Lionpaw lunged at the last RiverClanwarrior. The other three had fled wailing3 into the forest already, but this one was cornered, backed up against a bramble so tangled4 that even a ThunderClan cat would think twice about trying to escape through it.
Mosspelt. Lionpaw recognized the blue-eyed tortoiseshell from Gatherings6. But this wasn’t a Gathering7, and he was going to make her sorry she’d ever set paw on his land.
She crouched8, trembling, in front of him as he padded toward her, rage darkening his vision until all he could see was her round, frightened eyes.
“Lionpaw!” Firestar’s sharp mew made him freeze.
Mosspelt darted9 past him and disappeared into the trees.
“Now look what you’ve done!” Lionpaw turned on his leader. “I could have finished her off.”
Wariness10 glittered in Firestar’s eyes. “I think she knew she was beaten.”
Lionpaw glanced down at his fur, clumped11 with blood, some fresh, some drying. What had he done? In the heat of battle he wasn’t always sure how he fought. He simply smelled blood and felt flesh tear beneath his claws.
“What about WindClan?” Lionpaw wondered if the rest of the invaders12 had been beaten yet.
“We’ve just seen the last one back over the border,” Firestar told him.
Ashfur and Berrynose slid from the undergrowth, Spiderleg and Poppyfrost beside them. Ashfur was sticky with blood. One of Berrynose’s ears was shredded13 at the tip. Spiderleg was limping badly, and Poppyfrost, ruffled15 and bleeding, was round eyed with shock.
“What about the other patrols?” Lionpaw insisted. “We should go help them now that we’ve finished here.”
Firestar flicked16 his tail. “Spiderleg’s got a bad belly17 wound. We need to get him back to camp before we check the rest of the territory.”
Spiderleg was lying down, flanks heaving and blood oozing18 onto the forest floor. Ashfur dug his nose under his denmate’s shoulder and pushed him to his paws. “Come on,” he encouraged. “We’ll get you back to Leafpool.” Berrynose pressed against Spiderleg’s other flank, and, between them, the two warriors19 began to half guide, half carry their injured Clanmate back toward the hollow.
“I’ll go see if I can help the other patrols while you take Spiderleg back.” Lionpaw wasn’t ready to return home. He could hear the other battles raging in the distance. He ought to be there, fighting.
“I can’t let you go into the forest alone,” Firestar told him. Was that fear in his eyes?
Frustrated20, Lionpaw joined his Clanmates as they headed for home. He tried to hurry them on by padding ahead, but Firestar kept calling him back. Spiderleg was panting, groaning21 with each step. Hurry up!
At last they headed down the slope toward the thorn barrier. Lionpaw halted at the entrance to let Ashfur and Berrynose help Spiderleg through. Firestar followed them in, but Lionpaw hesitated. He could hear rustling22 in the bushes behind him.
He stared in surprise. “Jaypaw?” His brother was trotting24 out of the trees with Mousewhisker.
“Are you okay?” Jaypaw called. His nose was twitching25. “I can smell blood.”
Lionpaw shrugged26. “It’s not mine.”
Mousewhisker’s eye was closed and swollen27 to the size of an apple.
“Is he okay?” Lionpaw asked.
“The cut just needs cleaning,” Jaypaw told him.
“Apart from a few scratches, it’s my only injury,” Mousewhisker meowed proudly. Jaypaw guided the injured warrior2 into camp, and Lionpaw trailed after them. His claws itched28 to be fighting again.
“RiverClan have come to help WindClan,” Jaypaw was reporting to Firestar. “But Blackstar has sent some cats to help us.”
Surprise lit Firestar’s eyes. “Blackstar’s helping29 us?”
“He sent a whole patrol.”
Firestar drew in a deep breath. “Then all four Clans30 are fighting on our territory.”
Jaypaw nodded.
“You’d better help Leafpool treat the injured.”
Leafpool was already crouching31 over Spiderleg, pressing leaves to his belly to stanch32 the bleeding.
Firestar turned back to the entrance, signaling to his patrol with his tail.
At last!Lionpaw flexed33 his claws and followed his leader through the barrier, refusing to step aside when he felt Ashfur pressing on his heels.
His mentor34 slid past him as they emerged from the tunnel. “You should clean yourself up,” he meowed, glancing at Lionpaw’s sticky pelt5.
“There’ll be plenty of time for that after the battle,” Lionpaw replied.
Ashfur veered35 away from the patrol, shadowing its flank, his dark pelt rippling36 as he slid through the undergrowth. The sun was up now, rising above the trees into a pale, empty sky. Ashfur paused, pricking37 his ears, and Firestar signaled for the rest of the patrol to halt.
“Cats approaching from WindClan’s direction,” Ashfur hissed39.
Lionpaw tasted the air.
WindClan.
A whole patrol.
He stiffened40, tasting the air again to be sure.
Heatherpaw!
He bolted toward the approaching patrol, ignoring Firestar’s cry for him to stop. As he darted like a bird through the undergrowth, his paws skimmed the ground. The sunlight glittered golden through the trees, making it easy to spot the WindClan patrol slinking like weasels through the forest. They were heading for the lake, hoping to finish off Dustpelt’s patrol, no doubt.
