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easier than making them。〃
For a while； we dig roots； we gather berries and greens； we devise a strategy in hushed voices。 And I e to know Rue； the oldest of six kids； fiercely protective of her siblings； who gives her rations to the younger ones； who forages in the meadows in a district where the Peacekeepers are far less obliging than ours。 Rue； who when you ask her what she loves most in the world； replies； of all things； ¨Music。〃
¨Music？〃 I say。 In our world； I rank music somewhere between hair ribbons and rainbows in terms of usefulness。 At least a rainbow gives you a tip about the weather。 ¨You have a lot of time for that？〃
¨We sing at home。 At work； too。 Thatˇs why I love your pin；〃 she says； pointing to the mockingjay that Iˇve again forgotten about。
¨You have mockingjays？〃 I ask。
¨Oh； yes。 I have a few that are my special friends。 We can sing back and forth for hours。 They carry messages for me；〃 she says。
¨What do you mean？〃 I say。
¨Iˇm usually up highest； so Iˇm the first to see the flag that signals quitting time。 Thereˇs a special little song I do；〃 says Rue。 She opens her mouth and sings a little four…note run in a sweet； clear voice。 ¨And the mockingjays spread it around the orchard。 Thatˇs how everyone knows to knock off；〃 she continues。 ¨They can be dangerous though； if you get too near their nests。 But you canˇt blame them for that。〃
I unclasp the pin and hold it out to her。 ¨Here； you take it。 It has more meaning for you than me。〃
¨Oh； no；〃 says Rue； closing my fingers back over the pin。 ¨I like to see it on you。 Thatˇs how I decided I could trust you。 Besides； I have this。〃 She pulls a necklace woven out of some kind of grass from her shirt。 On it； hangs a roughly carved wooden star。 Or maybe itˇs a flower。 ¨Itˇs a good luck charm。〃
¨Well； itˇs worked so far；〃 I say； pinning the mockingjay back on my shirt。 ¨Maybe you should just stick with that。〃
By lunch； we have a plan。 By early afternoon； we are poised to carry it out。 I help Rue collect and place the wood for the first two campfires； the third sheˇll have time for on her own。 We decide to meet afterward at the site where we ate our first meal together。 The stream should help guide me back to it。 Before I leave； I make sure Rueˇs well stocked with food and matches。 I even insist she take my sleeping bag； in case itˇs not possible to rendezvous by nightfall。
¨What about you？ Wonˇt you be cold？〃 she asks。
¨Not if I pick up another bag down by the lake；〃 I say。 ¨You know； stealing isnˇt illegal here；〃 I say with a grin。
At the last minute； Rue decides to teach me her mockingjay signal； the one she gives to indicate the dayˇs work is done。 ¨It might not work。 But if you hear the mockingjays singing it； youˇll know Iˇm okay； only I canˇt get back right away。〃
¨Are there many mockingjays here？〃 I ask。
¨Havenˇt you seen them？ Theyˇve got nests everywhere；〃 she says。 I have to admit I havenˇt noticed。
¨Okay； then。 If all goes according to plan； Iˇll see you for dinner；〃 I say。
Unexpectedly； Rue throws her arms around me。 I only hesitate a moment before I hug her back。
¨You be careful；〃 she says to me。
¨You； too；〃 I say。 I turn and head back to the stream； feeling somehow worried。 About Rue being killed； about Rue not being killed and the two of us being left for last； about leaving Rue alone； about leaving Prim alone back home。 No； Prim has my mother and Gale and a baker who has promised she wonˇt go hungry。 Rue has only me。
Once I reach the stream； I have only to follow it downhill to the place I initially picked it up after the tracker jacker attack。 I have to be cautious as I move along the water though； be211 cause I find my thoughts preoccupied ost of which concern Peeta。 The cannon that fired early this morning； did that signify his death？ If so； how did he die？ At the hand of a Career？ And was that in revenge for letting me live？ I struggle again to remember that moment over Glimmerˇs body； when he burst through the trees。 But just the fact that he was sparkling leads me to doubt everything that happened。
I must have been moving very slowly yesterday because I reach the shallow stretch where I took my bath in just a few hours。 I stop to replenish my water and add a layer of mud to my backpack。 It seems bent on reverting to orange no matter how many times I cover it。
My proximity to the Careersˇ camp sharpens my senses； and the closer I get to them； the more guarded I am； pausing frequently to listen for unnatural sounds； an arrow already fitted into the string of my bow。 I donˇt see any other tributes； but I do notice some of the things Rue has mentioned。 Patches of the sweet berries。 A bush with the leaves that healed my stings。 Clusters of tracker jacker nests in the vicinity of the tree I was trapped in。 And here and there； the black…and…white flash of a mockingjay wing in the branches high over my head。
When I reach the tree with the abandoned nest at the foot； I pause a moment； to gather my courage。 Rue has given specific instructions on how to reach the best spying place near the lake from this point。 Remember； I tell myself。 Youˇre the hunter now； not them。 I get a firmer grasp on my bow and go on。 I make it to the copse Rue has told me about and again have to admire her cleverness。 Itˇs right at the edge of the wood； but the bushy foliage is so thick down low I can easily observe the Career camp without being spotted。 Between us lies the flat expanse where the Games began。
There are four tributes。 The boy from District 1； Cato and the girl from District 2； and a scrawny； ashen…skinned boy who must be from District 3。 He made almost no impression on me at all during our time in the Capitol。 I can remember almost nothing about him； not his costume； not his training score； not his interview。 Even now； as he sits there fiddling with some kind of plastic box； heˇs easily ignored in the presence of his large and domineering panions。 But he must be of some value or they wouldnˇt have bothered to let him live。 Still； seeing him only adds to my sense of unease over why the Careers would possibly leave him as a guard； why they have allowed him to live at all。
All four tributes seem to still be recovering from the tracker jacker attack。 Even from here； I can see the large swollen lumps on their bodies。 They must not have had the sense to remove the stingers； or if they did； not known about the leaves that healed them。 Apparently； whatever medicines they found in the Cornucopia have been ineffective。
The Cornucopia sits in its original position； but its insides have been picked clean。 Most of the supplies； held in crates； burlap sacks； and plastic bins； are piled neatly in a pyramid in what seems a questionable distance from the camp。 Others are sprinkled around the perimeter of the pyramid； almost mimicking the layout of supplies around the Cornucopia at the onset of the Games。 A canopy of ting that； aside from discouraging birds； seems to be useless shelters the pyramid itself。
The whole setup is pletely perplexing。 The distance； the ting； and the presence of the boy from District 3。 One thingˇs for sure； destroying those supplies is not going to be as simple as it looks。 Some other factor is at play here； and Iˇd better stay put until I figure out what it is。 My guess is the pyramid is booby…trapped in some manner。 I think of concealed pits； descending s； a thread that when broken sends a poisonous dart into your heart。 Really； the possibilities are endless。
While I am mulling over my options； I hear Cato shout out。 Heˇs pointing up to the woods； far beyond me； and without turning I know that Rue must have set the first campfire。 Weˇd made sure to gather enough green wood to make the smoke noticeable。 The Careers begin to arm themselves at once。
An argument breaks out。 Itˇs loud enough for me to hear that it concerns whether or not the boy from District 3 should stay or acpany them。
¨Heˇs ing。 We need him in the woods； and his jobˇs done here anyway。 No one can touch those supplies；〃 says Cato。
¨What about Lover Boy？〃 says the boy from District 1。
¨I keep telling you； forget about him。 I know where I cut him。 Itˇs a miracle he hasnˇt