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“Where are we going to sleep?” Squirrelpaw asked.
As soon as Brambleclaw agreed to take her with him on the journey, her hurt and anger had vanished like dawn mist under a hot sun. He did not think she had stopped talking for a moment since they left the clearing where Firestar had found them.
“Quiet!” he hissed1. “If any cat is looking for us, they’ll be able to hear you right across the forest.”
“But where?” Squirrelpaw persisted, though she did lower her voice.
“Somewhere not too far from Fourtrees,” Brambleclaw replied. “Then we’ll be ready to meet the others at sunrise.”
Darkness had fallen as he led the way through the undergrowth. Clouds had massed to cover the sky, so that no gleam of star or moon broke through. A cold breeze whispered in the grass, and once again Brambleclaw tasted the scents2 of approaching leaf-fall.
With possible pursuit in mind, he had considered finding shelter near Snakerocks, which the Clan4 had been ordered to avoid, but the risk of encountering the night-hunting badger5 1 3 8
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was too great. Instead he decided6 to make for the Thunderpath, hoping that the acrid7 smells of Twoleg monsters would mask his own scent3 and Squirrelpaw’s.
“I know a good tree by the Thunderpath,” Squirrelpaw suggested. “You can get right inside. We could hide there.”
“And have spiders and beetles8 crawling through our fur all night?” Brambleclaw mewed discouragingly. “No, thanks.”
Squirrelpaw sniffed9. “Why do you always know better?”
“Maybe because I’m a warrior10?”
Distracted by a rustling11 in the undergrowth, the apprentice12 made no reply. Barely pausing to track her prey13, she dived into a clump14 of bracken and came back a couple of heartbeats later with a mouse dangling15 from her jaws16.
“Well done,” meowed Brambleclaw.
The sight of the fresh-kill made him realize how hungry he was. Not long after, he managed to catch a mouse for himself, and the two cats paused to eat in quick, wary17 gulps18, their ears pricked19 to catch the faintest traces of a ThunderClan patrol.
But Brambleclaw could hear nothing except the ordinary night sounds of the forest and the nearby roar of monsters on the Thunderpath. Their stench was so strong here that it masked most others, as Brambleclaw had hoped, though he shrank from the thought of spending the night with that in his nostrils20.
While they ate, a thin, cold rain began to fall, growing steadily21 heavier until Brambleclaw’s fur was soaked and he was colder than he could remember feeling in moons.
“We need shelter,” Squirrelpaw mewed, shivering. She W A R R I O R S : T H E N E W P R O P H E C Y : M I D N I G H T
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looked small and vulnerable, with her fur plastered darkly to her body. “What about finding that tree?”
Brambleclaw was about to agree when they emerged from the undergrowth at the top of a grassy22 bank, and he found himself looking down at the Thunderpath. A Twoleg monster roared past, its glaring eyes cutting shafts23 of yellow brightness through the night. Before it swept by, the light showed Brambleclaw a looming24 dark shape, the biggest monster he had ever seen, squatting25 on the verge26 of the Thunderpath.
The reek27 of it flooded his senses.
“What’s that?” exclaimed Squirrelpaw, brushing close beside him.
“I don’t know,” Brambleclaw admitted. “I’ve never seen anything like it before. Stay here while I take a look.”
Cautiously he padded forward until he stood a couple of foxlengths away from the monster. Was it dead, he wondered, and was that why its Twolegs had abandoned it here? Or was it crouching28, watching, waiting to spring as he would spring on a helpless mouse?
“Look, we could get underneath29 it,” Squirrelpaw pointed30 out, trotting31 up to join him; of course she had not obeyed his order to wait at the top of the bank. “We could shelter from the rain.”
There was just enough light for Brambleclaw to make out a darker gap between the monster’s belly32 and the ground. His fur bristled33 at the thought of crawling into the narrow space, but he didn’t want to seem a coward in front of Squirrelpaw, and her suggestion was a good one. The overwhelming scent W A R R I O R S : T H E N E W P R O P H E C Y : M I D N I G H T
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would certainly hide them from any pursuers.
“Okay,” he meowed. “But let me—” He broke off as Squirrelpaw bounded forward, flattened34 herself to the ground, and wriggled35 underneath the monster.
