Chapter 2
Ivypool followed Whitewing until they stopped beside a tiny stream, not far from the camp. Leaves clustered thickly on the trees and the newleaf grass was long and lush, cool for Ivypool’s tired paws.
The night before, she had taken part in a tough training session with Sunstrike and Redwil ow.
Hawkfrost had been supervising, not letting up until al three cats bore the marks of their opponents’
claws. Now Ivypool felt as if her body were nothing but a huge bruise4, and one ear was stil ringing from a wel -aimed blow
Glancing at her sister, Ivypool saw that she looked just as exhausted5. Jayfeather should never have taken Dovewing to the mountains, she thought with a stab of anger. It could have been her that the eagle carried off, and she’s too important to the Clan1 to risk losing.
“Let’s rest for a bit,” Whitewing suggested, more sympathetic now. “You can have a drink and finish grooming7.”
Ivypool could hear anxiety in her mother’s voice. I know she cares about us, even though she’s concerned that we’re falling behind with our duties.
“No, we’re fine,” Dovewing meowed, straightening her shoulders and raising her head in an effort to look alert. “We should keep going. There’s a good moss8 place a bit farther on.”
“You’re both a long way from fine,” Whitewing pointed9 out. After a moment’s hesitation11, she added,
“I know there’s something troubling you. I’m not going to ask what it is, if you don’t want to tel me. But remember that I’m your mother. Nothing you say could ever shock me or make me love you less.” Ivypool twitched12 her ears. I bet I could prove you wrong.
But she kept quiet, happy to sit in the long, cool grass and relax as Whitewing helped groom6 her pelt with long, rhythmic14 strokes of her tongue. It felt good to be taken care of for once after her visits to the Dark Forest, where she couldn’t trust any cat, and always had to be on her guard.
“I had a bad dream last night,” Dovewing confessed, twisting her neck to get at a clump15 of matted fur on her shoulder. “I thought I was back in the mountains. Swoop16 was being carried away by the eagle.”
“You should try not to think about it,” Whitewing mewed gently, turning to Dovewing and helping17 her to tease out the clump with swift rasping licks. “You know that eagles never come to the lake.” And if they did, Ivypool thought, Dovewing would hear them before any other cat.
Whitewing finished grooming Dovewing and rose to her paws, arching her back in a long stretch.
Ivypool got up, too, ready to move on. Then she noticed that Dovewing was stil sitting by the stream, shaking her head and pawing at her ear as if there was something lodged19 inside it
Glancing at Whitewing, who was looking the other way, Ivypool leaned over to murmur20 quietly to her sister, “Are you okay? Are your senses stil not working?”
“No . . . I stil can’t hear properly!” Dovewing’s blue eyes were stricken. “I mean, I can hear you and Whitewing and what’s around us, but I can’t hear any farther than that. It’s al just noise and shrieking21 and the sound of the wind.”
Ivypool touched her nose to her sister’s shoulder.
“It must be because you heard so much when you were in the mountains,” she meowed. “You said it was much louder when you crossed the ridge22 above WindClan. Maybe it wil get better soon.”
“I keep hoping that,” Dovewing muttered. “But it’s been a moon. I feel like I’m useless to the Clan.”
“No way!” Ivypool shook her head. “Don’t think like that!”
Dovewing sighed. “But it’s like being deaf.”
“No, it’s like being normal,” Ivypool told her. “You
—”
She broke off as Whitewing turned around. “It’s time we got moving,” she cal ed. “We have that moss to col ect, and then I want to do some hunting for the elders.”
She bounded off toward the lake. Ivypool exchanged a glance with Dovewing, and they both fol owed. They had just reached the gnarled oak whose roots were covered in thick green moss when Ivypool spotted23 a flicker25 of movement in the trees nearby. Her neck fur began to rise and she braced26 her muscles, ready to attack an intruder, then relaxed as she realized it was Jayfeather. She was stil surprised by how confidently the blind medicine cat wove through the undergrowth.
