CHAPTER 18
“Are you telling Firepaw how I protected Redtail?”
Ravenpaw whipped around, eyes wide with fear. Tigerclaw loomed2 over them, his lips drawn3 back in a menacing snarl4.
Firepaw jumped up and faced the new deputy. “He was just saying he wished you had been here to take care of Lionheart as well, that’s all!” he mewed, thinking quickly.
Tigerclaw looked from one to the other, then stalked away in silence. Ravenpaw’s green eyes clouded with terror, and he started to tremble uncontrollably.
“Ravenpaw?” Firepaw meowed in alarm.
But Ravenpaw didn’t even look up at him. With his head held low, he slunk back to Graypaw and crouched5 next to him, pressing his skinny black body next to Graypaw’s thick fur as if he was suddenly cold.
Firepaw looked helplessly at his two friends as they huddled7 beside Lionheart’s body. Not knowing what else to do, he padded over and settled himself beside them, ready to sit out the night.
As the moon passed overhead, other cats came to join their vigil. Bluestar arrived last, once the camp was calm and quiet. She said nothing, but sat a little way off, gazing at her dead deputy with an expression of such unbearable8 grief that Firepaw had to look away.
At dawn, a group of elders came to take Lionheart’s body away to the burial place. Graypaw followed to help dig the hole where the great warrior9 would rest.
Firepaw yawned and stretched. He felt chilled to the bone. Leaf-fall was nearly here now, and the woods were clouded with mist, but above the leaves Firepaw saw a rosy10 morning sky. He watched Graypaw disappear into the dew-soaked undergrowth with the elders.
Ravenpaw jumped to his paws and hurried back to the apprentices12’ den6. Firepaw followed him slowly. By the time he arrived, the black cat was curled up with his nose tucked under his tail, as if asleep.
Firepaw was too exhausted13 to speak. He circled around on his mossy bed and then settled down for a long sleep.
“Wake up!”
Firepaw heard Dustpaw’s voice calling through the den entrance. He opened his eyes. Ravenpaw was already awake, sitting bolt upright with his ears pricked14. Graypaw was stirring beside him. Firepaw was surprised to see the familiar gray shape. He hadn’t heard him come back after burying Lionheart.
The three apprentices crawled out of the warm den. The sun was already past its height, and the air felt cooler than before. Firepaw shivered, and his belly16 growled17. He couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten, and he wondered briefly18 if he would have a chance to hunt today.
Firepaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw hurried to join the crowd gathered below the Highrock.
Tigerclaw was speaking from his position beside Bluestar. “During the battle, our leader lost another life. Now that she has only four of her nine lives left, I am going to appoint a bodyguard19 to stay at her side constantly. No cat will be allowed to approach her unless the guards are present.” His amber20 eyes flicked21 to Ravenpaw and then back to the rest of the crowd. “Darkstripe and Longtail,” he continued, turning his gaze on the warriors22, “you will act as Bluestar’s guards.”
Darkstripe and Longtail nodded importantly, and sat taller.
Bluestar now spoke23. Her voice sounded gentle and calming after her deputy’s commanding yowl. “Thank you, Tigerclaw, for your loyalty24. But the Clan25 must understand that I am still here for them. No cat should hesitate to approach me, and I am happy to speak to anyone with or without my bodyguards26.” Her eyes darted27 briefly in Tigerclaw’s direction. “As the warrior code says, the safety of the Clan is more important than the security of any single member.” She paused, and her sky-blue gaze rested briefly on Firepaw. “And now, I wish to invite Yellowfang to join ThunderClan.”
Meows of surprise rose from some of the warriors. Bluestar looked at Frostfur, who nodded her agreement. The other queens looked on silently.
Bluestar continued. “Her actions last night proved that she is brave and loyal. If she wishes it, we would welcome her as a full member of this Clan.”
From her place at the edge of the crowd, Yellowfang looked up at the Clan leader and murmured, “I am honored, Bluestar, and I accept your offer.”
“Good,” meowed Bluestar, her voice firm as if the matter was now closed.
Firepaw purred with delight and nudged Graypaw. He was surprised to realize just how much Bluestar’s public show of trust in Yellowfang meant to him.
Bluestar began to speak again. “Last night we successfully defended ourselves against ShadowClan, but they are still a great threat. The repair work we began this morning will continue. Our boundaries will be patrolled constantly. We must not assume that the war is over.”
