Kaci Tera (District 6)

Kaci Tera (pronounced Kay-see Terra) hit her growth spurt early on and hasn't grown more than an inch since her fifteenth birthday. Seemingly stuck at almost 5"4, Kaci's accepted that her height is a fact and, like all facts, will never change. Her weight, although it fluctuates more, is rarely far from 103 pounds. Due to this petite build, Kaci certainly couldn't be described as strong or muscled and has a fragile body, as if a strong breeze could knock her over.

In appearance, Kaci bares a strong resemblance to her mother, the late Lilly Terra. They both had the same dark brown hair although it can appear black in some lighting - a trait that their almost-ebony eyes share. Kaci keeps her hair long but practically arranged. Although she has been known to let it fall loose when she feels like it, when she's working she keeps it tied back or braided.

Clothes are, in Kaci's mind at least, useful only to attract the opposite sex or warmth and comfort. Due to a large lack of interest in the former of these three, Kaci's clothing choices rely heavily on the latter two. She like boots best, or trainers for her feet and always make sure to wear a comfortable pair of socks. A randomly chosen top and jeans are her most common choice and the only sentimental thing she wears is the huge multicoloured coat - a present from her grandma - which she takes with her whenever she leaves the house.

Kaci's personality could be described easily in five words. Either: Blunt/untactful, cold, nerdy, stubborn and proud or, if the person describing her was her friend: honest, calm, intelligent, strong-willed and independent.

The first thing someone would notice when talking to her would normally be her direct, frankness when speaking. She has no time for the many subtleties of politeness and says what she's going to say without beating around the bush. She's neither modest nor boastful but can get annoyed when someone compliments her on something she knows she's not good at. Kaci has never lied in her life - not even once - and prefers to give a blunt, truthful answer to a lie or misleading answer. She also has no sense of tact and finds it hard to comfort others or break news gently.

Kaci also has an almost-unnerving way of never appearing to get worked up. Although, on the inside, she might be a complete mess, she goes on what she calls 'autopilot' where she continues talking and acting normal without really paying attention to what's going on. She can keep this up for weeks and, after her mother's death, stayed like this for almost an entire month without anyone realizing she was even the slightest bit upset.

Like most people in her district, Kaci is clever. She enjoys studying and spends time reading books on random subjects simply because she can. Although her memory isn't perfect, she has trained herself to be able to memorize whole sections of text and be able to recite them off by heart which she often does to prove a point. She has no qualms with using her intelligence to best someone in an argument and if someone makes a mistake in something they say she's the first to correct them.

Kaci also has a defiant side and refuses to do anything without wanting to. No matter who gives her the order, unless she can see a point in obeying then she won't and nothing can change her mind. If she was threatened or blackmailed - no matter what the threat was - she would do the exact opposite of the demand just to prove that no-one can force her to do anything. Kaci has a strong sense of honour though, and refuses to either lie, tell a secret or break a promise no matter the consequences. Even if it means breaking the law.

Kaci refuses to ask for help from another for the simple reason that she's too proud. She refuses to be seen as helpless and hates being dependant on others. That said, she actually enjoys helping others and is always willing to listen to both sides of an argument before taking a side. Although she's generally reasonable, she wouldn't change her side even if she found out they were in the wrong.

Born to a middle-class family in the district, Kaci grew up with two elder siblings and three younger ones. They were a happy family and, with both parents working as doctors, the money certainly wasn't bad. Kaci got on best with her older brother, Sam. Although they were only half-siblings (their mother had married Kaci's dad after her old husband had died), Kaci hero-worshipped him and took to following the boy around as soon as she could toddle. He was remarkably kind to her and, instead of telling her to go away, read stories to her and played whatever childish games her innocent mind could devise.

It was when she was ten and Sam was thirteen that her life shattered. Like the rest of her family, she understood the hunger games but wasn't really that concerned about them. It seemed too distant from her - it would never happen to anyone she cared about. But she was wrong in all the worst ways. He wasn't just chosen, he volunteered. When Kaci's second-oldest brother, a twelve year old named Adam was selected randomly, Sam leapt at the chance to defend his sibling and did so, despite being barely a year older. To Kaci's own horror, she found herself often wishing that Sam hadn't volunteered and that it had been Adam to die in a horrible, painful way in the arena. It was at that moment, as she watched her brother screaming her name as he died on live TV, that she swore never to be that helpless. That she would live her own life and not die for some sadistic capitol person's pleasure.

It wasn't Kaci who was effected most though, it was their mother. Sam had been her favourite child and, even though none of her other children were ever jealous, everyone knew it. Three days after Sam's painful death, Lilly Terra took twelve pills - carefully counted for maximum effect - and let herself fall to sleep for the last time. It was a peaceful way to go.

Coupled with her brother's death, Kaci's family was pretty much destroyed after her mother's passed away. Adam blamed himself, Kaci's dad turned to drink for a few days and this left Kaci as the oldest 'sensible' member of the household. She managed quite well for her age in the five days it took for her dad to get a grip and sober up. Once he did, the job of household leader passed on to him and Kaci was allowed time to relax and mourn in her own way - remembering.

As she grew older, Kaci started to spend less and less time around people. She preferred a good book and walk outside than listening to her younger siblings screeching and complaining. The only family member she spends a lot of time with is Adam who is teaching her how to fight without a weapon. Adam - after losing Sam - is almost obsessed with his siblings learning how to defend themselves if they get caught in the games without a weapon and so trains her every week.

Hope it's ok I was going to add another section but...I chickened out - didn't know how to add a codeword in a made-by-me app.