Whitewing had paused, gazing through the trees at Jayfeather. “He shouldn’t be out by himself,” she murmured. “Ivypool, go see if he needs any help.” Ivypool hesitated. She didn’t want to be alone with Jayfeather; she knew he had been waiting for the chance to interrogate28 her about the Dark Forest
“Go on!” Whitewing flicked29 her tail toward Jayfeather. “He might be a bit moody30, but you know he’l be glad to have your help.”
And hedgehogs might fly! Ivypool thought as she padded after the medicine cat.
“Good luck!” Dovewing whispered after her.
Ivypool quickened her pace, fol owing Jayfeather’s thin tabby shape as he rounded a patch of nettles31.
“Hi,” she meowed as she caught up to him.
“Whitewing sent me to see if you need any help.” Jayfeather twitched one ear as if a fly had landed on it. “No,” he replied curtly32.
Great! I can get back to moss collecting! But then Ivypool realized that Whitewing would never let her get away with that. “At least let me tag along,” she persisted. “Or I’l just be sent straight back to you.” Jayfeather shrugged34. “Okay. But don’t even think of trying to guide me. I was finding my way through this forest before you were kitted. I’m just going to col ect some marigold leaves from the top of the hol ow,” he added as Ivypool fel in beside him.
“There are some good clumps36 on the slope above the highest part of the cliff, where the trees have thinned out and sunlight reaches the ground.” Ivypool was surprised that the medicine cat could describe the spot so wel when he had never seen it.
She padded beside him over rough ground along the curve of the cliff, where stones poked37 out of the earth and roots snaked out as if trying to trip them.
Soon they reached the edge, and Ivypool looked down into the hol ow. She shuddered38 as she remembered her vision of blood and fighting cats, and wondered again if it had been an omen10 of the destruction of her Clan.
Then Jayfeather swung away from the cliff top and fol owed a steeper trail that led through dense39 brambles. Ivypool had to press herself close to the ground to avoid the tendrils that reached out over the path. She was so busy concentrating on crouching40 down that she almost bumped into Jayfeather’s hindquarters when he halted with a hiss41 of disgust
Ivypool realized that the medicine cat was caught on a bramble tendril, the thorns snagged in his pelt.
She reached out a paw to pul the stem off, then stopped herself. He’d claw me worse than the brambles if I tried to help him!
Awkwardly Jayfeather lifted one paw and groped for the end of the bramble, muttering under his breath. After a moment he managed to free himself, though there was a tuft of tabby fur left on the thorns as he crept forward again. When another tendril raked its thorns along his side, he didn’t even pause, just pul ed himself away and went on.
Ivypool was glad when they emerged into a smal clearing. She flexed42 her muscles, letting the hot sun soak into her fur, and her jaws43 watered at the strong smel of rabbits.
“This is the place,” Jayfeather meowed, “but I can’t smel any marigold with this reek44 of rabbit.” Padding farther into the clearing, Ivypool looked around for the plants. But al she could see were clumps of nibbled45 stalks and a scattering46 of leaves, already shriveling in the sun.
“What’s the matter?” Jayfeather demanded.
“There’s no marigold here,” Ivypool told him.
“Something has eaten it al . It must have been the rabbits—I can see their droppings here, too.” Jayfeather was already stalking up to the ruined plants, thrusting his nose deep into the remains48 of the clumps and sniffing50 at the hard, dark droppings.
“This is a disaster,” he spat51. “I’ve tried to grow marigold with my other plants beside the old Twoleg nest, but they only grow wel up here in the sun.” Ivypool walked slowly around the clearing in case there were any plants the rabbits had missed. She couldn’t see any, but suddenly the scent52 of marigold, strong and sweet, wafted53 over her. She halted, puzzled.
That smells like a lot of plants. So why can’t I see them?
With her jaws parted to taste the air, Ivypool fol owed the scent. It led to a beech54 tree at the edge of the clearing; the scent was pouring down from the branches.
“Plants growing in a tree?” she murmured. “That’s mouse-brained!”
But Ivypool couldn’t deny what her nose was tel ing her. Stil confused, she scrambled55 up the tree until she reached the first branch. Crouching there, claws digging into the bark, she stared at the shal ow hol ow formed where the branch joined the trunk. It was fil ed with rainwater, and several marigold plants had been placed there, with their roots in the water so that they stayed fresh and alive.
“Jayfeather!” she cal ed excitedly. “I’ve found marigold!”
Jayfeather looked around as if he couldn’t figure out where her voice was coming from, then bounded over to the foot of her tree. “Plants up a tree?” His voice was sharp with annoyance56. “If this is a joke, I’l
—”
“It’s not a joke,” Ivypool assured him, describing the scoop57 of water with the plants careful y arranged there. “I’l drop them down to you.”
“This is the weirdest59 thing I’ve ever come across,” Jayfeather went on, as Ivypool picked up the plants one by one and dropped them to the ground. “How in the name of StarClan did they get up there?”
“Maybe the rabbits carried them up to keep them for later?” Ivypool guessed.
“When have you ever seen a rabbit climbing a tree?” Jayfeather asked in a scathing60 voice, making a bundle of the plants by his front paws. “Squirrels hoard61 nuts,” he added thoughtful y. “Maybe this is one of their stores.”
When have you ever seen a squirrel eating marigold? Ivypool didn’t dare ask the question aloud. “It’s a mystery,” she meowed, dropping the last plant and scrambling62 back down the tree.
Jayfeather divided the marigold plants into two bunches so he and Ivypool could carry them back to camp. Then he padded across the clearing and took a final sniff49 of the ruined patch. “We ought to find a way to protect the plants so that they’l grow back,” he mumbled63 around his mouthful.
Ivypool wondered how they could do that. Building a thorn barrier around the patch would be a huge task, and anyway it wouldn’t be much good to keep rabbits out. They hardly stayed away from the wood just because there were bramble thickets65 in the way.
“Maybe we could bring the scent of fox up here,” she suggested. “That would scare the rabbits away.”
“How?” Jayfeather asked, his tone suggesting it was a mouse-brained idea.
Ivypool thought for a moment. “We could use fox dung . . . it would be yucky getting it here, but it might work.”
“And how would you get it?” Jayfeather mewed.
“Just strol up to a fox and say, ‘Please make some dirt for me?’ I don’t think so.”
Ivypool rol ed her eyes. Jayfeather might be our medicine cat, but he’s such a mouse-brain sometimes. “Old dung,” she responded. “You didn’t think I’d march into a fox’s den27 to get it fresh, did you?” She said the last part under her breath. It was pointless trying to argue with Jayfeather—somehow he always won.
But Jayfeather was nodding. “You could be right.
Sort it out, wil you, as soon as we’ve taken these plants back to the hol ow?”
Ivypool sighed. Great, she thought as she fol owed Jayfeather back down the trail. Why can’t I keep my big mouth shut?
Back in the stone hol ow, Ivypool went with Jayfeather to the medicine cat’s den to deposit her bundle of marigold.
“You found some!” Briarlight exclaimed, pul ing herself across the den to plunge66 her nose into the aromatic67 stems. “I’l sort them out and store them right away.”
“You can get on with that fox dung now.” Wrinkling her nose in disgust, Ivypool padded back into the clearing and glanced around. She knew she would have to find another warrior68 to go with her. Looking for fox dung meant she might encounter a fox, and she knew she would get a talking-to if she took the risk alone. The first cat she spotted was Blossomfal , emerging from the thorn tunnel and bounding across the camp to drop a vole on the fresh-kil pile.
“Hi, Blossomfal ,” Ivypool meowed, heading up to her. “Wil you come out with me to find some fox dung?”
Blossomfal stared at her as if she had sprouted69 a second head. And I can’t say I blame her, Ivypool thought wryly70. “To scare rabbits away from Jayfeather’s marigold patch,” she explained.
