CHAPTER 7
Firepaw retraced1 his steps and headed backtoward the stream. He thought of those eyes burning from the darkness of the ShadowClan territory.
Suddenly he caught a faint smell on the breeze.
Instantly a growl4 rumbled5 in Firepaw’s throat. The scent6 message told him many things. The stranger was a she-cat, not young and definitely not from ThunderClan. She carried no distinct scent from any of the Clans7, but Firepaw could tell she was tired, hungry, and sick, and she was in an ugly mood.
Dropping low, Firepaw moved forward, heading toward the scent. Then he paused in puzzlement. The warrior scent was fainter now. He sniffed8 again.
Firepaw screeched11 in shock as the she-cat slammed into him, knocking him sideways. Two heavy paws clamped down onto his shoulders, and iron jaws13 closed around the back of his neck. “Murr-oww!” he grunted14, already thinking fast. If the other cat were to sink its fangs15 too deep, it would all be over.
He forced himself to go limp, relaxing his muscles as if in submission16, and let out a pretend howl of alarm.
The she-cat opened her mouth to give a triumphant17 yowl. “Ah, a puny18 apprentice19. Easy prey20 for Yellowfang,” she hissed22.
At the insult, Firepaw felt a surge of fury. Just wait.He’d show this coughed-up furball what kind of warrior he was! But not yet,he told himself. Wait until you feel her teeth again.
Yellowfang bit down. Firepaw surged upward with all the strength in his powerful young body. The she-cat gave a snarl9 of surprise as she was thrown clear. She tumbled backward into a gorse bush.
Firepaw shook himself. “Not such easy prey, huh?”
Yellowfang hissed defiance23 as she tore herself free from the clinging branches. “Not bad, young apprentice,” she spat24 back. “But you’ll need to do a lot better!”
Firepaw blinked when he saw his opponent clearly for the first time. The she-cat had a broad, almost flat face, and round orange eyes. Her dark gray fur was long and matted into smelly clumps25. Her ears were torn and ragged26, and her muzzle27 was traced with the scars of many old battles.
Firepaw stood his ground. He puffed28 out his chest and glared a challenge into the intruder’s face. “You’re in ThunderClan’s hunting ground. Move on!”
“Who’s going to make me?” Yellowfang drew back her lip defiantly29, exposing stained and broken teeth. “I will hunt. ThenI will leave. Or maybe I’ll just stay awhile….”
“Enough talk,” Firepaw spat, feeling the stir of ancient cat spirits deep inside him. There was no trace of the house cat in him now. His warrior blood was up. He was itching30 to fight, to defend his territory and protect his Clan2.
Yellowfang seemed to sense the change in him. Her fierce orange eyes sparked with new respect. Dipping her head and breaking eye contact, she started to back off. “No need to be hasty, now,” she purred in a silky tone.
Firepaw wasn’t fooled by her trickery. Claws extended and fur on end, he leaped forward, his war cry ringing out: “Grr-aaar!”
With a hiss21 of rage the other cat responded. Snarling and spitting, young cat and old locked together. They rolled over and over, teeth and claws flashing. Ears pressed flat to his head, Firepaw fought to get a grip. But the she-cat’s clumpy fur snagged in his claws, and he couldn’t break through to skin.
Then Yellowfang reared up on her back legs. With her filthy31 tail bristling32, she looked even bigger.
Firepaw sensed Yellowfang’s huge jaws lunging toward him. He leaned backward, just in time. Snap!Bared teeth closed on the air next to his ear.
Instinctively33 Firepaw lashed34 out with a backswipe. His paw caught the side of Yellowfang’s head. The force of it sent shock waves up his front leg.
In the single heartbeat before the she-cat recovered, Firepaw saw his chance. He threw himself forward, crouching36 low, and clamped his jaws tight on Yellowfang’s back leg. “Mur-ugh!” The taste of the matted fur was horrible, but he chomped37 down hard.
“Reow-ow-wow!” Yellowfang screamed in agony and whipped around to snap at Firepaw’s tail.
Her teeth connected and pain lanced up Firepaw’s spine38, but it only made him angrier. He ripped his tail from his opponent’s grip, and lashed it back and forth39 in rage.
Yellowfang crouched40, ready for a fresh attack. Her breath seemed to wheeze41 up from her foul-smelling lungs. The scent blasted Firepaw’s nose. Up close, the message of desperation and weakness, and the aching void of the she-cat’s hunger, was almost painful.
Something stirred inside him, an unwarriorlike feeling he didn’t want: pity. He tried not to dwell on this instinct—he knew his loyalty42 must be to his Clan—but he couldn’t shake free of it. “You speak from your heart, young Firepaw.” Lionheart’s words echoed in his head once more. “This will make you a stronger warrior one day.” Then Tigerclaw’s warning rang in his ears: “Or it might make him give in to kittypet weakness right at the moment of attack.”
Yellowfang lunged forward and Firepaw jerked instantly back into aggression43. The bigger cat tried to reach up onto his shoulders and get a killing44 grip, but this time she was hampered45 by her wounded leg.
“Gar-off!” Firepaw arched his spine, but Yellowfang managed to dig in her claws and hung on tight. The bigger cat’s weight forced him to the ground.
He twisted nimbly to avoid Yellowfang’s thrashing back legs and the thorn-sharp claws that were trying to rake at his soft underbelly. Over and over they rolled, biting and snapping.
Moments later they broke apart. Firepaw was gasping48 for breath now. But he sensed that Yellowfang was weakening. The she-cat was badly wounded, and her back legs could barely support her scrawny body.
“Had enough yet?” Firepaw growled49. If the intruder gave way, he’d let her go with just a warning bite to remember him by.
“Never!” Yellowfang hissed back bravely. But her injured leg gave way and she slumped50 to the ground. She tried to get up and failed. Her eyes were dull as she hissed up at Firepaw, “If I weren’t so hungry and tired, I’d have shredded51 you into mousedust.” The she-cat’s mouth twisted in pain and defiance. “Finish me off. I won’t stop you.”
Firepaw hesitated. He’d never killed another cat before. Perhaps, in the heat of battle, he would, but a mercy killing, in cold blood? This was something very different.
Firepaw smarted at the she-cat’s words. Could she smell the scent of Twolegs on him, even now, after all this time?
“I’m an apprentice warrior of ThunderClan!” he snapped.
Yellowfang narrowed her eyes. She’d seen Firepaw flinch53 at her words and she knew she’d hit a nerve. “Ha,” she snorted. “Don’t tell me ThunderClan is so desperate they have to recruit kittypets now?”
“ThunderClan is not desperate!” hissed Firepaw.
“Prove it then! Act like a warrior and finish me off. You’ll be doing me a favor.”
Firepaw stared at her. He would not be goaded54 into killing this miserable55 creature. He felt his muscles relax as curiosity pricked56 him. How had a Clan cat gotten in such a state? ThunderClan elders were looked after better than kits57! “You seem in an awful hurry to die,” he meowed.
“Yeah? Well, that’s my business, mousefodder,” Yellowfang snapped. “What’s your problem, kitty? Are you trying to talkme to death?”
Her words were brave, but Firepaw could smell the hunger and sickness that were coming off the other cat in waves. She was going to die anyway if she didn’t eat soon. And since she could hardly hunt for herself, perhaps he should kill her now. The two cats looked at each other, uncertainty58 in both their gazes.
“Wait here,” Firepaw ordered at last.
Yellowfang seemed to deflate. Her hackles smoothed out and her tail lost its gorse-bush stiffness. “Are you kidding, kitty? I’m going nowhere.” She grunted, limping painfully toward a patch of soft heather. She flopped59 down and began licking her leg wound.
Firepaw glanced briefly60 over his shoulder at her and hissed quietly in exasperation61 before heading for the trees.
As he padded silently through the ferns, sun-warmed odors filled his nose, and he caught the sour reek62 of a long-dead rat. He heard the scratching of insects beneath bark, the rustle63 of furry64 things scurrying65 over leaves. His first thought had been to go and dig up the thrush he had killed earlier, but that would take too long.
Maybe he should go and scoop66 up the rat carcass. Easy meat, but a starving cat needed fresh-kill. Only when times were very hard would a warrior eat crow food.
Just then he paused, scenting67 a young rabbit ahead. A few more steps and he saw it. Flattening68 himself down, he stalked the creature. He was barely a mouse-length away before it detected him. By then it was too late. The white bobtail darting69 away sent the thrill of the chase surging through Firepaw’s veins70. A rush of speed, a flash of claws, and he had it.
