Cain Gunn

## Bio

A destiny had been assigned to Cain Gunn before he had even been given his name. Perhaps, it was generations before his own birth that his fate had been sealed. Cain’s grandfather was a victor in the 46th Games, and he dared to try his hand in the arena in the 75th. For Brutus Gunn, there was a beauty in the willingness one had to get blood on their hands, and in the divine ability to be the last one standing. He was supposed to be victorious, but instead he was drowned.

Cain’s father lived his life with a host of regrets and should haves. He should have graduated from the top of his class at The Academy. He should have been a Victor. He should have gotten retribution for his family name. Instead, Cain’s father suffered a knee injury that removed him from training the year before he was set to volunteer, and although his injury healed, the resentment that spread through his body like infection never did. It festered in his heart when he realized that working at The Academy was the best he could do, and it blackened his soul as he sent students into the arena to become champions or to die trying. But on the day Cain was born, there was also born new hope for the Gunn family. Finally, and without question, there would be a son to send into the arena and restore glory to the family name. It was a truth Cain understood before he understood that the sun would rise and set each day or the seasons would change.

Cain’s father was a cold man, but love didn’t prepare a child for an arena. His mother reminded him often that there were starving children in other districts, and if he couldn’t appreciate what he had in the Gunn home, he was more than welcome to see what District Twelve had to offer. Cain and his sister were children raised with discipline and drive. He was a skilled fighter from an early age because anything less was unacceptable. He was taught what it meant to be not only a man, but a Victor who didn’t shed tears or show weakness. Cain knew he was handed wealth and opportunity, but victory would be something he would take even when it meant prying it from another’s cold, dead hands.

The games were not a part of Cain’s world as much as they were a part of him. Cain’s family sat around the television each year to discuss the arena, the tributes, who would win, and how they would do it. Cain had always viewed this time as valuable practice for the day he finally volunteered. He was supposed to wait until his last eligible year to volunteer to give him all the necessary time and training it would take to become a Victor, but much to everyone’s surprise Cain volunteered on his twelfth birthday. He didn’t want to be just another career, he wanted to be the youngest Victor in The Hunger Games’ history.

The arena was oceanic with periods of high tide that submerged the entire arena below water and periods of low tide that left the arena sandy and easier to navigate. During the bloodbath, Cain fought another tribute for an oxygen mask, breaking their wrist and coming out with a tool that would prove vital to his success in the game. Much of the first and second days were spent navigating the arena’s complex underwater tunnel system and avoiding dangerous whirlpools. By the third day, Cain had joined the unconventional and distrusting career alliance that only lasted a short time. Toxic coral altered the minds of anyone without an oxygen mask, causing one of the careers to snap and attack Cain, leaving another member of the alliance to kill her in his defense. The careers disbanded shortly after, and Cain explored the arena on his own until the following day. On day four, a massive tsunami swept through the arena. The wave knocked Cain’s oxygen mask away from him and left him nearly drowned and trapped inside one of the arena’s rocky caves. In the caves, Cain met up with what would be his final alliance. The alliance was comprised of some of the youngest tributes of the game as well as Cain’s most trusted ally, the girl from One. The next few days were easier for Cain, getting a little respite in the form of a Gamemaker hosted feast and taking shelter while the Gamemakers detonated bombs in other areas of the arena. On the eighth and final day, mermaid inspired mutts lured the remaining six tributes into the water with the intent of bringing them to their death. Cain defeated his mutt, while most of the other tributes succumbed to theirs. This left only Cain and his closest ally remaining in the arena alive. Cain’s ally chose to sacrifice herself to her mutt, making Cain not only the youngest victor, but a Victor without any kills to his name.

Before his games, Cain took life very seriously. He was very talented and knew he was very talented, but he didn’t hold any titles yet. Before his games, he was more careful about balancing his confidence with knowing he had something to prove, and he was careful to maintain his rigorous training and discipline. Since his games, Cain doesn’t take life very seriously at all. He’s a Victor with more money and privilege than he could’ve ever dreamed. While he still enjoys his time in the training center, he views it as more of his playground than a place for serious learning. Despite his playful personality, Cain has never quite lost the chip on his shoulder about his no kill victory. He went into the arena with something to prove, and to this day he feels that people underestimate him or view him as soft because of it.

Cain expects the best from his tributes. He believes that careers should come to the game ready to win, and he is only there to help guide some of their strategy. He enjoys his tributes but doesn’t usually get personally attached. He also can’t stand a tribute who sees him as the kid he once was and doesn’t take his advice seriously.