Sequel: Eyes Open ›
Status: Re-Post from when the server crashed
The Huntress
Chapter Five
I fell asleep quickly and for the first time I had a peaceful sleep not laced with my father’s death or my nightmare of losing the Hunger Games and dying by having my head bludgeoned to death. When I woke up, I knew today was the day I was going to prove to the Gamemakers that they should be about worried me. I got up to see that the training outfit was sitting on my bed already. I went over to shower to get all the extra things off my body and out of my hair. Once I was done with my shower, I put my hair into my famous side braid and changed into the outfit on my bed. I walked into the dining room to find that Gale wasn’t up yet and neither was Haymitch. I asked the avox boy standing next to the breakfast table if I could serve myself and he nodded his head yes. I made myself a plate and then sat down to eat it. I was about halfway done with my plate when Gale and Haymitch came in whispering to each other. When they saw me in the dining room they stopped talking.
“If you’re planning something you might as well tell me,” I said, “Unless we’re being coached separately now.”
“I was telling Haymitch you were going to hate his plan,” Gale said taking a seat next to me as we ate breakfast.
“Which is what?” I asked.
“You two have to follow each other around the training stations,” Haymitch said and I sighed.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I asked.
“I’m very sure and too bad you made your deal on the train sweetheart,” he said grinning and winking at me, “but you two should eat some more you won’t have lunch until late afternoon before your personal training sessions.”
I went and got a little bit more food and as I sat down Haymitch told us one thing that would help us in the long run.
“Make sure you both stay away from your strengths,” he said, “So you two better not touch a bow and arrow or a knife while you’re in front of the other tributes. Try some other things and make sure not to show off if you end up being good at the skill. The element of surprise is always an upper hand in the arena.”
We both nodded our heads and finished up. We headed to meet Effie and headed down below the training center where all the tributes would be training and we saw all the other tributes waiting on us. Gale and I walked over to the group and I could immediately feel the glare of the career tributes. One of the Gamemakers explained what we would be doing and if we needed a partner there was one to be provided and we were not allowed to fight each other. The Hunger Games had few rules but a tribute fighting another tribute before the Games was strictly forbidden. Once the Gamemaker was done, Gale looked at me and I looked at him.
“So where to first?” he asked.
“Oh look they travel together too,” Cato sneered and I saw Gale clench his teeth.
“So do you blondie,” I said smiling sweetly at Cato.
I could see his anger rise and he came up to me and towered over me, trying to intimidate me which actually made me laugh.
“What’s so funny?” he growled.
“You trying to scare me,” I smirked.
He growled and saw his hands ball into fists.
“Hit me,” I dared Cato, “You know you want to.”
Cato continued to glare at me and I smirked at him. It was Gale who had to pull me away and towards the Edible Plant Station to learn about the types of plants we could eat in the arena which gave me a hint as to what might be in the arena this year. No one but the Gamemakers really know what is going to be in the arena for the Games but I had a feeling it was going to be a type of woods setting if they were talking about edible plants I already knew about from years of hunting. As we finished that station, we went to the hand to hand combat station and Haymitch was right about Gale, he was a pretty good at hand to hand fighting. I guess he does have a great right hook looking at the nice shiner, the partner he fought now had.
“Nice right hook,” I said, “Looks like Haymitch was right about you.”
“What do you mean?” Gale asked confused as we went to the camouflage station.
“You’re good at hand to hand combat smart one,” I said smirking and shaking my head.
“And where’s that going to get me?” he asked and I rolled my eyes.
“You’d be surprised Gale,” I said, “We have no idea what we’re getting into. You might need to use hand to hand in the arena.”
While we were at the camouflage station, I learned that I was great at it. I don’t where that came from since my father only taught me how to shoot a bow and arrow and throw a knife for hunting purposes. For a second I thought it was from helping Peeta frost the cakes and cookies for his bakery. We visited a few more stations before lunch and while we were at the shelters station, Gale noticed we had someone following us.
“Looks like we have a friend,” Gale said lightly as we were trying to make a tent out materials I thought would never be sufficient.
I then lightly turned around to see the girl tribute from district 11 watching us as we made out tent. She reminded me a lot of Prim. She had to be no older that twelve and was very small and tiny. She had a darker skin color than Gale and I and I before the Games started, she had to be very skinny and it looked like she didn’t get a whole lot to eat at home. I smiled to her and she smiled back but it was a timid smile and that’s when I knew she was scared beyond belief. After we visited a few stations, Gale and I started to watch the other tributes. The career tributes were showing off like Haymitch said they would. Cato was throwing spears and using a sword like it was second nature to him. Clove, the girl tribute from District 2, was showing her ability to throw and use a knife. The other tributes, weren’t really paying attention to us but I could feel the stares of the Gamemakers.
“If you’re planning something you might as well tell me,” I said, “Unless we’re being coached separately now.”
“I was telling Haymitch you were going to hate his plan,” Gale said taking a seat next to me as we ate breakfast.
“Which is what?” I asked.
“You two have to follow each other around the training stations,” Haymitch said and I sighed.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I asked.
“I’m very sure and too bad you made your deal on the train sweetheart,” he said grinning and winking at me, “but you two should eat some more you won’t have lunch until late afternoon before your personal training sessions.”
I went and got a little bit more food and as I sat down Haymitch told us one thing that would help us in the long run.
“Make sure you both stay away from your strengths,” he said, “So you two better not touch a bow and arrow or a knife while you’re in front of the other tributes. Try some other things and make sure not to show off if you end up being good at the skill. The element of surprise is always an upper hand in the arena.”
We both nodded our heads and finished up. We headed to meet Effie and headed down below the training center where all the tributes would be training and we saw all the other tributes waiting on us. Gale and I walked over to the group and I could immediately feel the glare of the career tributes. One of the Gamemakers explained what we would be doing and if we needed a partner there was one to be provided and we were not allowed to fight each other. The Hunger Games had few rules but a tribute fighting another tribute before the Games was strictly forbidden. Once the Gamemaker was done, Gale looked at me and I looked at him.
“So where to first?” he asked.
“Oh look they travel together too,” Cato sneered and I saw Gale clench his teeth.
“So do you blondie,” I said smiling sweetly at Cato.
I could see his anger rise and he came up to me and towered over me, trying to intimidate me which actually made me laugh.
“What’s so funny?” he growled.
“You trying to scare me,” I smirked.
He growled and saw his hands ball into fists.
“Hit me,” I dared Cato, “You know you want to.”
Cato continued to glare at me and I smirked at him. It was Gale who had to pull me away and towards the Edible Plant Station to learn about the types of plants we could eat in the arena which gave me a hint as to what might be in the arena this year. No one but the Gamemakers really know what is going to be in the arena for the Games but I had a feeling it was going to be a type of woods setting if they were talking about edible plants I already knew about from years of hunting. As we finished that station, we went to the hand to hand combat station and Haymitch was right about Gale, he was a pretty good at hand to hand fighting. I guess he does have a great right hook looking at the nice shiner, the partner he fought now had.
“Nice right hook,” I said, “Looks like Haymitch was right about you.”
“What do you mean?” Gale asked confused as we went to the camouflage station.
“You’re good at hand to hand combat smart one,” I said smirking and shaking my head.
“And where’s that going to get me?” he asked and I rolled my eyes.
“You’d be surprised Gale,” I said, “We have no idea what we’re getting into. You might need to use hand to hand in the arena.”
While we were at the camouflage station, I learned that I was great at it. I don’t where that came from since my father only taught me how to shoot a bow and arrow and throw a knife for hunting purposes. For a second I thought it was from helping Peeta frost the cakes and cookies for his bakery. We visited a few more stations before lunch and while we were at the shelters station, Gale noticed we had someone following us.
“Looks like we have a friend,” Gale said lightly as we were trying to make a tent out materials I thought would never be sufficient.
I then lightly turned around to see the girl tribute from district 11 watching us as we made out tent. She reminded me a lot of Prim. She had to be no older that twelve and was very small and tiny. She had a darker skin color than Gale and I and I before the Games started, she had to be very skinny and it looked like she didn’t get a whole lot to eat at home. I smiled to her and she smiled back but it was a timid smile and that’s when I knew she was scared beyond belief. After we visited a few stations, Gale and I started to watch the other tributes. The career tributes were showing off like Haymitch said they would. Cato was throwing spears and using a sword like it was second nature to him. Clove, the girl tribute from District 2, was showing her ability to throw and use a knife. The other tributes, weren’t really paying attention to us but I could feel the stares of the Gamemakers.