Ophelia had been changed out of the incredibly tight dress she had to practically peel from her body. She now wore tighter trousers with plenty of pockets and a white t-shirt. She had been sat on the sofa beside Gale waiting for Haymitch who hadn't seemed to take a drink since the night prior to the Avenue of Tributes, despite her jokes about the open flame. Ophelia hadn't mentioned it and she wouldn't though she'd noticed and it almost made her feel more confident in her chances.

Haymitch entered the room in a more comfortable outfit than the suit Effie had pestered him to wear earlier that very day.

When they'd been carted up to the top floor Ophelia had expected it to be rather bland but my goodness she'd never seen a place like this. It was certainly luxury that was for sure.

Haymitch reached for the remote turning on the very large television, "District one—" he turned to face the screen. The reaping played and she watched as a girl was selected only to be immediately replaced by the blonde who raised her hand quickly to volunteer. Glimmer her name was announced. She'd stood beside their announcer with her hands on her hips and a blinding smile. She was a career tribute though by looking at her Ophelia couldn't quite work out what her skill set would be. Before the name for a male had even been pulled someone had yelled out to volunteer. He strutted toward the stage fixing his sleeves confidently before waving at all his fellow teens. Cocky but brave perhaps. She couldn't be sure. Marvel had been this boys name. He seemed to have more muscle in the arms which led her to believe his preference would be knives, spears, swords or whatnot. Both the tributes looked to be older but she couldn't be sure.

Clearing his throat Haymitch would announce, "now for district two—these are the two you both should worry about" he played the tape and it started with a shorter female making her way onto the stage area, arms crossed and a wicked smirk. She was more than likely pretty agile. She looked confident as opposed to the cocky looking two from district one. Clove had been her name. She'd vaguely recognised the girl, she just couldn't place her then and there. She'd then watched a brunette boy be selected until again someone volunteered and that had been the moment she understood where she'd seen the girl. She'd seen her trying to get her partners attention while he'd been staring at Ophelia. The blonde appeared from the crowd making his way forward with arrogance deeply etched into his face. Cato Hadley, he'd introduced himself, Cato. He was covered in muscle head to toe, in fact even at the very end of all these damn tapes she knew that Cato was by far the strongest tribute, likely closely followed by the district eleven male, Thresh. Cato was as intimidating in this tape as he had been in real life. How one does that through a screen she hadn't known but here he was. Brooding and cynical.

When they had reached the final tape her heart broke for the young girl selected. Rue. She looked about the youngest she could've which made Ophelia believe this had to be her first year in the reaping. How could no one volunteer for such a young girl?

"And there we have it" Haymitch dropped the remote and sat down beside Ophelia, "your competition" if Cato Hadley was her competitor she'd surely be dead by the end of the very first night. Especially now after he'd practically marked her with his damn eyes. The eyes she couldn't seem to erase from her brain. Haymitch clapping his hands together once pulled her out of her thoughts, "now, let's talk strategy—"

Gale sat forward more intrigued than Ophelia, "how many days of training are we getting?" He'd perked up before Haymitch could continue.

"Fourteen" he confirmed, "but that includes your interviews" Ophelia's eyes widened at that thought, "we don't need to worry over that for now—we do however need to discuss your training"

"We show our strengths right?" Gale would interrupt again.

"No" Haymitch's answer confused Gale but not Ophelia, why would you show them your strengths which would in turn show off your weaknesses, "they cannot anticipate your strengths because if they do they can in turn anticipate your weaknesses" just as she'd thought, "now Gale, tell me what are your strengths?"

He shrugged, "I'm used to carrying around heavy mammals?" He offered, "I know how to cut around the meat of any animals I kill" Haymitch looked as unsure as Ophelia, "I have muscle?"

"That'll do" he turned to Ophelia, "and you?"

"Uh—" she thought for a moment, "I have survival skills" she tried to sound sure of herself but really she wasn't, not at all, "I've survived on my own since I was about fourteen—surely murderous careers aren't the only thing we need to concern ourselves with right?" Gale looked confused, "we need to keep ourselves alive, starvation and dehydration, not to mention disease and injuries" she confirmed to which Haymitch laughed.

"I like you already" he nodded, "smart, you're smart, strategic even?" She now in turn nodded, "how do you find your own food?"

She looked a little taken aback by the question, "well—I try to sneak up and get closer to the animal, then I try and make it as painless as possible, a knife to the neck, no suffering"

"You know your way around knives then?"

She nodded, "I can also spear for fish, I'm usually fairly accurate" she smiled to both Haymitch and Gale. Gale hadn't smiled back however in fact his smile seemed to falter, realising that perhaps Ophelia would become a threat to him also.

"Excellent" Haymitch clapped again, "you're both silent and deadly" he turned to Gale, "and you can cut up animals"

Ophelia laid on the most comfortable bed she'd ever had. At least if she were to die in that arena she'd known a comfortable sleep for two weeks prior. She hadn't realised her skillset until Haymitch had repeated it back to the girl which was minimal but a confidence boost. He'd pleaded with her not to give herself away to any of the tributes but especially the careers, especially Cato. Cato who Haymitch had seen eye the girl up like she were prey though perhaps she'd be a predator hidden in the body of his prey.

Their first night had quickly approached and she had to allow sleep to consume her though it hadn't been easy. Every time she'd closed her own eyes she could only see his piercing blue ones staring into her soul.

So with the lack of sleep she would pull herself out of her bed and pull on the trousers she'd been wearing earlier that night. She made her way out into the living area and spotted no one, a smile found her. Grabbing a key she made her way out, closing the door as gently as she possibly could and made her way to the elevator. Haymitch had said they had been given set hours to train with the available weapons though the training room would be open for anyone as more of a gym at any hour. The training rooms had been the very bottom floor, below 0 it had been marked as 'T' which she pressed hesitantly unsure if it would notify anyone. Instead as you'd imagine the lift slowly descended to the very bottom. The doors opening and the lights flashed on as she walked in. There was a slight chill though she hadn't known if that had been due to the anticipation or if it had been cold at the very bottom of such a large building.

Stepping out further more lighting would come on above her head. Then her heart would leap in her chest as she heard grunts ahead of her from one of the rooms. A room which was already lit. Peering around to the large glass door, Ophelia was too curious for her own good. She could first see someone rather tall and well built hitting into a punching bag full brute force. Their back heaved with their breathing as they stopped for a brief moment, placing their head against the bag and closing their eyes. That had been when she'd seen that all too pretty face. Sucking in a breath of her own she tried to quietly spin back around and head in the opposite direction.

Tonight was not the night to be introduced to Cato Hadley— alone in a training room— in the middle of the night. Heart pounding against her ribcage she made her way to the far room, the light flickering on as she entered unsure exactly what had been in here but choosing this room to be as far and out of sight of him.

The now lit room revealed what looked like gym equipment. With a bench in the far corner just in front of what looked like a counter. Why they had a counter in a small gym hadn't registered with her but she hadn't cared. She made her way over, slipping around the back and kneeling down to have a look. It had been various cloths and rags, belts and boxing gloves—Oh shit. Cato had already been here, he'd need to return eventually. She had to leave now.

Slipping around again she'd noticed a pair of gloves she'd dropped in her panic, having to lean over to shove them back into a wooden slot. When she turned back to make her exit a near yell left her, though it ended up sounding more like a panicked gasp.

The light surrounded him like he was some sort of angel. When really he seemed to be the devil.

Instinctively Ophelia's back pressed to the counter the she'd been stood in front of, feeling her breath getting lodged in her throat.

"You shouldn't be lurking around alone at night" he finally spoke, his tone was as lethal as his punches looked to be. His voice was deep but not to an excessive amount, he held what seemed to be a playful expression for a the shortest moment before he continued, "it's not safe"

Ophelia stared at him silently for a moment before her lips parted and she watched his eyes fall to them immediately but only for a second as if she wouldn't have noticed. She darted her tongue out gently touching her bottom lip which had felt as dry as sand paper and then she spoke, "Pot kettle black" her voice was strong while also remaining fairly still and quiet. Consider Cato intrigued.

He took another step closer watching as she tried to push further back into the counter which of course was impossible.

"I don't believe I've ever heard that sweet little saying of yours" was he being a jackass or was this some attempt to flirt hoping it would confuse her, it wouldn't, "tell me, what does it mean?"

He watched a smirk tug up at her lip before she answered, "it means—" she paused sucking in a breath and stepping forward closer to him and off the counter. Her eyes were as determined as her lovely voice had sounded, "you—" she paused yet again staring up at the tall blonde, he enjoyed their height difference, "are—" she paused again watching as he got slightly irate, "a hypocrite" her smirk only grew as his fell.

He'd stepped forward twice with rather a lot of nerve, she instinctively stepped back again pushing her into the counter again, only Cato didn't stop until his torso was inches from hers. She couldn't help but look down to confirm the sheer proximity of the two. Looking back up as he placed one hand at either side of her on the counter—caging her in.

"I was being friendly twelve" he now only spoke with spite.

Despite knowing she shouldn't, she couldn't help but taunt, signing her own death but she didn't care, "that was you being friendly?"

"You made a mistake" he grew eerily calm which was more concerning to her than when he fumed moments before, "now you're on my radar" she couldn't help the flush of pink that rose to her cheeks. He leaned closer now speaking in a whisper, "Watch your back—" at that the door opened again and Cato stepped back immediately.

Ophelia looked to the body now in front of the door, "Gale—" she spluttered trying to gain her self control again.

"Ophelia—" he looked to her again, "what are you doing here?" He blurted out walking toward her, "did he hurt you?" Before she could respond he turned to Cato, "tributes are not to cause any harm to their fellow competitors before the games—"

"Gale I'm fine" Ophelia interrupted watching Cato smirk down at Gale with the slight height advantage he had, "we were just introducing ourselves" she looked to Cato, unsure why she was trying to help him and aware he could throw it back at her if he so pleased.

Cato instead smiled, "your lovely girlfriend and I were just getting acquainted" he mused cockily, "a pleasure twelve"

Girlfriend?

Cato picked up on her disdain to that which only cheered him on more. So they weren't together. He was certain based on how Gale gawked at her earlier in the day that there had been something there. Perhaps she'd been more fun to toy with now he knew just how to irk her.

"Goodbye two"

She watched as he threw the boxing gloves on the counter before leaving and Gale would turn to her anger present in his tone when he said, "Ophelia, what the hell were you thinking?"