Chapter 24

           IttakesawhiletoexplainthesituationtoPeeta.HowFoxfacestolethefoodfromthesupplypilebeforeIblewitup,howshetriedtotakeenoughtostayalivebutnotenoughthatanyonewouldnoticeit,howshewouldn’tquestionthesafetyofberrieswewerepreparingtoeatourselves.

           "Iwonderhowshefoundus,"saysPeeta."Myfault,Iguess,ifI’masloudasyousay."

           Wewereaboutashardtofollowasaherdofcattle,butItrytobekind."Andshe’sveryclever,Peeta.Well,shewas.Untilyououtfoxedher."

           "Notonpurpose.Doesn’tseemfairsomehow.Imean,wewouldhavebothbeendead,too,ifshehadn’teatentheberriesfirst."Hecheckshimself."No,ofcourse,wewouldn’t.Yourecognizedthem,didn’tyou?"

           Igiveanod."Wecallthemnightlock."

           "Eventhenamesoundsdeadly,"hesays."I’msorry,Katniss.Ireallythoughttheywerethesameonesyou’dgathered."

           "Don’tapologize.Itjustmeanswe’reonestepclosertohome,right?"Iask.

           "I’llgetridoftherest,"Peetasays.Hegathersupthesheetofblueplastic,carefultotraptheberriesinside,andgoestotossthemintothewoods.

           "Wait!"Icry.IfindtheleatherpouchthatbelongedtotheboyfromDistrict1andfillitwithafewhandfulsofberriesfromtheplastic."IftheyfooledFoxface,maybetheycanfoolCatoaswell.Ifhe’schasingusorsomething,wecanactlikeweaccidentallydropthepouchandifheeatsthem-"

           "ThenhelloDistrictTwelve,"saysPeeta.

           "That’sit,"Isay,securingthepouchtomybelt.

           "He’llknowwherewearenow,"saysPeeta.