第35部分(第2/7 頁)

　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　wer