The Hunger Games Katniss Everdeen Blogs

We Outfoxed the Fox

After the sudden and saddening news of Thresh's death, Peeta and I were stunned when we realized that there were only four tributes left in the Hunger Games. I knew that everyone in the Capitol would be on the edge of their seats, desperately hoping that the tribute who they were rooting for would win.

Peeta and I decided to travel away from our den, into a section of the woods that was closer to the Cornucopia. When we entered a clearing in the woods, I was positive that we were alone. However, I was still nervous that either Foxface or Cato would suddenly pop out and kill us. So, I decided that Peeta and I should hunt together. Unfortunately, Peeta was very clumsy and scared away all of the prey within a one-mile radius, to put it lightly. It was his suggestion that we split up; he would search for berries and I would hunt.

I had caught several pieces of prey and was waiting in the clearing for Peeta to return. My annoyance turned to nervousness when he didn't return. I seriously started to worry. What if Foxface or Cato was cornering Peeta right that second, about to plunge a spear into his heart, like what happened to Rue?

Luckily, Peeta appeared, but I only got more and more annoyed with him. I yelled at him for taking so long and because I saw that some of the food inside our pack was missing. I stopped yelling at him when I got a good look at the berries he had collected.

My heart turned to stone when I saw what type of berries they were: nightlock. Just one swallow meant instant death. I remember my father teaching me about them years ago. I was just about to turn around and make sure Peeta hadn't eaten any of the berries when I heard it.

The boom of a cannon, menacing and final. My heart seemed to stop beating for a second as my brain ran through all of the possibilities. Was Peeta dead, or was the cannon meant for a different tribute? I slowly brought myself to turn around..

I sighed in relief when I saw that Peeta was still alive. Which meant that the cannon was meant for a different tribute. But who? I looked up as I heard the roar of a hovercraft. Several hundred yards away, above the trees, Foxface's body was being lifted into the air. The gleam of her red hair was unmistakable.

Peeta looked confused, but I had managed to fit the pieces together. Foxface must have eaten some of the nightlock berries that Peeta had collected. She was sly and quick as a fox; it wouldn't have been a challenge for her to swoop down out of the trees and grab some berries without Peeta or I noticing.

But why did she grab the berries in the first place? I figured it was because she was so hungry that as soon as she saw the berries near us, she assumed that they weren't poisonous. After all, why would Peeta and I collect poisonous berries?

I couldn't help feeling a pang of sadness at her death. Even though I knew she would have died eventually in order for us to win, I wished that it was Cato who had done it, not Peeta. Of course, it wasn't really Peeta's fault. He hadn't known that the berries were deadly. If only I had told him earlier.

Cato must have heard the cannon, and I know that the Gamemakers are probably going to do something soon to make us all get closer together. I just hope that Cato dies quickly, because I really can't wait to get out of here.