;
“This isn’t the quickest way to Fourtrees,” Squirrelpaw protested when Brambleclaw paused on the edge of a bramble thicket1.
She flicked2 her tail. “We should be going that way.”
“Fine.” Brambleclaw sighed. Squirrelpaw had been unusually quiet after saying good-bye to her sister, but unfortunately the silence hadn’t lasted. “Go that way, if you feel like a swim. This way the stream is narrower, and there’s a rock we can use to jump across.”
“Oh—okay.” Squirrelpaw seemed disconcerted for a moment, but then she shrugged3 and raced through the trees at Brambleclaw’s side; they crossed the stream in a couple of bounds and headed up the last slope that led to Fourtrees.
Brambleclaw realized that the whole disk of the sun had risen above the horizon by the time they reached the edge of the hollow.
He paused, sweeping4 his tail to hold back Squirrelpaw so that she wouldn’t go dashing into the clearing before they knew what they would find there. Drinking in the air, he could taste the mingled5 scents7 of the three other Clans9, and when he looked down the slope he saw Tawnypelt, Feathertail, and 1 5 4
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Stormfur sitting at the base of the Great Rock, while Crowpaw paced restlessly up and down in front of them.
“At last!” Tawnypelt sprang to her paws as Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw burst out of the bushes at the foot of the slope. “We thought you weren’t coming.”
“What’s she doing here?” Crowpaw demanded, glaring at Squirrelpaw.
Squirrelpaw returned the glare, her neck fur bristling11 angrily. “I can speak for myself, thanks. I’m coming with you.”
“What?” Tawnypelt padded up to her brother’s side.
“Brambleclaw, have you lost your mind? You can’t bring an apprentice12. This is going to be dangerous.”
Before Brambleclaw could reply, Squirrelpaw hissed14, “He’san apprentice!” and flicked her tail at Crowpaw.
“I was chosen by StarClan,” Crowpaw pointed15 out immediately. “You weren’t.” Seeming to think that settled it, he sat down and started to wash his ears.
“He’s not chosen either,” Squirrelpaw protested, transferring the glare to Stormfur. “Don’t tell me he’s here just to say good-bye to his sister!”
The two RiverClan cats said nothing, just exchanged a worried glance.
“She’s coming, and that’s that.” Brambleclaw’s patience was rapidly running out. At this rate the mission would fall apart in bickering16 and bad temper before it had even started.
“Now let’s get going.”
“Don’t order me around!” Crowpaw snapped.
“No, he’s right,” Tawnypelt sighed. “If we can’t stop 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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Squirrelpaw coming—”
“You can’t,” Squirrelpaw put in.
“—then we might as well get moving and make the best of it.”
To Brambleclaw’s relief, even Crowpaw seemed to see the sense in that. He got to his paws, turning his back on Squirrelpaw as if she didn’t exist. “Pity you can’t leave your Clan8 without dragging along a burr in your pelt10,” he jeered17 at Brambleclaw.
The two RiverClan cats rose too, and padded up to join the group. “Don’t worry,” Feathertail murmured, touching18 Squirrelpaw’s shoulder briefly19 with her muzzle20. “We’re all feeling a bit nervous. It’ll be better once we’re on our way.”
Squirrelpaw’s eyes flashed as if she were about to make a sharp reply, but meeting Feathertail’s gentle gaze she clearly thought better of it, and dipped her head, her neck fur beginning to lie flat again.
As if obeying an unspoken command, all six cats padded through the bushes to the top of the slope, emerging at the edge of WindClan territory. When Brambleclaw looked out on the moorland slopes, the tough, springy grass ruffled23 by the wind like the fur of a huge animal, his heart pounded until he thought it would burst right out of his chest. This was the moment he had been waiting for, ever since Bluestar had spoken to him in his dream. The time of the new prophecy was here. The journey had begun!
But as he took his first steps across the moor22, he was pierced by a sharp pang24 of regret for everything he was leaving behind—the familiar forest, his place in the Clan, 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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his friends. From now on, everything would be different.
Can we really live by the warrior25 code outside the forest? Brambleclaw wondered. Glancing back to the dark line of the trees, he added silently, Will any of us ever see our Clans again?
Brambleclaw crouched26 in the shelter of a hedge and looked down at the clustered buildings of a Twoleg farm. Behind him, the other cats shifted restlessly.
“What are we waiting for?” Crowpaw demanded.
“That’s the barn where Ravenpaw and Barley27 live,”
Brambleclaw replied, indicating it with his tail.
“Yes, I know,” meowed the WindClan apprentice. “Mudclaw took me there when I made my apprentice journey to Highstones. We’re not stopping there now, are we?”
“I think perhaps we should.” Brambleclaw was careful not to sound as if he were giving the touchy28 apprentice an order.
“Ravenpaw knows about the sun-drown place. He might be able to tell us something useful.”
“And his barn is crawling with mice.” Tawnypelt swiped her tongue around her whiskers.
“We could do worse than spend the night there,” Brambleclaw agreed. “A couple of good meals will help to build up our strength.”
“But we could easily make Highstones before dark if we keep going,” Crowpaw pointed out.
Brambleclaw suspected uncharitably that the WindClan apprentice was arguing just for the sake of it. “I still think it might be best if we stay here for tonight,” he meowed. “This 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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way we’ll get to Highstones early next morning, with most of the day to get a good start in unknown territory.”
“Would you rather sleep on bare stone with no prey29,”
Stormfur murmured, “or warm and comfortable with a full stomach? I vote for Barley’s barn.”
“Me too!” Squirrelpaw mewed.
“You don’t get a vote,” Crowpaw retorted.
Squirrelpaw refused to be crushed. Green eyes gleaming with anticipation30, she sprang to her paws. “Let’s go!”
“No, wait.” Feathertail pushed in front of the eager apprentice a heartbeat before Brambleclaw. “There are rats around here. We have to be careful.”
“Dogs, too,” Tawnypelt added.
“Oh—okay.”
Brambleclaw remembered that Squirrelpaw hadn’t yet made the journey that all the apprentices31 took to Highstones before they could be made into warriors32. In fact, this must be the first time she had left ThunderClan territory beyond Fourtrees.
Privately33, he admitted that she had done well so far, crossing WindClan territory without fuss and being sensible about avoiding WindClan patrols so that Crowpaw’s departure could remain secret. Perhaps she would cope better than he first feared with the longer path that lay ahead of them.
Brambleclaw emerged from the hedge and led the way past the farm buildings toward the barn. He froze briefly when he heard the barking of a dog, but it sounded distant, and the scent6 that came to him was faint.
“Get on, if we’re going,” Crowpaw muttered at his shoulder
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The barn was some way away from the main Twoleg nest.
There were holes in the roof, and the door sagged34 on its supports. Brambleclaw approached warily35 and sniffed36 at a gap at the bottom of the door. The scent of mouse flooded his senses; his mouth started to water and he had to concentrate hard to distinguish the cat scent that was almost drowned out.
A familiar voice spoke21 from just inside. “I smell ThunderClan. Come in, and welcome.”
It was Ravenpaw. Brambleclaw slid through the gap to see the sleek37 black loner standing38 just in front of him. Barley, the black-and-white cat who shared the barn with him, was crouched a pace or two behind, his eyes widening uneasily as Brambleclaw’s companions slipped in as well. Brambleclaw realized that Barley had probably not seen so many cats since he came to the forest to help the Clans fight against BloodClan, four seasons ago.
“I took your advice, Ravenpaw,” Brambleclaw meowed. “I think StarClan sent me the dream because they want me to travel to the sun-drown place. These are the cats StarClan has chosen to go as well.”
“Or some of us are,” Crowpaw muttered disagreeably.
Brambleclaw ignored him, and introduced the rest of the cats to Ravenpaw and Barley. The older loner merely dipped his head in greeting and slid away into the shadowy depths of the barn.
“Don’t mind Barley,” Ravenpaw meowed. “It’s not often we have so many visitors all at once. So this is Squirrelpaw,”
he went on, touching noses to greet the young apprentice.
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“Firestar’s daughter! I’ve seen you before, when you were a kit39 in the nursery with Sandstorm, but you won’t remember that. I said then that you would look just like your father, and now I see I was right.”
Squirrelpaw scuffled her paws in embarrassment40; Brambleclaw guessed she was for once lost for words to meet this cat who had played such a large part in the history of her Clan.
“What does Firestar think about the journey?” Ravenpaw asked Brambleclaw. “I’m surprised he let Squirrelpaw go so far when she isn’t a warrior yet.”
Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw exchanged an uneasy glance.
“It wasn’t quite like that,” Brambleclaw admitted. “We left without telling him.”
Ravenpaw’s eyes widened with shock, and for a heartbeat Brambleclaw wondered if he would send them away again.
But Ravenpaw only shook his head. “I’m sorry to hear that you couldn’t tell him what’s going on,” he meowed. “Perhaps you’ll tell me more when you’ve eaten. Are you all hungry?”
“Starving!” Squirrelpaw exclaimed.
A mrrow of laughter escaped Ravenpaw. “Feel free to hunt,”
he invited them. “There are plenty of mice.”
A short time later, Brambleclaw was curled up comfortably in the straw, his stomach stuffed full of mice that had almost lined up to leap into his mouth. If Ravenpaw and Barley ate like this every day, it was no wonder they looked so strong and healthy.
His companions were sprawled41 around him, equally full and growing sleepy as the sun went down, sending shafts42 of red 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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light through the holes in the barn roof. All around they could hear scuffling noises and faint squeaking43 in the straw, as if their hunt had made no difference at all to the number of prey.
“If you don’t mind, we’ll sleep here tonight and leave first thing in the morning,” Brambleclaw meowed.
Ravenpaw nodded. “I’ll come with you as far as Highstones.” Before Brambleclaw could protest that there was no need, he went on, “There are even more Twolegs than before around the Thunderpath. I’ve been keeping an eye on them, so I know the safest ways to go.”
Brambleclaw thanked him, only to feel Crowpaw shift closer to him and mutter into his ear, “Can we trust him?”
Ravenpaw’s ear twitched44; he had obviously heard the remark. Brambleclaw thought he was going to sink through the floor with embarrassment, and Squirrelpaw lifted her head to aim a furious hiss13 at Crowpaw.
“Don’t be angry with him,” Ravenpaw meowed. “That’s good thinking, Crowpaw. Thinking like a warrior, in fact.
Where you’re going, you must trust nothing and no cat without very good reason.”
Crowpaw ducked his head, looking pleased at the loner’s praise.
“But you can trust me,” Ravenpaw continued. “I may not be able to do much to help with the rest of your journey, but at least I can see that you get to Highstones safely.”
Wind struck Brambleclaw squarely in the face, flattening45 his pelt to his sides and almost carrying him off his paws.
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When he unsheathed his claws to steady himself, they scraped against bare rock. He and his companions were standing on the summit of Highstones, gazing out over endless, unknown territories.
They had set out in the first faint light of dawn and reached the stony46 slopes well before sunhigh, led swiftly by Ravenpaw. He stood beside Brambleclaw now, his ears pricked47 into the distance.
“You’ll avoid that tangle48 of Thunderpaths,” he meowed, pointing with his tail to the thick gray smudge in the landscape. “Just as well. That’s the place where WindClan took refuge when Brokenstar drove them out. It’s full of rats and carrion49.”
“I know about that!” Squirrelpaw put in. “Graystripe told me how he and Firestar went to fetch WindClan back.”
“There are many smaller Thunderpaths to cross,” Ravenpaw went on. “And Twoleg nests to avoid. I’ve traveled that way now and again—not far, but far enough to know that it’s not a place for warriors.”
Squirrelpaw shot a nervous glance at Ravenpaw. “Is there no more forest at all?” she asked.
“Not that I saw.”
“Don’t worry,” Brambleclaw meowed reassuringly50. “I’ll look after you.”
To his surprise she whirled on him, the light of fury in her green eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you, I don’t need looking after!” she spat51. “If you’re going to behave like Firestar all the way to the sun-drown place, I might as 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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well have stayed at home.”
“Oh, don’t we wish,” Crowpaw murmured, rolling his eyes.
Tawnypelt gave Squirrelpaw a curious glance. “Are you going to let an apprentice talk to you like that?” she asked her brother.
Brambleclaw shrugged. “You try stopping her.”
His sister’s ears twitched. “ThunderClan!”
Feathertail exchanged a glance with Stormfur, and then padded up to Squirrelpaw’s side. “I’m nervous, too,” she admitted. “I get shivers all along my spine52 when I think of being so close to all those Twolegs. But StarClan will bring us through.”
Squirrelpaw nodded, though her eyes were still troubled.
“If you’ve all quite finished,” Crowpaw mewed loudly, “it’s time we were moving.”
“Okay.” Brambleclaw turned to Ravenpaw. “Thank you for everything,” he meowed. “It makes a difference that you understand why we are doing this.”
The loner dipped his head. “Think nothing of it. Good luck, all of you, and may StarClan light your path.”
He stood aside, and one by one the six cats began to pick their way down the far slope of the hill. The rising sun cast long blue shadows in front of them as they took the first steps on the longest journey of their lives.
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1
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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2
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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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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6
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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8
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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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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10
pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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13
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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14
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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15
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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16
bickering
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| v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁 | |
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17
jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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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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21
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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22
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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23
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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24
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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25
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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26
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
barley
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| n.大麦，大麦粒 | |
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touchy
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| adj.易怒的；棘手的 | |
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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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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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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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33
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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34
sagged
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| 下垂的 | |
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warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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36
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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37
sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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38
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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39
kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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40
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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41
sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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42
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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43
squeaking
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的现在分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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44
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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45
flattening
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| n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词 | |
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46
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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47
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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48
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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49
carrion
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| n.腐肉 | |
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50
reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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51
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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52
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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