Ladies and Gentlemen!!!!  For the very first time ever, we are getting first time a brand new perspective!! Be sure to tell me what you think!

I'm so excited for you to read this chapter!!!

Without any further ado, take care and stay safe! ~CANGEL

***

Crimson Wolfe

      As Crimson approached the weapons station, following behind the four Careers and the two tributes from District 4, he reminded himself of his goal.

     An alliance.

     Augustus from District 1. Tall, strong, and deadly. A bit of a showoff, from what Crimson had witnessed in the Tribute Parade and after watching the replay of his Reaping Ceremony. Crimson bet that Augustus liked to be the best and that he liked it even more when people told him he was the best.

     His district partner, Elixia, was beautiful. Stunning, if he were being honest. But she didn't volunteer for the Hunger Games because of her looks. Underneath her pretty smile was a killer. Crimson would bet all his money that she was used to getting whatever she wanted from anyone without mustering up much more than a smile.

     District 2 would be harder though. Urban was a killer through and through. He was a warrior. A fighter. Crimson was still working on how to get him on board with Crimson joining the alliance that was already established between Districts 1 and 2. And Ambrosia... Well, he didn't want to get on her bad side, but Scarlet sure as fuck hadn't cared. 

     Crimson had toyed with the idea of using their hatred of Scarlet, but he wasn't sure he could actually help them hunt down his sister if it came down to that. He might not be allying with her, but he didn't want to be the one to kill her.

     He'd already spoken to Loach and Roe from District 4 in the elevator. They were young—though not as young as Crimson—and eager to prove themselves. They wanted to be seen as a threat. Stupid, in Crimson's opinion, but not necessarily bad for him.

     Crimson wanted an alliance with all six of them. He wanted to be a part of the Careers in the Arena. But seven people in an alliance was risky. A twelve-year-old from District 14 without a tribute partner to guard his back was risky as Hell. Having Roe and Loach in the alliance would be crucial.

     The only problem was that he wasn't sure that Roe and Loach would be invited. In the elevator they had been explosive over the fact that they hadn't already been extended an invitation to join. Roe had a temper that rivaled his sisters, and if she couldn't control it, it would destroy Crimson's plan before it even started.

     But he needed them to be a part of the alliance. He knew that eventually the Careers would turn on the alliance, starting with those outside of 1 and 2. Starting with Crimson, if he joined. As long as they were all in the alliance with the Careers then Crimson would have a chance at surviving when they did turn.

     As the Careers each picked out the weapons that he assumed they were most familiar with, he did as well, ignoring the curiosity and amusement that filled their eyes. The metal spear that he chose was both familiar to his hand and a complete mystery. The evenly weighted metal glinted under the bright lights of the Center was cool to his skin and smooth. He was used to a broom handle from back home in District 14 and the uneven grooves that had caused splinters to pierce his skin.

     Augustus, the tribute from District 1, puts down the sword that he had originally grabbed and grabbed a spear as well, a wide grin breaking out on his face, pointing at Crimson with it.

     "You think you can handle that, kid?"

     Scarlet would be insulted and throw a sharp retort back, but the petty little insult didn't bother Crimson in the least. He didn't want to look like a threat.

     If his plan of an alliance was going to work, he needed to be as close to invisible as he could get. He needed to be a whisper in their ear. He needed to prove that he could be valuable enough to keep around but weak enough to not be a threat.

     Crimson grinned at Augustus, keeping his demeanor light and nonchalant. "I can manage," he replied, giving the spear a few experimental twists. He made sure to keep his movements casual, almost clumsy, as if he were still getting used to the weapon in his hands.

     Augustus chucked, seemingly amused by the display. "We'll see about that," he said, stepping back and gesturing for Crimson to follow him to the practice area.

     Crimson followed, his mind racing as he kept his face a mixture of nervous competence. He needed to strike the right balance between skill and humility. He couldn't afford to show too much skill, not yet anyways.

     As they approached the practice targets, he glanced around, noting the other Careers observing eyes. Urban was watching him closely, his eyes sharp and assessing. Elixia seemed indifferent, focused on her own practice. Ambrosia, however, was harder to read. Her face was neutral, but every so often her eyes would flick to a spot across the room. Crimson didn't acknowledge it, but he was sure they went to Scarlet.