“I . . . I’m sorry, Ivypool, I can’t,” Blossomfal replied after a moment’s hesitation. “I promised I’d help Purdy and Mousefur with their ticks.” She hurried off toward the elders’ den.
Huh! Ivypool thought. So why aren’t you collecting mouse bile from Jayfeather if you’re going to do ticks?
At first she thought that Blossomfal was just trying to get out of a messy and maybe dangerous task.
But she’s not usually like that . . . no, she’s still uneasy with me because we met in the Dark Forest.
Maybe she’s starting to realize how bad it is there, and that’s why she doesn’t want to talk to me.
She jumped, startled, as she heard the pawsteps of another cat approaching behind her. Glancing around, she saw her father, Birchfal , who padded up and dropped a squirrel onto the fresh-kil pile.
Birchfal twitched his ears. “I didn’t think anything scared you, Ivypool.”
Ivypool thought that was a weird58 thing to say, but she didn’t have time to think about it. “I need to col ect some fox dung to protect Jayfeather’s plants against rabbits,” she mewed. “Wil you come with me?”
“Sure.” Birchfal gave his chest fur a quick lick and bounded toward the thorn tunnel beside Ivypool.
Once in the forest, Ivypool took the lead and headed for the border between ThunderClan and the woods outside the Clan territories. “We’re not likely to find foxes living anywhere else,” she explained.
Birchfal nodded. “I saw you three nights ago,” he meowed after a moment. “Training with Hawkfrost in the Dark Forest.”
Ivypool halted, staring in shock at her father. She hoped he couldn’t hear how hard her heart was pounding. It was hard to think that any ThunderClan cats would join Tigerstar and the other dark warriors73, and harder stil when the cat was her own kin18. Can I trust any of my Clanmates? she wondered. Except for Lionblaze, Dovewing, and Jayfeather, they could all be visiting the Dark Forest!
“It was my first visit,” Birchfal continued. “I spotted you through the trees.”
“I didn’t see you,” Ivypool replied, trying not to show him how disconcerted she was.
“I’ve learned some useful stuff there,” Ivypool meowed careful y.
Her father nodded, the amusement in his eyes replaced by confidence. “The training they give us is good. It gives us a chance to make the Clan even stronger,” he meowed. “I thought I’d learned al I could, but now I see there are ways to be even more powerful in battle for my Clan.”
Ivypool didn’t want to go on talking about the Dark Forest. “It should help dealing75 with foxes,” she conceded. “Can you scent anything yet?” For a moment Birchfal watched her intently; Ivypool’s pelt itched13 beneath his amber76 gaze. Then he raised his head and parted his jaws to taste the air. “No,” he mewed. “We need to get closer to the border.”
Ivypool felt even more uneasy as she and Birchfal crossed the ThunderClan scent marks and stepped into the unfamiliar77 forest. The ground here was uneven78, the hol ows fil ed with damp, decaying leaves; rocks poked up out of the tussocky grass.
The trees grew close together, the branches arching overhead to cut out the light. Ivypool shivered, convinced that she was being watched, though when she spun79 around she couldn’t see any gleam of eyes peering out from the undergrowth or the branches above.
“Fox!” Birchfal exclaimed with satisfaction. “And not far off, I’d guess. This way.” Ivypool fol owed him around a clump of bracken.
She couldn’t shake off the sensation that some creature was watching her, and kept glancing over her shoulder, vainly peering into the shadows.
“Ouch!” She let out a startled yowl. Bramble tendrils surrounded her, thorns clawing into her pelt.
For a couple of heartbeats she struggled wildly, imagining foxes waiting for her to give up and turn into easy prey80.
“Keep stil .” Birchfal ’s voice came from beside her. “Honestly, Ivypool, you were staring around like a kit35 on its first trip outside the camp. Didn’t you see the bramble thicket64 in front of you?”
“Oh, sure,” Ivypool muttered. “I just walked into it for fun.” Raising her voice, she added, “Get me out, Birchfal . I don’t want to be stuck here if a fox comes by.”
