Dovepaw dug her paws deeper intothe grass as Blackstar strode from the trees, flanked by Russetfur and Rowanclaw. She would not give way, no matter what. Ivypaw was pressing against her flank. Dovepaw was aware of her sister’s stillness beside her own trembling body. Wasn’t Ivypaw scared?
She could hear ShadowClan coming, stalking through their territory, their paws scuffing2 the needle-strewn forest floor, their pelts4 brushing against pine trunks, their breath coming short and fast. She could picture them slicing through the sparse5 undergrowth, scoring marks on the ground with unsheathed claws. Their stench rolled over her, choking her until she felt as if she could no longer breathe.
Blackstar was challenging Firestar.
Blood roared in her ears. She could see her leader’s mouth moving but heard nothing but her own blood pulsing through her
Then ShadowClan warriors6 erupted like a flock of ravens8 from the misty9 pine forest.
“Make every blow count!” Dovepaw hardly heard Lionblaze’s order before he leaped away.
Crouching10 low, she fought to remember her battle moves as her mind emptied of everything except panic. Cats lunged on either side of her and she shrank back, staring wildly around her
Then the noise began. Every breath, every rip of fur, every scrape of tooth on bone. Growls11 and shrieks13 tore at her senses. As she struggled to shut out the chaos14 of sound, the scent15 of fear and of blood swamped her tongue. Was that Dustpelt’s breath knocked from him as a warrior7 hurled16 him to the ground? Was that pain in Sorreltail’s shriek12, or was it triumph?
A cream pelt3 flashed toward her. Paws slammed her shoulders and knocked her flying; then claws gripped her flank. The ShadowClan she-cat smelled like Tigerheart.
Dawnpelt?
Instinctively17 Dovepaw battered18 the warrior’s belly19 with her hind20 paws until the she-cat let go. It wasDawnpelt! Dovepaw jumped to her paws and ducked under Dawnpelt’s belly, breaking from the line, racing21 forward, slipping through the ShadowClan ranks as she desperately22 tried to escape the shrieking23 mass of warriors.
Her ears twitched24 with too much noise. Was that the sound of moreShadowClan warriors pounding through the undergrowth toward her?
Her paws skidded25 underneath26 her. The ShadowClan cats had driven ThunderClan back toward the middle of the clearing. Dovepaw couldn’t get a grip on the slippery grass. Her claws couldn’t reach through to solid ground.
Dawnpelt was on her tail.
She turned and reared and met the ShadowClan warrior in a clumsy flurry of swiping blows. Dawnpelt fought back. Knocked her muzzle27. Unbalanced her.
Help me, StarClan!
She tried to spring up but Dawnpelt held her down, raking her spine28 with hind claws. Pain seared her pelt and a yowl escaped her. Writhing29 to escape, she glimpsed golden fur.
Lionblaze was staring down at her. “You seem to have strayed from your Clanmates,” he growled30.
There was a blur31 of movement above Dovepaw, and suddenly Dawnpelt let go. Raising her head with a wince32, Dovepaw saw Lionblaze fling the ShadowClan warrior away.
“Can you manage now?” he asked.
She nodded, hoping she could, and Lionblaze dashed back toward the battle line.
Ivypaw slowed to a halt beside her. “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” Dovepaw panted. She fought to block out the yowling of her Clanmates.
“Look out!” Ivypaw warned.
Dovepaw spun33 around as Foxleap backed into her. His forepaws were raised as he swiped at an advancing ShadowClan warrior.
Crowfrost.
Two ShadowClan apprentices—Starlingpaw and Pinepaw—flanked the black-and-white tom, their eyes fixed35 on Foxleap as they drove the ThunderClan warrior toward the pine forest, separating him from his Clanmates.
Ivypaw darted36 forward and nipped Starlingpaw’s foreleg. Dovepaw knew what she had to do. Yowling, she hurled herself at Pinepaw, knocking her backward with such ferocity that Crowfrost glanced up to see if his Clanmate was okay. In an instant, Foxleap regained37 his balance, dropped onto four paws, and launched himself forward. He sent Crowfrost hurtling backward and the pair rolled away while Dovepaw dug her claws into Pinepaw’s flanks and tore until the she-cat shrieked38 and struggled from her grip.
Starlingpaw was dragging at the grass as Ivypaw pulled him backward and sank her teeth into his neck. Dovepaw froze. Her sister looked as though she were killing39 prey40. She felt a flash of relief as Ivypaw let go and Starlingpaw raced back toward his Clanmates.
Ivypaw turned to face Dovepaw, curling her lip to reveal teeth stained with blood. “Who next?”
Suddenly Brackenfur and Thornclaw appeared, pulling up in front of Dovepaw and Ivypaw, their breath clouding the air.
“Brambleclaw wants us to try something different,” Brackenfur panted.
His gaze fell upon Foxleap; the tawny41 tabby was beating Crowfrost backward, helped now by Toadstep. Overwhelmed, the ShadowClan warrior turned and slipped back among his own ranks. Brackenfur nodded approvingly and beckoned42 with his tail.
Foxleap raced over, Toadstep a pace behind. “What is it?”
“ShadowClan keeps regrouping,” Thornclaw told them. “They’re pushing us back across the field.”
Toadstep nodded. “It’s impossible to get a good grip on this grass.”
“Brambleclaw wants us to outflank them,” Brackenfur told him.
Ivypaw leaned forward. “How?”
“I’m going to lead a separate patrol,” Thornclaw meowed, “and try to draw ShadowClan away from the clearing, back into their own territory.”
Brackenfur rubbed his muzzle with one paw. “We stand a better chance in the woods,” he growled. “There are brambles and trees. The ground will feel more familiar. And we can try out our new tree tactics.”
Dovepaw’s eyes widened. “But won’t ShadowClan just fight harder if we invade their territory?”
“That’s a risk we’ll have to take,” Brackenfur muttered. “We’ll never beat them out here in the open.”
Lionblaze bounded toward them, Rosepetal and Sorreltail behind him. “Are you ready?” he asked Thornclaw.
Thornclaw nodded and headed toward ShadowClan’s woods.
Dovepaw glanced at her sister. What if they were caught between two rows of ShadowClan warriors?
But Ivypaw seemed undaunted. She scrambled43 after Thornclaw. Dovepaw hurtled after, her heart pounding.
“Hey! Where are they going?”
She heard the shocked yowl of a ShadowClan warrior behind them.
“They’ve broken rank!”
Dovepaw tried to concentrate on her Clanmates, slipping after them through the pines, feeling the needles underpaw, adjusting to the gloom of ShadowClan’s woods as she weaved past a swath of brambles. Ivypaw was already scooting up a tree, gripping the bark like a squirrel.
Dovepaw glanced back through the bramble hedge at the battle still raging in the clearing. It looked like chaos. Where were the battle skills they’d all been taught? From here it looked like a tangled45 mass of writhing pelts, and she was agonizingly aware of each shriek of pain and fear, the tearing of fur, the crunch46 of teeth as each cat struggled in its own private battle. How could they bear to do this to one another?
“Dovepaw!” Lionblaze’s mew dragged her attention back.
ShadowClan warriors were pounding toward the pines, thundering over the grass, spitting with rage.
“Quick, climb that tree!”
Dovepaw looked in dismay at the smooth, slender pine trunk. Her Clanmates had already scrambled up their own trees and were clinging to narrow branches, staring down, poised47 to drop on the fast-approaching ShadowClan warriors.
“Move!” Lionblaze nosed her upward and she clawed her way to the lowest branch.
Below, Lionblaze turned to face the ShadowClan attack as warriors streamed through the trees, Blackstar leading. The ShadowClan leader’s face was twisted in rage. “Can’t you even respect the border you just made?” He blinked in surprise at Lionblaze and Thornclaw. “Where are the rest of you?” he demanded.
His warriors skidded to a halt beside him.
Lionblaze glanced up and Blackstar followed his gaze, his eyes widening as he spotted48 the ThunderClan warriors clinging to the branches above.
Brackenfur was trembling in an effort to hang on. He dropped a moment before Thornclaw gave the signal.
“Now!”
The other ThunderClan cats began to dive on the ShadowClan patrol. Dovepaw clung, trembling, to her branch. Pelts swam beneath her like fish. She fixed her gaze on the light brown pelt of Owlclaw, then leaped.
Oh, StarClan!
The branch sagged49 beneath her. Her paws slithered wildly. With a yowl of shock, she landed unevenly50 on Owlclaw’s back. It was ungraceful but it was enough to floor him. He collapsed51 beneath her weight.
“What in the name of StarClan are you doing?” Owlclaw heaved her off and turned, his paws raised. Dovepaw ducked the first swipe and nipped at his leg.
“Need help?” Rosepetal appeared at her side and began to bat the tabby away, backing him against a bramble bush till he shrieked with pain.
Dovepaw scanned the fighting cats closest to her. Lionblaze had Ratscar pinned to a tree. Ivypaw was wrestling with Starlingpaw again. Hadn’t the ShadowClan apprentice34 learned her lesson? Toadstep was squirming beneath a dark tabby tom, his tail lashing52 wildly.
Tigerheart!
“Fighting like squirrels!” Tigerheart hissed53. “Doesn’t ThunderClan have any pride?” He tore at Toadstep’s spine with vicious hind claws, sending fur flying as Toadstep screeched54 in agony.
Anger surged in Dovepaw’s chest. She had to help her Clanmate. Then she paused. It was Tigerheart! Could she really hurt her friend?
Oh, StarClan! Do we really have to fight each other?
As she hesitated, Foxleap knocked Tigerheart from Toadstep’s back. Relief washed over Dovepaw.
“Help me!” Sorreltail’s furious mew sounded behind her.
