#cdad echo

“I woke up with a start, looking around as I sat up. Peeta still wasn’t there. My chest ached a little. I took a deep breath and put my boots on, grabbing my pack and walking out of my room. A dull pain sat easily in my chest. Today was going to be a rough day.

“Katniss!” a deep voice reached me as I was going to breakfast. 

“Hey, Blake,” I greeted. Casey and Echo were next to him, so I hoped he didn’t want to talk for too long. She still annoyed me, always reading more into my words than anyone else. I didn’t think that Genevieve had told my secret to anyone, even her, but she probably didn’t even need to.

“What are your plans for today?” he asked as we walked.

“Um, just fixing up more of those houses. Unless you need me to hunt again today?”

“No, we have plenty of meat. I heard you’ve been going out a lot alone,” he continued.

“I hunt better alone.”

“If you’re going out alone, you should have some training. I just want to make sure you’re safe while you’re out there,” he said, his voice strained. I

t must have gotten out just how bad at fighting I was. I sighed. “So…. You want me to learn how to fight?”

Blake’s head bobbed from side to side. “Genevieve offered to give you some lessons.”

“She’s a great teacher,” Echo added. “Plus, she’s already seen you fight so she knows what needs work.”

“She’s already fought me,” I said bitterly.

“She’s fought a lot of people. Genevieve’s temper can be a little hot,” Casey answered. I tried not to roll my eyes. I’d found that Casey really only saw the good in people, which was adorable, but how had she not died already?

When we got to the dining area, I was relieved to see Mal. I took the seat next to her after I got my food. Mal looked over after I plopped down, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“I have to fight.”

“Huh?”

“Blake is making me train to fight.”

“I mean, that does sound like a good idea. I honestly don’t know how you’ve made it this long without being a better fighter.”

I groaned.

“Hey, I’ll go with you. I have some off time today, we’ll make it fun,” she offered.

“How can fighting be fun? I hate fighting,” I grumbled.

“Well, it’ll be a better time than an actual fight, so that’s something,” she said. “And an actual fight would go way better if you trained.”