Wind swept across bleak2 moorland, carryingwith it flurries of rain. The tough grass was sodden3 and water had burst the banks of a stream, spreading out in a wide pool; its surface bubbled as raindrops splashed into it.
At the edge of the pool a badger6 crouched7, apparently8 oblivious9 to the icy wind and rain. For a long time she gazed into the water as if she could see something there, beyond the broken reflection of gray cloud; then she raised her head and looked around.
“I have come,” she announced.
A black she-cat emerged from behind an outcrop of rocks. She was barely more than a shadow; starlight flickered10 at her paws. She was followed by a silvery gray tom whose green eyes stretched wide as he approached the badger. The starlight that shone around him made him seem a cat formed out of rain.
“Why are we here?” The silver tom’s voice was hoarse11, as if he hadn’t used it for a long time. “On a day like this we should be curled up in a warm den4.”
“True, River,” the black she-cat meowed. “Whose idea was it to drag us out here in weather not even fit for foxes?”
“Mine.” A third cat appeared from behind a gorse bush, a broad-shouldered ginger12 tom with white paws. Starlight gleamed in his amber13 eyes, yet he seemed as insubstantial as a flame. “As you know very well, Shadow. We have to meet.”
Shadow snorted. “I don’t haveto do anything you tell me, Thunder.”
Thunder dipped his head. “Of course not. But we have been summoned by the danger to our Clans14. They are on the brink16 of being lost forever—and it’s your fault, Midnight.” His voice sharpened.
“I’m here.” The voice came from farther up the stream. The wiry brown she-cat was barely visible against the drenched18 moorland grass; only the shimmer19 of silvery light around her revealed her outline. She sprang down the slope toward the pool, her paws scarcely touching20 the ground. “Why are you all huddling21 here like lost kits22?” she asked, a hint of mockery in her tone. “It’s only a bit of rain and wind.”
Shadow opened her jaws23, but Thunder interrupted her. “We’re not all used to living in the open, Wind. But that doesn’t matter now. We need to know why Midnight has revealed the secrets of the Clans.”
“But why us?” River complained, shivering. “There are younger cats than us in StarClan. Why call us back from the very beginning?”
Wind nodded. “Haven’t we done enough? We formed the Clans and guided them through their first seasons. They have owed us a debt in all the moons since we walked the forest.”
“We must still watch over our Clans,” Thunder murmured. “This is a danger like none they have ever faced before.” He turned to the badger. “Midnight, why did you tell our secrets?”
“Yes, and tell them to that mange-ridden, crow-food-eating loner?” Shadow spat24, tearing at the grass with her claws. “My Clan15 have abandoned their warrior25 ancestors since he forced his way among them.”
“On sandy cliffs I met Sol,” Midnight began calmly. “First time of meeting, that was.”
“Can’t you see that you gave him power over the Clans when you told him so much about us?” Thunder pressed.
“Knowledge not always power,” Midnight replied. “Clans not need secrecy28 to protect themselves. Rogues29 and loners stay away; they know Clan life is not for them.”
“Clans not need to hide,” Midnight insisted. “If did, not strong enough to meet challenges from outside.”
“Challenges not always from teeth and sharpened claws,” the badger commented.
Wind let out a hiss32. Her neck fur bristled33 as she unsheathed her claws. “Don’t talk to me as if I’m stupid! You’re only trying to avoid admitting that you made a huge mistake. The warriors of StarClan revealed their secrets to you, and you told them to a stranger! There wouldn’t be any trouble in ShadowClan right now if it wasn’t for you.”
Midnight rose to her paws. “Sheathe your claws, small warrior.” Her voice was a rumbling34 growl26. “Stupid is to pick a fight with someone not your enemy.”
For a few heartbeats, Wind stood her ground, only stepping back and sheathing35 her claws when Thunder rested his tail on her shoulder.
“Quarreling won’t help,” the first-ever ThunderClan leader meowed. “The secrets are out. We have to decide what we can do now to help our Clans.”
River shook his head. “Well, I don’t know.”
“Nor do I.” Shadow lashed5 her tail in frustration36. “I’d like to rip the throat out of this ungrateful badger, but it’s too late to change anything.”
“We don’t understand,” Thunder meowed, meeting Midnight’s gaze. “We shared our secrets with you, and you have done so much for our Clans. Why would you want to destroy them like this?”
Before he had finished speaking, the wind picked up and the starry37 cats began to fade, blown away like mist. Midnight watched them with berry-bright eyes until their frail38 forms were gone and the glimmer39 of starlight had died away.
A cat emerged from behind a windblown bush a few tail-lengths away: a hairless cat with bulging40, sightless eyes.
“You heard, Rock?” Midnight asked.
Rock nodded. “I knew the Clan leaders would be unhappy that you confided41 in Sol,” he rasped. “But you had no choice. The power of three is coming, and the Clans mustbe ready.”
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1
prologue
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| n.开场白，序言；开端，序幕 | |
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2
bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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3
sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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4
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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5
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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badger
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| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
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7
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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10
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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12
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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13
amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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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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15
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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16
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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17
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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18
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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shimmer
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| v./n.发微光，发闪光；微光 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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huddling
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| n. 杂乱一团, 混乱, 拥挤 v. 推挤, 乱堆, 草率了事 | |
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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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23
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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26
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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27
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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28
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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29
rogues
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| n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽 | |
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30
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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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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32
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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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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34
rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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35
sheathing
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| n.覆盖物，罩子v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的现在分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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36
frustration
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| n.挫折，失败，失效，落空 | |
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37
starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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38
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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39
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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40
bulging
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| 膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱 | |
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41
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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