Голодные игры
Chapter 23
Justtellmewhatyouneedmetodo,"Peetasays.
"Keepaneyeout,"Isay."Stayontherocksasmuchaspossible,nosenseinleavinghimtrackstofollow.Andlistenforbothofus."It’sclear,atthispoint,thattheexplosiondestroyedthehearinginmyleftearforgood.
I’dwalkinthewatertocoverourtrackscompletely,butI’mnotsurePeeta’slegcouldtakethecurrent.Althoughthedrugshaveerasedtheinfection,he’sstillprettyweak.Myforeheadhurtsalongtheknifecut,butafterthreedaysthebleedinghasstopped.Iwearabandagearoundmyheadthough,justincasephysicalexertionshouldbringitback.
Asweheadupalongsidethestream,wepasstheplacewhereIfoundPeetacamouflagedintheweedsandmud.Onegoodthing,betweenthedownpourandthefloodedbanks,allsignsofhishidingplacehavebeenwipedout.Thatmeansthat,ifneedbe,wecancomebacktoourcave.Otherwise,Iwouldn’triskitwithCatoafterus.
Thebouldersdiminishtorocksthateventuallyturntopebbles,andthen,tomyrelief,we’rebackonpineneedlesandthegentleinclineoftheforestfloor.Forthefirsttime,Irealizewehaveaproblem.Navigatingtherockyterrainwithabadleg-well,you’renaturallygoingtomakesomenoise.Butevenonthesmoothbedofneedles,Peetaisloud.AndImeanloudloud,asifhe’sstompinghisfeetorsomething.Iturnandlookathim.
"What?"heasks.
"You’vegottomovemorequietly,"Isay."ForgetaboutCato,you’rechasingoffeveryrabbitinaten-mileradius."
"Really?"hesays.
