《the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)》饥饿游戏(英文版)-第74章

Disfort　causes　me　to　move。　I　scoot　over　and　shake　Peetaˇs　shoulder。　His　eyes　open　sleepily　and　when　they　focus　on　me；　he　pulls　me　down　for　a　long　kiss。
¨Weˇre　wasting　hunting　time；〃　I　say　when　I　finally　break　away。
¨I　wouldnˇt　call　it　wasting；〃　he　says　giving　a　big　stretch　as　he　sits　up。　¨So　do　we　hunt　on　empty　stomachs　to　give　us　an　edge？〃
¨Not　us；〃　I　say。　¨We　stuff　ourselves　to　give　us　staying　power。〃
¨Count　me　in；〃　Peeta　says。　But　I　can　see　heˇs　surprised　when　I　divide　the　rest　of　the　stew　and　rice　and　hand　a　heaping　plate　to　him。　¨All　this？〃
¨Weˇll　earn　it　back　today；〃　I　say；　and　we　both　plow　into　our　plates。　Even　cold；　itˇs　one　of　the　best　things　Iˇve　ever　tasted。　I　abandon　my　fork　and　scrape　up　the　last　dabs　of　gravy　with　my　finger。　¨I　can　feel　Effie　Trinket　shuddering　at　my　manners。〃　
¨Hey；　Effie；　watch　this！〃　says　Peeta。　He　tosses　his　fork　over　his　shoulder　and　literally　licks　his　plate　clean　with　his　tongue　making　loud；　satisfied　sounds。　Then　he　blows　a　kiss　out　to　her　in　general　and　calls；　¨We　miss　you；　Effie！〃
I　cover　his　mouth　with　my　hand；　but　Iˇm　laughing。　¨Stop！　Cato　could　be　right　outside　our　cave。〃
He　grabs　my　hand　away。　¨What　do　I　care？　Iˇve　got　you　to　protect　me　now；〃　says　Peeta；　pulling　me　to　him。
¨e　on；〃　I　say　in　exasperation；　extricating　myself　from　his　grasp　but　not　before　he　gets　in　another　kiss。
Once　weˇre　packed　up　and　standing　outside　our　cave；　our　mood　shifts　to　serious。　Itˇs　as　though　for　the　last　few　days；　sheltered　by　the　rocks　and　the　rain　and　Catoˇs　preoccupation　with　Thresh；　we　were　given　a　respite；　a　holiday　of　sorts。　Now；　although　the　day　is　sunny　and　warm；　we　both　sense　weˇre　really　back　in　the　Games。　I　hand　Peeta　my　knife；　since　whatever　weapons　he　once　had　are　long　gone；　and　he　slips　it　into　his　belt。　My　last　seven　arrows　　of　the　twelve　I　sacrificed　three　in　the　explosion；　two　at　the　feast　　rattle　a　bit　too　loosely　in　the　quiver。　I　canˇt　afford　to　lose　any　more。
¨Heˇll　be　hunting　us　by　now；〃　says　Peeta。　¨Cato　isnˇt　one　to　wait　for　his　prey　to　wander　by。〃
¨If　heˇs　wounded　〃　I　begin。
¨It　wonˇt　matter；〃　Peeta　breaks　in。　¨If　he　can　move；　heˇs　ing。〃
With　all　the　rain；　the　stream　has　overrun　its　banks　by　several　feet　on　either　side。　We　stop　there　to　replenish　our　water。　I　check　the　snares　I　set　days　ago　and　e　up　empty。　Not　surprising　with　the　weather。　Besides；　I　havenˇt　seen　many　animals　or　signs　of　them　in　this　area。
¨If　we　want　food；　we　better　head　back　up　to　my　old　hunting　grounds；〃　I　say。
¨Your　call。　Just　tell　me　what　you　need　me　to　do；〃　Peeta　says。
¨Keep　an　eye　out；〃　I　say。　¨Stay　on　the　rocks　as　much　as　possible；　no　sense　in　leaving　him　tracks　to　follow。　And　listen　for　both　of　us。〃　Itˇs　clear；　at　this　point；　that　the　explosion　destroyed　the　hearing　in　my　left　ear　for　good。
Iˇd　walk　in　the　water　to　cover　our　tracks　pletely；　but　Iˇm　not　sure　Peetaˇs　leg　could　take　the　current。　Although　the　drugs　have　erased　the　infection；　heˇs　still　pretty　weak。　My　forehead　hurts　along　the　knife　cut；　but　after　three　days　the　bleeding　has　stopped。　I　wear　a　bandage　around　my　head　though；　just　in　case　physical　exertion　should　bring　it　back。
