Night lay heavily over the forest. No wind stirred the long grass at the edge of the path where a massive tabby cat stalked through the shadows. He paused, ears pricked2, amber3 eyes narrowed. No moon or stars shone in the sky above his head but tree trunks thick with fungus4 shed an eerie5 glow on the bare earth beneath his paws.
The huge tom opened his jaws6 to draw in air, though he did not expect to taste the scent7 of prey8. He knew that the twitching9 of the ferns meant nothing, and the flickering10 scraps11 of darkness that he could see from the corner of his eye would vanish like mist if he pounced12 on them. There was no hunger in this place, but he longed for the sensation of claws sinking into prey and the first warm bite of fresh-kill after a successful hunt.
The fur on his neck and shoulders rose as a new scent drifted toward him: the scent of cat, but not the two he had met here before. This was a different cat, a cat he knew from long ago. He stalked forward, following the scent, until the trees thinned out and he stood at the edge of a clearing washed by sickly light. The other cat came bounding across the open space to meet him, ears flattened13 and eyes wild with terror.
“Tigerstar!” he gasped14, sliding to a halt and cowering15 to the ground. “Where did you come from? I thought I was alone here.”
“Get up, Darkstripe.” The tabby tom’s voice was a rumble16 of disgust. “Stop cringing17 like a terrified kit18.”
Darkstripe rose to his paws and gave his fur a couple of quick licks. Once sleek19 like a well-fed fish, his pelt20 was now thin and tangled21 with burrs. “I don’t understand this place,” he meowed. “Where are we? Where is StarClan?”
“StarClan does not walk here.”
Darkstripe’s eyes stretched wide. “Why not? And why is it always dark here? Where is the moon?” A shiver ran through him. “I thought we would be hunting across the sky with our warrior23 ancestors, and watching over our Clanmates.”
Tigerstar let out a faint hiss24. “That way is not for us. But I don’t need starlight to follow my path. If StarClan thinks they can forget about us, they’re wrong.”
He turned his back on Darkstripe, shouldering his way through the ferns without waiting to see whether the other cat followed him or not.
“Wait,” Darkstripe panted, scrambling25 after him. “Tell me what you mean.”
The massive tabby glanced back, his amber eyes reflecting the pale light. “Firestar thought he won when Scourge26 took my nine lives. He is a fool. What lies between us is not over yet.”
“But what can you do to Firestar now?” Darkstripe protested. “You can’t leave this forest. I know—I’ve tried. But however far I walk, the trees never end, and there’s no light anywhere.”
Tigerstar did not reply at once. He padded on through the undergrowth with Darkstripe following close behind. The smaller cat started at every rustle27 among the ferns and every flickering shadow that fell across his path. Once he halted, eyes staring, jaws open to taste the air.
“I can scent Brokenstar!” he exclaimed. “Is he here too? Brokenstar, where are you?”
Tigerstar stopped and looked back. “Save your breath. Brokenstar won’t answer you. You will sense traces of many cats here, but seldom will you meet one face-to-face. We may be trapped in one place, but we are trapped alone.”
“Then how do you expect to deal with Firestar?” Darkstripe asked. “He doesn’t even walk this forest.”
“I won’t deal with him.” Tigerstar’s voice was a soft, threatening growl28. “My sons will. Together, Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw will show Firestar that the battle is far from won.”
Darkstripe’s gaze flickered29 to his former leader’s face and away again. “But how can you make Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw do what you want?”
Tigerstar silenced him with a single lash30 of his tail. His claws flexed31 in and out, scoring the earth beneath his paws. “I have learned to walk in the paths of their dreams,” he hissed32. “And I have time. All the time in the world. When they have destroyed that mangy kittypet, I’ll make them leaders of their Clans33, and show them what true power is.”
Darkstripe flinched34 back into the shelter of a clump35 of bracken. “They couldn’t have a better teacher,” he meowed.
