ANOTHER COG IN THE MURDER MACHINE | FINNICK ODAIR

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟹

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"Don't forget about survival skills," The head trainer tells all of us. "You can be great with weapons and die from something as simple as an infection or dehydration if you don't know how to take care of your body."

I nod slightly along with what they're saying, taking the Training Center's gymnasium in. There are a ton of stations for different types of weapons and then there's the survival stations– one that shows how to make different kinds of knots, one that displays plants on a large screen, one that teaches camouflage and so many others.

"A trainer will be positioned at each station to help you, and these trainers will also be available to spar with, as fighting between tributes before entering the arena is strictly forbidden."

I look over to the Career tributes. The girl from District 1– Emmeline, I think– looks bored out of her mind, like she's heard all of this a million times before. Maybe she has– I remember Dad telling me once that the Career Districts had training centers for kids to train in before they were even Reaped. The boys from 1 and 2 are quietly conversing with each other, grins on their faces like they're not going to be sent into an arena where they'll have to fight to the death.

"You're free to start training now. May the odds be ever in your favor."

People start to disperse to different stations, and Buck looks down at me– waiting for me.

"I'm going to go study plants first and get around to the survival stations, then I'll probably get some practice in with a few of the different kinds of weapons." I tell him.

He nods. "Alright. I'll be at the knife station if you need anything."

I salute him before walking over to the giant screen, looking down at the keyboard that shows a ton of different types of plants. Some I'm able to identify right away– dandelions, pond lilies, honeysuckle and clovers. All of those were edible.

I bite my tongue, clicking on one of the berries that looks like a darkened blueberry.

Nightlock, it reads. Not to be confused with a blueberry, nightlock takes on a darker shade and is poisonous if eaten. Rumors say that you will be dead before it even reaches your stomach.

Okay, so avoid nightlock at all costs.

Chickweed, found in temperate and arctic climates. Usually having small white flowers, the leaves can be eaten raw or boiled and are high in vitamins and minerals.

Green seaweed, found in oceans all over Panem. Rinse with fresh water if available and let it dry. Can be eaten raw.

Prickly pear cactus, found in deserts. The fruit of this plant looks like a red or purplish pear, and is edible. Remove the small spines on the outer skin before eating.

Queen Anne's Lace, or 'wild carrot'. The flowers, roots and fruit of this plant are all edible.

White snakeroot, a plant that looks somewhat similar to Queen Anne's Lace, is not edible. It has flat-topped clusters of small white flowers and contains a toxic alcohol known as trematol.

Avoid white snakeroot too, then.

Calendula. The leaves and petals can reduce inflammation caused by stings and the like, along with an antiseptic for infection.

I sigh, closing out of the station. That's enough for now– I didn't want to overload my brain with information right away. I turn away from the screen and look around the gymnasium, my eyes searching for the next station that I should go to.