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ceiling where earlier there had been only drips。 Peeta has placed the broth pot under the worst one and repositioned the plastic to deflect most of it from me。 I feel a bit better； able to sit up without getting too dizzy； and Iˇm absolutely famished。 So is Peeta。 Itˇs clear heˇs been waiting for me to wake up to eat and is eager to get started。
Thereˇs not much left。 Two pieces of groosling； a small mishmash of roots； and a handful of dried fruit。
¨Should we try and ration it？〃 Peeta asks。
¨No； letˇs just finish it。 The grooslingˇs getting old anyway； and the last thing we need is to get sick off spoilt food；〃 I say； dividing the food into two equal piles。 We try and eat slowly； but weˇre both so hungry were done in a couple of minutes。 My stomach is in no way satisfied。 ¨Tomorrowˇs a hunting day；〃 I say。
¨I wonˇt be much help with that；〃 Peeta says。 ¨Iˇve never hunted before。〃
¨Iˇll kill and you cook；〃 I say。 ¨And you can always gather。〃
¨I wish there was some sort of bread bush out there；〃 says Peeta。
¨The bread they sent me from District Eleven was still warm；〃 I say with a sigh。 ¨Here； chew these。〃 I hand him a couple of mint leaves and pop a few in my own mouth。
Itˇs hard to even see the projection in the sky； but itˇs clear enough to know there were no more deaths today。 So Cato and Thresh havenˇt had it out yet。
¨Where did Thresh go？ I mean； whatˇs on the far side of the circle？〃 I ask Peeta。
¨A field。 As far as you can see itˇs full of grasses as high as my shoulders。 I donˇt know； maybe some of them are grain。 There are patches of different colors。 But there are no paths；〃 says Peeta。
¨I bet some of them are grain。 I bet Thresh knows which ones； too；〃 I say。 ¨Did you go in there？〃
¨No。 Nobody really wanted to track Thresh down in that grass。 It has a sinister feeling to it。 Every time I look at that field； all I can think of are hidden things。 Snakes； and rabid animals； and quicksand；〃 Peeta says。 ¨There could be anything in there。〃
I donˇt say so but Peetaˇs words remind me of the warnings they give us about not going beyond the fence in District 12。 I canˇt help； for a moment； paring him with Gale； who would see that field as a potential source of food as well as a threat。 Thresh certainly did。 Itˇs not that Peetaˇs soft exactly； and heˇs proved heˇs not a coward。 But there are things you donˇt question too much； I guess； when your home always smells like baking bread； whereas Gale questions everything。 What would Peeta think of the irreverent banter that passes between us as we break the law each day？ Would it shock him？ The things we say about Panem？ Galeˇs tirades against the Capitol？
¨Maybe there is a bread bush in that field；〃 I say。 ¨Maybe thatˇs why Thresh looks better fed now than when we started the Games。〃
¨Either that or heˇs got very generous sponsors；〃 says Peeta。 ¨I wonder what weˇd have to do to get Haymitch to send us some bread。〃
I raise my eyebrows before I remember he doesnˇt know about the message Haymitch sent us a couple of nights ago。 One kiss equals one pot of broth。 Itˇs not the sort of thing I can blurt out； either。 To say my thoughts aloud would be tipping off the audience that the romance has been fabricated to play on their sympathies and that would result in no food at all。 Somehow； believably； Iˇve got to get things back on track。 Something simple to start with。 I reach out and take his hand。
¨Well； he probably used up a lot of resources helping me knock you out；〃 I say mischievously。
¨Yeah； about that；〃 says Peeta； entwining his fingers in mine。 ¨Donˇt try something like that again。〃
¨Or what？〃 I ask。
¨Or 。 。 。 or 。 。 。〃 He canˇt think of anything good。 ¨Just give me a minute。〃
¨Whatˇs the problem？〃 I say with a grin。
¨The problem is weˇre both still alive。 Which only reinforces the idea in your mind that you did the right thing；〃 says Peeta。
¨I did do the right thing；〃 I say。
¨No！ Just donˇt； Katniss！〃 His grip tightens； hurting my hand； and thereˇs real anger in his voice。 ¨Donˇt die for me。 You wonˇt be doing me any favors。 All right？〃
Iˇm startled by his intensity but recognize an excellent opportunity for getting food； so I try to keep up。 ¨Maybe I did it for myself； Peeta； did you ever think of that？ Maybe you arenˇt the only one who 。 。 。 who worries about 。 。 。 what it would be like if。 。 。〃
I fumble。 Iˇm not as smooth with words as Peeta。 And while I was talking； the idea of actually losing Peeta hit me again and I realized how much I donˇt want him to die。 And itˇs not about the sponsors。 And itˇs not about what will happen back home。 And itˇs not just that I donˇt want to be alone。 Itˇs him。 I do not want to lose the boy with the bread。
¨If what； Katniss？〃 he says softly。
I wish I could pull the shutters closed； blocking out this moment from the prying eyes of Panem。 Even if it means losing food。 Whatever Iˇm feeling； itˇs no oneˇs business but mine。
¨Thatˇs exactly the kind of topic Haymitch told me to steer clear of；〃 I say evasively； although Haymitch never said anything of the kind。 In fact； heˇs probably cursing me out right now for dropping the ball during such an emotionally charged moment。 But Peeta somehow catches it。
¨Then Iˇll just have to fill in the blanks myself；〃 he says； and moves in to me。
This is the first kiss that weˇre both fully aware of。 Neither of us hobbled by sickness or pain or simply unconscious。 Our lips neither burning with fever or icy cold。 This is the first kiss where I actually feel stirring inside my chest。 Warm and curious。 This is the first kiss that makes me want another。
But I donˇt get it。 Well； I do get a second kiss； but itˇs just a light one on the tip of my nose because Peetaˇs been distracted。 ¨I think your wound is bleeding again。 e on； lie down； itˇs bedtime anyway；〃 he says。
My socks are dry enough to wear now。 I make Peeta put his jacket back on。 The damp cold seems to cut right down to my bones； so he must be half frozen。 I insist on taking the first watch； too； although neither of us think itˇs likely anyone will e in this weather。 But he wonˇt agree unless Iˇm in the bag； too； and Iˇm shivering so hard that itˇs pointless to object。 In stark contrast to two nights ago； when I felt Peeta was a million miles away； Iˇm struck by his immediacy now。 As we settle in； he pulls my head down to use his arm as a pillow； the other rests protectively over me even when he goes to sleep。 No one has held me like this in such a long time。 Since my father died and I stopped trusting my mother； no one elseˇs arms have made me feel this safe。
With the aid of the glasses； I lie watching the drips of water splatter on the cave floor。 Rhythmic and lulling。 Several times； I drift off briefly and then snap awake； guilty and angry with myself。 After three or four hours； I canˇt help it； I have to rouse Peeta because I canˇt keep my eyes open。 He doesnˇt seem to mind。
¨Tomorrow； when itˇs dry； Iˇll find us a place so high in the trees we can both sleep in peace；〃 I promise as I drift off。
But tomorrow is no better in terms of weather。 The deluge continues as if the Gamem