A juicy rabbit

In less than two hours, everyone had returned to the cave where they had previously left a backpack with useful items, and since Rue didn't have much with her, that backpack was given to her.

Now there was a situation that could pose a problem, and that is food. For four mouths, considering the food they had, they could last at least four days, and a week if they ate sparingly.

But Jacob dismissed the idea of eating little considering the energy they would need if they faced the professionals, so now they had to remain silent while establishing a unique base.

With the idea of having that base, Jacob chose the cave where he had previously taken refuge with Thresh. This place was suitable; the cave was well hidden, and the terrain was favorable for setting traps.

The chosen location for the shelter is in a dense forest, with uneven terrain and dense vegetation that provides natural cover. Jacob, utilizing his survival skills and with the help of his intelligent assistant knowledgeable about nature, begins to create a shelter and place short traps throughout the surrounding area.

The central shelter itself is located in a small cave camouflaged among the vegetation, with a discreet and well-concealed entrance. As intruders approach, they will encounter a maze of carefully designed traps to disorient and halt their progress.

These traps include single-foot traps Jacob learned with Katniss, spike traps his intelligent assistant learned with just a demonstration from the instructor, animal traps, and of course, noise traps.

The noise traps were the most basic ones, consisting of filling the entire ground with dry branches. These branches blend in the darkness and once stepped on, they would make enough noise to alert the guard on duty at that time.

As for the other traps, those were lethal and would cause a lot of pain. Jacob's ideas and recommendations from his intelligent assistant even left Katniss and the others stunned. In one of his recommendations, the spike traps were supposed to be filled with excrement, with the aim of causing a severe infection to any competitor who approached their shelter.

But these ideas were immediately discarded not only by him but also by Katniss. It is important to note that coming into contact with excrement on spike traps is unsanitary and unhygienic. In addition to the medical consequences, it can also cause disgust and psychological discomfort due to the smell and unpleasant nature of the material.

When Jacob remembered the tribute who consumed his victims, and how this caused discomfort among the audience, he thought that although this small action was clever, it would not be well-received by his sponsors.

...

"With these traps, we've already made twenty..." Murmured Katniss next to Jacob while setting up a trap.

"They won't be enough, but for now, it's okay..." Jacob wiped the sweat from his forehead as he did what he could for now.

The air is cooler, indicating that night is approaching. There is a gentle scent of sweetness that reminds Katniss of water lilies.

At this moment, they found a few minutes of tranquility. Therefore, they both decided to take advantage of that time to prepare themselves and discuss strategies to confront the mutated beast they had encountered earlier.

Jacob crouched near a group of bushes and began collecting dry branches and leaves. Skillfully, he started building a new spike trap while Katniss watched him closely. Using his survival knowledge and training experience, Jacob knew they needed to be resourceful and make use of the resources available to them.

"Katniss, we need to think about how to hunt down a beast like that... Everything indicates that it may attack us again," Jacob said while carefully placing the spikes in the trap. "It's fast and dangerous, but we can't allow it to become a threat we have to worry about."

Katniss nodded, and together, they searched for sturdy and flexible branches to build a sturdy structure that could hold the beast long enough to neutralize it. They discussed the creature's characteristics and how they could exploit its weak points.

"It's agile and fast." Katniss mentioned while braiding the branches. "But it seems that its vision is its main sense. If we could be disorientated or temporarily blind it, we might have a chance."

Jacob nodded, admiring Katniss's cleverness and ingenuity. After all, she was the expert in hunting and may have encountered mutated beasts while out hunting. It's not like their purpose was to hunt the creature, but they devised a plan in case it attacked them. They knew that cooperation and synchronization would be crucial for success.

Once the trap was finished, Jacob and Katniss sat nearby, admiring their work as they continued their conversation. They talked about the constant danger in the surroundings and how they needed to be prepared for any eventuality.

"We two are strong and cunning. If we combine our attacks, there is no one who can defeat us." Jacob said with a slight smile. "We can overcome any challenge if we work together and leverage our unique skills."

Katniss nodded, sharing the same thought in her eyes. "We've survived so far, and we will continue to do so until the end. We won't allow anything or anyone to stop us, not even a beast."

They looked at each other, knowing they had been thinking the same thing. Though they had their doubts, the support they had for each other was unique, and it gave them great confidence.

With the trap set and their plans laid out, Jacob and Katniss stood up and continued their path towards the cave, keeping an eye on their surroundings to ensure they didn't leave any traces indicating that humans had been in this area.

...

Minutes later, Jacob was shaping a mud pyramid at a spot not too close to the cave, while Thresh held dry branches next to him.

"Are you sure we won't reveal our location?"

"It can..."

The sun began to set on the horizon, and daylight slowly faded away. Jacob took advantage of this opportunity to set up a fire inside a mud pyramid, near an opening in the roof that allowed the smoke to disperse without being easily detected from the outside.

Quickly, Jacob placed the dry branches and leaves in a pile, using his lighter to ignite the fire. The flames danced and grew, providing warmth and light in the chamber. However, Jacob knew that the smoke would be a risk if it continued to burn for a long time.

Once the embers began to form and the fire stabilized, Jacob took the rabbit and prepared it for cooking. With skill, he opened the animal and skewered it on a long stick, ensuring it was securely fastened. Then, he placed the stick over the glowing embers, slowly turning it to ensure the rabbit cooked evenly.

The tantalizing aroma of the cooking rabbit filled the air of the pyramid, but Jacob and Katniss resisted the temptation to eat before it was fully ready. They knew the wait would be worth it, as a well-cooked rabbit would be a source of energy and nourishment for their ongoing struggle in the Hunger Games.

While they waited, they took the time to rest and plan their next moves. Their secure zone provided them with a sense of relative safety, and they could speak softly without fear of being heard by other tributes.

Finally, the rabbit was ready. Jacob removed it from the fire and let it rest for a few minutes before starting to carve it into smaller portions. As they divided the food, they delighted in the smoky and juicy flavor of the rabbit, savoring each bite with gratitude.

Once they had finished eating, Jacob carefully extinguished the remaining embers, ensuring no visible flames remained. The smoke quickly dissipated through the opening in the roof, leaving no trace of their location in the forest.

With their stomachs satisfied, Jacob and Katniss ventured back into the cave and planned shifts to guard the cave and prevent any surprises.