Tigerclaw stood up, his tail held high, and glared down at the assembled cats. “ShadowClan attacked while we were away from camp,” he growled. “They chose their moment well. How did they know that the camp was so poorly defended? Do they have eyes inside our camp?”
Firepaw froze in horror as Tigerclaw fixed28 his cold stare on Ravenpaw. Some of the cats followed their new deputy’s gaze and stared in puzzlement at the black apprentice11. Ravenpaw looked at the ground and shifted his paws nervously29.
Tigerclaw went on. “We still have a while before sunset. We must concentrate on rebuilding our camp. Meanwhile, if you suspect anything, or anyone, tell me. Be assured, anything you say will be in confidence.” He nodded to dismiss the Clan, then turned and began murmuring to Bluestar.
The cats separated and began to move around the camp, assessing damage and forming work groups.
“Ravenpaw!” Firepaw called, still shocked by Tigerclaw’s dark hint that his own apprentice had betrayed the Clan. But Ravenpaw had already bounded away. Firepaw could see him offering to help Halftail and Whitestorm, before rushing off to collect twigs30 so they could patch the holes in the boundary wall. Ravenpaw clearly didn’t want to talk.
“Let’s go and help him,” suggested Graypaw. His voice was flat and exhausted, and his eyes were dull.
“You go. I’ll be there in a moment,” Firepaw answered. “First I want to check on Yellowfang, see if she’s okay after her fight with Blackfoot.”
He looked for Yellowfang in her nest by the fallen tree. She was stretched out in the shadows, her eyes thoughtful.
“Firepaw,” she purred when she saw him. “I’m glad you have come.”
“I wanted to check that you were all right,” Firepaw mewed.
“I suppose so,” Firepaw confessed. “How are you feeling?”
“This old leg injury is playing up again, but I’ll be fine,” Yellowfang told him.
“How did you manage to fight Blackfoot off?” Firepaw asked, unable to keep the admiration32 out of his voice.
“Blackfoot’s strong, but he’s not a clever fighter. Fighting you was more of a challenge.”
Firepaw sat down beside her. “I’m not surprised Bluestar asked you to join the Clan,” he purred. “You certainly showed your loyalty last night.”
Yellowfang twitched36 her tail. “Perhaps a truly loyal cat would have fought at the side of the Clan that raised her.”
Yellowfang shot him an admiring glance. “Well said, youngster. But then, you have always been a thinker.”
Sorrow pierced Firepaw’s heart as he remembered these were Lionheart’s words too. “Do you miss ShadowClan?” he asked Yellowfang.
Yellowfang blinked slowly. “I miss the old ShadowClan,” she meowed at last. “The way it used to be.”
“Until Brokenstar became leader?” Firepaw was curious.
“Yes,” Yellowfang admitted softly. “He changed the Clan.” She gave a wheezy laugh. “He always knew how to give a good speech. He could make you believe a mouse was a rabbit if he set his mind to it. Perhaps that is why I was so blind to his faults.” The old she-cat stared into the distance, lost in memories.
“Bet you can’t guess who the new ShadowClan medicine cat is?” Firepaw mewed, suddenly remembering what he had learned at the Gathering38. It felt like moons ago now.
His words seemed to shake Yellowfang back into the present. “Not Runningnose?” she meowed.
“Yep!”
Yellowfang shook her head. “But he can’t even cure his own cold!”
“That’s what Graypaw said!” They purred together for a moment, amused. Firepaw got to his paws. “I’ll leave you to rest now. Call me if you need anything else today.”
Yellowfang lifted her head. “Before you go, Firepaw, I hear you were in a rat fight. Did they draw blood?”
“It’s okay, Spottedleaf has treated my wounds with marigold.”
“Sometimes marigold is not strong enough for rat bites. Go and find a patch of wild garlic to roll in. I think there’s some not far from the camp entrance. That will draw out any poisons the rats may have left. Although,” she added dryly, “your den mates might not thank me for my advice!”
“Well, I do. Thanks, Yellowfang!” Firepaw purred.
“Go carefully, young one.” Yellowfang held his gaze for a moment, then let her chin rest on her front paws and closed her eyes.
Firepaw slipped under the branches around Yellowfang’s nest and headed for the gorse tunnel, in search of the wild garlic. The sun was setting now, and he could hear the queens settling their kits39 for the night.
“Where do you think you’re going?” growled a voice from the shadows. It was Darkstripe.
