CHAPTER 5
A ruffled1 disc of white lighttrembled on the surface of the lake, and up above the stars of Silverpelt blazed in the night sky. StarClan must be pleased with how we’re settling in, Squirrelflight decided4 as she followed her sister along the lakeshore. Her paws tingled5 at the thought of taking part in the first Gathering6 on the island. She couldn’t wait to cross the fallen tree and explore.
Firestar led the way with Dustpelt, Sandstorm, and Cloudtail close to his flanks. Ashfur and Spiderleg padded just behind, ahead of Cinderpelt, Goldenflower, and Brackenfur. Brambleclaw brought up the rear, glancing back now and again as if he expected trouble.
His caution reminded Squirrelflight of the uneasy new relationship with WindClan. To reach the tree bridge and the island, they had to pass through WindClan territory, and as far as Squirrelflight knew they hadn’t formally asked for Onestar’s permission.
“It was a lot easier at Fourtrees,” she meowed to Leafpool, with a sudden pang7 of homesickness. She would never forget the horror of discovering that Twoleg monsters had destroyed the great oak trees where the Clans8 met every full moon. “Back there, we didn’t have to cross other Clans’ territories to get to Gatherings9.”
“Cats can’t possibly fight on the way to a Gathering,” Leafpool mewed.
Leafpool shook her head, unable to reply.
Squirrelflight stayed alert as she and her Clanmates slipped through the shadows with the glimmering11 lake on one side and the steeply sloping moorland on the other. As they drew closer to the Twoleg horse place, they began to pick up strong WindClan scent12, as if a large patrol had just passed that way.
“Onestar and his Clan3 must be ahead of us,” Squirrelflight meowed. Pausing to taste the air, she distinguished13 another scent, and a moment later she spotted14 two pale shapes flitting across the field beyond the horse place fence. “That must be the kittypets who live in the barn,” she commented. “Do you remember Smoky and Daisy? We met last time we came to a Gathering. I wonder if Daisy has had her kits16 yet.”
“It’s time the ThunderClan queens started having kits,” Leafpool mewed. “The Clan is really short of young cats.”
Squirrelflight nodded. More kits meant more apprentices17, and that meant she wouldn’t have to collect any more moss18!
They crossed the marshy19 ground where they had made their temporary camp when they first reached the lake. Just beyond it, a new set of scent marks warned that they had reached the RiverClan border. On the lakeshore ahead of them, Squirrelflight could see a throng20 of cats; in the bright moonlight it was easy to recognize Onestar and his WindClan warriors21.
She remembered how her patrol had first discovered the island. They had always known it would be a perfect place to gather, but they had assumed it would be impossible to reach, except for the strong swimmers in RiverClan. But StarClan had found a way to help them cross the narrow stretch of water that separated the island from the shore. Squirrelflight felt her fur bristle23 with anticipation24 as they approached the tree bridge. It had once been a lofty pine tree, growing close to the edge of the island. Now its roots reared up into the air, while its tip rested on the pebbly25 lakeshore. As she drew closer Squirrelflight could see its needles were already brown and dry, falling like brittle26 rain onto the stones.
Cats were bunched together around the topmost branches; their flattened27 ears and stiffly held tails betrayed their nervousness about trusting the tree to support their weight across the cold black water. Squirrelflight watched Webfoot sniff28 warily29 at a twig30. Suddenly there was an impatient meow and Crowfeather leapt up onto the trunk, close to where it stretched out over the water. He swayed until he found his balance, then started to walk along the trunk, placing each paw carefully until he was near enough to the opposite shore to jump down safely.
Squirrelflight wanted to push forward and scramble31 along the trunk so she could explore the island too, but she made herself wait, claws scraping impatiently on the stones. She was conscious of Brambleclaw watching her with amber32 eyes that gave away nothing of what he felt. Turning her back on him, she padded over to Ashfur.
“Me neither,” Squirrelflight agreed.
More WindClan cats began to cross, gripping the trunk with their claws as they advanced pawstep by pawstep toward the far shore. When Firestar waved his tail for the ThunderClan cats to follow, Squirrelflight started forward eagerly, only to bump into Leafpool, who was gazing across the water to the island.
