Chapter 12 Summary

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At the end of the eleventh chapter, the Career pack and Peeta attempt to kill another tribute. However, when they do not hear a cannon shot to announce her death, Peeta volunteers to go back and kill her. Katniss is so shocked to hear his voice that she all but falls out of the tree in which she is hiding. Although the Careers are close, they do not know Katniss is watching them. With Peeta gone, they debate about what to do with the second contestant from District 12, whom they call Lover Boy. Although one Career recommends killing Peeta, the others object, pointing out that Peeta is handy with a knife and that he can help them take out Katniss. Her score of eleven during the training has made her a target. Peeta returns, and the Careers leave.

Katniss struggles to figure out what to do. Has Peeta’s behavior all along been an elaborate act? Do they still have sponsors, or will his betrayal have revealed that their relationship was just an act? Katniss leaves the tree and smirks for cameras she knows are watching her in order to suggest to the audience that she and Peeta are still working together. Next, Katniss checks her snares and is surprised to find that she has caught a rabbit. She cooks the rabbit over the dead tribute’s fire; she hopes this will communicate to her sponsors that she is a good bet and that they should invest money in her.

Katniss then resolves to find water and notes that she is already suffering from dehydration. Although she hikes throughout the day, Katniss does not find any water. She wakes the next morning and struggles to stand. Thirsting, Katniss calls for water, hoping that Haymitch will send her some. But no water is forthcoming. What does this mean? Katniss reasons that she does have sponsors and that Haymitch is not trying to kill her off because he likes Peeta better. Therefore, if he is withholding water, it must be because there is some nearby. With this in mind, Katniss once again begins hiking, trying her best not to look too desperate so she will not frighten Prim.

Katniss’s efforts and deductions pay off. Just as she collapses from exhaustion, she realizes that she is standing in mud. Katniss finds a pond, fills her water bottle, and purifies the liquid. Then she climbs a tree and begins to nourish herself. However, before she can get too comfortable, Katniss looks up to see a wall of fire coming at her.

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Chapter 11 Summary

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