(A/N) : Hey there folks! Sorry for the weeklong waiting. Exams are finally over for me to publish again. So here you go with this chapter...

~Aeigns

The dawn breaking happened half an hour after Katniss roused from her sleep. So the moment the Sun was at the brink, the arrow was registered on the bow and the aim was set. However before releasing it though, she chanced a look at Peeta below. He was looking at her at the same moment with the Tributes from District 1 and 3 flanked on either side of him under the protection of his cape. He gave her a nod of reassurance and that was all Katniss needed to release the arrow.

She didn't have to take a look that she hit home so she was concentrating on the scene that was going to unfold. As soon as the arrow made contact with the nest, it fell to the bottom and landed on the fire that got extinguished a long ago. Hardly had the nest made contact with the ground when swarms of Tracker Jackers came out of the large nest and enveloped the Careers that were nearby. Katniss was tensed when Peeta didn't move at all. Soon screams rang out from Sandra attracting the Tracker Jackers towards her.

The girl never got a chance before hundreds of venomous stings landed upon her paralyzing her in instants and effectively killing her. Her scream roused the others with a start though and in moments, everyone were on their feet and started escaping the spot. Not everyone were very lucky though. The girl from District 4 was shoved off by a retreating Clove when she came in her away. This made her stumble and she fell to her death. Glimmer and Dylan too realized that they were in danger a bit late. But within 5 stings they were covered by Peeta's cape and to Katniss it looked like Peeta was in a desperate attempt to save them but gave up a while later and ran for his life leaving behind two paralyzed Tributes. Only Peeta knew that after 5 stings to each he had swapped the doppelgangers and activated the Teleporters.

She would never deduce why but despite being in the possession of a much better bow, the bow on Sandra's hands suddenly enticed Katniss too much to let it go. It may have been a reaction of the venom of the Tracker Jackers as somehow 3 of the mutt-bugs had managed to land a sting each to her neck-area. Though she was leagues away from being anywhere paralyzed. She reckoned in the back of her mind that it must have something to do with Peeta's boost but right now somehow she couldn't help but cave in to her appeal.

Climbing down carefully in the area which was now free of the bugs she made her way to the girl with her orange backpack on. Fumbling with the bow which was being held in her stiff hands, she finally managed to get it out and after a little more struggle the still stacked double quiver detached as well. Then she gathered both the downed girls' backpacks and District 4 girl's dagger before starting to make her way to the opposite side from where the Careers went.

She had hardly taken 10 steps in a daze before she heard footsteps coming towards her direction. She quickened her pace but her load was holding her back. Still though she was adamant on not leaving them behind with the Careers. In the back of her mind Peeta's voice was registered. It was a very distant one but soon it became clear enough for her to realize that he was telling her to run. She chanced a look at her back when she caught the sight of Cato sparring with a bit wobbly Peeta, who by the looks of it was more intent on not letting him reach her. The Tracker Jackers were behind them and soon a knife got itself stabbed at Peeta's right leg courtesy of Clove. She didn't wait to kill him though - not that he was down either. Instead she took a somewhat now unconscious Cato, and with the aid of Marvel and the other District 4 boy dragged him away to the direction of the Cornucopia.

In moments Peeta was back to his feet, holding the knife that stabbed him in his hand, covered in blood. He screamed at her to run before running off to the direction of the lake with uneven steps – quite unusual of his usual grace due to the newly sustained wound. His scream attracted the bugs and the swarm took on after him not even noticing her presence. She was still in a daze thus was unsure of her senses and actions. However the fear that the Careers, who now might be returning, gave her the required adrenaline to rush. So flanked with the loads she kept running. She never for how long she ran but the last thing she remembered before blackening out was that, she was in the dense covering of the forest and that the sun was overhead.

Katniss woke up at about late morning and the first thing she realized was that her head was over a pile of leaves, covered in the blanket Peeta gave her, and she was definitely nowhere near the place she blacked out. She was about to wake up when a timid sound came from her right, "Don't! You need your rest from the stings."

Immediately she whipped her head in the direction of the sound but to her shock it was the girl from District 11 whom she had seen stealing Cato's knife discretely during the training session. But the fact that she was without any weapons and was actually tending the sting on her right hand had her some relief. She truly didn't want to bring herself to harm the small girl, who in a way reminded her of Prim. That and the fact that even with her being unconscious the girl tended her stings rather than killing her in cold-blood, made Katniss realize that the girl was no immediate danger.

