CHAPTER 13
Squirrelpaw dropped the mouse onto thefresh-kill pile. It did little to bulk up the meager1 offerings of a sparrow and a vole already brought in by the dawn patrol. Sorreltail had hunted with her, but had caught nothing.
“Take that straight to the elders,” Firestar mewed, padding over to them.
“Cinderpelt says she won’t eat anything yet.” Firestar sighed. “But Cody has been sharing food with Birchkit.”
“That kittypet should go back to her Twolegs and stop eating our fresh-kill,” Sorreltail commented irritably4. “She’s no good for hunting.”
“Cody takes hardly anything for herself,” Firestar pointed5 out. “And while she cares for Birchkit, the other cats have more time for hunting.”
Squirrelpaw glanced sympathetically at Sorreltail. She probably resented Cody more for taking up Leafpaw’s time than for being a kittypet. She picked up the mouse and carried it to where the elders were making the most of the frail6 warmth of sunhigh at the top of Sunningrocks.
Frostfur and Speckletail had their eyes closed, dozing7. Longtail, the blind tom who was no older than some of the warriors8, sat up. “I smell mouse,” he mewed.
“It’s not very big, I’m afraid,” Squirrelpaw apologized.
“It’s fine,” Longtail assured her. He prodded10 the mouse with his paw, and the tip of his tail twitched11 excitedly when the little body shifted, as if the desire to hunt for himself had not dimmed.
Suddenly he lifted his head and opened his mouth to scent12 the air. “WindClan!” he exclaimed, more in surprise than alarm
“What, here?” mewed Squirrelpaw, looking around. She didn’t think her father was expecting visitors.
At the foot of the rock, Tallstar was leading a small, bedraggled patrol out of the woods. The ThunderClan cats watched them climb slowly up to where Firestar waited. No cat challenged them. Tallstar’s step was so faltering14, his frame so emaciated15, that Squirrelpaw was amazed he had made it all the way here. The two warriors that accompanied him were in no better condition; Onewhisker and Tornear were so thin they looked like they were made of twigs16 and leaves, and Squirrelpaw half feared the breeze might blow them away.
Crowpaw was at the rear of the patrol, looking thinner than he had on the journey to the sun-drown-place, though he was not quite as scrawny as his companions. Squirrelpaw bounded down the slope to touch noses with him in greeting. When she got closer, she saw that his eyes were as dull as his Clanmates’, and his fur was ungroomed.
“Crowpaw!” she exclaimed. “Are you okay?”
Tornear blinked at her. “Crowpaw has been hunting like a whole patrol on his own, finding prey19 to feed nearly all the Clan,” he reported.
“He even caught a hawk21 two sunrises ago,” Tornear went on. Even though starvation seemed to have robbed the WindClan warrior9 of all emotion, Squirrelpaw thought she detected a hint of pride in Tornear’s voice.
“Crowpaw!” Brambleclaw came bounding up the rock. Squirrelpaw saw his eyes darken, and she guessed he was as shocked as she had been to find their friend so gaunt and lifeless.
Tallstar’s voice distracted her. “Firestar, we have come to plead for ThunderClan’s help,” he rasped. As if the effort of speaking were too much, his legs buckled23 and he collapsed24 onto his side. Squirrelpaw started to go over to help him, but Brambleclaw held her back with a touch of his tail.
“The Twolegs have started to destroy the warrens where we have been sheltering,” Tallstar panted. “We cannot stay a moment longer on the moor25, but we are too weak to travel alone. I don’t care that we haven’t had another sign. I just know we have to leave. Take us to this sun-drown-place, I beg you.”
Firestar looked down at Tallstar, and Squirrelpaw saw sorrow flash in his eyes. “We have been allies many times,” he murmured. “And to watch you starve is more than I can bear.” He lifted his gaze and stared into the forest, and, as he did so, the brambles under the trees rustled26 and a pale bracken-colored shape exploded from the bushes.
“The Twolegs are attacking our camp!” she yowled, her voice echoing over the rock. “They have surrounded us with their monsters! Please come!”
Firestar bounded down the slope ahead of the others. Even Tallstar hauled himself to his paws and hurried toward the ShadowClan warrior.
“Please help us,” Tawnypelt cried to Firestar. “Help us for the sake of the ThunderClan blood that runs in my veins28, if nothing else.”
Firestar brushed the tip of his tail across her mouth. “We will come for the sake of ShadowClan,” he told her gently. “And for the sake of all the Clans29 in the forest.” He looked at his warriors. “Thornclaw, Mousefur, Sandstorm, you will each lead a patrol. We will take all those strong enough to fight.” Instantly the three warriors began weaving among the cats, issuing orders.
