Quick note: This story changes perspectives. At first it starts with Clove, then switches to Cato every other section. So I hope the divides help.

Reaping day

That's all it is today. A day to reap two crops out of thousands as "tributes", like the twin from – what book was it?

The Bible -- that's it.

Cain was the twin who picked a portion of his crops as a tribute to his God, Jehovah. However, his heart was not in his offerings, compared to his brother's blood sacrifice from his flock.

I wonder if this game is based off their story, seeing as Cain did kill his brother, Able.

"Clove!"

I am fully awakened. My brother's voice draws me from the bed and to my wardrobe; a quick change into a deep red shirt, grey pants, and my mother's dainty gold belt.

"Clove, get up! Reaping starts in an hour," my brother cries from the kitchen. I run down to shut him up. Claudius lounges peacefully, and since he is nineteen he is safe from being reaped.

"Dad left-"

"-Early, Claud. I know," I finish for him. "He does every reaping."

It's not like I would forget that our father is the mayor. I practically inhale my breakfast. I cannot tell if my brother is worried that I might be picked his year. He has trained me very well, just in case, but he never says that he hopes I will never have to use my skills.

I arrive early to get a good seat in the Seventeen-year-olds seating area. This is my year. I've trained hard enough and I know I can win. I wait as the seats fill up around me. My two friends, Salto and Parmec, kick the two nerdy kids next to me out of their seats and join me.

"You gonna volunteer, Cato?" asks Salto. "I sure as hell won't. Did you see who District 1 picked? That Marvel kid is scary."

"Yea, but so is Cato," Parmec adds. I punch him in the shoulder, but I agree to myself.

I'm bigger than both Salto, and Parmec. I've broken many students' bones.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!"

Our host, Orvo Dazzle, opens up the reaping and the mayor stands up to read about the Dark Days and the Treaty of Treason and all that boring crap. The two victors, male and female, sit silently. I forget the girls name; however the man is my uncle Curry. Our family does not talk to him much anymore.

"Happy Hunger Games! May the best tribute win!" Orvo says, his voice sounding annoyingly feminine, and the Capitol accent doesn't help either.

"Ladies first!"

Orvo dunks his black nailed fingers into a large glass bowl, and pulls out a name with no hesitation.

"Clover Ewood!"

I look over and see the mayor's daughter step up from the girl's seventeen section. She looks completely drained of color and someone annoyed. Once she steps onto the stage she yanks Orvo's microphone off of this shirt collar and says rather loudly, "My name is Clove, dumbass."

Now I'm not surprised that no one volunteered for her. She was never the one to make peppy, girly small talk at school with the sweet girls.

Orvo looks as if he is about to cry but readjusts his mic and goes for the boys. I don't realize whose name is pulled because I lunge forward to volunteer anyway. Salto and Parmec are wooping and cheering me on, slapping me in the back and pushing me into the aisle to walk up to the stage. Clove gives me a light handshake and turns away, not even acknowledging my existence. Well she would wouldn't she? The daughter of one of the wealthiest men in District 2; not even the doctors make as much money as him. Though I guess they wouldn't would they? Seeing as though there is a large abundance of them in our little medical district: Vets, dentist, surgeons. Whatever you need, we are all here. That's probably why a lot of District 2's have won the Games. We are already fit, healthy, and had all of our vaccinations for outside threats to the body.

However, threats to the body aren't the only thing you have to look out for.

We sit in the justice building. Only Clove's father visits both of us. Protocol I guess. I do not even get to see my baby sister Kimi. I'm going to miss that kid for a while. But I'll see her again soon, just as soon as I win. We get into a car and I look over at Clove.

She is so beautiful; she has such an ice-queen vibe about her. A blood-thirsty ice-queen. And I have to melt her.

"So Clove," I say. "Seeing as though we'll be together for a few weeks, we might as well get to know each other more."

Icy shifts only her eyes to look at me.

"So it is Cato is it?" she says dully. I nod and she turns back to the window. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her reflection in the mirror. A single tear trickles down her cheek. She will be easy to kill.

We watch the other reapings in the television that is in the car. The tall, dark boy from 11 looks like he could be a good ally if he doesn't become all protective about his female counterpart, a puny 12 year-old. She looks as if she could run quickly, but I can throw spears far so she should be easy.

"Anybody jump out at you, Clove?"

She shrugs and continues to stare out the window.

"Hey Clove," I say, trying to sound sensitive, someone she could confide in, just to learn her weak points. She locks her gaze with mine, and says nothing for a while.

"Look, Cato," she says, coldly. "You're probably thinking I'm being heartless. And in a way you are right. I don't want any friends. I've lost enough people to know how bad it hurts. I'm not trying to impress anyone back home, and I don't need the money. I just don't want to die a slow death."

I could help with that. But at the moment, I don't know what to say in response at first. How can I respond to something like that?

"Well," I start, "if you don't want to be friends, then how about allies?"

This catches her off guard. She opens her mouth to protest, then simply nods and looks away.

Again.

"Maybe."

Author's Note: Yes I know Clove's part was small, but I wanted to get into Cato's head a bit more. Make Clove a bit more of a hard character to break. Please please please review.