Next morning, Fireheart watched the dawnpatrol leave before going to relieve Cloudtail from his vigil. His injured leg felt stiff, but the bleeding had stopped.
“All quiet?” he meowed. “Do you want to sleep now, or are you up to going hunting? We could go through Tallpines, if you like, and see Princess.”
Cloudtail stretched his jaws1 in an enormous yawn, but a heartbeat later he had sprung to his paws. “Let’s hunt!”
“Okay,” Fireheart mewed. “We’ll take Sandstorm with us. She has met Princess too.”
Fireheart knew that his closeness to Sandstorm had been trickling2 away ever since he had stopped the battle with WindClan. He desperately4 wanted to restore their previous bond, and inviting5 her to go hunting might be a good way of doing that.
Glancing around to see if she had emerged from the den6, he spotted7 Dustpelt padding toward him, with Fernpaw following. As they drew closer, Fireheart could see that the light brown warrior8 looked worried.
“There’s something you ought to know,” Dustpelt announced. “Fernpaw, tell Fireheart what you just told me.”
Fernpaw’s head was lowered, and she scuffled in the dust with her front paws. Her hesitation9 gave Fireheart time to wonder what was troubling her, and why she had chosen to confide10 in Dustpelt instead of her mentor11, Darkstripe.
The second question was answered as Dustpelt bent12 his head and gave her ear a couple of licks. Fireheart had never seen the prickly young warrior so gentle. “It’s okay,” Dustpelt mewed. “There’s nothing to be scared of. Fireheart won’t be angry with you.” The glare he gave Fireheart, unseen by Fernpaw, said, He’d better not!“Come on, Fernpaw.” Fireheart tried to sound encouraging. “Tell me what is the matter.”
Fernpaw’s green eyes flickered13 toward him and away again. “It’s Swiftpaw,” she mewed. “He…” She hesitated, this time with a glance at Cloudtail, and then went on: “He was really angry that Bluestar wouldn’t make him into a warrior. Last night he got all us apprentices14 together in the den. He said we’d never be warriors16 unless we did something so brave that Bluestar couldn’tgo on ignoring us anymore.”
She paused again, and Dustpelt murmured, “Go on.”
“He said we ought to find out who has been killing17 prey18 in the forest,” mewed Fernpaw, her voice shaking. “He said you didn’t seem bothered about finding our enemy. He wanted us to go to Snakerocks because that’s where most of the scraps19 of prey have been found. Swiftpaw thought we might pick up a trail.”
“What a mouse-brained idea!” Cloudtail burst out.
“And what did the rest of the apprentices think about this?” Fireheart asked, shooting a warning glance at Cloudtail and trying to ignore the cold lump of apprehension20 that was gathering21 in his belly22.
“We didn’t know. We want to be warriors, but we all knew we shouldn’t do something like that without orders, and without at least one warrior with us. In the end, only Swiftpaw and Brightpaw went.”
“Did you see them go when you were on vigil?” Fireheart demanded, turning to look at Cloudtail.
Beginning to look worried, Cloudtail shook his head.
“Swiftpaw said Cloudtail wouldn’t notice a Twoleg monster roaring through the camp,” Fernpaw mumbled23. “He and Brightpaw sneaked24 out through the ferns behind the elders’ den.”
“When was this?” Fireheart demanded.
“I’m not sure—before dawn.” Fernpaw’s voice rose as if she were about to start wailing25 like a tiny kit26. “I didn’t know what to do. I knewit was wrong, but I didn’t want to give them away. Only I’ve been feeling worse and worse, and so when I saw Dustpelt, I went to tell him.” She gave the brown tabby warrior a grateful glance, and he pressed his muzzle27 against her speckled gray flank.
“We’ll have to go after them,” Fireheart decided28.
“I’m coming,” Cloudtail meowed instantly, startling Fireheart by the blaze in his blue eyes. “Brightpaw’s out there. If anything’s hurt her, I’ll…I’ll shredit!”
“Okay,” Fireheart agreed, surprised to realize that the young warrior cared so transparently29 for his former den mate. “Go and fetch a couple more cats to come with us.”
As the new warrior shot off, Dustpelt meowed, “We’ll come too.”
“I don’t want the apprentices involved,” Fireheart replied. “Fernpaw is upset enough as it is. Why don’t you take her hunting? Take Ashpaw and Darkstripe as well. The Clan3 needs fresh-kill.”
Dustpelt gave him a long look. Then he nodded. “Okay.”
Fireheart wondered whether he ought to tell Bluestar what was going on before they left, but he was reluctant to get Swiftpaw into trouble and give the Clan leader another excuse why the young cat shouldn’t become a warrior. If we can fetch them back, Bluestar need never know,he told himself.
Besides, Fireheart didn’t want to waste a single moment. Cloudtail was already returning with Sandstorm and Graystripe hard behind him. Just the cats I’d have chosen,Fireheart thought. He couldn’t ignore the warm feeling at the thought that Graystripe was home again, and they could hunt and fight together as they used to. The gray warrior’s eyes were shining as he fell into his accustomed place at Fireheart’s side. Fireheart wished he could have had Whitestorm, too; he was Brightpaw’s mentor, but he had gone out with the dawn patrol.
Sandstorm looked her usual self, alert and focused on their mission. “Cloudtail told us,” she meowed briskly. “Let’s go.”
Fireheart took the lead out of the camp and up to the top of the ravine. Almost at once he picked up Swiftpaw’s and Brightpaw’s scent30 leading directly toward Snakerocks. There was no need to spend time trying to track them; all they had to do was get to Snakerocks as soon as possible.
But we’ll be too late,he thought. If they meet whatever’s out there…
He raced through the forest, his paws scattering31 fallen leaves. The stiffness in his injured leg was forgotten. Graystripe ran close beside him, and Fireheart recognized the comfort of facing danger with his friend by his side once again, even though so much had changed.
As they approached Snakerocks, Fireheart slowed down and signaled with his tail for the other cats to do the same. If they dashed straight in without knowing what they had to face, they would be no help to the apprentices. They had to treat this threat, whatever it was, like any other enemy. But something inside Fireheart screamed that it was unpredictable, far beyond the reach of any Clan code, and that he was in more danger than he had ever been in before. Was this how mice and rabbits felt, he wondered, knowing that death could be stalking through the undergrowth?
Everything was still. Fireheart did not want to risk calling to the apprentices in case he alerted whatever was lurking32 up ahead. Swiftpaw must be right, he realized; this was the center of the darkness that had poisoned the forest, but he began to doubt his theories about what the threat was. Could one dog really cause so much destruction and fear in the forest?
As cautiously as if he were stalking prey, Fireheart slid through the undergrowth until the smooth, sand-colored sides of Snakerocks came into sight. For a few heartbeats he stood and tasted the air. A mixture of scents33 reached him: Swiftpaw’s and Brightpaw’s, still fresh; the staler scent of other ThunderClan cats; dog, as Fireheart had expected; but over it all the stench of newly spilled blood.
Sandstorm turned to look at him, her eyes huge with fear. “Something terrible has happened.”
Terror coursed through Fireheart. He was about to confront the source of the fear that had stalked him for more than a moon, the faceless enemy that had invaded their forest. He was barely able to make himself go on.
With a twitch34 of his tail he gestured for his companions to move forward again; now they crept with their bellies35 close to the ground, intent on seeing without being seen, until the rocks were only a few fox-lengths away.
A fallen tree barred their way. Scrambling36 onto the trunk, Fireheart looked out over an open space carpeted with dead leaves. Foul-tasting bile rose into his throat as he took in the scene in front of him. The leaves had been churned up by massive paws, and clots37 of earth sprayed upward to catch in the branches of the tree. In the middle of the clearing Swiftpaw’s black-and-white body lay motionless, and just beyond him, Brightpaw.
“Oh, no,” whispered Sandstorm, as she drew herself up to crouch38 on the trunk beside Fireheart.
“Brightpaw!” yowled Cloudtail. Without waiting for Fireheart’s order he launched himself across the clearing toward her.
Fireheart tensed, waiting for whatever had hunted down these apprentices to emerge from the trees and attack, but nothing stirred. Feeling as if his legs hardly belonged to him, he sprang down and stumbled across to Swiftpaw.