“What about defending the camp?” Dustpelt called.
“Defend it from what?” Firestar replied. “The only creatures that threaten us now are already attacking ShadowClan.”
“What about RiverClan?” Leafpaw’s quiet mew sounded from higher up the slope. She fell silent as the ThunderClan warriors turned to stare at her.
Squirrelpaw’s heart lurched. Her sister was right. With the camp undefended, Hawkfrost might persuade RiverClan to claim Sunningrocks for themselves.
But the warriors clearly misunderstood Leafpaw’s warning. “RiverClan won’t help us!” Mousefur spat30.
“They might,” Cinderpelt argued. “The river’s drying up. RiverClan are not as well-fed as they used to be.”
Squirrelpaw glanced at Brambleclaw. They weren’t the only ones to have noticed the river. If RiverClan were suffering, they were more likely to help ThunderClan than attack them. But her nagging31 suspicion of Hawkfrost remained.
Firestar’s eyes lit up with hope. “Brambleclaw!” he called. “Go to RiverClan and ask Leopardstar for help!”
“Yes, Firestar!”
“Find Mistyfoot first,” Squirrelpaw whispered. “And make sure Hawkfrost comes too. He shouldn’t be left behind at the camp.”
Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. “You think he would attack here?”
“It’s better to be safe.”
Squirrelpaw felt a prickle of guilt33. She hoped Brambleclaw didn’t think her suspicions included him.
“Squirrelpaw, you’ll join my patrol,” Sandstorm ordered. “Stay near me or Dustpelt.”
Squirrelpaw nodded. Her paws tingled34 with excitement. It was time to fight back—or time to accept that the forest had been lost, and leave. Even the WindClan warriors seemed to have brightened at the prospect35 of a battle. Onewhisker thrashed his tail in agitation36, while Tornear paced back and forth37 in front of him.
Firestar shook his head. “You are not strong enough.”
Firestar dipped his head. “Very well,” he mewed respectfully. He surveyed his Clan. “Mousefur, Sandstorm, Thornclaw, are your patrols ready?”
The three warriors nodded.
“This may be our last battle in the forest,” Firestar went on, his voice barely louder than a growl17. “We won’t be able to stop the Twolegs completely, but we can try to save ShadowClan.” He looked at Leafpaw. “We’ll need you with us to look after any wounded cats. Cinderpelt will stay behind and take care of the cats here.”
Squirrelpaw knew that the medicine cat’s old injury meant she would be more valuable to the Clan here at Sunningrocks, ready to tend to any cat who returned from the battle injured. She felt a flash of protectiveness toward her sister, then reminded herself that medicine cats learned fighting skills as well as any warrior.
As Firestar led his Clan down the slope, Squirrelpaw heard Onewhisker whispering to his leader.
“Tallstar, you are on your last life,” he was mewing urgently. “Please stay here.”
“Whether I’m on my first life or my ninth, my duty is to the forest,” Tallstar replied calmly. “I will not miss this battle.”
Squirrelpaw saw icy determination in the old cat’s eyes, and felt glad for the sake of his dignity when Onewhisker just nodded and walked beside him down the slope to the other cats.
Firestar paused for a moment at the edge of the trees to check that all the patrols were ready before charging into the forest. Squirrelpaw pelted after him with Tawnypelt beside her, their paws thrumming on the hard ground. She glanced back. No cat had fallen behind; even Tallstar was keeping pace. They followed the river until they were safely past the Twoleg clearing nearest the ravine, then swerved40 around to reach the crest41 of the slope that led down to Fourtrees. Firestar didn’t hesitate, but led them straight over the top of the rise. In the hollow, the slaughtered42 trees had been neatly43 stacked in piles. With a sickening jolt44 Squirrelpaw saw that the Great Rock been utterly45 crushed, reduced to nothing more than a massive pile of cracked stone.
Crowpaw weaved through the running cats and fell in step beside her. “Don’t look at it,” he warned. “Even if the Great Rock were still here, it wouldn’t help ShadowClan.”
Suddenly a yowl rang out from behind them, and Firestar swerved to a halt. The cats behind him stopped and spun46 around.
Mistyfoot, the RiverClan deputy, stood at the top of the slope. She had her Clan’s finest warriors beside her: Stormfur, Blackclaw, and Mothwing, and beside them the imposing47 shape of Hawkfrost. Next to him stood Brambleclaw, the outline of his head and shoulders matched with Hawkfrost’s against the pale sky.
“Wait!” Mistyfoot called down. “RiverClan will join you!”
Brambleclaw raced over to Squirrelpaw.
