CHAPTER6
Hollyleaf leaped forward with her Clanmates.As they reached the middle of the Thunderpath, she heard the roar of another monster in the distance, rapidly growing louder. Dazzling light angled across her as the huge creature seemed to leap out of nowhere. Hollyleaf ran even harder, pushing with her paws against the hard surface to drive herself faster and faster to the other side.
A terrified screech2 split the air. When Hollyleaf gained the safety of the grass beyond, she spun3 around to see Hazeltail rigid4 with fear, crouching5 in the middle of the Thunderpath in the path of the monster.
“No!” Hollyleaf yowled. “Hazeltail, run!”
Hazeltail was too panic-stricken to move. With a snarl7 of fury, Brambleclaw darted8 back onto the Thunderpath and grabbed her by the scruff, almost under the paws of the oncoming monster.
“It’ll kill them both!” Birchfall wailed9.
The monster’s blazing eyebeams raked across the two warriors10 as Brambleclaw dragged his Clanmate across the black surface. Hazeltail’s legs dangled12 at first, as if she were dead; then in a heartbeat she scrambled13 to her paws and fled. Brambleclaw dashed after her, the monster almost on top of his haunches. For a heartbeat, Hollyleaf was certain that he would be crushed under the monster’s whirling paws; then it was roaring past them, and Brambleclaw was still running. Hazeltail collapsed14 onto the grass and Brambleclaw skidded15 to a halt beside her.
He let out a disgusted snort. “That was an example of how notto cross a Thunderpath.”
“I’m sorry.” Hazeltail sounded like a frightened kit16. “I’m so sorry!”
The rest of the cats flopped17 down, panting. Even Lionblaze looked ruffled18. Sol must be braver than any of us realized,Hollyleaf thought as she tried to calm her breathing. He made this journey all by himself!
Brackenfur padded up to Hazeltail and gave her a comforting lick. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “We all make mistakes.”
“But I could have gotten Brambleclaw killed!” Hazeltail’s eyes were wide with horror. “Thank you, Brambleclaw. You saved my life!”
The fury in Brambleclaw’s eyes faded, and he blinked. “Just make sure I don’t have to do it again.”
“I promise you won’t.”
After allowing them a few moments to rest, Brambleclaw urged the patrol members to their paws again. “We can’t stay here,” he meowed. “Let’s head for the trees. There might be some prey19 there.”
The cats followed him as he struck out across the prickly grass. The snow had stopped, but it still lay thickly on the ground, clogging20 Hollyleaf’s paws as she limped after her Clan1 deputy. My fur’s so cold I think I’m turning into an ice cat,she thought, trying to shake the cold white clumps21 off her feet. A cold wind was blowing into their faces, catching22 up the loose snow and flinging it into her eyes. “Mouse dung, that stings!” she muttered.
As they drew closer to the copse, she could see that the trees were shorter than the ones on ThunderClan territory, and twisted into strange shapes. They looked like the bushes on WindClan’s moorland territory, bent23 double like hunched24 Twolegs. But as she tasted the air, Hollyleaf realized that the smells were more familiar than anything she had scented25 since she left the forest. The reek27 of the Thunderpath was dying away, and in its place she could pick up the scents28 of leaf and bark; water flooded her jaws29 as she recognized mouse, rabbit, and squirrel.
“We’ll stay here to eat and rest,” Brambleclaw announced when the cats reached the edge of the trees. “We won’t find anywhere better to spend the night.”
Birchfall’s ears perked30 up, and Hollyleaf exchanged a hopeful glance with Lionblaze at the thought of not having to plod31 any farther through the snow.
“It can’t be sunset yet,” Brackenfur objected, eyeing the gray clouds that still shouldered their way across the sky.
“No, but we’re all tired and cold,” Brambleclaw replied. “And when we can’t see the sun, we can’t be sure that we’re heading the right way to the sun-drown-place.”
Brackenfur shrugged32, agreeing, and all six cats headed deeper into the copse. There wasn’t as much snow under the shelter of the trees, and Hollyleaf felt her paws starting to warm up. The ground was uneven33, sloping roughly down to where a small stream trickled34 among the roots of the trees.
“Catch your prey and then rest,” Brambleclaw ordered. Hollyleaf thought he sounded tense—perhaps he was unhappy about where their journey would take them next. Does he know there’s something dangerous up ahead?
