Leafpaw burst up through the surfaceof the water, gasping1 for air as she scrambled3 to find solid ground. Managing to stand in spite of the river flowing strongly around her legs, she shook icy drops of water from her pelt4. The riverbank was only a couple of tail-lengths away. She shivered in the pale sun of leaf-fall as she looked up to see Mothwing peering down at her from an overhanging rock.
The RiverClan cat’s amber6 eyes were narrowed in amusement. “You don’t fish by jumping in the river,” she pointed7 out.
“I know that!” Leafpaw retorted crossly. “I slipped, that’s all.”
“I believe you,” Mothwing purred, giving her golden chest fur a quick lick. “Now come out, and we’ll have another go. I’ll teach you to fish if it’s the last thing I do.”
“I’m still not sure we should be doing this,” Leafpaw meowed as she waded8 back to the bank.
“Of course we should. The rabbits and squirrels are starting to disappear, thanks to the Twolegs, but there’s still plenty of fish for every cat.”
“But I had to come onto RiverClan territory to get it,” Leafpaw pointed out anxiously. “What would Leopardstar say if she knew?”
Mothwing blinked. “We’re both medicine cats, so Clan5 boundaries don’t matter for us like they do for other cats.”
Leafpaw didn’t think that was how the warrior9 code worked. Her friend had said much the same a couple of days earlier, when she had rescued Leafpaw and Sorreltail from the pursuing WindClan warriors10. This morning she had called to Leafpaw while she was gathering11 herbs near Sunningrocks, and offered to give her a fishing lesson. Leafpaw had felt very nervous about crossing the Clan border, but her hunger had driven her on now that prey12 was becoming even scarcer in ThunderClan territory. All the same, her ears and nose were alert for the first signs of a RiverClan patrol.
“Okay,” Mothwing went on, “crouch13 here beside me, and look down into the water. When you see a fish, scoop14 it out with your paw. It’s easy.”
A couple of glittering fish lying on the bank showed just how easy it was for Mothwing. Leafpaw gave them a longing15 glance, wondering if she would ever learn.
“Want some?” Mothwing offered, following her gaze.
Leafpaw felt guilty at the thought of being full-fed while the rest of her Clan went hungry. But she had not tasted fresh-kill since the night before, and that had been only a stringy vole. “I shouldn’t . . .” she murmured, trying to convince herself that it wouldn’t help her Clan if she starved as well.
“Of course you can. Where’s the harm?”
Leafpaw did not wait to be asked again. She crouched17 down in front of the fish, tucking her paws in, and sank her teeth into the cool flesh. “Delicious,” she mumbled18.
Mothwing looked pleased. “Learn how to do it, and you can take lots more for your Clan.” She took a few dainty bites, as if she were full-fed already and didn’t care whether or not she ate.
Gulping19 down the rest of the fish, Leafpaw told herself that she would find food for her Clan to make up for it. As soon as she had finished, she settled down on the rock beside Mothwing and concentrated on the water just below, to wait for a fish of her own.
An unfamiliar20 scent21 swept over her at the same instant as Mothwing hissed22, “Hawkfrost!” Leafpaw felt a paw jab hard into her ribs23, tipping her over the edge of the rock and back into the river. She thrashed wildly, wondering why Mothwing was trying to drown her. Then as her head broke the surface she saw the huge tabby shape of Hawkfrost approaching the bank, and realized that Mothwing had done the only thing she could to hide her quickly.
Her paws working gently to keep her nose just above the water, Leafpaw let herself drift downriver for a few tail-lengths until she came to a clump24 of reeds where she could crawl out on the ThunderClan side of the river and hide.
Hawkfrost had stopped to talk to his sister, and Leafpaw realized that she would have to crouch where she was, soaked and shivering, until he went away and she could make a break across open ground to the ThunderClan border.
“. . . keeping my eyes open for WindClan,” she heard him meow when her ears were clear of water. “I know very well they’re stealing fish, and one day I’ll catch them at it.”
“Not down here, surely?” Mothwing replied innocently. “WindClan would fish closer to Fourtrees—if they’re fishing at all.”
“WindClan andThunderClan,” Hawkfrost growled26. He added, “I can scent a ThunderClan cat now.”
Leafpaw shivered and shrank down in her clump of reeds.
“So? The border’s over there,” Mothwing pointed out. “It would be odd if you didn’tscent ThunderClan.”
Hawkfrost grunted27. “There’s something not right in the forest. Cats have gone missing from all the Clans28, for one thing. Do you remember what the other leaders said at the last Gathering? That’s four more cats, beside Stormfur and Feathertail. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll find out.”
