Katniss's Daughter

Chapter 5:

at breakfast before training i tease Hunter because in the parade everyone was cheering my name and pretty much ignoring him entirley. makes sense to me. im pretty and hes......blech!

"do you two have any strageties worked out?" Haymitch asks. last night i found Haymitch was a victor too, and my parents mentors in both games they were in.

"i do." all eyes go to me since i sounded so confident. "im gonna kill him and win." i state nonchalantly glaring at Hunter. 

"wow.....that seems rude." Effie mutters.

"whatever. just make sure to show off in training. Sophia? are you anything like your mother with a bow?" Haymitch asks me.

"shes pretty good." mom says.

"but i only ever kill animals! not PEOPLE!" i growl at her, giving out another harsh look.

"what can you do boy?" he asks Hunter.

"i hunt with my dad. but i can only really use snares." he admits. i just scoff and lean back with a mug of hot chocolate.

"well then let me rephrase this. Sophia, show the hell off. get allies. Hunter. just dont look weak, try some stuff out." he says.

"why are you helping him? he has no chance. im just gonna kill him anyway." i say matter-of-factly.

Hunter just rolls his eyes and Haymitch laughs.

"i swear its like the spitting image of Katniss!" he laughs. of course this brings my mother to glare at him and if looks could kill Haymitch would be dead on the floor by now.

"just go down to training already." dad practically begs in a whiny voice.

***

i walk into the gym confidently while Hunter is visibly shaking and nervous.

i tune out Atala as she explains all of the stations and take my time looking at all the weapons, planning how i should kill Hunter.

then i see the bows. silver and shimmering like they're just waiting for me to get my hands on them.

Atala dismisses us to start training and immediatley a girl comes up to me.

"Hey Mellark." she says holding out her hand for me to shake.

i do so and give her look that says who the hell are you and what do you want?

"i'm Bethany. District 1. you lookin for allies?" she comes right out with it.

"depends, what can you do?" i say skeptically.

she smirks grabbing a spear and landing it perfectly on the bullseye.

"okay. i'm in. talk to you at lunch. right now i have business to take care of." i say grinning.

i walk over to the bow confidently. i turn it over in my hands and cant help but smile.

knowing who my parents are, when i pick up a bow, people immediatley watch to see what i do.

the targets are too easy fo me. there is a target across the gym at the knife station and i aim at it, letting my arrow fly.

perfect bullseye.

some people gasp and others applaud lightly. the trainer starts to throw little fake birds up in the air and i get every single one straight through its eye. i manage to hit sevenin a row in less then 5 seconds and all eyes are now on me.

in a rapid fire i hit every bullseye in the room in under 15 seconds and when i put the bow back in the holder almost every other tribute is running up to me.

im overwhelmed and people start calling my name and i motion for them all to back up a little bit.

"one at a time please?" i say rudely. "talk to my mentors i'll figure it out later!" i say walking off.

i start practicing with a knife or two when the guy from District 2, Makko, comes up to me.

"Sophia right?" he asks kindly.

i nod and h joins me grabbing a very large knife and throwing it.

"your amazing!" he blurts out. i look at him and hs face is red. "with a bow!" he says, covering for himself.

"what are you getting at?" i ask laughing and flicking another knife towards the target.

"i like you. i want you as an ally. if thats okay with you?" he says in a gentle yet sweet tone.

"maybe." i start. "i already have the girl from 1. why dont you come up to the roof with me later?" i suggest crap why did i say that. he blushes and i draw a blank. "you know...talk strategies?" i say hiding my own blush as well.

"sure." he says with a smile. i smile back and we start throwing more knives. "here let me help you." he says softly.

he puts his hand over mine and stands right behind me, giuding my fingers. i feel warm with his hand around mine and i smile.

" now flick it." he says gently. he guides my arm with his and its a perfect hit.

"thanks." i say letting my mouth turn up into a little smirk.

"here try a bigger one." he says positioning my hand again. but this time he puts his other arm around my waist. i feel butterflies in my stomach and i think he sees me blush because he smiles.

"like this." i say like a little schoolgirl.

"perfect." he says. the knife had already left my hand but we just stay like that for a while. his arms are warm and strong and i feel safe in them.

"allies?" i ask softly. he nods and laughs a tiny bit.

the oment is only ruined by the announcement of lunch time being called out.

"see you later." i say waving to him as we go to leave.

***

"so what up with you and 2?" Bethany asks me at lunch.

"i dont really know...." i say thinking.

"do you like him?" she asks drawing me out of my trance like state.

"yeah...i think i do." i say smiling more to myself than her.

"you do realize only one person can survive. right?" she asks blatantly.

"i know....that doesnt mean i cant like him though..." i pout a little.

Bethany is tall. shes my age with green eyes and long blonde hair. shes really pretty and reminds me of the district 1 girl from the 74th games my parents were in.

i see Makko smile at me. i smile back and look doown quickly to hide the lovely shade of red on my face.

"so what do you think the arena will look like." she asks.

"i dot know really. if theres water i can swim well. if theres a forest i can climb trees. if its desert or tundra then everyone is screwed anyways. so i guess it really doesnt matter to me." i explain.

we talk strageties some more but all i can think about is the rooftop tonight with Makko.