CHAPTER5
As the patrol crossed the nextfield, snow began to fall in soft feathery flakes1 that melted as soon as they touched the ground. Lionblaze sneezed as one landed upon his nose.
At the opposite side of the field they came to a wide stretch of whitish stone, with huge red nests at one side. The snow was heavier by now, and a wind had risen, whipping the flakes across the open expanse as they ventured onto the hard surface. Lionblaze padded along beside Hollyleaf, trying to protect her from the worst of the wind.
Suddenly a loud snorting sound came from one of the nests. Terror gripped Lionblaze’s limbs and he leaped forward, racing2 across the stone with the snow brushing his belly3 fur. Hollyleaf hurtled beside him, with Hazeltail on his other side.
The sound came again, followed by a yowl from Brackenfur. “It’s okay! It’s only horses!”
Only horses!Lionblaze’s flying paws propelled him onward4 as he imagined the gigantic creatures with their heavy feet that could break a cat’s spine5 with one blow. A Twoleg gate loomed6 up out of the swirling7 snow; he wriggled8 underneath9 it and bunched his muscles to leap forward again. Hollyleaf and Hazeltail were just behind him.
“No!” Brambleclaw screeched10. “Stop! Thunderpath!”
Lionblaze slammed to a halt as yellow beams sliced through the flurries of snow. A monster with glaring eyes swept past, buffeting11 Lionblaze’s fur and soaking his paws with a wave of dirty snowmelt. He and his Clanmates shrank back; Lionblaze’s heart was pounding with fear as he waited for Birchfall, Brackenfur, and Brambleclaw to join them.
“You call yourselves warriors13?” Brambleclaw’s voice was scathing15. “That was pure panic. The horses were inside their nests. There was no danger until you decided16 to hurl17 yourselves into the path of a monster.”
“Sorry,” Lionblaze muttered. Searing shame swept over him, hot as a forest fire. Brambleclaw’s harsh words stung all the more painfully because he knew the deputy was right. They had acted like apprentices18 on their first venture out of the camp.
Hazeltail’s head was hanging in shame, and Hollyleaf had turned away, lifting each paw in turn to shake the dirty water off her fur. Lionblaze knew how much it meant to her to uphold the warrior14 code; she must be furious with herself for being spooked like that. And what about you?he demanded silently. The bravest warrior in ThunderClan, scared of a horse that isn’t even loose?
Brambleclaw let out a long sigh and relaxed. “All right. Let’s see about getting across here.”
Lionblaze heard the roar of another monster as the Clan12 deputy padded forward cautiously to the edge of the Thunderpath. The gleaming creature leaped past in a blaze of light; from the other direction, an even bigger monster came barreling along with a throaty growl19, its round black paws as big as boulders20.
How are we ever going to cross? We’ll be squashed flat!
He could see that Hazeltail and Hollyleaf were still scared, their fur on end and their eyes wide with alarm. He knew he must look just the same. He braced21 himself to force his paws to carry him across the hard, black surface of the Thunderpath
“Come up here beside me,” Brambleclaw directed them calmly. “We’ll cross one at a time. Brackenfur, you can go first, to show them how it’s done.”
Brackenfur twitched22 his ears in acknowledgment. “It’s not so bad,” he told the younger cats kindly23. “The Thunderpath in the old forest was much bigger than this.”
Birchfall’s fur bristled24. “Then I’m glad we don’t live there anymore!”
Brackenfur padded up beside Brambleclaw and waited for another monster to sweep past. Its roar died away in the distance.
“Okay, go,” mewed Brambleclaw.
Brackenfur leaped forward, his golden brown pelt25 almost vanishing in the swirling snow. When he reached the other side, everything was still quiet.
“Hollyleaf, go!”
Taking a gulp26 of air, Hollyleaf hurled27 herself across the Thunderpath. Lionblaze dug his claws into the ground, trying to stop himself from shaking, until he saw her reach Brackenfur’s side safely.
The growling28 of another monster was approaching through the snow. Lionblaze flinched29 back as it came into sight: a huge creature in glaring colors. His heart raced even faster when he saw several Twolegs in its belly as it flashed past.
Did it eat them? Will it eat us?
“Lionblaze, now you go.”
Summoning all his courage, Lionblaze stepped up beside Brambleclaw and launched himself forward. For a few heartbeats his world was full of the choking stink30 of the monster that had just passed by, and the black stuff scraped his pads as he raced across. Then he was standing31 on a narrow strip of grass between the Thunderpath and a prickly hedge, and Hollyleaf was pressing her pelt against his.
“We did it,” she murmured.
“You know, Birchfall is right,” Lionblaze whispered back, as his heartbeat gradually calmed. “If the old Thunderpath was worse than this, I wouldn’t want to live near it, either!”
A moment later Hazeltail joined them, and then Birchfall. A stream of monsters followed, leaving Brambleclaw marooned32 on the other side. Finally the last of the monsters disappeared, though Lionblaze could still hear their roaring in the air.
Brambleclaw bounded out onto the Thunderpath, racing for the other side. Another monster appeared in the distance, and Birchfall screeched, “Look out!” The Clan deputy didn’t break stride. Long before the monster swept past, he was safely across, among his Clanmates.
“See, nothing to it.” He flicked33 an ear dismissively. “Now let’s keep going.”
The wet leaves and debris34 under the branches of the hedge plastered themselves to Lionblaze’s belly fur as he flattened35 himself to crawl into the next field. A strong scent36 flooded over him as he struggled to his paws on the other side. He felt as though he ought to remember it, but the memory slipped away from him like an elusive37 piece of prey38.
“What are those?” Hazeltail asked nervously39, angling her ears toward the center of the field.
Lionblaze peered through the snowflakes. Ahead of them, clustered together in small groups, were several huge animals with black-and-white pelts40. As he examined them, one of them raised its head and let out a low, mournful sound.
“Cows!” Hollyleaf exclaimed, coming to stand beside her brother. “You remember, Lionblaze. We saw them on the way to the mountains.”
“Cows—of course.” Lionblaze’s mind flew back to the time when they had encountered the old loner, Purdy. He had shown the cows to them as they passed a farm; his mother—no, Squirrelflight—had told them the massive creatures weren’t dangerous, provided they didn’t step on you.
“The cows are okay,” Brambleclaw reassured41 Hazeltail, as he emerged from the hedge. “They won’t attack us.”
Hazeltail gave him a doubtful look, and as Brackenfur took the lead across the field, Lionblaze was inclined to share her concern.
The cows gathered around them, gazing down at them with huge liquid eyes. Lionblaze was far closer to their stony42 feet than he wanted to be, and he didn’t like the looks of the big curved claws sticking out of their heads. Fighting techniques wouldn’t be much use against animals this size. The cows bent43 down and sniffed44 at the cats’ fur with hot, wet breath; Lionblaze thought he was going to choke on the strong reek45 of their scent, and their doleful moaning almost deafened46 him.
As Brackenfur led them calmly through the forest of legs, one of the long, swishing tails gave Hollyleaf a stinging slap in the face. She leaped backward, cannoning47 into Lionblaze.
“Fox dung!” she snapped.
Lionblaze steadied her until she got her balance.
“I’m starting to wonder if this is such a great adventure,” she muttered, with a glance at Hazeltail, who nodded vigorously in agreement. “The journey to the mountains was much easier than this, even with the dogs in the barn.”
And there was some point to that journey,Lionblaze added silently. We weren’t just looking for a cat Iknow isn’t a murderer
Leaving the cows behind, the cats trekked48 through the snow toward the other side of the field. Lionblaze tasted the air for Sol’s scent, but he couldn’t pick up a trace of it.
I can’t smell anything except cow,he grumbled49 silently. I can barely find my own Clanmates!
To his relief, he soon made out the next hedge, looming50 black against the swirling snow. The patrol plodded51 up to it and halted in the shelter of the thickly packed thorns.
“We’ll never get through there!” Birchfall exclaimed, his eyes wide with dismay. “We’ll be ripped to pieces.”
“No, we won’t,” Brambleclaw mewed. “We just need to look for a place where the hedge is thinner.”
He began to lead the way along the bottom of the hedge. I hope we don’t have to go back,Lionblaze thought miserably52, trying to shake the snow off his pelt.
His heart fell even further when he made out the roar of another Thunderpath, somewhere on the other side of the hedge. “Not again!” he muttered.
At last Brambleclaw halted. “This might do.” He pointed53 with his muzzle54 at a spot in the hedge where two arching branches left a tiny gap between them. “Lionblaze, will you give it a try?”
Lionblaze nodded and stepped forward, testing the width of the gap with his whiskers. Then he flattened himself to the ground and dragged himself forward. Thorns raked across his back, and he felt his fur snag on them as he struggled through to the other side and scrambled55 to his paws.
“It’s okay,” he called.
As Hollyleaf and Birchfall followed, Lionblaze looked out over a vast white landscape. The ground sloped gently down to the Thunderpath he had heard: It was much wider than the first one, with monsters roaring up and down in both directions. Glaring Twoleg lights edged it on both sides.
We’ll never get across that!he thought despairingly.
A startled yowl distracted him; spinning around, he saw Hazeltail emerging from the hedge and pawing frantically56 at her muzzle.
“I’ve got a thorn in my nose!” she wailed57.
“Let me see.” Hollyleaf padded up to her. “Keep still, and stop clawing at it.”
Hazeltail sat down, her eyes filled with pain. The thorn was a huge one, firmly embedded58 in her nose. Bright blood welled out around it.
Lionblaze watched his sister using the medicine cat skills she had learned long ago from Leafpool. Hollyleaf licked the area around the thorn and got a good grip on it with her teeth. Pulling firmly, she drew out the thorn and spat59 it onto the ground. More blood gushed60 out of Hazeltail’s nose and splashed onto the snow.
“Ouch!” Hazeltail protested.
“We really need some water to rinse61 the blood away and close the wound,” Hollyleaf meowed.
Lionblaze glanced around, ready to fetch some for her, but there was no sign of any streams….
“Press your muzzle into the snow,” Hollyleaf instructed Hazeltail. “That will stop the bleeding.”
Blinking doubtfully, Hazeltail dipped her head and buried her nose in a patch of clean white snow. “It’s very cold!” came a muffled62 meow.
“Stay there a bit longer,” Hollyleaf urged. “I promise it will help.”
I hope it will,Lionblaze thought, or Hollyleaf could just be freezing Hazeltail’s nose off.He could see how worried his sister looked as she watched her Clanmate.
Hazeltail kept her face pressed into the snow for several long moments, then lifted her head. Clumps63 of white clung to her face, making her look as if she were turning into Cloudtail, with his long, snow-colored pelt. “I-it doesn’t h-hurt so much now,” she reported through chattering64 teeth.
Hollyleaf bent forward to inspect the wound left by the thorn. Carefully she brushed the snow away with her paw. The injury looked like a neat, clean hole, almost sealed up already. “I think that did the trick,” she meowed.
“Well done.” Brambleclaw’s rumbling65 purr sounded behind Hollyleaf. Lionblaze saw him blinking warmly at her with the same fatherly pride in his eyes that Smoky had shown when he was watching Hazeltail.
Hollyleaf turned away; Lionblaze knew how much she must want to respond, but she couldn’t. Once Brambleclaw’s approval had meant so much to all of them. But not anymore. Whatever skills we have, they didn’t come from you.
The snow was starting to ease off, but the cloud covering the sky made it impossible to tell where the sun was. Maybe it’s nearly sunset,Lionblaze thought, shivering. Straight ahead lay the huge Thunderpath, and beyond it the land stretched flat as far as they could see, unbroken except for a small copse in the middle of the openness. Beyond it, over to one side, Lionblaze made out a mass of twinkling lights.
“What’s that?” he asked, pointing with his tail. “It looks as if a lot of stars have fallen down to earth.”
“No, that’s lots and lots of Twoleg nests, all together,” Brackenfur explained.
Hazeltail gasped66. “I didn’t think there were as many Twolegs as that in the whole world!”
“I hope we don’t have to go near them,” Birchfall added.
Hazeltail nodded, while Lionblaze muttered, “We’re notkittypets.” He felt as if he was trying to convince himself.
Brambleclaw and Brackenfur led the way down to the Thunderpath and crouched67 at the edge, one at each end of the line of cats. Monsters growled68 past, their blazing lights reflecting off the wet black surface.
“This time we’ll all cross together, once there’s a big enough gap,” Brambleclaw decided. “When I say run, run as if a whole tribe of badgers69 was after you.”
Lionblaze tried desperately70 to hide his fear as he waited for the deputy’s signal. This was far worse than the Thunderpath they had crossed earlier. It seemed as if the stream of monsters would never end!
Next to him, Hazeltail was quivering too, and beyond her, Birchfall’s fur was bristling71 as if he faced a horde72 of enemies. On Lionblaze’s other side, Hollyleaf worked her claws furiously in the ground, her eyes fixed73 on Brambleclaw as she waited for the command to cross.
Why do I have to be brave all the time?Lionblaze asked himself miserably. I shouldn’t have to be, not now we know the prophecy wasn’t about us. As far as we know, we could be kittypets!
Horror and shame swept over him at the thought. He was so wrapped up in his dismay that he almost missed Brambleclaw’s yowled signal: “Now!”
收听单词发音 |
1
flakes
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| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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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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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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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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swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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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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buffeting
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| 振动 | |
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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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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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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scathing
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| adj.（言词、文章）严厉的，尖刻的；不留情的adv.严厉地，尖刻地v.伤害，损害（尤指使之枯萎）( scathe的现在分词) | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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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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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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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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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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gulp
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| vt.吞咽，大口地吸（气）；vi.哽住；n.吞咽 | |
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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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growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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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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stink
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| vi.发出恶臭；糟透，招人厌恶；n.恶臭 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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marooned
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| adj.被围困的；孤立无援的；无法脱身的 | |
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flicked
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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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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elusive
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| adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的 | |
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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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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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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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reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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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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45
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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46
deafened
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| 使聋( deafen的过去式和过去分词 )； 使隔音 | |
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47
cannoning
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| vi.与…猛撞（cannon的现在分词形式） | |
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48
trekked
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| v.艰苦跋涉，徒步旅行( trek的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在山中）远足，徒步旅行，游山玩水 | |
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49
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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50
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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51
plodded
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| v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作） | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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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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frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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embedded
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| a.扎牢的 | |
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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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gushed
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| v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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61
rinse
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| v.用清水漂洗，用清水冲洗 | |
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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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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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64
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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65
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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66
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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67
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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68
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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69
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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70
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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71
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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72
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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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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