Leafpaw tensed. She had told Mothwing about the Twoleg monsters, but obviously Mothwing had not passed on the news to the rest of her Clan. Chilled by the hunger in Hawkfrost’s voice, Leafpaw prayed to StarClan that she would say nothing about it now. To her relief, her friend meowed calmly, “There’s nothing wrong in RiverClan, so why should we care?”
“Have you got bees in your brain?” Hawkfrost snapped. “This could be our chance to make RiverClan great. If the other Clans are weak, we could rule over the whole forest.”
“What?” Mothwing sounded disgusted. “You’re the one with bees in your brain. Who do you think you are—Tigerstar?”
“There are worse cats to imitate,” Hawkfrost meowed.
Pure icy fear lanced through Leafpaw. Tigerstar had been prepared to kill any cat who opposed him in his quest for supreme29 power. And now another cat was preparing to follow in his pawsteps.
Another thought sprang into her mind. This was what Mothwing must have meant when she talked about a cat with ambitions, on the day she rescued Leafpaw and Sorreltail from WindClan. She had been worried about her own brother! A few days before, Leafpaw had been sure that the forest would never produce another Tigerstar; now she could only strain her ears, horrified30, to make out what Hawkfrost would say next.
“Have you forgotten what happened to Tigerstar?” Mothwing snapped. “He failed, and now he’s just a name to frighten kits31 with.”
“I shall learn from his mistakes.” Hawkfrost’s voice rumbled32 deep in his chest. “Our mother told us enough about him, after all. He broke the warrior code, and he deserved to fail. I shall know better.”
Leafpaw stared at the reeds in front of her, puzzled. Hawkfrost’s mother, Sasha, the rogue33 cat, had told them about Tigerstar? How did she know? Leafpaw had never met Sasha—the Clanless she-cat had stayed in RiverClan for only a short while, long enough to decide that she wanted her kits to be raised as part of the Clan. No cat knew where she had been before then.
In her bewilderment Leafpaw had not noticed that the wind had changed, and that a playful breeze, twisting its way upriver, had carried her scent with it.
“I cansmell ThunderClan,” Hawkfrost declared suddenly. Leafpaw’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. “The scent’s fresh too. If one of their warriors is on our territory, I’ll claw his fur off.”
Above her head, Leafpaw heard Mothwing scramble2 to her paws. “You’re right!” she exclaimed. “It’s this way. Come on!”
Leafpaw heard her voice growing fainter as she bounded away in the opposite direction. “Mouse-brain!” Hawkfrost argued. “It’s downstream. . . .”
Leafpaw didn’t wait to hear any more. While he was following Mothwing, she broke out of the reeds and streaked34 up the bank toward the ThunderClan border. She plunged36 thankfully into thick bracken just on the ThunderClan side of the border.
Turning to peer out again, she saw Hawkfrost padding downstream, stopping to give the clump of reeds where she had just been hiding a good sniff37 before turning back to Mothwing with a frustrated38 growl25. Once again Leafpaw was struck by the powerful tabby’s resemblance to some other cat; the thought bothered her like a tick she couldn’t reach, because she still couldn’t remember who.
She was too far away to hear what the two RiverClan cats said to each other, but after a few moments, they both continued downstream to the stepping-stones and crossed to the RiverClan side of the river. When they finally disappeared into the reeds, Leafpaw drew a huge breath of relief and started trotting39 back to camp.
The guilt16 she felt about her full belly40 was almost forgotten amid pricklings of unease about what Mothwing had said. Hawkfrost sounded as ambitious as Tigerstar—and there was no place for that when the forest was on the brink41 of destruction.
A gleam of dying sunlight pierced the clouds and lay like a streak35 of blood on the forest floor. Leafpaw guessed that Cinderpelt would be wondering where she was, but she needed time to figure out how Hawkfrost and Mothwing knew so much about Tigerstar. She sat down and began to groom42 her drying fur.
Sasha had been a rogue cat wandering the forest, until she had come to RiverClan with her kits and settled briefly43 there. She might have visited ShadowClan when Tigerstar was leader. It was possible. . . .
Leafpaw froze. She realized which cat Hawkfrost resembled so strongly. Brambleclaw! And every cat knew who Brambleclaw’s father was. Could it be possible that Tigerstarwas Hawkfrost’s and Mothwing’s father as well? If he was, that would make Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw half brothers.
She was staring into the trees as if she could see the answer there when her thoughts were interrupted by the frantic44 beating of wings. She looked up to see a magpie45 fluttering out of the bushes to land on a branch above her head. At the same time a loud voice exclaimed, “Mouse dung!”
The bushes just ahead of her rustled46 violently and Graystripe appeared, glaring up at the magpie with frustration47 in his yellow eyes. “Missed it,” he muttered. “I don’t know what’s the matter with me.”
Leafpaw rose to her paws as the deputy approached, dipping her head respectfully and letting out a sympathetic purr. She hoped that her pelt was dry enough for Graystripe not to notice that she had been swimming.
“Hello, Leafpaw,” he meowed. “Sorry if I startled you. Actually, I do know what’s wrong with me,” he went on, the tip of his tail twitching48 uneasily. “I can’t get Feathertail and Stormfur out of my head. I wish I knew where they’ve gone. Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw too.”
Leafpaw felt another pang49 of guilt. She could save Graystripe so much worry if she told him what she knew about the prophecy, but she had promised the journeying cats that she would keep silent.
“I feel that they’re all safe,” she ventured, “and that they’ll come back to us.”
Graystripe looked up with a flicker50 of hope in his amber eyes. “Has StarClan told you that?”
“Not exactly, but—”
“I can’t help wondering if it has something to do with the Twolegs,” Graystripe interrupted. “Cats go missing—Twolegs invade us. . . .” His paws worked against the ground, tearing up the grass with his claws.
“Graystripe, can I ask you something?” Leafpaw meowed, desperate to change the subject.
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Did you ever meet Sasha—Hawkfrost and Mothwing’s mother?”
Graystripe looked at her in surprise. “Once. At a Gathering.”
“What was she like?” Leafpaw asked curiously51.
“Nice enough,” Graystripe told her. “Quiet and ready to be friendly. A lot like Mothwing to look at. But it was clear that being among a lot of cats spooked her. I wasn’t surprised when she left the forest as soon as Mothwing and Hawkfrost were old enough to do without her.”
“Does any cat know who their father was?”
The deputy shook his head. “No. I always assumed it was another rogue.”
“Rogues52?”
There was the sound of pawsteps behind them, and Leafpaw spun53 around to see Firestar approaching from the direction of the camp.
“Have you seen rogues?” he demanded, tension clear in every hair on his flame-colored pelt. “For StarClan’s sake, that’s the last thing we need right now.”
“No, no, not at all.” Graystripe meowed quickly. “Leafpaw was just asking about Sasha, and which cat fathered Mothwing and Hawkfrost.”
Firestar turned to look at Leafpaw, his green eyes puzzled. “Why do you want to know?”
Leafpaw hesitated. She wasn’t about to admit that she had been spending time with Mothwing in RiverClan territory. “Oh, I just saw Hawkfrost,” she meowed. “He was patrolling on the border.” Well, she comforted herself, that was not entirely54 a lie. There was no way she was going to mention her suspicions that Tigerstar had fathered Hawkfrost and Mothwing, not when he and Firestar had been such bitter enemies.
Firestar nodded. “Well, I’ve no idea. Sasha might have told some cat in RiverClan, I suppose.”
He padded across to Graystripe and touched noses with his old friend as if he guessed the thoughts that were troubling him. Both cats had lost children among the six cats that had vanished from the forest. They stared up into the trees, where a chilly55 wind was tugging56 leaves from the branches until they drifted down to join the other dead leaves on the forest floor.
“They must be cold, with no Clan to shelter them each night,” Graystripe murmured.
“At least they have one another,” Firestar mewed, pressing himself against Graystripe’s side.
For a moment both cats remained silent; then Firestar turned to his daughter. “Leafpaw, you sometimes know what Squirrelpaw is thinking, don’t you? You told us she was with the RiverClan cats. Have you any idea where they are now?”
Leafpaw blinked. She couldn’t deny her father the chance to know if Squirrelpaw was alive—and she wanted to know just as fiercely. She shut her eyes and summoned up her old rapport57 with her sister. Emptying her mind, she concentrated fiercely. She gasped58 to feel a surge of cold and wet, shuddering59 as a blast of cold wind probed her drying fur. But there was no sign of Squirrelpaw anywhere—just water, blasting air, and endless rock.
Opening her eyes, Leafpaw blinked in confusion as she realized that her fur was dry and the forest was still. She had made contact with her sister after all!
“She’s alive,” she murmured. Beside her, Firestar’s eyes lit up. “And wherever she is, I think it must be raining. . . .”
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1
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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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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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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waded
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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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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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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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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13
crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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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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15
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
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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19
gulping
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的现在分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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20
unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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21
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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22
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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23
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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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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25
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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26
growled
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| 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 | |
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27
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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28
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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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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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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32
rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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33
rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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34
streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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35
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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36
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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37
sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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38
frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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39
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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40
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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41
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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42
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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43
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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45
magpie
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| n.喜欢收藏物品的人，喜鹊，饶舌者 | |
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46
rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
frustration
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| n.挫折，失败，失效，落空 | |
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48
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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49
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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50
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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51
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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52
rogues
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| n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽 | |
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53
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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54
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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55
chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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56
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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57
rapport
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| n.和睦，意见一致 | |
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58
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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59
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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