“—go first,” Brambleclaw finished resignedly, following her.
A faint dawn light seeping36 under the monster’s belly roused Brambleclaw the next morning. Squirrelpaw was curled beside him. For a heartbeat he couldn’t remember why she was sleeping in his den37 instead of her own. Then the acrid reek of the monster, and a continuous roar from the Thunderpath close by, reminded him where he was and why. This was the morning when the journey would really begin! But instead of excitement, he felt only uncertainty38 dragging at his paws, along with the dismal39 thought that he had as good as exiled himself from his Clan by disappearing without his leader’s permission.
Brambleclaw crept out from beneath the monster and lifted his head to taste the air. The grass was still wet from the previous night’s rain, and the bushes at the top of the bank were heavy with drops of water. Mist curled through the trees in the gray dawn. There was no sound or scent of other cats.
Turning back to the monster, he called to Squirrelpaw,
“Wake up! It’s time we were on our way to Fourtrees.”
He was beginning to think he would have to slide back under the monster’s belly to rouse the apprentice when she crawled out, blinking. “I’m starving,” she complained.
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“We’ll have time to catch prey on the way,” Brambleclaw told her. “But we must get moving. The others will be waiting.”
“Okay.” Squirrelpaw raced up the bank and headed toward Fourtrees, following the line of the Thunderpath. Brambleclaw caught up to her, and for a time the two cats loped along side by side. The mist cleared and a golden light gathered on the horizon where the sun would rise. Birds began to sing in the branches overhead.
Once she was properly awake, Squirrelpaw seemed to forget about stopping to hunt. She hurried on, paying no attention to anything around her. Brambleclaw was torn between wanting to get to Fourtrees as soon as possible, and staying alert for possible trouble. When he heard rustling in the bushes behind them he halted, ears flicking40 up and jaws parted to detect the scent of their pursuer.
“Squirrelpaw!” he hissed. “Get out of sight!”
But Squirrelpaw whirled around a heartbeat before he spoke41, and stood staring in the direction of the sound, her green eyes wide. At the same moment, Brambleclaw picked up the strong, familiar scent of a ThunderClan cat. Then the branches of a nearby bush quivered and parted to reveal Leafpaw.
The two sisters stood rigid42 for a moment, their gazes locked together. Then Leafpaw padded forward and set down the packet of herbs she was carrying at Squirrelpaw’s feet.
“I brought you some traveling herbs,” she murmured.
“You’re going to need them.”
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Brambleclaw stared from her to Squirrelpaw. “I thought you said you hadn’t told any cat!” His voice was loud with outrage43. “How does she know? You’ve been lying to me!”
“I have not!” Squirrelpaw spat44.
“No, she hasn’t,” Leafpaw’s gentler voice added. “But she didn’t need to tell me anything. I just knew, that’s all.”
Brambleclaw shook himself. “You mean, you know everything?” he asked. “About the dreams, and the journey to the sun-drown place?”
Leafpaw turned her serious gaze on him, and he saw unhappiness and bewilderment in the depths of her eyes. “No,” she mewed. “Only that Squirrelpaw is going away.” She hesitated, closing her eyes briefly45. “And there will be great danger.”
A pang46 of pity for her stabbed through Brambleclaw, sharp as a thorn, but he could not afford to give in to it. He had to know what Leafpaw had done with her knowledge.
“Who else knows?” he demanded roughly. “Have you told your father?”
“No!” The flash of anger in Leafpaw’s eyes suddenly made her look very much like her sister. “I wouldn’t tell on Squirrelpaw, not even to Firestar.”
“She wouldn’t, Brambleclaw,” Squirrelpaw added.
Brambleclaw nodded slowly.
“I almost wish I had,” Leafpaw went on, bitterness in her voice. “Perhaps I could have stopped it all, and kept you here.
Squirrelpaw, do you really have to go?”
“I must! This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me. Don’t you see? It’s a command from StarClan, so W A R R I O R S : T H E N E W P R O P H E C Y : M I D N I G H T
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it’s not like we’re going against the warrior code.”
She began pouring out to Leafpaw the whole story of Brambleclaw’s dreams, and the meeting with the cats from other Clans47. Leafpaw listened, her eyes widening in dismay.
