CHAPTER22
Gray-green clouds hung low over theforest and the air felt thick and clammy. Hollyleaf’s pelt1 prickled with the warning of an approaching storm. As she padded through the forest at the rear of Ashfur’s hunting patrol, the looming2 storm clouds seemed to echo the uneasiness inside her. However much she tried to push her worries away, she couldn’t ignore the feeling that something was wrong.
Two nights before, Brambleclaw had chosen her to attend the Gathering3. Blackstar had been there, but he had said nothing at all about Sol, or his decision to let ShadowClan live by the warrior5 code once more. Brambleclaw had taken Firestar’s place with the three Clan4 leaders, telling them briefly6 that Firestar was sorry he couldn’t come, but without explaining why.
What else are we hiding from one another?Hollyleaf wondered.
She was reminded of one secret as the patrol was passing the Twoleg nest. Lionblaze emerged from inside, along with Honeyfern and Rosekit. The tiny cream-colored kit7 bounced through the opening and hurled8 herself into a drift of dead leaves, squealing9 with excitement as they crackled around her, and batting them up into the air.
“Steady,” Lionblaze mewed. “You don’t want to wear yourself out before you get back to camp.”
Rosekit sat up, a dead leaf clinging to the top of her head. “I’m fine!” she announced. “I want to catch some prey10 for my mother.”
Purring, Honeyfern nudged her out of the pile of leaves and gave the tiny kit’s pelt a quick grooming11. Lionblaze padded up to his sister.
“More cats going home?” Hollyleaf asked.
“That’s right,” Lionblaze replied. “There’s just Millie and Briarkit left now, and Firestar. He won’t leave until every cat is back in camp.”
“It was great that Jayfeather found that catmint,” Hollyleaf remarked, her eyes narrowing as she watched her brother’s reaction.
“Er…yeah.” Lionblaze looked uncomfortable.
His behavior convinced Hollyleaf of what she had suspected already: that there was some secret about the catmint, and both her brothers were involved in it.
Why won’t they tell me? We shouldn’t have secrets from one another.
“Everything will be fine now,” Lionblaze went on quickly as if he wanted to avoid any questions. “The catmint here is starting to sprout12 again, so there’s enough for Millie and Briarkit. They’re getting stronger every day.”
“That’s good. But what—”
“Hollyleaf!” Ashfur’s impatient yowl cut off her question. The gray warrior had turned back, and was waiting for her a few tail-lengths along the old Twoleg path.
“I’ve got to go,” she meowed to Lionblaze, certain that she spotted13 a flicker14 of relief in his eyes as she spoke15.
“See you later,” he replied, and headed back to camp beside Honeyfern, with Rosekit frisking ahead of them.
Hollyleaf watched them go, then padded along the path to join Ashfur.
“You’re going to hunt today and not tomorrow?” he asked scathingly as she approached.
“Sorry,” she muttered. “I just wanted a word with Lionblaze.”
Not that it did me any good,she thought, as Ashfur snorted and led the way deeper into the forest, after the rest of the patrol. She was still no closer to finding out what Lionblaze and Jayfeather were hiding from her.
The air had grown heavier still by the time the patrol returned to camp. A hot breeze had sprung up, folding back the leaves that still remained on the trees. Hollyleaf’s pelt was fluffed the wrong way and the scents17 of the prey she was carrying choked her as if she had a mouthful of crow-food.
Huge, tepid18 raindrops began to fall as Ashfur led his patrol through the tunnel. One of them splashed onto Hollyleaf’s nose when she emerged into the camp; she twitched19 her whiskers irritably20 to shake it off. Thunder rumbled21 in the distance.
Good,Hollyleaf thought as she carried her prey to the fresh-kill pile. The air will be fresh again after a storm.
She glanced up, only to squeeze her eyes tight shut as a jagged bolt of lightning split the sky. Thunder crashed right overhead and suddenly rain started to pound down, splattering on the earth floor of the hollow and plastering Hollyleaf’s pelt to her sides within a couple of heartbeats.
