Kerna

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Kerna
Biographical Information
Occupation	Tribute (50th Hunger Games)
Home	District 9
Fate	Deceased
Physical Information
Gender	Female
Appearances
Book Appearances	Sunrise on the Reaping

"A small, pained cry escapes the girl’s lips as she crouches over the bits. The sunflower mattered, I think, even more than being her last handful of home. I bet someone close to her made it. Her ma or pa? Her sister or brother? Someone she loves."

—Haymitch describing Kerna's reaction to Panache Barker breaking her token.

Kerna was one of two female tributes from District 9 who participated in the 50th Hunger Games.

Biography

50th Hunger Games

Before the start of the Games, Beetee Latier noticed the sunflower necklace tokens that everyone from Kerna's district had. He instructed Haymitch to get them to join the Newcomers as they could use these tokens for their plan to sabotage the arena. Haymitch Abernathy thought their efficiency and capabilities would make them good allies.

While training in the shelter booth, Panache Barker went up to one of the boys and offered them a chance to join the Careers pack but he refused. Panache was upset that they turned him down and retaliated by targeting Kerna. She was focusing on building pine needles and when she did not respond to his taunt, he grabbed her token and broke it. She was devastated and Haymitch thought it meant more to her than just a piece of home. Maysilee Donner fixed it and Kerna, along with the rest of 9, decided to join the Newcomers alliance. Even so, they weren't very sociable and almost appeared exclusive.

Kerna was the last person Haymitch saw before he dashed off into the woods to avoid the bloodbath. After running for a weapon, Kerna died in the initial bloodbath along with everyone else in her district. As Haymitch finished running, he heard a young girl's shriek. This may have been Kerna's, as he had just seen her, and Kerna was the smallest girl in her district. Ampert retrieved two of DIstrict 9's tokens.

Physical description

The District 9 tributes' training outfits were buttery yellow, which reminded Haymitch Abernathy of baby chicks. Like the rest of her district, Kerna was still healing from sunburn, and had calloused hands and lean, muscled arms. She was the smallest tribute from her district.

Personality and traits

Kerna, like the rest of her fellow tributes from District 9, weren't very sociable and liked to keep to themselves. However, Kerna was seemingly the most open of them, crying when her token was broken, as well as speaking with Haymitch and Maysilee.

Etymology

Derived from "kernel," core part of grains.

Trivia

• Kerna is the first character from District 9 to have multiple lines of dialogue in the series (other than Clayton or Ryan telling Panache Barker "no").