第43部分(第1/7 页)

ing　a　lovely；　unearthly　harmony。　It　was　this　sound　then；　thanks　to　Rue；　that　sent　the　orchard　workers　of　District　11　home　each　night。　Does　someone　start　it　at　quitting　time；　I　wonder；　now　that　she　is　dead？

For　a　while；　I　just　close　my　eyes　and　listen；　mesmerized　by　the　beauty　of　the　song。　Then　something　begins　to　disrupt　the　music。　Runs　cut　off　in　jagged；　imperfect　lines。　Dissonant　notes　intersperse　with　the　melody。　The　mockingjaysˇ　voices　rise　up　in　a　shrieking　cry　of　alarm。

Weˇre　on　our　feet；　Peeta　wielding　his　knife；　me　poised　to　shoot；　when　Cato　smashes　through　the　trees　and　bears　down　on　us。　He　has　no　spear。　In　fact；　his　hands　are　empty；　yet　he　runs　straight　for　us。　My　first　arrow　hits　his　chest　and　inexplicably　falls　aside。

¨Heˇs　got　some　kind　of　body　armor！〃　I　shout　to　Peeta。

Just　in　time；　too；　because　Cato　is　upon　us。　I　brace　myself；　but　he　rockets　right　between　us　with　no　attempt　to　check　his　speed。　I　can　tell　from　his　panting；　the　sweat　pouring　off　his　purplish　face；　that　heˇs　been　running　hard　a　long　time。　Not　toward　us。　From　something。　But　what？

My　eyes　scan　the　woods　just　in　time　to　see　the　first　creature　leap　onto　the　plain。　As　Iˇm　turning　away；　I　see　another　half　dozen　join　it。　Then　I　am　stumbling　blindly　after　Cato　with　no　thought　of　anything　but　to　save　myself。

25

Muttations。　No　question　about　it。　Iˇve　never　seen　these　mutts；　but　theyˇre　no　natural…born　animals。　They　resemble　huge　wolves；　but　what　wolf　lands　and　then　balances　easily　on　its　hind　legs？　What　wolf　waves　the　rest　of　the　pack　forward　with　its　front　paw　as　though　it　had　a　wrist？　These　things　I　can　see　at　a　distance。　Up　close；　Iˇm　sure　their　more　menacing　attributes　will　be　revealed。

Cato　has　made　a　beeline　for　the　Cornucopia；　and　。　If