CHAPTER 7
“Long ago, I was told ofa prophecy—” the ThunderClan leader began.
“We know!” Jayfeather interrupted. He had walked through this memory in one of Firestar’s dreams. “We’re the Three. Kin2 of your kin, with the power of the stars in our paws.”
Shock flashed from Firestar’s pelt3, then ebbed4 into weary acceptance. “So you know already.” He sighed. “I’ve been waiting for you a long time, since before Leafpool and Squirrel flight were born.”
Jayfeather wasn’t interested in Firestar’s memories. “But what does the prophecy mean?”
“Mean?” Firestar sounded surprised.
Doesn’t he know?
Before Jayfeather could speak, Dovepaw found her voice. “Did you think it would be Leafpool and Squirrelflight?”
“For a while,” Firestar answered slowly. “I thought it might be them and Cloudtail. But nothing happened. Then Jaykit, Lionkit, and Hollykit were born.” He stopped, and when he spoke5 again his tone was curious. “How long have you known about the prophecy?”
“Did StarClan tell you?”
“Not exactly.” Jayfeather wanted to delve9 into Firestar’s mind, find out everything the ThunderClan leader knew about the prophecy. But he was only one of the Three. Lionblaze and Dovepaw needed to know too. The whole thing would have to be teased out in words. “But it didn’t need to come from StarClan, did it? This is not theirprophecy.”
“No.” Firestar sounded perplexed10. His paws shifted on the night-damp earth. “Do you know what your destiny is?”
“Don’t you?” Dovepaw gasped11. “I mean, if you know about the prophecy, how come you don’t know what it means?”
“Didn’t the old cat tell you?” Lionblaze meowed.
There was a moment of silence as Firestar digested the fact that the three cats knew who had given the prophecy to him. “I don’t think even heunderstood what it meant,” Firestar admitted. “He was just passing on a message.”
Ice-cold fear spread along Jayfeather’s spine12. No cat knows!They were floundering in shadow, heading for what?
He felt Firestar’s muzzle13 touch his head. “Skywatcher promised that you would come, and you have. We must have faith. There’s nothing we can do but wait,” the ThunderClan leader murmured.
“Tell me.” Firestar turned his attention back to Dovepaw. “What exactly is your power?”
Jayfeather sensed her stiffen15, like a hunted mouse. They’d always told her to keep her power secret.
“It’s okay,” Lionblaze mewed. “You can tell him.”
“Okay.” Dovepaw hesitated for a moment. “I can sense things,” she began tentatively. “Faraway things.”
“How do you sense them?” Firestar urged.
“I—I hear them, and smell them, and sort of get glimpses.”
“Do you hear everything all the time?”
“It’s all kind of there—around me, in the background.” Dovepaw fidgeted. “I’m used to it. Like…” Another pause, then, “Like youdon’t see every tree around you all the time but you know they are there; you know what they look like; you can remember which is which. You can focus on one tree or, if something’s out of place or unusual, it’ll catch your eye—it’ll make you look harder.”
“I see.” There was warmth in Firestar’s mew. “Now I know why you’re so good at hunting.” The ThunderClan leader’s tail swished. “The Three have come at last.” He sounded satisfied. “I will sleep a little easier from now on. Just be careful—your powers set you apart from other cats, but you are still members of this Clan. You are still bound by the warrior16 code, for as long as that stands.”
Jayfeather leaned forward, heart pounding. “But we don’t know what we’re here for!”
“And there’s nothing we can do until we find out.” Firestar began to pad toward the hollow. “ThunderClan is lucky that you have come. Let’s not ask for the stars as well. Tell me if anything changes,” he meowed over his shoulder. “You will have my full support.”
Lionblaze breathed out slowly. “How come he never said anything before?”
Jayfeather sat down. “I guess he was just waiting until he was sure.”
“Yes,” Lionblaze agreed. “And now it’ll be easier to ask for more training time away from the other apprentices.”
“But we still don’t know what we’re training for,” Dovepaw pointed20 out. A yawn overtook her. Jayfeather was suddenly aware of the tiredness dragging at the young cat’s paws.
He blinked at Lionblaze, but the golden warrior was already padding over to his apprentice7. “Come on,” he meowed, his fur brushing hers. “Let’s get you back to your den21. You’ll need some rest before tomorrow’s training.” Lionblaze paused. “Are you staying here, Jayfeather?”
“I need to think.”
Lionblaze yawned. “Can’t you think in your nest?”
“I won’t stay out long,” Jayfeather promised.
“Okay.” Lionblaze sounded too tired to argue. He followed Dovepaw through the thorn barrier, leaving Jayfeather alone under the trees.
Firestar doesn’t know any more than we do.Jayfeather sighed. He walked down to the lake, following the scent23 of water and wind. As he emerged from the trees, the breeze whipped his whiskers back against his cheeks.
