Family Ties: The 35th Games

To my relief, she agrees, and even when she realizes that it's not just my brother and I, but the tributes from Ten as well, she still sticks around, though not without eyeing everyone suspiciously. And as much as it puts me on edge, I can't blame her. Given the circumstances, her suspicion and hesitation is probably more reasonable than any of us choosing to rely on each other.

Everyone introduces themselves on cue, but when she had told me she remembered everyone, she hadn't been kidding. Before anyone even finishes their introductions, she recites their name, district, and age back to them, just as she had with me. It's awkward, but I think we're all just impressed, more than anything. When I had been watching the Reaping reruns, I had been too anxious to remember anything besides a few notably scary faces, and a glance told me that that same thing was true for the others.

"Do you know all of that for everyone? Like the other trainees too?" Nathan asks, head cocking to the side.

"I have an eidetic memory," she answers blandly, picking at her food. "It's not hard."

We all fall into comfortable conversation after that, taking time to eat our food, continuing to chat about our districts and lives like we had on the roof after the Parade, Breah still studying us all curiously as we do. It felt like she was trying to figure out what to make of us. What we were all doing together, and why. And I think Nathan picked up on that too.

"We've decided to be allies," he tells her quietly. "All of us, in the Arena. We have a better shot at living longer if we all work together, you know?"

"You can't all survive. You have to know that," Breah counters boldly. 

"We know," Mark says solemnly. "But that's true whether or not we work together."

"And if we team up at the start, then we can make it even farther," Addalie adds emphatically. Breah makes a small, noncommittal noise at that, turning her attention back to her food.

She's smart. I can tell she's smart. And, while healthily paranoid of the other tributes, and realistic about the circumstances, I know she can't be as much of a lone wolf as she's trying to posture-- she'd let me follow her around all morning, after all. So I take my turn, leaning in and trying to look her in the eye. "We could use someone like you," I say sincerely. 

Breah meets my gaze, considering me for a moment. Her eyes scan the other three briefly, but it's me she keeps coming back to. "You're right. You could," she finally says, leaning back in her chair. "I'll join you for the first few days, and then we part ways. We'll outlast most of the pack. I hardly want to stick around long enough for us all to have to start deciding who gets pushed off the island first." I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. It's a fair point-- reasonable. Not surprising coming from her. But her joining us, even temporarily, is a benefit, and we all know it. 

Nathan holds out his hand to her, and she takes it, shaking. "We'll take it. What about the boy from your district? Do you think he'd be interested in working with us too?"

Breah shakes her head, not even taking long to consider it. "No. Harvey is proud and arrogant. I knew him back home. Teamwork is not in his vocabulary. It's hardly a loss, though." She pauses to grimace. "He is weak. He has nothing to offer us."

There's a tense silence after she says that. It makes me wonder why she even joined us in the first place. Surely, if she considers him weak with nothing to offer, she must have thoughts about me being here. Why did she agree to work with us at all?

It's Mark who breaks the silence this time, still speaking to Breah. "You know all the tributes, right? You probably know more about them than we do. Pick up anything interesting?"

Breah takes a moment to organize her thoughts, tapping her fingers on the table thoughtfully. She's been with me all morning, I think-- she can't have possibly seen that much. But I am sorely mistaken. 

"District One's tributes are named Satin and Mahogany. Typical Career volunteers; all of the Careers are already acquainted. Satin seems much stronger than Mahogany is, but he seems much more skilled with weaponry. He spent most of the morning putting on a spectacle with all of them. I think the javelins are his favorite," she explains methodically.

"Vella, the girl from Two, is the youngest Career. Only sixteen. I don't think they think much of her; I get the impression she volunteered before she was ready. Too big of an ego. She is still a Career, though. She was tearing a path through sparring partners doing hand-to-hand combat. I think she's run out of trainers willing to fight her."

"The boy from Two's name is Dane. He hasn't put his sword down all morning." I glance over to the Career table, and Breah is right. The boy with blunt features and electric blue eyes is sitting with a sword nearby, even as he eats. It feels like a power play. Like even here, when we're all safe, he wants us all to know that we won't be for long.

"The girl from Four is their leader. Kelly. She's the smallest, and she doesn't seem like the strongest, but she's by far the smartest. She's cunning. I think she'll be the most dangerous of all-- Career training and that kind of mind are a lethal mix. She has some sort of knife fixation too; she was playing with them all morning. Hit a bullseye with every single one."

"What about the last one. The boy from Four?" Nathan asks when Breah doesn't bring him up.

"Jason," Breah answers. "I don't think he likes them very much. Kept to himself most of the morning. Even now, he's sitting with them, but not talking. If I had to wager, he's gathering intel. Probably wants to take them all out on his own."

"Ends up happening every year anyway, doesn't it?" Mark points out. "The Careers always self destruct and turn on each other. He might be the smartest, if he's figuring them all out early."

Breah shrugs, and then continues her analysis of the other tributes. "I think there are two other tributes that are worth keeping tabs on. Payla, from District Six-- she's the one who volunteered. And if I didn't know any better, I'd think she was a Career too. Real piece of work, that one."

"The Careers tried to recruit her, actually," Addalie pipes up. "I heard them when I went to go check out the spears-- she turned them down. Told them she wasn't their lapdog."

"I'm sure they liked that," Mark snorts.

"I doubt she cares either way," Breah answers, but gives him a knowing look. "It'll put a target on her back, but she's itching for a fight. She wants that. And she'll give them a run for their money; the spear instructor wasn't here this morning, so she made one of the hand-to-hand combat instructors fight her instead. Kicked his ass."

"Other one to watch, though, is Xavier from Seven. Looked pretty good with a hatchet, but I mean... lumber district and all. Probably has had practice," she recalls. "Something is going on between him and Sahra, the girl from his district. Every time I've seen him since getting to the Capitol, he's been yelling at her. I think they must know each other. He seems like he's going to be more dangerous to her than he will be to the rest of us but... still. He's talented. He'll be a threat."

Addalie shudders, and Nathan nods, processing all Breah has given us. "Do you think there's anyone else who will want to work with us? What about the tributes from Eight?"

"Georgie and Carter," Breah answers. "The girl, Georgie, is good with a sword. Saw her fighting a trainer earlier. She could give Dane a run for his money. She's kept to herself for the most part-- she'd be a good ally, but I have no idea if she'd be open to it or not."

"And Carter?" I prompt.

"He's clumsy. Saw him at a few stations. He's more a danger to himself than anyone else. Might have other skills that would be useful, but he's no fighter," she tells me.

We finish our lunches, mostly quiet after that. When Hassan orders us to get back to training, Mark tells me to let Breah go off on her own-- something about letting her scout in peace. I listen; I figure I'll be able to focus better if I'm not just watching her anyway, though I haven't a clue where I'm going to go next. 

Mark and Nathan make themselves scarce, and Addalie seems to notice I'm at a loss, so she smiles. "Hey, why don't you come with me?" she offers. "You haven't tried any of the weapons yet, right? Come try some of them out. Get a feel for what you like."

And with no better plan, I nod, following her over to the swords.