“Clanmates are everything. And we’re yourClanmates now.”
Hawkfrost gazed deep into Ivypaw’s eyes, and she began to relax. The gray, mist-wrapped forest suddenly seemed less strange. The sound of warriors3 training beyond the half-shadowed trees felt familiar. She was with Clanmates.
At first, when Ivypaw had dreamed herself beyond the flower-flecked meadow and into the forest, she’d been nervous. She’d crept between the towering trunks with her fur prickling, stiffening4 every time a yowl drifted from the misty5 depths of the woods.
But then Hawkfrost had found her, padding out of the shadows, his blue gaze sparking with pleasure as he saw her.
“Don’t be scared of them,” he’d reassured6 her when she’d jumped at a sudden, muffled7 noise.
“But who are they?” Ivypaw flicked8 her tail toward two wraithlike9 forms wrestling in a clearing a few tree-lengths away.
“Your Clanmates,” Hawkfrost answered.
“They’re ThunderClan?” Ivypaw blinked. This couldn’t be such a bad place if ThunderClan came here.
Hawkfrost didn’t answer, just scraped a line in the moldering earth. “See if you can make it past this mark,” he challenged.
More training!
Ivypaw crouched10 down, wincing11 at the ache in her shoulders. The pain followed her from dream to waking and back. As she’d hunted with Icecloud and Toadstep that day after sunhigh, she’d struggled to keep up. Nightly training with Hawkfrost had taken its toll12, but Ivypaw knew she was growing stronger, and his praise was worth much more because it was so hard-won.
She swished her tail over the ground and stared at Hawkfrost. He sat calmly watching her behind the line he had drawn14. She narrowed her eyes, keeping her rump still as he’d taught her.
Wait a moment. Then another.She ran through an old lesson in her head. Until they’re not sure what you’re going to do.
Ivypaw lunged, forepaws stretching, claws unsheathed. She looked for Hawkfrost’s first sign of movement, knew he’d double-bluff, pretending to move one way, then another, then back. She kept her hind13 paws on the ground until she was sure of his direction, then used them to steer15 her pounce16 and caught him off balance, swiping his muzzle17 with one front paw.
He batted her back with a hefty blow to her shoulder, and she fell sprawling18 to the ground. She sat up, shaking the dizziness from her head.
Hawkfrost was staring at the line. The earth was scuffed19, but only on her side.
“You didn’t cross it,” he growled20. “Try again.”
Ivypaw tucked her hind legs under her, concentrating. She barely saw the shadow move at the edge of her vision.
A voice rumbled21 from the mist. “Hello, Hawkfrost.”
Stiffening, Ivypaw spun22 around. A massive dark tom padded outBrambleclaw?No. This cat had the same broad shoulders and tabby pelt23, but his eyes glittered like a fox’s.
“Who—” Ivypaw didn’t get a chance to finish her question. Hawkfrost slammed into her, flinging her down and pinning her shoulders to the ground. He leaned in close, baring his teeth. “I’ve warned you before about getting distracted,” he growled.
She struggled to her paws, eager to examine the newcomer, but wary24 of taking her eyes from Hawkfrost.
The blue-eyed tom nodded. “Meet Tigerstar.”
With his permission, Ivypaw turned to stare at the dark warrior2. He was bigger than Brambleclaw and his pelt was crisscrossed with scars. “T-Tigerstar?” She’d heard many stories about this warrior, stories that made her paws tremble.
She was surprised when his gaze softened25. “Don’t believe everything you hear, little one,” he rumbled.
Could he read her mind? “I—I wasn’t,” she stammered26. “I mean, I didn’t…”
Tigerstar weaved around her, his pelt brushing hers. “You’re among friends now, Ivypaw,” he murmured. “I know what the Clan1 cats say about me. But they can’t see into my heart.” He sat down. “Success is lonely. I was punished for wanting to lead my Clan. They misunderstood my desire to guide them through hardship. And so they forced me to leave.”
“You mean ThunderClan?” Ivypaw struggled to remember the details of the nursery tales she’d heard.
“They were my birth Clan.” Tigerstar sighed. “If I’d led them, they would not have lost so many. Instead they drove me out. But they could not destroy my loyalty27 to the Clan that raised me.”
Ivypaw narrowed her eyes. “But you led ShadowClan.”
“What else could I do?” Tigerstar shrugged28. “Turn rogue29? What true warrior would do that?” He leaned toward her, his eyes round and sincere. “We are Clanmates in every way.” He turned to Hawkfrost. “How’s she doing?”
Hawkfrost flicked Ivypaw’s flank with his tail. “Show him.”
“Show him what?” Ivypaw suddenly felt nervous.
Hawkfrost cocked his head. “How fast you can turn. How accurately30 you can pounce.”
Ivypaw dropped to her belly31, then sprang up, pushing with her hind legs as hard as she could. She landed and turned instantly on one hind paw, then leaped again, landing on a twig32 that she’d fixed33 in her gaze. She plucked it up with her forepaw and snapped it in midair. Then she came to rest, paws straight, tail down, muscles tensed to leap again if she had to.
“Very neat,” Tigerstar murmured. He padded toward her and without warning stretched out a massive forepaw and tossed one of the broken pieces of twig into the air. It arced over her head.
“Catch it!” he ordered.
Without thinking, Ivypaw jumped, twisted in midair, and stretched to pluck the twig from the air, catching34 it without effort and landing on three legs. Pleased with herself, she dropped the twig at Tigerstar’s paws.
Tigerstar’s amber35 gaze glowed. “She’s ready,” he purred to Hawkfrost.
Excitement thrilled through Ivypaw. “Ready for what?”
Tigerstar swung his gaze toward her. His eyes narrowed very slightly. “I hadn’t planned on telling you yet….” He glanced at Hawkfrost as though debating. “But I suppose the sooner we act, the safer your Clanmates will be.”
Ivypaw leaned forward. Was ThunderClan in danger?
“ShadowClan is planning to invade your territory.”
“Invade?” Ivypaw’s heart quickened. She knew there’d been activity near the border, but not enough to suggest an immediate36 threat. “Why?”
With a sigh, Tigerstar began to explain. “Many moons ago, Firestar gave a large strip of your territory to ShadowClan. He told his Clanmates they had no use for it. That it would be a hassle to defend.”
Ivypaw blinked. “He gave it away?” She knew it was only the piece of land Twolegs used to build greenleaf nests, but anything that pushed the ShadowClan border farther from the prey-rich forest must be important. And she had always assumed ShadowClan had won it by force. “Why?”
Tigerstar shook his head sadly. “Firestar’s been afraid of ShadowClan since he left his kittypet life. The stories of their ferociousness37 always seemed to get under his fur.”
“But Firestar’s not frightened of anything!” Ivypaw objected.
“Really?” Tigerstar looked surprised. “I suppose he must appear that way to an apprentice38. But I knew him before he was a warrior, when he was young enough to believe nursery stories.”
“He wouldn’t still believe such nonsense!” Ivypaw exclaimed.
“Of course not.” Tigerstar tucked his tail over his paws. “What warrior would? But still he decided39 that it was easier to give up territory than risk lives defending it. And unfortunately ShadowClan saw it as weakness, not wisdom.”
Suspicion pricked40 in Ivypaw’s pelt. “Why are you telling me this?” she asked. “You were once ShadowClan’s leader. Why do you want to give away their plans?”
Tigerstar’s gaze sharpened. “ThunderClan is my birth Clan. My loyalty lies with them even though they drove me out and forced me to beg for a home with another Clan.” He glanced at his paws. “I’d rather be a humble41 warrior than live outside the Clans42, without the warrior code to guide my paws.” He looked up. “ThunderClan must be warned of the danger.”
“You really think they’ll invade?”
Hawkfrost padded closer. “They’ve already had a taste of ThunderClan territory.”
“How much more do they want?” Ivypaw’s heart was pounding. She had to defend her Clan!
Tigerstar tipped his head to one side. “Only the land up to the abandoned Twoleg nest,” he told her.
“But that’s where Jayfeather grows his herbs!”
“Do you think they don’t know that?” Tigerstar murmured.
Ivypaw felt foolish. Of course! “What can I do?”
Tigerstar closed his eyes for a moment. “Are you sure you’re ready?”
“Of course I am!”
“Then,” Tigerstar mewed, “you must persuade Firestar to take back the territory he gave away to ShadowClan.”
“Will that stop them?”
“It’ll send them an important message,” Tigerstar growled. “It’ll prove that ThunderClan doesn’t fear them.”
Ivypaw clawed at the earth. “We don’t!”
Hawkfrost pushed his muzzle close to Ivypaw’s. “But does ShadowClan know that?”
“They will if we attack first!” Ivypaw exclaimed.
Tigerstar looked pleased. “Exactly.”
Ivypaw frowned. “How can I get ThunderClan to launch an attack?”
“Speak to Firestar.”
“He won’t listen to me!” Ivypaw flattened43 her ears. “And if I tell him the message came from you, he’ll never believe it!”
“Then don’t tell him.” Tigerstar stood up. “He’ll believe anything you want him to, if you put it the right way.”
Ivypaw’s mind was whirling. How would she find the words to persuade Firestar? “I don’t know…” she breathed.
Tigerstar caught her gaze and held it. “You’ll find a way, Clanmate.”
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收听单词发音
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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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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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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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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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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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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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7
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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8
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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wraithlike
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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wincing
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的现在分词 ) | |
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toll
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| n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟) | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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pounce
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| n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意 | |
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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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sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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scuffed
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| v.使磨损( scuff的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚走 | |
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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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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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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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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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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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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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twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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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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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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37
ferociousness
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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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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40
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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41
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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42
clans
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| 宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派 | |
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43
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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