“Yellowfang told me to go out and—”
“You don’t take orders from that rogue40!” hissed the warrior. “Go and help with the repairs. No cat is to leave the camp tonight!” He lashed41 his tail from side to side.
“Yes, Darkstripe,” Firepaw mewed, dipping his head submissively. He turned and muttered “Dirtstripe!” under his breath, then headed toward the camp boundary, where he could see Graypaw and Ravenpaw busily patching a large hole in the wall of greenery.
“She’s fine. She said wild garlic would be good for my rat bites. I was on my way to find some, but Darkstripe ordered me to stay in camp,” Firepaw told him.
“Wild garlic?” mewed Graypaw. “I wouldn’t mind trying that. My leg still stings.”
“I could sneak43 out and get some,” Firepaw offered. He had resented Darkstripe’s offhand44 treatment and welcomed the chance to outwit him. “No one would notice if I slipped out of this hole here. It’d only take a couple of rabbit hops45.”
Ravenpaw frowned, but Graypaw nodded. “We’ll cover for you,” he whispered.
Firepaw nuzzled him gratefully and jumped out through the tear in the boundary wall.
Once outside the camp, he began to make his way to the wild garlic patch, the sharp tang alerting him easily to its location. The moon was rising in the violet sky as the sun sank below the horizon. A cold breeze ruffled46 Firepaw’s fur. Suddenly he caught a cat-scent carried toward him on the wind. He sniffed47 cautiously. ShadowClan? No, just Tigerclaw, and two other cats. He sniffed the air again. Darkstripe and Longtail! What were they doing here?
Curious, Firepaw dropped into a stalking position. He prowled through the undergrowth paw by paw, keeping downwind so that he was not detected. The warriors were standing48 in the shadow of a clump49 of ferns, their heads very close together. Soon Firepaw was near enough to hear them speak.
“StarClan knows, my apprentice has shown little promise from the start, but I never expected him to turn traitor50!” growled Tigerclaw.
Firepaw’s eyes widened and his fur prickled with shock. It sounded like Tigerclaw intended to do more than just hint that Ravenpaw had betrayed the Clan!
“How long did you say Ravenpaw was missing on the journey to Mothermouth?” asked Darkstripe.
“Long enough to have traveled to ShadowClan’s camp and back,” came the deputy’s menacing answer.
The fur on Firepaw’s tail bristled51 angrily. That’s impossible!he thought. He was with us the whole time!
Longtail’s voice sounded now, high-pitched with excitement: “He must have told them that ThunderClan’s leader and the strongest warrior had left the camp. Why else would they attack when they did?”
“We are the last Clan to stand against ShadowClan. We must remain strong,” purred Tigerclaw. His tone had become velvety52 soft now. He waited in silence for a response.
It was Darkstripe who answered, eagerly, as if he were still Tigerclaw’s apprentice, giving the correct answer to a question on hunting techniques. His words made Firepaw breathless with fear. “And the Clan would be better off without a traitor like Ravenpaw.”
“I have to say I agree with you, Darkstripe,” murmured Tigerclaw, his voice heavy with emotion. “Even though he’s my own apprentice…” He trailed off as if he were too upset to say any more.
Firepaw had heard enough. Forgetting all about the wild garlic, he turned and crept as silently and as quickly as he could back toward the camp.
He decided53 not to tell Ravenpaw what he had heard. He would be terrified. Firepaw’s mind raced. What could he do? Tigerclaw was the Clan deputy, a great warrior, and popular with all of the other cats. No one was going to listen to any accusations54 made by an apprentice. But Ravenpaw was in terrible danger. Firepaw shook himself, trying to clear his head. There was only one thing to do—he must tell what he had heard to Bluestar, and somehow convince her that he was telling the truth!
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1
ruffle
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| v.弄皱，弄乱；激怒，扰乱；n.褶裥饰边 | |
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loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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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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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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7
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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unbearable
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| adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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14
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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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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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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17
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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18
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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21
flicked
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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23
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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24
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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25
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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26
bodyguards
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| n.保镖，卫士，警卫员( bodyguard的名词复数 ) | |
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27
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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28
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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29
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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30
twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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scents
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| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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33
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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36
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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37
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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38
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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39
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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40
rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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41
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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42
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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43
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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44
offhand
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| adj.临时，无准备的；随便，马虎的 | |
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45
hops
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| 跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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46
ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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47
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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48
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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49
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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50
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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51
bristled
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| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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52
velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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53
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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54
accusations
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| n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名 | |
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