Chapter 24
Thunder crashed overhead as Jayfeather raced back along the shore. His mind was whirling so much that he kept stumbling, blinder than usual.
Somewhere in the chaos1 he had lost Lionblaze, and the pelting3 rain smothered4 his senses. He wasn’t even sure where he was
Through his confusion he realized that another cat was bounding at his side, matching him stride for stride. Squirrelflight’s voice spoke5 in his ear. “Here, lean on me. Let me guide you.”
Jayfeather’s instinct was to hiss6 at her to leave him alone. But her pressure on his side was too comforting, supporting him through the tumult7 of his thoughts.
How could Dawnpelt think I killed Flametail? I nearly drowned myself—I would have died if it hadn’t been for Rock, forcing me to let Flametail sink into the depths. He shuddered8, and almost tripped over a boulder9.
“Steady,” Squirrelflight warned. “Come farther this way.” After a moment she murmured into his ear,
“Don’t worry, no cat believes Dawnpelt. She’s been driven mad by grief, that’s al .”
Jayfeather wasn’t convinced. Then why did they want me to give up being a medicine cat? The Clans11 are too eager to believe the worst of one another just now.
Back in the stone hol ow, Jayfeather headed for his den12. Though the torrential rain had eased off, his pelt2 was drenched13 and he was utterly14 miserable15, each paw step a massive effort. But before he reached the screen of brambles, he heard Firestar splashing up to him through the puddles17 that had formed on the floor of the hol ow.
“Get some rest,” his Clan10 leader ordered. “We’l discuss this in the morning. But don’t doubt the loyalty18 of any of your Clanmates. We’l defend you whatever happens.”
Firestar’s voice was bone-weary, and Jayfeather wondered if he was tired of his cats being accused of murder. He gave Firestar a brief nod and brushed past the brambles into his den.
“Hi,” Briarlight greeted him, raising herself in her nest. “How was the Gathering19? Did any cat mention Sol? What did the other Clans think about Hol yleaf coming back?”
“Disastrous, no, and not impressed,” Jayfeather listed, making for his nest and col apsing into it.
“Okay.” Briarlight sounded puzzled rather than offended. Jayfeather heard her dragging herself across to him, and tensed at the feeling of her tongue licking his sodden20 fur. “It’s obvious that something’s wrong. Let me look after you for once,” she mewed.
Jayfeather was too exhausted21 to protest; he was already sliding into sleep. He opened his eyes to find himself in a sunny clearing, the air warm and fil ed with delicious prey-scent. A ruffled22 gray she-cat was sitting on a fal en tree trunk, waiting for him.
“Show a bit of respect,” Yel owfang snapped, jumping down from the tree trunk and padding across to him. “It’s al happening now,” she continued. “But don’t worry. No cat in StarClan thinks you murdered Flametail.”
Oh, great! Jayfeather thought. I’m so glad. It’s a pity that doesn’t help me much, isn’t it? He wondered if any of the StarClan warriors24 had seen Rock with him in the lake when Flametail died, but before he could ask, Yel owfang turned on him with a lash16 of her tail.
“What were you thinking, letting Cinderheart give up her warrior25 duties to become a second medicine cat? That’s not what StarClan wanted!”
“Hey, hang on!” Jayfeather leaped out of range of her claws. “It was you who told me to walk in Cinderheart’s dreams and show her that she used to be Cinderpelt. You said ThunderClan needed a second medicine cat. Don’t start blaming me now because I did what you wanted.”
“Yes . . . wel . . .” Jayfeather’s eyes stretched wide in amazement26 as he realized that Yel owfang was embarrassed. “I . . . er . . . might have got that wrong,” she admitted, not meeting his gaze. “I was thinking too much about ThunderClan’s needs.
Cinderheart’s destiny is to be a warrior.” Some StarClan cats must have told her off about this, Jayfeather realized, suppressing a purr of laughter. Wow, I wish I’d been a bird on a branch when that conversation was going on!
“Cinderheart is confused,” he meowed. “She doesn’t know who she is.”
“Then you must show her that she is a warrior, nothing else,” Yel owfang told him.
“It might be useful to have a second medicine cat when the final battle comes,” Jayfeather mused27. “But I guess Cinderheart can stil use her knowledge of herbs and medicine, even if she is a warrior. Like Leafpool does.”
Yel owfang let out a hiss, her embarrassment28 completely gone. “What did I tel you about Leafpool? She is not al owed to use her medicine cat skil s anymore, and neither can Cinderheart, if she chooses to be a warrior.”
Jayfeather’s irritation29 spil ed over. “If you don’t mind my saying so,” he snapped, “that’s just a load of badger30 droppings. Leafpool helped Cherrypaw and Mousewhisker when they accidental y ate hemlock31, and nothing bad happened because of it.
Okay, no cat expects StarClan to send her messages for the Clan in her dreams anymore, but why should she forget what she knows? There’s nothing secret about using marigold to fight infection or juniper berries for bel yache! Most of the cats in the Clan know that.”
“Who are you to tel StarClan what a medicine cat may or may not do?”
“I am a cat who cares for his Clan!” Jayfeather hissed34 back. “I’m not going to tel Cinderheart or Leafpool to ignore what they know when they might be able to save lives.”
Yel owfang’s shoulders sagged35 suddenly; she looked weary and discouraged. “Perhaps StarClan underestimated the strength of Cinderpelt’s spirit to survive,” she admitted, “and carry on her loyalty to her medicine cat duties. Cinderheart wil have to make her own choice, medicine cat or warrior. She has the right to choose her destiny.”
“What, and I don’t?” Jayfeather muttered.
