A/N: THANK YOU DandelionOnFire (I'm glad you think so:D With the fluff-issue, I mean:D About you guessing...hey! At least that is Katniss' first guess, too:D), Aria-dancingdolphins15(I know{the thing with the fighting, I mean}. That's because of all the tension and now with her mom {whose name was never mentioned, btw, that's why she doesn't have a name in my story} gone, Katniss is even more stressed. She doesn't really mean it though:)), Mockingjay272 (LOL, B&B:DD Seriously, I love that:D And THANKS!:)), Kari (Galie?:DD Very sweet:P), Ann Rosemary Ranger (Probably, but not anytime soon. I miss him, too:)), SWPeetaxKatnissAvatarTLA (I'm glad you think it *was* fluff. For me it was, too, but there are some people that have a different definition of fluff. Since I'm really not hoplessly romantic, my standarts for where fluff starts being fluff are not as high:)), InLoveWithPeeta (Gotta love Caesar though:D), KatnisskhadijaMellark (haha, I know:D That's the fun for me:D), mrspatrickdempsey (you can guess anytime. I love hearing guesses:D), HELLO2-4 (Prim is keeping watch and pretty busy with mourning her mother. That's everything:D), maryclumsy, ZaraB (I hope you're not mad at me for this chapter...:)), FlamingArrows, bookwriter-lover1212 (And in yours:D), Sparksfly23, Aloha-Pinkly (Love. I love doing those:DD), dgeeky23 (It is. And don't let so much time pass again:D), DancingDr . Pepper (Sorry for spelling that wrong, but FF won't show it if I don't:)), Emmy (I'd feel bad if I did...I wouldn't without a good reason:)), anon (I'm sorry:)), kms96 (I didn't want to make the thing with Prim too big, so I left it kinda open. In my mind, she was mourning her mother and kind of consumed by it. That's the reason why she didn't notice anything:) And thanks for the comment about fluff:D That's because I don't like overdone fluff. It's so...sappy:)), SamiCatalfumo (This one is slightly longer:)), mspacman1, PeetaLuver1 (Patience is virtue {you'll get your kiss...you only have to wait a bit:)}), iluvsourskittle, DancingDP and marumeep (Thank you:D Here's your update:D)

I'm very sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, but school and a rather long sickness prevented me from writing. I hope you forgive me:)

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

Chapter 9:

I quickly shoot up and look around, trying to prevent myself from panicking.

It's OK, I tell myself. That's only Prim, probably scouting the forest surrounding us. Maybe trying to find some berries left on the bushes that have lost their leaves. After all, we lost just about all of our supplies and we really need food.

Thankfully I was able to take my bow and my arrows with me, so we at least won't have to worry about meat. I hope. But there should be at least a few wild animals out here.

Only, meat isn't the only thing we need. Water, we could find water, too, it won't be that hard, but what I really worry about is greens. We'll need it as well, and it won't be easy to get at this time of year, so Prim searching for berries probably is a good thing.

It's still dark, although the first rays of the sun are already visible at the horizon. At least that's what I think, because the needles of the tree I'm sleeping on block my view. But I guess I can see that much, my eyes have always been good.

But there's only one thing a huntress relies more on than on her eyes. Eyes can deceive one, but ears can't. And mine aren't deceiving me right now, when they're telling me there isn't only one person walking, but two. And without looking down I know the second person isn't Peeta. Intuition, I guess. Alright, and maybe the fact that I can hear his back lightly scratching against the tree.

I barely had time to ponder over the question whether to sit here still and hope they'll go away or risking a glance before they come into my view. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and have to remind myself that this wasn't very smart, after all they could very well be enemies.

Only, they don't look like it. That was what made me feel relief, too. I don't know what I expected, maybe brains and brawns, but aside from the lack of a hovercraft, I can say those two aren't. Without a doubt. Because, although I've never seen the owners of the gun that pierced my mother's scalp, both voices were male.

