Anemone Fletcher, 15

District 4 Female

I didn't even have time yesterday to check out the poisons in the training center. My allies, particularly Selene, were taking their time getting to know one another. Cain was trying to prove to everyone that he's the leader of the group, wasting time by making us all laugh at any tribute who seemed weak or did something wrong.

Today, it was the boy from 6, who fell from the rock-climbing wall. I rolled my eyes as my allies mocked the boy, and I decided in the moment to go to the poisons section. It was very important to me that I keep this skill of mine a secret from the others, considering it would be really easy for me to use to my advantage later on.

I remember the shock on people's faces in the crowd after I volunteered. In District 4, most of our tributes don't even care to volunteer, they only feel pressured to do so for the money or fame. For me, it was the former. Even coming from a rich family means nothing in the districts if you want to pay for life-saving medicine. They reward us with wealth, not health, which shows that their loyalties are twisted.

I arrive at the poisons section, and see someone there already. A girl with long black hair tied back into a ponytail is sitting on her knees, next to a large glass container filled with gray rats. There is a '5' on the back of her jumpsuit, indicating the girl is from District 5. I move a few feet to the left of her, where there is an assortment of different flowers, and a booklet indicating which of the plants are poisonous.

Next to me, I hear giggling, and look to the side. The girl is holding a syringe, and collects liquid from a small vial. She then opens up the top of the container, and carefully pulls out one of the rats. She gently pets the rat's head, and giggles again before inserting the needle into the neck of the rat. The animal twitches a bit, and it goes limp after a few seconds. The girl looks to her left, and smirks at me,

"Don't worry, this little guy is still alive!" She holds the rat by its tail, and although its body doesn't move, the chest rises like it's still breathing.

"This is just a paralyzer! For up to ten minutes, this thing basically stops your entire body from moving, besides your heart and brain of course, so you still feel everything! I remember a few years ago, that girl from District 8 used a paralyzer to kill the guy from 2, it was really badass."

I ignore her, and continue to flip through my booklet. Is this girl insane? You don't just start talking to a career tribute about stuff like that so confidently. Those are usually the types of outlier tributes that the careers have recruited in the past, twisted individuals who end up going crazy and betraying the alliance early on.

"Can I please test my knife on the little mousey?" The girl asks a trainer, who watches over us.

"I would prefer you don't. We do not condone animal cruelty here. You can do all of that in the arena."

I stifle a laugh. The Capitol is weird for being alright with human cruelty, but animal cruelty? That's crossed a line for them apparently. I guess I can see what they mean. Animals are a lot better than humans.

The girl from District 5 makes a sad sigh, and puts the still paralyzed rat back into the tank, before walking off.

Asa Gagneux-Boerio, 18

District 11 Female

The thought of finding allies was still something that was weighing down my mind, ever since my conversation with Lavender. However it came to me naturally, about an hour ago when the pink-haired girl from 7 approached me, inviting me to join her alliance with the kids from 5.

Maybe being in a large alliance isn't such a good idea, but there's the careers, and another large alliance in which my district partner has already joined. I know for a fact Quincy doesn't want to team up with me, and I'm not just going to walk up to the careers asking if I can join them, that would probably put a target on my back.

We're at the axes station now, and I am practicing my aim by throwing hatchets. Lily beams a smile at me.

"I'm from the lumber district, yet I've never even used an axe in my life! I'm really impressed by you."

I nod my head, and throw another axe into the target. I hear chattering coming toward us, and turn around to see Namid, and his district partner Alberta. I haven't even met the girl from 5 yet, and I don't know where she's been this whole time, but Namid went to find her a few minutes ago.

"You're the volunteer girl from District 11, correct?" Alberta asks, and I nod my head.

The girl chuckles. "Well we have something in common it seems! Why did you volunteer?"

I look down at my feet, thinking of something to say. I don't want to reveal that my Capitol sympathizer mafia family forced me to volunteer. What if they kick me from the alliance?

"My family is struggling financially, they need the money and there's nowhere else to get it, so I volunteered." I lie.

"Oh, that's surprising! Your reaping dress looked so expensive." Lily points out. I don't respond.

Soon enough, we're called to lunch. The whole atmosphere in the room between all of the tributes is a bit awkward. Our alliance is currently the same size as Mazie's alliance, and Alberta is shooting dirty looks at the girl. Earlier, Namid briefed me on the current feud between Alberta and Mazie. The career table stares at our two alliances, seemingly watching and pointing out our every move.

Lily decides to break the silence between our group. "There's one empty seat here, is there anyone else you have in mind, Alberta?"

Alberta wipes the food off her mouth with a napkin, and diverts her gaze around the room. Her eyes almost look like she is stalking her prey.

"Mazie stole most of the good ones. The rest of these tributes seem useless."

"We could try the girl from 8, though." Namid says. "She seems pretty efficient with knives."

"We don't just need someone who is physically strong, we need someone who is intelligent. Somebody who knows their way around the arena." Alberta points out.

"I could help with that!" A voice suddenly calls out. The boy from District 9 stands in front of the empty chair, smiling, one of his front teeth missing.

I scoff. "What skills do you have, making bread? That's all District 9 is good for."

Alberta pats the empty chair next to her. "Sit down please! Tell us what you have in store."

