第41部分(第2/7 页)

　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；