Lionpaw was dreaming.
Blood flooded over him, around him, washing through his fur, thick and warm, filling his nostrils1, tumbling him onward2 until he was buffeted3 against rough stone walls.
Help!
He fought the crimson4 tide, churning his paws, his muscles screaming as he struggled against the weight of the flood. His lungs were bursting, and the iron tang of blood filled his mouth.
The wave dragged him across jagged rocks, then swept on without him, leaving him soaked and gasping6 for breath. He blinked open his eyes and saw a stone roof arching high above him. Silvery light filtered through a crack, dimly lighting7 the stone walls of the cave. Lionpaw struggled to his paws, his sodden8 pelt10 heavy. He stared at the blood pooled in the cracks and crevices11 of the wide stone floor and glimpsed a shape—a body—lying awkwardly on the stone floor, paws twisted, tail limp, head thrown back, blood dripping from its whiskers.
Heatherpaw!
Lionpaw stumbled toward her, rage surging beneath his pelt. Growling12, he pawed at her, but she lay heavy and motionless.
She was already dead.
He glared at her, satisfaction welling in his belly13.
You deserve it!
She had caused the battle that had made the sun vanish. And now the Clans14 were falling apart, turning away from StarClan as StarClan turned away from them.
His claws slid out, curling from his paws, longer and sharper than blackthorns. They scraped the cave floor, gouging16 furrows17 in the stone. Blood pounded in his ears, heat surging through him as though he were in battle. No enemy could beat him; no foe18 could spill his blood.
Let the battles come. Nothing can harm me. I am more powerful than StarClan!
“Get off!” Foxpaw’s indignant mew woke him. “You’re digging your claws into my back!”
Lionpaw rolled away and stumbled out of his nest. “Sorry.” His mind was fuzzy with sleep, but the dream still haunted him. He staggered out of the den9, feeling sick.
I was glad she was dead!
Horrified19, he padded into the clearing.
I loved her once.
The morning sun streamed onto his pelt, but he shivered. Fear spread like ice through his bones. He licked at his chest, relieved to find it didn’t taste of blood and his fur wasn’t stained red.
“Good morning, sleepyhead!” Hollypaw was carrying moss20 to the elders’ den.
Lionpaw didn’t reply. He kept washing. He felt his dream had tainted21 him. Did he really want to become more powerful than StarClan if it meant spilling so much blood?
Cloudtail was putting Cinderpaw through her paces below Highledge. “Jump, duck, and roll,” he ordered.
She practiced the battle move, landing perfectly22 on all four paws.
“How did your leg feel?” Cloudtail prompted.
Cinderpaw purred. “Like all my other legs!” She trotted23 around her mentor24 with her tail in the air. “Absolutely fine.”
Millie was coughing in the nursery, her kits25 mewling while Daisy tried to soothe26 them. “It’s all right, my sweets. Try feeding again.”
Sandstorm began rattling27 the branches of the apprentices’ den. “Wake up, Foxpaw, you dormouse!”
The thorn barrier shivered as Graystripe pounded into camp.
Cloudtail looked up. “Any sign of WindClan?”
“No,” Graystripe answered. “The borders are freshly marked, but no cat’s crossed them.”
Dustpelt and Whitewing followed him in and padded to the fresh-kill pile.
Whitewing picked through the prey28 left from last night. “Has the hunting patrol left?”
“Not yet,” Sandstorm called. “We’re heading out shortly.” She rattled29 the apprentices’ den once more. “Once I can get Foxpaw out of his nest. He thinks he’s allowed to miss all his duties while Squirrelflight’s sick.” She looked at Lionpaw. “Do you want to come hunting?”
Lionpaw paused in his washing. “Yes.” Perhaps a run in the woods would clear his mind. He could pretend he was like any other apprentice—for a short time, at least.
Leafpool slid out of her den. Jaypaw padded after her, yawning.
“We need more marigold,” she mewed. “Squirrelflight’s wound is healing nicely, but I want to be ready for any late infections. We can’t risk taking anything for granted.” She glanced nervously30 up at the sun, rising over the trees at the rim5 of the hollow.
