CHAPTER2
Jaypaw slid into the nursery witha bunch of catmint clamped in his jaws1. The sharp scent2 of the herbs didn’t disguise the warm, milky3 scent of the nursing queens, or the underlying4 sourness that made Jaypaw’s fur prickle uneasily.
Daisy’s sleepy voice greeted him. “Hi, Jaypaw.”
Millie’s only reply was a cough. Jaypaw padded over to her, across the thick layer of moss6 and bracken that covered the nursery floor, and dropped the herbs beside her. “Leafpool sent you those.”
“Thanks, Jaypaw.” Millie’s voice was hoarse7. “Will you take a look at Briarkit? Her pelt9 feels really hot.”
Jaypaw nuzzled among the kits10, who were sleeping pressed up close to their mother’s belly11, until he identified Briarkit by her scent. The little kit8 was restless, letting out faint mews in her sleep and shifting about in the moss as if she couldn’t get comfortable. Jaypaw sniffed14 her all over, catching15 a whiff of the same sour scent that came from Millie. Her pelt was hot, just as Millie said, and her nose was dry.
Briarkit might have caught her mother’s cough!he thought worriedly. Aloud he said, “I’ll get Leafpool to send her some borage leaves for the fever. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” I hope I sound more confident than I feel, he added to himself.
As he listened to Millie chewing up the catmint, Jaypaw wondered whether it would be better to move her and Briarkit out of the nursery, so that the infection wouldn’t spread any further. It would be easier to look after them in Leafpool’s den12.
But then Millie wouldn’t be able to feed Blossomkit and Bumblekit
He could sense sharp pangs16 of anxiety coming from Daisy, the fear that Rosekit and Toadkit would start coughing, too. There was nothing Jaypaw could say to reassure18 her. His claws worked impatiently in the mossy bedding. If I’ve got the power of the stars in my paws, why can’t I cure a cough?
The nursery felt hot and stifling19, cramped20 with all five kits and the two mothers in there. Jaypaw was eager to be out in the open again, but he needed to wait and see if the catmint had helped Millie at all.
He heard a scuffling from Daisy’s direction, and Toadkit’s voice. “I’m a WindClan warrior22, and I’m coming to get you!”
“I’ll get you first!” Rosekit mewed back.
“That’s enough!” Daisy scolded. “If you want to play, go outside.”
The two kits bundled past Jaypaw and he heard their excited mews dying away as they dashed out into the clearing.
The long-furred she-cat sighed. “Sometimes I can’t wait for them to be apprenticed26.”
“It won’t be long now,” Jaypaw meowed. “They’re strong kits.”
Daisy sighed again; Jaypaw could still sense that she was worrying, but she didn’t try to put her fears into words.
“My throat feels better now,” Millie announced, swallowing the last of the herbs. “Thanks, Jaypaw.”
Another loud bout13 of coughing interrupted her. Jaypaw flinched27 as a ball of sticky spit caught him on the ear. “I’ll go and talk to Leafpool,” he mewed hurriedly, backing toward the entrance to the den.
On his way out he clawed up a pawful of moss and rolled over on it to clean his ear. I wonder what happens if a medicine cat gets sick. Who looks after the Clan21 then?Shrugging, he headed across the clearing toward the den he shared with Leafpool.
As he brushed past the bramble screen, Jaypaw picked up the scents29 of other cats as well as Leafpool; sniffing30, he distinguished31 Birchfall and Hazeltail. There was a tang of blood in the air.
“Who’s hurt?” he demanded, his neck fur rising at the thought of another battle.
“Birchfall has a wounded shoulder,” Leafpool explained. “Picking a fight with ShadowClan cats, by the sound of it.”
“Theypicked a fight with us,” Birchfall protested.
“And whose claws came out first?” the ThunderClan medicine cat retorted. “Brambleclaw told me all about it. You’re lucky it’s no worse. That cobweb should stop the bleeding,” she went on, “but come back if it starts again. And I want to see you tomorrow in any case, to make sure the gash32 is healing well.”
“Okay.” Birchfall sounded disgruntled, then added, “Thanks, Leafpool.”
“You too, Hazeltail,” Leafpool continued. “If the dizziness comes back, I want you in here straightaway. Now both of you take these poppy seeds and go and have a good sleep in the warriors33’ den. No more duties until tomorrow.”
Hazeltail and Birchfall brushed past Jaypaw on their way out of the den. As their scents faded, Leafpool asked, “How’s Millie?”
“She says her throat feels better,” Jaypaw replied, “but she’s still coughing. And Briarkit is feverish34. I think she might have caught the cough too.”
“Oh, no!” Jaypaw picked up Leafpool’s sudden spurt35 of anxiety. “I’ll go over there and take a look,” she meowed. “And then I’ll have to go into the forest—we’re low on borage leaves for fevers. Can you check the elders?”
Jaypaw stifled36 a groan37. “Sure.” He would much rather go out into the forest; he could find borage by scent just as well as Leafpool could by sight.
“I’m worried Mousefur might still be stiff after scrambling38 up to the Highledge during the battle,” Leafpool went on. “And they’ll both need checking for ticks.”
That’s an apprentice25 job,Jaypaw thought resentfully as his mentor39 padded past him on her way to the nursery. He answered himself: So? That’s what you are, an apprentice. Get on with it
He had been proud of his littermates when Firestar had made them warriors, but Jaypaw had no idea when Leafpool would give him his name as a full medicine cat, and he would walk in her shadow until she died. He didn’t want her to die, and yet…Can’t I haveanything for myself? How long before the prophecy is fulfilled?
Trying to banish40 the thoughts clawing at his belly, he found a twig41 and collected a ball of moss soaked in mouse bile from the cave where Leafpool kept her supplies. Wrinkling his nose against the acrid42 smell, he stalked across the clearing to the elders’ den under the hazel bush.
“Hi, Jaypaw,” Longtail meowed drowsily43 as he approached; Jaypaw was surprised that the blind elder could pick out his scent even with the tang of mouse bile in the air.
“It’s good to see you,” Mousefur added. “I’ve got a tick on my shoulder that feels as big as a blackberry.”
“Let me look,” Jaypaw mumbled around the twig. At least Mousefur sounded in a good mood today. If she was in a bad temper she could claw with her tongue almost as harshly as Yellowfang, the former ThunderClan medicine cat whom Jaypaw met in his dreams.
He soon found the tick—not as big as Mousefur said, but swollen44 enough to make her uncomfortable—and dabbed45 mouse bile on it until it dropped off.
Jaypaw set the twig aside and began searching the skinny elder’s fur to see if she had picked up any more ticks. “Leafpool wondered if you were stiff after climbing to the Highledge.”
Mousefur snorted. “Tell young Leafpool that I may be an elder but I’m not completely helpless. Why would I be stiff after a little climb like that?”
“Is that how you talk to an elder?” Mousefur’s voice was tart17, but Jaypaw could feel her amusement. She settled herself comfortably and went on, “You were at the Gathering49, weren’t you? What happened? I know there was trouble, but no cat tells us anything. Was it WindClan again?”
“No…” Jaypaw hesitated. He didn’t want to discuss Sol with any cat.
“ShadowClan didn’t come,” Jaypaw began, choosing his words carefully. “Just Blackstar. He had Sol with him.”
“Yes.” Jaypaw was surprised that Mousefur seemed so hostile. “You didn’t like Sol, then?”
“I don’t trust any cat who knows things that StarClan hasn’t told our medicine cat,” Mousefur replied. “There’s something wrong there, or I’m a rabbit.”
“Blackstar spoke52 to the Gathering,” Jaypaw went on, relieved that Mousefur didn’t know Sol had almost become his mentor for fulfilling the secret prophecy. “He said that Sol had persuaded him and ShadowClan not to listen to StarClan anymore.”
“What?” Jaypaw felt Mousefur’s pelt begin to bristle53. “But every Clan cat listens to StarClan. What else are they supposed to do?”
Mousefur snorted. “No more than I’d expect from that flea-brain. So what did StarClan have to say about it?”
“Nothing,” Jaypaw admitted. “The moon kept on shining, bright and clear.”