Brambleclaw fidgeted from paw to paw, acutely aware of the passing of time as the daylight strengthened.
“But you don’t need to go!” Leafpaw wailed48 when Squirrelpaw had finished. “You haven’t been chosen.”
“Well, I’m not going back. I can’t do anything right, as far as Firestar is concerned. Do you know he even told me I might not be fit to be a warrior? I’ll show him whether I’m fit or not!”
Brambleclaw glanced at Leafpaw. She knew as well as he did how useless it was to argue with Squirrelpaw when she had made up her mind. There was something else, too, in Leafpaw’s amber49 eyes: a hint of trouble, as if she knew more than she was telling.
“But you might not come back.” Leafpaw’s voice shook, and Brambleclaw was reminded even more forcibly that as well as a medicine cat, Leafpaw was Squirrelpaw’s sister.
“What will I do without you?”
“I’ll be okay, Leafpaw.” Brambleclaw was amazed at the gentleness of Squirrelpaw’s voice, and the way that she pressed her muzzle50 comfortingly against her sister’s side.
“I’ve got to go. You do see that, don’t you?”
Leafpaw nodded.
“And you won’t tell anyone where we’ve gone?” Squirrelpaw pressed.
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“I don’t know where you’re going—and neither do you,”
Leafpaw pointed out. “But no, I won’t say anything. Just remember that Firestar does love you. He has things on his mind that you know nothing about.” She drew in a shaky breath. “Now take the herbs and go.”
Squirrelpaw dabbed51 at the packet of herbs, dividing them between herself and Brambleclaw. As they gulped52 down the bitter-tasting leaves, Leafpaw looked on, her eyes huge and somber53.
“Even if you don’t have a medicine cat with you, you can still find herbs as you go along. Don’t forget marigold for wounds,” she meowed rapidly. “And tansy for coughs—oh, and juniper berries for bellyache. And borage leaves are best for fever, if you can find any.” She sounded as if she were trying to pass on the whole of her training in the few moments she had left.
“We won’t forget,” Squirrelpaw promised. She finished the last mouthful of herbs and swiped her tongue around her mouth. “Come on, Brambleclaw.”
“Good-bye, Leafpaw,” Brambleclaw mewed. “You—and the rest of the Clan—take care. If trouble is really coming to the forest, we . . . we might not be back in time to help you fight it.”
“That is in the paws of StarClan,” Leafpaw agreed sadly. “I will do my best to be ready, I promise.”
“And don’t worry about Squirrelpaw,” Brambleclaw added.
“I’ll look after her.”
“And I’ll look after him.” Squirrelpaw flashed him a W A R R I O R S : T H E N E W P R O P H E C Y : M I D N I G H T
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challenging look before padding up to her sister and touching54 noses with her. “We will come back,” she murmured.
Leafpaw dipped her head, sadness clouding her eyes. As Brambleclaw headed once again for Fourtrees, he glanced back to see her watching them, a motionless light brown figure against the ferns. As he raised his tail in a gesture of farewell she turned swiftly, and the undergrowth swallowed her up.
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收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
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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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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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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badger
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| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
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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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acrid
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| adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的 | |
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8
beetles
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| n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 ) | |
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9
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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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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12
apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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13
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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14
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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15
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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16
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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17
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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18
gulps
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| n.一大口（尤指液体）( gulp的名词复数 )v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的第三人称单数 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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19
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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20
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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21
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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22
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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23
shafts
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| n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等） | |
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24
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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25
squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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26
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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27
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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28
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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29
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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30
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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31
trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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32
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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33
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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34
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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35
wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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36
seeping
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| v.（液体）渗( seep的现在分词 )；渗透；渗出；漏出 | |
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37
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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38
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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39
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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40
flicking
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的现在分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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41
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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42
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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43
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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44
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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45
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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46
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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47
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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48
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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50
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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51
dabbed
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| （用某物）轻触( dab的过去式和过去分词 )； 轻而快地擦掉（或抹掉）； 快速擦拭； （用某物）轻而快地涂上（或点上）… | |
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52
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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53
somber
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| adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的 | |
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54
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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