Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
__________________________________
TW! the following scenes could contain some content that could trigger the reader, such as mentions of abuse.
THE MORNING AFTER THE PARADE, ARES found himself in the training center, surrounded by the other tributes. The Capitol had spared no expense in building this facility; it was stocked with every kind of weapon, obstacle, and station designed to prepare them for the horrors that awaited in the arena. The cold, sterile air hummed with tension. Twenty-four tributes, some already sizing each other up, moved between stations, practicing with knives, swords, or simply working on their strength and agility.
Ares stood at the edge of the room, his arms crossed, watching silently as the Careers—the tributes from Districts 1 and 2—gathered in the center, already forming a tight group. They laughed together, exuding confidence. Their physical prowess was clear, and everyone in the room knew it. The Careers were always the ones to beat.
His eyes drifted to Caden again. The boy was practicing with a spear, moving with deadly precision. His fluid movements, easy charm, and powerful frame made him look like a natural leader. By his side, Clove, the other District 2 tribute, was sharpening a set of knives, her focus razor-sharp. She was smaller than the others, but her size was deceptive—Ares had seen her throw those knives with deadly accuracy.
Katniss was on the other side of the room, trying her hand at the archery station. Her aim was good, even great, but she kept to herself, avoiding the attention of the other tributes. Ares understood her strategy. It was smart to stay out of the spotlight for now, to observe and assess. That was what he was doing too.
But his gaze kept coming back to Caden, the Career who had a charm Ares couldn't shake. He hated to admit it, but the boy was magnetic. That charisma would help him win sponsors, and possibly allies. Ares wasn't foolish enough to think he could survive the arena without help, but aligning with someone like Caden meant putting himself at risk. Careers had a habit of turning on their so-called allies the moment it suited them.
"Ares, right?" A voice interrupted his thoughts, and Ares turned to see Caden standing before him, twirling the spear in his hand with a practiced ease. "You looked a little lost in thought there."
Ares narrowed his eyes, keeping his guard up. "Just watching." He mumbled.
Caden flashed that same confident smile. "Smart. You can learn a lot from watching. Though I gotta say, if you're gonna survive, you'll need more than observation skills."
Ares glanced over Caden's shoulder, where Clove was still practicing her knife-throwing. Glimmer, the Career from District 1, was speaking to her, the two of them looking like they were already planning strategies. The Careers were efficient—dangerous, but efficient.
"I don't need advice from you," Ares said flatly, though his words lacked bite. Something about Caden made it hard to remain completely hostile, even though Ares knew he should be.
