and wash； taking particular care with my injured ear。 Then I travel uphill using the stream as a guide。 At one point； I find boot prints in the mud along the bank。 The Careers have been here； but not for a while。 The prints are deep because they were made in soft mud； but now theyˇre nearly dry in the hot sun。 I havenˇt been careful enough about my own tracks； counting on a light tread and the pine needles to conceal my prints。 Now I strip off my boots and socks and go barefoot up the bed of the stream。
The cool water has an invigorating effect on my body； my spirits。 I shoot two fish； easy pickings in this slow…moving stream； and go ahead and eat one raw even though Iˇve just had the groosling。 The second Iˇll save for Rue。
Gradually； subtly； the ringing in my right ear diminishes until itˇs gone entirely。 I find myself pawing at my left ear periodically； trying to clean away whatever deadens its ability to collect sounds。 If thereˇs improvement； itˇs undetectable。 I canˇt adjust to deafness in the ear。 It makes me feel off…balanced and defenseless to my left。 Blind even。 My head keeps turning to the injured side； as my right ear tries to pensate for the wall of nothingness where yesterday there was a constant flow of information。 The more time that passes； the less hopeful I am that this is an injury that will heal。
When I reach the site of our first meeting； I feel certain itˇs been undisturbed。 Thereˇs no sign of Rue； not on the ground or in the trees。 This is odd。 By now she should have returned； as itˇs midday。 Undoubtedly； she spent the night in a tree somewhere。 What else could she do with no light and the Careers with their night…vision glasses tramping around the woods。 And the third fire she was supposed to set although I forgot to check for it last night was the farthest from our site of all。 Sheˇs probably just being cautious about making her way back。 I wish sheˇd hurry； because I donˇt want to hang around here too long。 I want to spend the afternoon traveling to higher ground； hunting as we go。 But thereˇs nothing really for me to do but wait。
I wash the blood out of my jacket and hair and clean my ever… growing list of wounds。 The burns are much better but I use a bit of medicine on them anyway。 The main thing to worry about now is keeping out infection。 I go ahead and eat the second fish。 It isnˇt going to last long in this hot sun； but it should be easy enough to spear a few more for Rue。 If she would just show up。
Feeling too vulnerable on the ground with my lopsided hearing； I scale a tree to wait。 If the Careers show up； this will be a fine place to shoot them from。 The sun moves slowly。 I do things to pass the time。 Chew leaves and apply them to my stings that are deflated but still tender。 b through my damp hair with my fingers and braid it。 Lace my boots back up。 Check over my bow and remaining nine arrows。 Test my left ear repeatedly for signs of life by rustling a leaf near it； but without good results。
Despite the groosling and the fish； my stomachˇs growling； and I know Iˇm going to have what we call a hollow day back in District 12。 Thatˇs a day where no matter what you put in your belly； itˇs never enough。 Having nothing to do but sit in a tree makes it worse； so I decide to give into it。 After all； Iˇve lost a lot of weight in the arena； I need some extra calories。 And having the bow and arrows makes me far more confident about my future prospects。
I slowly peel and eat a handful of nuts。 My last cracker。 The groosling neck。 Thatˇs good because it takes time to pick clean。 Finally； a groosling wing and the bird is history。 But itˇs a hollow day； and even with all that I start daydreaming about food。 Particularly the decadent dishes served in the Capitol。 The chicken in creamy orange sauce。 The cakes and pudding。 Bread with butter。 Noodles in green sauce。 The lamb and dried plum stew。 I suck on a few mint leaves and tell myself to get over it。 Mint is good because we drink mint tea after supper often； so it tricks my stomach into thinking eating time is over。 Sort of。
Dangling up in the tree； with the sun warming me； a mouthful of mint； my bow and arrows at hand 。 。 。 this is the most relaxed Iˇve been since Iˇve entered the arena。 If only Rue would show up； and we could clear out。 As the shadows grow； so does my restlessness。 By late afternoon； Iˇve resolved to go looking for her。 I can at least visit the spot where she set the third fire and see if there are any clues to her whereabouts。
Before I go； I scatter a few mint leaves around our old campfire。 Since we gathered these some distance away； Rue will understand Iˇve been here； while theyˇll mean nothing to the Careers。
In less than an hour； Iˇm at the place where we agreed to have the third fire and I know something has gone amiss。 The wood has been neatly arranged； expertly interspersed with tinder； but it has never been lit。 Rue set up the fire but never made it back here。 Somewhere between the second column of smoke I spied before I blew up the supplies and this point； she ran into trouble。
I have to remind myself sheˇs still alive。 Or is she？ Could the cannon shot announcing her death have e in the wee hours of the morning when even my good ear was too broken to pick it up？ Will she appear in the sky tonight？ No； I refuse to believe it。 There could be a hundred other explanations。 She could have lost her way。 Run into a pack of predators or another tribute； like Thresh； and had to hide。 Whatever happened； Iˇm almost certain sheˇs stuck out there； somewhere between the second fire and the unlit one at my feet。 Something is keeping her up a tree。
I think Iˇll go hunt it down。
Itˇs a relief to be doing something after sitting around all afternoon。 I creep silently through the shadows； letting them conceal me。 But nothing seems suspicious。 Thereˇs no sign of any kind of struggle； no disruption of the needles on the ground。 Iˇve stopped for just a moment when I hear it。 I have to cock my head around to the side to be sure； but there it is again。 Rueˇs four…note tune ing out of a mockingjayˇs mouth。 The one that means sheˇs all right。
I grin and move in the direction of the bird。 Another just a short distance ahead； picks up on the handful of notes。 Rue has been singing to them； and recently。 Otherwise theyˇd have taken up some other song。 My eyes lift up into the trees； searching for a sign of her。 I swallow and sing softly back； hoping sheˇll know itˇs safe to join me。 A mockingjay repeats the melody to me。 And thatˇs when I hear the scream。
Itˇs a childˇs scream； a young girlˇs scream； thereˇs no one in the arena capable of making that sound except Rue。 And now Iˇm running； knowing this may be a trap； knowing the three Careers may be poised to attack me； but I canˇt help myself。 Thereˇs another high…pitched cry； this time my name。 ¨Katniss！ Katniss！〃
¨Rue！〃 I shout back； so she knows Iˇm near。 So； they know Iˇm near； and hopefully the girl who has attacked them with tracker jackers and gotten an eleven they still canˇt explain will be enough to pull their attention away from her。 ¨Rue！ Iˇm ing！〃
When I break into the clearing； sheˇs on the ground； hopelessly entangled in a 。 She just has time to reach her hand through the mesh and say my name before the spear enters her body。
18
The boy from District 1 dies before he can pull out the spear。 My arrow drives deeply into the center of his neck。 He falls to his knees and halves the brief remainder of his life by yanking out the arrow and drowning in his own blood。 Iˇm reloaded； shifting my aim from side to side； while I shout at Rue； ¨Are there more？ Are there more？〃
She has to say no several times before I hear it。 Rue has rolled to her side； her body curved in and around the spear。 I shove the boy away from her and pull out my knife； freeing her from the 。 One look at the wound and I know itˇs far beyond my capacity to heal； beyond anyoneˇs probably。 The spearhead is buried up to the shaft in her stomach。 I crouch before her； staring helplessly at the embedded weapon。 Thereˇs no point in forting words； in telling her sheˇll be all right。 Sheˇs no fool。 Her hand reaches out and I clutch it like a lifelin