Her father began pul ing the prickly branches off her, and soon Ivypool was able to wriggle81 clear.
Thorns were stil stuck in her pelt, and several silver-white tufts were clinging to the tendrils.
“It looks as if it’s been snowing,” Birchfal meowed with a snort of amusement. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
“Then let’s keep going, and for StarClan’s sake, watch where you’re putting your paws this time.” Ivypool fol owed him, simmering with resentment82.
He’s talking to me like I don’t know anything. He needs to remember I’m not just a kit anymore.
On the other side of the thicket Ivypool spotted a dark hole between a couple of rocks, almost hidden behind trailing ferns. The smel of fox was very strong.
“But the smel is stale,” Ivypool added, eager to show off her scenting83 skil s. “I don’t think the fox is there now.”
Birchfal nodded. “Right. So let’s find some dung and get out of here before it comes back.” Gagging on the stench, Ivypool tracked down a pile of fox dung near the opening of the den. She picked up a stick and rol ed one end in the dung until she had coated it thoroughly84.
“You’l be glad to have the marigold if you’re wounded,” Ivypool told him through her teeth.
Birchfal rol ed his eyes. “And there isn’t an easier way?”
Ignoring his question, Ivypool hefted the stick in her jaws and headed back toward the ThunderClan border. To her relief, the feeling of being watched faded as soon as she was safely back in her own territory.
I wonder if it was the fox, watching us. But then, why didn’t it attack?
The stick was awkward to carry, but taking it in turns Ivypool and Birchfal managed to transport it back to the clearing above the camp where the marigold plants grew. Ivypool traced a circle around the damaged clumps, daubing the dungy end in the grass.
“That should keep the rabbits away,” Birchfal meowed with satisfaction.
Dropping the stick, Ivypool felt a brief claw-scratch of worry. “I hope we did the right thing. What if other foxes smel fox scent here? Wil they think this is their territory?”
Birchfal shrugged. “They’re mouse-brained if they do. But we’d better tel the patrols what we’ve done, or they’l be bringing back reports of fox invasion.” Ivypool nodded. “I’l find Brambleclaw and tel him.” I hope this was a good idea, she thought, misgiving87 stabbing her like a thorn in her pad. We’ve just brought the scent of our worst enemy into the heart of our territory.
She headed for the trail back to the camp, with Birchfal just behind her. “Let’s go back the long way, by the stream on the WindClan border,” he suggested. “I want to wash the fox stink85 off my paws.” On their way to the border, they pushed through clumps of cool green ferns, the fresh green tang beginning to mask the fox scent on their fur. Ivypool felt herself relaxing in the familiar surroundings. But heading down the slope toward the stream she failed to see a branch lying in the grass. As she tripped over it, pain stabbed her leg where she had been wounded in the training exercise the night before.
“You’l need to be quicker next time,” Birchfal commented; clearly he knew exactly how she had gotten her injury. “You should watch where you’re putting your paws. It would be a shame if you couldn’t fight anymore because of a stupid accident. You must know how tough the training is.” Ivypool gave him a swift glance. “Yeah.” Her pads prickled with the strangeness of sharing her nocturnal life with a Clanmate, especial y when that Clanmate was her father. Birchfall must think I want to be part of Tigerstar’s plans, she thought uneasily. He doesn’t know that I’m spying for ThunderClan. And he can’t find out, she added to herself uncomfortably.
Ivypool knew that the Dark Forest cats meant to destroy the Clans. But she found it hard to believe that Birchfal and Blossomfal were enemies of ThunderClan. They must have been tricked. I know Birchfall only wants to do the best he can for his Clan. And yet she couldn’t entirely89 stifle90 her doubts, like a smal worm of unease eating into her.
Trying to push her disturbing thoughts away, Ivypool reached the bank of the stream and stood beside Birchfal , gazing down into the water. “Do we real y have to get down into there?” she asked.
