Once I’m dressed and ready to go for the training room, I conclude that I’m not going to tell anyone about the letter. When Arbor and I walk in, we head for the knife throwing station after a debate of where to go. Knife throwing could be a good way to break the generator. But I have to remember it’s not just me anymore. It’s me and Arbor. And the letter. As I help Arbor land a knife right in the heart of the dummy, I glance over my shoulder and spot Piper walking over to us. "Well, looks like I got my answer." she says with a laugh, and lands her knife right into the dummy's chest. Arbor lands another knife in the heart. “Good job,” I tell him, and then turn to face my other potential ally, Piper. She smiles at me. “Hey Piper,” I say. I wonder if she’s still mad at me for slightly avoiding her last time due to being targeted. Let’s hope not. She’s pretty lethal with a knife, I must say. "Hey Rosemary. Look, I didn't get to warn you yesterday, but the Careers are targeting you. And so is Ten I think.” I don’t move an inch. "How are you taking that?" she asks me. I take a knife and quickly hurl it at the center of the dunmy’s chest before answering. “I’m going to try to be as best prepared as possible,” I say confidently. She hesitates before responding. I think she knows that there’s more to the story than just that. She pauses. "Look, I'm not going to turn against you, if that counts for anything." she stops. "I was just wondering...if you and Arbor of course, would like to be my ally's? Not mine and Diors, but mine?” Piper asks. “Well,” I think about what to say. I don’t think she should be my ally, because once we’re in there everyone’s going to try to kill me and every single one of my allies. “I would love to be your ally,” I say carefully. “But if I’m going to get targeted, I don’t want it to be at your expense. You’d be safer if you didn’t ally with me,” I whisper under my breath. I don’t want the gamemakers hearing this, or frankly anyone else in the Training Center. She seems to resonate with my words, but evidently it doesn’t matter to her that she’d be a target if she allied with me, because her next words are basically a death wish. “I don’t care really. I think we both know I’m not going to last very long anyways, so I might as well go out fighting next to someone I trust.” "Well, if you’re set on it..." I think about the rebel plot and the letter I found in my drawer. Should I tell her about breaking the arena? About the tree that I have to locate? It could put her in a position I don't want her to have to be in. A dangerous position. But I know that my mentors will want me to have allies, and well... I like Piper. She seems very genuine. "Yeah. You can be our ally," I say with a half smile. I wonder if she knows it's strained. I'll tell her soon. Just not yet. She smiles at me back, although I think she knows that something’s not quite right. But she seems like she still trusts me. "Great! You might want to talk to Arbor though. I'm not sure if he'll like me or not." she says. What the hell. I totally forgot to talk to Arbor about my prospective ally.