     Before they would accept him fully, he would need to break off any ties between him and his sister. Otherwise, they would never trust him once he got into the Arena. Even that might not be enough to fully convince them.

     He pushed away the unwelcome thought and focused on the task at hand. He needed to prove his worth without drawing too much attention. Crimson aimed the spear at the distant target, pretending to fumble slightly as he threw it. While the spear still hit the target, it landed half a foot off-center.

     Augustus smirked, clearly pleased with his assumption of Crimson's skill. "Not bad for a beginner,' he said, his tone condescending.

     Crimson shrugged, playing along with the ruse. "I'll get better with practice."

     "Then watch and learn."

     Taking Crimson's place, Augustus tossed the spear up into the air, shifted his grip on the spear handle and threw it with an ease that only could come from years of practice. The spear flew with impressive speed and accuracy as it landed dead center on the target.

     Crimson knew that he had made the right choice in lying low. He wasn't better than them. The years of his own practice had given him just enough skills to be deadly under the right circumstances, but in a one-on-one fight, Crimson knew he wouldn't stand a chance. He had to hide the skills he did possess and let them lower their guards around him. Then he could wait for the right opportunity to strike.

     Crimson lets out an impressed whistle. "Damn, you're good."

     As predicted, Augustus' chest puffed with pride. Crimson fetched both spears from the target and returned to the group of Careers.

     Urban stepped forward, his gaze still fixed on Crimson. "Let's see how you do with a moving target," he said, holding up a round object, close to the size of his head.

     "I've never tried to hit a moving target before."

     That was true. It wasn't out of choice, but rather because of a lack of options. There wasn't much room in the basement as it was, but Scarlet would never let him use them as target practice. The little scrape of paper on the wall was the best that they could manage.

     "What, do you think everyone will just stand still while you kill them?" Urban mocked.

     Crimson swallowed, puffing up his own chest as if he was getting a bit defensive. He agreed with Urban fully, despite his act. The other tributes weren't going to sit around and wait for him to kill them. If he wanted to be with the Careers, he knew that he would be killing along side them. Not in self-defense or in the heat of the moment. He would be hunting tributes down and brutally murdering them. Defenseless, unarmed, begging, crying, it wouldn't matter. He had seen it all happen before on the television. And now, Crimson would join them.

     "Ready?" Urban asked impatiently, tossing the object up and down in his hand.

     Crimson nodded. "Yes. Throw it."

     Urban tosses the object into the air about twenty feet away from where Crimson stood. He took a deep breath, focusing on the object as it soared upwards. He waited until the object had hit its highest point and started descending before launching the spear.

     It didn't hit the target fully but grazed the edge of it. It was more than Urban had expected, judging by the surprised look on his face.

     "Impressive for your first time," Urban admitted grudgingly. "Maybe you're not as green as you look."

     Crimson allowed himself a small smile, a flash of real pride working its way through him. "Thanks."

     Elixia sauntered over, her blue eyes sparkling with interest. "You might just survive a little longer than we thought," she teased.

     Crimson's own interest sparked, but he kept his expression neutral as he answered with a dry tone. "That's the plan."

     Ambrosia finally spoke up; her voice was cold and unimpressed. "If you're after an alliance with us, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed." The dagger in her hand looking sharp and dangerous as Ambrosia stalks forward, getting so close that Crimson instinctually took a step back.

     She smirks, her finger toying with the edge of the blade. "I'm going to gut your sister nice and slow in the games." She runs her tongue across her lower lip just a moment before whipping around and sending the dagger in her hand straight into the center of the target at the end of the range. "And anyone that tries to get in my way will find their own blood being spilt on the ground of the Arena."

     Crimson stared at the dagger in the center of the target for a moment, before looking back at Ambrosia. For a moment, he tried to picture with it would be like to be here with Scarlet as an ally. If they worked together, he knew that they would both survive until the end. Ambrosia's threat meant nothing to him and if Scarlet ever saw those words come out of her mouth, she would give her a 'come and get me' smile and spout off something equally atrocious.

