Surprisingly Trevor and Diane weren't the last to arrive today, that honour fell on District Six, maybe Jason's escort had been giving him an earful at breakfast and that was why they were running late? Whatever the reason the two rushed through the doors with their apologetic escort repeating the phrase 'Terribly sorry!' over and over again until he was forced to leave by three Peacekeepers.

Atala watched him go then turned to us as if nothing had happened, "Welcome back tributes. Today will be your last day to use the stations around you. I suggest more of you take advantage of the blue stations and pay close attention during your training in basic survival. Fighting skills will only get you so far in the arena." She warned, looking mainly at the Careers, whose smug looks didn't change despite the serious tone in her voice. I for one knew she was right. My skills with a bow nor my good aim would be much help if I died from hypothermia or starvation.

She sighed when she realized her words were falling on mostly deaf ears, "Alright than all of you to basic combat. Complete all three sections before your individual training." She ordered, quickly moving us into two lines in front of the first green station of the day; one for the girls and one for the boys. I assumed this was to ensure that station went by fast. I still had to wait 45 minutes in line for my turn, but I passed the time by giving tips to Rue, who stood in front of me.

"The trick is to use the weight of a large person against them." I whispered to her, so only she, and maybe Diane, heard me, "Give them everything you've got and don't let your footing faultor, the way you step can mean life and death when facing an opponent head on."

I watched those ahead of us as I talked. The way our trainers saw basic combat training was to make us go up against three trainers each one differently. The first was a simple hand-to-hand fight where we had five minutes to attack the trainer with no weapons at all. After that, even if we lost, we were to enter an area sectioned off from the main gym were we were to remain hidden from a trainer while trying to get through to the last section which was a one-on-one five minute fight with any bladed or melee weapon we felt comfortable with. Over all we were only allowed five minutes at each section. Not much time in my opinion to train, but this wasn't really for training but for the Gamemakers to see who knew how to actually fight and who didn't.

Thankfully my advice to Rue paid off and she was able to get a few blows to her trainer before moving on. I was also able to hit my trainer a few times, but I wasn't giving them my full strength, something she noticed right away and even commented on as she walked me to the next section, "I hope you don't go easy in the arena." She said pointedly.

"Of course not." I smiled and snuck through the next section with ease to the one-on-one fighting. I decided to choose a mace to fight since I wasn't used to the weapon and didn't have to fake my clumsy ineptitude with. This trainer looked a little disappointed not saying a word, but I knew he thought I could do better.

I stretched out the kinks in my back as I exited the station, walking up to Peeta and Rue who had finished the course, "So where to first?"

"Edible Insects?" Rue suggested, pointing to a blue station which was devoid of any tributes, "I know a few, but not many. Besides it might help us tell the difference between the poisonous and venomous kinds as well."

Peeta ruffled her frizzy hair, "Edible Insects it is then." he chuckled lightly, making his way to the station. He wasn't chuckling once we got there. Peeta had absolutely no clue which insects were safe to eat and which weren't. The trainer had to explain to him multiple times during the 40 minutes we were there what the difference was between a poisonous insect and an ebible one. He finally got it after being explained to for the tenth time. I'm not sure Peeta was trying to act clueless or what. It wasn't normal for him, he usually got the understanding of subjects quickly, why was he acting so dumb?

When we moved onto animal hunting and tracking, I asked him just that, "Peeta, what was going on back there? You're smart enough to know the difference between a poisonous grasshopper and an edible one."

Peeta smirked at me, while tying an arrowhead to a branch supplied by the station, "I do, but I noticed I was attracting the eyes of the Careers during yesterday's training. I'm trying to deter them from asking me to be their ally. So I'm playing dumb. I don't want to ally with those stuck up Careers. Especially if they're only choosing me for my survival skills, if that's their goal then you would be a much better ally."

I burst out laughing at that remark, "Like hell I would join up with them. They can starve in the arena for all I care."

Peeta joined in on my laugh, nodding as he did, "We agree on that one at least." he stated before returning to his work. Peeta was also thinking through problems in multiple ways. He was a strategist to the core, looking at how a task could be solved and then figuring out six more ways to solve it. I was a person who thought on my feet, for example if plan A doesn't work come up with plan B. It was why Peeta and I worked so well together, we complimented and supported each other through our strengths and weaknesses.

After finishing up animal hunting, Rue dragged us to the hand on hand station to practice more, I guess she thought her hand-to-hand skills could be improved. Peeta and I went along with her but didn't give it our all. We weren't about to show the Gamemakers what we were really made of just yet. Soon lunch rolled around and I began to see more mismatched groups at each table.

We sat down with Rue, and to my surprise Thresh, with our lunches of beef stew, salad and more rolls, "Have you guys met Thresh yet?" Rue asked as she sat beside me with Peeta and Thresh sitting on the other side of our tables.

"Not as of yet." I said looking at Thresh with a slightly defensive hint to my voice.

He looked at both me and Peeta and nodded, "Hello." his voice was deep but there was a softness to it that made me think this older boy was more a gentle giant than a cold blooded one as I had originally seen him.

Rue talked with Peeta through most of lunch, mostly about differences between our district and hers. I tuned out some of it as I looked around at the tables. The Careers once again were sitting with Sextus, who looked like a happy little bunny among the pack of wolves he had foolishly decided weren't going to eat him. Poor guy, he was definitely going to regret his decision in the arena.

His opposite, Cida, was sitting once again with Gunnar and Eunia, but this time the group was joined by District Five's male tribute Haynes and, surprisingly, Diane. Fox and Trevor both sat alone, obviously they were more loners than joiners. Not surprising since Trevor had an air of sit with me and I'll kill you in the arena, while Fox had a more sit with me, but don't expect me to talk or be nice to you vibe. I could tell those two were going to be a problem in the arena just by looking at them.

There appeared to be three other groups apart from ours. One sat in the far corner with just two people, Palia from District Six and Saffie from District Eight. The two of them seemed to be lost in a deep discussion. Across from us was a group consisting of both Saffie and Palia's opposite tributes, Jason and Crusis, with Canwarn, the volunteer from District Ten. The final group sat close to that one and contained all the young tributes that were not already in a group. Both of District Nine's tributes, Kern and Tule, as well as Thea from District Ten.

"They won't remain like that forever." Thresh's deep voice caught me off guard. I turned my head to look in his direction, "Our mentors explained it to us last night. Allies will form here, but they won't remain that way forever. Most will be gone before the first half hour of the Games are over."

Rue and Peeta both reacted to those words. Rue had stopped eating and was looking down at her stew while Peeta's eyes were on me, the expression of worry on his face. We all knew what would happen in just two days, but we had tried to not let it affect us. Thresh was the kind of guy who, even when thinking about it, the weight of what would happen didn't faze him.

"Lunch is over!" Atala called, ordering us to return to the gym. Inside were the green stations were set up were four idental courses, "Welcome back tributes, this will be your final compulsory course and, in my opinion, the most important. Before you are four similarly built stations. Each station can fit two tributes easily. You'll be sectioned off by district, each of you will have only fifteen minutes to build a fire and shelter while finding where the water canteen and box of crackers are located. Don't be discouraged if you can't complete this station. But I would suggest trying to find food and water and get a shelter partly set up before your time is done. Good luck."

And so the basic survival course began, up first were the Careers and District Three. All but one of the Careers failed to set up a shelter, three of them found the water canteen - though it would be hidden in a new spot for the next group - while all of them found the box of crackers. Not one of the Careers was able to start a fire. District Three did really well, both of them were able to set up a shelter, find food and water, and Cida was even able to start a fire.

The next two groups did similarly well as District Three, most of them found food or water, though not both. All of them were able to set up a good shelter and three - Fox, Jason and Saffie - had gotten a small fire going. After the second group it was my group's turn. I looked at the shelter they had given us, it was a simple one that wouldn't take me no more than five minutes to set up. I walked over undid the ropes and lifted the top hook on a branch nearby. Shelter; check.

Now for water and food. I looked around for anything that might hint at where water would be. Then I spotted it, a wet patch on the ground. I quickly walked over and pulled back the bushes to find a small pool with a canteen dangling for a hanger. Clever. I turned and saw tracks in the ground, animal tracks. I moved to where they trailed into another bush and found the box of crackers sitting on a board with a rabbit painted on it. I rolled my eyes and went back to my tent to start a small fire with two minutes to spare.

It was all so easy, but I understood why it was necessary. The trainers weren't interested in our skills of building shelters or finding water. This was to show that in order to survive this games you needed to complete the first three checks, the fire wasn't actually needed if anything it was a hindrance in the games, especially at night.

I walked out and waited for Peeta and Rue. To my surprise Thresh was already out, waiting in line for the jalin throwing. He had probably finished the same time I did. Rue was the next to exit followed by Peeta and then District Ten and Nine's tributes. While everyone headed to the different stations Diane and Trevor went in to begin their time in the station. I watched them enter as Rue pulled me and Peeta towards the weapon building station.

I didn't complain, it would be good to practice building knives and spears from vines, stones and branches. Just after the trainer had sent us to try and build a working knife on our own, I heard a smug sound from behind me. I sighed, I could tell exactly who it was before I even turned to see Clove standing with a bow in hand and Glimmer beside her. Both of them had smug looks on their annoying faces.

"Oh, hi," I said, trying to be polite to them, even if they were planning to kill me in the arena, "Were you going to try building weapons? I won't get in your way if you are." To emphasize my words I moved to allow them room to work if they needed the space.

Clove rolled her eyes and thrusted the bow at me, I backed up confused by her action until she explained herself, "Shoot an arrow at the target." She ordered quite smuggly.

I was amazed at both her rudeness and her order. I wasn't some servant who would do as told, I dropped my politeness then and there, "No. I've never shot a bow in my life. And I don't plan on giving you the satisfaction of seeing me fail." I lied smoothly, continuing to stare at her, dumbfounded.