Brackenfur vanished into the undergrowth, and Lionblaze and Birchfall headed off together.
“Would you like to hunt with me?” Hollyleaf asked Hazeltail; her Clanmate still looked shocked by her panic at the Thunderpath.
“That would be great!” Hazeltail’s ears flicked35 up. “Where should we start?”
“Right here’s as good as anywhere.”
Both she-cats tasted the air; Hollyleaf picked up a strong scent26 of squirrel, and a moment later she spotted36 one scuffling among the debris37 at the foot of a twisted thorn tree. Angling her ears, she pointed38 it out to Hazeltail. Her friend nodded, eyes gleaming.
Hollyleaf signaled to Hazeltail to stay where she was, then dropped into a hunter’s crouch6 and worked her way in a wide circle around to the other side of the tree. She had carried out this hunting move so often in ThunderClan territory that it almost felt as if she were home again. Approaching the squirrel from the other side, she crept closer and closer, sliding her paws through the rough grass. When she thought she was close enough, she let out a fearsome yowl and leaped. Panicked, the squirrel darted away, only to run straight into Hazeltail’s claws. Hazeltail dispatched it with a swift bite to the neck.
“Great catch!” Hollyleaf exclaimed.
“You set it up,” Hazeltail mewed; she looked a lot more cheerful now.
As Hollyleaf padded over to her friend, Lionblaze came bounding out from behind a bramble thicket39. “Birchfall and I got a really fat rabbit.”
Birchfall appeared as he spoke40, staggering as he dragged the rabbit between his forepaws. Dropping it with a gusty41 sigh, he stumbled into the low-growing branches of a hazel bush. A load of snow slid down and covered him; he emerged hissing42 with disgust, shaking snow from his pelt43.
Hollyleaf couldn’t suppress a small mrrowof laughter. “Watch out, or we’ll have to call you Snowfall,” she purred.
The four young cats dragged their prey into a sheltered hollow beside the stream, where the ground was covered with a drift of dead leaves. Soon Brackenfur appeared with another squirrel, and Brambleclaw with a couple of mice. As they ate, the warmth of their bodies spread throughout the hollow; with the branches of the bushes straggling overhead, Hollyleaf thought it almost felt like a den44.
Full and comfortable, she swept her tongue around her jaws. “I could sleep for a moon,” she announced drowsily45.
“Fine,” meowed Brambleclaw, “but we’d better set a watch.”
“I’ll go first,” Lionblaze offered.
“Okay.” Brambleclaw stretched his jaws in an enormous yawn. “Wake me when you’re ready, and I’ll take the next one.”
As Hollyleaf settled down to sleep, the last thing she saw was her brother’s golden tabby shape, his ears pricked46 as he stared through the trees.
A paw prodding47 into her side woke Hollyleaf. Blinking in confusion, she thought at first she was in the warriors’ den. But where’s all the moss48 and bracken? And why can I hear running water?
Then she remembered she was on the journey to the sun-drown-place, with Brambleclaw and the others. The ThunderClan camp lay a day’s travel behind them, and everything here was new and strange.
Hazeltail was gazing down at her. “It’s your watch,” she mewed. “You’re the last.”
Hollyleaf staggered to her paws and arched her back in a stretch. Lionblaze, Birchfall, and Brackenfur were all curled up close by. “Where’s Brambleclaw?” she yawned.
“He woke up while I was on watch,” Hazeltail explained. “He said he was going to scout49 ahead.” She settled herself comfortably among the leaves and wrapped her tail over her nose. “I’m going to get some more sleep while I can,” she murmured.
Hollyleaf groomed50 the scraps51 of dead leaf out of her pelt, then padded the two or three paw steps to the edge of the stream. Before she bent to lap, she let her gaze travel over the trees that surrounded her; she could just make out their branches against the sky, which was beginning to fade from black to gray. Everything was quiet.
She took a long drink of the icy water; as she shook the drops from her whiskers, she heard a loud alarm call and caught a glimpse of a blackbird shooting upward. A moment later Brambleclaw came stalking through the trees, carrying a rabbit in his jaws.
“The hunting is good here,” he remarked, dropping his prey at Hollyleaf’s paws.
The rich scent of the fresh-kill made Hollyleaf’s mouth water. “Should I catch some more?” she suggested. “One rabbit won’t go far between six of us.”
