The Hunger Games - Peeta Mellark (1)

}16{ - Knock Back

Rue had decided to trust Livia wholeheartedly.

Livia knew this because as soon as the anthem finished she snuggled up against the older girl and fell asleep.

Nor did Livia have any misgivings about her, as she took no particular precautions.

If she'd wanted Livia dead, all she would have had to do was leave her to succumb to her stings.

At the very back of Livia's mind, was the obvious.

Both of them couldn't win these Games.

But since the odds are still against either of them surviving, Livia managed to ignore the thought.

Besides, she was distracted by her latest idea about the rest of the Careers and their supplies.

Somehow she and Rue must find a way to destroy their food.

Livia was sure feeding themselves would be a tremendous struggle.

Traditionally, the Career tributes' strategy was to get hold of all the food early on and work from there.

The years when they had not protected it well- one year a pack of hideous reptiles destroyed it, another a Gamemakers' flood washed it away- those were usually the years that tributes from other districts had won.

That the majority of Careers had been better fed growing up was actually to their disadvantage, because they didn't know how to be hungry.

Not the way Livia did.

But she was too exhausted to begin any detailed plan tonight.

Her wounds were recovering, her mind was still a bit foggy from the venom, and the warmth of Rue at her side- her head cradled on Livia's shoulder- had given Livia a sense of security.

Livia gave into her drowsiness, resolving that tomorrow the tables would turn.

Tomorrow, it was the Careers who would have to watch their backs.

The boom of the cannon jolted Livia awake.

The sky was streaked with light, the birds already chattering.

Rue was perched in a branch across from Livia, her hands cupping something.

They waited, listened for more shots, but none come.

"Who do you think that was?" Livia quizzed, unable to help thinking of Peeta.

"I don't know. It could have been any of the others," says Rue. "I guess we'll know tonight."

"Who's left again?" Livia asked.

"The boy from District One. Cato. The boy from Three. Thresh and me. And you and Peeta", Rue explained, "That's eight. Wait, and the boy from Ten, the one with the bad leg. He makes nine."

There was someone else, but neither of them could remember who it is.

"I wonder how that last one died." Rue muttered.