“What’s the matter?” Squirrelflight mewed. “For StarClan’s sake, get a move on!”
Leafpool jumped. “Sorry!”
As Tornear leapt up onto the tree bridge, Onestar padded across and spoke34 quickly to Firestar before following his warrior22. Firestar beckoned35 his Clan around him.
“RiverClan and ShadowClan have already crossed,” he meowed. “Onestar told me Leopardstar and Blackstar agreed we should all have a chance to explore the island before the Gathering.”
“Where will we meet when it starts?” Cloudtail asked.
Firestar twitched36 his ears. “Only StarClan knows, until we get over there. But you shouldn’t get lost. The island’s not that big.”
He jumped onto the tree trunk, followed by Sandstorm and Cloudtail. At last it was Squirrelflight’s turn. She crouched37 and sprang into the air; the trunk bounced under her weight as she landed. Her fur fluffed out in alarm and she sank her claws into the bark to keep her balance. Suddenly she was conscious of how narrow the trunk was, and how close the water was, lapping at the half-submerged branches beneath her.
“Go on,” Ashfur meowed. “You’re keeping every cat waiting.”
Cautiously Squirrelflight edged out along the tree trunk. The trunk bounced even harder as more cats sprang up behind her, and the branches scraped her pelt2 as she wove her way between them. But gradually she got used to the motion, and the trunk grew thicker as she crept out across the lake. Her confidence grew; when the branches came to an end she broke into a run until she hurled39 herself with a yowl of triumph onto the shore on the other side.
Dustpelt leapt into the air and spun40 to face her. “Great StarClan, you startled me!” he exclaimed. “Any cat would think you were still a kit15, the way you behave.”
“Sorry, Dustpelt.” Seeing his tail curl up with amusement, Squirrelflight guessed the brown tabby warrior was as excited as she was to be in their new Gathering place.
She waited in the shelter of the tree roots while Ashfur, Leafpool, and then Brambleclaw crossed. As soon as the broad-shouldered tabby warrior landed on the pebbles41, he veered42 away to join another muscular warrior, as much like Brambleclaw as his reflection in the lake.
“There you are, Brambleclaw,” she heard the RiverClan cat meow. “I was hoping you’d be here tonight. Come on—there’s something I want to show you.”
The two cats padded off side by side.
Squirrelflight turned back to look for Leafpool and saw her racing44 across the shore to join Hawkfrost’s sister, Mothwing, who was the RiverClan medicine cat. The beautiful golden tabby twined her tail with Leafpool’s, excitedly telling her something that Squirrelflight was too far away to hear.
Squirrelflight suddenly felt very lonely. Exploring didn’t seem like so much fun if she had no one to share it with. Then she heard a voice calling her name, and she glanced around to see Ashfur standing45 a little way off. She bounded over to him.
“Where do you want to go? That way?” he suggested. He gestured with his tail toward a thicket46 of trees and bushes in the center of the island.
“No, let’s go around the outside first,” Squirrelflight meowed. “I want to see every pawstep!” She blinked warmly at him—somehow she knew there was no need to tell him how pleased she was that he wanted to explore the island with her.
They padded along the shore, passing Squirrelflight’s mother, Sandstorm, who was sharpening her claws on the trunk of another pine.
“This is good,” she mewed happily. “Much safer than where we gathered last time, near the horse place.” Her claws sharpened to her satisfaction, she sat down and stared out across the gently lapping water.
Squirrelflight and Ashfur skirted an outcrop of rocks leading down to the water and came to a wider stretch of pebbles and sandy earth, broken up here and there by small, gleaming pools. Squirrelflight crouched down beside one, tongue extended to lap, then sprang back with a meow of surprise.
“There are fish in there!”
Ashfur padded up beside her and looked interestedly into the water. “I can’t see any.”
“Tiny fish—look, there!” She pointed47 with her paw as a sleek48 shape flickered50 from the shelter of one rock to another. “Too small for prey51, though,” she added regretfully. “Let’s keep going.”
