《the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)》饥饿游戏(英文版)-第76章

ats　them　〃
¨Then　hello　District　Twelve；〃　says　Peeta。
¨Thatˇs　it；〃　I　say；　securing　the　pouch　to　my　belt。
¨Heˇll　know　where　we　are　now；〃　says　Peeta。　¨If　he　was　anywhere　nearby　and　saw　that　hovercraft；　heˇll　know　we　killed　her　and　e　after　us。〃
Peetaˇs　right。　This　could　be　just　the　opportunity　Catoˇs　been　waiting　for。　But　even　if　we　run　now；　thereˇs　the　meat　to　cook　and　our　fire　will　be　another　sign　of　our　whereabouts。　¨Letˇs　make　a　fire。　Right　now。〃　I　begin　to　gather　branches　and　brush。
¨Are　you　ready　to　face　him？〃　Peeta　asks。
¨Iˇm　ready　to　eat。　Better　to　cook　our　food　while　we　have　the　chance。　If　he　knows　weˇre　here；　he　knows。　But　he　also　knows　thereˇs　two　of　us　and　probably　assumes　we　were　hunting　Foxface。　That　means　youˇre　recovered。　And　the　fire　means　weˇre　not　hiding；　weˇre　inviting　him　here。　Would　you　show　up？〃　I　ask。
¨Maybe　not；〃　he　says。
Peetaˇs　a　whiz　with　fires；　coaxing　a　blaze　out　of　the　damp　wood。　In　no　time；　I　have　the　rabbits　and　squirrel　roasting；　the　roots；　wrapped　in　leaves；　baking　in　the　coals。　We　take　turns　gathering　greens　and　keeping　a　careful　watch　for　Cato；　but　as　I　anticipated；　he　doesnˇt　make　an　appearance。
When　the　foodˇs　cooked；　I　pack　most　of　it　up；　leaving　us　each　a　rabbitˇs　leg　to　eat　as　we　walk。
I　want　to　move　higher　into　the　woods；　climb　a　good　tree；　and　make　camp　for　the　night；　but　Peeta　resists。　¨I　canˇt　climb　like　you；　Katniss；　especially　with　my　leg；　and　I　donˇt　think　I　could　ever　fall　asleep　fifty　feet　above　the　ground。〃
¨Itˇs　not　safe　to　stay　in　the　open；　Peeta；〃　I　say。
¨Canˇt　we　go　back　to　the　cave？〃　he　asks。　¨Itˇs　near　water　and　easy　to　defend。〃
I　sigh。　Several　more　hours　of　walking　　or　should　I　say　crashing　　through　the　woods　to　reach　an　area　weˇll　just　have　to　leave　in　the　morning　to　hunt。　But　Peeta　doesnˇt　ask　for　much。　Heˇs　followed　my　instructions　all　day　and　Iˇm　sure　if　things　were　reversed；　he　wouldnˇt　make　me　spend　the　night　in　a　tree。　It　dawns　on　me　that　I　havenˇt　been　very　nice　to　Peeta　today。　Nagging　him　about　how　loud　he　was；　screaming　at　him　over　disappearing。　The　playful　romance　we　had　sustained　in　the　cave　has　disappeared　out　in　the　open；　under　the　hot　sun；　with　the　threat　of　Cato　looming　over　us。　Haymitch　has　probably　just　about　had　it　with　me。　And　as　for　the　audience　。　。　。
I　reach　up　and　give　him　a　kiss。　¨Sure。　Letˇs　go　back　to　the　cave。〃
He　looks　pleased　and　relieved。　¨Well；　that　was　easy。〃
I　work　my　arrow　out　of　the　oak；　careful　not　to　damage　the　shaft。　These　arrows　are　food；　safety；　and　life　itself　now。
We　toss　a　bunch　more　wood　on　the　fire。　It　should　be　sending　off　smoke　for　a　few　more　hours；　although　I　doubt　Cato　assumes　anything　at　this　point。　When　we　reach　the　stream；　I　see　the　water　has　dropped　considerably　and　moves　at　its　old　leisurely　pace；　so　I　suggest　we　walk　back　in　it。　Peetaˇs　happy　to　oblige　and　since　heˇs　a　lot　quieter　in　water　than　on　land；　itˇs　a　doubly　good　idea。　Itˇs　a　long　walk　back　to　the　cave　though；　even　going　downward；　even　with　the　rabbit　to　give　us　a　boost。　Weˇre　both　exhausted　by　our　hike　today　and　still　way　too　underfed。　I　keep　my　bow　loaded；　both　for　Cato　and　any　fish　I　might　see；　but　the　stream　seems　strangely　empty　of　creatures。
By　the　time　we　reach　our　destination；　our　feet　are　dragging　and　the　sun　sits　low　on　the　horizon。　We　fill　up　our　water　bottles　and　climb　the　little　slope　to　our　den。　Itˇs　not　much；　but　out　here　in　the　wilderness；　itˇs　the　closest　thing　we　have　to　a　home。　It　will　be　warmer　than　a　tree；　too；　because　it　provides　some　shelter　from　the　wind　that　has　begun　to　blow　steadily　in　from　the　west。　I　set　a　good　dinner　out；　but　halfway　through　Peeta　begins　to　nod　off。　After　days　of　inactivity；　the　hunt　has
taken　its　toll。　I　order　him　into　the　sleeping　bag　and　set　aside　the　rest　of　his　food　for　when　he　wakes。　He　drops　off　immediately。　I　pull　the　sleeping　bag　up　to　his　chin　and　kiss　his　forehead；　not　for　the　audience；　but　for　me。　Because　Iˇm　so　grateful　that　heˇs　still　here；　not　dead　by　the　stream　as　Iˇd　thought。　So　glad　that　I　donˇt　have　to　face　Cato　alone。
Brutal；　bloody　Cato　who　can　snap　a　neck　with　a　twist　of　his　arm；　who　had　the　power　to　overe　Thresh；　who　has　had　it　out　for　me　since　the　beginning。　He　probably　has　had　a　special　hatred　for　me　ever　since　I　outscored　him　in　training。　A　boy　like　Peeta　would　simply　shrug　that　off。　But　I　have　a　feeling　it　drove　Cato　to　distraction。　Which　is　not　that　hard。　I　think　of　his　ridiculous　reaction　to　finding　the　supplies　blown　up。　The　others　were　upset；　of　course；　but　he　was　pletely　unhinged。　I
wonder　now　if　Cato　might　not　be　entirely　sane。
The　sky　lights　up　with　the　seal；　and　I　watch　Foxface　shine　in　the　sky　and　then　disappear　from　the　world　forever。　He　hasnˇt　said　it；　but　I　donˇt　think　Peeta　felt　good　about　killing　her；　even　if　it　was　essential。　I　canˇt　pretend　Iˇll　miss　her；　but　I　have　to　admire　her。　My　guess　is　if　they　had　given　us　some　sort　of　test；　she　would　have　been　the　smartest　of　all　the　tributes。　If；　in　fact；　we　had　been　setting　a　trap　for　her；　I　bet　sheˇd　have　sensed　it　and　avoided　the　berries。　It　was　Peetaˇs　own　ignorance　that　brought　her　down。　Iˇve　spent　so　much　time　making　sure　I　donˇt　underestimate　my　opponents　that　Iˇve　forgotten　itˇs　just　as　dangerous　to　overestimate　them　as　well。
That　brings　me　back　to　Cato。　But　while　I　think　I　had　a　sense　of　Foxface；　who　she　was　and　how　she　operated；　heˇs　a　little　more　slippery。　Powerful；　well　trained；　but　smart？　I　donˇt　know。　Not　like　she　was。　And　utterly　lacking　in　the　control　Foxface　demonstrated。　I　believe　Cato　could　easily　lose　his　judgment　in　a　fit　of　temper。　Not　that　I　can　feel　superior　on　that　point。　I　think　of　the　moment　I　sent　the　arrow　flying　into　the　apple　in　the　pigˇs　mouth　when　I　was　so　enraged。　Maybe　I　do　understand　Cato　better　than　I　think。
Despite　the　fatigue　in　my　body；　my　mindˇs　alert；　so　I　let　Peeta　sleep　long　past　our　usual　switch。　In　fact；　a　soft　gray　day　has　begun　when　I　shake　his　shoulder。　He　looks　out；　almost　in　alarm。　¨I　slept　the　whole　night。　Thatˇs　not　fair；　Katniss；　you　should　have　woken　me。〃
I　stretch　and　burrow　down　into　the　bag。　¨Iˇll　sleep　now。　Wake　me　if　anything　interesting　happens。〃
Appa