第26部分(第5/7 頁)

e　youˇve　got　wings。〃　Rue　smiles。　Iˇve　landed　on　one　of　the　few　things　sheˇll　admit　pride　in。　¨Well；　e　on；　then。　Fix　me　up。〃

I　plunk　down　by　the　fire　and　roll　up　my　pant　leg　to　reveal　the　sting　on　my　knee。　To　my　surprise；　Rue　places　the　handful　of　leaves　into　her　mouth　and　begins　to　chew　them。　My　mother　would　use　other　methods；　but　itˇs　not　like　we　have　a　lot　of　options。　After　a　minute　or　so；　Rue　presses　a　gloppy　green　wad　of　chewed　leaves　and　spit　on　my　knee。

¨Ohhh。〃　The　sound　es　out　of　my　mouth　before　I　can　stop　it。　Itˇs　as　if　the　leaves　are　actually　leaching　the　pain　right　out　of　the　sting。

Rue　gives　a　giggle。　¨Lucky　you　had　the　sense　to　pull　the　stingers　out　or　youˇd　be　a　lot　worse。〃

¨Do　my　neck！　Do　my　cheek！〃　I　almost　beg。

Rue　stuffs　another　handful　of　leaves　in　her　mouth；　and　soon　Iˇm　laughing　because　the　relief　is　so　sweet。　I　notice　a　long　burn　on　Rueˇs　forearm。　¨Iˇve　got　something　for　that。〃　I　set　aside　my　weapons　and　anoint　her　arm　with　the　burn　medicine。

¨You　have　good　sponsors；〃　she　says　longingly。

¨Have　you　gotten　anything　yet？〃　I　ask。　She　shakes　her　head。　¨You　will；　though。　Watch。　The　closer　we　get　to　the　end；　the　more　people　will　realize　how　clever　you　are。〃　I　turn　the　meat　over。

¨You　werenˇt　joking；　about　wanting　me　for　an　ally？〃　she　asks。

¨No；　I　meant　it；〃　I　say。　I　can　almost　hear　Haymitch　groaning　as　I　team　up　with　this　wispy　child。　But　I　want　her。　Because　sheˇs　a　survivor；　and　I　trust　her；　and　why　not　admit　it？　She　reminds　me　of　Prim。

¨Okay；〃　she　says；　and　holds　out　her　hand。　We　shake。　¨Itˇs　a　deal。〃

Of　course；　this　kind　of　deal　can　only　be　temporary；　but　neither　of　us　mentions　that。

Rue　contributes　a　big　handful　of　some　sort　of　starchy　root　to　the　meal。　Roasted　over　the