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Surprisingly； he just laughs。 ¨Look； I can handle Cato。 I fought him before； didnˇt I？〃
Yeah； and that turned out great。 You ended up dying in a mud bank。 Thatˇs what I want to say； but I canˇt。 He did save my life by taking on Cato after all。 I try another tactic。 ¨What if you climbed up in a tree and acted as a lookout while I hunted？〃 I say； trying to make it sound like very important work。
¨What if you show me whatˇs edible around here and go get us some meat？〃 he says； mimicking my tone。 ¨Just donˇt go far； in case you need help。〃
I sigh and show him some roots to dig。 We do need food； no question。 One apple； two rolls； and a blob of cheese the size of a plum wonˇt last long。 Iˇll just go a short distance and hope Cato is a long way off。
I teach him a bird whistle not a melody like Rueˇs but a simple two…note whistle which we can use to municate that weˇre all right。 Fortunately； heˇs good at this。 Leaving him with the pack； I head off。
I feel like Iˇm eleven again； tethered not to the safety of the fence but to Peeta； allowing myself twenty； maybe thirty yards of hunting space。 Away from him though； the woods e alive with animal sounds。 Reassured by his periodic whistles； I allow myself to drift farther away； and soon have two rabbits and a fat squirrel to show for it。 I decide itˇs enough。 I can set snares and maybe get some fish。 With Peetaˇs roots； this will be enough for now。
As I travel the short distance back； I realize we havenˇt exchanged signals in a while。 When my whistle receives no response； I run。 In no time； I find the pack； a neat pile of roots beside it。 The sheet of plastic has been laid on the ground where the sun can reach the single layer of berries that covers it。 But where is he？
¨Peeta！〃 I call out in a panic。 ¨Peeta！〃 I turn to the rustle of brush and almost send an arrow through him。 Fortunately； I pull my bow at the last second and it sticks in an oak trunk to his left。 He jumps back； flinging a handful of berries into the foliage。
My fear es out as anger。 ¨What are you doing？ Youˇre supposed to be here； not running around in the woods！〃
¨I found some berries down by the stream；〃 he says； clearly confused by my outburst。
¨I whistled。 Why didnˇt you whistle back？〃 I snap at him。
¨I didnˇt hear。 The waterˇs too loud； I guess；〃 he says。 He crosses and puts his hands on my shoulders。 Thatˇs when I feel that Iˇm trembling。
¨I thought Cato killed you！〃 I almost shout。
¨No； Iˇm fine。〃 Peeta wraps his arms around me； but I donˇt respond。 ¨Katniss？〃
I push away； trying to sort out my feelings。 ¨If two people agree on a signal； they stay in range。 Because if one of them doesnˇt answer； theyˇre in trouble； all right？〃
¨All right！〃 he says。
¨All right。 Because thatˇs what happened with Rue； and I watched her die！〃 I say。 I turn away from him； go to the pack and open a fresh bottle of water； although I still have some in mine。 But Iˇm not ready to forgive him。 I notice the food。 The rolls and apples are untouched； but someoneˇs definitely picked away part of the cheese。 ¨And you ate without me！〃 I really donˇt care； I just want something else to be mad about。
¨What？ No； I didnˇt；〃 Peeta says。
¨Oh； and I suppose the apples ate the cheese；〃 I say。
¨I donˇt know what ate the cheese；〃 Peeta says slowly and distinctly； as if trying not to lose his temper； ¨but it wasnˇt me。 Iˇve been down by the stream collecting berries。 Would you care for some？〃
I would actually； but I donˇt want to relent too soon。 I do walk over and look at them。 Iˇve never seen this type before。 No； I have。 But not in the arena。 These arenˇt Rueˇs berries； although they resemble them。 Nor do they match any I learned about in training。 I lean down and scoop up a few； rolling them between my fingers。
My fatherˇs voice es back to me。 ¨Not these； Katniss。 Never these。 Theyˇre nightlock。 Youˇll be dead before they reach your stomach。〃
Just then； the cannon fires。 I whip around； expecting Peeta to collapse to the ground； but he only raises his eyebrows。 The hovercraft appears a hundred yards or so away。 Whatˇs left of Foxfaceˇs emaciated body is lifted into the air。 I can see the red glint of her hair in the sunlight。
I should have known the moment I saw the missing cheese。 。 。 。
Peeta has me by the arm； pushing me toward a tree。 ¨Climb。 Heˇll be here in a second。 Weˇll stand a better chance fighting him from above。〃
I stop him； suddenly calm。 ¨No； Peeta； sheˇs your kill； not Catoˇs。〃
¨What？ I havenˇt even seen her since the first day；〃 he says。 ¨How could I have killed her？〃
In answer； I hold out the berries。
24
It takes a while to explain the situation to Peeta。 How Foxface stole the food from the supply pile before I blew it up； how she tried to take enough to stay alive but not enough that anyone would notice it； how she wouldnˇt question the safety of berries we were preparing to eat ourselves。
¨I wonder how she found us；〃 says Peeta。 ¨My fault； I guess； if Iˇm as loud as you say。〃
We were about as hard to follow as a herd of cattle； but I try to be kind。 ¨And sheˇs very clever； Peeta。 Well； she was。 Until you outfoxed her。〃
¨Not on purpose。 Doesnˇt seem fair somehow。 I mean； we would have both been dead； too； if she hadnˇt eaten the berries first。〃 He checks himself。 ¨No； of course； we wouldnˇt。 You recognized them； didnˇt you？〃
I give a nod。 ¨We call them nightlock。〃
¨Even the name sounds deadly；〃 he says。 ¨Iˇm sorry； Katniss。 I really thought they were the same ones youˇd gathered。〃
¨Donˇt apologize。 It just means weˇre one step closer to home； right？〃 I ask。
¨Iˇll get rid of the rest；〃 Peeta says。 He gathers up the sheet of blue plastic； careful to trap the berries inside； and goes to toss them into the woods。
¨Wait！〃 I cry。 I find the leather pouch that belonged to the boy from District 1 and fill it with a few handfuls of berries from the plastic。 ¨If they fooled Foxface； maybe they can fool Cato as well。 If heˇs chasing us or something； we can act like we accidentally drop the pouch and if he eats them 〃
¨Then hello District Twelve；〃 says Peeta。
¨That