He felt Mousefur’s muscles tense under his paws. “That doesn’t make sense,” she muttered.
Though Jaypaw agreed, he didn’t reply, just retrieved55 the ball of mouse bile to deal with another tick near the old cat’s tail. “There, you’re done,” he mewed when the tick plopped onto the floor.
Mousefur grunted56 her thanks, and Jaypaw turned to Longtail. The blind elder had remained silent as Jaypaw passed on the news of the Gathering; Jaypaw could pick up mingled57 feelings of guilt58 and confusion. He guessed that Longtail was still feeling bad that he hadn’t been able to fight beside his Clan in the battle. There wasn’t much Jaypaw could say to comfort him. He was blind, too, but at least he had been able to use his medicine cat skills to help.
“Keep still,” he meowed, parting Longtail’s fur gently and making sure his claws were sheathed59. “I’ll soon check you for ticks.”
“Thanks, Jaypaw.” Longtail relaxed a little. “Could you check my pad, too?” he added, holding out one forepaw. “I think it got scraped on the stones when I climbed up to the Highledge.”
“Sure.” Jaypaw didn’t find any ticks, and set the mouse bile on one side to run his paws over Longtail’s pad. There was no sign of blood, but he could feel grit60 embedded61 in the roughened skin.
Bending his head, Jaypaw rasped his tongue over Longtail’s paw until it felt smooth again. “I don’t think you need any yarrow, but I’ll check it again tomorrow. Keep it clean, and give it a good lick now and again.”
“I’ll do that,” Longtail meowed. “It feels better already.”
Jaypaw picked up the twig and squeezed his way out of the elders’ den. I wish we could sort out Sol and ShadowClan as easily as I can sort out a scraped pad.
He picked up Hollyleaf’s scent close by. A blast of anxiety hit him, like walking into the teeth of a gale62; he could almost feel his fur flattened63 by it.
“I thought you’d never finish!” his sister exclaimed.
“What’s the matter?” Jaypaw asked her.
“We’ve got to talk.” Hollyleaf’s voice was low and tense. “There was a fight on the ShadowClan border this morning.”
“I know,” Jaypaw replied. “So what? There are border skirmishes all the time.”
“This wasn’tjust a border skirmish,” Hollyleaf hissed64. “It’s all about Sol. He’s telling the ShadowClan cats to ignore the warrior code.”
Hollyleaf’s anxiety crackled like lightning. “Look, we can’t talk now. We need Lionblaze here. Sandstorm and Cloudtail are waiting for me to go on another hunting patrol, so we’ll meet when I get back, okay?”
“Okay.” Jaypaw knew that Hollyleaf wouldn’t give up until he agreed.
“Hollyleaf!” Cloudtail’s voice came from the other side of the camp.
“Coming!” Hollyleaf called back. “I’ll catch you later,” she mewed to Jaypaw, and bounded off.
Shaking his head, half irritated and half worried by his sister’s distress66, Jaypaw padded back to his own den.
Jaypaw was tidying the supply of yarrow when Leafpool returned from the forest with a huge bunch of borage leaves. “I was lucky to find these,” she meowed, dropping the stems at Jaypaw’s paws. “It’s time we started stocking up getting ready for leaf-bare.”
“I can go out and start collecting stuff,” Jaypaw suggested hopefully. Anything to get out of camp!
“In a day or two, maybe,” Leafpool replied. “We should go through the stores first, and check on what we need. Meanwhile, you can shred67 some of these leaves and chew them into pulp68 for Briarkit.”
Boring!But Jaypaw knew better than to object. He pushed the yarrow to the back of the cleft69 where they stored herbs and began tearing the borage leaves apart with his claws. He’d gotten through less than half the pile when he heard paw steps outside the den and caught a whiff of fresh-kill. He picked up Hollyleaf’s scent, too; the hunting patrol had returned.
“Sorry,” he mewed to Leafpool, springing to his paws. “There’s something I’ve got to do.”
He brushed past the bramble screen and tracked his sister by her scent. He bounded forward and felt her muzzle70 brush his shoulder as she ran to meet him.
“Come on,” she urged breathlessly. “Lionblaze is waiting for us behind the warriors’ den.”
