When Fireheart reached the top ofthe ravine he halted and turned to Fernpaw and Ashpaw. “You two wait here,” he ordered. “As soon as you see the dogs, run straight for the gorge1. Sandstorm will be next in line. When you see her, climb a tree, and then when the dogs have picked up her trail and gone, head for Sunningrocks.”
He looked down at the two apprentices2. Their eyes gleamed with fury, grief for their mother momentarily forgotten in their desire to avenge3 her death. Fireheart hoped they would remember their instructions and not panic, or even worse, try to attack the dogs by themselves. “The Clan4’s relying on you,” he added. “And we’re all proud of you.”
“We won’t let you down,” Fernpaw promised.
Fireheart left them there and led the others farther into the forest. His ears were pricked5 for sounds of the dogs, but for now the forest seemed to be waiting under a suffocating6 silence, as sinister7 as any howling or crashing of undergrowth. The sound of the cats’ breathing and their soft pawsteps seemed unnaturally8 loud as they padded under the trees.
Soon Fireheart halted again. “Sandstorm, you wait here,” he meowed. “I don’t want those two apprentices to have to run too far. You’re the fastest cat in ThunderClan—you’ll need to get a good start on the dogs to give the rest of us a chance. Okay?”
Sandstorm nodded. “You can trust me, Fireheart.”
Briefly9 she brushed her muzzle10 against his. There was no time for more words, but her love for him glowed in her green eyes, and Fireheart was filled with a wave of fear for her.
Tearing himself away, he took the rest of his warriors11 along a line stretching all the way to the gorge, leaving each of them at regular intervals12 as he went: next Longtail, then Dustpelt, and then Mousefur. At last he and Graystripe were left alone on the border with RiverClan, as near as they could get to the gorge without leaving their own territory. “Right, Graystripe,” he meowed, halting. “You hide here. If all goes well, Mousefur will lead the dogs to you. When they come, head for the steepest part of the gorge. I’ll be ahead of you, waiting to take over for the final stretch.”
“That will be on RiverClan territory.” Graystripe sounded dubious14. “What’s Leopardstar going to think about that?”
“With any luck, Leopardstar won’t have to know anything about it,” Fireheart replied, remembering how the RiverClan leader had threatened Graystripe with death if he set paw in her territory again. “We can’t worry about that now. Stay hidden on our side of the border, and if you see a patrol, don’t let them know you’re here.”
Graystripe nodded and flattened15 his belly16 to the ground to crawl underneath17 the branches of a thornbush. “Good luck,” he meowed as he disappeared.
Fireheart wished him luck in return and went on, more warily18 now, into RiverClan territory. He saw no RiverClan cats but he scented19 some fairly fresh traces, which suggested that the dawn patrol had already passed that way. At last he found a place to hide in a hollow at the foot of a rock and settled down to wait. The whole forest was silent, except for the distant roar of water in the gorge.
Fireheart couldn’t help wondering where Tigerstar was now. Safe in ShadowClan territory, he guessed, waiting for his old Clan to be torn apart. Then he could swoop20 in like a carrion21 crow and take the ThunderClan territory for his own, gloating over his perfect revenge.
Clouds still covered the sky, so Fireheart had no way to judge the passing of time, but as each heartbeat followed the last he began to worry that something had gone wrong. Why was it taking so long? Had the dogs caught one of his warriors? Fireheart pictured Sandstorm being ripped apart by those cruel jaws22 and worked his paws on the hard earth in front of him, extending and sheathing23 his claws. He had to force himself not to go back and see what had happened.
What if this was all a huge mistake?he asked himself. Had he led his Clan into even greater danger?
Then, above the noise of the river, he heard a distant barking. Rapidly it grew closer. The dark force had gained a voice at last, giving tongue as the pack bore down on the cats who had become their prey24. The sound grew louder still, until it seemed to fill all the forest, and Graystripe appeared, streaking25 along with his belly almost flat against the ground.
Barely three fox-lengths behind him was the pack leader. Fireheart had never seen a dog like it. It was enormous, easily twice the size of any Twoleg pet. As it ran, its muscles bunched powerfully under a short black-and-brown pelt13. Its jaws gaped27 to show a vicious set of teeth, and its tongue lolled. It barked hoarsely28 as it snapped at the fleeing Graystripe.
“StarClan help me!” Fireheart whispered, and sprang out of his hiding place.
He just had time to see Graystripe hurtling toward the nearest tree; then all he could do was run. The barking seemed to redouble, and he could feel the hot breath of the pack leader against his hind26 paws.
For the first time Fireheart wondered what he would do when he came to the gorge. He had imagined slipping aside at the last moment to let the unsuspecting dogs dash straight over the edge. Now he realized that might not work; the dogs were much, much closer than he had imagined.
Perhaps he would have to leap over himself.
If that’s what it takes to save the Clan, then that’s what I will do,Fireheart vowed29 grimly.
The gorge was close by. Fireheart emerged from the trees to see nothing but smooth turf between him and the edge of the cliff. Casting a hasty glance over his shoulder, he saw that he was outrunning the dogs, and he slackened his pace a little to let them catch up. The pack streamed out of the trees behind their leader, their tongues lolling as they barked.
“Pack, pack! Kill, kill!” The words slashed30 at Fireheart like teeth.
Then from his other side a heavy weight barreled into him, bowling31 him over. He fought vainly to get up as a massive paw pinned him by the neck. A voice growled32 in his ear, “Going somewhere, Fireheart?”
It was Tigerstar.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
gorge
|
|
| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
apprentices
|
|
| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
avenge
|
|
| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
clan
|
|
| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
pricked
|
|
| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
suffocating
|
|
| a.使人窒息的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
sinister
|
|
| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
unnaturally
|
|
| adv.违反习俗地；不自然地；勉强地；不近人情地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
briefly
|
|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
muzzle
|
|
| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
warriors
|
|
| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
intervals
|
|
| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
pelt
|
|
| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
dubious
|
|
| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
flattened
|
|
| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
belly
|
|
| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
underneath
|
|
| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
warily
|
|
| adv.留心地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
scented
|
|
| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
swoop
|
|
| n.俯冲，攫取；v.抓取，突然袭击 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
carrion
|
|
| n.腐肉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
jaws
|
|
| n.口部；嘴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
sheathing
|
|
| n.覆盖物，罩子v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的现在分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
prey
|
|
| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
streaking
|
|
| n.裸奔（指在公共场所裸体飞跑）v.快速移动( streak的现在分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
hind
|
|
| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
gaped
|
|
| v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
hoarsely
|
|
| adv.嘶哑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
vowed
|
|
| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
slashed
|
|
| v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
bowling
|
|
| n.保龄球运动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
growled
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |