第43部分(第3/7 页)

eoccupied　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　c