Yellowfang looked up tiredly as Firepaw dropped the rabbit on the ground beside her. Her grizzled jaw12 dropped. “Well, hello again, kitty! I thought you’d gone to fetch your little warrior friends.”
“Yeah? Well, I might still do that. And don’t call me kitty.” Firepaw growled, shoving the rabbit nearer with his nose. He felt embarrassed by his kindness. “Look, if you don’t want this…”
“Ah—no,” Yellowfang meowed hastily. “I do want it.”
Firepaw watched the she-cat rip open the prey and start to swallow it down. His own hunger rose up and his mouth filled with water. He knew he shouldn’t even be thinkingabout eating. He still had to take back enough prey for the Clan, but the fresh-kill smelled delicious.
“Mmm-mm.” A few minutes later, Yellowfang gave a huge sigh and flopped onto her side. “First fresh-kill I’ve had for days.” She licked her muzzle clean and settled down to give herself a thorough wash.
As if one wash is going to make much difference, Firepaw thought, his nose twitching72. She was the arch-cat of stench.
He eyed the tattered73 remnants of the prey. There wasn’t much left to line a growing cat’s belly47, but his fight with Yellowfang had sharpened his appetite even more; he gave in to his hunger and gulped74 down the scraps75. It was delicious. He licked his lips, savoring76 every last taste, tingling77 from head to paw.
Yellowfang watched him closely, showing her stained teeth. “Better than the muck Twolegs feed some of our brothers, isn’t it?” she mewed slyly. Knowing she had found his sore spot, she was trying to antagonize him.
Firepaw ignored her and began to wash.
“It’s poison,” Yellowfang went on. “Rat droppings! Only a spineless bag of fur would accept such disgusting frogspawn—” She broke off and tensed. “Shhh…warriors78 coming.”
Firepaw was also aware of cats approaching. He could hear their soft paw-fall on the leaf litter and the sound of fur swishing through branches. He smelled the wind brushing against their coats. Familiar smells. These were ThunderClan warriors, confident enough in their own territory not to care about the noise they made.
Firepaw licked his lips guiltily, hoping to wash away any traces of the scraps he’d just swallowed. Then he looked at Yellowfang and the fresh pile of rabbit bones that lay beside her. “The Clan must be fed first!” Lionheart’s voice rang though his head once more. But surely he would understand why Firepaw had fed this wretched creature. His mind reeled, suddenly fearful of what would happen to him. His first apprentice task, and he had ended up breaking the warrior code!
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1
retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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4
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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5
rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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6
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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7
clans
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| 宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派 | |
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8
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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9
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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10
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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11
screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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12
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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16
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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21
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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22
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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23
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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28
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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30
itching
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| adj.贪得的，痒的，渴望的v.发痒( itch的现在分词 ) | |
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filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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34
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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35
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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36
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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37
chomped
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| v.切齿，格格地咬牙，咬响牙齿( chomp的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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39
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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40
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
wheeze
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| n.喘息声，气喘声；v.喘息着说 | |
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42
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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43
aggression
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| n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害 | |
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44
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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45
hampered
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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47
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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48
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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49
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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50
slumped
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| 大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下] | |
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51
shredded
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| shred的过去式和过去分词 | |
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52
taunted
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| 嘲讽( taunt的过去式和过去分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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53
flinch
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| v.畏缩，退缩 | |
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54
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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55
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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56
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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57
kits
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| 衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件 | |
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58
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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59
flopped
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| v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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60
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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61
exasperation
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| n.愤慨 | |
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62
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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63
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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64
furry
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| adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的 | |
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65
scurrying
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的现在分词 ) | |
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66
scoop
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| n.铲子，舀取，独家新闻；v.汲取，舀取，抢先登出 | |
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67
scenting
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| vt.闻到（scent的现在分词形式） | |
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68
flattening
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| n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词 | |
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69
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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70
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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71
wriggling
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）；蠕蠕 | |
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72
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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73
tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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74
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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75
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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76
savoring
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| v.意味，带有…的性质( savor的现在分词 )；给…加调味品；使有风味；品尝 | |
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77
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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78
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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