Breathe You In [River/Xavier/Amberly/Sarina]

Faces were everywhere here in the training center. A cacophony of personalities ranging from the softest of boys to the maliced intentions of the gamemakers poised on top of the viewing area. Although their eyes were probably trained to look out for the careers and those that they deemed to be true competition, I was busy showing them all the respect the deserved with my finger shoved in their direction in passing. "One day, you'll be where we are."

That was a promise I wouldn't be around to make sure happened, sadly.

A sea of weaponry littered the room in various locations and stations. Each one of them looked inviting to try but should I even bother or work on only one certain skill. Perfection or a jack of trades would alter any chances that my life would come out of this thing alive. So, I gazed upon the bow and the arrow. Curiosity befell upon me. Never before has my skin graced the presence of the string between my fingertips or the strength it took to pull it against my cheek. The breath between the pull and release. My heart somehow yearned for it without telling me why. It was a gorgeous piece of weaponry, ancient, I'm sure, but deadly nonetheless and I wouldn't have to be within proximity of a tribute to surprise the hell out of them.

A maliced grin shaped my fate as I picked it up and got some instruction from the trainer. A few tries were given to me and with the plucking of the string against the end of the arrow, I watched as an art was being created right in front of me. Soaring heart, I found what I loved. The idea of the design and the weight of it was so easy to carry - so easy to conceal if needed. There wasn't anything bulky to carry or worry that someone else could easily use it should it fall into the wrong hands.

"Thanks." I murmur to the trainer, shooing him off. I spent another hour with it before a tribute came up. Her voice sauntered into my space as I turned with my eyes first wondering if she was lost or if she truly wanted to chat -

"Up for some friendly competition, Ten?" I guess she wants to compete before we even get into the arena. I shift my gait, turning to meet her face to face, sizing her up. Intimidating, she was trying to be. I recall her only slightly from the district she was from. Another low lying district just the same as myself. Might be why she's brave enough to talk to me.

"Afraid of the careers? Or just really wanna be matched against someone more your skill?" The bite from my words are followed by a chuckle and a set of rules. A special eye roll comes all too quaintly for this girl with a shrug. "Sure. Why the hell not. I'm down. Don't go getting dusty eye'd when you lose. Got it?"

While I repack my arrows, I watched her take to the axe. A curious raise in my brows sent a chill down my spine when she threw it landing just short of a bullseye. "Nice work, Nine? Working with a bigger weapon and you'll almost always land a good hit. Don't judge me though. I only just found my calling."

I step up as my turn emerges and two more are asked to join in. "Yeah, join us. Who knows, maybe we'll become lifelong friends - however long it lasts."

I take aim, a little shaky with the eyes that bore into my soul - waiting.

THUMP

"I guess that's three points. Your turn." I lower my bow and step back.

She was truly out of her element. Sarina had only ever held kitchen knives, which were of course for cutting and not for stabbing, so why she had chosen to train with a sword was truly beyond her.

Her fingers clumsily wrapped around the hilt once more as she swung at the dummy. The blade nicked at the dummy's shoulder then bounced back, causing Sarina to lose her footing and stumble back. "Mierda," she swore, gripping the sword tighter. The trainer had implored her to only use one hand, as it would be easier, but the uneven weight distribution only made Sarina feel more off-balance than she already was.

Guess sword-fighting won't be in my favor, she thought, returning the sword to where it hung on the rack. The sound of foam colliding with metal caught her attention, and she turned to see what appeared to be some tributes gearing up to have a target competition. Her eyes lingered as the girl - from Nine, maybe? - nicked the target with ease. The girl looked in Sarina's direction and remarked, "You two are welcome to give it a try, too."

A denial danced on Sarina's tongue, but she thought of her struggles with the sword and decided it would be best to try something new, anyway. Besides, she thought, I don't want them to think I'm an easy target. The thought sent chills down her spine as she made her way over to a rack full of spears and selected one from the edge. It was definitely lighter than a sword.

Sarina shook out her arms before taking aim with the spear, attempting to mimic the stance that she had seen one of the trainers make. Her left eye squinted as she aimed at the target, and then she let it fly. The spear sailed through the air and embedded itself directly in the center of the target, and Sarina felt her heart leap with surprise.

She cast a look at the other tributes, attempting to conceal her bewilderedness with a smirk. "Beat that, pendejos."

"Name's River. What should I be calling you? I feel like just calling you 'Ten' could get a bit annoying,"

She was right in one fashion. I have a name and personally, I'd prefer my last name to be the one that people use. The Angevin's deserved to be noticed and after these games, it'll be a household name again. Though this girl, wanted something in response. I grinned immediately.

"You can keep callin me a ten. Afterall, that's what I am." My head shakes with ease. "Amberly Angevin, but call me Angevin."

After my shot, I felt pretty smooth especially when the next kid went and scored lower than the two of us. There wasn't much competition with this boy, but for some reason, I liked him already and he was River's district partner. I only wish my district partner was as acustomed to staying close to home as they were. A twinge of anger ignited. I guess it was for the better though, not gettin attached to someone like that from home where it could ultimately end in one of us fighting each other. I shrug as the other girl comes to take her shot.

My mouth drops in surprise though as the spear lands so easily through the bullseye and I slowly turn my head in her direction. "Well, hot damn chika. You're not half bad. You can stand by me in battle, dead eye." A light punch to her arm is given as River's turn comes back to her. My gaze falls upon this girl and I knew for a fact she was an Izar and my interest piqued and my wonder about her district partner comes out.

My attention is directed immediately when I watch River miss suddenly. I belt out in laughter. "Wow.. you did so good a moment ago, River. What happened?" I questioned her and brushed passed her once again and looked to the other two.

"Names?" I take aim with my bow, line up the shot and let the air enter my lungs calminly. The feel of the string touches my chin, my heart pacing my breath. A moment later, the arrow released into the air and once again, smacks against the target, almost dead on to the other arrow's location. Lowering my bow, I shrug. "Gotta give me props - at least consistency is something I can be adored for, right?"

I wave my bow in front of me for the boy to go again in mock gesture of a gentleman. "Ladies?" I tease.

The blood was still buzzing in her ears as she watched the girl from Nine - River - step up again, her axe whizzing narrowly by the target.

"Nice shot, Izar. I wouldn’t have expected that from someone like you."

Sarina tightened her jaw, turning her head away from the other three. Someone like her? She knew River meant it as a compliment, but it only set her stomach churning. What kind of person would she need to be to miss or stick the landing? Who would she have to become to always be on target? She wasn’t a Career - none of them were. The sound of metal hitting foam would sound nothing like metal hitting flesh and bone.

She drew in a shaky breath, repositioning herself behind the boy from Nine who still hadn’t introduced himself. The knife glided out of his hand and into the edge of the target, and he stepped back with a nod to Sarina. She reached out and selected another spear, pondering what she had done to make it fly the first time. Loose grip, definitely. I think my shoulders were positioned a certain way. I see better out of this eye-

Sarina wavered a bit before launching the spear across the room again, watching the head bury itself in the egg yolk of the target. This time, she let out a surprised laugh, a grin crossing her face. Guess I’m pretty good. What did Amberly call me? Dead eye?

She looked back over her shoulder at the other three - were they her allies? They certainly weren’t her friends, but maybe they wouldn’t want to kill her first anymore.

"Clearly, River already knows who I am. Or at least where I come from," she said. "I’m Sarina Izar."

She extended a hand in greeting.

Watching the arrow soar into the target once again, almost directly beside the last gave me such hope. This little bow and arrow was part of something bigger for me. It was a treasure I'd never had known until I placed my hand upon the wooden bow or felt the arrow between my fingers. A sort of connection had been felt, almost more of a confidence boost when I noticed the aim of my own settled between our group and they could see my newest skill coming out. I stepped back and allowed the boy to go forth once more. His throws needed work. His stance was wobbly and he seemed taken aback and scared; nervous.

And he didn't seem to want to talk at all. "Such a quiet little squeak, you are." I mention, monotoned and watching him take his turn. He nearly misses and I have to bite my tongue so I do not cause him to challenge me once we are in the arena. My vision saunters to Sarina with a grin too big to hide.

"Good job, Squeaker. Least you hit the board." I taunt with a grin and the turn passes on still.

Sarina's the one I'm watching for. Such a sly little devil who seemed to not know what she was doign until the moment she threw the first pitch. Aimed her weapon dead on and not once, but twice hit it dead on. I was right about her a moment ago when I delcared her a deadeye. She perfected the throw again, landing just a hair from her first throw. Raised eyebrows and a cocky grin, I begin to clap for the lower district Izar.

"Dead eye, I think you and I are going to be the backbone of this little lethal quartet we have going on. One more to go, do you think you can do it again?" The words pass by with a slither as River takes her final turn in our three rounds.

She seems to notice the boy's inability to chat it up with us three girls and declares his name aloud. So, we have it all now. Sarina, River and Xavier and an Angevin to battle together.

"Xavier. It's nice to meet you, but I like Squeaks better." The axe in River's hand steady's and I lean back to watch her shot. Her arm tightens around the hilt of the axe, her fingers tense and the moment it releases, the aim is completely off, but it smacks into the target nontheless. My words are gone, but I tally the total in my head.

"So that's five points for you. I'm at six. Xavier is three and dead eye is sitting happily at the top with ten. I think I know how this little competition is about to pan out. Let's see if I can even match my toughest opponent. Who knows, maybe you'll miss next. I'd love a bonus round with ya."

So my bow tightens in my hands as I steady it. My attention fully away from the other three. As it seems, points aside, I've had two shots with the mediocre middle scoring. Not high nor low but only this last time will tell me if I'll either improve or regress. My heart flutters like a butterflies wing. My feet spaced apart and I stare at the target.

I draw the string.

It touches my lip and then in a moment -

Thwack!

The tip of the arrow just narrowly misses the bullseye and I find my voice has belted out with a horrific sound of defeat. "Damnit! So close!" I feel my face flush and I turn back to the group in a less than pleased manner.

"Squeaks. You're up." I squeeze the bow. I was so damn close!