The Third Everdeen

Chapter 10

When I finally regained consciousness, I was laying under a tree stump. It was actually a pretty good hiding spot, I just didn't remember how I got there. I noticed I had some really large leaves on my hands and around my neck, I peeled them off a little confused. But I was very surprised when I noticed the bumps from the stings were gone.

I heard movement in a nearby tree, as a precaution I took out a knife and strapped the rest to my body. I approached the tree and saw some bushy hair. I recognized that hair. 

"Rue?" She showed me her shy face. It was obvious that she was scared, "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," I assured her. She took a small relieved breath, "Are you hungry?" I asked, she nodded. "I'm gonna catch us some food, can you make us a small cooking fire?" she nodded again and walked off to collect some twigs. Within a few minutes we were eating a nice squirrel. I looked over at her and saw she was sucking on a bare bone. 

"Do you want mine too?" I asked kindly, extending my squirrel leg to her.

"That's okay," She said, trying to be polite.

I smiled and chuckled, "Here." I put it in her hands.

"Thanks," She gave me a smile.

I like her smile. She reminds me of Prim.

"So how long was I out?" I asked.

"A few days. I changed your leaves twice," she told me taking a bite of her squirrel leg.

"Thank you," I smiled, "So what happened while I was asleep?"

"The girl from 2 and the boy from 10," She answered. I got a slight flashback of when I saw Clove's face full of tracker-jacker stings, I shuddered but regained my composer.

"And uhm...And the boy from my district?" I asked

Rue smirked, "Yeah, he's okay. I think he's by the river," I sighed in relief. She looked at me and her smirk got bigger, "Is all that true?" She asked.

"What?" I smiled.

"You and him," She taunted.

"It's a bit confusing," I answered honestly, "So where are Cato and the others?" 

"They have all their supplies down by the Cornucopia. It's piled up in this big pyramid." She told me.

I smirked, "That sounds tempting," Rue smiled, "Okay, let's get some sleep and we'll get a plan together tomorrow."

"Okay." We both climbed up a tree. I laid on a big branch and Rue went next to me, she cuddled onto me like Prim would sometimes. I made sure she was comfortable then I tied the rope around us.

That night I was relieved no faces appeared in the sky. That meant Peeta was safe and if he cared, he would know I was okay. I liked to think he cared cause he stuck his neck out by coming back to get me to run. On the other hand, it means the other Careers are okay too.

~

The next morning we went right to work, we cut branches with large flammable leaves.

"This green stuff is going to smoke like crazy so once you light it, i need you to move onto the next pile," I told her. 

"I got it," Rue smiled putting a branch onto the pile. 

"Light this one and I'll meet you back over there," I said.

"Right."

"I'll destroy their stuff, if we have to scavenge like animals then so do they," I told her.

"We need a signal in case one of us gets held up," Rue told me.

"Okay, like what?"

She sang a short and pretty four note tune. Then I heard it being repeated multiple times.