Chapter 18
Ivypool opened her eyes in the Dark Forest to the sound of flying paw steps. She flinched2 backward to avoid a col ision and found herself staring into Breezepelt’s amber4 eyes.
Recovering her footing, Ivypool realized that she was surrounded by cats, al streaming past her, brushing through the undergrowth in the pale, sickly light. She recognized cats from al four Clans6, seasoned warriors9 and young apprentices10, as far as she could see through the dingy12 trees.
A cal rang out in Brokentail’s rasping voice. “Let al cats old enough to kil their own enemies gather here!”
Ivypool gulped13. That was a far more dreadful summons than she was used to hearing from a Clan7 leader. At the same moment Hol owflight rushed up to her.
“Something’s happening!”
He dashed on through the trees with Ivypool hard on his paws, joining the mass of cats. They were al intent on reaching the same place, al running in silence with somber16 expressions.
Great StarClan! Ivypool thought. There are so many of us!
At last she burst out into the clearing with the heap of fal en trees where she had once fought Antpelt.
The crowd of cats massed around the tree trunks; Brokenstar stood on the topmost trunk, with Mapleshade and Tigerstar and two or three other cats unknown to Ivypool, even fainter shadows than Mapleshade. She shivered at the hungry glitter in their eyes.
Hawkfrost was pacing at the foot of the heap, in the place a Clan deputy would take. Ivypool spotted17 Darkstripe, too, crawling up on his bel y and gazing up at the leaders with adoration18 in his eyes.
Striding across to him, Hawkfrost thrust his muzzle19 into Darkstripe’s face. “Stay back with the others!” he hissed21.
Darkstripe crept away, dragging his tail.
Ivypool looked around the clearing. She recognized Redwil ow and Tigerheart from ShadowClan, and dropped her eyes quickly before Tigerheart noticed her watching him. Breezepelt had joined his Clanmate Sunstrike, and Hol owflight was pushing his way through the cats toward Icewing and Beetlewhisker.
Ivypool’s bel y lurched when she saw Birchfal and Blossomfal standing22 at the edge of the crowd; they hadn’t spotted her. It stil made her sick to think of her own father visiting the Dark Forest.
How can he stand here? And Blossomfall? she wondered. They aren’t evil! They must know what’s going to happen!
Brokenstar stepped forward and the murmur23 of voices in the clearing faded to silence. “You have trained wel ,” he told the gathered cats. “And now it is nearly time!”
Ivypool’s pelt tingled24. He’s going to tell us exactly what he intends to do to the lake Clans! Once every cat finds out the truth, I bet they’ll rebel! Or at least not come back to the Dark Forest. She knew that most of the living cats there didn’t hate their Clans.
They wouldn’t want to hurt their Clanmates. Will Brokenstar really tell the truth? Then the power of the Dark Forest will be destroyed. . . .
“Soon you wil have a chance to prove your skil , strength, and loyalty25,” Brokenstar went on, his gaze raking the cats like claws. “Your Clanmates here wil honor you, and so wil your Clanmates beside the lake. You wil prove yourselves to be the greatest warriors ever.”
Ivypool saw that the listening cats were nodding, their expressions proud and eager. She wanted to yowl, “No! Can’t you see? He’l make you attack your own kin26!”
But she knew that would be a big mistake.
Brokenstar wouldn’t let me survive another two heartbeats. And then all these visits, all the information I have learned, would be for nothing.
She spotted Breezepelt, whose eyes were gleaming; she guessed that he knew exactly what was going on. He was digging his claws into the marshy27 ground, as if he were imagining ThunderClan cats beneath his paws. Ivypool’s tail-tip twitched28 in frustration29 as she realized that none of the cats around her were going to question Brokenstar. He hadn’t given them any real instructions, just vague promises of glory. Even the Dark Forest cats seemed wil ing just to wait for further orders.
“He’s not even tel ing us when this wil be,” she muttered to herself.
Too late she realized that some of the cats nearby had heard her murmur, and were turning shocked gazes on her.
“You shouldn’t doubt Brokenstar’s decisions,” a white she-cat mewed. “Don’t you trust him?” Ivypool dipped her head, her fur hot with annoyance30 that she had made such a mouse-brained error. “Yeah, sorry.”
“Go back to your training,” Brokenstar continued from the pile of tree trunks, “and be ready for the final signal. It wil come soon.”
He and the other leaders jumped down from the fal en trees and the ranks of cats began to file into the shadows. Ivypool wriggled31 through the crowd, craning her neck to look for Hawkfrost. Final y she spotted him; he had seen her, too, and was beckoning32 to her with his tail. Shouldering her way through the crush of bodies, Ivypool reached his side.
“I want to speak to Brokenstar,” she announced.
“He’s busy,” Hawkfrost replied, angling his ears to where Brokenstar and the other leaders were talking quietly together at the foot of the pile of tree trunks.
“But this is important,” Ivypool insisted.
Hawkfrost twitched his whiskers. “Do you have information we should know about?”
“No,” Ivypool answered, thinking fast. “I-I just want to know what I have to do to be treated like a warrior.
I don’t want to fight at the back, where cowards hide.
I want to be at the head of the attack, doing the most that I can to help my Dark Forest Clanmates.” Hawkfrost blinked, looking impressed. “I knew you were special,” he meowed. “I’m glad I chose you.
Come with me.” He turned and led the way toward the senior warriors. “Excuse me, Brokenstar,” he murmured. “My apprentice11 wants a word with you.” Mapleshade let out a furious hiss20 at the interruption, her amber eyes glaring at Ivypool. But to Ivypool’s surprise Tigerstar beckoned33 her forward with a jerk of his massive head. “You can say what you have to say in front of al of us,” he mewed.
As she took a deep breath, Ivypool felt Brokenstar’s piercing stare burn her pelt. She tried not to flinch1. He challenged my loyalty when Flametail wandered into the Dark Forest, she remembered. Oh, StarClan, let him believe me now!
She was aware, too, of other cats around her, hanging back from those who were filing into the trees. They were gazing at her in awe34 that a mere35 apprentice should dare to address the most senior cats in the Dark Forest.
This is the most important thing I will ever do for ThunderClan.
“Make me a warrior,” she meowed to Brokenstar.
“I wil do whatever it takes to earn your trust. I want to help you defeat the Clans as much as any cat here, if not more. Use me however you wish.” The oldest of the leaders, little more than a faint shadow against the slimy trunk behind him, loomed37 threateningly over her. “Big words for one so smal ,” he growled38.
Ivypool forced herself not to shy away from his stinky breath and his baleful eyes as he inspected her al over.
Brokenstar shoved him away. “Leave her alone, Maggottail.” Glancing around, he flicked39 his tail to summon another cat. “Come here, Antpelt.” When the brown tom was standing beside them, he addressed Ivypool. “You fought once before, and Antpelt lost. Can you beat him again?” Ivypool swal owed hard. She knew exactly what Brokenstar meant. There can only be one survivor40 this time. She glanced at Antpelt, whose neck fur was bristling41 in anticipation42 of a fight. He’s dead already. He’s dead already, she reminded herself desperately43. If I kill him here, it’s not like killing44 him for real. And maybe Antpelt would be better off out of this terrible place before the final battle. He was a good cat when I first knew him. How will he feel if he has to attack his former Clanmates?
For the sake of ThunderClan, for the sake of al the Clans by the lake, Ivypool knew she had to win this fight. She took a deep breath. StarClan help me!
Summoning al her strength, al the battle moves she had ever learned, and the last reserves of her courage, Ivypool sprang at Antpelt. He reared up to meet her; as she slammed into his bel y he grasped her shoulders with his forepaws, raking his claws through her fur. The hot scent45 of her own blood hit Ivypool in the throat. Letting herself fal backward, she battered46 at Antpelt’s bel y with her hind36 claws, and felt savage47 satisfaction when she gouged48 out tufts of brown fur.
Antpelt screeched49 and rol ed away from her but as Ivypool scrambled50 to her paws he crashed into her side, carrying her to the ground again and slashing51 his claws down her flank.
He’s much stronger than before! Ivypool thought, fighting down panic. He must have done nothing but train since he died. What if I can’t beat him?
In the midst of Antpelt’s whirling claws, Ivypool grabbed his waving tail and bit down hard on it.
Antpelt let out a yowl of pain and his attack wavered as he tried to tug52 himself free. Ivypool jumped free and crouched53, panting, a fox-length away. Antpelt lay on the ground in front of her, his paws twitching54 as he tried to get up. He looked beaten. Bracing55 herself, Ivypool leaped in to deal the final blow, and in an instant he slid from underneath56 her and landed on her back, half squashing her. His teeth and eyes gleamed as he pushed his face close to hers.
“I can’t believe you fel for that old trick, mange-breath,” he hissed.
