Sequoia nodded as Willow remarked that she was sure he could wield an axe, like her. He was damn good at it--he could throw them, he could hack away with em like a weapon. He knew his way around an axe, that was for sure. Being an outcast at the orphanage, not really social with anyone, he had to do *something* to entertain himself. Playing with an axe he'd nicked and hidden underneath a loose floorboard had been his main entertainment for years of his life. He listened as Birch suggested they each learn to use other skills while in training. He glanced over at Willow, wondering if she'd drawn the same conclusion he had; that they needed something to surprise their competition. Who [i]didn't[/i] know that District 7 were exceptional with axes? Every tribute to ever come from the distract was. That was like districts 1, 2, and 4 creating a career pack together; it was completely expected, you just knew that is WAS going to happen. 

He began to consider what other skill he might learn. He'd watched the televised Hunger Games enough to know that there were a very wide variety of skills to choose from indeed. From using other weapons, to trapping, to survival--there were far more skills to choose than there was time to learn them all. What other weapon could he learn to use? A sword, perhaps? A bow or spear? Sequoia began to have serious doubts about this. He'd never so much as touched anything even remotely like a weapon besides a lumberjacks axe. How could he learn the finer points of archery or swordplay or something else? What hope did he have, really, to stand against the Career pack? Even if Willow fought by his side, that was two against six minimum. And Careers often liked to bring in another tribute or two who had basic survival skills or something technical to offer....

Technical. Sequoia's eyes narrowed as he delved deeper into thought. He needed to learn to use a weapon besides an axe, but he also needed to learn a technical skill. First aid? Plant identification? Survival? Trapping? He wasn't sure at this point, but he needed something to help him and Willow to survive in the arena. He blinked, shocked at his own chain of thought. Willow...he was assuming she'd even be willing to ally with him. And why? She'd just revealed earlier that she felt she barely knew him anymore. Why would she be so keen to ally with him? She wanted to get back to her family, and Sequoia had no family to get back to. Would she ally with him....did she even want to? The only reason she might is because they were old friends, the BEST of friends before they were ripped apart by the Capitol. [i]But Sequoia...isn't that reason to stay away, to keep distant? Because you're old friends, maybe she doesn't want you so close...because of what may happen,[/i] he thought to himself. He swallowed, the idea of Willow standing against him nearly too much to bear. 

He let out an audible sigh, and turned to gaze at his old friend. Her brown hair and dark eyes, the slender face that used to light up when she'd smile. He missed their childhood together, the memories they shared. He missed [i]her[/i] damn it, and he would never forgive the Capitol for taking her. Maybe if they'd never been seperated in the first place, they wouldn't be here now, about to be thrust into battle with 22 other tributes, all vying for that title of "victor." Shaking his head slowly, he leaned against the wall as the train thundered down the tracks. [b]"Hey Willow...I think we ought to learn some kind of survival skill too,"[/b] he said, unwilling to keep his idea a personal choice. It would be to her benefit too if she picked up a skill like that. [b]"I mean, it's not like we'll be in with the careers, we're district 7. We'll probably end up having to survive on our own."[/b] Sequoia paused for a second, making eye contact with Willow very briefly, before lowering his gaze to the floor. [b]"Umm. Always presuming you want to...be allies in the arena...."[/b] He let his voice trail off, unable to gaze into the face of his old friend, unable to face rejection if it should come. He wanted to reconnect with her, he supposed, to become as close as they had been years ago. And if he was really lucky, it would be either her or him that would be up on stage at the end of all this, crowned victor, and watching their own highlight real of blood and death.