第42部分(第2/7 页)

ly　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　pl