“Fine,” Brambleclaw replied. “But don’t go out of the copse. I’ll wake the others. Next time, you can take first watch,” he added. “But right now we need to keep moving.”
Hollyleaf followed the stream, bounded up beside a small waterfall, and practically fell over a vole just before it could slip into its hole in the bank. Scratching earth over its limp body, she climbed the bank and stood tasting the air, her ears alert for the tiny sounds of prey. Soon she spotted a mouse nibbling52 seeds under a bush. Her paws lighter53 than air, Hollyleaf glided54 over the ground and broke the mouse’s neck with a swift blow of her paw. Then she went back to collect the vole, and returned to the hollow with both pieces of fresh-kill.
She would have been proud of her hunting skills once, especially when she could show Brambleclaw how fast she could bring back prey. Now she couldn’t even meet the deputy’s gaze as he congratulated her. All her training, everything she thought she knew, was nothing but dust if she wasn’t even a real Clan cat.
All six cats were awake. They ate quickly and followed Brambleclaw to the edge of the copse. “We’re not far from Midnight’s home now,” he meowed. “Be careful, and keep close to me.”
The land ahead was flat and empty, except for the Twoleg nests, with no shelter in sight. The sky was clear but for a few ragged11, scudding55 clouds, and behind the patrol it shone milky-pale with dawn. The wind hit Hollypaw in the face as soon as she left the shelter of the trees. It felt cold and sharp, with an unfamiliar56 tang, like the scent of frozen blood.
“It’s going to blow my fur off!” she heard Birchfall complain.
Hollyleaf’s eyes and mouth stung, and her pelt felt sticky. She screwed up her eyes and ducked her head, keeping close to Lionblaze as they trekked57 on and on across the brittle58 grass until, beneath the whistling of the wind, Hollyleaf could make out a dull roaring, like nothing she had ever heard before
Suddenly Lionblaze halted; unable to stop in time, Hollyleaf bumped into him. Hissing in annoyance59, she staggered as Hazeltail collided with her from behind. Raising her head, Hollyleaf saw that Brambleclaw and Brackenfur were standing60 side by side at the head of the patrol, staring at something. Hollyleaf padded up to them, the rest of the cats falling into a line alongside.
Great StarClan!They had reached the very edge of the land! At their paws, the ground fell away into a tumble of rocks. Stretching in front of them, as far as Hollyleaf could see, was an endless expanse of heaving, roaring gray water.
“Welcome to the sun-drown-place,” Brambleclaw meowed.
收听单词发音 |
1
clan
|
|
| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
screech
|
|
| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
spun
|
|
| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
rigid
|
|
| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
crouching
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
crouch
|
|
| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
snarl
|
|
| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
darted
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
wailed
|
|
| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
warriors
|
|
| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
ragged
|
|
| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
dangled
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
scrambled
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
collapsed
|
|
| adj.倒塌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
skidded
|
|
| v.（通常指车辆） 侧滑( skid的过去式和过去分词 )；打滑；滑行；（住在）贫民区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
kit
|
|
| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
flopped
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
ruffled
|
|
| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
prey
|
|
| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
clogging
|
|
| 堵塞，闭合 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
clumps
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
hunched
|
|
| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
scented
|
|
| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
scent
|
|
| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
reek
|
|
| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
scents
|
|
| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
jaws
|
|
| n.口部；嘴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
perked
|
|
| （使）活跃( perk的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）增值； 使更有趣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
plod
|
|
| v.沉重缓慢地走，孜孜地工作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
shrugged
|
|
| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
uneven
|
|
| adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
trickled
|
|
| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
flicked
|
|
| （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） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
spotted
|
|
| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
debris
|
|
| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
thicket
|
|
| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
gusty
|
|
| adj.起大风的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
hissing
|
|
| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
pelt
|
|
| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
den
|
|
| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
drowsily
|
|
| adv.睡地，懒洋洋地，昏昏欲睡地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
pricked
|
|
| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
prodding
|
|
| v.刺，戳( prod的现在分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
moss
|
|
| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
scout
|
|
| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
groomed
|
|
| v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
scraps
|
|
| 油渣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
nibbling
|
|
| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的现在分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
lighter
|
|
| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
glided
|
|
| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
scudding
|
|
| n.刮面v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
unfamiliar
|
|
| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
trekked
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
brittle
|
|
| adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
annoyance
|
|
| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |