CHAPTER28
“I’ll find them,” Fireheart promisedHeautomatically looked around for Graystripe. The wind was rising and the snow was growing thicker—he didn’t want to search alone. Fireheart rushed to the warriors’ den2 and pushed his way inside, but Graystripe wasn’t there.
Sandstorm was just waking up. “What’s wrong?” she meowed, seeing Fireheart peering around the den.
“Yes! I was looking for Graystripe so we could look for them together, but he isn’t here,” Fireheart meowed, his words tumbling out in a rush. He felt a stab of rage that Graystripe was missing yet again—right after accusing Fireheart of not trusting him!
“I’ll come with you,” Sandstorm offered.
Fireheart blinked. “Thanks,” he meowed gratefully. “Come on. We should tell Bluestar before we leave.”
“Dustpelt can tell her. Is it still snowing?”
“Yes, and it’s getting heavier. We’d better hurry.” Fireheart looked at Dustpelt’s sleeping form. “You wake him. I’ll tell Brindleface we’re going and meet you by the entrance.” He bounded away, back to the nursery. Brindleface was still sniffing8 around in search of scents10.
“Any sign?” Fireheart asked.
“No, nothing.” Brindleface’s voice was trembling. “Frostfur’s gone to tell Bluestar!”
“Well, don’t worry. I’m going out to look for them,” he reassured11 her. “Sandstorm’s coming with me. We’ll find them.”
Brindleface nodded and carried on searching.
Fireheart and Sandstorm arrived at the gorse tunnel together and hurried out into the woods. Outside the camp, the wind felt even fiercer. Fireheart narrowed his eyes and hunched12 his shoulders against the blizzard13.
“It’s going to be hard picking up a scent9 through the fresh snow,” he warned Sandstorm. “Let’s start by checking to see if they’ve climbed up to the forest.”
“Okay,” meowed Sandstorm.
“You take that side.” Fireheart pointed14 with his nose. “And I’ll take the other. Meet you back here. Don’t be long.”
Sandstorm bounded away, and Fireheart leaped over a fallen tree, heading toward the trail the Clan15 followed most often. The sides of the ravine were even more thickly coated than they had been that morning, and slippery now where the snow had frozen into ice. Fireheart stopped and lifted his head, his mouth open, but he could find no scent of the kits. He looked in vain for pawsteps—would their trail already be covered by fresh snow?
He trekked16 along the bottom of the slope but found no sign of any cats, let alone lost kits. The wind blew until Fireheart could hardly feel the tips of his ears. No kits could survive in this weather, and it wouldn’t be long before the sun began to set. He had to find them before nightfall.
Fireheart raced back to the camp entrance. Sandstorm was waiting for him, her fur striped with small ridges17 of snow. She shook them off as she saw him coming.
“Any sign?” Fireheart meowed.
“No, nothing.”
“They can’t have gotten far,” Fireheart pointed out. “Come on, let’s try this way.” He headed toward the training hollow.
Sandstorm battled after him. The snow was getting deeper, and she sank up to her belly18 with every step.
The training hollow was empty.
“Do you think Bluestar realizes how bad the weather is out here?” asked Sandstorm, raising her voice against the wind.
“She’ll know,” Fireheart called back to her.
“We should go back and get help, join up with another search party,” meowed Sandstorm.
Fireheart looked at the shivering warrior1. It was not just the kits who might freeze out here. Perhaps Sandstorm was right. “I agree,” he meowed. “We can’t do this by ourselves.”
As they turned toward camp, Fireheart thought he heard a tiny squeal19 through the wind. “Did you hear that?” he called.
Sandstorm stopped and began sniffing the air furiously. Suddenly she lifted her head. “That way!” she meowed, pointing with her nose to a fallen tree.
Fireheart leaped toward it with Sandstorm right behind him. The squealing20 grew louder until Fireheart could make out several little voices. He scrambled up onto the log and looked down the other side. Huddled21 in the snow were two small kits. Fireheart felt a rush of relief until he realized Cloudkit was not with them. “Where’s Cloudkit?” he yowled.
“Hunting,” squeaked22 one of the kits. Her voice trembled with cold and fear, but there was a note of defiance23 in it.
