The past with the Avox is a time when she did not help someone in trouble, when she allowed (justifiable) fear of the Capitol to keep her divided from others. Katniss believes that the girl and the boy were from the Capitol from the way they were dressed, but she doesn't know where they were going or why they would leave. Peeta blurts out that he would leave the Capitol too and then looks around nervously before covering up his statement with a joke about the quality of food. Then he changes the topic to Gale, asking whether he and Katniss are related. Katniss says that they aren't, and Peeta asks whether Gale went to say goodbye to her after the reaping. Katniss responds that he did, and that Peeta's father visited her too. Peeta seems surprised by this news and says that his father always liked Katniss and her sister. He explains that his father knew Katniss's mother when they were kids. Peeta is careful to monitor his appearance so that he doesn't seem to be questioning the goodness of the Capitol—he presents himself as a simpler person than he is, which will endear him to the audience.
Rue explains that the mockingjays at home would carry messages for her, that they were her "special friends, " and, in many ways, Katniss' mockingjay pin carries a special message with it. For instance, the pin signals to Rue that she can trust Katniss. It also delivers a message to the Capitol, a reminder of how their own weapons can be manipulated and used against them, the Hunger Games included. The mockingjays will carry messages between Rue and Katniss, too, and help them with their plan. Despite the fact that Katniss often forgets about her pin, those who are closest to her remind her of its importance: first Cinna and now Rue. The ongoing theme of masked appearances continues in this chapter, as well. The Careers have made their camp appear to be vulnerable by leaving it unattended. Katniss believes that there is more to their camp's setup than meets the eye, however, and she's right. She realizes that land mines have been strategically placed around the supplies. Just as the districts used the mockingjays as weapons against their creators in the Capitol, Katniss uses the Careers' land mines against them.
"Are you positive that this looks good? " I say over and over. Cinna has now grown tired of me asking him the same question about my interview outfit. It feels itchy around my torso, and I can't feel my arms, the sleeves are skintight. Cinna rolls his eyes and attaches a pin to the back of the dress. "Yes, it's fine, " He says, another pin in his mouth. "now hold still. Your bony body barely holds up in the dress. " Why am I wearing it then? He's the stylist, why can't he create a dress that fits me? Isn't that what my stylist is supposed to do? I want to tell him that. Tell him to tear this ridiculous outfit off and make one that'll fit me, but I've already snapped at one too many people, and if I yell at Cinna, I can kiss any chance I had of getting any sponsors goodbye. Cinna turns the mirror to me so I can examine the full length dress. It looks horrible, to me. I look like a bag of bones in the dress; my skin looks pulled back so tightly and I can barely breathe. The only good part of the outfit is my hair.