Hollypaw stood on the bank ofthe stream that formed the border with WindClan, not far from the stepping stones. Wind from the moor1 slicked her fur to her sides, bringing the scent2 of cats and rabbits and the tough moorland grass.
Beside her, Squirrelflight waited, the tip of her tail twitching3. Hollypaw could understand why her mother was uneasy. The WindClan border was still a sensitive area, after all the trouble when the WindClan kits4 went missing.
Her thoughts fled back to the tunnels and the surging underground river. She and the other apprentices6 had barely made it out alive with the kits. Hollypaw hoped that the tunnels would stay hidden for a long time, so there would be no more chance of misunderstandings.
“They’re coming.” Squirrelflight was tasting the air.
A couple of heartbeats later a WindClan patrol appeared over the brow of the hill and headed toward them: Tornear, Whitetail, and Breezepaw. Hollypaw’s belly9 began to churn as the apprentice5 charged toward her, streaking10 past his Clanmates. His pelt11 bristled12; he was obviously ready for a border skirmish, but his stride faltered13 when he recognized Hollypaw.
“Oh, it’s you,” he muttered, coming to a halt on the opposite bank of the stream.
“That’s right.” Hollypaw couldn’t forget what a pain he’d been in the tunnels, complaining and arguing the whole time. “I just can’t keep away.”
She flinched14 as Squirrelflight flicked16 her ear with her tail.
“Breezepaw!” Whitetail called, as she and Tornear caught up to the apprentice. “Come away from there.”
Breezepaw bared his teeth in the beginning of a snarl17, then lowered his head and padded away, muttering something under his breath.
“Why are you here?” Tornear asked; his voice was cool but not hostile.
“We need to speak to Crowfeather,” Squirrelflight explained
Both Tornear and Whitetail bristled, their neck fur fluffing up as they exchanged suspicious glances.
“It’s about the journey we made to the sun-drown-place,” Squirrelflight added quickly.
“That was a long time ago,” Tornear growled18.
“Crowfeather’s memory isn’t that bad,” Squirrelflight retorted tartly19. “He’ll hardly have forgotten about it.”
Hollypaw couldn’t understand why the WindClan cats had switched from reserve to hostility20, or why her mother was being so sharp in return. Why should the WindClan cats be so tense when Crowfeather was mentioned?
“I can’t just go and fetch Crowfeather,” Whitetail meowed. “You’ll have to talk to Onestar first.”
“That’s fine. I understand.” Squirrelflight bounded lightly across the stepping stones and into WindClan territory, giving Tornear a glare as she passed him. Hollypaw crossed more carefully, the swift-flowing stream bubbling past a mouse tail away from her paws.
As she followed her mother and the WindClan warriors22 up the hill, Breezepaw hung back until he was padding beside her. “What are you doing here?” he muttered into her ear. “Have you come to spy on our camp?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Hollypaw replied. “What would we want with your stupid camp? We need to speak to Crowfeather, that’s all.”
“What about?” Breezepaw demanded.
“That’s none of your business, mouse-brain!”
Breezepaw’s eyes narrowed in anger. “But he’s my father,” he began. “He—”
“Breezepaw.” Tornear glanced over his shoulder and flicked his tail to beckon23 the apprentice. “Come here and walk beside me.”
Breezepaw let out a hiss24 of annoyance25, but he quickened his pace and caught up to the senior warriors.
“How’s your training going, Breezepaw?” Squirrelflight asked.
“Not well.” Whitetail didn’t wait for her apprentice to reply. “He led out a patrol of apprentices to see if the dogs had come back to the far corner of our territory. Without asking permission, of course, and without even a single warrior21 for backup.”
“We were only trying to—”
“To get yourselves killed,” Tornear interrupted.
Hollypaw had heard the stories of how dogs had killed Swiftpaw back in the forest, and she’d seen the terrible injuries they had given Brightheart. Breezepaw must be even more stupid than she thought if he imagined that a few apprentices could take on a pack of dogs and survive.
“And then there was the fight you provoked with the RiverClan patrol,” Tornear continued, his voice sharp with annoyance. “They were nottrespassing, they were notstealing prey26, and Onestar didn’t appreciate having to apologize to Mistyfoot for the trouble youcaused.” He let out a long sigh and added to Squirrelflight, “Breezepaw has many lessons to learn before he becomes a warrior.”
Breezepaw glared at the senior warriors as they turned away and muttered something Hollypaw didn’t catch.
Whitetail and Tornear led the way up a long slope to a barrier of gorse bushes. Hollypaw followed as they pushed their way through, feeling the thorns snag on her pelt. On the other side she found herself looking out over the WindClan camp.
