Chapter 19:
While we all understand (Peeta and I firsthand) how knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants can lead to survival in the arena, and know that it will play to Prim's strengths once the Games begin, we try to wheedle slightly more relevant information out of Prim and Paavo over dinner. Since Paavo didn't visit many survival stations, and Prim couldn't foretell the arena's conditions from what she saw, it was important to switch gears and learn about the other tributes' strengths and weaknesses so that we could ultimately figure out how the newly formed alliance can take down the Careers.
Prim eventually begins to open up about the interactions that she had with the other tributes- interestingly enough, no one approached Paavo- I suppose because out of the two of them, he looks a lot less approachable. Apparently, Prim had a brief chat with Finnick's sister, whose name is Annella, at the camouflaging station. Annella and her District partner Joel both seemed very excited about the alliance, though they were afraid to say much. Prim said that the District 3 tributes, Ohm and Copper, were pretty socially awkward. Apparently they approached, asked about the alliance almost reluctantly, and immediately spun around and left after getting the okay from Prim. The girl from District 7 named Elena, who is related to Johanna Mason, was painfully shy when introducing herself. She told Prim in a wavering voice that she figured she would be less intimidating approaching Prim on behalf of their district than a guy almost 7 foot tall, like Paul, her district partner. Prim had told her that she was right- and Elena gave her a shaky smile. In District 8, both Mouseface (I can't even remember her real name, though I know that Prim told it to me; I'll never be able to think of her as anything else) and her district partner Jack (like the cheese- I had to laugh at that one) struck up a conversation at the fire-starting station, and Prim liked them almost immediately.
Though Paavo didn't have anything to contribute on the tributes' personalities, he had attended a few of the combat stations and was observant of his competitors in action. None of the tributes were practicing with weapons most commonly seen from their District- they were all trying out new ones- but he was still able to gather a fair amount of information. Watching Annella and Joel work with club like weapons, he said, two things were clear: 1) Joel was almost as skilled in combat as Annella, and 2) using the tridents so proficiently clearly crossed over onto other handheld weapons- they were both superb. Paul seemed to have good machete skills, as it was more similar to an axe than most of the other weapons there- but didn't have very good aim with a bow and arrow. The converse seemed to be true for Elena- she was far too petite to wield a machete with much accuracy but hit the archery target consistently. Paavo didn't get to watch the District 3 or 8 tributes, but he did notice that the Seeder relative from District 11 and her partner both performed well with knife-throwing.
Haymitch thanks Prim and Paavo and dismisses them for the evening, telling them both to get some rest. The four of us that remain at the table try to figure out what exactly to tell them tomorrow morning before their training. The information that they provided so far, while useful, still gives us far too little on which to devise a strategy.
How do we handle the initial sound of the gong? Do we instruct the tributes in our alliance to run into the Cornucopia and participate in the bloodbath merely so that they could get their hands on some weapons? Do we tell them to run far, far away rendering them unprotected but still alive? Collectively, the four of us decide that somewhere in-between is probably best. When Peeta suggests that it would make sense for the most proficient tribute in each district to head into the Cornucopia to retrieve their weapon of choice as the other heads for shelter/protection, the rest of us nod our head in agreement, and Haymitch agrees to instruct Prim and Paavo to speak with the other tributes about it. Thinking that this strategy would most certainly involve Paavo, not Prim, running into the Cornucopia to attempt to bring back a knife, I heave a temporary sigh of relief.
Another possible strategy that is pitched in our little huddle is the concept of one of the tributes in our alliance working the Careers, a la Peeta in last year's Games. Pretending to team up with them, finding out their strategy, and deserting them when the timing is right. This isn't anything new except to Effie; we had spoken about it while we were preparing, but Effie receives the idea positively if distractedly- discussing strategy is obviously not her strength unless it pertains to presentation and manners. Nonetheless, after talking about it a little more in-depth, we agree to send out feelers through Prim and Paavo in the morning, to see if any of the other tributes would be up to the task.
A few hours later, I slip into the bed with Prim and gently wrap my arms around her. Debating ways to try to keep her alive is draining- because it forces me to acknowledge that there is a very good chance that I will lose her.
The next morning, Haymitch relays the info we discussed to Prim and Paavo, telling them to covertly discuss the strategies with the other tributes in their alliance. When he brings up the idea of one of the tributes playing a mole, surprisingly, Paavo speaks up.
"I'll do it," he says plainly.
We look at him in surprise. "And, if the opportunity presented itself," Haymitch begins seriously, "could you kill them? Take down however many Careers that you could before coming back to the alliance? At the risk of your own life?"
"Of course," Paavo replies. "I-, I mean, we- want to win. We won't be able to do that if we don't take risks."
Haymitch shrugs. "If you're sure," he mutters, before escorting us all into the elevator, dropping the subject.
After taking them to training, Peeta and I decide to spend the day on the roof, where we can talk freely in the garden. It is a gloriously sunny day and we let the sun wash over us. At one point during our conversation, Peeta stops midsentence and kisses me, passionately and with a feel of desperation, but after only a short while I pull away. If I could think only of how his warm lips felt against mine, and how safe from the world I felt in his arms, I would. But my mind is on Prim, what she's learning, how she's training, praying that whatever it is, it will be enough to keep her alive. Peeta deserves more than that. So once again I distance myself from the boy with the bread.
Peeta sighs. "I know you're thinking about your sister. But one day, Katniss," he says softly, "I hope that you realize that it's okay to try to make yourself happy once in a while- just for you. And if you can't open yourself up and laugh and kiss and be silly and make out and fall in love than what is the point of life, what is the point in fighting, what is the point in anything at all? You may as well wave the white flag- you'll have let the Capitol win." After patting my shoulder, Peeta gets up and goes inside, leaving me on the roof alone.
When Prim and Paavo return from training, they update us on what they've learned, which at first is nothing earth-shattering. They and the other tributes spoke in hushed voices, never more than a few of them together at the same time, all day to try to start to crystallize some strategies. Prim didn't go to a single weapons station- she was too busy at the medicinal plants station talking to all of the tributes in their alliance about the plants normally found in their districts, learning everything she could. Apparently, all of the tributes there recognized a few plants from home, further indicating that no one had any idea what to expect of the arena's conditions. Haymitch and I both scream at her to train on weapons all day tomorrow, and she reluctantly agrees.
Paavo observed the District 3 tributes at the weapons stations. District 3's weapons of choice back home are electronic- Copper explained to Paavo that they normally use an instrument resembling a high-voltage cattle prod, so she wasn't used to having to take aim. Since the electrification basically eliminated precision, accuracy, and strength, unfortunately Ohm and Copper are pretty inept at any other weaponry- though they assure him that operating the weapons from their district required great skill with electronics- namely, figuring out how to turn it on and keep it running.
When Haymitch asks what Prim and Paavo learned from the other tributes and their mentors regarding the alliance, things change. Prim becomes fidgety; Paavo looks at the ground and grunts. We press them.
"What is it? Just spit it out," Haymitch says.
"Well," Paavo starts, "Um, first of all, the tributes liked the mole idea- and when I told them that I wanted to do it, they all said that sounded good- I think that they were relieved, since it didn't look like any of them wanted to do it themselves," he begins.
"And?" Peeta and I ask him in unison. Clearly this wasn't the whole story.
"Well," Paavo says, "And one of the other district mentors had a different suggestion about the Cornucopia. And, well, we got outvoted by the other tributes."
"What was the suggestion?" I ask instantly. I wish that he would get to the point already.
He spares me nothing. "We are sending the four fastest tributes into the Cornucopia to collect the weapons that would give our alliance the biggest advantage- a trident, an axe, a knife, and the electronic cattle prod. They have the greatest chance of escaping without being drawn into the bloodbath."
I close my eyes, feeling suddenly dizzy. No doubt that one of the fastest four is Prim.