Jaypaw followed her, squeezing into the space where they used to play when they were kits. “It’s a bit more squashed in here than I remember,” he muttered as he edged between his two littermates.
“Because we’re bigger, mouse-brain,” Hollyleaf snapped.
“And they extended the warriors’ den,” Lionblaze added. “There’s still not enough room in there, though. I kind of envy Foxpaw and Icepaw, now they’ve got the apprentices’ den all to themselves.”
“Not for long,” Jaypaw replied. “Rosekit and Toadkit will be in there pretty soon.” He winced71 as Hollyleaf stuck her paw into his side. “Hey, watch it!”
“There’s a thorn stuck between my toes and I can’t reach it,” Hollyleaf explained.
“Okay.” Jaypaw felt around his sister’s paw until he located the thorn, digging in deep between the beds of her claws.
“Hollyleaf, tell us what’s on your mind,” Lionblaze suggested; Jaypaw could feel his impatience72 like a cloud of stinging flies. “We can’t stay stuck behind here all day.”
“I’m worried about what Sol is teaching the ShadowClan cats,” Hollyleaf began. “Ivytail said he told them not to listen to StarClan anymore.”
Jaypaw drew back from Hollyleaf’s paw with the thorn gripped between his teeth. He spat73 it out. “We heard that at the Gathering,” he pointed out. “Is it such a bad thing?”
“I don’t mean about ignoring StarClan. But it’s good for cats to question things instead of just accepting them.”
“There are some things you just don’t question.” Hollyleaf spoke with utter certainty. “Sol doesn’t think we should follow the warrior code. And without that, what are we? Just a band of rogues75.”
“This still isn’t anything new,” Lionblaze meowed. “Why are you getting so upset?”
“What’s new is that now we know the whole of ShadowClan is agreeing with Sol, not just Blackstar. Honestly, are you both mouse-brained? Do you wanta Clan on our borders who doesn’t follow the warrior code? What’s to stop them from crossing the border and stealing our prey77? Or maybe even raiding our camp and stealing our kits?”
“I’d like to see them try,” Lionblaze growled78; squashed up against him, Jaypaw could feel his brother’s muscles flex47 as he extended his claws and dug them into the ground.
“The Clans79 will be destroyed if we don’t stick together and believe in the same things,” Hollyleaf went on, her anger rising. “We have to dosomething.”
“I’d like to tear that mange-ridden rogue76 apart.” Lionblaze’s irritation80 was deepening into anger as fierce as his sister’s; Jaypaw struggled not to feel overwhelmed by the force of their fury surging over him from both sides. “Sol promisedto help us with the prophecy, and then he left us and went to ShadowClan.” After a heartbeat’s pause Lionblaze added, “Do you think there’s a prophecy about ShadowClan, too?”
“I’m sure there isn’t,” Jaypaw meowed. “Weare the three. I know we are.”
He hoped that neither of his littermates would ask him how he could be so sure. He couldn’t imagine how he would tell them about his dreams in the mountains when he had visited the Tribe of Endless Hunting.
“I still think Sol knows more about the prophecy than he’s telling us,” he went on. “And if he won’t come to us, then we’ll have to cross the border and find him.”
“Trespass81 in ShadowClan territory?” Hollyleaf’s shock struck Jaypaw like a blow. “We can’t do that! We’dbe breaking the warrior code.”
“That’s just what I was saying,” Jaypaw meowed. “Sure, we can’t do without the warrior code. But there are times when it’s right to break it. Great StarClan!” he went on, as he sensed that his sister was rejecting his idea. “When we were kits, didn’t we hear stories about how Firestar sometimes broke the warrior code if he thought it was right? We can’t do anything about the prophecy until we know whatever Sol knows. Whether he’s right or not about StarClan, he knew the sun was going to disappear, and StarClan didn’t. And we’re not going to learn anything from him by staying here.”
“I’m up for it,” Lionblaze snarled82. “I’ll makeSol tell us the answers. Hollyleaf, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”
Hollyleaf’s shock was fading into uncertainty83. “No, we’re in this together. Besides,” she went on, more determined84, “maybe the prophecy means that we’re the only cats who have the power to saveShadowClan.”
Jaypaw didn’t say anything. If the only way Hollyleaf could bring herself to trespass was by thinking she was doing it for ShadowClan’s sake, he’d let her go on thinking that. But he and Lionblaze were doing this for the three of them, to find out what the prophecy really meant and how they could achieve the power they had been promised.
“Jaypaw? Are you there?”
Jaypaw’s ears flicked85 at the sound of Lionblaze calling softly from the other side of the bramble screen. He listened a moment longer, until he picked up regular breathing that told him Leafpool was soundly asleep. Then he climbed out of his nest and slid out of his den into the clearing.
The scents of Lionblaze and Hollyleaf wreathed around him. “Follow closely,” Lionblaze whispered. “The moon is shining and we have to keep to the shadows. Cloudtail is on guard at the entrance.”
“Oh, great.” Jaypaw wrinkled his nose.
“You can crawl out underneath87 the brambles if you’d rather,” Lionblaze muttered. “Come on.”
Jaypaw’s pelt prickled as he crept after his brother around the edge of the stone hollow. But when he felt the tunnel walls closing around him, the thorns snagging his pelt, there had been no yowl from Cloudtail. He relaxed slightly when he emerged from the other end and picked his way across the dirtplace. As they headed into the forest he tried sniffing out clumps88 of herbs and brushing through them to get rid of the nasty smell.
The forest was silent except for the gentle rustling89 of leaves and the occasional scuttling90 of prey in the undergrowth.
“We need to keep together, and keep quiet,” Lionblaze murmured. “There might be ThunderClan cats out for some night hunting, and we don’t want any cat asking questions.”
“Okay,” Hollyleaf replied. Jaypaw could tell she was scared, not by the thought of a fight with ShadowClan warriors, but because she didn’t want to be caught breaking the warrior code. I wish she’d lighten up. If we’ve got the power of the stars in our paws, we’re more powerful than the code, right?
Lionblaze led them to the stream that marked part of the border. “Keep right behind me,” he instructed Jaypaw. “It’s not deep.”
Jaypaw bristled91. “I’m fine, thanks,” he muttered. He didn’t want any cat to know how scared he was of water, even after teaching Cinderheart to swim. His belly churned when he felt the water lapping around his paws, then rising up his legs as he waded92 deeper. But before the water lapped his belly fur he felt it sink again, and soon he was scrambling out onto the bank in ShadowClan territory, the reek93 of ShadowClan scent all around him.
“We should roll in their scent marks,” Hollyleaf suggested. “That way we’ll disguise our ThunderClan scent.”
“Wonderful,” Jaypaw grumbled94, even though his sister’s idea was a good one. “The dirtplace, and now ShadowClan. I won’t be able to lick my fur for a moon.”
Thoroughly95 covered in ShadowClan scent, the three cats headed deeper into the rival Clan’s territory. Jaypaw’s ears were pricked96 for the sound of approaching patrols, his jaws parted to pick up the stronger scent that would warn him of approaching warriors. But the forest was eerily97 silent.
“Where are they all?” Hollyleaf whispered. It was unusual for no cats to be out at night, not even a few hunters, especially when there was a bright moon.
No cat answered her. They went on until Jaypaw felt the fallen leaves under his pads give way to sharp pine needles. “We must be getting close to the camp,” he whispered.
Lionblaze took the lead again, guiding Jaypaw in short dashes; Jaypaw understood that they were flitting from shadow to shadow. At last he could taste an overwhelming surge of ShadowClan scent from somewhere ahead. The ground underpaw began to rise, and became broken up, with rocks poking98 out of the pine-needle covering.
Soon Jaypaw felt Lionblaze’s tail barring his way. “Keep down!” his brother hissed. “Then creep forward about a tail-length.”
Jaypaw did as he was told, feeling the prickle of thorns raking the fur on his back. Sniffing, he caught the scent of gorse, and realized they must be hiding under a bush. His littermates’ pelts99 were pressed against his, one on either side.
“What can you see?” he demanded.
“We’re looking down into the camp. Sol is there,” Hollyleaf breathed into his ear. “Standing on top of a rock. The whole Clan is listening to him—even the kits! I can see Blackstar, and Russetfur, and…oh, there’s Tawnypelt!”
“Shut up!” Lionblaze growled. “I want to hear what Sol’s saying.”
Jaypaw flicked his ears forward. He could already make out Sol’s voice rising from the hollow, and as the others fell silent he heard what the loner was saying.
“…no cat should just accept what has gone before,” Sol meowed, his voice ringing above the faint sounds of the forest. “StarClan’s time is over. These cats are dead, and their spirits have no power over you.”
Jaypaw suppressed a shiver. No cat who had met with StarClan at the Moonpool would agree that StarClan had no power. We will havemore power, he thought. But we’re the three in the prophecy. Ordinary cats should still look to StarClan
“I’ve shared tongues with StarClan.” Jaypaw recognized the voice of Littlecloud, the ShadowClan medicine cat. He sounded worried. “I can’t believe that our warrior ancestors are powerless. Or has everything I’ve experienced been a lie?”
“StarClan is good at deceiving,” Sol replied smoothly100. “Ask yourselves, did they warn you that the sun would vanish? No! That means either they didn’t know about it, or they don’t care about you enough to warn you. Why should any cat go on trusting them?”
Murmurs101 of agreement rose up to where the three ThunderClan cats were hiding. Littlecloud didn’t protest again.
“When the sun vanished, everything you believe in changed,” Sol continued. His voice was so powerful and persuasive102 that Jaypaw could understand how ordinary cats would be influenced by him. “What you must ask yourselves is what should you do about it? Where will you find your answers now?”
“In ourselves.” Blackstar spoke, a deeper, rougher voice than Sol’s. “What this cat says is true,” he added, addressing his Clan. “StarClan led us to live beside this lake, and I’ve always had my doubts that it was the right decision. There are too many Twolegs, for a start.”
“And too much has gone wrong,” Cedarheart growled. “The two kittypets in the Twoleg nest—”
“Arguments about borders,” Toadfoot put in.
“Hang on a moment.” Jaypaw stiffened103 as he heard Tawnypelt speak up. “Things went wrong in the old forest, too. You can’t expect life to be all mice and moonlight.”
“That just goes to prove what Sol is saying.” Blackstar’s voice was harsh. “StarClan couldn’t help us there, either. They couldn’t even stop the Twolegs from driving us out.”
“What does Blackstar mean?” Lionblaze whispered, pressing closer to Jaypaw. “Does he want to lead ShadowClan away from the lake? He must have bees in his brain! One Clan alone, and leaf-bare not far off?”
“He can’t!” Hollyleaf’s voice shook. “There haveto be four Clans.”
“Shhh!” Jaypaw hissed, trying to concentrate on what was happening in the hollow. But before he could hear any more, jagged lines of silver flashed across his vision. He seemed to be looking down a long forest path; moonlight silvered the forest floor, barred with black where the shadows of trees lay across it. Lumbering105 toward him was a badger, the white stripe down its face glowing like a silver flame. Jaypaw had barely caught his breath with shock when the creature was gone, and the familiar night of his blindness swallowed up his vision.
“What’s the matter?” Lionblaze murmured.
Jaypaw realized that all the muscles in his body were tense; he was crouching106 with his claws dug into the earth and every hair on his pelt bristling107.
“I saw a badger!” Jaypaw remembered just in time to keep his voice low.
“You saw…?” Hollyleaf sounded bewildered.
“I had a vision.” Jaypaw was too spooked to explain in detail. “We’re in danger here.”
He heard Lionblaze draw in a long breath, and pictured his brother with his jaws gaping108, tasting the air.
“There’s no badger here,” Lionblaze reported. “Are you sure you saw it?”
Jaypaw lashed104 his tail. “No,” he snapped. “I’m just making it up for fun. What do you think, mouse-brain?”
He paused to taste the air himself, and listened for the sound of the huge, clumsy creature trampling109 through the undergrowth. But the forest was still and silent, except for the sound of voices coming from the ShadowClan camp, and he couldn’tpick up the slightest trace of badger scent.