A steep slope led down into a natural dip, dotted with gorse and bramble. Blinking, Hollypaw tried to guess the layout. The camp was more exposed than she was used to, though toward the bottom of the dip there were hollows where cats could shelter. She tasted the air, trying to work out from the scents27 where each group of cats lived. A pungent28 smell of mouse bile was coming from a deep hole that looked like an abandoned badger29 set. That must be the elders’ den7. They’re always needing mouse bile to get rid of their ticks. From a crack in a huge boulder30 she picked up the aromatic31 scent of herbs and realized that must be Barkface’s den. And warm, milky32 scents came from a gorse thicket33; that would be the nursery.
“Go and take some fresh-kill to the elders,” Whitetail ordered Breezepaw, interrupting Hollypaw’s thoughts. Waving her tail to Squirrelflight she added, “Follow me. We’ll see if Onestar is in his den.”
Hollypaw bounded down the slope behind her mother, while Whitetail raced ahead. But before the ThunderClan cats reached the bottom of the hollow, Crowfeather appeared from the bushes at the other side, a rabbit dangling34 from his jaws35. He spotted36 the visitors, froze for a heartbeat, then ran lightly down to deposit his prey on the fresh-kill pile.
As Squirrelflight padded up to him he turned to face her, his gray-black fur bristling37. “What are you doing here?” he demanded. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” Squirrelflight replied, while Hollypaw wondered what was bothering Crowfeather. Did he have ants in his pelt? “At least, yes, but not with the Clans38.”
Squirrelflight seemed to have gotten herself into a tangle39, so Hollypaw stepped forward. “The Tribe of Rushing Water need our help,” she explained. “The cats who went to the sun-drown-place must go to the mountains.”
Crowfeather looked surprised, and Hollypaw thought maybe she had been too outspoken40. “And they want apprentices to come too, do they?” he growled.
Squirrelflight gave his shoulder an affectionate flick15 with her tail. “Crowfeather, neither of us can complain about apprentices making the journey.” When Crowfeather didn’t respond, she went on. “Talon and Night—do you remember them?—came to our camp to fetch Stormfur and Brook41. The Tribe is being threatened by a group of invading cats who are trying to take over its hunting grounds. We—I mean Brambleclaw and I—thought we would go and help too.”
Crowfeather paused before replying; Hollypaw couldn’t read anything from his expression. “What’s it got to do with us?” he asked eventually.
“They helped us on the Great Journey,” Squirrelflight mewed
“And Feathertail diedfor them!” Crowfeather spat42, his blue eyes blazing. “We owe them nothing.”
Feathertail had been a RiverClan cat, Stormfur’s sister, who had died on the first journey. None of the other cats seemed to think her death was a reason not to help the Tribe now. Why should Crowfeather take it so personally? Feathertail hadn’t even been his Clanmate.
“Feathertail was willing to help the Tribe before,” Squirrelflight replied calmly. “She would help them again. It wasn’t the Tribe’s fault she died. You can blame Sharptooth for that.”
A shiver ran through Hollypaw and she dug her claws hard into the tough moorland grass. Squirrelflight was talking so matter-of-factly about stories Hollypaw had heard since she was in the nursery! It was as if her mother and father belonged in a legend. Crowfeather, too, though it was hard for Hollypaw to reconcile the brave warrior, StarClan’s chosen, with the suspicious, bad-tempered43, skinny cat who stood in front of her. No wonder Breezepaw is so grumpy. He got it from his father!
“Squirrelflight, greetings.”
Hollypaw whirled to see Whitetail returning with Onestar and Ashfoot, the WindClan deputy. It was Onestar who had spoken; he padded up to Squirrelflight with his head and tail held high.
“Greetings, Onestar.” Squirrelflight dipped her head.
“You’re welcome to our camp.” The WindClan leader sounded friendly, though there was surprise in his amber44 eyes. “What can we do for you?”
Squirrelflight launched into a more detailed45 explanation of how the Tribe cats had come to ThunderClan looking for help. Crowfeather listened with the same disgruntled expression, while other WindClan cats gathered around. Hollypaw spotted Heatherpaw, and gave her a nod; Breezepaw had reappeared too, standing8 beside his fellow apprentice.
“So Brambleclaw and I thought that all the cats who went on the first journey should go now and help the Tribe,” Squirrelflight finished. “Brambleclaw has gone to ShadowClan to speak to Tawnypelt, and I came here to tell Crowfeather.”
Onestar narrowed his eyes. “He would be away for a long time, perhaps a moon or more.”
“And I have an apprentice,” Crowfeather reminded him.
“True. All the same, I think you should go,” Onestar meowed. “The Tribe of Rushing Water gave us food and shelter on the Great Journey. Without their help, many cats would have died, and we might never have found this home by the lake. Besides,” he went on, ignoring Crowfeather as he tried to interrupt, “the mountain cats were kind to Tallstar when he was on his last life. We would honor him by helping46 them now.”
Crowfeather looked taken aback. “But what about Heatherpaw’s training?”
“Whitetail can take over as her mentor,” Onestar decided47. “She will be without an apprentice, since I think it would be a good idea if Breezepaw went along with you.”
Oh, no!Hollypaw thought. You might be fed up with him, but we don’t want him either, thanks.
“What?” Breezepaw exclaimed. His eyes stretched wide with dismay.
“You’re so lucky!” Heatherpaw put in, with a sigh of envy. “I’d give my tail to go.”
“Well, I don’t want to!”
“Don’t worry, you’ll be coming back,” Hollypaw snapped.
“How do you know that?” Breezepaw’s ears flattened48 and his tail drooped49. “I think my Clanmates just want to get rid of me.”
He sounded so miserable50 that Hollypaw felt a rush of pity for him, but it lasted no more than a couple of heartbeats. Breezepaw had broken the warrior code twice in the last moon; it was time he was taken down a tree branch or two.
Crowfeather padded forward a couple of paces to stand beside Squirrelflight. “It is my choice if I go,” he meowed, with a glance at Onestar. Hollypaw wondered if he was defying his leader, but Onestar didn’t rise to the challenge. “And I—I will go. I would like to stand again in the place where Feathertail lies.”
“What about Breezepaw?” Squirrelflight asked.
Crowfeather sighed. “Yes, I suppose he must come too, if Onestar orders it.”
Breezepaw shot his father a sulky look and started tearing up the grass with his claws. Hollypaw thought of her own mother and father; she was glad that they supported her when she wanted to try new things. It didn’t look as if Crowfeather and Breezepaw got along at all. And I can under stand that, sort of, she thought, now that I’ve seen Crowfeather a few times. He’s just…weird.
“Do you want Crowfeather and Breezepaw to come with you now?” Onestar asked.
“Yes, please,” Squirrelflight replied. “We thought we would all stay in the ThunderClan camp tonight and set off in the morning. Leafpool is preparing traveling herbs.”
“I want to say good-bye to my friends first,” Breezepaw objected.
“There isn’t time!” Crowfeather snapped.
“I’ll say good-bye for you.” Heatherpaw darted51 forward and touched her nose to Breezepaw’s shoulder. “And don’t worry. You’ll have some amazing stories to tell us when you come back.”
Breezepaw didn’t look as if the idea cheered him up.
A black she-cat emerged from the group of WindClan cats; Hollypaw recognized Crowfeather’s mate, Nightcloud. She brushed her pelt against Crowfeather’s. “Take care,” she meowed.
Crowfeather gave her ear a quick lick, but Hollypaw noticed that his eyes were gazing into the distance.
Squirrelflight dipped her head to Onestar and thanked him. Then Crowfeather led the way up the slope and out of the WindClan camp. As they trekked52 across the moor he still looked sour, and Breezepaw sulked all the way, refusing to talk to Hollypaw even when she tried to be friendly.
I don’t think this journey is going to be much fun after all, Hollypaw thought gloomily.
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收听单词发音
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1
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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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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twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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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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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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8
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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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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10
streaking
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| n.裸奔（指在公共场所裸体飞跑）v.快速移动( streak的现在分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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bristled
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| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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13
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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14
flinched
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
flick
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| n.快速的轻打，轻打声，弹开；v.轻弹，轻轻拂去，忽然摇动 | |
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16
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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17
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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18
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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19
tartly
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| adv.辛辣地，刻薄地 | |
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hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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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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beckon
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| v.(以点头或打手势)向...示意，召唤 | |
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hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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25
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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26
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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27
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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28
pungent
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| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
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badger
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| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
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boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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aromatic
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| adj.芳香的，有香味的 | |
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milky
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| adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的 | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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34
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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38
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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39
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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40
outspoken
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| adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的 | |
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41
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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42
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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43
bad-tempered
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| adj.脾气坏的 | |
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44
amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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45
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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46
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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47
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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48
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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49
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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51
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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52
trekked
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| v.艰苦跋涉，徒步旅行( trek的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在山中）远足，徒步旅行，游山玩水 | |
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