Marino Cortez, 18

District 4 Male

Cupcakes for breakfast probably wasn't the wisest idea… but there was no one around to tell us 'no'. My allies and I feasted on our delicious treats around the morning campfire as the sun began to warm the jungle landscape.

"What should we do today?" Evelyne asked, brushing crumbs from her hands.

"I'm open to anything," Jackson said.

"Do you think we should go hunting?" Victor's voice was soft when he spoke, and his eyes flickered between us all.

"I don't particularly want to," Ebony mumbled.

"The Gamemakers may force us," Evelyne reminded him with a frown.

"They've left us alone so far," Jackson pointed out. "Let's not rush it. We'll go if we need to. Hopefully the death yesterday was enough entertainment for a while."

Internally, I winced at their words. Talking about the Gamemakers so openly, in the manner that we were, felt like a bad idea. I didn't want them to send anything after us, and I certainly didn't want to give them ideas.

So far, we were really lucky. I'd been accepted into the alliance with no hesitation. We'd been sponsored sweet treats and a stereo. No challenges had been thrown at us. The boy from 5's attempted theft on the first night was our only hiccup, and it hadn't even been an issue.

It made me uneasy. I had a feeling a storm was brewing, and none of us could see it. It could break any moment, and we'd all get soaked. But there was nothing I could do about it.

"We could train," Ebony suddenly said. We all turned to look at her.

"We have supplies. We have weapons. But none of us are Careers. We could practice a little, in case we do need to kick into gear."

"Good idea," I said. Trenton and I agreed that a baton would be a good weapon for me, and I'd seen one in the back of the Cornucopia, where the more obscure weapons were. Ducking inside, I grabbed the blunt weapon and emerged again.

Evelyne was already firing arrows into a tree, like she was the day before. Ebony had a quarterstaff in her hands and was moving through the motions she must have learned back in the Capitol. I looked over at Jackson.

"Want to spar?"

Jackson Forester, 15

District 7 Male

I blinked up at Marino in surprise. Their question had definitely caught me off guard, as I'd been the most fighting-averse member of the alliance. Except for maybe Victor.

"No thanks," I stammered, suddenly feeling awkward. But Marino just shrugged.

"Alright, no worries," they said before stepping away to practice on their own.

I stared into the flames of the campfire, an odd feeling in my gut. After Janet's death, my parents insisted on preparing me for the Hunger Games. I refused. I could never take another human life. I knew the pain of loss too well. But the unthinkable had happened, and I was in the arena. Would I be able to stick to that vow?

Glancing over at Victor, I noticed a pained expression on his face.

"Are you okay?" I asked, scooting closer to him. He turned to me with a flat expression.

"Do you ever think about how different life would be if you didn't make certain choices?" he asked.

"Sometimes," I admitted. I did regret telling Jade I liked her when we said goodbye back in District 7. It was uncomfortable and discouraging, and it left our final moments soured. But it also felt nice to get the weight off my chest.

"Is there a specific event that's bothering you?" I asked. Victor shrugged one shoulder. He was avoiding eye contact with me by keeping his gaze fixed on the flames.

"I'm just thinking of future choices," he finally admitted. "If I'm going to win, everyone else has to die."

"I know," I said quietly. And at that moment I made up my mind. "But not at my hands. I'm not going to kill anyone, no matter what."

"Really?" Victor looked shocked.

"Really," I confirmed. "But I want to see you or one of our other allies win, and I'll fight to make that happen. Even if it means losing my own life."

"Don't worry," Victor murmured softly. "One of us will win."

"How do you know?" I asked, suddenly tense. Did Victor know something I didn't? Did he have plans to hurt us?

"Because our alliance is strong," Victor said. "We have each others' backs."

I relaxed at his words, though I felt a bit guilty for my fleeting mistrust. Victor was just a little kid. He wouldn't betray us. He just wanted to believe that victory was possible; just like all of us did. I couldn't fault him for that.

We continued to sit together, this time in silence, as Marino, Evelyne, and Ebony continued to train. Marino and Ebony were sparring now, and Evelyne was emptying her third round of arrows into a tree trunk riddled with holes. Victor was right. We were strong. And we were here for each other. One of us would win.

Zeppelina Skansen, 14

District 5 Female

It was another warm day in the arena. The incessant birdsong was getting a bit annoying, but overall I enjoyed our cozy hollow. The peace and quiet allowed me to put the final touches on my plan. Once the poison in Vasir's eye reached his brain, I wouldn't have to worry about him. And Hugo seemed to trust me completely. My little inventor was going to eliminate my competition and propel me to victory.

I was very impressed with my grandparents. They sent me quite a potent poison disguised as a sponsor gift for Vasir. The box had a '9' printed on it, but I recognized the symbol on the stopper. It was the logo of the pharmacy my grandmother and grandfather worked at. It must have cost them a fortune to send it. But I was going to bring a fortune home.

It would take a day or two for Vasir to die. The accelerated infection and numbness would spread and then he'd be gone. I couldn't wait to be rid of my whiny ally. I was usually a patient person, but my excitement for the kill was building up.

Bodies were so interesting; even more so when they were dead. I doubted I'd get the chance to examine Vasir's body closely, given the circumstances, but perhaps Hugo could be my next muse. Once his creations eliminated the other tributes, he'd be mine to play with.

Or I could potentially start early. Once Vasir was gone, Hugo might be averse to helping me. If he suspected anything, I'd lose his trust and his compliance. But revealing my clever killing technique might be the only way to get good sponsors…

It was an interesting dilemma. But I was fairly confident I could keep Hugo by my side. If he wasn't willing, I could do it by force. There were several interesting ways to cripple the body, and that would likely earn me fans back in the Capitol.