“We could go back to camp stinking91 of fox,” Birchfal replied. “Not much of a choice, real y.” Reluctantly he slid down the bank until his paws splashed into the water. Ivypool fol owed, wading92 a little farther into the stream and flinching93 as the cold current flowed around her legs. She rubbed one paw against another to get rid of the clinging scent.
Behind her, Ivypool could hear Birchfal splashing around. Suddenly the sounds stopped.
“Uh-oh,” Birchfal muttered. “We’ve been spotted.” Four cats were looking down at them from the WindClan side of the stream. Narrowing her eyes against the light, Ivypool recognized Breezepelt and his apprentice94, Boulderpaw, and beside them Heathertail with her apprentice, Furzepaw. Neither Breezepelt nor Furzepaw showed any signs of exhaustion95 after their training session in the Dark Forest the night before, when Ivypool had faced them in a drawn-out mock battle.
“What are you doing in our stream?” Breezepelt demanded. “Get out!”
Birchfal stood his ground. “It’s not your stream,” he pointed out. “We have as much right to be here as you do.”
“Your territory ends at the bank,” Heathertail snapped. “That’s where you’ve put your scent markers.”
“And you’ve put yours on your own bank,” Birchfal retorted. “As if any cat can put scent markers in running water!”
Ivypool felt completely stupid standing96 bel y-deep in the stream and tilting97 her head up to see the cats on the bank. She waded98 back to Birchfal and touched his shoulder with her tail. “Let’s get out of here,” she murmured.
Birchfal didn’t move. “The stream doesn’t belong to either Clan,” he insisted. “We can wash our paws here if we want.”
Breezepelt rol ed his eyes and leaned farther over the bank so that he could talk to them without Heathertail hearing him. “Look, I don’t want to fight you over this,” he muttered. “But I’l have to if you keep arguing. Just clear out, okay?” Birchfal looked as if he might have agreed, but just then Heathertail stepped forward. “Why are you wasting time talking?” she hissed. “We should fight them if they don’t leave. Furzepaw, why are you hanging back there?”
“I’l fight them!” Boulderpaw announced.
“No, Boulderpaw,” Breezepelt told his apprentice.
“This isn’t a battle worth fighting. These are just a couple of ThunderClan fleabags.”
Ivypool realized with a pang99 of anxiety that the WindClan Dark Forest warriors were al ying themselves with her and Birchfal , not with their own Clanmates. That can’t be right!
“They’re fleabags who are trespassing100 on our territory.” Heathertail padded forward and gazed down into the stream. Her eyes glittered with fury.
“Leave now, or fight.”
“Come on,” Ivypool urged Birchfal . “We don’t want any more trouble.”
“No, we don’t,” Birchfal agreed. “But we’re not the cats who are causing it.” His neck fur fluffed up with anger as he met Heathertail’s gaze. “I’m not going to back down when we’re not doing anything wrong.” To Ivypool’s dismay, he waded across the stream and leaped up onto the bank on the WindClan side.
Breezepelt let out a snarl101 and came to stand beside his Clanmate. “Mouse-brain!” he hissed at Birchfal .
“Now I’l have to fight you! Just wait until I see you in the Dark Forest. You need to be taught where your loyalties102 lie.”
“Yeah, we’l get you then as wel !” Furzepaw added, his paws tearing up the grass as he crouched103 for a pounce104.
To Ivypool’s relief, Heathertail seemed so focused on Birchfal that she wasn’t paying attention to her Clanmates, and their voices were so soft that she would have had to strain to overhear what they were saying.
Reluctantly Ivypool waded across the stream. I have to support my Clanmate! Am I going to spend the rest of my life fighting, awake or asleep?
But before Ivypool could leap up onto the opposite bank, she heard the sound of cats crunching105 over dry leaves in ThunderClan territory. Sorreltail appeared from behind a hazel thicket, with her patrol hard on her paws: Bumblestripe, Hazeltail, and Berrynose.
Al four cats were carrying prey.
“What’s going on?” Sorreltail asked, dropping her vole.