Jayfeather pictured the lake, wide, black, and silent, hiding the stick in its depths. Why did I destroy it?
He felt pebbles24 beneath his paws as he neared the water’s edge. A yowl rose from his belly. “I’m sorry! Rock! I didn’t mean it!” He drew the dank night air over his tongue, trying to catch some hint of the ancient cat’s scent, but tasted nothing but dying leaves and water. Fear yawned like a dark pit in his belly. Rock knew about the prophecy long before StarClan crowded Silverpelt, and Jayfeather had broken the only link he’d had with the blind old cat.
“Oh, Rock! Please! I need to know!”
The wind blew Jayfeather’s pleas back into his face. But he knew Rock heard him, could reply if he wanted.
Angrily, Jayfeather headed along the shore to where the stream tumbled out of the forest. He padded up the bank, picking his way carefully over the tangle25 of roots, heading upstream into the trees. When the stream narrowed, he leaped over it, careful not to let his tail fall into the cold, chattering26 water.
The damp earth felt good underpaw and he broke into a trot27. He focused his senses harder so that he could run among the trees, sharply aware of the space around him, his whiskers and nose mapping his course, his ear fur pricked28 for the muting of sound that signaled the thickening of the undergrowth ahead.
ShadowClan!
Was he that close to the border already? He slowed and padded forward cautiously, sniffing31. Border markers dotted the trees ahead. They were fresh. Had ShadowClan started night patrols? He sniffed32 again. The scent belonged to a single tom. Why would one cat be out scent marking by himself?
A yowl ripped the air. Unsheathed claws slammed into Jayfeather’s shoulders, thrusting him into the leafy soil. He spluttered and shoved himself upward, rage firing his muscles. He flung off his attacker, recognizing the scent.
“Tigerheart!”
It was Tawnypelt’s son.
The young ShadowClan tom scrabbled to his paws. “S-sorry!”
Jayfeather sensed shame flooding Tigerheart’s pelt as the young tom realized he’d attacked a medicine cat.
“I didn’t realize it was you.” The earth whispered as Tigerheart sheathed33 his claws. “I thought you were trespassing34.”
“Medicine cats can go where they need to,” Jayfeather reminded him.
“I—I know,” Tigerheart stammered35. “What are you doing here? At night, I mean. Do you need something from Shadow Clan? I can take you to Blackstar. Were you on your way somewhere?”
While Tigerheart gabbled, Jayfeather smoothed his ruffled36 fur and tasted the air, listening for waves on the shore and the tone of the wind in the trees, trying to figure out exactly where he was. Far from the shore, close to the ShadowClan border, close enough to be knocked onto the wrong side by a clumsy attack from a young warrior. Realizing the markers were behind him, Jayfeather carefully edged backward until he was sure his paws were back in his own territory. A medicine cat could roam where he pleased, but not without good reason
“What are youdoing here at this time of night?” Jayfeather hid his own discomfort37 by questioning Tigerheart. “Are you on patrol?”
“S-sort of.” Tigerheart shifted his paws. “Anyway, it’s none of your business.” His mew hardened.
He’s being very defensive38.Jayfeather leaned closer. “ShadowClan doesn’t usually send out lone22 patrols in the middle of the night.”
“ThunderClan doesn’t send out lone medicine cats,” Tigerheart countered.
Cheeky cub39!“You should go back to your den,” Jayfeather snapped. “You must have training tomorrow.”
To his surprise, Tigerheart backed off. “Okay.” Turning, the young tom scampered40 away into the trees.
As Jayfeather sniffed his fading scent, another touched his nose. It seemed oddly familiar as it wreathed around him but he couldn’t place it.
The fur on his shoulders prickled. Stiffening41, Jayfeather felt himself being watched. He spun42 around, tasting the air, ears pricked, frustrated43 by his blindness. Was a cat observing him from the shadows? No sound. No scent, other than those Tigerheart had left.
Jayfeather shook out his fur. Don’t be mouse-brained!Tasting dawn, he ducked through a hazel bush and headed home.
Who’d be watching me at this time of night?
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1
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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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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3
pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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ebbed
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| （指潮水）退( ebb的过去式和过去分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
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5
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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6
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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7
apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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9
delve
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| v.深入探究，钻研 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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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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12
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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13
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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14
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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15
stiffen
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| v.(使)硬，(使)变挺，(使)变僵硬 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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contrite
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| adj.悔悟了的，后悔的，痛悔的 | |
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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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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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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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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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23
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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24
pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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25
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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26
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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27
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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28
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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spiked
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| adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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31
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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32
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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33
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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34
trespassing
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| [法]非法入侵 | |
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35
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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37
discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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38
defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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39
cub
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| n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人 | |
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40
scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
stiffening
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| n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式 | |
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42
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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43
frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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