Stars | Cato Hadley

Chapter Five

It was eight-thirty in the morning when Wren finally got a bowl of cereal. Serena was going on and on about how the tributes have these next two days of training; then fifteen minutes of individual practice, and the next day they have individual scoring. Once she was done with the training rant she started talking about the interviews and how they had to look their best. Wren wasn't looking forward to wearing a fancy dress. Growing up around animals and mud made the girl despise the Capital's clothing choices.

At nine o'clock the four tributes from District Ten were in the training room. Evelyn and Edwin made their way to the learning center part, most of the younger tributes went there and learned about everything in the room. That station took up half of the training time. Roman had found the Careers and began talking with Marvel about spears, while Wren had walked over to the fire starting station. The stubborn girl wasn't going into the games without having the skills of fire-making.

The twig sat in the same hole of the log as the last time she was there. She slowly began to pick up the speed as she subconsciously moved her hand too low. A girl with a low braid and grey eyes sat on the opposite side of Wren.

"Hi, I'm-" Wren cut her off.

"Katniss Everdeen- I know. I saw you volunteer for your sister. That was very brave of you." Wren said looking Katniss in the eyes. "Ouch!" The shorter brunette yelped as a spark from her poorly made fire hit her hand. Katniss chuckled.

"And that's why we pay attention when we make fires," she partly joked.

"That's why all eyes were on you at the tribute parade. You guys looked incredible," Wren said in all seriousness. Katniss stood up, as did Wren.

"Thank you. My stylist- Cinna, is really good at his job. You should meet him before the-" a loud thud from across the room interrupted her. Peeta Mellark, Katniss' District partner, had fallen from the rope obstacle course. The Careers had begun laughing at him. Wren shot them a nasty glare before looking at Katniss.

"Go. Go help him." Katniss looked at her before running to Peeta. Whispering something to the blond boy and moments after he limped over to the weights. Wren was surprised when he lifted one that was one hundred pounds. Hobbling over to an area Peeta swung the weight and let go. It landed on a rack next to Marvel. The Careers stopped laughing. Wren smirked at the nods the Careers gave to Peeta- even Roman had an impressed look on his face.

Peeta, still limping, made his way to the camouflage station; Katniss followed quickly after. Wren kept glancing at the pair as they painted and talked- Peeta painted, Katniss talked. The shorter brunette girl made her way to the two from twelve. Peeta noticed her appearance as he set down his paintbrush.

"Hello," he greeted her. Wren gave a shy wave. Peeta lifted his arm and pressed it to the fake tree beside him. His arm disappeared and Wren's eye widened.

"How? Where did you learn to do that?" Wren asked him. Peeta smiled, "My parents, back in twelve, own a bakery. I decorated the cakes." Peeta picked up the brush and showed the girl from ten how to mimic the bark. Katniss sat back and watched the two talk. The tall boy from two interrupted the conversation.

"Hey, Ten," Cato said. "I think it's time you showed me a couple of survival stations. Wren rolled her eyes. "Sorry Peeta, can we continue this conversation some other time?" The short, stocky boy nodded.

Once Cato and Wren moved on to the medical station Katniss took the opportunity to speak to Peeta about the hazel-eyed girl from District Ten.

"She's too nice Peeta," Katniss said.

"And what's wrong with that?" the boy asked.

"Being too nice gets you killed," she said half directing it at him. Peeta glared at her before returning to his work. The girl from twelve kept her eyes on Wren as she demonstrated how to bandage a wound.