The apprentice15 lay on his side, his legs splayed out. His black-and-white fur was torn, and his body was covered with dreadful wounds, ripped by teeth far bigger than any cat’s. His jaws still snarled39 and his eyes glared. He was dead, and Fireheart could see that he had died fighting.
“Great StarClan, what did this to him?” he whispered. For moons he had been afraid, and now it was far worse than he ever could have imagined. Swiftpaw had been slaughtered40 like prey. The hunters in the forest had become the hunted. Something had happened in the forest, the balance of life had changed, and for a moment Fireheart felt the ground beneath his paws shift.
Graystripe and Sandstorm stared down at Swiftpaw’s body, too stunned41 to reply. Fireheart knew that Graystripe was remembering another bloodstained body, all his grief for Silverstream reawakening.
“What a waste,” Fireheart murmured sadly. “If only Bluestar had made him a warrior. If only I’d let him fight, instead of sending him—”
He was interrupted by a screech42 from Cloudtail. “Fireheart! Fireheart, Brightpaw isn’t dead!”
Fireheart spun43 around and raced across the clearing to crouch beside Brightpaw. Her white-and-ginger44 fur, which she had always kept so neatly45 groomed46, was spiky47 with drying blood. On one side of her face the fur was torn away, and there was blood where her eye should have been. One ear had been shredded48, and there were huge claw marks scored across her muzzle.
Fireheart heard a choking sound as Sandstorm came up behind him. “No…” the ginger she-cat whispered. “Oh, StarClan, no!”
At first Fireheart thought Cloudtail was wrong and that Brightpaw must be dead, until he saw the very faint rise and fall of her breathing, and the blood bubbling in her nostrils49. “Fetch Cinderpelt,” he ordered.
Sandstorm dashed off while Graystripe stood beside Swiftpaw’s body, all his senses alert in case their fearsome enemy should return. Fireheart went on looking down at the injured Brightpaw. Somehow his fear had drained away. He felt nothing but an icy calm, and a stern, ferocious50 determination to avenge51 the young apprentices. He asked StarClan to be with him and to give him the strength to unleash52 all their fury on whatever had dared to wreak53 such havoc54.
Cloudtail curled himself close to the motionless apprentice and began licking her face and the fur around her ears. “Don’t die, Brightpaw,” he begged. “I’m with you now. Cinderpelt’s coming. Hold on just a bit longer.”
Fireheart had never heard him sound so distraught. He hoped the white cat would not have to suffer the pain he had felt when Spottedleaf died, or Graystripe’s when he lost Silverstream.
One of Brightpaw’s ears twitched55 under Cloudtail’s gentle tongue. Her remaining eye opened a slit56 and closed again.
“Brightpaw.” Fireheart leaned close to her and spoke57 urgently. “Brightpaw, can you tell us what did this to you?”
Brightpaw’s eye opened wider and she fixed58 a cloudy gaze on Fireheart.
“What happened?” he repeated. “What did this?”
A thin wailing came from Brightpaw, which gradually formed into words. Fireheart stared at her in horror as he made out what she was trying to say.
“Pack, pack,” she whispered. “Kill, kill.”
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1
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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trickling
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| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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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
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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8
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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9
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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mentor
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| n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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13
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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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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17
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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18
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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scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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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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23
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
sneaked
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| v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状 | |
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wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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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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muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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28
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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transparently
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| 明亮地，显然地，易觉察地 | |
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30
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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31
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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32
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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33
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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34
twitch
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| v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛 | |
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35
bellies
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| n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的 | |
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36
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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37
clots
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| n.凝块( clot的名词复数 )；血块；蠢人；傻瓜v.凝固( clot的第三人称单数 ) | |
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38
crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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39
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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40
slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
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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42
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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43
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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44
ginger
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| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
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45
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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46
groomed
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| v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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47
spiky
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| adj.长而尖的，大钉似的 | |
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48
shredded
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| shred的过去式和过去分词 | |
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49
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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50
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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51
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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52
unleash
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| vt.发泄，发出；解带子放开 | |
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53
wreak
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| v.发泄；报复 | |
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54
havoc
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| n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱 | |
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55
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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56
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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57
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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58
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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