“It’s got to be a sign of something,” he mewed. “I don’t understand it yet, but I don’t think we’re safe here anymore. We should get back to the stone hollow as quickly as we can.”
“But we haven’t spoken to Sol yet,” Lionblaze protested.
“And we won’t, tonight,” Hollyleaf pointed out. “Not with all ShadowClan listening to him. I think Jaypaw’s right. We should go while we have the chance.”
Jaypaw could feel that Lionblaze was unhappy with the decision, a sullen110 anger with Sol churning away inside him, but his brother didn’t argue when Hollyleaf led the way down the slope away from the camp and back toward the border.
Jaypaw’s pelt didn’t lie flat again until they had waded back across the stream and were creeping through the tunnel into the ThunderClan camp. He slipped back into his den and flopped111 down beside the sleeping Leafpool.
Clan, what are you trying to tell me?
Jaypaw woke with a paw prodding114 him sharply in the side. The sun warmed his fur, and Leafpool’s scent swirled115 around him.
“Wake up, Jaypaw! What do you think you are, a dormouse?”
Jaypaw blinked drowsily. “Wha…”
“There’s work to be done. I need you to check on Millie and Briarkit.”
“Oh…okay.” Jaypaw staggered to his paws, flinching116 at a scuffling sound outside the den until he realized it was only Icepaw and Foxpaw dashing past.
He didn’t feel that he had slept at all after the previous night’s expedition. It took an effort to pull his mind away from Sol and the ShadowClan cats, and the terrifying vision of the badger. “What do you want me to do?” he asked.
“I’ve been across to the nursery to check on Millie and Briarkit. Millie needs more catmint. And I’ve made a leafwrap of borage for Briarkit. You can take them over there when—”
Jaypaw stopped listening and flattened himself to the ground at the sound of a throaty bark somewhere out in the forest.
“Jaypaw, what’s the matter with you?” Concern replaced Leafpool’s irritation. “Are you ill?” He heard her sniffing as her nose touched his fur. “You smell a bit funny.”
Jaypaw cringed inside. He didn’t want to discuss his scent, in case it led to more awkward questions. “I’m fine,” he asserted. “That barking startled me, that’s all.”
“But you’ve heard a fox bark before. It was a long way off, and if it comes any closer the patrols will spot it.”
“I know.” Jaypaw scrambled117 into a sitting position, giving his chest fur an awkward lick. “It’s just…I had this dream last night.” No need to saywhere I had it. “I saw a badger. I…I wondered if it meant danger.”
Jaypaw shook his head.
Leafpool sat down beside him. He could sense her uncertainty, but she didn’t seem to be afraid. “I think the badger you saw might have been Midnight,” she told him.
“Who’s Midnight?”
Leafpool settled herself more comfortably among the bracken stalks. “Back in the old forest, StarClan called four cats, one from each Clan, to make a long journey to the sun-drown-place to find a badger called Midnight.”
Jaypaw’s ears pricked. “Was that how they knew the Clans would have to leave the forest?”
“That’s right,” Leafpool meowed. “Brambleclaw was chosen from ThunderClan, and Squirrelflight went with him. Midnight warned them that the old forest would be destroyed, and then helped all the Clans to find this home beside the lake.”
Jaypaw felt his neck fur beginning to rise. “StarClan gave a message to a badger? But badgers kill cats!”
“Not Midnight,” Leafpool assured him. “She’s no ordinary badger. Later, when we had settled here by the lake, a horde of hostile badgers invaded our camp and tried to kill us all and drive us out. And Midnight…”
She trailed off. Jaypaw felt a rush of mingled emotions surge through her, fear and regret and grief. He wondered why she should feel so strongly about a battle that had been over and done with before he was born, but he was too curious about Midnight to try to make sense of what she was feeling.
“What happened with the badgers?” he prompted.
“We tried to fight them off.” Jaypaw realized that his mentor was making a great effort to keep her voice steady. “But there were too many. They would have destroyed ThunderClan ifMidnight hadn’t brought WindClan to help.”
“Yes.” Leafpool drew in a long breath and let it out again. “There is nothing to fear from her. But she may have been trying to warn us of some other danger. You will tell me if she comes to you again?”
