CHAPTER 23
Leafpool and Crowfeather paused beside thestepping stones that led across the stream into ThunderClan territory. Night had fallen, and a thin crescent moon rode high in the sky. They had traveled all day, only stopping at sunhigh long enough to devour3 a rabbit Crowfeather had caught on the moorland. Now Leafpool’s paws were sore and her heart pounded with mounting fear.
“Good-bye,” she murmured, pushing her nose into Crowfeather’s fur. “I’ll see you again when all this is over.”
“What do you mean, ‘good-bye’?” Crowfeather demanded. “I’m not leaving you when there are hostile badgers4 around.”
“But you need to warn WindClan.”
“I know, and I will. But I’ll see you to your camp first. It won’t take long.”
Seeing the stubborn light in his eyes, Leafpool knew she would only waste time by arguing. Leaping swiftly from one stepping-stone to the next, she led the way down the slope and into the shelter of the trees.
It was a relief to enter the woods after traveling for so long under the open sky, but Leafpool’s feeling of homecoming didn’t last long. Almost at once a rank scent2 drifted around them, masking all the other scents7 of the forest.
Leafpool was too terrified to speak. Although she was exhausted9 from the long trek10 over the moors11, she picked up her pace until she was racing12 through the trees, the gray-black warrior13 at her shoulder. As they drew closer to the ThunderClan camp, she heard the sound from her dream she had been dreading14 every pawstep of the journey: the yowls of fighting cats mingled15 with the deeper roars of her enemies. Badgers had broken into the camp!
When she reached the edge of the hollow, she heard a rustling16 among the ferns and a cat wailing17, “Not more of them! Oh, help!”
Whipping around, Leafpool saw Ferncloud and Daisy peering out from under a clump19 of bracken. It was Daisy who had cried out.
“Leafpool!” Ferncloud exclaimed. “What—” She broke off and added, “No, don’t stop. Go and help the Clan1.”
Leafpool and Crowfeather ran on, down the slope that led to the entrance. The thorn barrier that was supposed to protect the camp had been utterly20 destroyed, trampled21 down by monstrous22 paws. Beyond the scattered23 branches, badgers filled the hollow, their thick-furred shoulders heaving as they pounced24 and fought. Leafpool caught a glimpse of her father, a wild light in his green eyes as he rallied his Clan with sweeping25 gestures of his tail.
“Follow me! Drive them out!” he yowled as he leapt at the nearest badger5, a huge male with a scarred muzzle26.
Dustpelt and Brambleclaw were hard on his paws. Dustpelt hurled28 himself at the badger’s shoulder, scoring its pelt27 with outstretched claws. Brambleclaw flung himself at another creature that stood growling30 a tail-length away, springing up as it lowered its head and fastening his teeth in its ear.
Around the edge of the clearing, the dens32 that were barely two moons old were torn, their branches scattered so that Leafpool scarcely recognized her home. One massive badger was crashing through the warriors’ den31 in pursuit of Rainwhisker. Another rolled around a tail-length from Leafpool, locked into combat with Spiderleg while Sandstorm sank her teeth into its hind33 leg.
I’m too late! Leafpool thought in dismay. She couldn’t see Midnight anywhere among the badgers. Perhaps her vengeful kin6 had caught her on her way to ThunderClan and stopped her from warning the cats. Maybe they’d even killed her!
Throwing off the horror that froze her paws, Leafpool tore through the trampled thorns into the clearing. There must be somethingshe could do to help her Clanmates, something more than just die at their side. She was about to hurl29 herself into battle when an eerie34 shriek35 rose above the rest of the clamor. It came from the nursery, the only clump of thorns that remained standing36.
As if her paws had wings, she streaked38 across the clearing, barely aware of a badger that lunged for her, only to fall back as Crowfeather flew at it, spitting and clawing. He was hard on her paws as she raced up to the nursery.
“Squirrelflight!” Leafpool yowled.
Her claws sank into the badger’s leg. Its head swung around, jaws41 snapping. Crowfeather thrust himself in front of Leafpool, his claws raking at the badger’s eyes. With a bellow42 of pain it reared back and lurched away.
Leafpool flung herself down beside her sister. Only the link that still connected them told her that her sister wasn’t dead. Relief swept through her from ears to tail-tip as Squirrelflight raised her head, blinking confusedly. “Leafpool…you came back!”
