第15部分(第1/7 頁)

ool　and　pungent　with　dying　things。　Iˇd　spent　the　morning　peting　with　the　squirrels　for　nuts　and　the　slightly　warmer　afternoon　wading　in　shallow　ponds　harvesting　katniss。　The　only　meat　Iˇd　shot　was　a　squirrel　that　had　practically　run　over　my　toes　in　its　quest　for　acorns；　but　the　animals　would　still　be　afoot　when　the　snow　buried　my　other　food　sources。　Having　strayed　farther　afield　than　usual；　I　was　hurrying　back　home；　lugging　my　burlap　sacks　when　I　came　across　a　dead　rabbit。　It　was　hanging　by　its　neck　in　a　thin　wire　a　foot　above　my　head。　About　fifteen　yards　away　was　another。　I　recognized　the　twitch…up　snares　because　my　father　had　used　them。　When　the　prey　is　caught；　itˇs　yanked　into　the　air　out　of　the　reach　of　other　hungry　animals。　Iˇd　been　trying　to　use　snares　all　summer　with　no　success；　so　I　couldnˇt　help　dropping　my　sacks　to　examine　this　one。　My　fingers　were　just　on　the　wire　above　one　of　the　rabbits　when　a　voice　rang　out。　¨Thatˇs　dangerous。〃

I　jumped　back　several　feet　as　Gale　materialized　from　behind　a　tree。　He　must　have　been　watching　me　the　whole　time。　He　was　only　fourteen；　but　he　cleared　six　feet　and　was　as　good　as　an　adult　to　me。　Iˇd　seen　him　around　the　Seam　and　at　school。　And　one　other　time。　Heˇd　lost　his　father　in　the　same　blast　that　killed　mine。　In　January；　Iˇd　stood　by　while　he　received　his　medal　of　valor　in　the　Justice　Building；　another　oldest　child　with　no　father。　I　remembered　his　two　little　brothers　clutching　his　mother；　a　woman　whose　swollen　belly　announced　she　was　just　days　away　from　giving　birth。

¨Whatˇs　your　name？〃　he　said；　ing　over　and　disengaging　the　rabbit　from　the　snare。　He　had　another　three　hanging　from　his　belt。

¨Katniss；〃　I　said；　barely　audible。

¨Well；　Catnip；　stealingˇs　punishable　by　death；　or　hadnˇt　you　heard？〃　he　s