kill for your love - the hunger games

(006) no-one is born evil

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KILL FOR YOUR LOVE.

act one.

(chapter six, no-one is born evil)

training centre, 72 ADD.

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THE INTERACTION WITH JOHANNA Mason surely did a number on Juniper's brain. It invaded her mind for reasons she couldn't explain. How could someone so young be so murderous? So angry? Yes, killing was part of the Hunger Games, but slaughtering over six people was cold-blooded. No-one was born evil, Juniper had always thought, but then she met Johanna Mason. Johanna Mason was the definition of the devil. And, apparently, her own tributes thought so too. 

"She's weird, our mentor," Cedar had whispered to Juniper on the second day of training. "I swear, she's a devil."

"Should you be bad mouthing your mentor?" Juniper asked. 

"Probably not." Cedar smirked. "But she doesn't like me and from the sounds of it, nor you."

Cedar and Ash, the pair from Seven, did not leave Juniper and Justice alone. They spent the entire time on the poisonous plants section on the first day and on the second, when the siblings moved to the fire-making, they followed. And it raised Juniper's suspicion.

"Why do you keep following us?" Juniper asked as she stared at the faint fire Cedar was trying to make. 

The girl shrugged as she said, "Because... you don't think anything of us."

"What?"

"Everyone else has these expectations, these thoughts of me and Ash because the last Victor came from our district," Cedar mumbled. "You don't. Or at least I don't think you do."

"I couldn't care less about you and Ash," Juniper told her. 

"Good." Cedar smiled slightly. "And mostly because I feel bad for you... I mean, only one comes out alive and I know you and Justice are planning to die in there... you two aren't very quiet."

"And why would you care if me and Just died?" Juniper asked, feeling her lips turn up a bit. "Less tributes for you to kill, Cedar."

"It is human instinct to care, Juniper," Cedar said. "Well... unless you're Johanna Mason."

And so, Cedar and Ash stayed with Juniper and Justice for the remaining training sessions. And, in a way, the Hale girl was glad that the two kept with them, for it made things much more enjoyable. If she was going to die in a few days, she'd rather have her withering moments laughing at Ash and Cedar's stupid jokes. 

But back with the District Ten team, tension was high. Juniper and Justice had wasted the entire second day at the fire-making with the pair from Seven and it caused both Brent and Nadine to be stressed out of their mind, the escort because she wanted them to get high scores in their individual evaluations so she could maintain a good reputation and the mentor because he wanted to beat the Careers'. So, just to keep the two in good spirits, Juniper and Justice both agreed to at least try when it came to the third day. 

The Hale girl had learnt some stuff from the survival stations, dipping into the knot-tying with Cedar until Ash suggested they try out some weapons. His female counterpart agreed immediately, but Justice looked at Juniper wearily.