The island shore grew rockier farther around, where the vast, glittering lake stretched all the way to their own territory. Squirrelflight could just make out the mass of trees with the dark bulk of the moorland rising above them.
“This would be great to sun ourselves on warm days,” Ashfur commented, gazing up at a smooth gray boulder52 splotched with lichen53. “We haven’t found anything like Sunningrocks in our territory.”
“No, but we haven’t explored it all yet,” Squirrelflight reminded him. “And it would be a very long way to come to warm our pelts54!”
As they scrambled55 over the boulder, claws scraping for balance, she caught a glimpse of Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost nearer the center of the island. They were padding side by side, their heads bent56 close together as they talked. They didn’t seem interested in exploring their surroundings, and they took no notice of the cats from all Clans that swarmed57 around them. Squirrelflight wrenched58 her gaze away from Brambleclaw and called a greeting to Tawnypelt, who was peering under a bush with a young ShadowClan warrior Squirrelflight didn’t recognize. Tawnypelt acknowledged her with a flick49 of her tail, but didn’t speak; Squirrelflight guessed she had her eye on prey.
The ShadowClan deputy, Russetfur, was sniffing59 around the bottom of a rock, flanked by her Clanmates Rowanclaw and Oakfur. Squirrelflight changed direction to avoid them; Tawnypelt was the only friend she had in ShadowClan.
“Have you noticed,” she mewed to Ashfur, “how we’ve split up into our Clans again? It’s as if the journey from the forest never happened.”
“Well, Brambleclaw is over there with Hawkfrost,” Ashfur pointed out, turning his ears to where the two tabby toms had reappeared from a clump60 of bracken.
Ashfur’s blue eyes gleamed. “You’re worried about him, aren’t you?”
“Worried? Me?” Squirrelflight mewed. “Certainly not!” When Ashfur didn’t respond, she added, “Honestly, I’m not worried about him.”
Ashfur let out his breath in a long sigh. “Good,” he murmured. “He’s an honorable cat, you know. He may be friends with Hawkfrost, but he wouldn’t betray his Clanmates.”
Squirrelflight flinched63. Was it so obvious that she no longer trusted Brambleclaw? Surely she knew him better than any cat in ThunderClan. Or had she become too close to him to judge properly? She shook her head, confused by the thoughts that buzzed in her ears. She wanted to trust Brambleclaw, she really did, but he seemed determined64 to make that impossible with everything he said and did.
The moon had risen high in the sky by the time the two cats made a complete circuit of the island. Squirrelflight bounded down to the lake beside the tree bridge and gulped65 down a few mouthfuls; the water was icy cold, and as she lapped at the glittering surface she felt as if she were drinking starlight
“I can see why Hawkfrost wanted this to be the RiverClan camp,” Ashfur mewed. “There’s everything here a cat could want!”
“Except enough prey,” Squirrelflight pointed out. “RiverClan don’t eat fish all the time. Imagine trying to swim across with fresh-kill in your jaws66.”
Ashfur shifted uneasily. “I hope RiverClan don’t change their mind now that the tree bridge is there.”
Squirrelflight stared at him in alarm. “They couldn’t!” she protested. “StarClan put the tree here for all of us.”
“Well, if Leopardstar is planning to claim the island for RiverClan, we’ll find out soon. The Gathering must be due to start.” Ashfur glanced up at the moon.
“Let’s head for the center,” Ashfur suggested. “We should be able to hear the other cats, even if we can’t see them.”
The two warriors headed for the central thicket. They hadn’t gone far before they heard the gentle murmur62 of many cats greeting each other after a moon apart.
Ashfur paused to taste the air. “All four Clans are here. This must be the place.”
He led the way through a clump of thorns, swerving68 to avoid a particularly prickly branch. Squirrelflight could hear prey rustling69 in the leaves around her, but she was too excited to think of hunting. She tried to push her way through the brambles more quickly, but thorns caught in her pelt.
“I’m notgoing to get stuck again!” she muttered.
Ashfur let out a mrrowof laughter. “Don’t worry. If you do get stuck, I’ll help you. We can’t have you missing the Gathering.”