“It wasn’t hard,” Brambleclaw told her. “They’re hungry and growing desperate.”
Stormfur pushed his way through the restless cats to join them. “We’ll be fighting together.”
“It’s as it should be,” Crowpaw growled from behind.
Looking around, Squirrelpaw realized that all the cats that had returned from the sun-drown-place were beside her—Brambleclaw, Stormfur, Crowpaw, and Tawnypaw. She glanced up at the sky. Feathertail, are you watching us?She closed her eyes for a moment, hoping that they hadn’t left their friend behind forever with the Tribe of Rushing Water.
“Come on!” Firestar called. With a fierce battle cry, he led them toward ShadowClan territory.
“They stopped the other monsters from coming here just before they started destroying our part of the forest,” Tawnypaw whispered to Squirrelpaw. “At least it makes it easier to cross,” she added dryly.
The hard surface felt icy underpaw as Squirrelpaw raced over it and into the trees. She heard the distant roaring of monsters and smelled their acrid50 scent. Her paws trembled, but fury urged her on. Crowpaw raced alongside her, his eyes grimly focused on the path. Squirrelpaw was amazed that his bony, ragged51 body possessed52 such strength.
She glimpsed a Twoleg monster through the trees. Its great yellow forepaws were lowered, its claws unsheathed as it tore through the undergrowth. Suddenly a violent and unnatural53 sound filled the forest, and Squirrelpaw scrambled54 to a standstill. All around, the forest rang with a dreadful creaking and groaning56 that seemed to split the air.
Flattening57 her body against the trembling forest floor, she saw a Twoleg monster only tail-lengths away. With massive paws it ripped an oak from the ground, dragging its roots from the earth as if it were a blade of grass. The tree’s branches crashed like hail as the monster tipped it over and began to strip the trunk, showering the cats with chips of bark. Something growled behind them, and Squirrelpaw whirled around to find their escape blocked as another monster rolled steadily58 toward them.
“They’re nearly at the camp!” Tawnypelt yowled.
With a sickening feeling of dread55, Squirrelpaw saw more monsters ahead, churning their way toward the tangle59 of brambles that hid the ShadowClan camp.
“We’ll have to go that way,” Firestar called, gesturing with his tail toward a gap in the trees the monsters had not yet reached.
“No!” spat Crowpaw. “It’ll be quicker this way!” He darted60 forward, heading straight for the camp.
“Stop! You’ll be killed!” Squirrelpaw leaped onto Crowpaw’s back and dragged him to the ground, digging in her claws.
Brambleclaw raced over to them. “Don’t be such a fool, Crowpaw!”
“I’m not frightened of joining StarClan,” Crowpaw spat back. “The forest is dying anyway. At least in StarClan, Feathertail will be waiting for me!”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
meager
|
|
| adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
queried
|
|
| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
pelt
|
|
| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
irritably
|
|
| ad.易生气地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
frail
|
|
| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
dozing
|
|
| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
warriors
|
|
| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
warrior
|
|
| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
prodded
|
|
| v.刺，戳( prod的过去式和过去分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
twitched
|
|
| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
scent
|
|
| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
clan
|
|
| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
faltering
|
|
| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
emaciated
|
|
| adj.衰弱的，消瘦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
twigs
|
|
| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
growl
|
|
| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
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： |
|
|
|
|
19
prey
|
|
| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
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： |
|
|
|
|
21
hawk
|
|
| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
shrugged
|
|
| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
buckled
|
|
| a. 有带扣的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
collapsed
|
|
| adj.倒塌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
moor
|
|
| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
rustled
|
|
| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
bristled
|
|
| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
veins
|
|
| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
clans
|
|
| 宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
spat
|
|
| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
nagging
|
|
| adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
pelted
|
|
| （连续地）投掷( pelt的过去式和过去分词 )； 连续抨击； 攻击； 剥去…的皮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
guilt
|
|
| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
tingled
|
|
| v.有刺痛感( tingle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
prospect
|
|
| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
agitation
|
|
| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
croaking
|
|
| v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
swerved
|
|
| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
crest
|
|
| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
slaughtered
|
|
| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
neatly
|
|
| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
jolt
|
|
| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
spun
|
|
| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
imposing
|
|
| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
eerily
|
|
| adv.引起神秘感或害怕地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
acrid
|
|
| adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
ragged
|
|
| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
unnatural
|
|
| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
scrambled
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
dread
|
|
| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
groaning
|
|
| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
flattening
|
|
| n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
steadily
|
|
| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
tangle
|
|
| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
darted
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
hissing
|
|
| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
shrieked
|
|
| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |