the girl who played with knives || clato ✔️

16

Cato

"Good morning, tributes. My name is Atala." Some of the tributes mumble hellos. "In a matter of days, twenty-three of you will be dead. One will be alive. Who that is depends on how well you pay attention over the next three days, particularly to what I'm about to say. Experts in each skill will remain at their stations throughout training. You will be free to travel from area to area as you choose, per your mentor's instruction."

I glance at Clove. Over breakfast, Lav and Mortar simply told us to stick to what we're good at, maybe pick up a few new skills.

"Some of the stations teach survival skills, others fighting techniques. My advice is don't ignore the survival skills. Everybody wants to grab a sword, but most of you will die from natural causes. 10% from infection, 20% from dehydration. Exposure can kill as easily as a knife." That's not uncommon knowledge I guess, but Clove and I's mentors seemed completely unconcerned about it. Probably they assume we'll take over the Cornucopia at the start of the Games, which will contain everything we need to survive. "You are strictly forbidden to engage in any combative exercises with another tribute. There are assistants on hand if you want to practice with a partner."

Atala takes a list of the stations from her pocket and begins to read them off, but I'm not paying any attention. I'm thinking about my fellow tributes. I glance around, making a mental list of who to look out for. The tributes from 3 for their brains. Several for their brawn. The boy from 11, the boy from 8. Some of them simply for their status. Which ones will have good sponsors? Certainly the tributes from 12, since they made such a splash at the Tribute Parade.

I'm not sure if Glimmer and Marvel are a threat, but I don't feel safe with them. I trust Marina and Jonah. Jonah, who I'll have to kill. Now is not the time to worry about that though. At the moment, Atala has just released us, and Glimmer is stressing about how we must appear to the other, in her opinion weaker, tributes.

"Eleven over there doesn't look weaker," Clove points out. I can see a flicker of fear in her eyes.

"The boy? Well, why don't we go find out?" Glimmer asks.

"That may be a questionable idea," Marvel says. "He doesn't look too friendly." He really doesn't. He's looking around with kind of a permanent glare on his face.

"Look, we need to build our army. And if Four isn't even with us, then we'll need to branch out a bit," Glimmer says.

"I guess it is better to have him with us rather than against us," I say slowly, weighing the pros and cons.

"You're agreeing with her?" Clove snaps. She looks a little freaked.

"I agree with the idea; I don't care who had it."

"Let's take a vote," says Marina, coming up behind us.

"Finally showed up, eh?" Glimmer says impatiently.

"I vote against," Clove says kurtly.

"I vote for," says Glimmer.

"I do too," says Marvel. "I agree with Cato's logic."

"I'm for. He could be useful... but we leave him if he causes trouble," I say. People nod. "Marina?"

"The votes are already for allying with him no matter what I say, so I guess that's that," Marina says matter-of-factly, tightening her ponytail.

"Jonah doesn't get a say?" Clove glances to where he's setting up a snare. There's silence for a moment. Marvel glances at Glimmer, Glimmer glances at me, I glance at Marina, Marina glances at Clove.