“They will learn the best fighting skills in the forest,” Tigerstar went on, as if the other cat had not spoken. “They will learn to have no mercy on any cat who tries to oppose them. And in the end, they will divide the entire territory around the lake between them.”
“But there are four Clans—”
“And soon there will be only two. Two Clans of purebred warriors36, not weakened by kittypets and half-Clan22 cats. Firestar has already taken in that useless lump of fur from the horseplace, and her whining37 kits38. Is that any way to lead a Clan?”
Darkstripe bowed his head, ears flattened in agreement.
“Hawkfrost is fearless,” Tigerstar growled39 approvingly. “He proved that when he drove a badger40 out of RiverClan’s territory. And he showed great wisdom when he helped his sister become a medicine cat. Her support will smooth his path to leadership, and Hawkfrost knows that. He knows that power comes only to those who want it most.”
“Yes, he’s truly your son.” The words spilled out of Darkstripe like rainwater from an upturned leaf, but if Tigerstar was aware of any edge to them, he ignored it.
“As for Brambleclaw . . .” Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. “He has courage too, but he is troubled by his loyalty41 to that fool Firestar. He must learn to allow nothing—not his leader, not the warrior code, not StarClan themselves—to stand in his way. He earned the respect of every cat when he made the journey to the sun-drown-place and led the Clans to their new home. His reputation alone should make it easy for him to take control.” He straightened, his powerful shoulder muscles rippling42. “I will show him how.”
“I could help you,” Darkstripe offered.
Tigerstar turned on him with a look of cold contempt. “I need no help. Did you not hear me say that every cat walks this dark forest alone?”
Darkstripe shivered. “But it’s so empty and silent. . . . Tigerstar, let me come with you.”
“No.” There was a hint of regret in Tigerstar’s voice, but no hesitation43. “Don’t try to follow me. Cats have no friends or allies here. They must walk their path of shadows alone.”
Darkstripe sat up, curling his tail over his forepaws. “Where are you going now?”
“To meet my sons.” He bounded away down the path, his fur gleaming in the pale yellowish light. Darkstripe was left behind, crouching44 in the shadow of the ferns.
Before Tigerstar vanished into the trees he glanced back to make one last promise. “Firestar will learn that my time is not yet over. He may have seven lives left to lose, but I will stalk him through my sons until every one has been ripped from him. This is one battle that he will not win.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
prologue
|
|
| n.开场白，序言；开端，序幕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
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： |
|
|
|
|
3
amber
|
|
| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
fungus
|
|
| n.真菌，真菌类植物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
eerie
|
|
| adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
jaws
|
|
| n.口部；嘴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
scent
|
|
| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
prey
|
|
| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
twitching
|
|
| n.颤搐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
flickering
|
|
| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
scraps
|
|
| 油渣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
pounced
|
|
| 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） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
flattened
|
|
| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
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： |
|
|
|
|
15
cowering
|
|
| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
rumble
|
|
| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
cringing
|
|
| adj.谄媚，奉承 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
kit
|
|
| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
sleek
|
|
| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
pelt
|
|
| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
tangled
|
|
| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
clan
|
|
| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
warrior
|
|
| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
hiss
|
|
| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
scrambling
|
|
| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
scourge
|
|
| n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
rustle
|
|
| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
growl
|
|
| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
flickered
|
|
| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
lash
|
|
| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
flexed
|
|
| adj.[医]曲折的，屈曲v.屈曲( flex的过去式和过去分词 )；弯曲；（为准备大干而）显示实力；摩拳擦掌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
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： |
|
|
|
|
33
clans
|
|
| 宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
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： |
|
|
|
|
35
clump
|
|
| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
warriors
|
|
| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
whining
|
|
| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
kits
|
|
| 衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
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： |
|
|
|
|
40
badger
|
|
| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
loyalty
|
|
| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
rippling
|
|
| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
hesitation
|
|
| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
crouching
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |