第26部分(第4/7 頁)

noon；　I　decide　to　build　a　small　fire　to　cook　the　meat；　betting　that　dusk　will　help　conceal　the　smoke　and　I　can　quench　the　fire　by　nightfall。　I　clean　the　game；　taking　extra　care　with　the　bird；　but　thereˇs　nothing　alarming　about　it。　Once　the　feathers　are　plucked；　itˇs　no　bigger　than　a　chicken；　but　itˇs　plump　and　firm。　Iˇve　just　placed　the　first　lot　over　the　coals　when　I　hear　the　twig　snap。

In　one　motion；　I　turn　to　the　sound；　bringing　the　bow　and　arrow　to　my　shoulder。　Thereˇs　no　one　there。　No　one　I　can　see　anyway。　Then　I　spot　the　tip　of　a　childˇs　boot　just　peeking　out　from　behind　the　trunk　of　a　tree。　My　shoulders　relax　and　I　grin。　She　can　move　through　the　woods　like　a　shadow；　you　have　to　give　her　that。　How　else　could　she　have　followed　me？　The　words　e　out　of　my　mouth　before　I　can　stop　them。

¨You　know；　theyˇre　not　the　only　ones　who　can　form　alliances；〃　I　say。

For　a　moment；　no　response。　Then　one　of　Rueˇs　eyes　edges　round　the　trunk。　¨You　want　me　for　an　ally？〃

¨Why　not？　You　saved　me　with　those　tracker　jackers。　Youˇre　mart　enough　to　still　be　alive。　And　I　canˇt　seem　to　shake　you　nyway；〃　I　say。　She　blinks　at　me；　trying　to　decide。　¨You　hungry？〃 can　see　her　swallow　hard；　her　eye　flickering　to　the　eat。　¨e　on　then；　Iˇve　had　two　kills　today。〃

Rue　tentatively　steps　out　into　the　open。　¨I　can　fix　your　tings。〃

¨Can　you？〃　I　ask。　¨How？〃

She　digs　in　the　pack　she　carries　and　pulls　out　a　handful　of　eaves。　Iˇm　almost　certain　theyˇre　the　ones　my　mother　uses。　Whereˇd　you　find　those？〃

¨Just　around。　We　all　carry　them　when　we　work　in　the　orchards。　hey　left　a　lot　of　nests　there；〃　says　Rue。　¨There　are　a　lot　ere；　too。〃

¨Thatˇs　right。　Youˇre　District　Eleven。　Agriculture；〃　I　say。　Orchards；　huh？　That　must　be　how　you　can　fly　around　the　rees　lik