Chapter 14

I open my eyes, Katniss is asleep still. I slip out of the sleeping bag, careful not to wake Katniss. I jump across the trees. I pick some kind of water birds eggs from the nest. Katniss has been so generous about giving me the extra groosling leg last night, so I want to find breakfast for us this morning.

A cannon bombs, announcing another death. Katniss sits up. We wait for more cannons to go off, but they don't.

"Who do you think that was?" Katniss asks me.

I look at her and think. "I don't know. It could have been any of the others. I guess we'll know tonight."

"Who's left again?" Katniss asks.

"The boy from District One. Both tributes from Two. The boy from Three. Thresh and me. And you and Peeta." I say. "That's eight. Wait, and the boy from Ten, the one with the bad leg. He makes nine." I think there's another tribute but neither of us can remember who it was.

"I wonder how the last one died." I say.

"No telling. But it's good for us. A death should hold the crowed for a bit. Maybe we'll have time to do something before the Gamemakers decide things have been moving too slowly." Katniss says. "What's in your hands?"

"Breakfast." I say holding the two eggs out so Katniss can see.

"What kind are those?" she asks.

"Not sure." I say, looking down at the eggs. "There's a marshy area over that way. Some kind of water bird." I tell her.

We don't light a fire, because it's not worth the risk. Instead, we suck out the insides of our eggs, eat a rabbit leg, and some berries.

"Ready to do it?" Katniss asks, pulling out her pack.

"Do what?" I ask, bouncing up, ready to do whatever she planes.

"Today we take out the careers food." Katniss says.

Hope fills me again. I remember our conversation last night. "Really. How?" I ask.

"No idea. Come on, we'll figure out a plan while we hunt." Katniss says.

We don't hunt much, however. I just tell Katniss about the careers camp. And how the boy from District Three is now helping the careers out.

"What weapons does he have?" Katniss asks me.

"Not much that I could see. A spear. He might be able to hold a few tributes off with that, but Thresh could kill him easily," I tell her.

"And the food's just out in the open?" Katniss asks. I nod. "Something's not quite right about the whole set up." Katniss says.

"I know. But I couldn't tell what exactly." I say.

"Katniss, even if you could get to the food, how would you get rid of it?" I ask.

"Burn it. Dump it in the lake. Soak it in fuel." Katniss pokes my belly. "Eat it!" she says causing me to giggle.

We did up roots, and gather berries, thinking of a plan. I tell Katniss about my five siblings. "What do you love most in the world?" Katniss asks me.

"Music." I reply.

"Music?" Katniss asks. "You have a lot of time for that?"

"We sing at home. At work, too. That's why I love your pin." I say pointing to her mockingjay pin.

"You have mockingjays?" Katniss asks.

"Oh, yes. I have a few that are my special friends. We can sing back and forth for hours. They carry messages for me." I say.

"What do you mean?" Katniss asks.

So I tell her about how I signal the end of the work day out in the field, back in District Eleven.

Katniss takes her pin off and holds it out to me. "Here, you take it. It has more meaning for you than me." Katniss says.

"Oh, no." I close her fingers over the pin. "I like to see it on you. That's how I decided I could trust you. Besides I have this." I say pulling my wooden necklace out of my shirt. "It's a good luck charm." I tell her.

"Well, it's worked so far." Katniss says pinning the mockingjay back. "Maybe you should stick with that."

We come up with a plan by lunch, and by early afternoon, we get ready to carry it out. Katniss helps me set up the first two campfires. I will make the third myself. We will meet afterward were we ate out first meal together. Katniss makes sure I have food and matches. She also insists I take her sleeping bag.

"What about you? Won't you be cold?" I ask.

"Not of pick up another bag down by the lake." Katniss says. "You know, stealing isn't illegal here." she grins.

I teach Katniss my four note song. So we can use in as a single. "I might not work. But if you hear the mockingjay singing it, you'll know I'm okay, only I can't get back right away." I say. "Haven't you seen them? They've got nests everywhere." I say.

"Okay, then. If all goes according to plan, I'll see you for dinner." Katniss says.

I throw my arms around Katniss. After a moment, Katniss hugs back. "You be careful." I say.

"You too." Katniss says. Katniss turns and heads back to the stream. I watch Katniss for a minute and walk to the first camp fire.

I'm worried about Katniss, I would hate for them to kill her, even though there is only one victor. I'm sure I couldn't win, so it's either Katniss, Thresh.

I wait hours, giving Katniss time to get to the careers camp. I ignite the match and throw it into the wood pile, starting the first fire. If this works, Tuna will be avenged. The careers will have no food. Katniss will be a greater threat to the careers. I can't let her down. I watch as smoke starts to rise. I grin and run to the second fire.

I retch the second fire and slow down. I wait minutes and throw another match into this fire. I begin running away.

I hear explosions going off and stop in a clearing. What is that? The careers food? I'm about to start running again, when a net entangles me and I trip, falling to the ground. The end is near for me.