Dovepaw spun to see her Clanmate swiping at Smokefoot. The dark ShadowClan warrior was snarling55 with his teeth bared, sharp claws glinting. Sorreltail reared and fell against him, their chests clashing as Smokefoot rose to meet her challenge. Her hind paws scrabbled, sending needles showering against Dovepaw’s pelt. Dovepaw sprang forward to help, knocking Smokefoot’s paws from under him so that he landed with a grunt56 on his belly.
“Thanks,” Sorreltail growled, and dived on the tom. Dovepaw leaned away from the flurry of paws and caught sight of Ivypaw. She was steadily57 beating Starlingpaw backward, her forepaws slashing58 with vicious accuracy.
Wow!Dovepaw was impressed. Ivypaw was a brilliant fighter. Then Dovepaw stiffened59 as a dark brown pelt flashed at the edge of her vision. She reared up to get a better look, staring over the tangle44 of pelts.
Tigerheart was streaking60 toward Ivypaw.
He mustn’t hurt her!
Panic surging in her throat, Dovepaw barged through the battling cats. She dived beneath Crowfrost and burst out just in time to see Tigerheart leap for Ivypaw.
“Ivypaw!” Dovepaw’s warning was lost in the shrieks of battle.
She watched her sister turn and spot Tigerheart lunging toward her. Thank StarClan!Dovepaw flexed61 her claws and prepared to go to Ivypaw’s rescue. Then she paused.
Tigerheart had stopped midleap and landed clumsily on all four paws. His gaze caught Ivypaw’s and the two cats stared at each other.
Dovepaw felt her chest tighten62.
Tigerheart had nodded at Ivypaw. A tiny nod. So tiny that Dovepaw wondered if she had imagined it. Then the ShadowClan warrior turned and vanished into the battle, his pelt blurring63 alongside Owlfur’s as he fought Thornclaw and Foxleap.
Dovepaw waited for relief to come. Her sister was safe. Tigerheart had not hurt her. But there was no relief inside her. Some other emotion jabbed her belly. A feeling that said she didn’t want Tigerheart to look at Ivypaw that way. The same way he had looked at Dovepaw when he told her he wanted to stay friends.
Am I jealous?
Dovepaw tried to shake the nagging64 pang65 away.
Why had Tigerheart looked at Ivypaw like that? Had he recognized the silver-and-white she-cat as Dovepaw’s sister?
No.That wasn’t the look. Something else had lit his gaze, something far more knowing. It almost looked as if they’d met before. But I would know!Dovepaw bristled66. Had Ivypaw been sneaking67 out of camp to meet the ShadowClan warrior? Was that why there was so much distance between the sisters now? Was that why Tigerheart had sought Dovepaw’s friendship?
There is no time for this!A voice inside her told her that she was putting herself and her Clan1 in danger. Her Clanmates needed her. She would have to wait to sort out what was going on with Ivypaw later. Right now, she needed to fight.
She turned and swiped at the hind legs of Owlclaw, then sank her teeth into Crowfrost’s tail. His yowl of agony sent energy surging through her, and as he turned she reared up, ready to take him on.
A yowl of rage rent the air. Dovepaw ducked out of Toadfoot’s way and spun around. At the edge of the trees, Russetfur was attacking Firestar. She held his throat in her jaws68, a stream of drool swinging from her straining cheek. Firestar thrashed desperately but she didn’t let go.
A golden pelt streaked69 through the trees.
Lionblaze!
Dovepaw blinked as her mentor70 hurled himself at Russetfur. At first the she-cat didn’t move. Then, claws stretched, eyes wild, Lionblaze caught hold of the ShadowClan deputy and dragged her backward, off her hind paws. As he did, Firestar stumbled and collapsed to the ground, blood pumping from his neck
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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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scuffing
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| n.刮[磨，擦，划]伤v.使磨损( scuff的现在分词 )；拖着脚走 | |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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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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sparse
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| adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的 | |
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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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ravens
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| n.低质煤；渡鸦( raven的名词复数 ) | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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growls
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的第三人称单数 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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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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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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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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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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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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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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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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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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25
skidded
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| 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 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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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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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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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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31
blur
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| n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚 | |
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wince
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| n.畏缩，退避，（因痛苦，苦恼等)面部肌肉抽动；v.畏缩，退缩，退避 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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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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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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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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shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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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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41
tawny
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| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
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42
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
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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44
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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46
crunch
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| n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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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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sagged
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| 下垂的 | |
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unevenly
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| adv.不均匀的 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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lashing
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| n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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53
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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54
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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55
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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56
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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slashing
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| adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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59
stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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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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61
flexed
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| adj.[医]曲折的，屈曲v.屈曲( flex的过去式和过去分词 )；弯曲；（为准备大干而）显示实力；摩拳擦掌 | |
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62
tighten
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| v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧 | |
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63
blurring
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| n.模糊，斑点甚多，（图像的）混乱v.（使）变模糊( blur的现在分词 )；（使）难以区分 | |
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nagging
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| adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责 | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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66
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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67
sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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69
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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mentor
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| n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导 | |
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