Hayden Zarate

**Hayden Zarate** was a tribute in the Hunger Games. He was the male tribute from District 9 in the 699th Hunger Games and a member of an alliance of three.

## Biography

Hayden was born into District 9, where he worked as a farmer to make money. He was known for being aggressive and rebellious, but he still maintained a strong bond with his younger brother Jonah Zarate. During the 699th Hunger Games, he was a part of an alliance of three. He was the strongest of the group. In the Games, Hayden lasted the longest, while his allies, the boys from 6 and 8, both fell to the Headtaker. His odds were decent, at 6-1, marking him as one of the stronger tributes of his games.

### 699th Hunger Games

As a tribute, Hayden was tough, aggressive, arrogant and very confident in his abilites. It is also mentioned that he was a quick learner, and in his short training learnt how to use many weapons.

### Parade

During the opening ceremonies, he and his district partner, a district 9 female, were dressed like stereotypical farmers, much to Hayden's disgust.

### Training

Although he didn't know anything about weaponry, he learnt quickly, and soon showed great skill at fighting and dual wielding which made him deadly in close quarters combat. He received a good training score of 8. Hayden showed the same arrogance as many of the careers, however, unlike his district partner, he was much stronger and well-trained.

### Interviews

During his interview with Caser IX, he wore ragged trouesers with a striped shirt, and was obviously trying to realy the message of how oppressed district 9 was.

### Cornucopia Bloodbath

He was risen to the pedestal next to the girl from 5 and boy from 11. When the gong rang, he ran to the Cornucopia to battle for supplies like most of the other tributes, picking up a backpack on the way there. He managed to muscle his way past a career tribute, grabbing a musket and several rounds. He then took off running through the village with his three allies.

### Alliance

Marvel made an alliance with the District 6 Male and District 8 Male, to form an alliance for oppressed tributes.

Hayden and his allies managed to survive two days in the forests surrounding the village, before coming out on the third day to get supplies. He and his allies killed the boy from 1 and girl from 2, raiding the cornucopia before retreating back into the woods. Expecting the remaining careers to target his alliance, Hayden delved deep into the woods. After hearing three cannons on Day 5, Hayden suspected the remaining careers had died, and led his alliance back into the village.

After arriving, Hayden and co took all the supplies and stored them inside of a warm cabin, taking advantage of the building's one entrance as a chokepoint. Hayden deduced that only one other tribute remained besides him and his allies. He and the District 8 Male left on horseback to find the one tribute, leaving the District 6 Male behind to guard the supplies.

### Death

Unable to find the tribute he's looking for, Hayden grew frustrated. However, after hearing a cannon boom, he assumed the worst, and rode back as fast as he could to the cabin.

When he arrived, he saw the boy from 12 (nicknamed "The Headtaker") fleeing the cabin. Taking his musket, Hayden shot the boy down from his horse, seemingly killing him. When the Headtaker began to get up, Hayden engaged him in melee combat, using his musket as a club.

The Headtaker disarmed him of the musket, so Hayden quickly grabbed two sickles, continuing his fight. The District 8 Male arrived as well, and the two began to fight the Headtaker together. Eventually they begin to retreat, trying to draw the Headtaker into a tight bridge.

However, the 8 Male was stabbed and killed, leaving Hayden alone to fight the Headtaker. Although he fought toe to toe with the Headtaker for a good while, not even Hayden could take him down, and eventually fall the the Headtaker's blades.

Overall, Hayden placed 2nd out of 24, which was very high for a District 9 tribute.

### Effect on Jonah

It is later mentioned by Jonah that his brother's death "disturbed him greatly" and left him with a pit in his stomach. His parents were in notable grief as well, as they were convinced he was going to win after the careers had been killed off.

## Victims

In the games, his only victim was the District 1 Male, whom he killed during a raid on the cornucopia.

## Possessions

During the Games, Hayden was short on supplies, having only a mere backpack and a musket. This drove him and his allies to attack the cornucopia on the third day, where they stole plenty of medicine, food, water, and other supplies from the Cornucopia. On day 5, Hayden returned to the cornucopia, finding it empty. He and his allies moved the supplies into a cabin. After losing his musket, Hayden temporarily owned a pair of sickles, using them in his fight with the Headtaker.

## Personality

Hayden was known as arrogant, rebellious, and aggressive. His aggressive nature is what many said kept him alive so long, just by his pure willpower.

During his interviews, he seemed to be going for a message, but was completely ignored.

## Physical description

Hayden is described as being stocky, muscular and fit. He has short dark brown hair and light brown eyes. He was a rather tall tribute at 6'0", though one of his allies was slightly taller.

## Trivia

* In the games, it is shown that he weighs 201 pounds and is 18 years old.
* In the games, he was given the odds of 6-1.
* Hayden survived for 7 days.
* Out of the District 9 tributes in the Games, Hayden placed the highest in the Hunger Games, at 2nd. His district partner placed between 14th and 24th.