Stars | Cato Hadley

Chapter Seven

"What did you do!" Enobaria snapped at Cato.

"What?" he asked her not knowing what she was pissed off about.

"You asked District Ten to join the Careers? Why the hell would you do that without talking to me or Brutus? District Ten isn't Career Pack worthy, Cato. They're always the first to go at the bloodbath." The pointy-toothed woman was seething. Cato shifted his weight from one side to the other.

"The boy agreed and he's strong. He'll make a good ally. But the girl rejected the offer." Clove said walking to the dining table. "It was a stupid choice on her part."

Jakob twirled pasta on his fork in silence. Mariah decided to steer the conversation.

"So, we have individual training tomorrow and then scoring. What are you guys going to practice?" Her frizzy brown curls were taking up at least two inches of air space.

Jakob laughed, "Isn't it obvious? Clove is going to throw her knives, Cato is going to hack things with his sword, I'm going to throw a spear or something, and you're going to use a slingshot." His black eyes narrowed at the fact that even though Mariah was a Career she was weak. Mariah pursed her lips and decided to not fight back.

Enobaria wanted to retake control of the situation. "Cato, don't think you are getting away from the conversation from earlier. District Ten won't make it past the bloodbath. I want you to kill them yourself." Her golden eyes were staring at the boy. Cato gulped and stayed quiet. Her eyes looked at the other tributes of Two. "If Cato doesn't do it then I want one of you to stick a sword into one of their stomachs. Just get District Ten out of the way."

The elevator door dinged. Brutus raised an eyebrow and Enobaria glanced to the hall wondering who was here. The two mentors didn't agree to have anyone over for dinner.

Gloss, Cashmere, and the rest of District One's tributes appeared. The siblings greeted their fellow victors and found a place at the table. Ivory and Glimmer sat on either side of Cato and tried to speak to him. At one point in the conversation, the two girls began arguing over who got him, but stopped when Marvel made a comment.

"I think the girl from Ten has you two beat." Their heads snapped to him. His eyes stayed on Glimmer longer than he meant to. Enobaria looked at Marvel and then at Cato. With her eyes remaining on Cato she shook her head.

"She does not," Ivory snapped. Her brown eyes filled with hatred for the girl. "She doesn't even like Cato. She ignores him every chance she gets, so he's mine."

"No he isn't!" Glimmer yelled. "He's mine!" Marvel winced. His own blue eyes filled with sadness at Glimmer's words. The green-eyed girl looked at him and froze. She had never seen him look at her that way. The blonde inwardly shook her head and went back to arguing with Ivory.

The cat flight only continued for a few moments before Cashmere slammed her spoon down.

"Girls! That is enough! Save the anger for the other tributes in the arena. Now both of you shut up so we can all eat in peace." The older blonde said growing tired of the bickering. Enobaria rubbed her head, "Thank you."

The group ate silently the rest of the evening until they gathered in the living room to talk about strategies.

"The boy from Twelve is strong. Maybe we could use him to track her down in the arena?" Mariah suggested. The tributes looked at their mentors as they shook their heads.

"It's settled. In the arena after the bloodbath, you'll find the boy from Twelve- if he's still alive and hunt for the Girl on Fire. Also, if the girl from Ten is still alive use Roman to track her down. He seems fond of the girl so use that to your advantage. But if you have the chance to kill them in the bloodbath take it." Enobaria said. Glimmer scoffed.