For a moment Ivypool lay stil , unable to muster57 any more strength. Her wounds were screaming with pain and blood was trickling58 into her eyes. But then she felt the senior warriors watching her, curious but not concerned, as if they didn’t real y care which cat won, and Ivypool remembered how much depended on her victory. She made a wild, bee-brained promise to herself: If I win this fight now, then the Clans will win the final battle.
Ivypool pictured Dovewing, Firestar, and al her Clanmates, and the images gave her a surge of strength, right to the end of her claws. She heaved herself up, throwing Antpelt off. Before he could find his feet, she landed hard on top of him, slamming him to the ground. Then she lifted one paw, ready to rip his bel y open from throat to tail.
Fear flashed into Antpelt’s eyes, but Ivypool looked away. It was too late for her to back down—
and too late to save Antpelt from the final battle any other way. Ivypool’s paw sliced down, and she felt warm blood wel ing between her pads. Antpelt spasmed once, then lay very stil . His outline wavered, as if Ivypool were seeing him underwater.
Then she realized that she could see the withered59 grass beneath him, and a pool of dark scarlet60 spreading wider and wider. Antpelt grew paler and paler, his fur turning transparent61 until he was hardly a shadow on the floor of the clearing. Ivypool blinked, and he was gone. Only his blood remained, staining the cold damp earth, but even that was fading now.
Brokentail padded over to her. “Oh, you’re a Dark Forest warrior, no doubt about that,” he rasped in her ear.
Ivypool had to stiffen63 every muscle to stop herself shrinking away from him. That’s the worst thing that any cat could say to me!
“So you’l tel me when the final battle wil be?” Ivypool mewed, trying to sound eager. “And let me fight alongside you?”
Brokenstar blinked slowly. “Maybe.”
“But I just proved my loyalty to you!” Ivypool protested.
Brokenstar turned away. As he padded off, he glanced over his shoulder and growled, “You should have been loyal already.”
As Ivypool stared after him, Hawkfrost appeared at her side. “Wel fought,” he meowed. He sounded impressed, and Ivypool thought she saw a flicker64 of fear in his ice-blue eyes. “You’ve earned your place among the warriors,” Hawkfrost continued. “If you want to know anything, just ask me. I can see how much this means to you.” Flicking65 his tail toward the edge of the clearing, he added, “Now go train some of the apprentices.”
Ivypool watched him go, then began wiping her paw on the grass to clean off Antpelt’s blood. The stain on the ground had already vanished. Ivypool wondered if she would ever get the reek66 of his death out of her fur.
A heartbeat later she was aware of another cat approaching, and looked up to see Breezepelt. The WindClan warrior was staring at her in horror. “What happened to Antpelt?” he whispered. “Did . . . did you kil him again?”
Ivypool wanted to tel him that she had been forced to kil Antpelt, that she only did it for the sake of the Clans. And I’ve saved him from something worse.
But she knew that she was stil being watched by the leaders of the Dark Forest; she could feel the prickle of their intent gaze in her fur.
“It was necessary,” she replied with a shrug67. “In the end, my loyalty was greater than his.” Breezepelt took a pace forward and loomed over her. “We may be in the same Clan here, but I am not your Clanmate,” he snarled. “You wil be punished for this. Wait and see.”
She knew that Breezepelt meant every word of what he said. But it was too late to bring Antpelt back.
And too late for Ivypool to hide from what she had done. She had broken the warrior code by kil ing another cat—and she had to believe that it was the right thing to do.
Every sacrifice I make is for the good of my Clan
—and for the other Clans around the lake. Even if that means sacrificing myself.
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1
flinch
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| v.畏缩，退缩 | |
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flinched
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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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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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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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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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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somber
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| adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的 | |
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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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adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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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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hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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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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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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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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tingled
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle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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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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marshy
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| adj.沼泽的 | |
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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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frustration
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| n.挫折，失败，失效，落空 | |
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annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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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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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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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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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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survivor
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| n.生存者，残存者，幸存者 | |
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bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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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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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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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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battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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gouged
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| v.凿( gouge的过去式和过去分词 )；乱要价；（在…中）抠出…；挖出… | |
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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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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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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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tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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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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twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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bracing
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| adj.令人振奋的 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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trickling
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| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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numb
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| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
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stiffen
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| v.(使)硬，(使)变挺，(使)变僵硬 | |
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flicker
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| vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现 | |
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flicking
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的现在分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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