A wail23 went up from the warriors’ den22, and Cloudtail stuck his head out. “What’s happening?”
Too terrified to run for shelter, Hollyleaf flattened24 herself to the ground. She caught a glimpse of Spiderleg streaking25 through the rain to the warriors’ den with Mousewhisker hard on his paws.
Another bolt of lightning crackled across the sky. Hollyleaf stared in shock as a tree on the edge of the hollow burst into flames, red tongues of fire roaring upward. Even the torrents26 of rain couldn’t quench27 it. Blackened leaves fell into the hollow; with a terrible groaning28 sound a blazing branch tore itself free and plummeted29 down to land with a crash a tail-length from Hollyleaf. Yowling in fright, she leaped to one side, cannoning30 into Thornclaw.
“The forest is on fire!” he screeched31.
Yet another claw of lightning tore the sky apart. An earsplitting crack sounded above the roar of the thunder, and Hollyleaf saw a tree begin to topple, its roots ripped out of the earth as flames devoured32 its branches. Blazing leaves and twigs33 rained down into the clearing.
Panic-stricken caterwauling rose around Hollyleaf. She spotted Brambleclaw racing35 across to the nursery, and Sandstorm splashing water with her paws over a burning branch, trying to stop the flames from reaching the warriors’ den.
Graystripe yowled, “Millie!” and shot into the tunnel on his way to the Twoleg nest.
The moment his thick gray tail vanished, Firestar appeared at the mouth of the tunnel and raced into the center of the clearing. His flame-colored pelt was darkened by the rain and streaked36 with mud, but he held his head high and let out a commanding yowl.
“Get out! All of you get out! You’ll be trapped if you stay in here!”
Cats began to emerge from their dens37. They splashed across the clearing, weaving or jumping aside to avoid the fiery38 debris39 that still rained down around them.
“Head for the Twoleg nest,” Firestar ordered. “We can shelter there.”
Brambleclaw emerged from the nursery, carrying Bumblekit; Daisy followed him with Blossomkit. Rosekit and Toadkit stumbled along beside their mother. Mousefur padded out of the elders’ den with her tail over Longtail’s shoulder to guide him. Icepaw and Foxpaw, their eyes wild with terror, were shoved toward the barrier of thorns by their mentors40.
Hollyleaf looked around for Lionblaze and Jayfeather, but she couldn’t see either of them among the fleeing cats. Jayfeather would need help to get out, she thought, trying to control her fear. And what about Squirrelflight? Her wound was still hurting, and she hadn’t regained41 her full strength yet.
Struggling through the pelting42 rain, the glare of flame all around her, Hollyleaf splashed across to the medicine cats’ den. She met Leafpool by the bramble screen, her jaws43 full of herbs; Jayfeather was just behind her.
“Go and help the others!” Hollyleaf gasped45 to the medicine cat. “I’ll bring Jayfeather.”
Leafpool gave her a nod of acknowledgement and raced for the tunnel.
“I can bring myself, thanks,” Jayfeather muttered furiously
“Don’t be a mouse-brain!” Hollyleaf spat46 back at him. “There’s fire out there. Now stop complaining and grab my tail.”
Wincing47 as her brother’s jaws closed around her tail-tip, Hollyleaf turned toward the tunnel. Suddenly Lionblaze loomed48 up out of the rain.
“You’re here,” he panted with relief. “Let’s go.”
Together the three cats headed for the tunnel. By now the clearing was empty; it looked as if the rest of the Clan, even Firestar, had already left. Will they make it to the Twoleg nest?Hollyleaf wondered. Or will they scatter49 into the forest? Is Thunder-
Clan going to break up after all?
She and her brothers were halfway50 across the clearing when lightning clawed across the sky from top to bottom. The barrier across the entrance to the camp crackled and burst into flame. The tunnel vanished in a throat of fire.