But one of the persons that just came into my view has long, black, straight hair, and it reaches her waist. It's clear that neither of them has had much to eat, so the female's curves aren't as defined as they're supposed to be, but compared to me she's an hourglass, and her body isn't a male's, without a doubt.

"We've been walking for hours. Let's take a break." Only now, as he speaks, I turn me attention to the male. I can't see either of their faces, but I can see his hair, too. It's a dark brown, flat on his head, and what is considered short in District twelve. He's scanning his surroundings, or so I think, since he's moving his head the way one does when one is looking around.

"What? Seriously? Aren't you the one constantly talking about the importance of this? Even if I don't understand it? And aren't you the one urging me to wake at dawn? And sleep only three hours? And now, now that I finally got used to this, you must decide you feel like having a break? And of course, now that you say so, that's what's to be done?"

She obviously isn't too fond of this idea, and I agree. Not for her reasons, no, but I don't want to be unable to move while they rest here; I don't want them to be here, and I'm scared of what they might do if they found out about our existence. There's no proof they're from the Capitol, or armed at all, but that isn't enough to make me trust them even the slightest bit; I surely won't make the fact that I am here, too, known.

The male sighs. "It's not my fault you decided to come with me. Actually, I'm pretty sure you could have done it by yourself."

"Yeah, but that'd have been stupid. I mean, we're heading in the same direction, not to mention the fact that you know exactly how to get there. I'd have gone thousand detours, why waste this time?"

Get where? Are they from the Capitol, after all? But why wouldn't she know where it is, then? Or, why would he? My head is spinning because of all those questions. This doesn't make sense at all.

"Because I'm putting you into danger. I know they're after me. And I told you. They don't know about you, not yet anyway, but sooner or later they're going to find out. At the latest when they find us, that is, if they find us. Which can't be ruled out. It's a miracle, actually, that we haven't even seen them yet. I suppose that's because they're setting a trap for us. After all, they know my route, at least vaguely. They must know where I'm headed. The only thing that comforts me is that they can't have tortured him."

My head wasn't spinning before. There isn't any ability what was before could be considered spinning, because now it is so extreme that it hurts. Is this boy the boy brains and brawns were after? So does that mean he isn't an enemy? Or…are both of them? Who is the one 'they', whoever 'they' are, can't have tortured him and why shouldn't they? Or more like, what would be the use in the first place? How could anyone know the exact route of someone in the woods, how could they know where he's headed?

The girl snorts. "How'd you know? You're not that naïve, you know they don't care about a human life."

Now I am pretty sure they're talking about the Capitol. The description fits perfectly.

"He's a victor. He's not as famous as others, but a tortured victor would make the Capitol people at least a bit upset, as some do care for him, or at least his inventions. Snow can't afford even the slightest dislikes in the Capitol. He's not the only bloodthirsty man there, you know?"

But…if they don't go to the Capitol…where would they go? In the direction they're headed…there's only District twelve. And nothing is more unlikely than a person in District twelve being able to do something with vulnerable medical information about the Capitol. There's no chance to learn it, and the odds that any peacekeeper is brave-or smart- enough to betray the Capitol are slim to non-existent.

"He's got enough enemies, I'm sure. A few more won't kill him. Rather the other way around, don't you think so?" Her tone is condescending. As if it was the clearest thing in the world, and he was just too dense to get it.

I think she does have a point, though. If they are really talking about the President…a successful attempt on his life is highly unlikely to impossible. No matter how powerful the assassin might be, Snow is more powerful. And, since he's even punishing people for a crime that wasn't even committed by them, he surely would get revenge on someone trying to kill him.

"He doesn't want the Districts to know, either. At least to some point, the Capitol depends on them. As a victor, you're considered safe, the safest you can get. What would happen if they broke their promise, and something happened to them?"

She shrugs, seemingly not impressed by his words. "Right. You don't know. But say it makes the Districts even angrier. Say their anger surpasses their fear. I don't know if it would be enough, but I can't rule it out, and neither can Snow. Things could get out of control. Do you think he wants that?"