As　we　head　up　alongside　the　stream；　we　pass　the　place　where　I　found　Peeta　camouflaged　in　the　weeds　and　mud。　One　good　thing；　between　the　downpour　and　the　flooded　banks；　all　signs　of　his　hiding　place　have　been　wiped　out。　That　means　that；　if　need　be；　we　can　e　back　to　our　cave。　Otherwise；　I　wouldnˇt　risk　it　with　Cato　after　us。
The　boulders　diminish　to　rocks　that　eventually　turn　to　pebbles；　and　then；　to　my　relief；　weˇre　back　on　pine　needles　and　the　gentle　incline　of　the　forest　floor。　For　the　first　time；　I　realize　we　have　a　problem。　Navigating　the　rocky　terrain　with　a　bad　leg　　well；　youˇre　naturally　going　to　make　some　noise。　But　even　on　the　smooth　bed　of　needles；　Peeta　is　loud。　And　I　mean　loud　loud；　as　if　heˇs　stomping　his　feet　or　something。　I　turn　and　look　at　him。
¨What？〃　he　asks。
¨Youˇve　got　to　move　more　quietly；〃　I　say。　¨Forget　about　Cato；　youˇre　chasing　off　every　rabbit　in　a　ten…mile　radius。〃
¨Really？〃　he　says。　¨Sorry；　I　didnˇt　know。〃
So；　we　start　up　again　and　heˇs　a　tiny　bit　better；　but　even　with　only　one　working　ear；　heˇs　making　me　jump。
¨Can　you　take　your　boots　off？〃　I　suggest。
¨Here？〃　he　asks　in　disbelief；　as　if　Iˇd　asked　him　to　walk　barefoot　on　hot　coals　or　something。　I　have　to　remind　myself　that　heˇs　still　not　used　to　the　woods；　that　itˇs　the　scary；　forbidden　place　beyond　the　fences　of　District　12。　I　think　of　Gale；　with　his　velvet　tread。　Itˇs　eerie　how　little　sound　he　makes；　even　when　the　leaves　have　fallen　and　itˇs　a　challenge　to　move　at　all　without　chasing　off　the　game。　I　feel　certain　heˇs　laughing　back　home。
¨Yes；〃　I　say　patiently。　¨I　will；　too。　That　way　weˇll　both　be　quieter。〃　Like　I　was　making　any　noise。　So　we　both　strip　off　our　boots　and　socks　and；　while　thereˇs　some　improvement；　I　could　swear　heˇs　making　an　effort　to　snap　every　branch　we　encounter。
Needless　to　say；　although　it　takes　several　hours　to　reach　my　old　camp　with　Rue；　Iˇve　shot　nothing。　If　the　stream　would　settle　down；　fish　might　be　an　option；　but　the　current　is　still　too　strong。　As　we　stop　to　rest　and　drink　water；　I　try　to　work　out　a　solution。　Ideally；　Iˇd　dump　Peeta　now　with　some　simple　rootgathering　chore　and　go　hunt；　but　then　heˇd　be　left　with　only　a　knife　to　defend　himself　against　Catoˇs　spears　and　superior　strength。　So　what　Iˇd　really　like　is　to　try　and　conceal　him　somewhere　safe；　then　go　hunt；　and　e　back　and　collect　him。　But　I　have　a　feeling　his　ego　isnˇt　going　to　go　for　that　suggestion。
¨Katniss；〃　he　says。　¨We　need　to　split　up。　I　know　Iˇm　chasing　away　the　game。〃
¨Only　because　your　legˇs　hurt；〃　I　say　generously；　because　really；　you　can　tell　thatˇs　only　a　small　part　of　the　problem。
¨I　know；〃　he　says。　¨So；　why　donˇt　you　go　on？　Show　me　some　plants　to　gather　and　that　way　weˇll　both　be　useful。〃
¨Not　if　Cato　es　and　kills　you。〃　I　tried　to　say　it　in　a　nice　way；　but　it　still　sounds　like　I　think　heˇs　a　weakling。
Surprisingly；　he　just　laughs。　¨Look；　I　can　handle　Cato。　I　fought　him　before；　didnˇt　I？〃
Yeah；　and　that　turned　out　great。　You