Everything was coming together and I couldn't be more excited. But I had to keep up my facade. I knew Vasir didn't trust me. He'd even admitted it aloud. But I didn't think he was suspicious. After all, he agreed to let Hugo administer the eye drops. I just had to stay composed and be as helpful as possible.

Helping others wasn't in my nature. I was a scientist; I strived to learn as much as I could, and people were my research subjects, not my companions. Except for my family. We were a team, and we would remain a team. Once I was home I'd have all the subjects I wanted. My dad could work fewer hours and spend more time with me. My grandparents would have more money for their business. When I was reaped, I was unsure. But now I knew that the Games were a blessing in disguise.

Ada Worth, 17

District 8 Female

I was frustrated beyond belief. The decision to climb the fruit tree was beyond stupid, and I was paying the consequences. Big time. But somehow, someone in the Capitol was still on my side. Last night, shortly before the anthem, a sponsor package floated down to where I was huddled beneath the tree. It contained a steaming container of chicken and rice and a splint for my ankle.

Putting the splint on was indescribably painful. I had to cram my swollen, twisted foot into the rigid plastic device. But now it was supported, and all I could do was pray that it would heal quickly.

Last night, the face of the boy from 12 shone in the sky and I couldn't push away the nagging feeling that mine would be up there soon. I desperately wanted to get home to my mom and Sylvia, but I was starting to lose hope. If anyone found me in this condition, I was dead meat.

At least food wasn't a worry at the moment. I saved half the meat and rice I'd received, and the branch I'd fallen down with had several ripe fruits on it. They were messy and sticky, but I cared more about the nutrition than whether or not my hands were clean.

The hottest part of the day was approaching and I dug myself deeper into the cool earth. I hollowed out a little space among the roots of the tree to rest in, and the shade and jungle soil were just enough to keep me from overheating. But today felt especially brutal. The Gamemakers were cranking up the heat.

I wondered how long the Games would last. The 56th lasted 7 days. The 57th lasted ten. I couldn't help but hope this year's event would be shorter. I wanted out of this arena as quickly as possible.

Knowing my death was likely was a scary feeling. At home, I was an outcast. I kept my head down and moved through life without appreciating it. Now I would do anything to be back in District 8, even if it meant being bullied by my half-siblings and spending long nights studying. You never appreciate something until you lose it, apparently.

But I had to try to stay positive. Sylvia would never forgive me if I gave up. And it would break my mom's heart. Even though I was injured, I would be brave. And if death did come my way, I'd face it.

Ronald Jones, 18

District 6 Male

Fury was coursing through my veins as I shredded moss and jungle ferns between my fingers. My failure yesterday was still eating at me. I couldn't believe I'd lost a kill like that. It was pathetic. And it could've been a deadly mistake. If either girl found me, I'd be in a bad position to fight.

I wasn't sure what was wrong with my knee, but it wasn't good. I could still put weight on it, but only with immense stabbing pain. I'd limped away from the girls' pond yesterday, but hadn't been able to make it as far as I'd have liked. If they went out hunting, it was likely they'd come across me.

I had to get to them before they got to me. But I was moving slower now; if I didn't take at least one of them out, I might be a sitting duck. I slumped back against the rock behind me and sighed in frustration. Maybe I could create a distraction?

Suddenly the anthem began to blare, making me jump. I had noticed it was growing darker, but my thoughts had pulled me away from the sunset. The night insects were buzzing now, though their sound was drowned out by the music.

That was it! The anthem would cover any noises I made as I approached their camp. I just had to time things well, which I could easily do. I was a master of sneak attacks. I looked ruefully down at my knee. I knew the smart thing to do was give it more time to heal, but I was thirsty for a kill.

But I knew it would be unwise to strike before the optimal moment. Timing was everything. I would wait until the day after tomorrow, at the minimum, and then I would strike. And if my knee wasn't better by then, I'd make something else work. Those girls were going down.

Hi everyone! I know I've been updating a lot, and I'm sorry for the semi-spam. I've just been really excited and inspired to work on this story. I wrote some shorter POVs for this chapter, since I'm not the best at internal monologues, and I figured if there was less action that shorter segments would be fine.

I didn't really hear back about what mutt info you guys wanted (though I did update really fast), but the person who did respond wanted to know more, so I'll share it! I've really enjoyed creating mutts for this arena.

Mutt Info

Alux (pronounced: ah-loosh) (plural: Aluxob)
These were the small humanoids Rain and Beria encountered. In Mayan mythology they were known to grant blessings and protection to farmers if presented with offerings. If not, they'd cause lots of mischief and bring bad luck. The part about them not being able to leave the temple was my own addition. They are also known to turn invisible, but I left that out. Is the Capitol technology that advanced?

Walking Tree (socratea exorrhiza)
These palms are real trees that grow in Central and South America. They "walk" from shade to sunlight by growing new roots and then lifting up their old ones. I turned them into trees fully capable of walking (and smacking and grabbing). These aren't mythological, but they're cool.

Questions

1) Thoughts on Zeppelina's plan?

2) Who is your favorite remaining tribute?

3) Any victor predictions/hopes?

4) Whose plan will be put into action first: Zeppelina's or Ronald's?

Alliances

Save Me:
- Lumine
- Mira

Cornucopia Gang:
- Evelyne
- Marino
- Jackson
- Ebony
- Victor

Manipulation Station:
- Hugo
- Zeppelina
- Vasir

Loners:
- Rain
- Ronald
- Ada
- Beria

Have a nice day, be kind to each other, and never stop reading!

- Fiona