“Because of the prophecy?” Yel owfang retorted, her momentary36 weakness vanishing. “That’s different. It has nothing to do with StarClan. It was decided37 long ago, by cats who have been forgotten more moons back than you can possibly imagine.
We have waited a long time for this moment, Jayfeather. And now the moment has nearly come.” Jayfeather stil felt exhausted when he woke, depressed38 by his memories of the Gathering: the accusation39, the turmoil40, and the storm. He let out a long sigh, trying to summon up the energy to climb out of his nest.
“Here.” Briarlight dropped a mouse in front of his nose. “Eat!” she prompted when Jayfeather did no more than sniff41 it
He thought of protesting that he wasn’t hungry, but he knew that Briarlight would nag42 him until he had finished every scrap43 of the fresh-kil . “Thanks,” he mumbled44, taking a bite. His jaws45 watered at the taste of the juices, and he realized how hungry he was.
“I heard what happened at the Gathering,” Briarlight went on. “I’m real y sorry. Surely no cat wil believe what Dawnpelt said?”
“I don’t know,” Jayfeather replied between mouthfuls. “Strange things are happening in al the Clans, so why shouldn’t one medicine cat murder another?”
“Because that would never happen,” Briarlight insisted. “Especial y not you.”
Jayfeather was touched by her loyalty. “Go and visit the nursery,” he told her, running his tongue over his whiskers to capture the last scraps46 of mouse.
“Okay.” Jayfeather could tel Briarlight was pleased to be given the task. “But what about Cinderheart?” She sounded baffled and uncertain.
“I need to talk to her today,” Jayfeather meowed.
“You go to the nursery.”
As soon as Jayfeather headed out of his den, he located Cinderheart padding toward him. Her pawsteps were weary, dragging on the ground.
Behind her, the first patrols were leaving the clearing. Hol yleaf was leading another underground training group.
“We’ve had to wait so long to go into the tunnels!” Molepaw meowed, bubbling over with excitement. “I don’t care how dark and scary the others say it is.
I’m not scared.”
“Neither am I.” Cherrypaw was bouncing on her paws. “I’m going to be the best underground fighter in ThunderClan.”
“You are not! I am!” her brother insisted, and the two apprentices48 rol ed over in a scuffle.
“That’s enough,” Foxleap growled49. “Or Hol yleaf won’t take you down there at al .” Molepaw and Cherrypaw instantly sprang to their paws; Jayfeather could picture them with head and tail erect50 as they fol owed Hol yleaf and their mentors51 out of the camp.
“Don’t tel me I should be going out with the patrols,” Cinderheart sighed as Jayfeather padded up to her.
How many cats have been telling you that you shouldn’t be a medicine cat? Jayfeather wondered, picking up her defensiveness52, but he didn’t ask the question aloud. Instead, he mewed, “I’m not going to tel you what to do. Come for a walk with me.” Branches rustled53 gently over their heads as Jayfeather and Cinderheart headed for the lake. As the end of greenleaf approached, the leaves smel ed tired, sap-heavy, and dusty. Some of Jayfeather’s weariness faded as he sat beside the lake, enjoying the fresh breeze that blew off the water.
“Try to think of it this way,” he began. “You should feel very lucky. StarClan has given you the chance to choose your own destiny: to be a warrior, a mate, a mother—al the things that you were denied as Cinderpelt.”
“There are many ways to fulfil your duty,” Jayfeather murmured.
Cinderheart turned to him; he could feel the force of her gaze. “It’s true, I’m lucky to be here at al !” she burst out. “I know what a debt I owe to my ancestors.
But I’m so confused. . . . I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
“What do you want?” Jayfeather asked quietly.
He felt a smal start of surprise from Cinderheart, as if no cat had ever asked her that before.
“I wanted Lionblaze,” she whispered. “But I can’t have him.”
“Oh? Real y?” Great StarClan, mouse-brain, he’s been padding after you for moons! “Why not?”
“Because of his destiny,” Cinderheart replied.
Jayfeather gave an awkward wriggle55; he wasn’t comfortable discussing another cat’s relationship problems. But he remembered Half Moon, and felt again the piercing pain he had suffered when he realized that he couldn’t stay with her in her long-ago Tribe.
“You have a destiny, too,” he mewed gently. “But that isn’t the whole of who you are. You can stil shape your own life.”
Cinderheart was silent for a long time; Jayfeather could sense a tiny seed of hope stirring inside her.
“You have a chance to be happy,” he prompted,
“and to make Lionblaze happy, too. Don’t throw that away because you spent too long trying to figure out the right thing to do.”
“Thank you, Jayfeather,” Cinderheart responded with a long sigh.
Together they sat on the bank overlooking the lake; Jayfeather could hear the soft lapping of the water on the pebbly56 shore. For a few moments he and Cinderheart seemed to be wrapped in a cocoon57 of peace.
It can’t last, Jayfeather thought. Not in these turbulent times. But I’m glad of it now, that’s for sure.
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1
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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pelting
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| 微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的 | |
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smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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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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boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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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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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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puddles
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| n.水坑， （尤指道路上的）雨水坑( puddle的名词复数 ) | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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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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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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badger
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| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
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hemlock
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| n.毒胡萝卜，铁杉 | |
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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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bristle
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| v.（毛发）直立，气势汹汹，发怒；n.硬毛发 | |
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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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sagged
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| 下垂的 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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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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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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nag
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| v.(对…)不停地唠叨；n.爱唠叨的人 | |
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scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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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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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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kits
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| 衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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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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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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mentors
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| n.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的名词复数 )v.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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defensiveness
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| 防御性 | |
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rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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55
wriggle
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| v./n.蠕动，扭动；蜿蜒 | |
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pebbly
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| 多卵石的，有卵石花纹的 | |
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cocoon
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| n.茧 | |
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