So she asked her instead, "So how long was I out? And what's your name by the way?"

"Rue. And you were out from yesterday dawn. Pretty lucky for a survivor of 5 Tracker Jacker stings you know? I think it has something to do with the boost Peeta gave you," said Rue as a matter of fact.

A lot of questions started wandering in her mind after hearing the girl's statement, but the first one she blurted out was, "How come you know about him administering the boost on me?"

She looked at her and said smilingly, "I have been following Peeta by jumping between trees. He saved me from the District 9 girl the night of our first day and also gave me his fish and a water canteen and medicines all for myself. Since then I follow him through the trees and he feeds me generously at every night. I was there that night as well and it was after he fed me and administered the same boost on me that he came to you." Katniss was dumbfounded yet again at the kindness and generosity of Peeta. It was like he would ensure the safety and care of anyone he took under his wings. Even in a game where every Tribute is for himself. "And in case if you are wondering, yes I saw everything," said Rue winking to her suggestively.

An odd blush, which was very uncommon of her, crept Katniss's cheeks as she realized what the younger girl was insinuating and no matter what, she couldn't suppress it. She rather said, "I don't know what you are talking about."

Giggling Rue said, "Sure you do," and broke down laughing. Katniss scowled in response but soon joined her as well. Then an odd realization hit her and panicked overcame her as soon as her last memory of Peeta resurfaced. Rue must have noticed her sudden change in mood and guessed the correct reason, thus she said, "Don't worry Peeta is alright. With seven stings and a probable boost he is safe from the stings. The knife wound though deep, is nothing he couldn't recover from. He came limping to where you blacked out yesterday some hours later. Spotted me watching over you and with my aid, carried you and your 'conquests' down here. He said to keep in hiding until you recover and asked me to keep a watch over you. Supplied us with 3 more fishes – a great fish-catcher he is, and a chicken-like bird. Finally said he would be hiding by the lake's wet mud until he recovers from the wound and also cautioned that for a while he'd be unavailable so tend to keep out of danger."

Katniss relaxed on hearing that but scrunched up her nose on the last part in irritation of the obvious jab made at her. "I don't need him always to keep me safe," she huffed. Rue looked at her like she was crazy and after a few minutes she finally sighed and said, "Okay, maybe a little I guess."

With a raised eyebrow Rue answered, "Whatever you say."

Rue finally finished tending her wounds and retrieved the bird that, unnoticed to Katniss, she had been smoking all this while. While she was skillfully chopping the bird, Katniss went and fetched two bowls of fruits from one of the retrieved bags and also brought out what appeared to be Sandra's canteen, which turned out to be full.

Once everything was arranged they sat on a log of wood to eat and Katniss initiated the conversation this time. "So what happened all the while all the while I was out?" she asked curiously.

Rue said, "The Tributes from 1, 2, 3 and 4 are all dead at your credit. The affected Careers barely managed to reach the Cornucopia before collapsing in a dead faint and are still out as we are speaking. Had it not been for the fact that their numbers would have seriously dwindled, the 3 who stayed behind in the Cornucopia would have surely killed them. But they are in serious trouble though. Peeta had almost cleaned the Cornucopia off of its medicinal supplies discretely and the only iodine tablets they are left with are the ones they carried with them before leaving the Cornucopia on the first day and they are down to almost half of their food supplies to boot. The weapons are still there but what left are only swords and spears. Else than that nothing but water bottles, iodine tablets, fire starters, plastics, mines, wires, TNT and such things are what is left there. The others are still hiding deep in fear of the Careers or the Satanás as they have no idea of what transpired yesterday other than the fact that 'fire-girl' finished off 4 Tributes at a single go and thus is a dangerous threat as well."

Katniss listened with rapt attention to the younger girl. She was awed at Peeta's strategy. Trust him only to cut off all the medicinal supplies from the Careers and then also to make sure that they are not left with much fresh water. However something else also caught her attention. "Rue did you say there are TNT and mines, as in within the stocks of the Cornucopia?" When the younger girl nodded uncertainly, Katniss asked with a gleam in her eyes, "What are your thoughts on 'Bombing' off the Cornucopia?"