Claude Saunders

''"You're the first person who really gets me and can put up with my temper...You're sweet and caring; I could tell this right away just by how much Daisy looks up to you...You don't judge and accept people as they are which is a hard quality to come by... And I know you'll always have my back and won't let anyone hurt me, that's why..." -''Zoey to Claude, when asked why she loved him.

Claude Saunders was the District 9 tribute in the 123rd Hunger Games. He was 17 when he was reaped, and was in love with Zoey Nightshade. Claude was very kind to everyone, and wanted to make every person feel accepted. He was also very protective of his loved ones and tended to act without thinking. All of these traits of his led to his death.

Life Before the 123rd Reapings
Claude was from a poor family where his father had passed away 7 years prior to the reapings, and his mother was hardly ever home. He didn't have much sympathy for his mom's unmotherly ways, and hated her guts. Truth was, his mother was grieving so much over her husband's death that the resemblences of him in her children killed her a bit inside.

Claude raised his younger sister, Daisy, who was 8 when he was 17. He loved her more than anything and did his best to shelter her from the world. To most, though, Claude was just seen as some manwhore to slept around, even though he really was just a virgin on the search for the girl of his dreams (Zoey, hem).

In his free time, he hunted. Claude was an expert with the bow and arrow and it was hunting that gave him a common interest with Zoey. Besides this, he spent a lot of time with his sister. He also spends his time slacking on his schoolwork and being dragged to double dates by his best friend, Kian.

He met Zoey Nightshade in the meadows of District 9. He knew she was "the one" at first sight; she was gorgeous. She fell in love with his soft side, and they soon started dating. But their happy relationship was cut short when they were both reaped for the 123rd Games.

Life in the Capitol, Before the Games
Claude was immediately tagged as nothing but another lover boy and a servant to Zoey, who was the most targeted tribute of the careers. This soon changed as he made friends, and people really started to like him. He even made friends with such people as Aria, Donevin, and Kai. That's right, Kai. Let that one stick in your mind: He was friends with Kai.

Time in the Capitol for Claude started out very normal and peaceful. He spent a lot of his time with Zoey, they became the first couple to creak, he proposed to her and she said yes (though she was quite hesitant). Zoey had been picked to be a rebellion leader and had been given the opportunity to choose 3 people to get out of the Games. So of course, Claude was then promised a way out. He was happy.

His happiness ended when his ol' buddy, ol' pal Kai started developing feelings for Zoey and kissed her. Zoey started doubting her feelings for Claude. And when Claude found out, he started doing the same thing. Confused, he kissed Xavier and even slept with Hertz the whore. Zoey was pissed when she found out, naturally, but after their short break, they got back together and were stronger than ever.

Claude and Zoey soon got married. Both Quinn, who liked Claude, and Kai the bastard, who loved Zoey, were heartbroken. At least Quinn didn't take the initiative to plot Zoey's death, like Kai started plotting Claude's. Apparently, Kai cant be friends with guys who are clearly better than him. That's right, I went there.

Oh, Claude also got bad at pulling out and Zoey got pregnant. That's right, he knocked up the rebellion leader. That's a win. Out of this, Emerson and Avery were born. But they never knew their daddy, and it's all because of Kai the bastard.

His Death
Because most of Claude's time in the Capitol is rather anti-climatic, I'll end with his death. Kai's constant revenge-plotting paid off. He surprise attacked Claude in the arena, and severely maimed him. At this, Zoey was outraged. No second thought crossed her mind before she killed Kai quickly, feeling betrayed. And obviously, afterwards, Zoey and Claude had a heart-breaking scene where they said goodbye. Zoey begged him to stay, but Claude knew he had fulfilled his life's purpose and had to let Zoey go on by herself. He promised to love her even after death, and eventually died of blood-loss. Then Maddie died of Claude-loss.