I can't see her face, but the way she's cocked her head…it looks as though she's eyeing him carefully. I'm doing the same, although probably not for the same reasons. The Capitol depends on us? How? For fun? Without us, there wouldn't be any Hunger Games. But…that's it. And the Capitol people are indeed very fond of them, but they could live without them.

"Why are you telling me?" At this question, I look back at them, surprised. And after a few seconds, I notice I'm not the only one who is surprised. The male, who was looking at the ground before, is now staring at her.

"Why are you telling me this?" She repeats. "Isn't that information that should be kept a secret? You barely know me. Why do you trust me with this? What if I was a traitor?"

For a few seconds, there is no reaction coming from him; then he bursts out laughing.

I must surely look completely taken aback. In my opinion, her question is quite justified. This is vulnerable information about the Capitol, even if not much. And he's talking to her freely. What if she really was a traitor? It was reckless of him.

"First, if you really were a traitor, you wouldn't have asked that question like that." He's calmed down a bit, but the grin he's surely wearing is evident in his voice. "Second, what would you do with that information? Run to Snow and tell him things her already knows? About himself? And third, seriously, what use would it be? It wouldn't matter if you told them what I said, they would kill me either way. Have you forgotten where we're supposed to be?"

Supposed to be? Does he mean a District? Or…is there really such a thing like a settlement somewhere out there, people trying to bring the Capitol down? But why? They don't suffer because of them, do they? And they haven't helped us in seventy six years. Why would they now?

The girl snarls at him. "Don't laugh at me! This situation isn't funny at all. You may be right, but you're also naïve. If I was you, I'd never say anything while being tortured. Everything you'd say could be used and you wouldn't even know."

I understand why she is so frustrated with him. He really isn't cautious. His words don't make sense to me, but what if I wasn't me but someone who could do more with them? And why does he trust her so easily? From what I've overheard, they haven't known each other for too long. And there's also the question what they're doing here at all.

"If you say so." His voice is betraying him. The fact that he's still amused is obvious. "I don't think they'd get the real information out of me. I…"

"Who are you?" Now I'm glad I'm tied to the tree. Otherwise I would have fallen of when I heard her voice. A voice that isn't unfamiliar. The voice of my little sister.

For a moment I freeze. And with me do my surroundings. Coldness runs through my whole body. I only come out of my state when the heads of the girl and the boy on the ground whip around in the direction of Prim. My fingers tremble as I try to undo my belt. I don't care if they see me anymore, I don't care if they're dangerous. I will prevent them from doing anything to Prim, if it's the last thing I do.

Luckily I slung my bow over my shoulder, together with the quiver, since I didn't want to risk being unarmed again, so I don't have to waste time looking for it. I manage to climb the first few feet, then, in my haste, I lose my halt and feel myself falling before I land on all fours.

I barely have time to look up when the girl comes above me, trying to push me to the ground. And she would have succeeded, if I my reflexes hadn't been trained over years of hunting. I manage to roll to the side so she lands in the dirt next to me and shots me a vicious glare, which I return.

"STOP!" Three voices bang through the air, one high pitched, one calm, one upset. In a matter of seconds I'm up, searching for the source of the voice that caused this. I don't have to do so for long, however, because Prim is next to me and in my arms almost immediately. I yank her half behind my back so she's hidden from the other girl's view and she can't attack her. After all, said girl looks as if she's ready to claw my skin at any moment.

"Are you crazy?" she hisses at her companion. "She's armed! She's heard what we've said! Have you already forgotten what I said just a few minutes ago?"

That's all she gets out before she's pinned to the tree I've been sleeping on by Peeta. He doesn't say anything, he's just looking straight at the girl with a distressed look.

"Put your weapons down." The voice of the boy is still relatively clam, although his eyes are harder and the muscles of his face are slightly tensed. "And let her go."