“Yes, I’m here. Are you hurt?”
Squirrelflight took in a huge, gasping43 breath. “Only…winded. Leafpool, in there…” Her gaze flicked44 to the nursery. “In there…Cinderpelt, with Sorreltail…kits45 coming. Badger…broke in.”
A fresh wave of terror flooded over Leafpool. I’m too late
She plunged46 past Squirrelflight into the nursery. The shadows inside were filled with the sound of vicious snarling47, cut through with a wail18 of terror. Leafpool recognized Sorreltail’s voice. “Sorreltail, it’s me, Leafpool. Where’s Cinderpelt?”
In the darkness she could make out nothing but a huge, humped shape. The stench of the badger filled the whole nursery. She hurled herself forward and collided with a solid flank covered in coarse fur. Raking her claws down the badger’s side, she gasped, “Out! Get out!” The invader48 turned its head toward her; she caught the gleam of bright, malignant49 eyes and knew she was living out her nightmare of the rolling black mist.
Lashing50 out with one paw, she scored the badger across its nose and saw blood spatter out, its hot scent mingling51 with the reek52 of badger. A paw swept up to batter53 her, but before the blow fell Crowfeather appeared next to her, slashing54 at the badger’s muzzle.
The badger let out a howl of pain. Turning, it thrust Leafpool aside and made for the nursery entrance, breaking down more of the brambles as it went. Watery55 shafts56 of moonlight filtered through the gaps, revealing the horrified57 faces of Squirrelflight and Ashfur looking in.
“I don’t know yet,” Leafpool replied. Her voice shook with fear. “I’ll look after her. You stay on guard.”
Her sister nodded and went back to the entrance with Ashfur. Crowfeather touched noses briefly59 with Leafpool before following them. “Call me if you need me,” he meowed.
The floor of the nursery was covered with a thick layer of moss60 and fern. Sorreltail lay at the far side, her head raised and her eyes staring in terror. A powerful ripple61 passed along her belly62, and Leafpool realized that her kits were about to be born. She started to cross the nursery, but stopped when her paws brushed against a broken, motionless body.
Cinderpelt lay on her side in the bed of moss, her paws and tail limp, her eyes closed. Blood spilled slowly from a gash63 in her side.
“Cinderpelt…” Leafpool whispered. “Cinderpelt, it’s me, Leafpool. Wake up.”
The medicine cat’s eyes twitched64 open and she gazed up at Leafpool. “Leafpool,” she rasped. “I prayed to StarClan you would come back.”
“I should never have left you.” Leafpool crouched66 beside her mentor67, breathing in the familiar comforting scent. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Cinderpelt, please don’t die!”
She scooped68 a pawful of moss from the floor and pressed it against the wound in Cinderpelt’s side. “You’re going to be fine,” she mewed. “As soon as the bleeding stops I’ll fetch some marigold to make sure the wound doesn’t get infected, and some poppy seeds for the pain. You’ll be able to have a good long sleep, and you’ll feel much better when you wake up.”
“Stop it, Leafpool,” Cinderpelt whispered. “There’s no point.” Leafpool saw her eyes gleam dully in the shadows. “I’m going to join StarClan.”
“Don’t say that!” Leafpool protested, clawing up more moss and thrusting it against the tide of blood that showed no sign of stopping.
The medicine cat tried to lift her head, but the effort was too much for her, and she let it fall again. “It’s all right,” she murmured. “StarClan told me they would come for me soon. This is the fate they have laid down for me.”
“You knew?” Leafpool felt as though a dark chasm69 had opened up in front of her paws and she was crashing helplessly into its depths. “You knew you were going to die and you didn’t tell me?”
“It was my destiny, not yours.”
“But you knew I was meeting Crowfeather! You knew that if I went away ThunderClan would be left without a medicine cat! Cinderpelt, you should have forcedme to stay.”
Her mentor blinked slowly. Her blue eyes were very bright. “I would never force you to do anything, Leafpool. I didn’t want you to stay if it was going to make you unhappy. You must want to be a medicine cat with all your heart.”
“I do,” Leafpool whispered. “I do.” Follow your heart, Spottedleaf had said.
“You are a wonderful medicine cat,” Cinderpelt told her.