Hollyleaf stopped, frozen in horror. “We’re trapped!”
Staring around wildly, she tried to think what to do. The camp was littered with blazing branches, and more were cascading51 down from the lightning-struck trees around the hollow. The warriors’ den was already smoldering52; there was no shelter there.
“The apprentices54’ cave…” she gasped, even though she knew it was too shallow to give any real protection if the fire spread.
“No. Over here.” Squirrelflight’s voice spoke behind her; Hollyleaf whirled around to see her mother waving her tail urgently toward the rock wall. “There’s another way out.”
Hollyleaf was ashamed of the relief that swept over her, as if she was still a kit who needed her mother to look after her. Leading Jayfeather, she followed Squirrelflight around a clump55 of brambles that grew against the wall of the hollow. Lionblaze brought up the rear.
To Hollyleaf’s surprise, the rock behind the brambles had crumbled57 away. Peering up through the rain, she saw straggling bushes and grass growing in cracks, all the way to the top.
“It’s a secret way out of the camp!” she exclaimed. “And we never knew about it!”
“Thank StarClan,” Squirrelflight retorted drily. “You were enough trouble as kits58 and apprentices, without this.” Then her voice changed, growing tense again. “Jayfeather, you come first. Follow my voice. It’s not a difficult climb.”
“We’ll come behind and catch you if you fall,” Lionblaze assured his brother.
“I’m not a kit!” Jayfeather snapped, though Hollyleaf could see he was shaking with fear.
Squirrelflight scrambled60 up through the bramble thicket61 and clung there, calling out to Jayfeather so he could follow. Jayfeather struggled up behind her, swinging out on a tendril of ivy62 when his hind44 paws lost their grip.
“Mouse dung!” he spat, scrabbling to get his balance again.
Squirrelflight went on guiding him upward, her voice calm now, even though she must have been terrified that one of them would fall as they climbed higher.
Hollyleaf and Lionblaze followed. Though Squirrelflight had said the climb was easy, Hollyleaf was convinced that the pounding rain was about to wash her off the rock face, or lightning would strike the thorns she clung to. Darkness, the glare of flame, and the crash of thunder surrounded her. She lost sight of her Clanmates, and thought she would never reach the top.
But at last she heard her mother’s voice again. “Well done!” Teeth met in her scruff as Squirrelflight dragged her onto the top of the cliff. She lay there panting for a moment, watching her mother helping63 Lionblaze to scramble59 up beside her. Jayfeather was lying on his side, his eyes closed and his sides heaving.
“Come away from the edge,” Squirrelflight warned. “The rock is crumbling64.” She turned, leading the way through the bushes.
Hollyleaf nudged Jayfeather to his paws. “Just a bit farther and then you can rest.”
Her brother bared his teeth in a feeble snarl65; she could see that he would never admit how hard he had found the climb.
“You can lean on my shoulder if you like,” Lionblaze offered, coming to stand on Jayfeather’s other side.
“Look, mouse-brain—”
Jayfeather’s annoyed hiss66 broke off as the whole sky was lit up by a crackling bolt of lightning, stabbing down as if it was going to impale67 all three cats on its claws. Thunder rolled overhead as the bushes burst into flame.
Hollyleaf let out a yowl of terror. Greedy scarlet68 tongues licked toward her and her littermates, blocking their path away from the edge of the cliff. Smoke billowed up as rain fell on the bushes; Hollyleaf choked on it and began to cough, but the downpour was easing off, and the remaining flurries weren’t enough to put the fire out.
A wave of heat rolled over Hollyleaf; instinctively69 she moved back, and felt the rock begin to crumble56 beneath her paws. Scrambling70 away, she glanced down, to see the clearing patched with flame and darkness. There was no escape that way, even if they could manage to climb down safely amid the fire and rain.
“What’s happening?” Jayfeather was cowering71 down under the searing heat. “Which way should we go?”
“We can’t go anywhere. We’re trapped.” Lionblaze’s voice was calm. Flame reflected from his golden pelt and shone in his eyes. “Squirrelflight!” he called. “Are you there? Help us!”
As he spoke a branch edged with flames crashed down from one of the bushes; Hollyleaf dragged Jayfeather out of its path just in time. The littermates huddled72 together at the very edge of the cliff.
“I’m here!” Squirrelflight’s voice was high-pitched with terror. “I’m going to push a branch through to you. You canrun along it to escape before it catches fire.”
“Right. We’ll be ready,” Lionblaze replied.
Hollyleaf felt a jolt73 of gratitude74 for her brother’s courage. Without him, she was certain she would have panicked, trapped between the fire and the long drop into the camp. But they would stick together, the three of them, protected by the prophecy as they had always been.
Hollyleaf could hear the sound of something heavy being dragged through the undergrowth beyond the flames. Her burst of confidence blew away like ash.
“She’ll never manage it,” she muttered to Lionblaze. “What about her wound? She’s not strong enough.”
“Squirrelflight will always do what she has to,” Lionblaze replied.
Small tongues of flame were creeping through the grass now; rain hissed75 down on them, leaving the ground blackened and smoking, but there were always more flames, and the acrid76 scent16 of burning filled the air. A blazing leaf floated down onto Jayfeather’s pelt; Lionblaze knocked it off with one paw, adding the reek77 of scorched78 fur to the smoke-filled air.
Beyond the red-and-orange flames, Hollyleaf caught a glimpse of Squirrelflight, struggling to drag a branch up to the fire. Already she looked exhausted79. Lionblaze’s muscles tensed as if he was going to try leaping over the bush to help her.
“No!” Hollyleaf choked out. “It’s too far.”
Before Lionblaze could argue, another shape burst through the billowing smoke to stand beside Squirrelflight. His eyes glared; his gray fur was matted together and stuck with bits of burnt leaf and twig34. Confused by the smoke and flames, Hollyleaf almost thought she was seeing one of her warrior ancestors, until she recognized Ashfur.
Squirrelflight dropped the branch. “Help me push it into the fire!” she yowled.
Grabbing the branch in strong jaws, Ashfur thrust it past the wall of flame and into the ever-narrowing patch of ground where Hollyleaf and her brothers huddled. But Hollyleaf didn’t feel any sense of relief. There was a look in Ashfur’s eyes that she didn’t understand: the look of a cat who had just spotted an unexpected juicy bit of prey.
The branch made a bridge through the flames, but Ashfur stood at the other end of it, blocking the way to safety. Lionblaze nudged Jayfeather to his paws; Hollyleaf took a step toward the branch, then paused. She felt a cold weight in her belly80 when she looked into Ashfur’s glittering blue eyes.
“Ashfur, get out of the way.” Squirrelflight’s voice was puzzled. “Let them get out!”
“Brambleclaw isn’t here to look after them now,” Ashfur sneered81.
Hollyleaf felt her fur beginning to rise. What did Ashfur mean?
Lionblaze’s golden pelt was bristling82, too. “What have you done with my father?” he howled through the flame.
Ashfur looked at him pityingly; his eyes were twin points of fire amid the burning forest. “Why would I waste my time with Brambleclaw?”
The main branch was too solid to catch fire easily, but the leaves on it had shriveled and the twigs were beginning to smoke. Hollyleaf realized that they didn’t have much time before their bridge to safety would be ablaze83.
Squirrelflight staggered up to Ashfur. Hollyleaf had never seen her mother so angry. Her fur bristled84 with fury; she looked like a warrior of TigerClan. Yet it was obvious that the climb to the top of the cliff, followed by her struggle with the branch, had weakened her, and she was exhausted.