Lionpaw could hear his Clanmates’ paws thrumming after him. They exploded from the bushes around him as he reached the WindClan cats.
The enemy patrol scattered41 in panic, but not quickly enough. Ashfur knocked a brown tabby warrior to the ground, while Firestar flung himself at a black tom. Lionpaw charged through two WindClan apprentices42, shoving them aside. Behind them Heatherpaw reared up on her hind23 legs, her blue eyes wide with shock. Lionpaw lunged at her and grasped her scruff between his teeth. She struggled, wailing, as he dragged her through a wall of ferns and flung her to the ground in the small clearing beyond. Enclosed in the pale green cave, he pinned her down, letting his paws prick38 her skin.
“You told them about the tunnels!” he hissed. “I can’t believe you betrayed me. I thought I could trust you to keep your mouth shut.”
“It wasn’t me!”
Rage surged beneath his pelt. “So why is my forest filled with your Clan1?”
Heatherpaw struggled to escape from his grasp, twisting and biting him hard on the foreleg.
“I don’t lie,” she growled43. “It wasn’t me! It was Sedgekit!”
“Why would he do that?” Lionpaw couldn’t believe it. “I saved his life!”
“He was boasting to Weaselfur about the tunnels he found, and then every cat in the Clan knew.”
Lionpaw stared down at her, stifling44 the urge to shred14 her fur. “I don’t believe you,” he breathed. “You’ve never forgiven me for wanting to be a loyal Clan warrior.” He leaned closer and dug in his claws as she tried to wriggle45 away from his hot breath. “I’ll never forget this, Heatherpaw. I will be your enemy forever.”
He released her and turned away, swishing through the ferns with his paws trembling with rage. Had he really loved her once? He had been a different cat then. Now he was one of the three, and he walked a path Heatherpaw couldn’t even dream of.
Green eyes flashed in front of him. “Where’s Heatherpaw?” Crowfeather was blocking his path.
“Get out of my way!”
The WindClan warrior peered past Lionpaw. “What have you done with her?”
“Get out of my way!” Lionpaw lunged at Crowfeather. Hooking his claws into the dark gray warrior’s neck, he flung him through the ferns and thumped46 him onto the ground. Still gripping his throat, he leaped on top, tearing at his flesh in a frenzy47.
Suddenly teeth sank into Lionpaw’s shoulder and claws dug into his flank.
Heatherpaw was dragging him off. “Stop it!” she shrieked48. “What are you doing?”
Startled by the terror in her voice, Lionpaw froze. Crowfeather lay among the green ferns by his forepaws, bright red blood bubbling at his throat.
Heatherpaw crouched over her mentor. “Crowfeather!”
“I’m okay.” He lifted his head. Heatherpaw backed away as he staggered, spluttering, to his paws.
Shame seared Lionpaw’s pelt. The warrior code told him he didn’t need to kill a cat to prove the battle was won. If Heatherpaw hadn’t stopped him, he would have left Crowfeather dead.
What have I become?
Suddenly the light changed.
The bright morning air softened50 into shadow. Dawn seemed to give way to dusk. The birds fell silent. The screeching51 and wailing of battle ceased. Even the buzz of insects quieted as darkness seeped52 through the trees.
Lionpaw looked up.
The sun was disappearing, swallowed by a great black disk, darker and more sharply defined than any cloud.
“What’s happening?” Heatherpaw’s terrified mew hissed in Lionpaw’s ear, but he couldn’t answer. His voice was trapped in his throat, and his claws rooted him to the ground. Around him the air chilled. And above, the sun vanished completely, plunging53 the forest into night.
“StarClan’s killed the sun!” The shriek49 of a WindClan warrior rang through the forest. Instantly cats began wailing, and the woods shivered as they fled, their paws thrumming through the pitch-black forest.
“We’ve got to get home.” Crowfeather coughed. He dragged at Heatherpaw’s scruff as she stood petrified54 beside Lionpaw. “Come on!”
Wild-eyed, Heatherpaw turned to follow her mentor.
“I won’t forget,” Lionpaw hissed in her ear.
As she disappeared into the forest, he watched the sun’s dying rays bleed from the edge of the wide black circle.
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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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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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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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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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gatherings
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| 聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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wariness
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| n. 注意,小心 | |
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clumped
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| adj.[医]成群的v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的过去式和过去分词 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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shredded
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| shred的过去式和过去分词 | |
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shred
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| v.撕成碎片，变成碎片；n.碎布条，细片，些少 | |
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ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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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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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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18
oozing
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| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的现在分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
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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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frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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21
groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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25
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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itched
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| v.发痒( itch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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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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31
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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flexed
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| 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 | |
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mentor
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| n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导 | |
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veered
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| 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 | |
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36
rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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pricking
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| 刺，刺痕，刺痛感 | |
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prick
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| v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛 | |
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39
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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40
stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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43
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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stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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wriggle
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| v./n.蠕动，扭动；蜿蜒 | |
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46
thumped
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| v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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48
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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50
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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51
screeching
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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52
seeped
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| v.（液体）渗( seep的过去式和过去分词 )；渗透；渗出；漏出 | |
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53
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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54
petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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