"Why should I?" I snap. "Give me a reason. Why should I trust you not to kill me as soon as they're far enough away from me? She…" I gesture to the girl, "…already did."

He smiles. "I don't have a weapon. And her bark is worse than her bite."

I snort. "Yeah, right. I'm really supposed to believe that? You're out here and unarmed?"

Now he actually chuckles, which angers me so much that I raise my bow and point directly at his heart. "You're smart." He pulls out a gun and drops it to the ground. "And you were right. But as you see, I wasn't going to use it against you."

"Put them down, Katniss." This time it's not the stranger who's talking, but Peeta. That confuses me. Isn't he the one currently threatening the girl?

But at that thought, I see him let her go. And, to my immense surprise, she doesn't do anything but give him a look of utter hate before ducking out of his cruising range.

I don't drop it, but I lower my bow so it's pointing at the ground.

"Who are you and what do you want here?" This time his voice is directed at both of them and has an demanding edge to it.

"As if you didn't know." Hissing those words, the girl's eyes dart from me to Peeta and back. "Don't pretend you haven't been eavesdropping the whole time! You're spies! Tell us, when are your dirty friends going to get us?"

I'm about to retort something sharp, but Peeta is, once again, faster. "I won't pretend I didn't hear you, but I can say without lying that I have neither any 'friends' that are interested in 'getting you', and neither am I, nor any idea what you were talking about."

The boy's face lights up in triumph. "See? Told you it wasn't something anyone could do anything with!" He then gets serious again. "But what are you doing here then? They told me there would be someone trying to pick me up, for security, but I doubt they'd send some afoot with such primitive weapons and a little child."

For some reason, the comment about how primitive my bow is upsets me. Sure, it isn't one of those high-techs machines from the Capitol, but it's always done a good job in providing my family and my father has made it. I'm proud of it.

"I hate to disappoint you, but we really aren't sent here by anyone. We don't even know what you're talking about, so would you do me a favor and explain?"

The boy cocks his head to the side. "You really are oblivious, aren't you? Otherwise you're the best liar I've ever seen."

I don't bother commenting this, because that wouldn't be the smartest move right now. Peeta is the best liar I've ever met, and I've traded at the Hob countless times. I don't know which people this boy has had the pleasure of meeting, but I don't believe even the Capitol has gamblers that lie this smooth.

"I don't know what you mean and I can assure you; neither do my companions. What are your names and where are you from?

The boy seems to ponder if he should answer this for moment before he replies. "My name's Cann, and this is Sylvia. Districts three and eight. You?"

"I'm Peeta, the one with the dark her is Katniss and the blonde is Primrose. District twelve." This is the first time there's actually something like surprise crossing Cann's features.

"Twelve? I wouldn't have thought…" But he trails off, and says something entirely different. "What brings you here?"

"Suddenly I'm out of the state I must have been in without noticing, the state where I'm just listening. I glare at him. "That's none of your business. You keep talking in riddles but expect us to tell you everything? It doesn't work that way!"

Unfortunately, my hissing doesn't seem to impress him. The only thing I get is a slightly derogative smile and an indifferent: "There's a reason I can't spill all my secrets to a stranger. Say you really were spies, there would only be one thing left you'd need to confirm I'm the one you're looking for." So I was right. He really is the boy brains and brawns were talking about. So he really is against the Capitol. It doesn't mean we can trust him, but we don't have to be afraid of him killing us because we're breaking the law. He is, too.

"And what is it?" If I really had been looking for him, I wouldn't have needed any more confirmation. He's practically said it a few moments ago. But I still want to know.

"It's where I'm headed. You'd want to know if you were after me." It's really unnerving, the fact that I seem to have to worm every word out of him.

"And where is that?" He eyes me closely, warily, before inhaling and exhaling sharply to tell me.

Phew. OK. So, it's not exactly hard this time. I don't think so. Or is it?

Aaaaaaaand...have you seen the movie? I have:DD Twice already! I think it's amazing!:D What do you think?