"I know you're lying. I saw you at the knife throwing station yesterday. I've been throwing knives since I was six and I can tell when someone is overthrowing on purpose and you were. I think you're faking your aims." She pushed the bow into my hand again, "Shoot with this, prove that I'm wrong." She said pushing me towards the archery station.

I looked around, I knew I couldn't get out of this without a fight or by giving in to Clove's challenge. I wasn't about to get in trouble so I had to fake it somehow. As I walked, thinking about the problem I realized something. The bow's weight was off, it felt different from my bow back home. That would help, now I just had to look like I hadn't used a bow before in my life.

I thought back to when I was ten years old and my father had first taught me how to shoot. What had I done wrong that day?

I smirked internally and lifted the bow, wobbly my feet a bit before letting the arrow fly, almost hitting a trainer. Oh no, that wasn't good, "What do you think you're doing!" he yelled stroming up to us, glaring down at both me and Clove.

I gave him the bow, looking like I was afraid of him. I wasn't sure what to say until I heard a voice call out, "Clove forced Katniss to use the bow when she hasn't even had time to practice with one."

I turned to see Peeta, who was standing by the station his expression firm. The trainer soon looked even more disappointed, however it was mainly directed at Clove, "Kentwell. You knew the rules about weapon stations for yesterday and today. No tributes should wield any weapons unless a trainer has given them permission to." He extended his hand for the bow, which I gladly placed in his hand, "You're not allowed to practice at any of the purple, red, or white stations for the rest of the day. Now all of you, back to training!" He yelled and returned to helping two tributes with their weapons.

Clove glared at me and Peeta, "You'll regret this." She said, though I wasn't quite sure who she was threatening with those words.

Peeta walked up to me, placing a hand on my shoulder, "Why don't we practice some rope climbing?" He suggested, tilting his head to a station that had four hammock like ropes hanging from a ten foot tall pole.

I nodded, getting in line with him behind me. It wasn't too difficult, climb the ropes to the top and climb back down on one of the other ropes. It turned out to be much more difficult than it looked, I had almost fallen twice before reaching the top and climbing back down. Peeta wasn't so lucky. He had fallen right at the start.

I rushed over to check on him, before looking up to see Glimmer and Marvel snickering at him from an endurance course. Cato was with them, but he wasn't smiling, "Peeta. Throw that weight over there."

His expression was one of surprise and shock, obviously he had not seen the reaction from the Careers, "What?" He turned to look at the weights and then up where the Gamemakers were feasting, "No, Haymitch told us not to show our skills. You almost gave away your's with the bow. I can't make the same mistake."

I gave him a worried look, "Peeta, look over there." I said, tilting my head to where the Careers were, "They're looking at you like you're a piece of meat. Throw it." I said, before walking off to were Rue was; the fishing station. My eyes were pinned to Peeta though. He looked conflicted, turning to me and then to the Careers and finally to the weight.

The defeat in his eyes was noticeable from where I stood. He rose from the floor, eyes on the Careers as he walked defiantly over to the weights and picked up the largest one. I believe his struggle was a ruse because seconds after he lifted it, he had it thrown into the air hitting a target's head with deadly accuracy. Marvel and Glimmer, who had been snickering the entire time now, were shocked while Cato looked impressed. A trainer walked up to Peeta and patted him on the back.

I smiled as he made his way to the camouflage station one away from fishing, proud to see a grin on his own face.

Time seemed to fly by as Rue and I spent the next hour and a half building fish hooks, lures and nets. Once we had finished making a third net I looked around for Peeta, was he still at the camouflage station?

"Rue, how about you start practicing fishing while I go see how Peeta's doing?" Rue giggled a bit as she nodded in agreement. I knew this smart girl could tell there was something more than friendship between me and Peeta. I stepped into the station filled with boulders and trees to test camouflage on.

"Peeta?" I called, looking about the station, where was he? I jumped when one of the trees moved.

Peeta walked out from behind, covered in perfect wood camouflage, though his uniform gave him away, "Pretty good huh?"

"Yeah." I nodded, looking over the intricate detailing he added to his skin to make it more believable, "Decorating cakes in the bakery sure pays off." I muttered.

He handed me a paint brush, "Want to try it too?"

I shook my head, "No, I'll stick to pencil and paper. Besides, I prefer drawing clothes." I reminded him, looking over were Rue was fishing, using the small pool and animatronic fish to practice, "Come fish with us once you're done. You could use the knowledge if you can find me the first day."

He rolled his eyes, "Sure, just let me clean up." Within a few minutes all three of us were fishing, first with nets, which was pretty easy. The spears and rod we'd built were a bit harder to use, but we got the hang of it. It was actually enjoyable, even when we were identifying what fish were safe to eat.

To finish off the last day of real training, we decided to make hammocks, and with permission from our trainers, we lounged in them until the end of the day. Perfect way to finish a stressful day, in my opinion.