Part 3, Chapter 25:
"We both know they have to have a victor."
So this chapter starts with Cato too f***ing tired and scared to even think about trying to kill Katniss (and Peeta by proxy). Meanwhile, because Peeta fails at life, he can't run as fast as Katniss and becomes a total burden when it comes to running for their lives from a pack of violent creatures that want nothing more than to kill all three of the remaining tributes. But Katniss helps him up, and is thankfully aided by the fact that Cato isn't trying to strangle her and snap her neck like he could easily do if he weren't so damn winded from running his ass off. Hell, Cato's scared enough to ask a question of Peeta/Katniss without being mean of spiteful about it.
But yeah, Katniss realizes that the wolf creatures (which, by the way, are proof that The Hunger Games is furry-friendly, so suck on that, haters) are actually human/wolf hybrids of the fallen tributes, including sexy Glimmer, Foxface, and Rue. Also, Katniss for some reason recognizes District 9 Boy in more detail as a wolf than we ever got from him as an actual character. One line that made me laugh is Katniss saying one of the creatures HAD to be based on Thresh, because who else could jump that high. Racist much? XD Seriously though, I've noticed that line EVERY time I've read this book. Katniss specifically highlights the creature that she believes to be based on a black tribute as being the one that can jump the highest. I can't believe Collins got away with that.
Anyway, Cato is a total d*** now, although admittedly he did have the high ground and takes Peeta hostage with the intent of using Peeta's lifeless corpse to knock Katniss into the herd of dead tributes. Peeta outsmarts Cato (not hard to do), and Katniss nails Cato in his happy time hand (I assume), sending him to a very painful death a la Scar from The Lion King. Meanwhile, Peeta's bleeding out because he's a complete damsel in distress. So Katniss removes her shirt (to the delight of pretty much every guy in Panem, I'm sure) and uses it as a tourniquet while Cato takes an inexplicably long time to die (what is he, Mustafa?) Seriously, Cato having to suffer THAT much...what if by some miracle for him, Katniss/Peeta died? Then the Capitol would've completely destroyed this guy for a whole night just to have him win? Christ.
Anyway, Cato FINALLY dies (making four kills for Katniss, all Careers...Clove's the only one she didn't kill, unless you count District 4 Boy, which I don't). And then Katniss/Peeta get totally screwed over when Ashton Kutcher jumps out and tells them they're on punked and they still totally have to kill one another. Peeta of course has the upper hand in terms of killing himself, which is kinda amusing, because Katniss' first reaction is not "Oh no, I can't kill him" but instead, "Oh no, I'm not letting him kill me first". She's like, in constant survival mode. But then she totally outplays the game makers with the poisoned berries, allowing District 12 to get two winners after not winning a single game in 24 years. Well-played, Miss Everdeen, Mister Mellark. Well-played. Also, fun to note is that for once it's Katniss who comes up with the successful plan, not Peeta. She should be very proud.
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Captain Tracy Mombaro and Agent Mirasuke Inhara: Two of the toughest, hottest furrs you'll ever meet.