After the anthem, Katniss realizes that Rue fully trusts her, and Katniss returns that trust. Comforted by Rue's presence and tired from her wounds and tracker jacker venom, Katniss sleeps while thinking about a new goal: destroying the Careers' food supply, because hungry, unprepared Careers would lose their main advantage.

At dawn, Katniss and Rue count the remaining tributes after hearing a cannon shot. Over breakfast, Katniss proposes attacking the Careers' supplies, and Rue shares what she knows about their camp by the lake. Rue explains that the supplies are guarded during the day by the boy from District 3, which makes Katniss suspicious, since the setup seems too exposed to be unprotected. As they gather food and talk, Katniss learns more about Rue's family, her love of music, and her use of mockingjays to spread a work song in District 11.

By midday, Katniss and Rue form a plan. Rue will light three fires in different places to draw the Careers away from camp, while Katniss investigates and tries to destroy the supplies. Before they separate, Rue teaches Katniss her four-note mockingjay signal so Katniss will know Rue is safe if they cannot meet again. Their farewell hug makes Katniss feel protective of Rue and think of Prim.

Katniss returns to the lake and reaches a hidden observation point near the Career camp. She sees Cato, the boy from District 1, the girl from District 2, and the boy from District 3 recovering from the tracker jacker attack. When Rue's first fire sends up smoke, the Careers argue briefly, then all leave together. From their conversation, Katniss learns that Peeta is still alive but badly wounded, and that Cato is hunting Katniss personally.

Alone, Katniss studies the supplies and becomes convinced they are booby-trapped. Foxface then appears and carefully picks her way through the area, confirming that the ground is dangerous. Katniss realizes the boy from District 3 has reactivated the arena's land mines around the food pile, which explains why the Careers trusted the stash to him.

With Rue's later fires buying only limited time, Katniss searches for a way to trigger multiple mines from a distance. She notices a hanging bag of apples, remembers her training with the bow, and decides to use the fruit as falling weight to set off the trap. Katniss shoots three arrows to rip open the burlap bag, the apples spill onto the mined ground, and the resulting blast throws Katniss backward through the air.