《the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)》饥饿游戏(英文版)-第78章

ing　a　lovely；　unearthly　harmony。　It　was　this　sound　then；　thanks　to　Rue；　that　sent　the　orchard　workers　of　District　11　home　each　night。　Does　someone　start　it　at　quitting　time；　I　wonder；　now　that　she　is　dead？
For　a　while；　I　just　close　my　eyes　and　listen；　mesmerized　by　the　beauty　of　the　song。　Then　something　begins　to　disrupt　the　music。　Runs　cut　off　in　jagged；　imperfect　lines。　Dissonant　notes　intersperse　with　the　melody。　The　mockingjaysˇ　voices　rise　up　in　a　shrieking　cry　of　alarm。
Weˇre　on　our　feet；　Peeta　wielding　his　knife；　me　poised　to　shoot；　when　Cato　smashes　through　the　trees　and　bears　down　on　us。　He　has　no　spear。　In　fact；　his　hands　are　empty；　yet　he　runs　straight　for　us。　My　first　arrow　hits　his　chest　and　inexplicably　falls　aside。
¨Heˇs　got　some　kind　of　body　armor！〃　I　shout　to　Peeta。
Just　in　time；　too；　because　Cato　is　upon　us。　I　brace　myself；　but　he　rockets　right　between　us　with　no　attempt　to　check　his　speed。　I　can　tell　from　his　panting；　the　sweat　pouring　off　his　purplish　face；　that　heˇs　been　running　hard　a　long　time。　Not　toward　us。　From　something。　But　what？
My　eyes　scan　the　woods　just　in　time　to　see　the　first　creature　leap　onto　the　plain。　As　Iˇm　turning　away；　I　see　another　half　dozen　join　it。　Then　I　am　stumbling　blindly　after　Cato　with　no　thought　of　anything　but　to　save　myself。
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Muttations。　No　question　about　it。　Iˇve　never　seen　these　mutts；　but　theyˇre　no　natural…born　animals。　They　resemble　huge　wolves；　but　what　wolf　lands　and　then　balances　easily　on　its　hind　legs？　What　wolf　waves　the　rest　of　the　pack　forward　with　its　front　paw　as　though　it　had　a　wrist？　These　things　I　can　see　at　a　distance。　Up　close；　Iˇm　sure　their　more　menacing　attributes　will　be　revealed。　
Cato　has　made　a　beeline　for　the　Cornucopia；　and　。　If　he　thinks　itˇs　the　safest　place；　who　am　I　to　argue？　Besides；　even　if　I　could　make　it　to　the　trees；　it　would　be　impossible　for　Peeta　to　outrun　them　on　that　leg　　Peeta！　My　hands　have　just　landed　on　the　metal　at　the　pointed　tail　of　the　Cornucopia　when　I　remember　Iˇm　part　of　a　team。　Heˇs　about　fifteen　yards　behind　me；　hobbling　as　fast　as　he　can；　but　the　mutts　are　closing　in　on　him　fast。　I　send　an　arrow　into　the　pack　and　one　goes　down；　but　there　are　plenty　to　take　its　place。
Peetaˇs　waving　me　up　the　horn；　¨Go；　Katniss！　Go！〃
Heˇs　right。　I　canˇt　protect　either　of　us　on　the　ground。　I　start　climbing；　scaling　the　Cornucopia　on　my　hands　and　feet。　The　pure　gold　surface　has　been　designed　to　resemble　the　woven　horn　that　we　fill　at　harvest；　so　there　are　little　ridges　and　seams　to　get　a　decent　hold　on。　But　after　a　day　in　the　arena　sun；　the　metal　feels　hot　enough　to　blister　my　hands。
Cato　lies　on　his　side　at　the　very　top　of　the　horn；　twenty　feet　above　the　ground；　gasping　to　catch　his　breath　as　he　gags　over　the　edge。　Nowˇs　my　chance　to　finish　him　off。　I　stop　midway　up　the　horn　and　load　another　arrow；　but　just　as　Iˇm　about　to　let　it　fly；　I　hear　Peeta　cry　out。　I　twist　around　and　see　heˇs　just　reached　the　tail；　and　the　mutts　are　right　on　his　heels。