"My name's Fonio. I'm really good at navigating, been working in the fields for years now. I'm really good at following orders too!"

Is Alberta really just going to let this nobody join our alliance?

"Why don't you stay with us? I'm a lot nicer than your district partner anyway." Well, I guess my question was answered.

Now I see what Alberta must be doing. She is using Fonio as a pawn to get back at Mazie. I never really understood why girls my age are always so dramatic about everything.

Tay Fuller, 15

District 8 Female

After lunch is finished, me and Robbie get up to continue our day of training. Since yesterday, I've mainly kept to myself, although my district partner has been following me around, unsure of what to do; Robbie is shy, and we haven't talked much so I haven't finalized anything with him yet.

I spar a knife-fight with a trainer, a woman on the older side but her hand movements are tight and strong. I still dominate, considering I've been in a few fights back home. Robbie stares at me wide-eyed.

I then start thinking about the peacekeeper again. In the following days after I killed him, I learned his name was Matt. He was known to cause trouble, and many immediately began to assume it was a drug-deal gone wrong, so I was the first person to be questioned. My ex-girlfriend Paisley probably reported me. Ever since we broke up, she's been spreading rumors about me, trying to break me. But I won't let her.

I lied. It was easy. I don't know why they didn't arrest me then and there, and I even considered telling the truth about what happened, that the guy tried to assault me. But I know they wouldn't believe me, and killing a peacekeeper is still a major crime, no matter the circumstances. They probably didn't arrest me so they could pull my name from the reaping bowl.

Someone taps my shoulder, and my heart jumps out of my chest. Startled, I turn around to see the girl from District 9, a small smile across her face.

"Hello. I just saw your work with that knife. Good job."

I stare at her, unable to find a response.

"Anyway, I'm starting an alliance. There's four of us right now, and we've asked a few other people to join but they've declined. Would you care to join us?"

I raise an eyebrow. I don't know what this girl's intentions are, and am not sure if I feel comfortable allying with a bunch of people I don't know. On the other hand, my mentor Roxanne instructed us both to find allies since the careers always team up and it's safer in groups. At lunchtime I saw another girl recruiting people for an alliance too. If I were to be alone in the arena, I would be prey.

"Sure." I say. I stare at Robbie, who watches us intently. "Can my district partner join?"

"No. He's too young."

I shrug and then walk away with her. I don't look back at Robbie. He will just have to find his own path.

Alectron "Alec" Dalton, 14

District 3 Male

Only an hour left of training for today, and I feel exhausted but confident. I spent all of today focusing on survival skills because I have no clue how to make it in the wilderness, plus I already know my weaponry skill is poor.

There were lots of handbooks and guides, but I skipped over them because there's too many words for me to understand. I asked a trainer for help, but I still struggled to remember all of the words.

Now I'm at the camouflage section, though really I'm just painting. I learned how to create dyes from different flowers and tree bark, and on the canvas provided, I draw a picture of me with a crown on my head, winning the Hunger Games. If I really do win, my family would see that I actually am worth something. I still don't feel like enough though. I can't wield a weapon, and I can't even focus on the handbooks that are supposed to help me survive.

I hear quiet footsteps, and see a boy walk over to my section. He looks a bit younger than me, and he looks around confusingly, unsure of what to do.

"Do you need help?" I ask.

He nods his head. "I don't know what to do."

"Me neither really. I'm just painting."

I show him my painting, and he smiles a bit.

"I'm Alec, from District 3." I tell him, and he sits down in the seat next to me.

"I'm Robbie." He points to the number on his uniform. District 8.

"Where's your district partner? The really pretty one." I ask.

He looks down. "I'm pretty sure she just left me to join some big alliance."

"Oh, that sucks. Athena doesn't want any allies, so I'm in a similar boat as you."

We sit in silence for a bit, and Robbie watches me paint. Suddenly, I decide to ask the question.

"Hey, I'm just gonna be honest. Nobody is going to ally with us because of our age. Why don't we just stick together?"

Robbie perks up. "Really? You want to ally with me."

I grin. "Yeah! We might have more of a shot with the two of us than just one."

I don't really have hope for either of us, but I guess it would be nice to have someone to talk to before I die.

I have finally gotten to writing this chapter! I started it a while ago, but have been lazy and didn't finish it until now, plus I was on vacation in Alabama for a bit so I didn't have time. But here it is! I can now reveal the alliances :)) I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, and as always please review! I struggled a bit with this one again lol but I tried.

Questions:

1) Whose POV was your favorite this chapter?

2) Which of the alliances introduced is your favorite?

3) Was it a good idea for Tay to leave Robbie and join Mazie's alliance?

4) What is your favorite number? (mine is 4)

Alliances:

The Careers: Elizabeth (1), Midas (1), Selene (2), Cain (2), Anemone (4), Finbar (4)

Mazie's Gang:Tay (8), Mazie (9), Barb (10), Aaron (10), Quincy (11)

Alberta's Army: Alberta (5), Namid (5), Lily (7), Fonio (9), Asa (11)

Innocents: Alec (3), Robbie (8)

District 12 (extra alliance): Blayke (12), Vaughn (12)

Loners: Athena (3), Regina (6), Thomas (6), Caspum (7)

-xo, cassy