Fireheart lifted his head. “Cloudkit!” he called, peering through the snowflakes.
“Fireheart, look!” Sandstorm was on top of the log. Fireheart spun24 around. A bedraggled white shape was struggling through the snow toward them. Cloudkit! Every step was a massive leap for the tiny kit4—the snow was as high as he was. But he kept coming, and in his mouth he carried a small, snow-encrusted vole.
A surge of relief and fury shot through Fireheart. He left Sandstorm with the others and bounded through the snow to scoop25 up the kit by the scruff of his neck. Cloudkit grunted26 in protest but refused to drop the vole that dangled27 from his mouth.
Fireheart turned to see Sandstorm nudging the others toward him. They stumbled ahead of her, sinking up to their ears in the deep snow, but she kept pushing them on.
Cloudkit squirmed in Fireheart’s mouth. Fireheart dropped him back into the snow. Cloudkit looked up at him, proudly holding his catch. Fireheart couldn’t help feeling impressed. In spite of the snow and wind, Cloudkit had caught his first prey28!
“Wait there,” he ordered, and dashed back to help Sandstorm. He picked up a tiny she-kit who was mewling pitifully, and began nosing the other one forward.
The bedraggled group struggled back to the camp. Brindleface was waiting outside the gorse tunnel. Bluestar stood beside her, her eyes narrowed against the driving snow. As soon as they spotted29 Fireheart’s party, they rushed forward to help. Bluestar scooped30 up Cloudkit and Brindleface grabbed the other kit; then they turned and raced into the shelter of the camp with Fireheart and Sandstorm hurrying behind.
Once in the clearing, the three cats dropped their frozen bundles onto the ground. Fireheart shook the snow from his fur and looked down at Cloudkit, who was still stubbornly clinging to his catch.
Bluestar glared at the three kits. “What did you think you were doing out there? You know it’s against the warrior code for kits to hunt!”
Brindleface’s two kits shrank under their leader’s angry gaze, but Cloudkit looked back at her with round blue eyes. He dropped his vole and mewed, “The Clan needed fresh-kill, so we decided31 to catch some.”
“Whose idea was it?” Bluestar demanded.
“Mine,” Cloudkit announced, his head still unbowed.
Bluestar fixed33 her eyes on the defiant34 little kit and yowled, “You could have frozen to death out there!”
Cloudkit was startled by the anger in her voice and dropped into a crouch35. “We did it for the Clan,” he mewed defensively.
Fireheart held his breath as he waited to see what Bluestar would do next. Cloudkit had broken the warrior code. Would Bluestar change her mind about letting him stay?
“Your intention,” Bluestar meowed slowly, “was good. But it was a foolish thing to do.” Fireheart felt a flicker36 of hope. Then he cringed as Cloudkit piped up again.
“I caughtsomething, though.”
“I can see that,” replied Bluestar coldly. She gazed at all three kits. “I shall leave it to your mother to decide what to do with you. But I don’t want to find you doing anything like this again. Do you understand?”
Fireheart relaxed a little as Cloudkit nodded with the others. “Cloudkit, you may add your catch to the fresh-kill pile,” Bluestar added. “Then all three of you go straight to the nursery and get yourselves dry and warm.” Fireheart felt surprised. Was that a motherly tone he detected in the ThunderClan leader’s voice?
Brindleface’s kits stumbled toward the nursery, followed by their mother, while Cloudkit picked up his vole and trotted37 off toward the pile of fresh-kill. The proud tilt38 of his head made Fireheart’s paws prickle with worry, but as Bluestar watched him go, Fireheart thought he detected a glint of admiration39 in his leader’s eyes.
“Well done, you two,” she meowed, turning her attention to Sandstorm and Fireheart. “I’ll send Longtail out to retrieve40 the other search party. You should go to your den and try to warm up too!”
“Yes, Bluestar,” Fireheart answered. He turned to leave with Sandstorm but Bluestar called him back. “Fireheart,” she meowed, “I want to talk to you.” Her tone made Fireheart feel apprehensive41. Perhaps he’d relaxed too soon.
“Cloudkit showed some fine hunting skills today,” Bluestar began. “But all the skill in the world is worthless if he can’t learn to obey the warrior code. It may be for his own safety now, but in the future the safety of the whole Clan will depend on it.”