¨Climb！〃　I　yell。　Peeta　starts　up　hampered　by　not　only　the　leg　but　the　knife　in　his　hand。　I　shoot　my　arrow　down　the　throat　of　the　first　mutt　that　places　its　paws　on　the　metal。　As　it　dies　the　creature　lashes　out；　inadvertently　opening　gashes　on　a　few　of　its　panions。　Thatˇs　when　I　get　a　look　at　the　claws。　Four　inches　and　clearly　razor…sharp。
Peeta　reaches　my　feet　and　I　grab　his　arm　and　pull　him　along。　Then　I　remember　Cato　waiting　at　the　top　and　whip　around；　but　heˇs　doubled　over　with　cramps　and　apparently　more　preoccupied　with　the　mutts　than　us。　He　coughs　out　something　unintelligible。　The　snuffling；　growling　sound　ing　from　the　mutts　isnˇt　helping。
¨What？〃　I　shout　at　him。
¨He　said；　ˉCan　they　climb　it？ˇ〃　answers　Peeta；　drawing　my　focus　back　to　the　base　of　the　horn。
The　mutts　are　beginning　to　assemble。　As　they　join　together；　they　raise　up　again　to　stand　easily　on　their　back　legs　giving　them　an　eerily　human　quality。　Each　has　a　thick　coat；　some　with　fur　that　is　straight　and　sleek；　others　curly；　and　the　colors　vary　from　jet　black　to　what　I　can　only　describe　as　blond。　Thereˇs　something　else　about　them；　something　that　makes　the　hair　rise　up　on　the　back　of　my　neck；　but　I　canˇt　put　my　finger　on　it。
They　put　their　snouts　on　the　horn；　sniffing　and　tasting　the　metal；　scraping　paws　over　the　surface　and　then　making　highpitched　yipping　sounds　to　one　another。　This　must　be　how　they　municate　because　the　pack　backs　up　as　if　to　make　room。　Then　one　of　them；　a　good…size　mutt　with　silky　waves　of　blond　fur　takes　a　running　start　and　leaps　onto　the　horn。　Its　back　legs　must　be　incredibly　powerful　because　it　lands　a　mere　ten　feet　below　us；　its　pink　lips　pulled　back　in　a　snarl。　For　a　moment　it　hangs　there；　and　in　that　moment　I　realize　what　else　unsettled　me　about　the　mutts。　The　green　eyes　glowering　at　me　are　unlike　any　dog　or　wolf；　any　canine　Iˇve　ever　seen。　They　are　unmistakably　human。　And　that　revelation　has　barely　registered　when　I　notice　the　collar　with　the　number　1　inlaid　with　jewels　and　the　whole　horrible　thing　hits　me。　The　blonde　hair；　the　green　eyes；　the　number　。　。　。　itˇs　Glimmer。
A　shriek　escapes　my　lips　and　Iˇm　having　trouble　holding　the　arrow　in　place。　I　have　been　waiting　to　fire；　only　too　aware　of　my　dwindling　supply　of　arrows。　Waiting　to　see　if　the　creatures　can；　in　fact；　climb。　But　now；　even　though　the　mutt　has　begun　to　slide　backward；　unable　to　find　any　purchase　on　the　metal；　even　though　I　can　hear　the　slow　screeching　of　the　claws　like　nails　on　a　blackboard；　I　fire　into　its　throat。　Its　body　twitches　and　flops　onto　the　ground　with　a　thud。
¨Katniss？〃　I　can　feel　Peetaˇs　grip　on　my　arm。
¨Itˇs　her！〃　I　get　out。
¨Who？〃　asks　Peeta。
My　head　snaps　from　side　to　side　as　I　examine　the　pack；　taking　in　the　various　sizes　and　colors。　The　small　one　with　the　red　coat　and　amber　eyes　。　。　。　Foxface！　And　there；　the　ashen　hair　and　hazel　eyes　of　the　boy　from　District　9　who　died　as　we　struggled　for　the　backpack！　And　worst　of　all；　the　smallest　mutt；　with　dark　glossy　fur；　huge　brown　eyes　and　a　collar　that　reads　11　in　woven　straw。　Teeth　bared　in　hatred。　Rue　。　。　。
¨What　is　it；　Katniss？〃　Peeta　shakes　my　shoulder。
¨Itˇs　them。　Itˇs　all　of　them。　The　others。　Rue　and　Foxf