“No, I’m not. I went away and left you, and my Clan. Oh, Cinderpelt, I’m so sorry!”
The tip of Cinderpelt’s tail gave a tiny, restless twitch65. “There’s nothing to forgive. I am happy to join StarClan, knowing that ThunderClan will be cared for.”
“No!” Leafpool cried, as if by sheer force of wishing she could turn back time and prevent her mentor’s death. “This is all my fault. I should have been here. I should—”
Cinderpelt shook her head. “It would have made no difference,” she mewed. “We cannot change our destiny. We just have to have the courage to know what it is, and accept it.” She let out a long sigh. “StarClan are waiting for me. Good-bye, Leafpool.”
Her eyes closed. Her body jerked once, then lay still.
“Cinderpelt!” Leafpool pushed her nose deep into her mentor’s fur. She felt as if all the frosts of leaf-bare were gathered in her limbs.
A few moments later she felt a warm pelt brush against her side and realized that Crowfeather was crouching70 beside her. “I’m sorry, Leafpool,” he murmured. “I know what she meant to you.”
“She taught me everything, and now she’s dead,” Leafpool wailed71. “I don’t know what to do. I trusted Spottedleaf. She told me to follow my heart, but she knew Cinderpelt was going to die! How could she do that?”
Crowfeather pressed closer to her and drew his tongue over her face and ears with gentle, comforting strokes. “You did follow your heart,” he meowed. “Your heart told you to come home. You could never be happy away from your Clan.”
Leafpool turned her head and saw pain glisten72 in his amber73 eyes. “But what about you?” she whispered.
Crowfeather bowed his head. “Your heart lies here. Not with me. It was never truly with me.”
Leafpool felt as though she were being torn in two, but she knew Crowfeather was right. She loved him, but not enough. For a few heartbeats she leaned into him, feeling his warmth and strength for the last time. Then she touched Cinderpelt’s fur with her nose.
“It’s all right,” she murmured. “I’ll stay here and take good care of the Clan, I promise. One day we’ll meet again, walking among the stars.”
For a moment she thought she felt the brush of two pelts74 against hers, and she smelled two familiar scents as Spottedleaf and Cinderpelt wound around her.
“StarClan is with you, Leafpool,” Spottedleaf murmured, and Cinderpelt added, “We will always be watching over you.”
Then they were gone. Leafpool was crouching on the floor of the nursery, with the roar of battle still outside and Sorreltail gasping in the far corner as her kits fought their way into the world.
“Your friend needs your help,” Crowfeather meowed. “Can I do anything?”
“Just help the others keep the badgers off.” Leafpool was amazed at how calm her voice sounded. “If you get the chance, ask some cat to show you Cinderpelt’s den and fetch me some watermint. But if you can’t, I’ll manage without it. It’s more important to keep the badgers out of here.”
The gray-black warrior dipped his head and slipped away. Leafpool picked her way around Cinderpelt’s body and across the mossy bedding until she reached Sorreltail’s side.
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收听单词发音
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1
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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badgers
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| 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 | |
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badger
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| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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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
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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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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trek
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| vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行 | |
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moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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12
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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15
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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16
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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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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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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22
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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23
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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24
pounced
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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25
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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26
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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28
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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30
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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31
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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dens
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| n.牙齿，齿状部分；兽窝( den的名词复数 )；窝点；休息室；书斋 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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eerie
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| adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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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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37
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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38
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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39
ginger
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| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
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40
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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41
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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42
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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43
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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44
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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45
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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46
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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47
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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48
invader
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| n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者 | |
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49
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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50
lashing
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| n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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51
mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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52
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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53
batter
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| v.接连重击；磨损；n.牛奶面糊；击球员 | |
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54
slashing
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| adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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55
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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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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57
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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58
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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61
ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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62
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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63
gash
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| v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝 | |
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64
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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65
twitch
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| v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛 | |
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66
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mentor
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| n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导 | |
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68
scooped
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| v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等） | |
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69
chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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70
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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71
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
glisten
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| vi.（光洁或湿润表面等）闪闪发光，闪闪发亮 | |
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73
amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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74
pelts
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| n. 皮毛，投掷, 疾行 vt. 剥去皮毛，（连续）投掷 vi. 猛击，大步走 | |
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75
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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