Against All Odds

You got some spunk!

Ok so maybe you think that I know how to start conversations, but in reality I'm absolute shit at it.

"Nice knife skills," I tell Clove casually as I walk over.

"What do you want?" She snaps.

Well... She's real friendly, as you can probably see...

"Just coming over to practice a bit, anything wrong with that?" I ask, keeping my face calm but letting a sharp edge into my voice. Her eyes narrow.

"Well, alright then. Come on, 12! Let's see what you can do!" She grins.

"Alright..." I force my expression to remain neutral and calm, even though I know that I have literally had NO experience with throwing knives. I mean, back in my district, we chop things with knives, we don't throw them at things! Or people! But I imagine that it can't be too different from a bow. Clove smirks even more, and hands me the knife that she was about to throw. I take it coolly, and get ready.

I toss it hard, and as straight as I can manage. It hits the target straight in the center, but doesn't stick; it bounces of like rubber. Inside, I grimace.

"Well, let's go see where you hit, shall we?" Clove says with a grin.

I know that it hit the middle, the bulls-eye. It's similar to shooting a bow. You know when it hits its target where you intend it to. But just to humour her, i wall with her over to the target, where my knife has left an small nick/indent. Sure enough, it's on the center. Clove picks up the knife.

"Not bad for a slum rat from 12!" She smirks.

I can feel the white hot rage growing in me. It's one thing to insult me. But insulting my district takes it to a whole new level. It crosses the line completely. I glare. I guess when I'm mad I really can't think. I get something like verbal diarreah.

"Well we may be run down but at least we're not capitol lap dogs like you lot from district 2! We may be poor, but at least we have hearts! At least we can feel!" Oh shit... This is not good. Great. Of course, Katniss, you just HAD to blow up at her!! Great, now not only will she hate me, I'll be her first target in the bloodbath!! I suppose I can always blame Haymitch for this...

"Not bad, not bad! You got some spunk for a girl from district 12!" Clove spoke, to my surprise.

WTF why is she not mad at me?!

I can't help the grin that takes over my face. Haymitch isn't going to kill me!

"So, fire girl, what's your weapon?" Clove asks, raising her eyebrow.

"Ok first of all, my name isn't fire girl. Second, why the hell would I tell you my choice weapon?" I point out, cocking my brow back at her.

"Well, if you're good enough we'll let you in on the alliance!" Clove smirks.

"How about... No. Because based on the style you play, you'll make me show you my skills, then say that I'm not good enough."

"We're going to find out anyways, since we'll be watching you during the blood bath." Clove's smirk widens.

Thinking it over, I decide that I should probably tell her. Haymitch did tell me to use weapons more, so I could get some practice in, right?

"Fine, it's the bow," I confess.

Clove looks slightly surprised. "The bow? Well I sure as hell hope you can shoot better than glimmer, because she can't shoot for shit!"

"I like to think that I can shoot a bit better than her," I retort casually.

"Show me."

And that is how, a few minutes later, I end up with a shiny silver Capitol bow in my hands, and a very eager Clove at my behind my shoulder.

"Back off a little, will you? I can't shoot with you breathing over my shoulder!" I snap.

Clove backs away about a foot, leaving me with adequate room to feel comfortable. I raise the bow in preparation to shoot. But before I do, I quickly glance around, to make sure no one else is watching. Good.

I raise the bow again. This time, I aim at the target, and I don't even hesitate before releasing the arrow. I know it will hit. And it does. Right in the middle, a perfect bulls eye. I turn around with a grin.

Clove looks surprised. "Beginner's luck, do it again!"

I shoot more and more bulls-eyes, until every target in the archery arena is filled, and then I go back and shoot again, splitting my previous arrows down the middle perfectly. I lower the bow.

"Good enough for you?"

Her face is priceless. I smirk.

"Well, fire girl... Not bad! But let's see how you do with moving targets!" She smirks, thinking that she has the upper hand now. But I know that I can do it. I mean, heavens sake, I shoot birds at home. Much harder than a moving target!

Now, the targets are moving and clove is watching me challengingly.

I raise the bow. And I shoot. As anticipated, I have no problems hitting them just as well as I hit the previous. When all the targets are filled, I turn back around to Clove. I only have one arrow left.

Clove looks amazed. "Damn, you're good, fire girl!"

In a more serious tone, she says, "We want you in our alliance."

I blink. Seriously?

Immediately I feel another warning bell go off.

Noticing my untrustworthy look at her, Clove leans forward. "Cato, Marvel, and I have an agreement;we'll keep up the alliance until there are 5-6 tributes left besides us. Then, we split, and it's free for all."

Admittedly, it's a smart idea. So I suppose joining them wouldn't be any harm.

"Fine."

"GREAT! Now, let's introduce the newest member to the rest of the careers, shall we?" Clove smirks, seeming to like knowing something that they didn't.

She starts to drag me over to where Cato is wildly brandishing his sword, in a complicated routine. It looks really impressive. Not that I would ever let him have the satisfaction of hearing me say that. He looks up and his eyes narrow.

"What are you doing here?"