Thank StarClan! Ivypool turned to face the tortoiseshel warrior. “Birchfal and I were washing our paws in the stream,” she explained. “Then this WindClan patrol came along and told us to get out, so—”
“So you’re going to fight,” Sorreltail sighed. “Over cats washing their paws. I never heard anything so ridiculous! Ivypool, Birchfal , get over here right now.” Ivypool obeyed with relief, climbing out of the stream and shaking water from each leg in turn.
Birchfal was more reluctant, giving Heathertail and Breezepelt a baleful look before he slid down into the stream again and waded back to his own territory.
Horror clawed at Ivypool’s bel y. My father never used to be so battle-hungry, she thought. The Dark Forest is changing him!
“We’l settle this later!” Birchfal meowed over his shoulder.
Anxiety surged up inside Ivypool like a flooding stream as she fol owed Sorreltail and the others back to camp. More trouble tonight, she thought wretchedly. Training in the Dark Forest is bad enough, but now we have a score to settle with Breezepelt as well. Will there ever be an end to it?
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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bruise
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| n.青肿，挫伤；伤痕；vt.打青；挫伤 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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grooming
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| n. 修饰, 美容，（动物）梳理毛发 | |
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moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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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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| v.发痒( itch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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swoop
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| n.俯冲，攫取；v.抓取，突然袭击 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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18
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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19
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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20
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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21
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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22
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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23
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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24
flick
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| n.快速的轻打，轻打声，弹开；v.轻弹，轻轻拂去，忽然摇动 | |
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25
flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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26
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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27
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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28
interrogate
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| vt.讯问，审问，盘问 | |
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29
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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30
moody
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| adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的 | |
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31
nettles
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| n.荨麻( nettle的名词复数 ) | |
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32
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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33
curt
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| adj.简短的，草率的 | |
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34
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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35
kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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36
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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37
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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38
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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39
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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40
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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41
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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42
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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43
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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44
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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45
nibbled
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| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的过去式和过去分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
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46
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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47
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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48
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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49
sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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50
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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51
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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52
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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53
wafted
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| v.吹送，飘送，（使）浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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55
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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56
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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57
scoop
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| n.铲子，舀取，独家新闻；v.汲取，舀取，抢先登出 | |
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58
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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59
weirdest
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| 怪诞的( weird的最高级 )； 神秘而可怕的； 超然的； 古怪的 | |
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60
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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61
hoard
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| n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积 | |
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62
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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63
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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65
thickets
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| n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 )；丛状物 | |
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66
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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67
aromatic
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| adj.芳香的，有香味的 | |
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68
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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69
sprouted
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| v.发芽( sprout的过去式和过去分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出 | |
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70
wryly
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| adv. 挖苦地，嘲弄地 | |
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71
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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72
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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73
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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74
glimmered
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| v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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75
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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76
amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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77
unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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78
uneven
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| adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的 | |
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79
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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80
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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81
wriggle
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| v./n.蠕动，扭动；蜿蜒 | |
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82
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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83
scenting
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| vt.闻到（scent的现在分词形式） | |
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84
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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85
stink
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| vi.发出恶臭；糟透，招人厌恶；n.恶臭 | |
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86
stinks
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| v.散发出恶臭( stink的第三人称单数 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透 | |
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87
misgiving
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕 | |
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88
wincing
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的现在分词 ) | |
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89
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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90
stifle
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| vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止 | |
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91
stinking
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| adj.臭的，烂醉的，讨厌的v.散发出恶臭( stink的现在分词 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透 | |
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92
wading
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的现在分词 ) | |
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93
flinching
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的现在分词 ) | |
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94
apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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95
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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96
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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97
tilting
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| 倾斜，倾卸 | |
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98
waded
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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99
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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100
trespassing
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| [法]非法入侵 | |
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101
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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102
loyalties
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| n.忠诚( loyalty的名词复数 )；忠心；忠于…感情；要忠于…的强烈感情 | |
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103
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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104
pounce
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| n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意 | |
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105
crunching
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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106
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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