"They sound like you," says Peeta. I had almost forgotten he was there.
"Oh, no, Peeta. They work magic. That thing couldn't have died if it tried," I say. But then I bite my tongue, realizing what that must sound like to Peeta, who is dying, in my incompetent hands.
"Don't worry. I'm not trying," he jokes. "Finish the story."
"Well, that's it. Only I remember that night, Prim insisted on sleeping with Lady on a blanket next to the fire. And just before they drifted off, the goat licked her cheek, like it was giving her a good night kiss or something," I say. "It was already mad about her."
"Was it still wearing the pink ribbon?" he asks.
"I think so," I say. "Why?"
"I'm just trying to get a picture," he says thoughtfully.
"I can see why that day made you happy."
"Well, I knew that goat would be a little gold mine," I say.
"Yes, of course I was referring to that, not the lasting joy you gave the sister you love so much you took her place in the reaping," says Peeta drily.
"The goat has paid for itself. Several times over," I say in a superior tone.
"Well, it wouldn't dare do anything else after you saved its life," says Peeta. "I intend to do the same thing."
"Really? What did you cost me again?" I ask.
"A lot of trouble. Don't worry. You'll get it all back,"he says.
"You're not making sense," I say. I test his forehead.
The lever's going nowhere but up. "You're a little cooler though."
The sound of the trumpets startles me. I'm on my feet and at the mouth of the cave in a flash, not wanting to miss a syllable. It's my new best friend, Claudius Templesmith, and as I expected, he's inviting us to a feast. Well, we're not that hungry and I actually wave his offer away in indifference when he says,"Now hold on. Some of you may already be declining my invitation. But this is no ordinary feast. Each of you needs something desperately."
I do need something desperately. Something to heal Peeta's leg.
"Each of you will find that something in a backpack, marked with your district number, at the Cornucopia at dawn. Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance," says Claudius.
There's nothing else, just his words hanging in the air. I jump as Peeta grips my shoulder from behind.
"No," he says."You're not risking your life for me."
"Who said I was?" I say.
"So, you're not going?" he asks.
"Of course, I'm not going. Give me some credit. Do you think I'm running straight into some free-for-all against Cato and Clove and Thresh? Don't be stupid," I say, helping him back to bed."I'll let them fight it out, we'll see who's in the sky tomorrow night and work out a plan from there."
"You're such a bad liar, Katniss. I don't know how you've survived this long." He begins to mimic me."I knew that goat would be a little gold mine. You're a little cooler though. Of course, I'm not going. He shakes his head. "Never gamble at cards. You'll lose your last coin," he says.
Anger flushes my face. "All right, I am going, and you can't stop me!"
"I can follow you. At least partway. I may not make it to the Cornucopia, but if I'm yelling your name, I bet someone can find me. And then I'll be dead for sure," he says.
"You won't get a hundred yards from here on that leg," I say.
"Then I'll drag myself," says Peeta. "You go and I'm going, too."
He's just stubborn enough and maybe just strong enough to do it. Come howling after me in the woods.