Squirrelflight crouched down until her belly70 brushed the crisp dead leaves underneath71 the brambles, then she wriggled72 forward until the branches thinned and she broke out into the open.
“Wow!”
She was standing at the edge of a wide circle of grass that shone silver in the moonlight. It looked like a much smaller version of the lake, its surface rippling73 as the breeze brushed against the stems. A single oak tree grew in the center. Roots thicker than a cat’s body clutched at the ground, while branches shifted overhead and cast trembling shadows on the cats below.
“This is perfect!” Ashfur exclaimed, emerging from the bushes beside her.
Squirrelflight looked around for her Clanmates. Goldenflower was stretched out in a clump of longer grass with a couple of elders from other Clans, and Cinderpelt had joined Leafpool and Mothwing near the tree roots. Littlecloud, the ShadowClan medicine cat, was padding over to sit beside them. Cloudtail and Dustpelt were standing in the shelter of the bushes farther around the circle; after a shared glance they went over to Mistyfoot and Blackclaw of RiverClan, dipping their heads in greeting.
Squirrelflight suddenly realized she had been nervous that ShadowClan and RiverClan would be as hostile as WindClan had become since they reached their new home. But this looked more like a regular Gathering back in the forest, with cats from different Clans comfortably sharing news.
She twitched her ears to welcome Leafpool, who had left the other medicine cats and padded across the grass to join her sister.
“I love it here.” Leafpool’s eyes shone; Squirrelflight guessed she felt especially close to StarClan here. “It’s smaller than Fourtrees, but it feels so safe.”
As Squirrelflight started to agree, she saw Firestar race across the clearing and leap into the tree. He clawed at the trunk, then pulled himself onto a low branch and stood looking down at the four Clans.
“Blackstar! Leopardstar! Onestar!” he called. “We could sit here for the Gathering.”
Blackstar was the next to appear, agile74 for a cat of his bulk as he swarmed up the tree to crouch38 on the branch beside Firestar with his tail hanging down.
“I bet Blackstar wishes he thought of sitting in the tree first,” Ashfur murmured into Squirrelflight’s ear.
Leopardstar settled herself in the fork between two branches not far from Firestar and Blackstar; Onestar climbed a little higher so he could look down on the other three.
Mistyfoot sat tidily on one of the thick, twisting roots at the foot of the trunk. When the other deputies, Ashfoot and Russetfur, joined her there, a pang as sharp as a thorn pierced Squirrelflight’s belly. It was blindingly obvious that there was no ThunderClan deputy to sit with them.
Firestar let out a yowl. “Cats of all Clans, welcome to this new Gathering place. StarClan has brought us here, and we thank them.” He waited for a moment while the warriors grew quiet, then courteously75 dipped his head to the WindClan leader. “Onestar, would you like to begin?”
The WindClan leader rose to his paws, balancing confidently on the thick branch. His eyes gleamed in the moonlight, his tabby pelt turned to silver. Squirrelflight remembered how nervous he had been about addressing the Clans when Tallstar died. There was no trace of that uncertainty76 now. He looked as if he had led his Clan for many moons.
“All is well with WindClan,” he reported. “I have made the journey to the Moonpool and received my nine lives and my name from StarClan.”
Murmurs77 of congratulation rose up from the cats in the clearing: from all four Clans, Squirrelflight noticed. Onestar had been popular as a warrior, and his leadership had received powerful approval from StarClan when they made the tree fall, killing78 Mudclaw. She glanced around to see whether Webfoot and Mudclaw’s other supporters were joining in; she couldn’t see Webfoot at all, but the black she-cat Nightcloud was crouching79 under a bush, gazing up at her leader with an unreadable expression on her face.
Onestar bowed his head. “This morning Ashfoot, Tornear, and Crowfeather drove a fox from our territory,” he went on. “They fought well, and I’m sure we’ve seen the last of it.”
A yowl of approval came from the cats below—mostly from WindClan, but some from other Clans too. “Ashfoot! Tornear! Crowfeather!”