“Your quarrel with Brambleclaw has to stop,” she hissed. “Too many moons have passed. You have to accept that I’m Brambleclaw’s mate, not yours. You can’t keep trying to punish Brambleclaw for something that was always meant to be.”
Ashfur’s ears flicked85 up in surprise. “I have no quarrel with Brambleclaw.”
Hollyleaf exchanged a shocked glance with Lionblaze. “That’s not how it looks to me,” he muttered.
“I couldn’t care less about Brambleclaw,” Ashfur continued. “It’s not his fault he fell for a faithless she-cat.”
Faithless?A growl86 began to build in Hollyleaf’s throat, but then she stopped and watched the cats on the other side of the blazing branches. Something ominous87 was taking place in front of her, and even with flame roaring around them she felt a sudden chill. She shrank closer to Lionblaze and Jayfeather, whose head was up, his sightless eyes intent, as if he could see the confrontation88 between his mother and Ashfur.
“I know you think I’ve never forgiven Brambleclaw for stealing you from me, but you’re wrong, and so is every cat that thinks so. My quarrel is with you, Squirrelflight.” Ashfur’s voice shook with rage. “It always has been.”
Horrified89, Hollyleaf took a step back and felt her hind paws begin to slip on the edge of the cliff. Her head spun90 as lightning stabbed out and thunder drowned all other sounds, even the roaring fire. For a heartbeat she dangled91 over empty air, and she let out a strangled yowl.
Then she felt firm teeth meet in her scruff; blinking against the smoke, she realized that Lionblaze was hauling her back to safety. But there was no safety: only the hungry flames, and Ashfur blocking the end of the branch with fury in his eyes. Fiery sparks floated down on all three young cats, scorching92 their fur, and flames licked the underside of the branch; fear flooded afresh through Hollyleaf when she saw that it was already beginning to smolder53.
Ashfur has to let us get out!But Hollyleaf couldn’t find any words to plead with him. What was happening here didn’t have anything to do with them, even if they died because of it.
“All this was moons ago.” Squirrelflight sounded puzzled. “Ashfur, I had no idea you were still upset.”
“Upset?”Ashfur echoed. “I’m not upset. You have no idea how much pain I’m in. It’s like being cut open every day, bleeding onto the stones. I can’t understand how any of you failed to see the blood….”
His eyes clouded and his voice took on a wild, distant tone, as if he could see the blood spilling out of him now, sizzling on the burning ground. Terror burst through Hollyleaf and she pressed closer to her brothers. This cat was more dangerous than the storm or the fire, or the fall lurking93 perilously94 close to her hind paws.
Desperately95 she tried to step onto the end of the branch. At once Ashfur rounded on her, fully96 conscious again, his teeth bared in a snarl.
“Stay there!” Turning to face Squirrelflight but keeping one paw on the branch, he hissed, “I can’t believe you didn’t know how much you hurt me. You are the blind one, not Jayfeather. Who do you think sent Firestar the message to go down to the lake, where the fox trap was? I wanted him to die, to take your father away so you’d know the real meaning of pain.”
Hollyleaf’s shocked gaze met Lionblaze’s. “He tried to kill Firestar?” she gasped. “He’s mad!”
Determination glittered in Lionblaze’s eyes, and he bunched his muscles for a giant leap. “I’m going to fight him.”
“No!” Hollyleaf fastened her teeth in his shoulder fur. “You can’t!” Her words were muffled97 now. “He’ll just push you into the fire.”
“Brambleclaw saved Firestar then,” Ashfur went on to Squirrelflight. “But he’s not here now. He’s not here—but your kits are.”
Squirrelflight’s eyes blazed. For a heartbeat Hollyleaf thought she was going to pounce98 on the gray warrior, but she knew that exhausted and in pain, her mother would have no chance. Squirrelflight seemed to realize it, too. She drew herself up, head high; she was trembling, but her voice was clear and brave.
