speaks first. "Ok guys" she begins "This year is going to be a little bit tricky. Firstly there'll be no cornucopia, so we're going to have to find our own food and water. And Secondly, it'll be hard to form a pack considering that we're all starting separate." She takes a breath, preparing to deliver her speech. "I think what we should do is..."

"I'm sorry Ayame, but before you speak" The boy from district 2 interrupts "I want nothing to do with this. Consider your 'pack' a man short this year". With that surprising outburst, he walks off towards the rest of the tributes and the training stations.

For a moment everyone is silent, and the girl looks like she's about to start speaking, when I make a last-minute decision and follow after the boy.

"Fine!" the girl calls out to our retreating backs. "Then you become a target just like everyone else!"

I catch up to him and turn him to face me. His arms come up in a defensive position as if he's expecting an attack. When he sees that I'm just a girl he lowers his guard a little. "What do you want?"

"I think that was pretty honourable what you did back there". It's the only thing I can think to say.

"Thanks" comes the terse reply as he turns to leave again.

I follow, much to his apparent annoyance. "What's your name?" I ask.

"Mason" he grunts. "If you don't mind I need to head to the survival station, if I'm going to be on my own I'm going to need to learn a few things about hunting."

"Well I'm Emilia, and who says you have to be on your own? I know how to hunt and a fair bit about wilderness survival" I say with a smile.

He turns around and faces me. "Look, thanks. Really. But right now I'm perfectly happy being on my own. I got away from the others so I would stay away from all you people who think you're so good because of your training, and you think that you're so cool because you volunteered. Well here's a news flash for you. Not all of us who volunteered did so because we wanted to be in the games. My brother's a cripple, and I had to volunteer to protect him. So don't come over here with your high-and-mighty attitude thinking you'll make an ally out of me because it won't work!" He turns to storm away but I grab onto his arm firmly.

"You really think I'm like that?" I say, tears forming in my eyes. "You think that I wanted this? I'm more like you than you think. My sister was Reaped, my 12 year old sister! I couldn't let her go through this, hell I'm barely even managing to hold on myself." The tears are flowing freely now. "I saw you stand up to those careers and I knew there was something about you. So I came to you and offered to help you! You're not the only one who tried to protect someone they love."

All the anger has drained out of his face now. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I just assumed..."

"You assumed I was just like every other girl in the career districts didn't you?" I ask. He nods his head in shame.

He sighs and looks up at me. "I'm sorry. Truly, I had no right to snap at you like that. How about we start over?" He holds out his hand in an offering of peace. "Hi, I'm Mason, what's your name?"

Mairin Cliona POV

I watch silently as the two kids leave our circle. Good riddance I say, they clearly don't have what it takes to be a career. Ayame curses. "Damn it! We can't afford to be two men down. Especially this year. We need to recruit a couple more, what do you guys think?"

I nod, as does the big guy from District 1. However my District partner Jasper just shakes his head. "I'm sorry guys" he says as he backs away. "But I can't be a part of this either." With little more than that the scrawny little boy runs away. Now there's only three of us. Ayame is practically fuming.

I decide it's time to give my 2 cents worth. "Well we need at least three more people, why don't we each go around and pick one? I'm sure any normal person wouldn't question being invited into the careers." This seems to calm Ayame down, and she agrees.

"Ok, each of us go around and grab one other person, then bring them back here so I can outline the plan." The three of us separate on her orders and begin to scout the room for potential members of our pack.

I watch as the other two go straight towards the biggest kids they can find. But I'm not as shallow as that. I know that in our group we'll need someone smart, someone knowledgeable and capable. I head straight towards the boy from District 3, Daniel. I made sure to remember him, because I knew I wanted him as an ally from the moment I saw his tape. "Hi there" I call out to him. He looks so engrossed in the camouflage station that he barely seems to register me. "I said hi there" an element of annoyance is creeping into my voice.

"Oh hello" he says, almost as if he was surprised to see me next to him. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I was impressed by the way you handled yourself at the Reapings, I also wanted to extend you an invitation to join me in the career pack this year." I force a flirty smile onto my face, even though I can feel barely anything inside.

"Hmm. Yea... Nahh I think I'll pass" He says, a smirk appearing on his lips.

"You'll what?" I ask. I must have misheard him.

"I'll pass. I think I'm gonna be perfectly fine right here on my lonesome, but thanks anyway."

I can't believe the nerve of this kid. First he rejects an involvement with the careers, and then he walks away from me just like that! This puts a serious setback in my plans, but its ok, because like any intelligent person I have a backup. Still riding on my anger wave, I storm over to the other District 3 tribute, Tayla. Before she can say anything I grab her by the scruff of the neck and practically drag her to where the other two are waiting with their new recruits. "Don't say a word unless you're spoken to" I warn her as we come up to the group.

"What do we have here?" Ayame asks sarcastically. "Fibbi and I bring back big tough guys, and you bring us a little girl?"

I can't believe I have to justify myself to her. "She's from district 3. I wanted the other one but he refused. She's smart, trust me, we can use her." Tayla doesn't look like she appreciates being talked about like she's not there but I don't really care.

"Fine" Ayame says. "Well I guess then we have Arden and Tristan here to round out our group of 6."

I can see why the others chose those two. Arden looks about as tall as a mountain, and not disproportionately so. Tristan, on the other hand, has a mean look to him, almost like he's eager to cause some damage. I guess this year's career pack is looking strong after all.

I turn to Fibbi, the boy from District 1. "So did you pick Tristan or Arden?" I want to know how this guy thinks. If he chose Tristan then I know he's got a mean streak on the inside too; but if he chose Arden then he's more concerned about physical size and strength. Fibbi shakes his head and points to Arden. Of course Ayame would have picked Tristan; anyone could spot her dark side from a mile away. Something doesn't sit right with me though. I take another glance at Fibbi. He's just standing there, not really looking at anything in particular. "Hey you! You looked really eager to volunteer on your tape, what's that all about."

The boy just stares at me. Suddenly it clicks. It starts as a little giggle, but it transforms rapidly into a hysterical laugh. I actually have to force myself not to just fall on the ground and roll around.

Ayame looks like she's about to explode. "What! What's so funny?"

"Him!" I say, barely able to contain my laughter. I point right at Fibbi and barely get the next words out of my mouth. "He's a mute!"

Let me know if this was ok! Especially those of you who's tributes are in this chapter. I know that it seems a little alliance-heavy at the moment but its not going to be like that, you'll just have to wait and see what happens. The way most of these alliances are working is that if you guessed which character was mine correctly, then you got either your first of second preference for an alliance, if you guessed wrong then your alliance application was discarded. technically that means you could still be allied with one of your preferences if they picked you too :P

Please review, every one i receive makes me a better writer, its true. Kinda like the hulk, except replace anger with reviews and replace super mutantness with awesome writing skills...ness :P