en relying on it。 Probably not Thresh though。 Iˇve got a feeling he must share some of Rueˇs knowledge on how to feed yourself from the earth。 Are they fighting each other？ Looking for us？ Maybe one of them has located us and is just waiting for the right moment to attack。 The idea sends me back to the cave。
Peetaˇs stretched out on top of the sleeping bag in the shade of the rocks。 Although he brightens a bit when I e in； itˇs clear he feels miserable。 I put cool cloths on his head； but they warm up almost as soon as they touch his skin。
¨Do you want anything？〃 I ask。
¨No；〃 he says。 ¨Thank you。 Wait； yes。 Tell me a story。〃
¨A story？ What about？〃 I say。 Iˇm not much for storytelling。 Itˇs kind of like singing。 But once in a while； Prim wheedles one out of me。
¨Something happy。 Tell me about the happiest day you can remember；〃 says Peeta。
Something between a sigh and a huff of exasperation leaves my mouth。 A happy story？ This ore effort than the soup。 I rack my brains for good memories。 Most of them involve Gale and me out hunting and somehow I donˇt think these will play well with either Peeta or the audience。 That leaves Prim。
¨Did I ever tell you about how I got Primˇs goat？〃 I ask。 Peeta shakes his head； and looks at me expectantly。 So I begin。 But carefully。 Because my words are going out all over Panem。 And while people have no doubt put two and two together that I hunt illegally； I donˇt want to hurt Gale or Greasy Sae or the butcher or even the Peacekeepers back home who are my customers by publicly announcing theyˇd breaking the law； too。
Hereˇs the real story of how I got the money for Primˇs goat； Lady。 It was a Friday evening； the day before Primˇs tenth birthday in late May。 As soon as school ended； Gale and I hit the woods； because I wanted to get enough to trade for a present for Prim。 Maybe some new cloth for a dress or a hairbrush。 Our snares had done well enough and the woods were flush with greens； but this was really no more than our average Friday…night haul。 I was disappointed as we headed back； even though Gale said weˇd be sure to do better tomorrow。 We were resting a moment by a stream when we saw him。 A young buck； probably a yearling by his size。 His antlers were just growing in； still small and coated in velvet。 Poised to run but unsure of us； unfamiliar with humans。 Beautiful。
Less beautiful perhaps when the two arrows caught him； one in the neck； the other in the chest。 Gale and I had shot at the same time。 The buck tried to run but stumbled； and Galeˇs knife slit his throat before he knew what had happened。 Momentarily； Iˇd felt a pang at killing something so fresh and innocent。 And then my stomach rumbled at the thought of all that fresh and innocent meat。
A deer！ Gale and I have only brought down three in all。 The first one； a doe that had injured her leg somehow； almost didnˇt count。 But we knew from that experience not to go dragging the carcass into the Hob。 It had caused chaos with people bidding on parts and actually trying to hack off pieces themselves。 Greasy Sae had intervened and sent us with our deer to the butcher； but not before itˇd been badly damaged； hunks of meat taken； the hide riddled with holes。 Although everybody paid up fairly； it had lowered the value of the kill。 This time； we waited until dark fell and slipped under a hole in the fence close to the butcher。 Even though we were known hunters； it wouldnˇt have been good to go carrying a 150…pound deer through the streets of District 12 in daylight like we were rubbing it in the officialsˇ faces。
The butcher； a short； chunky woman named Rooba； came to the back door when we knocked。 You donˇt haggle with Rooba。 She gives you one price； which you can take or leave； but itˇs a fair price。 We took her offer on the deer and she threw in a couple of venison steaks we could pick up after the butchering。 Even with the money divided in two； neither Gale nor Ihad held so much at one time in our lives。 We decided to keep it a secret and surprise our families with the meat and money at the end of the next day。
This is where I really got the money for the goat； but I tell Peeta I sold an old silver locket of my motherˇs。 That canˇt hurt anyone。 Then I pick up the story in the late afternoon of Primˇs birthday。
Gale and I went to the market on the square so that I could buy dress materials。 As I was running my fingers over a length of thick blue cotton cloth； something caught my eye。 Thereˇs an old man who keeps a small herd of goats on the other side of the Seam。 I donˇt know his real name； everyone just calls him the Goat Man。 His joints are swollen and twisted in painful angles； and heˇs got a hacking cough that proves he spent years in the mines。 But heˇs lucky。 Somewhere along the way he saved up enough for these goats and now has something to do in his old age besides slowly starve to death。 Heˇs filthy and impatient； but the goats are clean and their milk is rich if you can afford it。
One of the goats； a white one with black patches； was lying down in a cart。 It was easy to see why。 Something； probably a dog； had mauled her shoulder and infection had set in。 It was bad； the Goat Man had to hold her up to milk her。 But I thought I knew someone who could fix it。
¨Gale；〃 I whispered。 ¨I want that goat for Prim。〃
Owning a nanny goat can change your life in District 12。 The animals can live off almost anything； the Meadowˇs a perfect feeding place； and they can give four quarts of milk a day。 To drink； to make into cheese； to sell。 Itˇs not even against the law。
¨Sheˇs hurt pretty bad；〃 said Gale。 ¨We better take a closer look。〃
We went over and bought a cup of milk to share； then stood over the goat as if idly curious。
¨Let her be；〃 said the man。
¨Just looking；〃 said Gale。
¨Well； look fast。 She goes to the butcher soon。 Hardly anyone will buy her milk； and then they only pay half price；〃 said the man。
¨Whatˇs the butcher giving for her？〃 I asked。
The man shrugged。 ¨Hang around and see。〃 I turned and saw Rooba ing across the square toward us。 ¨Lucky thing you showed up；〃 said the Goat Man when she arrived。 ¨Girlˇs got her eye on your goat。〃
¨Not if sheˇs spoken for；〃 I said carelessly。
Rooba looked me up and down then frowned at the goat。 ¨Sheˇs not。 Look at that shoulder。 Bet you half the carcass will be too rotten for even sausage。〃
¨What？〃 said the Goat Man。 ¨We had a deal。〃
¨We had a deal on an animal with a few teeth marks。 Not that thing。 Sell her to the girl if sheˇs stupid enough to take her；〃 said Rooba。 As she marched off； I caught her wink。
The Goat Man was mad； but he still wanted that goal off his hands。 It took us half an hour to agree on the price。 Quite a crowd had gathered by then to hand out opinions。 It was an excellent deal if the goat lived； Iˇd been robbed if she died。 People took sides in the argument； but I took the goat。
Gale offered to carry her。 I think he wanted to see the look on Primˇs face as much as I did。 In a moment of plete giddiness； I bought a pink ribbon and tied it around her neck。 Then we hurried back to my house。
You should have seen Primˇs reaction when we walked in with that goat。 Remember this is a girl who wept to save that awful old cat； Buttercup。 She was so excited she started crying and laughing all at once。 My mother was less sure； seeing the injury； but the pair of them went to work on it； grinding up herbs and coaxing brews down the animalˇs throat。
¨They sound like you；〃 says Peeta。 I had almost forgotten he was there。
¨Oh； no； Peeta。 They work magic。 That thing couldnˇt have died if it tried；〃 I say。 But then I bite my tongue； realizing what that must sound like to Peeta； who is dying； in my inpetent hands。
¨Donˇt worry。 Iˇm not trying；〃 he jokes。 ¨Finish the story。〃
¨Well； thatˇs it。 Only I remember that night； Prim insisted on sleeping with Lady on a blanket next to the fire。 And just before they drifted off； the goat licked her cheek； like it was giving her a good night kiss or something；〃 I say。 ¨It was already mad about her。〃
¨Was it still wearing the pink ribbon？〃 he asks。
¨I think so；〃 I say。 ¨Why？〃
¨Iˇm just trying to get a picture；〃 he says thoughtfully。 ¨I can see why that day made you happy。〃
¨Well； I knew that goat would be a little gold mine；〃 1 say。
¨Yes； of course I was referring to that； not the lasting joy you gave the sister you love so much you took her place in the reaping；〃 says Peeta drily。
¨The goat has paid for itself。 Several times over；〃 I say in a superior tone。
¨Well； it wouldnˇt dare do anything else after you saved its life；〃 says Peeta。 ¨I intend to do the same thing。〃
¨Really？ What did you cost me again？〃 I ask。
¨A lot of trouble。 Donˇt worry。 Youˇll get it all back；〃 he says。
¨Youˇre not making sense；〃 I say。 I test his forehead。 The leverˇs going nowhere but up。 ¨Youˇre a little cooler though。〃
The sound of the trumpets startles me。 Iˇm on my feet and at the mouth of the cave in a flash； not wanting to miss a syllable。 Itˇs my new best friend； Claudius Templesmith； and as I expected； heˇs inviting us to a feast。 Well； weˇre not that hungry and I actually wave his offer away in indifference when he says； ¨Now hold on。 Some of you may already be declining my invitation。 But this is no ordinary feast。 Each of you needs something desperately。〃
I do need something desperately。 Something to heal Peetaˇs leg。
¨Each of you will find that something in a backpack； marked with your district number； at the Cornucopia at dawn。 Think hard about refusing to show up。 For some of you； this will be your last chance；〃 says Claudius。
Thereˇs nothing else； just his words hanging in the air。 I jump as Peeta grips my shoulder from behind。 ¨No；〃 he says。 ¨Youˇre not risking your life for me。〃
¨Who said I was？〃 I say。
¨So； youˇre not going？〃 he asks。
¨Of course； Iˇm not going。 Give me some credit。 Do you think Iˇm running straight into some free…for…all against Cato and Clove and Thresh？ Donˇt be stupid；〃 I say； helping him back to bed。 ¨Iˇll let them fight it out； weˇll see whoˇs in the sky tomorrow night and work out a plan from there。〃
¨Youˇre such a bad liar； Katniss。 I donˇt know how youˇve survived this long。〃 He begins to mimic me。 ¨I knew that goat would be a little gold mine。 Youˇre a little cooler though。 Of course； Iˇm not going。 He shakes his head。 ¨Never gamble at cards。 Youˇll lose your last coin；〃 he says。
Anger flushes my face。 ¨All right； I am going； and you canˇt stop me！〃
¨I can follow you。 At least partway。 I may not make it to the Cornucopia； but if Iˇm yelling your name； I bet someone can find me。 And then Iˇll be dead for sure；〃 he says。
¨You wonˇt get a hundred yards from here on that leg；〃 I say。
¨Then Iˇll drag myself；〃 says Peeta。 ¨You go and Iˇm going； too。〃
Heˇs just stubborn enough and maybe just strong enough to do it。 e howling after me in the woods。 Even if a tribute doesnˇt find him； something else might。 He canˇt defend himself。 Iˇd probably have to wall him up in the cave just to go myself。 And who knows what the exertion will do to him？
¨What am I supposed to do？ Sit here and watch you die？〃 I say。 He mu