“I’ll fetch some this morning,” Jaypaw offered. He stretched, his tail quivering with the effort. “There’s a patch beside the shore.”
“It’ll be the last of the season, I expect.” Leafpool sighed.
“Then I’ll get as much as I can.”
Grit31 sprinkled down from Highledge. Firestar was sitting outside his cave, washing. His orange pelt turned to fire as the morning light caught it. He gave each ear a quick rub, then gazed down at the camp. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather together!” he called.
Sandstorm looked up, surprised.
Lionpaw straightened. What about the hunt?
The warriors’ den shivered as Brackenfur and Birchfall padded out. Poppyfrost and Berrynose followed, their eyes bleary with sleep. Foxpaw stumbled dozily33 from the apprentices’ den.
“About time, too!” Sandstorm chided. “I was about to come in and drag you out by your tail.”
Icepaw trotted out after her brother. “Sorry,” she apologized. “I kept him awake last night. We were trying to stay up till you got back from the Gathering34.”
Sandstorm glanced at Firestar. “You’ll hear about it soon enough.”
Lionpaw padded beneath Highledge as the Clan15 gathered. Dustpelt shook sleep from his whiskers, while Thornclaw sat beside him and picked moss from his pelt. Squirrelflight had padded to the edge of the clearing. From the stern looks Leafpool was flashing at her, she was meant to be in her nest.
Hollypaw slid in beside Lionpaw. “What do you think he’s going to tell them?” she whispered.
Lionpaw guessed she was talking about the Gathering. How would Firestar break the news of Blackstar’s revelation to his Clan?
Jaypaw weaved his way among his Clanmates and sat down beside Lionpaw. “I hope you slept better than me.”
Lionpaw stared at his paws, feeling hot, as Heatherpaw’s motionless body flashed behind his eyes.
“The Gathering was not what we expected.” Firestar’s mew jolted35 him out of the hateful vision. “ShadowClan didn’t come.”
Mews of shock erupted through the Clan.
Brightheart pricked36 her ears. “What was wrong with them?”
“Is there sickness in ShadowClan?” Cloudtail called.
Firestar ignored the questions and pressed on. “Blackstar came with the loner, Sol, and told us that ShadowClan are turning their backs on StarClan.”
Mousewhisker looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Firestar stared down at the young warrior32. “ShadowClan no longer believe that StarClan hold all the answers. They have lost faith in their warrior ancestors and will not be attending any more Gatherings37.”
He raised his voice over the murmurs38 of alarm speeding through the Clan. “The loner Sol appears to be encouraging this belief. But I hope StarClan will have a greater influence over ShadowClan in the end. I believe they will speak through Littlecloud and to Blackstar himself. StarClan have never let us down before. Perhaps they let Blackstar stray for a reason. But I’m sure they will bring him back to the Clans. All will be well. Remember how the sun disappeared? But then it came back again, as warm as ever. This darkness will pass too, I’m sure.”
As the Clan stared up at their leader, Lionpaw remembered Sol’s words: The light will return, just like the sun came back, but it will be your light, and yours to control.
His blood-soaked dream lingered in his mind. Was he ready for such power? Did he even deserve it?
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收听单词发音
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1
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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buffeted
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| 反复敲打( buffet的过去式和过去分词 )； 连续猛击； 打来打去； 推来搡去 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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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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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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crevices
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| n.（尤指岩石的）裂缝，缺口( crevice的名词复数 ) | |
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growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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13
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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14
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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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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16
gouging
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| n.刨削[槽]v.凿( gouge的现在分词 )；乱要价；（在…中）抠出…；挖出… | |
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17
furrows
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| n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 ) | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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21
tainted
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| adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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mentor
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| n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导 | |
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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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soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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27
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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28
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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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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31
grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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dozily
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| adv.舒服地，安乐地，安逸地 | |
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34
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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35
jolted
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| （使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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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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38
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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