     But only one of them could win. Getting to the final two meant nothing. Only the last one surviving won. And neither Crimson nor Scarlet were going to willingly sacrifice their lives for the other. That much had been decided on the stage of District 14 during their own Reaping Ceremony.

     Crimson had to look out for himself now.

     "What makes you think I'll get in your way?"

     She raised a brow, surprise flickering in her icy eyes. "You want us to kill your sister?" Doubt tinged her voice. "We're not stupid, little boy."

     "It's not like both of us can walk out of the Arena alive." Crimson said. "Besides, in case you forgot, I volunteered to be here. After she did. I've known from the start that if I want to have a shot at winning, she'll have to die." Crimson twirled the spear around in his hand, letting the movement calm him. "It's better you than me."

     Ambrosia considered his words for a moment, before looking around at the other Careers. Crimson didn't look away from Ambrosia. At least temporarily, she seemed to have taken charge of the group of four. Her eyes landed back on his, a degree less cold than before. "Alright. We'll see how you do..."

     "Crimson." He supplies quickly.

     She nodded slowly. "Any sign or hint of betrayal and you're the first to go, Crimson."

     He nodded, accepting the terms. "Understood."

     As the afternoon wore on, Crimson continued to practice with the Careers, keeping his skill level well below theirs while taking care to watch and learn as much as he could while making 'marginal' improvements throughout the day. While he was content following them around in the background and 'competing' with them whenever they wanted an easy win, he couldn't say the same for District 4. Loach and Roe struggled to integrate, and their frustration was evident.

     He wanted them in the alliance, but if something didn't change, he might be forced to change tactics. The alliance he wanted to form wasn't meant to last until the end of the Hunger Games, but at this rate, he didn't see it lasting until the end of tomorrow.

     When the afternoon break was called, the four Careers headed towards the breakroom with Loach and Roe tailing behind them. Crimson caught Roe by the elbow, stopping them both before they left the Training Center room.

     "Hey, how's it going?" he asked, keeping his tone casual.

     Loach scowled, clearly frustrated. "They're ignoring us. Every time we try to talk, everyone else suddenly has an opinion."

     Roe nodded, her expression angry and dark. "They think they're better than us in everything."

     Crimson glanced around, making sure there weren't any people nearby to overhear. "We need to be patient. Prove our worth bit by bit. If we push too hard, they'll shut us out completely."

     Loach looked skeptical. "And if they never accept us?"

     That was the big question, now, wasn't it? Crimson sarcastically thought in his head as a sharp bolt of irritation flashed through him.

     Still, it wasn't as if he could leave it at, 'I don't know'. Loach and Roe were the type of people that needed a plan and right now, they were looking to Crimson for it. If Crimson let them make their own decisions, he was worried they'd go rogue and ruin everything beyond repair.

     "Then we find another way." Crimson said. He could see that his words did nothing to ease either of them. He let out a breath and took a single step closer. Lowering his voice, "look, if they won't join us..." Crimson glanced back at the breakroom doors ensuring that no one had come out looking for them, before turning back. "If they won't accept us." He reiterated, making a point to include himself with them, even though Crimson felt as though he was solidly in the middle of the two groups currently. If he had to choose, he would choose the four Careers. They were stronger, older, and could get him further in the Games. But District 4 would be more loyal to him, especially with the way that the four Careers had been dismissing them all morning. "Then maybe we take them out of the equation all together."

     Crimson leaned back as he gave them a moment to process his words. He saw the exact moment that it hit them, what exactly he had just suggested.

     "Are you crazy?" Loach asked, a touch too loud, and Crimson immediately gestured for him to keep his voice down. Everything would be ruined if any tribute overheard them. Luckily, there was no one around.

      "For now, we stick to the original plan." Crimson said, looking them both in the eyes. "Going into the Arena will be hard enough, but with them, it'll be easy to get rid of everyone else first. We'll continue to follow their lead here, show them that we're good followers and helpers. We need to lay low and let them get used to having us around. If things don't go our way, we will talk about it before making any decisions we can't take back." He finished speaking while meeting Roe's eyes.

     Loach was much more of a follower, and Crimson wasn't worried about him making any rash decisions, but Roe was hot-headed, and Loach wouldn't stop her if she exploded.

     Roe nodded; both of their shoulders slacked as tension left them. As Crimson had predicted, both just wanted a plan and reassurance that they still had someone in their corner. "Alright. We'll try it your way."

     He nodded, relieved. "Good. Just bear with it a little while longer. We'll make this work. An alliance of seven would be unstoppable in the Arena."

     Crimson watched Roe and Loach head into the breakroom and while hunger gnawed at his insides, he didn't dare enter the room so soon after the two from District 4. If any of the Careers—especially the sharp-eyed Ambrosia, who was already looking for a reason to kick him out—suspected he was plotting with District 4, it really would be Crimson, Roe, and Loach against the four Careers in the bloodbath.

     Instead of taking a break, Crimson headed over to the hand-to-hand combat ring. His mind was exhausted from maintaining his act all day, knowing that one slipup, one mistake, would ruin his chances of this alliance.

     On his way to the ring, he passed Scarlet, who was walking towards the breakroom by herself. She passed him without notice, her eyes across the room on a group of three older male tributes. He recognized them as tributes from the outer districts but couldn't place which district or their names.

     They were in a deep conversation with one another, and though it didn't look like anything out of the ordinary to him, if Scarlet was aware of it and focused on it, then he would want to keep an eye on their little group as well. If they did form an alliance, it could spell trouble for everyone in the Arena, including himself.

     As Crimson entered the hand-to-hand combat ring, he felt a sense of relief over him. For a moment, he could set aside the intricate and delicate web of alliances and deceit he was weaving and focus solely on the physical challenge before him. He squared off against a practice dummy while receiving instructions on how to improve his form from the instructor there. Once he had the basics down well enough to satisfy the instructor, Crimson began practicing with an assistant, soon losing himself to the repetitive motions and the burn of his muscles.

     The assistant was relentless, pushing Crimson to his limits, but he welcomed the challenge. This was the first time he'd had such structured practice. In District 14, they were left to fumble through poor recreations of fighting movements from what they had seen in the games and whatever survival instincts they were born with. With each punch, each kick, he felt more and more confidence fill him.

     The session ended with Crimson breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his face. The assistant nodded in approval, offering him a quick smile. "You've got potential. Keep working on your form, and you'll get even better."

     The praise seeped into Crimson, flooding through his veins and sending his heart racing faster than it already was. "Thanks." he said, wiping his face with a towel. As the assistant moved on to another tribute practicing on the dummy, Crimson glanced around the Training Center. The Careers were still at their respective weapons station.

     Elixia and Urban were practicing with a bow and arrow, taking turns trying to outshoot each other as their targets grew smaller and further away. Augustus had moved on to swords, which he practiced against an assistant, both of them moving with such speed and deadly accuracy that Crimson half expected the assistant to fall to the ground dead at any movement. And Ambrosia was practicing throwing a spear with more accuracy than even Augustus had managed.

     He really could not afford to be their enemies right off the back. He would be dead in seconds if they wanted him to be.

     Loach and Roe were nearby, practicing sparing with a set of spears, their frustration from earlier in the day seemingly under control.

     With everything going good over there, Crimson left the sparing ring and headed over to a few essential survival stations. The Careers might be well prepared to survive inside, or count on the supplies left in the Cornucopia, but Crimson wasn't that emboldened. A hundred things could go wrong once they got into the Arena, and nothing could be taken for granted.

     Tomorrow he would solidify his place in the Career's alliance and hopefully tether District 4 to them as well, but he would have to put all his focus and energy there. As much as he wanted to be by them, bridging the gap between them right now, he knew that this had to come first.

     The alliance could help his chances of survival, but it couldn't be his only chance at survival.

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Oh my, I have to tell you all this... I absolutely loved writing this chapter from Crimson's perspective.. What did you think about him as a person? As his strategy? How do you think it will all turn out? 

Do you think he'll get his dream alliance into the Arena, or will he have to choose between District 4 and the Careers? 

If he does, will he choose strength or loyalty?

If you enjoyed this chapter as much as I have, kindly remember to VOTE!

Take care and stay safe! ~CANGEL