Book Summary
He also tells Katniss he is aware of the kiss she shared with Gale in the woods, implying that the Capitol knows they illegally venture into the woods to hunt. Snow acknowledges that Katniss doesn't know how she feels about Peeta or Gale, but is not in love with Peeta as Panem believes.
Katniss decides the only person she can tell about Snow's threats is Haymitch, her and Peeta's drunken mentor from District 12 who also won the Games years ago. Though she and Haymitch argue and rarely get along, she trusts him. Haymitch tells her that in order to truly appease Snow and Panem, she and Peeta will have to get married.
As she goes to sleep that night, Katniss realizes there are potentially worse husbands than Peeta and ponders what their future together will be like. The next day, Katniss rudely snaps at Effie, the escort assigned to District 12, and then goes to sit outside to cool off. Peeta joins her and apologizes to her for the way he's been acting lately. He admits his jealousy of Gale and asks if they can go back to being friends; Katniss knows she needs to be more than just friends with him to keep everyone alive.
Despite the grave situation she's in, Katniss enjoys being on good terms with Peeta again , especially as their first stop on the Victory Tour, District 11, will be a difficult one. District 11 is the home of Rue, the young girl tribute whom Katniss allied herself with during the Games, and Thresh, the respectable boy tribute whom Katniss and Peeta wished they could have befriended.
At their stop in District 11, an old man in the crowd whistles the mockingjay tune that Katniss and Rue used to signal to each other in the arena. Katniss is shocked to see the audience press their three middle fingers to their lips and extend them to her, a gesture in District 12 that represents goodbye, thanks, or deep respect. Katniss and Peeta are immediately taken off stage but not before they see the old man shot and killed.
After escaping to a forgotten room, Katniss and Haymitch tell Peeta everything that is going on, from President Snow's threats to the likelihood of rebellions throughout Panem. She begins to feel very overwhelmed by the state of everything and understands the situation is much worse than she realized.
Throughout the rest of the Tour, Katniss and Peeta do everything they can to act madly in love. However, the stress of it all takes its toll on her and she is plagued by nightmares. They are exhausted by the time they reach the Capitol. The constant pretending never seems to be enough, so Katniss suggests that Peeta propose marriage to her in front of the entire country, which he does. The crowds go insane with happiness, but Snow tells Katniss it is not enough.
Despite the fact that Snow says she has failed, the festivities of the Victory Tour continue with the annual party at Snow's mansion. While at the party, Plutarch Heavensbee, the new Head Gamemaker, asks to dance with Katniss. Plutarch and Katniss make small talk, and he shows her a watch with a mockingjay engraved on it and mysteriously says "it" starts at midnight. The watch's mockingjay is the same image that Katniss wore as a pin in the arena. Plutarch's watch and comments puzzle Katniss, but she brushes it off as a fad in the Capitol.