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  IT WAS HARDER THAN Dove thought it would be to let Ivy and Heath go with their prep teams. It only brought her some comfort knowing that Mira would be Ivy's stylist, and Quartz, who styled for Reed, would be Heath's. She trusted them, but not enough to let go of her worry. She wasn't allowed to accompany them, so alone, she headed up to the tenth floor of the Tribute Centre. The elevator took her straight up and opened into the living room and a rush of relief flooded through her at the sight of Andor lounging on the couch that took up practically the entire space.

They exchanged no greetings, they just rushed into each other arms, squeezing so tight neither could breathe, but neither cared. Finally, Dove cried. Not just small tears or watery eyes, but large and painful sobs that sounded more like screams. Andor sniffled along with her, running a hand through her curls. He had only met Ivy and Heath a handful of times, but just like everyone else who had met her siblings, he fell in love with them.

For nearly ten minutes they stood there until Dove's tears finally calmed down and all that was left were shudders. Andor pulled back, tightly holding her shoulders. For the first time in his life, upon seeing her broken face, words had failed him. He found his mouth opening and closing, trying to think of something, his brain overheating like a loading computer. Dove watched him with big, red eyes. "Andor..." Her voice was hoarse and it stung the back of her throat to speak.

There was a ding and the elevators doors opened. Sorrel and Dee had arrived, chatting amongst themselves, but upon seeing Dove and Andor, they fell silent. Andor's quick wit seemed to momentarily return. "Oh, sorry about that! Didn't mean to startle you two."

"No problem at all!" Dee waved him off casually. "We're just getting a bite to eat before the chariots."

Dove couldn't look either of them in the eye. She silently grabbed Andor's hand and pulled him, leaving Sorrel and Dee behind as she headed for her room. He said nothing in protest, allowing her to do so. When the door shut, she let go of his hand be began to pace, shaking her head. "There's no way both of them can make it out alive..." She thought out loud. "But I can't lose them, not both..."

"I'll help in any way I can," Andor told her seriously.

She stopped, turning to him. She loved his dedication to her, but sometimes he went too far. "You have your own tributes to worry about-"

"They're not your siblings, Dove," He countered.

"But they're still children, Andor!" She huffed. "Stop trying to be self-righteous for me!" Her anger of the day had finally boiled over. And he watched her, allowing her to be angry, as she had every right to be. So, Dove screamed all sorts of unseemly words about the Hunger Games, about the Capitol, but mostly about President Snow. When she was finally done, she slumped onto the plush bed in the centre of the room and plopped her face into her hands. "Why?" She croaked, her voice muffled.

Andor slowly approached her, frowning. "I don't know," He shook his head. "But I do know you'll do everything in your power to make sure they live, and so will Sorrel."

She looked up at him through her eyelashes. "I can't save them both..."

He sat next to her, placing a hand on her thigh. "Give them the tools to survive, train them, do all that until the arena. I know it'll never feel like enough, but that's the best you can do."

Sighing, Dove shook her head and returned her gaze to the floor. "The best isn't good enough."

  Nervously, Dove bit her fingernails to ease her queasiness. She, Andor, and Sorrel waited with the rest of the mentors near the end of the chariot ride watching a gigantic television screen with the tributes riding past. District nine's tributes were dressed in what looked like glorified grain bags, something the stylist had been dressing them in since before Dove was born.

But Ivy and Heath were breathtaking. Mira and Quartz outdid themselves. Instead of the obnoxiously large muck boots and ugly brown overalls that Dove had to wear, they were dressed in beautiful cow print, soft black and white spots that shimmered in the sunlight. Ivy's curls were left natural and large, and Heath's were intricately braided. Dove sighed with relief, reaching down to take Andor's hand. They looked amazing and no doubt this look would gain them sponsors.

Sorrel nudged her. "Hear those cheers?" Dove looked at her quizzically. She didn't — she drowned out everything in her nervousness. But as soon as Sorrel mentioned it, the cheers became loud and clear.

"Ten! Ten! Ten!"

The crowd roared for her brother and sister, they loved them. Dove nodded, answering Sorrel's question silently.

"I don't think we'll have to do much work for sponsors," Sorrel said.

"There's still the interview," Dove reminded her.

"Caesar will adore them. In fact, I'm sure he already does." Sorrel replied cooly.

Dove tightened her grip on Andor's hand. None of this felt real. She almost expected to wake up in their shared bed, as if this was all some sick nightmare. But as the chariots pulled in at the end of the route where they stood, reality returned to her. Andor squeezed her hand. "Come on," He whispered to her. "They're waiting for you." 

Dove's eyes momentarily connected with his before they snapped to Ivy and Heath who were being helped off of their chariot by Mira and Quartz. She nodded and slipped her hands from Andor's, sliding past other mentors and their tributes. She only stopped once when she passed the District two tributes. The male looked practically like an adult, big and muscular. Brutus. His terrifying gaze met hers and he smirked. A chill ran down Dove's spine. She remembered his Reaping, he eagerly volunteered. 

Shaking her head, she forced herself down the line to her siblings. In typical Ivy fashion, she was petting the long neck of one of the chestnut mares that was pulling them, cooing to it. Though their family were cattle farmers, Ivy had a connection with every animal -- goats, pigs, sheep. She loved them and they loved her. The other mare was being fed sugar cubes by a giggling Heath. It was nice to see them being so normal, despite the circumstances. 

"Dove," She heard Mira's voice before she saw her. It comforted her. Mira was practically her best friend when she was in the Capitol. Turning, she caught sight of the bubblegum pink hair and the soft smile of matching colour. 

"They looked amazing, Mira," Dove sighed. "You really improved." 

Mira laughed, a fluttery sound. "You were my first year, give me a break!" 

"Dove! Come!" Ivy's voice cut in. Dove turned to see her beckoning her with a finger, bouncing on the balls of her feet. As she approached her sister and the horse, she could see a braid in the mare's mane. "Look! Isn't she pretty?"

Dove smiled, trying to hide the heartache on her face. "She's stunning, Ives." She ruffled her sister's curls tenderly.

Swatting her hand away, Ivy shooed Dove away, turning back to the horse with a hidden smile. Heath watched them from the second horse, frowning and as Dove turned to him, he failed to hide it in time. Dove's heart sank. She slid over to him and lowered her voice. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "How can she be so...happy?" His voice cracked on the last word and tests formed in his eyes. Heath was the sensitive twin. 

"Buddy..." Dove sighed. She pulled him into a quick but tight embrace. That's all she could do, nothing she could say would make him feel any better. And she knew this because Sorrel had tried with her two years ago. Pity was the last thing Heath needed to hear from his mentor. 

Mentor. As much as Dove hated to admit it, while she was here with them in the Capitol, preparing for the Hunger Games, she was not their sister, but their mentor. Her only task is to train them enough so that they might up their slim chances of survival and to gain sponsors to help those chances.

Heath sighed as he pulled away from her. "I can't do this. I can't win." 

Dove's heart broke, watching as fresh tears streamed down his face. She wanted to tell him that he could, that he would win it, but giving him false hope would not help his circumstance. There was always the possibility of death and they both knew that if either of the twins were to survive, it would heartbreakingly not be Heath. "All you can do is train. You're starting training tomorrow, so you learn all that you possibly can. Don't let the other tributes intimidate you and if they do, don't let them see it."

Heath's face hardened slightly, determination flashing in his eyes. "Okay..." He nodded.

  Dove had spent the night with Andor, wrapped up in his arms in a nightmare-filled sleep that continued into her waking hours. It was the tribute's first day of training, again something Dove could not be there for. Dee, as per his job description, escorted them there. And with the tributes gone, it gave the mentors time to assess the competition. 

Andor, Dove, and Sorrel sat in front of a large screen, watching the Reapings of each opposing tributes over and over again. But the ones they kept going back to the most were District two's, their biggest obstacle. Watching Brutus volunteer, again and again, made Dove sick to her stomach. His hand shot up excitedly, he was cheered for by his peers as he sauntered up to the podium. He was only sixteen, yet so ready to throw himself in the arena. 

Andor shuddered. "Careers..." He spat bitterly. 

"He will be our main threat," Sorrel concluded. "It will be hard for our tributes to outlive him." 

As much as Dove hated the think about it, Sorrel was right. Ivy and Heath stood relatively no chance against Brutus unless he miraculously showed them mercy, which was highly doubtful. "Do we have a clue what the arena will look like this year?" She asked hopefully. 

Sorrel shook her head sadly. "No. Not even a rumour. The Gamemakers are being extra secretive." 

Dove groaned. "Great..." She stood up, pinching the bridge of her nose as a headache began to form. "What do we tell our tributes? Run and hide and hope you don't get caught?" 

"We could suggest joining the Careers?" Andor shrugged.

A sharp laugh left Dove's lips. "Maybe your tributes could, but do you really think they'd accept two twelve-year-olds? Ivy and Heath are easy kills to them." Her words made her own stomach flip. It was sad but true. There was no possible way her siblings could win.

"Don't think like that, Dove," Sorrel sighed disapprovingly. 

Dove rolled her eyes, standing from her seat. "It's the truth, Sorrel. They're the youngest tributes -- they're everybody's first targets."

Silence fell over the room, the air thick with tension. Andor stood slowly, reaching for Dove. "Why don't we take a walk and get some fresh air?" 

She stared at his hand, unsure. Her mind was racing with every possible way her siblings could be killed. She hoped that when it happened, it would be quick. "I...sure." She sighed, giving in to him. She took his hand and her eyes drifted up to his brown eyes. There was something about them that always managed to calm them.

They said their goodbye's to Sorrel and took the elevator down. As they reached the ground floor, it only then occurred to Dove. "How are we gonna take a walk? We'll be swarmed." 

"I know a place," Andor smirked cheekily.

Dove rolled her eyes. "It better not be what I think it is..."

AUTHORS NOTE
A little sad, huh? Sorry lol.