Squirrelflight didn’t join in. “He hasn’t mentioned Mudclaw’s rebellion at all,” she muttered to Ashfur. “Or ThunderClan—how we helped in the battle, and how we warned him about the fox.”
Ashfur glanced sideways at her. “Did you really think he would?”
Onestar continued: “We have held warrior ceremonies for two apprentices. Owlwhisker and Weaselfur are here tonight as full warriors of WindClan.” He sat down again as the new warriors were welcomed by the other cats.
Leopardstar was on her paws almost before Onestar had finished, impatiently waving her tail for silence. “There is no sign of the badger80 that we drove out a moon ago,” she announced. “We think it has gone for good.”
Squirrelflight looked across the clearing to Hawkfrost. He had led the patrol that got rid of RiverClan’s badger. Squirrelflight curled her lip when she saw how pleased with himself Hawkfrost looked. Like he’s the only warrior who ever fought a badger, she thought resentfully, twisting her head to lick the healing wounds on her flank.
“RiverClan have also made a new warrior,” Leopardstar went on. “Voletooth sits vigil in the camp tonight.”
“Onestar and Leopardstar seem very keen to report new warriors,” Squirrelflight whispered to her sister. “It’s as if they’re trying to show the other Clans how strong they are.”
“It’s ridiculous!” Leafpool hissed, startling Squirrelflight with the ferocity of her reply. “Why is it so important for us to be rivals instead of friends? Have they forgotten everything we went through to get here?”
Squirrelflight was a bit surprised that Leafpool felt so strongly; medicine cats usually kept apart from ordinary Clan rivalries81, and her friendships with Littlecloud, Barkface, and Mothwing wouldn’t change however hostile the Clans became. But then, Leafpool had probably grown as used to living with all the Clans together as Squirrelflight had.
“At the last Gathering,” Leopardstar went on, “I agreed that the marshy ground where we first camped could be neutral territory so that we would have somewhere to gather. But now that StarClan have given us this island, I’m claiming the marshes82 for RiverClan.”
Squirrelflight heard several cats muttering discontentedly; Barkface, the WindClan medicine cat, exclaimed, “Mouse dung! Now I won’t be able to collect herbs there.”
“The rest of the Clans have to agree,” Blackstar pointed out, sinking his claws into the bark beneath his paws. “There was neutral territory around Fourtrees.”
Leopardstar lashed83 her tail. “You can’t turn this place into the forest. Things are different here. For a start, every Clan but RiverClan has to cross another Clan’s territory to reach the island. There’s no point in having neutral territory.”
“Leopardstar’s right,” Firestar meowed. “I don’t see any reason why RiverClan can’t have the marshes.”
Leopardstar dipped her head to him, acknowledging his support
“Onestar, what do you think?” Firestar asked.
Onestar hesitated; Squirrelflight guessed he would like to claim the marshes and their stock of useful herbs for his Clan, but WindClan already had the largest expanse of territory. “Very well,” he growled84.
Leopardstar’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Then we will set our scent markers by the horse place tomorrow.”
Yowls of approval rose from the RiverClan cats; Firestar waited for them to die down before he started to speak.
“I don’t have much to report,” he admitted. “Like RiverClan, we found a badger on our territory, and Brambleclaw led the patrol that sent it away. Apart from that, everything is going well, and we have seen nothing of Twolegs since we moved into the territory.” He stepped back and gestured with his tail to Blackstar.
Squirrelflight tensed as the ShadowClan leader stood up. Would he mention the badger? Did he know that ThunderClan had driven it into ShadowClan territory? But when Blackstar spoke, it was to report that prey was plentiful86 in the pinewoods. “We found an old badger set not far from the Twoleg nest,” he rasped. “But we could barely detect the scent. It must have been abandoned long ago.”
Squirrelflight exchanged a glance with Ashfur, feeling the fur lie flat on her neck again. The badger and her cubs87 must have retreated deeper into the forest, well away from any Clan’s territory. From the number of old sets being reported, it looked as if several badgers88 had once lived around the lake. Perhaps the Clans were lucky they hadn’t encountered more. “I hope we’ve seen the last of them,” she murmured to Ashfur.
“If they come back, we’ll deal with them,” Ashfur meowed. “Anyway, I thought you liked badgers,” he teased. “What about Midnight?”
“Midnight’s different,” Squirrelflight told him. “As for the rest—I don’t care if I never see another one. Badgers and cats don’t mix.”
Now that Blackstar had finished speaking, she assumed the Gathering would be over, but the full moon still floated overhead, and Firestar began to speak once more.
“Clan leaders, and cats of all Clans,” he began, “there’s something we need to decide. This is the Gathering place StarClan have chosen for us, but as Leopardstar said, all of us except RiverClan have to cross another Clan’s territory to reach it. We need to decide exactly where cats can travel in each other’s territory when it’s time to gather.”
“Good idea,” Squirrelflight commented under her breath.
“Well, there’s no need for ThunderClan to cross through our territory to get here,” Blackstar meowed instantly. “It’s much quicker for you to come across WindClan.”
Squirrelflight saw her father stiffen89, and she guessed that he was holding back a sharp retort. “Yes, but we still need to discuss it.”
“I don’t mind any cat coming from either direction as far as the tree bridge,” Leopardstar mewed. “But no cat has permission to take prey from RiverClan.”
“The same goes for WindClan,” Onestar added, rising to his paws again. “Firestar, you can bring your cats across my territory, but I want you to keep within two fox-lengths of the lake. If my warriors catch you anywhere else, we’ll regard it as trespass90.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Firestar replied calmly. “Let’s make that a general rule.” He raised his voice so every cat could hear. “A Clan may cross another territory to come to Gatherings, but they must stay within two fox-lengths of the lakeshore, and travel without stopping.”
“And take no prey,” Blackstar added.
Firestar nodded. “Does every cat agree?”
A murmur of agreement hung in the air above the cats; what Firestar proposed sounded fair.
Cinderpelt stood up. “Will the same rule apply to cats who want to visit the Moonpool? Because they would have to leave the lakeshore and cross either our territory or WindClan’s to reach the hills.”
“WindClan always allowed cats to cross our old territory when they were going to the Moonstone,” Onestar pointed out. There was a touch more warmth in his voice; he shared the respect that all cats felt for Cinderpelt.
“True,” meowed Firestar. “And I don’t see any reason not to do the same here.”
“But those should be the only two exceptions,” Blackstar put in, with a glare at Firestar. “Otherwise we may as well forget about our boundaries altogether.”
“No, wait.” Mistyfoot looked up from her root. “Cats who cross borders aren’t always hostile. We all need to visit other Clans sometimes. Surely we don’t need to be more suspicious here than we were in the old forest?”
Squirrelflight remembered Mistyfoot’s urgent visit to Firestar when she discovered that Mudclaw and Hawkfrost were plotting together. She had risked crossing ShadowClan’s territory and nearly been caught by a patrol.
“That makes sense,” Leafpool agreed softly. “We should be able to visit each other.” Her amber eyes gazed unblinkingly across the clearing; Squirrelflight couldn’t see what she was looking at.
“If no cat has more to say, we should end this Gathering,” Firestar meowed.
“Fine by me,” Blackstar replied. Onestar and Leopardstar nodded.
“And we need to make sure the cats who aren’t here know what has been decided,” Firestar added.
The ShadowClan leader licked one paw and drew it over his ear. “That would be a job for the deputies, don’t you think?”
Squirrelflight dug her claws into the ground. That was a cruel taunt91, aimed straight at Firestar. There was no way the ThunderClan leader could reasonably object. He nodded curtly92 and sprang down from the tree.
Squirrelflight sighed. “Blackstar won’t let any cat forget that Firestar didn’t appoint another deputy when Graystripe disappeared,” she complained to Ashfur. “It’s obvious he thinks ThunderClan is weaker because of it.”
“If he tries to attack us, he’ll find out how wrong he is,” Ashfur pointed out.
Squirrelflight growled in agreement. As she stood up and stretched, she noticed Brambleclaw still sitting beside Hawkfrost. The RiverClan warrior was mewing something into his ear, and Brambleclaw was nodding slowly.
