Author's Note: I do hope people read these, because I usually say something pretty important! Today it is this…I will double post the next 4 chapter (so on Wednesday we will get to chapter 15) why? Because I want you guys to get to 15….again why?...because like he-man said long ago "I have the POWER!" (and it's a chapter I am itching for you guys to read)

Thanks to my reviewers: ASMF, Seaotter, HL, Pandora, E-W-Dragon, JB, and Violet Temperance (for chapater 7..hope you read my PM VT)

Chapter 11

Meadow

It takes the better part of the evening; we find the lady who makes the moonshine and bribe her to in fact not sell liquor to either Everdeen or Abernathy. Peeta was sure she would stay clear with the imminent threat of being sold out, but I slipped her enough money that she nods, gives us a knowing signal of the finger to the side of the nose in understanding and we leave.

We're quiet.

I don't think Peeta has ever seen me so controlled and yet so cold, he remembers the sixteen year old readying herself to 'die' or crying into his shirt during our secret therapy session. Not this hardened part of me. The part that has no pity for Haymitch even if he probably had a rough life, if he lost loved ones then I think I have him beat now.

We end up in a nice overgrown meadow. The grass reaches mid calf, or it will as summer hits, right now the brush is thriving more.

"Ariana…I know you don't want to talk about what you were trained on, but…back there with Haymitch? He's dangerous" he says

"He's a drunk Peeta. Alcohol is a great way to feel brave, but it dulls his senses, brute strength with nothing between the ears at the moment" I tell him, "heck with enough training Prim would have been able to take him on"

He chuckles but it doesn't last, "what are we going to do?" he says softly he has a lost expression in his features that should not be there, "We're seventeen Ari, the rest are in their twenties or older, we're gonna get slaughtered how can I protect katniss from that?"

I shake my head, "for one don't doubt yourself" I tell him, "second you will make alliances, I already have two that will be buddying up with you whether you like it or not, and I sure there will be others that will want to team up with you. Be friendly to them you will be able to make bonds for the games" he looks offended, "what? You think making an alliance is a bad thing?"

"Yeah! We have to kill them!" he says, "what's the point?"

"Alliances are just a stepping stone Peeta, Farrow and I had one from day one, Celena and Archie made a secret one thru Haymitch so I had him as a mentor during my games"

"Haymitch was your mentor?" Peeta looks confused, "the drunk was your mentor? And you won?"

I click my tongue, "having a mentor is only a small part of the game Peet, it takes luck, and skill too. Lilian, the one you called foxface, she never saw woods like that, she never climbed trees, and she didn't learn from Tracer, she starved to death and fell for nightlock thinking it safe"

He looks at the grass in the fading light, "that was an accident"

"That is the games" I point out, "for the night don't think of what we are going to do, don't think of how you are going to survive because you will survive. I'm taking under my wing you, Katniss and Haymitch, consider me your mentor. I have more than enough time to get you three trained up, I won't be pleasant, I won't take it easy on you"

"I don't want you to!" he defends, I raise my hand in surrender chuckling.

"Merely warning you, Tracer could tell you how tough I was with her and I trained her for three days, you guys aren't just going to be ready you are going to be primed, eager even"

He laughs, "eager? To go into the arena? Are you mental?"

"Maybe, I am pretty sure everyone is cracked one way or another after the games, I just haven't found my quirk" I tell him, "some are promiscuous, some are drunks, some becomes basket cases…I guess I just have a heavy dose of contempt for those who try and escape thru chemical means, enough that I had to die to live"

The sun finally sets and we are awash with rosy light of dusk. "you guys are going me that of legend" I tell him, "just wait"

We head home, I bid him a good night and go to Haymitch's. I don't bother waking him, he's out cold and I don't expect waking him will be pleasant for anyone right now. I go to the bedroom I set up and for myself and take out my tribute book. Placing it on the end of my bed, and my running shoes beside my bed, as well as a track suit from thirteen, and finally my locket.

I'm going to need all the luck I can get training a drunk and an unknown, I know I can get Peeta ready, he just needs to be encouraged. But Haymitch who is nearly forty, not to mention I haven't really known Katniss all that long….

Yes luck has a big piece in this.

I wake early. So early the sun isn't even up.

So early Haymitch isn't even up…mind he wouldn't be, with the booze in his system and the mild concussion I caused him. I would be surprised he would be up at all. I get changed. The track suit still smells of Thirteen, a mix of bleach and ammonia. I give it a quick wash in the bathroom and wring it out as best as I can. Then putting it on slightly damp I put on my running shoes and head downstairs.

I don't want to wake him yet. The clock says 4:30 am. I will go for a run first.

Have to dry out this tracksuit somehow.

I step off his patio and am off at a brisk jog. I head for the meadow. I do some push ups, and sit ups, then I do a sprint.

The terrain is not what I am used to. It's not level, there are tangles of wildflowers trying to trip me up. I have to hop a bit so I don't fall. But once I am clear of the meadow things go better.

I have missed running, some days in training Charring would tell me to do laps. When asked how many he would shake his head and reply it wasn't amount, but time. An hour of running, non stop. He didn't just watch he would join after five laps, this was after our spat. He would tell me to pick up my knees when I was tired then bark and Ken that I had out ran him already. Eventually it was a competition, who could do the most laps in a hour.

Sometimes I would win, sometimes I would let Ken win.

Now I am going to make Peeta, Haymitch and Katniss try and beat me.

This wasn't just to dry out my tracksuit. I mapped a route for us…a race. It's probably a mile, maybe a mile and a half. But it's from the meadow all the way to the Mellark apple tree as a finish line. When I reach it I hear a low humming and peek in the window.

Buck is kneading bread. His father comes over and nods appreciatively before going to take the first loaves out. I can smell them from the crack of the window. It gives me an appetite and I run back to victor's village.

Just in time to see Peeta come out of his house.