“Enough, Ashfur. Your quarrel is with me. These young cats have done nothing to hurt you. Do what you like with me, but let them out of the fire.”
“You don’t understand.” Ashfur looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time; his voice was puzzled and petulant99. “This is the only way to make you feel the same pain that you caused me. You tore my heart out when you chose Brambleclaw over me. Anything I did to you would never hurt as much. But your kits…” He looked through the flames at Hollyleaf and her brothers, his eyes narrowing to dark blue slits100. “If you watch them die, then you’ll know the pain I felt.”
The flames crackled threateningly closer; Hollyleaf felt as if the heat was about to sear her pelt into ashes. She edged backward, only to feel the edge of the hollow give way under her hind paws. The three of them were pressed tightly together, so close that if one of them lost their balance, all three would be dragged off the cliff. Hollyleaf couldn’t control the trembling that shook her whole body as her glance flickered101 between the cliff and the fire.
Jayfeather was crouched102 close to the ground, looking tinier than ever with his pelt slicked flat by the rain. Lionblaze’s claws were unsheathed, glinting as the lightning flashed out again, but the tension in his haunches didn’t come from preparing to leap at Ashfur; it came from the effort of keeping himself on the top of the cliff.
Squirrelflight raised her head, her gaze locked on Ashfur’s crazed eyes. “Kill them, then,” she meowed. “You won’t hurt me that way.”
Ashfur opened his jaws to reply, but said nothing. Hollyleaf and her brothers stared at their mother. What was Squirrelflight saying?
Squirrelflight took a step away from them, and glanced carelessly over her shoulder. Her green eyes were fiercer than Hollyleaf had ever seen them, with an expression she couldn’t read.
“If you really want to hurt me, you’ll have to find a better way than that,” Squirrelflight snarled103. “They are not my kits.”
收听单词发音 |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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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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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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squealing
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 ) | |
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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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grooming
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| n. 修饰, 美容，（动物）梳理毛发 | |
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sprout
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| n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条 | |
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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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flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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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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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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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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tepid
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| adj.微温的，温热的，不太热心的 | |
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twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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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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wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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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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torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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quench
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| vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制 | |
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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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plummeted
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| v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cannoning
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| vi.与…猛撞（cannon的现在分词形式） | |
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screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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35
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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36
streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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37
dens
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| n.牙齿，齿状部分；兽窝( den的名词复数 )；窝点；休息室；书斋 | |
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38
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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40
mentors
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| n.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的名词复数 )v.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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41
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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42
pelting
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| 微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的 | |
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43
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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44
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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45
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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46
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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47
wincing
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的现在分词 ) | |
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48
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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49
scatter
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| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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51
cascading
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| 流注( cascade的现在分词 )； 大量落下； 大量垂悬； 梯流 | |
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52
smoldering
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| v.用文火焖烧，熏烧，慢燃( smolder的现在分词 ) | |
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53
smolder
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| v.无火焰地闷烧；n.焖烧，文火 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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55
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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56
crumble
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| vi.碎裂，崩溃；vt.弄碎，摧毁 | |
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57
crumbled
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| （把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏 | |
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58
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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59
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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60
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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61
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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62
ivy
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| n.常青藤，常春藤 | |
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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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crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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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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66
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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impale
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| v.用尖物刺某人、某物 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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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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71
cowering
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的现在分词 ) | |
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72
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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73
jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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75
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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76
acrid
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| adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的 | |
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reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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78
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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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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81
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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83
ablaze
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| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
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84
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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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
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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87
ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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88
confrontation
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| n.对抗，对峙，冲突 | |
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89
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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90
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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91
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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92
scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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93
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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94
perilously
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| adv.充满危险地，危机四伏地 | |
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95
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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96
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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97
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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98
pounce
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| n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意 | |
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99
petulant
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| adj.性急的，暴躁的 | |
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100
slits
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| n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
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101
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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102
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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103
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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