Fireheart stared down at the ground. He knew Bluestar was right, but he couldn’t help feeling that she was expecting too much of the young kit. Cloudkit was still very young, and he’d been with the Clan only a short time. Fireheart swallowed a pang42 of resentment43 as he thought of how shamelessly Graystripe, a Clanborn cat, was disobeying the warrior code. He looked up at the Clan leader. “Yes, Bluestar,” he meowed. “I’ll make sure he learns.”
“Good.” Bluestar sounded satisfied. She turned away and padded to her den.
Fireheart made his way to the warriors’ den even though he no longer felt cold. Bluestar’s words had made him burn. He pushed his way inside, settled into his nest, and began to wash. He stayed in his nest all afternoon, brooding about Graystripe and Cloudkit. He knew that Bluestar was right. The pride and defiance he’d seen in the white kit’s eyes made Fireheart wonder if he really would be able to adjust to Clan life.
As evening came, hunger drew Fireheart from the den. He picked a thrush from the pile of fresh-kill and settled down by the nettle44 clump45 to eat it. It was dark now, and the snow had eased. Once his eyes had adjusted to the night, Fireheart could see the camp entrance clearly.
He spotted Graystripe as soon as he appeared, and watched him walk to the pile of fresh-kill. The gray warrior was carrying prey. Perhaps he’d just been hunting after all.
Graystripe dropped most of his catch onto the pile. He kept a large mouse for himself and took it to a sheltered spot near the camp wall. Fireheart’s brief hope faded. The distracted look in Graystripe’s eyes told him that his suspicions were right—Graystripe had been with Silverstream.
Fireheart got to his paws and padded into the den. He had no trouble falling into a deep sleep. And as he slept, he dreamed again
The snowy forest spread out around him, glowing white beneath the cold moon. Fireheart stood on a tall, jagged rock. Beside him stood Cloudkit—a fully6 grown warrior, his thick white pelt7 rippling46 in the wind. Frost sparkled on the stone beneath their paws.
“Watch!” Fireheart hissed47 to Cloudkit. A wood mouse scuttled48 around the frozen roots of a tree. Cloudkit followed his gaze and leaped silently from the rock onto the forest floor. Fireheart watched the white tom prowl toward the prey. Suddenly he smelled a scent so warm and familiar, his fur quivered. He felt warm breath on his ear and turned sharply. Spottedleaf was standing49 beside him.
Her dappled pelt shone in the moonlight as she touched her soft pink nose to his. “Fireheart,” she whispered. “I have a warning for you from StarClan.” Her tone was somber50 and her eyes burned into his. “A battle is coming, Fireheart. Beware a warrior you cannot trust.”
The squeal of a mouse made Fireheart jump and look around. Cloudkit must have made his kill. He turned back to Spottedleaf but she had disappeared.
Fireheart woke up with a start and turned to the nest beside him. Graystripe was curled up, fast asleep, his nose tucked under his thick tail. Spottedleaf’s words echoed in Fireheart’s mind: “Beware a warrior you cannot trust!”
He shivered. The bitter cold of the forest seemed to cling to his fur even here, and the sweet fragrance51 of Spottedleaf lingered in his nostrils52. Graystripe stirred beside him, muttering in his sleep, and Fireheart flinched. He knew he wouldn’t go back to sleep again, but he stayed in his nest and watched his friend sleeping until the dawn light began to shine through the walls of the den.
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1
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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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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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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kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；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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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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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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reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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12
hunched
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| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
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blizzard
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| n.暴风雪 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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trekked
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| v.艰苦跋涉，徒步旅行( trek的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在山中）远足，徒步旅行，游山玩水 | |
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17
ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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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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squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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squealing
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 ) | |
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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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squeaked
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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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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26
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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27
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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28
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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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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scooped
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| v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等） | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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flinched
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
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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defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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35
crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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36
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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37
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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38
tilt
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| v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜 | |
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39
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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40
retrieve
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| vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索 | |
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41
apprehensive
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| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
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42
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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43
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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44
nettle
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| n.荨麻；v.烦忧，激恼 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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46
rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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47
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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48
scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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49
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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somber
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| adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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52
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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