“Of course.” Maybe. Jaypaw knew that if this strange badger appeared again he would find out what she had to say before he decided119 whether to tell any cat.
“Why do we have to sit around waiting for her?” he asked. “Brambleclaw knows where she lives, so why can’t we go and visit her?”
“It’s too far,” Leafpool replied firmly. She seemed calmer now that they had stopped talking about the badgers’ invasion. “There’s a lot of tension between the Clans right now, so Firestar would never spare warriors for that sort of journey. Especially not Brambleclaw. He’s deputy now; he’s needed here.”
“What about—” Jaypaw stopped himself. He had been about to suggest Squirrelflight, but she had only just left Leafpool’s den after being so badly wounded in the battle against WindClan. She wasn’t even back on warrior duties yet; there was no way she could make a long journey. “I guess you’re right,” he muttered.
So, Midnight, if you want me, you’ll have to come and find me
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1
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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2
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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3
milky
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| adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的 | |
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4
underlying
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| adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的 | |
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5
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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8
kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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10
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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11
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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12
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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13
bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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14
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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15
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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17
tart
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| adj.酸的；尖酸的，刻薄的；n.果馅饼；淫妇 | |
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18
reassure
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| v.使放心，使消除疑虑 | |
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19
stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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21
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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22
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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wrestle
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| vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付 | |
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24
flailing
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| v.鞭打( flail的现在分词 )；用连枷脱粒；（臂或腿）无法控制地乱动；扫雷坦克 | |
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25
apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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apprenticed
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
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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28
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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29
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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30
sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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31
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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32
gash
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| v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝 | |
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33
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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34
feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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35
spurt
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| v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆 | |
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36
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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37
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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38
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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39
mentor
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| n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导 | |
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40
banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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41
twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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42
acrid
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| adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的 | |
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43
drowsily
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| adv.睡地，懒洋洋地，昏昏欲睡地 | |
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44
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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45
dabbed
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| （用某物）轻触( dab的过去式和过去分词 )； 轻而快地擦掉（或抹掉）； 快速擦拭； （用某物）轻而快地涂上（或点上）… | |
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46
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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47
flex
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| n.皮线，花线；vt.弯曲或伸展 | |
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48
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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49
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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50
badger
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| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
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51
tricky
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| adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的 | |
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52
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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53
bristle
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| v.（毛发）直立，气势汹汹，发怒；n.硬毛发 | |
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54
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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55
retrieved
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| v.取回( retrieve的过去式和过去分词 )；恢复；寻回；检索（储存的信息） | |
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56
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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57
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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58
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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59
sheathed
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| adj.雕塑像下半身包在鞘中的；覆盖的；铠装的；装鞘了的v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的过去式和过去分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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60
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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61
embedded
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| a.扎牢的 | |
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62
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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63
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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64
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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65
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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66
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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67
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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68
pulp
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| n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆 | |
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69
cleft
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| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
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70
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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71
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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73
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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74
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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75
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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76
rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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77
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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78
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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79
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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80
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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81
trespass
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| n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地 | |
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82
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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83
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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84
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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85
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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86
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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87
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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88
clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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89
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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90
scuttling
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| n.船底穿孔，打开通海阀（沉船用）v.使船沉没( scuttle的现在分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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91
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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92
waded
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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93
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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94
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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95
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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96
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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97
eerily
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| adv.引起神秘感或害怕地 | |
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98
poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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99
pelts
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| n. 皮毛，投掷, 疾行 vt. 剥去皮毛，（连续）投掷 vi. 猛击，大步走 | |
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100
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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101
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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102
persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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103
stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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104
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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105
lumbering
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| n.采伐林木 | |
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106
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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107
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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108
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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109
trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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110
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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111
flopped
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| v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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112
badgers
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| n.獾( badger的名词复数 )；獾皮；（大写）獾州人（美国威斯康星州人的别称）；毛鼻袋熊 | |
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113
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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114
prodding
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| v.刺，戳( prod的现在分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
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115
swirled
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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116
flinching
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的现在分词 ) | |
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117
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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119
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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