Maybe he’s telling him what a great deputy he’d make, Squirrelflight thought grimly. She hardly recognized Brambleclaw when she looked at him—he certainly wasn’t the cat she had traveled with to the sun-drown-place to find Midnight. She couldn’t even remember why they had been so close once. Looking at the two warriors again, shoulder to shoulder like a cat beside its reflection in a pool, suspicion prickled through her pelt.
If it were true that Brambleclaw wanted to be deputy, that must mean he thought Firestar was wrong to insist that Graystripe might still be alive. Worse than that, it was only one step from being deputy to being Clan leader. Was Brambleclaw looking ahead to the time when Firestar would lose his last life?
A shiver ran through Squirrelflight’s pelt as she thought of her father’s death, and cold gripped her with icy claws as she remembered the stories she had heard about Tigerstar. He had been prepared to kill to become deputy, and then Clan leader. Did his son, Brambleclaw, share the same ambitions? And would he be prepared to take the same murderous path to achieve them?
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
ruffled
|
|
| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
pelt
|
|
| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
clan
|
|
| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
tingled
|
|
| v.有刺痛感( tingle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
gathering
|
|
| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
pang
|
|
| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
clans
|
|
| 宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
gatherings
|
|
| 聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
truce
|
|
| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
glimmering
|
|
| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
spotted
|
|
| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
kit
|
|
| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
kits
|
|
| 衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
apprentices
|
|
| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
moss
|
|
| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
marshy
|
|
| adj.沼泽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
throng
|
|
| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
warriors
|
|
| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
warrior
|
|
| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
bristle
|
|
| v.（毛发）直立，气势汹汹，发怒；n.硬毛发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
anticipation
|
|
| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
pebbly
|
|
| 多卵石的，有卵石花纹的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
brittle
|
|
| adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
flattened
|
|
| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
sniff
|
|
| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
warily
|
|
| adv.留心地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
twig
|
|
| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
scramble
|
|
| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
amber
|
|
| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
touching
|
|
| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
beckoned
|
|
| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
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： |
|
|
|
|
37
crouched
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
crouch
|
|
| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
hurled
|
|
| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
spun
|
|
| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
pebbles
|
|
| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
veered
|
|
| v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的过去式和过去分词 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
hissed
|
|
| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
racing
|
|
| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
thicket
|
|
| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
sleek
|
|
| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
flick
|
|
| n.快速的轻打，轻打声，弹开；v.轻弹，轻轻拂去，忽然摇动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
flickered
|
|
| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
prey
|
|
| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
boulder
|
|
| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
lichen
|
|
| n.地衣, 青苔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
pelts
|
|
| n. 皮毛，投掷, 疾行 vt. 剥去皮毛，（连续）投掷 vi. 猛击，大步走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
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： |
|
|
|
|
56
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
swarmed
|
|
| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
wrenched
|
|
| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
sniffing
|
|
| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
clump
|
|
| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
grunted
|
|
| （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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
murmur
|
|
| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
flinched
|
|
| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
gulped
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
jaws
|
|
| n.口部；嘴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
starry
|
|
| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
swerving
|
|
| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
rustling
|
|
| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
belly
|
|
| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
underneath
|
|
| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
wriggled
|
|
| 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） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
rippling
|
|
| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
agile
|
|
| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
courteously
|
|
| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
uncertainty
|
|
| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
murmurs
|
|
| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
killing
|
|
| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
crouching
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
badger
|
|
| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
rivalries
|
|
| n.敌对，竞争，对抗( rivalry的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
marshes
|
|
| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
lashed
|
|
| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
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： |
|
|
|
|
85
shrugged
|
|
| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
plentiful
|
|
| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
cubs
|
|
| n.幼小的兽，不懂规矩的年轻人( cub的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
badgers
|
|
| n.獾( badger的名词复数 )；獾皮；（大写）獾州人（美国威斯康星州人的别称）；毛鼻袋熊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
stiffen
|
|
| v.(使)硬，(使)变挺，(使)变僵硬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
trespass
|
|
| n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
taunt
|
|
| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
curtly
|
|
| adv.简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |