PROLOGUE
PROLOGUE
Moonlight washed over the hillside, castingheavy shadows around a thick wall of thornbushes. The bushes surrounded a hollow with rocky sides that sloped down steeply to a pool in the shape of a full moon. Halfway up the side of the hollow, a trickle of water bubbled up between two moss-covered stones, glimmering like liquid starshine as it fell into the pool below.
The branches rustled and parted as cats emerged at the top of the hollow and began to pick their way down to the water’s edge. Their pelts shone with a soft, pale light, and their pawsteps left a frosty glitter on the moss behind them.
A tortoiseshell she-cat was the first to reach the pool. She looked around with glowing eyes. “Yes,” she purred. “Thisis the place.”
“You’re right, Spottedleaf. When we chose the four cats to lead the Clans out of the forest, we chose well.” The reply came from a blue-gray warrior who was approaching from the other side of the hollow. She leaped down from a jutting rock to face the tortoiseshell across the moonlit water. “But the Clans still have a hard task ahead of them.”
Spottedleaf dipped her head in agreement. “Yes, Bluestar. Their courage and faith will be tried to their limits. But they have come this far—they will not give up.”
More starry warriors joined them, clustering around the water until the hollow was lined with their sleek, shining shapes.
“Our journey was hard, too,” one cat meowed.
“We felt the pain of leaving the paths we had walked for so long,” added another.
“Now we must learn to walk in new skies.” Spottedleaf’s voice was full of confidence. She sat on a rock near the tumbling stream and wrapped her tail around her paws. “We must guide our Clans to this new meeting place, where we can speak to the leaders and medicine cats. Then this will truly be home for all five Clans.”
A murmur of agreement rose, and a gleam of hope shone in the eyes of the cats around her.
“They will catch fish from the lake,” one cat meowed.
“And prey is running in the hills and beside the water,” another put in. “All the Clans will find food, even in leaf-bare.”
The blue-gray warrior still seemed uneasy. “There’s more to life than fresh-kill,” she mewed.
A bracken-colored tom thrust his way to the front of the crowd. “They’re not kits,” he pointed out impatiently. “They know how to avoid Twolegs and their dogs. Foxes and badgers, too.”
“Not all trouble comes from Twolegs,” Bluestar snapped. She swiveled her head to glare into the tom’s eyes. “And not from foxes or badgers either, Oakheart. You know that as well as I do. The Clans bring trouble within themselves.”
The warriors glanced uneasily at one another, but Oakheart dipped his head. “Of course. And they always will. That is part of what it means to be a warrior.”
“Trouble from within greatest danger brings.” A new voice spoke, deep and gravelly.
Bluestar whipped around, her neck fur rising, and stared at the newcomer standing at the top of the hollow. It was too big and solid to be a cat. Instead, it seemed as if a clot of darkness had entered the circle of thornbushes, in which the watching cats could just make out broad, muscular limbs and the gleam of small, bright eyes.
After a few heartbeats Bluestar relaxed. “Welcome, friend,” she meowed. “StarClan owes you thanks. You have done well.”
“By me is little done,” the newcomer replied. “These cats their destiny have faced with courage.”
“The Clans have traveled far and suffered a great deal of sadness that we were powerless to ease,” Spottedleaf agreed. “They kept going even when we lost sight and hearing of them among the mountains, when they walked the paths of a different Tribe. Now they must learn to be four Clans again.” She looked solemn. “There will be much pain, especially for those who traveled together to the sun-drown-water. They won’t find it easy to forget their friendship.”
“They must mark out their new territories as soon as they can.” Oakheart’s voice rumbled in his throat. “There’ll be trouble there.”
“Every loyal warrior will want the best for their Clan,” meowed Bluestar.
“So long as it is their Clan that they fight for,” returned Oakheart, “and not themselves.”
“That’s where the danger lies,” murmured an anxious voice. A tomcat with a glossy black coat was gazing down into the silvery water as if he could see danger rising to the surface like a giant fish. “I see one cat, hungry for power that is not deserved….”
“Not deserved?” A lean tom with a crooked jaw sprang to his paws on the other side of the pool, the fur on his shoulders bristling in fury. “Nightstar, how dare you say ‘not deserved’?”
The black tom’s pelt rippled in the moonlight as he looked up. “Very well, Crookedstar, not deserved yet,” he meowed. “This cat needs to learn the virtue of patience. Power is not a piece of prey to be grabbed before it escapes.”
The cat with the crooked jaw sat down again, though the anger stayed in his eyes. “Would you have all our warriors as timid as mice?” he muttered.
Nightstar’s eyes narrowed and his tail-tip twitched, but before he could spit out a reply another cat padded forward: a thick-furred gray she-cat with a broad face and a fierce gleam in her eyes. She stood beside Spottedleaf at the mossy edge of the pool and gazed down into the water. After a few moments, ripples began to spread in circles from the middle of the pool and wash against the bank.
The gray she-cat lifted her head. “I have seen what will come,” she growled. “There are dark times ahead.”
A stir of anxiety passed through the cats like wind rippling through reeds, but no cat dared to question her out loud.
“Well?” Bluestar demanded when the silence had stretched out for several heartbeats. “Tell us what you mean, Yellowfang.”
The gray she-cat hesitated. “I am not certain what I have seen,” she rasped at last. “And you won’t like what I have to tell you.” She closed her eyes, and when she spoke her voice was deeper and quieter than before, so that every cat had to strain to listen: “‘Before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red.’”
Bluestar stiffened, and she bent her head to look into the water. A red stain was spreading across the surface, rippling outward until the water flamed scarlet. It seemed to reflect the fire of sunset, yet above the hollow the moon still floated in thin drifts of cloud.
A gasp of horror rose from the cats. Spottedleaf padded forward, trembling, and stared desperately into the water as if she were searching for something that would challenge Yellowfang’s ominous words.
“Are you trying to find out what will happen to Firestar?” Bluestar asked her gently. “Don’t search too hard, Spottedleaf. You of all cats should know that sometimes there is nothing we can do.”
Spottedleaf raised her head, and there was a fiercely determined light in her eyes. “I would do anythingto help Firestar,” she hissed. “I will protect him with all the power of StarClan.”
“But even that may not be enough,” Bluestar warned her.
Around them, the warriors of StarClan began to pad away from the pool, climbing the slope and slipping back through the thornbushes until the shimmer of their pelts vanished and the only light in the hollow came from the reflection of the moon in the water.
The creature in the shadows remained a moment longer, watching in silence until the last cat had gone. Then she stirred, and a shaft of moonlight struck her powerful shoulders.
“Midnight, this not your place,” she growled to herself. “Is no more to do.” She paused and added, “Once more, maybe, with Clans I will meet. Clouded is time to come.”
As she turned to push her way back through the thorns, the moonlight caught the broad white stripe down the badger’s head; then Midnight was gone, and the hollow was left empty.
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 1
Brambleclaw stood at the top ofthe slope, gazing at the clawpricks of silver fire reflected in the lake below. The Clans had finally found their new home, just as Midnight had promised. StarClan was waiting for them, and they were safe from the Twoleg monsters at last.
Around him warriors from all four Clans murmured to each other, staring uneasily at the dark, unfamiliar space at the foot of the hill.
“It’s impossible to tell what’s down there in this light.” Brightheart, a ginger-and-white ThunderClan warrior, swung around so that her one good eye could take in the whole of the landscape.
Her mate, Cloudtail, twitched his tail. “How bad can it be? Think what we’ve come through to get here. We can fight off anything on four legs.”
“And what about Twolegs?” demanded Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy.
“The journey has left us all tired and weak,” Blackclaw of WindClan added. “Foxes and badgers could track us down easily when we’re all out in the open like this.”
For a moment Brambleclaw felt a tremor of fear. Then he braced his shoulders. StarClan would not have brought them here if they did not believe the Clans could survive in their new territories.
“What are we waiting for?” a new voice spoke up. “Are we going to stand here all night?”
Stifling a mrrowof laughter, Brambleclaw turned to see his Clanmate Squirrelpaw standing behind him. The ginger apprentice was tearing the tough, springy grass with her front paws, her green eyes glowing with anticipation.
“Brambleclaw, look!” she purred. “We did it! We found our new home!”
She tucked her hindlegs under her, ready to dash down the hill, but before she could take off, Firestar pushed through the cats and stood in her way.
“Wait.” The ThunderClan leader touched his daughter’s shoulder affectionately with the tip of his tail. “We’ll go together, and keep a sharp lookout for trouble. This may be the place that StarClan wished us to find, but they would not expect us to leave our wits in the forest.”
Squirrelpaw dipped her head respectfully and stepped back, but when she shot a sideways glance at Brambleclaw, he saw that her eyes still gleamed with excitement. For Squirrelpaw, their journey’s end could not possibly be scary.
Firestar padded over to join Blackstar and Leopardstar, the leaders of ShadowClan and RiverClan. “I suggest we send a patrol ahead,” he meowed. “Just a couple of cats, to find out what it’s like down there.”
“Good idea—but we can’t just stand here and wait for them to return,” Leopardstar objected. “It’s much too exposed.”
Blackstar grunted in agreement. “If a fox came along now, it could pick off the weaker cats with no trouble at all.”
“But we need to rest.” Mudclaw of WindClan came up to join the discussion. His leader, Tallstar, lay on the ground a little way off, with the medicine cat Barkface crouching over him. “Tallstar can’t go much farther.”
“Then let’s send the patrol right away,” Firestar suggested, “and the rest of us will follow more slowly until we find somewhere more sheltered. Yes, Mudclaw,” he added, as the WindClan deputy opened his mouth to argue, “we’re all tired, but we’ll sleep more easily if we’re not stuck out on the open hillside like this.”
Blackstar called Russetfur over to him, while Leopardstar signaled with her tail for her deputy, Mistyfoot.
“I want you to go as far as the lake, then come straight back,” Leopardstar ordered. “Find out what you can, but be quick, and stay out of sight.”
The two cats flicked their ears, then whirled and raced away, loping along with their bellies close to the ground; within a couple of heartbeats they had vanished into the darkness.
Firestar watched them go before letting out a yowl to call the rest of the cats around him. Mudclaw went back to Tallstar and nudged the old leader to his paws. Their Clans clustered together behind the leaders of ThunderClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan and began to follow them down the slope toward the lake.
“What’s the matter?” Squirrelpaw demanded, noticing that Brambleclaw wasn’t moving. “Why are you standing there like a frozen rabbit?”
“I want…” Brambleclaw glanced around and spotted his sister Tawnypelt padding past a little way off; he summoned her with a jerk of his head. “I want all of us to go down together,” he explained when the tortoiseshell she-cat joined them. “All the cats who made the first journey.”
Four cats remained from the six who had left the forest in search of a new home many moons ago. They had gained something very precious on that journey, as well as a safe place for their Clans to live: a strong bond of friendship had been forged between them, stronger than rock and deeper than the endless water that washed against the cliffs where Midnight the badger lived.
Now Brambleclaw wanted to travel with his friends one more time before their duties to their separate Clans forced them apart.
Tawnypelt let out a purr of approval. Meeting her green gaze, Brambleclaw knew that, like him, she understood they would soon be rivals again; that the next time they met could be in battle. The pain of parting swelled in his heart, and he pressed his muzzle to his sister’s, feeling her breath warm against his whiskers.
“Where’s Crowfeather?” she asked.
Brambleclaw looked up and spotted the young WindClan warrior a few tail-lengths away, anxiously pacing beside Tallstar. The WindClan leader looked so exhausted he could hardly put one paw in front of the other; his long tail dragged on the ground and he was leaning heavily on the brown tabby warrior Onewhisker. The WindClan medicine cat, Barkface, walked close behind, a worried look on his face.
“Hey, Crowfeather!” Squirrelpaw called.
The WindClan cat bounded across. “What do you want?”
Brambleclaw ignored his unwelcoming tone. Crow-feather’s tongue was sharp enough to slice your ears off, but if danger threatened he would fight to his last breath to defend his friends.
“Travel down to the lake with us,” he urged. “I want us to finish the journey how we started—together.”
Crowfeather bowed his head. “There’s no point,” he murmured. “We’ll never be together again. Stormfur lives in the mountains now, and Feathertail is dead.”
Brambleclaw ran his tail lightly over the young warrior’s shoulder. He shared his grief for the beautiful RiverClan cat who had sacrificed her life to save Crowfeather and the Tribe cats from the terrible lion-cat known as Sharptooth. Then Feathertail’s brother Stormfur had stayed with the Tribe of Rushing Water because of his love for the prey-hunter Brook. Brambleclaw missed him bitterly, but knew that pain was nothing compared to the agony Crowfeather felt over Feathertail’s death.
“Feathertail is with us now,” Squirrelpaw insisted, coming to join them. Her eyes shone with the strength of her belief.“If you don’t know that, Crowfeather, you’re even more mousebrained than I thought. And we’ll see Stormfur again, I’m sure. We’re closer to the mountains here than we were in the forest.”
Crowfeather let out a long sigh. “Okay,” he meowed. “Let’s go.”
Most of the cats had gone past them already, moving cautiously across the unfamiliar territory, keeping close to each other as they had done throughout the long and dangerous journey to get here. A little way ahead, Brambleclaw saw Mothwing, the RiverClan medicine cat, walking beside a group of apprentices from all four Clans. On the far side of a patch of gorse, the ground fell away into a grassy hollow. Tallpoppy, a ShadowClan queen, was struggling to guide her kits down the steep slope; Cloudtail and Brightheart from ThunderClan darted over to help, each picking up a kit in their jaws. Farther down the slope, Cedarheart, a gray ShadowClan tom, prowled along the edge of a thorn thicket, his gaze flicking back and forth as he kept watch for foxes and badgers that might be looking for easy prey.
If he had not known these cats all his life, Brambleclaw would not have been able to distinguish one Clan from another; they walked side by side, helping one another. He wondered grimly how long it would be before they were divided again, and how painful that separation would be.
At an impatient exclamation from Squirrelpaw—“Come on, Brambleclaw, or we’ll leave you to make a den for yourself here!”—he headed down the slope, pausing every so often todraw in the night air. The scent of cat was strongest, but beneath it he could detect the scents of mouse and vole and rabbit. He couldn’t remember when he had last eaten; surely the leaders would allow them to hunt soon?
He was imagining the delicious taste of fresh-kill when he was startled by a hiss from Tawnypelt, who was a couple of tail-lengths ahead of him. “Look at that,” spat the Shadow-Clan warrior, pointing with her tail.
Brambleclaw’s ears pricked when he saw the thin mesh of a Twoleg fence shining like a huge cobweb in the pale dawn light. Two or three of the other cats had paused to stare apprehensively at it as well.
“I knew we’d come across Twolegs sooner or later!” Squirrelpaw meowed with a disgusted twitch of her tail.
Brambleclaw tasted the air again. He could pick up the scent of Twolegs, but it was faint and stale. There was another, less familiar scent too, and he had to think hard before he remembered what it was.
“Horses.” Crowfeather confirmed his guess. “There’s one over there.”
He gestured with his tail, and Brambleclaw noticed a large, dark shape standing under a clump of trees some way inside the fence. He thought there was another one beside it, though it was hard to tell in the shadows cast by the branches.
“What are horses?” Whitepaw mewed worriedly as she peered through the fence.
“Nothing to worry about,” Tornear from WindClan reassured her, touching the apprentice’s shoulder with the tip of his tail. “They used to run across our territory sometimes, with Twolegs on their backs.”
Whitetail blinked as if she couldn’t quite believe him.
“We saw some of them on our journey to the sun-drown-water,” Brambleclaw added. “They didn’t take any notice of us when we crossed their field. It’s the Twolegs looking after them that we need to watch out for.”
“I can’t see any Twoleg nests,” Tawnypelt pointed out. “Maybe these horse things look after themselves.”
“Let’s hope so,” meowed Brambleclaw. “Horses alone shouldn’t bother us.”
“Provided we stay away from their clumsy feet,” added Squirrelpaw.
The cats followed the Twoleg fence until they came to a thicket of trees where the other cats were gathering. Glancing around, Brambleclaw spotted Cinderpelt, the ThunderClan medicine cat, and her apprentice, Leafpaw, Squirrelpaw’s sister.
“What’s going on?” Squirrelpaw demanded. “Why are we stopping?”
“The patrol the leaders sent has just come back,” Cinderpelt explained.
Following her gaze, Brambleclaw saw the leaders of the four Clans and the WindClan deputy, Mudclaw, standing close together beside a tree stump. Mistyfoot and Russetfur, who had been sent on the patrol, faced them. The other cats had sunk down on the short, springy grass around the tree stump, glad of the chance to rest.
With the others behind him, Brambleclaw weaved through the cats until he was close enough to hear what the Clan leaders were saying.
Mistyfoot was just giving her report: “The ground’s very boggy by the lake. There’s no point going any farther until daylight. We don’t want to lose any cats in the mud.”
“ShadowClan is used to wet ground underpaw,” Blackstar reminded her, before any of the other leaders could comment. “But we’ll stay with the rest of you if that’s what you want.” There was an edge to his tone, as if ShadowClan were granting them a huge favor by not going ahead to explore on their own.
Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. It seemed too soon for the Clans to begin competing with one another over who claimed which part of the new territory. He had grown used to having all four Clans around him, ignoring the differences that had kept them apart for more seasons than any cat could remember. He was also afraid that some cats were weaker and more exhausted than others, which might make any clashes more damaging than they needed to be.
He hoped the leaders would decide to stay where they were for the rest of the night. The hills were still close enough to cut down the force of the wind, and the trees provided even more welcome shelter. A strong scent of prey drifted from the shadows, and his paws itched to hunt.
“I think we should stay here,” Firestar meowed, to Brambleclaw’s relief. “We all need to rest, and it sounds pretty uncomfortable by the lake.”
Leopardstar murmured agreement. Before Firestar had finished speaking, Tallstar collapsed onto his side and lay there panting, as if he couldn’t manage a single pawstep more. Mudclaw stalked up to him, sniffed him briefly, and spoke a word or two in his ear.
“Tallstar looks exhausted,” Brambleclaw murmured to Crowfeather. “This is his last life, isn’t it?”
Crowfeather nodded, his face somber. “He’ll be fine now that we’re here,” he meowed, though Brambleclaw suspected that he was trying to convince himself as much as any other cat.
Blackstar leaped up to the top of the tree stump. The powerful white tom stood with tail held high, his huge black paws planted on the rough wood. He let out a commanding yowl, and the faces of all the cats turned toward him to listen.
“Cats of all Clans!” he called as the last stragglers came up. “We have reached the place StarClan meant us to find, but we are all tired and hungry. We will make camp here until we have rested.”
“Who asked him to speak for the leaders?” Squirrelpaw muttered. Her green eyes flashed indignantly as Brambleclaw, spotting a couple of ShadowClan warriors within earshot, silenced her with a flick of his tail across her mouth.
“What about fresh-kill?” a cat called from the back.
“We will wait until sunrise,” Blackstar replied. “Then the prey will be running and there’ll be enough for us all.”
“Meanwhile we ought to keep watch,” Firestar added, leaping up beside Blackstar so that the ShadowClan leader had to step back a pace. “Deputies, find two or three warriors who can stay awake for a while longer. We don’t want foxes sneaking up on us while we’re asleep.”
Mudclaw, who seemed to be speaking for WindClan since Tallstar was so weak, meowed his agreement, followed by the RiverClan leader, Leopardstar. The brief meeting broke up and the cats began looking for places to sleep. Barkface nudged Tallstar to his feet and helped him to a clump of long grass, where the frail WindClan leader lay down again, trembling from nose to tail. Onewhisker sat close to him and began to lick his fur gently.
“I guess I’ll be needed,” Crowfeather mewed, and he loped away to join the other WindClan cats.
Tawnypelt touched noses with her brother. “I’d better check in with Russetfur,” she meowed. “See you later, Brambleclaw.” Whisking around, she headed for a group of her Clanmates who were clustered around the ShadowClan deputy.
Brambleclaw wondered if he ought to volunteer to keep watch. Even though he had been a warrior for fewer than four seasons, ThunderClan needed every cat to help feed and protect their Clanmates—especially since they had lost their deputy just before leaving the forest. Shivering, Brambleclaw remembered how Graystripe had been trapped by Twolegs and carried away inside a Twoleg monster. He glanced at Firestar to see his leader giving orders to Sorreltail and Brackenfur. He guessed he wouldn’t be needed right away, so he looked around to see if any of the other ThunderClan cats could use his help.
Dustpelt stood in the shadows beneath the trees with his mate, Ferncloud, and their son Birchkit, the only one of their latest litter to survive the lack of prey back in the forest. Ferncloud was crouched over Longtail, nosing him anxiously as he lay in the grass. Longtail was not many seasons older than Dustpelt, but he had been forced to join the elders when his eyesight failed; the journey from the forest had been particularly hard for him. Goldenflower, Brambleclaw’s mother, lay close to his flank on the other side. She was the oldest ThunderClan queen, and Brambleclaw realized with a pang of sympathy that she looked too weary to do anything more than press her warm fur against Longtail.
Dustpelt nudged the pale tabby tom’s shoulder. “Come on, Longtail,” he meowed. “Not far now.”
As Squirrelpaw bounded over to help, Brambleclaw spotted a sheltered place where the ground fell away a couple of tail-lengths beyond the clump of trees; grass grew thickly there, and a few bushes with low-growing branches.
“What about making a den over there?” he suggested, pointing with his tail.
“Good idea,” meowed Dustpelt. He nosed Longtail again. “It’s all right, Longtail; you can sleep as long as you want once we get you to a more sheltered place.”
Longtail heaved himself to his paws; Squirrelpaw padded beside him with her tail curled around his neck to guide him. Brambleclaw let Goldenflower lean on his shoulder, while Ferncloud encouraged Birchkit to follow.
“This had better be the place we’re looking for,” Dustpelt remarked, looking around at the exhausted cats. “None of us have the strength to travel any farther.”
Brambleclaw didn’t reply. He knew Dustpelt was right—but he couldn’t tell him for sure that this was the place StarClan had meant them to find. He watched the others slide between the branches and settle into the piles of dry leaves under the bushes. Catching a glimpse of Leafpaw padding past with a mouthful of moss for bedding, he recalled the medicine cat apprentice’s unquestioning faith that their warrior ancestors had made the journey with them. He wished he could feel the same certainty. All along he had clung to the belief that their troubles would be over when they reached their new territory. Now, daunted by the strangeness of everything around him, he could see they were only just beginning.
Squirrelpaw’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Dustpelt, do you want us to hunt for you?”
Her mentor flicked her ear with his tail. “No, we’ll all hunt later. Look at you; you’re asleep on your paws. Go with Brambleclaw and get some rest.”
“Okay.” Squirrelpaw’s jaws split into an enormous yawn.
“What about under that gorse bush?” Brambleclaw led the way to the spot he had pointed out a few tail-lengths up the slope, and crawled under the lowest boughs.
Squirrelpaw followed him and curled into a tight ball with her tail over her nose. “Good night,” she murmured indistinctly. Brambleclaw scrabbled in the debris underneath the bush until he had made a comfortable nest. Curling up close to Squirrelpaw, he breathed in her warm, familiar scent. He was glad that they had not made a proper camp yet, where warriors and apprentices would have their separate dens. He would miss sleeping next to Squirrelpaw, he realized with the last flicker of conscious thought. Then sleep covered him like the lapping of a soft black wave.
Brambleclaw’s dreams were dark and confused. He was searching for something in the middle of a thick forest, but he could not remember what he was looking for, and every path he took ended abruptly in tangles of briar or impassable walls of thorn. In desperation, he tried to force his way through, but a branch poked him painfully in the side.
“Wake up, Brambleclaw! You’ve been asleep forever—what do you think you are, a hedgehog?”
Brambleclaw’s eyes flew open to see Squirrelpaw prodding him with her forepaw. Watery yellow daylight was seeping through the branches of the gorse bush.
“It’s morning,” Squirrelpaw went on. “Let’s go and see if we can hunt. If you can stop hibernating, that is.”
Blinking sleep from his eyes, Brambleclaw staggered to his paws, shook scraps of dead leaves from his pelt, and followed Squirrelpaw into the open.
The confusion of his dream slipped away when he remembered where he was. But it was replaced with a renewed feeling of anxiety as he looked at the landscape in daylight for the first time. He wondered if this vast, unfamiliar place would ever seem like home.
A cold breeze blew, ridging the surface of the lake and rattling through the reeds that edged the shore. The shining gray water stretched in front of Brambleclaw for almost as far as he could see; above the hills that rose on one side, a glow in the sky showed where the sun would shortly rise. Back the way they had come, the land sloped up more gently to bare moorland. The Twoleg fence stretched across it, and in the growing light Brambleclaw could just make out a couple of Twoleg nests in the distance. He let out a faint sound of approval; such small nests couldn’t hold many Twolegs, and being so far away they were unlikely to interfere with the Clans.
Farther around the lake, below the hills, was a smudge that looked like gray-green mist; Brambleclaw realized it was a mass of leafless branches, stretching along the shore and up to the crest of the ridge. His heart lifted to think that soon he could be underneath trees again, however strange they might be.
At the far end of the lake the gray smudge of trees darkened, and Brambleclaw guessed that they were pines, still green in the depths of leaf-bare. They covered the ground like a gently rippling pelt as the wind stirred them.
The glow on the horizon grew too bright to look at as the sun edged up; the last stars were fading, and the sky was a clear, pale blue.
“Time to hunt,” Brambleclaw meowed to Squirrelpaw, who was standing beside him.
He looked around for Firestar or one of the senior warriors, to find out if any patrols were being sent out. His leader was emerging from a nearby gorse thicket with Leopardstar, Blackstar, and Mudclaw. The leaders must have been holding a meeting, Brambleclaw guessed, and he felt a twinge of apprehension to see Mudclaw in Tallstar’s place, representing WindClan.
“I wonder if Tallstar went to join StarClan during the night,” he muttered, his belly clenching with grief at the thought.
Squirrelpaw shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she mewed. “Or they would have brought his body out so his Clan could pay their respects.”
Brambleclaw hoped she was right. Before he could say anything else, Firestar leaped onto the tree stump where the leaders had addressed the Clans yesterday. Blackstar jumped up beside him, and Mudclaw scrambled up on the other side. There was barely room for all three cats to stand together on the flat top of the stump, so Leopardstar did not try to join them, but sat on a twisted root at the base.
“We’ll need a new place to hold Gatherings,” Squirrelpaw remarked.
Firestar’s yowl, calling the Clans together, interrupted her. Stems of grass and fern parted, and the branches of bushes shook as the cats emerged from their sleeping places. They all looked thin and worn, easy prey for any hostile creatures the territory might conceal, and they glanced around nervously, as if they could feel hungry eyes burning into their pelts on every side.
Brambleclaw bounded down the slope toward the stump, with Squirrelpaw close behind. Halfway down he spotted Tallstar’s black-and-white shape curled in the grass where he had gone to sleep the night before. The WindClan medicine cat, Barkface, was sitting beside him, sniffing anxiously at his fur. Neither cat made any attempt to join the others gathered around the tree stump; it was obvious Tallstar wasn’t well enough to take part in the meeting.
“Cats of all Clans,” Firestar was announcing as Brambleclaw reached his Clanmates. “Today there are decisions to be made and tasks to be carried out—”
“Hunting patrols will go out right away,” Mudclaw interrupted, shouldering Firestar aside. “WindClan will take the hills and RiverClan can fish in the lake. ThunderClan_”
His Clanmate Onewhisker sprang to his paws with a hiss of anger. “Mudclaw, what are you doing, giving orders like this?” he growled. “The last time I looked, Tallstar was still leader of WindClan.”
“Not for much longer.”
Brambleclaw blinked in surprise at the deputy’s cold voice. He hoped Tallstar hadn’t heard, and, craning his neck, he was relieved to see that the old cat was still asleep in his grassy nest with Barkface beside him.
“Some cat has to take charge,” Mudclaw went on. “Or do you want the other Clans to divide the territory among themselves and leave WindClan out?”
“As if we would!” Squirrelpaw mewed indignantly.
Onewhisker glared at Mudclaw, his fur bristling and his eyes blazing with fury. “Show a bit of respect!” he spat. “Tallstar was the leader of our Clan when you were a kit mewling in the nursery.”
“I’m not a kit now,” Mudclaw retorted. “I’m the deputy. And Tallstar hasn’t done much to lead us since we left the forest.”
“That’s enough.” Firestar silenced the WindClan deputy with a wave of his tail. “Onewhisker, I know you’re worried about Tallstar. Mudclaw is only doing his duty.”
“He needn’t act like he’s leader already,” Onewhisker growled. He sat down with a sharp glance from side to side, as if he were challenging any other cat to make a comment.
“Onewhisker has a fair point,” Firestar went on to Mudclaw. “It’s difficult for a deputy to stand in for their leader—difficult for the rest of the Clan as well as for the deputy.”
Mudclaw, who had raised his head arrogantly when Firestar seemed to be backing him up, looked furious. His jaws parted, but before he could speak he was forestalled by Blackstar.
“If WindClan has a problem over their leadership, let them discuss it in private. We’re wasting time.”
Mudclaw let out an angry hiss and pointedly turned his back. Brambleclaw flexed his claws, ready to spring if the WindClan deputy caused more trouble. Mudclaw was one of the most aggressive cats in all four Clans, and he had never liked Firestar or ThunderClan. Brambleclaw could foresee trouble when he became WindClan’s leader, especially now, when new Clan boundaries had to be established.
Firestar’s voice interrupted his troubled thoughts. “I would like to start ThunderClan’s life here by honoring a new warrior. Squirrelpaw, where are you?”
“What? Me!” In her astonishment, Squirrelpaw squeaked like a kit. She sprang to her paws, her ears pricked and her tail standing straight up.
“Yes, you.” Brambleclaw saw a gleam of amusement in Firestar’s eyes as he beckoned to his daughter. “ThunderClan owes you more than I can say for making the journey to sun-drown-place, and helping lead the Clans to this new home. Dustpelt and I agree that if ever an apprentice deserved her warrior name, you do.”
Brambleclaw stretched out and gently touched his muzzle against the tip of Squirrelpaw’s ear. “Go on,” he murmured. “Firestar is right. You deserve to become a warrior after everything you’ve done for the Clan.”
She blinked at him, too shocked to speak, then turned and picked her way to the tree stump where Firestar was waiting. Before she reached it, her mother, Sandstorm, stepped forward. Squirrelpaw stopped in front of her. Sandstorm’s eyes glowed with pride as she gave her daughter a few swift licks to smooth her fur. Brambleclaw watched Leafpaw come over as well to press her muzzle against her sister’s side.
Squirrelpaw’s mentor, Dustpelt, padded up to lead her the rest of the way to the stump, and he stood beside her as they waited for Firestar to speak.
Firestar leaped down and blinked encouragingly at Squirrelpaw before lifting his head to address the gathered cats. “This is the first time any cat has spoken these words in our new home,” he began. “I Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.”
There was a burning intensity in his eyes, and Brambleclaw understood how much this moment meant to Firestar, not just for ThunderClan but for all four Clans that had journeyed here from their home far away. By calling upon StarClan to make a new warrior, they were claiming this unfamiliar place as their own. There had been many, many times on the journey when they had feared they had left their warrior ancestors behind, but Firestar addressed them now as confidently as if their starry spirits glowed overhead. Brambleclaw felt his fur prickle with guilt, wishing he could be so certain that StarClan had made the journey with them. Still, he told himself, they had reached somewhere that looked as if it would make a safe home for the Clans; perhaps his leader was right to feel confident. He shook his head, forcing his concerns away, and listened to the warrior ceremony.
“Squirrelpaw,” the ThunderClan leader was saying, “do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”
Squirrelpaw’s reply rang out clearly. “I do.”
“Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Squirrelpaw, from this moment you will be known as Squirrelflight. StarClan honors your courage and your determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.”
Firestar rested his muzzle on Squirrelflight’s head, and she gave his shoulder a respectful lick. Determination was an unusual virtue to mention in the warrior ceremony; in Squirrelflight, it sometimes showed as stubbornness, and had led her close to trouble more than once. Brambleclaw wondered if father and daughter were remembering all the times they had clashed, when Squirrelflight’s fierce independence had brought her into conflict with her leader and the warrior code. But then, Brambleclaw reflected, there had been times on their journey when her determination and will to succeed had put fresh heart into all her companions. Pride flooded him as he remembered her tireless courage, her refusal to think they would ever fail to reach their journey’s end.
When she stepped away from Firestar, Leafpaw bounded up to her, greeting her by her new name. “Squirrelflight! Squirrelflight!”
Her call was taken up by the cats around them. Squirrelflight looked around, her green eyes shining with pride. All four Clans seemed pleased that she had been given her warrior name—but then, all four Clans had had plenty of opportunity to see how much she deserved it. As Brambleclaw thrust his way to her side he saw Tawnypelt and Crowfeather heading toward her, too. Those who had made the journey to Midnight’s cave would always have the most special bond with Squirrelflight.
“Congratulations,” Tawnypelt meowed, while Crowfeather nodded and rested his tail-tip on her shoulder for a moment.
Brambleclaw pressed his muzzle to hers. “Well done, Squirrelflight,” he murmured. “Mind you,” he added teasingly, “you’ll still have to pay attention to senior warriors.”
Squirrelflight’s eyes gleamed with wicked amusement. “You can’t order me around now—I’m not an apprentice anymore!”
“I can’t see that it will make much difference,” Dustpelt put in, overhearing her. “You never did as you were told anyway.”
Squirrelflight let out a mrrowof laughter and affectionately butted her former mentor on his shoulder. “I must have listened to something,” she meowed. She blinked, and added, “Really, thanks for everything, Dustpelt.”
The meows of welcome died down as Blackstar stepped forward and signaled with his tail for silence. “This is all very touching, but now we must find out about this new place so that we can start establishing our new territories. We’re going to send a patrol with one cat from each Clan to explore the lakeshore and the land around it.”
Brambleclaw’s ears pricked, and he felt Squirrelflight tense beside him, her pelt just brushing his. He caught Tawnypelt’s eye, and saw an answering gleam of anticipation.
“We decided to send three of the cats who made the first journey together,” Firestar went on. “Brambleclaw from ThunderClan, Crowfeather from WindClan, and Tawnypelt from ShadowClan.”
Excitement thrilled through Brambleclaw from ears to tail-tip. It felt right that the cats who had made the first journey should be chosen.
Blackstar curled his lip as Firestar named each cat, but didn’t argue.
“Huh!” Tawnypelt muttered. “It’s the first time he’s ever let me represent ShadowClan.”
Brambleclaw swept his tail soothingly over her shoulder. He knew that Blackstar was unlikely to forget that Tawnypelt had been born in ThunderClan, however hard she tried to prove she was a loyal warrior of ShadowClan.
“Mistyfoot will go for RiverClan,” meowed Leopardstar, speaking for the first time, and reminding Brambleclaw painfully that neither of the RiverClan cats who had made the journey was still with their Clan. A hollow place yawned inside him as he thought of Feathertail and Stormfur.
“But what about me?”Squirrelflight protested. “I went on the journey too. Why can’t I go on the patrol?”
“Because that would make two cats from ThunderClan,” Blackstar replied crushingly. Brambleclaw knew the ShadowClan leader was wrong if he thought that would silence Squirrelflight.
“A patrol of four cats isn’t enough to go into unknown territory,” she objected.
Blackstar opened his mouth to disagree, but Firestar spoke first. “She could be right,” he pointed out. “I think we should let her go. It could be her first warrior task. She can’t sit vigil tonight like other new warriors, as we have no proper camp.”
Blackstar glanced at Leopardstar, who twitched her tail, giving nothing away, and then at Mudclaw, who dipped his head. “WindClan has no objection,” he meowed.
“Very well,” Blackstar growled. “But don’t think for one moment that will give ThunderClan any extra rights over the territory.”
Brambleclaw exchanged an exasperated glance with Crowfeather. Trust Blackclaw to think that other Clans were trying to steal an advantage before the new territories had been divided up!
“Of course not,” Firestar replied evenly. “Squirrelflight, you may go with the patrol.”
Squirrelflight’s tail curled up in delight.
“Go all the way around the lake, and explore as much of the surrounding land as you can,” Firestar instructed. “We need to know what kind of territory it is, and where the best hunting places will be. Think about the different sorts of hunting each Clan will require, because it might help with setting boundaries later on. It would be good to get an idea of how the territory could be split up, and where might be good places for camps. And keep a close watch for Twolegs, or anything else that might be dangerous.”
“Is that all?” Crowfeather muttered.
“I reckon you’ll need two days to travel all the way around the lake,” Firestar went on. He lifted his head and narrowed his eyes as he peered across the water, trying to judge thedistance. “Try not to spend too much time exploring. We’re exposed to danger while we stay here, so we need to get all the Clans settled as soon as we can.”
“We’ll do our best, Firestar,” a new voice called out. Brambleclaw glanced over his shoulder to see Mistyfoot, the RiverClan deputy, padding over to join them.
“Hi, there,” he mewed, moving up to make room for her. Mistyfoot looked wary about joining the close band of cats that had made the first journey.
“Good luck,” called Leopardstar, and Firestar added, “May StarClan go with you all.”
By now the sun had risen well above the hills. His paws itching to be off, Brambleclaw dipped his head toward Firestar and the other leaders, and raised his tail to signal the others to follow him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tawnypelt wince, and he heard a hissing intake of breath from Crowfeather. His fur prickled with embarrassment as he realized that Mistyfoot ought to be in charge of the patrol, since she was the deputy of her Clan. He stopped and took a pace back; Mistyfoot gave him a long, cool look, then nodded briefly to him as she took the lead.
“Mousebrain!” Squirrelflight whispered.
They headed for the edge of the lake, with Blackstar’s voice drifting behind them on the breeze as he began to arrange the hunting patrols.
“Squirrelflight! Wait!” Brambleclaw looked back to see Leafpaw bounding after her sister. “Be careful, won’t you?” she begged.
Squirrelflight touched noses with the young medicine cat. “Don’t worry about us,” she meowed. “We can look after ourselves.”
“But you’re as tired as the rest of us from the journey,” Leafpaw warned. “Hunt as soon as you can, and don’t stray too far from the lake or you might get lost.”
Squirrelflight brushed her tail across Leafpaw’s mouth to stop her. “We’ll be fine,” she insisted. She lifted her head and pointed with her nose to the gleaming stretch of water below them. “Look, you can see exactly where we’re going. We’ll be back before you know it.” She paused for a moment, then added quietly, “Have you had a sign from StarClan? Is that why you’re so worried?”
Leafpaw shook her head. “No, nothing like that, I promise. It’s just hard to let you go again. It feels too much like the first time you left, when you went to sun-drown-place.”
Brambleclaw went over and rested his muzzle against Leafpaw’s shoulder to comfort her. “And we came safely home, didn’t we? Trust me, Leafpaw, I’ll look after her.”
Squirrelflight jerked away in mock indignation. “I don’t need looking after! It’s more likely to be me watching out for your battered old fur!”
Leafpaw gave a purr of amusement, letting them lighten the mood. “Well, just take care, all of you. And if you have a chance to look out for any herbs, that would be great. Our medicine supplies will need refilling very soon.”
Squirrelflight licked her ear. “Sure. I’ll keep my eyes open—when I’m not looking for foxes, badgers, Twolegs, Thunderpaths….”
“Are we going or not?” growled Crowfeather. “We don’t have much daylight, and we need to get at least halfway around the lake before nightfall.”
Leafpaw ignored him. “StarClan go with you,” she murmured to Squirrelflight, before whisking around and bounding back up the slope.
Brambleclaw tasted the air and listened to the lapping of waves on the shore. The gray water was flooded with color as the sun rose higher over the hills. It stretched ahead so far that the trees on the distant shore were nothing more than a greenish blur, and curved hungrily around the marshy land in front of them. Something about the stillness of the water, the silence that hung over it like mist, told Brambleclaw that it was much, much deeper than the river in the forest, even when it flooded. He gave Mistyfoot a swift sidelong glance. She looked daunted too, though like all RiverClan cats she was an excellent swimmer.
As if aware that his eyes were on her, the RiverClan deputy gave herself a shake. “Right,” she meowed, gazing around at the patrol. “This is it. Let’s see where StarClan has brought us.”
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 2
Leafpaw stopped halfway up the slopeand turned to watch her sister and the rest of the patrol make their way down to the lake. From the tingling of her own fur, she could tell how excited Squirrelflight was, not just at the prospect of exploring the new territory, but because she was with the friends she had made on the journey to sun-drown-place once more. For a few heartbeats Leafpaw felt almost breathless with envy, wishing that she could have a bond that strong, based on that depth of trust and that many shared experiences, with another cat.
Her gaze was drawn to the lean, gray-black shape of Crowfeather. Of all the others, he was the hardest to understand. Leafpaw wished she knew him better. He seemed the least willing to trust cats from another Clan, yet during the long journey through the mountains she had seen him put himself in danger over and over to help cats who weren’t from WindClan. Leafpaw’s pelt prickled, making her shiver from nose to tail. Something told her Crowfeather had an important path laid out by StarClan, but she had no idea where it might lead—nor was there any reason for StarClan to let her know the destiny of a cat from another Clan.
She jumped as something brushed against her shoulder, and turned to see Cinderpelt gazing at her with wise blue eyes.
“Do you wish you were going with them?” the medicine cat asked.
Leafpaw hesitated. She was a medicine cat, not a warrior—her duties lay with her weak and exhausted Clan. So why did she feel a tug in her paws to follow the little patrol that was padding away along the line of the shore? Her mind flooded with an image of bounding after them to walk alongside Crowfeather, who was bringing up the rear; she drew in her breath sharply, almost able to feel his dark gray pelt brush against hers as they picked their way over the tufts of boggy grass.
“Are you all right?” mewed Cinderpelt, looking at her closely.
Leafpaw blinked. “Yes, I’m fine. Of course I don’t want to go with the patrol. There’s enough work for me here.”
“That’s true,” Cinderpelt meowed. “We have four Clans of exhausted cats to look after, and our stock of healing herbs barely amounts to a couple of leaves and a pawful of crushed berries.”
Leafpaw gulped, suddenly wondering if she should have gone with the patrol after all to look for new supplies of medicine.
“We’re going to meet with the other medicine cats,” Cinderpelt went on. “We need to discuss what to do about finding new herbs, and how we are going to share tongues with our warrior ancestors when we are so far from Highstones.” She gazed up at the sky, where the half-moon drifted behind wisps of cloud, and her voice dropped to barely a whisper. “I hope we find another Moonstone place soon.”
She gestured with her tail, and Leafpaw saw her friend Mothwing, the RiverClan medicine cat, sitting in the shelter of a bramble thicket with Littlecloud, the medicine cat from ShadowClan. Around them, warriors and apprentices from all four Clans were dividing into groups as the hunting patrols prepared to leave.
Cinderpelt waited until most of the patrols had gone before joining the other medicine cats. Leafpaw bounded over to touch noses with Mothwing.
Mothwing blinked nervously at her. “I feel so helpless!” she murmured into Leafpaw’s ear. “I have no supplies, and the cats are so tired and weak.”
Leafpaw wasn’t surprised that her friend was anxious. Although Mothwing had trained as a warrior and received her warrior name several seasons ago, she had not been a medicine cat apprentice for as long as Leafpaw. The death of Mudfur before they left the forest meant that she had to take on all the responsibilities of a medicine cat before she had finished her training. Leafpaw felt a wave of gratitude that Cinderpelt was still alive, and young and strong enough to live for many, many more moons. She was in no hurry to lose her mentor, and she didn’t envy Mothwing at all. But she reminded herself that Mothwing had been taught well, and she would be able to ask the other medicine cats for advice if she needed to. Besides, in this new place they would all have things to learn.
She gave Mothwing’s ear a quick lick. “You’ll be fine,” she promised. “We’ll all help you.”
Cinderpelt glanced around. “Where’s Barkface?”
“Still with Tallstar, I guess,” Littlecloud replied. He let out a sigh. “I’m not sure there’s much any cat can do for him now.”
Leafpaw flinched. It didn’t seem fair that StarClan should summon the WindClan leader to join them when he hadn’t even seen his Clan’s new home.
“Here he comes now.” Cinderpelt twitched her ears to where Barkface was approaching with his head bowed and his tail trailing.
“How is Tallstar?” Littlecloud demanded.
Barkface heaved a sigh from the depths of his belly as he flopped down under the brambles beside the other medicine cats. “Sleeping,” he replied. “He is very weak. The journey has been too much for him, and it is clear that StarClan is waiting for him to join them.”
“Isn’t there anything you can do?” Leafpaw meowed.
Barkface shook his head. “We may have traveled all the way from the forest, but Tallstar has a longer journey than all of us ahead of him. He has been a noble leader, but he cannot go on forever.”
“All the Clans will honor him,” Cinderpelt murmured. She bowed her head for a moment and then straightened up, giving her fur a shake. “Meanwhile there are tasks that we must do.”
“We need to look for herbs,” Mothwing meowed. “Disease could spread easily when we’re all tired and hungry.”
“True,” replied Cinderpelt. “Soon we’ll go and search, and hope that StarClan leads us to what we need. But before that….” Her voice trailed off, and she scratched at the ground with her forepaw before she went on. “There may be a patrol out looking for new camps for each Clan, but we need more than that if this is to be our home. Where are the Clans going to gather at full moon? What about the Moonstone? It’s many days’ journey from here to Mothermouth.”
Leafpaw’s paws ached at the thought of retracing her steps along all the weary paths they had followed since they left Highstones. Surely it would be impossible to travel there every half moon to meet with StarClan? But where would new leaders go now to receive their names and their nine lives?
There was a long pause. None of the cats had the answer—or knew where to suggest looking.
“Are we surethis is the right place?” Littlecloud mewed at last. “Without the Moonstone, the only way we can reach StarClan is through dreams and signs, and I’ve seen nothing to reassure me that this is where we are supposed to be.”
“It mustbe right,” Leafpaw pleaded. She struggled to think how she could make the other medicine cats believe her, when they were so much more experienced than she was. “Stoneteller met with his Tribe’s warrior ancestors in the Cave of Pointed Stones,” she added, remembering their visit to the Tribe of Rushing Water. “So maybe there are other places like the Moonstone.”
“I believe that StarClan sent us a sign when we saw their reflections shining in the lake,” Cinderpelt mewed, and Leafpaw felt the fur on her shoulders lie down in her relief. “But we still need a place where we can share tongues with them.”
“Maybe they’ll send us a sign to tell us where we can find another Moonstone,” Barkface suggested.
“Maybe.” Littlecloud sounded dubious. “I just hope it’s soon, that’s all.”
“But does it really matter?” Mothwing asked. “I mean, there’s nothing to stop us from finding the right herbs, and….”
Her voice died away as the other medicine cats stared at her in astonishment. Leafpaw winced; how couldMothwing believe that the only task of a medicine cat was to heal?
Mothwing’s gaze flicked from one cat to the next, uncertainty and embarrassment in her eyes.
“Mothwing means we can carry on looking after our Clanmates while we wait for StarClan to speak to us,” Leafpaw meowed helpfully.
Mothwing turned to her in relief. “Yes—yes, that’s right.”
Cinderpelt’s ears twitched.
“I suppose we could start restocking our supplies,” meowed Littlecloud.
Barkface heaved himself to his paws. “If you don’t mind, I ought to stay with Tallstar. But I’d be grateful for some colts-foot, if you can find it. He’s having trouble breathing.”
“There’ll be no coltsfoot leaves until newleaf,” Mothwing pointed out anxiously. “Would juniper berries do as well?”
Barkface nodded. “Quite right. Thanks, Mothwing.”
“We’ll bring you some,” Cinderpelt promised.
With a brief grunt of thanks, Barkface padded to the clump of grass where Tallstar lay, an unmoving heap of black and white fur. Leafpaw saw him exchange a word or two with Onewhisker, who was keeping vigil beside his dying leader. Then he settled down with his flank touching Tallstar’s, letting the old cat know that he would not be alone as he began his long, dark journey.
“Well done, Mothwing!” Leafpaw mewed. “I didn’t think of using juniper berries instead.”
Mothwing turned her head to give Leafpaw’s ear a quick lick. “Where shall we go first?”
Cinderpelt stood up stiffly, favoring the leg she had injured long ago on the Thunderpath. “If we go that way,” she began, gesturing with her tail, “we’ll end up in the Twoleg horseplace. I think we should head the opposite way, closer to the lake.”
“Firestar says it’s boggy there,” Leafpaw reminded her.
“There’s all sorts of good stuff growing in bogs,” meowed Mothwing. She gave Leafpaw a gentle flick around the ear with her tail. “If you were a RiverClan cat, you wouldn’t mind getting your paws wet!”
“And I wouldn’t mind catching a frog or a toad to eat,” mewed Littlecloud. When the other cats glanced at him in surprise, he added defensively, “They don’t taste that bad! There were always plenty in ShadowClan’s territory, even when the rest of the prey was scarce.”
As they drew nearer to the lake the tough moorland grass gave way to sedge and moss. The ground was spongy, and water oozed up around Leafpaw’s paws at every step.
“I hope it’s not all like this,” she muttered to herself, pausing to shake droplets of water from each paw. Looking ahead, she saw that although this stretch of marshland reached right down to the lake, trees were growing on the bank farther around, and in the distance a wooded tongue of land stretched out into the water. That might be a good place for a camp, she thought.
She broke into a run to catch up the others, and found them standing beside a large clump of horsetail; farther away were more clumps of the big, healthy plants. Leafpaw’s spirits rose.
“This is excellent,” Cinderpelt meowed. “It never grew as well as this in our old territory. We’ll collect some on our way back. Leafpaw, what is it used for?”
Leafpaw wasn’t sure she liked being questioned in front of the other medicine cats as if she had barely started her training, but at least she knew the answer. “Infected wounds,” she answered promptly.
“That’s right,” meowed Littlecloud. “And we’re going to need it. The cats have picked up all kinds of scratches and scrapes on the journey.”
Cinderpelt nodded. “We must remember where to find it.”
She set off again, and the other cats followed. Leafpaw was pleased when she was the first to spot a clump of water mint, one of the best cures for bellyache.
“But we’re never going to find Barkface’s juniper berries down here,” Mothwing pointed out, leaping over a tiny stream. “It’s much too wet.”
“Why don’t you and Leafpaw head away from the shore?” Cinderpelt suggested. “I can see bushes over there. Some of them might be juniper.”
“Sure.” Mothwing swerved away from the water, heading toward the ridge they had crossed on the previous night. Leafpaw followed close behind, relieved to feel drier, harder ground under her paws.
When they reached the higher ground, they pushed their way into a sheltered thicket of trees. Leafpaw quickly recognized the spiky dark leaves and purple berries of juniper bushes among the undergrowth.
“Just what we need,” she mewed happily, beginning to bite off some of the stems.
When they had collected as much juniper as they could carry, they turned back toward the lake. Emerging from the trees, Leafpaw spotted the tiny, indistinct figures of Cinderpelt and Littlecloud in the distance, following the water’s edge. From up here, she realized that what she had thought was a wooded spur of land stretching out into the lake was actually an island, separated from the shore by a narrow channel of water.
“Look!” she meowed to Mothwing. “There’s an island in the lake.”
The young medicine cat’s eyes shone. “That would make a great place for a Gathering!” she exclaimed. “It’s big enough for all the Clans, and nothing would disturb us there. Let’s go down and tell the others.” Snatching up her collection of juniper stems, she bounded off toward Cinderpelt and Littlecloud.
Leafpaw picked up her own stems and followed more slowly. Mothwing hadn’t given her the chance to point out that only RiverClan cats felt confident about swimming, and none of the other Clans would be able to reach the island. It was a pity, because Mothwing was right: the island would be a perfect place for all the Clans to meet, safe from predators and Twolegs.
When she reached the others, Mothwing was excitedly telling them about the island. All four cats padded down to the edge of the lake to have a closer look. The ground was drier here, falling away into a rocky shore with a few tough thorns rooted in cracks.
“It looks safe enough,” meowed Cinderpelt, “but how would we get there? Do you fancy telling the elders that they have to swim every time they want to go to a Gathering?”
Littlecloud gave a snort of amusement, and Mothwing looked wounded.
“Maybe it’s shallow enough to wade,” Leafpaw suggested diplomatically, though she wasn’t keen on finding out.
“I could swim over there and have a look,” Mothwing offered
Cinderpelt nodded. “If you want to.”
Mothwing didn’t need any more encouragement to launch herself down the rocks toward the water.
“Be careful!” Leafpaw called after her.
Her friend waved her tail in acknowledgment before wading out into the lake. Soon the water reached her belly fur and she had to swim, pushing through the water with strong, confident strokes. So it wasn’t possible to wade all the way to the island, Leafpaw thought. She narrowed her eyes against the sunlight reflected in the water as she tracked the small dark head bobbing through the waves.
Behind her Littlecloud meowed, “Why don’t we hunt while we’re waiting? I’m so hungry I could eat a badger!”
His words made Leafpaw conscious of her own grumbling belly, but she did not move until she had seen Mothwing reach the shore of the island; she pulled herself out of the water and waved her tail cheerfully at Leafpaw before vanishing among the bushes.
Leafpaw turned away just in time to see Littlecloud pounce on a vole and crouch down to devour it in swift bites. She couldn’t help feeling relieved that he hadn’t found a frog or a toad after all, in case he had offered her some. It would have been rude to say no, but Leafpaw didn’t think she was quite hungry enough to eat something that looked so tough and unappetizing.
A little way off, Cinderpelt was stalking something in the long grass that grew at the foot of the rocks. A heartbeat later she made her kill and beckoned to Leafpaw with her tail. “Come on. Mothwing will be fine. There’s plenty of prey over there.”
Leafpaw cast another glance back at the island, but there was no sign of the RiverClan medicine cat, and nothing Leafpaw could do to help her. Padding softly up to the nearest tumble of rocks, she heard the scuffling of a tiny creature and froze. A grass stem twitched aside to reveal another vole scrabbling among the fallen seeds underneath. Leafpaw crept forward, hardly lifting her paws from the rough ground. Once she was in range she leaped, and dispatched her prey with one swift bite to the neck.
Leafpaw couldn’t remember when she had last seen such a plump vole. The prey that remained in the forest after the Twolegs started to tear it up had been scrawny and terrified, and opportunities for hunting on the journey here had been limited
She was just finishing the last, satisfying bite when Littlecloud called, “Mothwing’s coming back!”
Leafpaw swallowed her mouthful and dashed down to the water’s edge. Mothwing was swimming strongly toward the shore, and soon she waded out to stand on dry ground and shake the water from her pelt.
“Well?” Cinderpelt demanded. “What did you find?”
Mothwing let out a gusty sigh. “It’s perfect! Trees and bushes grow all around the edge, but in the middle there’s an open stretch of grass. There’d be room for all the Clans to gather there.”
Littlecloud shook his head. “RiverClan maybe, but you’d never get the other three Clans to join you.” His tone was worried as he added, “Some cats with more courage than sense would drown if they tried.”
“And right in the middle of the open space,” Mothwing went on enthusiastically, as if Littlecloud hadn’t spoken, “there’s this huge oak tree. As big as the oaks at Fourtrees, but it has low-growing branches, so the leaders could climb up there to address the Clans.” Her blue eyes shone. “I wish we could use it!”
“Well, we can’t,” Cinderpelt said regretfully. “Although you’re right, Mothwing; it sounds ideal. Thanks for checking it out.”
“There’s prey, too.” Mothwing swiped her tongue over her jaws.
Leafpaw wanted to ask Mothwing if she had noticed anything unusual about the island, like a strange-shaped rock or a twisted tree, anything that would suggest the presence of StarClan. Perhaps the island wasn’t meant for Gatherings, but there might be a new Moonstone there.
But once it was clear that the other medicine cats wouldn’t agree that the island could be used for Gatherings, Mothwing had turned away. She was padding up the beach with her tail drooping, tired out from her swim. Leafpaw decided she would ask her another time about the possibility of a Moonstone on the island.
The rest of the medicine cats began to make their way back to the temporary camp as well. Leafpaw followed last of all, with a regretful glance over her shoulder at the island. The Clans needed a place to gather and a new Moonstone as much as they needed safe, sheltered camps with plenty of prey. The gathering place and the Moonstone would be the home of the fifth Clan that had been forced to leave the forest—StarClan.
Leafpaw shivered, even though reeds sheltered her from the cold breeze coming off the lake. Unless they found these places quickly, the Clans’ future in their new territory was filled with shadows of doubt.
CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3
Mistyfoot led the patrol across the marshy shore at a steady trot. Brambleclaw breathed deeply, tasting the prey-scented air and basking in the warmth of the pale winter sun on his fur. His paws itched to bound ahead, but he forced himself to keep to the pace Mistyfoot had set, knowing they had a long way to go.
“This is no good,” Squirrelflight grumbled as she slipped into yet another boggy hollow. She stopped and flicked water from her hindpaw with a disgusted expression on her face. “We’ll all end up with webbed feet if we live here.”
“It might not be so bad for RiverClan,” Mistyfoot replied. “But there won’t be much prey on ground like this, so it wouldn’t be much use.”
“We don’t have to use allthe territory around the lake,” Tawnypelt pointed out. “There’s plenty of space, so it doesn’t matter if no cat wants this bit.”
“As long as there’s something better up ahead,” Crowfeather added.
Brambleclaw paused to scan the land around them. On one side the land rose steeply to a ridge of hills. The Twoleg fence and the horses were behind them now, and beyond that the grassland sloped up until it vanished beneath a thick growth of gorse and other bushes. Ahead, the swampy ground stretched along the lakeshore. In the distance Brambleclaw could see a wooded spur of ground jutting out into the lake, and more trees right ahead.
“It looks as if we’ll be out of the marshes soon,” he meowed.
“Can’t we climb the hill, Brambleclaw?” Squirrelflight asked. “Please. I’m sick of wet feet.”
“There’ll be prey up there, too,” Tawnypelt mewed longingly. “What do you say, Brambleclaw? We need to hunt.”
“We’re supposed to be patrolling the lake,” Brambleclaw replied.
“And the territory around it,” Crowfeather reminded him.
“I suppose we could make a few forays away from the lake,” Brambleclaw meowed thoughtfully. “We won’t learn much if we stick to the shore the whole time. Let’s start by heading up to the ridge. We’ll hunt on the way, and—”
A quiet cough interrupted him, and Brambleclaw felt his fur prickle as he met Mistyfoot’s level stare. “S-sorry, Mistyfoot,” he stammered. “I mean, if that’s okay with you.”
Amusement glimmered in the RiverClan deputy’s eyes. “Look, Brambleclaw, maybe it’s best if you lead. These cats are obviously used to taking orders from you.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Brambleclaw felt even more embarrassed. “We discussed things, mostly, when we were on our journey.”
“He means we argued,” Tawnypelt meowed dryly. “At least, someof us argued.” She gave a hard look at Squirrelflight and Crowfeather.
“What, us?” Squirrelflight’s eyes opened wide and her tail curled up. “Never!”
Stifling a mrrowof laughter, Brambleclaw led the way up the slope to the drier ground. He thanked StarClan that Mistyfoot understood that they had fallen into a habit of organizing themselves on their journey, without the typical Clan hierarchy of leaders and deputies and senior warriors. It felt good to be traveling with his friends again, though he felt Stormfur’s absence like a thorn pricking his flank. He wondered what it would be like when the Clans separated and he lost his easy friendship with Crowfeather and Tawnypelt. Would the empty place inside him go on growing forever?
There was prey among the bushes farther up the slope, and it did not take long for all five cats to hunt successfully and settle down to a good meal.
“Mmm…” Squirrelflight murmured, lying on her side and splaying out her paws in a luxurious stretch. “That was the tastiest mouse I’ve eaten in moons. Now I could do with a good, long sleep.”
“Oh, no, you don’t!” Brambleclaw prodded her with his paw. “We’ve got a long way to go, and we need to get as far around the lake as we can in daylight.”
“All right, keep your fur on.” Squirrelflight scrambled up, her green eyes teasing. “You’re such a bossy old furball. Don’t forget I’m a warrior now!” She whisked around him, flicking him with her tail.
“You don’t give me the chance to forget,” Brambleclaw retorted, though he couldn’t keep the laughter out of his voice. How long had it been, he asked himself, since any of them had had the time or the strength to play?
He gathered the others together—Mistyfoot watched him give the order without saying anything, the expression in her blue eyes impossible to read—and they set off once more, taking a slanting route down to the lake. As he looked back toward the temporary camp, Brambleclaw saw that the spur of land he had spotted earlier was actually an island; three tiny, fuzzy shapes were standing on the shore looking out at it.
“There’s Leafpaw!” Squirrelflight meowed.
Brambleclaw didn’t ask how she could recognize her sister from so far away; he knew there was some sort of special connection between them, so that each of them always had a good idea where the other one was and how she was feeling. A flicker of jealousy stirred within him, but he pushed it away.
They headed down from the ridge toward a point on the lakeshore farther along from the island. To Brambleclaw’s relief, the marshy places and small reed-fringed pools thinned out; instead the ground was covered with long grass that felt cool and comfortable under his pads.
“This is more like it!” muttered Crowfeather. WindClan cats were the least used to wet ground, coming from the well-drained sandy moorland above the woods where the other Clans had lived.
Sunhigh came and went as the five cats traveled along the edge of the lake. A stretch of smooth round pebbles ran down to the water, reminding Brambleclaw of the banks of the river in the forest. A little way from the shore, he spotted the spreading ripples where a fish had just risen.
“Plenty of prey for RiverClan,” he pointed out to Mistyfoot
She nodded. “Mind you,” she meowed, “we might need to work out new ways of fishing. We’re used to standing on the bank or on stepping stones and scooping them out with our paws. What would we do if all the fish went to hide in the middle of the lake?”
There was an amused snort from Squirrelflight, but Brambleclaw silenced her with a glare. Mistyfoot hadn’t been joking—her Clan could starve next to a lake full of prey if they didn’t have the right hunting techniques. He narrowed his eyes and stared across the lake to the greenish smudge that might be the sort of trees ThunderClan had lived among before. Surely hunting mice and squirrels would be the same here as it had been in the forest?
The pebbles beneath their paws grew larger and more slippery, and they slowed down to pick their way carefully, without getting their feet trapped between the stones. The lake bulged into the land ahead of them, and Brambleclaw stopped to look at the opposite shore. Pine trees surrounded a grassy area at the edge of the water, where a wooden structure stuck out into the lake. It looked a bit like the Twoleg bridge in the old territory, but it didn’t seem to lead anywhere.
“What’s that?” Brambleclaw asked, signaling with his tail.
“Some Twoleg thing.” Crowfeather was disdainful.
“I hope that doesn’t mean Twolegs swarming all over the place,” meowed Tawnypelt.
“I don’t think so,” Mistyfoot replied. “I can’t see any Twolegs there now. Maybe they come only in greenleaf, like they used to in our old territory. Their kits like to play in the water.”
“I always thought Twolegs were mousebrained.” Crowfeather sniffed.
Squirrelflight was staring across at the bridge thing, her jaws parted to drink in any scent carried on the breeze. “I can’t smell anything but forest scents and prey,” she reported at last.
“We’re too far away to pick up all the scent trails,” Brambleclaw meowed. “We’ll check it out when we get over there. Like Mistyfoot said, there aren’t any Twolegs around now.”
He signaled for the patrol to move on again. They walked in silence, as if the Twoleg half-bridge had reminded them of their old enemies, and made them warier. Before long Brambleclaw heard another sound above the gentle lapping of waves on the shore: the gurgle of running water. The ground underpaw grew wetter, and just ahead he could see a thick line of reeds winding away from the lake.
“A stream!” Mistyfoot exclaimed, bounding forward.
The rest of the patrol picked up their pace until they joined her on the bank. Pushing through the reeds, Brambleclaw saw that the stream flowed out of the lake; it was wider than the streams they had crossed previously, too broad to jump across, with deep channels curving around pebbly shallows and small, stony islands. The water looked green and cool, shaded by reeds and the occasional tree that grew along the banks. Clumps of brown, dry bracken all around promised more lush vegetation in greenleaf.
Mistyfoot looked around, the tip of her tail twitching. “RiverClan would like a place like this.”
Brambleclaw noticed that she did not make an instant claim to this territory on behalf of her Clan, but he saw the longing in her eyes as she surveyed the stream. He agreed it would be a good place for RiverClan, but it wasn’t their decision to make. Their duty was to report back to the rest of the cats when they had explored all the land around the lake, and the leaders would decide how to divide it up.
“Hey!” Squirrelflight mewed. “I just saw a fish!”
A heartbeat later Brambleclaw spotted one, too, a silver flash that sent ripples spiraling out as it touched the surface of the water.
“Perfect!” mewed Mistyfoot. “Shall I catch some for us?”
“We know how to catch our own, you know.” Tawnypelt spoke politely, but with an edge to her voice.
Mistyfoot gave her a curious look. “Where did you learn that?”
“On our journey,” Crowfeather meowed abruptly. “Feathertail taught us.” He turned away and stalked a few paces downstream, where he sat close to the water, staring into the depths with one paw raised, ready to strike.
Brambleclaw’s heart ached for him. None of them would ever forget the brave and gentle RiverClan cat who had done so much to help Crowfeather feel at ease in the group, and in the end had given her life to save him from Sharptooth. Brambleclaw wondered whether Crowfeather’s pain would ever be healed. Sometimes he seemed as prickly and self-contained as he had been at the start of their journey, before he had learned to trust his companions, and before he had fallen in love with Feathertail.
Mistyfoot gave a sympathetic murmur; Brambleclaw saw grief in her eyes too, and remembered that she had been Feathertail’s mentor. But the RiverClan deputy didn’t attempt to go over to the WindClan warrior and comfort him. Perhaps she knew he wouldn’t welcome any cat intruding on his sad memories. Instead she crouched down where she was to wait for a fish. Tawnypelt and Squirrelflight joined her, but Brambleclaw stayed close to the reeds, all his senses alert for danger. They still didn’t know what this new territory might conceal, and four cats intent on hunting would make easy prey for a hungry fox.
There was no scent of predators or Twolegs, and by the time his friends had hooked several fish out of the stream there had been no sound to disturb them.
“Aren’t you hungry, Brambleclaw?” Squirrelflight asked, padding up to him and setting down the plump silver fish she carried in her jaws. “Or have you forgotten how to fish?”
“I was keeping watch,” he protested. He broke off when he spotted the gleam in her green eyes.
“Mousebrain,” she purred, patting the fish toward him with one forepaw. “I know exactly what you were doing, and I caught enough for both of us. Come and share.”
Tawnypelt shot Brambleclaw a look from narrowed eyes as he sat down beside Squirrelflight. “You seem pretty close,” she remarked quietly. “No need to ask StarClan what your future holds!”
Brambleclaw squirmed in embarrassment, uncomfortable at the thought of other cats gossiping about who he chose to spend time with. Then he relaxed. He had no reason to be secretive about his feelings for Squirrelflight, especially with his own sister. “Then that makes one less thing for StarClan to worry about,” he retorted lightly.
When the meal was over, he stood up, swiping his tongue around his jaws. “Where now?” he asked. “Back to the lake, or shall we have a look downstream?”
“I’d like to explore downstream,” meowed Mistyfoot. “We could see if there are any good places for a camp.”
Brambleclaw nodded, and the cats padded in single file along the bank of the stream, away from the lake. Brambleclaw let Mistyfoot take the lead, because she had the best idea of what she’d be looking out for to make a good RiverClan camp. As far as he could see, there were plenty of places where her Clanmates would feel at home: reed beds, clumps of bramble thickets for fresh-kill that wasn’t fish, with the gurgling of the stream always in their ears. Before very long, they came to a small trickle of water that fell down a slope thickly covered with fern and moss to join the main stream. The land between the two streams was sheltered by clumps of hazel and brambles.
“That’s perfect!” Mistyfoot’s eyes shone; she crossed the main stream, leaping from one pebbly island to the next, then paused as if she had almost forgotten that they needed to watch out for danger. She lifted her head to taste the air before vanishing into the undergrowth.
“It looks as if RiverClan are settled,” Tawnypelt commented
“Nothing is settled,” Crowfeather reminded her sharply. “It’s for the leaders to decide how the territories are divided up.”
“Well, don’t tell me WindClan want to live by a stream, because I won’t believe you,” Squirrelflight retorted.
“Crowfeather’s right, but there’s no need to argue.” Brambleclaw tried to sound neutral, but he couldn’t help feeling a twinge of envy. This place was perfect for RiverClan, but it would suit ThunderClan very well, too. Okay, so they had never hunted for fish back in the forest, but they could learn, and there were enough trees growing here to provide them with fur-clad prey as well. Brambleclaw wasn’t going to say anything now because it might upset Mistyfoot, but no final decisions could be made before they had seen everything. “With any luck, we’ll find somewhere right for all of us,” he meowed firmly.
Mistyfoot soon came back, her tail in the air and her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “I’ve seen enough for now,” she mewed. “We could definitely make a camp here. Let’s keep going, and see if we can find somewhere for your Clans, too.”
Trying not to feel irritated by the trace of smugness in her tone, as if she was doing them a big favor by accompanying them when RiverClan seemed to have found their perfect home, Brambleclaw led the way to join her on the other side of the main stream. They headed back toward the lake, past the place where they had stopped to fish, and emerged from the trees into an open space stretching down to the shore. Not far ahead was the Twoleg half-bridge, and now that they were closer, Brambleclaw caught a faint but familiar tang in the air.
“There’s a Thunderpath nearby!” he hissed. The hair on his shoulders lifted and his blood turned to ice as he remembered the Twoleg monsters gouging through the forest, ripping the trees out of the ground and leaving an unrecognizable landscape of mud and ruts. Would Twolegs and their monsters drive them away from this place too?
Beside him, Squirrelflight stood with her paws braced against the ground and her fur fluffed up, as if she too was watching their home being destroyed all over again.
“I haven’t heard any monsters,” Mistyfoot meowed calmly. “Let’s go and look.”
She took a pace forward, glancing back when she realized that none of the others had followed her. “Look,” she went on, “we lived near the old Thunderpaths for seasons and seasons, and they never did any cat any harm, so long as we were careful. This one is quieter already—we haven’t heard a single monster today. There’s no need to lose your fur over it. Now come on.”
Brambleclaw gave himself a shake. He felt a bit cross that he had frozen at the first hint of danger, leaving Mistyfoot to take charge of the patrol. He padded forward warily with the others bunched around him. The scent of the Thunderpath strengthened and soon he spotted the hard, black surface, winding through the grass like a flattened snake. It was much narrower than the old Thunderpath, and as Mistyfoot had pointed out there were no monsters charging back and forth on it.
“What’s it for?” Crowfeather wondered, walking right up to the edge. “Look—it just goes down to the lake and stops.”
Brambleclaw realized he was right. The Thunderpath ended beside the lake in a wide area covered with the same hard, black stuff. At one side was a small Twoleg nest made of wood.
“The Twoleg scent is faint and stale,” Tawnypelt remarked. “I’d guess they haven’t been here for moons.”
“Look what I’ve found!”
Brambleclaw spun around and froze when he saw that Squirrelflight had ventured right out onto the half-bridge, and was gazing down into the water.
“Be careful!” he called, bounding over to her. His paws made a soft thudding sound on the planks of wood, and every few paces one of them rattled ominously. He tried not to think what it would feel like to plunge through into the icy gray water.
“Look!” Squirrelflight leaned over the edge and pricked her ears.
Following where she pointed, Brambleclaw saw another Twoleg object floating on the water. It looked like an upturned leaf, but it was much bigger and was made of wood. It was partly hidden by the half-bridge, so they hadn’t seen it from the shore.
“What is it?”
“Twolegs call it a boat,” Mistyfoot told them, padding up. Her fur lay flat on her shoulders, and she obviously wasn’t bothered by the rattling half-bridge. “They used to bring them onto our river sometimes—did you never see one? Sometimes they used them for fishing.”
Brambleclaw tried to picture a Twoleg crouching in this this boat, waiting to hook out a fish with its big clumsy paws. He found it hard to believe they’d be quick enough to catch anything, but if Mistyfoot said so, it must be true.
“I think this must be a place where the Twolegs come in greenleaf, like the river,” Mistyfoot went on. “That means we don’t have to worry about them now.”
“We’ll need to worry in greenleaf, though,” Squirrelflight meowed.
Mistyfoot shrugged. “We’ll think about that when the time comes. There’ll be thicker growth everywhere by then. We can keep out of the Twolegs’ way, just as we did before.” She lifted her head to look squarely at Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight, and her gaze took in Crowfeather and Tawnypelt, who were waiting anxiously where the half-bridge joined with the shore. “Of course there will be dangers in our new home, wherever we end up,” she meowed, “but we mustn’t forget that we had enemies back in the forest, even before the Twolegs brought their monsters. If StarClan brought us here, it was not because there were no dangers here at all, but because we could learn to live among them, just as we did before.”
Squirrelflight nodded, chastened, but Brambleclaw curled his lip. He didn’t like the way Mistyfoot was treating them all like anxious apprentices. She had no idea of the dangers they had faced on the first journey to sun-drown-place! More Thunderpaths than she had crossed in her entire life, as well as dogs, hostile kittypets, Twolegs who wanted to trap them, hungry foxes…
“Are you going to stay here forever?” Squirrelflight had padded past him and was looking over her shoulder with her tail raised questioningly. Mistyfoot was already back on the shore with the others.
“No, I’m coming,” Brambleclaw muttered. He followed Squirrelflight off the half-bridge and tried not to feel mutinous when Mistyfoot led the way out of the clearing, away from the Thunderpath.
“She’s the deputy of her Clan,” Squirrelflight murmured, dropping back to walk close beside him. “You can’t blame her for having more experience than us.”
Brambleclaw was about to reply fiercely that their journey to sun-drown-place made them more experienced than any other forest cat when he saw that Squirrelflight was looking at him with sympathy in her green eyes. It wasn’t fair to take out his temper on her. If he was honest with himself, he was mostly feeling embarrassed because he had frozen with fear at the sight of the Thunderpath, afraid that what had driven them out of the forest was going to happen all over again.
He stretched his head forward to lick Squirrelflight’s ear. “I know,” he meowed. “And everything she says is true. Come on, let’s not get left behind.”
They broke into a run, and Brambleclaw felt a jolt of relief as they left the Twolegplace and the half-bridge behind and headed into the next part of the territory.
They were approaching the dark green smudge that he had seen across the lake from their temporary camp. As he had guessed, it was a pinewood, like the part of the forest in ThunderClan’s old territory that had surrounded Treecutplace. He sniffed the air, but there was no sign of the bitter stench left by tree-cutting monsters, and the ground was smooth and flat, unscarred by the ruts that monsters left behind.
The sun had started to go down, and a red light shone through the trees, casting dark shadows across their path. Tawnypelt’s tortoiseshell fur smoldered as the light glanced across her shoulders, and her eyes gleamed.
Brambleclaw realized that it wasn’t just the woods around Treecutplace that were like this; ShadowClan’s old territory had also had lots of pine trees, giving way to sticky, marshy ground where only a few stunted trees grew.
“Do you think ShadowClan would like to settle here?” he asked his sister.
“Maybe.” Tawnypelt’s tail twitched. “But back in the forest there were more trees with lower branches. We’d have trouble climbing most of these.”
Brambleclaw saw that she was right. The pines around them grew straight up, with smooth, slippery trunks, and the lowest branches began well above a cat’s head. An energetic warrior could claw his way up the trunk, but elders or queens and their kits would have trouble. If foxes or badgers attacked, the weakest cats in the Clan would find it hard to escape.
“But you won’t camp in the trees,” Crowfeather meowed. “If you make this your territory, you’ll need somewhere easy to defend for your camp.”
Tawnypelt nodded and looked around. The old ShadowClan camp had been in the shelter of a clump of bramble bushes, dense enough to keep the cats hidden and prickly enough to discourage even the most curious foxes. “I can’t see anywhere here,” she commented.
The ground sloped gently upward from the lake, which was just visible through the trees as a glimmer of silver. As far as Brambleclaw could see the forest floor was smooth and clear, with little undergrowth where prey might be found. When he tasted the air, the strongest scent except for their own was squirrel—but a Clan could not survive by waiting for squirrels to come down from the trees.
A pang of sympathy for his sister tore through him like a claw. In the forest they had left, ShadowClan’s territory had been dreary and unwelcoming: partly bog, partly scrubby forest with few tall trees. He had always wondered if the darkness in the hearts of some of the ShadowClan cats came from their gloomy surroundings. This wasn’t quite as forbidding, but it still wasn’t right for cats.
“It might be different farther on,” he mewed encouragingly. “Let’s head away from the lake.”
Tawnypelt took the lead as they moved warily up the slope. The thick covering of brittle pine needles muffled their paw-steps; everything was so quiet that their meows sounded too loud, and gradually every cat fell silent. Brambleclaw nearly jumped out of his fur when a bird shot up with a loud alarm call.
Squirrelflight sniffed at a clump of yellowish fungi and drew back with her lip curled in disgust. “I wouldn’t want to live here,” she muttered to Brambleclaw. “Do you think there’s any point in going farther?”
“It’s up to Tawnypelt,” he replied. “This is more like ShadowClan territory than anything we’ve seen so far.”
They padded on, but before they had gone many more pawsteps Mistyfoot stopped. “This is no good,” she meowed. “We’re getting farther and farther away from the lake, and it’s going to get dark soon.”
“I need to find somewhere for a ShadowClan camp,” Tawnypelt insisted stubbornly.
“But the Clans sent us to patrol the whole lake.” Mistyfoot’s tail twitched. “We can’t waste time exploring one place more than anywhere else. You’ve already said that these trees remind you of your old home, so maybe this should be ShadowClan territory.”
“And what do you think I’m going to say to Blackstar about where we’ll actually live?” Tawnypelt’s voice had grown sharper, and her neck fur began to rise. “You needn’t think ShadowClan are going to take the worst territory. If there’s nowhere to camp, then forget it!”
Mistyfoot’s neck fur bristled too. “Trust ShadowClan to be difficult!”
“It’s all right for you, isn’t it? RiverClan’s got everything sorted out. You were pretty quick to stake a claim when we found that stream!”
Mistyfoot let out a furious hiss, unsheathing her claws, and Brambleclaw quickly stepped forward to push himself between the quarreling she-cats. Much as he sympathized with Tawnypelt, it would be a disaster if she got into a fight with the RiverClan deputy. There was no way they could deal with injuries out here, with no medicine cats and no healing herbs; and how would they ever finish their mission if they were quarreling among themselves?
“Stop! Tawnypelt, no cat will force ShadowClan to settle in a place they don’t want.”
“Huh!” Tawnypelt shot a last glare at Mistyfoot before turning away.
“I think we should go on a bit farther,” Brambleclaw mewed to Mistyfoot. “We need to find somewhere to spend the night.”
“I know.” Mistyfoot still sounded out of temper. “I just think we should head back to the lake.”
“But—” Brambleclaw broke off. A faint breeze had sprung up, bringing with it an unexpected scent. He tasted the air, just to be sure. “More cats!” he exclaimed.
“What?” Squirrelflight bounded over. “Where?”
Brambleclaw angled his ears in the direction they had been going. “Up ahead.”
“They must be rogues or loners.” Crowfeather sounded concerned. “Or maybe some other Clan has already staked a claim here.”
The suggestion worried Brambleclaw for a moment; then he comforted himself with the memory of stars shining in the lake. If StarClan had brought them here, then there could be no other warrior ancestors watching over this territory. StarClan had been silent and invisible while the Clans traveled through the mountains, where the Tribe of Endless Hunting watched over their former home.
“Maybe they’re just passing through,” he meowed. “But we ought to check it out.”
“I don’t think it’s important now.” Mistyfoot waved her tail as Brambleclaw opened his jaws to protest. “All right, all right. But you can tell the leaders why it took us so long to get back.”
“Fine,” Brambleclaw agreed, before heading through the trees in the direction of the scent. Soon they came to a low wall of rough gray stone with a Twoleg nest beyond it.
“Twolegs!” Tawnypelt sounded disgusted. “Those must be kittypets we can smell.”
Squirrelflight rolled her eyes. “All this fuss about kittypets!”
“You stay here,” Brambleclaw mewed softly. “I’m going to take a closer look.”
“What for?” Mistyfoot’s tail twitched impatiently, but she didn’t say anything else when Brambleclaw crept forward.
With his belly close to the ground, he got as close to the wall as he could before leaping to the top. The sunlight was almost gone by now, and shadows were gathering in the Twoleg garden. Nothing stirred. Brambleclaw was about to jump down for a closer look when he heard the sound of claws on the stone beside him, and Squirrelflight’s voice exclaimed, “Catmint!”
“I thought I told you to stay back there,” Brambleclaw hissed.
Squirrelflight gave him an innocent look. “Did you? Sorry. Anyway, the medicine cats will be interested to hear that we’ve found a supply of catmint.”
“That was well scented,” Brambleclaw admitted grudgingly. “Now if you must come, stay with me, and for StarClan’s sake keep quiet!”
He dropped into the garden behind a clump of whiskery Twoleg plants. Squirrelflight landed softly beside him, and together they crept closer to the Twoleg nest. The scent of kittypets was very strong: two of them, Brambleclaw thought. He was about to suggest going back when a light flashed on in the nest and he found himself blinking in the yellow glow. Instinctively he slid to one side, back into the shadows, and watched as a Twoleg appeared and began to pull pelts across to hide the light.
“Squirrelflight?” he whispered. “Where are you? Let’s get out of here.”
Squirrelflight’s voice came from the other side of the patch of light. “Er…Brambleclaw, you might want to rethink that.”
At first Brambleclaw couldn’t see her in the fast-gathering darkness. Then as the Twoleg hid the last of the light he spotted her, close to the wall of the nest. Her back was arched and her fur fluffed out so she looked almost twice her size. Two angry kittypets faced her, trapping her against the wall.
Brambleclaw stared in disbelief. In spite of their hostile encounter with a kittypet at the start of their journey, he still expected most kittypets to be small and soft—no danger to a trained warrior. But these two looked lean and dangerous, their muscles sharply etched beneath sleek pelts. The nearest to him, a big black-and-white tom, had one ear that was torn jaggedly, proving he was no stranger to fights.
In the moment that Brambleclaw stood frozen, the tom lashed out at Squirrelflight. She shrank back with a furious hiss. “Leave me alone, kittypet!”
With a yowl of rage, Brambleclaw launched himself across the garden, straight at the black-and-white kittypet. Barreling into him, he swept the tom off his paws and tried to pin him down. The tomcat writhed under him, clawing at his face and pummeling his belly with his hindlegs. Brambleclaw heard Squirrelflight let out a screech and caught a glimpse of her rolling over, locked together with the other kittypet, a light brown tabby.
Fear crashed over him like an icy wave. The journey had left them both thin and tired, and they were no match for strong, well-fed, battle-hungry cats.
He fought to sink his teeth into the kittypet’s throat, but the black-and-white tom heaved his shoulders and flipped Brambleclaw over before he could close his jaws on fur or flesh. Brambleclaw felt his weight land on top of him, and saw sharp white teeth snapping at his ear. He felt claws rake over his side, and battered vainly at his opponent’s belly with his hindpaws.
Suddenly the kittypet’s weight vanished. Brambleclaw scrambled up, panting, to see Mistyfoot swipe her claws down the black-and-white tom’s shoulder. She sprang out of reach before he had a chance to jump around and face her. While he was still unbalanced, she leaped onto his back and sank her teeth into the scruff of his neck.
Just beyond, the tabby broke away from Squirrelflight and raced around the side of the nest, yowling. Brambleclaw saw Tawnypelt and Crowfeather pelting across the garden, but before they reached the fight the door of the nest was flung open. A Twoleg stood in the doorway, letting out a loud screech. It flung something that skimmed over Brambleclaw’s head and landed with a crash in the bushes. The noise distracted Mistyfoot, and the black-and-white tom wrenched itself from under her paws and fled into the nest. The Twoleg advanced into the garden, casting a long, menacing shadow into the light shed through the doorway.
“Run!” hissed Mistyfoot.
Making sure that Squirrelflight was on her paws, Brambleclaw dashed for the wall. Something else slammed into the ground behind him, and there was another yowl from the Twoleg. Then he was leaping up, claws scrabbling on the rough stone, and landing hard on the other side. The others kept pace with him as he fled for the trees, and they didn’t stop until the Twoleg nest was out of sight.
“Well!” panted Mistyfoot. “Maybe you’ll listen to me next time, Brambleclaw, and think about just how far we need to explore.”
Brambleclaw bowed his head, shame scorching him from ears to tail-tip. It had been stupid to go so close to the nest. He had been showing off, trying to prove what a good leader he could be. “Sorry, Mistyfoot,” he mumbled.
“So you should be. You could have been badly injured, or trapped by Twolegs.” The RiverClan deputy’s voice was tart. Glancing around, she added, “Do you have any idea where we are now?”
Brambleclaw realized that they hadn’t fled from the nest in the same direction they had come. Tall pine trees stood all around them, with not a hint of where the lake might be. It was almost completely dark.
“No, I thought not,” Mistyfoot went on caustically. “Lost in strange woods, and it’s getting dark. We’d better look for somewhere to spend the night, and hope we can find our way back to the lake in the morning.”
This time she took the lead, stalking through the trees with her tail held high. Tawnypelt and Crowfeather followed; Tawnypelt gave her brother a sympathetic glance and murmured, “I know you were trying to help.”
Brambleclaw shrugged. He couldn’t defend his actions—it was only thanks to Mistyfoot that he had escaped from the kittypets with his fur intact. He kept to the rear of the group, his tail drooping, and hardly looked up when Squirrelpaw dropped back to give him an affectionate nuzzle.
“Cheer up!” she mewed. “It’s not that bad. We found out something that ShadowClan will need to be warned about if they decide to settle here.”
“Blackstar won’t want those two kittypets in his territory,” Brambleclaw muttered.
“Oh, I don’t know.” Squirrelflight’s eyes glimmered; she glanced at the others to make sure that Tawnypelt was out of earshot before adding, “They’d make pretty good recruits for ShadowClan, if you ask me.”
Brambleclaw let out a purr of amusement. “Come on; we don’t want to get left behind.” They bounded after the others, their pelts brushing as they swerved through the close-growing trees. The ground started to slope more steeply, with rocks jutting out here and there; Brambleclaw slowed down after snagging his claws painfully on a lump of stone. Tussocks of grass and small bushes were rooted in the gaps between the rocks, and the scent of prey grew stronger.
Tawnypelt reached the top first. Halting on a flattened boulder, she called back, “Come and see this!”
Mistyfoot and Crowfeather sprang up beside her, with Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight just behind. Even though the last of the sun had gone and shadows were gathering, Brambleclaw could make out a wide, shallow dip in the ground, half-hidden under dense brambles. The half-moon, shining through thin cloud, cast watery beams of light onto the trees that surrounded the hollow, their gnarled branches almost sweeping the ground.
Squirrelflight rasped her tongue over Tawnypelt’s ear. “A camp for ShadowClan!” she whispered. “We’d never have found it if Brambleclaw hadn’t gone looking for those kittypets.”
Mistyfoot shot her a glance that was half-annoyed, half-amused.
“Maybe it would make a good camp.” Tawnypelt was trying to sound calm, though Brambleclaw could tell that she was excited. “But that will be for Blackstar to decide, if ShadowClan moves into this territory.”
“At least it’s possible,” meowed Mistyfoot. “You might find even better places, once you’ve had the chance to explore properly.”
“But it’s too late to go any farther tonight,” Crowfeather pointed out.
“You’re right,” Squirrelflight agreed. “My paws are dropping off! Where are we going to sleep?”
Brambleclaw thought it would be a good idea to shelter under the bushes in the hollow, but there was water at the bottom of the slope they had just climbed, and he was thirsty. He picked his way carefully down again, and the others followed.
As Mistyfoot crouched beside him to lap at the tiny pool, she asked, “Do you want to hunt? Or shall we leave it till morning?”
“Morning,” Squirrelflight replied, though the question hadn’t been addressed to her. She gave a huge yawn. “I’m so tired I couldn’t catch a mouse if it sat on my paws. Besides, we’ve eaten enough today to feed a whole Clan!”
Brambleclaw realized she was right. Back in the forest there had been many days when the Clan hadn’t found as much fresh-kill as they had caught since they left on their patrol.
When all the cats had taken their turn to drink, they settled down to sleep among the grass at the foot of the slope. Mistyfoot organized sentries, and Crowfeather took first watch. As Brambleclaw curled up comfortably beside Squirrelflight, he could just see the WindClan warrior’s pricked ears outlined against the darkness of the forest.
It’s been a good day, he thought, closing his eyes. We have found possible homes for two of the Clans. But what about ThunderClan? What if there’s nowhere for us?
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 4
Clouds covered the sun the nextmorning as the patrol set off to find their way back to the lake. Heading in what they thought was the right direction, Brambleclaw stopped short when he smelled scent markers, and spotted the walls of the Twoleg nest through the trees.
“Yuck!” Squirrelflight’s lip curled. “That’s worse than fox dung. Those kittypets must have marked their territory.”
The patrol skirted the markers warily; to Brambleclaw’s relief there was no sign of the hostile kittypets. With the nest in view, he could remember which way they had approached it the night before, and it was not long before they crossed their earlier scent trail.
“This way!” Brambleclaw meowed.
A chill wind shook the tops of the pines, and as they reached the shore the cats felt the full force of it. Brambleclaw turned to face it, the cold blast flattening his fur against his sides. He guessed they had traveled about halfway around the lake. Looking back the way they had come, he could see the dark smudge of the island against a background of pale green hills. The surface of the lake was gray and choppy, under clouds that bulged with rain.
“Just what we need!” Tawnypelt grumbled, tucking her nose into her chest.
Waving his tail for the rest to follow him, Brambleclaw retraced his steps into the trees. “I think we should stay under cover,” he suggested. “It’s more sheltered here.”
“Just as long as we don’t get lost again,” Mistyfoot warned. “Let’s stay where we can see the lake.”
The others were all happy to get out of the icy wind. They moved off, keeping the lake in sight through the outlying trees but not venturing onto the open shore.
They had not gone far before Crowfeather let out a muffled grunt and streaked off with his tail streaming behind him. Staring after him, Brambleclaw scented squirrel before he spotted the gray-furred creature nibbling a pinecone at the foot of one of the trees. Its ears flicked up in alarm as Crowfeather raced toward it. Dropping the pinecone, it sprang for the safety of the tree. But Crowfeather was faster. With a mighty leap he grabbed the squirrel’s tail and pulled it back to the ground. He padded back with the limp body dangling from his jaws.
“Good catch!” Squirrelflight meowed.
Crowfeather nodded as he dropped the fresh-kill in front of them. “Come on; let’s eat.”
Crouching beside the others to eat his share, Brambleclaw itched with impatience to get moving again. The leaders expected them home by nightfall to report what they had discovered, and they still had a lot of territory to explore—and two Clans still needed homes.
“Let’s go,” he meowed as soon as they had finished. To his relief, Mistyfoot didn’t protest, just swiped her tongue around her jaws and kept pace with him as he set off through the trees at a steady trot.
Brambleclaw’s paws tingled with excitement. This could be the day when they found ThunderClan’s new home! RiverClan and ShadowClan had already found good places, and he guessed that the ridge of hills across the lake would suit WindClan. But deep down, finding somewhere for his Clanmates to live and hunt safely was what he wanted most of all. Their home in the forest had suited them so well, in spite of being close to the Thunderpath and Twolegplace. Would they find anywhere nearly as good here?
As if she could read his thoughts, his sister, Tawnypelt, padded up beside him and touched her muzzle briefly to his side. “Worried about something?” she mewed.
“I’m okay,” he told her, trying hard to convince himself. “I’ll just be happier when we’ve found some territory for ThunderClan.”
“There’s a long way to go yet,” Tawnypelt mewed encouragingly.
Soon they came to a wide path winding through the trees. The pine-needle cover gave way to short grass; regular dents in it had filled with water to form small pools.
“Horses have been along here,” Crowfeather mewed, lapping at one of the puddles.
Tawnypelt tasted the air. “Twolegs, too. But there’s no sign of them now.”
Mistyfoot was gazing up at a tree close to the edge of the path. “That’s a Twoleg thing,” she reported, flicking her tail at something above her head.
Brambleclaw looked where she was pointing. A round shape made of something hard and shiny had been fastened to the tree. It was bright blue, the same glittering color as some of the monsters on the Thunderpath.
“What do you think it’s for?” Squirrelflight asked.
“Maybe it’s like a Twoleg scent marking,” Brambleclaw suggested. “This path could be a boundary between two territories.”
There seemed nothing dangerous about the mark, but all the cats looked around warily as they crossed the path. Brambleclaw reminded himself crossly that he never used to be this scared of Twolegs. Not until they brought their monsters to the forest and shut up all the cats they could catch in small Twoleg dens. Now he wondered whether he would ever feel safe around Twolegs again, and he let out a sigh of relief when they reached the shelter of the trees on the other side.
Gradually the pine trees began to thin out. Cold rain began to fall, billowing over the cats as the wind rattled the branches above them, sending a prickly shower of pine needles onto their heads.
“I’d give anything for a nice warm den!” Squirrelflight grumbled, flicking raindrops from her ears.
Heads down, they plodded on until the trees stopped altogether, giving way to a broad, straight-edged grassy clearing. At the edge of the wood they crossed another Twoleg path, narrower than the first, the grass worn away by many feet. By now everything was so wet that no cat could pick up a scent; all Brambleclaw could be sure of was that no Twolegs were there now.
“There’s another one of those half-bridges,” he mewed, pricking his ears toward the wooden structure that jutted out into the lake. Squirrelflight didn’t seem keen on venturing onto it when billows of icy rain scudded across the surface of the lake and rattled against the wood.
They cautiously crossed the exposed space beyond the trees, crouching down until the short grass brushed their belly-fur. For a while there was no sound except for the falling rain and the trees clattering in the wind. They had a clear view of the lake from here, and Brambleclaw realized that they were about to enter the last stretch of trees before the bare ridge of hills; beyond that was the place where the horses were, and then the copse of trees where all four Clans waited to hear about their new homes. If WindClan was going to take the hills, which seemed logical, this was ThunderClan’s last chance to find somewhere to live.
Brambleclaw’s ears twitched as he picked up the sound of running water. Could it be a place where his Clanmates could make camp, with somewhere to drink close by?
“It must be another stream,” Crowfeather meowed, hearing it too.
Beneath their paws, the ground sloped down and the grass gave way to pebbles, which in turn disappeared beneath a broad, fast-flowing stream. Unlike the stream they had found in the place where RiverClan might make their camp, there were no stepping stones or islands to help the cats across.
“We’ll have to wade,” Tawnypelt decided. “It doesn’t look too deep.”
She padded down to the edge of the water and dipped in her paw, drawing it out again with a hiss; the water was obviously icy cold. Then she shook herself and walked into the water, placing each paw carefully on the slippery pebbles. There were fewer reeds here than in the first stream where they had stopped to fish the day before, and hardly any shrubs or other undergrowth. A pang of disappointment bit through Brambleclaw. This would be no place for a camp, especially not with traces of Twolegs so close by.
“Watch out when you get to the middle,” Mistyfoot called. “Sometimes there are hollows that you can’t see above the water, and it could suddenly get deeper.”
The water almost reached Tawnypelt’s belly fur by now. She paused and nodded without looking back, then went on more cautiously. Brambleclaw and the others followed; Crowfeather let out a startled meow as he slipped on a loose stone, but found his balance again after some rather undignified splashing, and managed to keep his head above the surface of the water.
Tawnypelt jumped out and shook herself from nose to tail, scattering drops of water around her. “You’ll be fine,” she called to the others. “I didn’t have to swim at all.”
Cold, wet, and with his belly fur clinging uncomfortably to his skin, Brambleclaw wasn’t sure that was much of a benefit right now. Beside him, Mistyfoot padded confidently through the water as if she were on dry land; Brambleclaw noticed her keeping one eye on Squirrelflight, who had the shortest legs of all of them, and had to tip back her head to stop the water from lapping at her muzzle.
There was another stretch of open grass on the far side of the stream, with more trees beyond. Soaked to his ears by the time he scrambled up the opposite bank, Brambleclaw made a dash for cover, but the branches here had shed their leaves, and didn’t offer much shelter from the rain.
He crouched beneath a tree while he waited for the others to catch up, trying to imagine what it would be like in green-leaf, with thicker grass and ferns and a canopy of leaves rustling above him. Right now the ground was unpleasantly soggy, and he couldn’t see any thickets of bramble or hazel like the ones in their old territory.
At least these trees were oak and beech, not pines like the forest they had just left. They would provide good shelter for the mice and birds ThunderClan was used to hunting. Brambleclaw’s spirits began to lift, but he was still uneasy about all the signs of Twoleg activity—the paths, the brightly colored mark on a tree, the half-bridges. He wondered if it was just his nerves telling him there were more signs of Twolegs here than in their old territory, and he shook himself to clear his head.
“What do you think?” Mistyfoot prompted, joining him.
Before Brambleclaw could reply, Squirrelflight bounded up and began scuffling with one forepaw among the discarded beech shells lying in the grass.
“With all these nuts around there should be plenty of squirrels,” she meowed.
Mistyfoot narrowed her eyes at Brambleclaw, and he tried not to look as if he were beginning to give up all hope of finding somewhere for ThunderClan to live. “Why don’t we rest for a bit?” she suggested. “Find somewhere out of the rain and hope it stops soon.”
“Hope catches no prey,” Crowfeather commented dryly as he and Tawnypelt came up, flicking droplets of water from their ears.
“That’s a good idea, Mistyfoot,” Brambleclaw meowed.
“If we can findany shelter,” Tawnypelt added.
“Let’s go farther into the woods,” Mistyfoot decided. “The wind will be colder blowing off the water.”
They padded into the trees on a slanting course that led away from the lake. When they could still make out the silver sheen of water behind them, they came to a huge, ancient oak standing among the beech trees. The ground had fallen away around the twisting roots, and there was a faint, stale scent of rabbit, as if this had once been used as a burrow. There was room for all the cats to creep in among the roots, where they were sheltered from the wind, though rain still trickled in.
Brambleclaw huddled close to Squirrelflight and began to lick drops of rain from the fur around her neck and shoulders.
“This feels way harder than anything we had to do on the journey,” she murmured after a while. “All that way—all the danger we faced getting here, the times we nearly didn’t make it—and now we have to decide where the Clan is going to make its new home. It doesn’t feel as if StarClan is going to lead us straight to a nice, safe camp. What if we make the wrong decision?”
She had come so close to the heart of his fears that Brambleclaw paused to gaze into her forest-green eyes. “I thought it would be easier than this too,” he admitted.
Squirrelflight peered out of their shelter, blinking raindrops off her eyelashes. “These are the right sort of trees, but it’s so open here compared with the old territory. ThunderClan won’t feel safe if there isn’t enough cover.”
“Or if the territory’s full of Twolegs,” Brambleclaw pointed out.
“Come on!” Tawnypelt stopped licking her chest fur and looked up to face him. “There were plenty of Twolegs back in the forest. It wasn’t a problem then, and it won’t be a problem now.”
She was talking sense, but more than anything else, Brambleclaw knew that he wanted to feel safe in his new home, and he didn’t feel safe here, at least not yet.
“It’ll look better in newleaf,” Mistyfoot meowed encouragingly. “Everywhere does.”
“Hmm….” Squirrelflight shifted so that she could lick the damp fur at the base of her tail. “We still have to find a camp, though.”
“You’ve hardly set paw in the territory yet,” Crowfeather pointed out.
“I know.” Brambleclaw made a determined effort to stop worrying and concentrated on giving Squirrelflight a few more vigorous licks.
Her jaws gaped in an enormous yawn. “This rain doesn’t help. If it goes on much longer it’ll wash my fur off.”
Brambleclaw stopped and let his muzzle rest against Squirrelflight’s warm flank. He was just dozing off when he felt her give a wriggle and heard her say, “I think it’s easing off.”
Lifting his head, Brambleclaw realized that the steady pattering of the rain on the grass outside their shelter had faded away into uneven, short-lived bursts. The wind had dropped, and a watery beam of sunlight glinted on the drops that hung from every branch and twig.
Tawnypelt meowed, “The clouds are breaking up.”
Brambleclaw scrambled out from the roots and glanced up to see that it was almost sunhigh. The rest of the patrol emerged behind him. Mistyfoot scented the air, while Crowfeather groomed the ruffled fur on his gray-black shoulder.
“Any chance of hunting?” Squirrelflight meowed, stretching each hindleg in turn.
“Sure,” Brambleclaw replied. “Let’s look for something on the way.” It would be a chance to see how well the woodland could feed hungry cats.
The five cats spread out among the trees. Brambleclaw kept his ears pricked for the sound of prey, and he paused every few steps to taste the air. At first all he could smell were wet leaves and dripping branches, and he felt his spirits sink. Were there so many Twolegs here that all the prey had fled? But at least the ground was becoming more uneven, with bushes and clumps of dead bracken where little creatures might hide.
Suddenly he picked up a tiny scuffling sound among the leaves at the foot of a tree. Squirrelflight heard it at the same moment, and streaked toward it. Her paws thudded on the ground, and the prey—a vole—shot out and vanished into a clump of brambles. Squirrelflight raced after it with her nose stretched out. Brambleclaw groaned—she should have known better than to chase something so noisily in the quiet forest.
“She won’t catch it now,” Crowfeather commented.
They watched Squirrelflight plunge into the bushes. For a heartbeat her dark ginger fur was visible among the waving branches before it disappeared. A fading yowl came out of the bushes, and then all was still.
“What happened?” exclaimed Tawnypelt.
Brambleclaw dashed toward the brambles, the vole forgotten. “Squirrelflight!” he yowled. “Squirrelflight, where are you?”
He pushed his way into the thorny branches.
“Careful!” he heard Mistyfoot warn him from behind.
Brambleclaw scarcely heard her. Springy twigs slapped him across the face, and he felt a thorn sink into his pad. “Squirrelflight!” he called again.
“I’m down here!” The faint reply came from somewhere below
Brambleclaw looked down and gasped. A tail-length in front of him the ground fell away sharply; another couple of pawsteps and he would have slipped over too.
Glancing back over his shoulder he saw Tawnypelt pressing up close behind him. “Stay back,” he warned. “There’s some sort of cliff here. Let me have a look first.”
Keeping his belly close to the ground, he crept forward until he could look over the edge. Remembering the gorge in the mountains where Smokepaw had fallen, he braced himself to see Squirrelflight’s broken body lying on stones far below. Instead she was standing in a clump of brambles no more than three or four fox-lengths beneath him, staring up at him with wide green eyes.
“Squirrelflight!” He gasped. “Are you all right?”
“No, I’m not!” Squirrelflight meowed crossly. “I’ve got so many thorns in me I feel like a hedgehog. And I never caught that wretched vole. But I’ve found something amazing! Come and see.”
“Will we be able to get out again?”
Squirrelflight sighed. “Honestly, Brambleclaw, are you a mouse? Get down here. You’ve got to see this.”
Brambleclaw felt his fur prickle with excitement. He glanced back at the other members of the patrol. Tawnypelt was standing where he had left her, and Mistyfoot and Crowfeather peered anxiously around her flank.
“Is Squirrelflight hurt?” Mistyfoot called.
“No, I think she’s fine,” Brambleclaw replied. “She wants me to go down there. Will you keep watch?”
Mistyfoot nodded, and Brambleclaw turned back to the cliff. When he looked at it closely, he saw that it wasn’t as sheer as the gorge. It was steep, but there were plenty of pawholds on jutting stones and tussocks of grass. Half slipping, half scrambling, he made his way down until he reached Squirrelflight, who was standing among the brambles looking rather disheveled.
“There!” She spun around, impatiently twitching her tail. “See?”
Brambleclaw followed her gaze more slowly. They were standing on the edge of a bramble thicket; a wide, grassy space stretched in front of them, surrounded by walls of stone. Where he and Squirrelflight had come down, the walls were fairly low, but on the opposite side of the clearing they stretched above their heads for many fox-lengths.
“It’s a good thing you didn’t fall down on that side,” he meowed.
“Yes, I know, but don’t you see, Brambleclaw?” Squirrel-flight demanded. “This is ThunderClan’s new camp!”
“What?”
“Lookat it,” she insisted. “It’s perfect.”
Brambleclaw unhooked a bramble from his fur and padded into the center of the clearing. The stone walls rose all around him except for a gap not far away, which was choked with dead ferns and grass with whiskery, seedy stems. There were more bramble thickets all around him, and he could see one or two cracks that might lead to caves in the highest part of the wall. He could see what Squirrelflight meant. The place could make a good camp, but something about it spooked him all the same.
“I don’t know…” he began, not wanting to crush Squirrelflight’s excitement but unable to ignore the disquiet that made his paws itch. “Look at the surface of the stone, how smoothly it’s been cut. Only Twolegs could have done that, and we can’t camp anywhere near Twolegs.”
“But that must have been ages ago,” Squirrelflight argued, coming to join him in the center of the clearing. “Look at the grass and bushes growing up the walls. They didn’t spring up overnight, did they? And there’s no scent of Twolegs.”
Brambleclaw tasted the air. Squirrelflight was right. No Twolegs had been there for a long time. She was right about the bushes, too. Twolegs must have cut out the stone—maybe to build their nests—and then gone away and left the hollow in the middle of the forest. In a way, it reminded him of the ravine that had sheltered the old ThunderClan camp. Perhaps that would make it feel like home to the Clan.
He forced himself to be calm. His Clanmates needed him to be strong, and not see danger in every shadow and stirring leaf. “It might do, I suppose.”
Squirrelflight flicked her ears. “Don’t get too enthusiastic, will you?” she mewed.
“I’m just wondering what it would be like to defend. That part over there would be fine”—he gestured with his tail to the highest, steepest wall—“but it’s pretty low where we came in. And what about that gap?”
“Well, it’s an easier way in and out than the one we took just now! We can fill it in with thorns or something to keep out uninvited visitors.”
She bounded over and prowled through the long grass, sniffing here and there. Watching her, Brambleclaw felt a wave of homesickness sweep over him, and he closed his eyes. The feeling seemed to pick him up and swamp him like the waves at sun-drown-place, and for a few heartbeats he thought he would drown in it. He wanted the old ThunderClan camp with its strong thorn walls and the gorse tunnel that was so easy to defend. He wanted to lie down in the warriors’ den under the thornbush, or visit Cinderpelt in her den among the soft green ferns. He wanted to eat freshkill by the nettle patch while the apprentices scuffled by their favorite tree stump, their fighting moves carefully imitated by the kits outside the nursery.
The pain of knowing he could never go back was almost too much for Brambleclaw to bear. The Twoleg monsters would have torn up every part of the camp by now, all the places that were so deep in his heart. It wasn’t fair! Why had StarClan let this happen?
The wind picked up, rattling the branches of the trees that surrounded the hollow and jolting Brambleclaw back to his surroundings. Taking a deep breath, he padded over to Squirrelflight, who was still nosing about in the gap between the walls.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “You’re limping.”
“Oh—there’s a thorn in my pad.” Brambleclaw had almost forgotten about it.
“Lie down and let me look.”
When Brambleclaw obeyed, she licked experimentally at his pad and managed to get the end of the thorn between her teeth. With a sharp tug it came away.
“There,” Squirrelflight meowed. “Now give it a good lick.”
“Thanks. You’re nearly good enough to be a medicine cat!”
Squirrelflight gave a little mrrowof amusement. Then the laughter died from her eyes and she looked closely at him. “You don’t like it here, do you?”
“It’s not that.” Brambleclaw paused in rasping his tongue over his injured pad. “It’s just…well, I suppose I wanted to find a camp exactly like the one we left behind, in a ravine with gorse to keep out invaders….”
He trailed off, afraid Squirrelflight would think he was being ridiculous; instead she pressed her muzzle affectionately against his. “There isn’t a cat among ThunderClan who doesn’t want our old home back. But it’s gone now. StarClan has brought us to a new place, and we’ve got to find out how to live here. Don’t you think this hollow would make a good camp? Twolegs don’t come here, and there’s no sign of Thunderpaths.”
Gazing into her shining eyes, Brambleclaw knew that he had brought with him from the forest everything that was truly important. “You’re right,” he murmured, leaning into the warmth of her fur. “I couldn’t do this without you. You know that, don’t you?”
Squirrelflight’s tongue rasped gently over his ear. “Stupid furball.”
Brambleclaw returned the affectionate lick, then froze as he heard the sound of something approaching through the gap.
“Hi, there.” It was Crowfeather’s voice, muffled by a mouthful of vole. He shouldered the long grass aside as he came up to them and dropped the fresh-kill at their paws. “You’ve been so long, we started to think a fox might have gotten you.”
“No, we’re fine,” replied Brambleclaw.
“If a fox had gotten me,” Squirrelflight added, “you would have heard about it, don’t worry.”
“I daresay we would,” Crowfeather meowed, pushing the vole toward them. “This is for you,” he went on. “We’ve all had ours. We hunted while we were waiting for you to come back.”
“Thanks, Crowfeather,” mewed Brambleclaw.
The WindClan warrior acknowledged his thanks with a wave of his tail.
“Well, what do you think of the new ThunderClan camp?” Squirrelflight demanded.
“Here?” Crowfeather blinked, and turned slowly around while the ThunderClan warriors shared the vole in swift, hungry bites. “I suppose it’s okay,” he meowed at last, “if you want to be closed in like this. It would be easy to defend, but it wouldn’t do for WindClan.”
“We’re not offering it to WindClan,” Squirrelflight pointed out.
Crowfeather flicked his ears, and Brambleclaw wondered if he was worried about finding somewhere suitable for his Clan. Surely he’d wait until they explored the ridge of hills before seriously looking for a camp? Now that they’d found this hollow, amid the right sort of woods for voles and squirrels and birds, Brambleclaw was starting to believe there might actually be territories for every Clan around the lake.
Tawnypelt and Mistyfoot padded into the hollow, tasting the air as they gazed around at the sheer walls of rock.
“No foxes or badgers,” Mistyfoot remarked. “Pretty sheltered, too.”
“All the same, you’ll need to be careful,” Tawnypelt urged Brambleclaw. “If Twolegs made this place, how do you know they won’t come back?”
“Twolegs haven’t been here for seasons,” Squirrelflight replied calmly. “There’s no scent of them, and there wouldn’t be so much undergrowth if they were still cutting out the rock.”
But Tawnypelt’s words made Brambleclaw unsheathe his claws and sink them into the rain-damp ground. The memory of Twoleg monsters ripping through their old home was too recent; it was all too easy for him to imagine them coming here to cut more stone out of the hollow. And yet ThunderClan would be mousebrained not to use a place that seemed to have nearly everything they would need for a safe and sheltered camp. In the end it was Firestar who would have to make the decision.
“Are you ready?” Mistyfoot interrupted his thoughts. “It’s way past sunhigh.”
Brambleclaw nodded. He looked around, trying to get his bearings. He wasn’t sure what direction they should take to return to the lake, when his nose was filled with unfamiliar smells. Not far away from the entrance to the hollow, he noticed that the ground sloped upward.
“Let’s go that way,” he suggested. If they gained some height, they might be able to see the lake.
The rest of the patrol murmured agreement, and the cats padded side by side out of the hollow. As they pushed through the undergrowth, leaving the sheltering stone walls behind them, Squirrelflight paused and looked over her shoulder. “We’ll come back, won’t we?”
She spoke so quietly that Brambleclaw wasn’t sure if she was talking to him, but he replied anyway. “Yes,” he said, stretching forward to touch his muzzle to the tip of her ear. “I think we will.”
“Come on,” called Crowfeather. “We want to be back before it gets dark.” He didn’t add that they still had to find somewhere for WindClan to live, but Brambleclaw knew that must be in his thoughts.
He trotted up the slope with Squirrelflight beside him, leaving the hollow to be swallowed up once more among the close-growing trees. Wet grass brushed at his fur, chilling him through, but above his head the clouds had cleared away to reveal the pale blue sky of leaf-bare. The sun shone, though there was little warmth in it.
Brambleclaw stopped and looked down at the sweep of leafless branches below. The stone hollow was totally hidden, safe and secret in the surrounding forest. Could it really become ThunderClan’s new camp? He had expected to feel more certain when he discovered somewhere his Clanmates might be able to live; he had thought it would feel like home. Instead there was something oppressive about this place, as if the rocks themselves did not want to welcome the newcomers.
As they climbed, the trees began to thin out, and the dense undergrowth gave way to stretches of crisp fallen leaves. After a while Brambleclaw saw glimpses of open moorland between the trunks, and soon they reached the edge of the forest, with the ridge of hills rolling away in front of them. The lake was a gleam of silver in the valley below. Straight ahead lay a gray-green swell of moorland grass, rippled by the wind. Gorse thickets were dotted over it, and Brambleclaw could hear the sound of running water. There could be no doubt that they had found a home for WindClan.
“Hey, Crowfeather!” he called. “What do you think?”
The WindClan warrior’s eyes gleamed, but he did not reply until he had opened his jaws and carefully tasted the air. “Rabbits!”
“Right, that’s WindClan sorted out,” Squirrelflight meowed. “Let’s get back to the others.”
Crowfeather shot her a look from narrowed eyes.
“Only joking,” Squirrelflight mewed quickly. “Come on; let’s find somewhere for your camp.”
Brambleclaw knew they needed to look for a camping place for WindClan, but already the sun was slipping down the sky, casting long shadows over the grass.
“Actually, we should get back to the others,” he began awkwardly. “I’m sorry, Crowfeather. I don’t think we’ve time to explore these hills properly. Tallstar can send another patrol tomorrow to check out a site for your camp. I think we should head straight across the ridge to the end of the lake now.”
Crowfeather’s tail-tip twitched. For a few heartbeats he stood motionless, studying the sweep of hillside before lowering his head to sniff the grass. Brambleclaw was worried that he was about to insist they explored further, but in the end he just meowed, “It’s okay. You’re right; we should be heading back.”
There was a guarded look in his eyes as he spoke, and Brambleclaw guessed he wasn’t sorry that cats from other Clans weren’t getting a chance to explore WindClan’s new territory. Pain stabbed at the young tabby’s heart. Crowfeather was ferociously loyal to his Clanmates; it wasn’t surprising that he would be the first to start setting up the old barriers again.
They started to follow the slope up to the top of the ridge, with the lake stretching out below them like a shining sheet of sky. Brambleclaw padded beside Squirrelflight, gazing from side to side over this new stretch of territory. They climbed a shoulder of the hill to a stream that foamed over rocks and vanished into the trees they had left behind. They followed it uphill for a few fox-lengths until they came to stepping-stones where they could cross. A smaller stream joined it here, gurgling down a steep, grassy slope.
Before they reached the top of the hill they came to a spot where the ground fell away, as if some enormous monster had taken a bite out of the hillside. But not a Twoleg monster, Brambleclaw realized; this hollow had been formed by time and weather alone. Boulders were scattered over the ground in the middle, while gorse and other shrubs grew thickly around the edges. Inside, it would be sheltered from the wind, but not as closed-in as the walls of stone that encircled the possible ThunderClan camp.
Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. “What about that for your camp, Crowfeather?” he asked.
Crowfeather kneaded the ground in excitement as he looked down the slope. “It looks good,” he agreed. “I’ll check it out. You go on, and I’ll catch up.”
“Are you sure?” Brambleclaw meowed. “I don’t think we should leave you on your own.”
“I’ll be fine,” Crowfeather promised, flexing his hindlegs, ready to dash off. “There’s no scent of Twolegs or foxes. And I can find my own way back to the camp by the horseplace. I can smell those creatures from here!”
Before any of the others could argue, he streaked off down the hill. Brambleclaw watched him pause on the edge of the dip before plunging into the gorse cover, the trembling branches the only sign of where he had been a moment before.
“I hope he’s right about the Twolegs and foxes,” murmured Mistyfoot, coming over to stand beside Brambleclaw.
Too late, he wondered if he should have consulted Mistyfoot before letting Crowfeather go off on his own. He opened his mouth to defend the WindClan warrior, but she stopped him, speaking gently to take any sting out of her words. “It’s all right, Brambleclaw. I can see how much respect these cats have for you. That’s something to be proud of, not to apologize for. Few cats are born leaders, but I think you are.”
He blinked at her, partly grateful and partly surprised. It seemed strange having a RiverClan cat make a judgment like that about him. He wondered what Mistyfoot thought of his half brother, Hawkfrost, who was a RiverClan warrior. Was Tigerstar’s other son a born leader, too?
Suddenly a gust of wind buffeted them so hard that Brambleclaw’s eyes watered, and for a couple of heartbeats he thought it would sweep him off his paws. It brought a strong scent of horse with it. Shaking his head to clear away the tears, Brambleclaw spotted the horseplace at the far end of the ridge, and beyond it the small copse where the four Clans waited for the patrol to return.
“We’re almost there!” Squirrelflight exclaimed. She bounded forward, and the other cats followed, their paws flying over the smooth ground. It was much faster to travel out here than in the forest, and for a moment Brambleclaw understood why WindClan cats ran more swiftly than any other, and seemed restless when they were closed in by ferns and tree trunks.
The sun was setting behind the pine trees, turning the surface of the lake to fire, as they trekked down the hill. They had just reached the bottom when Crowfeather caught up, panting.
“Well?” Squirrelflight demanded.
Crowfeather swiped his tongue around his jaws as if he had just swallowed a juicy piece of fresh-kill. His eyes gleamed with enthusiasm. “It’s great!” he mewed. “There’s a tunnel under one of the gorse bushes that looks as if it might lead to an old badger set, but the badgers are long gone. There’s not even any scent left.”
“You could use the set as a den,” Tawnypelt suggested.
Crowfeather sniffed. “WindClan cats sleep outside. Only badgers and rabbits live in burrows,” he reminded her.
In twilight they slipped along the edge of the lake, past the fence of the horseplace. All Brambleclaw’s senses were alert for dogs and Twolegs, but they saw nothing except for one huge horse looking over the fence. Squirrelflight jumped as it blew out a noisy breath, then hissed to hide how startled she had been.
Moments later they heard a loud meow coming out of the darkness. “Who’s there?”
“It’s okay, Hawkfrost, it’s only us,” Mistyfoot called.
The RiverClan warrior emerged from the shadows, his powerful shoulders flexing smoothly under his tabby pelt. “Leopardstar and the other leaders sent me to look out for you,” he meowed. “They’re all expecting you. Follow me.”
Brambleclaw blinked. It was strange to think that he and Hawkfrost were kin, both sons of Tigerstar. They were alike in so many ways, yet Brambleclaw struggled to feel any kinship or loyalty to the RiverClan warrior. He was too quick to order other cats around, too openly hungry for power in his Clan, and he made Brambleclaw ask himself questions about their shared inheritance that he would have preferred to ignore. Such as, where did Hawkfrost’s ambition come from? Did he share Tigerstar’s hunger for power at any cost? And if he had inherited this from their father, what did that mean for Brambleclaw?
Hawkfrost led them to the trees near the horseplace where the Clans had stopped to rest the day before. Firestar and Blackstar were talking together beside the tree stump, but otherwise the clearing looked deserted.
As soon as the patrol appeared, Blackstar leaped up on the stump and let out a yowl. “Cats of all Clans! Gather around!”
At once the shadowy shapes of cats began to appear out of hollows and clumps of long grass. One or two jumped down from low-hanging branches. Mudclaw pushed his way through his Clanmates and joined Blackstar on the stump, forcing Leopardstar to sit on the ground again.
Firestar padded over to stand in front of Brambleclaw. “Welcome back,” he meowed. “No trouble, I hope?”
“Nothing we couldn’t handle,” Brambleclaw replied. He glanced guiltily at Squirrelflight as he remembered the fight they had nearly lost against the kittypets.
“One of you had better come up on the stump so we can all hear you,” Firestar decided. “Mistyfoot, would you like to join us?”
Mistyfoot dipped her head. “Actually, Firestar, I think Brambleclaw should speak on behalf of the patrol. He has more experience with describing unknown places.”
Brambleclaw looked quickly at her, but there was no edge to the RiverClan deputy’s words. Instead she stepped back to let him reach the tree stump. “Thanks,” he murmured as he went past. Mistyfoot just blinked.
Brambleclaw bunched his hindlegs underneath him and sprang onto the stump. It was a tight squeeze, and his flank brushed against Blackstar’s as he shuffled around to face the cats below. The ShadowClan leader drew away with the faintest hiss, but Brambleclaw tried not to let Blackstar’s hostility ruffle his fur. His heart pounded at the thought of describing the long journey around the lake to all four Clans. The cats gazed up at him, and Brambleclaw could feel their hunger for his news pulsing through the air. Briefly he wondered if this was what it was like to be a Clan leader, with every cat hanging on his words.
Then he heard Dustpelt’s voice raised impatiently above the rustle of the branches overhead. “Get on with it, Brambleclaw! Tell us what you found.”
Brambleclaw swallowed uncomfortably, wondering where to start. He couldn’t say that choosing a new home was not all he had hoped for. In spite of Midnight’s directions, the dying warrior, the starlight reflected in the lake, he didn’t feel as if the Clans truly belonged in this territory. It was too easy to imagine Twoleg monsters tearing through the woods, turning the ground to mud and shattering the walls of the stone hollow until the newly built ThunderClan dens were exposed to the sky, and every cat was as helpless as a newborn kit….
But that wasn’t what the Clans wanted to hear, and none of the other cats on the patrol had seemed to doubt that this was where they belonged now. They could be right, Brambleclaw told himself firmly. They had proved that the Clans could live here; what more could he expect?
“It’s good news,” he began, taking a deep breath. “We have found territories that are suitable for all the Clans—reeds and water for RiverClan, pine forest for ShadowClan, leafy woods for ThunderClan, and moorland for WindClan.”
As murmurs of excitement broke out, Leopardstar called. “What about prey?”
“There seems to be plenty,” Brambleclaw replied, “given that it’s leaf-bare. We didn’t go hungry, that’s for sure.”
“And Twolegs?” queried another cat—Brambleclaw thought it was a ShadowClan warrior, but he couldn’t be sure.
“We saw some evidence that they visit places around the lake, but there are none there now,” he meowed. “Mistyfoot thinks there’ll be more of them around in greenleaf. That’s when they used to bring their kits to swim in the river, back in the forest.”
He noticed several of the cats glance anxiously at each other, and felt the familiar tremor of fear at the thought of what Twolegs had brought to the forest, apart from their kits. He was relieved when Mistyfoot added, “We’ll be able to keep out of their way. They won’t be a big problem.”
“Well…that’s all.” Brambleclaw wasn’t sure what else to say. “Maybe each of us should tell our own Clans what we saw in more detail.”
“We need to decide where the boundaries will be,” Blackstar growled.
“Right,” meowed Firestar from where he was sitting at the base of the stump, next to Leopardstar. “We can do that when we have a clearer idea of each territory. Thanks, Brambleclaw.”
Brambleclaw dipped his head gratefully at his leader; he may have led his friends to sun-drown-place and back again, and explored the territory around the lake, but he felt as helpless as a kit among the other Clan leaders. His fur prickled, and he noticed Hawkfrost staring at him from the edge of the cats seated around the stump. Twitching his ears uncomfortably, Brambleclaw jumped down. He winced as Hawkfrost came over to meet him and braced himself for a hostile comment, perhaps a challenge about where the new boundaries should be.
To his surprise, there was a friendly gleam in the RiverClan warrior’s blue eyes.
“Thanks for finding the new territories, Brambleclaw,” he meowed. “I’m almost sorry that we’ll be going our separate ways now. I’d have liked to hunt with you.”
Brambleclaw blinked. Warriors of different Clans could not hunt together—but that wasn’t the real reason Hawkfrost’s suggestion startled him. Did the RiverClan warrior feel something like kinship with him? If he and Hawkfrost had been members of the same Clan, might they have been friends like Firestar and Graystripe, who had risked their lives for each other countless times?
“Well, we’ll meet at Gatherings,” he began.
“Brambleclaw, what are you doing?” Squirrelflight padded up with a glare at Hawkfrost. “Firestar is waiting for us.”
“Of course. And Leopardstar will be waiting for me.” Hawkfrost dipped his head in farewell and padded away.
“Why are you talking to him?” Squirrelflight demanded crossly when Hawkfrost was out of earshot. “You know he can’t be trusted.”
“I don’t know anything of the kind,” Brambleclaw retorted.
Squirrelflight snorted. “Yeah, right. That cat has too much ambition for his own good.”
Brambleclaw felt his neck fur start to rise. “Really?”
“He wishes Mistyfoot had never come back, so that he could still be deputy. I’ve heard him arguing with her more than once.”
“He wants the best for his Clan, that’s all,” Brambleclaw meowed. There was something in him that understood exactly how Hawkfrost must have felt when Mistyfoot had escaped from the Twolegs, and claimed back her place as RiverClan deputy.
“That’s not all.” Squirrelflight paused, flicking her tail-tip back and forth. “I can tell Leafpaw doesn’t trust Hawkfrost, and she knows him better than we do. She was in the forest while he was RiverClan deputy.”
“Have you asked her why she feels that way?”
Squirrelflight shook her head. “I don’t need to ask her. I just know how she feels.”
Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. “So you don’t have anything against Hawkfrost except for what Leafpaw feels about him? Because she’s your sister, right? Well, Hawkfrost is mybrother.”
“Are you telling me you feel loyal to him because of that?” Squirrelflight exclaimed. “But you hardly know him!”
“Neither do you. But you think you know him well enough to say he can’t be trusted.” Brambleclaw unsheathed his claws and let them sink into the fallen leaves. “Or are you accusing him because of who his father was?”
Squirrelflight’s green eyes stretched wide. “If that’s what you think, then you don’t know me at all!” she hissed. She whirled around and stalked away with her tail in the air.
Brambleclaw stared after her in dismay. He and Squirrelflight had quarreled ever since she became an apprentice. But he had never expected to hear such cold dislike in her voice.
Icy claws pricked down Brambleclaw’s spine. If Squirrelflight distrusted Hawkfrost because of who his father was, did that mean she didn’t trust him?
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 5
When Brambleclaw had finished speaking andleaped down from the tree stump, Leafpaw looked around for Squirrelflight. She was dying to hear about their new territory, and to know if her sister had found any useful herbs.
She spotted Sorreltail and bounded over. “Have you seen Squirrelflight?”
The tortoiseshell warrior shook her head.
Leafpaw was about to keep looking when a sharp pang sliced through her like a claw. She caught her breath, tucking her nose against her chest to take away the pain. Something was wrong with Squirrelflight, something was troubling her, but Leafpaw had no idea what it might be. The patrol had come safely home, and it sounded as if there were territories for all the Clans around the lake, so why should Squirrelflight feel such a jolting mixture of shock and anger?
“Are you okay?” Sorreltail asked.
“What? Oh, yes, fine. I just need to ask Squirrelflight something.” Leafpaw tried to speak calmly, but her voice shook. Luckily there was so much noise around them that Sorreltail didn’t seem to notice.
“I’ll help you look,” she offered. “I can’t wait to hear about our new home!”
Leafpaw nodded, and began to weave her way through the other cats, searching for the familiar dark ginger pelt. She felt a rush of relief when she spotted her sister with some other ThunderClan cats, her tail waving animatedly as she explained something to them. There certainly didn’t seem to be anything wrong now—but Leafpaw knew she hadn’t mistaken the lightning strike of anger and dismay that had jolted through her.
She padded over with Sorreltail beside her.
“It’s a stone hollow, with walls all around,” Squirrelflight was mewing. “There’s plenty of space inside for dens, the nursery, even a training area.”
She was doing a great job of sounding normal, but as she drew closer, Leafpaw could feel waves of unhappiness coming from her. Squirrelflight’s eyes were too wide, too bright, and she kept looking around as if trying to spot a cat who wasn’t there. After a moment Leafpaw realized that the missing cat must be Brambleclaw. She guessed he was talking to other members of the Clan.
“Is this hollow empty?” Dustpelt asked. He was sitting in front of Squirrelflight with Ferncloud at his side; their one surviving kit, Birchkit, was rolling around in the grass with Tallpoppy’s three kits, all far too excited to sleep. “It would be just like you, Squirrelflight, to expect us to camp in a badger’s set.”
Squirrelflight’s tail curled up indignantly. “Dustpelt, I promise I’ll eat any badgers you find in there. Foxes, too. We didn’t scent anything like that.”
Dustpelt grunted.
“I think it sounds great.” Brightheart stepped up to Squirrelflight and pressed her muzzle against the younger warrior’s side. “How did you find it?”
“I…well, I fell into it,” Squirrelflight admitted.
Cloudtail let out a snort of laughter. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“Now look[.arrowhorizex]” Squirrelflight spun around to face the white warrior, but before she could say any more a yowl rose into the air.
“Cats of all Clans!”
Leafpaw turned to see that Cinderpelt had climbed onto the stump, the moonlight turning her gray fur to silver. She signaled with her tail for silence, and the excited mewing gradually died away.
“Before we separate and go into our own territories,” the ThunderClan medicine cat meowed, “we must decide where we’re going to hold the next Gathering. StarClan will expect us to meet together when full moon comes.”
“But where?” asked Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy. “Did the patrols find anywhere like Fourtrees?”
Mistyfoot, who was sitting near the base of the stump, rose to her paws. “No,” she replied, raising her voice so all the Clans could hear her. “Nowhere like that. But we didn’t have time to explore everywhere properly.”
“StarClan will show us a place.” Littlecloud spoke up from where he was sitting beside Russetfur and Blackstar.
“They might have shown us already.” Mothwing sprang to her paws, her blue eyes shining. She began to describe the island close to the shore of the lake. “It’s safe, sheltered, and not too far away. Perfect for Gatherings,” she finished.
“But we’d have to swim to get there!” The protest came from Mousefur, a ThunderClan warrior. “I’m not swimming in that lake every full moon, not if StarClan themselves come down and beg me.”
“And what about the elders?” croaked Runningnose, the former ShadowClan medicine cat.
A chorus of agreement rose up. Leafpaw glanced worriedly from one face to another. Even though she had her own doubts about gathering on the island, she couldn’t think of a better option. But she didn’t see a single cat who showed any enthusiasm for Mothwing’s suggestion.
Hawkfrost padded over to stand next to Mothwing. Dipping his head politely to Cinderpelt, he meowed, “May I suggest that I take a patrol of RiverClan cats to explore the island more fully? If the Clans can’t use it for Gatherings, it sounds like the ideal place for the RiverClan camp.”
Almost before he had finished speaking, Mistyfoot took a pace toward him. “I already told you where RiverClan are going to camp,” she mewed quietly, the fur on her neck bristling. “There’s a place where two streams meet, not far from the lake, with trees for shelter, and no sign that Twolegs come near, even in greenleaf.”
“But think how safe the island would be,” Hawkfrost pointed out. “We’d have a lake full of fish right outside our dens. Have you thought that your choice of camp might be too open? And that Thunderpath you mentioned can’t be far away.”
Mistyfoot bristled. “Are you questioning my judgment? I know what my Clan needs.”
Hawkfrost curled his lip, and Leafpaw tensed, half expecting the two RiverClan warriors to leap at each other.
“Enough!” The word, spat out, came from behind Leafpaw. She turned to see Leopardstar stalking up to her quarreling warriors. “Do you want to shame RiverClan?”
Hawkfrost stepped back, and the fur on Mistyfoot’s shoulders lay flat, though Leafpaw could tell it took some effort.
“Hawkfrost, you can take a patrol to the island if you wish,” Leopardstar went on. “We’ll make a decision about where to site the camp when you come back.”
“Of course, Leopardstar,” Hawkfrost meowed, dipping his head. “I’ll pick some other cats and leave as soon as it gets light.” He stepped back, and was instantly surrounded by his Clanmates, all clamoring to come with him to the island.
Leafpaw shivered. It had been strange to see such an open challenge to Mistyfoot’s authority. Hawkfrost must feel very confident of his place within the Clan if he dared to pick a fight with his deputy in front of his leader as well as the other Clans.
Leafpaw thought she could see the same concern in her mentor’s blue eyes as Cinderpelt called for silence again. “So,” she meowed, “where shall we meet for the next Gathering?”
“We’ll have to come back here,” Firestar decided. “Unless StarClan shows us a different place before the next full moon.”
Mudclaw turned to face Firestar. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We’re much too close to that Twoleg nest on the other side of the horseplace.”
“That can’t be helped,” Blackstar replied, and Firestar nodded.
“We’ve been here for two days and nights now, and we haven’t had so much as a sniff of a Twoleg. But if you have a better idea, let’s hear it.”
Mudclaw lashed his tail. “Suit yourself,” he snarled. “The great Firestar’s word is law, as always.”
The cats began to slip away from the tree stump, back into the shadows. Ferncloud signaled with her tail for Birchkit to come to her. “It’s time you got some sleep, little one. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.”
Birchkit abandoned his play fight with Tallpoppy’s kits and bounced over. “Can Toadkit and Applekit and Marshkit come too?” he asked.
“No, we belong to ShadowClan,” Tallpoppy explained gently. “We’ll have our own territory now.”
“But that’s not fair!” Birchkit wailed, and all four kits clustered together, gazing at the two queens with huge, pleading eyes. “If they can’t come, I don’t want to go.”
Leafpaw flinched. They were so innocent! They had no idea how different their lives had been from the lives of their older Clanmates. Their earliest memories would be the horror of starving in the forest, every cat fearing for its life, until they found new friends when the Clans came together for the exhausting trek through the mountains. They had no sense of Clan rivalry, or the importance of being a warrior in the service of one Clan alone. They probably hardly knew there were four Clans at all.
“Don’t be so silly.” Ferncloud padded over to her kit and gave his ears a sympathetic lick. “That’s the warrior code. When you’re apprentices you’ll meet again at Gatherings.”
“It won’t be the same,” Toadkit muttered, with a mutinous look at his mother.
“And there are no other ThunderClan kits for me to play with,” Birchkit added sadly.
Ferncloud and Tallpoppy looked at each other, and Leafpaw saw genuine regret in their eyes—it wasn’t just their kits who had made strong friendships across Clan boundaries.
Finally Tallpoppy dipped her head and gathered her three kits around her with a sweep of her tail. “Say good-bye now,” she mewed briskly.
“Good-bye,” Toadkit and Marshkit chorused, while Applekit darted up to Birchkit and touched her nose to his.
“Good-bye.” Birchkit stared after his friends as they padded away, and then turned to follow his mother, his tail drooping.
Leafpaw felt her heart ache for the lonely kit, and for all the cats who would miss friends they had made in other Clans. A couple of tail-lengths away she spotted Thornclaw saying good-bye to Ashfoot and Onewhisker from WindClan; he jumped guiltily when he saw Leafpaw watching, as if he felt he had been disloyal to his Clan by becoming friends with them.
“It’s okay,” Leafpaw meowed, padding over to touch noses with the ThunderClan warrior. “It’s hard to give up new friends like this.” I’m one of the lucky ones, she thought gratefully. I can still be friends with Mothwing. Clan divisions weren’t so important to medicine cats, especially where the other medicine cats were concerned.
She decided to go and ask Cinderpelt if there was anything she could do to help the cats prepare for tomorrow. As she wove her way through the other cats, she came across Crowfeather standing over a WindClan elder, a skinny tom with creamy brown fur, who was comfortably curled up in a nest of dry leaves underneath a tree.
“Look, Rushtail,” Crowfeather was meowing frustratedly, “WindClan is gathering farther down the hill. If you stay here, you’ll get mixed up with ThunderClan.”
“So? ThunderClan never did me any harm,” rasped the elder. “I’m not moving a pawstep from here, young fellow, until I’ve had something to eat.”
Crowfeather rolled his eyes. “Great StarClan!”
“Can I help?” Leafpaw offered, wondering if Rushtail was being stubborn, or if he really felt too weak to move. She might be able to find some herbs that would help restore his strength, like the traveling herbs they used to eat before journeying to the Moonstone.
But when Crowfeather turned around to face her, his eyes were cold. “I don’t need help from ThunderClan, thanks,” he mewed curtly.
“I’m sorry.” Leafpaw took a step back, struggling not to show how cross she was that he was refusing her help for no good reason. “I only thought[.arrowhorizex]”
“Take it easy, Crowfeather.” Leafpaw felt a light touch on her shoulder and glanced around to see Squirrelflight. “There’s no need to be so prickly,” her sister added to the WindClan warrior.
Crowfeather dug his claws agitatedly into the ground. “Our journey’s over, Squirrelflight,” he meowed. “We have to remember we belong to different Clans now.”
Squirrelflight snorted. “You always were a difficult furball, Crowfeather. But I won’t stop you if you’re determined to make everything harder than it needs to be. Just watch it when you talk to my sister, that’s all.”
Crowfeather looked back at Leafpaw and muttered something that might have been an apology. “But I can manage Rushtail on my own, thanks,” he added.
Just before she left, Leafpaw saw him bend over the elder again. “Rushtail, if I fetch you some fresh-kill, will you move then?”
“I might.” The old tom settled himself more comfortably and closed his eyes. “As long as it’s good and plump.”
“Leafpaw, are you coming?” Squirrelflight called.
Leafpaw turned to see Sorreltail bounding over to her. “Was that Crowfeather?” she asked. “His tongue’s as sharp as a fox’s teeth. Is he giving you trouble? I’ll sort him out for you.” Her amber eyes gleamed with anticipation.
“No, he’s fine.” Leafpaw touched her friend’s shoulder with the tip of her tail.
Glancing back to where Crowfeather had disappeared in search of fresh-kill, she knew that was not entirely true. But she could not think of any herb that would heal his broken heart.
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 6
Brambleclaw shifted uneasily among the deadleaves. A branch was digging into his flank, but that wasn’t what had woken him. He couldn’t get used to sleeping alone, without the warmth of Squirrelflight’s body beside him. He thought she had gone to sleep next to Ashfur, but he wasn’t sure. She certainly wasn’t anywhere near him.
There was another prod in his side. Brambleclaw looked up blearily to see that it wasn’t a branch after all, but a paw. Barkface was standing over him.
“Where’s Firestar?” the WindClan medicine cat demanded.
Brambleclaw scrambled up, yawning. Above his head the sky was just beginning to grow light. “Most of ThunderClan are over there, under the trees.”
“Find him for me, will you?” Barkface’s voice sounded close to breaking. “Tallstar is asking for him.”
Brambleclaw knew the WindClan leader must be close to losing his last life. “I’ll fetch him,” he promised.
“Thanks. We’re under that gorse bush over there.” Barkface pointed with his tail. “I’ve got to find Onewhisker.” He dashed off.
Brambleclaw bounded toward the nearest ThunderClan warriors. Tallstar was the eldest of the leaders, and his death would be a great loss to all four Clans, not just WindClan. For a few heartbeats he despaired of finding Firestar in the dim predawn light, but then he spotted him sharing tongues with Sandstorm near the tree stump.
“Firestar, Barkface says Tallstar wants to see you,” Brambleclaw meowed as he raced up to them.
Firestar stiffened, and exchanged a glance with Sandstorm. “I’ll come at once,” he replied.
“Does Barkface need any help?” Sandstorm asked. “Cinderpelt was here a moment ago. Tell Barkface to send a cat with a message if he wants her.”
Brambleclaw nodded, and followed Firestar across the open ground to the gorse bush where Tallstar lay dying. Its outer branches swept the ground, and there was no sign of any cats at first, but as Brambleclaw approached he heard the sound of harsh, uneven breathing. Ducking down, he peered through a gap to see Tallstar stretched out on his side in a nest of dead leaves.
“Firestar’s here,” he meowed, stepping back to let his leader enter the makeshift den. “I’ll wait outside,” he added to Firestar.
“Is that Brambleclaw?” Tallstar’s voice came weakly from beneath the bush. “Don’t go. You should hear what I have to say, too.”
Brambleclaw glanced hesitantly at Firestar, and when his leader nodded he flattened himself against the ground to creep under the low branches beside him.
Tallstar was alone; Barkface hadn’t come back yet with Onewhisker. The WindClan leader’s chest heaved as he fought for breath, and Brambleclaw winced at the effort it cost him to raise his head.
But in the faint moonlight that filtered through the branches, Tallstar’s eyes shone with the light of StarClan. “Firestar, I must thank you,” he rasped. “You have saved my Clan.”
Firestar gave a murmur of protest.
“And Brambleclaw…” Tallstar went on. “You journeyed a long way to find this place for us, facing dangers no cat has seen before. Even Graystripe, may he walk with StarClan, would agree you will make a worthy deputy for ThunderClan.”
Brambleclaw gasped. He didn’t dare look at his leader, who stiffened beside him. He knew that Firestar had never stopped grieving for Graystripe, and clung to the belief that his friend was still alive. He had refused to name another deputy so far, even though it seemed extremely unlikely that Graystripe would escape from the Twolegs who had taken him away from the forest.
Ambition gripped Brambleclaw like an eagle’s talons. Hard as it was to admit it, he knew that he wanted to be deputy, and then leader, of his Clan. Was this what Tigerstar had felt? he wondered. His father’s hunger for power had been so strong that he was prepared to lie and murder and betray to achieve it. I could never do that,Brambleclaw thought. If he became deputy it would be through loyalty to his Clan, hard work, and respect for the warrior code.
But Tigerstar’s dark heritage would always be with him, overshadowing all he tried to do. They look at me and see Tigerstar.
He recovered himself in time to dip his head to Tallstar and murmur, “It wasn’t just me. It was all of us together.”
“You’re tiring yourself, Tallstar.” Firestar’s voice was gentle. “You need to rest.”
“Rest will do me no good now,” the WindClan leader meowed.
Firestar did not try to pretend that there was any hope he would get better. “You will be a noble addition to the ranks of StarClan,” he told him. He crouched down so he could press his muzzle to Tallstar’s.
“Before then…before then I must say…” Tallstar started to choke, and his paws scrabbled in the dried leaves.
“Brambleclaw, find Barkface,” Firestar ordered.
“No.” Tallstar managed to catch his breath again, and signaled with his tail for Brambleclaw to stay. “Nothing…any medicine cat can do for me now.” His eyes half closed and he took several gasping breaths before continuing. “There’s something important I have to say. Where’s Onewhisker?”
Firestar glanced at Brambleclaw, who shook his head.
“Barkface went to get him,” he meowed. “I’ll go and look too.”
“Quickly…” Tallstar rasped as Brambleclaw backed out. “Tell them…that it is time….”
When Brambleclaw straightened up and looked around, the dawn light was strengthening, but he still couldn’t see any more than dark shapes and the occasional blur of a pale-colored pelt. Most cats were still sleeping in hastily flattened dens among the long grass, roughly divided among the four Clans. He was trying to work out which of the shadowy groups was WindClan when he spotted a solitary cat racing up from the direction of the lake. To his relief he recognized Onewhisker.
“Barkface said Tallstar’s dying.” The WindClan warrior gasped as he halted beside the bush, dropping his mouthful of dripping moss. “I only went to the lake to get him a drink.”
“He wants to see you,” Brambleclaw meowed.
Onewhisker slid under the branches into Tallstar’s den, and Brambleclaw followed him in time to see the warrior place the moss beside Tallstar’s head. The dying leader feebly licked up a few drops, then raised his head again.
“Before I go to StarClan, there is something I must do.” His voice was stronger now. “Firestar, Onewhisker, listen. Mudclaw is a brave warrior, but he is not the right cat to lead WindClan. In these last moons we have learned that the future of our Clans lies in friendship. I want no rivalry between WindClan and ThunderClan after I am gone. We must have no enemies. But this will not happen if Mudclaw rules the Clan.”
Brambleclaw saw Firestar exchange a glance with Onewhisker; both cats seemed uncomfortably aware that Tallstar’s ideal of lasting friendship wouldn’t happen, whoever was in charge of the Clan. It was natural for Clans to be rivals—that was part of the warrior code.
“I can still choose the cat who will lead WindClan after me,” Tallstar rasped. “From this moment Mudclaw is no longer deputy of WindClan.”
Three pairs of eyes stared at him in astonishment.
“I say these words…before StarClan,” Tallstar gasped out. “WindClan must have…a new deputy. Onewhisker, you must lead the Clan when I am gone.”
Brambleclaw and Firestar exchanged a swift, startled glance. These were not the right words to choose a deputy, even though it was clearly what Tallstar intended. Brambleclaw felt an icy tingle in his fur. Would StarClan accept Onewhisker as the leader of WindClan if he had not been appointed as deputy in the way demanded by the warrior code? He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again when he caught sight of the expression on his leader’s face. Firestar seemed even more shocked than Brambleclaw, his neck fur bristling and his claws digging into the ground, but he said nothing.
“Tallstar, no.” Onewhisker sounded horrified, but Tallstar took no notice. His glittering, star-filled gaze traveled from his new deputy to Firestar and then to Brambleclaw.
“I am grateful to have brought the Clan this far,” he murmured. “Onewhisker, treat our friends well when you lead our Clan. Remember everything ThunderClan has done for us.”
“Tallstar, I’ll do my best, but…” Onewhisker stretched out a paw to touch his leader’s shoulder, but Tallstar’s headhad slipped down into the leaves. His eyes closed, and his breathing became quick and shallow.
Brambleclaw felt a faint breeze touch his fur and heard the murmur of pawsteps. Something brushed his pelt, and he thought he saw starlight reflected for a moment in Firestar’s eyes. It suddenly felt as if the tiny den was packed full, with sleek-furred flanks sweeping against him on every side.
Brambleclaw jumped at a scuffling sound behind him, and in a heartbeat the den was empty once more. He turned to see Barkface squeezing under the branches.
Dropping a packet of leaf-wrapped herbs beside Tallstar, he meowed, “Cinderpelt gave me these.”
He broke off, staring at his leader.
“It is too late for herbs,” Firestar mewed quietly.
Onewhisker crouched down and pushed his nose into Tallstar’s fur. The WindClan leader’s black-and-white flank had stopped rising and falling now, stilled forever with the departure of Tallstar’s spirit.
“He walks with StarClan now,” Barkface murmured.
Brambleclaw felt his throat swell with grief. Tallstar had not been his leader, but he had been a noble cat, and nothing would be the same now that he was dead.
After a few moments Firestar curled his tail to touch Onewhisker on the shoulder. “Onewhisker, you need to tell your Clan. Remember what Tallstar said: he…he appointed you deputy, and he wants you to be leader now.”
Onewhisker raised his head, his eyes filled with a chaos of grief and confusion. “Firestar, I can’t do this,” he pleaded. “I can’ttake over as leader!” More hesitantly, he asked, “Do we have to tell them what he said? I…I know that wasn’t the right way to choose a new deputy. Tallstar was dying, he couldn’t think clearly….”
“Tallstar knew exactly what he wanted, whether he used the right words or not,” Firestar told him firmly, though his eyes were sympathetic. “He wanted you to be deputy instead of Mudclaw, and he wanted you to succeed him as Clan leader. Would you betray his trust, and the honor he has given you?”
Brambleclaw saw Barkface’s eyes stretch wide, and he remembered that the medicine cat had not arrived until after Tallstar had finished speaking.
“He said what?” Barkface demanded. When Firestar explained, the medicine cat looked troubled. “I can understand what he said was a shock,” he mewed to Onewhisker, “but you can’t do anything about it. If that’s what Tallstar wanted, it means that you’re Clan leader in the sight of StarClan. Do you think they would give nine lives to Mudclaw now, knowing that Tallstar changed his mind?”
“Mudclaw!” Onewhisker stared at the other cats in dismay. “What am I going to say to him?”
Firestar pressed reassuringly against his side. “If you like, I’ll make the announcement to the Clans while you figure out what to say to individual cats.”
Onewhisker’s eyes flooded with relief. “Would you, Firestar? Thanks.”
Firestar nodded, but Brambleclaw felt a flicker of unease. He knew that the two cats had been friends long before Firestar became Clan leader, but surely this was a time when Onewhisker should be acting on his own, however hard it was. There was going to be enough shock from WindClan without suggesting that Firestar, a cat from a completely different Clan, had been involved.
The ThunderClan leader pushed his way out through the branches. Brambleclaw and the others followed as Firestar padded across and leaped up on the stump at the edge of the deserted clearing.
Onewhisker was about to sit among the roots when Firestar gestured with his tail to a spot beside him. “You should be up here,” he meowed. “What is your Clan going to think if you sit down there like an ordinary warrior?”
Brambleclaw could see exactly what Firestar meant, and he fought down a prickle of impatience. It was time Onewhisker got over his shock and started behaving like a leader. “Go on,” he urged.
Onewhisker gave him a doubtful look, then jumped up to stand beside Firestar.
The ThunderClan leader let out a yowl. “Cats of all Clans! Gather to hear the news I have to tell you.”
All around the clearing, Brambleclaw watched the cats stir in their makeshift nests, like a ripple in long grass when wind passed over it. From close by he heard some cat mutter crossly, “What does he want now?”
Firestar repeated his yowl until one by one the cats slipped out of their makeshift dens and crept forward until they surrounded the stump.
Squirrelflight padded sleepily over to Brambleclaw, her jaws gaping in a huge yawn. “What’s happening? What does Firestar want?”
“It’s best you hear it from Firestar,” Brambleclaw meowed. He couldn’t begin to put into words what had happened before Tallstar lost his ninth life.
Too late, he remembered his quarrel with Squirrelflight; she obviously hadn’t forgotten, however, and interpreted his guarded response as reluctance to speak to her at all.
“Fine,” she mewed. She glanced coolly at him, then padded a couple of tail-lengths away before sitting down.
“Cats of all Clans, I have some very sad news,” Firestar began. “Tallstar has gone to hunt with StarClan.”
“Tallstar dead!” exclaimed Tornear. “He became leader before I was born. What will happen to WindClan without him?”
Beside him, his apprentice, Owlpaw, bowed his head, too overcome to speak. Mosspelt, a RiverClan queen, touched the young cat on his shoulder with the tip of her tail. “He was a noble cat,” she murmured. “He will be welcomed by StarClan, and walk with the best of them.”
From somewhere near the back a single voice rose up in a wail of grief. Brambleclaw echoed it in his heart.
“I was there when he died,” Firestar went on, with a glance at Brambleclaw, “and he said[.arrowhorizex]”
He broke off as a mottled brown warrior thrust his way forward and halted at the foot of the stump. “What’s that?” he demanded, his eyes flashing anger. “Tallstar is dead? Why did no cat tell me?”
It was Mudclaw.
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 7
Firestar looked calmly down at theWindClan warrior. “Tallstar died just a few moments ago,” he meowed. “There’s been no chance to tell any cat.”
“Mudclaw, you’re our leader now,” meowed Webfoot. “We will all grieve for Tallstar, but we need you to help us settle in our new home.”
A murmur of agreement came from his Clanmates. Mudclaw dipped his head in acknowledgment, but when he turned back to Firestar his eyes still gleamed with fury. “You should have come to find me before calling this meeting. Why should a ThunderClan cat announce WindClan’s news?”
Firestar’s tail-tip twitched. “Tallstar wanted it to be this way. Listen to what I’m trying to tell you, please.” Addressing all the cats, not just Mudclaw, he went on: “Just before he died, Tallstar made Onewhisker his deputy.” His gaze swept over Brambleclaw, but he didn’t meet the warrior’s eye. Brambleclaw’s fur prickled; was Firestar really willing to ignore the fact that Tallstar hadn’t used the right ceremony to appoint his new deputy?
“What?” Mudclaw screeched in disbelief.
“You mean Mudclaw isn’tour leader?” Webfoot queried. He unsheathed his claws in confusion and sank them into the ground.
“Mouse dung to that!” A black WindClan she-cat drew her lips back in a snarl. “There’s no cat better able to lead the Clan.”
Brambleclaw listened uncomfortably. If it were up to him, he thought Onewhisker would make a better leader than Mudclaw, but he didn’t have the right to judge. And he could imagine exactly how Mudclaw must be feeling, to have the leadership he had been waiting for snatched out of his paws in a heartbeat
Onewhisker looked down at Mudclaw. “This is as much of a shock to me as it is to you,” he meowed. “And I would like you to carry on being WindClan’s deputy. I’ll need your support and experience every pawstep of the way.”
Mudclaw’s neck fur bristled. “You don’t think I believethis load of fox dung, do you?” he spat. “Every cat knows that Tallstar practically handed our Clan over to Firestar before he left the forest. He’s always felt more loyalty to ThunderClan than they ever deserved. And now Firestar tells us that his friendOnewhisker is to be leader! Did any other cat witness this convenient change of mind?”
His paws heavy as stone, Brambleclaw padded forward until he stood beside Mudclaw. “I did.” The words stuck in his throat like a tough bit of fresh-kill. “I was there. I heard Tallstar make Onewhisker his deputy.”
He almost added, but he didn’t use the right words, then stopped himself. Firestar had said nothing about that.
The clearing and the tree stump faded away, and Brambleclaw was back in the ravine, an apprentice of less than seven moons, grudgingly searching the elders’ pelts for ticks. All the apprentices hated this duty, but sometimes it was made bearable by the chance to listen to stories about the old days in ThunderClan, before the apprentices were even born. As Brambleclaw fixed his teeth gingerly around a tick at the base of One-eye’s tail, he could hear the old cat talking to Dappletail about when Bluestar appointed Firestar—then called Fireheart—to be her deputy. The former deputy, Tigerclaw, had been revealed as a traitor who was plotting to kill his Clan leader—and Brambleclaw’s fur had crawled even then to hear his father spoken of in dark, grim tones. Tigerclaw had been chased out of the camp, and Bluestar had appointed Fireheart in his place. But she had been so distressed by Tigerclaw’s treachery that she had delayed the ceremony until long after moonhigh, which was the time limit set down by the warrior code. Several cats in the Clan, even those who liked and respected the flame-colored warrior, had grave doubts about his right to be called deputy, and it had been many moons before Fireheart had proved himself worthy of taking Tigerclaw’s place.
Brambleclaw shook his head, jolting himself back to the copse on the lakeshore. His blood thickened icily in his veins. There had been something wrong with Firestar’s deputy ceremony, just like Onewhisker’s! No wonder the ThunderClan leader wanted to defend Onewhisker when doubts were cast on his right to lead the Clan. If Firestar had ever had any doubts about his own position as deputy, he had kept them to himself; he obviously believed Onewhisker should do the same.
Mudclaw narrowed his eyes at Brambleclaw. “You were there too, were you? AnotherThunderClan cat, what a surprise! What did Firestar offer you if you backed him up? Did he promise to make you deputy of ThunderClan?”
Any temptation to blurt out the truth vanished in an instant, as Brambleclaw struggled with the urge to leap on the WindClan warrior’s back and claw his fur off. Just managing to stay where he was, he glanced up at Firestar and saw cold fury in his leader’s green eyes.
“How dare you doubt my word, or my warrior’s?” Firestar hissed at Mudclaw. “Tallstar’s decision was made in the sight of StarClan.”
“How do you know?” Mudclaw challenged. “Are you a medicine cat all of a sudden?”
“His decision was clear enough.” Firestar spat back.
Mudclaw spun around to face his Clanmates. “Are you going to sit here and accept this?” he demanded. “Do we let ThunderClan choose our leader for us?” Whipping around to glare at Onewhisker again, he added, “How many of our warriors do you think will follow you, you sniveling, crowfood-eating traitor?”
Before Onewhisker had time to reply, Crowfeather padded forward and stood at the edge of the tree stump. His fur was ruffled and his eyes stunned with grief, but when he spoke his voice was calm.
“I will follow Onewhisker. I made the journey to the sun-drown-place with Brambleclaw, and I know he does not lie. If he says that Tallstar made Onewhisker deputy before he went to hunt with StarClan, then I believe him.” Raising his head to meet Onewhisker’s gaze, he meowed, “Onestar, I greet you as the leader of my Clan.”
More voices came from WindClan. “Yes! Onestar! Onestar!” But others sounded uncertain, or openly defiant, and Brambleclaw could see it wasn’t going to be easy for Onewhisker to believe in his right to lead his Clan. He spotted Blackstar and Leopardstar at the edge of the crowd, exchanging a glance of amused satisfaction. They weren’t disappointed to see quarrels in WindClan, that was for sure.
Onewhisker dipped his head toward Crowfeather. “Thank you,” he mewed. “But don’t call me Onestar yet,” he begged. “I haven’t received my name or my nine lives from StarClan.” His ears flattened with embarrassment, and Brambleclaw guessed he was afraid he would never be approved by StarClan because of the way in which he had become WindClan’s deputy
“And you never will!” Mudclaw snarled, as if he could read Onewhisker’s most hidden thoughts. “You are not our leader! Come down here and fight me if you dare. Then we’ll see who’ll make the better leader for WindClan.”
Onewhisker gathered his haunches under him, ready to leap down and meet Mudclaw’s challenge, but Firestar raised his tail to stop him. Brambleclaw braced himself to intercept Mudclaw if he launched himself onto the tree stump.
“Stop!” An outraged cry came from Barkface. “Sheathe your claws, Mudclaw,” he told the WindClan deputy. “Clan leaders have never been chosen by fighting. And do you want to start a fight with Tallstar’s spirit still watching over us? We should be sitting in vigil for him, not bickering over who will take his place. You betray him by behaving like this. He always expected the best from his senior warriors.” He paused, with a long glance at Firestar, and then added, “I believe what the ThunderClan cats tell us. This was Tallstar’s choice, and you must accept it.”
With a visible effort, Mudclaw flattened his neck fur and sheathed his claws. “Very well,” he growled. He looked up at Onewhisker, and the hatred in his eyes was like poison. “You’re brave enough standing there with your ThunderClan friends to back you up. But if you think I’ll serve as your deputy, you’re wrong.”
Onewhisker dipped his head. “Very well,” he meowed. “I’m sorry if that’s your decision.”
Mudclaw’s only reply was to spit. Then he turned away to follow Barkface and some of the other WindClan warriors as they went to bring out Tallstar’s body for the vigil.
“Onewhisker,” Firestar mewed quietly, “you have to appoint another deputy. Now. You can’t lead this Clan alone, and you will need all the support you can get if Mudclaw decides to make things difficult.”
For a moment Brambleclaw wondered if he would choose Crowfeather, who was watching the leaders closely. But Crowfeather had been made a warrior too recently, and besides, he carried the taint of being friendly with ThunderClan, thanks to the journey he had made with Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight. Onewhisker needed an experienced warrior who was trusted by WindClan but not too popular with cats in other Clans; a choice that every cat would approve, perhaps even Mudclaw.
Onewhisker closed his eyes to think. Then he opened them again and looked down at his Clanmates. “I say these words before the spirit of Tallstar, and the spirits of all StarClan, that they may hear and approve my choice.” Brambleclaw found himself letting out a sigh of relief that the correct words were being used this time.
“Ashfoot will be the new deputy of WindClan.”
Brambleclaw wasn’t even sure that he knew who Ashfoot was. Then he saw a gray she-cat standing with a look of utter shock on her broad face. Crowfeather bounded over to her and pressed his muzzle to hers, while the other WindClan cats called out, “Ashfoot! Ashfoot!”
Brambleclaw suddenly remembered that she was Crowfeather’s mother; he had seen her once or twice before at Gatherings, though he hadn’t spoken to her. She was obviously a popular choice among her Clanmates. Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. Onewhisker had made a wise decision, just as he hoped.
Onewhisker leaped down from the stump, and Firestar followed. Ashfoot came forward to touch noses with her leader. “Thank you, Onewhisker,” she meowed. “I’ll do my best. I never imagined[.arrowhorizex]”
“I know,” Onewhisker interrupted, giving her ear a quick lick. “That’s one reason why I chose you. I don’t want a cat who thinks she deserves power. I want a cat who will help me make our Clan strong again when we reach our new home.”
Ashfoot let out a purr. “Then that is what I will do.”
Turning to Firestar, Onewhisker meowed, “Thanks, Firestar. I’m sorry that was so difficult. I never thought Mudclaw would accuse you of lying.”
Firestar shrugged. “I wasn’t surprised. Mudclaw had taken on many leadership duties long before Tallstar died. It must have been a shock for him to learn he wasn’t going to be leader after all. But at least you seem to have most of the Clan behind you now.”
Onewhisker nodded, but a flicker of anxiety crept into his expression. “How will I get my name and my nine lives from StarClan, Firestar? There’s no Moonstone here. Do you think I should take some of my warriors and go back through the mountains to Highstones?”
Firestar twitched his tail. “I think that’s the most mousebrained thing you could do. The journey there and back would take nearly a moon. And Mudclaw wouldn’t be sitting on his paws doing nothing while you were away; that’s for sure.”
He flicked his ears toward the cats who had brought Tallstar’s body into the clearing. Mudclaw was sitting a little way apart from them, staring at Onewhisker with an ominous look in his eyes. Brambleclaw felt his belly twist. The new WindClan leader must be more than mousebrained if he thought the problems with Mudclaw were over.
“You’re right.” Onewhisker sighed. “This isn’t the time to leave the Clan. But we’ll have to find some way of sharing tongues with StarClan, won’t we?”
“There must be another Moonstone close by,” Ashfoot meowed with sturdy common sense. “StarClan wouldn’t have brought us here otherwise. We’ll find it as quickly as we can—and until we do, your Clan’s loyalty will have to be enough to keep you as our leader.”
Onewhisker still looked troubled, and Brambleclaw could understand why. It wasn’t just Mudclaw. Webfoot and Nightcloud clearly weren’t happy with the change of leader either, and there might be others. Onewhisker’s leadership wouldn’t be completely safe until he had his nine lives and his new name. And would StarClan grant them to him, when Tallstar had not followed the age-old ceremony in appointing him deputy?
“We can’t do any more now,” the WindClan cat mewed wearily. “Though dawn is already here, we must sit vigil for Tallstar.”
He led the way across the clearing and crouched beside the unmoving black-and-white shape, pushing his nose into Tallstar’s cold fur. Ashfoot and Crowfeather settled down on each side of him, as if they wanted to shelter him while he grieved for his dead leader. Their grief must be even greater, Brambleclaw knew, because they could not sit vigil for a whole night; soon the Clans would move off to their new homes. His mind whirled, and for a moment he felt as if the entire warrior code were tumbling around him, shattering under the pressure of moving to their new home.
“Onewhisker chose wisely in making Ashfoot his deputy,” Firestar remarked, jolting Brambleclaw back from his troubled thoughts.
Brambleclaw knew he was right, but it felt as if he had a prey bone stuck in his throat, and he couldn’t say anything in reply. What was there to say, when Firestar had refused to make a similar choice for ThunderClan? He swallowed hard, searching for words that would express his respect for Firestar’s friendship with Graystripe, while making it clear that he didn’t believe ThunderClan could survive without a deputy forever.
Firestar turned his green gaze on him and seemed to guess what he was thinking. “We have no proof that Graystripe is dead. And if he isn’t, then one day he’ll return to ThunderClan. How can I appoint another cat in his place?”
“RiverClan appointed Hawkfrost as deputy when Mistyfoot went missing,” Brambleclaw ventured.
Firestar’s eyes narrowed. “That was different. When Mistyfoot disappeared, no cat knew what had happened to her. It seemed impossible that she could still be alive. But now we know that Twolegs trapped the cats that went missing. If they wanted them dead, they would have killed them right away, but they didn’t. Graystripe is being held prisoner somewhere, and sooner or later he’ll escape and come back to us.” His claws scraped against the ground, leaving deep scratches in the dirt. “I won’t give up hope until I’ve seen his body with my own eyes.”
Is it me you’re trying to convince, Brambleclaw wondered bleakly, or yourself?
Without another word, Firestar turned and headed toward the cats who had gathered around Tallstar’s body. Brambleclaw watched him with guilt and frustration churning in his belly. He wanted to be deputy—and what was so dreadful about that?
Remember Tigerstar,a small voice whispered in his ear, and every hair on Brambleclaw’s pelt pricked with horror.
I’m nothing like Tigerstar! I’m a loyal warrior. I’ve worked hard and risked my life for my Clan. No cat could say I didn’t deserve to be deputy.
He saw Squirrelflight slip silently out of the shadows and touch noses with her father. They settled down side by side just outside the circle of grieving WindClan cats, their flame-colored pelts mingling together.
A pang of envy shook Brambleclaw, sharp as a winter wind. He had quarreled with Squirrelflight over Hawkfrost, and his sister, Tawnypelt, belonged to another Clan. He didn’t have any cat to share that uncomplicated affection that Squirrelflight had with Firestar.
How many times do I have to prove myself?he wondered desperately. Hawkfrost didn’t seem to have the same trouble in RiverClan, even though Tigerstar was his father too. Brambleclaw felt a sudden desire to seek him out and talk to him, but with the Clans on the brink of going their separate ways, he knew that the moment was past.
Brambleclaw wanted to be deputy so much that it hurt. Why couldn’t Firestar and Squirrelflight trust him? He shut his eyes, his claws sinking into the ground as a wave of hunger swept blackly over him, turning his blood to ice.
引子
引子
月光洒满山坡，在厚厚的荆棘墙周围投射出浓密的阴影。被灌木丛环绕的山谷四周，满是陡峭的岩石，沿着岩石斜坡向下是一处状如满月的水池。山谷一侧斜坡的中间处，在两块盖满苔藓的岩石之间，一条涓涓细流汩汩地流淌着，落入底部的水池，像舞动的星光一样闪闪发亮。
随着一阵沙沙的抖动，树枝被分开了，一群猫出现在山谷顶部，开始向水边走去。他们的皮毛闪耀着柔和、朦胧的微光，他们的爪印在身后的苔藓上留下灰白色的光亮。
一只玳瑁色的母猫第一个到达水池边。她看了看四周，眼睛里满是兴奋的神情。“没错！”她得意地咕噜着，“就是这个地方！”
“你是对的，斑叶。当初我们选择四只猫，让他们带领族群离开森林，看来，我们选对了。”从山谷的另一边走下来的一位有着蓝灰色皮毛的武士回应道。她从一块突出的岩石上跳了下来，跃过闪着月光的水面，来到玳瑁色母猫的面前。“不过，族群还有更艰巨的任务必须面对。”
斑叶点了一下头表示同意：“是的，蓝星。他们的勇气和信心快要到极限了。不过他们已经走这么远了——他们不会放弃的。”
更多的星光武士来到她们身边，聚集在水池周围，直到整个山谷都满是他们光滑、闪亮的身影。
“我们的旅途也很艰辛。”一只猫抱怨说。
“离开我们长久以来一直活动的地方，还真是有些心痛啊。”另一只猫补充了一句。
“现在，我们必须学习在这片新的天空游走。”斑叶的声音充满了信心。她坐在翻滚的溪流边的一块岩石上，尾巴缠绕在脚爪边。“我们必须引导我们的族群走到这个新的森林大会会场，咱们可以在这儿跟族长和巫医交流。到那时，这儿就真的成为五个族群的新家了。”
一阵赞同的低语声响起，环绕在她四周的猫的眼里闪现出希望的光芒。
“他们可以在湖里抓鱼。”一只猫说道。
“而且山上和水边的猎物很多。”另一只猫也加入了进来，“就算是在枯叶季，所有的族群也都能找到猎物。”
蓝灰色皮毛的武士看上去仍有点担心。“活命可比猎物重要多了。”她说。
一只蕨色公猫挤到了猫群前边。“他们不是幼崽。”他不耐烦地说道，“他们知道如何躲避两脚兽和它们的狗，也知道如何对付狐狸和獾。”
“并不是所有的麻烦都来自两脚兽。”蓝星突然说道，她转过头，怒视着这只公猫的眼睛，“也不是来自狐狸或者獾，橡心，你我都明白这一点。族群的最大麻烦来自他们自己内部。”
两位武士不安地互相看了一眼，最后橡心低头说道：“当然，这是他们永远要面对的问题，也是身为武士的意义所在。”
“来自内部的麻烦最危险。”另一个低沉、沙哑的声音说道。
蓝星转过身，脖子上的毛竖了起来，瞪着站在山谷顶部的新来者。它那么巨大，那么强壮，不可能是只猫，而是像一团黑暗进入了荆棘丛中，蓝星只能分辨出它那巨大、健壮的四肢和那明亮的小眼睛发出的微光。
几次心跳过后，蓝星松了一口气。“朋友，欢迎你。”她说道，“星族应该感谢你。你做得非常好。”
“我也没做什么。”新来者回答道，“是勇气让这些猫完成了他们的使命。”
“族群走了很远的路，经受了很多的痛苦，我们却无能为力。”斑叶表示同意，“甚至当我们在群山中失去了他们的音信时，当他们走上了陌生部族的领地时，他们都没有停下脚步。现在，他们必须学会重新变成四个族群。”她看上去神情很严肃，继续说道，“这会很痛苦，尤其是对那些一起去过日落之地的猫来说更是如此。他们会发现，要想忘掉他们之间的友谊，是一件很困难的事情。”
“他们必须要尽快划定他们的新领地。”橡心用低沉的声音说道，“否则，会有很多麻烦。”
“每一位忠诚的武士都想为族群争取最好的领地。”蓝星说道。
“只要他们是为了自己的族群而奋斗，而不是为了他们自己而争夺，那就没太大关系。”橡心回应道。
“那正是危险所在。”一个忧虑的声音低声说道。这是一只有着光滑的黑色皮毛的公猫，他注视着银色的水面，仿佛能够看到危险像一条大鱼浮出水面。“我看到一只猫，野心勃勃地想得到他不应得的权力……”
“不应得的？”一只长着像钩子一样下巴的精瘦公猫，在水池的另一边跳跃着，肩部的毛因为暴怒而竖立起来，“夜星，你竟然敢说‘不应得’？”
这只黑色公猫向上看去，他的皮毛在月光下泛起涟漪。“好吧，钩星。我的意思是现在还不应得。”他说道，“这只猫需要学会忍耐的美德。权力可不是一只猎物，必须在它逃跑前就要抓住。”
长着像钩子一样下巴的猫重新坐了下来，不过眼神里仍充满愤怒。“你把我们所有的武士都看作像老鼠一样胆小懦弱吗？”他咕哝着。
夜星的眼睛眯成了一条缝，尾巴尖抽动了一下。不过，还没等他出言反击，另一只猫轻轻地走了过来。这是一只拥有浓密的深灰色皮毛的母猫，脸颊很宽，眼睛里闪着凶光。她站在斑叶旁边长满苔藓的水池边沿，凝视着水中。过了一会儿，涟漪从水池中央一圈圈漾开，冲刷着堤岸。
很快，这只深灰色母猫抬起了头。“我看到了即将发生的事情。”她咆哮着，“黑暗时代就要来临。”
一股焦虑不安的骚动出现在猫群中，就像风拂过芦苇，但没有猫敢大声质问她。
“那么，告诉我们，你刚才说的是什么意思，黄牙。”沉默持续了几个心跳的工夫后，蓝星开口问道。
这只深灰色母猫犹豫了一下。“我还不太确定我看到了什么。”最后，她喘着粗气说，“而且，你们也不会喜欢我要说出的事情。”她闭上了眼睛，说话的声音比刚才低沉平静，每只猫不得不凝神去听，“在和平降临之前，鲜血将四处喷涌，湖水将变得一片血红。”
蓝星的身子猛地僵住了，她低下头注视着水面。一块红色污点正在水面扩散，波纹一圈圈向外漾着，最后水面一片猩红，仿佛是映照出的落日光芒。不过，在山谷上方，月亮依旧飘浮在薄薄的流云之中。
猫群中响起一片惊恐的喘息声。斑叶轻轻走上前，身子不住战栗着，绝望地凝视着水中，仿佛在搜寻什么东西，能够质疑黄牙的不祥预言。
“你是不是想找出火星会发生什么事？”蓝星轻轻地问道，“别太操心了，斑叶。每只猫都应该知道，有时我们什么也做不了。”
斑叶抬起头，眼中闪现出一道猛烈而坚定的光芒。“只要能帮上火星，要我做什么都可以。”她发出嘶嘶的声音，“我会竭尽星族的力量来保护他。”
“但是，即使这样，恐怕也无能为力。”蓝星警告她说。
周围的星族武士开始轻轻离开水池，爬上斜坡，滑向荆棘丛后，直到他们皮毛上的光亮慢慢消失。山谷中唯一的光亮只剩下水中月亮的倒影。
阴影中的那个生物待的时间更长一些，一直看着最后一只猫离开。接着，它打了个激灵。只见一束月光照在它强有力的肩膀上。
“午夜，这不是你该来的地方。”它咆哮着自语道，“该做的也都做了。”它停顿一会儿，又说了一句，“也许，我会再一次遇见族群猫。乌云就要来了。”
当它转身钻过荆棘丛时，月光映照出这只母獾头上的宽大白色条纹。很快，午夜就不见了，山谷又变得空空如也。
第一章
第一章
黑莓掌站在山坡顶端，凝视着湖面上映照出的刺眼银光。就像午夜保证的那样，族群终于找到了新家。星族在等待着他们，他们终于安全了，远离了两脚兽的威胁。
四个族群的武士在他周围窃窃私语，不安地看向山脚下这片黑暗、陌生的地方。
“在这么微弱的光线下，根本不可能看清这下边到底是什么样子。”亮心——这位白色带着黄色斑块的雷族武士，来回转动着脑袋，好让她那只好眼能够看到全部的景致。
她的伴侣云尾抽动着尾巴，说道：“还能坏到哪儿去呢？想想我们是怎么走到这里来的吧。靠着四条腿，我们可以战胜一切。”
“那么，两脚兽呢？”影族的副族长黄毛问道。
“这趟旅途已经让我们都很累、很虚弱了。”河族的黑掌接着说，“如果我们还都站在这样开阔的地方，狐狸和獾就可以很容易地追踪到我们。”
一瞬间，黑莓掌不禁一震，一股恐惧袭上心头。接着，他绷紧了肩膀。要是星族不相信族群能在这个新的地方生存下去，就不会把他们带到这里来了。
“我们还愣着做什么？”一个新的声音响起，“难不成我们要在这儿站一整夜吗？”
强忍住笑意，黑莓掌转过身，看到松鼠爪正站在自己身后。这位姜黄色的学徒正用前爪撕扯着坚韧、弹性十足的青草，绿色的眸子里闪烁着期待的光芒。
“黑莓掌，快看！”她欣喜地叫着，“我们成功了！我们找到了新家！”
她弓起后腿，正准备冲去山坡，火星从猫群中钻出来，挡在了她的面前。
“等等。”雷族族长慈爱地用尾巴尖轻触了一下她的肩膀，“我们一起走，要保持警惕。这儿可能是星族希望我们发现的地方，不过它们可不希望我们把智慧留在了森林里。”
松鼠爪尊敬地点点头，后退了一步。不过，她瞥向黑莓掌的眼神里，仍旧充满了兴奋。对于松鼠爪来说，旅途的结束可不是什么可怕的事。
火星走到影族族长黑星和河族族长豹星的身边。“我建议咱们先派出一支巡逻队打前站。”他说道，“两只猫就行，看看那里到底是什么样子。”
“好主意——但是我们也不能光站在这儿等他们回来。”豹星提出了异议，“这样暴露，实在太危险。”
黑星咕噜着表示同意：“如果这时来了一只狐狸，可以毫不费劲地叼走虚弱的猫。”
“但是我们需要休息。”风族的泥掌加入了讨论。他的族长高星正躺在不远处的地上，巫医青面则蜷伏在他身旁照料着。“高星不能再走了。”
“那咱们立刻派出巡逻队吧。其余的猫可以慢慢前进，如果能找到有遮蔽的地方，就歇歇脚。泥掌，你说得也有道理。”风族的副族长正要开口争论，火星又接着说，“我知道我们大家都很累了，但如果我们不是待在像这样开阔的山坡上的话，我们就能睡得更安稳些。”
黑星把黄毛叫到跟前，同时，豹星也用尾巴把她的副族长雾脚召唤了过来。
“我要你们走到湖边尽可能远的地方，然后直接回来。”豹星命令道，“尽你们所能发现更多的东西。记得快去快回，不要暴露行踪。”
两只猫轻轻弹动了一下耳朵，接着便转身飞奔而去。她们压低身子，腹部紧贴地面；几个心跳过后，她们就消失在黑暗中。
火星看着她们离开，然后发出一声号叫，招呼其余的猫都聚拢过来。泥掌回到高星身边，轻轻推着年迈的族长，让他站起来。族群猫都聚集在雷族、河族和影族族长身后，开始跟着他们顺着山坡向湖边走去。
“你怎么了？”松鼠爪注意到黑莓掌没有动，就问道，“你怎么像一只冻僵的兔子似的站着？”
“我想……”黑莓掌环顾四周，看到了跟他有一段距离的妹妹褐皮。他冲她点点头，示意褐皮过来。“我想要咱们所有猫一起走。”当这只玳瑁色母猫来到身边时，他解释道，“所有参加过第一次旅行的猫。”
几个月前离开森林寻找新家的六只猫，现在只剩下了四只。在那趟旅途中，他们得到了和安全的家园一样珍贵的东西——那就是他们之间结下的深厚友谊，这种友谊比岩石还要坚固，比不断冲刷着午夜居住的那个悬崖的汹涌波涛还要深。
现在，黑莓掌希望在大家对各自的族群尽责，不得不分开之前，能跟朋友们再旅行一次。
褐皮发出赞同的咕噜声。看着她绿色的眼眸，黑莓掌就知道，她也明白，他们很快就又要成为对手了；下一次再见面时，没准就是在战场上了。分别的痛苦越来越强烈，黑莓掌用口鼻抵着妹妹的口鼻，感受着她喷在自己胡须上的温暖气息。
“鸦羽在哪儿？”她问道。
黑莓掌抬起头，看到年轻的风族武士就在几个尾巴远的地方，不安地走在高星的旁边。风族族长看起来已经筋疲力尽，几乎无法向前挪动脚爪，他的长尾巴拖在地上，重重地斜靠在棕色虎斑武士一根须的身上。风族的巫医青面则紧随其后，脸上满是担忧。
“嗨，鸦羽！”松鼠爪冲他喊道。
风族猫跳了过来，问道：“你喊我想干什么？”
黑莓掌装作没注意他冷淡的语气。尽管鸦羽的话一向很尖锐，简直能把猫的耳朵切下来，但是如果他的朋友遇到了危险，他绝对会挺身而出，直到剩下最后一口气。
“跟我们一起走到湖边吧！”黑莓掌说道，“我希望我们能像一起开始旅程那样，一起结束旅程。”
鸦羽低垂着脑袋。“这没什么意义。”他低声说道，“我们再也不会在一起了。暴毛现在生活在大山里，而羽尾也死了。”
黑莓掌把尾巴轻轻地放在年轻武士的肩上，跟他一样悲伤。美丽的河族猫为了拯救鸦羽和部落猫，把他们从可怕的尖牙兽的爪下救出来，献出了自己的生命。后来，羽尾的哥哥暴毛留在了急水部落，因为他爱上了急水部落的狩猎者溪儿。尽管黑莓掌也非常想念暴毛，但他知道，跟羽尾的死给鸦羽带来的痛苦相比，这根本算不了什么。
“羽尾现在就跟我们在一起呢。”松鼠爪走过来，眼神坚定地说道，“如果你不知道这一点，鸦羽，你就比我想的还要鼠脑子了。而且，我相信我们还会再见到暴毛。这儿可比我们以前居住的森林离大山要近得多。”
鸦羽长长地叹了一口气。“好吧。”他说道，“我们走吧。”
大多数的猫已经超过了他们，小心翼翼地踏进这陌生的地方。大家彼此紧紧挨在一起，就像到达这儿之前漫长、危险的旅途中做过的那样。前边不远的地方，黑莓掌看到了河族巫医蛾翅，她正走在由四个族群的学徒组成的队伍旁边。穿过一段漫长的金雀花丛，出现了一个长满青草的山谷。影族猫后高罂，正在想法子引导幼崽们走下陡峭的山坡。雷族的云尾和亮心急忙奔过去帮忙，每只猫用嘴叼起一只幼崽。在山坡下方更远处，深灰色的影族公猫杉心，在荆棘丛的边上不住走动着，目光来回逡巡，时刻警惕着狐狸和獾的身影。
要是他不认识这些猫的话，黑莓掌不可能分辨出他们来自哪个族群；他们在行进中互相扶持、互相帮助。他不知道，再过多久他们就会再次分开，也不知道众猫各奔东西时，该会有多么痛苦啊！
松鼠爪不耐烦的尖叫声打断了黑莓掌的思绪。“快点，黑莓掌。不然我们留下你独自给你自己筑巢穴吧！”他朝山坡下面走去，但还是不时停下来，呼吸一下夜色中的空气。猫的气味最为浓烈，但除此之外，他也嗅到了老鼠、田鼠和兔子的气味。他已经不记得上次吃东西是什么时候了。族长们应该很快就会允许他们狩猎了吧？
他正在想象猎物的美味时，被褐皮发出的嘶嘶声吓了一跳。褐皮就在他前边几尾长的地方。“看那里！”影族武士用尾巴一指，说道。
黑莓掌看到，两脚兽栅栏的细密网眼闪着光亮，就像灰白色曙光中的蜘蛛网。他的耳朵一下子竖了起来。另外两三只猫也停了下来，担忧地看着眼前的一幕。
“我就知道，我们迟早会碰到两脚兽！”松鼠爪一边叫着，一边憎恶地抽动着尾巴。
黑莓掌再次嗅了嗅空气。他闻出了两脚兽的气味，但气味不仅微弱，而且非常陈旧。空气中还有另外一种不那么熟悉的气味，他想了好一阵子，才想起来是什么气味。
“是马的气味。”鸦羽证实了他的猜测，“那边有一匹马。”鸦羽说着用尾巴指了指。
黑莓掌这才注意到，在栅栏里的树丛下，站着一个巨大、黑暗的身影。他觉得那匹马的旁边还有一匹，但在树枝投下的阴影中很难辨认出来。
“马是什么？”白爪往栅栏里瞅着，担心地问。
“没什么可担心的。”风族的裂耳用尾巴尖碰了碰她的肩膀，安慰道，“它们过去经常会从我们的领地跑过，背上还坐着两脚兽。”
白爪眨着眼，似乎不大相信他的话。
“我们去日落之地的旅途中也看到过一些马。”黑莓掌补充说道，“当我们穿过它们的领地时，它们根本就没有理会我们。我们应该当心的是照顾它们的两脚兽。”
“我一个两脚兽的巢穴都没看到。”褐皮说道，“可能这些马什么的，是自己照顾自己的吧。”
“希望如此。”黑莓掌说道，“如果只是马的话，那不会给我们带来任何麻烦。”
“只要我们离它们笨拙的脚掌远一点就行。”松鼠爪又补充了一句。
众猫沿着两脚兽的栅栏往前走，一直来到其他猫们聚集的树丛下。黑莓掌环顾四周，看到了雷族的巫医炭毛，还有她的学徒叶爪，也就是松鼠爪的姐姐。
“发生什么事了？”松鼠爪问道，“大家为什么停了下来？”
“族长们派出的巡逻队回来了。”炭毛解释道。
顺着她的目光，黑莓掌看到，四个族群的族长和风族的副族长泥掌紧挨着站在一个树桩旁边，派去巡逻的雾脚和黄毛站在他们对面，其他猫都坐在树桩周围短短的、弹性十足的草地上。因为终于能停下来休息了，众猫脸上都流露出高兴的神情。
黑莓掌甩开其他猫，穿过猫群，走近到能听到族长们说话的地方。
雾脚刚开始汇报她们的发现：“湖边的土地非常泥泞。天亮之前最好不要再往前走了。我们不想在泥地中失去任何一只猫。”
“对影族来说，在潮湿的土地上活动简直是小菜一碟。”在其他族长发表意见之前，黑星提醒她，“但我们会和你们其余的猫待在一起，如果你们希望这样的话。”他的语调中带着一种优越感，仿佛影族不去独自探索前进，是给了其他族群很大的恩惠似的。
黑莓掌的眼睛眯缝了起来。族群现在就开始划分领地，你争我夺，似乎也太早点了吧。他已经逐渐习惯了四个族群在一起的生活，忘记了长久以来形成的族群间的差异。他也非常担心，一些猫比其他的猫更虚弱、更疲惫，万一族群间发生了冲突，造成的伤害可能会比以往都要大。
他希望族长们能决定今晚在此歇脚。小山离他们依然很近，能够挡住寒风，树木也提供了更多的遮蔽。这时，一阵强烈的猎物气味从阴影中飘了过来，他的爪子恨不得马上就去狩猎。
“我想我们应该待在这儿。”火星的话使黑莓掌松了一口气，“我们都需要休息，而且湖边似乎不是一个能睡安稳觉的好地方。”
豹星表示同意。还没等火星说完，高星身子一侧，就瘫倒了下来。他不住地喘着粗气，就仿佛再也无法往前挪动一步。
泥掌迈开大步走到他的身边，用鼻子闻了一下，在高星耳边说了一两句话。
“高星看上去已经筋疲力尽了。”黑莓掌向鸦羽低声说道，“这是他的最后一条命了，是不是？”
鸦羽点点头，一脸凝重。“只要我们在这里，他会好起来的。”他说道。不过，黑莓掌怀疑，他像其他风族猫一样，也对自己的话不太确定。
黑星跳上树桩顶端。这只强壮的白色公猫站在那里，尾巴高高举起，巨大的黑色脚掌稳稳地抓在木头上。他发出了一声威严的吼叫，所有的猫都朝他转过脸来，静静倾听。
“所有族群的猫们！”当最后面的猫都到达后，他喊道，“我们已经到达星族暗示我们的地方，但是我们都又累又饿。我们将在这儿宿营，直到休息好为止。”
“谁请他代表族长讲话了？”松鼠爪小声咕哝着，她的绿眼睛里闪着愤怒的光。黑莓掌发现几位影族武士能听得见他们说话，赶紧用尾巴轻轻弹过她的嘴，示意她不要说话。
“那什么时候狩猎啊？”从后边传出一只猫的声音。
“我们会等到日出时再狩猎。”黑星回答道，“那时，猎物就会跑出来，所有猫都会有足够的猎物。”
“同时我们应该保持警戒。”火星补充说道，他也跳上了树桩，站在了黑星的旁边，黑星不得不后退了一步。“副族长们要找两三位还能保持清醒的武士。我们可不希望狐狸在我们睡着的时候偷袭我们。”火星继续说道。
泥掌表示同意——自从高星虚弱不堪时起，就一直由他代表风族说话。河族族长豹星接着也表态赞同。碰头会结束了，群猫开始找地方睡觉。青面轻轻推着高星站起来，帮助他挪到一片长草丛处。虚弱的风族族长重新躺下，浑身不住地颤抖着。一根须坐在他身边，开始轻柔地舔舐他的皮毛。
“我猜他们需要我。”鸦羽说完，大步跑到了风族猫中。
褐皮跟哥哥碰了碰鼻子。“我最好先去跟黄毛报到一下。”她说道，“待会儿见，黑莓掌。”说着，她朝着自己的族群猫飞奔而去。影族猫这时都聚集在影族副族长的周围。
黑莓掌不知道该不该自告奋勇承担警戒任务。尽管他成为武士还不到四个季节，但是雷族需要每只猫都来帮助喂养和保护他们的族猫，尤其在离开森林前失去副族长以后，更是如此。一想起灰条被两脚兽诱捕并装进怪物里带走的情景，黑莓掌就不由得身子一颤。他朝火星看了一眼，他的族长正在向栗尾和蕨毛下命令。他推测，火星不会马上给他分派任务，于是环顾四周，看看是否有其他雷族猫需要帮忙。
尘毛和他的伴侣香薇云、他们的孩子小白桦一起站在树下的阴影里。由于森林里缺少猎物，小白桦成了他们最近产下的一窝幼崽中，唯一幸存下来的一只。这时，长尾摔倒在草丛中，香薇云连忙跑过去，俯在长尾身上，不安地用鼻子嗅着他。长尾比尘毛年长不了多少，但自从他的视力严重减退后，就被迫加入了长老的行列。从森林出发的旅途，对他来说尤其艰难。黑莓掌的母亲金花，此时紧挨着长尾的另一侧躺着。金花是雷族最年长的猫后，她看上去太虚弱了，除了用她温暖的皮毛紧紧抵着长尾外，什么也做不了。看到这里，黑莓掌心里不禁隐隐作痛。
尘毛轻推了一下那只虎斑公猫苍白的肩膀。“振作点，长尾。”他说道，“我们离新家很近了。”
松鼠爪跳过来帮忙时，黑莓掌发现，在离树丛几尾远的地方，有一处非常适合栖息的地方。那儿草长得非常茂密，还有几簇长着低矮树枝的灌木。
“在那儿修筑个巢穴怎么样？”黑莓掌尾巴一指，建议道。
“好主意。”尘毛说着又嗅了嗅长尾，“没关系，长尾。我们把你挪到一个更隐蔽的地方，到时，你想睡到什么时候就睡到什么时候。”
长尾硬撑着站了起来。松鼠爪走在旁边，用尾巴缠绕在他脖子上引导着长尾往前走。黑莓掌让金花倚着他的肩膀，香薇云则鼓励小白桦跟着。
“这里最好是我们要找的地方。”尘毛环顾着筋疲力尽的猫群，感慨道，“我们都没有气力走更远的路了。”
黑莓掌没有回答。他知道尘毛是对的，但是他无法确切地告诉尘毛，这里就是星族想让他们找到的那个地方。他看到其他猫在树枝间悄悄地移动，然后躺进灌木丛下的干树叶堆里。看到叶爪嘴里叼满铺窝用的苔藓走过来，他一下子回想起这位巫医学徒坚信，在整个旅途中，武士祖灵会始终伴随他们。他希望自己也能跟她一样。自始至终，他一直坚信，当他们到达新的领地时，他们的麻烦就会结束。不过现在，周围陌生的一切让他不禁有些畏惧，他明白，磨难才刚刚开始。
松鼠爪的声音打断了他的思绪：“尘毛，你需要我们为你捉些猎物吗？”
她的老师用尾巴轻轻弹了一下她的耳朵，说道：“不用了，我们晚些时候都会去狩猎的。看看你吧，都困得快要趴在脚爪上睡着了。快去跟黑莓掌一起休息一会儿吧。”
“好的。”松鼠爪张开嘴，打了个大大的哈欠。
“那片金雀花丛下怎么样？”黑莓掌领着松鼠爪朝他刚才发现的那个地方走去。那里距离山坡有几尾远，黑莓掌爬到了最低的粗树枝下面。
松鼠爪也跟着钻了进去，把身体紧紧蜷成一个球，用尾巴盖着鼻子。“晚安。”她迷迷糊糊地说了一声。
黑莓掌在金雀花丛下面的枯枝败叶中不停扒拉着，最后做成了一个舒适的窝。他蜷缩在松鼠爪身边，闻到了松鼠爪身上温暖、熟悉的气息。他很高兴还没有建造好营地，因为在营地中，武士和学徒会有独立的巢穴。他知道，自己以后一定会十分怀念挨着松鼠爪睡觉的夜晚，这是他头脑中最后闪过的想法，但接着，睡意就像轻柔的黑色波浪一样淹没了他。
黑莓掌的梦境是黑暗而混乱的。他正在茂密的森林中找寻什么东西，但是他记不起来要找什么了，而且他走的每条路都会突然中断，被乱糟糟的石楠或者荆棘墙挡住而无法通过。绝望中，他试图强行冲过去，但身边的树枝狠狠地戳进了他的身子。
“醒醒，黑莓掌！你不能一直睡觉啊——你以为你是什么，一只刺猬吗？”
黑莓掌的眼睛一下子睁开了，看到松鼠爪正用前爪捅他。如水波般的微黄的日光从金雀花枝条中透了过来。
“已经是早上了。”松鼠爪继续说道，“咱们去看看能不能狩猎吧。也就是说，你的冬眠该结束了。”
黑莓掌猛眨几下眼睛，赶走睡意，摇晃着站起身，摇落皮毛上粘着的枯叶碎屑，跟着松鼠爪走到开阔的地方。
当想起自己在哪儿时，他混乱的梦境悄悄溜走了。但是当他第一次在白天看到眼前的景象时，忧虑重新爬上了心头。他不知道，这个辽阔、陌生的地方是不是真的是族群的新家园。
一阵冷风吹皱了湖面，岸边的芦苇唰唰作响。闪闪发亮的灰白色水面在黑莓掌眼前不断延伸，越来越远，直到看不见为止。另一边的小山上，天空中一道绚丽夺目的朝霞预示着太阳很快就要升起。身后他们来的路上，地面缓缓向上抬升，跟光秃秃的荒野连在一起。两脚兽的栅栏顺着道路延伸着，在越来越亮的光线里，黑莓掌能够辨认出远处有几个两脚兽的巢穴。他不禁轻轻舒了口气：这么小的巢穴应该住不下很多两脚兽，而且离得这么远，它们不可能干扰到族群。
湖边更远的地方，山脚下是一片看上去像灰绿色轻雾的斑点。黑莓掌认出来，那是稠密的光秃秃的枝条，沿着湖滨一直延伸到山脊顶部。他心里开始想，不管这儿多么陌生，毕竟他很快又能够生活在树底下了。
在远处湖的对岸，树木形成的灰色斑点变暗，黑莓掌猜测那儿是松树，它们在枯叶季里依然保持青绿。当风吹过，它们就像起伏的皮毛一样保护着地面。
太阳渐渐升起，地平线上的霞光越来越亮；最后一颗星星慢慢消失，天空一片清澈、湛蓝。
“该去狩猎了。”黑莓掌对身旁的松鼠爪说道。
他环视四周，寻找着火星或者年长的武士，看看是不是正在派出巡逻队。他的族长出现在附近的金雀花丛处，跟豹星、黑星和泥掌在一起。黑莓掌猜测，族长们一定正在开会。看到泥掌代表风族站在高星的位置，黑莓掌不由心头一震，感到一阵恐惧。
“不知道高星是不是在夜里加入了星族行列。”他喃喃低语着，一想到这儿，他的肚子就一阵绞痛。
松鼠爪摇摇脑袋。“我觉得不会。”她说道，“否则的话，他们会把高星的身体抬出来，好让他的族猫们悼念。”
黑莓掌希望松鼠爪是对的。他正要说点别的什么，就看到火星跳上昨天族长们向族群发表讲话的树桩。黑星也跳了上去，站在他的旁边，泥掌爬上另一边。树桩顶部的地方太小了，只够站三只猫，所以豹星就没跟他们站在一起，而是坐在了底下的一段弯曲的树根上。
“看来，我们需要一个新的地方举行森林大会。”松鼠爪说道。
火星召集族群的号叫声打断了她。长草和蕨叶被分开了，灌木丛的枝条摇动着，众猫从他们睡觉的地方走了出来。他们一只只看起来全都弱不禁风，身疲力竭。对于隐藏在这个地方的怀有敌意的生物来说，他们都是很容易就能捕获的猎物。众猫紧张地环视着四周，仿佛到处都有饥饿的眼睛在灼烧他们的皮毛。
黑莓掌跳下山坡朝树桩跑去，松鼠爪紧随其后。跑到半路的时候，他看到高星黑白相间的身子蜷缩在昨天夜里睡觉的草丛里。风族巫医青面正坐在他旁边，忧虑地嗅着他的皮毛。两只猫丝毫没有跟其他猫一样聚集到树桩周围的意思。很显然，高星的身体还没有恢复到可以参加会议的程度。
“所有族猫们，”当黑莓掌来到雷族群猫中间时，火星开始发表讲话，“今天，我们要做出一些决定，执行一些任务……”
“狩猎巡逻队必须立即出发。”泥掌打断了火星，把他挤到一边，“风族会去山上狩猎，河族可以在湖里捉鱼。至于雷族嘛……”
他的族猫一根须跳了起来，发出愤怒的嘶嘶声。“泥掌，你在干什么，你有什么资格这样发号施令？”他咆哮着，“在我眼里，高星现在依旧是风族的族长。”
“他当不了太长时间了。”
听到副族长冷酷的声音，黑莓掌吃惊地眨了下眼睛。他希望高星没有听到这话。他仰起脖子，看到那只年老的风族猫仍旧在长满草的巢穴里睡觉，青面仍陪在旁边，这才如释重负。
“总得有猫来主持风族事务吧。”泥掌继续说道，“难道你想让其他族群划分领地时把风族排除在外吗？”
“就好像我们会这么做似的！”松鼠爪愤慨地说道。
一根须怒视着泥掌，他的毛发竖立着，眼里冒出怒火。“你放尊重点！”他厉声说道，“当你还是在育婴室里喵喵叫的幼崽时，高星就已经是我们的族长了。”
“我现在早已不是幼崽了，”泥掌立刻反驳道，“我是副族长。而且自从我们离开森林以后，高星就已经不能领导我们了。”
“够了！”火星摇了摇尾巴，示意风族副族长闭嘴，“一根须，我知道你担心高星，但泥掌只是在履行他的职责。”
“但他也不需要表现得好像他已经当上了族长似的。”一根须怒吼道。他锐利的目光左右扫了一下后才坐了下来，仿佛要是哪一只猫胆敢发表不同意见，他绝不会坐视不管。
“一根须说得也有道理。”火星接着对泥掌说，“副族长很难真正取代族长的位置——族群的其他猫也一样。”
刚才火星看上去似乎支持他时，泥掌傲慢地昂起了头，但现在，火星的话让他怒不可遏。他张着嘴正要说话，黑星抢先开口了：“如果风族领导权存在问题，就让他们私下里讨论吧。我们不要浪费时间了。”
泥掌发出恼怒的嘶嘶声，猛地转过身去。黑莓掌立刻缩起爪子，一旦风族副族长再引起什么麻烦，他随时准备跃出。泥掌是四个族群中最好斗的猫，而且他一直都不喜欢火星和雷族。黑莓掌能够预见到，一旦泥掌成为风族族长，会给族群猫带来多少麻烦，尤其是在现在新的族群领地还没有建立起来的时候。
火星的声音打断了他不安的思绪：“我想借着命名一位新武士的机会，拉开雷族在这儿生活的序幕。松鼠爪，你在哪儿？”
“什么？我吗？”松鼠爪吃惊地像幼崽一样吱吱地叫了起来。她跳起来，耳朵支棱着，尾巴直直地竖着。
“正是你。”黑莓掌看到火星向他女儿示意时眼睛里闪着笑意，“因为你参加了前往日落之地的旅程，还帮助带领族群来到新的家园，雷族对你感激不尽。尘毛和我都同意，如果说有一个学徒应该得到武士的名号，那一定非你莫属。”
黑莓掌伸展四肢，用口鼻轻柔地碰了一下松鼠爪的耳朵尖。“去吧。”他说道，“火星说得对。在你为族群做了这所有的事情之后，你理所应当成为一名武士。”
松鼠爪冲他眨了眨眼睛，惊愕得说不出话来。接着，她转过身，朝树桩冲去。火星正在那儿等着她。她还没到火星跟前，她的母亲沙风站了出来。松鼠爪停在她的面前。沙风眼里发出自豪的亮光，她迅速地舔了几下女儿，为她理顺毛发。黑莓掌看到叶爪也过来抵了抵她的口鼻。
接着，松鼠爪的老师尘毛走了过来，领着她走完剩下的路，来到树桩跟前，站在她旁边等着火星开口说话。
火星跳下树桩，对松鼠爪鼓励地眨了下眼睛，然后抬起头，向着群猫郑重宣布：“这是在我们新的家园，第一次有猫说这些话。我，火星，雷族族长，呼唤我的武士祖灵们俯视这位学徒。她努力训练，已经完全领会了你们高贵的武士守则。我要在你们面前，授予她武士的光荣称号。”
他的眼中燃烧着炽热的光芒。黑莓掌明白这个时刻对火星有着多么重大的意义。这一刻，不仅对雷族，对所有从遥远的家园跋涉到这儿的族群，都有着重大的意义。召唤星族，命名一位新武士，等于宣告这个陌生的地方成为他们自己的家园。旅途中，有许多许多次，众猫害怕他们背弃了自己的武士祖灵。但是现在，火星充满信心地召唤它们，仿佛闪闪发亮的武士祖灵正在头顶闪耀。黑莓掌感觉自己的皮毛因为愧疚而阵阵刺痛，他希望自己也能这么确信，星族同他们一起踏上了旅程。他仍旧不断让自己相信，这个地方就是他们寻找的族群的安全家园，可能他的族长感到自信是对的。他摇摇脑袋，逼着自己把烦心事都抛在脑后，专心倾听武士命名仪式。
“松鼠爪。”雷族族长还在说话，“你愿意遵守武士守则，保卫你的族群，即使失去生命也在所不惜吗？”
松鼠爪的回答响亮而清晰：“我愿意！”
“那么，我以星族的力量，赐予你武士的名号。松鼠爪，从现在开始，你将被称为松鼠飞。星族以你的勇气和果敢为荣，我们欢迎你成为一名真正的雷族武士。”
说着，火星把口鼻放在松鼠飞头上。松鼠飞恭敬地舔了舔他的肩膀。在武士命名仪式中提到果敢这种美德是非比寻常的；在松鼠飞身上，这种果敢经常表现为倔强，而且她不止一次因为倔强惹上了麻烦。黑莓掌不知道，这对父女是否还记得，因为松鼠飞的我行我素，让她跟族长和武士守则之间产生了多少次冲突。接着，黑莓掌又想到，在他们的旅途中，有许多时候，是松鼠飞的果敢和渴望成功的决心，鼓舞了所有同伴。当想起松鼠飞总是勇气十足，从不认为他们的旅程不能到达终点的精神时，黑莓掌感到一股自豪像潮水一般淹没了自己。
松鼠飞一从火星身边离开，叶爪就冲她扑了过来，兴奋地喊着她的新名字：“松鼠飞！松鼠飞！”
周围的猫们也呼喊着她的新名字。松鼠飞环顾四周，绿色的眼睛里闪烁着骄傲的光芒。对于她被命名为武士，四个族群似乎都很高兴——四个族群已经多次见证了她像武士一样的表现。黑莓掌挤到她身边时，看到褐皮和鸦羽也向她走过来。这些一起踏上通往午夜洞穴旅途的猫，跟松鼠飞之间一直有着一种特殊的情谊。
“祝贺你！”褐皮说话的同时，鸦羽也冲松鼠飞点点头，尾巴尖在她的肩膀上靠了一会儿。
黑莓掌用口鼻抵住她的口鼻。“干得好，松鼠飞！”他轻声说道。“听着！”他半开玩笑地补充道，“你仍然得尊重资深武士！”
松鼠飞眼里流露出顽皮的笑意：“现在你可不能再命令我了——我不再是学徒了！”
“我看不出会有多大不同。”尘毛无意中听到她的话，插嘴说道，“你一直把别的猫的话当耳旁风。”
松鼠飞放声大笑，充满深情地撞了一下她以前老师的肩膀。“我肯定也听进去过一些的。”她说着眨了一下眼睛又补充了一句，“说真的，尘毛，非常感谢你为我所做的一切。”
黑星走上前，用尾巴示意大家安静，欢迎的声音这才逐渐平息了下来。“这是让我们大家都感动的时刻。但是现在，我们必须弄清楚这个新地方的情况，这样我们才能开始在这儿建立新的领地。我们打算派出一支巡逻队，每个族群一只猫，去探索湖岸及周围的土地。”
黑莓掌的耳朵一下子竖了起来。他感觉旁边的松鼠飞也很紧张，皮毛轻拂着自己的皮毛。他注意到褐皮的眼神，发现她眼中也有一道期待的光芒。
“我们决定派一起踏上第一次旅程的三只猫去。”火星接着说，“雷族的黑莓掌，风族的鸦羽和影族的褐皮。”一股兴奋之情从黑莓掌的耳朵传到了尾巴尖。挑选参加第一次旅程的猫作为代表，的确是个很不错的主意。火星说出每一只猫的名字时，黑星撇了撇嘴，但也没多说什么。
“哼！”褐皮嘀咕了一声，“这还是他第一次让我代表影族呢。”
黑莓掌用尾巴扫了扫褐皮的肩膀，安慰她。黑莓掌知道，不管褐皮如何努力证明自己对影族的忠心，黑星都不可能忘记褐皮出生在雷族这个事实。
“雾脚会代表河族。”豹星在这次会议中第一次开口说话，这让黑莓掌痛苦地想起，跟他们一起旅行的两只河族猫，都已经不在族群里了。想起羽尾和暴毛，黑莓掌感觉自己的心被撕裂了。
“那我呢？”松鼠飞抗议道，“我也参加了那次旅程。为什么我不能去巡逻？”
“因为那样的话，就会有两只雷族猫了。”黑星不客气地回答道。但黑莓掌知道，如果影族族长认为这样就能让松鼠飞闭嘴的话，那他就大错特错了。
“只有四只猫组成的巡逻队，要探索这么一大片未知的领地，那怎么可能啊！”松鼠飞反驳道。
黑星张开口正想表示反对，火星却先说话了。“她说得对。”火星说道，“我认为我们应该让她去。这可以作为她的第一个武士任务。因为我们现在还没有合适的营地，今晚她也就无法像以前新晋武士那样守夜了。”
黑星看了一下豹星。豹星却只是抽动着尾巴，什么也没说，而泥掌则低下了头。“风族没有意见。”泥掌说道。
“很好！”黑星咆哮道，“但雷族可别妄想因此就能多得领地。”
黑莓掌与鸦羽交换了一个愤怒的眼神。他们不敢相信，新的领地都还没有划分，黑星竟然会产生别的族群正试图窃取他们领地的想法。
“当然不会。”火星平和地回答道，“松鼠飞，你可以加入巡逻队。”
松鼠飞高兴得尾巴蜷曲了起来。
“你们围着湖转一圈，要尽可能把周围的土地都探索到。”火星指示道，“我们需要知道这是一个什么样的地方，哪儿最适合狩猎。你们要考虑每个族群需要的不同狩猎环境，这样，我们以后设定族群边界时也就有了参考。要是你们在探索的过程中，有了领地该如何划分、哪儿适合建造营地的想法，那就更好了。另外，你们还要密切关注两脚兽，或者别的什么可能给我们带来危险的东西。”
“说完了吗？”鸦羽小声嘀咕着。
“我估摸着你们围着湖转一圈需要两天。”火星继续说道。他抬起头，眯着眼凝视着湖水，试着推算出距离。“不要在探索时花太多的时间。我们待在这个暴露的地方很危险，所以，我们需要让所有族群尽快安顿下来。”
“我们会尽力而为的，火星。”一个新的声音大喊道。黑莓掌一回头，看到河族副族长雾脚走了过来。
“嗨，你好。”黑莓掌说了一声，往旁边挪了挪，给雾脚腾出地方。看到参加过第一次旅程的几只猫关系如此亲密，对于加入他们中间来，雾脚似乎有些紧张。
“祝你们好运！”豹星喊道。火星在一旁也补充了一句：“愿星族一直伴随你们左右。”
现在，太阳已经升到山顶上空。黑莓掌已经恨不得马上就出发了，他冲着火星和其他族长低了下脑袋，然后抬起尾巴示意其他猫跟上。他从眼角的余光看到褐皮皱了一下眉头，听到鸦羽发出嘶嘶的声音，这才意识到，雾脚是她的族群的副族长，应该由她掌管巡逻队。黑莓掌尴尬得皮毛一阵刺痛。他赶紧停下来，后退了一步。雾脚意味深长地冷冷地看了他一眼，然后又冲他微微点了点头，就走到了前头。
“真是鼠脑子！”松鼠飞小声说道。
他们朝着湖边前进。他们身后，黑星的声音在风中飘散开来，他开始安排狩猎巡逻队的事。
“松鼠飞！等等！”黑莓掌回过头，看到叶爪跳着追上了她的妹妹，“你可一定要当心一点，听到了没？”她恳求道。
松鼠飞跟年轻的巫医学徒碰了碰鼻子。“别担心我们。”她说道，“我们能照顾好自己的。”
“但是，刚刚经历了这么长的旅途，你跟我们一样累啊。”叶爪提醒道，“你们马上就去狩猎，另外，不要离开湖边太远，否则你们可能会迷路的。”
松鼠飞的尾巴轻轻扫过叶爪的嘴，不让她继续说下去。“我们会很好的。”她坚持说道。说着，她抬起头，用鼻子指着下面闪光的湖水，说道：“看，你能清楚地看到我们去哪儿了。我们很快就回来。”她停了一会儿，然后又悄悄地问了一句：“是不是你得到了什么星族的预兆？是不是因为那样，你才担心的？”
叶爪摇着脑袋说道：“不，不是那样，我保证。我只是不想再次让你离开。这种感觉跟你第一次离开时太像了，就是你们去日落之地的那次。”
黑莓掌走过来，用口鼻碰了碰叶爪的肩膀安慰她：“我们不是已经安全回家了吗？相信我，叶爪，我会好好照顾她的。”
松鼠飞装作愤怒的样子猛地跳开。“我才不需要你照顾呢！我来照顾你那又老又破的皮毛还差不多！”
叶爪发出一阵咕噜咕噜的笑声，他们的心情一下子放松了下来。“好了。总之，你们都要照顾好自己。如果有机会的话，你们要是能帮着找到什么草药，那就太好了。咱们储存的草药快用完了。”
松鼠飞舔了一下她的耳朵，说道：“没问题。我会留意的——只要我没忙着寻找狐狸、獾、两脚兽、雷鬼路……”
“喂，我们到底还走不走了？”鸦羽咆哮道，“白天已经所剩不多了，在日落前，我们至少要沿着湖边走一半的路。”
叶爪没理他。“愿星族伴随你们。”她对松鼠飞低声说了一句，然后转过身，蹦跳着向山坡跑去。
黑莓掌一边嗅着空气的味道，一边倾听着湖岸边波浪拍打的声音。太阳越升越高，灰白色的湖水变成了彩色，一直延伸到远方湖岸边的树丛。那里的树丛看上去就像绿色的模糊斑块。水浪翻滚着，不停地吞噬着他们面前的沼泽地。湖水的沉静，以及像迷雾一样笼罩着的寂静，告诉黑莓掌，这里的湖水可比森林里的河水，甚至泛滥时候的河水，都要深得多。他迅速瞥了一眼雾脚。她看起来也被吓住了，虽然她像所有河族猫一样都是游泳好手。
仿佛意识到黑莓掌在看着她，河族副族长抖了抖身子。“好了。”她环顾着巡逻队说道，“就是这儿了。让咱们看看星族带我们来的这个地方到底是什么样子。”
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 9
Brambleclaw slipped through the trees, jawsparted to distinguish ThunderClan scent from among the mingled Clan scents that hovered in the air. It wasn’t easy; they had traveled together for so long that the Clans no longer kept their separate, distinctive scents. Cats were darting everywhere, trying to say good-bye to friends in other Clans. There was so much activity, so much tension crackling between different cats that Brambleclaw could almost imagine he was in the thick of a battle—except in this battle there were no enemies.
Already it was sunhigh, and Firestar was eager to set out for the new territory. He had sent Brambleclaw to make sure no cat was left behind when they set out for their new home.
Brambleclaw spotted Mousefur saying good-bye to Heavystep from RiverClan. The ThunderClan warrior looked thin and tired. Perhaps when they reached their new camp it would be time for her to join the elders.
“Hi, Mousefur,” he meowed. “Firestar would like us all to gather near the stump now.” He carefully avoided giving her a direct order; Mousefur had a short temper, and he didn’t want his tail snapped off.
“Okay, I’m coming.” Mousefur gave Heavystep’s ear a quick lick. “Go safely,” she told him. “I’ll see you at the Gathering.”
“Good-bye, Mousefur.” Heavystep watched her go before nodding to Brambleclaw and slipping into the trees where RiverClan was gathering.
Brambleclaw almost ran into Squirrelflight, who skidded around the trunk of a tree right under his paws.
“Hi, I was looking for you,” she panted. “Come with me.”
She doubled back and led him down into a small hollow where Tawnypelt and Crowfeather were waiting. “We have to say good-bye properly,” she meowed. “This is the end of ourjourney, now the Clans are separating.”
A thorn of sorrow pierced Brambleclaw’s heart. Squirrelflight was right. Their quest was at an end. They had faced danger side by side, and somewhere amid the fear, the darkness, and the desperate race to save their Clanmates, they had found true friendship. But their first loyalty had to be to their Clans. It seemed like nine lifetimes ago that they had first left the forest, and sometimes it was even hard to remember how strong their friendship had been on their long journey to sun-drown-place. Brambleclaw looked at Squirrelflight and wondered if she would still trust him with her life.
He padded over to Crowfeather and Tawnypelt and touched noses with them. Gazing into their eyes, he saw memories swimming there like fish.
“We’ll never forget what we did,” Tawnypelt murmured. “We’ll be stronger all our lives for it.”
All four cats stood in silence until Crowfeather mewed somberly, “We should be six.”
Brambleclaw flinched as he thought of the two cats who would never return to their Clan: Feathertail, who had selflessly given her life, and Stormfur, left behind with the Tribe of Rushing Water.
“We aresix,” Squirrelflight mewed softly. “They’ll always be with us as long as we remember them.”
Crowfeather’s gaze was fixed on the far distance. In a voice almost too low to hear, he murmured, “Sometimes remembering is not enough.”
Tawnypelt gave herself a shake. “Well, this won’t catch any prey,” she meowed. “I’d best be off. I’ll see you all at the Gathering.”
She turned and bounded away, the others calling goodbyes after her.
Crowfeather dipped his head. “May you travel safely,” he mewed, beginning to back away.
“We’ll be traveling together for a while,” Brambleclaw pointed out. “We have to cross your territory to reach ours.”
“But we must keep with our own Clans now.” Crowfeather turned and disappeared over the top of the hollow.
Brambleclaw stared after him, wishing there were something he could do about Crowfeather’s stubborn belief that he had to do everything alone. His grief for Feathertail seemed to have convinced him that friendship brought nothing but pain.
Squirrelflight brushed his ear with her tail-tip. “Come on. Firestar will be looking for us.”
On their way back to the clearing they caught up with Mousefur’s apprentice, Spiderpaw, who was saying good-bye to a couple of RiverClan apprentices. Squirrelflight gave him a friendly cuff around the ear and told him to come with them before he got left behind.
When they reached the stump they found the rest of ThunderClan sitting in small groups, waiting to leave.
Dustpelt was trying to check that every cat was there. “Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight are missing,” he meowed irritably to Firestar as Brambleclaw came within earshot. “And Spiderpaw—oh, there you are,” he added as he spotted them. “Right, Firestar, that’s every cat.”
“Good,” meowed Firestar.
He leaped onto the tree stump, where Blackstar was already waiting. Leopardstar joined them a moment later, and Onewhisker raced across from WindClan and sat below them, among the roots. There was only room for three cats to stand on the stump—but Brambleclaw noticed Mudclaw give a tiny satisfied nod, as if he was pleased Onewhisker hadn’t been able to stand with the other leaders. A chill ran through his fur. This was not the start WindClan needed for their new life beside the lake.
The rest of the cats stirred restlessly, and one or two stood up and clawed the ground. They were too excited at the prospect of finding their new homes to sit quietly and listen to their leaders.
“The four of us have been discussing possible boundaries,” Blackstar began, “and we need to tell you what we have decided.”
Brambleclaw’s ears pricked. Wasn’t it rather early to settle this? After all, his patrol hadn’t had a chance to explore every pawstep of the new territories. But maybe it was better to prepare the cats for the extent of each territory, to avoid one Clan claiming more than their share.
“Tawnypelt reported a small Thunderpath running alongside the pine woods,” Blackstar went on. “ShadowClan will take that for its boundary with RiverClan. Farther around the lake, the clearing where the stream runs through the middle can be the boundary with ThunderClan.”
“We don’t know how far upstream the clearing goes,” Tawnypelt reminded him from where she sat among her Clanmates. “We’ll need to mark the boundary through the trees as well.”
Blackstar nodded. “We’ll check that out as soon as we arrive.”
“Then ThunderClan’s territory will begin at the clearing,” Firestar meowed. “And Brambleclaw says there’s a stream on the other side of the woods, at the foot of the ridge of hills, that might make a good boundary with WindClan.”
“RiverClan’s territory will begin here at the horseplace.” Leopardstar spoke up. “And stretch as far as the Thunderpath at the edge of the pinewoods.”
“Then WindClan territory will be from the horseplace to the stream that Firestar mentioned,” Onewhisker meowed.
Brambleclaw caught Tawnypelt’s eye across the clearing and nodded. That sounded fair. Each Clan would have a good stretch of territory with access to the lake and plenty of space for hunting the prey they were most used to.
“This is only a rough idea,” Firestar warned. “We need to get to know the territory better before we put down our scent markers. We’ll announce the exact boundaries at the next Gathering.”
“And let’s try to do it without fighting,” Barkface called out. “Before you claw some warrior’s ear off, kindly remember that we medicine cats haven’t had time to build up our stores of herbs yet.”
A ripple of amusement passed through the cats, and Brambleclaw spotted more than one warrior nodding in agreement. But it wasn’t the threat of a low supply of herbs that made fighting seem wrong. Much more than that, it would feel strange to fight cats who had struggled side by side to survive the destruction of the forest and the long journey through the mountains.
“Let’s get going,” Firestar urged. “And may StarClan be with us all.” He jumped down and padded over to the ThunderClan cats, his tail sticking straight up in the air with barely restrained excitement. “Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, you’d better lead, as you know the way.”
Brambleclaw dipped his head and went to the front of the Clan. This felt right—after all, he had brought them this far. His Clanmates should know how much he had done for them, to find their new home. And maybe, just maybe, Firestar would realize that he deserved to be made deputy.
As they began to make their way through the trees, Onewhisker hailed them, bounding over with his Clan behind him. “I thought we’d travel together for a while,” he meowed to Firestar. “We’re going in the same direction.”
Firestar nodded. “Good idea.”
As they continued, Brambleclaw noticed that Crowfeather was among the cats at the front of his Clan, but the young warrior didn’t even glance sideways at Brambleclaw. Instead, he kept his gaze fixed straight ahead, padding determinedly down toward the shore of the lake where they would pick up a trail that led to the ridge of hills. Just behind him, Brambleclaw saw Mudclaw scowling at Onewhisker, but it was impossible to tell whether his hostility came from simple envy, or because he didn’t want to travel with ThunderClan.
A little way off, RiverClan and ShadowClan were heading slantwise across the slope in the opposite direction. Narrowing his eyes, Brambleclaw recognized Hawkfrost at the edge of his Clanmates. At exactly the same instant, he turned and met Brambleclaw’s gaze. Murmuring something to the warrior beside him, he bounded away from his Clan and came over
“Brambleclaw.” Hawkfrost dipped his head in the formal greeting, but his ice-blue eyes were friendly. “Good luck in your new territory. May StarClan be with you.”
“And with you,” Brambleclaw responded.
“I’m looking forward to meeting you again at Gatherings,” Hawkfrost added. His eyes searched Brambleclaw’s as if therewere more that he wanted to say, but a yowl from one of his Clanmates made him jerk his head around. The two Clans had almost reached the shore of the lake, and if he wasn’t careful he would have a long run to catch up. “I have to go,” he meowed to Brambleclaw. “Until the Gathering, then.” He blinked, then whipped around and raced back to his Clan.
“Until the Gathering!” Brambleclaw called after him, and his heart twisted with regret that the opportunity to know his half brother better was gone.
“Do you think we can get a move on?” Squirrelflight complained. “Or are you planning to stand gossiping all day?”
“He was only trying to be friendly!” Brambleclaw retorted angrily.
“Friendly?” Squirrelflight hissed, her eyes stretched wide with disbelief. “We can do without hisfriendship. Look at the way he tried to grab the island for RiverClan’s camp.”
“He wasn’t trying to grabthe island. No other Clan can use it. He was only trying to do his best for RiverClan.”
“If you believe that, you’ll believe anything.” Squirrelflight whisked around with her tail in the air and stalked on.
As Brambleclaw followed her, he could see tension prickling in every hair on her pelt. His belly clenched with pain. Of all the friendships he had made on the long journey, surely this one should have survived the separation of the Clans? Instead, it had vanished as quickly as dew in morning sunlight, because Squirrelflight couldn’t bear to see him with his half brother. And if she thought he would rather be friends with Hawkfrost than with her, she was wrong. It was Squirrelflight that Brambleclaw wanted, and he missed her so much it took his breath away.
ThunderClan and WindClan followed the edge of the lake, slipping quietly past the fence of the horseplace and then climbing the hill a little way so they could look down on the shining expanse of water. On the shore near the island Brambleclaw could just make out two groups of tiny dots, moving slowly: ShadowClan and RiverClan, heading for their own new territories. At that distance he could not distinguish individual cats, but he knew that his sister, his half brother, and his half sister Mothwing would be among them, and whatever trouble Hawkfrost had caused between him and Squirrelflight, he wished them well.
The cats padded across the hillside together until they reached a narrow fold in the hill with rocks jutting out of the tough grass and a trickle of water along the bottom.
Onewhisker stopped and gathered his Clan around him with a wave of his tail. “We’ll leave you here,” he meowed to Firestar. “This should lead up to the ridge where Crowfeather found our camp.” Dipping his head, he added, “Our thanks go with you to your new home. Without you, WindClan would never have seen these hills.”
Brambleclaw heard a suppressed hiss from among the WindClan warriors. He couldn’t see which cat it came from, but he didn’t need to. Mudclaw would be the first to resent any suggestion that WindClan owed thanks to ThunderClan.
Firestar swept his tail lightly across Onewhisker’s shoulder. “Go well. StarClan has found a good home for all of us.” Lowering his voice, he added, “If there’s any trouble, let me know. ThunderClan will be glad to help.”
Brambleclaw wasn’t sure he had been meant to hear that, and he drew away in case Firestar realized he was aware of the ThunderClan leader’s promise. Brambleclaw’s fur pricked. Surely it was a bad idea for Onewhisker to rely on the leader of another Clan for support? And not just that—Onewhisker knew that Firestar and Brambleclaw were the only other cats who knew what Tallstar had said, and not said, when appointing his new deputy. He was relying on them to keep his secret, to be loyal to him beyond the demands of the warrior code, and support his leadership even though it might not be approved by StarClan.
The two leaders made their farewells, echoed by other cats in both Clans as WindClan began the steep climb up the ravine. The ThunderClan cats stood watching them for a while; Brambleclaw noticed Leafpaw, a bunch of herbs in her jaws, looking after the departing Clan with her head tipped questioningly to one side. He wondered if something was worrying her—perhaps StarClan had warned her of trouble on the way for WindClan—but before he could ask, Firestar called his Clan together.
Somehow, now that ThunderClan was on their own, the lake and the land around it seemed to stretch away farther than before, even more unknown and more threatening. Brambleclaw was acutely aware of every rock or bush that might hide an enemy. His pelt bristled. It was strange that he hadn’t felt the same sense of danger on the patrol. But apart from Mistyfoot, he had faced many dangers with those cats beside him, and he could trust them to look out for themselves as well as one another. Now he had to worry about the safety of his whole Clan, who were less practiced at traveling through unfamiliar territory.
Firestar obviously shared his misgivings. “Every cat stay alert,” he called, and added more quietly, “Brackenfur, Dustpelt, keep guard on the side nearest the lake. Cloudtail and Brightheart, you take the other side. Sandstorm and Sorreltail, stay at the back and make sure no cat falls behind.”
The warriors took up their positions and the Clan moved on. The cheerful meows and joking died away, and the cats padded on in silence, their eyes wide and watchful.
The cold gray light was beginning to fade when they came to a stream at the foot of a gentle slope. On the other side was the wood where Squirrelflight had discovered the stone hollow. Brambleclaw’s ears twitched uncomfortably as he wondered what his Clanmates would think of their new home.
“We crossed this stream before,” Squirrelflight muttered as they paused on the bank. “Once we’re on the other side, we’re really in ThunderClan territory!”
“If we decide to make this our boundary,” Brambleclaw reminded her. “It’s not decided yet.”
The stream was too wide to leap, and the cats hesitated on the bank, looking for stepping-stones or tree branches that might help them cross. As the last of the light died, turning the woods ahead to a rustling mass of shadows, Brambleclaw sensed his Clanmates’ anxiety rising. Ferncloud curled her tail around Birchkit’s shoulders to keep him away from the water, and even the apprentices looked scared.
“What about Longtail?” Mousefur called out. “How do you expect him to get across here?”
“Mouse dung!” Squirrelflight muttered crossly. “We’d better climb the hill to the place we crossed before. It was easier farther up.”
“No, hang on,” Brambleclaw meowed. They didn’t have time for that, not if they wanted to reach the stone hollow before dark. “The water doesn’t look deep. Let’s see if we can wade across.”
He dipped one paw in the water, shivering at its icy touch, then stepped out into the current. The pebbly bottom shelved gently, and he found that even at the deepest place the water didn’t lap much higher than his belly fur.
“Come on!” he called as he leaped out on the opposite bank, shaking each leg in turn to get rid of the water. “It’s easy!”
A couple of yowls of protest rose from the other bank. “If you think I’m getting wet, you’ve got bees in your brain!” Mousefur called across to him.
Brambleclaw sighed. It would take far longer to climb the hill to the stepping-stones, and if the Clan had to blunder about in the dark looking for their new camp, then the chances were that some cats would discover it the same way Squirrelflight had—by falling over the edge of the cliff. To his relief, he saw Firestar beckoning to his Clan with his tail.
“Come on!” he meowed impatiently. “We’ve come all this way. We’re not going to let a stream stop us now, are we?”
One by one, the Clan began to cross. Cloudtail and Sandstorm went first, wading slowly through the water with their tails washed sideways by the current. Dustpelt carried Birchkit across next, his head tipped back to save the kit from getting too wet, and behind him Brackenfur and Sorreltail guided Longtail. Squirrelflight finally persuaded Mousefur into the water by promising she’d soon be in a warm den, on a bed of dry moss; the older warrior grumbled every pawstep of the way until she pulled herself out on the other side and glared at Brambleclaw as she shook herself dry. Behind her, Squirrelflight rolled her eyes, as if she wasn’t looking forward to collecting all the moss she’d promised on the other side of the stream.
Firestar crossed last. “Right,” he meowed as he joined Brambleclaw on the bank. “Where’s this camp?”
Brambleclaw exchanged a glance with Squirrelflight. They hadn’t approached the hollow from this direction, and in the gathering darkness everything looked different. Squirrelflight was obviously no more certain than he was. She looked blankly back at him and gave the tiniest shake of her head.
Brambleclaw tasted the air, trying to judge their position from the stream and the slope of the hill. “It’s this way,” he meowed at last, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt.
The Clan followed him into the trees. Brambleclaw veered in front of his Clanmates to walk beside Squirrelflight. “What if we can’t find it?” he mewed quietly.
Squirrelflight’s green eyes glinted in the darkness as she turned to look at him. “Then we’ll have a lot of furious cats on our tails. Stop worrying,” she added. “It’s around here somewhere. We found it even though we weren’t looking for it before, remember?”
Brambleclaw didn’t tell her that was precisely what he was afraid of—that they’d find the hollow only when a cat fell into it. He suddenly felt very small and vulnerable as he padded through the dead leaves, with smooth gray trunks rising up on every side. Even if we find the hollow, will the others think it’s any good?he wondered desperately.
He was just beginning to hear uneasy muttering from the other cats, who must have realized they weren’t following a direct route, when he saw Squirrelflight’s ears prick up.
“Look!” she meowed. “That gap between the trees over there, with the clump of dead bracken…I’ve seen that before.”
“Are you sure?” Brambleclaw asked, but Squirrelflight was already racing ahead. He followed her into a small clearing and skidded to a halt in front of the tangle of thorns where Squirrelflight had disappeared when she first found the stone hollow.
She was standing in the middle of the clearing, her eyes shining. “This is it!” she yowled triumphantly. Spinning around, she called to the rest of the Clan, “Come on, we’re here!”
Spiderpaw let out a screech of excitement. He broke away from the rest of the Clan and dashed forward, straight into the brambles. Brambleclaw stared in horror. They had found the hollow again, but that wasn’t the way in!
“Come back!” Mousefur called after her apprentice.
There was no reply. Brambleclaw caught a glimpse of his long black tail waving among the thorns and sprang forward, but Squirrelflight was faster.
Yowling, “No!” she burrowed among the thorns after Spiderpaw. Brambleclaw slid underneath the branches and found them on the very edge of the cliff. Squirrelflight had pinned Spiderpaw down with a paw on his neck, her flanks heaving with effort. Beneath her, the apprentice peered over the sheer rock wall, his eyes bulging.
“Stupid furball!” Squirrelflight exclaimed. “Do you want a broken neck?”
“Sorry,” Spiderpaw mumbled. “You said we were here, so I thought_”
Squirrelflight batted him across the ear with one paw, her claws sheathed. “Get back to the others,” she rasped. “And maybe you should try thinking less and listening more next time!”
Brambleclaw almost snorted out loud, hearing Squirrelflight give the same advice she’d heard so many times. He waited until they had crawled away from the cliff before following them out of the brambles.
“What’s going on?” Ferncloud, Spiderpaw’s mother, demanded as they came into the clearing. “Is there something dangerous in those bushes? Why didn’t you warn us before?”
Unease, sharp as a claw, raked down Brambleclaw’s spine. “Er…we’ve found the camp,” he meowed. “It’s in a hollow on the other side of those brambles.” Hastily he added, “It’s not dangerous once you know where the edge is. Come and see. Not that way!” he growled as Whitepaw bounded curiously over to the thorns.
He and Squirrelflight led the other cats down the slope, weaving between brambles and hazel trees until they reached the gap in the circle of stone. Brambleclaw nervously watched his Clanmates as they filed in and stood looking around at the towering walls. The sky was almost completely dark now, with clouds covering the half-moon, and Brambleclaw had to admit the hollow looked dark and uninviting. There seemed to be more brambles and thornbushes than he remembered, making it feel cramped and overgrown. Some of the undergrowth would be useful for shelter, but the rest would have to be cleared.
Mousefur was the first to speak. “This isn’t a camp! Where are the dens? There’s not enough space for a snake to sun itself here.”
“Hey!” Squirrelflight protested. “You didn’t think StarClan would have it all ready for us, did you? I know there’s a lot of work to do, but think how easy it will be to defend, surrounded by these cliffs.”
“I think it looks great,” Thornclaw meowed. “We’ll soon sort out proper dens, and somewhere for the nursery.”
“I want to explore!” Whitepaw exclaimed, bouncing on her paws. “Can we, Brackenfur? Please!”
Her mentor gave her a gentle nudge. “Wait until tomorrow, when it’s light.”
Goldenflower was standing beside Longtail, her tail curled across his shoulders. “It’s a huge clearing with stone walls,” she mewed softly. “It’s quite dark, but I think the walls are covered with ferns and moss. Can you hear that trickle of water? It sounds more like rain draining off the rock than a proper stream. The hollow is full of brambles and thorn thickets, but there’s plenty of space for the Clan.”
“Then StarClan have brought us to an excellent place,” Longtail meowed. “I can easily imagine us building our camp here.”
Their optimism cheered Brambleclaw up, even though not all the cats shared it. Ferncloud was looking around doubtfully, and Sootfur was sniffing the air with an irritable look, as if he expected prey to leap into his paws.
Mousefur snorted. “Those bushes will be cold and wet and full of ticks, I shouldn’t wonder.”
Squirrelflight’s eyes narrowed, but before she could make a stinging retort Sandstorm flicked her warningly on the ears with her tail.
“Come on, it’s got a lot going for it,” she mewed bracingly. “Those walls will shelter us from bad weather. And like you said, Squirrelflight, it should be easy to defend.”
“We’ll have to do something about that, though.” Dustpelt nodded his head toward the entrance. “The whole of ShadowClan could be through there in a couple of heartbeats.”
Even though Brambleclaw had thought exactly the same thing when he first saw the hollow, he couldn’t help feeling annoyed. Did his Clanmates expect the camp to be perfect from the first moment they set paw inside it?
“It’s too late to do anything tonight,” Firestar meowed. “And far too dark. But you’re right, it looks a likely place for a camp,” he added to Brambleclaw. “We can make up our minds for sure when we see it in daylight. Dustpelt, Thornclaw, could you check that we’re not sharing the place with any foxes or badgers? The rest of us can start finding places to sleep.”
The two warriors peeled off from the group and began to circle the hollow in opposite directions, scenting the air every few pawsteps and peering into clefts in the rock and underneath bushes. Feeling as if he couldn’t walk another step, Brambleclaw watched until they were swallowed by the shadows at the foot of the cliff.
“What about fresh-kill?” Rainwhisker asked. “Do we have to go to sleep hungry?”
One or two voices were raised in agreement, and Brambleclaw felt his neck fur begin to rise.
“It’s not long ago we went to sleep hungry every night,” Squirrelflight muttered into his ear. She sounded as disappointed as he was with their Clanmates’ reaction to the hollow. “Why are they complaining so much?”
“We’ve been very well fed since we reached the lake,” Brambleclaw reminded her. “Our bellies are used to being full again. But it won’t do any cat harm to wait until morning to eat.”
“We’ll send out patrols at dawn,” Firestar promised his Clan.
There was some muttering at that, but gradually it died away, and the group began to split up as cats looked for sleeping places.
“Brambleclaw, do you know if there’s a sheltered place for Birchkit?” Ferncloud asked anxiously. “I’m afraid he’ll come down with whitecough if he doesn’t have somewhere warm to sleep.”
“I don’t know,” Brambleclaw admitted, “but I’ll help you look. There are brambles near the wall just a bit farther up.”
“And what about some moss for bedding?” Mousefur broke in. “Are we expected to sleep on bare earth? Squirrelflight said there would be a warm den waiting for me once I crossed that wretched stream.”
“I can’t do everything!” Brambleclaw snapped, his patience giving way. “You’ll have to do the best you can for tonight.”
Mousefur curled her lip and turned away with her shoulders hunched. Brambleclaw felt his fur prickle, and looked up to see Firestar watching him. The Clan leader’s eyes were expressionless, but Brambleclaw knew that if he wanted to be Clan deputy, losing his temper with one of the older warriors wasn’t the best way of going about it.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, padding after Mousefur. “I’ll come and help when I’ve settled Ferncloud, okay?”
“No, I’ll do it.” Brackenfur came over and pressed his muzzle against Mousefur’s shoulder. “Don’t take it out on Brambleclaw,” he told her. “He’s doing his best.”
Mousefur sniffed. “His best is pretty poor, then.”
“You’ll feel better when you’ve had a good sleep,” Brackenfur promised. “Come on, let’s take a look among the ferns over there.”
With a sympathetic glance at Brambleclaw, he headed for the rock wall. Mousefur followed him, her tail trailing over the damp grass. Brambleclaw felt a stab of pity for her. The elderly warrior wasn’t usually this difficult; she must be exhausted from the journey, and as scared as any of them about finding a new home.
As he helped Ferncloud look for a nest for her kit, he thought about the way Brackenfur had dealt with Mousefur. The ginger warrior had been good-humored and calm in spite of her ill temper, showing his moons of experience in caring for his Clanmates. Didn’t that mean he deserved to be deputy more than Brambleclaw? Brambleclaw curled his tail in discomfort. Not just Brackenfur—several other cats had been warriors for longer than him, like Dustpelt and Cloudtail.
But that wasn’t the only reason Brambleclaw might never become deputy. He carried a burden that no other ThunderClan warrior shared: Tigerstar. When they were leaving the forest, Firestar had declared that all Tigerstar’s children had earned their places within their Clans; he had been trying to persuade Hawkfrost and Mothwing to stay in RiverClan rather than leave with Sasha, their rogue mother, but Brambleclaw knew he had been thinking of Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt, too. Even so, no cat could forget the degree of hostility between Firestar and Tigerstar that had almost destroyed every Clan in the forest with the heat of its flame, and Brambleclaw doubted that his leader would ever be able to look at him and not see the ghost of his old enemy padding at his shoulder.
By the time he had found a place for Ferncloud and Birchkit among the brambles and scraped up some dead bracken to make a nest, most of the other cats had found sleeping places. Instinctively he looked around for Squirrelflight, spotting her among a patch of ferns with some of the younger warriors.
Brambleclaw called her name, but if she heard him she didn’t reply. Instead she curled up beside Ashfur, her dark ginger fur mingling with his gray pelt. Brambleclaw took a step toward her, then turned away. If she was waiting for him to apologize for speaking to Hawkfrost, she would have to wait a very long time.
Looking for a sheltered spot of his own, he passed his mother, Goldenflower, who had just settled Longtail into a nest of dried bracken. It looked as if the tabby warrior was asleep already, his sightless eyes tightly shut and his tail curled over his nose.
“Cheer up,” Goldenflower meowed. “Everything’s going to be fine; I know it is.”
Brambleclaw slumped down beside her. He was too tired to pretend this was how he had wanted the Clan to arrive in their new home. “It wouldn’t hurt for every cat to be a bit more enthusiastic,” he complained.
Goldenflower pressed her muzzle against his flank and let out an affectionate purr. “We’re exhausted. What do you expect? Every cat knows how much we owe to you. If we’d stayed in the forest, we would be dead by now. Instead, you brought us here. We’re safe.”
“I know, but[.arrowhorizex]”
“So the journey’s end isn’t quite what you hoped for. Right now I can’t see that that matters.” She drew her tongue over his ears in a brisk lick; for a moment Brambleclaw felt like a kit again, and wished himself back in the nursery with Tawnypelt beside him, and nothing more urgent to worry about than their next feed, or whether it was warm enough to play outside.
“Get some sleep,” his mother told him, moving away and breaking the illusion. “Everything will look better in the morning.”
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 8
Leafpaw crouched not far from Tallstar’sbody, watching the cats who came to keep vigil for the dead leader. Daylight spread steadily from beyond the ridge of hills, revealing a gray sky with clouds hanging low over the trees. A damp, chilly wind blew from the lake and made the branches rattle together like mouse bones.
The dead leader’s body looked grim and stark. Leafpaw shivered. It felt very strange to be sitting in vigil in the cold light of morning. Usually the ceremony was carried out at night, when the unmoving shape would be muffled by shadows as comforting as soft, black fur.
Glancing away from Tallstar’s body, Leafpaw let her thoughts wander. Anxiety gnawed at her, sharp as a fox’s fangs. Onewhisker couldn’t go all the way back to the Moonstone to receive his name and his nine lives from StarClan; he was too tired to make the long journey twice over again, and it was obvious Mudclaw would seize upon his absence to make trouble. But what would happen to the Clans if their leaders didn’t share tongues with StarClan? The warrior code would fade away like mist in sunshine, and they would be nothing more than rogues.
“StarClan mustguide us!” she mewed out loud.
Cinderpelt glanced around from where she was talking to Barkface. “Leafpaw? What’s the matter?” She padded over, looking concerned.
Leafpaw shook her head. “Sorry I disturbed you, Cinderpelt. I was just thinking about Onewhisker. What’s he going to do if he can’t go to Highstones?”
Cinderpelt stretched out her tail and touched Leafpaw gently on the head. “Don’t worry,” she reassured her. “Star-Clan will show us a new place to share tongues with them.”
“But when?”Leafpaw gazed into her mentor’s blue eyes. “Onewhisker needs his name and his nine lives now.”
“Leafpaw, be patient. StarClan can’t be hurried. There’ll be an answer, you’ll see. And meanwhile,” she added more briskly, “you could be doing something useful instead of worrying. Look, Mothwing has the right idea. She’s fetching water for all the kits and elders.”
On the other side of the clearing, the RiverClan medicine cat was padding toward a group of WindClan cats, her mouth filled with dripping moss. Leafpaw realized with a guilty pang that she had done nothing except fret over things she could not help.
“Sorry, Cinderpelt,” she meowed, getting to her paws. “I’ll go and fetch some moss too.”
Cinderpelt nodded. “You’ll feel better if you’re busy.”
Leafpaw headed for the lake, but she had barely left the copse of trees when she spotted several cats bounding up the slope. Their pelts were slick with lake water, and Leafpaw recognized Hawkfrost in the lead. It was the RiverClan patrol that had gone to explore the island as soon as the first streaks of dawn appeared.
Curious, she turned back and followed them into the center of the clearing.
Hawkfrost leaped onto the tree stump and let out a yowl to summon all the cats to listen to him. Leafpaw wondered if he should have done that.
“What’s he playing at? The stump’s for the leaders, just like the Great Rock at Fourtrees.” Sorreltail echoed Leafpaw’s thoughts as she trotted over to join her friend. “Hawkfrost isn’t even a deputy anymore.”
But no cat challenged the RiverClan warrior. Instead the Clans gathered quickly to hear Hawkfrost’s news.
“Well?” Leopardstar prompted. “Did you make it to the island? What did you find?”
“Everything we could have hoped for,” Hawkfrost declared. “I can’t imagine a better place for a camp. StarClan must have had it in mind when they brought us here. There’s the lake to fish in, trees for shelter, and it’s safe from predators—or anything else that might attack us,” he added, his eyes flashing toward the rival Clans.
Several mews of agreement came from the RiverClan warriors, and Blackclaw called out, “Well done, Hawkfrost!”
The tabby warrior dipped his head. “I’m only trying to do what’s best for the Clan,” he replied.
Leafpaw was surprised to hear a loud “Huh!” coming from just behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Squirrelflight glaring at Hawkfrost with unmistakable hostility.
Quietly Leafpaw wriggled backward until she reached her sister. “What’s the matter?”
“I don’t trust him,” Squirrelflight muttered, not taking her eyes from the RiverClan warrior.
“Me neither,” Leafpaw meowed. She thought back to the day in the forest when Sorreltail had accidentally crossed the RiverClan border while chasing a squirrel. Hawkfrost had caught her, and only Mothwing’s warning about making trouble between the Clans had made him let her go. He had made his ambitions perfectly clear then, even hinting that RiverClan might move into ThunderClan territory while they were weak from lack of prey.
Leafpaw and Sorreltail had decided not to say anything about the incident to Firestar or their Clanmates. Sorreltail didn’t want to confess that she had crossed the border, and she pointed out that any ambitious young warrior might have dreams of taking over another Clan’s hunting ground. Leafpaw had wished she could dismiss Hawkfrost’s greed for territory and power quite so lightly.
“I knew you didn’t trust him,” Squirrelflight mewed quietly. “I could tell all along. I’m glad some cat agrees with me.”
Mistyfoot padded to the foot of the tree stump, her tail-tip twitching. “Hawkfrost, I’ve already told you what a mousebrained idea it is to camp on the island. Warriors can swim over there, yes, but what about kits and elders? And what if something happens to the fish in the lake? We’d never be able to carry fresh-kill across from the shore.”
Hawkfrost looked straight past her and meowed, “Leopardstar, what do you think?”
The RiverClan leader hesitated before replying. “What you say is true, Hawkfrost,” she meowed at last. “The island would be easier to defend than any camp on land. But Mistyfoot’s right, as well. We can’t make our home somewhere that kits and elders would struggle to reach, and our isolation would make us vulnerable as well as safe. We will camp in the place she found.”
Leafpaw braced herself for an explosion of anger from Hawkfrost, but it never came. Instead he dipped his head to Leopardstar and leaped down from the stump.
“Good.” Squirrelflight sounded satisfied.
“Be fair,” Leafpaw warned. “You can’t blame him for wanting to find a safe home for his Clan.”
Squirrelflight let out a snort of disgust. “That’s the last thing he was trying to do. He just wanted to challenge Mistyfoot. If I were her, I’d watch my tail. And don’t tell me that you don’t agree,” she added, “because I won’t believe you.”
“I know,” Leafpaw admitted. “All the same, he hasn’t doneanything yet.”
Squirrelflight narrowed her eyes. “Just give him time,” she meowed darkly.
Worn out by the day’s early start, Leafpaw dozed, stirring only when she felt a tail-tip brush against her ear. Blinking, she looked up to see Cinderpelt.
“I’m going to help take Tallstar’s body away for burial,” her mentor meowed. “Firestar’s getting ready to leave now.”
Leafpaw scrambled up, shaking scraps of dead leaf from her pelt. “Sorry, Cinderpelt!” she stammered. “Why didn’t you wake me sooner?”
“You needed the sleep,” Cinderpelt murmured.
By now the clouds had thinned to reveal a pale yellow sun. Cats were gathering around Firestar near the tree stump; Brackenfur was leading Longtail with his tail draped over the blind cat’s shoulders, while Ferncloud gently scolded Birchkit, who was bouncing around and getting under every cat’s paws.
Excitement surged through Leafpaw, and she was instantly wide awake. They were about to see their new home! “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.
“Yes, please. I’d like you to make a quick trip to the marshy place to collect some more horsetail. We might not get another chance for a while.”
Leafpaw nodded. “Sure. But may I find Mothwing first? I want to say good-bye.”
“You’ll see her again at Gatherings,” Cinderpelt pointed out, then added gently, “Okay, but don’t be long.”
Leafpaw darted away. To her relief she spotted Mothwing almost at once, padding through the trees with another mouthful of soaked moss. She must have watered every kit and elder in all four Clans by now, Leafpaw realized guiltily.
“Hey, Mothwing!” she mewed. She stopped, wrinkling her nose at the pungent smell that came from her friend’s fur.
Amusement lit Mothwing’s blue eyes. “Mouse bile,” she mewed ruefully. “Heavystep insisted I sorted out his ticks before I did anything else this morning. Since then I’ve been so busy fetching water that I haven’t had time to wash it off. To be honest, I’ve gotten used to the smell by now.”
“I’m sorry.” Leafpaw felt worse than ever. “I should have come to help you.”
Mothwing shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve nearly finished. Do you want some water for your elders?” She pushed the soaked moss across the ground toward Leafpaw.
“Thanks,” she meowed, wondering if she had time to take some to Longtail before she fetched the horsetail.
She bent down to pick up the moss, but sprang back when a strong scent filled her mouth and nose—an odd, sour odor that reminded her of crow-food. She straightened up and swiped her tongue over her lips.
“What’s the matter?” Mothwing asked.
“I’m not sure. It smells a bit strange, that’s all. Where did you get it from?”
“There’s a pool over there….” Mothwing gestured with her tail. “I was lucky to find water that close, so I haven’t had to trek all the way down to the lake.”
“Show me,” meowed Leafpaw.
Mothwing led her out of the clearing until they came to the edge of the marsh. She padded confidently across the boggy ground, leaping between tussocks of scratchy grass when the bits in between got too muddy even for a RiverClan cat’s paws. They were traveling level with the lakeshore, but farther from the water.
Eventually Mothwing stopped beside a small, stagnant pool fed by a stream that trickled through the long marsh grass toward the lake. Even before she reached the water, Leafpaw recognized the same sour taste in the air. She crept forward cautiously to look down into the pool. The water was black and still, but Leafpaw leaned over until her reflection blocked the light and she could see all the way to the bottom. Narrowing her eyes, she spotted a mass of sodden dark fur lying on the peaty soil. It looked as if a rabbit had fallen into the pool and drowned.
Letting out a hiss of disgust, she pulled back. “Look,” she meowed to Mothwing, moving so that the RiverClan cat could crouch next to her.
Mothwing’s eyes widened. “The pool was reflecting the sky when I came here before,” she murmured. “I never saw the dead rabbit. And I can’t smell anything but that wretched mouse bile. Do you think the elders will be okay?” she asked worriedly.
Leafpaw opened her mouth to tell her the water might give them bellyache, but when she met her friend’s anxious gaze she couldn’t do it. “I’m sure they’ll be fine,” she mewed awkwardly. After all, if the water was tainted there was nothing Mothwing could do about it now. “Best not give them any more of it, though.”
“No, I won’t.” Mothwing’s tail lashed in annoyance. “Now I’ve got to go all the way to the lake! I’ll see you at the next Gathering, Leafpaw.”
“I hope so,” Leafpaw called as her friend bounded down the slope. “Wash your paws!” she added, though she was not sure Mothwing heard her.
She stepped away from the water and rubbed her paws carefully on the grass in case any of the poison had soaked into the ground around the pool. A little way off, far enough that its roots would be safe from the tainted water, she spotted a thick clump of horsetail.
She would be able to pick some for Cinderpelt, and then they could leave. Everything will be fine once we’re in our new territory,she told herself. She glanced after Mothwing, and a tremor of anxiety rippled through her fur.
The RiverClan medicine cat had meant well when she fetched water from the pool for the kits and elders. But what would the tainted water do to the cats who had drunk it?
第二章
第二章
叶爪在半山腰处停了下来，她转过身，注视着妹妹和巡逻队的其他猫向着湖边进发。从自己皮毛的刺痛感中，她能够感受到松鼠飞有多么兴奋，不仅是因为对探索新领地的期待，还因为能够再次跟前往过太阳沉没之地的朋友们在一起。有几个心跳的时间，叶爪觉得自己羡慕得都几乎无法呼吸了，她真希望自己也能像松鼠飞那样，与其他猫之间有着共同的经历，在信任的基础上，建立起密切的联系。
她的目光被鸦羽瘦削、深烟灰色的身影所吸引。在所有的猫中，鸦羽是最难琢磨的一只，叶爪希望自己能多了解他一些。鸦羽看上去一点都不信任其他族群的猫，然而在穿越大山的漫长旅途中，叶爪却看到，为了帮助风族之外的猫，他不时将自己置于危险境地。皮毛的刺痛使得叶爪身子不禁颤抖起来。一些征兆告诉她，星族已经为鸦羽铺设了一条重要的路，但是她不知道这条路通向哪里——星族也没有任何理由让她知道别的族群的猫的命运。
突然，有什么东西轻轻碰了她的肩膀一下，她一下子跳了起来，连忙转过身，看到炭毛正用那双充满智慧的蓝眼睛看着她。
“你是不是想跟他们一起去？”巫医问道。叶爪犹豫了一下。她是一名巫医，不是武士，她的职责要求她必须待在这里照顾虚弱、筋疲力尽的族猫。但是，为什么她老是觉得有一股力量在拉拽自己的脚爪，想让她跟随这支小小的巡逻队一起沿着湖岸边行走呢？她想象着自己蹦蹦跳跳跟着巡逻队，走在队伍最后面的鸦羽身边。她深吸一口气，几乎能够感觉到，当他们小心翼翼地行走在茂盛的草丛中时，鸦羽深烟灰色的皮毛摩擦着自己的皮毛。
“你没事吧？”炭毛紧紧盯着她说道。
叶爪眨了眨眼睛说：“是的，我没事。我当然不想跟他们去巡逻。我要做的工作还多着呢。”
“的确如此。”炭毛说道，“四个族群的猫早已筋疲力尽，他们都需要照顾，而且，我们治病的草药只剩下几片叶子和一小爪浆果了。”
叶爪顿时倒吸了一口气，她突然觉得自己应该跟巡逻队一起去寻找新的草药。
“我们得跟别的巫医见个面。”炭毛接着说道，“大家得讨论一下怎么才能找到新的草药，以及在离高石山那么远的地方，如何跟我们的武士祖灵进行交流。”她抬起头，凝视着天空，一轮弯月飘到了一缕云朵后面。这时，她的声音低到就像耳语一样了：“希望我们很快能发现另一个像月亮石一样的地方。”
炭毛用尾巴示意了一下，叶爪看见她的朋友蛾翅——也是河族的巫医，正跟影族的巫医小云一起，坐在一处荆棘丛的隐蔽处。在他们周围，四个族群的武士和学徒正在被分成几组狩猎巡逻队，准备出发。
炭毛等到大部分巡逻队员都离开了，才加入其他巫医的行列。叶爪跳过去跟蛾翅碰了碰鼻子。
蛾翅焦急地冲她眨了眨眼。“我感觉很无助！”她在叶爪耳边轻声说道，“我现在已经没有草药了，群猫们又是如此疲惫和虚弱。”
对于朋友的担心，叶爪并不感到奇怪。虽然蛾翅曾作为一名武士被训练，并且几个季节以前就得到了武士的命号，但她成为巫医学徒的时间跟叶爪一样短。泥毛在他们离开森林之前死去了，这意味着她不得不在完成训练之前就承担起巫医的所有职责。叶爪心头突然涌起一股感激之情。炭毛还活着，而且还很年轻强壮，能活很长的岁月。她不用担心失去炭毛的指导，因此，她一点都不羡慕蛾翅。但她提醒自己，蛾翅已经学得很好了，而且如果她需要的话，也可以询问别的巫医的建议。此外，在这样一个全新的地方，大家都有许多东西需要学习。
她快速舔了一下蛾翅的耳朵。“你不用担心。”她保证道，“我们都会帮助你的。”
炭毛看了看四周，问道：“青面在哪儿呢？”
“我猜，他还跟高星在一起呢。”小云说着叹了口气，“我不知道现在还有没有猫能让高星的病情有所好转。”叶爪心头一震。高星甚至还没有看到他族群的新家呢，星族就召唤他加入它们，这似乎也太不公平了。
“青面过来了。”炭毛的耳朵朝青面的方向动了一下。只见青面垂着头，拖着尾巴，朝这儿走了过来。
“高星怎么样了？”小云询问道。
青面深深地叹了一口气，重重地趴倒在其他巫医旁边的荆棘丛下。“他还在睡觉。”青面回答道，“他非常虚弱。旅程对他来说太过漫长了，很明显，星族在等待着他的加入。”
“难道你没有其他什么办法救他吗？”叶爪问道。
青面摇了摇脑袋，说道：“我们可能已经完成了从森林出发到这儿的旅程，但对高星来说，前方还有一段更加漫长的旅程等着他去走。虽然他是一位高尚的族长，但是他可不能永远活着。”
“所有族群都会以他为荣。”炭毛低声说道。她的脑袋垂了一会儿，然后挺直身子，抖了抖毛发说道：“现在，还有艰巨的任务等着我们去完成。”
“我们得去找些草药。”蛾翅说道，“我们都又累又饿，疾病可能很容易就会蔓延开。”
“没错。”炭毛回答道，“我们要马上去寻找草药，希望星族能指引我们找到我们想要的东西。但是，在这之前……”她的声音低了下来，用前爪抓挠着地面，接着说，“每个族群还需要派出巡逻队去寻找新的营地。但是，如果这儿真的要成为我们的家园，那我们要做的事情还多着呢。月圆的时候，族群在哪里集会？怎么去月亮石那儿？从这儿到母亲嘴可是需要花上好些天的。”
一想到要重返离开高石山时走过的崎岖小路，叶爪就感到脚掌一阵疼痛。每个半月都回那儿跟星族会面，那无疑是不可能的。而且，新的族长们现在该去哪儿领取他们的圣名和九条命呢？
现场陷入长时间的停顿。没有猫心里有答案——也不知道从哪儿能得到建议。
“我们能够确定这儿就是那个正确的地方吗？”小云最终说道，“一旦没有了月亮石，我们能联系星族的唯一方式就是梦境和预兆了，而我没有看到任何迹象，能够使我相信这儿就是我们要找的地方。”
“这儿一定就是那个地方。”叶爪辩解道。她竭力思考如何能够让其他巫医相信自己，因为他们比她的经验丰富得多。“尖石巫师是在尖石洞穴里跟他部落的武士祖灵会面的。”她回忆起他们拜访急水部落的情景，补充说道，“因此，可能也会有类似月亮石的地方。”
“我相信当我们看到湖水中闪耀的星光时，星族就已经向我们传递了一个预兆。”炭毛说道。听到这句话后，叶爪一下子放松下来，肩部的毛发也伏了下来。“但是，我们仍然需要找到一个跟星族交流的地方。”炭毛又补充了一句。
“也许它们会向我们传递信息，告诉我们能够在哪儿找到另一个月亮石。”青面猜测道。
“也许吧。”小云听上去半信半疑，“我只希望能快点找到它。”
“但是这真的有那么重要吗？”蛾翅问道，“我的意思是，我们现在最重要的事情是找到治病的草药，而且……”
看到其他巫医都一脸吃惊地看着她，蛾翅的声音不由得停了下来。叶爪也皱起了眉头：蛾翅怎么能认为巫医的任务只有治病呢？
蛾翅的目光从一只只猫身上轻轻扫过，充满了疑虑和窘迫。
“蛾翅的意思是，我们在等待星族与我们对话的同时，也要继续承担照顾族猫的任务。”叶爪帮腔说道。
蛾翅转向叶爪，如释重负地说道：“是的，是的，我就是这个意思。”
炭毛的耳朵不由动了一下。
“我建议我们还是赶紧开始储备草药吧。”小云说道。
青面抬起身子站了起来。“如果你们不介意的话，我该去看看高星了，他呼吸困难。但是如果你们能帮着找到一些款冬的话，我将非常感激。”
“在新叶季到来前，不可能有款冬了。”蛾翅焦虑地说道，“杜松果行吗？”
青面点点头说道：“可以的。谢谢你，蛾翅。”
“我们也会给你带一些的。”炭毛保证道。
青面简单地表示感谢后，便走向高星躺着的长草丛，一堆黑白相间的皮毛在那里一动不动。叶爪看到，青面跟守在高星身边的一根须说了一两句话。接着，青面趴下来，用侧腹碰了碰高星，好让这位苍老的猫知道，在开始漫长、黑暗的旅途时，他是不会孤单的。
“做得好，蛾翅！”叶爪说道，“我都没想起来用杜松果代替。”
蛾翅转过脑袋，飞快地舔了一下叶爪的耳朵，然后问道：“我们应该先去哪儿？”
炭毛僵硬地站起身，这样的姿势有助于支撑起她那条很久以前在雷鬼路受伤的腿。“如果我们走那条路，”她用尾巴示意道，“我们最终会走到两脚兽的马场。我认为我们应该朝相反的方向走，走更靠近湖边的路。”
“但火星说那儿到处都是沼泽。”叶爪提醒道。
“沼泽里可是长着各种好东西。”蛾翅说着，用尾巴轻柔地弹了一下叶爪的耳朵，“如果你是一只河族猫，你就不会介意弄湿脚爪了！”
“而且我也不会介意抓只青蛙或癞蛤蟆来吃。”小云说道。当看到其他猫都吃惊地瞪着自己时，小云赶紧辩解道：“它们的味道没那么坏！即使在其他猎物都非常缺乏的时候，影族营地里也总是有好多这些东西。”
当他们走近湖边时，坚韧的荒草已经变成了莎草和苔藓。地面像海绵一样松软，叶爪每走一步，水就从她脚爪周围渗了出来。
“我希望别都是这样。”她低声自语道，停下来甩掉脚爪上的水滴。她朝前方望去，虽然沼泽地一直向下延伸到湖面，但更远处的湖岸边长满了树木，再远一点的地方，有一片树木繁茂的土地一直伸入水里。那可能会是一处搭建营地的好地方。她想。
她赶忙紧跑几步追上其他猫，发现他们正站在一大丛马尾草旁边；远处有更多高大、健壮的植物。叶爪顿时精神一振。
“太好了！”炭毛说道，“我们以前的领地里可从来没有长得这么好的马尾草。我们回去的路上，要采集一些。叶爪，马尾草的主要用途是什么？”
叶爪不喜欢在别的巫医面前被这样提问，就好像她还没有开始训练一样，不过至少她知道答案。“治疗感染的伤口。”叶爪马上回答道。
“回答正确。”小云说道，“我们马上就会用上它的。有许多猫在旅途中受到了剐伤和擦伤。”
炭毛点点头说：“我们必须记住是在哪儿发现的这东西。”
炭毛再次出发，其他猫紧随其后。当叶爪第一个发现一丛水薄荷时，非常高兴。水薄荷是治疗肚子痛的最好的草药之一。
“但是我们还没有发现青面需要的杜松果。”蛾翅一边说着，一边跳过一条小溪，“这儿太湿了。”
“为什么你和叶爪不离开湖边呢？”炭毛建议道，“我看到那儿有一些灌木。没准里边会有杜松树。”
“没问题。”蛾翅离开水边，朝着昨天夜里曾经翻过的山脊的方向走去。叶爪紧紧地跟在她身后。当脚爪碰到干燥、坚实的地面时，叶爪一下子如释重负。
当她们来到更高处的地面时，她们钻进了一片隐蔽的树丛中。叶爪很快就认出了长在大树下灌木丛中的杜松树，树上长满了又长又尖的暗黑色叶子和紫色的浆果。
“这正是我们需要的。”她高兴地说完，便咬断一些杜松果的茎秆。
等收集了尽可能多的杜松果后，她们掉头朝湖边走去。走出树丛，叶爪看到了远处炭毛和小云小小的、模糊的身影，他们正沿着水边走着。从这里看过去，她这才认出，之前看到的那块伸进湖里的林木茂密的土地，原来是一座小岛，一条狭窄的水道把它跟湖岸分隔开了。
“快看！”她对蛾翅说道，“湖里有一座小岛。”
年轻的巫医眼睛一下子亮了起来。“那里会是一个集会的好地方！”蛾翅大叫道，“它非常大，能装下所有的族群猫，而且那儿也不会有什么东西打扰到我们。咱们快下去告诉其他猫吧。”说完，她一口叼起采集到的杜松果茎秆，跳跃着朝炭毛和小云跑去。
叶爪也赶紧捡起自己采到的茎秆，慢慢地跟在后边。蛾翅根本没让她有机会说出，只有河族猫有信心游过去，而其他族群的猫都没办法上岛。这实在太可惜了，因为蛾翅是对的：这座岛会是一个所有族群集会的完美场所，不会受到捕食者和两脚兽的威胁。
等叶爪到了其他猫跟前时，蛾翅正在兴奋地告诉他们小岛的事。四只猫一起走到湖边，想近距离地看一看。这儿的地面比较干燥，水边布满了岩石，岩石的裂缝里长着几棵坚韧的荆棘。
“那儿看起来非常安全。”炭毛说道，“但是我们怎么到那儿去呢？你不会想要告诉那些老年猫，如果他们想要参加森林大会，就得游到岛上去吧？”
小云被逗得大笑起来，而蛾翅看上去很受打击。
“也许水很浅，可以蹚水过去。”叶爪赶紧打圆场，虽然她自己并不想去尝试一下。
“我可以先游上岛去看一看。”蛾翅提议道。
炭毛点点头说：“如果你想的话，那就去看看吧。”
不等其他猫再说什么鼓励的话，蛾翅就从岩石上跳了下去。
“小心一点！”叶爪在她身后喊道。
她的朋友挥动着尾巴表示感谢，然后就走到了湖水里。很快，湖水漫过了她腹部的皮毛。于是，她开始游了起来，自信有力地划着水。看来，根本不可能蹚水上岛了。叶爪心想。湖水中反射的太阳光，刺得她把眼睛眯成了一条缝，目光紧紧盯着那只随着波浪上下起伏的小黑脑袋。
小云在她身后说道：“我们等蛾翅的时候，为什么不捉些猎物呢？我饿得简直都能吃下一只獾！”
小云的话，让叶爪意识到自己的肚子正在咕咕地抗议，但她一直没有动，直到蛾翅到达了小岛的岸边，从水中出来，高兴地向叶爪摇动着尾巴，然后消失在灌木丛之中。
叶爪转过身，刚好看到小云捉住一只田鼠，然后蹲下来快速撕咬吞食着。她不禁松了口气，幸亏他没有捉到一只青蛙或者癞蛤蟆，否则，他要是坚持让自己吃些，那可就不妙了。如果拒绝的话，会显得不礼貌，但她觉得自己还不至于那么饿，以至于能够吃下看起来如此丑陋、难吃的东西。
不远处，炭毛正在悄悄追踪岩石根部长草中的什么东西。一个心跳过后，她就结果了猎物，然后用尾巴召唤叶爪：“快点过来。蛾翅不会有事的。那儿肯定有好多猎物。”
叶爪又回头看了一眼小岛，但没看到河族巫医的踪迹。一想自己也帮不上她什么忙，于是，叶爪悄悄朝最近的岩石堆靠过去，听到有小动物发出的窸窸窣窣的声音，连忙保持静止不动。只见草秆一动，闪现出另一只田鼠的身影，它正在掉满种子的地上乱扒拉着。叶爪压低身子悄悄靠近，脚爪几乎都没离开粗糙的地面。等靠得足够近了，她猛地跃起，飞快地一口咬中了猎物的脖子，结果了它。
叶爪已经不记得，上一次看到如此肥美的田鼠是什么时候的事了。在两脚兽开始大肆破坏森林之后，猎物们就变得骨瘦如柴、战战兢兢。而在来此地的旅途中，捕到猎物的机会也非常有限。
她刚刚心满意足地吃完最后一口，小云就喊道：“蛾翅回来了！”
叶爪赶紧咽下满嘴的食物，朝水边冲了过去。蛾翅正用力地游向岸边，很快，她就蹚水上了岸，站在干燥的地面上，抖落皮毛上的水珠。
“蛾翅，”炭毛问道，“你发现了什么？”
蛾翅不由赞叹道：“那儿真是太完美了！岛的边上长满了树木和灌木丛，但中间有一片开阔的草地，有足够的空间供所有族群的猫集会。”
小云摇摇脑袋。“或许河族有可能在那儿集会，但是其他三个族群没办法到那儿去。”他接着用担忧的语气补充道，“某些没有自知之明的猫，涉险上岛的话可能会被淹死。”
“在那块开阔地的正中间，”蛾翅继续热情洋溢地说着，仿佛没听到小云的话，“有一棵非常高大的橡树，就跟四棵树那儿的橡树一样高大，不过这棵橡树的树枝要矮很多，族长们可以爬上去向族群讲话。”她琥珀色的眼睛闪着兴奋的光。“希望我们能够用上它！”
“这个嘛，恐怕我们用不上。”炭毛不无遗憾地说道，“虽然你是对的，蛾翅，那个地方听起来的确很完美。感谢你去那儿探察了一番。”
“那儿还有很多猎物。”说着，蛾翅的舌头在嘴边舔了一下。
叶爪本来还想问问蛾翅，她有没有注意到小岛上有什么不同寻常的东西，比如奇形怪状的岩石或者弯弯曲曲的树木，或者其他什么能够显示星族存在的东西。或许在小岛上召开森林大会行不通，但没准会有新的月亮石。
但是，当蛾翅明白其他巫医不同意将小岛用作召开森林大会之地后，她立刻转身走开了。她走到水边，尾巴耷拉着，显然，刚才的游泳已经使得她疲惫不堪。叶爪决定换个时间再问问她，岛上有没有可能存在月亮石。
其他巫医也开始回身朝临时营地走去。叶爪跟在最后，回头遗憾地看了一眼小岛。族群需要一个集会的地方，也需要新的月亮石，就像他们需要安全、隐蔽的营地和丰富的猎物一样。集会之地和月亮石将会是第五个族群——也被迫离开森林的星族——的家园。
尽管芦苇挡住了湖面吹来的冷风，叶爪还是情不自禁地打了个冷战。除非他们能很快找到召开森林大会的地方和新的月亮石，否则，族群在新的领地的未来将会蒙上不确定的阴影。
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 10
Leafpaw and Cinderpelt had found arocky overhang at the back of the stone hollow.
“This won’t do permanently,” Cinderpelt warned. “We need a proper cave with walls to store our supplies, like the one we had in the forest. But it’ll be okay for tonight.”
Leafpaw crept in after her mentor and found a dry place at the back for the horsetail stems she had carried from the marsh
“Get a good night’s rest,” Cinderpelt advised her, settling down and tucking her nose under her tail. “There’ll be plenty to do in the morning.”
Leafpaw knew she wouldn’t be able to close her eyes until she had asked the question that ran icy claws along her spine. “Cinderpelt? D-do you think this is the right place for us?” she mewed bravely. “Is this really where StarClan meant us to be?”
Cinderpelt yawned. “We’ll know that when StarClan’s ready to tell us. Now stop worrying and go to sleep.” She pushed her nose further into her tail, and her breathing became slow and even as she drifted off.
Leafpaw did not find sleep so easy to come by. She sat beneath the overhang with her paws tucked under her, gazing into the shadow-filled hollow. StarClan, where are you?she begged silently. But only one or two lonely stars glimmered from the cloudy sky, and Leafpaw felt as if her warrior ancestors were too far away to watch over her Clan tonight.
She must have dozed at last, because she opened her eyes to find she was dreaming. She was standing on a dark sweep of hillside, looking down at the glitter of Silverpelt reflected in the shiny black lake. The island should have been a thicker patch of shadow against the water, but instead it shone with moonlight, each tree picked out in a shaft of silver. Leafpaw felt as if the place were calling to her, as if there were more she needed to learn about it. But we can’t go there,she reminded herself. Not every cat can swim like RiverClan.
A breeze picked up, whispering over the star-filled lake and ruffling Leafpaw’s fur. She felt a surge of hope run through her, even though the voices of her warrior ancestors remained silent. But Leafpaw was not afraid. They had been silent before on the long journey through the mountains, and she had learned that sometimes the only thing a cat could rely on was the strength that lay within. Everything would be all right if she and the others made it so. They would make their camp here; they would explore every part of the woods until they knew the good places for prey, for water and bedding, the spots where each healing herb grew, and the places where they could play and relax in the sun. It seemed strange and daunting now, but eventually it would be their home. Pawstep by pawstep, they would make it happen.
As she stood gazing down at the lake, Leafpaw realized that the surface of the water was changing. The glitter of starlight faded and the water turned steadily redder, until waves of scarlet lapped against the shore. Leafpaw looked up in surprise, but the sky was as dark as before, so this couldn’t be a reflection of sunrise. The water seemed thick and slowmoving, surging lazily over the pebbles—and in that instant, Leafpaw knew that it wasn’t water at all. The lake was filled with blood, fed by streams that ran like gaping wounds. Another gust of wind buffeted Leafpaw’s fur, hot and dusty this time, bringing with it the stench of crow-food.
Shaking with terror, she heard a voice speak clearly in her mind:
Before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red.
“Cinderpelt! Cinderpelt!”
Leafpaw woke with a jump. It was still dark. Sorreltail was peering under the rocky overhang, anxiously calling Cinderpelt’s name. Somewhere in the hollow, the eerie yowl of a cat in pain tore the quiet of the night.
“What is it? What’s happening?” Leafpaw asked, scrambling up and prodding Cinderpelt in the flank.
“It’s Mousefur,” mewed Sorreltail. “She says she has a pain in her belly.”
“I’ll come,” Cinderpelt meowed, getting to her paws.
“If Mousefur has bellyache, we need water mint or juniper berries,” Leafpaw told her. “There were masses of them at the other end of the lake. Do you want me to fetch some?”
Her mentor looked serious. “It would be better to find a supply nearby, but if we need them before daylight, then you’ll have to go back.”
They followed Sorreltail across the hollow to the clump of ferns where Mousefur had made her nest, stumbling over stones in the darkness. Leafpaw tasted the air in an attempt to discover if any of the herbs they needed were growing nearby, but it was impossible to make out the special scents among so many, and against the overwhelming scent of cats
When she and Cinderpelt reached Mousefur, the brown warrior was lying on her side, her body twisted with pain, her jaws gaping as she let out another anguished yowl.
“Mousefur, listen to me.” Cinderpelt crouched down beside her. “Do you know what caused this? Have you eaten any crow-food?”
Mousefur blinked eyes glazed with pain. “Crow-food? No,” she rasped. “Do you think I’m mousebrained? My belly…” Her words trailed off into another yowl.
A horrible suspicion forced itself into Leafpaw’s mind. Beckoning Cinderpelt aside, she murmured, “Mousefur must have drunk some of the water Mothwing found. I think it might have been tainted. It smelled bad, and when she showed me the pool she got it from, there was a dead rabbit in there.”
Cinderpelt let out an exasperated sigh. “And she didn’t think to…Well, no point in going into that.”
“What are we going to do?” Leafpaw asked anxiously.
Cinderpelt turned to Sorreltail. “Do you know if any other cat drank the water?”
Sorreltail shook her head.
“Goldenflower and Longtail might have,” Cinderpelt went on. “Check it out, would you, Sorreltail?”
The tortoiseshell warrior nodded and vanished into the darkness.
“Try to lie still, Mousefur,” Cinderpelt urged. “Let me feel your belly.” She patted gently with her paw. To Leafpaw, the brown warrior’s stomach looked unnaturally distended.
“Haven’t you got some herbs I could take?” Mousefur fretted.
Cinderpelt shook her head. “We haven’t had time to look for any yet.”
Mousefur opened her mouth to say something else, then retched and began to vomit.
“That could be a good sign,” Cinderpelt meowed to Leafpaw. “At least she’s getting rid of the poison.”
Leafpaw nodded, feeling utterly helpless. Mousefur was suffering because the medicine cats could do nothing without their stock of herbs. “We’ll have to find more supplies as soon as it’s light,” she mewed. “Especially water mint and juniper berries. I’ll take some to the other Clans, in case they drank the water too.”
Cinderpelt’s blue eyes widened in surprise, and Leafpaw winced. She had become too used to thinking of all four Clans as one, with shared problems and shared solutions. It seemed natural to help them if she thought their elders might be suffering the same thing as Mousefur. But now that the boundaries between them were being reestablished, was she being disloyal to her own Clan?
“We should check on WindClan at least,” she added persuasively. “Their cats are the weakest, so they’ll be in the most danger.”
Cinderpelt nodded. “You can go in the morning, but you’d better take a warrior with you. We’ll speak to Firestar as soon as we can. Well?” she prompted, as Sorreltail reappeared.
“Goldenflower says she had a bellyache, but she’s been sick, and it isn’t too bad now,” the tortoiseshell warrior reported. “Longtail is asleep, and he looks okay, so I didn’t wake him.”
“Thanks,” meowed Cinderpelt. “Longtail’s younger, of course, so he should be stronger. I’ll have a word with him when he wakes.”
“Mothwing meant to be kind,” Leafpaw murmured. She didn’t want her friend to get into trouble for not noticing the rabbit at the bottom of the pool.
To Leafpaw’s relief, Cinderpelt didn’t seem to blame Mothwing too much. “I know. Any cat can make a mistake.” Then the medicine cat’s eyes darkened and she went on: “But Mothwing would be the first to admit she has much less experience than the other medicine cats, and no mentor to guide her now that Mudfur is dead. I hope for RiverClan’s sake that she doesn’t make this sort of mistake too often. She’ll need all the help StarClan can give her, that’s for sure.”
Weak after her vomiting, but more comfortable, Mousefur managed to sleep. Sorreltail stayed to keep an eye on her, with instructions from Cinderpelt to fetch her if the pain returned. The sky was already turning gray behind the trees at the top of the cliff, and though Leafpaw felt exhausted there was no point in going back to the makeshift den. As soon as the light grew stronger, she and Cinderpelt went to look for Firestar.
A wind had sprung up, rattling the leafless branches and tearing the clouds into ragged strips, but the undergrowth sheltered by the ring of stone hardly stirred. A gleam of pale sunlight slanted into the hollow, leaving the foot of the cliff in shadow but striking a gentle warmth into the ferns by the entrance. The cats that hadn’t been disturbed by Mousefur’s illness awoke to a far different place from the dark and unwelcoming hollow of the night before. Leafpaw heard them call cheerfully to one another, and spotted Birchkit emerging from a bramble thicket to pounce on a dead leaf. The sight of the kit playing just as he had done back in the forest, before the prey vanished and they were dulled by starvation, made Leafpaw’s heart lift, and she offered silent thanks to StarClan. She forced the terrifying bloodstained prophecy from her dream to the back of her mind, and told herself that this must be the right place for ThunderClan to settle.
They found Firestar in an open space near the center of the hollow; he had already gathered some of his warriors around him.
“We need to get out there right away and mark our boundaries,” Leafpaw heard Dustpelt meow as they approached. “If we don’t, WindClan and ShadowClan will claim all the woodland—and the prey—before you can say mouse.”
“We need to explore the territory as well,” Sandstorm pointed out. “For all we know, these woods could be crawling with foxes and badgers.”
“Not to mention hawks,” Thornclaw added.
Sandstorm murmured agreement. “I’ll see to the hunting patrols, if you like,” she meowed to Firestar.
The Clan leader gave her a grateful nod. “Thanks, that would be great.” Leafpaw felt a little stab of pride to think that her mother was one of the best hunters in the Clan.
Dustpelt flicked his ears. “I’ll take charge of guarding the camp—I don’t like the look of that entrance gap. I’ll get the apprentices and see what we can do with some thorns.”
“And I’ll take care of the boundary patrols,” Brambleclaw offered.
“That’s a huge job,” Firestar warned, “especially as we don’t even know where the boundaries are going to be yet. Brackenfur, will you and Brambleclaw do that together?”
The two warriors nodded.
“Cloudtail, I want you to take a patrol and work outward from the camp,” the Clan leader ordered. “Report back on anything you think I should know about. It’s not just the boundaries we need to think about—I want to know what’s inside them, too.” Cloudtail agreed with a wave of his tail.
“What about me?” Thornclaw asked.
Cinderpelt limped forward. “Excuse me, Thornclaw. Firestar, we have a problem.” She quickly told him about Mousefur’s bellyache. “I want to go out and find the right herbs,” she explained, “and then take some to WindClan. All the Clans could have drunk the water, but WindClan is weakest, so they’re most at risk.”
Firestar thought for a moment before he replied. His expression was hard to read, and Leafpaw wondered if he was reluctant to spend time and energy helping another Clan now that they were establishing their new territories.
“We can’t leave WindClan to suffer if there’s something we can do,” Cinderpelt urged.
“All the medicine cats know how to treat bellyache,” Firestar reminded her. “But you’re right, Cinderpelt: WindClan have been through enough, and it’s the kits and elders who’ll suffer. Thornclaw can go with you.”
“Thanks. I’ll just check on Mousefur and the others, and then we’ll go.”
Leafpaw followed Cinderpelt back to Mousefur’s nest. The brown warrior was asleep, with Sorreltail dozing beside her. Longtail and Goldenflower had joined them; Goldenflower was asleep too, but Longtail raised his head as they approached and pricked his ears toward them as if he could see as clearly as ever.
“Hi, Cinderpelt, Leafpaw,” he greeted them; Leafpaw knew he had recognized them by their scent, but it didn’t stop a thorn-sharp claw of sympathy raking through her.
Sorreltail blinked her eyes open and scrambled to her paws. “I think everything’s fine,” she meowed. “Mousefur’s been asleep ever since you left.”
“Her scent is almost back to normal,” Longtail added. “Goldenflower’s, too, but I think she drank less of the water to start with.”
Cinderpelt bent her head over Mousefur and then Goldenflower, sniffed them, and listened to their breathing. “They’ll be okay now,” she meowed, straightening. “You might as well go, Sorreltail. You’ll be needed on one of the patrols. Thanks for staying with Mousefur.”
The young warrior raced off, waving her tail at Leafpaw as she passed.
“What about you, Longtail?” Cinderpelt prompted. “Did you have a bellyache as well?”
“A bit,” mewed the blind warrior. “Sorreltail said it was the water Mothwing gave us. I thought it smelled a bit odd, but when a medicine cat gives it to you[.arrowhorizex]”
“Mistakes happen,” Cinderpelt meowed. “Leafpaw and I are going to look for herbs to restock our supplies in case any other cats show the same symptoms.”
“Good luck,” Longtail meowed. There was a wistful note in his voice, as if he would have liked to come with them to explore the new territory.
The medicine cats went back to the center of the camp, where the warriors were dividing up their patrols. Leafpaw spotted Brambleclaw heading purposefully toward Squirrelflight, but before he reached her, Ashfur bounded over.
“Hey, Squirrelflight!” he meowed. “Sandstorm says she wants you for the hunting patrol.”
“Sure,” Squirrelflight replied.
There was a look of mingled frustration and disappointment in Brambleclaw’s eyes as he watched her pad away, but he didn’t try to stop her. Leafpaw sighed. There was definitely something wrong between the tabby warrior and her sister, though she had no idea what it was.
“Wake up.” Cinderpelt prodded her in the side. “Thornclaw’s ready. Let’s go.”
Leafpaw’s paws tingled with excitement as they headed for the gap in the rock wall. Dustpelt was giving orders to Spiderpaw and Whitepaw about clearing unwanted thorns from the camp to build a barrier. “I don’t want so much as a mouse to get in and out,” he meowed.
“What, not even cats?” Spiderpaw asked cheekily, waving his tail.
Dustpelt sighed. “We’ll leave a tunnel, mousebrain.”
Leafpaw pushed her way into a patch of ferns, which looked less prickly than the bramble bushes next to it, and paused in the middle, breathing in the strong green scent around her. On the other side, beyond the gap that led into the stone hollow, the unknown forest lay waiting.
No—ThunderClan’s new territory lay waiting.
第三章
第三章
雾脚率领巡逻队迈着稳定的步伐，小跑着穿过布满沼泽的湖岸。黑莓掌深深呼吸着，品味着充满猎物气息的空气。枯叶季苍白的日光照在皮毛上非常温暖，黑莓掌惬意极了，脚爪恨不得马上就跳到前面去，但他强迫自己跟雾脚的步伐保持一致，因为他知道，他们有很长的路要走。
“这儿可一点都不好。”松鼠飞嘟囔着，不小心又踩入了一个沼泽洞里。她停了下来，轻轻弹掉后脚掌上的水珠，一脸厌恶地说道：“要是我们在这儿生活，我们肯定都会长出蹼足的。”
“对河族猫来说，这儿可没那么糟糕。”雾脚回答道，“但是，像这样的地方不会有太多猎物，所以这里基本上没什么大用。”
“我们也不需要用上湖边的全部土地。”褐皮说道，“这儿那么大，所以，即使没有猫想要这一小块地方也没关系。”
“只要前面还有比这儿更好的地方就行。”鸦羽也说了一句。
黑莓掌停了下来，仔细察看周围的土地。土地一边的地面陡然上升，绵延到山脊。现在，两脚兽的栅栏和那些马都已经在他们的身后了。两脚兽栅栏的后面，草地缓缓向上，最终消失在茂盛的金雀花丛和灌木丛的下方。前方，低处的湿地沿着湖岸一直延伸着。远处，黑莓掌可以看到一块长满树木的土地伸入湖中，而那块土地的正前方，也长着很多茂密的树木。
“看起来我们很快就能走出沼泽了。”黑莓掌说道。
“我们能爬到小山上吗，黑莓掌？”松鼠飞问道，“求求你了，我讨厌把脚弄湿。”
“山上也会有许多猎物。”褐皮渴望地说道，“你觉得呢，黑莓掌？我们需要狩猎。”
“我们应该沿着湖边巡逻。”黑莓掌回答。
“还应该巡逻湖边的土地。”鸦羽提醒道。
“我想我们可以往离湖泊稍远一点的地方走走。”黑莓掌沉思了一下，说道，“如果一直在岸边走，我们就不会发现太多东西。那我们就往山脊方向走吧。路上可以顺便狩猎，而且……”
这时，一声轻轻的咳嗽声打断了他。当黑莓掌看到雾脚平视着他时，感觉皮毛一阵刺痛。“对……对不起，雾脚。”他结结巴巴地说，“我的意思是，如果你觉得可以的话。”
河族的副族长眼里闪出戏谑的笑意，说道：“你看，黑莓掌，也许由你来领导巡逻队更合适一些。很显然，这些猫还是习惯听从你的命令。”
“不是那样的。”黑莓掌更尴尬了，“在旅途中，我们通常都是通过讨论，然后才做出决定的。”
“他的意思是说，我们之间经常会有争论。”褐皮冷冷地说道，“至少，我们中有些猫会这样的。”说着，她猛地看了松鼠飞和鸦羽一眼。
“什么，你是说我们俩？”松鼠飞的眼睛一下子睁得大大的，尾巴也卷了起来，“我们可从来没有过！”
黑莓掌忍住笑意，带头朝斜坡上更为干燥的地方走去。他非常感谢星族让雾脚明白，他们已经在旅途中形成了自我管理的习惯，而不再像以前那样，倚重族群内部高等级的族长、副族长和高级武士。虽然少了暴毛，让他觉得心里刺痛，但能再次跟朋友一起旅行，这种感觉真的很好。他不知道，一旦族群分道扬镳、失去与鸦羽和褐皮纯洁的友谊时，自己会怎么样。他内心的空虚还会继续滋长吗？
斜坡上方远处的灌木丛中有很多猎物，五只猫没花太长时间，就成功捕到了猎物，安心地大吃了一顿。
“嗯……”松鼠飞一边咕哝着，一边侧身躺了下来，舒服地伸展着脚爪，“这是我几个月来吃到的最美味的老鼠。现在我就想美美地睡一大觉。”
“噢，不，你现在可不能睡！”黑莓掌用脚爪捅了捅她，“我们还有很长的路要走，所以我们必须趁着白天，沿着湖边尽可能走远些。”
“好的，别那么激动。”松鼠飞一骨碌爬起身，绿眼睛里满是戏弄之意，“你这个专横跋扈的老毛球。别忘了我现在已经是武士了！”说着，松鼠飞围着黑莓掌打转，用尾巴快速地轻拍着他。
“你可是一有机会就提醒我啊！”黑莓掌反驳道，声音里有藏不住的笑意。他心里问自己，他们都已经有多么长时间，没有像这样打闹了？
他把其他猫召集到一起——雾脚看着他发号施令并没说什么，她的蓝眼睛里的神情无法捉摸——然后他们就再次出发了。他们顺着一条斜着往下的路朝湖泊方向走去。当黑莓掌回头看那临时营地时，这才发现，他之前看到的那块土地实际上是一座小岛，三个小小的、模糊的身影正站在岸边向小岛张望。
“那是叶爪！”松鼠飞喊道。
黑莓掌没有问，离这么远，她怎么能认出那是她的姐姐。因为他知道，她们之间有着某种特殊的联系，她俩总能知道对方在哪儿，心情怎么样。黑莓掌的心里突然升起一股嫉妒之情，不过他还是很快就把这种情绪压下了。
他们走下山脊，朝着远离小岛的湖岸走去。让黑莓掌稍感宽慰的是，这里的沼泽地和长满芦苇的小水池越来越少，取而代之的是被长草覆盖的土地，脚掌踩上去感到凉爽舒适。
“这儿还是很舒服的！”鸦羽喃喃低语道。风族猫最不适应潮湿土地，因为他们生活在干燥、多沙的荒原，那里位于其他族群生活的森林的上方。
已经过了正午，这时，五只猫正沿着湖边行进着。无数又滑又圆的鹅卵石一直延伸到水中，让黑莓掌想起森林中的河岸。黑莓掌看见，在离岸边不远的水中，一条鱼跳起后形成的涟漪正在一圈圈荡漾开来。
“对河族来说，这儿有足够的猎物。”他对雾脚说道。
雾脚点点头。“不过，”她说道，“我们可能需要寻找新的捕鱼方法。过去我们是站在岸边或者垫脚石上，用我们的脚爪捞鱼。如果所有的鱼都藏在湖的中央，那我们该怎么办呢？”
松鼠飞顽皮地喷了一下鼻息，但黑莓掌立即瞪了她一眼，示意她安静。雾脚可不是在开玩笑——如果不能掌握适合的捕鱼方法，她的族群可能会在满是猎物的湖边饿死。黑莓掌眯起眼睛顺着湖面看了过去，湖对面那绿色的斑块可能是某种树木，而雷族以前就生活在大树下。想必在这儿捕捉老鼠和松鼠的方法，跟以前住在森林里时，应该是一样的吧？
脚爪下的鹅卵石变得更大了，也更光滑了，他们放慢速度，小心翼翼地走着，尽量让脚爪不要陷进石头之间。湖水漫进了前方的地面，黑莓掌停下来看向对面。松树环绕着水边的一片青草地，一个木制的东西伸向湖中，看起来有点像旧领地中两脚兽的桥，不过似乎并没有通向什么地方。
“那是什么？”黑莓掌用尾巴指着那个东西问道。
“是两脚兽的什么东西。”鸦羽轻蔑地说。
“我不希望那意味着到处都有两脚兽。”褐皮说。
“我不那么认为。”雾脚回答道，“我到现在也没在那儿看到任何两脚兽。也许它们只在绿叶季才过来，就像过去在我们旧领地时那样。它们的幼崽都喜欢在水里玩。”
“我一直认为两脚兽是鼠脑子。”鸦羽嗤之以鼻地说。
松鼠飞盯着那个像桥的东西，张开嘴，嗅闻着随风而来的气味。“除了森林的味道和猎物的气味，别的什么也闻不到。”她最后说道。
“我们离得太远，不可能辨别出所有的气味。”黑莓掌说，“我们到那儿后，再去探察一番。就像雾脚说的，现在周围没有一只两脚兽。”
他示意巡逻队继续前进。他们不再说话，默默地走着，似乎两脚兽的半桥让他们想起了自己的宿敌，因而变得小心翼翼。不久，黑莓掌就听到，除了波浪轻拍湖岸的声音之外，还有流水的汩汩声。脚下的地面变得更加潮湿了，他看见正前方厚厚的芦苇丛挡住了湖面。
“是一条小溪！”雾脚大叫着，往前跳了过去。
其余的巡逻队员也加快了步伐，来到了岸边雾脚的身边。推开芦苇，黑莓掌看到一条小溪从湖中流出，这条小溪比他们之前越过的小溪都要宽，没办法跳过去。幽深的水道在满是鹅卵石的浅滩和布满石头的小岛间蜿蜒流淌着。溪水看上去碧绿沁凉，被岸边生长的芦苇和稀疏的树木遮蔽着。周围遍布的褐色枯蕨丛，预示着绿叶季时，会有更加繁茂的植物在这儿生长。
雾脚环顾四周，尾巴尖不住地抽动着。“河族会喜欢这样的地方。”
黑莓掌注意到，雾脚没有立即代表族群宣示对这片领地的所有权，但当她俯视小溪时，黑莓掌看得出她眼中的渴望。他也觉得这儿对于河族来说，会是一个好地方，但这不应该由他们来做决定。他们的职责是探索完湖边所有的土地，回去向其他猫报告，然后再由族长们决定如何划分领地。
“嘿！”松鼠飞说道，“我刚刚看到了一条鱼！”
一个心跳之后，黑莓掌也看到了一条鱼。那条鱼犹如一道银色的闪光，当它触到水面时，激起的涟漪打着旋扩散开来。
“太棒了！”雾脚说道，“要不要我为大家捉上一些？”
“我们都知道怎么去捉鱼，你知道的。”虽然褐皮的话很有礼貌，但声音中透着一股锐利。
雾脚好奇地看了她一眼，问道：“你们在哪里学会的？”
“在我们的旅途中。”鸦羽生硬地说道，“是羽尾教我们的。”说完，他转过身，静静地朝溪边走了几步，坐在离水面很近的地方，凝视着水的深处，举起一只脚爪，准备抓鱼。
黑莓掌为他感到心痛。他们永远都不会忘记那只勇敢而温柔的河族猫，她做了那么多的事才帮助鸦羽融入团队，并最终为了把他从尖牙兽爪下救出来，献出了自己的生命。黑莓掌不知道，鸦羽的伤痛会不会能有愈合的那一天。有的时候，鸦羽似乎跟旅途刚开始时一样沉默易怒。那时的他，还没有学会信任同伴，也还没有爱上羽尾。
雾脚发出同情的咕哝声。黑莓掌也看出了她眼里的悲伤，想起她曾是羽尾的老师。但是，河族副族长并没有试图走到风族武士身边去安慰他。可能雾脚知道，鸦羽不欢迎任何一只猫闯入他悲伤的记忆。相反，雾脚蹲伏下来，等待着鱼的出现。褐皮和松鼠飞也学着她的样子。只有黑莓掌紧靠芦苇丛，全神贯注地警戒着可能的危险。因为他们还不知道，这个新的领地会隐藏着什么东西，如果四只猫都专心致志地捕猎，就容易成为一只饥饿狐狸的猎物。
周围没有任何捕食者或者两脚兽的气味，而且直到他的朋友们从小溪中捉住几条鱼，也没有任何声音打扰他们。
“你不饿吗，黑莓掌？”松鼠飞走到他身边，放下嘴里叼着的肥美的银鱼，问道，“还是说你忘了怎么捉鱼了？”
“我正在放哨。”他抗议道。看到她绿眼睛里闪过的那道光时，他突然停住了。
“鼠脑子。”她扑哧笑了一下，用一只前爪把鱼推到黑莓掌面前，“我当然知道你在干什么，我捉的鱼够咱俩吃了。过来一起吃吧。”
当黑莓掌坐在松鼠飞旁边时，褐皮眯起的眼睛看了他一下。“你们俩似乎很亲密啊。”她平静地说，“你们未来的伴侣会是谁，看来都不需要再去问星族了！”
黑莓掌窘迫地扭动着身子，一想到其他猫们八卦着他经常跟谁在一起，心里就觉得有些不自在。接着，他就释然了。自己根本就没必要隐藏对松鼠飞的情感，尤其是在自己的妹妹面前。“那星族担心的事情岂不又少了一件。”他轻松地反驳道。
吃饱后，黑莓掌站起身，舌头舔了舔嘴巴。“现在我们要去哪儿？”他问道，“是回到湖边呢，还是去小溪的下游看看？”
“我想去小溪的下游探索一番。”雾脚说道，“我们可以看一看有没有筑营的好地方。”
黑莓掌点点头。于是，几只猫排成一列纵队，离开湖岸，沿着小溪向下游走去。黑莓掌让雾脚领头，因为她最了解，在什么地方建营地对河族最合适。在黑莓掌看来，许多地方都能够让雾脚的族猫们有家的感觉：芦苇滩、适合鱼类之外其他猎物生活的荆棘丛、总是回响在耳边的潺潺流水声。很快，他们就来到一条小的水流边，这条小溪顺着覆盖着苔藓和蕨类植物的斜坡，流入主河道。两条小溪之间的土地被茂密的榛树和黑莓树遮蔽着。
“太完美了！”雾脚的眼睛里满是兴奋。她越过主溪流，从一个鹅卵石小岛跳到了另一个。然后，她停了下来，仿佛忘记了他们还得留意危险。她抬起头嗅了嗅空气，然后就消失在树林下的灌木丛中。
“看起来似乎河族的营地问题解决了。”褐皮评论道。
“什么问题都没有解决。”鸦羽一针见血地提醒她，“如何划分领地要由族长们来决定。”
“好吧，不要告诉我，说风族想要住在溪水边，因为我根本不会相信你的。”松鼠飞反驳道。
“鸦羽说得对，但是咱们没必要争论。”黑莓掌试图保持中立，但是他也不禁有些嫉妒。这个地方对于河族来说实在太完美了，但是同样也很适合雷族。虽然说他们以前在森林里生活时从未捕过鱼，但是他们可以学啊，而且这儿生长着大量的树木，也可以为他们提供长着皮毛的猎物。黑莓掌现在不打算说什么，他可不想坏了雾脚的兴致，但是在他们没有探索完所有地方之前，谁都不可能做出最终的决定。“幸运的话，希望我们所有的族群都能找到合适的地方。”他坚定地说道。
雾脚很快就回来了，她的尾巴扬着，眼里闪着满足的光芒。“我已经把那儿好好看了一遍。”她说道，“河族绝对可以在这里修筑营地。咱们继续走吧，看看能不能也发现适合你们三个族群的地方。”
黑莓掌领着众猫在主溪流的另一边和雾脚会合，努力控制自己不被她语气中流露出的扬扬得意所激怒。仿佛河族找到了完美家园之后，她还要陪着他们一起走，是帮了他们天大的忙似的。他们回头朝湖边走去，经过他们曾经停下来捕鱼的地方，然后穿过树林，进入了一片开阔地。开阔地一直延伸到湖边。前方不远处就是两脚兽的半桥，现在他们离那半桥更近了，黑莓掌捕捉到空气中有一种微弱而熟悉的气味。
“附近有雷鬼路！”他嘶嘶叫道。他肩膀上的毛发慢慢竖了起来，血液变得像冰一样冷，因为他想起了两脚兽的怪物把森林刨开，把树木从土里翻出来，留下了一片满是泥泞和沟槽、再也认不出来森林原来样子的情景。两脚兽和它们的怪物也会将他们从这个地方赶走吗？
松鼠飞站在他旁边，脚爪紧紧抠住地面，毛发奓着，仿佛她正注视着他们的家园又一次被彻底毁灭。
“我没听到怪物的声音。”雾脚冷静地说道，“咱们过去看一看吧。”
说完，她往前迈了一步，意识到其他猫都没有跟上来，就回头瞅了一眼。“听着，”她继续说，“我们曾经在老雷鬼路附近生活了许多个季节，但并没有任何一只猫受到伤害。所以，只要我们小心防范，就不会有大问题。这条雷鬼路非常安静——我们今天连一只怪物的声音都没有听到。没必要吓得毛都快掉了。咱们快走吧。”
黑莓掌抖了抖身子。对于自己刚感觉到一点危险的迹象就害怕，结果让雾脚接管了巡逻队的领导权，心里有些不高兴。他警惕地往前走去，其他猫聚集在他的周围。雷鬼路的气味更加强烈了，很快，他就看到了坚硬、黑漆漆的路面。雷鬼路像一条无精打采的蛇一样，在草丛中蜿蜒着。这条雷鬼路比老雷鬼路窄多了，而且就像雾脚说的那样，没有怪物在上面来回跑动。
“这是做什么用的？”鸦羽觉得奇怪，径直走到雷鬼路的边缘，“看——它只通到湖边就没有了。”
黑莓掌发现鸦羽说得没错。雷鬼路在湖边就没有了，尽头是一片被同样坚硬的黑色的东西覆盖的宽阔区域。一侧还有木制的小型两脚兽巢穴。
“两脚兽的气味很微弱，也很陈旧。”褐皮说道，“我猜它们已经好几个月没来过这儿了。”
“看我发现了什么！”
黑莓掌转过头，一下子就愣住了。他看见松鼠飞已经冒失地走上了半桥，正在俯视着水面。
“当心！”他大叫一声，跳到了松鼠飞的面前。他的脚爪踩在木板上发出轻轻的吱吱声，而且每走几步，木条就发出危险的咔咔声。他努力不去想掉入冰冷的灰色湖水中会是什么感觉。
“看！”松鼠飞趴在木板边缘，弯下身子，竖起耳朵说道。
顺着她指的方向，黑莓掌看见，有一个两脚兽的东西漂浮在水中。它看起来像一片上翘的树叶，不过比树叶大多了，而且是木头做的。它的一部分被半桥挡住了，因此他们在岸边的时候没有看见它。
“这是什么东西啊？”
“两脚兽管它叫船。”雾脚走过来告诉他们。她的皮毛趴伏在肩部，而且显然对咯吱作响的半桥见惯不怪。“它们以前经常把两脚兽带到我们的河里——你们从来没见到过吗？有时两脚兽也用它们来捕鱼。”
黑莓掌试着想象一只两脚兽蜷缩在这条船上，等待时机用它巨大而笨重的爪子钩鱼。他很难相信，两脚兽的爪子能快到抓住东西。不过，既然雾脚那么说，那就一定是真的。
“我想这儿一定是两脚兽们在绿叶季时才会来的地方，就像那条河一样。”雾脚接着说，“也就是说，我们现在不用担心它们。”
“可是，在绿叶季时，我们就需要担心了。”松鼠飞说道。
雾脚耸耸肩。“等到了那个时候，我们再考虑怎么办吧。到那时，到处都会长满植物了吧。我们可以像以前那样，躲得离两脚兽远远的。”说着，她抬起头，直视着黑莓掌和松鼠飞，目光也看向正在半桥与湖岸的连接处焦急等待着的鸦羽和褐皮。“我们的新家当然也会有危险，不管最后我们在哪儿安家。”雾脚说道，“但是，你也不要忘了，在两脚兽带来它们的怪物毁灭森林之前，我们的森林老家就有很多劲敌的。星族把我们引领到这儿来，不是因为这里没有一丝一毫的危险，而是因为我们能够像以前在森林那样，学会在危险中生存下来。”
松鼠飞似乎明白了什么，点了点头，但是黑莓掌却是嘴撇了一下。他不喜欢雾脚说话的方式，就好像他和松鼠飞还是焦虑不安的学徒一样。雾脚根本就不知道，他们在去往太阳沉没之地的第一次旅途中，面对过多少危险！他们穿过的雷鬼路比她一辈子越过的还要多，还有狗、怀有敌意的宠物猫、想要诱捕他们的两脚兽、饥饿的狐狸……
“你打算永远待在这儿吗？”松鼠飞从黑莓掌身边走过，看他没动，抬起尾巴，回头好奇地问道。这时，雾脚已经回到了岸上，站在鸦羽和褐皮身边。
“当然不是了。我这就过来。”黑莓掌咕哝了一声，就跟着松鼠飞离开了半桥。当雾脚领着大家走出这处空地，离开雷鬼路的时候，他努力克制着自己不满的情绪。
“她是河族的副族长。”松鼠飞故意落在后面，紧挨着他低声说道，“你不能因为她比我们更有经验就责怪她。”
黑莓掌刚想激烈反驳她说，他们去往太阳沉没之地的旅程，使得他们比任何森林猫都要经验丰富，却看到松鼠飞正注视着他，绿色的眼眸中满是关心，于是，他把已经到了嘴边的话又咽了回去。如果自己把气撒在她的身上，这太不公平了。如果他能坦然面对自己，他多半会感到尴尬的，因为在看到雷鬼路的那一刻，他恐惧得呆住了，他害怕将他们赶出森林的事情会再次发生。
他把脑袋伸向前方，舔了舔松鼠飞的耳朵。“我知道。”他说道，“而且，她说的每件事都是对的。快点吧，咱们别落在后边了。”
于是，他们跑了起来。当他们把两脚兽地盘和半桥甩在身后，朝着下一块地区前进时，黑莓掌感到自己绷着的弦放松了下来。
很快，他们就来到了那片暗绿色的斑块处。这个地方就是黑莓掌先前从临时营地望向湖对面时看到的地方。正如他猜测的那样，这里是松树林，就像雷族旧领地中环绕着伐木场的那块森林。他嗅了嗅空气，没有砍树的怪物留下的恶臭味，而且地面光滑平整，也没有怪物留下的凹槽状疤痕。
太阳开始西沉，红色的光线穿透树林，在他们行经的路上投下了昏暗的阴影。当光线掠过褐皮的肩膀时，她那玳瑁色的皮毛仿佛燃烧的火焰，她的眼睛也闪闪发亮。
黑莓掌意识到，不止伐木场周围的树木跟这儿的很像，影族的旧领地里原来也有许多松树，不过后来那里变成了黏糊糊的沼泽地，只长着几棵矮小的树木。
“你觉得影族会想要安顿在这儿吗？”他问自己的妹妹。
“或许吧。”褐皮抽动着尾巴说，“但是在旧森林时，许多树都长着低矮的树枝，但这里的树却不是。如何能爬上这些树，对我们来说是一个大麻烦。”
黑莓掌明白她是对的。周围的松树长得笔直，树干非常光滑，最低的树枝也比猫的脑袋高多了。强壮有力的武士可以抓着树干爬上去，但是老年猫或者猫后和幼崽们就麻烦了。如果遇到狐狸和獾的袭击，族群中最虚弱的猫会很难逃脱。
“但是你们又不会在树林里搭建营地啊。”鸦羽说道，“如果把这儿当作你们的领地，你们还得再找到一处容易守卫的地方作为营地。”
褐皮点点头，打量着周围。影族的旧营地位于一处黑莓丛的下面。稠密的黑莓丛能把众猫们掩藏起来，而且黑莓丛上长满了尖刺，即使最好奇的狐狸也钻不进来。“在这儿，我没看到任何可以遮蔽猫的地方。”她评论道。
地面从湖边微微向上倾斜，从树林里望去，只能看见一丝银光。黑莓掌看到，林间的地面光滑潮湿，可能会藏着猎物的低矮灌木很少。他嗅了嗅空气，除了他们自己的气味之外，最强烈的就是松鼠的气味了——但是，一个族群不可能靠等待松鼠从树上下来而生存的。
对妹妹的同情就像爪子把他撕裂了一样，让黑莓掌极度痛苦。在他们离开的森林老家，影族领地的位置最为阴暗也最不受欢迎，他们领地的一部分是沼泽地，一部分是很少有高大树木的矮树林。黑莓掌一直在想，一些影族猫的阴暗心理，是不是源于他们阴暗的环境。这儿的情况虽说不像旧森林影族营地那样严酷，但也不是很适合猫们生活。
“再往前走走也许会是另一番景象。”他鼓励地说道，“咱们继续往前走，离湖边远一点试试。”
褐皮在前面领路，几只猫小心翼翼地朝斜坡上走去。地面上覆盖着厚厚的松针，使得他们的脚步声很沉闷；一切显得那么安静，以至于他们说话的声音听起来太大了。渐渐地，每只猫都变得沉默不语。当一只小鸟大声惊叫着飞起时，黑莓掌吓得心脏差点从皮毛中跳出来。
松鼠飞用鼻子嗅了嗅一簇淡黄色的蘑菇，然后一脸厌恶地撇着嘴缩了回来。“我可不想在这儿生活。”她对黑莓掌低声说，“你觉得我们再往前走，还有什么意义吗？”
“这得由褐皮来决定。”他回答道，“这儿是到目前为止，我们看到的最像影族领地的地方。”
他们继续往前走，但是还没走几步，雾脚就停了下来。“这样可不行。”她说道，“我们离湖边越来越远了，而且很快天就要黑了。”
“我得为影族找到一处营地。”褐皮倔强地坚持着。
“但族群是派我们来巡逻整个湖区的。”雾脚的尾巴抽动了一下，“我们不能在一个地方浪费太多时间。你已经说了，这些树让你想起了原来的家园，那么，也许这儿应该成为影族的领地。”
“那你觉得，我应该怎么跟黑星说我们将要生活的地方实际上是什么样子？”褐皮的声音变得越来越高，脖子上的毛也开始竖了起来，“你别妄想影族会接受最差的领地。如果没有地方修筑营地，休想让影族接受！”
雾脚脖子上的毛也竖了起来：“要想信任影族还真是困难啊！”
“对你来说当然没问题了，不是吗？河族的一切问题都解决了。我们刚一发现那条小溪，你马上就宣布那儿归你们所有了！”
雾脚顿时火冒三丈，嘶嘶地叫了一声，亮出尖利的脚爪。黑莓掌马上走过来，站在两只争吵的母猫中间。虽然他也非常同情褐皮，但是如果她跟河族的副族长发生冲突，那将会是一场灾难。在这儿，既没有巫医，也没有疗伤的药草，要是受伤了，根本就没办法处理伤口。而且，如果他们内部发生了争吵，那还怎么完成巡逻的任务啊？
“别说了，褐皮！没有猫会强迫影族住在他们不想住的地方。”
“哼！”最后，褐皮狠狠瞪了雾脚一眼，转身走开了。
“我觉得我们应该再往前走一走。”黑莓掌对雾脚说道，“我们得找个地方过夜。”
“我知道。”雾脚的声音听起来还有些生气，“我只是觉得我们应该返回湖边。”
“但是……”黑莓掌突然停了下来。一阵微风吹过，带来一种意想不到的气味。他嗅了嗅空气，想确认到底是什么。“还有其他的猫！”他惊呼道。
“什么？”松鼠飞跳了起来，“在哪儿呢？”
黑莓掌把耳朵往他们要走的方向一指，说道：“就在前边。”
“一定是泼皮猫或者独行猫。”鸦羽听上去很担心，“没准其他族群猫已经把这儿划为他们的领地了。”
鸦羽的话让黑莓掌有瞬间的担忧，不过，很快他就想起了湖水中闪耀的星光，得到一些自我安慰。如果星族把他们带到这儿来，那么这块地就一定还没有其他的武士祖灵庇护。当族群翻越大山时，星族一直保持沉默，没有显露任何痕迹，因为在那里，杀无尽部落在看护着它们以前的家园。
“也许那些猫只是路过。”黑莓掌说道，“但是我们还是应该探察明白。”
“我认为现在这并不重要。”当黑莓掌刚想开口准备辩驳时，雾脚却摇了摇尾巴，继续说道，“好吧，好吧。不过你得告诉族长们，为什么我们花了这么长时间才返回。”
“没问题。”黑莓掌表示赞同，然后带头穿过树林，朝气味飘来的方向走去。很快，他们来到一堵粗糙的灰色石头砌成的矮墙处，墙的另一边是一只两脚兽的巢穴。
“两脚兽！”褐皮的声音里满是憎恶，“咱们闻到的一定是宠物猫的气味。”
松鼠飞眼珠骨碌碌地转着：“一群宠物猫有什么大惊小怪的！”
“你待在这儿。”黑莓掌轻声说道，“我走近点去看看。”
“那有什么好看的？”雾脚尾巴不耐烦地抽动着。不过当黑莓掌压低身子悄悄向前爬去时，她也没再说什么。
黑莓掌的肚皮紧贴着地面，尽可能贴近墙边，然后纵身跃上墙头。这时，日光几乎已经消失，两脚兽的花园笼罩在暗影中。一切都很平静。黑莓掌正打算跳下去，靠近察看一下，忽然听到身边的石头上有脚步声，接着就听到松鼠飞的惊叫声：“猫薄荷！”
“我不是告诉你待在那儿吗！”黑莓掌埋怨道。
松鼠飞一脸无辜地说道：“你说了吗？抱歉。不过，不管怎么说，巫医们听到我们发现了猫薄荷都会很感兴趣的。”
“闻起来的确很香。”黑莓掌有些不情愿地说道，“现在既然你非要来，就跟紧我，看在星族的分上，一定要保持安静！”
说完，他跳进了花园，躲在一丛长满须状的两脚兽植物的后面。松鼠飞轻轻地跳落到他身边。两只猫一起慢慢爬着靠近两脚兽巢穴。宠物猫的气味非常强烈。有两只。黑莓掌心里想着。他正想提议回去，两脚兽的巢穴中突然亮起一道光，他发现自己暴露在黄色的光影中。他本能地向边上一滑，躲回到阴影中。这时，他看到一只两脚兽显出身形，皮毛挡住了光线。
“松鼠飞？”他低声喊道，“你在哪儿呢？我们得赶快离开这儿。”
松鼠飞的声音从光影的另一边传来：“呃……黑莓掌，你可能得再考虑考虑了。”
起初，黑莓掌在快速合拢的黑暗中没有看到松鼠飞。接着，当两脚兽挡住了最后的一束光线后，他这才发现了松鼠飞正紧靠着两脚兽巢穴的墙壁。她的背弓着，皮毛奓开，看起来有两个她那么大。两只愤怒的宠物猫在她面前，把她挡在了墙边。
黑莓掌不敢相信地看着眼前的景象。尽管他们在刚踏上旅程时，遭遇过对他们充满敌意的宠物猫，他仍旧认为绝大多数宠物猫不仅个头小，而且性格温和，不会对受过训练的武士造成什么危险。但是这两只猫看起来不仅精瘦结实，而且非常危险，光滑的皮毛下是充满线条感的肌肉。离他最近的是一只巨大的黑白花色的公猫，一只耳朵被撕裂成锯齿状，这也说明他对战斗并不陌生。
就在黑莓掌一愣神的工夫，那只公猫猛地朝松鼠飞击打过去。松鼠飞往后退了几步，发出狂怒的嘶嘶声：“离我远点，宠物猫！”
黑莓掌怒吼一声，跃过花园，径直向那只公猫冲去。他猛地撞向那只公猫，一爪子把他扫倒在地，试图把他压到身下。公猫在他身下翻滚着，用爪子抓他的脸，还不停地拿后脚爪击打他的腹部。黑莓掌听到松鼠飞发出一声尖叫，瞥见她跟另一只浅褐色虎斑宠物猫翻滚在一起。
恐惧如冰冷的波浪一样撞击着他。艰难的旅途早已让他们既瘦弱又疲惫，他们不是这些强壮、肚满肠肥又渴望战斗的宠物猫的对手。
他想把牙齿插入宠物猫的喉咙，但还没等他咬住公猫的皮肉，这只公猫就挺起肩膀，把他顶翻在地。黑莓掌感到公猫的整个身体都压到了自己的身上，看到他白森森的尖牙正咬向自己的耳朵。他感觉有爪子耙过自己的身子，而他只能徒劳地用后脚爪不停击打对方的腹部。
突然，黑莓掌感到身上宠物猫的重量消失了。他喘着粗气爬起来，看到雾脚一掌打在了这只公猫的肩膀上。当这只公猫抓住机会跃起想攻击雾脚时，雾脚猛地一跳，让公猫扑了个空。趁着公猫立足未稳，雾脚跳到了公猫的背上，牙齿深深咬进公猫的后脖颈。
另一边，那只虎斑猫也从松鼠飞身边逃掉了，一边顺着两脚兽巢穴急速奔跑，一边号叫着。这时，黑莓掌看见褐皮和鸦羽正冲过花园，但是他们还没来到战场，两脚兽巢穴的门猛地打开了。一只两脚兽站在门口，发出大声的尖叫。接着就有什么东西从黑莓掌的脑袋旁掠过，轰的一声砸在了灌木丛里。听到这个声音，雾脚愣了一下，那只公猫趁机扭身从雾脚的脚爪下逃出，一溜烟跑回了两脚兽巢穴。两脚兽随后走入花园，门口透出的亮光，映照出它那长长的、充满恶意的身影。
“快跑！”雾脚嘶嘶地喊道。
确认松鼠飞已经跟了上来，黑莓掌便朝围墙冲去。又有什么东西砸在了他身后的地上，两脚兽又吼叫了一声。接着，黑莓掌跃起，脚爪拼命扒拉着粗糙的石头，好不容易才跳到了围墙的另外一边。其他猫紧随其后也向树林中逃去，直到两脚兽的巢穴看不见了，他们才停了下来。
“好了！”雾脚气喘吁吁地说道，“下一次也许你应该听我的，黑莓掌，而且也得考虑考虑我们到底探索多远才合适。”
黑莓掌垂下脑袋，羞愧得浑身发烫。靠两脚兽巢穴那么近是非常愚蠢的。他一直在炫耀自己，想通过这些事情来证明自己能够成为优秀的领导者。“对不起，雾脚。”他嘟哝着。
“你是该觉得对不起。你刚才很有可能受重伤，或者被两脚兽捕获。”河族副族长辛辣地说道。她看了一下四周，补充道：“你知不知道我们现在在哪儿？”
黑莓掌这才发现，他们从两脚兽巢穴逃出来的方向，并不是之前那片森林的方向。四周全是高大的松树，丝毫看不出来湖泊可能在哪儿。这时，天几乎彻底黑了下来。
“不，我想你可能不知道。”雾脚继续挖苦道，“在陌生的树林里迷路，而且天也黑了。我们最好还是先找地方过夜，希望我们明天早上能找到回湖边的路。”
这次由雾脚带路，她的尾巴举得高高的，小心翼翼地穿过树林。褐皮和鸦羽跟在后边。褐皮同情地看了一下哥哥，低声说道：“我知道你是想帮我。”
黑莓掌耸耸肩。他无法为自己的行为辩解——多亏了雾脚，他才能毫发无损地从宠物猫脚爪下逃脱。他一直跟在队尾，尾巴耷拉着。松鼠飞落在后边，用鼻头深情地蹭蹭他，但他仍没有抬起头。
“别垂头丧气的！”松鼠飞说道，“事情没那么坏。如果影族猫决定在这儿住下的话，至少我们知道要警告他们需要注意什么了。”
“黑星绝对不会让那两只宠物猫留在他的领地里。”黑莓掌咕哝着。
“哦，这我不知道。”松鼠飞的眼睛一亮，她瞥了一下其他猫，确信褐皮听不到他们说话，然后说道，“要我说，影族肯定会收编这些宠物猫，扩充影族的力量。”
黑莓掌听后，扑哧一下笑出了声。“快点吧！我可不想我们被落下。”他们跟在其他猫后面向前跳跃着，他们七扭八弯地穿过紧密生长的树木，皮毛彼此挨擦着。坡道开始变得陡峭起来，到处都是凸出的岩石。黑莓掌的脚爪不小心撞上了石块，疼得他慢了下来。岩石缝里长满了草丛和低矮的灌木，猎物的气味越来越强烈。
褐皮第一个爬到了坡顶。她停在一块平整的巨石上，回头喊道：“快来看！”
雾脚和鸦羽很快出现在她旁边，黑莓掌和松鼠飞紧随其后。尽管最后一抹落日余晖已经彻底消失，阴影正在聚集，但黑莓掌还是能够分辨出地面上有一片宽阔的低浅洼地，半隐在密实的黑莓丛下。一轮半月穿过稀薄的云层，闪着光，淡淡的光束投射在洼地周围的树木上，弯曲的枝条几乎垂到地面上。
松鼠飞伸出舌头舔了舔褐皮的耳边说道：“那里简直就是影族天然的营地！要不是黑莓掌去寻找那些宠物猫，我们可能永远也发现不了这儿。”
雾脚半嗔半喜地瞪了她一眼。
“这儿可能会是一处好的营地。”褐皮竭力让自己的声音保持平静，但黑莓掌还是能够感觉到她的兴奋。“但是，影族是不是要迁入这块领地，最终得由黑星决定。”褐皮又补充了一句。
“至少有这个可能。”雾脚说道，“如果你们有机会进行更详细的探索，也可能发现更好的地方。”
“但是现在太晚了，今天夜里无法再往前走了。”鸦羽说道。
“你说得对。”松鼠飞也表示赞同，“我的脚爪都快要睡着了！我们去哪里睡觉啊？”
黑莓掌觉得大伙儿躲在洼地的灌木丛下睡觉是个好主意。但是他有些口渴了，他们刚刚爬上来的那个斜坡底部有水，于是他小心翼翼地再次走下斜坡，其他猫也跟在了他的身后。
雾脚蹲伏在黑莓掌身旁，一边舔饮着小水池中的水，一边问道：“你想现在狩猎，还是说我们到明天早上再说？”
“还是明天早上吧。”松鼠飞回答道，虽然这个问题并不是提给她的。松鼠飞打了一个大大的哈欠，继续说道：“我太累了，就算老鼠站在我的脚爪前，我也抓不住了。而且，我们今天吃得太多了，吃的那些东西都能喂饱整个族群！”
黑莓掌意识到她是对的。回首在旧森林里的日子，整个族群许多天找到的猎物，都没有他们开始巡逻以来抓到的多。
所有猫都喝过水后，他们就直接在斜坡底部的草丛里安顿下来，准备睡觉。雾脚安排大家依次放哨，鸦羽负责头班警戒。黑莓掌舒服地蜷缩在松鼠飞身旁。在森林的黑暗里，他只能看到风族武士尖耳的轮廓。
今天过得很不错。他闭上了眼睛，心里想道，我们为两个族群找到了可能落脚的家园。但是雷族怎么办？有没有什么地方是为我们雷族准备的呢？
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 11
“Are you stuck?” Thornclaw asked, nearlybumping into Leafpaw as he pushed through the ferns.
Leafpaw sprang forward, out of the sharp-smelling stems. “Sorry,” she puffed.
Thornclaw followed more slowly and looked at her. “It’s all a bit strange, isn’t it?” he mewed. “But this is as strange as it will ever feel, remember that. We only have to explore once for it to seem more like home.”
Feeling comforted, Leafpaw padded beside him, away from the hollow. When she glanced back a few moments later, the stone cliffs had vanished among the trees, and all she could see were smooth gray trunks and branches that trembled in the wind. She was pleased to think her Clan-mates were sheltered by the towering walls, invisible and safe in the middle of the wood
Voices sounded up ahead, and they rounded a sturdy oak tree to find Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Sorreltail sniffing suspiciously at a gap between the roots. This was the patrol that Firestar had sent out to explore the territory that lay closest to the hollow.
“Fox,” Leafpaw heard Cloudtail meow.
Brightheart lifted her head and carefully tasted the air. “It’s very stale,” she decided. “I don’t think the fox can have been there for moons.”
“Shall I go in to look?” Sorreltail offered.
Brightheart shook her head. “Didn’t your mentor ever warn you about going into strange holes? We can smell there’s nothing there. Let’s keep going.”
Sorreltail called out a greeting to Leafpaw, then followed the warriors as they headed deeper into the woods.
Leafpaw stopped to let Cinderpelt catch up, and gazed around her. Trees stretched away on all sides, their branches interwoven so tightly that only tiny splinters of sky showed through. The trees weren’t as tall as the ones in the forest they had left, but Leafpaw guessed that in greenleaf their leaves would form a thick, cooling canopy. Most of the ground was covered by short grass with spikes of snowdrops thrusting upward, and the occasional clump of thornbushes and bramble thickets. It was more exposed than Leafpaw was used to, and she hoped that ferns and other plants would grow in newleaf to provide homes for prey, and to make the cats feel safer as they patrolled their territory.
Cinderpelt reached her and limped steadily on, following the sound of running water. “We’re not likely to find juniper here,” she commented as the three cats padded side by side. “Leafpaw, what else might we use for bellyache?”
“Water mint?” she suggested. “Or chervil root?”
“They would both be fine,” Cinderpelt agreed. “Water mint should be easier to find than chervil root.”
They reached the stream, which flowed in a deep cleft between the tangled roots of overhanging trees. Leafpaw stood on the bank and looked for signs of the leafy green plant, but all she could see was water sliding over gray stone about a tail-length below her, with bright green ferns trailing over the edge of the bank.
“Let’s try on the other side,” Thornclaw suggested when they came to a place where the banks sloped down and they could splash across.
Cinderpelt agreed, but it was much the same: open woodland with little in the way of undergrowth. Then Leafpaw smelled damp soil, a bit like the marsh at the far end of the lake. Water mint didn’t have to grow in a stream—sometimes wet earth was enough. She raced ahead, pushing her way through some spiky tussocks of grass, and spotted the tall, leafy stems half-hidden in a clump of bracken.
“Good work!” Cinderpelt praised her, coming to join her. “There’s enough here to supply us regularly.”
Tipping their heads to one side, they bit through several stalks. Leafpaw’s eyes watered as sap clung to her fur, filling her mouth with the pungent scent.
“I’d better get back to camp,” Cinderpelt meowed when they had finished picking the water mint. “Thornclaw, will you take Leafpaw to WindClan now?”
“We’ll see you home first,” meowed Thornclaw. “I don’t think any cat should be alone in these woods until we know a bit more about them.”
He led them back by a different route, calculating from the way the ground sloped that it should lead more quickly to the stone hollow. They passed beneath some beech trees, and Leafpaw’s belly rumbled as the scent of squirrel flooded over her
Thornclaw tasted the air with a gleam in his eyes, and Leafpaw guessed he was ravenous too. “Do we have time to hunt?” he asked Cinderpelt.
The medicine cat set down her stems of water mint. “If we don’t take too long.”
“This won’t take long at all,” Thornclaw promised. He flicked his ears toward the nearest tree, and Leafpaw spotted a squirrel among the roots, nibbling a beechnut.
Thornclaw paused for a moment to judge the direction of the breeze, then began stealthily working his way around so that he approached the squirrel from downwind. Bunching his hindquarters under him, he pounced; the squirrel gave one spasmodic kick, and was still.
“Come on,” he called. “There’s enough for all of us.”
The fresh-kill was delicious, and Leafpaw offered a quick prayer of thanks to StarClan for bringing them to a place where the prey was plump—and slow. Her mouth was filled with the scent of the squirrel, so she had no warning when three cats suddenly appeared around the trunk of a tree a little way off. They paused for a heartbeat when they spotted the ThunderClan cats, and then loped toward them. As they drew closer, Leafpaw realized it was a WindClan patrol made up of Tornear, his apprentice, Owlpaw, and Whitetail.
Swallowing his last bite of fresh-kill, Thornclaw rose to his paws, but Tornear spoke first.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded. “This is WindClan territory.”
“What do you mean, WindClan territory?” Thornclaw stared at him in surprise. “The boundaries haven’t been marked yet.”
“We’re marking them now,” Whitetail explained, sounding faintly embarrassed. “Firestar said the stream that runs along the foot of the hill would be the boundary, and this is on WindClan’s side.”
“Firestar also said that was only a suggestion,” Thornclaw reminded the WindClan warriors. He waved his tail around. “Look. Trees. This is the sort of place where ThunderClan are best at hunting. You need moorland and rabbits, right?”
“There’s not as much moorland here as there was in the old place,” Tornear explained. “We need to extend the territory into these woods, or we won’t be able to support our Clan.”
“Well, you’re not extending it here,” Thornclaw meowed firmly, but the fur along his spine bristled, and Leafpaw guessed he felt very uncomfortable. It was impossible for any cat to forget how close the Clans had been on their journey. Back in the forest, claws would have been unsheathed by now, but here, there was no instinct to fight over territory they hadn’t finished exploring.
“Do you think StarClan will send a sign to show us where the boundaries should be?” she asked Cinderpelt.
The medicine cat shook her head. “StarClan would never favor one Clan above another, or get involved in disputes. This is something the Clans have to sort out for themselves.”
The warriors stood around awkwardly for a few more moments. Whitetail spotted the pile of water mint stems. “Are those for bellyache?” she asked.
“Yes,” Leafpaw replied. “Are some of your cats ill too?”
Whitetail cast a swift glance at Tornear before she replied. “Yes,” she answered. “Morningflower and Darkfoot.”
“Morningflower?” That was worrying. Leafpaw knew the WindClan queen had always been a friend to ThunderClan. “What is Barkface doing for her?”
“There’s not much he can do without herbs,” Tornear meowed. “The last I heard, he’d gone looking for juniper. I just hope he doesn’t take too long. Morningflower looked pretty sick to me.”
Leafpaw spun around to face her mentor. “I can take some water mint to WindClan right now,” she mewed. “These cats can show me the way, and Thornclaw can go back to the hollow with you.”
“Of course,” Cinderpelt meowed. “Be as quick as you can.”
All the warriors looked relieved to have something more urgent to think about than the issue of boundaries. Thornclaw and Cinderpelt set off toward the stone hollow, while Leafpaw went in the other direction with the WindClan cats. They led her to the edge of the trees—just as they had said, the stream curved into the woods here, away from the foot of the hills—and across open moorland. Then they climbed more steeply beside another stream that fell in a series of tiny, bubbling waterfalls. A few stunted thorns grew along the banks, with traces of rabbit scent clinging here and there. So there was prey for WindClan here, Leafpaw thought. Had Tornear been telling the truth when he said it might not be enough?
At last they came to the top of a rise, fringed by bushes, and Leafpaw found herself looking down into the WindClan camp. The sides weren’t as steep as the cliffs around ThunderClan’s hollow, but the smooth, bare slopes gave no cover for attackers.
Leafpaw spotted Onewhisker and Ashfoot talking with a couple of the warriors near a scatter of boulders in the center of the dip.
“I’ll take you straight to Morningflower,” Whitetail meowed.
“And I’ll let Onewhisker know you’re here,” Tornear added, heading down the slope with Owlpaw.
Whitetail led Leafpaw to a knot of gorse bushes at the far side of the hollow. Leafpaw’s pelt pricked under the stares of WindClan warriors as she padded past, but they were curious rather than hostile.
Morningflower lay on a bed of ferns in the shelter of the bushes. Darkfoot was curled up a tail-length away, but Leafpaw couldn’t take her horrified gaze from the old shecat. Morningflower lay limply stretched out, her breathing harsh and shallow. Her belly was distended, and a sour smell of vomit came from her. Her eyes were closed, and she was still except for the occasional twitch of her flank. To Leafpaw, she looked as if she were barely a pawstep away from joining StarClan.
Setting down the water mint stems, Leafpaw bent her head closer to Morningflower, but before she could do more than set one paw gently on her belly, she was interrupted by a furious snarl.
“What do you think you’redoing?”
第四章
第四章
第二天早上，当巡逻队动身寻找回湖边的路时，太阳被乌云遮住了。黑莓掌领着大家朝着他们认为正确的方向行进，突然，他停了下来。他闻到了气味的标记，接着透过树林，看到了两脚兽巢穴的墙壁。
“呸！”松鼠飞撇着嘴道，“比狐狸屎还臭。那些宠物猫肯定标记了他们的领地。”
巡逻队小心翼翼地避开那些标记。让黑莓掌稍稍安心的是，这里没有充满敌意的宠物猫的迹象。看到眼前的两脚兽巢穴，他记起了昨天夜里大家来时的路，而且不久前，他们还刚刚经过了他们早前留下的气味痕迹。
“这边走！”黑莓掌说道。
一阵冷风吹来，松树枝头不停摇晃着。他们到达湖边时，彻底感觉到了冷风的威力。黑莓掌迎着风，寒风把他的毛吹得分向两侧。他猜测他们已经绕着湖边走了差不多一半的路了。回望来时的路，他看到了小岛的深色斑块，小岛的背后是淡灰色的青山。乌云笼罩着天际，开始飘起了雨，湖面阴沉沉的，波涛汹涌着。
“这雨来得可真是时候！”褐皮忍不住抱怨了一句，将鼻子深埋进腹部的皮毛中。
黑莓掌摇摇尾巴，示意其他猫跟着他，然后又回到树林里。“我想我们应该找个地方避避雨。”他建议道，“这儿树多，肯定能找到适合避雨的地方。”
“为了不会再次迷路，咱们应该待在能够看到湖的地方。”雾脚警告道。
能够避开冷风，其他猫也都很高兴。他们迈开步子，一直沿着离湖边不远的一条小路走着。沿着这条路走，他们既能远远地看到湖水，又不必冒进入开阔的湖边地带的风险。
他们出发没多久，鸦羽发出一声低沉的呼噜声，就飞跑起来，尾巴在身后飘动着。黑莓掌在后边看到他的举动之后，闻到了松鼠的气味，接着就发现一只长着灰毛的小东西，正在一棵树下啃着松果。当鸦羽冲向它时，它的耳朵警觉地轻弹了一下。它丢掉松果，想跳到树上安全的地方。不过鸦羽比它更快。只见鸦羽奋力一跃，揪住了松鼠的尾巴，把它拉回到地面。然后，鸦羽嘴里叼着软塌塌的猎物走了回来。
“你狩猎的动作太棒了！”松鼠飞赞叹道。
鸦羽点点头，把猎物放在他们面前，说道：“来吧，咱们一起吃了它。”
黑莓掌蹲伏在其他猫身边吃着自己的那一份，心里却十分焦急，想尽快出发。族长们还等着他们能在日暮之前回去，汇报他们的发现，然而，他们还有那么多的地方需要探索——而且还要为另外两个族群找到家园。
“咱们走吧。”他们刚一进完食，黑莓掌就立刻开口说道。雾脚没有反对，只是舔了舔嘴巴，便跟着他出发了，黑莓掌这才松了一口气。他们迈着稳健的步子，小跑着穿过树林。
黑莓掌兴奋得感到脚爪一阵刺痛。今天有可能是他们发现雷族新家园的一天！河族和影族已经找到了很好的地方，他猜湖对面的山脊那块可能适合风族。但是在内心深处，为自己的族猫找到安全生活和狩猎的地方，才是他最想做的事。他们在森林里的家园，尽管靠近雷鬼路和两脚兽地盘，但非常适合他们。他们能在这儿找到同样好的地方吗？
褐皮似乎能够读懂他的想法，走到他旁边，用口鼻轻轻地碰了一下他的身子。“在担心什么呢？”褐皮问道。
“我没事。”他告诉妹妹，同时也努力说服自己，“要是我们能为雷族找到适合的领地，我会更高兴的。”
“我们还有很多地方还没有探索呢。”褐皮鼓励道。
很快，他们来到一条宽阔的道路旁，这条路蜿蜒着穿过树林。路两旁的地面上已经看不到松针了，长满了短草；路上有一些很规则的凹陷，里面装满了雨水，形成了一个个小水坑。
“有马从这儿走过。”鸦羽舔了舔其中的一个水洼说道。
褐皮嗅了嗅空气，说道：“也有两脚兽从这儿走过。但是现在已经看不到它们的踪迹了。”
雾脚凝视着靠近路边的一棵树。“那儿有个两脚兽的东西。”她用尾巴指着头顶上的一个东西说道。
黑莓掌顺着她尾巴指的方向看了过去。只见树上固定着一个用坚硬的东西做成的圆形物体。这个物体是宝蓝色的，跟雷鬼路上一些怪物的颜色一样闪闪发光。
“你觉得它是干什么用的？”松鼠飞问道。
“可能是两脚兽的气味标记。”黑莓掌说道，“这条路可能是两个领地的边界。”
这个标记似乎没什么危险，但是所有的猫穿过道路时仍警惕地看着四周。黑莓掌不禁有些恼怒，因为他以前从未像现在这样害怕两脚兽。直到两脚兽带着怪物闯入森林，并把抓住的猫都关进了窄小的两脚兽巢穴里时，他才领教了两脚兽的厉害。现在，他不知道，如果再碰上两脚兽，他还会不会像以前那样若无其事。终于，他们到了路的另一边的树林里，黑莓掌这才如释重负地舒了一口气。
渐渐地，松树开始变得稀疏起来。这时，冷雨再次下了起来。一阵风吹过，头顶的树枝吱吱作响，雨水啪啪地打在他们身上，松针也如尖刺般落在他们的脑袋上。
“要是能给一个温暖的巢穴，让我做什么我都愿意！”松鼠飞拂去耳朵上的雨滴，嘟囔着。
他们迈着沉重的步伐，缓慢地往前走着。慢慢地，树木稀疏起来，眼前出现一片宽阔的空地。空地方方正正，长满了草。在树林的边缘，众猫又经过一条两脚兽的小路。这条路比第一条要窄一些，地上的草也被踩坏了。这时，整个世界都浸润在湿气中，众猫什么气味也嗅不出来。黑莓掌唯一能够确定的，就是现在那里没有两脚兽。
“这儿又有一座半桥。”黑莓掌耳朵指着一个木质的、突进湖中的东西说道。这一次，松鼠飞似乎没什么兴致去桥上探险。冰冷的疾雨掠过湖面，打在木头上发出吱吱的声音。
他们小心翼翼地穿过树林远处的空地，压低身子往前走着，短草不断刷擦着他们的腹毛。周围除了落雨声和风吹动树木的咔咔声，没有别的声音。从这儿，能清晰地看到湖面，黑莓掌意识到，他们马上就要进入光秃秃山脊之前的最后一片树林了。过了光秃秃的山脊再往前，就是有马的那个地方。接下来就是低矮的灌木丛了，四个族群都在那儿等着听他们汇报探索新家园的结果呢。如果风族打算占据那些小山——这看上去也合情合理——那么，这儿就是雷族能不能找到居住地的最后机会了。
黑莓掌的耳朵动了一下，他听到了流水的声音。这附近有水源，有没有可能成为他的族猫们修筑营地的地方呢？
“一定是另一条小溪。”鸦羽也听到了流水声。
他们脚爪下的地面，向下倾斜着，草地被鹅卵石代替了，鹅卵石的尽头是一条宽阔、湍急的小溪。不像他们之前在河族有可以筑营的地方看到的那条小溪，这儿没有能够帮助猫过小溪的垫脚石或小岛。
“我们得蹚水过去。”褐皮说道，“水看上去不太深。”
说完，她就下到水边，把脚爪伸进水中。不过，她马上嘶嘶地叫着把脚爪抽了回来。很显然，溪水太冷了。接着，她晃晃身子，再次走入水中，脚爪小心翼翼地踩在光滑的鹅卵石上。跟前一天他们停下来捕鱼的第一条小溪相比，这儿的芦苇更少，而且几乎没有灌木或其他低矮植物。一股失望的剧痛击穿了黑莓掌。虽然附近没有两脚兽的痕迹，但这儿也没有适合修筑营地的地方。
“你走到溪水中间的时候一定要小心！”雾脚喊道，“有时候会有你从水面上看不到的小坑，溪水很可能会突然变得很深。”
现在，溪水几乎到了褐皮的腹皮处。她停了下来，点点头，但没回头看。接着，她更加小心翼翼地继续往前走。黑莓掌和其他猫紧随其后。鸦羽踩到一颗松动的石头上，身子一滑，不由发出一声惊叫。不过，他拍打了几下水面，又找回了平衡，并设法让脑袋保持在水面上。
褐皮跳上岸，全身抖动了一下，甩落身上的水滴。“你们肯定没事的。”她朝其他猫喊道，“我是蹚过来的，根本都不需要游泳。”
溪水又湿又冷，腹部的毛紧紧粘在皮肤上，让黑莓掌感到非常不舒服。他也不确定一会儿能得到多大的好处。他旁边的雾脚确实非常自信地在水里走着，仿佛行走在干地上似的；黑莓掌也注意到，她一直留意着松鼠飞。松鼠飞是他们这几只猫中腿最短的，所以她下到溪水里时，不得不斜仰着头以免水漫进嘴里。
小溪的另一头也是一处开阔的草地，远处长着很多树。黑莓掌爬上小溪对岸时，耳朵都浸湿了。他往前猛跑一阵，想找个避雨的地方。但枝条上的叶子都落了，根本就没地方避雨。
他蜷缩在一棵树下，等着其他猫赶上来。他想象着绿叶季时，这儿会是什么样：地上长着浓密的长草和蕨类植物，头顶上的树叶发出哗啦啦的声音。而现在，地面湿乎乎的，很不舒服，他也没看到任何像他们旧领地里那样的荆棘丛或榛树丛。
至少这些树是橡树和山毛榉，而不是他们刚刚离开的那种松树。这些树是老鼠和小鸟喜爱的栖息地，而老鼠和小鸟则是雷族以前喜欢的狩猎对象。黑莓掌精神开始振奋起来，但他仍旧对附近两脚兽留下的活动迹象感到忧虑——比如两脚兽的小路，树上亮闪闪的彩色标志，还有半桥。他不知道是不是仅仅因为自己神经过于紧张，才会觉得这儿的两脚兽痕迹比他们的旧领地要多很多。他抖了抖身子，努力不再去想这些事情。
“你在想什么？”雾脚来到他身边，问道。
黑莓掌正要回答，却看到松鼠飞埋着头，开始用一只前爪撕扯着丢弃在草地里的山毛榉壳。
“这儿有这么多坚果，附近肯定有许多松鼠。”她说道。
雾脚眯着眼盯着黑莓掌。黑莓掌努力克制着，不让自己看上去像是放弃了寻找雷族生存之地的全部希望的样子。“我们干吗不休息一会儿呢？”雾脚提议道，“咱们找个地方避避雨，希望雨能快点停住。”
“光靠希望可是抓不住猎物的。”鸦羽和褐皮赶上来后，鸦羽拂去耳朵上的水珠，冷冷地说道。
“这个主意不错，雾脚。”黑莓掌说。
“要是我们能找到避雨的地方，那就太好了。”褐皮也表示赞同。
“那我们往树林的深处走走。”雾脚做出了决定，“从水面上吹过来的风更加寒冷。”
于是，他们沿着一条斜路走进树林，离湖越来越远。当他们走到一棵矗立在山毛榉树林中的巨大、古老的橡树下时，仍旧能够看到身后闪着银光的湖面。大橡树下的地面上，满是盘根错节的树根，能够闻到淡淡的、陈腐的兔子的气味，似乎这儿曾经被兔子用作巢穴。这儿的空间也足够大，所有猫都能躲进树根底下。尽管不时仍会有稀疏的雨点飘进来，不过至少还能挡住冷风。
黑莓掌跟松鼠飞紧紧挤在一起，开始舔去她脖子和肩部皮毛上的雨水。
“这次巡视湖区，感觉比咱们在旅途中遇到的那些事情还要困难。”松鼠飞过了一会儿小声说道，“为了来到这儿，咱们一路上遇到了各种危险，好几次都差点丧命。没想到现在，我们还得决定族群在哪儿安置新家。怎么感觉星族好像不打算直接把我们指引到一处舒适、安全的营地啊！万一我们做出错误的决定那可怎么办？”
她的话道出了黑莓掌内心的担忧。黑莓掌停下来，凝视着松鼠飞那深绿色的眸子。“我也觉得上次旅途中遇到的困难更容易解决。”他承认道。
松鼠飞从他们避雨的地方往外看去，她眨眨眼睛，睫毛上的雨滴落了下去。“这儿的树倒是挺适合的，但跟我们以前森林里的领地相比，有点过于开阔了。如果头顶的遮蔽物不够多的话，雷族猫会没有安全感的。”
“如果领地里都是两脚兽的话，那也不行。”黑莓掌补充道。
“拜托！”褐皮停止舔舐腹部的皮毛，抬起头望着他说，“以前的森林里就有大量的两脚兽。那时都没有问题，现在也不会有问题。”
褐皮的话很有道理，但最主要的是，黑莓掌知道自己希望在新家园中能感到安全，而在这儿，他没有感受到安全，至少现在还没有。
“到了新叶季，这里看上去会好很多。”雾脚鼓励道，“每个地方都会好很多的。”
“嗯……”松鼠飞移动了一下身子，以便能够舔到尾巴根部潮湿的皮毛，“不过，我们还是得找到一处营地。”
“你们的脚爪几乎还没有踏进这块领地呢。”鸦羽说道。
“我知道。”黑莓掌下定决心不再去瞎担心了，于是专心地用力舔了松鼠飞几下。
松鼠飞张开嘴巴，打了个大大的哈欠，说道：“遇上这场大雨，我们也没什么辙。如果再这样下去，我身上的毛都快给它冲走了。”
黑莓掌停了下来，把口鼻靠在松鼠飞温暖的侧腹上。他正在打瞌睡，感到松鼠飞的身子动了一下，接着就听到她说：“我觉得雨小点了。”
黑莓掌抬起头，意识到他们避雨处外边的草地上，之前一直持续不断的雨点急速落地的啪啪声消失了，变成了断断续续、短促的雨滴声。风也变弱了，水汽弥漫中的日光洒落在枝条上，悬挂在上面的雨滴闪着微光。
褐皮说道：“乌云要散去了。”
黑莓掌从树根底下钻出来，抬头仰望着天空。这时，已经差不多到日中了。巡逻队的其他猫出现在他身后。雾脚嗅闻着空气，鸦羽则梳理着自己肩部弄皱了的深烟灰色皮毛。
“我们要不要狩猎呀？”松鼠飞说着，挨个伸展了一下后肢。
“当然了。”黑莓掌回答道，“大伙儿沿途找些东西吃吧。”正好有机会看看，这片林地能否喂饱他们这几只饿猫。
五只猫在树林里散开。黑莓掌支棱着耳朵，倾听着猎物的声音。他每走几步就停下来，嗅着空气中的气味。起初，他只能闻到潮湿的树叶和湿淋淋的枝条，他的心一下子就沉了下来。难道这儿的两脚兽太多，所有的猎物都吓跑了？不过，至少地面变得越来越不平坦，长满了灌木和干枯的蕨丛，而这样的地方正适合小动物躲藏。
突然，他听到一棵树下的落叶中有轻微的窸窣声。这时，松鼠飞也听到了，一下子就扑了过去。她的脚爪落在地上咚咚作响，那只猎物——一只田鼠嗖地蹿了出来，一下子就消失在荆棘丛中。松鼠飞伸着鼻子，在后面穷追不舍。黑莓掌叹息了一声，心想，她本应该知道，在安静的森林里追逐猎物，不能弄出那么大动静的。
“现在她捉不到那只田鼠了。”鸦羽说道。
他们看着松鼠飞冲入荆棘丛。一个心跳过后，她那深姜黄色皮毛在晃动的树枝中闪了一下，就消失不见了。很快，一声尖叫从荆棘丛后面隐约传来，接着就什么声音也没有了。
“发生什么事了？”褐皮大声喊道。
黑莓掌立刻朝荆棘丛冲了过去，早已经忘记田鼠的事了。“松鼠飞！”他大声叫着，“松鼠飞，你在哪儿？”
他一头钻进长满尖刺的枝条中。
“小心！”雾脚在他身后提醒道。
黑莓掌几乎没有听到雾脚的声音。弹力十足的树枝不停拍打着黑莓掌的脸，他感到一根刺扎进了自己的脚掌。“松鼠飞！”他又喊了一声。
“我在下边！”一声微弱的应答从底下的什么地方传来。
黑莓掌向下看去，不由倒吸了一口凉气。就在前方一尾远的地方，地面陡然下降。如果他再往前走几个脚爪那么远的话，自己也会摔下去了。
他回头望去，看见褐皮紧紧跟在他的身后。“往回退。”他提醒道，“这儿好像有个悬崖。让我先看一下。”
他肚皮紧紧贴着地面，往前匍匐爬行，一直爬到了悬崖边上。他一下子回想起了烟爪从大山中的峡谷掉下去的一幕，也做好了看到松鼠飞破碎的身体躺在下方低处石头上的准备。不过，他看到的是，松鼠飞正站在下方离他仅仅三四个狐狸尾巴远的荆棘丛里，睁着大大的绿眼睛抬头看着他。
“松鼠飞！”他喘着粗气喊道，“你还好吗？”
“不，我不好！”松鼠飞气恼地说道，“我身上扎了那么多刺，我觉得自己像一只刺猬！而且我还没有抓到那只可恶的田鼠。不过，我发现了一些有趣的东西！快过来看看。”
“下去后，我们还上得来吗？”
松鼠飞叹息着说：“黑莓掌，你是只胆小的老鼠吗？赶紧下来，你一定得看看这个。”
黑莓掌感到皮毛兴奋得有些刺痛。他回头瞅了一眼巡逻队的其他猫。褐皮仍站在刚才停下来的地方，而雾脚和鸦羽则在褐皮左右两侧焦急地往这边看着。
“松鼠飞受伤了吗？”雾脚喊道。
“没有，我觉得她没事。”黑莓掌回答道，“她想让我下去看看。你能放哨吗？”
雾脚点点头，黑莓掌转回到悬崖方向。他仔细地观察着，发现这儿并不像峡谷那儿，虽然也很陡峭，但是有大量凸出的岩石和草丛可以下爪。他半滑半爬地下到松鼠飞身边。松鼠飞正站在荆棘丛里，皮毛看上去非常凌乱。
“看那儿！”她转动身体，急躁地抽动着尾巴，“看到没有？”
黑莓掌顺着她的目光缓缓看过去。他们正站在一簇荆棘丛边上，他们的眼前，是一片宽阔的、长满草的空地，空地四周被石墙环绕。他和松鼠飞下来的这个地方，石墙相对来说比较低矮，但是在空地的对面，石墙比他们的脑袋还要高出好几个狐狸身长。
“幸亏你没有从那边掉下来。”他说道。
“是啦，我知道。但是你还没明白吗，黑莓掌？”松鼠飞说道，“这里正适合做雷族的新营地啊！”
“什么？”
“你仔细看看，”她坚持说道，“这里多适合当营地啊！”
黑莓掌弄掉粘在皮毛上的荆棘，走到空地的中央。四周升起的石墙把他围在了中央，只是在不远处，有一个缺口，被干枯的蕨类植物和茎上长满长须与种子的草堵住了。他四周都是灌木丛，能看到一两处裂缝，有可能通往最高的那段石墙中的洞穴。现在，他终于明白松鼠飞的意思了。这个地方可以建造成一处非常棒的营地，但这儿似乎有什么东西让他感到害怕。
“我不知道……”他开口说道，他不想打击松鼠飞的积极性，但也无法忽视那使得他脚爪发痒的焦虑，“你看看这个石头的表面，被切得多么光滑。只有两脚兽会干这种事，我们不能把营地建在离两脚兽这么近的地方。”
“但那应该是很久以前的事了。”松鼠飞走到空地中央黑莓掌的身边，争辩道，“你看墙上长的草和灌木。它们都不可能是一夜之间长出来的，对吧？而且附近也没有两脚兽的气味。”
黑莓掌嗅了嗅空气。松鼠飞是对的，应该有很长一段时间没有两脚兽来过这儿了。她关于灌木丛的说法也是对的。两脚兽肯定切了石头——可能是用来建造它们的巢穴——然后就离开了，在森林中央留下了这个石头山谷。从某种意义上说，这个山谷让他想起了遮蔽雷族旧营地的那个山谷。或许，这也会让族群猫有家的感觉吧！
他强迫自己平静下来。他的族猫们需要一位坚强的武士，而不是看到一处阴影和一片搅动的树叶，就想着会不会有危险的武士。“我想，这儿可以做我们的营地。”黑莓掌说道。
松鼠飞轻轻弹动了一下耳朵。“不要兴奋过头了，好吗？”她说。
“我只是想知道什么样的地方适合防御。那儿似乎不错。”他用尾巴指向那处最高最陡的石墙，说道，“但是我们进来的这个地方太低了。还有，那处缺口怎么办？”
“哦，那个缺口比我们刚才所在的地方更容易进出。我们可以用荆棘之类的东西把它堵住，这样就可以把那些想要进来的不速之客挡在外边了。”
说完，她一跃而起，在长草丛中潜行起来，还不住地四处嗅探着。看着她的身影，黑莓掌感到一阵乡愁涌上心头，他闭上了眼睛。这种感觉似乎将他包裹了起来，就像太阳沉没之地的波浪一样淹没了他。有那么几个心跳的时间，他觉得自己要被淹死了。他想要像雷族旧营地那样，有强壮的荆棘围墙和金雀花通道，很容易防御。他想要躺在荆棘丛下的武士巢穴里，或者去炭毛那柔软的绿色蕨丛中的巢穴拜访她。他想要在那片荨麻地边进食猎物，而学徒们在他们喜爱的树桩旁打斗，幼崽们则在育婴室外认真地模仿他们的战斗招式。
一想到自己再也回不到从前了，一股强烈的痛苦就涌上心头，让黑莓掌感到有些难以忍受。两脚兽的怪物现在可能已经毁坏了营地的每一个地方，而那些地方都深深地印在了他的内心深处。太不公平了！星族怎么能眼睁睁看着这一切发生？！
此时，风又大了起来，吹得空地周围的树枝嘎嘎作响，黑莓掌也被吹得身子直晃，赶紧退到了身后的荆棘丛中。深吸一口气，黑莓掌走到松鼠飞身边。松鼠飞还在两堵墙之间的缺口处嗅闻着。
“你还好吗？”松鼠飞问道，“你怎么一瘸一拐的？”
“哦——我脚掌里扎了一根刺。”黑莓掌几乎已经把这事给忘了。
“躺下让我看看。”
黑莓掌顺从地躺了下来，松鼠飞试着舔舐他的脚掌，设法把刺咬在牙齿之间。然后，她猛地一拉，把刺拔了出来。
“好了。”松鼠飞说道，“现在，你好好舔舔那儿。”
“谢谢。你简直能当巫医了。”
松鼠飞开心地发出一阵咕噜咕噜的声音。然后，她眼中的笑意一下子消失了，一脸认真地看着黑莓掌，问道：“你不喜欢这儿，是吗？”
“也不是。”黑莓掌停下正在舔舐受伤脚掌的舌头，说道，“我只是……嗯，我可能是想要找到一处跟我们以前旧森林里的营地完全一样的地方。营地在一处山谷里，有金雀花通道能够把入侵者挡在外边……”
害怕松鼠飞会笑话他，黑莓掌的声音越来越小。没想到，松鼠飞却深情地用口鼻抵着他的口鼻，说道：“没有一只雷族猫不想回到我们的老家。难道你不觉得这片空地可以建造成一处不错的营地吗？两脚兽不会到这儿来，也没有雷鬼路。”
望着松鼠飞那闪闪发光的眼睛，黑莓掌知道，自己已经把所有真正重要的东西都从森林里带来了。“你说得对。”他感受着松鼠飞皮毛的温暖，说道，“没有你，我不可能完成那次旅程。你知道的，不是吗？”
松鼠飞的舌头轻柔地擦过他的耳朵，说道：“傻毛球。”
黑莓掌深情地回舔了松鼠飞一下，突然就愣住了。他听到有什么东西正穿过缺口，离这儿越来越近。
“嗨，你们好。”是鸦羽的声音。他的嘴里塞满了田鼠，所以声音有些含混不清。他用肩膀把长草分开，来到他们身边，把猎物放到他们脚爪前边，说道：“你们下来的时间太久了，我们都要以为你们可能被狐狸抓住了呢。”
“没有，我们都没事。”黑莓掌回答道。
“如果我被狐狸抓住了，”松鼠飞补充道，“你们会听到的，不用担心。”
“我想也是。”鸦羽说着把田鼠推到他们面前。“这是给你们的。”他接着说道，“我们都已经吃过了。我们在等你们回来的时候狩猎了。”
“谢谢，鸦羽。”黑莓掌说道。
风族武士摆了摆尾巴，以示接受了他的谢意。
“那么，你觉得雷族把这儿做新营地怎么样？”松鼠飞问道。
“这儿吗？”鸦羽眨了眨眼睛，慢慢地转过身看着四周，两位雷族武士则风卷残云地分吃着田鼠。“我觉得这儿还不错，”他终于说道，“只要你们不觉得那么封闭就行。这儿非常有利于防御，但这儿不适合风族。”
“我们又不是给你们风族。”松鼠飞强调道。
鸦羽耳朵轻轻动了一下。黑莓掌不知道，鸦羽是不是担心，自己能否为风族找到适合的地方。想必他会等他们探索山脊那块区域时再认真地为风族寻找营地吧？既然他们能发现这处山谷，山谷周围还长着适合田鼠、松鼠和小鸟生活的树林，黑莓掌开始相信，每个族群都能在湖泊的周围找到各自的领地。
这时，褐皮和雾脚走进了这处山谷。她们一边环视着陡峭的石墙，一边嗅闻着。
“没有狐狸或者獾的气味。”雾脚开口评论道，“也很隐蔽。”
“不过，你们仍需要小心警惕。”褐皮叮嘱黑莓掌道，“如果这里是两脚兽建造的，你怎么知道它们会不会再回来？”
“两脚兽应该已经很多个季节没来过这里了。”松鼠飞冷静地回答道，“这里没有它们的气味，再说了，如果它们还在切割岩石的话，这里就不会长着那么多低矮灌木了。”
但是褐皮的话还是让黑莓掌不由自主地伸出爪子，深深插进雨后潮湿的泥土中。两脚兽的怪物闯进他们老家的画面还记忆犹新，这让他很容易就会联想到，那些两脚兽的怪物又会到这儿来，切割山谷中更多的石头。可是，雷族要是不好好利用这块地方那就真是鼠脑子了，因为这儿拥有安全、隐蔽的营地所需的一切东西。不过，是否选择在这儿建立营地，最终还是要由火星来决定。
“你准备好继续往前走了吗？”雾脚打断了他的思考，“日中已经过了很长时间了。”
黑莓掌点点头。他朝四周看了看，想辨明方位。但他的鼻子里全是陌生的气味，所以，他不确定，返回湖边的话，应该往哪个方向走。这时，他注意到，山谷入口不远处，地面缓缓向上倾斜。
“我们走那条路吧。”他建议道。因为如果他们能到稍微高一点的地方，也许就能看到湖泊了。
巡逻队的其他成员也纷纷表示同意，于是，他们并排走出了山谷。当他们穿过低矮的灌木丛，把那道石墙屏障甩在身后时，松鼠飞停下脚步，回头看了一眼身后，说道：“我们还会回来的，是吧？”
她说话的声音如此之小，以至于黑莓掌不确定她是不是在跟自己说话，不过他还是回答了。“是的。”他说着，伸长口鼻触了触她的耳尖，“我想我们会回来的。”
“快点啊！”鸦羽喊道，“我们还要在天黑之前赶回去呢。”他虽然没有直接说他们还要给风族找居住的地方，但黑莓掌知道他肯定想着这事呢。
黑莓掌跟松鼠飞并肩小跑着上了斜坡，身后的空地再次被密密匝匝的树木吞没了。湿草剐擦着他的皮毛，他感觉自己都冷透了，不过，头顶上的乌云已经散去，露出了秃叶季淡蓝色的天空。虽然太阳照在了身上，但他感觉不到一丝温暖。
黑莓掌停下来，俯视着下方光秃秃的树枝。石头山谷已经完全隐藏了起来，在周围森林的包围下，显得既安全又隐秘。这儿真的能成为雷族的新营地吗？他曾经以为，当他发现某处他的族猫们可以生活的地方时，自己会有家的感觉，也会心里踏实一些；然而，这个地方却有什么东西让他感到压抑，仿佛这些岩石本身不欢迎他们这些新来者似的。
他们继续往上爬去。这时，树木开始变得稀疏，稠密的低矮灌木不见了，地面上覆盖着新落下的树叶。过了一会儿，黑莓掌从树干之间的缝隙瞥见了开阔的荒原。很快，他们就到达了森林的边上，眼前出现了绵延的山脊。湖水在底下的山谷中闪着银色的微光。他们的正前方，是隆起的荒原，灰绿色的小草在微风的吹拂下轻轻荡漾。草地上，星星点点长着不少金雀花丛。黑莓掌还听到潺潺的流水声。毫无疑问，他们已经为风族找到了新家园。
“嗨，鸦羽！”黑莓掌喊道，“你觉得这儿怎么样？”
风族武士眼中闪着兴奋的光芒，但他没有回答，直到他张开嘴，仔细嗅闻着空气中的气味，才开口说道：“是兔子的气味！”
“好了，风族也挑好新家了。”松鼠飞说道，“咱们赶紧回去吧。”
鸦羽眯缝着眼睛，盯了她一眼。
“只是开个玩笑。”松鼠飞赶快说道，“快点吧，咱们给风族找一处营地吧。”
黑莓掌知道，他们得为风族找到一处修筑营地的地方，但这时，天空中的太阳正在慢慢西沉，在草地上投射出长长的阴影。
“事实上，我觉得我们该回去了。”黑莓掌支支吾吾地说道，“我很抱歉，鸦羽。我觉得咱们没时间仔细探索这些小山了。明天高星可以派另一支巡逻队，为你们选一处修建营地的地方。我想我们现在应该一直朝前走，越过山脊，然后回到我们出发的地方。”
鸦羽的尾巴尖抽动着。他一动不动地站着，凝视着绵延起伏的山脊好一会儿，然后低下头，闻了闻草地。黑莓掌有些担心他会坚持要求继续探索，没想到他最后只是说道：“好的。你说得对，我们是应该往回返了。”
他说话时，眼中现出警惕的神色。黑莓掌猜测，他其实并不感到遗憾，因为这样一来，其他族群的猫将会没有机会探索风族的新领地。想到这儿，黑莓掌感到自己的心里就像是扎了一根刺般疼痛。鸦羽对他的族猫非常忠诚，所以，如果鸦羽第一个带头在族群间重新建立起相互仇视的高墙的话，他一点都不感到奇怪。
他们开始沿着斜坡向上爬，一直来到山脊的顶部。他们的下方，宽阔的湖面就像一片闪闪发光的天空。黑莓掌肩并肩走在松鼠飞旁边，环顾这片新的领地。他们爬过山头，来到一条小溪旁。溪水冲打着的岩石，激起无数泡沫，最后消失在他们刚刚经过的树林中。他们沿着小溪往上走了几狐狸长的距离，来到一处可供他们跨过小溪的垫脚石旁。在这儿，一条更小的溪流汇入小溪，顺着长满草的陡坡向下潺潺流着。
在到达山顶之前，他们来到山腰的一处地方。这里的地面一下子陷了下去，就像是被某只可怕的怪物一口咬掉了似的。不过，黑莓掌发现，这个大坑不是两脚兽的怪物弄的，而是长年累月的风雨侵蚀形成的。巨大的岩石散布在大坑中央的地面上，大坑的边上，长满了金雀花和其他低矮灌木。大坑可以挡住风，不过不像雷族可能的营地那样，被石墙包围得那么严实。
黑莓掌眯起了眼睛。“那儿作为你们风族的营地怎么样，鸦羽？”他问道。
鸦羽看着下面的斜坡，脚爪兴奋地抓挠着地面，朝斜坡下望去。“看起来很不错。”他也很赞同，“我再仔细探察一下。你们继续走吧，我会追上的。”
“你确定？”黑莓掌说道，“我觉得我们还是不要把你独自留下来。”
“我不会有事的。”鸦羽保证道，他弯曲着后腿，做好了迅速离去的准备，“这里没有两脚兽或狐狸的气味。我自己能够找到回临时营地的路。临时营地就在马场边上，我在这儿就能闻到那些马的气味！”
不等其他猫再说什么，他已经飞跑下小山。黑莓掌看到他在那大坑的边缘停了一下，然后纵身跳入金雀花丛。很快，他先前所在的地方就只留下了晃动的枝条。
“我希望他关于两脚兽和狐狸的判断是对的。”雾脚低声嘟囔着，走上前来站在黑莓掌旁边。
黑莓掌不知道，自己是不是应该在让鸦羽单独离开之前，征求一下雾脚的意见。不过，现在说什么都晚了。他张了张嘴，刚想为风族武士辩解两句，但是却被雾脚的话给阻止了。她的话很温和，言语中没有任何讽刺挖苦的意味：“没关系的，黑莓掌。我能看出来，这些猫对你有多尊敬。这是件值得骄傲的事情，你没必要为此道歉。很少有猫生来就是领袖，但我认为你是。”
他惊愕地看着雾脚，半是感激半是惊讶。一只河族猫能够对他给出那样的评价，似乎是一件很奇怪的事。他不知道雾脚对他那同父异母的弟弟鹰霜——他是一名河族武士——会有什么样的看法。虎星的其他儿子也是天生的领袖吗？
突然，一阵狂风猛烈地吹向他们，把黑莓掌吹得直流眼泪。有那么一刻，他觉得自己都要被风吹到空中去了。狂风也吹来一股强烈的马的气味。黑莓掌晃晃脑袋甩掉眼泪，定睛一瞧，发现马场就在山脊的另一端，过了马场不远，就是正等着巡逻队归来的四个族群所在的灌木丛。
“我们马上就要到了！”松鼠飞高兴地大喊道。她往前跳跃着，其他猫紧随其后，他们在光滑的地面上飞奔着。在这儿，行进速度比在森林里快多了。黑莓掌一下子就明白了为什么风族猫能比其他族群的猫跑得更快，而他们一旦接近蕨丛和树干就会坐立不安。
当他们沿着小山向下飞奔时，太阳已经落到了松树林的后面，把湖面照耀得仿佛着火了一样。他们刚到达山脚，鸦羽就气喘吁吁地赶了上来。
“怎么样啊？”松鼠飞询问道。
鸦羽用舌头猛舔着嘴巴，就好像刚刚吞下一只味道鲜美的猎物一样。他的眼中闪着欣喜若狂的光芒。“太棒了！”他说道，“在一处金雀花丛底下有一条通道，看起来好像是通往一只獾的洞穴，不过那只獾已经离开很长时间了，没有留下一丁点气味。”
“你们可以把獾洞作为巢穴。”褐皮建议道。
鸦羽嗤之以鼻。“风族猫一直都睡在外边。只有獾和兔子才生活在地洞里。”他提醒褐皮。
暮色中，他们沿着湖岸飞快行进着，跑过马场的栅栏。黑莓掌的所有注意力都放在警惕狗和两脚兽上了，但是，除了一匹巨马正往栅栏外张望之外，他们什么也没有看到。那匹马突然呼出一口气，吓得松鼠飞跳了起来。随后她发出嘶嘶的声音，以掩饰她刚才受到的惊吓。
过了片刻，他们听到黑暗中传来一声大吼：“谁在那儿？”
“没事，鹰霜，是我们。”雾脚喊道。
河族武士从阴影中现出身形，光滑的虎斑皮毛下，他那强壮的肩膀鼓着。“豹星和其他族长们派我来找你们。”他说道，“他们都等着你们呢。跟我来吧。”
黑莓掌眨了眨眼。一想到他和鹰霜是至亲，都是虎星的儿子，就感觉怪怪的。虽然他们俩在许多方面都很像，然而，黑莓掌还是觉得，无论自己多么努力，也无法对这位河族武士产生亲近感和忠诚感。鹰霜太急于对周围的猫发号施令了，也丝毫不掩饰自己对族群权力的渴望。黑莓掌不禁问自己，他们到底有哪些共同的遗传特征——他真不想看到这些遗传特征。比如，鹰霜的野心从何而来？难道他继承了虎星那种不惜一切代价也要夺取权力的作风吗？如果他真的已经从他们父亲虎星那儿承袭了这一点，这对于黑莓掌来说，又意味着什么呢？
鹰霜带着他们来到马场附近，族群前一天在此处的树林里休整。火星和黑星正在树桩旁边说着什么，除此之外，这片空地便没有一点生气。
巡逻队一出现，黑星马上就跳上树桩，发出一声号叫：“所有族群的猫们！马上集合！”
一瞬间，群猫模糊的身影便从凹地和长草丛中显现出来。还有一两只猫从低垂的树枝上跳下。泥掌挤开自己的族猫，也跟黑星一样跳上树桩，逼得豹星只能再次坐到了地上。
火星走到黑莓掌面前。“欢迎你们回来！”他说，“你们没碰到什么麻烦吧？”
“一切都很顺利。”黑莓掌回答道。他内疚地瞥了松鼠飞一眼，想起了那场他们差点失败的跟宠物猫之间的战斗。
“你们中最好有谁站到树桩上去，好让所有的猫都能听到。”火星做出了决定，“雾脚，你和我们一起站在树桩上好吗？”
雾脚垂下脑袋，说道：“火星，我认为黑莓掌最应该代表巡逻队发言。描述未知区域，他更有经验。”
黑莓掌飞快地看了她一眼，但河族副族长的话中并没带任何讥讽的意味。相反，她往后退了一步，让黑莓掌到树桩这儿来。“谢谢。”黑莓掌从她身边经过时低声说道。雾脚却只是眨了眨眼。
黑莓掌弓起后腿，跳上树桩。树桩上面挤得满满的，当他调整姿势好面对底下的猫群时，身子不小心碰到了黑星。影族族长发出了一声低嘶，拉开了距离。但黑莓掌强忍着不让黑星的敌意激怒自己。想到要向四个族群描述环湖一圈的漫长旅程，他的心就怦怦直跳。群猫都注视着他，黑莓掌从空气中的律动就能感觉到，他们非常渴望听到他带来的信息。有那么一瞬间，他怀疑这是不是就是当族长的感觉，每只猫都专心听他说话。
接着，他就听到尘毛不耐烦的声音从头顶沙沙作响的树枝上响起：“快点说，黑莓掌！告诉我们，你们都发现了什么！”
黑莓掌不自在地吞咽了一下，却不知道该从哪儿开始讲起。他不能说挑选一处新家并不是他唯一的期待。尽管午夜的指引、垂死的武士、湖水中反射的星光，都表明这里就是他们新家所在，但他并没有感觉到族群真的属于这块土地。这里很容易让他想到这样一个场景：两脚兽的怪物撕开树林，把地面变成泥土，打碎石头山谷的石墙，直到雷族新建的巢穴暴露在光天化日之下，每只猫都像新生的幼崽一样无助……
但这些不是族猫们想听到的，而且巡逻队的其他猫也都认为，这里就是他们的新家园。他们可能是对的吧！黑莓掌坚定地告诉自己。他们都已经证明了族群可以生活在这儿，他自己还在奢望什么呢？
“是好消息。”他深吸了一口气，开始讲道，“我们发现了适合所有族群的领地——适合河族的芦苇和溪水，适合影族的松树林，适合雷族的阔叶林，以及适合风族的荒原。”
猫群中爆发出一阵兴奋的窃窃私语，豹星高声问道：“那猎物多不多呢？”
“看上去猎物很充足。”黑莓掌答道，“虽然现在是秃叶季，但有一点确定无疑，我们肯定不会挨饿。”
“那周围有没有两脚兽？”另一只猫发出疑问——黑莓掌觉得是一位影族武士，但他不太确定。
“我们看到一些两脚兽来过湖区的证据，但是现在，湖区没有一只两脚兽。”他说道，“雾脚认为，绿叶季时可能会有很多两脚兽，就像我们以前在森林里的时候，两脚兽也常常在绿叶季带着它们的幼崽在河里游泳。”
他注意到有几只猫在焦虑地互相看着，抛开两脚兽的幼崽不说，一想起两脚兽给森林带来的灾难，他就感到一阵熟悉的心惊胆战。这时，雾脚补充说道：“我们可以躲开它们。所以，它们不会是一个大问题。”黑莓掌这才松了口气。
“嗯……就这些。”黑莓掌不确定还有什么可说的，“可能我们每只猫都应该把自己看到的情况，详详细细地告诉自己的族群。”
“我们需要确定一下族群的边界。”黑星咆哮着说。
“没错。”挨着豹星坐在树桩根部的火星说道，“我们在详细了解每一处领地之后再确定族群的边界。谢谢你，黑莓掌。”
黑莓掌感激地冲他的族长低下头。尽管他可以带领朋友们到达太阳沉没之地，然后成功返回，能够带领巡逻队探索湖边的领地，但待在族长们中间，他感觉自己就像一只幼崽那样无助。他的皮毛一阵刺痛，这时，他注意到，在树桩周围的猫群边上的鹰霜正看着他。黑莓掌不自在地抽动着耳朵，跳了下来。当鹰霜迎面朝他走过来时，黑莓掌心里一紧。接着，他鼓起勇气，准备听到鹰霜不怀好意的话语，有可能他对新边界应该在哪儿有自己的看法。
让他没料到的是，河族武士的蓝眼睛里闪着友善的光芒。“谢谢你们找到了新的领地，黑莓掌。”他说道，“很抱歉我们现在就要分别了。我很乐意跟你一起狩猎。”
黑莓掌眨了眨眼睛。不同族群的武士根本就不能一起狩猎——但是这还不是鹰霜的提议吓到他的真正原因，是河族武士感觉到跟他有某种亲情关系了吗？如果他和鹰霜是同一个族群的成员，他们有可能会成为像火星和灰条那样的朋友吗？会为了彼此，无数次冒着失去生命的危险也在所不惜吗？
“嗯，我们森林大会时再见吧。”他开口道。
“黑莓掌，你在干什么？”松鼠飞走了过来，瞪了一眼鹰霜，“火星正等着我们呢。”
“当然，豹星也在等着我呢。”鹰霜低头以示再见，然后走开了。
“你为什么要跟他说话？”等鹰霜走远了后，松鼠飞生气地问道，“你知道他不可信的。”
“我倒不知道有这回事。”黑莓掌反驳道。
松鼠飞哼了一声，说道：“哦，那我告诉你，那只猫不仅野心勃勃，而且还自私自利。”
黑莓掌感到自己脖子上的毛开始立了起来。“真的？”他问道。
“他希望雾脚不会回来，那样的话，他就还是副族长。我听说，他不止一次跟雾脚争吵。”
“他肯定是为了族群好，仅此而已。”黑莓掌说道。在他内心深处，他完全能理解，当雾脚从两脚兽处逃脱之后，重新当上河族副族长时，鹰霜心里是什么样的感受。
“才不是那样呢！”松鼠飞停顿了一下，尾巴尖不住地来回摆动着，“我可以告诉你，叶爪根本就不信任鹰霜，而她比咱们更了解鹰霜。在鹰霜担任河族副族长的时候，叶爪就在森林里。”
“那你有没有问她为什么会有那样的感觉？”
松鼠飞摇了摇头，说道：“我不需要问她，但我就是知道她的感觉。”
黑莓掌眯起了眼睛：“这么说来，除了叶爪的感觉，你其实并没有任何对鹰霜不利的证据？只是因为叶爪是你的姐姐，你就相信她的话，对不对？好吧，你别忘了，鹰霜是我的弟弟。”
“你是想告诉我，因为他是你的弟弟，所以你就要维护他？”松鼠飞大喊道，“可是你几乎一点都不了解他啊！”
“你也不了解他。但是你却认为，你足够了解他，以至于可以说出他不能相信这样的话。”黑莓掌伸出脚爪，深深地插进落叶里，“还是说，你指责他仅仅是因为他的父亲是虎星？”
松鼠飞的绿眼睛一下子睁得溜圆。“如果你是这样想的，那你一点都不了解我！”她发出愤怒的嘶嘶声，然后转过身，尾巴直竖着走开了。
黑莓掌目不转睛地看着她走远，心里非常沮丧。从松鼠飞成为学徒起，他们就不时拌嘴吵架，但是黑莓掌从来没有想到，自己会从她的嘴里听到那样令自己感到冰冷、厌恶的话。
一股凉意像利爪一样刺透了黑莓掌的脊背。如果松鼠飞是因为鹰霜的父亲是虎星，而不信任鹰霜，那是不是意味着她也不信任自己？
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 12
Fox!
Brambleclaw lifted his head to taste the air more carefully. The scent clung to the bramble thicket beside him, strongest around a rough-edged tunnel that looked as if it had been made by slender bodies pushing regularly through it.
“It was here not long ago,” he warned Brackenfur. “There might be an earth nearby.”
They were leading a patrol to find landmarks for the boundaries of the new territory, and to put down the first scent markers. Rainwhisker was with them, and Dustpelt had come too, leaving Whitepaw and Spiderpaw dragging thorns into place to block the camp entrance.
“We’ll report it to Firestar,” Brackenfur decided. “We need to be careful until we find out whether it lives here or was just passing through.”
Brambleclaw nodded. His fur tingled with excitement, all his doubts about the hollow forgotten now that it was daylight and the cats could see what a good place it made for a camp. He had been glad when Firestar chose him to patrol the new boundaries; every pawstep made the woods feel more like ThunderClan territory, and he deliberately brushed against brambles and tree trunks as he walked along, to leave a scent trail that was unmistakably theirs.
He let Brackenfur take the lead as they padded on. As they skirted a clump of hazel, Dustpelt stopped to sniff a lowhanging branch. He looked up, and his eyes were so full of concern that the other three went over to examine the scent as well. They looked apprehensively at each other as they scented Twolegs.
“At least it’s stale,” Brackenfur pointed out. “Days old, I’d say.”
“But they come here.” Dustpelt curled his lip. “If I never see another Twoleg, it’ll be too soon.”
Brambleclaw took a deep breath to stop his heart pounding. He felt exactly the same way, but it would be a sign of weakness to show his fear in front of these warriors. This was their home now, and they couldn’t live every day expecting to have it snatched away from them. He let his tail-tip rest briefly on the older warrior’s shoulder. “This is the first scent we’ve picked up since leaving the hollow,” he pointed out. “And we’re a long way away from a Thunderpath. There won’t be any monsters.”
Dustpelt flicked his ears and padded on without speaking. The others followed, Brambleclaw keeping to the back, halfafraid the others would see the terror in his eyes as he tried to push away images of the forest crashing down around them.
“Let’s hunt!” Brackenfur suggested.
“Good idea,” Rainwhisker agreed. No cat mentioned that it would be a welcome diversion from thoughts of Twolegs and monsters, but they all concentrated on tracking prey as if they had been starving for a moon.
Brambleclaw slowed down to drink in the mingled scent of squirrel and rabbit and birds. He jumped when he heard an alarm call, and saw that Rainwhisker had brought down a starling. Nodding appreciatively, he headed past the young warrior, farther into the forest, until he spotted a thrush pecking among the gnarled roots of a dead tree. Crouching low enough for his belly fur to brush the fallen leaves, he crept forward until he could pounce on it and dispatch it with a swift blow to the neck.
As he lowered his head to take a bite, a weight landed on his back and he felt claws digging into him. Instinctively he flung himself sideways and rolled over to dislodge his attacker. Scrambling away from slashing claws, he caught a glimpse of ginger fur and at first thought it was Brackenfur. Had his Clanmate gone mad? But when he scrabbled for a foothold and managed to spin around, he saw that he was facing a snarling ShadowClan warrior.
“Rowanclaw! What are you doing?”
“What do you think?” growled the ginger tom. “Defending the ShadowClan boundary, of course.”
“What?” Brambleclaw looked around and realized that the beeches and oak trees that grew around the ThunderClan camp were mixed with pine here.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t know! You crossed our scent markers.”
“I didn’t notice any scent marks at all!” Brambleclaw protested. “They must be too faint.” He shied away from the other possibility—that the Clans’ scents had become so mixed while they were traveling together that no cat could tell one from the other now. If that were true, it would be impossible to set any boundaries at all.
“Too faint!” Rowanclaw sneered. “Mouse dung! Admit it, you were trying to steal our territory.”
“You’retrying to steal ours,” Brambleclaw retorted furiously. “Back at the horseplace, we said we’d use the clearing on either side of the stream as the boundary. You must have crossed it, because I certainly haven’t.”
“There isn’ta clearing here, mouse brain,” Rowanclaw snarled. “The stream veers deeper into our territory and the trees grow right up to both banks. We have set the boundary in a straight line, carrying on from where the stream runs through the clearing. Try looking out for the scent marks next time, and you’ll know exactly where ShadowClan begins.”
He unsheathed his claws, bunching his hindquarters under him, and Brambleclaw braced himself for a fight. But before Rowanclaw could pounce, a tortoiseshell streak burst out of the bushes and bowled him over. It was Tawnypelt.
“What are you doing?” she spat. “It’s much too soon to start fighting over territory.”
Rowanclaw glared at his Clanmate. “What a surprise, it’s the half-Clan warrior!” he hissed. “We all know you’d rather defend your brother than your Clan.”
“That’s not true!” Tawnypelt protested.
“No, it’s not.” Brambleclaw padded forward to stand next to his sister. “I know Tawnypelt is loyal to ShadowClan.”
Rowanclaw’s disbelieving gaze raked him like a claw. “If you ask me,” he growled, “all the cats who went to see that badger have forgotten which Clan they belong to.”
With a furious yowl, Brambleclaw was about to spring at him when three more ShadowClan cats appeared: Cedarheart, Oakfur, and Talonpaw. Brambleclaw’s belly clenched. He could hardly take on an entire ShadowClan patrol, and what would Tawnypelt do if her Clanmates forced her to join in the fight against her brother?
To his relief he heard Brackenfur’s voice behind him. “Brambleclaw! What’s going on?”
Glancing back, he saw his three Clanmates racing through the trees. The ShadowClan warriors crouched down, unsheathing their claws, but before the warriors could leap on one another a new voice rang out.
“Stop!”
Firestar padded out from a patch of thorns behind Brambleclaw, his eyes narrowed in fury. “I can’t believe how stupid you are being, all of you. If we can’t establish our boundaries peacefully, we’ll end up shedding the blood of every cat in the forest.”
Stung, Brambleclaw took a step back, and saw his Clanmates flatten their neck fur as well. The ShadowClan warriors did the same, though their tails twitched angrily.
“They crossed our scent markers,” Rowanclaw muttered.
“No, we didn’t,” Brambleclaw insisted. He had expected support from his Clan leader; instead, Firestar was behaving as if he didn’t even want him to defend their territory. “We might need to fight,” he argued. “This is our home now, and we have to be ready—”
“That’s enough.” Firestar’s eyes were cold. “If ShadowClan has set scent markers already, then this is their territory.”
“Ifthey did,” Dustpelt put in. “I didn’t smell any.”
“We will not accuse another Clan’s cats of lying,” Firestar hissed. “Rowanclaw, where is the stream and the clearing that we said we’d use as a boundary?”
The ShadowClan warrior jerked his head toward his own territory. “The stream’s back there, and there isn’t a clearing this far away from the lake.” Twitching his tail contemptuously toward Brambleclaw, he added, “I already told himthat.”
“Then ShadowClan has the right to be here,” Firestar decided. “ThunderClan will find other places to hunt. Come on, we’re going back to camp.”
Brambleclaw couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He clamped his teeth together to stop himself from challenging his leader in front of warriors from another Clan. The most he could do was glare at the ShadowClan patrol as he swung around and followed Firestar back through the trees.
As he approached the dead tree where he had killed the thrush he noticed a faint scent hanging in the air; it was the ShadowClan marker, but it was so weak that he hardly recognized it, and it definitely held traces of ThunderClan, Wind-Clan, and RiverClan scents as well. Brambleclaw didn’t feel any less furious now that he knew ShadowClan hadn’t been lying. It wasn’t ShadowClan he was angry with; it was Firestar.
Why had his leader assumed that Brambleclaw and the other ThunderClan cats were in the wrong? Why hadn’t he stopped to listen to their explanation for crossing the boundary? Brambleclaw curled his lip. If he carried on like this, Firestar would end up handing the entire forest over to the other Clans.
On their journey to sun-drown-place, he and the other five cats had discussed everything, and even when Brambleclaw emerged as the natural leader, they had still made all the important decisions together. Why couldn’t Firestar be more like that? Every cat in the Clan had an opinion about their new home, and blindly following orders wasn’t always the best solution.
Before they reached the hollow, Firestar stopped. “Brackenfur, I want you to go that way.” He pointed with his tail to an area no cat had explored yet, where the trees grew more thickly. “See what you can find, and whether there are any good landmarks for the boundary. But I need one of you to come back with me—Brambleclaw, you’ll do.”
Brambleclaw watched the other three cats vanish into the bracken before turning to follow Firestar. “What do you want me to do?”
“We need a lot of moss and bedding for the new nests,” Firestar replied. “I want you to collect as much as you can before it gets dark.”
“What?”Brambleclaw stopped dead, his anger surging up again. “That’s a job for an apprentice!”
“Usually, yes, but the apprentices are busy building a barrier at the camp entrance. Just do it, Brambleclaw. You know every cat has to pitch in until our new home is fully established.”
“Okay,” Brambleclaw muttered.
He let Firestar go on, and stopped at the foot of a tree to claw at the moss between the roots, taking out his anger on the close-packed stems. Whatever Firestar said about every cat pitching in, this was a punishment for his scrap with the ShadowClan patrol. Brambleclaw had only been trying to defend his Clan’s territory. He wanted to be trusted, to be given responsibility, and here he was collecting moss.
Padding back with a ball of moss clenched between his teeth, he met Squirrelflight and the rest of the hunting patrol, laden with fresh-kill.
“Hi, Brambleclaw!” Squirrelflight called to him, setting down the squirrel she was carrying. “This place is great for prey!”
Brambleclaw couldn’t share her excitement. The only thing he’d been allowed to hunt for his Clan was a heap of bedding. Not bothering to put the moss down so he could answer, he brushed past his Clanmate and stalked into the camp.
第五章
第五章
黑莓掌讲完话从树桩上跳下时，叶爪正四处寻找松鼠飞。她渴望马上了解他们新领地的情况，也想知道她的妹妹有没有发现有用的草药。
这时，她看到了栗尾，马上跳了过去。“你看到松鼠飞了吗？”
这只玳瑁色武士摇了摇脑袋。
叶爪正打算继续寻找时，一阵剧烈的刺痛就像利爪一样穿透了她。她屏住呼吸，鼻子抵住胸口，试图止住疼痛。松鼠飞一定出事了，一定有什么事情困扰着她。但是叶爪猜不出是什么事。巡逻队安全地返回了，而且听起来湖的周围有所有族群的领地，那松鼠飞为什么还会如此震惊和愤怒呢？
“你没事吧？”栗尾问道。
“什么？哦，是的，我还好。我只是想问松鼠飞一些事情。”叶爪努力保持语气镇静，但她的声音还是抑制不住地颤抖。所幸她们周围的说话声很大，栗尾没有注意到叶爪的异常。
“我会帮你找一找的。”栗尾说道，“我都迫不及待地想听听咱们的新领地是什么样啦！”
叶爪点点头，然后在猫群中来回穿梭着，寻找妹妹那熟悉的暗姜黄色身影。当她终于发现自己的妹妹跟其他一些雷族猫待在一起时，才长舒了一口气。只见松鼠飞兴奋地摇动着尾巴，正在向雷族猫们解释着什么。尽管她现在看起来似乎没什么问题，但是叶爪知道，自己感受到的那道像闪电一般击中自己的愤怒和沮丧，绝不是自己的错觉。
她跟栗尾一起朝松鼠飞走了过去。
“是一片石头山谷，四周都是墙。”松鼠飞正在描述自己看到的情况，“那儿的空间很大，不仅可以建造巢穴、育婴室，甚至还可以建训练场。”
松鼠飞极力想保持平常的语调，但当叶爪走得越来越近时，她还是能够感觉到松鼠飞心中的那股怒意。松鼠飞的眼睛太大太亮了，她不住地环顾四周，仿佛想找到一只并不在那儿的猫似的。过了片刻，叶爪便意识到，松鼠飞找的那只猫一定是黑莓掌。叶爪猜测，黑莓掌应该正在跟别的雷族成员们交谈。
“那个山谷没有别的什么东西吗？”尘毛问道。他和香薇云并排坐在松鼠飞面前；他们唯一存活的幼崽小白桦，正在和高罂的三只幼崽在草地上翻滚嬉戏着，所有猫都兴奋得难以入睡。“松鼠飞，只有你才会期待我们在獾洞里修筑营地。”
松鼠飞愤怒地蜷缩着尾巴，说道：“尘毛，要是你能在那儿找到獾或者狐狸，我保证我会全部吃掉。我们根本就没有嗅到它们的任何气味。”
尘毛有些不相信地咕哝了一声。
“我觉得那里听起来很棒。”亮心走到松鼠飞身边，用口鼻轻触松鼠飞的身子，说道，“你们是怎么发现那个地方的？”
“我……呃，我不小心掉到里边去了。”松鼠飞说道。
云尾笑着说道：“为什么我对此一点也不感到惊讶啊？”
“现在你可听好了……”松鼠飞转过身面对这位白色的武士，但是她还没来得及开口说话，就听到空中响起一声号叫。
“所有族群的猫们！”
叶爪转过身，看到炭毛爬上树桩，月光把她灰色的皮毛映照成银色。她用尾巴示意大家安静。众猫兴奋的说话声逐渐平息了下来。
雷族巫医说道：“在我们即将分开进入各自领地之前，我们必须决定下一次森林大会在哪里举行。星族会期待我们在满月到来之时集会，共商大事。”
“但是在哪儿集会呢？”影族副族长黄毛问道，“巡逻队有没有找到类似四棵树那样的地方？”
坐在靠近树桩根部的雾脚，举起了脚爪。“没有。”她提高了声音，以便所有族群都能够听到，“我们没有发现类似的地方。可是我们还没来得及仔细探索每一处地方。”
“星族会给我们指一个集会的地方的。”坐在黄毛和黑星旁边的小云大声说道。
“星族可能已经向我们指出了这个地方。”蛾翅跳了起来，琥珀色的眼睛闪闪发亮。她开始给众猫描述那座靠近湖岸的小岛。“它不仅安全隐蔽，而且离岸边也不太远，是集会的完美之地。”她最后说道。
“可是我们只能游泳才能到那岛上去！”雷族武士鼠毛反对道，“我才不会在每个月圆之夜都去湖中游泳，就算是星族下来求我，我也不去。”
“再说了，长老们怎么办？”前影族巫医奔鼻用嘶哑的声音说道。
顿时，众猫中响起一片赞同声。叶爪焦虑地扫过一张张脸庞。尽管她自己对在小岛上集会也有些怀疑，不过她想不到更好的集会地点。但是她没看到哪怕有一只猫对蛾翅的建议表现出一丝热情。
鹰霜走上前来站到蛾翅旁边。他礼貌地向炭毛低下头，然后说道：“能不能由我带领一支河族武士巡逻队，全面地探察一下小岛？如果族群不能把小岛用作集会地的话，听上去小岛倒是河族营地的理想之地。”
他的话还没结束，雾脚就快步走向他。“我已经告诉过你河族在哪儿修筑营地了。”虽然她的声音非常平静，但脖颈上的毛发却竖立着，“在两条小溪的交汇处有一个地方，离湖不远，那儿有树林可以隐蔽，即使是在绿叶季，也没有两脚兽在附近活动的迹象。”
“但是你仔细想想，在小岛上建筑营地一定更加安全。”鹰霜辩解道，“我们的巢穴外面就是布满鱼群的湖水，你有没有想过你选择的那个营地可能过于开阔了？而且你也提到了，雷鬼路离得不远吧。”
雾脚一下子火冒三丈：“你是在质疑我的判断吗？我知道我的族群需要什么！”鹰霜撇撇嘴，这让叶爪非常紧张，以为这两位河族武士会跳向对方打斗起来。
“够了！”叶爪的后方传来一声呵斥。她转过身，看到豹星正走向两位争吵的武士。“你们是想让河族丢脸吗？”豹星怒吼道。
鹰霜后退了一步，雾脚肩部的毛也平顺了下来，虽然叶爪能感觉到她并不情愿。“鹰霜，如果你希望的话，那你就带领一支巡逻队上小岛探察一番。”豹星继续说道，“你回来之后，我们再决定在哪儿安置营地。”
“遵命，豹星。”鹰霜低下头说，“我会挑选一些别的猫，明天天一亮就出发。”他刚一退回来，就马上被他的族猫们包围住了，所有猫都大声嚷嚷着要跟他一起去小岛。
叶爪不禁心里一颤。看到鹰霜竟然如此公然挑战雾脚的权威，叶爪心里非常奇怪。如果鹰霜敢在他的族长和其他族群面前挑战他的副族长，那他一定对自己在族群内的地位非常自信。
当炭毛再次高喊要求安静时，叶爪觉得在她老师的蓝色眼睛里也看到了同样的担忧。“那么，我们下次森林大会的地点应该在哪儿呢？”炭毛问道。
“我们还是回到这儿来。”火星说道，“除非在下次满月之前，星族给我们指出另一个地方。”
泥掌转身向火星说道：“我认为你这个主意不好。我们现在这个地方离两脚兽的巢穴太近了，要知道，马场可就在另一边。”
“那也没别的办法。”黑星回答道。
火星也点点头说道：“现在，我们已经在这儿待了两个日夜，而我们并没有闻到太多两脚兽的气味。不过如果你有更好的主意，说来我们听听吧。”
泥掌猛地甩动了一下尾巴。“随你的便。”他咆哮着说道，“伟大的火星说出的话就是法律，一直以来都是这样。”
众猫开始从树桩周围悄悄散开，退回到阴影之中。香薇云用尾巴示意小白桦回到自己身边，说道：“你该睡会儿了，小东西。明天我们还要走好多路呢。”
小白桦停止了跟高罂幼崽之间的打闹，跳跃着回来了。“小蟾蜍、小苹果和小沼泽也能一起来吗？”他问道。
“不能，因为我们是影族猫。”高罂温柔地解释道，“从现在开始，我们就有了属于自己的领地。”
“我要跟他们在一起！”小白桦一边哭着一边说道，四只幼崽都聚到了一起，注视着两只猫后，一双双大大的眼睛里满是恳求的神色。
“如果他们不去雷族的营地，那我也不想去。”小白桦说道。
叶爪心中一震。他们实在太天真了！他们根本就不知道，他们的生活与他们年长的族猫们可是完全不同的。他们最早的记忆，大多是在森林里时对饥饿的恐惧，是每只猫都对自己能否活下去的担心。直到族群猫聚集到一起，踏上那场穿越群山的筋疲力尽的旅程时，他们才交到了新的朋友。幼崽们对族群间的竞争没有任何概念，也没认识到成为一名效力于某一单个族群的武士的重要性。他们甚至可能都不知道还有四个族群之分。
“别傻了。”香薇云走到她的幼崽身边，同情地舔了舔他的耳朵，“那是武士守则的规定。当你们成为学徒后，你们就可以在召开族群森林大会时见面。”
“那不一样。”小蟾蜍咕哝着，一脸倔强地看着妈妈。
“而且也没有别的雷族幼崽跟我一起玩。”小白桦伤心地补充了一句。
香薇云和高罂相互看了一眼，叶爪在她们的眼睛里看到由衷的遗憾——看来，不只是她们的幼崽之间结成了超越族群的友谊。
最终，高罂低了一下头，接着尾巴一扫，把她的三只幼崽召集到身边。“现在，该说再见了。”她轻快地说道。
“再见！”小蟾蜍和小沼泽齐声说，小苹果冲到小白桦身边，用鼻子碰了一下他的鼻子。
“再见！”小白桦目不转睛地追随着朋友的身影，直到他们远远地离开。然后，他转过身跟上他的妈妈，尾巴无力地耷拉着。
叶爪为这只孤独的幼崽，还有所有失去其他族群朋友的猫们感到心痛。在几尾远的地方，叶爪看到刺掌正在与风族的灰脚和一根须道别。看到叶爪的目光，刺掌有些内疚地跳开了，仿佛觉得跟他们交朋友就是对雷族不忠似的。
“没关系。”叶爪走过去碰了碰雷族武士的鼻子，说道，“就这样放弃新交的朋友，确实很难。”我真幸运，她感激地想，我跟蛾翅还可以做朋友。族群之间的敌对，对巫医来说并不那么重要，尤其是在所有巫医们都面临共同问题的时候。
她决定去找炭毛问问，在明天的旅途中，有没有什么事情需要她来做。当她穿过猫群时，碰到鸦羽正在照管一位风族的长老，那是一只奶油色和棕色相间、骨瘦如柴的公猫，他正舒适地蜷缩在树下干树叶做成的窝里。
“快看，灯芯草尾。”鸦羽泄气地说道，“风族已经在远处的山下集合了。如果你还待在这儿，你就会跟雷族猫混到一起了。”
“混到一起有什么关系？雷族从没有伤害过我。”这位长老恼怒地说道，“小伙子，在我没吃东西前，我是不会从这儿挪动一步的。”
鸦羽翻了个白眼，说道：“伟大的星族啊！”
“我能帮上忙吗？”叶爪问道。她不知道，灯芯草尾是固执呢，还是真的虚弱到无法移动。她也许可以找到一些草药，帮助他恢复体力，就像他们过去在去月亮石之前经常吃的旅行草药那样。
但是当鸦羽转过身面对她时，他的目光却是冷冰冰的。“我不需要你们雷族的帮助，谢谢。”他简短地说道。
“对不起。”叶爪后退了一步，努力克制着自己的怒气，她没想到鸦羽竟然以这个不是理由的理由拒绝了她的帮助，“我只是想……”
“别那么紧张，鸦羽。”叶爪感觉自己的肩膀被轻轻碰了一下，她四周瞅了一下，看到了松鼠飞。“不要动不动就发怒。”松鼠飞对风族武士说道。
鸦羽激动地把脚爪深深地插进地面。“我们的旅程已经结束了，松鼠飞。”他说道，“现在，我们必须记住，我们属于不同的族群。”
松鼠飞生气地哼了一声，说道：“你真是个固执的毛球，鸦羽。但如果你执意要把事情搞那么复杂，我也不会阻止你。只是你在跟我姐姐说话的时候，最好当心点。听到了没有？”
鸦羽回头看了叶爪一眼，低声嘟哝了一句，好像是道歉。“不过我自己可以照顾灯芯草尾，谢谢你。”他又说了一句。
叶爪离开之前，看到鸦羽再次对那位长老俯下身来，问道：“灯芯草尾，如果我给你拿来一些猎物，你会走吗？”
“也许会的。”这只老年公猫挪动了一下身体，让自己更舒服些，然后闭上眼睛，说道，“只要猎物又好吃又肥美。”
“叶爪，你来不来呀？”松鼠飞喊道。
叶爪转过身，看到栗尾朝她跳了过来。“那是鸦羽吗？”栗尾问道，“他怎么说话那么尖利啊，简直就像狐狸牙齿一样！他是不是找你麻烦了？我会为你出气的。”她琥珀色的眼睛里闪着期待的光。
“不用，他很好。”叶爪用尾巴尖碰了碰朋友的肩膀。
叶爪回头看了一眼，发现鸦羽已经不见了，应该是寻找猎物去了。叶爪知道，鸦羽也不是真的像其他猫说的那样难以相处，但是她实在想不出有哪种草药，能够治愈他那颗破碎的心。
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 13
“I said, what are you doinghere?”
Leafpaw felt her pelt bristle as she met Crowfeather’s furious glare. “I’ve come to help!” she hissed. “Morningflower and Darkfoot are ill. I’ve brought herbs for them.”
“How do you know what’s wrong?” Crowfeather asked suspiciously.
“Because we’ve got the same problem in ThunderClan,” Leafpaw retorted. There was no need to tell him about Mothwing and the tainted water. She didn’t want to give the prickly WindClan warrior the smallest chance to accuse Mothwing of deliberately poisoning the elders.
“Back off, Crowfeather,” Whitetail mewed. “I asked Leafpaw to come.”
The dark gray warrior let out a snort of disgust; he didn’t say anything else, but he watched Leafpaw closely as she began to examine Morningflower. She found his presence thoroughly off-putting, but she couldn’t tell him to go away, not in his own camp.
Once she was sure that Morningflower was suffering from the same illness as Mousefur and the others, Leafpaw chewed a few mint leaves into a pulp and used her claws to part Morningflower’s jaws. Pushing the pulp into her mouth, she stroked her throat to make her swallow.
Whitetail crouched close by. “Will she die?”
“I don’t know,” Leafpaw admitted. Silently she added a prayer to StarClan: Please let her get well.
As she waited for the healing herbs to work, she heard Darkfoot stirring; the old tomcat raised his head and looked around with bleary eyes. “Great StarClan, my belly aches,” he complained. “Where’s Barkface with that juniper?”
“He’s not back yet,” Whitetail meowed. “But Leafpaw’s here with some water mint.”
“Leafpaw?” Darkfoot blinked. “She’s a ThunderClan cat.” Before Leafpaw could explain, he added, “ThunderClan, WindClan, who cares, so long as she knows what she’s doing.” He chewed the mint leaves Leafpaw set in front of him, and rested his head on his paws again.
A choking sound from Morningflower drew Leafpaw’s attention back to her; the old she-cat was retching feebly, her legs jerking.
“What have you done to her?” Crowfeather snarled. “She’s getting worse!”
He tried to nudge Leafpaw away. She leaped backward, and he bared his teeth at her when she tried to dodge around him and get back to her patient.
“Stop!” Spinning around, Leafpaw saw Onewhisker padding into the bushes, with Tornear just behind him. “Crowfeather, what do you think you’re doing? Leafpaw has come to help.”
“She shouldn’t be here,” Crowfeather growled.
“Are you saying she shouldn’t do us a favor? She shouldn’t try to save the life of one of our cats?” Onewhisker’s voice was level, but tense with anger. When Crowfeather didn’t reply, he added, “Since you’re taking such an interest, you can stay and keep an eye on her. If she needs you to do anything, you do it. Leafpaw, don’t be afraid to ask.”
Leafpaw dipped her head. “Thanks, Onewhisker. I think Whitetail and I can manage.”
“I want Whitetail for a hunting patrol,” Onewhisker told her. “But Crowfeather hasn’t got anything else to do.” He beckoned to Whitetail and padded away.
Crowfeather glared at Leafpaw. “Treat me like an apprentice and you’re crow-food,” he hissed.
Much as he had ruffled her fur, Leafpaw couldn’t help feeling that Onewhisker had been a bit tough on Crowfeather. “Let’s just concentrate on helping Morningflower,” she mewed. “We need to get some more water mint down her.”
She chewed up more of the leaves, and asked Crowfeather to hold Morningflower’s jaws open while she pushed the pulp into her mouth, praying that the old cat wouldn’t vomit it up again. She flinched as Crowfeather’s flank brushed hers, making her fur tingle like the air before a storm. He leaped back too, then stepped forward again without meeting her eyes, as if he were embarrassed.
Morningflower had gone limp again, as if she were exhausted. Leafpaw sat beside her, stroking her belly gently with her tail. She was acutely conscious of Crowfeather watching her, and wished he would go away.
After a while she thought that the old she-cat’s breathing was growing stronger. Darkfoot was dozing again, occasionally letting out a rusty purr.
“Are they getting better?” Crowfeather whispered.
“I think so,” Leafpaw replied. “I’m sure Darkfoot will be fine. It’s Morningflower I’m worried about.”
“Leafpaw.” A shadow fell across Morningflower’s body, and Leafpaw looked up to see Barkface. “It’s good to see you.” He spoke around a leaf-wrapped bundle; when he set it down the leaves fell back to show a few shriveled juniper berries.
“Barkface, I hope you don’t mind,” Leafpaw began nervously. “I met some of your Clan in the woods, and they said Morningflower was very ill. We’ve had the same trouble, so—”
Barkface interrupted her with a wave of the tail. “You’re very welcome. I’ve no idea yet where the best herbs grow—I found only one juniper bush, and birds must have taken most of the berries.” Sniffing carefully at Morningflower, he added, “She’s better than when I left. What are you giving her—water mint? Good thinking, though I’d use juniper myself, if I could find enough.”
“Can I go, then?” Crowfeather asked loudly.
“Oh, yes, yes.” Barkface waved him away. “I can take over now.”
Leafpaw watched him go, wondering why she was feeling disappointed. She hated the idea of falling out with any cat, but it hurt even more when Crowfeather was a friend of Squirrelflight’s—though what her sister saw in him, she couldn’t begin to guess.
“You’d better go too, Leafpaw,” Barkface meowed. “You’ve done good work here, and your own Clan will be needing you.”
Leaving what was left of the water mint, Leafpaw rose to her paws. “Let me know how Morningflower gets on.”
“I will. I’ll get a message to you somehow,” Barkface promised.
Leafpaw pushed her way out of the bush. Onewhisker was in the center of the camp with some of his warriors around him, and she decided to tell him she was leaving. Her steps faltered when she saw that one of the cats talking to the Clan leader was Mudclaw.
Onewhisker spotted her. “How’s Morningflower?” he asked.
“I think she’ll be fine. Barkface is with her now.”
“We can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done,” the WindClan leader meowed, his eyes warm. “Tornear told me that when he met you, he and Thornclaw were having a dispute over the boundary in the woods. I’ve decided that we’ll leave that area to ThunderClan from now on. We’ll put our scent markers at the edge of the trees, close to the foot of the hill.”
“That’s very generous of you!” Leafpaw began, but she was interrupted by a growl from Mudclaw.
“Are you completely mousebrained?” rasped the former deputy. “You’re giving away WindClan territory for a pawful of healing herbs? Barkface was perfectly capable of treating the sick cats without this apprentice sticking her nose in.”
Onewhisker spun to face him. “Mudclaw, you are a fool if you think this is about nothing more than herbs. Think of everything ThunderClan has done for us. How many lifetimes would it take to repay them? Without their friendship, every cat in WindClan would be crow-food by now.”
Mudclaw snarled, curling his lip to reveal sharp yellow teeth, and Leafpaw had to sink her claws into the ground to stop herself from shrinking away. One or two of the other warriors were looking uneasy, too, including Crowfeather. She waited for him to back Mudclaw up, and say that she shouldn’t have come, but the lean gray warrior said nothing.
“I don’t want to hear of any fighting over the border with ThunderClan,” Onewhisker growled. “That stretch of woodland isn’t much use to us. Since when has WindClan hunted among trees?”
“There’s more than prey among trees.” Webfoot stepped forward to stand beside Mudclaw. “Herbs, for one thing. I know Barkface needs plants that we’d never find on open moorland.”
“That’s enough!” Onewhisker snapped. “There’s plenty of territory left, and Barkface never had trouble finding supplies before.”
His warriors dipped their heads, but none of them looked happy about their leader’s orders. Mudclaw turned away, muttering, “Traitor!” in a voice just loud enough to be overheard.
Leafpaw’s belly clenched with anxiety. She guessed several of the WindClan warriors would agree with Mudclaw, that Onewhisker was not putting the good of his own Clan first by harking back to their old alliance with ThunderClan. She wondered what would happen if Mudclaw were to challenge him for the leadership. How many cats would support him with tooth and claw?
“You’ll want to be getting back,” Onewhisker meowed. “Crowfeather, please go with Leafpaw as far as her camp and tell Firestar my decision.”
Crowfeather looked up, his eyes wide. “Me?”
Oh, no,Leafpaw thought. Aloud she hissed, “You don’t have to. I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself. Just because I’m a medicine cat doesn’t mean I don’t know how to use my claws.”
Onewhisker flicked his ears at her. “Crowfeather, that was an order.”
Crowfeather still looked appalled, but he heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Come on. I’ll only get into trouble if I don’t go with you.”
Leafpaw could see she would have to give in. As Crowfeather whisked around and headed up the slope to the edge of the camp, she nodded a hasty farewell to Onewhisker and bounded after the dark gray warrior. He set a fast pace, not asking Leafpaw if she could keep up. He was so rude, she couldn’t be bothered trying to make conversation, but even in the silence the air between them crackled like greenleaf lightning. He obviously hated the idea that a ThunderClan cat had done his Clan a favor.
As a medicine cat, Leafpaw lived outside the Clan-based rivalries held by other cats. If this was what it felt like, she was glad she didn’t have to treat cats like enemies just because they came from different Clans. Although Crowfeather had been one of the journeying cats, he had fallen back quicker than any cat into the old ways. With his bristling fur and awkward sidelong glances, he seemed only too ready to rekindle the old rivalries.
Leafpaw heaved a sigh of relief when they came to the stream. They were higher up than the place where ThunderClan had crossed the night before, and Crowfeather led her nimbly across some stepping-stones back into ThunderClan territory. Not long after she recognized the bushes that surrounded the top of the stone hollow. Leafpaw took the lead and followed the slope of the land down to the gap in the cliffs. When they reached the entrance she saw that a thorn barrier was partly in place, and inside, a fresh-kill pile had appeared on a cleared space among the brambles.
Firestar was standing by the thicket where Ferncloud and Birchkit had spent the night. Squirrelflight was helping Ferncloud drag out long tendrils of bramble.
“We could make a good nursery in here,” Ferncloud panted, reaching up with her hindpaw to unhook a thorn from her flank. “It’s right up against the rock wall, so it’ll be sheltered in bad weather. We need to make more space inside, though.”
“That won’t take long,” Squirrelflight assured her, energetically dragging away a bramble twice as long as she was, while Birchkit pounced playfully on the other end.
Brambleclaw appeared with a ball of moss and carried it through the entrance of the new nursery. Leafpaw was impressed that a warrior was prepared to help with apprentice tasks; Brambleclaw was obviously determined to settle his Clanmates into the home he had found for them. Ferncloud followed him inside to help him arrange it. Birchkit gave up hunting the end of Squirrelflight’s bramble, and bundled after his mother.
“Firestar, Crowfeather’s here.” Leafpaw dipped her head to her Clan leader. “He came back with me from WindClan.”
“Thanks.” Firestar padded over to the young WindClan warrior. “Is everything okay?”
“Leafpaw helped Morningflower.” Crowfeather sounded distinctly ungrateful. “And Onewhisker asked me to tell you that ThunderClan can be the first to set scent markers in the woodland across the stream. He’s happy for WindClan’s boundary to be set at the edge of the trees.”
Firestar’s eyes stretched wide in surprise; he clearly hadn’t expected to win that territory so easily. “That’s very good of Onewhisker,” he replied. “Thank him for me.”
“And thanks for bringing me back,” Leafpaw added. Just because Crowfeather had behaved like a fox with a thorn in its paw didn’t mean she had to be rude too.
Crowfeather gave her a long look, hostility and something else in his eyes. He seemed about to say something, then just nodded and headed out of the camp.
“Hey!” Squirrelflight called after him. “Ignore your old friends, why don’t you?”
The WindClan warrior didn’t look back, and vanished among the ferns.
Firestar stared at the quivering green fronds that had swallowed Crowfeather up. “Onewhisker’s being very generous,” he remarked, though he didn’t sound quite as pleased as Leafpaw would have expected. “Quite different from ShadowClan,” he added.
“ShadowClan?” Leafpaw echoed, wondering what had made her father think of them.
“There was nearly a fight!” Squirrelflight told her excitedly. “Brambleclaw crossed ShadowClan scent markers, and a ShadowClan patrol tried to chase him off.”
“We could have dealt with them,” Brambleclaw mewed, reappearing from the nursery without his burden of moss. “I suppose they were only putting their Clan’s interests first. I wonder if Onewhisker could say the same. I mean, he’s just given away a fair chunk of good hunting territory.”
He sounded curious rather than hostile, but Squirrelflight rounded on him with her tail fluffed up.
“At least he’s loyal to his old friends!” she flashed. “Something you seem to have forgotten about.”
Anger flared in Brambleclaw’s eyes. Instead of speaking, he clamped his jaws shut and stalked off. Firestar shook his head worriedly, followed him for a few paces, then veered off and went to talk to Thornclaw by the fresh-kill pile.
“What was all that about?” Leafpaw asked her sister in dismay. “Why has everything gone wrong between you and Brambleclaw?”
Squirrelflight shrugged. “Don’t ask me. He’s been in a foul mood ever since we came here.” She gave up trying to pretend she didn’t care, and gazed at Leafpaw with eyes that were green pools of hurt and bewilderment. “I don’t think he likes me anymore.”
Leafpaw couldn’t think of anything to say to comfort her. She could heal wounds and knew the right herbs for bellyache, but the breach between her sister and Brambleclaw was totally beyond her. That was a part of life that a medicine cat would never know. She thought she should probably feel relieved that she would never have to suffer such pain. Then she saw the hunger in Squirrelflight’s gaze as it followed Brambleclaw out of the camp, and remembered how deeply the two cats cared for each other. A tiny empty space appeared inside her when she realized no cat would ever feel that way about her.
Dustpelt emerged from the bramble thicket with another long tendril dragging behind him, and almost tripped over Birchkit as the kit hurled himself at the trailing end. “Birchkit! You’re more trouble than a fox in a fit.”
“Don’t scold him,” Ferncloud murmured, following her mate into the open. “It’s great that he feels happy enough to play.”
Dustpelt purred agreement, his eyes shining as the two cats watched their kit growl fiercely at the bramble, gripping it between his teeth and shaking his head from side to side.
As Leafpaw looked on, the hollow place inside her got bigger. She would never feel for another cat what Squirrelflight felt for Brambleclaw, or enjoy the closeness of a mate and kits. She had never doubted her decision to give her life to StarClan and tread a medicine cat’s solitary path—but suddenly she couldn’t help wondering if she was missing something.
第六章
第六章
黑莓掌在枯叶中辗转反侧。虽然有一根树枝在扎他的身上，但这并不是他睡不着的原因。身旁没有了松鼠飞温暖的身体，他很不习惯。他觉得松鼠飞应该是跑到蜡毛身边去睡了，不过他并不确定。有一点黑莓掌非常确定，那就是松鼠飞肯定没在自己附近。
他感到自己的身子又被戳了一下。黑莓掌睡眼惺忪地抬起头，这才发现，那根本就不是树枝，而是一只脚爪。青面正俯视着他。
“火星在哪儿呢？”风族巫医问道。
黑莓掌爬起来，打了个哈欠。他头顶的天空开始微微透出亮光。“大部分雷族猫都在那边的树底下。”
“你能帮我找一下他吗？”青面的声音听起来已经几乎崩溃，“高星正在找他。”
黑莓掌知道，风族族长一定是快要失去最后一条命了。“我马上把他找过来。”他保证道。
“谢谢，我们就在那边的金雀花丛下面。”青面用尾巴指着说道，“我还得去找到一根须。”说完，他就急匆匆离开了。
黑莓掌跳向离得最近的雷族武士。高星是最年长的族长，他的死，不只会对风族造成巨大影响，对所有族群来说，都是巨大的损失。几个心跳过后，就在黑莓掌快要对在黎明前的黑暗中找到火星感到绝望时，他终于在树桩附近看见火星正在和沙风相互舌抚着。
“火星，青面说高星想见你。”黑莓掌一边快速跑向火星一边说道。
火星身子顿时僵住了，跟沙风交换了一下眼神。
“我马上就来。”火星回答道。
“青面需要帮忙吗？”沙风问道，“炭毛刚才还在这儿。告诉青面，如果他需要炭毛，派只猫过来带个信儿。”
黑莓掌点点头，跟着火星穿过开阔地，来到奄奄一息的高星躺着的金雀花丛处。向外伸出的树枝垂到地面上，起初看不出来有猫在里面，但当黑莓掌越走越近时，他听到了粗重、不规律的呼吸声。他钻入金雀花丛，透过枝叶的缝隙，看到高星伸展着的身子侧躺在枯叶做成的窝里。
“火星到了。”他退后一步，让他的族长进入这处临时巢穴里。“我在外边等着。”他对火星又说了一句。
“是黑莓掌吗？”灌木丛下传来高星虚弱的声音，“你不要走。你也应该听听我要说的话。”
黑莓掌犹豫地看了看火星。当他的族长点头后，他压低身体，让身体紧贴着地面，钻过矮枝条来到火星身边。
高星孤零零的，只有他一个。青面和一根须还没回来。风族族长努力呼吸时，胸脯剧烈地起伏着。看到风族族长连抬头都要费很大劲，黑莓掌不禁皱起了眉头。
然而，当淡淡的月光透过树枝照进来时，高星的眼中散发出星族的光芒。“火星，我必须要感谢你。”他尖声说道，“你拯救了我的族群。”
火星低声咕哝着表示不能那么说。
“还有黑莓掌……”高星继续说道，“你跋涉了那么长的路程，克服了前所未有的危险，才为我们找到这个地方。即使是灰条——祝愿他跟星族同在——也会认为你有资格担任雷族副族长。”
黑莓掌一下子屏住了呼吸。他不敢看自己的族长。火星正站在自己身边，身子僵直。他知道火星一直非常怀念灰条，并且坚信他的朋友还活着。所以，直到现在，火星仍拒绝任命一位新的副族长，尽管灰条看起来绝不可能从抓走他的两脚兽的魔爪下逃脱。
野心就像鹰爪一样紧紧地攫住了黑莓掌。虽然很不愿意承认，但他知道自己很想当上族群的副族长，然后是族长。他很想知道，这就是虎星当初的那种感受吗？他的父亲对权力的渴望是如此强烈，以至于为了得到它，他做好了撒谎、谋杀和背叛的准备。我绝不可能那么做的。黑莓掌想，如果我能成为副族长，那也一定是通过对族群的忠诚、努力工作和尊重武士守则来实现的。
但是虎星的黑暗遗产会一直伴随着他，使他所有的努力都黯然失色。他们一看到他就仿佛看见了虎星。
他赶紧平复自己的心绪，向高星低下头小声说：“这不是我一个的功劳，是我们大家一起努力的结果。”
“别让自己太累，高星。”火星用温和的声音说道，“你需要休息。”
“休息现在对我已经没什么用了。”风族族长喃喃着说。
火星不再假装高星的病情还会有所好转。“你会加入高贵的星族行列。”他告诉高星。然后，他蜷伏着，以便能够用口鼻触到高星的口鼻。
“在我去星族报到之前……在那之前我必须说……”高星开始喘不上气，他的脚爪在枯叶中乱扒着。
“黑莓掌，赶紧去找青面。”火星命令道。
“不用了。”高星努力使自己呼吸重新平稳，然后用尾巴示意黑莓掌留下。“现在……没有任何巫医能够帮我了。”他半闭着眼睛，连着喘了好几口气，继续说道，“我还有一些重要的话要说。一根须在哪儿？”
火星看向黑莓掌，黑莓掌摇了摇头。
“青面去找他了。”黑莓掌说道，“我这就去找找看。”
“快一点……”黑莓掌往后退时，高星粗声说道，“告诉他们……时间到了……”
黑莓掌直起身，环顾四周。曙光越来越强，但除了模糊的轮廓和偶尔闪过的暗淡皮毛外，他还是没有看到任何别的东西。大部分猫大致按照四个族群分开，还在长草中的临时巢穴里睡觉。当他正努力分辨哪个模糊的猫群是风族时，看到一只孤单的猫正从湖泊的方向急速跑来。认出那正是一根须，他不由松了口气。
“青面说高星快要死了。”风族武士在灌木丛边停下脚步，放下满嘴湿淋淋的苔藓，气喘吁吁地说，“我只是去湖边为他找一些喝的。”
“他想见你。”黑莓掌说道。
一根须钻到树枝底下高星的巢穴中，黑莓掌跟在他身后，看到这位武士将苔藓放在高星脑袋旁边。奄奄一息的族长有气无力地舔了几滴，然后再次抬起了头。
“在我去星族之前，有件事我必须做。”高星的声音变得有力了些，“听着，火星、一根须：泥掌是位勇敢的武士，但他并不是领导风族的最合适的猫。过去这几个月以来，我们学会了一件事，那就是我们族群的未来必须建立在友谊的基础上。我不希望在我死后，风族和雷族之间发生对抗。我们绝不能成为仇敌。但是如果泥掌掌管了族群，风族和雷族之间就可能发生冲突和对抗。”
黑莓掌看到火星和一根须交换了一下眼神。两只猫意识到，不论谁掌管族群，高星想让友谊持续下去的理想都注定无法实现，所以，两只猫似乎都感到有些不自在。族群之间互相敌对是自然而然的——这是武士守则的一部分。“我仍然得选出在我之后领导风族的猫。”高星喘着粗气说道，“从此刻起，泥掌不再是风族的副族长了。”
三双眼睛吃惊地瞪着他。
“我在星族面前……说出这些话。”高星气喘吁吁地说，“风族必须有……一位新族长。一根须，我死之后，就由你来领导族群。”
黑莓掌和火星飞快地交流了一个震惊的眼神。虽然这些话的确是高星的真实意图，但这些话也不是选择副族长时该说的话。黑莓掌突然感到皮毛中一阵寒意袭来。如果高星没有依照武士守则要求的方式任命一根须为副族长，星族最终会接受一根须成为风族的族长吗？黑莓掌张开嘴刚想说点什么，不过当他看到自己族长脸上的表情时，又把嘴闭上了。火星看上去比黑莓掌还要震惊，他脖子上的毛发竖立着，脚爪深深插进地面，但是他什么话也没有说。
“高星，不要。”一根须的声音里充满了惊恐，但是高星并没有注意到。高星那闪闪发亮、充盈着星辉的目光从新的副族长转向火星，又转向黑莓掌。
“我很高兴把风族带到这么远的地方。”他低声喃喃地说，“一根须，你领导族群时要跟我们的朋友友好相处。记住雷族为我们做过的每一件事。”
“高星，我会尽力，但是……”一根须伸出一只脚爪碰了碰族长的肩膀，但高星的脑袋已经滑落到枯叶中。他的眼睛紧闭，呼吸也变得又快又浅。
黑莓掌感到一阵淡淡的微风轻触毛发，还听到轻轻的脚步声。有东西拂过他的皮毛，他觉得自己看见了火星眼中瞬间映照出的星光。他突然感觉这个小小的巢穴仿佛填满光滑皮毛的身子，他身体的每一侧都被皮毛挨擦着。
这时，身后传来沉重的脚步声，黑莓掌一下子惊得跳了起来。转瞬之间，巢穴再次恢复寂静。他转过身，看到青面正在从树枝下挤进来。
他把一小包用树叶包裹的草药放在高星身边，说道：“炭毛给了我这些草药。”他突然停了下来，瞪大眼睛看着自己的族长。
“太晚了，草药没用了。”火星平静地说道。
一根须蹲伏下来，用鼻子拱着高星的毛发。风族族长黑白相间的腹部已经停止了起伏，永远地静止不动了，高星的灵魂已经离去。
“现在，他跟星族在一起了。”青面低语道。
黑莓掌感到喉咙被悲痛填满。虽然高星不是他的族长，但高星是一只高贵的猫，而且高星死后，一切都会不一样。
过了一会儿，火星卷起尾巴碰了碰一根须的肩膀，说道：“一根须，你必须告诉你的族猫。记住高星说过的话，他……他任命你为副族长，而且现在要你成为族长。”
一根须抬起脑袋，眼睛里满是忧伤和困惑。“火星，我做不到。”他恳求道，“我不能担任族长！”说着，他又犹犹豫豫地问道，“我们必须告诉他们他都说了什么吗？我……我知道那并不是选择新族长的正确方式。高星已经奄奄一息了，他可能已经思路不清楚了……”
“高星完全知道他想要干什么，不管他是不是用了正确的字眼。”火星斩钉截铁地告诉一根须，虽然目光中带着同情，“他想要你取代泥掌成为副族长，而且他希望你继任他族长的位子。难道你要背叛他对你的信任，抛弃他给予你的荣耀吗？”
黑莓掌看见青面的眼睛瞪得大大的，他这才想起，这位巫医是在高星说完话之后才到达的。
“高星他说了什么？”青面问道。火星解释之后，这位风族巫医看起来很不安。“我知道高星的话确实令我们震惊。”青面对一根须说，“但你没办法改变这个事实。如果那就是高星想要的，就意味着在星族的眼中你就是族长。你认为星族在知道高星已经改变了主意的情况下，还会赐予泥掌九条命吗？”
“泥掌！”一根须有些惊慌地看着其他猫，“我要怎么去跟泥掌解释呢？”
火星抵了抵他的身子，安慰道：“如果你愿意的话，我会向所有族群公开宣布这个消息，你只需要好好想想私下里怎么向每只猫说就行。”
一根须的眼睛里顿时流露出如释重负的神情，他说道：“真的吗，火星？谢谢你了。”
火星点点头，但黑莓掌的心头却闪过一丝不安。他知道火星和高星很久以前，在火星还没有成为族长的时候就是朋友了，但是这一次，无论会面临多大的困难，一根须都应该自己去解决这件事。对风族来说，这个变故已经足够让他们震惊了，更不要说还有来自完全不同族群的猫火星卷入其中了。
雷族族长从树枝间挤了出去，穿过空地，跳上这片荒凉空地边缘的树桩，黑莓掌和其他猫也跟在火星身后走了过来。
一根须本打算坐在树根中间，但火星用尾巴示意他到自己身边来。“你应该上到这里来。”火星说道，“如果你像一位普通的武士一样坐在那儿，你的族猫们会怎么想呢？”
黑莓掌完全明白火星的意思，他努力克制着针刺般的烦躁感。是一根须走出震惊、开始像族长一样行事的时候了。“快点过去吧。”黑莓掌劝道。
一根须迟疑地看了黑莓掌一眼，然后就跳上树桩，站在了火星旁边。
雷族族长发出一声号叫：“所有族群的猫们！过来集合了，我有消息要告诉大家。”
在空地周围，黑莓掌看到众猫在临时做成的窝里动了起来，就像风吹过长草掀起了涟漪一样。他听到近处的一些猫生气地嘟哝着：“火星现在要干什么呀？”
火星不停地号叫着，众猫一只接一只地从临时巢穴中悄然走出，聚拢到树桩四周。
松鼠飞睡眼惺忪地走向黑莓掌，咧开嘴打了个大大的哈欠：“出什么事了？火星想干什么？”
“这件事你最好还是听火星来说吧。”黑莓掌说道。他根本无法说清楚，高星失去他的第九条命之前，究竟发生了什么事。
说完后，他才想起自己还在跟松鼠飞闹别扭呢。很显然，松鼠飞并没有忘记这件事，而且把他刚才谨慎的回应，当成了他根本就不愿意跟自己说话。
“好。”松鼠飞冷冷地看了黑莓掌一眼，然后走到几尾远的地方，坐了下来。
“族群众猫们，我有悲伤的消息要告诉大家。”火星开口道，“高星已经与星族一起狩猎去了。”
“高星死了！”裂耳大叫道，“我还没出生的时候，他就已经是风族族长了。没有了他，风族可怎么办啊？”
他的学徒枭爪，正站在他的旁边，弓着脑袋，悲痛得说不出话来。河族猫后藓毛用尾巴尖碰了碰这只年轻猫的肩膀。“他是一只高贵的猫。”藓毛低声说道，“星族一定非常欢迎他，他会与星族中最优秀的猫同行。”
突然，后边的某个地方，响起一声充满悲痛的哀号。黑莓掌的心也跟着悲伤起来。
“他死的时候我在场。”火星看了黑莓掌一眼，继续说道，“他说……”
这时，一只毛色斑驳的暗棕色武士挤上前来，站到了树桩根部，火星停止了讲话。“你是什么意思？”这只猫质问道，眼中闪着怒气，“高星死了？为什么没有猫告诉我？”
这只猫正是泥掌。
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 14
Cool grass swept against Brambleclaw’s pelt as he prowled through the undergrowth. He could hear the scuttering of tiny creatures underneath the bushes, and his senses were flooded with the scent of prey.
Before he could make a catch, he emerged into an open space. An almost-full moon hung in the clear sky, outlining every grass stem and leaf with pale silver rays. Just in front of him the ground fell away into a cleft, with rocks jutting from its steep sides.
Brambleclaw stared in astonishment. This was the ravine leading down to the old ThunderClan camp. He lifted his head and sniffed cautiously. There was no harsh tang of Twoleg monsters in the air, no noise louder than the gentle rustle of the wind in the trees. Their home was safe! The destruction of the forest, the fear and hunger, the long journey through the mountains, had been nothing more than a dream.
Brambleclaw pelted down the ravine to the gorse tunnel at the bottom, his heart nearly bursting with happiness. In a few heartbeats he would see all his Clanmates again: Graystripe would never have been captured by Twolegs; all Ferncloud’s kits would still be alive; the elders would be in their den, querulously ordering the apprentices to get rid of their ticks
Trembling with excitement, Brambleclaw pushed his way through the gorse tunnel into the camp, his jaws parted to let out a yowl of greeting. Then he stopped dead. The clearing was completely empty, except for one cat sitting alone in the middle of the open space.
The cat raised his head and gazed at Brambleclaw with scorching amber eyes.
It was Tigerstar.
Brambleclaw almost choked with shock and disbelief. Graystripe’s capture, the death of Ferncloud’s kits, the endless journey—all those things were real. Thiswas the dream, and it had suddenly become a nightmare.
Tigerstar kinked his tail and beckoned Brambleclaw to come closer. Brambleclaw stiffened, then padded slowly forward. As he drew closer he saw his father more clearly, his muscular shoulders and broad head, his burning amber eyes.
“Welcome,” Tigerstar rumbled. “I have waited for many moons to speak with you.”
Brambleclaw stopped a couple of tail-lengths away. He had no idea what to say. All he could think was that he was the image of his father—the breadth of his shoulders, the shape of his head, the exact shade of his eyes. He could have been staring at his reflection in a pool.
“I have seen your courage and strength,” Tigerstar went on. “I am proud to call you kin.”
“Th-thank you.” Brambleclaw kneaded his forepaws on the ground. “Why have you come here? Did StarClan send you?”
“I do not hunt with StarClan,” spat Tigerstar. “There is more sky than Silverpelt, and there are hunting grounds that not even StarClan knows of.”
His gaze slid past Brambleclaw. “Welcome,” he meowed. “I hoped you would come. I’ve looked forward to meeting you.”
Brambleclaw spun around to see Hawkfrost emerging from the gorse tunnel. He watched in stunned silence as the RiverClan warrior padded across the clearing and sat beside him. The moonlight cast a pair of identical shadows on the hard-baked ground in front of them, and Brambleclaw realized that a half-blind kit would know at once that all three were kin.
He told himself that he ought to feel something stronger than bewilderment and curiosity to find out more about his father and half brother. They came from three different Clans; beyond that, Tigerstar had murdered many cats and betrayed his own Clanmates to satisfy his hunger for power. Yet Brambleclaw could not shake off the feeling that he had waited a long time for this moment. For all the differences between them, the same blood ran in their veins.
“Are you Tigerstar?” Hawkfrost asked, reminding Brambleclaw that Hawkfrost had arrived in the forest after his father was killed. “Are you my father?”
Tigerstar nodded. “I am. So, how are your new territories?”
“It’s hard being somewhere so different,” Hawkfrost admitted.
“We all miss the forest,” Brambleclaw added.
“Soon the land by the lake will seem like home to you,” Tigerstar promised. “Establish your boundaries and guard them with tooth and claw, because territory is what binds a Clan together.”
“Yes!” Hawkfrost’s eyes gleamed. “RiverClan has set its scent markers already. Yesterday Blackclaw and I drove out a badger that was living in our territory.”
“Good, good.” Tigerstar’s ears pricked, and he raised his head as if he heard a voice calling him. Above the trees, the sky was growing pale with the first light of dawn. “I must go now,” the dark tabby meowed. “Good-bye, Brambleclaw, Hawkfrost. We will meet again as we walk the path of dreams; of that I’m sure.”
He rose to his paws. At that moment a cloud drifted over the face of the moon, plunging the clearing into darkness for a single heartbeat. When it cleared, Tigerstar was gone.
“I must go too.” Hawkfrost touched noses with Brambleclaw and began padding back to the camp entrance.
“No—wait. Don’t go!” Brambleclaw called.
“I haveto go; I’m on the dawn patrol. What are you talking about, Brambleclaw?”
Brambleclaw blinked and sat up. Cloudtail was looking at him with a puzzled expression as he groomed scraps of moss out of his pelt. “Is there something wrong?” he asked. “Do you want me to tell Brackenfur I can’t go on the patrol?”
Brambleclaw shook his head, dazed. “No, no, I’m fine.” He lay down again and closed his eyes tightly, as if he could force out the thorn-sharp grief that tore at his belly.
The dream had faded, and he was in the stone hollow again. Tigerstar, Hawkfrost, and the old ThunderClan camp were gone.
Brambleclaw slept dreamlessly for a while, and awoke feeling less confused and wretched. He padded out of the ferns and arched his back in a stretch. The sky was brighter now, outlining the bare branches at the top of the rock wall. A pulse of excitement ran through him as he remembered that tonight the moon would be full, and the Clans would meet for a Gathering.
He glanced around the camp. The clearing looked very different from the first time he had seen it. Many of the brambles had been uprooted to form a barrier blocking the camp entrance. The biggest thicket had been turned into the nursery. The apprentices were using a shallow cave in the rock wall as their den, while the warriors slept under the spreading branches of a thornbush almost as big as the one in the old camp. The elders still hadn’t found a den they could agree on; every night they would try a different spot, and wake up complaining that it was too damp or too drafty. Brambleclaw suspected Goldenflower and Longtail were rather enjoying the search for the perfect place, because it meant they got to inspect every corner of the hollow, and had even started advising the other cats on the best places to bask in the sun or eat fresh-kill out of the rain.
Gradually, the stone hollow was becoming more like home, but Brambleclaw couldn’t shake off the memory of his dream, when he had gone back to the camp in the ravine. It wasn’t just a longing to be back in the forest that tugged at his paws and made him restless; he kept thinking of his father and half brother, too. What had Tigerstar meant about hunting in different skies? Was he keeping watch over Firestar and the whole of ThunderClan from wherever he hunted now?
Brambleclaw shook his head violently, as if the dream were a cobweb clinging to his pelt. Their old home had gone, and there was nothing to be gained by fretting over memories. Focusing on practical duties, he saw that the fresh-kill pile near the entrance to the camp was getting low. At the same moment, Dustpelt emerged from the nursery and padded across to meet him.
“Hi,” Brambleclaw meowed. “Want to go hunting?”
“Great!” Dustpelt’s eyes gleamed. “Who should we take with us?”
Brambleclaw wondered if he should go and look for Squirrelflight, but then he heard a cat call out Dustpelt’s name, and glanced around to see Brackenfur racing toward them.
“Dustpelt,” he panted as he skidded to a halt, “you had Whitepaw fetching fresh bedding all day yesterday. Can I have her for warrior training today? It’s time we got the apprentices back into a proper routine.”
“Sure,” Dustpelt replied. “Do you want to come hunting with us?”
“Bring Spiderpaw too,” Brambleclaw suggested. “Mousefur isn’t well enough for patrols yet.”
“Good thinking.” The voice came from behind Brambleclaw; he spun around to see Firestar coming over.
“I’ve just had a word with Mousefur,” Firestar went on. “Yesterday Spiderpaw chased away a young fox that was sniffing around the entrance to the camp. We both think he’s ready to be a warrior, so we’re going to hold his ceremony at sunhigh. You can tell him this will be his last hunt as an apprentice.”
Brambleclaw’s tail curled up with satisfaction. Making a new warrior was one of the most important things a Clan could do, and Spiderpaw’s ceremony would be one more thing to make the stone hollow feel like home. It would be something to report at the Gathering, too.
Firestar wished them luck in their hunt and padded off, while Brackenfur went to fetch the two apprentices. Soon the five cats were climbing the slope around the edge of the hollow before striking off into the trees above the camp. They had almost reached the highest point of the cliff when they heard a plaintive mew behind them.
“Wait for me!”
Brambleclaw looked back to see Birchkit struggling after them, stumbling over tussocks of grass in his efforts to keep up.
“Birchkit!” Dustpelt exclaimed. “What do you think you’re doing?”
The kit looked up at his father with pleading eyes. “I want to go hunting too. Please,can I?”
Brackenfur rolled his eyes at Brambleclaw. “Kits!”
Dustpelt didn’t share their amusement. “No, of course not,” he meowed sharply. “You can’t go hunting until you’re an apprentice.”
“But I’m good at hunting!” Birchkit boasted. “Look, I’ll show you. I’ll catch that bird.”
He nodded at a robin that was perched on one of the thornbushes at the very edge of the hollow. Before any cat could stop him, he wriggled his haunches under him and launched himself at it.
“No!” Dustpelt and Brambleclaw yowled, springing after him.
Brambleclaw reached him first and fastened his teeth in his scruff, just as the thornbush gave way under Birchkit’s weight and he began to slide down into the hollow. Another heartbeat and he would have tumbled over just like Squirrelflight, except at this point the cliff was twice as high, and no cat who fell that far could expect to survive.
Scrambling backward, Brambleclaw dropped Birchkit on solid ground, well away from the edge. The kit crouched there shivering; Dustpelt stood over him, bristling with fury.
“Are you completely mousebrained?” he hissed. “Don’t you think there’s a reason kits stay in the nursery with their mother until they’re apprenticed?”
Birchkit nodded, his eyes huge and scared. “I’m sorry,” he whimpered.
“Don’t be too hard on him,” Brackenfur urged. “He didn’t mean any harm.”
Dustpelt whirled around to glare at him. “What difference does that make? He would be dead if it hadn’t been for Brambleclaw.” He prodded Birchkit with his tail. “I haven’t heard you thank him yet.”
Birchkit flattened his ears and ducked his head. “Th-thank you, Brambleclaw. I’m really sorry.”
“That’s okay,” Brambleclaw meowed. He felt very sorry for the frightened kit—the scare had been enough to keep him in the camp for several moons, judging by Birchkit’s terrified face.
“Come on, stand up; you’re not hurt.” Dustpelt bent over his kit and gave him a few fierce licks. Brambleclaw knew that he had been so angry only because he had nearly lost the last kit of his litter. “Go home to Ferncloud, and let’s have no more of this nonsense.”
Birchkit nodded, and Dustpelt pressed his muzzle comfortingly against his side before the tiny cat set off back toward the camp entrance. His father watched him until he was out of sight.
“We’ll have to make a rule,” he decided. “No kits anywhere near the edge of the cliff. That goes for apprentices too,” he added, flicking his ears at Whitepaw and Spiderpaw, who had watched the near-miss in wide-eyed silence.
Whitepaw nodded; Spiderpaw’s tail curled up as if he were reminding himself that the rule wouldn’t apply to him after sunhigh. He seemed to have forgotten that he had nearly fallen over himself when the Clan first approached the camp.
“We could put scent marks along the edge,” Brambleclaw suggested. “That way every cat would be reminded.”
“Good idea,” mewed Dustpelt. “Have a word with Firestar when we get back. Come on; let’s hunt before Spiderpaw misses his warrior ceremony.”
As Brambleclaw padded after the others, his paws still tingled with the sense of danger. He glanced back at the thornbushes and pictured Birchkit’s tiny body, battered and broken in the clearing below. Have I really brought the Clan somewhere safe?he wondered.
Since they had arrived nearly half a moon ago, there had been no sign from StarClan to suggest they were still being watched by their warrior ancestors. Was this really the place where they were meant to be?
Brambleclaw led the patrol across the stream into the stretch of woodland that Onewhisker had given to ThunderClan. It was not long before he spotted a squirrel scuffling at the foot of a tree. Brambleclaw crept forward and brought it down with a skilful blow that snapped its neck.
“Well done!” Dustpelt called.
Brambleclaw began scratching earth over the squirrel, pausing as Whitepaw padded up to him.
“Do you think we should really take that?” she asked nervously. “Territory on this side of the stream was supposed to be WindClan’s.”
“But Onewhisker gave it to us.” Brambleclaw went on covering the fresh-kill. “This is our prey.” His fur prickled with irritation that an apprentice was suggesting he would steal food from another Clan. It wasn’t his problem if WindClan wanted to give away their hunting grounds.
Whitepaw didn’t protest again when he led his patrol farther into the trees.
By sunhigh the whole Clan had eaten well, and there was a good pile of fresh-kill left over. When they had finished their meal, they stayed in the center of the hollow, where bushes had been cleared away to make a space for the Clan to gather. It was time for Spiderpaw’s warrior ceremony.
There was no Highrock like the one in the old camp. Instead, Firestar had found a ledge a few tail-lengths above the heads of the other cats, which he reached by leaping up a tumble of broken rock that made rough stepping-stones up the cliff. Just below the ledge—already cats were beginning to call it the Highledge—there was a narrow cleft that opened into a cave where Firestar had decided to make his den. Of all the dens in the new camp, this was most like the one in the ravine, enclosed by lichen-covered walls and with a dry, sandy floor.
Firestar raised his voice in a yowl, his pelt a splash of orange flame against the blue-gray rock. “Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the ledge for a Clan meeting.”
Brambleclaw’s pelt tingled to hear the familiar words ring around the hollow. He watched the leggy black figure of Spiderpaw, his pelt groomed until it was as glossy as a raven’s wing, cross the clearing to stand beside his mentor, Mousefur. She looked thin and shaky, as if she were still not quite recovered from her bellyache, but her eyes shone with pride as her apprentice joined her.
Brambleclaw wriggled forward, hoping to sit beside Squirrelflight, but he stopped when he saw that she was sitting with Ashfur, Sootfur, and Rainwhisker. Their heads were close together and their shoulders shook gently as if they were sharing a joke. Brambleclaw curled his lip, suddenly feeling hollow and cold. He sat gloomily beside the nearest cat, who happened to be Cloudtail, and tried to concentrate.
“Trouble?” murmured the white warrior. He glanced past Brambleclaw and flicked his ears toward Squirrelflight. “What have you done to ruffle her fur?”
“Nothing,” Brambleclaw replied stubbornly. The reasons for their quarrel were too complicated and private to share with any cat.
“Hey, don’t worry.” Cloudtail gave him a sympathetic flick with his tail. “It’ll blow over.”
“Maybe.” Brambleclaw sighed; he really didn’t want to discuss it.
“We have a ceremony to perform,” Firestar meowed as soon as all the cats were settled. “Mousefur, are you satisfied that Spiderpaw is ready to become a warrior?”
The brown warrior dipped her head. “I am.”
Firestar ran lightly down the broken rocks until he reached the floor of the hollow, and beckoned Spiderpaw closer to him with his tail. Spiderpaw stepped forward, quivering from nose to tail.
“I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice.” Firestar’s voice rang out clearly above the sound of the wind and the gentle creak of branches on the rim of the hollow. “He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn.” He fixed his gaze on Spiderpaw and went on, “Spiderpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?”
“I do,” Spiderpaw replied eagerly.
“Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Spiderpaw, from this moment you will be known as Spiderleg. StarClan honors your courage and your enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.”
He took a pace forward and rested his muzzle on the top of Spiderleg’s head. The young warrior gave Firestar’s shoulder a respectful lick, then stepped back to join the other warriors.
“Spiderleg! Spiderleg!” The Clan raised their voices to greet him by his new name. Dustpelt looked ready to burst with pride, and Ferncloud’s eyes were shining with joy to see their eldest son made a warrior at last. Birchkit bounced around his brother’s paws, clearly recovered from his scare that morning.
Firestar raised his tail for silence and the noise died away, all the Clan turning curious faces toward him.
“Before we go to our duties, I have another ceremony to perform,” Firestar meowed. “Mousefur and I have been talking together, and she has come to a decision. Mousefur, are you still sure that this is what you want?”
The old she-cat dipped her head in assent as she stepped forward.
“Mousefur,” Firestar continued, “is it your wish to give up the name of warrior and go to join the elders?”
Brambleclaw thought he heard a tremor in her voice as she mewed, “It is.” He guessed it was hard for the proud warrior to accept that she was growing old; the combination of the long journey and her recent illness had proved that she was not as strong as she used to be. Sadness chilled his fur as he remembered her courage and her fighting skills.
“Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given us,” Firestar went on. “I call upon StarClan to give you many seasons of rest.” He laid his tail upon Mousefur’s shoulders and the old cat bowed her head before padding over to stand beside Longtail and Goldenflower.
“I don’t need too much rest, Firestar,” she rasped. “I’ll still keep my claws sharp, and if trouble comes I’ll be ready.”
A murmur of amusement and admiration rose from the cats around her, and one or two of them called out, “Mousefur! Mousefur!” as if they were welcoming a new warrior. Goldenflower gave her a friendly lick around the ears.
The meeting began to break up. Brambleclaw went over to congratulate Spiderleg and noticed Firestar beckoning him.
“I heard Whitepaw telling Cloudtail about that squirrel you caught this morning,” his leader meowed.
Brambleclaw’s pelt bristled. He’d deliberately avoided ShadowClan territory by taking the patrol in the opposite direction; was Firestar going to blame him for invading WindClan now? “Onewhisker said we could have that stretch of woodland,” he pointed out, trying not to let his anger show in his voice.
“I know.” Firestar’s voice was mild. “You haven’t done anything wrong. But go easy on that patch of territory just for now. We’ll sort it out eventually, but until we do I don’t want to take advantage of Onewhisker’s good nature.”
“I didn’t intend to,” Brambleclaw replied, relieved. “But it’s his responsibility to fight for WindClan’s boundaries. Or does he expect us to defend his territory as well as our own, just because we’ve been traveling together for the past moon?”
Firestar narrowed his eyes. “Don’t worry, Brambleclaw,” he meowed. “The time will come when every Clan will defend themselves with teeth and claws, and fight for their territories as fiercely as we ever did. But that time is not now.” He turned to go, then paused and glanced over his shoulder. “Get some rest, Brambleclaw,” he advised. “You’ll be coming to the Gathering tonight.”
Brambleclaw blinked, hoping his leader couldn’t see the anticipation that surged through him, making his fur stand on endI’ll see Hawkfrost again! I can ask him about the dream!He burned with curiosity to know whether his half brother had met with Tigerstar too. Did kin share dreams? Not always—but his dream of the old camp had been so real, almost more real than finding their new home. If Tigerstar was really watching over his sons, surely he would want to visit them both?
He caught his breath, suddenly choking with guilt. Hawkfrost belonged to a rival Clan. The fact that he and Brambleclaw were kin meant nothing compared to their loyalty to their Clanmates and their leaders. It was ridiculous to think that he and Hawkfrost might have shared a dream.
Yet as he padded across to the warriors’ den to catch a nap before leaving for the Gathering, Brambleclaw’s paws tingled with the thought that he would soon see his half brother again.
第七章
第七章
火星平静地俯视着这位风族武士。“高星是刚刚去世的。”他说道，“还没来得及告诉任何一只猫。”
“泥掌，现在你是我们的族长了。”网脚说道，“高星的离世我们都很悲痛，但是我们需要你帮助大家建造新的家园。”
他的族猫中响起了一片赞同声。泥掌低了低头表示感谢，但当他转身面对火星时，眼中仍充满怒火：“你应该在召集这次会议之前先找到我。为什么要由一只雷族猫来宣布风族的消息？”
火星抽动着尾巴尖。“这是高星的意思。请耐心听，我会详细告知你们的。”然后，他对所有猫，而不单单是泥掌，继续说道，“高星临死之前，任命一根须为副族长。”他的目光扫过黑莓掌，但并没有与这位武士对视。黑莓掌的皮毛刺痛着：高星没有以正常的仪式任命副族长，难道火星真的要忽视这个事实吗？
“什么？”泥掌发出难以置信的尖叫。
“你的意思是，泥掌不是我们的族长？”网脚问道。他困惑地伸出爪子，用力地插进泥土里。
“这件事就像老鼠屎一样臭！”一只黑色风族母猫龇牙咧嘴咆哮着，“没有猫比泥掌更适合领导风族。”
黑莓掌不安地听着。如果让他来说，他会认为一根须比泥掌更适合当风族族长，但是他没有这个权力去做判断。而且他完全能够想象泥掌此刻的感受：他一直等待的领导权，居然在一个心跳的瞬间，被从脚爪前抢走了。
一根须俯视着泥掌。“对于这件事，我和你一样震惊。”他说道，“而且我希望你能继续担任副族长。往前走的每一步，我都需要你的支持和经验。”
泥掌颈部的毛发直竖着。“你不会觉得我相信这个狐狸屎一样的决定吧？”他呸了一下，“每只猫都知道，高星在离开森林之前，实际上就已经把我们族群交给火星来领导了。他一直对雷族有着无比的忠诚。而现在，火星竟然告诉我们，他的朋友一根须要就任族长！有其他猫听到了高星的这个决定吗？”
黑莓掌的脚爪像石头一样沉重，他走上前，站在泥掌身边。“我听到了。”这几个字像难以下咽的猎物一样卡在他的喉咙里，“我当时就在那儿。我听到高星任命一根须为副族长。”
但高星没有用正确的字眼。他差点就脱口说出这句话，幸亏最后打住了。关于没有使用正确的字眼这件事，火星也什么都没说。
空地和树桩仿佛突然间都消失不见了，黑莓掌感觉自己回到了山谷中，变成了一个不满七个月的学徒，很不情愿地为长老们捉着皮毛里的虱子。所有的学徒都讨厌这项义务，不过有时候能听到雷族过去的故事，甚至能听到学徒们出生以前的事，所以这件工作学徒们才可以忍受下来。黑莓掌小心翼翼地用牙紧紧咬住一只眼尾巴根部的虱子，听这只老猫向斑尾讲述蓝星任命火星——那时还叫火心——为副族长的事。那位前副族长虎掌，被揭露是一名叛徒，企图密谋杀害他的族长——甚至当听到他的父亲以阴暗、冷酷的语调谈起这件事时，黑莓掌的毛发依然感觉发紧。后来，虎掌被从营地赶了出去，蓝星任命火心替代了他的位置。但是蓝星因为虎掌的背叛过于痛苦，以至于任命仪式拖延到过了月中时分很久才举行。而本来月中时分是武士守则定下的时限。族群中有几只猫，甚至包括那些喜欢并尊敬这位拥有火一样颜色皮毛武士的猫，也质疑他作为副族长的权利。火心花了好几个月时间，才证明自己有能力取代虎掌，执掌副族长的职位。
黑莓掌摇摇脑袋，把自己的思绪拉回到湖边的灌木丛。他感觉身体中的血液变得黏稠而冰冷。火星的副族长任命仪式，像一根须的一样也出了问题。当一根须领导族群的权利受到质疑时，火星无疑会为一根须辩护。即使火星曾经对自己被任命为副族长一事有过怀疑，他也只会把它深埋心底；很明显，他相信一根须也应该这样做。
泥掌眯起眼睛紧盯着黑莓掌。“你也在那儿？是吗？另一只雷族猫，这可真够奇怪的！为了让你支持他，火星向你许诺什么了？他是不是保证会任命你为雷族副族长？”
听到这话，黑莓掌说出真相的念头瞬间就消失了。黑莓掌努力抑制着想要跳到风族武士背上去撕扯他皮毛的冲动。就在他努力克制自己不要冲上去的时候，一抬眼，瞥见火星的绿色眼睛里现出冷冷的怒火。
“你竟然敢怀疑我和我的武士的话？”火星朝泥掌嘶嘶地叫着，“高星的决定是当着星族的面做出的。”
“你怎么知道？”泥掌挑衅地说，“难道你突然间变成巫医了吗？”
“高星的决定非常清楚明确。”火星回击道。
泥掌转身面对他的族猫。“你们就打算坐在这儿接受这个决定吗？”他问道，“我们风族难道要让雷族为我们选定族长吗？”说着，他又猛地转过身怒视着一根须，补充了一句：“你觉得风族的武士中有多少会追随你，你这个哭哭啼啼、吃鸦食的叛徒！”
一根须还没来得及回答，鸦羽就走到了树桩边。他的毛发竖起，眼中满是痛苦和惊愕，不过当他开口说话时，他的声音却非常平静。
“我会追随一根须。我曾跟黑莓掌一起踏上远赴太阳沉没之地的旅程，我知道他是不会撒谎的。如果他说高星在与星族一起狩猎之前，任命一根须为副族长，那么我相信他。”他抬起头迎向一根须的目光，“一星，我恭喜你成为我族的族长。”
更多的声音从风族猫中响起。“对！一星！一星！”但是仍有许多风族猫听起来或者是犹豫不决，或者是公开反对。黑莓掌明白，要让一根须相信自己拥有领导族群的合法性，并不容易。黑莓掌看到，站在猫群边缘的黑星和豹星彼此交流了一个开心满意的眼神。很显然，他们对风族内部的争斗并不感到沮丧，反而乐于在一旁看热闹。
一根须朝鸦羽低了一下头。“谢谢你。”他说道。“但是请先不要叫我一星。”他请求道，“我还没有从星族那儿得到圣名和九条命。”说完，他有些难堪地垂下耳朵。黑莓掌猜测，一根须可能害怕自己永远得不到星族的认可，因为他成为风族副族长的方式并不符合武士守则。
“你永远都不会如愿的！”泥掌咆哮着，仿佛他能听到一根须内心隐藏的想法似的，“你不是我们的族长！有本事就下来与我决斗！让我们看看谁更适合当风族的族长。”
一根须聚集力量，直起身子，准备跳下去迎接泥掌的挑战，但是火星抬起尾巴阻止了他。黑莓掌也绷紧身子，打算在泥掌跳上树桩时挡住他。
“都给我停下！”青面发出一声愤怒的叫喊。“收起你的爪子，泥掌！”他向风族副族长说道，“从来就没有通过战斗来决出族长的规矩。你难道想在高星的灵魂还在看着我们的时候，来进行决斗吗？我们应该先坐下来为他守夜，而不是争吵由谁来代替他的位置。泥掌，你这么做就是背叛他。一直以来，他都对他的高层武士们寄予最高的希望。”他停了一下，深深地看了火星一眼，继续说道：“我相信雷族猫们告诉我们的消息。这就是高星的选择，你必须接受。”
泥掌勉强压下颈部的毛，收起爪子。“非常好！”他咆哮道。他抬头看向一根须，眼中满是怨毒的恨意：“因为有雷族朋友的支持，你才有胆站在那儿。但是，如果你觉得我会担任你的副族长，那你就大错特错了。”
一根须低了一下头。“那好吧。”他说道，“如果那是你的决定，我很遗憾。”
泥掌呸了一下，然后，转过身，跟在青面和其他一些风族猫身后，把高星的遗体搬出来，准备为他守夜。
“一根须。”火星平静地说，“你现在就得任命另一位副族长。你没办法单独来领导族群，而且，如果泥掌存心找麻烦的话，你一定得设法团结你能争取到的全部力量。”
有那么一瞬间，黑莓掌想一根须会不会选择鸦羽做副族长，因为鸦羽正密切地注视着两位族长。不过鸦羽成为武士的时间太短了，此外，由于在旅途中结交了黑莓掌和松鼠飞，他跟雷族猫之间的关系非常友好，这也成了他不能成为副族长的一个劣势。一根须需要一位经验丰富的武士，这位武士不仅要深受风族猫信任，还得不要过于受其他族群猫的欢迎。他选出的这只猫，一定要让每只风族猫都认可，甚至连泥掌都不会表示反对。
一根须闭上眼睛沉思着。很快，他又睁开了眼睛，俯视着他的族猫说道：“我当着高星以及所有星族灵魂的面，宣布以下决定。我相信它们会听到并且赞同我的选择。”黑莓掌发觉自己如释重负地长出了一口气，因为这一次，一根须终于说对了宣示词。
“灰脚将担任风族新的副族长。”一根须说道。
黑莓掌甚至都不确定灰脚是谁。接着，他看到一只灰色母猫站了起来，宽大的脸上现出极度惊愕的神情。鸦羽跳到她面前，抵了抵她的口鼻，而其他风族猫则大声叫喊着：“灰脚！灰脚！”
黑莓掌突然想起来，灰脚是鸦羽的母亲。他以前在森林大会的时候见过她一两次，但是并没有跟她说过话。很显然，她的族猫们都很欢迎这个选择。黑莓掌眯起了眼睛。正如他所希望的那样，一根须做出了明智的决定。
一根须跳下树桩，火星也跟着跳了下来。灰脚走上前，跟她的族长碰了碰鼻子。“谢谢你，一根须。”她说道，“我会尽自己的最大努力。我从来没想过……”
“我知道。”一根须打断了她，飞快地舔了一下她的耳朵，“这正是我选择你做副族长的理由之一。我不想选一只觉得自己应该获得权力的猫。我要的是一只当我们到达自己的新家园时，能帮助我、使我们族群重新强大起来的猫。”
灰脚开心地说道：“那正是我想要去做的。”
一根须转过身对火星说道：“谢谢你，火星。我很抱歉，我没想到这件事会如此难办。我更没想到泥掌竟然会指责你撒谎。”
火星耸了耸肩，说道：“我一点也不吃惊。在高星死前的很长一段时间里，泥掌承担了族长的许多职责。知道自己最终不会成为族长，他一定会很震惊。不过，至少现在看来，你得到了大多数族猫的支持。”
一根须点点头，但表情中闪过一丝焦虑：“火星，我怎么才能从星族那儿得到我的名字和九条命呢？这儿也没有月亮石。你觉得我是不是应该带领一些武士，穿过大山，回到高石山去？”
火星抽动了一下尾巴，说道：“我觉得那么做实在太鼠脑子了。一来一回光路上就需要一个月的时间。而且毫无疑问，你不在的这段时间里，泥掌绝对不会干坐着什么都不干的。”
说完，火星的耳朵朝着将高星身体带到空地的那些猫动了动。泥掌坐在离他们不远的地方，正瞪着一根须，眼中现出不祥的神色。黑莓掌感到肚子一阵翻搅。如果这位风族的新族长真的以为泥掌的问题已经解决了，那他就太鼠脑子了。
“你说得对。”一根须叹了口气，“现在的确不是离开族群的好时候。但我们总得想个办法与星族交流吧？”
“这附近一定有另一处月亮石。”灰脚坚定地说，“否则，星族就不会把我们带到这儿来了。我们会尽快找到它的——到那时，族猫们对你的忠诚，就足以使你担任我们的族长了。”
一根须看上去仍很不安。黑莓掌知道原因所在。不仅仅是泥掌，很显然，网脚和夜云同样对一根须突然变成风族的族长十分不满，可能还有其他猫也是如此。所以，只有一根须得到他的新圣名和九条命之后，他的族长之位才会完全稳固。然而，高星任命他为副族长时并没有遵从古老的仪式，这种情况下，星族会授予他圣名和九条命吗？
“我们现在也没时间去寻找新的月亮石。”风族新族长疲倦地说道，“虽然黎明已经到来，但我们还是要为高星守夜。”说完，一根须带头走向空地，蹲伏在那一动不动的黑白花色身体旁边，把鼻子伸进高星冰冷的皮毛里。灰脚和鸦羽蹲伏在一根须身体两侧，仿佛想要在一根须哀悼死去的族长时保护他。黑莓掌知道，他们此刻的心情一定非常悲痛，因为他们无法为高星守一整晚夜。很快，族群就要动身前往新家园了。黑莓掌脑中一片混乱，有那么一瞬间，他感觉似乎整个武士守则都毁灭了，并在搬到新家园的压力下渐渐碎成了粉末。
“一根须选择灰脚为副族长是明智的。”火星的评论，把黑莓掌从混乱的思绪中拉了回来。
黑莓掌知道火星是对的，但总感觉好像有猎物的骨头堵在喉咙里，使得他无法说点什么作为回应。那么，火星拒绝为雷族做出同样的选择，这一点又该如何解释呢？黑莓掌艰难地咽了口唾沫，搜肠刮肚地想找到合适的词语，既能表达他对火星与灰条之间友谊的尊重，又能表明，如果一直没有副族长的话，雷族是没办法生存下去的。
这时，火星绿色的眸子转过来凝视着他，似乎已经猜测到他此刻的想法：“我们没有证据证明灰条已经死了。而如果他没有死，总有一天会回到雷族的。那么，我怎么可以任命另一只猫来占据他的位置呢？”
“雾脚失踪的时候，河族任命了鹰霜为副族长。”黑莓掌小心翼翼地说道。
火星的眼睛眯了起来。“那不一样。雾脚失踪的时候，没有猫知道她出了什么事。看上去她不可能活着回来了。但是现在我们知道，那些失踪的猫是被两脚兽诱捕了。如果两脚兽想让那些猫死的话，它们会立刻杀死他们。但是两脚兽并没有那么做。所以，灰条肯定正在被关在什么地方，他迟早会逃出来回到我们身边。”火星的脚爪用力刮擦着地面，在泥土上留下了深深的刮痕，“我不会放弃希望的，除非我亲眼看到灰条的尸体。”
你是想要说服我吗？黑莓掌郁闷地想，还是想要说服你自己？
火星没有再说什么。他转过身，朝围着高星身体的众猫走了过去。黑莓掌注视着他，心中既愧疚又失望。他很想成为副族长——这个愿望真的就那么可怕吗？
记住虎星。一个微弱的声音在他耳边低声说道。黑莓掌顿时吓得身上的每一根毛都竖了起来。
我跟虎星一点也不像！我是一位忠诚的武士。我为了族群努力奋斗，即使冒着生命危险也在所不惜。没有一只猫有资格说我不配当副族长。
他看到松鼠飞从阴影中默默地走出来，跟她的父亲碰了碰鼻子。他们紧挨着蹲伏在正在哀悼的风族猫的外围，他们火焰色的皮毛混杂在一起。
一阵嫉妒如秃叶季刺骨的寒风，袭上黑莓掌的心头，他感到一阵刺痛。他跟松鼠飞因为鹰霜起了争执，他的妹妹褐皮则属于另一个族群。他无法跟任何一只猫分享，像松鼠飞跟火星之间那样简单的情感。
到底得证明多少次才够？黑莓掌绝望地想。鹰霜似乎在河族并没有碰到同样的麻烦，尽管他的父亲也是虎星。黑莓掌突然渴望找到他，与他交谈。但是现在，族群马上就要各奔东西，黑莓掌知道，他们俩见面的最好时机已经过去了。
黑莓掌是那么想成为副族长，他的这种欲望已经伤到了自己。为什么火星和松鼠飞不信任他？成为副族长的欲望像黑暗的波涛一样汹涌，将他的热血变得像冰一样冷，他闭上眼睛，脚掌深深插进了地面。
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 15
The sun had gone down butthe horizon still blazed with scarlet when the ThunderClan cats set out. While he was waiting for Brackenfur to go through the tunnel in the barrier of thorns, Brambleclaw realized that Squirrelflight had slipped up to his side.
“Hi, there,” she meowed. She sounded friendly but uncertain, as if she weren’t sure what his reaction would be. “Are you okay? You’ve been in a dream all day.”
Brambleclaw winced; the memory of his meeting with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost filled his mind so strongly that when he shut his eyes, he could almost feel the brush of his half brother’s fur against his flank. He longed to respond to the affection in Squirrelflight’s green gaze, but she was the last cat he could tell about his dream, given her feelings about the RiverClan warrior.
He scuffed his paws on the earth. “I didn’t sleep well last night; that’s all.”
Squirrelflight narrowed her eyes, clearly guessing there was something he wasn’t telling her. “Keep secrets if you want.” She sighed. “See if I care.”
Whisking around, she pushed through the tunnel behind Brackenfur.
“Squirrelflight, wait!” Brambleclaw raced after her, furious with himself for seeming to reject her attempt to be friends again. When he burst out at the other end of the tunnel she was padding away with Leafpaw, their heads bent close together. Though he called her name again she didn’t turn to look at him.
Sorreltail was the last of the warriors to emerge from the tunnel. Brackenfur had been waiting to check that they had all the cats who were meant to be coming to the Gathering. As she went past, Brackenfur stretched out his muzzle to touch her ear-tip. “Hey, Sorreltail,” he murmured. “I’m glad you’re coming.”
The young tortoiseshell warrior blinked at him and let out a purr.
Firestar led his Clan uphill to the place where they could cross the stream by the stepping-stones, then followed the stream down to the lakeshore. “If we go on Gathering near the horseplace,” he meowed, “we must make sure WindClan understands we’ll have to cross their territory every full moon.”
“That shouldn’t be too difficult,” Cloudtail muttered to Dustpelt.
The brown tabby warrior grunted. “True. We could probably charge straight through the WindClan camp without any of the warriors lifting a paw.”
“That’s not fair!” Sorreltail protested. “Onewhisker would defend his camp as fiercely as any warrior.”
Dustpelt and Cloudtail exchanged a glance; Brambleclaw could tell they weren’t convinced.
The cats padded along the edge of the lake; the water grew darker as the scarlet faded from the horizon and the first stars appeared. Brambleclaw found his gaze dragged back more than once to where Squirrelflight and Leafpaw walked side by side at the back of the group. He was comforted by the fact that at least she wasn’t with Ashfur, who was talking to Rainwhisker and Cinderpelt. Brambleclaw thought that the young gray warrior paid far too much attention to Squirrel-flight.
By the time they were nearing the Twoleg horseplace, the full moon had floated away from the trailing wisps of cloud and was flooding the lake and its shore with pale silver light. Just before they reached the fence, Onewhisker appeared on the brow of the hill above them, flanked by several of his Clanmates. Brambleclaw was surprised to see that Mudclaw was with him, but there was no sign of the new deputy, Ashfoot.
Firestar stopped and waited for the WindClan cats to catch up, greeting Onewhisker with a friendly purr. Although the two leaders walked on side by side, the warriors behind them stayed with their own Clanmates. Brambleclaw spotted Crowfeather and waved his tail to catch his attention, but instead of padding over to greet him, Crowfeather just acknowledged him with a brief nod.
Suddenly Firestar raised his tail for them to halt. Brambleclaw padded quietly forward to find out what was going on. He paused to taste the air and his neck fur began to rise when he made out the scent of strange cats.
“More kittypets?” he muttered to Crowfeather.
The WindClan warrior bristled, his ears pricked. Brambleclaw followed his gaze and spotted a tiny movement in the grass on the other side of the Twoleg fence. A moment later two cats emerged. The first was a muscular gray-and-white tom; he glared at them through the fence with his lips drawn back in a snarl.
“Who are you and what do you want?” he demanded.
Mudclaw and Cloudtail both sprang forward, ready for battle, but Firestar waved them back with his tail. “We’re not looking for trouble,” he meowed. “We have come to live near here.”
“There are so many of you!” the second cat, a queen with long, creamy fur, exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. Her heavy round belly showed that she was expecting kits.
“Actually, there are more than this,” Onewhisker told her. “But Firestar’s right: we won’t bother you.”
“Provided you don’t bother us,” Mudclaw snarled.
The strange tom fluffed up his neck fur. “Set one paw inside this fence…”
“Why would we do that?” Squirrelflight asked, pushing forward with a gleam of curiosity in her green eyes. “Wedon’t live with Twolegs.”
“Twolegs?” The long-furred queen looked bewildered.
“The pink creatures who walk on their hindlegs,” Brambleclaw explained. On their journey to meet Midnight they had discovered that not all cats used the same words. “They live in red stone nests like the one over there,” he added, gesturing with his tail to the Twoleg nest on the other side of the horseplace.
“Oh, you mean Nofurs,” mewed the queen. “We don’t live with them either. We live in the stable with the horses.”
Brambleclaw tipped his head to one side, puzzled. It sounded as if these two cats were loners, like Barley and Ravenpaw, who lived in a barn near the old territory. But he couldn’t imagine any cats wanting to live this close to a Twoleg nest unless they were kittypets, let alone make their home where they could be crushed under the horses’ huge feet.
The gray-and-white tom twitched the tip of his tail. “Move on,” he ordered. “We don’t want you here.”
“There’s no need to be unfriendly,” Squirrelflight protested, while Mudclaw unsheathed his claws and sank them into the grass. Brambleclaw flexed his shoulders and sank his weight onto his haunches. If the strange tom insisted on being this aggressive, there would be a fight.
A small white WindClan queen flicked out her tail to bar Mudclaw’s way. “Calm down,” she mewed. “Can’t you scent the kits? He’s only defending his nursery.”
Brambleclaw drew a long breath over his scent glands. Whitetail was right; there were more cats here than the two they could see, including kits.
The creamy brown she-cat looked impressed. “There is another cat living here,” she meowed. “Floss had her kits yesterday. These cats are okay,” she added, butting her companion in the shoulder. “I don’t think we need to worry about them.”
“None of us would hurt kits,” Firestar promised.
The tomcat took a step back, his neck fur beginning to lie flat. “Make sure you don’t,” he rasped. He half turned away, then glanced back. “I’m Smoky, and this is Daisy. And you might want to know that there’s a dog in the nest with the Nofurs. Small, black-and-white, very yappy. They usually keep it inside, but sometimes it gets loose.”
“Thanks,” Firestar replied. “We’ll keep a lookout.”
Smoky nodded curtly and padded off, jerking his head for Daisy to follow him. She hesitated a moment longer before going after him. Her pale fur faded quickly into the darkness.
“Good-bye!” Squirrelflight called. “See you again sometime!”
The Clan cats set off again, skirting the fence and following the line of the shore until they reached the clump of trees where they had made their temporary camp. ShadowClan and RiverClan were already there, and almost the first cat Brambleclaw spotted was his sister, Tawnypelt. As he headed over to see her, Rainwhisker bounded past him to greet a young warrior from RiverClan.
“Hi, Swallowtail! How’s the prey running?”
The dark tabby she-cat flicked an awkward glance toward her Clan leader, Leopardstar, who was sitting a couple of tail-lengths away. “Fine,” she murmured.
Rainwhisker bent down to lick her ears in greeting, then jerked his head back. Embarrassed, he licked his own paw instead and swiped it over his face. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I keep forgetting things are different now.”
Tawnypelt came up, but after that abrupt reminder of Clan differences Brambleclaw stayed a tail-length away from her and formally dipped his head. “It’s good to see you,” he meowed
“And you, mousebrain.” Tawnypelt stepped forward to press her muzzle against Brambleclaw’s. “This is ridiculous! We’ve been through far too much together to forget about the past. Sharing memories, and liking each other because of it, doesn’t make us traitors to our Clans!”
Brambleclaw blinked. She was right, but he knew that other cats didn’t feel the same. A little way off, a group of ShadowClan cats was glaring at them, including Rowanclaw, the one who had attacked him when he accidentally crossed the other Clan’s scent markings. As Brambleclaw met his furious gaze, Rowanclaw turned to make a sneering remark to one of his Clanmates. Brambleclaw was too far away to hear, but he could guess it was a long way from being complimentary.
He headed for the tree stump, wanting to find a good place to listen to the leaders. He had gone only a few pawsteps when Hawkfrost appeared. The broad-shouldered tabby warrior looked expectantly at Brambleclaw as if he were waiting for him to speak first.
“Er, hi,” Brambleclaw meowed. Moonlight dappled Hawkfrost’s pelt, reminding Brambleclaw sharply of his dream. “How are you settling in?”
Hawkfrost dipped his head. “Fine, thank you.” His voice was cool, and Brambleclaw backed away, feeling his pelt prickle. Did Hawkfrost think he was being disloyal to ThunderClan by talking to him?
“Sorry,” he muttered. “I just thought[.arrowhorizex]”
Hawkfrost tilted his head with a knowing look in his iceblue eyes. “Don’t worry; I’m not one of the cats who thinks cats from different Clans shouldn’t have anything to do with one another. I saw what happened with Tawnypelt,” he meowed sympathetically. “It’s tough to have loyalties divided. We all have friends in other Clans now, and yet we have to act as if being rivals is the only thing that matters.”
Part of Brambleclaw wanted to yowl, Yes! That’s just how I feel.But he could sense curious gazes burning into him from all sides, so he just mewed quietly, “It’s hard to forget what we’ve been through.”
Hawkfrost twitched his tail. “I was just saying the same thing to Mudclaw, actually. He’s been telling me about the problems in WindClan.”
Brambleclaw stiffened. “What problems?”
“Don’t you know?” Hawkfrost’s eyes glinted with surprise. “The way Onewhisker won’t establish firm boundaries, for starters. According to Mudclaw, he gave a whole slice of territory to ThunderClan in return for some healing herbs.”
Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. It looked like Mudclaw was using anything he could to suggest that Onewhisker wasn’t fit to be Clan leader.
“Perhaps Tallstar made a mistake when he chose Onewhisker to follow him,” Hawkfrost went on. “It would be a pity for WindClan if their leader wasn’t strong enough. Not the best start for their new life.”
“I’m sure Onewhisker can be a great leader,” Brambleclaw argued, pushing away the memory of Tallstar faltering over the ceremony with his last breath. “There’s no reason why WindClan can’t be as strong as any Clan in their new home.”
“It takes a strong leader to make a strong Clan,” meowed Hawkfrost. “Onewhisker hasn’t received his name or his nine lives yet. Could that be a sign that he doesn’t have StarClan’s approval?”
His voice was level, mildly curious rather than hostile, and it was impossible for Brambleclaw to disagree. What if StarClan refused to recognize Onewhisker as WindClan’s leader? It was certainly true that they hadn’t sent any signs to tell him how to receive his nine lives.
“Mudclaw feels the same,” Hawkfrost went on. “He knows his Clanmates need strong leadership now more than any other time. Every cat knows it’s hard to fix new boundaries when we’ve all been living so close together, but if we don’t, how will the Clans support themselves? What we decide now will affect every cat for many seasons to come. WindClan could end up starving if Onewhisker doesn’t claim enough territory.”
This new view of Mudclaw burst on Brambleclaw like a ray of sunlight penetrating the forest canopy. He had started to think that the former deputy cared only about his own ambitions. But Mudclaw had shown as much courage and determination as any cat on the journey. Would he really make a more effective leader than Onewhisker?
“Mudclaw was a very good deputy,” Brambleclaw began thoughtfully.
Hawkfrost narrowed his eyes. “Speaking of deputies, when’s Firestar going to make you his?”
Brambleclaw scuffed his forepaws among the dead leaves. “There are more experienced warriors[.arrowhorizex]”
Hawkfrost flicked his tail dismissively. “Olderwarriors,” he corrected, “but more experienced? I think not. How many of them could have made your journey to the sun-drown-place, and then led us here? You’re strong and skillful and you uphold the warrior code. Why shouldn’t you be deputy?”
“Firestar has good reasons for not appointing a new deputy,” Brambleclaw dodged.
“Are you talking about Graystripe?” Hawkfrost blinked. “Every cat knowsGraystripe is dead. He’d go down fighting rather than let Twolegs turn him into a kittypet. There’s only one reason Firestar won’t appoint you deputy, and you know it as well as I do. It’s because of who your father was. Because of who ourfather was.”
Brambleclaw stared at Hawkfrost, and the sense that he was looking at his reflection swept over him once more: they had the same dark tabby pelt, the same powerful shoulders, the same intensity in their eyes, which differed only in color—ice blue and amber.
“Do you have the same problem in RiverClan?” he whispered.
Hawkfrost shook his head. “No. Tigerstar was never such an enemy to RiverClan. Any trouble I have comes from not being Clanborn. It used to bother me, but now I just look at Firestar. If a kittypet can become Clan leader, so can I.”
As he spoke, the flicker of a ginger pelt caught Brambleclaw’s eye as Squirrelflight hurtled around the stump. Not looking where she was going, she nearly crashed into him and Hawkfrost, skidding to a halt just in time.
“Sorry, I was looking for[.arrowhorizex]” She broke off as her green gaze took in the cats in front of her. “Oh, it’s you,” she mewed ungraciously to Hawkfrost.
“Greetings, Squirrelflight.” The RiverClan warrior dipped his head politely. “Brambleclaw and I were just discussing WindClan. We’re afraid there’ll be trouble if Onewhisker doesn’t receive his nine lives soon.”
Brambleclaw was relieved that Hawkfrost hadn’t mentioned his speculations about a new deputy for ThunderClan, but his relief didn’t last long. Squirrelflight was gazing at his half brother with undisguised hostility, her neck fur beginning to bristle.
“What’s that got to do with RiverClan?” she demanded.
Hawkfrost’s ice-blue eyes widened, but he said nothing.
“Of course it matters to RiverClan,” Brambleclaw meowed to his Clanmate. “Strong leadership is important to every Clan in the forest.”
Squirrelflight’s only reply was a snort of disgust. Anythingmore she might have said was interrupted by Mistyfoot, bounding up to join her Clanmate. “Leopardstar wants you, Hawkfrost,” she meowed. “We have to discuss what we’re going to report at the Gathering.”
“Our final decisions about the boundaries,” Hawkfrost explained to Brambleclaw.
“Not just that,” mewed Mistyfoot. “Leopardstar wants to tell the other Clans how you and Blackclaw drove off that badger.”
Hawkfrost shrugged. “Any cat would have done the same,” he meowed, but there was an edge of pride in his voice.
The two cats padded away, leaving Brambleclaw staring after them in shock. Hawkfrost had mentioned the badger in his dream! There was no other way he could have known about it before now. That meant his dream was true, and on some mysterious level, all three of them hadmet together. A shiver ran through him from ears to tail-tip.
He wanted to call Hawkfrost back, but a touch on his shoulder distracted him. Squirrelflight was still standing beside him, her eyes filled with a mixture of anger and dismay.
“Are you just trying to cause trouble?” the ginger she-cat hissed. “You took the side of that…that mangy furball instead of mine!”
“It’s not about taking sides,” Brambleclaw meowed crossly. “Hawkfrost seems like a good warrior to me. You’re the one who started to cause trouble.”
“Only because every time I turn round I find you talking to him,” Squirrelflight snapped.
“And why shouldn’t I?” Brambleclaw felt his neck fur begin to rise. “Hawkfrost’s my brother. Can’t you see that makes me want to get to know him better? And we’re here at a Gathering, in case you hadn’t noticed. We’re supposedto discuss things with cats from other Clans. I can’t believe you were so rude to Hawkfrost.”
“And I can’t believe you would criticize Onewhisker’s leadership with him,” Squirrelflight retorted. “Onewhisker has always been ThunderClan’s friend.”
“Are you saying Hawkfrost is our enemy?”
For a few heartbeats Squirrelflight did not reply. The anger in her eyes faded, to be replaced by a look of deep sadness. “All right, I give up,” she mewed. “It’s not going to work, is it? You and me?”
“What do you mean?” Brambleclaw stared at her in dismay. “Why not?”
“Because I can see exactly where I stand in your life. I’m not as important to you as other cats are—as Hawkfrostis.”
Brambleclaw opened his jaws to argue, but another voice interrupted him.
“Hey, Squirrelflight! I’ve saved you a place over here.” It was Ashfur, signaling from a few fox-lengths away.
Squirrelflight gave Brambleclaw a last, long look, anger and sadness battling in her gaze, then stalked away to join the gray tom.
Brambleclaw leaped after her. “Squirrelflight, wait! I’d neverchoose another cat over you.”
But she didn’t look back, and there was no way Brambleclaw was going to chase her all the way over to Ashfur. He wasn’t about to give the young warrior the satisfaction of watching them fight.
Behind him, Blackstar jumped onto the tree stump and called for attention. As the cats gathered around, Brambleclaw saw Hawkfrost gazing curiously at him. He didn’t want to talk about the dream now. Whatever Squirrelflight said, no cat was more important than her, and he couldn’t think about anything except the way she was sitting next to Ashfur, the gray warrior bending down to murmur something in her ear.
Brambleclaw stared past Hawkfrost into the shadows at the edge of the clearing, waves of loss and disbelief surging around him like the churning, choking water of sun-drown-place.
第八章
第八章
叶爪蹲伏在离高星身体不远的地方，看着来为死去的族长守夜的猫们。日光从山脊后方照射下来，天空灰蒙蒙的，云朵低垂在树木的上方。从湖边吹来潮湿、寒冷的风，树枝碰撞在一起，发出犹如老鼠啃骨头一样的咯咯声。
死去族长的身体看上去阴森僵硬。叶爪不禁身子战栗起来。在寒冷的晨光中守夜感觉怪怪的。因为通常这个仪式都是在夜里举行的，一动不动的遗体会被像柔软的黑色毛发一样舒适的阴影裹住。
叶爪的目光从高星的遗体上移开，任自己的思绪随意游荡。焦虑像狐狸的尖牙一样啃噬着她。一根须不可能回到月亮石，从星族那里接受他的圣名和九条命。他太累了，根本不可能再次往返这样漫长的旅程，而且很明显，泥掌会抓住他不在的机会制造麻烦。但是，如果风族的族长不能与星族交流，会有什么样的后果呢？武士守则就会像日光中的薄雾一样渐渐消散，众猫也会沦为泼皮猫。
“星族一定会指引我们的！”叶爪情不自禁大声说道。
炭毛正在跟青面交谈，她环顾四周。“叶爪？出什么事了？”说着，她走了过来，似乎很担心叶爪。
叶爪摇摇脑袋，回答道：“抱歉打扰到你了，炭毛。我只是在想一根须。如果他不能去高石山，那该怎么办啊？”
炭毛伸出尾巴温柔地碰了碰叶爪的脑袋。“别担心，”她安慰道，“星族会告诉我们一个新的地方，与它们进行交流的。”
“但那是什么时候呢？”叶爪凝视着老师蓝色的眼睛，“一根须现在就需要得到他的圣名和九条命。”
“叶爪，耐心点。我们不能催促星族。你会看到答案的。同时，”她轻快地补充道，“与其在这儿担心，你还不如做一些有用的事。你看，蛾翅就做得很对，她正在为幼崽和长老们取水呢。”
空地的另一边，河族巫医正走向一群风族猫，嘴中含满了湿淋淋的苔藓。叶爪顿时感到一阵愧疚，她除了为自己帮不上忙的事情着急外，什么也没做。
“对不起，炭毛。”她说着站了起来，“我也帮着去取一些苔藓来。”
炭毛点点头，说道：“如果你忙起来的话，会感觉好些。”
叶爪朝湖边走去。但是她还没有走出灌木丛，就看到几只猫正跳上斜坡。他们的皮毛因为浸过湖水而变得非常顺滑，叶爪认出领头的是鹰霜。原来是河族的巡逻队，他们在第一缕晨曦显露的时候，就出发探索小岛去了。
她好奇地转过身，跟在他们身后走回到空地中央。
鹰霜跳上树桩，发出一声号叫，召唤所有猫听他说话。叶爪不知道，鹰霜这么做是不是合适。
“他在干吗？树桩是族长们专用的，就像四棵树那儿的高岩一样。”当叶爪小跑着来到朋友身边时，栗尾说出了叶爪心中的疑惑，“鹰霜甚至连副族长都不是了。”
但是没有猫公开指责河族武士的做法。相反，所有族群猫快速聚集在一起，准备听鹰霜带来的消息。
“情况怎么样？”豹星开口问道，“你们到岛上去了吗？有什么发现没有？”
“岛上有我们所希望的一切。”鹰霜高声说道，“我实在想象不出还有什么地方比那儿更适合修筑营地了。星族把我们带到这儿时，一定早就想好把那儿留给我们河族做营地了。那里有湖可以抓鱼，有树木可以隐蔽，而且还可以躲避捕食者——或者别的可能会袭击我们的东西。”他说话的时候，眼睛扫向其他族群的猫。
河族武士中发出几声赞同的声音，黑莓掌大声喊道：“干得好，鹰霜！”
这只虎斑武士低了低头。“我只是做了自己认为对族群最好的事。”他回答道。
叶爪听到从身后传来“哼”的一声，声音很大，她不禁吃了一惊。她回过头，看到松鼠飞正怒视着鹰霜，眼中充满了敌意。
叶爪悄悄往后挪到妹妹身边，问道：“怎么回事啊？”
“我不信任他。”松鼠飞小声说道，眼睛却一直没有离开那位河族武士。
“我也是。”叶爪道。她想起了在森林里的某一天，栗尾追赶一只松鼠时不小心越过了河族的边界，结果鹰霜抓住了栗尾。如果不是蛾翅警告说，这会造成族群之间的冲突，鹰霜根本就不会放了栗尾。那时，鹰霜的野心就显露无遗，他甚至还暗示，因为河族领地上的猎物太少了，河族可能占领雷族的领地。
叶爪和栗尾当时决定，不把这件事告诉火星或其他族猫。栗尾不想承认自己越过了河族边界，而且她觉得，任何一位雄心勃勃的年轻武士，都会梦想着接管另一个族群的狩猎地盘。叶爪也希望自己能像栗尾那样，轻松看待鹰霜对领地和权力的贪婪。
“我知道你不信任他，”松鼠飞平静地说，“我早就看出来了。很高兴你也同意我的看法。”
雾脚走到树桩根部，抽动着尾巴尖，说道：“鹰霜，我告诉过你，在小岛上修筑营地是鼠脑子才会有的主意。是的，河族武士们可以游泳过去，那幼崽和长老呢？而且，如果湖中的鱼出问题了怎么办？我们没办法把猎物从岸边搬到岛上来。”
鹰霜根本没有理会雾脚，而是直接看向族长问道：“豹星，你觉得呢？”
河族族长犹豫了一会儿，终于说道：“你说得对，鹰霜。营地建在小岛上的确比建在陆地上更容易防御。不过雾脚说得也有道理。我们不能把家园建在幼崽和长老很难到达的地方，而且，我们把自己隔离起来的确能为我们带来安全，但也会使我们在受到攻击时，孤立无援。我们还是在雾脚找到的那个地方修筑营地吧。”
叶爪一下子神经紧绷了起来，以为鹰霜会勃然大怒。但让她没想到的是，鹰霜非但没有生气，反而向豹星低了低头，然后跳下了树桩。
“豹星的决定很好。”松鼠飞听上去很满意。
“你应该对他公平一点。”叶爪警告道，“你不能因为他想为族群找到一处安全的家园而责备他。”
松鼠飞嫌恶地喷了一下鼻息。“他才不会这么想呢，他只是想要挑战雾脚罢了。如果我是雾脚，我一定会当心自己的尾巴的。不要告诉我你觉得我的话不对。”她补充道，“因为我是不会相信你那么说的。”
“我知道。”叶爪承认道，“不过无论如何，鹰霜不是什么都还没做嘛。”
松鼠飞眯缝起眼睛。“他是在等时机。”她忧心忡忡地说。
被一早上的事折腾得筋疲力尽，叶爪打起了瞌睡，直到她感觉有尾巴尖扫过耳朵才打了个激灵。她眨了眨眼睛，抬头看到了炭毛。
“我要帮忙把高星的遗体带出去埋葬。”她的老师说道，“火星就要准备出发了。”
叶爪爬起身，抖落皮毛上粘的枯枝碎屑。“对不起，炭毛！”她结结巴巴地说，“你怎么不早点喊醒我啊？”
“你需要睡一会儿。”炭毛低声说道。
现在，云层慢慢变薄，露出了淡黄色的太阳。雷族众猫聚集在树桩附近火星的周围：蕨毛用尾巴搭在长尾的肩上，为这只盲眼猫领路；香薇云正柔声训斥着小白桦，因为他正踩着每只猫的脚爪跳来跳去。
兴奋像波涛一样涌过叶爪的全身，她一下子完全清醒了过来。他们就要看到新家园了！“有什么我能帮上忙的吗？”她问道。
“是的，谢谢。我想让你快点去沼泽地再采一些马尾草。我们可能会好长时间都没办法采到这种草药。”
叶爪点点头，说道：“没问题。不过，我能先找一下蛾翅吗？我想跟她说声再见。”
“你们会在森林大会的时候再见面的。”炭毛说道，不过她马上又柔声补充了一句，“好的，但是快去快回。”
叶爪飞快地跑开了。让她欣慰的是，她几乎马上就看到了蛾翅。蛾翅正在穿过树林，满嘴都是浸湿的苔藓。她一定为四个族群的每一位幼崽和长老都喂了水。叶爪觉得很愧疚。
“嗨，蛾翅！”叶爪喊道。她停了下来，不禁皱起了鼻子，她朋友的皮毛中发出一股刺鼻的气味。
蛾翅琥珀色的眼睛里闪着无奈的神情。“是老鼠胆汁的气味。”她可怜兮兮地说，“今天早上，我还啥事都没干呢，巨步非让我给他捉虱子。后来，我就一直忙着取水，没时间把它洗掉。老实说，我已经习惯它的味道了。”
“对不起。”叶爪更不好意思了，“我应该来帮你的。”
蛾翅耸耸肩。“没关系的，我快干完了。你需要给你们族群的长老取一些水吗？”说着，她把地上的湿苔藓推到叶爪面前。
“谢谢。”叶爪说道。她不知道在去采马尾草之前，还有没有时间去给长尾取些水。
于是，她弯下腰叼起苔藓，但一股强烈的气味一下子冲进了她的口鼻，她马上就将苔藓吐了出来。那是一股奇怪的酸臭味，这种气味让她想起了鸦食。她直起身子，舌头不停地舔着嘴唇。
“那是怎么回事？”蛾翅问道。
“我不太确定。只是苔藓的气味闻起来很怪。你是在哪儿找到它的？”
“那边的水池里……”蛾翅用尾巴指着说道，“我碰巧在那么近的地方找到水，所以就没往远处的湖边去。”
“带我去那儿看看。”叶爪说道。
蛾翅带领叶爪走出空地，来到沼泽地的边缘。叶爪自信地穿过满是沼泽的地面，在长满尖刺的草丛中跳跃着。草丛之间的地面非常泥泞，即使对河族猫来说，也不太好走。她们沿着与湖岸同一水平面的方向行进着，不过离水边更远了一些。
蛾翅最终停在了一处很小的死水池边，水池的水来自一条小溪。那条小溪在长长的沼泽草丛中缓缓流淌，最终流向湖泊。还没等走到水边，叶爪就闻到空气中有和那苔藓一模一样的酸味。她小心翼翼地爬了过去，朝下方水池中望去。水池里的水黑漆漆的，没有一点波澜，但是当叶爪弯下身子，倒影挡住光线之后，就能一直看到池底。她眯缝起眼睛，看到一团潮湿的暗黑色皮毛躺在池底的泥沼上，看上去像是一只兔子掉到水池中淹死了。
她发出一声厌恶的嘶嘶声，退了回来。“看那儿！”她说着，移动了一下身子，让蛾翅趴在她身旁。
蛾翅的眼睛睁得大大的。“我之前来这儿的时候，水池清澈得能倒映出天空。”她咕哝道，“我刚才没看到这只死兔子啊。而且除了难闻的老鼠胆汁，我什么也没闻到啊。你觉得长老们不会有事吧？”她担心地问道。
叶爪张开嘴，本想告诉她这儿的水可能会使长老们肚子疼，不过当看到朋友那焦虑的目光后，刚到嘴边的话又咽了回去。“我相信他们会没事的。”她笨拙地说道，“不过，最好不要再让他们喝这水了。”毕竟，如果水真的被污染了，蛾翅现在做什么都晚了。
“好的，我不会了。”蛾翅恼恨地抽动着尾巴，“现在我不得不去湖边了！下次森林大会时再见，叶爪。”
“森林大会时见。”当她的朋友蹦跳着跑下斜坡时，叶爪喊道，“记得洗洗你的爪子！”不过，她也不确定蛾翅还能不能听到她的话。
叶爪离开水池，在草地上认真地蹭了蹭爪子，以防有毒的东西渗入水池四周的地面。她又往远处走了走，以确保草根不会被脏水污染。很快，她就发现了一大丛茂盛的马尾草。
她可以在这里采一些马尾草给炭毛，然后他们就可以动身了。只要我们到了新领地，一切都会好起来的。她对自己说。她看着蛾翅离去的背影，不由心中一颤，感到一股焦虑像波浪一样传遍了她的全身。
河族巫医从水池中为幼崽和长老们取水，原本是出于好心，但是，受到污染的水会对饮用它的猫们造成什么样的伤害呢？
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 16
Leafpaw stood at the edge ofthe clearing and watched the four Clans slip back and forth, cautiously greeting old friends and looking for good places to sit. She wanted to ask Crowfeather how Morningflower was getting on, and if she had eaten the herbs Leafpaw had left for her. She knew he was here, because she had seen him with his Clanmates when ThunderClan and WindClan met beside the horseplace. But he had been padding along with his head down, as if he didn’t want to talk to her or any other cat. Now he had vanished. He couldn’t be more annoying if he tried!Leafpaw thought in frustration.
“Leafpaw! Leafpaw, are you dreaming?”
A paw prodded her in the side. Leafpaw jumped as she realized that Cinderpelt was calling to her. At the same moment she spotted Crowfeather across the clearing.
“Sorry, Cinderpelt,” she murmured.
“When the Gathering’s over,” Cinderpelt meowed, “the medicine cats are going to stay behind.”
Leafpaw pricked her ears. “Has one of them had a sign about the new Moonstone?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.” Then she added more briskly, “Come on, let’s find somewhere to sit. The Gathering will start shortly.”
Leafpaw glanced at Crowfeather, wondering if she’d have a chance to speak with him first.
Cinderpelt’s gaze followed hers. “Take care where your affections fall, Leafpaw,” she warned quietly. “Remember that you are a medicine cat.”
“I doremember,” Leafpaw protested. “You don’t think I feel any affection for that bad-tempered furball, do you? Every time we see each other he tries to make trouble. I just wanted to know if Barkface had given Morningflower the rest of the water mint; that’s all.”
Cinderpelt looked at her with the faintest hint of disbelief in her pale blue eyes before leading the way over to the other cats. Leafpaw trailed behind, thinking furious thoughts about the WindClan warrior. Affection? She hated every last hair on his pelt!
Cinderpelt settled down near the tree stump, hitching her injured leg underneath her. Leafpaw was about to sit down as well when she spotted Squirrelflight padding over to Ashfur. Tingling pulses of distress were coming off her; Leafpaw felt them as painfully as if they were her own.
As Blackstar yowled for silence, Leafpaw darted over and sat down on Squirrelflight’s other side. “What’s the matter?” she whispered. “Have you fallen out with Brambleclaw again?”
“Don’t mention his name! It’s over between us!”
Leafpaw stared at her. “Tell me what happened,” she mewed.
“He was talking to Hawkfrost. He actually stood up for him—a warrior from another Clan! Why won’t he listen to me when I tell him that cat can’t be trusted?”
“Is that all?”
“What do you mean, is that all?” Squirrelflight lashed her tail. “I’ve told him you knowHawkfrost is untrustworthy, but he won’t take any notice. It all comes down to trust, and Brambleclaw obviously trusts Hawkfrost more than me. How can we be together, if that’s how he feels?”
Leafpaw felt totally helpless. She was a medicine cat—what did she know about relationships like this? She could understand why Squirrelflight might feel hurt if Brambleclaw preferred spending time with Hawkfrost rather than her, but she was puzzled by the way Squirrelflight seemed so quick to reject Brambleclaw altogether. She pressed her muzzle comfortingly against her sister’s. “Don’t forget they’re half brothers. It’s natural for them to enjoy each other’s company now and then.”
Squirrelflight’s green eyes flashed in the moonlight. “This is about trust! I don’t care that Tigerstar was their father. This is about much more than shared blood!”
Blood…The word echoed in Leafpaw’s ears, and she recoiled. Blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red.She had forgotten about her terrible dream, but now it flooded back into her mind, the water lapping thick and slow like a seeping wound. What did it mean? Whose blood would be spilled?
She looked around for Cinderpelt, desperate to ask her about it, but Firestar, Blackstar, and Leopardstar were standing on the tree stump, ready to begin. Leafpaw had to settle down beside her sister, trying to send wordless comfort to her through the warmth of her fur.
Onewhisker ran over to the stump, but when he tried to leap up his paws slipped and he fell back awkwardly. There wasn’t room for four cats to stand up there together. Firestar and Leopardstar exchanged an uncomfortable glance, but Blackstar meowed roughly, “Stay down there, Onewhisker. We must get on with the Gathering.”
Onewhisker sat among the roots and bent his head to lick the ruffled fur on his chest.
“It looks as if he isn’t a proper leader,” Squirrelflight mewed.
“I know,” Leafpaw agreed quietly. “The sooner we find another Moonstone the better, so he can receive his nine lives and his name.”
Blackstar addressed the Gathering first. “As we agreed before, we have set our boundary markers along the small Thunderpath leading to the lake,” he announced. “Leopardstar, I hope that suits you?” His gaze bored into the RiverClan leader as if he were daring her to argue.
Leopardstar dipped her head. “Perfectly, thank you, Blackstar.”
Blackstar looked surprised, and for a moment Leafpaw couldn’t understand why Leopardstar was being so cooperative. Squirrelflight had told her the small Thunderpath wasn’t all that far from RiverClan’s camp. The new boundaries had been only roughly agreed upon at the previous meeting, and she thought Leopardstar might have tried to extend her territory. Then she realized that if the Thunderpath were left as the boundary, the Twoleg half-bridge and the little nest Squirrelflight had described to her would be in ShadowClan territory. If the Twolegs caused any trouble it would be ShadowClan’s problem.
“Our boundary with ThunderClan has been scent-marked as well,” the ShadowClan leader went on. “We have claimed the territory as far as the stream that flows into the lake, and farther away from the lake, as far as the dead tree on the other side of the stream.”
“I think it would make more sense to make the stream the boundary all along the border,” Firestar meowed calmly.
“It would make more sense to ThunderClan, maybe,” Blackstar retorted. “But the stream curves sharply at the end of the clearing, veering deeper into our territory, and there are pine trees on both banks. Scent marks are scent marks, Firestar. If you don’t like where we have set them, you should have been quicker with your own.”
The ThunderClan leader gave Blackstar a long look. At last he bent his head.
“Very well,” he mewed. “But ThunderClan has set scent markers on a line stretching from the dead tree to a tall holly and then to an abandoned fox den under a white rock. Set one pawstep past that boundary, and ThunderClan will have something to say.”
“That sounds fair,” Ashfur mewed. “Firestar certainly knows the new territory!”
“For our other border,” Firestar went on, looking down at Onewhisker, “I suggest that we stick to our first idea of using the stream that runs at the bottom of the hill. That way, cats of both Clans will have access to the water.”
“Good idea,” Leafpaw murmured.
“I don’t understand why Firestar’s worried about water.” Squirrelflight twitched her whiskers. “With the lake right outside our dens, we’re hardly going to get thirsty.”
“I think you’re missing the point,” Leafpaw told her. “If Firestar agrees to make the stream our boundary, it means WindClan gets back the stretch of woodland Onewhisker gave to us.”
Squirrelflight blinked. “So this is Firestar’s way of turning him down, without making it look as if Onewhisker were being too generous in the first place?”
Leafpaw nodded.
“Thanks, Firestar.” Onewhisker sounded relieved, although it was impossible to tell whether that was because he wanted to be able to hunt in the trees, or because he knew this would satisfy his more restless warriors. “That’s fine by us. And we’ll take the fence on the far side of the horseplace as our other border.”
“That leaves the rest of the territory for RiverClan,” meowed Leopardstar.
“Except for where we are now,” Firestar warned. “This place should belong to no Clan, so that we have somewhere to gather.”
The RiverClan leader’s eyes narrowed. “You’re very eager to give part of my territory away,” she rasped.
For once Blackstar supported Firestar. “We have to gather somewhere, and there isn’t anywhere else with enough room for all of us.”
“This is obviously RiverClan territory,” Leopardstar insisted. “There are important herbs growing in these marshes.”
Firestar touched her shoulder with his tail. “Leopardstar, our medicine cats hope that StarClan will show us a better place to gather. Give up your claim for now, and maybe by next full moon you will be able to treat all this as yours.”
Leopardstar hesitated, then responded with a curt nod. “For now, RiverClan will let the four Clans gather here,” she meowed. “But if there is no sign from StarClan within two moons, we will have to think again.”
Firestar went on to tell the other Clans how ThunderClan was settling in, proudly adding that they had already made a new warrior. “Spiderleg keeps his vigil tonight,” he finished.
A shadow fell across the clearing. Leafpaw looked up to see that a cloud had drifted over the moon: not thick enough to hide it completely, but enough to make the night seem dark and eerie. A cold, damp wind swept off the lake, ruffling fur and rattling the branches overhead. Leafpaw noticed some of the cats around her shift uneasily and glance over their shoulders.
“This isn’t like Fourtrees,” Ashfur muttered. “We felt safe there.”
“StarClan is with us, wherever we are,” Leafpaw reminded him, but her words didn’t seem to reassure him or the other cats.
“Onewhisker?” Firestar prompted. “Do you have anything to report? Come up here so we can all hear you.” He jumped down so Onewhisker could take his place on the stump.
“We are settling into our camp,” Onewhisker began.
“Speak up—we can’t hear you.” The testy interruption came from Heavystep, a RiverClan elder.
“And you won’t, if you can’t keep quiet.” To Leafpaw’s surprise it was Mudclaw who sprang up to defend Onewhisker. “Listen to what our leader has to say.”
Heavystep shot a baleful glare at Mudclaw but said nothing.
Onewhisker started again. “Two of our elders were ill, but they are making a good recovery. We thank ThunderClan for the help they sent us.”
“He shouldn’t have mentioned that,” Leafpaw whispered in Squirrelflight’s ear. “It makes it sound as if WindClan can’t cope without ThunderClan.”
“Maybe they can’t,” Squirrelflight muttered dryly.
Over Squirrelflight’s shoulder, Leafpaw glimpsed something moving in the shadows under the trees. Her pelt prickled with a sense of danger close by. The other cats noticed it too, and half the cats sprang to their paws with their claws extended as two lithe shapes slid out of the darkness. Foxes!
They crept closer, undaunted by the number of cats in the clearing; Leafpaw saw the gleam of their teeth as they drew their lips back in a snarl. With a fierce yowl, Dustpelt hurled himself at one of them. The fox whirled around, snapping at him, but Dustpelt was too fast, clawing its side and darting away out of range of the pointed snout. Rainwhisker, Hawkfrost, and Russetfur raced over to join him, and behind them more cats padded forward in a snarling, bristling line.
Outmatched, the two foxes turned tail and fled, with Dustpelt and a few others hard on their paws. Leafpaw stared into the darkness, her heart pounding, until one by one the cats returned. To her relief, none of them was injured.
Dustpelt padded up to the tree stump, flexing his claws. “They won’t be so curious next time.”
One or two cats congratulated him, but most were still uneasy, peering around into the shadows as if they expected the foxes to come back. Leafpaw looked up at the sky, clearly visible above the sparse thicket of trees, and wished desperately that they could be back at Fourtrees. They had felt safe there, under the shelter of the four giant oaks, knowing their warrior ancestors had trodden the same ground for uncountable seasons. There was no sign that their ancestors had ever walked in this place.
“Right,” Blackstar meowed. “Let’s end this Gathering and go home before anything else happens. Unless any other cat wants to speak?”
There was no reply. The cats began dividing into their Clans. There was none of the usual gossip and leave-taking; every cat wanted to be on their way quickly.
“I have to stay behind,” Leafpaw told Squirrelflight. “There’s a meeting of medicine cats.”
“Will you be okay?” Squirrelflight asked. “Those foxes might be back.”
“Would you come back if Dustpelt had clawed you?”
Squirrelflight brushed Leafpaw’s ear with the tip of her tail. “Fair point, but be careful, all the same.”
Ashfur was waiting for her, and the two cats raced off side by side toward the lake. For once, Squirrelflight didn’t wait to see where Brambleclaw was. Leafpaw saw the tabby warrior a moment later. He had stopped to watch Hawkfrost gathering some RiverClan cats together. With an icy feeling in her fur, Leafpaw wondered if Squirrelflight was right when she accused him of being obsessed with his kin.
She felt a light touch on her side. Mothwing was standing next to her.
“Come on. We’re meeting over there.”
Briefly Leafpaw held her back with a wave of her tail. “Are your elders okay?” she asked in a low voice.
Guilt flooded into Mothwing’s eyes. “Yes, but I’m so sorry, Leafpaw. I should have checked that water more carefully.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” Leafpaw brushed against her comfortingly. “How could you smell the water when you were covered in mouse bile? Everything’s fine now, and it just meant we had to find new supplies of herbs more quickly than we might have done. That’s a good thing.”
Mothwing didn’t look convinced. She led Leafpaw to the brambles where the medicine cats had met before, when they first arrived at the lake. Cinderpelt and Barkface were already crouched on a bed of dead leaves, dry and sheltered by the wind-ruffled branches. Mothwing and Leafpaw crept in to join them, and a moment later Littlecloud appeared.
“If there are any more wandering foxes, they won’t find it easy to get at us here,” he remarked as he ducked underneath a bramble to sit beside Cinderpelt.
Barkface, as the oldest medicine cat among them, began the meeting. “That incident with the foxes made it clear we need a better place to gather. We also have to find somewhere like the Moonstone where we can share tongues with StarClan. Have any of you had a sign?”
All the cats shook their heads.
“The Moonstone is more urgent,” Cinderpelt pointed out. “Unless Leopardstar changes her mind, we don’t need to worry about a gathering place for another moon, but Onewhisker needs his name and his nine lives now.”
“StarClan knowswhat we need,” Littlecloud murmured. “Perhaps they’re trying to tell us, and we’re not recognizing their signs.”
“And perhaps hedgehogs will fly,” Barkface retorted. “Do you think we wouldn’t know if StarClan had sent us a sign about something as important as this?”
“Well, maybe there isn’t a Moonstone place around here,” Mothwing meowed.
Leafpaw winced as Barkface gave her friend a withering look. “If there isn’t, then this is not the place StarClan intends us to stay. Do you want to tell all the Clans they have to move somewhere else?”
Mothwing looked down at her paws.
“All the same,” Cinderpelt meowed, “that might be exactly what we have to do if we don’t have a sign soon. The Clans cannot survive without a place to share tongues with StarClan.”
“Perhaps this isn’t where StarClan means us to be after all,” Littlecloud ventured quietly.
Barkface curled his lip. “If we tell the Clans they have to leave, many cats will refuse. What would we do then?”
Guilt gnawed at Leafpaw. Her sister had been among the cats who had led the Clans through the mountains to this place, and she had been the one to interpret the starlight reflected in the lake as a sign that StarClan was waiting for them. Had they been wrong all along?
“Perhaps StarClan wants us to go and lookfor signs?” she suggested.
Cinderpelt nodded. “You could be right, Leafpaw. We must keep a careful watch until we meet at the half-moon.”
“And ask patrols to keep a lookout for tunnels like Mothermouth,” Barkface added. “If they find anything, their medicine cat can send a message to the rest of us.”
“Good idea,” mewed Cinderpelt.
“If that’s all, we might as well go home,” Barkface rasped. “I just want to thank Leafpaw for the help she gave our elders when they were sick. They’re doing fine now.”
Leafpaw dipped her head.
“Were your elders sick?” Littlecloud asked. “A couple of ours were, too. They must have picked up a bellyache while we were all together. Mothwing, have you had any trouble in RiverClan?”
Mothwing flashed a glance at Leafpaw. “Yes.”
“Well, don’t give us any details, will you?” Barkface growled. “Are your elders okay or not? What did you treat them with?”
“Juniper berries. And yes, they’re fine, thanks, Barkface.”
Barkface nodded and got up to leave. When the medicine cats wriggled out of the brambles, Mothwing flicked her tail to draw Leafpaw a little way from the others.
“Thanks for not telling them, Leafpaw,” she mewed.
“That’s okay.” Leafpaw could imagine how Mousefur would react if she found out she had been ill because another cat had fed her tainted water.
Mothwing gave her a long look from troubled blue eyes. “Leafpaw, we are friends, aren’t we?”
“Of course we are,” Leafpaw answered in surprise.
Mothwing hesitated, flexing her claws into the ground. At last she took a deep breath and mewed, “What Cinderpelt said—about watching for signs from StarClan. You do know I won’t get any, don’t you?”
“What are you talking about? You’re the RiverClan medicine cat! Who else is StarClan going to speak to?”
“Stop pretending, Leafpaw.” Mothwing’s tail twitched impatiently. “To me, StarClan, our warrior ancestors, these signs we’re supposed to interpret—they’re nothing but a bunch of stories to keep the Clans happy.”
Leafpaw stared at her friend in horror. How could you be a medicine cat and not believe in StarClan? “B-but you shared tongues with StarClan at the Moonstone, when you were made a medicine cat!” she stammered.
Mothwing lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I had a dream, that’s all. Don’t look so shocked,” she added. “It’s not the end of the world. I can heal my Clan just as well as any medicine cat. I don’t need StarClan to tell me which herb to use.”
Leafpaw opened her mouth to tell Mothwing about the signs she had received, and her precious encounters with Spottedleaf, the former ThunderClan medicine cat, while she slept. Then she realized that Mothwing would dismiss those as dreams, too.
“Come on, Leafpaw,” Mothwing went on. “You said just now that we have to go out and look for our own signs. Why would we need to do that if StarClan is sending them to us?”
“Well…yes. But that’s not the point. Looking for signs isn’t the same as making them up.”
Mothwing flicked her ears. “It doesn’t sound all that different to me.”
Leafpaw felt the ground sway beneath her paws. Mothwing was questioning everything she had believed since she was a kit. But it was impossible to defend, when everything she knew about StarClan, all the encounters she had had with them, were inside her own head.
“It’s notthe same,” she insisted. “That’s what faith in StarClan means—to go on searching, and believing, even when there aren’t any signs. We won’t know for certain that they are really there and watching over us until it’s our time to go and walk with StarClan.”
Mothwing shook her head. “I’m sorry, Leafpaw. It’s not like that for me. Maybe it’s because my mother was a rogue. I can be a loyal RiverClan cat without believing all the myths about our warrior ancestors.”
“But what about your moth’s-wing sign?” Leafpaw prompted. At first, Mothwing had struggled to be accepted as a medicine cat because her mother had not been Clanborn. When she was still being considered as an apprentice, Mudfur, the previous RiverClan medicine cat, had found a moth’s wing lying outside his den; he had taken it as a sign from StarClan that Mothwing was the right cat to succeed him, and she had begun her apprenticeship. “You can’t say that didn’t come from StarClan,” Leafpaw insisted.
“The moth’s wing?” There was a flash of something like fear in Mothwing’s eyes. “That was[.arrowhorizex]”
“Leafpaw! Are you coming?” Cinderpelt called.
Leafpaw waved her tail in reply; she wanted to hear what Mothwing was about to tell her.
But the RiverClan cat had turned away. “Cinderpelt wants you,” she meowed. “I’ll see you at the next half-moon.” Before Leafpaw could say anything, she bounded away.
Leafpaw padded over to join her mentor as they made their way back to the lakeshore. Mothwing didn’t believe in StarClan! She had always known Mothwing struggled with some parts of being a medicine cat, but she had thought it was just because she found it hard to learn all the different healing herbs. She had never dreamed her friend simply didn’t believe in their warrior ancestors.
Every hair on Leafpaw’s pelt stood on end. Should she tell Cinderpelt? Would it make any difference? Fear stalked her like a fox as another, even more dreadful thought came to her: had StarClan been silent because they knew that one of the medicine cats didn’t believe in them? Was Mothwing’s lack of faith putting all four Clans in danger of losing their new home?
Leafpaw let out a long sigh.
“Is everything okay?” Cinderpelt asked.
Leafpaw gulped. She didn’t want her mentor to start asking questions about Mothwing. “Yes, fine, thanks,” she replied.
“That sigh wasn’t anything to do with a certain WindClan warrior, was it?”
Leafpaw blinked. “No, it wasn’t,” she retorted. “Nothing to do with a certain WindClan warrior at all!”
Cinderpelt’s eyes glinted but she said nothing more. Leafpaw gazed at the starshine reflected in the lake and forced herself to see it with Mothwing’s eyes, as nothing more than specks of light. A shiver rippled through her from whiskers to tail-tip. No!She had to trust that her warrior ancestors had meant the Clans to come to this place.
StarClan, show us we are meant to be here,she prayed, but if any of the shining spirits replied, she did not hear them.
第九章
第九章
黑莓掌在树林中穿梭着，张着嘴，想从空气中混杂的不同族群的气味里，分辨出雷族的气味。这很不容易，因为四个族群的猫一同旅行了这么长时间，各个族群早就没有各自独特的气味了。到处都是急匆匆奔走的猫，他们想要跟其他族群的朋友们道别。不同族群的猫之间道别的场面是那么活跃、那么喧闹，让黑莓掌几乎觉得自己正身处一场激烈的战斗中，只不过没有敌人。
现在已经是日中时分了，火星渴望赶紧出发去新的领地。他派黑莓掌去查看一下，以确保雷族猫动身前往新家园时，没有猫掉队。
黑莓掌看到鼠毛正跟河族的巨步道别。这位雷族武士看上去很瘦弱，而且非常疲惫。可能等他们到达了新营地，她就会加入长老的行列。
“嗨，鼠毛。”黑莓掌招呼道，“火星想让雷族所有猫现在到树桩附近集合。”他小心翼翼地说着，避免使用直接命令的口气。鼠毛是个暴脾气，他可不想因为出言不慎而断掉尾巴。
“好的，我马上就来。”鼠毛飞快地舔了一下巨步的耳朵。“路上注意安全。”她嘱咐道，“森林大会时再见。”
“再见，鼠毛。”巨步看着她离开，冲黑莓掌点点头，然后悄悄潜入河族集合的树林之中。
松鼠飞突然在树桩跟前刹住了脚步，恰好停在了黑莓掌的爪下，黑莓掌差点撞上她。
“嗨，我正找你呢。”松鼠飞气喘吁吁地说，“赶紧跟我来。”
她沿原路返回，领着黑莓掌进入一处小的空地，褐皮和鸦羽正等在那儿。“我们必须说再见了。”她说道，“我们的旅程结束了，现在族群就要分开了。”
悲伤像荆棘一样刺穿了黑莓掌的心。松鼠飞说得没错，他们的探索结束了。他们曾经肩并肩面对危险，甚至陷入恐惧、黑暗之中，他们不顾一切全力以赴拯救他们的族群，在这期间，他们建立了真正的友谊。但是，他们首先还是要忠于他们的族群。他们最初离开森林前往太阳沉没之地的旅程，好像已经是很久很久以前的事了。有时，他们甚至都很难记起，他们在远赴太阳沉没之地的漫长旅途中建立的友谊到底有多么强烈。黑莓掌看向松鼠飞，想知道她是否依然会用生命相信自己。
黑莓掌走向鸦羽和褐皮，跟他们碰了碰鼻子。他凝视着他们的眼睛，看到回忆像鱼一样在他们的眼中游动着。
“我们永远都不会忘记做过的事。”褐皮低声道，“因为经历过这一切，我们的未来会变得更加坚强。”
四只猫都静静地站着，后来，鸦羽忧伤地说道：“我们本来应该是六只猫的。”
想到那两只猫再也回不到他们的族群了，黑莓掌身子痛苦地震了一下，因为羽尾已经无私地献出了自己的生命，而暴毛则留在了急水部落。
“我们是六只猫。”松鼠飞轻声说道，“只要我们记得他们，他们就永远与我们同在。”
鸦羽的目光定定地望着远处，用低得几乎听不见的声音说道：“有时候，仅仅记得是不够的。”
褐皮抖动了一下身子。“喂，我们要是只沉浸在悲伤中，可是什么猎物也捉不到的。”她说道，“我该离开了。各位，森林大会时再见吧。”
说完，她转过身，几个跳跃就不见了。随后，其他猫也互道再会。
鸦羽低下了头。“祝你们旅途安全。”他边说边准备转身离开。
“我们还会一起走一段路的。”黑莓掌说道，“我们得穿过你们的领地，然后才能到达我们的领地。”
“但是，我们现在必须跟自己的族群一起走。”鸦羽说完，一转身，消失在山谷的顶部。
黑莓掌目不转睛地看着他离去的背影，真希望自己能做些什么，改变他无论做什么事情都独自承担的执念。羽尾的死带给他深深的悲伤，似乎让他深信，友谊只能给他带来痛苦。
松鼠飞用尾巴尖轻轻拂过黑莓掌的耳朵：“快点吧，火星一定已经在找我们了。”
在回林间空地的路上，他们赶上了鼠毛的学徒蛛爪，蛛爪正在跟几位河族学徒告别。松鼠飞温柔地拍了一下他的耳朵，让蛛爪跟他们一起走，免得落了单。
当他们赶到树桩跟前时，发现其余的雷族猫已经三五成群地坐在地上，正等着离开了。
尘毛正在检查是不是所有的猫都到了。“黑莓掌和松鼠飞还没到！”他怒气冲冲地对火星说道，他的话恰巧被黑莓掌听到。“还有蛛爪——哦，原来你们在这儿啊。”正说着，尘毛看到了黑莓掌他们，便对火星又说了一句，“好了，火星，所有雷族猫都到齐了。”
“很好！”火星说道。
然后，火星跳上树桩，黑星早已在那儿等着了。没过多久，豹星也跳了上来。一根须从风族那儿跑了过来，坐在树桩的根部。虽然说树桩上只够站三只猫，但黑莓掌注意到，泥掌竟然满意地微微点点头，似乎很高兴一根须不能跟其他族群族长平起平坐。一阵寒意顿时涌上黑莓掌的心头：风族在湖边开始他们的新生活时，这种嫉妒和仇恨可不是好的开始啊！
其余的猫都有些焦躁起来，甚至有一两只猫站了起来，后爪不住挠抓着地面。他们都期待能早点到达自己的新家，兴奋得都无法安静下来聆听族长们的讲话了。
“我们四个已经讨论过族群间的边界划分的事情了。”黑星开始讲话，“下面就公布我们的决定。”
黑莓掌的耳朵一下子竖了起来。现在就来决定边界的划分，是不是有些太早了啊？毕竟，巡逻队还没来得及探索新领地的每一寸领地。但是对众猫来说，这样也挺好的，可以让大家对他们各自族群的领地范围有个心理准备，以免哪个族群入侵其他族群的领地。
“褐皮汇报说，在松树林旁有一条小雷鬼路，”黑星继续说道，“影族和河族的领地就以这条小雷鬼路为界。在湖边更远处，有一条从空地中央流过的小溪，可以作为影族和雷族的边界。”
“我们还不知道小溪的上游通往空地的什么地方，”坐在影族众猫中间的褐皮提醒黑星，“我们也得标注出树林里的两族边界。”
黑星点点头说：“一到新领地，我们马上就查个清楚。”
“那么，雷族与影族的领地将从空地那儿开始。”火星说道，“黑莓掌说，树林的另一头的山脊脚下，也有一条小溪，就以它为我们雷族和风族的边界。”
“河族的领地从马场这儿开始，”豹星高声说道，“一直到松树林边上的小雷鬼路为止。”
“那么，我们风族的领地也从马场开始，一直到火星刚刚提到的小溪为止。”一根须说道。
黑莓掌隔着林间空地，与另一边的褐皮对视了一眼，点了点头。领地的划分听起来还是很公平的。每个族群都有一大片土地，可以直接通往湖边，也有足够的空间，可以让他们捕获到最熟悉的猎物。
“这只是个粗略的领地划分方案。”火星提醒道，“我们都需要更加深入地了解领地，然后再留下气味标记。”
“希望我们在探索领地的过程中，不会发生冲突。”青面大声号召道，“在你们想着把武士们的耳朵扯掉之前，请千万记住，我们巫医可是还没来得及储存下草药呢！”
猫群中顿时发出一阵哄笑，黑莓掌看到许多武士纷纷点头表示同意，然而，并不是因为草药短缺才显得战争是错误的，与曾经携手从毁灭的森林幸存下来并翻山越岭来到这里的猫开战，才会更让众猫觉得族群间发生战争实在是太奇怪了。
“我们马上出发吧！”火星催促道，“愿星族与我们同在。”说完，他跳下树桩，往雷族猫方向走去。只见他尾巴竖得笔直，满脸掩饰不住的兴奋。“黑莓掌，松鼠飞，你们俩最好在前头带路，毕竟你们知道怎么走。”火星下令。
黑莓掌点了一下头，走到了队伍的前头。这种感觉真是太棒了——毕竟，他带领他的族猫已经走了这么远的路，他的族猫应该知道，为了帮大家找到新的家园，他付出了多大的心血。或许，只是或许，火星也会明白，副族长这个职位，他是当之无愧的。
当雷族猫开始穿越树林时，一根须带着风族猫跑了过来，跟他们打着招呼。“我想我们可以一起走一段路，”一根须对火星说道，“我们刚好走的是同一个方向。”
火星点点头说：“真是个好主意！”
当雷族、风族众猫继续往前走时，黑莓掌发现鸦羽跟一些族猫走在风族队伍的前端，但这位年轻的武士根本就没往旁边看。他一双眼睛目不转睛地直直盯着前方，迈着坚定的步伐，朝着湖畔的方向往下走去，那儿有一条通往山脊的小道。黑莓掌也看到，紧跟在鸦羽身后的泥掌，正怒气冲冲地盯着一根须。但黑莓掌实在看不出来，他的敌意究竟是来自单纯的嫉妒，还是因为他不想和雷族猫走在一起。
不远处，河族和影族也正沿着相反的方向斜穿过斜坡。黑莓掌眯缝起了双眼，看到了正走在他的族猫边上的鹰霜。几乎是在同时，鹰霜也转过了头，迎上了黑莓掌的目光。鹰霜对着身边的武士小声说了些什么，便离开河族朝黑莓掌跑了过来。
“黑莓掌，”鹰霜非常正式地低头致意，但他的冰蓝色眼睛里流露出友善的神情，“祝你在新的领地好运，愿星族与你同在！”
“愿星族也与你同在！”黑莓掌回道。
“我很期盼在森林大会时，能与你再次相见。”鹰霜又说了一句。他深深地看着黑莓掌的眼睛，似乎还有很多话想对黑莓掌说，但是这时，他的族伴的高声号叫，令他猛地转过了身。两族马上就要抵达湖边了，如果他不赶紧回到队伍中的话，他就不得不跑好长一段距离，才能追上族猫。“我必须离开了。”他对黑莓掌说道，“那么，森林大会时再会。”他冲着黑莓掌眨了一下眼睛，然后猛地跳转身，朝河族跑了回去。
“森林大会时再见！”黑莓掌冲着鹰霜高声喊道。一想到错失了跟弟弟深入交流的好机会，黑莓掌就感到十分后悔，心中不由得百感交集。
“你觉得我们现在是不是可以继续往前走了？”松鼠飞抱怨道，“还是说，你打算一整天都站在这儿发呆啊？”
“他只是想表达自己的善意！”黑莓掌愤怒地驳斥道。
“善意？”松鼠飞嘶嘶地说道，眼睛一下瞪大了，一副不相信的样子，“就算没有他的善意，我们雷族也不会怎么样的。看看他那副想霸占小岛为河族营地的嘴脸。”
“他并不是想霸占小岛。其他族群也可以使用小岛的。他只是想为河族找一处最适合的营地罢了。”
“如果你连他说的这些话都相信，那么世上就没有什么东西是你不相信的了。”松鼠飞高高竖起尾巴，飞快地向前跑去。
黑莓掌紧紧追了上去，他看到松鼠飞的每一根毛发都紧张得倒立了起来，他的心里不禁疼得厉害。在漫长的旅途中建立起来的各种友谊，随着族群的分别，许多都不存在了，但他和松鼠飞之间的友谊毫无疑问会继续下去。相反，他跟鹰霜之间的友谊，就像晨曦中的薄雾一般，一下子就消失得无影无踪了，而这一切，仅仅是因为松鼠飞受不了他和自己同父异母弟弟的亲近。如果松鼠飞认为，自己宁愿同鹰霜做朋友，而不愿同她做朋友，那她就错了。黑莓掌心里只有松鼠飞，而且他对松鼠飞的留恋，让他几乎喘不过气来。
雷族和风族众猫沿着湖边，静悄悄穿过马场周围的栅栏，然后往山上爬了一小段距离。这时，他们回头往下看去，波光粼粼的宽阔湖面已经看得到了。在靠近小岛的湖滨上，黑莓掌辨认出有两团小黑点在慢慢移动着，正是前往他们领地的影族和河族众猫。因为离得太远，他无法辨认出具体的某一只猫，但他知道，他的妹妹褐皮，他的同父异母弟弟鹰霜、同父异母妹妹蛾翅一定就在他们中间。无论鹰霜给他和松鼠飞的关系造成了多大的麻烦，他都希望他们一切安好。
众猫爬过山腰，来到了一处狭窄的山洼处。岩石从坚韧的长草中凸显了出来，一条细流在山洼的底部流淌着。
一根须停了下来，挥动尾巴示意风族猫聚拢到他身边。“我们得在这里跟你们分开了，”他对火星说道，“从这里可以通往鸦羽发现的适合风族建立营地的山脊。”他低下头，又补充了一句：“我们对你们致以最真诚的感谢。要是没有你的帮助，风族可能永远看不到这些山脉。”
黑莓掌听到风族的武士中隐隐传出嘶嘶的声音。他看不到是哪只猫发出的声音，不过他也不需要知道。听到风族欠雷族一份情，第一个跳出来表示反对的肯定是泥掌。
火星的尾巴轻轻地在一根须的肩上拂过。“希望你们一切顺利。星族已经为我们所有族群找到了完美的新家。”说着，火星压低声音，又补充了一句，“如果你遇到了什么麻烦，一定告诉我，雷族会很乐意帮助的。”
黑莓掌不知道自己是否应该听到这番对话，于是他走开了，以免火星发现自己对风族族长的承诺被他听到。黑莓掌的皮毛不禁隐隐作痛。对一根须来说，依靠另一族族长的支持取得对风族的领导权，这会不会是一个坏主意呢？不止如此，一根须也知道，当高星任命他为副族长时，火星和黑莓掌是仅有的听到高星说了什么、遗漏了什么的另两只猫。一根须得靠他们俩来为他保守秘密，这超出了武士守则的规定。但是，一根须的族长之位还没有得到星族的认可，所以他需要得到他俩的支持。
当风族猫开始沿着陡峭的山涧往上爬时，两族的族长相互道别，两族的猫也依依告别。雷族猫站在原地，目送着风族猫渐渐离去的身影。黑莓掌注意到，嘴里衔着一束草药的叶爪，脑袋偏向一边，一脸疑惑地看着风族猫。他不知道是不是有什么事情让叶爪那么担心——或许星族已经警告叶爪，风族在路上会遇到麻烦——但还没等他来得及问叶爪，火星已经召集雷族猫集合了。
不知怎么的，现在只剩下雷族他们自己了，周围的湖泊以及陆地似乎比之前更加辽阔，也更加陌生和危险。黑莓掌突然一下子非常担心，每块岩石后和灌木丛中，都可能藏有敌人。他身上的毛一下子立了起来。奇怪的是，他之前巡逻的时候，并没有感受到这种危险。除去雾脚，他和身边的其他同伴曾面临众多危险，当时，他相信他们能照顾自己并留意其他猫的安危。眼下，他不得不担心整个族群的安危，而他的族猫恰恰缺少穿越陌生地方的经验。
显然，火星也跟黑莓掌一样感到担忧。“所有的猫都要保持警惕，”他高声喊道，接着，用更平静的声音命令道，“蕨毛、尘毛，警戒靠近湖泊的一侧。云尾、亮心，你们俩负责队伍的另一侧。沙风、栗尾，你们待在队伍的最后，确保没有猫掉队。”
几位武士各就各位，族群众猫继续往前走。欢声笑语渐渐消失了，众猫默默行进着，眼睛瞪得大大的，警惕地看着四周。
当众猫抵达缓坡脚下的小溪时，寒冷的灰光已经黯淡下来。小溪的另一边是松鼠飞发现石头山谷的那片树林。黑莓掌的耳朵不安地抽动着，他不知道他的族伴会不会满意他们的新家园。
“我们之前曾经越过这条小溪，”当雷族猫在小溪边停下来时，松鼠飞小声说道，“我们一旦到了小溪的那边，就算真正进入了雷族的领地。”
“如果这条小溪真的成为我们跟风族的边界，”黑莓掌提醒松鼠飞，“那里的确就是雷族的领地了。但是现在，两族的边界还没有划定。”
小溪的水面很宽，众猫没办法一跃而过，所以大伙儿在岸边犹豫不决，四处寻找能帮助他们过去的垫脚石或者树枝。随着最后一丝光线消失，前面的树林变成了一团沙沙作响的黑影，黑莓掌感觉族猫越来越焦虑。香薇云卷起尾巴，圈住小白桦的肩膀，不让他靠近水边。学徒们看起来也都非常害怕。
“长尾怎么办？”鼠毛大声嚷道，“你们觉得他怎么才能越过小溪啊？”
“老鼠屎！”松鼠飞故意说道，“那我们就爬山吧，爬到我们之前越过小溪的那个地方。往上爬总归要容易一些。”
“不，先等一下。”黑莓掌说道。他们根本没有时间去爬到那儿，除非他们不想在天黑之前赶到石头山谷。“溪水看上去不是很深，我们看看能不能蹚过去。”黑莓掌建议道。
说着，他把一只脚爪伸进水中。一碰到冰冷的溪水，他不禁身子哆嗦了一下。但是，他仍然踏进溪水中。满是鹅卵石的溪流底部非常平缓，他发现，就算是在溪水最深的地方，水面也不过刚刚到他的肚子那儿。
“来吧！”当他跳上小溪的对岸时，一边大声召唤族猫，一边轮流甩掉腿上的溪水，“很容易就能蹚过来。”
不料对岸却响起了几声反对的怒吼。“如果你觉得我会把我自己弄得湿乎乎的，那你脑子里一定是进了蜜蜂了。”鼠毛冲着对岸的黑莓掌叫道。
黑莓掌叹了口气。往山上爬找到能过小溪的垫脚石，这需要太多的时间，更何况，如果大家摸黑跌跌撞撞寻找新的营地，没准有些猫就会像松鼠飞之前那样，跌落到悬崖的下方。但让他欣慰的是，他看到火星用尾巴示意族猫蹚水渡溪。
“大家快点！”火星有些不耐烦地说道，“一路上，我们经历了千辛万苦，难道现在我们竟然会让一条小溪挡住我们前进的脚步？”
然后，雷族众猫一只接一只开始渡溪。云尾和沙风打头阵，他们慢慢蹚过溪水时，尾巴被水流冲得偏向一边。接着，尘毛带着小白桦开始渡溪，他的脑袋拼命往后抬着，以免小白桦被溪水浸湿。跟在尘毛后面的是蕨毛和栗尾，他俩引导着长尾渡溪。松鼠飞向鼠毛保证，她很快就会住进温暖的巢穴，窝里还会铺上干燥的苔藓，这才最终说服她下到水里。这位年长武士每往前走一步，嘴里就嘟囔一声。等好不容易爬上了小溪的对岸，她一边甩干自己，一边怒视着黑莓掌。跟在她身后的松鼠飞，眼珠子乱转着，好像一点也不打算兑现她在对岸给鼠毛许下的诺言。
火星最后一个渡过了小溪。“好了，”当他爬上对岸，来到黑莓掌身边时，开口问道，“营地在什么地方？”
黑莓掌和松鼠飞交换了一个眼神。他俩上次是从另外一个方向去的石头山谷，更何况在渐浓的夜色中，景物全都变了样。很显然，松鼠飞和黑莓掌一样，也不确定营地到底在什么地方。所以，松鼠飞茫然地看着他，轻轻地摇了摇头。
黑莓掌嗅了嗅空气，试图从小溪和山坡来推断他们所处的位置。“走这边。”他最后说道，希望自己听起来不那么心虚。
族猫跟着他进了树林。走在队伍前面的黑莓掌慢慢跟松鼠飞并肩而行。“如果我们找不到石头山谷怎么办？”他悄悄问道。
松鼠飞转头看着他，一双绿莹莹的眼睛在黑暗中闪闪发亮。“那我们的尾巴一定会被许多愤怒的猫给踩在地上。别担心了，”她又补充道，“石头山谷肯定就在附近。上次我们就是无意之中发现的石头山谷，还记得吗？”
黑莓掌没有告诉松鼠飞，这正是自己所担心的——他们上次之所以能发现那个石头山谷，纯粹是因为松鼠飞不小心掉进了那里。穿行在枯叶中，四周全是光滑的灰色树干，黑莓掌突然觉得自己非常渺小，非常脆弱。就算我们找到了那个石头山谷，其他猫会满意那个地方吗？他急切地想知道答案。
他听到其他猫开始发出不安的嘀咕声，想必大伙儿已经发现他们走的路不对头。就在这时，他看到松鼠飞的耳朵竖了起来。
“快看！”松鼠飞说道，“那边的树木中间有个缺口，还有枯萎的蕨丛……我之前看到过。”
“你确定吗？”黑莓掌问道，但松鼠飞已经朝前方冲了过去。他追着松鼠飞来到了一块小空地，猛地停在了一团浓密的荆棘丛前。松鼠飞第一次发现石头山谷时就是从这儿消失的。
松鼠飞站在空地的中央，眼睛里流露出兴奋的光芒。“就是这里！”她得意地说道。她一边四周转着，一边招呼其他的族猫：“快过来，我们已经到了。”
蛛爪兴奋地尖叫一声，突然从族猫中跑了出来，直接冲向了荆棘丛。黑莓掌有些看傻眼了。他们的确是找到了石头山谷，但那里不是入口啊！
“快回来！”鼠毛在她的学徒后面大喊着。
蛛爪没有理会。黑莓掌看到他那又黑又长的尾巴在荆棘丛中飘动着，眼看就要一跃而起了，但松鼠飞更快一些，抢在了前面。
“不！”松鼠飞大喝一声，她钻过荆棘丛朝蛛爪追去。黑莓掌赶紧滑进树枝的下方，发现他俩正处在悬崖边上。松鼠飞一只爪子正死死按在蛛爪的脖子上，身体两侧不住起伏着。她身下的学徒目瞪口呆地从陡峭的岩壁往下看着。
“你这个蠢毛球！”松鼠飞惊叫道，“你想摔断脖子吗？”
“对不起！”蛛爪小声说道，“你说我们到了，所以我以为……”
松鼠飞收回利爪，伸出脚掌拍了一下他的耳朵。“回到队伍中去。”她厉声说道，“下次你最好多听听其他猫的，不要什么都想当然。”
听到松鼠飞说出这样的话，黑莓掌差点笑出声来。要知道，松鼠飞说的正是以前其他猫经常给她说的话。等他们俩都爬离了悬崖，黑莓掌这才跟着钻出了荆棘丛。
“发生什么事了？”当黑莓掌他们进入空地时，蛛爪的母亲香薇云问道，“灌木丛里有什么危险吗？为什么你们之前没警告过我们？”
不安的情绪如利爪般划过黑莓掌的脊柱。“呃……我们已经找到营地了，”他说道，“就在荆棘丛另一边的山谷里。”说完，他又赶紧补充了一句：“只要你知道了营地的入口在哪儿，就一点也不危险了。到这儿来，不是从那进去的！”当看到白爪好奇地朝荆棘丛蹦跳过去时，他咆哮道。
他和松鼠飞领着其他族猫下了斜坡，在荆棘丛和榛子林中穿行着，最后终于来到了石墙的缺口处。黑莓掌看着雷族众猫从缺口进入空地，四下打量着周围高耸的石墙，心里十分忐忑。现在，天空已经彻底黑了下来，云朵遮住了半月。黑莓掌觉得，这时的石头山谷看起来更阴森可怕了，荆棘丛似乎也比自己印象中更多，显得既狭窄又杂乱。有些低矮植物可以遮风挡雨，但其余的就不得不清理掉。
鼠毛最先开口说道：“这里根本就不能做营地！我们的巢穴要建在哪儿？这里的空间连给一条蛇晒太阳都不够。”
“嘿，”松鼠飞马上反对道，“你不会是想着星族连巢穴都给我们准备好了吧，是不是？我知道要建成新营地，我们还有很多活要干，但你想想，这里四周都是悬崖，易守难攻。”
“我也觉得这里很棒。”刺掌说道，“我们很快就能收拾出巢穴和育婴室。”
“我想到四周去探察一番！”白爪大叫道，一副跃跃欲试的样子，“蕨毛，你能跟我一起去吗？求你了！”
她的老师蕨毛轻轻地推了她一下说：“等明天天亮了以后再去吧。”
金花站在长尾的身旁，尾巴环绕在长尾的肩头。“这里是一片非常大的空地，空地四周是石墙。”她轻声说道，“现在太黑了看不见，但我觉得石墙上长满了蕨丛和苔藓。你能听到那涓涓细流的声音吗？那声音听起来不像溪流的声音，更像是雨滴从岩石上流下的声音。虽然这里长满了荆棘丛，但有足够的空间让全族住。”
“这么说，星族将我们带到了一个非常棒的地方了！”长尾说道，“我已经能想象得出雷族在这里建筑营地的场景了。”
他们乐观的情绪让黑莓掌精神为之一振，然而并不是所有的猫都那么乐观。香薇云一脸疑惑地看着四周，而烟毛则一脸焦躁地四处嗅着，似乎期待猎物能蹦到他的爪下。
鼠毛哼了一声，说道：“如果那些灌木丛里真的又冷又湿，还满是虱子，那我一点也不会感到奇怪。”
松鼠飞的眼睛眯缝了起来，但还没等她说出难听的话去反击，沙风的尾巴已经拂过她的耳朵，示意她不要说话。
“好了，我们还有很多事要做呢。”沙风振奋地说道，“那些石墙可以为我们挡风遮雨，而且，松鼠飞，就像你说的，这里的确易守难攻。”
“不过，我们还是得想办法处理一下那个缺口，”尘毛冲那个入口处点点头，“影族猫几个心跳过后就能全部拥进来。”
虽然黑莓掌第一次看到这里时，心里也是同样地疑惑，但他仍不禁感到恼怒。难道他的族猫第一只爪子踏进这里，就会看到一个完美无缺的营地吗？
“今晚做什么事都太晚了，”火星说道，“而且这里也太黑了。但是你说得对，这里的确看起来很适合做营地。”他又对黑莓掌说了一句：“不过，等到了明天白天我们察看了这里后，再做最终的决定。尘毛、刺掌，你们去检查一下，看看这里有没有狐狸或獾的踪迹。其他猫就可以去找地方睡觉了。”
两位武士走出队伍，开始沿着不同的方向围着空地巡视起来。他们每走几步，就嗅嗅空气，察看一下岩石缝和低矮的灌木丛。黑莓掌一动不动地盯着他们，直到他们进入悬崖底部的阴影之中。
“猎物怎么办啊？”雨须问道，“难道我们要饿着肚子睡觉吗？”
猫群中传来一两声赞同的声音，黑莓掌感到自己脖子上的毛开始竖了起来。
“不久之前，我们还不都是饿着肚子睡觉的。”松鼠飞在黑莓掌耳边低声说道，她的声音听来跟黑莓掌一样，都对族猫的反应很失望，“为什么他们总是抱怨个不停啊？”
“自从我们到达湖泊后，一直吃得很好。”黑莓掌提醒她，“族猫的肚子又开始习惯吃饱了。但是就算是等到明天早上再吃，也没什么关系呀！”
“明天天一亮，我们就派出狩猎巡逻队。”火星向族猫承诺道。
听到了火星这么说，又有几只猫发了几句牢骚，但渐渐地，大家都安静了下来，开始散开分头去找睡觉的地了。
“黑莓掌，你知道什么地方挡风遮雨，能让小白桦好好地睡一觉？”香薇云焦急地问道，“我担心要是他睡的地方不暖和，可能会染上白咳症。”
“我不知道。”黑莓掌说道，“但我会帮你去找。上面一点靠近石墙的地方有许多荆棘丛。”
“那有没有铺窝的干苔藓呀？”鼠毛插了一句，“不会要我们睡在光秃秃的地上吧？刚才我要渡溪时，松鼠飞可是说有温暖的巢穴等着我呢。”
“我不可能把所有的事情都替你做得好好的！”黑莓掌突然生气地说道，他终于失去了耐心，“今天晚上，有什么困难，你必须自己想办法去解决。”
鼠毛噘起嘴，缩着肩膀走开了。黑莓掌感到自己的皮毛一阵刺痛，抬起头，看到火星正看着他。这位雷族族长的眼睛里毫无表情，但黑莓掌知道，如果他想成为雷族的副族长，在年长武士面前大发脾气，实在是太不应该了。
“对不起。”黑莓掌追上鼠毛，低声咕哝道，“等我帮香薇云安顿好了，就过来帮你，好不好？”
“不用了，我来帮她好了。”蕨毛走过来，把口鼻抵在鼠毛的肩上说道，“别再生黑莓掌的气了，他已经尽力了。”
鼠毛哼了一声：“那么，他的能力实在是有些差啊。”
“好好睡一觉吧！到时你的心情会好一些的。”蕨毛劝说道，“来吧，我们去那边的蕨丛找找吧。”
说完，蕨毛同情地看了一眼黑莓掌，就朝石墙那边去了。鼠毛跟在他的身后，尾巴拖在潮湿的草地上。黑莓掌突然对她感到一丝怜悯。这位年长的武士通常也不是这么难以相处，她一定是在旅途中累坏了，而且，她也和其他猫一样，对新找到的家园充满了恐惧。
当他帮香薇云给她的孩子寻觅窝的时候，黑莓掌一直在想蕨毛跟鼠毛交流的方式。尽管鼠毛脾气不好，但这位金棕色武士一直保持着愉快、平和的心情，展现出他在照顾族猫方面的丰富经验。这是不是表示，他比黑莓掌更适合成为雷族的副族长啊？黑莓掌心里不舒服地卷起了尾巴。除了蕨毛，其他几只猫，像尘毛、云尾，当上武士的时间也都要比他早。
但那还不是黑莓掌可能再也成不了副族长的唯一原因，他身上还背负着其他雷族武士都不用承受的重担：虎星。他们离开森林的时候，火星曾经公开表示，虎星的孩子都已在各自的族群找到了自己的位置。火星一直劝导鹰霜和蛾翅留在河族，不要跟随自己的泼皮猫母亲莎夏四处流浪。但黑莓掌明白，火星一定也希望他和褐皮能留在族群里。但即便如此，没有猫会忘记，火星和虎星之间有着不共戴天的仇恨。当年，他俩之间的对抗，可是差一点毁掉森林里的所有族群的。黑莓掌怀疑，他的族长看他时，会不会看到自己宿敌那挥之不去的幽魂。
当他在荆棘丛中给香薇云和小白桦找了一块地，用干蕨叶铺好窝时，大多数猫都已经找到了睡觉的地方。他下意识地开始寻找松鼠飞的身影，看到她正和一些年轻的武士窝在蕨丛里。
黑莓掌喊她的名字，不过，就算听到了他的声音，松鼠飞也没有回答。相反，她靠着蜡毛蜷缩起身体，她那暗姜黄色的皮毛和蜡毛灰色的皮毛混在了一起。黑莓掌朝她迈了一步，但接着就转身走开了。如果松鼠飞是在等他为鹰霜的事道歉的话，那她还得再等一段时间。
在为自己寻找睡觉的地方时，他经过母亲金花的身旁。金花刚刚把长尾安顿在干蕨叶铺成的窝里。看起来这位长老似乎已经睡着了，他的盲眼紧紧闭着，尾巴卷着盖住了鼻子。
“振作点！”金花说道，“我知道一切都会好起来的。”
黑莓掌重重地坐在母亲的身边。他实在太累了，根本没办法假装自己不在乎族群到达新家时对他的态度。“大伙儿表现得热情一点，也不会有什么损失啊！”他抱怨道。
金花把口鼻靠在黑莓掌的身体上，发出深情的咕噜声：“大家都筋疲力尽了，你还期待我们怎么做呢？其实，我们每只猫都知道，我们欠你很多。如果我们依旧留在森林里，我们现在早就死了。事实上，是你带我们大家来到这里，我们现在很安全。”
“我知道，但是……”
“所以说，旅程的结束并没有出现你想要的结果。现在，我还真没看出，这有什么大不了的。”她伸出舌头，轻快地舔了一下黑莓掌的耳朵。有那么一瞬间，黑莓掌觉得就像又回到了幼崽时期，希望自己能回到育婴室，身边跟着褐皮，整天除了想着下一顿吃什么，外面暖不暖和，能不能出去玩之外，其他什么事都不用操心。
“睡一会儿吧！”他的母亲说着，往边上挪了挪，一下子打断了他的幻想，“明天早晨，一切都会好起来的。”
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 17
In the days following the Gathering,Leafpaw searched desperately for anything that could be interpreted as a sign from StarClan. She roamed through the woods, finding places by the stream where burdock and marigold grew, and thick clumps of chervil closer to the camp. But even though it was useful to find new stocks of healing herbs, they didn’t lead her to a place where the Clans could meet with their warrior ancestors. What would happen if the half moon came and StarClan hadn’t sent a sign? Would the Clans really have to think about leaving their new homes, and finding somewhere else?
Two days before the half moon, Leafpaw returned from an herb-gathering expedition with a bunch of strong-scented yarrow. Her eyes were watering, but she recognized Brackenfur coming out of the tunnel through the thorns. He bounded up to Sorreltail, who was on guard.
“Hi, there,” he meowed, touching noses with the tortoiseshell warrior. “Do you want to come hunting later—just you and me?”
Sorreltail let out a purr. “Sure. I’m off duty at sunhigh.”
“Great! I’ll see you then.” Brackenfur gave her ears a quick lick and pushed his way back through the tunnel.
Leafpaw padded up to her friend and put down the yarrow stalks. “So that’s how the prey’s running, is it?”
Sorreltail spun around to face her. “I don’t know what you mean!” she protested.
Leafpaw’s tail curled up with amusement. “Just because I’m a medicine cat doesn’t mean I can’t tell Brackenfur likes you.”
“Well…” Sorreltail’s white forepaws kneaded the ground. “He’s great, isn’t he?” she mewed, her eyes shining with a mixture of pride and embarrassment.
“He certainly is.” Leafpaw pressed her muzzle to her friend’s side. “I’m really happy for you.”
She wished Sorreltail good hunting, then picked up her yarrow and ducked under the thorns that guarded the entrance to the hollow.
“There you are!” Cinderpelt meowed, limping across the clearing to meet her. “Come and look at this.”
Leafpaw followed her over to the tallest part of the cliff. Brambles had rooted themselves in a crack a few tail-lengths up the rock, their long tendrils hanging down in a curtain.
“The brambles here were really thorny,” Cinderpelt explained. “Far too thick for shelter, so this morning I asked Rainwhisker and Sootfur to shift them. And look what they found.”
She slipped behind the prickly curtain, beckoning with her tail. Leafpaw peered carefully around the tendrils and stopped dead in amazement. A deep cleft yawned in front of her, stretching far enough back that the corners were lost in shadow. At one side water dripped down to form a tiny pool. The rest of the floor was covered with broken rock, but in between there were patches of sand that would be cool and dry to lie on.
Cinderpelt’s eyes gleamed in the semidarkness. “A perfect medicine cat’s den!” she announced. “What do you think?”
Leafpaw gazed around. This was much better than the spot under the overhang where she and Cinderpelt had been sleeping until now. The little pool meant sick cats could drink easily, and there were plenty of cracks in the rock where they could store herbs. She could sleep just outside in the shelter of the remaining brambles, so Cinderpelt had some privacy at night
“It’s great!” she mewed excitedly. “I’ll clear out the broken rocks and bring some moss for a nest.”
Cinderpelt called Firestar to see her discovery, and the Clan leader summoned Cloudtail and Brightheart to help clear out the den. By the time daylight faded everything was ready, with comfortable nests of moss and bracken for both the medicine cats.
Leafpaw curled up in her new nest and tucked her nose under her tail. She was warm and sheltered beneath the tangle of brambles, and the cleft was barely a tail-length away, so she could be with a sick cat in less than two heartbeats if they called out during the night. Worn out from moving rocks all afternoon, she shut her eyes.
Almost at once she found herself padding along the shore of the lake with starlight washing around her paws. A few tail-lengths ahead, a lean, gray-black shape was standing on a rock, gazing down into the glittering water. It was Crowfeather.
“Feathertail?” Leafpaw heard him murmur as she approached. “Feathertail, where are you?”
Leafpaw jumped onto the rock beside him, gently brushing her fur against his. When he turned to look at her, his eyes were brimming with sorrow.
“Feathertail is here, among the stars,” she told him gently. “She’s always with you, Crowfeather, watching over you.”
“Why did she have to die?” he whispered. His eyes burned into hers, and Leafpaw felt as if a thorn had pierced her heart
“I don’t know,” she admitted.
A beautiful sweet scent swept over her, and she looked back to see Spottedleaf waiting for her.
“I must go,” she mewed, turning away from the gray warrior.
Crowfeather didn’t reply. He was staring down at the water again, as if he could find the one star among all of them that was Feathertail’s endlessly shining spirit.
Leafpaw bounded along the shore toward the medicine cat. “Spottedleaf!” she cried. She stopped, sending pebbles rolling away from her paws, and gazed at Spottedleaf until she felt lost in the medicine cat’s shining eyes. “I was afraid I’d never see you again.”
“I am here now,” Spottedleaf murmured. She ran her muzzle, soft as cobweb, over Leafpaw’s ears.
Leafpaw closed her eyes and drank in the familiar scent. Then she stepped back and took a deep, steadying breath. “Why has StarClan been silent?” she asked, struggling with unfamiliar feelings of anger that Spottedleaf had let her go on worrying for so long. “We have searched and searched for another Moonstone, but we haven’t found one. What will we do if we don’t have somewhere to share tongues with StarClan? Will we have to leave?”
“Peace, little one,” Spottedleaf mewed. “Don’t forget that StarClan had to travel here too. This is a new place for us as well, and it will take time to explore every part of it. But starlight on water will show you where to go.”
“Do you mean the lake?”
“No. You must seek a different path this time.”
“Where? Please show me!” Leafpaw begged.
Spottedleaf turned and bounded away. “Wait!” Leafpaw called, but the beautiful medicine cat had already been swallowed up by the shadows.
Leafpaw raced after her. Suddenly the lake vanished and she was running uphill beside a starlit stream; even though she couldn’t see Spottedleaf, the sweet scent hung in the air, guiding her on. Leafpaw’s ears filled with the sound of tumbling, sparkling water, and when she looked down into the stream she felt as if she would drown in starlight.
“Spottedleaf, where are you?”
Her cry echoed around her, bouncing off the rocks and shattering the noise of the waterfall. Leafpaw woke up, gasping and scrabbling in her mossy nest. An owl hooted in the trees overhead, and she let out a hiss of frustration. She had lost Spottedleaf’s trail and might never find out what the medicine cat had wanted to show her. Her heart pounded with the urge to keep running, to climb into the hills and find the sparkling stream.
Peering into the cleft she could just see the gray curve of Cinderpelt’s back, her flank gently rising and falling as she slept. Leafpaw slipped out of the brambles and paused to shake scraps of moss from her fur. It had rained heavily earlier and the walls of the hollow sparkled with raindrops, but now the clouds had cleared away. The moon floated out from behind the trees, and the sky was filled with stars. A cool wind stirred the branches, and Leafpaw heard Spottedleaf’s voice among the gentle rustling: “I am here. Come to me.”
I will come, Spottedleaf,she replied silently. Wait for me.
She padded quietly toward the camp entrance. When she was halfway across the clearing, a tortoiseshell shape appeared from behind some ferns. Leafpaw caught her breath. “Spottedleaf? Is that you?”
“Leafpaw?” came the surprised reply. It was Sorreltail. “Where are you going?”
“I-I’m not sure,” Leafpaw admitted. “I’ve had a message from StarClan. I have to go and find our new Moonstone place.”
“Now? Can’t you wait for daylight?”
“No.” Leafpaw flexed her claws. “I have to follow a stream filled with starlight.”
“What stream?” Sorreltail’s tail twitched anxiously. “Is it outside our territory? How do you know where to find it?”
“I just do.”
“Then I’m coming with you,” Sorreltail mewed.
Leafpaw hesitated. Would StarClan mind if she brought a warrior with her, rather than another medicine cat? Then she remembered that all the cats, including warriors, would go to the Moonstone at least once, and she decided that it would be fine. Besides, she liked the thought of having Sorreltail’s company, especially if they ran into any trouble. She didn’t know exactly where they were going, after all.
“Come on, then!” Leafpaw led the way to the thorn tunnel, where Brackenfur sat on guard with his tail curled neatly around his paws.
“Where are you two going?” he asked, getting up as the two she-cats approached.
“Just out,” Sorreltail replied.
“I’ve had a sign from StarClan,” Leafpaw mewed, knowing that Brackenfur deserved an explanation if he was going to let them leave camp in the middle of the night. “I have to go and find the new Moonstone.”
To her dismay Brackenfur still looked uncertain. “It’s too dangerous for you to go off before daylight. We hardly know this territory yet.”
“Can’t you trust us?” Sorreltail pleaded. “Can’t you trust me?I’ll bring Leafpaw home safe, I promise.”
She and Brackenfur exchanged a long look, and at last the ginger warrior nodded. “Okay, but be careful.”
“Don’t you think we can look after ourselves?” Sorreltail mewed, flicking Brackenfur lightly across the ears with her tail.
Brackenfur let out an amused purr. “Sorreltail, if any cat can look after herself, it’s you.”
Leafpaw took the lead, racing through the forest until she came to the stream that marked the boundary between ThunderClan and WindClan. It ran dark and secret, shadowed by bushes on overhanging banks and looking nothing like the sparkling stream she had run beside in her dream.
Leafpaw bounded up the slope and stopped at the edge of the trees. In her dream she had been running on open hillside, so she knew they had to leave the trees behind.
“Where next?” Sorreltail panted.
“Up,” Leafpaw replied.
They padded onward, following the boundary stream out of the woods and up the hill. When Leafpaw closed her eyes, she felt as if two cats flanked her, one on each side: her best friend Sorreltail, and Spottedleaf, invisible but for the faintest brush of fur and a hint of her sweet scent. When Leafpaw opened her eyes, she thought she could hear a third set of pawsteps, just on the edge of sound.
As they followed the stream into the hills, Leafpaw decided to tell Sorreltail about her dream. “I met Spottedleaf at the edge of the lake, and she told me that starlight on water would be the sign. Not in the lake, but in a stream. The next moment I was running uphill beside a stream, and the water was full of stars.”
“Did you know where you were?”
“I couldn’t see anything I recognized. There were no trees,and the air felt cold and clear, as if I were somewhere very high.”
“We’d better keep climbing, then,” Sorreltail meowed.
The stream slid quietly over its stony bed, the water dark and glimmering. Leafpaw’s head was still full of the surge and bubbling of the stream Spottedleaf had shown her. As they went on it seemed to grow steadily louder, even when they reached the source of the boundary stream and left it far behind.
“I’m coming, Spottedleaf,” murmured Leafpaw.
They came to a cleft in the hills, where the land dipped down as if sliced by a giant claw. The valley was lined with gorse and bracken, and it grew steeper and narrower as they went on, the ground littered with broken rocks. Leafpaw reached the end of the valley first, where it led to a sheer, rocky slope. She stopped to wait for Sorreltail, whose tail was beginning to droop with weariness, though she still padded on determinedly. But Leafpaw felt as though she could run forever. The sound in her head roared and tumbled like the waterfall in the mountains where the Tribe of Rushing Water lived. She had grown so used to hearing it echo in her mind that for several heartbeats she didn’t realize she could hear it in the waking world too.
“Come on!” she cried to Sorreltail. “We’re almost there!”
She launched herself upward, scrabbling and slipping on the damp rock. The peak above her was outlined by the first faint signs of dawn, but stars still shone in the indigo sky.
Wait for me!she begged the glittering warriors. Glancing back at Sorreltail, she called, “Hurry—before the starshine fades!”
She turned to run on, and froze. A cat was standing a few tail-lengths above her, her ears pricked and her tail held high. Had one of the other medicine cats been guided to this place too? Then she realized it was Spottedleaf, waiting patiently for her, trusting her to find this place even though she had lost her in the dream.
When Leafpaw leaped up to join her, she saw that she stood on the bank of a stream pouring down a deep channel in the rock. Starlight glittered on the surface of the water as it spilled over the stones.
“We’re here!” Leafpaw breathed. “We’ve found it!”
“Follow me,” Spottedleaf urged.
Leafpaw beckoned Sorreltail with her tail. “Quick! Spottedleaf’s here!”
The tortoiseshell warrior joined Leafpaw in a couple of bounds and looked around. “Where?”
“There!” Leafpaw gestured to the starlit shape standing a couple of tail-lengths away on the edge of the stream.
“I can’t see her,” Sorreltail meowed. She looked worriedly at Leafpaw. “Is that a problem?”
Leafpaw gently drew her tail over Sorreltail’s eyes. “No, of course not. She can see that you are here, and that’s all that matters. Trust me, she is with us.”
Spottedleaf turned away and began to follow the stream upward. Leafpaw scrambled eagerly after her. The ground sloped more steeply than before, and the starlit stream vanished among a barrier of thornbushes that swallowed Spottedleaf like a fish diving into water.
Leafpaw stopped and put her head to one side as she studied the bushes. She had to follow Spottedleaf, but she’d be clawed to pieces by thorns if she tried to push her way through. Then she spotted a tiny gap and ducked between the prickly stems; there was just enough room to squeeze through without losing half her fur, though the thorns still tugged at her pelt. Behind her she could hear Sorreltail following, her breath rasping with the effort of running up the last stretch of rock
A heartbeat later Leafpaw emerged on the edge of a steepsided hollow. The ground fell sharply away on the other side of the thornbushes, and Leafpaw swayed for a moment as she struggled to keep her balance. It was much smaller than the hollow where ThunderClan had made their camp, clear of gorse and bramble and with sides that sloped more gently, lined with moss-covered rocks. Only on the far side did the ground rise into a sheer cliff, shaggy with moss and fern. Water bubbled out from a cleft about halfway up and splashed into a pool in the center of the hollow. The surface of the pool danced and glittered with reflected starlight. It was the most beautiful place Leafpaw had ever seen.
Spottedleaf was standing at the edge of the water. “Come,” she meowed, beckoning with her tail.
Just beside Leafpaw’s paws a narrow path curved around the side of the hollow, spiraling steadily down until it reached the pool below.
She heard Sorreltail push her way out of the thorns behind her. “Wow!” she breathed. “Is this it?”
“I think so,” Leafpaw replied. “Spottedleaf wants me to go down to the pool.”
“Shall I come too?” Sorreltail offered.
Leafpaw shook her head. “I think I should go alone the first time.”
Leaving Sorreltail on the edge of the hollow, she stepped carefully down the path. The rock was dimpled with ancient pawprints, too many to count, and with each step she felt her paws slip into the marks left by cats many, many moons before. They were long gone, but Leafpaw’s fur tingled just to know they once had been here.
At last she stood beside Spottedleaf at the edge of the pool.
“Look at the water, Leafpaw,” the ghostly cat murmured.
Puzzled, Leafpaw looked down, and felt the stone beneath her paws lurch. Instead of stars she saw the reflections of many, many cats, their moonlit pelts shimmering. Countless pairs of eyes gleamed expectantly at her, as if they had known she would come.
Hardly daring to breathe, Leafpaw looked up. All around her sat the shining warriors of StarClan, lining the hollow’s sloping sides. Their eyes glowed like tiny moons, and their fur was tipped with the glitter of frost.
“Don’t be afraid,” Spottedleaf murmured. “We have been waiting for you to find your way to us.”
Leafpaw wasn’t afraid. She was conscious of nothing but warmth and goodwill in the starry gazes fixed on her. Most of the warriors were unfamiliar to her, but in one of the front rows she saw Dappletail, the ThunderClan elder who had died from eating a rabbit poisoned by the Twolegs. The shecat looked graceful and beautiful, not thin and desperate as she had been when Leafpaw last saw her. Her eyes glowed with welcome, and she nodded toward two small shapes near the water’s edge, tumbling together as they chased a shaft of moonlight. As their play brought them close to her Leafpaw drank in their sweet kit scent. With a stab of joy, she recognized Hollykit and Larchkit, who had starved when Twolegs destroyed the forest. A half-grown cat reached out with a paw to nudge the starry kits away from the water’s edge: it was their brother Shrewpaw, the apprentice struck by a Twoleg monster as he tried to hunt for their Clan.
I must tell Ferncloud,thought Leafpaw, knowing how happy their mother would be to know that her three kits were safe in the ranks of StarClan.
Then she realized that one cat was missing. She ran her gaze quickly around the hollow to make sure. There was no sign of Graystripe. Leafpaw’s heart leaped. Did that mean that Firestar was right when he insisted that his friend was still alive?
Across the pool, a blue-gray warrior rose to her paws. She reminded Leafpaw of some cat…. Of course, she’s the image of Mistyfoot!This must be Bluestar, Mistyfoot’s mother, and ThunderClan’s leader before Firestar.
“Welcome, Leafpaw,” Bluestar meowed. “We are delighted to welcome you here. This is where medicine cats must come to share tongues with StarClan, and where your leaders will receive their nine lives and their names.”
“It’s beautiful, Bluestar,” Leafpaw whispered. “Thank you for sending Spottedleaf to help me find it.”
“You must go back and tell all the Clans,” Bluestar continued. “But first there is a friend who wants to speak to you.”
A beautiful silver-gray cat left the ranks of cats and padded around the pool toward Leafpaw.
“Feathertail!”
The radiant warrior came to a halt in front of her. She touched noses with her, a caress light as a breeze whispering against Leafpaw’s muzzle.
“I thought we left you with the Tribe of Endless Hunting,” Leafpaw meowed.
Feathertail shook her head. “I walk in two skies now, with the Tribe’s ancestors as well as my own. But wherever I am, I shall never forget the Clans.” She hesitated for a moment, then added, “Especially Crowfeather.”
“He misses you very much. He chose his warrior name for you.”
“Yes, I was watching,” Feathertail purred. “I was so proud. He will make a great warrior.” She bent close to Leafpaw again, her warm breath stirring the apprentice’s fur. “Tell him not to grieve. I will always love him, but there will be many, many moons before we meet again. For now, he must live with his Clanmates in their new home. He cannot be blind to the cats who are around him for all that time.”
“I’ll tell him,” Leafpaw promised.
Feathertail dipped her head and turned away, starlight dappling her silver pelt. The warriors began to fade until they were little more than a starry sheen around the slopes of the hollow, and then they were gone. Leafpaw caught one more breath of Spottedleaf’s scent before that faded too.
She looked up and saw that the sky was growing brighter. Sorreltail was standing at the top of the hollow, looking down at her.
Leafpaw ran up the path to join her. “Did you see them?” she asked excitedly.
Sorreltail tipped her head on one side. “See who?”
“StarClan! They were here, all around the hollow! I spoke to Bluestar, and Feathertail!” Leafpaw trailed off when she saw that Sorreltail was looking bewildered, and a little wary.
“I saw a bright mist rising from the pool,” she mewed hesitantly.
“That must have been them,” Leafpaw told her. She gazed around the hollow with the sound of tumbling starlit water filling her ears. “This is the place.”
“Are you sure?”
At that moment the rays of the moon caught the surface of the water, and a pure white light flooded the hollow.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Leafpaw mewed. “We no longer have the Moonstone—but we have the Moonpool. This is the place where StarClan will share tongues with us.” She turned to Sorreltail, feeling her fur glitter with starlight.
“We’ve found it! This is where the Clans are meant to be.”
第十章
第十章
叶爪和炭毛在石头山谷的后面发现一块凸出的岩石。
“我们不会一直住在这里的。”炭毛警告道，“我们需要一处四面都是墙的地方来储存东西，就像我们以前森林里的那个一样。但是今晚上先将就一下吧。”
叶爪跟在老师后面，悄悄钻了进去，在岩石的后部找了个干燥的地方，把从沼泽地那里采到的马尾草放了下来。
“好好睡一觉吧，”炭毛说着躺了下来，把鼻子伸到尾巴下面，“明天早上我们还有很多事情要做。”
叶爪知道，如果自己不问清楚这个问题的话，她一晚上可能都睡不着，因为这个问题犹如冰冷的利爪，划过她的脊背。“炭毛，你……你认为这里就是我们的新家所在之地吗？”她终于鼓足勇气问道，“这里真的是星族想让我们定居的地方？”
炭毛打了个哈欠。“星族想告诉我们的时候，我们自然就会知道。现在，别瞎担心了，赶紧睡觉吧。”说完，她把鼻子往尾巴深处塞了塞。很快，她的呼吸就平缓起来，渐渐进入了梦乡。
但是，叶爪却怎么也睡不着。她把爪子盘在身下，坐了起来，凝视着影影绰绰的石头山谷。星族啊，你们在哪里？她心中默默祈祷着。但乌云密布的夜空中，只有一两个孤零零的星星闪烁着。叶爪觉得，今天夜里，武士祖灵们似乎是离得太远了，无法守护她的族群。
她最后一定是睡着了，因为当她睁开眼睛时，发现自己正在梦中。她站在一处黑漆漆的山坡处，正俯视着银毛星带投射到银黑色湖面上的微光。往常，小岛在水面的映衬下，呈现出一片阴影。如今，却在月光的映照下，闪闪发亮，岛上的每一棵树也都银光闪闪。叶爪感觉那个地方似乎在召唤她，似乎那里有更多未知的事情等着她去探索。但我们到不了那里啊！她心里说道，并不是每只猫都像河族猫一样会游泳。
一阵微风飘来，吹皱了满是星光的湖面，也吹乱了叶爪的皮毛。虽然她的武士祖灵仍然保持沉默，叶爪还是感到一股希望涌上了心头，她一点都不担心。自族群猫穿越群山长途跋涉之前开始，星族就一直保持沉默。叶爪已经发现，有时候一只猫所能依靠的，是存在于他们内心的勇气。只要她和其他猫不丧失勇气，就不会有解决不了的难题。他们可以在这里建筑营地，探索树林里的每一处领地，了解哪儿适合狩猎，哪儿有水喝，哪儿能建巢穴，每一种草药都长在什么地方，以及哪里适合晒太阳。虽然说，现在这里看起来有些陌生，也有些可怕，但这里终将成为他们的家。只要他们一点一点去努力，一定会把这里建成他们美好的家园。
当叶爪站着凝视湖泊时，她发现水面正在发生着变化。星光已经消失了，湖水变得越来越红，猩红色的波浪拍打着湖岸。叶爪好奇地抬起了头，但天空仍和之前一样黑，所以不可能是日光照亮了湖面。湖水似乎很稠，并且在缓缓地流动着，冲刷着鹅卵石——就在那一瞬间，叶爪明白了，那根本就不是水。湖里全是血，几条小溪如绽开的伤口一样，将鲜血不断地注入湖中。这时，又有一股风吹过叶爪的皮毛，风中满是尘土，热乎乎的，随风而来的还有鸦食的恶臭味。
她不禁害怕得颤抖起来，因为她清楚地听到，有个声音在她的脑海中说道：
在和平降临之前，鲜血将四处喷涌，湖水将变得一片血红。
“炭毛，炭毛！”
叶爪一下子惊醒过来。四周仍然黑黢黢的，只见凸出的岩石下面，栗尾正凝视着炭毛，焦急地呼唤着她的名字。山谷的某个地方，传来一只猫痛苦而奇怪的哀号声，打破了夜晚的宁静。
“那是什么声音？发生什么事了？”叶爪一边问，一边慌忙爬起来，捅了捅炭毛的身体。
“是鼠毛的声音。”栗尾连忙说道，“她说肚子疼。”
“我马上就来。”炭毛说着，站起了身。
“如果鼠毛肚子疼的话，我们就需要用水薄荷或杜松果给她进行治疗。”叶爪告诉炭毛，“在湖的另一端，那两种草药很多。你想让我去采一些回来吗？”
她的老师脸色凝重地说道：“最好能在附近找到一些。不过，如果在黎明之前就要用的话，你就不得不跑一趟了。”
她们跟着栗尾穿过空地，朝鼠毛做窝的蕨丛奔去。好几次，她们都被黑暗中的石头绊倒了。叶爪使劲嗅闻着空气，想试一试能否在附近发现需要的草药。但是，要想在那么多的植物气味中分辨出草药的特殊气味，几乎是不可能的，更何况这里还全是猫的气味。
当她和炭毛来到鼠毛身边时，这位深棕色的武士正侧躺着，因为疼痛，身子不停扭着，嘴大张着，发出一声声痛苦的哀号。
“鼠毛，听我说。”炭毛在她的身边蹲伏了下来，“你知不知道肚子为什么会疼？你是不是吃了什么鸦食？”
鼠毛眨了眨那双疼得有些呆滞的眼睛。“鸦食？我没吃过！”她恼怒地说道，“你觉得我是鼠脑子吗？我的肚子……”她的话还没说完，就又发出一声号叫。
叶爪脑海中突然闪过一个可怕的念头。她把炭毛叫到一旁，低声说道：“鼠毛一定是喝了蛾翅给她取的水。我觉得那些水有可能被污染了。那些水不仅很难闻，而且在蛾翅带我去看她取水的那个水潭时，我在水里看到一只死兔子。”
炭毛恼怒地叹息道：“难道她就没想过……算了，现在再说这些也没什么用了。”
“那我们该怎么办？”叶爪焦急地问道。
炭毛转向栗尾，问道：“你知不知道还有没有其他猫喝了那些水？”
栗尾摇了摇头。
“金花和长尾有可能喝过。”炭毛继续说道，“栗尾，你去核实一下，好吗？”
这位玳瑁色武士点点头，消失在黑夜中。
“鼠毛，躺着别动！”炭毛要求道，“让我检查一下你的肚子。”说完，她用爪子轻轻拍打着鼠毛的肚子。在叶爪看来，这位深棕色武士的肚子看上去膨胀得有些不自然。
“难道你们还没找到让我服用的草药？”鼠毛烦躁地问道。
炭毛摇摇脑袋说：“我们还没来得及去采。”
鼠毛张开嘴，刚想再说些什么，结果一阵反胃，呕吐了起来。
“某种意义上说，这也算是一个好的信号。”炭毛对叶爪说道，“至少她把那些有毒的东西吐出来了。”
叶爪点点头，感觉自己一点也帮不上忙。因为巫医们没有草药，什么也做不了，只能眼睁睁看着鼠毛承受着痛苦。“天一亮，我们就得去采集些草药”她说道，“尤其是水薄荷和杜松果。我会给别的族群送一些过去，免得其他族群也有猫喝了那些水却没草药医治。”
炭毛那双蓝色的眼睛惊讶得瞪大了，叶爪有些不知所措。她早已经习惯地认为，所有的四个族群是一个整体，有难同当，有福同享。所以，当她想到，其他族群的长老们也有可能经历着跟鼠毛一样的痛苦时，自然而然就想要去帮助他们。可是现在，族群间的边界又重新恢复了，她这么做，算不算是对自己族群不忠呢？
“至少我们应该去看看，风族有没有误喝那水的猫？”她试图说服炭毛，又补充了一句，“风族猫最虚弱，所以他们要是误喝了，那就太危险了。”
炭毛点点头。“等天亮了，你可以去看看。不过，最好让一位武士陪着你去。我们必须尽快向火星禀告此事。你探察的情况如何？”看到栗尾回来了，她赶紧问道。
“金花也说肚子疼，但是她一直生着病，所以现在也没觉得太严重。”栗尾报告道，“长尾睡着了，看上去没什么事，所以我没唤醒他。”
“辛苦你了！”炭毛说道，“长尾要年轻一些，自然也更强壮些。等他醒来后，我会跟他说的。”
“蛾翅也是一片好意。”叶爪小声嘀咕着。她不想自己的朋友因为没有注意到池底的死兔子，而遭受责难。
炭毛似乎也没想责备蛾翅，这让叶爪长松了一口气。“我知道。每一只猫都可能犯错。”接着，这位巫医的眼睛变得黯淡起来，继续说道，“但我们必须承认，蛾翅的确比其他巫医缺乏经验。自从泥毛死了之后，就一直没有老师来教她。我希望星族能保佑河族，能让她少犯这种错误。可以确定的是，她需要星族的帮助。”
鼠毛呕吐之后，更虚弱了，但却舒服了很多，她迷迷糊糊睡着了。栗尾留下来照看她。炭毛离开之前吩咐栗尾，要是鼠毛的肚子又疼了，就去找她。这时，悬崖顶部树木背后的天色已经变灰，尽管叶爪早已筋疲力尽，但也不可能这时回到临时巢穴去休息。等天色稍稍变亮了一些，她就和炭毛一起去找火星了。
突然，一阵风刮过，光秃秃的树枝吱吱作响，天空的云朵也被吹散了，然而，在一圈石头的遮挡下，低矮处的灌木丛却几乎没有晃动。苍白的日光斜照进山谷，在悬崖的脚下留下了一片阴影，但也给入口处的蕨丛带来了一丝温暖。没有受到夜里鼠毛生病困扰的那些猫已经醒来，他们看到了一个与昨天晚上完全不同的石头山谷。要知道，他们昨天夜里看到的可是一个又黑又可怕的地方。叶爪听到他们高兴地相互打着招呼，她还看到小白桦从荆棘丛中跑出来，正扑打着一片枯叶。看到这只幼崽玩得这么开心，她一下子想起了那时的森林老家：猎物没有消失，众猫也没有挨饿，大家都生龙活虎的。叶爪顿时高兴起来，心中默默感谢着星族。她努力不再去想那个时常出现在梦中，既可怕又血腥的预言，告诉自己，这里注定是雷族安身立命的最佳所在。
她们在一处靠近山谷中央的开阔地找到了火星。火星已经召集了一些武士在自己的身边。
“我们必须马上出发去标记一下边界，”当她俩靠近时，听到尘毛说道，“如果不那么做，风族和影族就会瓜分掉所有领地——以及猎物。”
“我们也需要探索整个领地，”沙风指出，“我们都知道，树林里有可能随处都有狐狸和獾。”
“别忘了还有老鹰。”刺掌补充了一句。
沙风低声表示赞同。“如果你同意，我来负责狩猎巡逻队。”她对火星说道。
雷族族长冲着她感激地点点头，说道：“谢谢，那可太好了！”一想到母亲是族群里最好的狩猎猫之一，叶爪就感到骄傲。
尘毛轻弹了一下耳朵道：“我来负责守护营地——入口处的那个缺口看起来很不安全，一会儿我找几位学徒来，看能不能用荆棘给堵住。”
“那就让我来负责边界巡逻吧。”黑莓掌自告奋勇说道。
“那可是一项很艰巨的任务，”火星警告道，“尤其是现在，我们都还不知道边界会划在哪儿呢。蕨毛，你能和黑莓掌一起去吗？”
两位武士点了点头。
“云尾，我想让你组建一支巡逻队，到营地四周打探一番。”雷族族长命令道，“要是你觉得有什么需要我知道的，就赶紧回报。我们需要考虑的，可不只有边界——我也想知道我们的领地里还有些什么。”
云尾摇摇尾巴，表示同意。
“那我要做什么？”刺掌问道。
炭毛一瘸一拐走上前来。“对不起，刺掌，容我打断一下。火星，我们有麻烦了。”她很快地把鼠毛肚子疼的情况给火星讲了一遍。“我想出去一趟，找一些治肚子疼的草药。”她解释道，“然后再给风族送一些过去。虽然说每个族群都有猫可能喝了那水，但风族猫身体最弱，所以也最为危险。”
火星沉思了好一阵子，脸上的表情难以捉摸。叶爪不知道，火星是不是不太愿意在雷族重建家园之际，花费时间和精力去帮助别的族群。
“只要我们能帮上忙，就绝不能不管风族。”炭毛催促道。
“所有的巫医都知道怎么治疗肚子疼。”火星提醒道，“不过你说得对，炭毛，风族经历的苦难已经够多了，而且遭罪的还多是幼崽和长老。刺掌可以跟你一起去。”
“谢谢。我先去看看鼠毛和其他族猫有没有事，然后我们就出发。”
叶爪跟着炭毛回到了鼠毛的窝旁。这位深棕色武士睡着了，她身边的栗尾也在打瞌睡。长尾和金花也在这里，金花也睡着了，但她们靠近时，长尾立刻抬起了头，耳朵冲她们竖着，似乎他能像以前那样，清楚地看到叶爪和炭毛。
“嗨，炭毛、叶爪。”他向她俩打着招呼。叶爪知道，他是通过气味辨认出了她们，一种难以抑制的同情一下子涌上她的心头。
栗尾眨眨眼睛，醒了过来，连忙爬了起来。“我觉得没什么事。”她说道，“自从你离开以后，鼠毛就一直睡着。”
“她的气味也恢复正常了。”长尾补充了一句，“金花也是，但我觉得她一开始就没喝多少污水。”
炭毛低头检查了一下鼠毛和金花，又嗅嗅她们，接着听了听她们的呼吸。“她们现在没事了。”她说着挺直了身子，“栗尾，你也可以出发了，巡逻队需要你。谢谢你一整晚陪着鼠毛。”
年轻武士跑开了，经过叶爪身边时，冲她摇了摇尾巴。
“你怎么样啊，长尾？”炭毛问道，“你有没有也感到肚子疼啊？”
“有一点点。”这位盲眼武士说道，“栗尾说是因为我们喝了蛾翅给的水。其实当时我就觉得那水闻起来有些奇怪，但因为是巫医给的，就没多想……”
“出了一些差错。”炭毛说道，“叶爪和我打算出去采些草药备着，以免其他猫也肚子疼时，没有药用。”
“祝你们好运！”长尾说道。他的声音里有着一丝渴望，似乎也想跟她们一起去探索新家园。
巫医回到了营地的中央，这时，武士们正在分组，准备执行不同的巡逻任务。叶爪发现黑莓掌刻意往松鼠飞身边靠拢，但还没等他靠近，蜡毛就跑了过来。
“嗨，松鼠飞！”他说道，“沙风说她想让你加入狩猎巡逻队。”
“没问题。”松鼠飞回答道。
当看到松鼠飞跑开时，黑莓掌的眼中流露出极度沮丧的神情，但他并没有拦松鼠飞。虽然叶爪不知道虎斑武士和妹妹之间怎么了，但显然他们之间发生了什么误会。
“别愣着了！”炭毛戳了戳她，说道，“刺掌已经准备好了，我们出发吧。”
当他们朝石墙缺口处走去时，叶爪兴奋得脚爪都感到刺痛。尘毛正在给蛛爪和白爪发号施令，让他们清理掉营地中不需要的荆棘，用它们造个屏障。“我可不希望老鼠能在这里进出自如。”他说道。
“什么？那样的话，岂不是连猫也进不来了？”蛛爪一边摇着尾巴，一边厚着脸皮说道。
尘毛叹了一口气，说道：“我们会留出一个通道的，你这个鼠脑子。”
叶爪钻进一簇蕨丛。蕨丛不像旁边的黑莓丛，刺那么多。她在蕨丛中间停了下来，深吸了一口气，顿时，一阵强烈的绿色气息扑面而来。她知道，石头山谷缺口外面，未知的森林正在等着他们。
不——是雷族的新领地正在等着他们。
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 18
Brambleclaw kept his ears pricked forthe sound of prey as he slipped through the undergrowth. He could hear Thornclaw and Dustpelt padding close behind him, their bellies close to the ground as they ducked under the bracken. Brambleclaw tried to tell himself he didn’t mind that Squirrelflight was not with them. Feeding the Clan and exploring the new territory was more important right now. If Squirrelflight was determined to fight with him, that was her problem. She had never worried about his connection with Tawnypelt, so why was she getting so worked up about Hawkfrost?
The patrol emerged from the bracken and padded along the edge of a broad Twoleg path. This was the farthest a patrol had been from the camp. Until now, they had been busy organizing the dens and barriers in the hollow, and they had found enough prey close by to feed every cat. Now they were beginning to range farther, cautiously exploring the more distant parts of the territory.
Something about the path made Brambleclaw uneasy. “I’m not sure I like this,” he muttered. “It’s too much like a Thunderpath.” His belly clenched as he remembered how the Twoleg monsters had torn through the forest, leaving a swath of devastation wider than this, but just as straight.
Thornclaw carefully tasted the air. “I don’t think it can be,” he meowed after a moment. “There’s no scent of Twolegs or monsters.”
Brambleclaw drew in a long breath and realized that the golden-brown warrior was right. There was no sign of Twolegs, not even stale scent. But there was still something very familiar about the path. “It might be an old Thunderpath,” he guessed. “Maybe the Twolegs let the grass grow over it.”
“Why would they do that?” Thornclaw wondered.
“Because they’re mousebrained,” Dustpelt retorted sourly. “All Twolegs are mousebrained.” He spotted a vole beneath the nearest bush and began to creep toward it.
Watching him, Brambleclaw went on puzzling about the path. If Twolegs had cut rock from the stone hollow, perhaps they had needed a Thunderpath to take it away. He twitched his ears. It wasn’t important, as long as there were no Twolegs here now.
When Dustpelt had killed his vole and scraped earth over it, they went on, still keeping to the side of the path. Brambleclaw was reluctant to set paw on something made by Twolegs, even so long ago, and he guessed his Clanmates felt the same.
Suddenly Dustpelt let out a hiss. Brambleclaw froze, his fur bristling as he followed the brown warrior’s gaze through the trees. He could just make out the stone walls of a Twoleg nest.
“There’s still no scent,” Thornclaw mewed. He looked at Brambleclaw. “What do you want to do?”
Part of Brambleclaw wanted to turn and run back to the hollow as fast as he could. He thought of the nest they had discovered in ShadowClan’s territory when they made the first patrol around the lake, and the two ferocious kittypets they had disturbed. But the Clan needed to know everything about their new territory. “Let’s take a look,” he decided
Another, narrower path led to the nest from the path they were traveling along, but Brambleclaw took a more direct course through the trees, creeping up on the nest with his belly flattened to the ground.
It was very different from the nests in Twolegplace. There was a door made from flat wooden strips, but they were broken and rotten and hung crookedly from one side. The big square holes in the walls were empty, so wind and rain could blow straight in. The nest looked dark and silent, full of shadows and confusing scents.
A shiver went through Brambleclaw, raising every hair on his pelt. He wanted to leave without going one pawstep nearer, but he knew what Squirrelflight would say: You never went inside! Are you a mouse or what?
“Wait here,” he ordered his companions, and stalked up to the doorway.
Thornclaw and Dustpelt did not obey his order: No reason why they should,thought Brambleclaw, reminding himself that he wasn’t deputy yet. They were hard on his paws as he climbed the steps and slipped inside the Twoleg nest.
The weak shaft of light slanting through the door revealed rough gray walls and floors made from splintered strips of wood, with weeds pushing up through the gaps. Straight ahead, a slope of jutting blocks led up to another level.
There was no Twoleg scent, just a powerful aroma of prey. The cracks in the stone walls and the spaces under the floorboards would make good hiding places for mice and voles. Brambleclaw heard Thornclaw’s paws thump on the wood, and glanced back to see his Clanmate with a mouse dangling from his jaws.
“Well done!” he whispered.
Dustpelt looked impressed. “This could be a useful place,” he meowed. “Provided the Twolegs don’t come back.”
Brambleclaw agreed—the prey was certainly plentiful and easy to catch—but he didn’t like the feeling the place gave him. It was as desolate and hollow as an empty den, and he wondered why the Twolegs had abandoned it.
“Do you want to go up there?” Thornclaw twitched his ears toward the steeply sloping blocks.
“Not if StarClan themselves came and begged me,” Dustpelt mewed. “That doesn’t look safe at all.”
“I’ll take a quick look,” Brambleclaw meowed, Squirrel-flight’s imagined scorn ringing in his ears.
He ran swiftly up the blocks before he could spend too long worrying what he might find at the top. As he burst onto the next level, which was made of strips of wood like the floor below, a loud squawking and the rattle of wings set his heart thudding. A moment later he realized it was only a pigeon, disturbed by his sudden appearance. Scattering gray and white feathers, it fluttered up through the space where the roof had broken away.
Brambleclaw padded cautiously forward, peering around until he was sure the place was empty. When he scrambled down to ground level again he found that Dustpelt had caught another mouse, and Thornclaw was crouched in front of a crack in the wall with his ears pricked.
“We don’t have time to hunt now,” Brambleclaw warned them. He was feeling trapped inside the Twoleg walls, and his paws itched to be out in the open again. “We can find prey outside, and we need to report this to Firestar. Let’s go.”
Reluctantly Thornclaw followed him out again, and the three cats headed back along the abandoned Thunderpath.
Dustpelt and Thornclaw went straight to the heap of fresh-kill, but Brambleclaw padded over to his Clan leader, who was sitting with Sandstorm and Squirrelflight. “Firestar, I think you should know what we found today,” he meowed, and described the empty Twoleg nest.
“And there was no scent of Twolegs at all?” Firestar asked when he’d finished.
Brambleclaw shook his head. “It seems to be a good place for prey, and I suppose it might be useful in the future.”
“Maybe shelter,” Sandstorm suggested, “if the weather gets very bad. Or if there was another fire…” She shivered, and Brambleclaw knew how she felt. He could just remember the flames that had swept through the old ThunderClan camp, devouring everything in their way. He wasn’t sure that even the stone walls of the Twoleg nest would protect them from that sort of forest fire.
“Perhaps. Well done, all of you,” Firestar meowed.
“I’m going out again,” Brambleclaw told him. “We need more fresh-kill.” He felt as if a lump of tough starling had lodged in his throat, but he managed to add, “Squirrelflight, do you want to come with me?”
The ginger warrior gave him a long look, and for a moment Brambleclaw was sure she would say yes. Then she rose to her paws and flicked her tail. “Sorry. I said I’d go hunting with Ashfur and Spiderleg.”
“Okay.” Brambleclaw swallowed his hurt, determined not to let her see how disappointed he was.
“Don’t go out again just yet, Brambleclaw,” Firestar meowed. “You’ve been working your paws off ever since the Gathering, and you need to rest. And that’s an order,” he added, as Brambleclaw opened his mouth to protest. “The sun’s hardly up, and you’ve already done one patrol. Go eat, and then take a nap until sunhigh. Do you think I want one of my best warriors falling sick with exhaustion?”
Brambleclaw dipped his head and turned away.
Thornclaw had been watching, and when Brambleclaw sat beside him with a vole he had taken from the fresh-kill pile he twitched his ears toward Squirrelflight. “Had a quarrel, have you?” he mewed, a gleam of amusement in his eyes. “What did you do?”
“StarClan knows,” Brambleclaw grunted. He didn’t want every cat in the Clan taking an interest in his quarrel with Squirrelflight—and he certainly didn’t want them to know why they had fallen out in the first place. He flicked his tail irritably.
Why couldn’t she see that he was totally loyal to his Clan, and that he still cared for her as much as ever? Deep down, he was sure he knew the answer. The reason she doubted his loyalty was because every time she looked at him, she was thinking of another cat instead.
Tigerstar.
Brambleclaw woke with a start. The angle of the sunlight piercing the branches of the warriors’ den told him it was nearly sunhigh. He heard voices outside, and he sprang to his paws, his fur bristling, before he realized that they were raised in excitement, not fear or anger.
Shaking moss from his pelt, he padded out into the open. Several cats were huddled together in the middle of the clearing; as Brambleclaw drew closer he saw they were clustering around Leafpaw and Sorreltail.
The young she-cats looked exhausted, but very pleased with themselves. Leafpaw was speaking to Firestar, gesturing with her tail as if she were pointing out something.
“What’s going on?” Brambleclaw asked.
Brightheart glanced around with a gleam of excitement in her good eye. “Leafpaw and Sorreltail have found the Moonpool!”
“The Moonpool? What’s that?”
No cat answered, too eager to listen to what Leafpaw was saying, so Brambleclaw squeezed forward until he could hear as well.
“We climbed beside the WindClan boundary, into the hills, a long way beyond the edge of our territory. And then we found the stream, and the starlight was so bright, I knew it would show us the way. We followed it until we came to a pool….” Leafpaw’s voice dropped to scarcely more than a whisper. “It’s where we must go to share tongues with StarClan.”
Brambleclaw closed his eyes and sent a prayer of thanks to his warrior ancestors. They had shown them the place that would replace the Moonstone. The Clans really were meant to be here; there would be no need to embark on another long and exhausting journey.
Cinderpelt pressed her muzzle against Leafpaw’s shoulder. “You have done something very special today,” she told her. “The Clans will remember this for many seasons.”
“The vision could have come to any medicine cat,” Leafpaw mewed, her eyes wide.
“But it came to you,” Firestar put in. “The Clan thanks both of you,” he added, with a nod to Sorreltail.
“Tomorrow night is the half-moon,” Cinderpelt went on more briskly. “We must send a message at once to the other medicine cats, so that we can meet at the Moonpool.”
“I’ll go,” Leafpaw offered.
“You’ve traveled far enough for one day,” Firestar pointed out gently. “You can’t go all the way around the lake as well.”
Cinderpelt flicked her ears in agreement. “It’s too far forone cat anyway, if we’re to meet in time,” she pointed out. “From what Leafpaw says, we’ll need to set out by sunset tomorrow at the latest. Let me go to ShadowClan and RiverClan, and Leafpaw can rest before she takes word to WindClan.”
“Good idea,” meowed Firestar. “But do you have to go, Cinderpelt? I can send a warrior instead.”
Cinderpelt shook her head. “No. This is news that must come from a medicine cat.”
“Then I want two warriors to go with you. We saw at the Gathering that every Clan is sensitive about their territories right now.”
Brambleclaw stepped forward. “I’ll go.” He wanted to see the message carried to Littlecloud and Mothwing, to prove to their Clans that this was the place they had meant to settle. It felt like the final stage of the journey that began with the dream that sent him to sun-drown-place, in search of a badger called Midnight.
“Thanks, Brambleclaw. Sandstorm, will you go as well?”
“Sure,” meowed Sandstorm.
As Brambleclaw followed Cinderpelt and Sandstorm out of the camp, he glanced over his shoulder. Squirrelflight was talking excitedly to Leafpaw. She did not look at him, and he had no time to stop and speak to her.
Brambleclaw would have to make this part of their journey alone.
第十一章
第十一章
“你被卡住了吗？”刺掌问道，他从蕨丛中穿过时，差点撞上叶爪。
叶爪向前一跳，离开那些发出刺鼻气味的茎秆。“很抱歉。”她喘着气说。
刺掌在后面放慢了脚步，看着她。“这里有点陌生，是吧？”他说道，“但这种陌生的感觉会一直持续下去，记住这一点。我们只需要探索一次，便会对这里熟悉起来，就像在家里一样。”
叶爪感到非常宽慰，便与他一同离开了山谷。过了一会儿，她回头看了一眼，石崖已在大树的掩映下不见了踪影，映入眼帘的只有一片光秃秃的灰色枝干，在风中不住地颤动着。她欣喜地想，在高耸的石壁庇护下，族猫们藏身在树林中，是十分安全的。
前方传来了一阵声响，他俩绕过一棵结实的橡树，看到了云尾、亮心和栗尾。他们仨正十分机警地在树根之间的一个豁口嗅来嗅去。这是火星派出的一支巡逻队，负责探索距离山谷最近的领域。
“是狐狸的气味！”叶爪听到云尾这样叫道。
亮心抬起头，仔细嗅了嗅空气。“气味是很久以前的，”她判定说，“我想，狐狸应该已经离开好几个月了。”
“我能进去看看吗？”栗尾问道。
亮心摇了摇头：“你的老师没有警告过你，不要进入陌生的洞里吗？我们都闻出那里面什么都没有了。继续往前走吧。”
栗尾和叶爪打了个招呼，便随着武士们向树林深处走去。
叶爪停下脚步，好让炭毛跟上自己。环顾周围，树木向四面八方伸展开来，枝条紧密地交织着，仅能望见的一小片天空都被分割得支离破碎。比起他们离开的那片森林，这里的树木没有那么高大，但叶爪想，这些绿叶植物会形成厚厚的、凉爽的树冠。地面上覆盖着大片低矮的草丛，雪花莲在其间傲然挺立，偶尔还能看到荆棘和黑莓丛。这里比叶爪以往熟悉的环境更开阔，她希望蕨丛和其他植物能够萌发新叶，让猎物有生息之所，也让同伴们在自己的领地上巡逻时能更有安全感。
炭毛跟了上来，顺着流水的声音一瘸一拐地走着。“我们是不太可能在这里找到杜松树的。”她说着，与其他两只猫并肩前进。
“叶爪，我们还能用什么来治疗腹痛呢？”
“水薄荷吗？”她说，“或者山萝卜根？”
“这两种都很有效，”炭毛表示同意，“比起山萝卜根，水薄荷应该更容易找到。”
他们来到小溪边，溪水在深沟中奔涌着，溪边垂悬着盘根错节的大树。叶爪站在岸上，想要寻找绿叶植物的踪迹，但放眼望去，只看到下方约一尾远的地方，溪水在灰色石头上流淌，翠绿的蕨类植物沿着岸边生长着。
他们来到一处倾斜的岸边，从这儿可以涉水而过。“到对岸去试试运气吧。”刺掌建议道。
炭毛表示赞同，可对岸也没好到哪儿去：林地虽然开阔，灌木却稀稀落落的。接着，叶爪嗅到了潮湿泥土的气息，似乎在湖泊的另一头有一片沼泽。水薄荷并不一定只长在溪流中，有时也会长在湿润的土地上。她跑在前面，穿过几簇带尖刺的草丛，发现了半掩在一处蕨丛中的高大叶茎。
“干得漂亮！”炭毛一面称赞，一面来到她身边，“这些足够我们日常所需了。”
他们歪着脑袋咬断几根茎秆。汁液沾到了皮毛上，叶爪的双眼直流眼泪，嘴里满是刺鼻的气味。
“我得回营地去了，”采完水薄荷后，炭毛说道，“刺掌，你现在能带着叶爪去找风族吗？”
“我们先送你回去吧，”刺掌说，“我觉得在更加熟悉森林之前，任何猫都不该独自待在这里。”
返程时，他带着她们走了另一条路。从地面倾斜的程度看，走这条路应该能更快回到石头山谷。他们从一片山毛榉树下经过时，四处弥漫的松鼠气味让叶爪的肚子咕咕直叫。
刺掌也嗅出异样，两眼发亮。叶爪猜想刺掌也饿了。“我们还有时间狩猎吗？”刺掌问炭毛。
巫医放下了嘴里的水薄荷茎秆，说道：“如果不用太多时间的话，当然可以。”
“不用太久的。”刺掌保证说。他的耳朵朝着最近的一棵树弹动了一下，叶爪便在树根之间发现了一只松鼠，它正在啃食一颗山毛榉果实。
刺掌稍停片刻以判断风向，然后悄无声息地从旁侧绕了过去。这样，他靠近松鼠时，对方才不会嗅出他的气息。只见他后肢发力，猛扑过去。那只松鼠抽搐地蹬了一下，便不再动弹了。
“快过来，”刺掌叫道，“够我们仨饱餐一顿了。”
刚捕杀的松鼠是十分美味的，叶爪很快地做了祷告，以感谢星族带他们来到一处猎物充足的宝地。她满嘴都是松鼠的余味，所以当三只猫突然出现在不远处的一棵树干旁时，她毫无察觉。那些猫发现是雷族猫时，停顿了一下，然后迈开大步向他们走来。他们靠近时，叶爪认出，这是一支由裂耳和他的学徒枭爪与白尾组成的风族巡逻队。
刺掌咽下了最后一口鲜美的猎物，站起身来，但裂耳先开口了。
“你们在这儿干什么？”裂耳问道，“这里是风族的领地。”
“你这是什么意思，什么风族的领地？”刺掌惊讶地盯着他说道，“边界都还没标记出来呢。”
“我们不正在划分边界吗！”白尾解释道，听上去有些尴尬，“火星说过，山脚下的这条小溪就是边界，这里刚好在我们风族一边。”
“火星也说过，那只是个建议罢了。”刺掌挥舞着尾巴，提醒风族武士，“瞧，到处都是树林。这里最适合雷族狩猎了。而你们需要的是荒原和兔子，不是吗？”
“这里可比不上我们的老家，荒原太少了。”裂耳解释道，“我们需要把领地扩大到树林中去，否则，我们就没法让族猫填饱肚子。”
“这个嘛，你们不能把领地扩展到这里。”刺掌语气坚决，脊背上的毛发都直立起来了，叶爪猜想他一定是气得不行。不管是谁，都不可能忘记旅途中各族建立的深厚感情。要是在以前的森林里，大家早就利爪相向了，可是现在，没有猫想为尚未探索结束的领地而战。
“你觉得星族会给我们预兆，让我们知道边界的位置吗？”叶爪问炭毛。
巫医摇了摇头：“星族永远不会偏袒任何一族，也不会介入他们的纷争。边界是各族必须自行解决的问题。”
两族武士都尴尬地站了好一会儿。这时，白尾看到了那一堆水薄荷的茎秆，便问道：“那些是用来治疗腹痛的吗？”
“是的，”叶爪回应说，“你们族里也有猫病了吗？”
白尾迅速看了裂耳一眼，才开始说话。“是的，”白尾回答说，“晨花和暗足都病了。”
“晨花？”听到这个名字，叶爪不禁担心起来。她知道，这位风族猫后向来对雷族很友好，便问道：“青面怎么治疗她的？”
“没有草药，他也无计可施，”裂耳说道，“后来我听说他去找杜松果了。我只希望他别花太多时间，在我看来，晨花的情况很不妙。”
叶爪转过身来，对自己的老师说：“我现在拿些水薄荷给风族送去。风族猫会给我带路的，刺掌可以和你一起回山谷。”
“就这么办吧。”炭毛说，“不过要快去快回……”
所有武士看起来都松了一口气，因为他们有比边界纷争更要紧的事情去琢磨了。刺掌和炭毛回山谷了，而叶爪则和风族猫一起朝另一个方向走去。他们领着她走到树林边缘——诚如他们所言，这条小溪蜿蜒曲折地钻入树林，流经山脚，穿越开阔的荒原。然后，他们从另一条小溪旁边更为陡峭的山坡攀爬了上去。溪水汩汩而下，碎成一屏又一屏小小的珠帘。溪水边生长着一些极为矮小的荆棘，随处可嗅见兔子的气息。这里就有风族猫喜欢的猎物。叶爪想，裂耳之前说风族的猎物不够族猫吃，是真的吗？
最后，他们来到灌木丛生的高地顶部，叶爪发现，在那里可以俯瞰风族的营地。风族营地两侧并不像雷族山谷的悬崖那般陡峭，但斜坡上寸草不生，让进攻者无处掩藏。
叶爪看到洼地中心散落的巨石旁边，一根须和灰脚正和几位武士攀谈着。
“我直接带你去见晨花吧。”白尾说。
“我也会让一根须知道你在这儿的。”裂耳补充了一句，就和枭爪一起顺着斜坡往下走去。
白尾带着叶爪来到山谷远处的一丛金雀花灌木中。在风族武士的重重注视下走过，叶爪感到自己皮毛一阵刺痛，但他们更多的是好奇，并没有敌意。
晨花躺在灌木丛中的蕨叶床上。相距一尾之遥的，是蜷缩成一团的暗足。但叶爪却无法将惊恐的目光从那只老母猫身上移开：晨花四肢无力地瘫躺着，奄奄一息。她的腹部鼓胀着，身上泛起一股呕吐物的酸臭味。她双眼紧闭，只能从身体两侧时不时地抽搐看出一丝生气。在叶爪看来，晨花命悬一线，不久便会成为星族的一员了。
叶爪放下水薄荷的茎秆，把头靠近晨花，可还没来得及用爪子轻触晨花的腹部，她就被愤怒的咆哮声制止了。
“你这是想干吗？”
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 19
Leafpaw leaped across the stream bythe stepping stones and began to climb the hill toward the WindClan camp. Firestar had offered her an escort, but she didn’t think she needed one to visit WindClan. She’d thought of asking Sorreltail to go with her, but when she went to look for her friend she was sharing tongues with Brackenfur, and Leafpaw hadn’t wanted to disturb them.
The wind ruffled the short moorland grass, bringing with it a strong scent of rabbits and flattening Leafpaw’s fur against her sides. Even though she had slept for only a short time since coming back from the Moonpool, the news she carried sent energy surging through her like the water of the starlit stream.
She was nearly at the camp when she caught the scent of cats, and a patrol appeared from behind a gorse bush. It was Mudclaw and Webfoot with his apprentice, Weaselpaw. Leafpaw tensed. All the Clans were extra-sensitive about their boundaries at the moment, and she hoped the WindClan cats would give her a chance to explain her mission before chasing her out.
“What are you doing here?” Mudclaw growled. “This is our territory.”
“I have a message for Barkface.”
Mudclaw hesitated, then jerked his head. “Come on, then.” He led her over the top of the rise and down into the hollow.
Onewhisker was sitting under a bush near the center of the camp, sharing a tough-looking rabbit with Ashfoot. Leafpaw glanced around, looking for Crowfeather. Barkface wasn’t the only cat getting an important message from StarClan.
“Onewhisker, we have a visitor,” Mudclaw announced.
The WindClan leader stood up, swiping his tongue around his jaws. “What can we do for you, Leafpaw?”
“I need to speak to Barkface,” she mewed.
Onewhisker pricked his ears. “A message from StarClan?” he guessed.
Leafpaw nodded, though she couldn’t say anything more. It was Barkface’s duty to pass the message on to his Clan.
“That’s great news!” Onewhisker’s eyes shone. “Weaselpaw, go and ask Barkface to come right away.”
Webfoot’s apprentice disappeared down a tunnel at the foot of the slope. It looked as if it might once have been a rabbit burrow or a badger set. He reappeared a moment later with the medicine cat behind him.
Leafpaw bounded over to him. Barkface dismissed the apprentice with a flick of his tail and beckoned Leafpaw to sit beside him. “What’s all this?” he asked.
Leafpaw’s excitement bubbled over, and her words spilled out like water tumbling over the shining starlit stones. “And tomorrow night is the half moon,” she finished. “Cinderpelt has gone to tell Mothwing and Littlecloud, so we can all go to the Moonpool together.”
Barkface stretched forward and rested his muzzle against the tip of Leafpaw’s ear. “This is the best news I’ve ever heard,” he murmured. “Thank you for bringing it to me.” He heaved himself up and padded over to Onewhisker and Ashfoot. Others had joined them, guessing there was an important announcement coming.
Quickly Barkface told them about Leafpaw’s journey. “Tomorrow night all the medicine cats will meet at the Moonpool,” he meowed. “The night after that, Onewhisker, you and I will go together so that you can receive your nine lives and your leader’s name.”
For a moment Leafpaw thought she saw a flicker of panic flash through Onewhisker’s eyes. Surely he should be relieved to know he would finally be able to share tongues with StarClan and have his leadership recognized by his warrior ancestors. What reason could he have for wanting to put it off?
Onewhisker blinked and shook his head. Leafpaw decided she must have imagined the panic in his expression.
“From what Leafpaw tells us, it’s a long journey,” Onewhisker mewed. “You can’t travel there twice in two days; you’ll be worn out. I’ve waited this long for my nine lives and my name. I can wait awhile longer.”
Leafpaw was impressed by Onewhisker’s thoughtfulness. Then she looked more closely at him, and wondered if he could possibly be afraid that StarClan would reject him, after he was appointed in such a hurry by the dying Tallstar. She blinked sympathetically. Every cat knew that the deputy of a Clan succeeded the leader when he lost his ninth life—even if they had been deputy for only a few moments. That was part of the warrior code, and whatever else had changed on their long journey from the forest, the warrior code would always remain at the heart of every Clan.
Barkface seemed content to leave some time between his visits to the Moonpool, because he didn’t try to change Onewhisker’s mind. “I’ll see you tomorrow at sunset, Leafpaw,” he meowed.
“I’ll tell Cinderpelt,” she replied. “We can meet by the stream at the edge of the trees.”
Barkface nodded. “Go well,” he murmured, before heading back to his den.
Onewhisker and Ashfoot began talking quietly together. Mudclaw muttered something to Webfoot, and the pair of them raced for the top of the hollow, disappearing over it in a couple of heartbeats.
Leafpaw felt a light touch on her shoulder. She turned, and was startled to see Crowfeather gazing intensely into her eyes. “Have you really found a place to speak with StarClan?” he asked.
“Yes, really.” Leafpaw swallowed. “There’s something I have to tell you, Crowfeather. Is there somewhere quiet we can talk?”
“Come over here.” Crowfeather led her to the edge of the hollow and sat down under a stunted tree with leafless, twisted branches. He looked expectantly at Leafpaw with his head to one side.
She took a deep breath. “I didn’t just dream of the Moonpool last night. I saw Feathertail as well.” That was one detail she had left out when she told her story to Barkface.
Crowfeather’s eyes opened wide. “Feathertail?”
“Yes. She gave me a message for you.” Leafpaw’s heart pounded so loud, she was convinced Crowfeather would be able to hear it. Would he be angry with what she had to say? After all, he might want to carry on grieving for Feathertail. Leafpaw told herself that wasn’t her problem; Feathertail might be watching them right now, and she had to keep her promise to deliver the message.
“She said, ‘Tell him not to grieve.’ It will be many moons before you can be together again. She told you not to be blinded to the living.”
Crowfeather met Leafpaw’s gaze with such a hungry look, it was as if he wanted to devour every scrap of her meeting with the cat he had loved so deeply. Leafpaw blinked. How could he ever stop grieving if he felt this strongly?
At last the WindClan warrior looked down at his paws. “I’ll never stop wishing she hadn’t died,” he whispered. “Does Feathertail think I could everforget about her?”
“That isn’t what she meant!” Leafpaw protested.
“There’ll never be another cat like Feathertail.” Crowfeather whipped up his head, and there was a gleam of anger in his eyes. “I don’t care how long I have to wait to see her again. If she can wait, so can I!”
He spun around and bounded across the clearing, with Leafpaw staring helplessly after him.
The half-moon floated high above them, shedding soft gray light over the slope beside the rushing stream. The five medicine cats toiled up the last few tail-lengths that led to the barrier of thornbushes. Cinderpelt looked exhausted, her eyes glazed and her pace increasingly uneven, but she seemed determined to keep going. Mothwing hardly seemed tired by the journey at all. Right from the start she had bounded ahead and doubled back to check which way to go next, as if she couldn’t wait to reach the place where she would share tongues with StarClan. Leafpaw thought she couldn’t have been more eager if she had really believed in them, and she wondered if Mothwing was looking for a chance to prove that StarClan didn’texist. She pushed the thought away—Mothwing was loyal and kindhearted, and Leafpaw knew she’d do anything to keep her lack of faith a secret from the other medicine cats.
Leafpaw showed them the narrow gap that led through the barrier of thorns, and at last they stood at the top of the hollow, gazing down at the Moonpool. The water shone with the same pale light she remembered from before, while the stream tumbling from the crack in the rock glittered with starshine. Its gentle plashing into the pool was the only sound.
“Yes, this is the place,” Barkface murmured.
He gestured with his tail for Leafpaw to lead the way down the path, and once again she felt her paws slipping into the pawprints made by those cats of long ago.
“I wonder how we’re supposed to share tongues with StarClan?” Littlecloud asked, when all the medicine cats were sitting around the Moonpool.
Leafpaw blinked. She hadn’t thought of that. Back at Mothermouth, cats used to lie with their noses touching the Moonstone; she remembered the icy chill that would creep through her fur, pulling her into a deep sleep where she could meet with StarClan.
She looked around, searching for something lit up by StarClan, as radiant as the Moonstone had been. There was nothing to see but the moss-covered rocks and trailing ferns—and the starlit surface of the pool. “Maybe we should touch the water?” she suggested.
The medicine cats glanced at one another. “It’s worth a try,” Barkface agreed.
Shivering, Leafpaw crept forward and lapped a few drops of water. It was icy cold, and tasted of stars and the wind and the indigo sky. She closed her eyes, breathing the scents as they flooded her mouth.
A chill spread from her ears to the tip of her tail, and she could no longer feel the stone beneath her paws. Instead she was floating in a black void, where everything was dark and silent. There were voices, too faint and shrill at first to hear what they were saying. Then the sound of wind and splashing water died away, and she realized they were calling her name.
“I’m here,” she whispered.
She opened her eyes. A vast stretch of water lay in front of her: not the Moonpool, tucked in its sheltering hollow, but the lake. Wind stirred the surface into rippling waves, tipped with curls of froth. The water looked as if it reflected a blazing sunset, with all shades of red lapping thickly at the shore. But when Leafpaw looked up, the sky was dark and starlit. The lake was filled with blood!
The voices called to her again, this time loud enough for her to hear, even though she wished she hadn’t almost before they had finished speaking:
Before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red.
Leafpaw sprang up to run away, but her paws slipped in the sticky blood, and the stench of death engulfed her. With a gasp she opened her eyes. She was on the edge of the Moonpool again, her belly pressed flat against the cold stone, and beside her lay the other medicine cats. They were stirring and stretching, waking from their own dreams. The moon was dipping below the hilltop; Leafpaw’s legs, stiff from crouching so long in one position, confirmed how much time had passed.
Barkface and Littlecloud both looked very troubled; Leafpaw wondered if they had received warnings like hers. Cinderpelt was studying Leafpaw with concern in her eyes, while Mothwing kept her gaze fixed on her paws.
Leafpaw guessed they would set out for their camps at once. She wanted to talk to Cinderpelt alone, wary of announcing her vision to the other medicine cats. But instead of leading the way back up the path, Cinderpelt sat down again on the edge of the Moonpool.
“Before we go back to our Clans,” she began, “I have one more task to do.” She waited until the other cats were sitting too, their faces turned attentively to her.
Leafpaw wondered what this was all about, since Cinderpelt hadn’t said anything to her on the way. Mothwing shot her a worried glance, and Leafpaw replied with a tiny shake of the head; she hadn’t revealed Mothwing’s lack of faith to Cinderpelt or any cat.
“Clan warriors receive their warrior name when their mentor thinks they are ready,” Cinderpelt continued. “It is the same for medicine cats.” With a glint in her eyes she turned to Leafpaw and asked, “Did you think you would have to wait for me to die before you received your name?”
Leafpaw was so taken aback she didn’t reply. She hadn’t really thought about it. Maybe she had assumed that, yes. But being an apprentice medicine cat was different from being an apprentice warrior; Leafpaw could use healing herbs and share tongues with StarClan just as much as the other medicine cats. A pulse of excitement went through her as she guessed what might be coming next.
“A medicine cat receives her name when StarClan decides she deserves it,” Cinderpelt meowed. “Leafpaw, the fact that our warrior ancestors brought you to the Moonpool first shows how highly they regard you.”
“That’s true,” Barkface rumbled.
Littlecloud let out a purr of agreement; Mothwing’s eyes were brilliant and she leaped up to press her muzzle against Leafpaw’s side. In the midst of her excitement, Leafpaw realized it was a good thing Mothwing already had her full name; how could StarClan show their approval of a cat who did not believe in them?
“Come forward.” Cinderpelt beckoned to Leafpaw with her tail.
Leafpaw hardly knew which paw to move first as she stumbled around the Moonpool until she stood in front of her mentor.
Cinderpelt tipped back her head and gazed at Silverpelt. “I, Cinderpelt, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the way of a medicine cat, and with your help she will serve her Clan for many moons.”
The words were familiar to Leafpaw from the warrior ceremonies she had seen for her Clanmates. Her paws tingled, as if starlight scorched her fur.
“Leafpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?”
“I do.”
“Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Leafpaw, from this moment you will be known as Leafpool. StarClan honors your courage and your faith. By finding this place, you have proved this is truly our new home.”
Just as a Clan leader would do at a warrior ceremony, Cinderpelt rested her muzzle on Leafpool’s head. Her head full of stars, Leafpool bent to lick her mentor’s shoulder.
“Leafpool! Leafpool!” Mothwing called, and Barkface and Littlecloud joined in.
Leafpool bowed her head. “Thank you—all of you. My paws were guided by StarClan in everything I have done, and I hope they will continue to guide me for the rest of my life.”
“May StarClan grant that it is so,” murmured Barkface, and the others echoed his prayer.
All except Mothwing, but when Leafpool looked at her, the RiverClan cat’s face was filled with such pride and affection that she knew Mothwing was as pleased for her as any cat. Right then, it didn’t matter a whisker that she didn’t share their beliefs.
As she followed the other cats out of the hollow and down the rocky slope, Leafpool felt so full of energy, so committed all over again to the way of a medicine cat, that she half thought she would be able to fly back to the hollow in the woods if she tried. She let the others go ahead, and padded along with her thoughts full of starlight and herbs and water that tasted of the night sky.
Suddenly she felt something sticky dragging at her legs, and her paws skidded in a slippery, viscous liquid. She looked down; there was nothing but short moorland grass under her paws, but the stench of death rose up around her, and though she knew the slope was clear and dry, she felt as if she were wading through a river of blood, running hot and scarlet from the overflowing, death-scented lake.
第十二章
第十二章
狐狸！
黑莓掌抬起头，仔细地嗅闻着空气。狐狸的气息是从他身旁的荆棘丛里散发出来的，最为浓烈之处，是当中的一条参差不齐的通道。看样子，经常有细长的狐狸身躯从这条通道中穿梭。
“不久前狐狸还在这儿呢，”他提醒蕨毛，“狐狸的巢穴可能就在附近。”
他们正带领着一支巡逻队为新领地搜寻边界的地标，并留下第一个气味标记。雨须也是巡逻队一员。尘毛在留下白爪和蛛爪，让他俩将荆棘拖到营地入口处做屏障之用后，也跟了过来。
“我们得把这个情况汇报给火星，”蕨毛说道，“在弄清这家伙是常住于此，还是偶然路过之前，我们要多加小心。”
黑莓掌点点头。浑身的皮毛因兴奋而刺痛起来，他对这个山谷的所有质疑也都烟消云散，毕竟此刻已是白天，大家都能看清这里挺适合安营扎寨的。
火星任命他来巡逻新边界，他乐意之至；每走一步，他就感觉这片树林更像雷族的领地。他也刻意在走路时磨蹭那些荆棘和树干，以留下一条明显属于他们族群的气味痕迹。
黑莓掌让蕨毛走在队伍的最前面。大家绕过一丛榛树的时候，尘毛停了下来，嗅了嗅一根低垂的树枝。他抬起头来，双眼写满了焦虑，其他三只猫便立即凑过去细加辨认。他们面面相觑，心照不宣，这是两脚兽的气息。
“这味都不新鲜了，”蕨毛说道，“我看得好几天了吧。”
“但它们的确是来过这儿。”尘毛撇着嘴说，“如果我都看不到别的两脚兽，那它们也离开得太快了吧。”
黑莓掌深吸一口气，好缓和自己剧烈的心跳。他跟尘毛有同样的感觉，但在这群武士面前显露出恐惧，那可就暴露自己的担忧了。这里是他们现在的栖息之地，谁都不愿每天生活在失去家园的担忧之中。他用尾巴尖抚了抚年纪稍长的武士肩膀。“这是我们离开山谷后所发现的第一个气味，”他说道，“这儿离雷鬼路还有很长一段距离，所以不会有什么两脚兽的怪物的。”
尘毛轻弹了一下耳朵，默默往前走着。其他猫都跟着，黑莓掌始终走在队伍的最后，因为他害怕当自己努力赶走脑海中森林被摧毁的画面时，他们会从他的眼睛中看出自己的恐惧。
“咱们狩猎吧！”蕨毛提议道。
“好主意。”雨须表示同意。这个提议得到大家的一致同意，是因为他们能借此将两脚兽和它们的怪物抛在脑后，但大家都没有点破，而是全神贯注地去追赶猎物，仿佛已经忍饥挨饿了一个月似的。
黑莓掌慢下脚步，让自己沉浸在松鼠、兔子和鸟的混杂气息之中。突然，一声惊叫吓了他一跳，原来是雨须捕到了一只八哥。他赞许地点点头，从这位年轻武士身边经过，向森林深处走去。直到在枯树树根处发现了一只啄食的歌鸫，他才停了下来。他伏下身子，匍匐前进，腹部的皮毛都紧擦地面的落叶。突然，他一下子扑了过去，在它的脖子上猛地一击，结果了它。
黑莓掌低下头正要去享用美食，这时，有什么东西重重地压了上来，爪子刺进了他的身体。他本能地扭动身躯，在地上一滚，把这个偷袭者给甩掉了。在仓促躲过对方攻击后，他恍惚间瞥到姜黄色的皮毛，便下意识地以为是蕨毛。这家伙在发什么疯？然而，当他挣扎着站稳脚跟，好不容易转过身来，看到的却是一个张牙舞爪的影族武士。
“花楸掌！你在这里干什么？”
“你以为呢？”这只姜黄色的公猫咆哮着说道，“当然是在保卫影族的边界啊。”
“什么？”黑莓掌环顾四周，这才发现，雷族营地周围生长的山毛榉和橡树，居然在这里与松树浑然一体了。
“别装无辜了！你已经跨过了我们影族的气味标记。”
“我根本没有注意到什么气味标记！”黑莓掌抗议道，“气味肯定都散没了。”他没提到另一种可能性——那就是各族猫在一起赶路时，气味相互混杂，以至于谁都没法分辨出不同。如果真是那样，那就根本没法设立什么边界了。
“散没了？”花楸掌冷笑道，“老鼠屎！我看你还是老实承认吧，你是想偷占我们的领地。”
“是你在偷占我们的领地吧！”黑莓掌愤怒地反驳道，“之前在马场的时候，我们就说好，雷族、影族以那条小溪为界，各自使用小溪一侧的空地。很显然，我并没有跨越边界，那一定是你越界了。”
“这儿可没有空地，鼠脑子。”花楸掌咆哮着说，“这条小溪拐入了我们领地的深处，两岸长满了树林。我们顺着穿过空地的那段小溪，以直线设立了边界。下次记得先留意气味标记，然后你就会知道，哪里是影族的领地。”
他张开利爪、蓄势待发，黑莓掌则调整架势、准备应战。可是还没等花楸掌扑过去，一只玳瑁色条纹的猫就从灌木丛中冲了出来，将他撞倒在地。原来是褐皮。
“你这是干吗？”她质问道，“现在就开始争夺领地，这未免也太早了吧！”
花楸掌怒视着他的这位同族伙伴。“可真是没想到啊，竟是你这个半族武士！”他嘶嘶地说道，“大家都心里明白，在你心里，兄弟大过天，部族闪一边。”
“你简直是胡说八道！”褐皮抗议道。
“这话你说错了，”黑莓掌走了过来，站在妹妹身边，“我很清楚，褐皮对影族绝对是忠心耿耿。”
花楸掌那满是质疑的目光像利爪一样攫住了他。“要我说，”花楸掌咆哮道，“所有去见过那只獾的猫，都忘记了自己属于哪个族群了。”
怒不可遏的黑莓掌狂吼一声，就要向他扑过去，这时，又闪现出了三只影族的猫，他们是杉心、橡毛和鹰钩爪。黑莓掌紧缩腹部。现在，影族巡逻队到齐了，他根本就不是对手。再说了，如果影族猫要褐皮对抗自己的哥哥，她又该如何是好呢？
“黑莓掌！这是怎么回事？”背后传来了蕨毛的声音，他顿时松了口气。
黑莓掌回过头，看到他的三个同族伙伴从树林里飞奔过来。
影族武士们蹲伏下来，亮出了利爪，可还没等他们扑向对方，又传来一个响亮的声音。
“住手！”
火星从黑莓掌身后的荆棘中走了出来，他的双眼眯成了一条缝，闪着怒火道：“我真不敢相信，你们现在居然变得如此愚蠢。如果我们不能和平地划定边界，这片森林必将血流成河。”
黑莓掌感到心头一阵痛楚，他后退了一步，看到同族伙伴们脖颈上的毛也都顺了下来。影族武士们也一样，尽管他们的尾巴仍愤怒地不住抽动着。
“是他们跨过了我们的气味标记。”花楸掌咕哝道。
“不，我们没有。”黑莓掌不肯屈从。他认为族长一定会站在自己这边，可是火星的态度，好像根本不希望黑莓掌保卫他们的领地。“我们必须战斗，”他说道，“这里是我们的家园，所以得时刻准备……”
“不要再说了。”火星一脸冷漠地说道，“如果影族已做过气味标记了，那这里就是他们的领地。”
“如果他们真的做了气味标记，”尘毛插嘴说道，“我怎么什么气味都没有闻到啊？”
“我们不能指责另一族的猫说谎，”火星嘶声说道，“花楸掌，我们之前说过用来做边界的小溪和空地在哪儿呢？”
这位影族武士把脑袋一偏，指向影族的领地。“小溪就在后面，从这儿一直到湖边没有空地。”他满是轻蔑地对黑莓掌摇着尾巴，又补充说道，“我都告诉过他了。”
“那么，这里便是影族的领地，”火星做出了决定，“雷族会另找地方狩猎的。走吧，我们回营地。”
黑莓掌简直不敢相信他自己的耳朵。他咬紧牙关，努力不让自己在其他族群的武士面前对族长出言不逊。他唯一能做的，就只有转身跟随火星穿越树林时，狠狠地怒视着影族巡逻队。
当靠近自己之前捕杀歌鸫的那棵枯树时，他闻到空气中有一股淡淡的气味，那正是影族的气味标记。不过，气味实在是太淡了，以至于他几乎都识别不出来。而且，气味中分明掺杂着雷族、风族和河族的气味。即便知道影族猫并没有说谎，黑莓掌的怒火也没有减少丝毫。因为让他气不过的不是影族猫，而是火星。
为什么族长会把错归在黑莓掌和其他雷族猫身上？为什么他不能好好听他们解释一下越过边界的原因？黑莓掌气得嘴都歪了。长此以往，火星势必会把整个森林都拱手相让给其他族群。
他和其他五只猫前往太阳沉没之地的途中，不管遇见什么事情，他们都会相互商量。即便是黑莓掌自然而然成为首领，在做重大决定时，也都要跟其他猫进行商量。为什么火星就不能那样行事呢？对于这个新的家园，仁者见仁、智者见智，盲目服从命令并不总能事半功倍。
抵达山谷之前，火星停下脚步。“蕨毛，我要你们往那条路走。”他的尾巴指向一处越发茂密的树林，那里还未曾有哪只猫到过，“去看看能找到些什么，再看看有没有适合划分边界的地标。但我还需要你们之中谁跟我一起回去——黑莓掌，就你吧。”
看着另外三只猫消失在灌木丛中后，黑莓掌才转身跟上火星，问道：“你想让我做什么？”
“我们需要大量的苔藓和垫草来铺窝，”火星回答说，“我要你在天黑之前，能采集多少就采集多少。”
“什么？”黑莓掌猛地停了下来，怒火再次涌上心头，“那可是学徒干的差事！”
“通常情况下，是这样的。不过，学徒们都忙着在营地入口处建造屏障呢。黑莓掌，给你命令就去做。你明白，在新家建成之前，每一只猫都必须贡献出自己最大的力量。”
“好吧。”黑莓掌含糊地应道。
他让火星继续前行，自己则在一棵树下停了下来，拼命去抓扯树根之间的苔藓，把一腔愤懑发泄在那枝干上。不管火星说什么每只猫都要贡献自己的最大力量，但黑莓掌觉得，这是火星对他与影族巡逻队发生冲突的惩罚。黑莓掌之所以会那样，只是为了捍卫族群的领地而已。他希望能被信任、被赋予重任，而现在却落得在这里采集苔藓的结果。
当黑莓掌嘴里塞满苔藓返回的时候，撞见了松鼠飞和狩猎巡逻队的其他成员，他们正满载而归。
“嗨，黑莓掌！”松鼠飞放下嘴里叼着的松鼠，冲他喊道，“这里简直是狩猎的天堂！”
黑莓掌无法消受她的兴奋。他唯一被允许带回给族群的，仅是一堆垫草而已。他懒得放下嘴里的苔藓去回应他们，便从族猫的身边擦肩而过，大步走进了营地。
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 20
Brambleclaw halted at the edge ofthe lake and gazed across the stream into ShadowClan’s territory. The pine forest on the far side of the stream was a blue-black shadow against the heavy gray sky. No cats were in sight, but the damp wind brought a powerful reek toward him: the old, familiar ShadowClan scent, nearly as strong as it had ever been.
It was one more sign that all the cats were settling into their new territories. An even more powerful sign was the discovery of the Moonpool. Early that morning Cinderpelt and the newly named Leafpool had returned from the medicine cats’ first meeting with StarClan, and in two nights’ time Onewhisker would receive the nine lives of a leader at last.
“Yuck!” exclaimed Rainwhisker. “I’ll never get used to the way ShadowClan smells. It’s like a fox that’s been dead for a moon.”
“I don’t suppose they’re too keen on our scent, either,” Brambleclaw pointed out.
A splash and a startled yowl behind him interrupted him. He glanced around to see Spiderleg standing in the lake with water lapping halfway up his legs.
“Great StarClan, what are you doing?”
Spiderleg waded back to the shore, hanging his head in embarrassment. “I saw a fish,” he explained, and added unnecessarily, “It got away.”
Brambleclaw sighed. “You don’t catch fish like that. Remind me sometime to give you a lesson. Feathertail taught us when we were on our journey.” The familiar ache tugged at his heart when he remembered the beautiful RiverClan shecat. “Come on; we’d better finish patrolling this border.”
He turned to head upstream, and stopped when he caught sight of something moving on the ShadowClan side. A gray cat had emerged from the trees and was racing along the lakeshore toward him. Brambleclaw’s eyes widened in surprise when he recognized Mistyfoot. What was a RiverClan cat doing in ShadowClan territory?
“Brambleclaw, wait!” she yowled. She splashed through the stream as if it weren’t there and skidded to a halt in front of him, panting. “I’ve got to talk to Firestar right away.”
Spiderleg stepped forward, his neck fur bristling. “What are you doing on our territory?”
“Yeah, let’s chase her off,” Rainwhisker growled.
Brambleclaw flicked his tail irritably at the two younger warriors. “We’re not chasing her anywhere. This is Mistyfoot—remember? She’s been a good friend to ThunderClan.”
“Thanks, Brambleclaw.” Mistyfoot dipped her head, though there was still a wild look in her eyes, as if she’d seen something that terrified her. “Please take me to Firestar.”
“Okay.” Brambleclaw couldn’t think what might be so urgent, but he knew Mistyfoot wasn’t the sort of cat to make a fuss about nothing. “You two carry on with the patrol,” he told the others. “Watch out for Twolegs, and when you get as far as the dead tree, make sure the ShadowClan scent marks are where they’re supposed to be.”
Rainwhisker and Spiderleg exchanged a glance, as if they weren’t sure they wanted to leave Brambleclaw and Mistyfoot together, but neither of them said anything. They set off upstream; Rainwhisker kept looking back as if he expected Mistyfoot to attack Brambleclaw as soon as his back was turned.
“What’s the problem?” Brambleclaw demanded, as he led Mistyfoot to the camp by the quickest route.
“You’ll hear soon enough,” Mistyfoot meowed grimly. “Brambleclaw, can we hurry?”
Startled, Brambleclaw sped up until the two cats were hurtling through the trees, not slowing their pace until they reached the tunnel that led into the camp. Brambleclaw pushed his way through first, and to his relief spotted Firestar at once, sharing a thrush with Sandstorm near the fresh-kill pile. Beckoning Mistyfoot to stay close to him, Brambleclaw padded over.
Firestar swallowed a bite of fresh-kill and stood up. “Mistyfoot, welcome,” he greeted the RiverClan warrior. “What brings you here?”
“Nothing good,” Mistyfoot replied.
Firestar’s ears twitched, and Sandstorm looked up curiously.
“I’m afraid there’s trouble for all the Clans,” Mistyfoot went on.
“Wait a moment,” Firestar interrupted. “We’d better let Dustpelt and Brackenfur hear this too. Brambleclaw, can you find them?”
Brambleclaw raced to the warriors’ den. Thrusting his way in through the outer branches, he found Brackenfur curled up next to Sorreltail and gave the ginger tom a sharp prod.
Brackenfur looked up, blinking. “What’s wrong?”
“Firestar wants you,” Brambleclaw mewed. “Have you seen Dustpelt?”
Brackenfur shook his head, but Cloudtail, who was sharing tongues with Brightheart a few tail-lengths away, raised his head. “He’s in the nursery with Ferncloud.”
“Thanks.” Brambleclaw backed out and pelted across the hollow to the bramble thicket; Dustpelt emerged just as he was skidding to a halt by the entrance. His ears pricked inquiringly when he saw Brambleclaw.
“Firestar wants you,” Brambleclaw explained again. “Mistyfoot’s here, and she says there’s trouble.”
His eyes narrowing, the brown tabby warrior followed him over to the fresh-kill pile, where Brackenfur had just joined the others.
“Now,” Firestar meowed, waving his tail at Mistyfoot. “Tell us what’s wrong.”
She had recovered some of her composure, but her eyes were still anxious. “Three nights ago I was on my way back to camp when I spotted two cats on the shore of the lake opposite the island,” she began. “It was raining heavily, so I couldn’t think why they wanted to hang about where there was no shelter. I was going to order them back to camp when I realized who they were.” She paused, digging her claws into the ground.
“Well?” Firestar prompted.
“One of them was Hawkfrost,” Mistyfoot replied. She swallowed painfully, as if a tough bit of fresh-kill were lodged in her throat. “And the other was Mudclaw.”
“What?”exclaimed Dustpelt.
Brambleclaw’s belly lurched. What did Hawkfrost want with the former WindClan deputy?
“Before I reached them, Mudclaw raced back toward his own territory,” Mistyfoot continued. “But Hawkfrost hadn’t chased him off. They’d been talking together, and I got the impression they knew each other quite well. I’ve suspected before this that Hawkfrost has been sneaking out of camp at night. To tell you the truth,” she added awkwardly to Brambleclaw, “I thought he might have been going to meet you. I saw you talking together at the Gathering, and you arekin….” Her voice grew defensive as she went on, “I couldn’t see much harm in that, so I never asked Hawkfrost to explain himself. Now I know I made a mistake. It must have been Mudclaw he was meeting.”
Brambleclaw looked down at his paws, feeling the gaze of his Clanmates scorching his fur. He wanted to think of a good reason for Mudclaw to be speaking to a RiverClan warrior, but he couldn’t.
“Hawkfrost went back to camp—and I let him go,” Mistyfoot went on. “He didn’t know I’d spotted him, and I thought I’d try to find out what was going on before I tackled him.”
“What did you do next?” Sandstorm asked.
“I couldn’t believe they’d meet on the lakeshore, where any cat could spot them. I remembered how keen on the island Hawkfrost was when we first came here, so I swam out to see if they’d been meeting there. Sure enough, I found their scent…some fresh, and some stale. I guess they’ve been there three or four times at least.”
“Mudclaw swam over to the island?” Dustpelt sounded incredulous. “More than once? I’m surprised he even wanted to get his paws wet. None of the WindClan cats likes to swim.”
“Then you tell me how his scent got over there,” Mistyfoot retorted.
“What did Leopardstar say when you told her all this?” asked Firestar.
Mistyfoot looked uncomfortable. “I didn’t tell her,” she admitted. “Hawkfrost is a good warrior, and he’s popular, especially with the younger cats. It’s no secret that some of them think he should have stayed deputy when I escaped from the Twolegs. I was afraid that if I told Leopardstar, she’d think I was trying to make trouble because I felt he was a threat to me. Besides, I didn’t see him do anything wrong, apart from speak to a cat from another Clan. I decided to keep an eye on him until I could work out why he and Mudclaw were meeting.”
“And now you have?” Brackenfur guessed.
Firestar narrowed his eyes. “Yes, you didn’t come here because of something you saw three nights ago. What’s happened?”
“This morning Hawkfrost offered to lead the dawn patrol,” Mistyfoot replied. “The three cats he chose to go with him are the ones who yowl loudest about what a good deputy he would make. None of them has come back yet.”
Brambleclaw glanced up at the sky; the sun was hidden behind rain-laden clouds, but he guessed that sunset could not be far off. Either the dawn patrol had gotten severely lost—or they hadn’t been planning to return when the patrol was finished.
“Maybe they just found a good place to hunt,” Firestar suggested.
“And you can’t blame him for choosing his friends to go with him on a patrol,” Sandstorm added fairly.
“You don’t understand,” Mistyfoot meowed. “When they hadn’t come back by sunhigh, I tried to track them. I mean, it was obvious they hadn’t set out to do a regular dawn patrol.”
“Did they go to the island?” mewed Dustpelt.
“I thought they might have, but when I picked up the scent trail outside our camp, it led into ShadowClan territory.”
Brambleclaw felt every hair on his pelt begin to rise. Could there possibly be an innocent explanation for this?
“I knew ThunderClan wouldn’t be involved, so I came straight here,” Mistyfoot added. “A ShadowClan patrol nearly spotted me, but I made it to the border without being caught. Firestar, I’m convinced that Hawkfrost is involved in a plot to attack WindClan!”
Firestar’s green eyes were thoughtful. “There could be other explanations….”
“Name one!” Mistyfoot snapped. “Every cat knows that Mudclaw was furious when Tallstar chose Onewhisker to succeed him. Do you really think he wouldn’t do anything about it?”
“Wait!” Brackenfur leaped to his paws. “Now that Leafpool has found the Moonpool, Onewhisker will soon receive his nine lives from StarClan. Mudclaw hasto attack before then, if he wants to take over the Clan.”
“That means he’ll strike tonight,” Brambleclaw mewed hoarsely.
“Firestar, you have to do something!” Mistyfoot urged.
Firestar’s claws scraped the earth. “Why me? Why not go to your own leader?”
“Leopardstar would just suspect me of trying to make trouble for Hawkfrost. And she would never do anything to help WindClan. But Onewhisker’s your friend….”
“He’s still a Clan leader, and responsible for the safety of his own Clan. He can’t expect ThunderClan to come to the rescue every time there’s trouble.” Firestar stared down at his feet as his claws sank into the ground. Then he looked up. “But you’re right. We can’t just sit by and do nothing. We’ll send a patrol to the WindClan camp to see what’s going on. And I’d better call a meeting to warn the rest of the Clan.”
“Is that necessary?” Brambleclaw protested.
Firestar gave him a long look. “We don’t know for certain that they’re not planning to attack us. I hope as much as any cat that we’re wrong, but it’s a risk we can’t afford to take.”
Springing up, he raced across the hollow and up the tumble of broken rock to the Highledge. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join for a Clan meeting,” he yowled.
Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Sorreltail emerged from the warriors’ den. The elders joined them after a moment, Goldenflower leading Longtail. Cinderpelt appeared from her den with Leafpool just behind her; the young tabby was looking wide-eyed with alarm.
Squirrelflight, Ashfur, and Thornclaw paused as they entered the camp with fresh-kill, then dropped their prey on the pile and raced across to join the others.
“Cats of ThunderClan,” Firestar began. “Mistyfoot has brought news that suggests Mudclaw and Hawkfrost are planning to attack WindClan. I’m going to take a patrol over to the WindClan camp, but I want every cat alert in case they come here. It’s likely that ShadowClan is involved as well.”
Shocked murmurs rose from the listening cats. Brambleclaw stared at his paws as he felt his Clanmates looking at him and whispering, linking him to Hawkfrost over and over because they shared the same father. He could not bring himself to look at Squirrelflight for fear of seeing contempt in her eyes.
“Cloudtail, you and Brightheart are in charge of the camp,” Firestar went on. “Thornclaw, take two cats and keep watch on the ShadowClan border. If you spot any of their warriors, track them, but don’t attack if you’re badly outnumbered.”
Thornclaw nodded and beckoned to Squirrelflight and Ashfur. Firestar prepared to leap down from the ledge, but before he could move, Cinderpelt stepped forward.
“Firestar, there’s something you ought to know. Leafpool told me about a dream she had. It might have something to do with this.”
“Okay.” Firestar motioned his daughter forward. “Tell us, Leafpool.”
“I saw the lake turn red, and heard a voice,” the young shecat explained. “It said, ‘Before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red.’”
“That’s all?” Firestar prompted. “Nothing to tell you whose blood, or when?”
Leafpool shook her head.
“It’s enough to suggest big trouble is coming,” Cinderpelt meowed. “I’d take this attack seriously if I were you. It’s Mudclaw’s last chance to seize control of WindClan, while Onewhisker still has only one life.”
“Right.” Firestar jumped down. “Let’s go.”
Brambleclaw followed his leader past Thornclaw, who was organizing his smaller patrol. He couldn’t resist glancing sideways at Squirrelflight. He had expected her to look triumphant now that it looked like she had been right all along about Hawkfrost. Instead he saw pity in her eyes.
Her sad look stayed with him all the way as Firestar cut through the trees and raced for the WindClan border.
第十三章
第十三章
“说，你在这儿干什么？”
在鸦羽的怒视下，叶爪感到自己身上的毛都立了起来。“我是过来帮忙的！”她嘶声说道，“晨花和暗足都病了，我给他俩带了一些草药。”
“你怎么会知道是什么病？”鸦羽怀疑地问道。
“因为我们雷族也有猫生了同样的病。”叶爪反驳道。没必要告诉他蛾翅和污水的事。她可不想让这位脾气急躁的风族武士逮住机会，去指责蛾翅蓄意毒害长老。
“退后，鸦羽，”白尾说道，“是我把叶爪请来的。”
这位深烟灰色武士发出一阵厌恶的鼻息声，便不再说话。但当叶爪开始检查晨花的病情时，他又密切监视着她的一举一动。叶爪觉得有鸦羽在一旁守着，十分别扭，但又不能叫他走开，毕竟这里是风族的营地。
她断定晨花患的病跟鼠毛和其他猫患的是同一种病，就把几片薄荷叶咀嚼成糊状，用爪子掰开晨花的下颌，努力塞了进去，接着轻抚着她的喉咙，想让她咽下。
白尾蹲伏下身子，凑过来问道：“她会死吗？”
“我不知道。”叶爪实话实说，心里默默向星族祈祷：请让她早点好起来吧。
在等待草药发生疗效的时候，她听见暗足醒来的声音。这只年迈的公猫抬起头，两眼迷蒙地望向四周。“伟大的星族啊，我肚子太疼了。”他痛苦地说道，“青面在哪儿呢？杜松果呢？”
“他还没回来呢，”白尾说道，“但叶爪带来了一些水薄荷。”
“叶爪？”暗足眨了眨眼睛，“她可是雷族的猫。”可还没等叶爪解释什么，他又说道：“雷族也好，风族也罢，管她哪族的，只要能治好我就行。”他咀嚼一些叶爪放在面前的薄荷叶，然后就又把头枕回自己的爪上继续休息了。
晨花传来一阵哽咽的声音，将叶爪的注意力重新拉了回去。这只衰老的母猫无力地呕吐着，双腿也抽搐起来。
“你对她做了什么？”鸦羽咆哮道，“她的情况更糟了！”
他想把叶爪推开。叶爪向后一跳。但当叶爪想要避开他重新回到晨花身边时，却迎来鸦羽的龇牙相向。
“住手！”叶爪转过身，看到一根须走进灌木丛，身后跟着裂耳。“鸦羽，你这是想干吗？叶爪是来帮我们的。”
“她不该在这里出现。”鸦羽咆哮道。
“那你的意思是说，她不该来帮我们的忙？她不该拯救风族猫的性命？”一根须说这话的语气虽然非常平静，但透着一股子愤怒。看着鸦羽默不作声，他又说：“既然你这么有兴趣，那就留下来守着她吧。要是她需要你做什么，你就去做。叶爪，你不要怕，有事尽管差使他。”
叶爪点点头说：“谢谢你，一根须。我想这儿有我和白尾就够了。”
“我的狩猎巡逻队还需要白尾，”一根须告诉她说，“但鸦羽没别的事情要做。”说完，他示意白尾，两只猫一同离开了。
鸦羽愤怒地盯着叶爪。“你要是敢把我当学徒一样支使，我肯定会把你变成鸦食。”他嘶声说道。
尽管叶爪很生鸦羽的气，但她还是觉得，一根须对鸦羽的态度过于严厉了。“现在还是晨花的病情要紧，”她说道，“我们需要再喂她一些水薄荷。”
她又嚼碎了一些薄荷叶，让鸦羽掰开晨花的下颌，好让她咽下糊状物。她心里暗暗祈祷这位长老可别再将草药吐出来。当鸦羽跟她擦身而过时，她不由得往后缩了一下，身上的毛就像暴风雨前的空气那般震颤起来。鸦羽也往后跳开了，接着又向前迈了一步，不敢看叶爪的眼睛，似乎觉到有些尴尬。
晨花依旧显得十分虚弱，仿佛已经筋疲力尽了。叶爪坐在她的身边，用尾巴轻抚着她的腹部。她明白，鸦羽正寸步不离地盯着自己。她多希望鸦羽能离开啊！
过了一会儿，她觉得那只老母猫的呼吸渐渐变得有力了，而一旁的暗足则再次睡着了，还不时发出一声嘶哑的呜咽。
“他们的情况在好转吗？”鸦羽低声问道。
“我想是的。”叶爪说道，“暗足肯定没事，我现在担心的是晨花。”
“叶爪。”一个身影投在晨花的身体上，叶爪抬起头，看见了青面。“很高兴见到你。”青面嘴里叼着一团叶片说道。他吐出嘴里的叶片时，那团叶片开了，露出一些干瘪的杜松果。
“青面，希望你不要介意，”叶爪有些紧张地说道，“我在树林里遇到了你的族猫，他们说晨花病得很厉害。刚好我们雷族也有猫患上同样的病，所以……”
青面尾巴一挥，打断了她：“我们非常欢迎你来。我还不知道最有效的草药长在什么地方——我只发现了一丛杜松，那上面的大部分浆果还让鸟给叼走了。”他仔细地闻了闻晨花，又说了一句：“她比我离开时好多了。你喂给她的是——水薄荷吗？用水薄荷来治疗真是个好主意！不过，如果我能找到足够多的杜松果，我就直接用它了。”
“那么，我可以走了吧？”鸦羽大声问道。
“哦，当然可以。你走吧。”青面示意他离开，“有我在就行了。”
叶爪眼看着他离开，心里非常纳闷，为什么自己会感到有些失落呢。她不愿意和任何一只猫产生过节，更何况鸦羽还是松鼠飞的朋友，她更不愿意跟他闹得不愉快——她不禁猜想，松鼠飞到底认同鸦羽哪一点啊。
“不如你也回去吧，叶爪，”青面说道，“这儿多亏有你在，但是，你的族群也需要你。”
叶爪留下剩余的水薄荷，站起身说道：“记得告诉我晨花的康复情况。”
“我会的，我一定会给你捎信的。”青面保证说。
叶爪钻出灌木丛，看到一根须正在营地中央，身边围着他的武士。叶爪决定去向一根须道别。然而，当看到同族长说话的那些猫里面，泥掌也在的时候，她便犹豫了起来。
一根须看到她了。“晨花怎么样了？”他问。
“我想她会好起来的，青面现在在她身边。”
“对你所做的一切，我们感激不尽。”风族族长说道，他的双眼中满是暖意，“裂耳跟我说，在树林里遇见你的时候，他和刺掌正因为边界的事情起了争执。我已经决定，从现在起，我们把那块领地让给雷族。我们会把我们的气味标记挪到树林边缘，也就是靠近山脚的地方。”
“你真是太慷慨了！”叶爪正要开口说话，却被泥掌发出的咆哮声打断了。
“你真是鼠脑子吗？”这位前副族长厉声说道，“就为了一爪治病的草药，你就要把风族的领地拱手相让？就算没有这位学徒多管闲事，青面也完全有能力治愈族猫。”
一根须转过身来看着他说道：“泥掌，要是你认为我这么做仅仅是因为草药，那你就大错特错了。想想雷族为我们所做的一切，我们不知得用多久才能回报他们。要不是他们伸出援手，风族所有的猫现在都已经变成鸦食了。”
泥掌发出一声咆哮，咧开大嘴露出锋利的黄牙。叶爪不得不将爪子深嵌进泥土里，免得自己吓得落荒而逃。另外一两位武士脸上也露出不安的神情，其中就包括鸦羽。叶爪本以来鸦羽会站出来支持泥掌，斥责自己不应该踏进风族的营地，但那位瘦弱的深烟灰色皮毛武士却什么都没有说。
“我不想听到任何因为边界而跟雷族发生冲突的事，”一根须怒吼道，“那片林地对我们风族来说，也没有多大用处。风族从什么时候起开始在树林里狩猎了？”
“树林里可不光有猎物，”网脚走上前来，站在了泥掌身边，“至少还有草药。我可是知道，青面需要一些在荒原上永远都不可能找得到的草药。”
“够了！”一根须打断了他，“风族的领地那么大，而且之前也没听说青面找不到什么药草。”
他的武士们低下了头，但都对族长的命令感到不满。泥掌转身走开了，用足以让众猫听到的声音嘟囔了一句：“叛徒！”
因为焦虑，叶爪的心一下子紧张起来。她猜想一些风族武士会同意泥掌的说法，认为一根须为了与雷族重建盟友关系，并没有把自己族群的利益放在第一位。她不知道，如果泥掌篡位夺权的话，事态会发展成什么样子。到那时，又会有多少风族猫摩拳擦掌响应泥掌呢？
“你一定想要回去了，”一根须说道，“鸦羽，请带叶爪回到雷族的营地，并把我的决定告诉火星。”
鸦羽抬起头，睁大双眼问道：“我吗？”
哦，不。叶爪心想。她赶紧大声说道：“不用这么麻烦。我能找到回去的路。虽然我只是一名巫医，可我也懂得如何保护自己。”
一根须的耳朵朝她的方向轻弹一下，说道：“鸦羽，这是命令。”
鸦羽看上去仍旧十分震惊，但他长长叹了一口气，说道：“走吧。要是我不和你一起回去，可是没法交代啊！”
叶爪明白，自己只能照办了。鸦羽迅速地从她身边绕过，顺着营地边缘的斜坡就往上跑去。叶爪匆匆地向一根须点头告别，然后便跳跃着跟在深烟灰色武士的身后。鸦羽的步伐很快，也不问叶爪能不能跟上自己。他是那么蛮横无理，叶爪一点也不想劳神同他攀谈。但即使是在如此的静寂之中，他俩之间的气氛也像绿叶季的闪电一样，噼啪作响。显然，对于雷族猫居然帮了自己的族群，他仍然耿耿于怀。
作为一名巫医，叶爪从不像其他猫那样，有特别强烈的族群意识，对其他族群充满敌意。如果族群意识就是那样的感觉，她很庆幸自己不用因为某只猫来自别的族群，就彼此敌视。虽然鸦羽曾经参加过那次旅行，但他似乎比任何一只猫都更能适应族群的对立。从他竖立的毛发、时不时投来的仇视余光来看，他似乎早已做好重燃战火的准备。
当他们抵达小溪时，叶爪长长地松了一口气。他们所处的位置比雷族前一天晚上走过的那个地方更靠上一些，鸦羽敏捷地领着她踩过几个垫脚石，顺利地回到了雷族的领地。没过多久，她就认出了环绕在山谷顶部的灌木丛。于是她走到前面，顺着斜坡往下走，来到悬崖间的缺口。当他们来到入口处时，叶爪看到，荆棘屏障已经初步成形，里面的荆棘丛中，已经清理出了一块空地，堆满了猎物。
火星正站在昨晚香薇云和小白桦睡觉的灌木丛旁，而松鼠飞正在帮香薇云将荆棘那长长的蔓藤拖出来。
“这里很适合做育婴室，”香薇云抬起后腿，把腰上的一根刺弄了出来，气喘吁吁地说，“这里正好靠着石壁，能够遮蔽风雨。不过，我们需要清理里面的杂物，腾出更多的空间。”
“要不了多久，我们就能搞定了。”松鼠飞向她保证，还使劲拖走了一棵比她身子长两倍的荆棘条，而小白桦则在荆棘条的另一头尽情地玩耍着。
带着一团苔藓的黑莓掌出现在新育婴室的入口处。一名武士竟然干着学徒的活，这让叶爪深受感动。很显然，黑莓掌已经下定决心，要把族猫好好安顿在他帮着找到的这个新家园里。香薇云跟着他走进育婴室，帮他安放苔藓。小白桦也不再追逐松鼠飞拖着的那棵荆棘条了，跟在妈妈身后跑了进来。
“火星，鸦羽来了，”叶爪向她的族长低头致意，“他从风族一路送我回来。”
“谢谢你。”火星来到这位年轻的风族武士身边，问道，“风族一切都好吧？”
“叶爪给晨花治了病，”鸦羽的声音听起来没有一丝的感激之情，“一根须让我告诉你，雷族可以越过小溪，抢先在对岸的林地中做气味标记。他很乐意将风族的边界移到树林边上。”
火星双目圆瞪，惊讶极了。显然，他没料到竟如此轻而易举地赢得那块领地。“一根须真是太好了！”火星回答道，“请代我向他道谢。”
“也谢谢你送我回来。”叶爪补充道。虽然鸦羽的举止，就像只爪上插了根刺的狐狸那样，但这并不表示叶爪也会那么无礼。
鸦羽盯着她看了许久，目光中除了敌意，似乎还有什么别的东西。他好像有什么话要说，但却只是点了点头，然后就走出了营地。
“嗨！”松鼠飞在他身后喊道，“怎么对老朋友都视而不见啊！你是怎么啦？”
但是，风族武士头也不回地消失在了蕨丛中。
火星注视着将鸦羽吞没，还在不住颤动的绿色蕨叶。“一根须太慷慨了！”火星说道，可他的语气没有叶爪预想的那么高兴，“影族跟他比，可就天壤之别了。”
“影族？”叶爪重复了一下，想知道父亲怎么会提到他们。
“我们跟影族武士差点就打起来了！”松鼠飞兴致勃勃地告诉她说，“黑莓掌跨过了影族的气味标记，影族的巡逻队便想要赶走他。”
“我们能打败他们。”这时，黑莓掌从育婴室里出来了，嘴里没再叼着苔藓，说道，“我认为，他们这么做，只是因为把族群的利益放在了第一位。我不知道一根须是不是也会这么认为。我的意思是，他可是刚刚放弃了一大块上好的狩猎区。”
黑莓掌的话听起来有些新奇，但并没有什么敌意，没想到松鼠飞却蓬松起尾巴，反驳起他来。
“至少他忠于自己的老朋友！”她突然说道，“不像你，早已把这些忘得干干净净了。”
黑莓掌的眼里满是怒火。但他什么都没说，反而紧闭双唇，扬长而去。火星担心地摇了摇头，跟在他身后走了几步，然后又转过身，走到猎物旁的刺掌跟前，跟他交谈了起来。
“刚才到底是怎么回事？”叶爪担心地问妹妹，“你和黑莓掌之间到底怎么了？”
松鼠飞耸耸肩。“别问我。自从我们来这儿以后，他的情绪一直都不好。”她不再假装不在乎了，而是用那双受伤的绿眼睛困惑地盯着叶爪，“我想他再也不喜欢我了。”
叶爪不知道说什么可以安慰她。她懂得如何治愈伤口，知道什么草药可以缓解腹痛，但如何弥合妹妹和黑莓掌之间的裂痕，她却一点办法也没有。那是巫医这辈子都永远无法理解的一块区域。她想，自己永远不用承受这样的痛苦，应该感到宽慰才是。接着，她看到松鼠飞的目光一路追随着黑莓掌，直到他离开营地，想起这两只猫曾经是那么地在意对方。当想到没有猫会对她也产生这种情感时，她感到内心深处有一丝小小的失落。
尘毛拖着另一把长长的蔓藤从灌木丛中走出来时，差点被小白桦给绊倒，因为这小家伙正猛追着蔓藤末端不放。“小白桦！你简直比一只狐狸还淘气。”
“你就别骂他了，”香薇云小声嘀咕着，跟在伴侣身后来到空地上，“他玩得这么开心，有什么不好的？”
尘毛咕噜咕噜表示赞同。两只猫就这样看着他们的孩子。小白桦一会儿朝荆棘龇牙咆哮，一会儿紧紧咬住荆棘不停地摇晃脑袋。看着这一切，尘毛的眼中泛着无比幸福的光芒。看着此情此景，叶爪内心的失落越来越强烈。松鼠飞对黑莓掌那样的感情，她永远不会在另一只猫身上找到，更不用说有伴侣和孩子相陪的天伦之乐了。她从未怀疑过自己的选择，不论是为星族奉献生命，还是作为巫医而孑然一身——但突然间，她还是觉得，自己的生命中是不是缺少了什么。
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 21
Night was falling as the ThunderClancats crossed the stream and entered WindClan territory. Out of the shelter of the trees, a stiff wind was blowing with an icy sting of rain. Now and then the moon or a star shone fitfully between rags of cloud, but for most of the time thick darkness covered the moor. The cats had to find their way by scent alone, barely able to see their own paws.
“There’s no sign of a border patrol,” Dustpelt whispered, sniffing.
“That could mean they’re defending the camp,” Mistyfoot replied.
“Shh!” Firestar’s low hiss came out of the darkness. “Stay alert. We don’t know what we’re getting into.”
Soon they reached the stream that flowed down from the WindClan camp. Firestar followed it for a while, then halted to taste the air. Brambleclaw did the same; a strong scent of WindClan cats came from up ahead, but none of the other Clan scents. There was no sound of fighting cats, just the buffeting of the wind and the gurgling stream. A faint hope began to grow inside Brambleclaw that Mistyfoot had made a mistake.
“Nothing,” Firestar murmured when the silence had stretched out for many heartbeats.
“We could go and ask Onewhisker if everything’s okay,” Brackenfur suggested.
“What? Stroll into his camp and tell him we came to fight off his enemies?” Dustpelt meowed. “I don’t think so.”
Sandstorm murmured agreement, and after a moment’s thought Firestar echoed it. “You’re right. The best thing we can do is go home.”
“But something’s wrong; I’m sure of it,” Mistyfoot protested. Her eyes gleamed with anxiety. “What about Leafpool’s dream?”
“We’ve no idea what Leafpool’s dream means,” Firestar pointed out. “Meanwhile, we’re here in fighting strength on another Clan’s territory. Onewhisker would be well within his rights if he ripped our fur off.”
Dustpelt snorted. “I’d like to see him try.”
The wind was rising, and a sudden gust almost carried Brambleclaw off his paws. In the distance he heard a faint rumble of thunder. “Let’s get back before the storm breaks,” Firestar mewed.
All the cats turned to follow him. Bringing up the rear, Brambleclaw cast one last glance toward the WindClan camp, and froze as a wisp of scent drifted between his parted jaws.
Hawkfrost!
“Firestar, wait!” he rasped.
Gazing up the hill, he saw several dark shapes flow over the rise from the opposite direction and launch themselves down into the hollow. For a heartbeat he thought he recognized the outline of Hawkfrost’s broad head and powerful shoulders at the head of the cats.
A single screech split the night. Firestar whipped around and raced back up the hill. “Come on!”
Brambleclaw was shoulder-to-shoulder with him as they reached the edge of the hollow. More screeches split the night; in the darkness, Brambleclaw could make out nothing more than a caterwauling tangle of fur. He could scent RiverClan and ShadowClan as well as WindClan, but he couldn’t recognize individuals or work out which cats he should be attacking.
He heard Firestar yowl, “Mudclaw!” as his leader hurtled down the slope into the camp. Brambleclaw and the rest of the ThunderClan patrol raced after him. A moment later Brambleclaw lost sight of his Clanmates as he plunged into the struggling mass. Before he had a chance to get his breath, a cat crashed into his side, knocking him off his paws. He twisted around and found himself glaring up into the eyes of Cedarheart from ShadowClan.
“Stay out of this!” spat the dark gray tom. “This is not ThunderClan’s fight!”
Not bothering to reply, Brambleclaw kicked out hard with his hindlegs and jabbed his feet into Cedarheart’s belly. The ShadowClan warrior staggered backward and vanished, leaving Brambleclaw to stumble to his paws. Great StarClan, please, don’t let Tawnypelt be here!he begged silently.
He was buffeted from side to side as cats slammed into him in screeching knots of fur and claws. There was no sign of Hawkfrost, though he spotted another RiverClan warrior hurling himself across the hollow and leaping into a clump of gorse with his claws outstretched. The throng of cats shifted, and Brambleclaw had a clear view of Webfoot and Onewhisker struggling together, Onewhisker’s teeth sunk deep in Webfoot’s shoulder while the tabby tom clawed lumps of fur from his leader’s side.
Brambleclaw leaped forward to help Onewhisker, but at the same moment Mudclaw erupted from the shadows. Onewhisker vanished under a whirl of teeth and claws, but a heartbeat later Firestar appeared, grabbed Mudclaw’s scruff in his teeth, and hauled him off.
Mudclaw shook himself free. “Do you think this is your Clan?” he snarled at Firestar. “Think again, kittypet! WindClan will have a new leader now, a strong cat who can make the Clan great again.”
“Onewhisker is WindClan’s leader,” Firestar spat back.
Mudclaw threw himself at the ThunderClan leader. As the two cats went down, Webfoot dashed in from the side and fastened his teeth in Firestar’s leg. Brambleclaw leaped toward them but was brought to a jolting stop when a weight landed on top of him, rolling him to the ground. RiverClan scent flooded over him, but his attacker was black, not tabby.As Brambleclaw raked his claws over the cat’s face he felt a stab of relief that he didn’t have to fight Hawkfrost—yet.
He felt a sharp pain in his side as his attacker’s claws found their mark. We’re losing,he thought, fighting panic when he pictured Firestar struggling alone against two strong cats. There are too many of them!
But fear gave him a new surge of strength, and he forced himself to his paws, driving off his attacker with a swift bite to his tail. Suddenly he heard a distant yowling and recognized Squirrelflight’s voice. A gleam of moonlight showed her racing over the top of the hollow with Thornclaw and Ashfur beside her.
Only a flash of Firestar’s flame-colored flank was visible beneath Mudclaw and Webfoot. Before Brambleclaw could reach him, Squirrelflight hurtled past and flung herself into the battle with a screech of fury. Webfoot fled, and Mudclaw turned to attack the ginger warrior. Squirrelflight reared up on her hindlegs, claws slashing; Mudclaw tried to plunge his teeth into her throat. Brambleclaw flung himself toward Firestar; relief flooded over him as his leader pulled himself to his paws and leaped back into the battle. One flank dripped with blood, but the injury didn’t seem to slow Firestar down.
Brambleclaw whirled around to throw himself into the fight against Mudclaw. But he and Squirrelflight had disappeared among the struggling cats that swayed back and forth across the hollow. Brambleclaw found himself fighting flank-to-flank with Crowfeather, their moves well matched and strong after many moons of journeying together. Mistyfoot and Sandstorm were close by, battling against two RiverClan warriors.
Then Brambleclaw spotted Squirrelflight again, this time locked in combat with Nightcloud. Squirrelflight’s flank was bleeding, but her teeth were fastened in Nightcloud’s scruff, and she was battering the well-muscled she-cat with her hindpaws.
Brambleclaw leaped in to help; Nightcloud tore herself free and fled. Squirrelflight scrambled up, panting.
“What are you doing here?” Brambleclaw demanded.
“There wasn’t a sniff of trouble by the ShadowClan border,” Squirrelflight replied. “So we came here, in case we were needed.”
“I’m glad you did,” Brambleclaw mewed fervently.
“Then why are we wasting time talking about it?” Squirrelflight flicked her ears at a couple of ShadowClan warriors a few tail-lengths away. She and Brambleclaw hurtled into battle side by side. At a twitch of Squirrelflight’s tail they split up and confused the ShadowClan cats by attacking on each flank, pinning them together so they clawed each other as they tried to reach their enemies.
“Nice move!” gasped Squirrelflight as she raked her claws down the ginger tom’s ear.
A lightning bolt of pure energy slammed through Brambleclaw as he met her shining, breathless gaze. But it did not last. Two other cats, locked in a screeching knot of teeth and claws, pushed between them, and when Brambleclaw dodged around them the ShadowClan cats were fleeing, with Squirrelflight streaking after them. A heartbeat later he lost sight of her.
Breathing hard, he looked around. He had reached the other side of the hollow. Ahead of him the cats parted to reveal a huge tabby tom with powerful shoulders padding toward him. Brambleclaw looked up, eye to eye with his brother. Hawkfrost’s expression was unreadable; his ice-blue eyes glittered with moonlight.
Then a gray warrior dashed in from the side, sending Brambleclaw crashing to the ground. He let out a screech and struck out with his claws. Pain stabbed him as teeth met in his shoulder, but he shook the other cat off and staggered up again. He caught a brief glimpse of Hawkfrost raking his claws across a WindClan warrior’s flank; then more cats thrust between them and his half brother was gone.
Thornclaw and Dustpelt appeared beside Brambleclaw. Together they thrust the invaders back pawstep by pawstep. Brambleclaw realized that the battle had turned, and they were forcing the attackers up the slope at the far side of the camp. He had almost reached the top when a flash of lightning bathed the moor in eerie yellow light. It showed him Mudclaw and Hawkfrost facing each other on the crest of the hill, outlined against the sky. A heartbeat later thunder crashed out overhead, rolling and echoing around the hill as if it would never stop. Rain hissed across the hillside; within moments Brambleclaw’s fur was soaked and plastered to his body.
As if the breaking storm were a signal, Mudclaw let out a yowl and fled, with Hawkfrost hard on his paws. Two ShadowClan warriors broke in the opposite direction, heading toward the ThunderClan camp.
Crowfeather raced up to Brambleclaw, his eyes questioning, as if he were waiting for an order.
“Go after them!” Brambleclaw gasped, jerking his head toward the fleeing ShadowClan warriors. Instinctively used to obeying him, Crowfeather took off into the darkness.
Brambleclaw tore across the grass in pursuit of Mudclaw. The former deputy had betrayed his Clan and tried to kill his leader. Brambleclaw vowed that no other cat but he would know the triumph of sinking his claws and teeth into Mudclaw’s throat.
He did not stop to ask himself what he would do if he had to face Hawkfrost.
第十四章
第十四章
黑莓掌潜行在灌木丛中，青草从身上扫过，令他感到阵阵凉意。他能听到小动物们在灌木丛下跑动的声音，四下充溢的猎物气息使他应接不暇。
在展开狩猎行动之前，他来到了一片开阔地。一轮满月高挂天穹，在苍白色的银光映照下，一草一叶清晰可辨。他前方的地面突然下陷，形成一个裂缝，裂缝两侧的峭壁上，满是凸出的岩石。
看到眼前的景象，黑莓掌震惊不已，这是通往雷族昔日营地的山谷。他抬起头，警惕地嗅了嗅，发现空气中并没有两脚兽的刺鼻气息。除了微风轻拂树林的沙沙声，周围没有任何声音。他们的家园是安全的！森林的毁灭，恐惧与饥饿，翻越高山的漫漫长路，都只是一场梦罢了……
黑莓掌欣喜若狂地顺着山沟往下方的金雀花通道奔去。很快，他便能再次见到他所有的族猫了：灰条没有被两脚兽抓走；香薇云的所有孩子都还健在；长老们还在他们的巢穴里颐指气使，要学徒帮自己除掉身上的虱子。
黑莓掌抑制不住自己内心的兴奋，颤抖着穿过金雀花通道，来到营地里面。他张开嘴刚准备打招呼，却一下子愣住了。空地里空荡荡的，只有一只猫孤零零地坐在空地中间。
那只猫抬起头，用炽热的琥珀色眼睛看向黑莓掌。
是虎星。
黑莓掌顿时震惊得说不出话来，他不敢相信自己的眼睛。灰条的被捉，香薇云幼崽的夭折，艰难的旅程——所有的这些都是真的。此刻，他不仅是在梦中，而且还是一场噩梦。
虎星蜷曲着尾巴，召唤黑莓掌靠近一些。黑莓掌先是身体僵直，然后慢慢向前移动。等他靠得很近了，父亲的身影便一览无余了：厚实的肩膀，宽阔的头部，以及那炯炯有神的琥珀色眼睛。
“欢迎你，”虎星的声音很低沉，“为了能跟你说话，我已经等了好几个月了。”
黑莓掌停在离虎星几尾远的地方。他不知道该说些什么。他所能想到的，就只是有其父，必有其子——他们有着同样宽阔的肩膀，相同形状的头部，以及一模一样的琥珀色眼睛。他觉得正盯着看的是自己在湖泊中的倒影。
“我已经见识到了你的勇气和力量。”虎星继续说道，“我的儿子，我为你感到骄傲。”
“谢……谢谢你。”黑莓掌的前爪在地上不住抓挠着，“你为什么会到这儿来？是星族派你来的吗？”
“我不跟星族一起狩猎，”虎星厉声说道，“银毛星带之外的天空很辽阔，而且有很多连星族都不知道的狩猎场。”
他的目光飘向黑莓掌的身后。“欢迎你，”他说道，“我一直希望你能过来，而且满怀期待与你见面。”
黑莓掌转过身，看到鹰霜正从金雀花通道中现出身影。看到这位河族武士穿过空地，坐到了自己的身旁，黑莓掌惊得说不出话来。月光在他们前方的干燥地面上投下了两个如出一辙的影子。黑莓掌意识到，即使是半盲的幼崽，也能一眼看出他们仨有血缘关系。
黑莓掌告诉自己，为了多了解一些父亲和同父异母的弟弟，他除了对他们感到困惑和好奇外，还应该有其他更强烈的情感。他们来自三个不同的族群，除此之外，虎星为了满足自己对权力的贪欲，杀死了许多猫，还背叛了自己的族猫。尽管如此，黑莓掌还是无法摆脱这种感觉，那就是，为了此时此刻，他已经等待了好久。纵使他们之间有着各种千差万别，但身体里却淌着同样的血液。
“你是虎星吗？”鹰霜问道。这令黑莓掌想起，鹰霜来到森林之前，虎星就已经被杀死了。“你是我的父亲吗？”鹰霜继续问道。
虎星点点头说：“是的。那么，你的新领地怎么样？”
“在一个截然不同的地方生活，很不容易。”鹰霜承认道。
“我们都很怀念森林里的日子。”黑莓掌补充道。
“很快，你们便会觉得湖边的陆地就像家一样了，”虎星保证道，“你们要建立各自的边界，并不惜一切守卫边界，因为领地是维系一个族群的基础。”
“是啊！”鹰霜眼中闪着兴奋的光芒，“我们河族已经设置了气味标记。就在昨天，我和黑爪还将一只住在我们领地里的獾赶了出去。”
“很好，好极了。”仿佛有个声音在召唤他，虎星突然竖起耳朵，抬头看向天空。树林之上，第一缕晨光让天空泛起了鱼肚白。“我得走了，”这只深色的虎斑猫说道，“黑莓掌，鹰霜，再见。我们会在梦中再次相遇的，我保证。”
就在他站起身来的那一刻，乌云遮住了月亮，空地上也顿时漆黑一片。等乌云再次散去时，虎星已消失得无影无踪。
“我也得走了。”鹰霜与黑莓掌碰了碰鼻子，然后往营地入口处走去。
“不。等等，你不要走！”黑莓掌叫道。
“我必须走了，我在执行黎明巡逻的任务。你在说什么，黑莓掌？”
黑莓掌眨了眨眼睛，坐了起来。只见云尾正一面疑惑不解地看着他，一面整理掉毛发上的苔藓。“发生什么事了吗？”云尾问道，“需不需要我告诉蕨毛，你不能去巡逻了？”
黑莓掌摇了摇头，一脸迷茫。“不，没事，我没事。”他再次躺下，紧紧地闭上了双眼，好像这样一来，那如尖刺般撕扯着自己肚子的深深悲伤，便能被忘掉了。
梦慢慢醒了，他又回到了石头山谷中。虎星、鹰霜，以及雷族的旧营地，都不见了踪影。
黑莓掌好好地睡了一会儿。这一次，他没有做梦，醒来的时候，也不再那么困惑难受了。他从蕨丛中爬了出来，伸了个懒腰。此刻，天色更亮了，连岩壁顶部那些光秃秃的树枝都能看得一清二楚。一想到今晚是月圆之夜，要召开森林大会了，他就兴奋得打了个激灵。
他环视了一下营地，发现空地跟他初次看到时，已大不相同。许多荆棘丛被连根拔起，被挪到营地入口处做了屏障。最大的灌木丛已被改造成了育婴室。学徒们将岩壁里的一个浅洞作为了他们的巢穴，而武士们则睡在荆棘丛向外延伸的树枝下方，这块荆棘丛跟旧营地里的几乎一样大。长老们还没有找到满意的巢穴。每天夜里，他们都会尝试睡在不同的地方，第二天醒来后，不是抱怨那里太潮湿，就是嫌弃这里风太大。黑莓掌猜想，金花和长尾很享受寻觅巢穴的过程，因为这意味着他们必须探索山谷的每一个角落，他们甚至开始建议什么地方最适合晒太阳，什么地方既能躲雨还能享受美食。
渐渐地，这个石头山谷变得越来越像家了，但是黑莓掌无法忘掉他梦中回到以前那个山谷的营地时，所看到的一切。让他梦牵魂绕、焦躁不安的，不只是因为渴望回到旧森林，也因为他还一直惦记着自己的父亲和同父异母的弟弟。虎星说在不同的天空中狩猎，是什么意思呢？是不是无论在何处狩猎，他都会始终监视着火星和整个雷族呢？
黑莓掌使劲甩甩脑袋，仿佛梦境是一张缠在他身上的蜘蛛网。他们昔日的家园已成为过去，为回忆而烦恼也没有什么意义了。当他努力把注意力集中在自己当下的职责上时，这才发现营地入口旁的猎物堆变矮了。就在这时，尘毛走出育婴室，向他这边走了过来。
“嗨，”黑莓掌说道，“想不想去狩猎啊？”
“太好了！”尘毛的双眼闪烁着兴奋的光芒，“我们该带着谁一起去呢？”
黑莓掌不知道自己是不是应该去找松鼠飞，这时，就听到有谁在喊尘毛的名字。他环顾四周，看到蕨毛向他们跑了过来。
“尘毛，”由于跑得太急，他好不容易才停下脚步，气喘吁吁地说，“昨天你让白爪收集了一整天的新鲜垫草。我能让她参加今天的武士训练吗？是时候恢复例行的学徒训练了。”
“当然可以，”尘毛回答道，“你想和我们一起去狩猎吗？”
“也可以把蛛爪一起带上，”黑莓掌建议道，“鼠毛的身体情况，可能还不适合参加巡逻任务。”
“好主意。”有个声音从黑莓掌身后传来。他转过身去，看见火星正朝这边走来。
“我刚和鼠毛谈过了，”火星继续说，“昨天，蛛爪赶走了一只在营地入口处嗅来嗅去的小狐狸。我们都认为他已经能胜任武士的职责了，所以，我们决定在太阳升起后，举行他的武士命名仪式。你可以告诉他，这是他最后一次以学徒身份参加狩猎了。”
黑莓掌心满意足地卷起尾巴。武士的命名仪式，对族群来说是最重大的一件事，而蛛爪的武士命名仪式，会清楚地表明，这处石头山谷的确是他们要安顿下来的新家。想必在森林大会上，命名新武士也会成为雷族族长汇报的事情之一。
火星祝他们满载而归，说完便离开了。而黑莓掌也找来了那两位学徒。很快，这五只猫就爬上山谷边缘的斜坡，然后向营地上方的树林深处挺进。马上就要到达悬崖的最高点了，这时，他们听到身后传来一声可怜兮兮的叫声。
“你们等等我啊！”
黑莓掌一回头，看到小白桦正奋力地跟在大家身后，踉踉跄跄穿过草丛，想追上他们。
“小白桦！”尘毛大喊道，“你这是要干吗？”
这只幼崽用哀求的眼神望着父亲，说：“我也想去狩猎。就让我去吧，好不好？”
蕨毛朝黑莓掌递了个眼神：“这幼崽！”
显然，尘毛并不觉得这很有趣。“不行，你不准去！”他严厉地说道，“除非你当上学徒，否则不能去狩猎。”
“但我挺在行的！”小白桦自夸道，“不信，我这就演示给你看，我要抓到那只鸟。”
他冲山谷最边缘处的荆棘丛点了点头，只见上面正栖息着一只知更鸟。还没等大家上前阻止，他已经扭动身子，向它扑了过去。
“快停下！”尘毛和黑莓掌同时惊呼道，紧接着便扑向了他。
小白桦身下的荆棘丛经受不住他身体的重量，他开始向山谷下方滑落。这时，黑莓掌追上了他，紧紧咬住了他的后脖颈。要是再晚一个心跳的时间，他便可能像松鼠飞那样翻滚坠落。不同的是，这个悬崖的高度是松鼠飞跌落的那处悬崖的两倍，再厉害的猫都不可能有幸活命。
黑莓掌拼命向后扒拉着，把小白桦扔到远离悬崖的坚实地面上。这只幼崽蜷缩在那儿瑟瑟发抖。尘毛则怒气冲冲地站在他的身边。
“你是彻彻底底的鼠脑子吗？”他嘶声吼道，“难道你不知道，幼崽在成为学徒之前，跟妈妈一起待在育婴室里，是有它的道理的吗？”
小白桦点了点头，眼睛瞪得大大的，露出惊恐的神色。“对不起。”他呜咽着哭了起来。
“别太苛责他了，”蕨毛在一旁劝道，“他也不是有意的。”
尘毛转过身来怒视着他：“有意无意又有什么区别？要不是黑莓掌，他早就摔死了。”他用尾巴戳了一下小白桦，喝道：“我还没听到你向黑莓掌说感谢呢！”
小白桦双耳耷拉着，低着头说：“黑莓掌，谢……谢谢你。我真的很抱歉。”
“没关系的。”黑莓掌说道。他很同情这只吓坏了的幼崽——从小白桦满脸恐惧的神情来看，这次惊吓能让他好几个月都乖乖地在营地里待着。
“来吧，站起来吧，你又没有受伤。”尘毛俯下身子，在小家伙身上猛舔几下。黑莓掌知道，他之所以这么生气，是因为他差点就要失去自己最年幼的孩子了。“回去找香薇云，别再胡闹了。”
小白桦点点头，尘毛则安抚地碰了碰他的鼻子。然后，小家伙朝着营地的入口处奔去。他的父亲一直目送着他，直到看不到他为止。
“我们必须立下规矩，”尘毛说道，“悬崖边上，幼崽勿靠近，学徒也一样。”他说着，耳朵朝白爪和蛛爪弹动了一下，而这两位学徒早就被刚才看到的一幕吓得说不出话来。
白爪点点头，蛛爪则翘起尾巴，仿佛在说，正午过后，这条规矩就不再适用于他了。不过他似乎忘记了，族群首次来到营地时，他也差点掉入山谷。
“我们可以在边缘处留下气味标记，”黑莓掌建议道，“那样的话，所有猫就都能想起这条规定了。”
“好主意，”尘毛说道，“我们一回来，就跟火星谈谈这个建议。走吧，我们快点去狩猎，不然，蛛爪可能会赶不上他的武士仪式了。”
黑莓掌跟在其他猫的身后，双爪仍旧因刚才的危险而疼痛不已。他回头看了一眼荆棘丛，想象着小白桦那小身子坠落到山谷，摔得粉身碎骨的惨象。我真的把族群带到了一个安全的地方吗？他不禁问自己。
他们来到这里，已过了将近半个月，却没有收到任何来自星族的征兆，暗示他们，他们的武士祖灵们仍在天上守护着他们。这儿真的是他们命中注定的家园吗？
黑莓掌带领巡逻队越过小溪，进入了一根须赠予雷族的林地。不一会儿，他就在树下发现了一只活动的松鼠。黑莓掌匍匐向前，给它猛然一击，然后咔嚓一下，扭断了它的脖子。
“干得漂亮！”尘毛说道。
黑莓掌开始给松鼠身上埋土，直到白爪走过来时，他才停了下来。
“你觉得我们真的可以在这里狩猎吗？”她紧张地问道，“小溪这边的领地本该属于风族。”
“但一根须把这里送给了我们啊，所以，这是我们的猎物了。”黑莓掌继续掩埋着这只刚刚猎杀的松鼠，可烦躁的心情令他感到浑身不舒服，因为一位学徒竟然认为他从别的族群那里偷猎。是风族自己要放弃他们的狩猎场的，又不是他逼迫的。
黑莓掌带领巡逻队向树林深处进发时，白爪没再提出异议。
太阳升高的时候，族里所有猫都饱餐了一顿，还剩下一大堆猎物。大快朵颐之后，他们全都留在了山谷的中央，这里的灌木已被清除干净，族群可以在此集会。给蛛爪举行武士命名仪式的时间到了。
这里没有旧营地里的那种高岩。不过，火星发现，在众猫头顶上方几尾高的地方，有一块凸出的石台。于是他顺着落石做成的台阶，跃上了那里。几只猫已经开始管那里叫“高石台”了。石台的下方，有一个裂缝，裂缝里面有一个洞，火星决定把他的巢穴建在那个洞里。在新营地的所有巢穴中，就数这个跟以前山谷里的最像。巢穴的岩壁上布满了青苔，地面干燥而且满是沙子。
火星提高声音，号叫了一声，他那身毛发宛若在蓝灰色岩石上燃烧的一抹橙色火焰。“所有能够独立狩猎的成年猫，到石台下方集合，参加族群会议。”
熟悉的话语在山谷中回响，黑莓掌兴奋得皮毛刺痛。黑莓掌看到，四肢修长的蛛爪将他那黑色的皮毛梳理得像乌鸦的翅羽一样光滑。蛛爪穿过空地，站到他的老师鼠毛旁边。鼠毛看上去消瘦而羸弱，好像还没有从腹痛中完全恢复过来。不过，看到站在自己身边的学徒时，她的双眼里却流露出骄傲的神色。
黑莓掌慢慢向前挪动着，希望能坐到松鼠飞的身边。但看到她正和蜡毛、烟毛以及雨须坐在一起时，黑莓掌便停住了。他们四只猫凑在一块肩膀轻轻抖动着，好像在讲笑话。黑莓掌撇着嘴，顿时感到一阵空虚，心一下子冷了下来。他闷闷不乐地坐到离他最近的一只猫——云尾身旁，试图集中精力。
“你怎么了？”白色皮毛武士低声问道。他的目光飘过黑莓掌，冲着松鼠飞轻轻弹动了一下耳朵，说道：“你做了什么事惹她生气了？”
“没什么。”黑莓掌回答道。他们吵架的原因太复杂了，而且他也不想让其他猫知道。
“嘿，别担心了，”云尾同情地用尾巴轻拂他的身子，“很快就会没事的。”
“也许吧。”黑莓掌叹了口气，他真的不想讨论这件事。
“我们即将举行武士命名仪式，”当所有猫都到了之后，火星说道，“鼠毛，你认为蛛爪已经准备好成为一名雷族武士了吗？”
这位深棕色皮毛的武士低下头说：“是的。”
火星轻盈地顺着乱石堆跳到石台底部，用尾巴示意蛛爪上前。蛛爪向前跨了一步，全身紧张得不停抖动着。
“我，火星，雷族族长，恳请我的武士祖灵俯视这位学徒。”火星的声音清晰而洪亮，盖过了风的呼啸声和山谷边缘树枝轻柔的咯吱声，“他已经通过严格的考验，理解了高尚的武士守则，因此，我要在你们面前晋升他为武士。”他凝视着蛛爪，继续问道：“蛛爪，你是否愿意遵守武士守则，并保卫这个族群，即便牺牲生命，也在所不惜？”
“我愿意。”蛛爪急切地回答道。
“那么，我以星族的名义，赐予你武士名号。蛛爪，从这一刻起，你的名字是蛛足。星族将以你的勇气和热忱为荣，欢迎你成为雷族的武士。”
他向前迈了一步，用鼻子轻触蛛足的前额。这位年轻的武士则恭敬地回舔着火星的肩膀，然后转身加入其他武士当中。
“蛛足！蛛足！”整个族群高呼他的新名字，向他庆贺。尘毛一脸骄傲，而香薇云看到他们最大的儿子终于成为一位武士，两眼也闪烁着喜悦的光芒。小白桦在他哥哥的爪子旁边蹦来蹦去，显然早已将早上的那场虚惊抛在了脑后。
火星竖起尾巴，示意大家安静。喧闹声渐渐平息，全族的猫都转过头来，满脸期待地看着他。
“在我们回到各自的岗位之前，我还想举行另一个仪式。”火星说道，“我和鼠毛谈过了，她做出了一个决定。鼠毛，你仍然确定要这么做吗？”
老母猫迈步向前，点头表示同意。
“鼠毛，”火星接着问道，“你愿意放弃武士之名，加入长老的行列吗？”
“我愿意。”鼠毛回答道。黑莓掌觉得她的声音有些颤抖。他猜想，这位心高气傲的武士很难接受自己日益衰老的事实。刚刚经历了艰苦的长途跋涉，又遭遇近期的病痛，她明白自己的身体已经大不如前了。想起她昔日是如何的骁勇善战，黑莓掌不禁感到一些伤悲。
“你的族群以你为荣，感谢你为我们所做的一切。”火星继续说道，“我会请求星族，赐予你足够的时间，让你好好调养身体。”他把尾巴放在鼠毛的肩上，这只老猫则向他弓了一下身，走过去站在了长尾和金花的身边。
“我不需休息太长的时间，火星，”她高声说道，“我还是会磨利爪子，一旦雷族遇到麻烦，我能随时上阵。”
她的周围响起一阵哄笑，众猫都非常钦佩她，还有一两只猫高喊道：“鼠毛！鼠毛！”就好像是在为一位新晋级的武士欢呼。一旁的金花也亲切地在鼠毛耳朵周围舔了舔。
仪式结束，集会的众猫开始纷纷散去。黑莓掌走上前去，祝贺蛛足获得武士头衔。这时，他注意到火星在唤他过去。
“我听到白爪告诉云尾，你今天早上抓到了一只松鼠。”他的族长说道。
黑莓掌听火星这么说，毛发不禁全立了起来。他把巡逻队带向另一个方向，就是为了避开影族的领地。火星这么说，不会是想要责备他侵犯了风族的领地吧？他尽量掩饰住自己的愤懑之情，向火星说道：“是一根须自己说，雷族的领地一直可以扩大到那片林地那里。”
“我知道，”火星温和地说道，“你没有做错什么。但目前来说，我们还是先不要进入那块地。到底要怎么处置那块地，我们最终一定会想出解决办法的。但在那之前，我不想因为一根须对我们雷族友善，就占他的便宜。”
“我不想占他的便宜，”黑莓掌松了一口气，回答说，“但他有责任保卫风族的边界。没准是因为，过去一个月里，我们两族曾一起跋山涉水，所以他希望我们能像守护自己的领地一样，去保卫他们的领地？”
火星眯起了眼睛，说道：“别担心，黑莓掌。总有一天，每个族群都会用尖牙和利爪去捍卫他们的利益，会像我们之前那样，为守护族群的领地而奋勇战斗。但现在还不是时候。”他转身刚要离开，却又停了下来，回头瞥了一眼黑莓掌，说道：“黑莓掌，你好好休息一下，今晚上还要参加森林大会呢。”
黑莓掌眨了眨眼睛，希望族长不会从他那浑身竖起的毛发中看出他的期待。我马上就又能见到鹰霜了！我可以问他有没有也做了那个梦！突然，他急切地想知道，他那同父异母的弟弟是不是也与虎星见面了。手足之间会做相同的梦吗？这很难说——但在他的梦中，旧营地是如此的真实，甚至比他们找到的新家还要真实。如果虎星真的在天上守护着他的儿子们，那么无论哥哥还是弟弟，他肯定都会想要见见吧？
他突然因为内疚有些喘不过气来。鹰霜是一只来自敌对族群的猫，所以，就算他俩是亲兄弟，但与他们对族猫和族长的忠诚相比，这又算得了什么。所以，认为自己和鹰霜会做相同的梦，是再荒谬不过的想法了。
黑莓掌向武士巢穴走去，准备在森林大会前小睡片刻。可一想到很快便能再见到同父异母的弟弟，他的爪子便有些隐隐作痛。
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 22
When the rain started, Leafpool creptinto a sheltered spot under the thorns at the top of the hollow. Far above her head, the branches of the trees thrashed together against the stormy sky, but down here everything was quiet, the only sound the patter of raindrops, broken by rolls of thunder coming from the hills.
Cloudtail had posted sentries around the hollow as soon as the other cats left with Firestar. Leafpool had volunteered to come up here and give an early warning if she heard invaders. All medicine cats were trained as warriors too, and she would use every fighting skill she possessed to defend her new home.
So far there had been nothing to disturb the forest apart from the breaking storm, but it felt as if the whole night were tense with waiting. She would have given anything to know what was happening at the WindClan camp. Were Hawkfrost and Mudclaw really plotting to overthrow Onewhisker?
Leafpool let her mind drift back to the discovery of the Moonpool, reliving the moment when she had first looked into it and seen her warrior ancestors reflected there. She felt how amazing it was to be a medicine cat, and didn’t know how she could bear to wait for the next half moon, when they would meet again. Her fur tingled with anticipation of the future serving her Clan that seemed to stretch in front of her like a stream filled with starlight.
Suddenly she realized that she could hear cats approaching rapidly through the trees. For a heartbeat she thought it was the ThunderClan patrol on its way back. Then a gust of ShadowClan scent was carried to her on the wind. She sprang up, jaws parted to yowl a warning to the Clan in the hollow below. But before she could utter a sound, two shapes broke out of the undergrowth and hurtled straight at her. Barging into her, they shoved her backward until she crashed into the bushes at the edge of the cliff. Scrabbling with her hindpaws, she felt the thorns give way under her weight.
“No!” she gasped.
Her warning was too late. Terrified yowls split the air as the two intruders crashed past her and fell all the way into the camp. Leafpool thrashed wildly with her claws and managed to clutch the edge of the rock. But she couldn’t get a grip with her hindpaws to thrust herself back to safety. There was a noise above her, and she looked up, terrified that she would see another ShadowClan warrior coming to finish her off.
Crowfeather gazed down at her, his eyes wide with horror.
“Crowfeather,” Leafpool hissed through gritted teeth, in case the movement sent her plummeting down after the two ShadowClan cats. “Crowfeather, help me!”
The WindClan warrior didn’t move. The rock where Leafpool clung was wet from the rain, and she felt her claws begin to slip. “Crowfeather!” she begged. “I’m going to fall!”
Crowfeather stood as if frozen. A hoarse whisper came from him, but his gaze was blank, and Leafpool realized that he wasn’t talking to her at all. “Feathertail, I’m so sorry! It was all my fault. I shouldn’t have let you fall.”
Leafpool realized he was remembering the cave in the mountains where Feathertail had died. “It wasn’t your fault,” she mewed. “Help me, Crowfeather, please.” She felt her claws slip again and tried to dig them in deeper, but there was nothing to grip on the slick surface of the rock.
Slowly Crowfeather took a pace forward and leaned over. Leafpool gasped as she felt her claws give way, but in the same heartbeat his teeth met in her scruff. For a moment they both teetered on the edge of the cliff, and she felt his weight slide toward her. Then Crowfeather heaved backward, his hindpaws scrabbling in the earth, and hauled Leafpool up over the edge. Both cats collapsed, panting. Leafpool let her cheek rest against the solid ground, knowing she had been a whisker away from falling to her death. Crowfeather lay beside her, his flanks heaving. Their eyes met, and Leafpool found she could not look away.
“Thank you,” she mewed.
“I did it,” Crowfeather whispered. “I saved you.”
The air between them seemed to crackle like lightning. Trying to lighten the atmosphere, Leafpool commented, “I must be the last cat you would want to save.”
“Is that what you think?” Crowfeather’s gaze burned into her. “Don’t you know how I feel about you? And how much I hate myself for feeling that way about another cat so soon after Feathertail’s death? I loved her, I really did! How can I love you too?”
“Me? But[.arrowhorizex]”
“You walk in my dreams, Leafpool,” Crowfeather whispered.
“No…” Leafpool breathed. “You can’t love me. I’m a medicine cat.” And I can’t love you,she thought desperately. But she knew that she did, more than she had ever thought possible. To hear that Crowfeather loved her too was what she wanted more than anything else.
“Leafpool! Are you there, Leafpool?” Two cats were running up the edge of the hollow, and a moment later Cloudtail and Brightheart thrust their way among the thorns.
Leafpool and Crowfeather scrambled to their paws. “I’m over here!” Leafpool called.
Cloudtail rushed over to her, his tail fluffed out. “Are you okay?” he demanded. “Is this cat on our side or theirs?” He flicked his tail at Crowfeather.
Crowfeather began to bristle.
“I’m fine,” Leafpool meowed hastily. “And Crowfeather’s a friend. He was chasing those two ShadowClan warriors. Don’t claw him, Cloudtail, please. He saved me from falling over the edge.”
The white warrior’s eyes narrowed. “Good.”
“What happened to the ShadowClan cats?” Crowfeather asked.
“They’re dead.” Brightheart ducked under a branch to join her Clanmates. “They broke their necks.”
Leafpool shivered, knowing how easily that could have been her neck, snapped in the plunge from the top of the rocks. Crowfeather gave her another searching look, then dipped his head to Cloudtail. “I’ll go, then. When I left our camp, the fight was breaking up. Onewhisker is still leader of WindClan.”
“What about[.arrowhorizex]” Cloudtail began, but Crowfeather had already vanished among the trees.
Brightheart nudged her mate. “Come on; we must get back to the camp. And let’s hope we don’t have any more unexpected visitors.”
For a moment Leafpool stared at the spot where Crowfeather had disappeared, before she turned and padded slowly after her Clanmates. She had nearly been killed by ShadowClan warriors attacking their camp, but she felt as though her paws walked on the wind, and her head was full of stars.
第十五章
第十五章
暮日西沉，将地平线晕染出一片绯红，雷族猫出发了。在等蕨毛通过荆棘通道时，黑莓掌发现松鼠飞悄悄来到了自己身边。
“嗨。”松鼠飞打着招呼，虽然她的声音很亲切，但却有点迟疑，好像不确定黑莓掌会怎么回应她，“你还好吧？你一整天看起来都昏昏沉沉的。”
黑莓掌不由皱起了眉头。他满脑子还想着与虎星和鹰霜会面的事，所以，他一闭上眼，仿佛就能感受到他的弟弟毛发掠过自己身子。看到松鼠飞那双绿色眼睛中的深情，他很想对她说些什么，可是又一想，自己绝对不能向她吐露自己梦中的情境，也不能向她倾诉自己对那位河族武士的情感。
他双爪不自在地抓挠着地面，说道：“可能是我昨晚没睡好吧，所以才会这样。”
松鼠飞的双眼眯成了一条细缝，显然猜到了黑莓掌并没有对自己说实话。“不想说就算了，”她叹了口气说道，“反正跟我没关系。”
她飞快地转过身，就跟在蕨毛身后钻进了通道中。
“松鼠飞，你等等！”黑莓掌追了上去，他懊恼不已，因为松鼠飞明明想跟自己和好了，但他却没有抓住机会。当他从通道另一头冲出来时，看到松鼠飞正同叶爪走在一起，她们边走边交头接耳。黑莓掌又大声喊松鼠飞的名字，她却没有回头。
栗尾是最后一位从通道走出来的武士。蕨毛一直等在通道的出口处，检查是不是所有要参加森林大会的猫都到齐了。当栗尾走过他身边时，蕨毛伸长口鼻碰了碰她的耳朵尖。“嗨，栗尾，”蕨毛低声说道，“很高兴看到你来了。”
年轻的玳瑁色武士朝蕨毛眨了眨眼睛，发出高兴的咕噜声。
火星带领族猫爬上山坡，踩着垫脚石渡过小溪，然后顺流而下，往湖边走去。“如果各族群还是在马场附近召开森林大会的话，”火星说道，“那每个月圆之夜，我们就不得不越过风族的领地，我们必须得让风族能理解这一点。”
“那应该不难理解吧！”云尾小声对尘毛说道。
这位暗棕色虎斑武士哼了一声，说道：“的确如此。没准我们直接从他们的营地穿过去，都不会有风族武士进行阻拦的。”
“你们太过分了！”栗尾不满地说道，“如果你们真的那么做，一根须一定会像其他武士一样，誓死保卫他的营地的。”
尘毛和云尾交换了一个眼神。黑莓掌看得出来，他们俩并不相信栗尾的话。
众猫沿着湖边前进着。天边的那抹红晕已经退去，夜幕降落，天空出现了星星，湖面则变得一片幽暗。松鼠飞和叶爪并肩走在队尾，黑莓掌发现，自己的眼睛总是不由自主地一次次望向她俩。让他欣慰的是，至少松鼠飞不是跟蜡毛走在一起。此时，蜡毛正在同雨须和炭毛说话。黑莓掌觉得，那位年轻的深灰色武士对松鼠飞实在太殷勤了。
快到两脚兽的马场时，一轮满月从袅袅的云朵中飘了出来，淡淡的银光洒满湖面和湖岸。他们还没走到栅栏前，一根须就出现在他们头顶上方的山脊上，身侧站着几位风族猫。看到泥掌跟他走在一起，而新任的副族长灰脚却不见踪影，黑莓掌心里非常惊讶。
火星停下脚步，等着风族猫跟上来，同时，他发出一声友好的咕噜声，跟一根须打了声招呼。尽管两位族长并肩前行着，但跟在他们身后的两族武士却各自划分了队伍。看到鸦羽时，黑莓掌便冲着他晃动尾巴，但鸦羽没有跑过来同他打招呼，只是简单地点点头。
突然，火星竖起了尾巴，示意众猫停止前进。黑莓掌悄声向前，想一探究竟。他停下来，仔细嗅了嗅。空气中有一股陌生的猫的气味，他脖颈上的毛一下子立了起来。
“不会又是宠物猫吧？”他对鸦羽小声说道。
风族武士身上的毛也奓开了，双耳高耸着。黑莓掌顺着他的目光看去，发现在两脚兽栅栏另一侧的草丛里，有一个小小的身影在移动。不一会儿，两只猫现出了身形。领头的是一只身强力壮的灰白花色的公猫。他龇着牙做咆哮状，隔着栅栏怒视着他们。
“你们是谁？你们来这里干什么？”他开口问道。
泥掌和云尾向前一跃，准备开战，但火星摆摆尾巴，示意他们退后。“我们不是来找麻烦的，”他说道，“我们就住在这附近。”
“你们的数量怎么这么多啊！”说话的是另一只长着乳白色和棕色相间长毛的猫后，她惊讶得瞪大了双眼。从她那圆滚滚的肚子来看，她很快就要生幼崽了。
“实际上，我们成员的数量远不止这些。”一根须告诉她，“但火星说得对，我们不会打扰你们的。”
“只要你们不来招惹我们。”泥掌咆哮道。
那只陌生公猫脖颈上的毛一下子奓开了，低吼道：“你要是敢把一只爪子踏进这栅栏里面……”
“我们为什么要把爪子踏进去？”松鼠飞凑上前问道，她那双绿色眼眸里闪烁着好奇的光芒，“我们又不是跟两脚兽生活在一起。”
“两脚兽？”那只长毛母猫一脸疑惑地问道。
“就是一种通体粉色、用后腿走路的动物。”黑莓掌解释道。在那次前去会见午夜的旅程中，他们发现，并不是所有猫都使用同一种语言。“它们住在红色石头修筑的巢穴里，就像那边的那个。”说着，他的尾巴指向了马场另一边的两脚兽巢穴。
“哦，你是指无毛兽啊，”母猫说道，“我们也不和它们住在一起。我们和马一块儿住在马厩里。”
黑莓掌把头歪向一侧，有点听糊涂了。听起来，他俩似乎是独行猫，就跟住在旧领地附近农场里的巴利和乌爪一样。可是，他无法想象，除了宠物猫，还有什么猫会愿意住在离两脚兽巢穴这么近的地方，更不用说把家安在随时都可能被巨大的马蹄踩到的地方。
灰白相间的公猫不住抽动着尾巴尖。“快点离开，”他命令道，“我们不希望你们待在这儿。”
“你也没必要这么气势汹汹吧！”松鼠飞不满地说道。泥掌则伸出利爪，插进草地里。黑莓掌也紧缩肩膀，将重心下沉到臀部。如果那只陌生的公猫继续出言挑衅，一场恶斗就在所难免。
这时，一只个头很小的白色风族母猫突然伸出尾巴，拦住了泥掌。“冷静一点，”她说道，“难道你闻不到幼崽的气息吗？他这么做，只是想保护育婴室而已。”
黑莓掌深吸一口气，仔细地嗅了嗅。白尾说得对，除了眼前看到的这两只猫，包括幼崽在内，这里还有更多的猫。
这只乳白色和棕色花色的母猫对他们的断言很是佩服。“还有一只叫丝儿的猫住在这里，”她说道，“她昨天才生了幼崽。”说完，她把头靠在了同伴的肩上，对他说道：“这些猫很友善，你不必担心。”
“我们是不会伤害幼崽的。”火星保证道。
公猫后退一步，耸立的颈毛也慢慢平顺下来。“那你要说到做到。”他厉声说道，转过身刚要离开，又回头看了一眼，补充说道，“我是小灰，她是黛西。另外，我提醒你们，无毛兽的巢穴里还有一只狗。那只狗的皮毛是黑白花色的，个头不大，很喜欢乱叫。无毛兽通常把它关起来，可有时候，也会把它放出来。”
“谢谢，”火星答道，“我们会多加留意的。”
小灰微微点了点头，便扭头叫黛西跟上自己。黛西犹豫了好一会儿，这才跟了上去。很快，她那淡色的皮毛便消失在夜色中。
“再见！”松鼠飞喊道，“希望以后能再见到你们！”
于是，族群猫再次出发。他们绕过栅栏，沿着湖岸，一直走到当初临时营地所在的树丛。影族和河族已经到了，黑莓掌一眼就看到了妹妹褐皮。他正要过去跟褐皮打招呼，雨须从他身边跑过，去迎接一位来自河族的年轻武士。
“嗨，燕尾！狩猎还顺利吧？”
那只暗棕色虎斑母猫面有难色地看了她的族长一眼。此刻，豹星就坐在几尾远的地方。“还好。”她低声说道。
雨须俯下身，刚想舔舐她的耳朵表示问候，却又突然转回头。他尴尬地舔了舔自己的爪子，然后朝自己的脸上挥了一掌。“对不起，”他喃喃说道，“我老是忘记，现在跟以前不一样了。”
这时，褐皮朝黑莓掌走了过来。因为别的猫突然提及族群之间的关系今非昔比，所以，黑莓掌刻意跟褐皮保持一尾远的距离，还煞有介事地低头问候道：“很高兴见到你。”
“你可真是个鼠脑子啊！”褐皮走上前，口鼻挨着黑莓掌的口鼻说道，“这简直太荒谬了！我们一起经历了那么多，所以才会忘掉过去族群间的仇恨。我们是有着共同的回忆，并因此相亲相爱，但这并不表示我们就是族群的叛徒啊！”
黑莓掌向她眨了眨眼睛。她说得很对，可黑莓掌也知道其他猫并不这么想。不远处，一群影族猫正怒视着他们，其中就包括他无意间跨过影族气味标记时，跳出来攻击他的花楸掌。当黑莓掌迎上他那怒气冲冲的眼睛时，花楸掌转过了身，去和他的一个同伴低声说起话来。因为离得太远，黑莓掌无法听清楚他们说的是什么，但不用想也知道，那绝不会是什么溢美之词。
他朝树桩走去，想找个好位置聆听族长们的讲话。可还没走几步，鹰霜就出现了。这位肩膀宽阔的虎斑武士满怀期待地望着黑莓掌，仿佛在等他先开口说些什么。
“喂，你好啊，”黑莓掌说道，“在这里，生活得还习惯吗？”月光洒在鹰霜的身上，斑斑点点的，黑莓掌顿时想起了那个梦境。
鹰霜点点头说：“谢谢你，挺习惯的。”他的声音听上去冷冰冰的，黑莓掌不禁后退了一步，感觉皮毛像被刺扎了一样，隐隐作痛。鹰霜会不会觉得我一旦同他说话，便是背叛了雷族呢？
“对不起，”黑莓掌喃喃说道，“我只是觉得……”
鹰霜那双冰蓝色的眼睛里流露出一丝心照不宣的神情。“别担心，我和那些猫不同，我并不认为，不同族群的猫之间就应该互不来往。我看到褐皮刚才的遭遇了。”他一脸同情地说道，“要兼顾对朋友的忠诚和对族群的忠实，实在很不容易。现在，我们都在异族有自己的朋友，但又必须表现得好像势不两立才是对的。”
黑莓掌感到自己内心深处有个声音想要大声附和说：是的！那正是我的感受！不过他能感觉到，有好奇的目光从四面八方向他投射过来，所以，他只是平静地说：“我们的确没办法彻底忘记所经历的一切。”
鹰霜尾巴抽动了一下，说：“事实上，我刚才对泥掌也是这么说的。他一直在跟我说风族存在的问题。”
黑莓掌愣住了，问道：“什么问题？”
“你不知道吗？”鹰霜脸上露出惊讶的神情，“比如，一根须没有一开始就建立稳固的边界。我听泥掌说，只是因为雷族给了风族一些治病的草药，一根须便把一整块领地给了雷族。”
黑莓掌眯缝起了眼睛。泥掌是在利用一切机会，暗示一根须不配当一族之长啊！
“也许当初高星就不该选择一根须为族长，”鹰霜接着说，“倘若连族长都软弱无能，对风族而言，实属憾事。他们马上就要开始新生活了，却没有一个好的开始。”
“我敢肯定，一根须一定会成为一位伟大的族长。”黑莓掌争辩道，试图将高星弥留之际，颤抖着宣告一根须为副族长的画面从记忆中抹去，“没有理由怀疑风族的能力，他们一定会像其他族群一样，在新领地上兴盛起来。”
“族长强，则族群强，”鹰霜说道，“一根须还没有领受他的圣名和九条命。这是不是表明，他还没有被星族认可呢？”
他说这话时，语调平和，疑惑多于敌意，黑莓掌也没有理由反驳。如果星族并不认可一根须是风族的族长，那可怎么办？的确，到目前为止，星族没有给一根须任何暗示，告诉他如何才能领受九条命。
“泥掌也是这么认为的，”鹰霜继续说道，“他知道，如今的族群，比以往任何时候都更需要强有力的领导。每只猫都知道，大家毗邻而居，要确定新的边界的确是非常困难的。但如果不这么做，各个族群都将丧失存在的意义。我们现在所做的每一个决定，都会对子孙后代带来极大的影响。如果一根须不去拓展足够的领地，风族最终将会因为饥饿而亡。”
鹰霜的这番话，让黑莓掌不禁对泥掌刮目相看。他原本认为，这位风族的前任副族长，所关心的只有如何满足自己的野心。但是，在新领地的旅途中，泥掌所表现出的勇气和决心，绝不亚于任何一只猫。他是不是真的比一根须更胜任族长一职呢？
“泥掌作为副族长，还真是挺称职的。”黑莓掌若有所思地说。
鹰霜的双眼眯成一条缝，问道：“说到副族长，火星打算什么时候提拔你呀？”
黑莓掌的脚掌在枯叶中不住摩擦着，说道：“雷族里比我有经验的武士还很多……”
鹰霜不屑地轻弹了一下尾巴，纠正道：“是年长的武士吧？谁说年长的武士就一定有经验。他们中，谁能像你那样，历尽千辛万苦奔赴太阳沉没之地，还把我们带到这里来？你不仅智勇双全，而且还信守武士守则。凭什么你不能做副族长？”
“火星不任命新的副族长，自有他的考虑。”黑莓掌闪烁其词地说道。
“你是指灰条吗？”鹰霜眨了一下眼睛，“谁都知道，灰条已经死了。他肯定宁愿战死，也不愿被两脚兽捉住成为它们的宠物。火星之所以不任命你为副族长，只有一个理由，你我都心知肚明。因为他知道，你的父亲是谁，我们的父亲是谁。”
黑莓掌凝视着鹰霜，心头再次升起那种在看自己的影子的感觉：他们有着同样的深色虎斑皮毛，同样有力的肩膀，同样坚毅的眼神，唯一不同的只有眼睛的颜色——鹰霜是冰蓝色的，黑莓掌是琥珀色的。
“你在河族也有同样的困扰吗？”黑莓掌低声问道。
鹰霜摇了摇头：“不。对河族来说，虎星从来就不是一个十恶不赦的仇敌。要说我有什么麻烦的话，那都源于我不是在河族出生的。过去，这件事经常困扰着我，但现在，我把火星当成了参照对象。如果一只宠物猫都可以成为族长，那我一定也能行。”
鹰霜正说着的时候，黑莓掌忽然看到眼前闪过一道暗姜黄色的身影，是松鼠飞绕过树桩冲了过来。因为没注意到前方，她差点撞上黑莓掌和鹰霜，幸亏及时刹住了脚。
“对不起，我在找……”当她那双绿色眼睛看清了面前的猫是谁后，忽然闭上了嘴。“哦，怎么是你呀！”她很不礼貌地对鹰霜说道。
“你好，松鼠飞，”河族武士礼貌地点点头，“黑莓掌和我正在谈论风族的情况。我们担心，如果一根须再不快点取得他的九条命，可能会有大麻烦。”
黑莓掌不禁松了口气，因为鹰霜没有提他对雷族新副族长的看法，但这份宽慰并没有持续太久。松鼠飞上下打量着他的同父异母弟弟，毫不掩饰对鹰霜的敌意，脖子上的毛都竖了起来。
“那关你们河族什么事？”她问道。
鹰霜那双冰蓝色眼睛一下子瞪大了，但却什么也没说。
“那当然关河族的事，”黑莓掌对他的族伴说道，“强大的领导能力对森林里的每一个族群都非常重要。”
松鼠飞只是一脸厌恶地哼了一声。她本想再说些什么，但却被一蹦一跳跑到鹰霜身边的雾脚给打断了。“豹星在找你，鹰霜，”她说道，“我们必须讨论一下在森林大会上要报告的事情。”
“她指的是我们关于边界划分的最终决定。”鹰霜对黑莓掌解释道。
“也不完全是那样，”雾脚说道，“豹星还想告诉其他族群，你和黑爪是怎么把那只獾给赶走的。”
“换作其他的猫，也一定会那么做的。”鹰霜耸耸肩说道，声音里透着一种自豪。
说完，这两只猫就离开了。黑莓掌看着他们离去的身影，心里震惊不已。鹰霜竟然提到了他梦里的那只獾！在此之前，他是不可能有办法预知这件事的。这表示他的梦境是真的，从某种神秘的角度说，他们父子仨的确会过面了。想到这里，他浑身打了个激灵。
他刚想把鹰霜叫回来仔细询问一下，但有谁碰了他的肩膀一下，让他分了神。是松鼠飞，她仍然站在他的身旁，一脸的愤怒和失望。
“你是想惹我生气吗？”这只暗姜黄色母猫发出嘶嘶的叫声，“你宁肯选择支持那个……那个卑鄙的家伙，也不站在我这一边！”
“这根本谈不上选择谁，”黑莓掌生气地说道，“对我而言，鹰霜是一位优秀的武士。你才是麻烦的制造者。”
“只是因为每次我转身，刚好撞上你在跟他说话，你才这么说吗？”松鼠飞恶狠狠地说。
“我为什么不能跟他说话？”黑莓掌感觉自己脖颈的毛开始竖了起来，“鹰霜是我的弟弟。难道你看不出来，正是因为这个原因，我才想多了解他吗？你别忘了，我们是来这里参加森林大会的，本来就应该和其他族群猫协商大事。我真不敢相信，你竟然对鹰霜这么无礼。”
“我也不敢相信，你竟然会跟他一起对一根须说三道四，”松鼠飞反驳道，“一根须可一直都是雷族的朋友啊！”
“那你的意思是说，鹰霜是我们的仇敌？”
有好长一段时间，松鼠飞都没有说话。她眼中的愤怒渐渐消失了，取而代之的是一种深深的悲伤。“好吧，我不跟你争论了，”她说道，“你和我之间，根本是不可能的，是吗？”
“你这是什么意思？”黑莓掌惊慌失措地盯着她，问道，“为什么不可能？”
“因为我终于看清了我在你心中的地位。对你来说，我没有其他猫重要——没有鹰霜重要。”
黑莓掌张开嘴正要辩解，但另一个声音打断了他。
“嗨，松鼠飞！我给你在这儿占了个位子。”说话的是蜡毛，他在几狐狸身长之外的地方招呼她。
松鼠飞久久地看了黑莓掌一眼，目光里充满了愤怒和悲伤，然后，她迈开大步，朝那只淡灰色公猫走去。
黑莓掌一边追她一边喊道：“松鼠飞，你等等！没有哪只猫能取代你在我心中的位置。”
但松鼠飞一直没有回头，而黑莓掌也不可能一直追到蜡毛身边。他才不会让这位年轻的武士有机会看他俩争吵的好戏。
此时，他身后的黑星跳上了树桩，招呼众猫开会。当众猫聚集到一起的时候，黑莓掌发现，鹰霜正一脸好奇地盯着他。可是他现在根本就没有心情跟他谈那个梦。不管松鼠飞怎么说，在他的心中，没有一只猫比松鼠飞更重要。他脑中全是松鼠飞和蜡毛并肩而坐的画面。只见那位淡灰色武士凑到松鼠飞的耳边，嘀嘀咕咕地说着什么。
黑莓掌的目光飘过鹰霜，凝视着空地边缘的阴影，失落和怀疑，就像太阳沉没之地的滚滚浪花，不停向他涌来，让他几乎喘不上气来。
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 23
Brambleclaw hurled himself down the hillin pursuit of Mudclaw and Hawkfrost. Rain filled the air, as if the whole lake had been flung into the sky. It washed away the scent of the fleeing cats, and in the darkness Brambleclaw wasn’t even sure he was going the right way. But fury lent speed to his paws and sent energy surging through him from ears to tail-tip until he was hardly aware of being cold and soaked to the skin.
A flash of lightning lit up the hillside, and Brambleclaw spotted his enemies streaking ahead of him: Mudclaw had almost reached the lakeshore, and Hawkfrost was a couple of tail-lengths behind. Two or three other dark shapes ran alongside them. In the chaos of the storm Brambleclaw couldn’t be sure if any of his Clanmates had followed him, but he kept going, forcing his paws into an extra burst of speed.
The next flash of lightning showed he had halved the distance between himself and his quarry. He pelted past the horseplace, glimpsing a yellow gleam of light in the Twoleg nest on the far side of the field. He was briefly aware that there were no kittypets nearby as he hurtled along the shore close to the Gathering place.
He was forced to slow down when he came to the marsh, and his paws kept slipping from the rain-soaked tussocks of grass into pools of peaty water. Mud plastered his legs and belly fur. Snarling in frustration, he imagined Mudclaw and Hawkfrost escaping him.
His sense of kinship with Hawkfrost had vanished, and he felt hollow with the sense of betrayal. If his half brother thought he would escape a fight because they were kin, he was wrong!
He heard the sound of another cat splashing ahead of him, and made out a dark shape floundering in mud. Letting out a yowl of triumph, Brambleclaw leaped, but as he took off his hindpaws slipped on the soft ground and his straining forepaws barely grazed the other cat’s fur. He landed awkwardly on one side; before he could recover a heavy weight landed on him, driving him into the mud, and he felt claws gouge deeply into his shoulder. Mudclaw’s eyes, glaring with hatred, were a mouse-length from his own, and the WindClan cat’s scent flooded over him.
“Traitor!” Brambleclaw gasped.
He tried to heave upward and throw his enemy off, but the sodden ground yielded under him, and he felt the icy touch of liquid mud soaking into his pelt. He battered helplessly against Mudclaw’s belly with his hindpaws.
Mudclaw let out a snarl, baring his teeth. Brambleclaw braced himself as he waited for the shining fangs to meet in his throat. Then a darker shadow reared up beyond Mudclaw, and a massive tabby paw swatted the WindClan warrior on the side of the head. Mudclaw jerked back, off balance, and Brambleclaw managed to slide out from under him to see him grappling with Hawkfrost in a clump of reeds.
Utterly confused, Brambleclaw staggered to his paws, feeling the drag of wet mud plastered over his pelt. The next flash of lightning showed Hawkfrost standing over Mudclaw with one paw on his belly and the other pinning him by the throat. His pelt was soaked in mud, and his ice-blue eyes blazed.
He and Brambleclaw gazed at each other.
“You saved my life,” Brambleclaw’s voice shook. “Why, Hawkfrost? Why did you help me and not him?”
Mudclaw writhed under Hawkfrost’s paws and spat out an insult, but Hawkfrost’s gaze never left Brambleclaw. Even in the darkness the young ThunderClan warrior could not break away from the compelling ice-blue eyes. For a few moments the two of them seemed alone in the world, enclosed by the turmoil of the storm.
“You helpedMudclaw,” Brambleclaw stammered. “You attacked WindClan, but now…”
Hawkfrost bowed his head. “True,” he meowed. “I joined with Mudclaw because I believe he is the rightful leader of WindClan. But you’re my brother, Brambleclaw. How could I let him kill you?”
His words struck Brambleclaw with the force of a blow. It was as if Hawkfrost had known all along that Onewhisker had not been appointed as deputy in the right way. Brambleclaw felt a strange stab of relief that he was not the only cat to fear StarClan would never approve him as the leader of WindClan.
“Mudclaw persuaded me to join with him,” Hawkfrost went on. “He promised to leave RiverClan in peace if I and some of my Clanmates helped him drive out Onewhisker.”
“Tell him what else I promised,” Mudclaw snarled from beneath Hawkfrost’s paws. “Tell him how youcame to meand offered your help if I made you WindClan’s deputy…and helped you take over RiverClan later.”
“What?” Hawkfrost’s eyes widened. “Brambleclaw, don’t listen to him. Why would I want to leave RiverClan? And why would I need to ask any cat for that kind of help?” He lifted his head; Brambleclaw thought he had never seen a cat look so noble, even bleeding and muddy from the battle. “If I am to lead RiverClan one day, it will be by the warrior code, or not at all.”
“Liar!” Mudclaw spat.
Hawkfrost shook his head. “I did only what I thought was right,” he meowed to Brambleclaw. “Can you honestly say you never had any doubts about Onewhisker’s leadership?”
Brambleclaw could not reply. His half brother’s words struck too close to home.
As he hesitated, Mudclaw let out a hiss of triumph and heaved himself up, thrusting Hawkfrost back into a reedy pool. Brambleclaw crouched to fight back as the WindClan warrior leaped at him, but Hawkfrost, recovering rapidly, dived between them and lashed out furiously at Mudclaw with teeth and claws. Mudclaw veered to one side, then turned and fled, his dark shape soon lost in the night.
Without another word, Hawkfrost spun around and splashed off after him, leaving Brambleclaw to follow.
Lightning flashed again, and above the answering roll of thunder Brambleclaw heard a cat calling his name. He glanced back to see Squirrelflight standing behind him, her eyes wide with horror.
“What are you doing?” she gasped. “You’re letting him go!”
“No—you don’t understand[.arrowhorizex]” Brambleclaw began.
“I heard what Mudclaw said! Hawkfrost helped him so he could be deputy of WindClan, and take over RiverClan. He’s dangerous, Brambleclaw!”
“But Mudclaw was lying!” Brambleclaw protested.
A claw of lightning tore the sky from top to bottom. The pulsing blue-white flare lit up a cat standing on the shore opposite the island. It was Mudclaw. In the same heartbeat an earsplitting crack sounded across the water. The lightning crackled down to the topmost branches of one of the trees on the island, outlining it briefly in a spike of flame. The tree began to fall, gathering momentum as it toppled. Too late, Mudclaw turned to flee. His screech of terror was cut off as the tree crashed down on the shore, its branches clattering like bones.
Brambleclaw stumbled forward through the swamp until he reached firmer ground. As if the storm had done its work by destroying the tree, it began to move away; the next flash of lightning was over the hills, and the thunder echoed more distantly. The rain faded to a soft hiss, and ragged gaps began to appear in the clouds, allowing a feeble moonlight to fall over the lake.
By its light, Brambleclaw could see more cats gathering on the shore, among them Firestar, Onewhisker, and his deputy, Ashfoot. The WindClan leader looked exhausted, and blood trickled from a long gash on his shoulder. His eyes were hollow with the knowledge that Mudclaw and other WindClan warriors had been traitors plotting secretly against him.
Brambleclaw splashed his way across to his Clan leader and the WindClan cats. Together they approached the tree. Brambleclaw froze when he spotted movement among the branches. He braced himself, ready to battle to the death if Mudclaw was still alive. Then the branches shifted and a tabby cat backed clumsily out, his hindpaws scrabbling for a grip on the pebbles. Brambleclaw blinked. It was Hawkfrost. His half brother had his teeth fixed in Mudclaw’s scruff as he dragged him into the open. The WindClan warrior’s head lolled at an awkward angle, and his limbs trailed limply upon the ground.
Hawkfrost dragged him up to Onewhisker and let the body fall at the Clan leader’s paws. “The tree crushed him,” he rasped. “Your leadership is safe.”
Onewhisker bent his head and sniffed at the former deputy. “The Clan will grieve for him,” he murmured. “He was a fine warrior once.”
Ashfoot let out a faint hiss. “He betrayed you!”
“As did you!” Onewhisker spat, rounding on Hawkfrost. “You helped him.” He unsheathed his claws, ready to spring on the massive tabby.
Hawkfrost bowed his head, and Brambleclaw felt his belly clench in horror at what Onewhisker might do in revenge.
“I admit it,” Hawkfrost meowed. “And I ask your forgiveness. I truly believed that Mudclaw was the rightful leader of WindClan, and because of that, at his request, I brought cats from RiverClan and ShadowClan to help him. But StarClan has given us a clear sign by sending the lightning to destroy Mudclaw. Onewhisker, you are WindClan’s true leader, chosen by StarClan. Do with me what you will.”
Onewhisker glanced at Firestar, but the ThunderClan leader just flicked his ears, indicating that this was Onewhisker’s problem to solve. Brambleclaw looked closely at Firestar, trying to read his reaction to the news that StarClan approved of Onewhisker’s leadership after all. But Firestar’s expression gave nothing away.
Meanwhile Ashfoot padded forward to investigate the branches of the fallen tree. “Hawkfrost is right, Onewhisker. You couldn’t hope for a better sign than this. StarClan sent lightning to strike the tree and kill the cat who would have taken your place. There’s no doubt now that you’re the cat StarClan has chosen to lead WindClan.”
Onewhisker raised his head, light growing in his eyes. “Then I shall be honored to accept my nine lives.” Turning back to Hawkfrost, he went on, “I can’t blame you for having doubts, nor any of the other cats who supported Mudclaw. How can I, when I doubted myself? I forgive you freely, you and all the rest.”
Hawkfrost dipped his head again and stood back; Brambleclaw padded to his side and brushed against his sodden fur. “I still have to thank you for saving my life,” he murmured.
Hawkfrost glanced at him with a flicker of warmth in his eyes. “At least I did one thing tonight I’m not ashamed of,” he mewed.
Brambleclaw touched his half brother’s shoulder with the tip of his tail. “You believed you were following the warrior code by helping Mudclaw. You can’t feel guilty about that.”
More cats had begun to appear along the lakeshore, among them Dustpelt and Brackenfur, Mistyfoot and Tornear. They gathered in a ragged semicircle around the Clan leaders and the body of Mudclaw.
“Look at this!” Brackenfur meowed. He jumped onto the tree and padded a little way across the lake water.
“It’s like a Twoleg bridge!” Mistyfoot exclaimed.
Brackenfur turned back, springing down onto the pebbles with a rustle of branches. “We can use the fallen tree to reach the island,” he meowed. “It’s wide enough for all of us to cross safely. We can use it for Gatherings after all!”
Brambleclaw realized that the last problem with their new home had been solved. Thanks to Leafpool they had the Moonpool where they could share tongues with StarClan, and now the island would give them a safe place to gather that would belong to all the Clans, and none.
Instinctively he looked around for Squirrelflight, and spotted her standing beside Dustpelt. He took a pace toward her, wanting to convince her that Hawkfrost had told the truth about why he helped Mudclaw attack WindClan. But as her gaze met his, her eyes narrowed. Deliberately she turned away and began to stalk along the lakeshore.
Brambleclaw stared after her without moving. Squirrelflight clearly wanted nothing more to do with him. It wasn’t hard to guess why—she must have seen him speaking with Hawkfrost. He felt hollow inside. Why did Squirrelflight always have to think the worst of the RiverClan warrior?
His dream of meeting Tigerstar and Hawkfrost flooded back into his mind. Whether Squirrelflight liked it or not, the three of them werekin. But he didn’t share Tigerstar’s bad blood; why couldn’t the same be true for Hawkfrost?
Brambleclaw longed to share this victory with Squirrelflight, but he knew that as long as she saw only Tigerstar’s worst possible legacy in him and his half brother, they could have no future together. He watched her pad along the shore, getting smaller and smaller, and waited until she had vanished among the shadows before he set out for home.
第十六章
第十六章
叶爪站在空地边上，看着四个族群的猫到处游走着。他们一面小心翼翼地问候着老友，一面留意着好位置。她想找鸦羽问问晨花的病情，想知道晨花有没有吃自己留下的草药。她知道鸦羽肯定在这儿，因为风族和雷族在马场相遇时，她看到鸦羽和族猫走在一起。但当时，鸦羽一直低着头，好像是不想和她说话似的。现在，鸦羽则彻底不见了踪影。他真是讨厌极了！想到这里，叶爪感到非常沮丧。
“叶爪！叶爪，你在发什么呆啊？”
叶爪感到有谁在用爪子戳自己。她吓了一跳，这才发现是炭毛在唤她。与此同时，她看到了在空地另一头的鸦羽。
“对不起，炭毛。”她低声说道。
“森林大会结束后，咱们巫医得留下来聚一聚。”炭毛说。
叶爪听闻，兴奋得竖起了耳朵：“是不是谁看到了新月亮石的征兆？”
“我不知道。也许吧，”然后，炭毛又迅速补充了一句，“来吧，我们赶紧找个地方坐下。森林大会马上就要开始了。”
叶爪又看了一眼鸦羽，想着自己是不是应该找个机会主动跟他聊上几句。
炭毛顺着她的目光看去。“叶爪，你不会喜欢上了他吧？”她心平气和地警告说，“别忘了，你是巫医。”
“我当然记得，”叶爪辩解道，“你不会真的以为，我对那个怪脾气的毛球有什么想法吧？我们每次见面，他都让我难堪。我只不过想知道，青面有没有把剩下的水薄荷给晨花服下而已。”
炭毛看着她，那双淡蓝色的眼睛里带着一丝怀疑。然后，炭毛带着她朝其他猫走去。叶爪跟在身后，恼怒地想着那位风族武士。喜欢他？他全身上下每一根毛都让自己感到讨厌！
炭毛在树桩附近坐下了，将受伤的腿收进身体下方。叶爪正准备也坐下，却看到松鼠飞向蜡毛走去。一阵刺痛顿时涌上叶爪的心头。对松鼠飞情感上的煎熬，叶爪感同身受。
黑星大吼一声，示意大家安静。叶爪赶紧冲过去，坐到松鼠飞的另一侧。“怎么了？”她低声问道，“你又和黑莓掌闹矛盾了？”
“别跟我提他！我俩之间，一切都结束了！”
叶爪盯着她的眼睛说道：“告诉我，到底是怎么回事。”
“他当时正在和鹰霜说话，接着，他居然为了那个异族武士跟我吵了起来！我跟他说，那家伙的话不可信，他为什么就不肯听我的呢？”
“只是这样而已？”
“什么叫只是这样而已？”松鼠飞猛地抽打着尾巴，“我告诉他，鹰霜根本就不可信，他却置若罔闻。这归根到底就是信任的问题，但显然，黑莓掌更信任鹰霜，而不是我。如果他不信任我，我们怎么可能在一起呢？”
叶爪觉得自己爱莫能助。她是一名巫医，对这样的关系知之甚少。她能够理解，如果黑莓掌更愿意跟鹰霜相处，松鼠飞自然会感到受伤，但她搞不懂为何松鼠飞会在这么短的时间里完全否定了黑莓掌。她与妹妹碰碰口鼻，安慰道：“别忘了，他俩是同父异母的兄弟。有时想要聚一聚，也是很自然的事情。”
月光下，松鼠飞的一双绿眼睛在熠熠发亮：“这是信任问题！我才不管他们的父亲是不是虎星。我认为，信任要比血浓于水的亲情更重要！”
血……这个字眼在叶爪的脑海里不断出现，令她不由心头一惊。鲜血将四处喷涌，湖水将变得一片血红。她原本早已将那个可怕的噩梦忘得一干二净，但现在，那个梦境又出现在她的脑海里。湖水越来越稠，就像从伤口流出的鲜血一样，缓缓流动着。这句话到底是什么意思呢？又是谁在流血呢？
她四处寻找着炭毛的身影，迫不及待地想找她问个清楚。但是火星、黑星和豹星都已经全部站到了树桩上，大会马上就要开始了。叶爪只得老老实实地坐在妹妹身旁，试图通过自己温暖的皮毛，带给她无声的宽慰。
一根须也跑到了树桩那儿，但当他试图搭爪跳上去时，不料脚掌一滑，掉回到地上，场面十分尴尬。树桩上面的地也不大，容不下四只猫。火星和豹星不安地对视了一眼，黑星则不耐烦地说道：“一根须，你就待在那儿吧。我们得开会了。”
一根须只得坐在树根中间，低下头去舔自己胸前乱糟糟的毛发。
“看来一根须还不知道怎么当族长。”松鼠飞说道。
“我知道，”叶爪平静地说，“我们最好能尽快找到另一块月亮石，这样，他就能领受九条命和圣名了。”
黑星第一个发言。“按照我们之前商定的那样，影族已经沿着通往湖泊的那条小雷鬼路设置了边界标记。”他高声说道，“豹星，你对此没有异议吧？”他目不转睛地看着河族族长，似乎已经做好了豹星会反对的心理准备。
不料，豹星低头说道：“棒极了！谢谢你，黑星。”
黑星看起来有些吃惊。想了半天，叶爪总算弄明白豹星为什么会同意了。松鼠飞曾经告诉过她，小雷鬼路其实距离河族营地不是很远。在前一次森林大会上，族长们只是就新边界做出了粗略的划分，她觉得豹星肯定会全力扩大河族的领地。接着她突然想到，如果以小雷鬼路为河族、影族的边界，那松鼠飞向她描述过的两脚兽半桥和小巢穴，就都在影族的领地之内了。如果两脚兽带来了什么麻烦，那影族就只能独自去想办法解决了。
“我们与雷族的边界也已经做好了气味标记，”影族族长继续说道，“我们已经确认从流入湖泊的小溪，一直到远离湖泊、位于小溪对岸的枯树这段区域，都是我们的领地。”
“我认为，如果以整条小溪作为两族领地的边界，可能更合理一些。”火星镇定地说道。
“这样做，或许只是对雷族更合理吧？”黑星反驳道，“小溪在空地的尽头拐了个大弯，并深入到我们的领地，而且，小溪的两岸全都是松树。何况气味标记设下了就不能改变，火星。如果你对我们设置的气味标记有意见，只能怪你们自己行动太慢。”
雷族族长久久地看着黑星，最后，他低下了头。
“好吧，”他说道，“不过雷族的气味标记也已完成，我们的边界从枯树那里，延伸到那棵高大的冬青树下，再到白色岩石下废弃的狐狸巢穴。影族的猫胆敢踏过边界一爪，就别怪雷族不客气了。”
“听起来倒是很公平，”蜡毛说道，“火星的确对新领地了如指掌啊！”
“至于我们另一头的边界，”火星俯视着一根须，继续说道，“我建议还是按照当初的约定，以山脚下的小溪为界。这样一来，两个族群的猫就都可以喝这条小溪的水了。”
“好主意。”叶爪低声说道。
“我不明白，火星为什么会担心没水喝，”松鼠飞胡须抖动了几下，“湖泊就在我们巢穴外面不远的地方，喝水完全不成问题。”
“我看你并没有明白火星的用心，”叶爪告诉她说，“如果火星同意以小溪作为雷族、风族的边界，那就意味着，一根须赠予我们的那片林地又回到了风族的手里。”
松鼠飞眨了眨眼睛，说道：“所以，火星就用这种方式，拒绝了一根须的好意，又不会让他当初的决定显得太过慷慨？”
叶爪点了点头。
“谢谢你，火星。”一根须听起来似乎是松了一口气，只是不知道是因为又可以在树林里狩猎了呢，还是因为他知道，如此一来，就会平息那些风族武士的不满，“我们对此没有异议。风族另一头的边界，就设在马场附近的栅栏那里。”
“那剩下的便都是河族的领地了。”豹星说道。
“除了我们现在开会的这个地方，”火星提醒说，“这里不应该属于任何族群，只有这样，我们才有地方召开森林大会。”
河族族长眯起双眼，厉声说道：“你就这么迫不及待地想瓜分我们河族的领地啊！”
这一次，黑星破例站在了火星这一边：“我们必须找个地方召开森林大会，除了这里，也没有别的什么地方能容下四个族群的猫了。”
“很显然，这里是河族的地盘，”豹星坚持说道，“这里的沼泽中生长着很多重要的草药。”
火星用尾巴碰了碰她的肩膀说：“豹星，巫医们都希望能得到星族的指引，让我们找到一个更好的地方召开森林大会。你现在先不要争这块地了，也许到下一个月圆之夜，这里的一草一木就都是你的了。”
豹星犹豫了一会儿，然后勉强点头同意了。“河族暂时同意四大族群在这里召开森林大会。”她说道，“但如果两个月内，我们仍得不到星族的任何信息，我们就会考虑收回这块地了。”
火星继续向其他族群描述雷族是如何安顿下来的，并自豪地告诉大家，雷族又有了一位新武士。“今天晚上由蛛足负责守夜。”他说道。
这时，一片阴影飘过空地。叶爪抬起头，发现一朵乌云飘了过来，遮住了月亮。虽然云层不是很厚，不能完全遮住月亮，不过这个夜晚却因此显得格外黑暗阴森。一股潮湿的冷风拂过湖面，吹乱了众猫的毛发，头顶上的树枝也嘎嘎作响。叶爪注意到，身边的一些猫开始不安地挪动身子，纷纷回头。
“这里还是不太像四棵树，”蜡毛咕哝着说，“还是那里感觉安全。”
“无论我们身在何处，星族都与我们同在。”叶爪提醒蜡毛。但她的这番话似乎没能让蜡毛或其他猫安下心来。
“一根须？”火星问道，“你有什么要跟大家汇报吗？请站到树桩上，这样，大家就都能听到你的声音了。”说完，他纵身跳下，让出树桩上的位置给一根须。
“我们还在熟悉营地里的生活。”一根须开始讲话。
“你大声点——我们根本就听不见。”一个不耐烦的声音打断了一根须的话，原来是河族的武士巨步。
“如果你不保持安静，自然就听不见。”泥掌突然跳出来替一根须说话，叶爪不由有些惊讶，“我们族长正在报告风族情况，你还是好好听吧。”
巨步狠狠地瞪了泥掌一眼，但什么也没说。
一根须继续说：“我们的两位长老病了，但他们恢复状况良好。我们非常感谢雷族能伸出援手。”
“他不该提那个，”叶爪贴着松鼠飞的耳朵小声说道，“听起来好像没有雷族的帮助，风族就束手无策似的。”
“没准他们真是那样呢。”松鼠飞冷冷地说道。
这时，叶爪看向了松鼠飞的身后，发现树下的阴影里有什么东西在移动。她意识到危险正在逼近，身上的毛顿时立了起来。其他的猫也意识到了危险。一半成员伸出利爪准备应战。说时迟那时快，当两个轻盈的身影从黑暗中蹿出来时，半数猫站了起来，伸出了利爪。
是狐狸！
它们慢慢靠了过来，丝毫没有因为空地上猫多势众而退却。狐狸缩起嘴唇，怒吼着。叶爪看到它们锋利的牙齿泛着寒光。尘毛怒吼一声，扑向其中的一只狐狸。狐狸转过身，冲尘毛猛地咬去。但尘毛以迅雷不及掩耳之势，用爪子狠狠地抓了狐狸一下，然后迅速跳出狐狸尖嘴的攻击范围。雨须、鹰霜和黄毛也冲过来加入战斗。他们身后，更多毛发竖立的族群猫咆哮着拥了上来。
在尘毛和其他几只猫的攻击下，两只狐狸寡不敌众，落荒而逃。叶爪凝视着暗处，心不住地怦怦直跳，直到众猫一只只平安返回。看到他们都毫发无损，叶爪这才松了口气。
尘毛走到树桩跟前，收起爪子说道：“下一次，它们的好奇心就不再会这么重了！”
几只猫走过来向他表示祝贺，但大多数猫仍然焦躁不安，不住地回头看树林深处，似乎是担心狐狸会随时回来。叶爪抬头张望，天空在稀疏的灌木丛上方清晰可见。突然，她的心头涌起回到四棵树的强烈愿望。在那四棵巨大橡树的庇护下，众猫感到很安全，因为他们知道，自己的武士祖灵已经在那里守护了无数个岁月。然而，现在却没有任何迹象显示他们的武士祖灵也来到了这里。
“好了，”黑星说道，“趁着没有发生什么意外，森林大会就到此结束，大家都散了吧。还有谁有话要说吗？”
没有猫说话，大家都回到自己的族群。他们没有像以往那样，闲聊几句或相互道别，每只猫只想快点回家。
“我还得留下来一会儿，”叶爪告诉松鼠飞，“我们巫医要开个小会。”
“那你们不会有危险吧？”松鼠飞问道，“那些狐狸也许还会溜回来。”
“如果是你，被尘毛好好教训了一顿，还会回来吗？”
松鼠飞用尾巴尖轻拂叶爪的耳朵，说道：“有道理，但不管如何，还是小心为妙。”
蜡毛正等着松鼠飞，然后，两只猫并肩向湖边跑去。这一次，松鼠飞没有寻找黑莓掌。片刻之后，叶爪就看到了那位虎斑武士。他停下脚步，一直注视着鹰霜将河族的猫召集到一起。叶爪感到毛皮上一阵冰凉，她想，也许松鼠飞指责黑莓掌更想和自己的弟弟在一起，并不是空穴来风。
突然，有什么东西碰了她一下，一转身，发现蛾翅正站在自己旁边。
“跟我来，我们会面的地方在那边。”
叶爪尾巴轻轻一挥，搭在了蛾翅的背上。“你们的长老还好吧？”她低声问道。
内疚感立刻溢满蛾翅的双眼：“都没事了。不过，我真的很抱歉，叶爪。我本该先仔细检查水源的。”
“那不是你的错，”叶爪轻拂着她，安慰道，“当时，你身上全是老鼠的胆汁，怎么可能闻出水有什么异味？现在都没事了，不过，这也提醒我们，要尽快找到草药。所以，也算是一件好事吧。”
叶爪的话，似乎没有什么作用，蛾翅看上去还是闷闷不乐。她领着叶爪来到众猫刚刚抵达湖畔时巫医们集会的荆棘丛。炭毛和青面已经蜷伏在枯叶上了，随风嘎吱作响的树枝成了保护他们的屏障。蛾翅和叶爪钻了进去，过了一会儿，小云也来了。
“即便外面还有阴魂不散的狐狸，它们要想发现我们也没那么容易。”他一边说着，一边钻进荆棘丛，坐到了炭毛的旁边。
巫医中最年长的青面拉开了会议的序幕。“狐狸出现的小插曲，说明我们得找一处更合适的地方召开森林大会。我们也得找一处像月亮石那样的地方，跟星族对话。你们有谁得到征兆了吗？”
大家都摇摇头。
“寻找月亮石要更迫切些，”炭毛说道，“只要豹星没有改变主意，我们就不需要担心下个月可能没地方召开森林大会。可一根须现在就需要他的圣名和九条命。”
“星族知道我们的需求，”小云低声说道，“也许它们试着跟我们对话，只是我们自己没有慧眼，认不出它们的征兆而已。”
“要真是这样，那么刺猬都会飞了。”青面反驳道，“你觉得，如果星族给我们发出这么重要的征兆，我们会毫无察觉？”
“这个嘛，也许是这附近根本就没有月亮石吧。”蛾翅说道。
青面冷冷地看了蛾翅一眼，叶爪不禁心里一震：“如果真的没有月亮石，那这里就不是星族想让我们住下来的地方。你是不是想告诉族群，他们又得搬到别的地方去了？”
蛾翅低头看着自己的脚爪，一言不发。
“无论如何，”炭毛说道，“如果我们不能很快得到星族的征兆，我们可能就不得不再次搬家。族猫没办法在一个无法与星族交流的地方生存。”
“也许这里真的不是星族想要我们落脚的地方。”小云提出了自己的假设。
青面撇着嘴说：“如果我们告诉族群，他们必须离开这里，许多猫都会拒绝。那我们可怎么办？”
内疚咬噬着叶爪的心。因为当初带领族群翻越群山来到这个地方的那些猫中，就有她的妹妹松鼠飞，而且，她也一直把湖中倒映的星光，理解为星族正在等待他们的征兆。难道他们从一开始就全搞错了？
“也许星族是想让我们继续寻找它们的预兆？”叶爪暗示道。
炭毛点点头说：“或许你是对的，叶爪。在月半我们见面之前，大家都必须好好留意一下。”
“还得要求巡逻队特别留意像母亲嘴那样的通道，”青面补充道，“一旦他们发现了什么，巫医可以把信息带给其他巫医。”
“好主意。”炭毛说。
“如果没有其他事情要讨论的话，今天就到此为止吧。”青面高声说道，“我还想感谢叶爪，她在我们长老生病时伸出了援手。两位生病长老现在的状况都不错。”
叶爪低头致意。
“你们也有长老生病了？”小云问道，“我们也出现了几例。他们一定是在我们相聚时染上了腹痛。蛾翅，你们河族的长老有没有生病的？”
蛾翅扫了一眼叶爪，说道：“也有生病的。”
“好了。我们就不谈细节了，好吧？”青面高声说道，“你们的长老后来好了没有？你用什么治好的他们？”
“用的是杜松果。对了，他们后来都康复了，谢谢你，青面。”
青面点了点头，起身离开了。巫医们钻出荆棘丛，蛾翅则轻弹尾巴，示意叶爪跟自己离其他猫远一点。
“叶爪，谢谢你没有告诉他们真相。”蛾翅说道。
“那没什么。”叶爪可以想象，如果鼠毛知道自己生病，是因为喝了别的猫给的污水，以她的性格，肯定会暴跳如雷的。
蛾翅目光沉郁地看了她好一阵子，问道：“叶爪，我们是不是朋友？”
“当然是啦。”叶爪惊讶地回答道。
蛾翅犹豫不决，爪子深深抓进地面。最后，她深吸了一口气说：“炭毛刚才说，要我们留意星族捎来的预兆。其实，你知道我们什么预兆都看不到，对吧？”
“你在说什么啊？你可是河族的巫医！星族不跟你对话，还会跟谁对话啊？”
“别再自欺欺人了，叶爪，”蛾翅的尾巴不耐烦地抽动着，“对我来说，什么星族啊，我们的武士祖灵啊，还有我们应该解读的那些所谓预兆——统统都是为了让各族相安无事而编出来的故事罢了。”
叶爪一脸惊恐地盯着她的朋友。作为巫医，她怎么可以不相信星族呢？“但……但是你在成为巫医时，不是在月光石那儿跟星族交流了吗？”叶爪结结巴巴地说道。
蛾翅轻松地耸了耸肩。“那只不过是我做了个梦而已，别那么震惊，”她补充道，“这又不是世界末日。我的医术跟其他巫医一样精湛，治好我们河族猫的病不在话下。我不需要星族来告诉我该用哪一种草药。”
叶爪开口将自己接收到的预兆，以及她在梦中与雷族前任巫医斑叶极为难得的那次会面，都告诉了蛾翅。然而她发现，蛾翅也只是把那些当作叶爪的梦境罢了。
“得了吧，叶爪，”蛾翅继续说道，“你刚才也说了，我们必须找到属于自己的预兆。既然星族会主动给予我们预兆，那我们何必要多此一举呢？”
“好吧……你这么说虽然没错，但这不是重点。我们主动寻找预兆，和星族给予预兆，这两者并不矛盾啊。”
蛾翅耳朵动了一下，说道：“对我来说，这没什么不同。”
叶爪顿时就感到头晕目眩，因为蛾翅正在质疑她自小就深信不疑的信念。然而，她没法说服蛾翅，因为她所了解的星族，以及与它们相遇的所有经历，全都在她自己的脑海里。
“那可不一样，”她坚持说道，“这就是信仰星族的意义所在——即使目前我们还没有得到任何预兆，我们也要继续寻找，去相信。在我们寿命将尽，加入星族之前，我们无法确定星族是否真的存在，是否真的守护着我们。”
蛾翅摇摇头说：“对不起，叶爪。我还是无法相信你的说法。也许是因为我母亲是只泼皮猫的缘故吧。不过，就算我不相信那些关于武士祖灵的神话，我也能做一只效忠河族的猫。”
“那发生在你身上的蛾翅征兆又做何解释呢？”叶爪提醒她。因为蛾翅的母亲并不是族群出生的猫，所以最初，河族猫对蛾翅能否成为巫医心存疑虑。她之所以被认为是河族巫医的适合继任者，是因为她还是学徒的时候，河族的前任巫医泥毛在他的巢穴外面发现了一片飞蛾的翅膀，认定那是星族的预兆。从此，蛾翅开始了自己的巫医学徒生涯。“你总不能说那也不是星族的预兆吧？”叶爪坚持说道。
“飞蛾的翅膀？”蛾翅的眼中闪现出一丝惊恐的神色，“那是……”
“叶爪！你走不走啊？”炭毛呼喊道。
叶爪挥动尾巴回应了一下。她想听听蛾翅接下来会说些什么。但是那只河族猫却转身背对着她。“炭毛在找你，”她说道，“下次半月之夜再会。”不等叶爪开口说话，蛾翅就跑开了。
叶爪走到老师跟前，然后一同返回湖岸。蛾翅竟然不相信星族！她一直知道，蛾翅有些抗拒自己巫医的身份，但她以为那不过是因为蛾翅无法精通各类草药罢了。她做梦都没想到，她的朋友原来根本就不相信武士祖灵这回事。
叶爪身上的每一根毛发都竖立了起来。她应该把这件事告诉炭毛吗？即使说了，又会怎么样呢？恐惧如狐狸那般如影随形，叶爪脑海里甚至闪现出更为可怕的念头：星族之所以一直沉默不语，难道是因为它们知道有位巫医并不相信它们吗？会不会因为蛾翅丧失信念，才导致四大族群陷入失去新家园的危险之中呢？
叶爪长长地叹了口气。
“你没事吧？”炭毛问道。
叶爪吞了吞口水。她不希望老师问有关蛾翅的问题，便回答道：“嗯，没事，谢谢。”
“你刚才的那声叹息，不会是因为某位风族武士吧？”
叶爪的眼神闪烁不定。“不是，当然不是，”她连忙否认，“跟风族武士完全扯不上边！”
炭毛的双眼熠熠发亮，但她没再多说什么。叶爪凝视着湖面上倒映的星光，强迫自己用蛾翅的视角去看，结果，那些星光只不过是点点光亮罢了。看到这里，她不禁浑身一阵战栗。不！她必须坚信，一定是那些武士祖灵指引他们来到这里的。
星族啊，请告诉我们，这里就是猫族安家的地方。她心中暗暗祈祷。但是，就算这些闪闪的祖灵在回答她，她却什么都听不见。
第十七章
第十七章
森林大会之后的几天，叶爪拼命寻觅着任何可以被解释为星族预兆的事物。她在树林里漫步，在小溪边发现了牛蒡和金盏花，还在营地附近找到了好大一丛山萝卜。尽管这番丰硕的收获，让她和炭毛不用再为草药储备发愁，但它们却没法让她找到一个族群与武士祖灵会面的地方。如果到了月半之夜，星族还没有传来预兆，那会发生什么事呢？族群真的会考虑离开他们的新家，去寻找别的落脚之处吗？
在月半之夜的前两天，叶爪跟随着采药队，带回了一束气味浓烈的蓍草。尽管蓍草的气味熏得她两眼直流眼泪，但她还是一眼就认出了从荆棘通道钻出的蕨毛。蕨毛蹦跳着来到正在警戒的栗尾身边。
“嗨，你好！”蕨毛和这位玳瑁色武士碰了碰鼻子，问道，“你想去狩猎吗——就你我俩？”
栗尾兴奋得咕噜起来：“当然可以。到了日高时分，我就不用警戒了。”
“太好了！到时候见。”蕨毛快快地舔了一下她的耳朵，然后钻回到通道中。
叶爪走到朋友身边，放下嘴里的那束蓍草打趣道：“你们狩猎的时候，猎物就是这么溜走的，对吧？”
栗尾转身看着她说道：“我听不懂你在胡说什么！”
叶爪笑嘻嘻地卷起尾巴说：“虽然我是一位巫医，但并不表示我就看不出蕨毛喜欢你。”
“好吧……”栗尾白色的前爪不住抓挠着地面，“他很棒，是不是？”说着，栗尾的眼里流露出一丝骄傲，还有一丝窘迫。
“他确实很棒。”叶爪把口鼻靠在朋友的身上说道，“我真为你感到高兴。”
她祝愿栗尾狩猎成功，然后拾起地上的蓍草，小心翼翼地钻进山谷入口处的荆棘丛。
“原来你在这儿啊！”炭毛一瘸一拐地穿过空地，向她走来，“快过来看看这个。”
叶爪跟着她来到了悬崖的最高处。岩石上方几狐狸高的地方有个裂缝，里面长满了荆棘，荆棘那长长的藤蔓像垂帘似的悬了下来。
“这里的荆棘全是刺，”炭毛解释道，“实在是太厚了，不适合用来遮蔽，所以今天早上，我请雨须和烟毛帮忙把它们给挪走了。快来看看他们发现了什么。”
说完，炭毛溜进那片荆棘垂帘后面，摇摇尾巴示意叶爪过来。叶爪小心翼翼地打量着这些藤蔓，眼前的景象令她瞠目结舌。她的眼前，有一道很深的裂口，裂口一直向里面延伸着，光线都照不进最里面的角落。里面有水滴落下，在地面形成一个小小的池子。地面其他地方覆盖着破碎的岩石，还夹杂着沙石，既凉爽又干燥，可以躺在上面休憩。
昏暗之中，炭毛兴奋得双眼发亮：“这里做巫医的巢穴再合适不过了！你觉得怎么样？”
叶爪环视四周。这里的确比她和炭毛之前住的那个地方好得多。有了这个小水池，生病的猫也可以就近饮水，而岩石上遍布的裂缝可以用来储存草药。外面仍留了一些荆棘做屏障，她可以睡在里面。这样一来，炭毛夜里也就有了更多的独立空间。
“太棒了！”她兴奋地说，“我会清理掉这些碎石，再带些苔藓来铺窝。”
炭毛叫火星来参观她的新发现，这位族长又叫来云尾和亮心帮忙清理巢穴。待到夜幕降临，一切都准备就绪了，两位巫医就都有了用苔藓和蕨叶铺垫的舒适新窝。
叶爪蜷缩在新窝中，鼻子钻在尾巴里面。睡在缠绕的荆棘丛下，她感到格外的安全和温暖。那个裂缝离她的窝只有一尾远，如果生病的猫在夜里需要帮助，她很快便能够过去照应。搬了一下午岩石，她早已疲惫不堪，便阖上了双眼。
几乎在闭眼的一刹那，她发现自己正沿着湖畔前行，她的爪子浸在了波光中。前面不远处，一个精瘦灰黑色的身影站在一块岩石之上，正低头俯视着波光粼粼的水面。原来是鸦羽。
“羽尾？”叶爪靠近他时，听到他正喃喃自语道，“羽尾，你在哪儿？”
叶爪跃上他身边的岩石，毛发轻柔地拂过他的身体。鸦羽转过身来，看着叶爪，眼里盈满了伤悲。
“羽尾就在这儿，就在这些闪耀的群星当中，”她温柔地告诉他，“鸦羽，她一直都在你身边，守护着你。”
“那她为何会死去呢？”他低声说着，深切地凝视着叶爪，叶爪感觉似乎有一根荆棘刺入了她的心。
“我不知道。”叶爪承认道。
一阵芬芳的气息扑鼻而来，她回过头去，看到斑叶正站在后方等她。
“我得走了。”叶爪说着，转身离开了这位灰毛武士。
鸦羽没有说话，只是又一次俯瞰着水面，仿佛想从星光中找到独属于羽尾的那颗永远闪耀的灵魂。
叶爪沿着湖畔向那位巫医跑去。“斑叶！”她喊道。接着，她停了下来，鹅卵石在脚爪下滚动。她凝视着斑叶那双闪亮的眼睛，差点迷失了自己。“我还以为今生再也见不到你了。”
“我现在不就在这里吗？”斑叶低声说道。她伸出鼻头，轻触叶爪的耳朵，力度轻柔得好像蛛丝一般。
叶爪闭上眼睛，沉浸在这熟悉的气息当中。接着，她退后一步，深吸了一口气。“为什么星族一直保持沉默？”她问道，努力压制着自己罕见的怒火，因为斑叶让她担忧了这么久，“我们一直在苦苦寻觅另一块月亮石，但至今都没有找到。如果找不到同星族对话的地方，我们要怎么办呢？我们是不是又得搬家了？”
“冷静点，小家伙，”斑叶说道，“别忘了，星族也得从原来的地方移到这里。对我们来说，这里也是一个全新的地方，我们需要很多时间探索这里。但映照在水面的星光，会指引你该去的方向。”
“你是说那个湖泊吗？”
“不。这次你必须走一条有别于以往的路。”
“那条路在哪里？请告诉我！”叶爪恳求道。
不料，斑叶转过身，跳着跑开了。“等等！”叶爪大声呼喊着，但那位巫医美丽的身影已经完全消失在黑暗之中。
叶爪连忙追了上去。霎时，湖泊消失了，她发现自己正沿着一条星光闪闪的小溪往山上狂奔；虽然看不见斑叶，但飘荡在空气中的芬芳香气却在为她指引着方向。汩汩的流水声不绝于耳，叶爪俯瞰着这条小溪，顿时觉得自己要被星光淹没了。
“斑叶，你在哪里？”
她的呼喊声在山谷里回荡，连瀑布的哗哗声都被盖住了。这时，她猛地醒了过来，发现自己正喘着粗气，在苔藓铺垫的窝里胡乱扒拉着。眼前，只有一只猫头鹰在头顶上方的树枝上鸣叫着。她失望地发出一声叹息。一旦失去巫医斑叶的踪迹，有可能会永远无法知道她到底想给自己看什么了。叶爪的心怦怦直跳，一股想要翻山越岭寻找那条发光的小溪的冲动，根本无法遏制。
她望向裂缝处。睡梦中的炭毛正背对着自己，呈现出一条灰色的曲线，她的侧腹随着呼吸轻轻地上下起伏着。叶爪悄悄溜出荆棘丛，然后停下来抖动身体，甩掉毛发上粘着的些许苔藓碎屑。早些时候，下过一场大雨，山谷岩壁上仍旧残留着闪烁的雨滴。乌云已经散去，月亮悬在树林的上方，夜空中满是星辰。一阵凉风吹过，枝条不住晃动着，轻柔的沙沙声中，叶爪听到了斑叶的声音：“我在这里，到我这里来吧。”
我马上就来，斑叶，她在心中默默地回答道，等着我。
她悄无声息地向营地入口走去。刚来到空地中央，一个玳瑁色的身影从荆棘丛中现了出来。叶爪屏息问道：“斑叶？是你吗？”
“叶爪？”对方吃了一惊，原来是栗尾，“你要去哪里？”
“我……我也不确定，”叶爪坦白说道，“我收到了来自星族的消息。我得去找新月亮石所在的地方。”
“现在吗？你就不能等到天亮再去？”
“不行，”叶爪缩紧了爪子，“我得沿着星光闪烁的小溪去寻找。”
“什么小溪？”栗尾不安地抽动着尾巴，“在我们的领地之外吗？你怎么知道在哪儿能找到它呢？”
“我只要去找就好了。”
“那我跟你一起去。”栗尾说道。
叶爪犹豫了一下。如果她带着一位武士，而不是另一位巫医，星族会不会介意？接着，她想起来，所有的猫，包括武士，至少都要去一次月亮石，所以，带栗尾去应该没什么问题。更何况，她喜欢栗尾陪伴在自己身边，尤其是遇到麻烦的时候。毕竟，她自己都不知道该往哪儿走。
“那我们赶紧走吧！”叶爪领着栗尾来到荆棘通道，刚好碰到正在警戒的蕨毛，他正坐在地上，尾巴齐整地盘在脚爪边。
“你们俩要去哪儿？”见到两只母猫走近，蕨毛站起身问道。
“出去随便走走。”栗尾答道。
叶爪觉得，要想让蕨毛在午夜时分放她们俩离开营地，就得给他一个合理的解释，于是说道：“我得到了星族的预兆，我得去寻找新的月亮石。”
让叶爪沮丧的是，蕨毛看起来有些犹豫不决：“你俩天亮之前出去太危险了。我们对这片领地还不太熟悉。”
“你难道不相信我们吗？”栗尾恳求道，“你难道连我都不相信吗？我保证会把叶爪安然无恙地带回来。”
她和蕨毛对视了良久，最后那位金棕色的武士终于点头同意了：“好吧，但你们要小心。”
“你认为我们无法保护好自己？”栗尾说着用尾巴轻轻弹了一下蕨毛的耳朵。
蕨毛发出满心愉悦的咕噜声：“栗尾，如果非要选出哪只猫最能保护好自己，那一定非你莫属。”
叶爪带头一路奔跑着穿过了森林，来到了那条作为雷族与风族分界线的小溪。小溪两岸的灌木丛在溪水上投下阴影，水面幽暗，充满神秘，看上去一点也不像她在梦中见到的波光粼粼的样子。
叶爪跳上斜坡继续往上爬，在树林的边缘处停了下来。在梦境中，她曾在开阔的山坡上狂奔，所以她觉得，她们现在必须穿越这片树林。
“接下来往哪儿走？”栗尾气喘吁吁地问道。
“往上走吧。”叶爪回答道。
她俩沿着小溪继续向前，走出了树林，开始往山上爬去。叶爪阖上双眼时，仿佛能感到自己身侧各有一只猫，一只是她最好的朋友栗尾，另一只便是斑叶。虽然看不见斑叶的身影，但叶爪却可以感到她的毛发与自己擦身而过，闻到了她身上散发出的甜美气息。当叶爪睁开眼睛时，她觉得自己真的能听到第三只猫的脚步声，只不过那脚步声如细丝般细微，不易察觉罢了。
沿着溪流往上爬的途中，叶爪决定把自己的梦境告诉栗尾。“我在湖边遇到了斑叶，她告诉我，映在水面上的星光便是预兆。不过不是映照在湖水中，而是在溪水中。接下来，我就沿着一条小溪往山上跑去，溪水里满是星光。”叶爪说道。
“你知道你当时在哪儿吗？”
“周围的一切都很陌生。那里没有一棵树，空气清冷，似乎是在某个很高的地方。”
“那我们就继续往上爬吧。”栗尾说。
溪水静静地在石床上流淌着，幽暗之中又泛着粼粼波光。叶爪的脑海里仍全是斑叶显示给她的那条不停流淌的小溪。她俩越往前走，梦中小溪的声音就越发响亮。即使她们来到这条边界小溪的源头，远离小溪最为湍急的地方，也是如此。
“我来了，斑叶。”叶爪低语道。
她们来到了山坡上的一个裂口处，那里的地面深陷了下去，像是巨大的脚掌留下的印记一般。溪谷里生长着一排排金雀花和蕨丛，而且越往上走，山谷就越陡峭、狭窄，地面上也全是碎石。叶爪抢先来到溪谷的尽头，那里通往一条满是岩石的陡坡。她停下脚步等着同伴，因为疲惫，栗尾的尾巴都耷拉了下来，但她仍然迈着坚定的步伐前行着。叶爪觉得自己浑身有使不完的劲，可以一直这么奔跑下去。她脑海中的这个声音不断咆哮着、翻滚着，就像急水部落那儿的瀑布声。叶爪已经习惯了这个回荡不去的声音，以至于过了好一会儿，她才意识到，原来在现实的生活中，也能听到怒吼的水声。
“快点！”她对栗尾喊道，“我们马上就要到了！”
她纵身一跃，爪子在潮湿的岩石上乱扒着。黎明的第一缕光亮已经勾勒出她头顶上方连绵起伏的山峰，此时，靛蓝色的天空中，群星仍在闪耀。
等着我啊！叶爪恳求着那群闪烁的星族武士。她回头看了一眼栗尾，大声喊道：“快来啊——星光就要褪去了！”
她转身正准备向上奔去，一下子就愣住了。在她头顶上方的不远处，站着一只猫，竖着双耳，尾巴高高抬着。难不成，还有另外一位巫医也被引领到这里了？接着，叶爪认出那正是斑叶。她一直在耐心等待着自己，即便在梦中叶爪追丢了她，斑叶依然相信自己能够找到这里。
叶爪蹦跳着来到她身边，突然发现自己站在溪畔，闪耀着星光的溪水顺着深壑倾泻而下，溅洒在岩石上。
“我们到了！”叶爪一下子惊呆了，“我们找到了！”
“跟我来吧！”斑叶催促她。
叶爪挥动尾巴，召唤着栗尾：“快！斑叶在这里！”
玳瑁色的武士蹦跳了几步，来到叶爪身边，然后四处张望着，问道：“斑叶在哪儿呢？”
“就在那儿！”叶爪指着距溪畔几尾远的地方说道。那里，有一个布满星光的身影。
“我看不见她啊！”栗尾说道，她不安地看着叶爪，“这是不是很糟糕呢？”
叶爪轻轻地将尾巴拂过栗尾的眼睛，说道：“不，当然不是。她能看到你在这里，这才最重要。相信我，她和我们在一起呢。”
斑叶转身沿着小溪向上爬去，叶爪急忙跟在她的身后。越往上走，山势就越发陡峭，丛生的荆棘，遮蔽住了闪闪发光的小溪。斑叶的身子一下就没入了荆棘丛，就像一条鱼潜入水中一样，消失得无影无踪。
叶爪停下脚步，侧着脑袋打量着荆棘丛。她必须跟上斑叶，但如果硬着头皮挤进去，肯定会被荆棘给刺伤。很快，她就发现了一条细小的空隙，于是赶紧钻了进去；尽管荆棘上的刺仍会扎痛她的毛皮，但这个空隙刚好可以让她通过，她并没有受伤。她能听见栗尾跟在身后的声音。栗尾呼吸急促，正努力跳上最后一块岩石。
一个心跳之后，叶爪已经出现在了陡峭的山谷边上。荆棘丛的另一侧，地面猛然向下，叶爪不得不摇摆身子，努力保持着平衡。这里比雷族营地所在的石头山谷要小很多，没有金雀花和灌木丛，山坡也更平缓，满地尽是遍覆苔藓的岩石。只是在远处，矗立着陡峭的崖壁，崖壁上长满了青苔和蕨丛。清泉从悬崖的豁口中汩汩涌出，注入山谷中央的水池中。池面波光粼粼，映照着点点星光。这里是叶爪所见过的最美的地方。
斑叶站在水池边。“来吧。”她边说边挥动尾巴召唤叶爪。
在叶爪的脚掌旁边，恰好有一条狭窄的小路，沿着山谷蜿蜒而下，一直通到水池边。
她听到栗尾从身后的荆棘中钻出的声音。“哇！”栗尾惊讶地问道，“就是这里吗？”
“我想应该是的，”叶爪回答道，“斑叶想让我下到水池跟前去。”
“我跟你一起去吧？”栗尾说道。
叶爪摇了摇头：“我想，第一次还是我独自前往吧。”
叶爪在山谷边上告别栗尾，然后小心翼翼地顺着小路向下走去。岩石上留有无数古老的爪印。每走一步，她的爪子就会滑进很久之前的猫留下的爪印里。虽然他们早已离世，但一想到他们也曾经来过这里，叶爪就兴奋得皮毛隐隐作痛。
最后，她来到水池边，与斑叶并肩而立。
“快看那水，叶爪。”斑叶的灵魂低声说道。
叶爪有些疑惑，便低头看去，顿时就觉得天旋地转。她看到的不是星星，而是许许多多猫的身影，他们的皮毛闪着微光。无数双满怀期待的眼睛看着她，仿佛他们早就知道她会来似的。
叶爪屏住呼吸，抬起头来。山谷的斜坡上，齐整地坐满了星族武士，个个身上都熠熠发光。他们的眼睛闪着光芒，宛若一颗颗小小的月亮。他们的皮毛上，也结了一层薄薄的冰霜。
“别害怕，”斑叶说，“我们一直在等你找到通往星族的道路。”
叶爪并不害怕。星光中的猫纷纷凝视着她，但叶爪只感受到了温暖与善意。大多数的武士祖灵她都没有见过，但在最前排的猫中，她看到了斑尾。斑尾是雷族的长老，因为吃了被两脚兽下毒的兔子而死。这只母猫现在看上去优雅美丽，完全不像叶爪最后见到她时的消瘦绝望。她的眼神里洋溢着光彩，似乎在欢迎叶爪的到来，然后，她冲着水边争相追逐月光的两个小小的身影点点头。他们一边嬉戏，一边靠近叶爪。叶爪从他们身上闻到了幼崽特有的那种奶香气息。她欣喜地认出，这两只幼崽正是小冬青和小叶松。在两脚兽摧毁森林的时候，他俩因为猎物短缺而饿死。一只稍大一些的猫伸出一只爪子，把两只浑身闪着星光的小家伙从水边推开。他正是他们的哥哥鼩鼱爪，当时，身为学徒的他，在为雷族狩猎时，被两脚兽的怪物给撞死了。
我一定得告诉香薇云。叶爪心想，要是知道自己的三个孩子都平安地生活在星族里，作为母亲的她该是多么欣慰啊！
然后，她发现，有一只猫的身影没有看到。于是，她的视线迅速在山谷里扫视了一遍，确定没看到灰条，叶爪感到自己的心跳加快了：莫非火星真的说对了，他的这位朋友还活着？
水池的另一端，一位蓝灰色武士站起身，一下子就让叶爪想到了一只猫……她长得简直和雾脚一模一样！她一定是雾脚的母亲蓝星。在火星之前，她曾是雷族族长。
“欢迎你，叶爪，”蓝星说道，“看到你来了，我们都很高兴。这里就是巫医与星族交流的地方，也是你们的族长领受他们的九条命和圣名的地方。”
“这儿可真美，蓝星，”叶爪低声说道，“谢谢你派斑叶带我来这里。”
“你回去之后，一定要告知所有族群。”蓝星继续说道，“不过在此之前，还有个老朋友想跟你说两句。”
一个美丽的银灰色身影从猫群中走出，绕过水池向叶爪走来。
“羽尾！”
这位闪着星光的武士走到叶爪面前停了下来，与她亲切地碰了碰鼻子，顿时，羽尾散发出的柔和光芒令叶爪如沐春风。
“我还以为你留在了杀无尽部落了呢。”叶爪说道。
羽尾摇了摇头。“我现在穿梭在两片天际之间，有时跟部落的祖灵在一起，有时也跟我的星族在一起。但无论我在哪里，我都不会忘记族群。”她犹豫了一会儿，然后又说了一句，“尤其忘不了鸦羽。”
“他也非常思念你。他取的这个武士名号就是为了纪念你。”
“是的，我都看到了。”羽尾说道，“我为他感到骄傲，他一定会成为一位伟大的武士。”她再一次弯下身子，凑到叶爪跟前，呼出的热气吹起了这位学徒的毛发。“告诉他，不要伤心，我会永远爱着他，但我们还得等好多好多个月才能再次见面。现在，他必须和他的同伴们生活在新的家园里。他不能一直对自己身边的那些猫熟视无睹。”
“我会告诉他的。”叶爪保证道。
羽尾低头致意之后，转过身去，点点星光将她的皮毛映成了银色。渐渐地，武士祖灵身影消失，变成了环绕山坡的点点星光，最后彻底消散了。在斑叶消失之前，叶爪闻到了她的最后一缕馨香。
她抬起头，看到天色越发明亮起来。栗尾站在山谷顶部，正俯瞰着她。
叶爪顺着小道跑到了栗尾的身边。“你看到它们了吗？”她兴奋地问。
栗尾歪着脑袋问道：“看见谁了？”
“星族啊！它们就在这里，就在山谷的四周！我还跟蓝星和羽尾说了话！”可看到栗尾一脸疑惑的神情时，叶爪的声音渐渐变小。
“我只看到水池里升起了一层明亮的薄雾。”栗尾犹豫地说道。
“那就是它们。”叶爪对栗尾说。她环顾山谷，耳边依旧是星光四溢的溪水不断流淌的声音。“这里就是跟星族交流的所在。”
“你确定吗？”
就在这时，月光照亮了水面，一束纯净的白光淹没了山谷。
“是的，我很确定。”叶爪说道，“我们失去了月亮石，却找到了月亮池。这里就是星族与我们交流的地方。”她转向栗尾，感到自己的毛发都闪耀着星光。
“我们找到了！这里就是族群的归属之地。”
第十八章
第十八章
黑莓掌蹑手蹑脚地穿行在矮树丛中，他双耳高耸着，捕捉着猎物的动静。他听到刺掌和尘毛正紧跟着自己，他俩潜行于蕨丛下，腹部紧贴着地面。黑莓掌试着告诉自己，他并不介意松鼠飞没有一同前来。为族群提供充足的食物，以及探索新领地，才是当下的重中之重。如果松鼠飞非要跟自己对着干，那是她的不对。松鼠飞从没担心过自己和褐皮的联系，为什么一提到鹰霜就气不打一处来呢？
钻出蕨叶灌木丛后，巡逻队沿着一条很宽阔的两脚兽道路边缘往前走着。这是他们来到这里后，巡逻队离开营地最远的一次了。到目前为止，他们一直忙于在石头山谷中建筑巢穴、设置屏障，还在营地附近捕到了足够的猎物，全族群的猫都能吃得饱饱的。现在，他们开始进一步扩大活动范围，小心翼翼地探索这片领地上更遥远的地方。
不知怎么的，这条路总是令黑莓掌有些不安。“我不喜欢这条路，”他说道，“它太像雷鬼路了。”他感到腹部一紧，一想起两脚兽的怪物曾撕裂森林，留下了一条比这更宽广，但却一样笔直的道路。
刺掌仔细嗅闻着空气。“我觉得这不是雷鬼路，”片刻之后，他说道，“这儿没有两脚兽或者怪物的气味。”
黑莓掌深吸了一口气，意识到这位金棕色武士是对的。这里没有任何两脚兽的踪迹，甚至连残存的气味都没有，但他仍然有一种似曾相识的感觉。“可能这里以前是雷鬼路，”他猜测道，“也许是两脚兽故意让青草覆盖了路面。”
“它们为什么要那么做呢？”刺掌好奇地问。
“因为它们是鼠脑子，”尘毛生气地说道，“所有两脚兽都是鼠脑子。”刚说完，他就发现，在最近的灌木丛下有一只田鼠，便马上蹑手蹑脚地靠了过去。
黑莓掌看着尘毛，心里仍对这条路感到非常困惑。如果两脚兽从石头山谷里挖出石头，势必就需要一条雷鬼路来运走。不过，他又转念一想：这并不重要，只要目前这里没有两脚兽就行。
尘毛猎杀了田鼠，用泥土掩埋了猎物。随后，几只猫继续沿着路的一侧往前进发。黑莓掌不愿踩在两脚兽造出的东西上，即使是很久以前的东西。他猜测自己的同伴也有同样的感觉。
突然，尘毛发出嘶嘶的低吼声。当黑莓掌随着暗棕色武士的目光望过树林时，他一下子僵住了，身上的毛全都立了起来——他看到了两脚兽巢穴的石墙。
“还是闻不到什么气味。”刺掌说着，看向黑莓掌，“你想怎么办？”
黑莓掌有点想转过身去，赶快找个地方躲起来。他想起了他们第一次巡逻湖边时，在影族领地上发现的两脚兽巢穴，以及那两只被他们侵扰到的凶神恶煞的宠物猫。但是族群需要对新领地了如指掌。“我们过去看看吧。”他决定道。
他们所走的这条路上，分出来一条更狭窄的小道，通往那个两脚兽巢穴，但黑莓掌却选择直接穿过树林，他腹部紧贴着地面，悄悄地向巢穴靠近。
这个巢穴和两脚兽地盘上的那些巢穴有所不同。这个巢穴的门是用扁平的木条做的，早已破败不堪，一边的门已经垂了下来。墙上有几个方形大洞，大洞上什么东西也没有，所以风雨能长驱直入。整个巢穴里漆黑寂静，弥漫着混杂的气味。
眼前的景象令黑莓掌不寒而栗，他的每一根毛都竖立了起来。他不愿再往前踏进一步，只想着赶紧逃走。但他知道松鼠飞肯定会这么说：你居然没敢进去！真是胆小如鼠！
“你们在这儿等着。”他对同伴们命令道，然后迈开大步来到门口。
但刺掌和尘毛并没有照他说的做。黑莓掌明白，他俩没有理由听从他的指挥，毕竟他还不是副族长。黑莓掌爬上台阶溜进了两脚兽的巢穴里，刺掌和尘毛小心翼翼地跟在身后。
微弱的光线斜射到门上，黑莓掌依稀能看到，灰色的墙壁上坑坑洼洼的，木质地板已经开裂，裂缝中长满了杂草。而正前方则是一个由突出的木块搭成的斜坡，通向上面一层。
里面闻不到两脚兽的气味，只有浓烈的猎物的香气。石墙上的裂缝和地板下的空隙是各种鼠类的绝佳藏身之所。黑莓掌听到了刺掌用爪子重重击打在木头上的声音，便回头望去，只见他的同伴嘴里噙着一只老鼠。
“干得漂亮！”他低声说。
尘毛看上去也一脸的激动。“如果两脚兽不再回来，”他说道，“没准这里会大有用处。”
黑莓掌也这样认为。这里猎物丰富，而且非常好抓，但他不喜欢这个地方给他的感觉。这里就像一个废弃的空巢穴，他想知道为什么两脚兽会废弃。
“你们想上去看看吗？”黑莓掌说着，双耳转向了那个陡峭的木块斜坡。
“除非星族来求我，”尘毛说道，“那里看上去一点都不安全。”
“我看一眼就回来。”黑莓掌说着，耳边仿佛听到了松鼠飞的嘲讽声。
他飞快地登上几个木块，又踟蹰了一会儿，担心自己在上面会遇到什么危险。当他冲上二层时，发现这里与下面一样，地上也铺着木条。这时，突然响起一阵尖叫声和翅膀扑腾的声音，吓得他的心狂跳不已。过了一会儿，他才发现，那只是一只鸽子。因为他的突然出现，鸽子受到了惊吓，从巢穴顶的裂缝落荒而逃，灰白色的羽毛散落一地。
黑莓掌万分小心地往前走去，他到处打探着，直到确认这个地方只有他自己，才松了口气。当他回到底下那一层时，发现尘毛又抓住了一只老鼠，刺掌则蹲守在墙缝处，机警地竖着双耳。
“我们现在没时间狩猎了。”黑莓掌提醒他们，他老是有一种被两脚兽的围墙困住了的感觉，他的爪子恨不得马上冲到外面去，“我们可以在外面狩猎，而且我们还要向火星报告我们的发现。我们赶紧走吧。”
刺掌很不情愿地跟着他走了出来，三只猫便又沿着那条废弃的雷鬼路折返了回去。
回到营地，尘毛和刺掌直奔猎物堆，黑莓掌则去见火星。这时，族长正与沙风、松鼠飞坐在一起。“火星，我想你应该知道我们今天发现了什么。”他描述了在两脚兽空巢里的所见所闻。
“真的一丁点两脚兽的气味都没有吗？”黑莓掌刚一讲完，火星便立即问道。
黑莓掌摇了摇头：“那儿看上去挺适合猎物藏身的，我想那个地方将来可能会派上用场。”
“也许还能作为避难所，”沙风建议道，“如果天气太恶劣，或者再度失火……”说到这里，她不禁颤抖了起来。黑莓掌了解她的感受。那场曾经肆虐雷族旧营地的大火，吞噬了他们的一切，至今一想起来，他仍心有余悸。他不确定，如果再发生一场类似的大火，两脚兽巢穴的石墙能否保护众猫的安全。
“可能吧，你们大家都是好样的。”火星说。
“我现在还要出去一趟，”黑莓掌说道，“我们需要更多的猎物。”他突然感觉自己的喉咙像是卡了一块八哥肉，但那句话到底还是说出口了：“松鼠飞，你愿意和我一起去吗？”
暗姜黄色武士盯着他看了好一会儿，有那么一刻，黑莓掌确信她会答应自己的请求。不想，她站起身，摇晃着尾巴说：“对不起。我已经答应跟蜡毛和蛛足一起去狩猎了。”
“好吧。”黑莓掌忍住心碎，他可不想让松鼠飞看到自己的失望。
“你暂时别再出去了，黑莓掌，”火星说道，“森林大会之后，你就一直忙个不停，你需要休息休息。这是命令，”黑莓掌刚要开口抗议，火星又补充道：“太阳还没升起来，你就已经巡逻过一次了。去吃点东西，然后好好睡一觉，就算睡到正午也没关系。难道你认为我会愿意自己最好的武士因劳累过度而病倒吗？”
黑莓掌低头致意，然后转身离开了。
刺掌一直在旁边看着。当黑莓掌从猎物堆里叼出一只田鼠，坐到刺掌身旁时，刺掌耳朵冲着松鼠飞动了一下。“你们吵架了吗？”他笑着问道，“你到底做了什么？”
“星族知道。”黑莓掌哼了一声。他可不希望族群里的每一只猫都对他与松鼠飞的争吵感兴趣，当然更不想让他们知道他跟松鼠飞吵架的原因。想到这里，他的尾巴就烦躁地甩动起来。
她为什么就看不出自己对雷族的绝对忠诚，以及对她一如既往的关心呢？在黑莓掌的内心深处，他确信自己已经找到了答案。她之所以怀疑自己的忠诚，是因为每次她看着自己的时候，都会想起另一只猫——虎星。
黑莓掌猛地惊醒过来。依照阳光透过树枝射进武士巢穴的角度，他判断现在已接近日升时分。外面吵吵闹闹的，他一下子跳了起来，身上的毛竖着。接着，他意识到，那是兴奋的欢呼声，而不是恐惧和愤怒的嘶吼声。
他连忙抖落身上的苔藓，步入巢穴外面的空地。只见几只猫聚集在空地中间，黑莓掌走近的时候，看到他们正围着叶爪和栗尾。
这两只年轻的母猫看上去已经筋疲力尽，但却都显得心满意足。叶爪正在跟火星说话，还不停用尾巴比画着，好像在描绘着什么东西。
“怎么回事？”黑莓掌问道。
亮心环顾四周，眼里闪烁着兴奋的光芒：“叶爪和栗尾找到月亮池了！”
“月亮池？那是什么东西？”
谁都没有作声，大家都一脸期待地等叶爪赶紧告诉他们。于是，黑莓掌挤到前面，想听清楚一点。
“我们爬上了风族边界旁边的山丘，那里离我们雷族的领地非常遥远。然后我们发现了小溪，我知道水面闪耀的星光会为我们指引方向。我们沿着小溪来到一个水池……”叶爪突然放低音量，用小得几乎像是耳语般的声音说道，“那里便是我们能和星族交流的地方。”
黑莓掌闭上眼睛，满怀感激地向他的武士祖灵祷告。星族指引他们找到了替代月亮石的地方，证明这里就是族群的归属之地，他们不必再踏上另一段漫长而疲惫的旅程了。
炭毛将头靠在叶爪的肩上，说道：“你今天完成了一件非常特别的任务，所有族群都将世世代代铭记你的功劳。”
“不管是哪位巫医，都有可能遇到这些幻象的。”叶爪睁大双眼，认真地说。
“但它们最终选择了你，”火星说道，“雷族感谢你们两位。”说着，他又朝栗尾点了点头。
“明晚就是月半之夜了，”炭毛继续轻快地说道，“我们必须马上给其他族群的巫医送个信，这样巫医们便可以在月亮池见面了。”
“让我去吧。”叶爪自告奋勇说道。
“你今天一直在奔波，”火星亲切地说道，“你也没力气再绕湖泊一遭了。”
炭毛轻弹双耳，表示赞同：“如果我们想要及时会面，只派一只猫去通知恐怕来不及的。依照叶爪的描述，我们最晚也要在明天日落前就出发。这样吧，我去找影族和河族，叶爪可以先休息一下，然后再去给风族送信。”
“好主意，”火星说道，“但是炭毛，一定得你亲自去吗？我可以派一位武士替你去送信。”
炭毛摇了摇头，说道：“不行。这样的消息只能由巫医来传达。”
“那我派两位武士和你一起去。我们在森林大会上也都见识到了，现在每个族群都很警惕自己领地上的风吹草动。”
黑莓掌上前一步，说道：“我愿意陪炭毛去。”他想把这个消息带给小云和蛾翅，并向他们的族群证明这里就是猫族的归属之地。最初因为一场梦，他前往太阳沉没之地，寻找一只名叫“午夜”的獾，而现在，这场漫漫旅程似乎就要接近终点了。
“谢谢你，黑莓掌。沙风，你也一同去，行吗？”
“没问题。”沙风说道。
黑莓掌跟着炭毛和沙风走出营地时，回头看了一眼。松鼠飞正兴奋地同叶爪交谈着。她没有看他，他也没有时间停下来和她说话。
这趟他俩结伴开始的旅程，看来只能由黑莓掌独自走完余下的部分了。
第十九章
第十九章
叶爪踩着垫脚石跃过小溪，接着爬上山丘，向风族营地方向走去。火星原本想安排一位武士护送她去，但叶爪认为自己独自前往就可以。她本想叫栗尾陪她去，但去找这位朋友时，却发现她正和蕨毛卿卿我我，于是，叶爪决定还是不打扰他们俩了。
风吹草动，一股浓烈的兔子气息迎面扑来，荒野似水面般荡起涟漪，而叶爪的毛发也紧紧贴着身子。从月亮池回来以后，虽然只睡了一小会儿，但她即将传达的消息却像星光闪耀的溪流一样，源源不断地为她供给能量。
当闻到一股猫的气味时，她知道自己已经快到风族营地了。就在这时，一支巡逻队从金雀花丛后现出身形，原来是泥掌、网脚和他的学徒鼬爪。叶爪不由得紧张起来。这段时间，所有族群都对自己边界异常警惕，她只希望风族猫能给她一个说明来由的机会，而不是不由分说就把她赶走。
“你在这儿干什么？”泥掌咆哮道，“这里可是我们的领地。”
“我有个消息要告诉青面。”
泥掌迟疑了一下，然后猛地扭头说道：“跟我来吧。”他领着叶爪越过高岗，走进了洼地。
一根须正坐在靠近营地中心的灌木丛下，与灰脚一起分食着一只血肉模糊的兔子。叶爪环顾四周，寻找鸦羽的身影，因为她从星族带回的重要消息，除了跟青面有关，也跟鸦羽相关。
“一根须，有客到访。”泥掌通报道。
风族族长站了起来，忙用舌头清理干净自己的嘴巴。“叶爪，你来这里有何贵干呢？”
“我有事要告诉青面。”她说道。
一根须竖起双耳，猜道：“是星族的消息吗？”
叶爪点点头，但没多说什么。因为把这个消息告诉风族猫，是青面的责任。
“这真是个天大的好消息！”一根须的双眼闪耀着兴奋的光芒，“鼬爪，快去把青面叫来。”
网脚的学徒钻进山坡底下的一条通道里，那看起来似乎曾经是兔子洞，或是獾窝。很快，他再次出现了，身后跟着巫医。
看着叶爪朝自己奔过来，青面轻轻一挥尾巴，把学徒打发走了。他示意叶爪坐到自己身边。“到底是什么事？”他问道。
叶爪滔滔不绝地讲述了自己的经历，兴奋之情溢于言表。“明晚就是月半之夜了，”叶爪说道，“炭毛已经前去通知蛾翅和小云了，这样，我们就可以一起去月亮池了。”
青面倾身向前，鼻尖靠在叶爪耳尖说道：“这是我听过的最好的消息，谢谢你前来告诉我。”他站起身，走向一根须和灰脚。其他猫也都纷纷靠拢过来，都猜测有什么重大事情要宣告。
青面简短地向众猫讲述了叶爪的经历。“明天晚上，所有的巫医都会在月亮池会面，”他说道，“而后天晚上，一根须，你和我一起去月亮池，这样你就能得到你的九条命和族长的圣名了。”
有那么一瞬间，叶爪仿佛看到一根须的眼神里闪出一丝恐惧。终于能够与星族对话，并得到武士祖灵们的认可，他应该如释重负才对，有什么理由踌躇不定呢？
一根须眨了眨眼睛，摇了摇头。叶爪想，刚才他眼里的恐惧，一定是自己臆想出来的。
“依照叶爪的描述，去那儿要走很远的路，”一根须说道，“两天之内若是往返两次，你的身体肯定会支撑不住的。既然我都已经等了这么久了，也不在乎多等一段时间。”
一根须考虑得如此周到，让叶爪深受感动。于是她仔细地观察一根须，怀疑他可能是因为自己是高星在临死之前仓促任命的，所以害怕星族会不承认他的族长身份。她向他投去同情的目光。是只猫都明白，族群的副族长可以在族长失去第九条性命的时候继承族长之位，哪怕副族长刚刚上任。这也是武士守则的一部分。无论他们在离开森林后的漫漫长路中经历了什么变故，武士守则仍然永存于每只猫的心中。
青面似乎也希望能在前往月亮池的两次旅程中稍事歇息，所以，他没有试图让一根须改变主意。“叶爪，那我们明天傍晚见。”他说道。
“我会告诉炭毛的，”她回答道，“我们可以在树林边的小溪旁碰头。”
青面点点头。“一路顺风。”他低声说道，然后就回到了他的巢穴。
一根须和灰脚开始轻声交谈。泥掌则对网脚嘀咕了几句，然后他俩就跑到山谷的顶端，转眼间便不见了踪影。
叶爪感觉到有谁轻拍了一下自己的肩膀。一转身，她惊讶地看到，鸦羽正热切地凝视着自己。“你真的找到可以和星族交流的地方了？”他问道。
“是的，我找到了。”叶爪欲言又止，“鸦羽，有件事我要单独给你说，你能找个安静的地方吗？”
“跟我来吧。”鸦羽把叶爪带到山谷边缘，坐在一棵光秃秃的矮树下。他歪着脑袋，满怀期待地望着叶爪。
叶爪深吸了一口气，说道：“我昨晚不只在梦中见到了月亮池，我也见到了羽尾。”这个情况，她在向青面叙述的时候并未提及。
鸦羽顿时瞪大了眼睛：“羽尾？”
“是的。她让我给你捎个信。”叶爪紧张得心怦怦直跳，她相信鸦羽都能听见。他会因为自己的话生气吗？毕竟，他可是一直沉浸在失去羽尾的悲痛中。叶爪告诉自己，这并不是她的错，没准羽尾现在正在天上注视着他们，她必须信守自己的诺言。
“她让我告诉你，不要伤心。还要过好久好久，你们才能又在一起。她想让你不要对身边的猫熟视无睹。”
鸦羽望着叶爪的眼神是那样的渴望，似乎想要把她跟自己至爱相见的每个细节都嵌入脑海。叶爪同情地眨了眨眼睛。他对羽尾的感情如此强烈，怎么可能不再悲伤呢？
最后，风族武士低头看着自己的脚爪。“我无时无刻不在期望她并没有死去，”他低声说道，“难道羽尾以为我会忘记她吗？”
“她不是这个意思！”叶爪辩解道。
“再也遇不到像羽尾那样的猫了，”鸦羽直摇头，眼里闪过一丝愤怒，“我不在乎还要等多久才能再见到她。如果她能等，那我也可以！”
说完，鸦羽转身跑过空地，只留下叶爪无助地凝视着他离去的背影。
一弯半月高悬天空，在急流旁的斜坡上洒下柔和微弱的光芒。五位巫医艰难地爬上最后一段路程，来到荆棘屏障处。炭毛一脸的疲倦，双眼无神，步履也越发蹒跚，不过意志坚定的她仍继续往前走着。蛾翅则一点也没显露出劳累的样子。从一开始，她就冲在前头，并且不时回头询问叶爪，接下来该往哪儿走，好像迫不及待地想要到达那个能与星族交流的地方。叶爪心想，如果蛾翅真的相信星族的存在，可能还不至于如此急切。她不知道，蛾翅是不是想趁机证明星族根本不存在。但很快，她就打消了这个念头。蛾翅这么忠诚善良，叶爪肯定会竭尽全力帮她瞒过别的巫医，不让他们知道蛾翅不相信星族的秘密。
叶爪指引他们穿过荆棘屏障中的狭窄裂口，终于来到了山谷的顶端，站在那里俯瞰着月亮池。池水的水面闪耀着洁白的光芒，与她记忆中的别无二致，而从岩石裂隙里涌出的溪流，也闪烁着璀璨星光。除了溪水汩汩淌进水池里的声音之外，可以说是万籁俱静。
“是的，就是这个地方。”青面低声呢喃道。
他晃晃尾巴，示意叶爪带路。叶爪感觉，自己的爪子再一次滑进很久很久以前的猫留下的爪印中。
“不知道我们怎样才能与星族对话？”当巫医们都围坐在月亮池旁时，小云问道。
叶爪眨眨眼睛。她并没有考虑过这一点。以前在母亲嘴的时候，他们通常会躺在月亮石上，用鼻子去碰触石头表面。叶爪仍记得，在一阵沁肤的寒意传遍全身后，她便会陷入深眠当中，继而便可见到星族。
她环顾四周，寻找着被星族点亮，就像以前的月亮石那样闪闪发光的东西。然而，除了遍布苔藓的岩石和长满蔓藤的香薇丛，以及池水表面的点点星光之外，什么也没有。“也许我们可以触碰下池水？”她建议道。
巫医们面面相觑。最后，青面说道：“我们可以试一试。”
叶爪颤抖着爬向前，舔了几滴水。冰冷的池水尝起来有星辰、清风与靛蓝天空的滋味。她闭上眼睛，任由那种气息在嘴里徘徊。
一股寒意从她的耳朵传到尾巴尖，同时，她感到脚掌下踩着的石头消失了，自己仿佛飘浮在一片黑暗之中，周围一片死寂。她依稀听到有谁在说话，可是一开始，那声音太微弱了，所以听不清楚说的是什么。接着，风声和流水的哗哗声消失了，她意识到它们正在呼唤她的名字。
“我在这里。”她低声说道。
叶爪睁开双眼，面前是一望无际的水域，但却并非掩于山坳的月亮池，而是一个湖泊。风拂水面，激起夹杂着泡沫的涟漪。水光潋滟，似乎洒满了夕阳余晖，岸边泛着层层深浅不一的红晕。叶爪抬起头，但见漆黑的夜空中缀满繁星。一低头，看到湖里溢满了鲜血！
嘈杂的声音再次呼唤着她，这一次是如此响亮，她只字不落地听到了。不过她真心希望自己没有听到它们最后的这段话：
在和平降临之前，鲜血将四处喷涌，湖水将变得一片血红。
叶爪跳起身来想要逃离，但她的脚爪却踏进了黏稠的血液里，寸步难行。死亡的恶臭将她吞噬。她倒吸一口凉气，一下子睁开了眼睛，发现自己又回到了月亮池边，腹部正紧贴在冰冷的石头上，其他几位巫医躺在她的身旁。只见几位巫医正舒展四肢，从自己的梦中醒来。这时，月亮已经滑落山头，叶爪的双腿因为长时间保持一个姿势而变得僵硬。看来她的确已经在那里躺了许久。
青面和小云看上去十分担忧，叶爪不知道他们是不是也像她一样，收到了警告。炭毛则一脸关切地注视着她的眼睛，而蛾翅的眼睛则紧紧盯着自己的爪子。
叶爪心想，大家应该立刻起身回到各自的营地。她想和炭毛单独谈谈，生怕其他猫知道自己看到了什么。但是炭毛却没有带领大家往上爬坡，而是再次坐在了月亮池边上。
“在我们回到各自的族群之前，”炭毛说道，“我还有另一项任务要完成。”说完，她等着其他猫也坐下来，并都专注地看向自己时，才继续往下说。
叶爪很想知道，这到底是怎么回事，因为在来时的路上，炭毛并没有对她说过什么。蛾翅忧心忡忡地看了叶爪一眼，叶爪轻轻摇了摇头以示回应。她从没向炭毛或者其他猫透露过，蛾翅不相信星族这件事。
“一旦得到老师的认可，族群的学徒就会被赐予武士的名字。对于巫医来说，也是一样。”炭毛继续说着，两眼熠熠发光，她转过身来问叶爪，“你是不是以为要等到我临死之前，才能领取你的圣名？”
叶爪太过震惊，没有做出回应。她还没有认真考虑过这件事，也许她认为这是理所应该的。但是，巫医学徒与武士学徒的身份大相径庭，叶爪可以像其他巫医一样，对症下药，或者与星族交流。当猜想到接下来要发生什么事时，一阵兴奋掠过她的全身。
“一旦星族认为某位巫医应该得到圣名，他就能得到。”炭毛说道，“叶爪，我们的武士祖灵把你带到月亮池，便表示它们非常器重你。”
“没错。”青面低沉地说道。
小云咕噜一声，也表示同意；蛾翅则兴奋得双眼发亮，并跳起身用鼻子蹭蹭叶爪。兴奋之余，叶爪意识到，幸亏蛾翅很早以前便已领受了圣名，否则，星族怎么会接受一只并不相信它们的猫呢？
“请上前来。”炭毛用尾巴召唤着叶爪。
叶爪踉踉跄跄绕过月亮池时，都不知道该先迈哪只脚爪了。最后，她总算站到她的老师面前。
炭毛将脑袋抬得高高的，凝视着银毛星带。“我，炭毛，以雷族巫医的身份，请求我的武士祖灵保佑这位学徒。经过刻苦训练，她已经领悟了巫医的处事要领，在你们的指引之下，她将长久地为她的族群服务。”
这些话，叶爪早已熟稔于心，因为她曾在同族武士的命名仪式上多次听到过。她感到脚爪一阵刺痛，就像是被星光灼伤了毛皮一般。
“叶爪，你是否愿意坚守巫医准则，远离族群之间的争斗，对所有的猫一视同仁，尽心保护，甚至不惜牺牲生命？”
“我愿意。”
“那么，我以星族的力量，赐予你巫医之名。叶爪，从这一刻起，你的名字是叶池。星族以你的勇气和信念为荣。因为你证实了此地就是我们的新家园。”
就像族群族长在武士仪式上所做的那样，炭毛将鼻子抵在叶池的头上，叶池的头上满是繁星，她弯下身去回舔着老师的肩膀。
“叶池！叶池！”蛾翅带头呼喊着，青面和小云跟着也呼喊起来。
叶池低头致意说：“谢谢大家。我所做过的每一件事，都是在星族的指引下完成的，我也希望，在今后的日子里，它们能继续指引我。”
“愿星族让你如愿以偿。”青面喃喃说道，其他猫也跟着祈祷。
只有蛾翅没有作声，但是叶池从这只河族猫脸上所洋溢出的骄傲和欢喜中，看出她也跟其他猫一样为自己感到高兴。这一刻，蛾翅是否和她一样信仰星族，都变得无关紧要了。
跟着其他猫离开山谷，顺着布满岩石的山坡向下走的时候，叶池感到自己精力充沛。对于身为巫医，她是如此的自豪，以至于相信，只要自己动一下念头，便能够飞回雷族的石头山谷。她让其他猫走在前面，自顾自地回味着闪烁的星光、草药以及尝起来宛若夜空的池水。
突然，她感觉四肢被什么黏稠的东西拉住了，她的脚爪开始在光滑的黏液中打滑。她低下头，眼前除了低矮的荒野杂草，什么都没有。但是，死亡的恶臭却在她周围蔓延开来。虽然她知道这片斜坡上没有异物，但仍感觉自己仿佛置身于燥热、鲜红而充满死亡气息的血色湖泊之中，正艰难地在血水中跋涉着。
第二十章
第二十章
黑莓掌在湖边停了下来，凝视着小溪对岸的影族领地。远处的松树林在深灰色天空的映衬下，呈现出蓝黑色的阴影。放眼看去，没有半只猫的踪影，然而湿润的风中，却弥漫着一股刺鼻的恶臭：那熟悉的影族气味，从来都是如此浓烈。
这是所有猫都已适应新领地的又一证明。另一个更有力的证据，则是月亮池的发现。那天清晨，炭毛和领受新圣名的叶池，同几位巫医跟星族进行了第一次会面后，返回了营地。一根须也会在两个夜晚之内领取族长的九条命。
“呸呸呸！”雨须叫嚷道，“我就是闻不惯影族的气味，简直就像死了一个月的狐狸似的。”
“我想他们也不会待见我们的气味。”黑莓掌说道。
突然，身后传来水花泼溅的声音和惊叫声。黑莓掌回头一看，发现蛛足正站在湖里，湖水在他腿部一半的位置上来回拍打着。
“我的星族啊，你这是要干吗？”
蛛足蹚着水回到岸边，尴尬地垂着头。“我看到了一条鱼，”他解释道，然后又无奈地找补了一句，“但让它给溜掉了。”
黑莓掌叹了口气。“你这样是抓不到鱼的。你记得提醒我一下，我抽空教教你怎样抓鱼。我们在去寻找太阳沉没之地的旅途中，羽尾曾经教过我们怎么捉鱼。”一想起那只美丽的河族母猫，他的心又感到一阵疼痛，“快上来，我们最好赶紧巡逻完这段边界。”
他转身往上游走去。忽然，他发现在影族领地那边，有什么东西在移动，于是停下来观看。只见一只灰色的猫钻出了树林，沿着湖边向他跑来。黑莓掌认出那只猫是雾脚，顿时惊讶得睁大了眼睛：一只河族猫，跑到影族的领地上干什么？
“黑莓掌，等等我！”雾脚扯着嗓门喊道。她如履平地地冲过小溪，气喘吁吁地跑到黑莓掌面前，猛然刹住了脚步：“我有话要立刻和火星说。”
蛛足向前一步，颈上的毛都奓开了：“你来我们这里想干什么？”
“是啊，咱们快赶走她。”雨须也咆哮着说。
黑莓掌急忙朝那两位年轻武士摆摆尾巴，说道：“我们不会赶走她。这位是雾脚——想起来了吗？她可一直是雷族的好朋友。”
“谢谢你，黑莓掌。”雾脚低头表示致意，从她那惊慌失措的眼神中可以知道，她一定是看到了什么可怕的事情，“请马上带我去见火星。”
“好吧。”黑莓掌实在想不出，到底是什么事如此紧急，但他十分清楚，雾脚绝对不是那种遇到一点点小事都会大惊小怪的猫。“你们两个继续巡逻，”他对蛛足和雨须说道，“小心两脚兽。还有，快走到枯树附近时，要确认影族的气味标记没有越过边界。”
雨须和蛛足对望了一眼，好像不确定是不是应该让黑莓掌跟雾脚独处，但是他俩也没多说什么。雨须和蛛足继续向上游走去，雨须还不时回头张望，好像觉得雾脚会趁自己转身的机会攻击黑莓掌一样。
“出什么事了吗？”带着雾脚抄近道回雷族营地时，黑莓掌好奇地问道。
“你很快就会知道。”雾脚阴沉着脸说，“黑莓掌，我们能不能再快点啊？”
吃惊之余，黑莓掌加快了步伐。两只猫飞奔着穿过树林，直到抵达通向雷族营地的通道，才放慢了脚步。黑莓掌在前带路，钻过荆棘通道。他一眼就看到了火星，终于松了口气。火星正和沙风在猎物堆旁分食着一只歌鸫。黑莓掌示意雾脚跟着自己，然后就向火星走了过去。
火星咽下一口猎物，站了起来。“欢迎你，雾脚，”他招呼着河族武士，“不知道你来这里有何贵干？”
“大事不好了！”雾脚说道。
火星的耳朵抽动了一下，沙风也好奇地抬起头来。
“恐怕整个猫族都有麻烦了。”雾脚继续说道。
“稍等，”火星打断了她的话，“最好让尘毛和蕨毛也来听听。黑莓掌，你能去把他俩叫过来吗？”
黑莓掌跑向武士巢穴。他从外面的树枝间挤了进来，发现蕨毛正蜷伏在栗尾身边，便上前猛地戳了他一下。
蕨毛抬起头，不解地问道：“你怎么了？”
“火星叫你过去，”黑莓掌说道，“你看到尘毛没有？”
蕨毛摇了摇头，但正在几尾之外和亮心说着话的云尾却抬起头说道：“他和香薇云在育婴室里。”
“谢谢。”黑莓掌退了出去，穿过空地朝荆棘丛奔去。他刚来到入口处，正碰上尘毛。看到黑莓掌，尘毛好奇地竖起了双耳。
“火星找你，”黑莓掌再次解释道，“河族的雾脚来了，她说出大事了。”
这位暗棕色虎斑武士眯缝起双眼，跟着黑莓掌走向猎物堆，蕨毛也刚刚抵达这里。
“现在，”火星朝雾脚挥挥尾巴，说道，“告诉我们到底是怎么回事。”
雾脚已经稍微恢复了镇静，但仍满脸焦虑。她说道：“三天前的夜里，我在返回营地的路上，在小岛对面的湖边看到了两只猫。当时，雨下得很大，所以我不能理解，他们为什么要待在那个没有遮蔽的地方。我正要命令他们返回营地，却突然认出了他们。”说到这儿，她停了下来，两只爪子深深地嵌入到地里。
“然后呢？”火星追问道。
“其中一位是鹰霜。”雾脚回答道，她痛苦地吞了一口口水，仿佛喉咙里卡了一根硬物一般，“另一位是泥掌。”
“什么？”尘毛叫喊起来。
黑莓掌不由心里一紧：鹰霜和风族前任副族长怎么会在一起呢？
“还没等我到他们跟前，泥掌就已经朝他自己的领地跑去，”雾脚继续说道，“但并不是被鹰霜给赶走的。他们一直在说话，我感觉他们已经认识很久了。在那之前，我就一直怀疑鹰霜经常在晚上偷偷溜出营地。实话告诉你吧，”她很尴尬地对黑莓掌说道，“我以为他可能是去见你的，因为我看见你俩在森林大会上说过话，而你又是他的哥哥……”接着，她又像是为自己辩解似的继续说道，“我并没觉得这有什么不妥，所以从来没有叫鹰霜解释。但现在，我知道自己错了。他溜出去一定是为了见泥掌。”
黑莓掌低垂着脑袋，感到自己同伴的目光如烈焰般灼烧着他的皮毛。他绞尽脑汁，想为泥掌跟河族武士交谈找出一个好理由，但却怎么也想不出来。
“后来，鹰霜就回到了营地——是我故意放他走的。”雾脚继续说道，“他不知道我发现了他，我想先弄清楚到底是怎么回事，然后再跟他当面对质。”
“那你接下来是怎么做的？”沙风问道。
“我不相信他们会在湖畔见面，毕竟任何一只猫都能轻而易举地发现他们的行踪。我还记得我们刚刚来到这里的时候，鹰霜就对那个小岛很感兴趣，所以我游上小岛，想看看他们是否曾在那里见过面。果然，我发现了他们的气味……有新近留下的，也有许久以前的。我猜测，他们至少到过那个小岛三四次了。”
“泥掌游到岛上去了？”尘毛有些难以置信地说道，“还不止一次？他愿意弄湿爪子，就够让我吃惊的了。风族猫没有喜欢游泳的。”
“那你告诉我，岛上怎么会有他的气味。”雾脚反问道。
“你向豹星禀报的时候，她怎么说？”火星问道。
雾脚看上去有些不自在。“我还没有告诉她，”她承认道，“鹰霜是一位非常称职的武士，也深受河族猫欢迎，特别是那些年轻的猫。有些河族猫认为，即使我从两脚兽的魔掌下逃了出来，也应该由鹰霜继续担任副族长，这都不算什么秘密了。我担心如果告诉豹星，她会认为我觉得鹰霜是威胁，故意给他找碴。此外，除了和另一个族群的猫谈话之外，我也没有看到他做错任何事。所以，我决定暗中监视他，查清他跟泥掌见面的原因。”
“现在你查清了？”蕨毛追问道。
火星眯起眼睛说道：“是的。你现在跑到这里来，肯定不会是因为三天前的夜里见到他俩见面的事。到底发生了什么事？”
“今天早上，鹰霜提出带领黎明巡逻队出去巡视，”雾脚回答道，“他选了三只猫跟他同行，这三只猫都是最拥护他、认为他能胜任副族长的心腹。结果一直到现在，他们都没有回来。”
黑莓掌抬头仰望天空。太阳被雨云遮住了，不过他猜测，过不了多久，太阳就会落山了。黎明巡逻队要么是已经彻底迷路，要么是巡逻结束后，他们根本就没有打算返回。
“也许他们只是找到了一个猎物丰盛的地方，开始狩猎罢了。”火星假设道。
“而且，他叫上朋友和自己一起巡逻，这也无可厚非啊！”沙风公允地补充了一句。
“你们没懂我的意思，”雾脚说道，“正午的时候，他们还未返回，我便尝试着追踪他们的气味。我的意思是，他们这次黎明巡逻显然没有按照往常的路线。”
“他们该不会是跑到小岛上去了吧？”尘毛问道。
“我一开始也是这么想的，不过当我循着他们留在营地外面的气味追踪时，发现气味一直通往影族的领地。”
黑莓掌顿时觉得自己身上的每一根毛发都竖立了起来。他们跑到影族领地，这还能怎么解释呢？
“我知道雷族没有牵涉其中，所以才直接来这里求助。”雾脚补充说道，“影族的巡逻队差点就发现我，幸亏我及时跑到了边界，才没有被他们捉住。火星，我确信鹰霜卷入了袭击风族的阴谋之中！”
火星那双绿眼睛露出沉思的神情：“或许也有其他的可能……”
“还能有什么可能！”雾脚着急地说道，“大家都知道，高星选择一根须做继任者的时候，泥掌大发雷霆。你真的认为他会忍下这口气吗？”
“等等！”蕨毛突然跳起来说道，“叶池现在已经找到了月亮池，一根须很快就会从星族那里得到九条命。如果泥掌想要夺权篡位，就必须在那之前发动袭击。”
“这意味着他今晚就会行动。”黑莓掌嘶哑地说道。
“火星，你一定要想办法制止他们！”雾脚敦促道。
火星的脚爪不停地抓挠着地面：“你为什么来找我？为什么不去找你自己的族长呢？”
“豹星只会怀疑我想找鹰霜的麻烦，她也不会做任何事来帮助风族。可一根须是你的朋友……”
“他现在是风族族长，自然要负责起保卫风族的重任。他不能一遇到麻烦，就指望雷族去救他。”火星低下头去，四爪深深地插入地面。然后，他抬起头，说道：“但你没有说错，我们不能坐视不管。雷族会派一支巡逻队到风族营地去看看。我也会召开会议，警告众猫加强防范。”
“有必要这么做吗？”黑莓掌觉得火星有点小题大做。
火星盯着他看了许久，然后说道：“我们不确定他们是否计划袭击我们。我和大家一样，希望不会出现这种情况，但我们经受不起这样的风险。”
说完，他跳起身，穿过空地沿着落石堆登上高石台。“所有能够独自狩猎的猫快来集合，参加族群会议。”他大声说道。
云尾、亮心和栗尾走出了武士巢穴。过了一会儿，金花领着长尾，也缓缓加入了其他猫的行列。炭毛也从巢穴中走了出来，身后跟着叶池。由于震惊，这只年轻的虎斑猫眼睛瞪得溜圆。
松鼠飞、蜡毛和刺掌叼着新捕到的猎物进入营地，听到族长的呼唤，就都停下来，将猎物扔到猎物堆里，跑过去加入族猫的行列中。
“雷族同胞们，”火星高声说道，“雾脚带来消息说，泥掌和鹰霜正计划袭击风族。我将带一支巡逻队去风族营地察看一番，所以我们每一只猫都要保持警惕，以防他们偷袭我们。另外，影族也很有可能参与了此次行动。”
在场的猫大为震惊，开始交头接耳。黑莓掌觉得他的同伴们一边说着悄悄话，一边在打量自己，只因为他和鹰霜有着同一个父亲，所以大家就把鹰霜的罪行算到自己头上。他也不敢去看松鼠飞，害怕看到她的眼睛里流露出轻蔑的神色。
“云尾，你和亮心负责守护营地，”火星继续说道，“刺掌，你带两只猫去监视影族的边界。如果发现了他们的武士，就跟过去，如果寡不敌众，千万别随便发动攻击。”
刺掌点了点头，召集来松鼠飞和蜡毛。火星正准备从高石台上跃下，但还没来得及迈步，炭毛就走到众猫身前。
“火星，有件事你应该知道。叶池跟我说了她的一个梦，可能与这次阴谋有关。”
“好吧。”火星示意他的女儿向前，“你说吧，叶池。”
“在梦里，我看到湖水染成了一片血红，还听到了一个声音，”年轻的母猫开始讲述梦境，“那个声音说，‘在和平降临之前，鲜血将四处喷涌，湖水将变得一片血红。’”
“就这些吗？”火星追问道，“没说是谁在流血，或者是什么时候的事？”
叶池摇了摇头。
“不过，这足以说明要大难临头了。”炭毛说道，“如果我是你，我会认真对待这次袭击的。这是泥掌在风族篡位的最后机会，他要趁一根须还只有一条命的时候发动叛乱。”
“说得对，”火星跳下高石台，说道，“我们这就动身。”
黑莓掌跟在族长身后，从刺掌身边经过时，忍不住瞥了一眼松鼠飞。他原以为松鼠飞会显出得意扬扬的神情，毕竟现在看来，她对鹰霜的看法是对的。可是，他却从松鼠飞的目光中看到了悲悯之情。
火星穿过树林，奔向风族边境时，她那副愁容始终徘徊在黑莓掌的脑海中，挥之不去。
第二十一章
第二十一章
夜幕降临，雷族猫穿过小溪，进入了风族领地。没有了大树的庇护，狂风携带刺骨的冰雨吹打在众猫身上。月亮或者星星不时从云层缝隙间洒下微弱的光，但大多数时候，荒原上一片漆黑。因为几乎看不清脚下的路，众猫只能循着气味前行。
“没有边界巡逻队的迹象。”尘毛仔细嗅闻了一番后，低声说道。
“这也许表明他们正在营地防守着。”雾脚回答道。
“嘘！”在一片漆黑中，火星低嘶了一声，“保持警惕。还不知道前面有什么危险在等着我们呢。”
很快，他们就来到了流经风族营地的小溪。火星顺着小溪走了一会儿，然后停下来嗅闻空气中的气息。黑莓掌也嗅了嗅。一股强劲的风族猫的气息迎面扑来，并没有其他族群猫的气味。没有猫打斗的声音，只有狂风的呼啸声和溪水的汩汩声。黑莓掌心中开始燃起一线希望，期盼是雾脚搞错了。
“没什么异样。”火星说道。周围异常静寂，众猫的心跳声都听得十分清晰。
“我们可以去问问一根须，看看是不是一切正常。”蕨毛建议道。
“什么？我们大摇大摆进入他的营地，然后告诉他说，我们是来帮他杀敌的？”尘毛说道，“我可不这么想。”
沙风低声附和。火星沉思了片刻，同意了尘毛的意见：“你说得对，我们现在最明智的做法就是打道回府。”
“我敢肯定，真的有问题。”雾脚不赞同火星的意见，她的眼睛里充满了焦虑，“那叶池的梦又该如何解释呢？”
“我们不知道叶池的梦究竟有什么含义，”火星说道，“可现在，我们是在另一族的领地上排兵布阵。要是惹毛了一根须，他可是有充足的理由撕掉我们一层皮的。”
尘毛不屑地哼了一声：“我倒真想看看他有多大能耐。”
突然，一阵狂风吹来，差点把黑莓掌给吹倒。他隐隐听到一阵雷声从远处传来。“在暴风雨来临之前，我们还是赶紧回去吧。”火星说道。
于是众猫都转身跟着他，准备离去。殿后的黑莓掌又回头瞥了一眼风族营地，但在他张嘴的瞬间，一股气息袭来，惊得他一下子僵在了原地。
是鹰霜！
“火星，等一等！”他尖声叫道。
他仰望山丘，看见有几个黑影从另一侧登上了峰顶，然后向山谷深处冲去。从那只猫宽阔的头部和强健的肩膀，他一眼就认出带头的正是鹰霜。
一声嘶叫响彻夜空。火星猛地转过身，往山坡上冲去：“大家快点！”
黑莓掌与火星并肩跑到山谷边缘。这时，夜空中又传来几声嘶吼声。一片黑暗中，黑莓掌只能依稀看到毛茸茸的身影，也能嗅出河族、影族以及风族的气味，却无法分辨出每只猫是谁，也不知道自己该攻击哪只猫。
此时，他听到族长怒吼一声“泥掌”，接着，便看见火星冲下山坡，进入了风族营地。黑莓掌和雷族巡逻队的其他成员紧跟了上去。眨眼间，黑莓掌便找不到同伴的踪影，只好一头扎进了混战之中。他还没来得及喘口气，一只猫便猛地扑向他，将他撞翻在地。他扭过身，发现影族的杉心正死死地盯着自己。
“别多管闲事！”深灰色公猫怒吼道，“这不是雷族的战斗！”
黑莓掌二话没说，抬起两只后爪对着杉心的肚子就是一阵猛踢。这位影族武士踉踉跄跄后退了几步，随即便消失了。黑莓掌摇摇晃晃站稳身子，心中默默祈祷：伟大的星族，我请求你，请别让褐皮掺和进来！
利爪翻飞，皮毛纠结，不断有猫朝他扑过来，他左抵右挡奋力还击。虽然他看到一位河族武士从山谷猛扑上来，张开双爪，跳进金雀花丛中，却没有看到鹰霜。猫群突然移向了一边，黑莓掌清楚地看到，网脚正和一根须战在一起。一根须死咬住网脚的肩膀不放，而那只虎斑猫则从一根须身上扯下几团毛发。
黑莓掌往上一跳，刚想去帮一根须，这时，泥掌从黑暗中蹿了出来，冲一根须扑去。在一连串尖牙利爪的攻击下，一根须被泥掌压在了身下。但一个心跳过后，火星出现了，他咬住泥掌的后颈，把他从一根须身上拖开。
泥掌拼命摆脱掉火星。“你认为这是在你们雷族吗？”他对着火星咆哮道，“我劝你再好好想想，宠物猫！风族即将有一位新族长，只有像我这样强大的猫，才能让族群再度辉煌。”
“一根须才是风族的族长！”火星反驳道。
泥掌猛地冲向雷族族长。两只猫厮打时，网脚从一旁冲了上来，狠狠地咬住了火星的腿。黑莓掌见状，朝两只敌猫跃了过去，却不料被一只猫突然扑倒在地。他嗅到了河族猫的气味，但攻击他的是一只黑猫，并不是虎斑猫。黑莓掌挥掌抓向那只猫的面部，内心也感到一阵宽慰，至少他此刻对抗的还不是鹰霜。
袭击者在黑莓掌的身侧抓了一下，顿时，一阵剧痛传了过来。看到火星以一敌二，与两只强壮的猫搏斗着，他心里生起一阵恐惧，心想：我们输定了。他们的数量太多了！
然而恐惧也为他注入了一股新的力量，他强迫自己站直身子，迅猛地狠狠咬住袭击者的尾巴，把他赶跑了。突然，远处传来一阵号叫，他马上听出是松鼠飞的声音。微弱的月光映照下，她正从山顶疾驰而下，同行的还有刺掌和蜡毛。
在泥掌和网脚的夹击下，只能看见火星那火焰色的皮毛。黑莓掌还没来得及上前助战，松鼠飞已经如疾风暴雨般嘶吼着冲了过去。网脚见势不妙，扭头就逃跑了。泥掌则转过身来攻击这位暗姜黄色武士。松鼠飞后腿直立，挥动着利爪。泥掌则千方百计想要咬住她的喉咙。黑莓掌赶紧奔到火星身边，看到族长又立刻起身应战，他顿时宽心不少。火星的侧腹鲜血直流，但这点伤，丝毫没有影响他作战的能力。
黑莓掌转过身，想去攻击泥掌。可从山谷这头打到了那一头的众猫却将泥掌和松鼠飞给淹没了。打斗中，黑莓掌发现自己正在与鸦羽并肩作战。因为共同经历了数月的旅程，他俩很有默契，所以配合得天衣无缝。雾脚和沙风则在附近与另两位河族武士对打着。
终于，黑莓掌发现了松鼠飞的身影。她正与夜云战在一起，两只猫打得难解难分。尽管松鼠飞的侧身已经渗出了鲜血，但她仍紧紧咬住夜云的颈背，同时后爪朝那只肌肉发达的母猫一阵猛踢。
黑莓掌纵身一跃，加入了战局。夜云见势不妙，急忙抽身逃跑了。松鼠飞从地上爬了起来，大口喘着气。
“你怎么会来这里？”黑莓掌问道。
“影族边界上没有半点异常，”松鼠飞回答道，“所以我们就来这里了。想着要是需要，我们还能搭把手。”
“真高兴你来了！”黑莓掌热情地说道。
“我们干吗浪费时间说这些啊。”松鼠飞说着，冲几尾之外的几位影族武士动了动耳朵。很快，她便和黑莓掌并肩加入了战斗。松鼠飞尾巴抽动了一下，他俩便分开行动，在影族猫还没搞清状况时，从两侧包抄了上去，将对方压缩在一块。这样，在敌方的猫们试图发动攻击时，便会抓到自己一方的猫。
“好身手！”松鼠飞一边气喘吁吁地说着，一边伸出利爪，抓向一只姜黄色公猫的耳朵。
看到她用那双明亮的眼睛凝视自己，黑莓掌激动得难以呼吸，体内瞬间注入一阵源源不断的力量。很快，又有两只猫龇牙咧嘴地冲到了他们之间。黑莓掌急忙躲闪，影族猫趁机逃跑了，松鼠飞则闪电般追了上去。眨眼之间，她便消失不见了。
黑莓掌喘着粗气，四处张望着。这时，他发现自己正处于山谷的另一侧。眼前的那群猫突然向两边分开，一只身形巨大、肩膀健硕的虎斑猫走上前来。黑莓掌抬起头，和他的弟弟四目相对。鹰霜的神情难以捉摸，那双冰蓝色的眼睛在月光下熠熠发亮。
突然，一只灰色武士从一旁冲了上来，将黑莓掌撞倒在地。黑莓掌发出一声尖叫，随即挥动利爪进行还击。锋利的牙齿咬进黑莓掌的肩膀，一阵剧痛刺穿了他的身体，但他奋力将那只灰猫甩开，又摇摇晃晃站了起来。他瞥见鹰霜亮出爪子，猛地抓向一位风族武士的身子。接着，又有更多的猫加入了战斗，他同父异母的弟弟消失不见了。
这时，刺掌和尘毛来到黑莓掌的身边，他们仨将入侵者一步步逼退。黑莓掌意识到，他们这边现在占了上风，他们正迫使袭击的猫退回山坡上，离营地越来越远。就在他快到山顶时，荒野上突然划过一道闪电，透过那恐怖的黄光，他清楚地看到泥掌和鹰霜正面对面地站在山顶处。霎时，头顶上巨雷轰鸣，余音不断在山丘间回荡。山坡上大雨瓢泼，黑莓掌的皮毛很快便被浸湿，紧紧地贴在身上。
暴风雨似乎向泥掌传递了什么信号，他嘶吼一声，便逃走了，鹰霜也赶紧跟了上去。有两位影族武士则朝相反的方向逃窜，直奔雷族营地而去。
鸦羽飞快地跑到黑莓掌身边，他的目光中满怀期待，像是在等候黑莓掌的命令。
“追上他们！”黑莓掌的脑袋猛地冲逃跑的影族武士一甩，厉声说道。鸦羽本能地服从了他的命令，随之没入黑暗之中。
黑莓掌则飞也似的穿过草地，去追赶泥掌。这位前任副族长背叛了风族，而且还试图杀死他的族长。黑莓掌发誓，没有哪只猫比他更想品尝那种将泥掌撕碎的快感了。
然而，他根本没停下来问问自己，如果遇上鹰霜会怎么办。
第二十二章
第二十二章
下雨了，叶池躲进山谷顶部的荆棘丛下。狂风呼啸，无数枝丫在头顶上方的高空中恣意挥舞，然而，树枝底下却是一片寂静，耳边只有淅淅沥沥的雨声，以及从山丘上传来的阵阵雷声。
其他猫和火星一同离开的时候，云尾就在山谷里布好了岗哨。叶池自愿来此放哨，一旦听到入侵者的动静，她就会早早发出警告。所有的巫医也都接受过武士训练，她也会倾尽自己掌握的战斗技能，来保卫她的新家园。
到目前为止，除了遭到暴风雨的侵袭，森林里一片祥和。但似乎整晚都在屏息凝气地等待着什么。只要能得到风族营地的消息，她愿意做任何事情。鹰霜和泥掌真的在密谋推翻一根须吗？
叶池的思绪回到当初发现月亮池时，第一次看到武士祖灵的身影显现在池中的那一刻。她觉得当一名巫医实在是妙不可言，而自己也迫不及待地等着下一次月半之夜的到来。想到即将为自己的族群做出巨大贡献，她就激动不已，眼前似乎有一条充满星光的小溪蜿蜒而来。
突然，她听到有猫在树林里快速靠近的声响。有一瞬间，她以为是雷族巡逻队回来了。然而，随风飘来的却是影族猫的气味。她急忙跳起来，刚想张嘴警告下方山谷里的族伴，但还未等她发出声音，两道身影便从矮树丛里蹿出，向她冲了过来。他们猛撞着她，迫使她向后倒退，将她一直逼到悬崖边上的灌木丛里。她的后腿胡乱地扒拉着，感觉荆棘丛快禁不住自己身体的重量了。
“不！”她惊叫道。
叶池的警告还是太迟了。一阵凄厉的惨叫过后，两位闯入者从她身边冲过，一头往营地的方向栽了下去。叶池的爪子拼命挥舞着，想抓住岩石的边。但她后爪悬空，怎么也爬不到安全的地方。就在这时，她突然听到头顶上方有什么声响，便抬头张望，生怕有第三位影族武士会将她置于死地。
但来的是鸦羽。只见他瞪大双眼俯视着她，一脸惊恐。
“鸦羽！”叶池咬紧牙关，嘶声呼救，生怕一个不小心，让自己步了两只影族猫的后尘，“鸦羽，救我！”
但那位风族武士却一动不动。叶池死死抓住的岩石被雨淋湿了，她感到自己的爪子开始向下滑动。“鸦羽！”她恳求道，“我快要掉下去了！”
鸦羽依旧僵立在那里。他目光凝滞，发出嘶哑的低语声，叶池意识到，他根本不是在和自己说话。“羽尾，我真的很抱歉！都是我的错，我不该让你掉下去的。”
叶池明白了，鸦羽想起了羽尾死去时那个山洞里的情景。“这不是你的错，”她说道，“救救我，鸦羽，求你了！”她感到自己的爪子又在向下滑动，便试图抓得更牢些，但岩石表面是如此光滑，没有什么可供她抓握的。
鸦羽慢慢地向前迈了一步，俯下身来。叶池感到自己的爪子快抓不住了，吓得倒吸了一口凉气。就在此时，鸦羽咬住了她的颈背。他俩在悬崖边上摇摆了好一阵子，她感到鸦羽的重量向她压了过来。接着，鸦羽向后一仰，后爪在地面上一通挣扎，终于将叶池拉了上来。他们俩都摔倒在地上，大口喘着粗气。刚才离死神只差一步之遥，吓得叶池将脸紧紧贴在坚实的地面上。鸦羽躺在她的旁边，肚子不停地上下起伏着。他们俩四目相接，叶池突然发现自己已无法将视线从他身上移开。
“谢谢你。”叶池说道。
“我做到了，”鸦羽轻声说，“我把你救回来了。”
顿时，他们都有些尴尬，为了缓和气氛，叶池说道：“我一定是你最不想救的猫吧。”
“你真是那么想的吗？”鸦羽热切的目光如两道火光灼烧着她，“难道你不知道我对你的感觉吗？难道你不知道我是多么讨厌自己在羽尾死后不久，就对另一只猫产生这样的感觉？我爱她，我是真的爱她！可是我怎能也爱上你呢？”
“我？但是……”
“你走进了我的梦里，叶池。”鸦羽轻声说道。
“不……”叶池轻叹道，“你不能爱我，我是一名巫医。”而我也不能爱你。她在心里绝望地说道。但她知道，她已经爱上了鸦羽，而且爱得还是那么地深。能亲耳听到鸦羽说也爱着她，对她来说胜过了一切。
“叶池！你在那儿吗，叶池？”似乎有两只猫沿着山谷边缘跑了过来。过了一会儿，云尾和亮心就冲进了荆棘丛。
叶池和鸦羽连忙起身。“我在这里！”叶池叫道。
云尾向她奔了过来，尾巴蓬松凌乱。“你没事吧？”他问道，“这只猫究竟是敌是友？”他尾巴快速指了一下鸦羽。
鸦羽的毛发立刻直立了起来。
“我没事。”叶池急忙说道，“鸦羽是我的朋友。他在追赶那两位影族武士。云尾，千万别动手。要不是他救了我，我可能就跌下山崖了。”
白毛武士眯缝起眼睛说道：“那好吧。”
“影族猫怎么样了？”鸦羽问道。
“都死了。”亮心从一根树枝下钻过，来到他们身边，“他俩的脖子都摔断了。”
想到自己差一点就从悬崖跌落摔断脖子，叶池不由身子一抖。鸦羽又深情地看了叶池一眼，然后低头对云尾说道：“我得走了。我离开我们营地的时候，战斗已经结束了。一根须仍然是风族的族长。”
“那……”云尾刚想仔细问问，鸦羽却已消失在树林中。
亮心用爪子轻轻推了推她的伴侣，说道：“快走，我们得赶快回到营地。真希望不会有其他的不速之客。”
叶池出神地看着鸦羽消失的地方，过了片刻，她转过身，慢慢地跟在同伴身后。她差点就被袭击雷族营地的影族武士给害死，但是此刻，她却觉得，尽管自己正行走于风中，脑海里却荡漾着一片星海。
第二十三章
第二十三章
黑莓掌冲下山去追赶泥掌和鹰霜。雨下得如此之大，仿佛整个湖泊的水从天而泻，也洗去了逃亡猫的气味。黑暗之中，黑莓掌甚至无法确定，他是否走对了路。但是愤怒让他脚下生风、浑身是劲，纵使被雨水浸透，也全然忘却了寒冷。
一道闪电划过山腰，黑莓掌看清了在他前方飞奔的敌猫：泥掌就快抵达湖畔了，鹰霜跟在他后面几尾远的地方，还有两三个黑影跑在他们身边。疾风骤雨之中，黑莓掌无法确定有没有同伴跟着自己，但他没有迟疑，反而加快了速度。
又是一道闪电，黑莓掌发现自己与目标之间的距离已缩短了一半。他飞快地跑过马场，瞥见了原野尽头的两脚兽巢穴透出一缕微弱的黄光。他沿着临近森林大会的湖畔飞奔时，发现附近并没有宠物猫出没。
来到沼泽地的时候，他的脚掌不断从雨水浸透的草丛中滑落到泥沼里，四肢和腹部也沾满了泥浆，他不得不放慢了速度。一想到自己就这样追丢了泥掌和鹰霜，他倍感挫折，沮丧地咆哮了起来。
他对鹰霜的兄弟情谊已彻底消失，只剩下被背叛后的空虚感。如果他的这位同父异母的弟弟以为因为他俩有血缘关系，从而能免去一战，那他就大错特错了！
他听到前方另一只猫涉水而过的声音，同时也依稀看到一个在泥沼里挣扎的黑影。黑莓掌发出胜利的欢呼，纵身跃起。可是他的后腿在松软的地面上滑了一下，挥出的前爪只是轻轻掠过那只猫的皮毛。他笨手笨脚地爬起身，还没来得及发起另一轮进攻，就有一只猫重重地压到了他的背上，把他压进了泥沼。他感到对方的爪子深深地戳进他的肩膀。一转眼，他看到泥掌那双满是仇恨的眼睛正瞪着自己，风族猫的气味瞬间就将他吞没了。
“叛徒！”黑莓掌气喘吁吁地骂道。
黑莓掌想站起来将敌猫摔到地上，可他深陷进湿滑的泥沼中，冰冷的泥浆浸透了他的毛皮。他只能无助地用后腿去踢打泥掌的腹部。
泥掌咆哮一声，露出了牙齿。黑莓掌已做好了喉咙被泥掌锋利的牙齿咬断的准备。就在这时，一个黑影突然出现在泥掌身后，一只虎斑大爪挥出，重重打在风族武士的脑袋上。泥掌猛地回头去看，一下子失去了平衡，黑莓掌趁机从他身下脱逃。然后，黑莓掌就看到泥掌和鹰霜在芦苇丛中打在了一起。
黑莓掌彻底糊涂了。他摇摇晃晃站起身，发觉湿泥糊满了他的皮毛，走起路来都有些困难。又一道闪电划过，他看到鹰霜正站在泥掌的身边，一只爪子抵住泥掌的腹部，另一只爪子则按在泥掌的喉咙上。鹰霜的身上裹满了泥浆，那双冰蓝色的眼睛熠熠发亮。
他和黑莓掌四目相对。
“你救了我的命，”黑莓掌的声音在颤抖，“为什么，鹰霜？你为什么帮我，而不是他？”
泥掌在鹰霜的脚爪下不住扭动着身子，嘴里不住地咒骂着，但鹰霜的目光一直都没离开黑莓掌。即使是在黑暗之中，这位年轻的雷族武士仍无法不去注视那双冰蓝色的眼睛。有那么一会儿，仿佛世上只剩下他俩，任凭风吹雨打，也无法侵蚀这份独属的寂静。
“你不是在帮助泥掌吗？”黑莓掌支支吾吾地说，“还袭击了风族，可现在……”
鹰霜低下了头。“没错，”他说道，“我与泥掌结盟，因为我相信他能胜任风族族长之职。但你是我的哥哥，黑莓掌。我怎能任他杀掉你呢？”
鹰霜的话让黑莓掌备感震惊，就好像他早就知道，一根须当初被任命为副族长，并没有遵照常规的程序。黑莓掌突然感到一种莫名的释怀，因为他不是唯一一只担心星族会反对一根须做风族族长的猫。
“泥掌说服我和他一同行动，”鹰霜继续说道，“他答应说，如果我和我的同伴帮他赶走一根须，他将来绝对不会骚扰河族。”
“告诉他，我还给你许诺了什么。”泥掌在鹰霜的爪子下高声咆哮道，“告诉他，你是怎么跑来找到我，说只要我能让你当风族的副族长，你就帮我……然后，我再帮你拿下整个河族。”
“什么？”鹰霜一下子瞪大了双眼，“黑莓掌，别听他胡说。我为什么要离开河族？我怎么可能找别的猫来帮那种忙呢？”他说着抬起了头。黑莓掌觉得他从未见过一只如此不卑不亢的猫，即便他在斗争中负伤、弄得满身泥浆。“如果有一天，我成为河族族长，那也一定是遵照了武士守则的程序，否则，我根本就不会要。”
“你这个骗子！”泥掌高声骂道。
鹰霜摇了摇头。“我只是做了一件我认为正确的事情，”他对黑莓掌说道，“实话说，难道你就从来没有怀疑过一根须的领导能力吗？”
黑莓掌无法回答。他这位同父异母弟弟的话一下子说到他的心坎里去了。
就在黑莓掌犹豫不决时，泥掌发出一声欣喜的低嘶，他猛地站起身，把鹰霜撞进满是芦苇的水池里。接着，这位风族武士又向黑莓掌扑来，黑莓掌立刻蹲低身子，准备反击，但鹰霜很快从水池中起身，俯冲到他俩之间，龇牙咧嘴对着泥掌就是一阵猛攻。泥掌猛然转身，掉头就跑，他那阴暗的身影很快便湮没在了夜色之中。
鹰霜一言未发，踩着泥浆追了过去，黑莓掌也跟了上去。
又是一道闪电在夜空中划过，在轰响的雷鸣中，黑莓掌听到有谁在喊他的名字。他回头一看，发现松鼠飞正站在他的身后，惊恐地瞪大了眼睛。
“你在做什么啊？”她喘着粗气说道，“你居然把他给放走了！”
“不，你不明白……”黑莓掌想要解释。
“我听到泥掌说的话了！只要鹰霜帮助泥掌赶走一根须，鹰霜就能成为风族的副族长，接下来，他还要拿下河族。他太危险了，黑莓掌！”
“但泥掌是在说谎啊！”黑莓掌为鹰霜辩解道。
一道闪电撕裂苍穹，蓝白色的光芒照亮了夜空，也照出了小岛对岸的一只猫——正是泥掌。就在此时，一阵震耳欲聋的轰鸣声越过湖面，闪电从岛上一棵大树顶端的树枝劈了下来，顿时，小岛一片火红。紧接着，这棵树轰然倒下。泥掌想要避开，却为时已晚。大树倒在湖畔的一刹那，树枝像是骨头断裂一般，发出哗啦啦的声音，泥掌那惊恐的尖叫声也戛然而止。
黑莓掌跌跌撞撞穿过沼泽，踏上更为坚实的地面。暴风雨开始渐渐减弱，仿佛它来此的使命，就是击倒大树。闪电也渐渐消散，雷声已在很远的地方回响。瓢泼的大雨已经转为轻柔的雨丝，乌云也开始散去，微弱的月光洒满了湖面。
月光下，黑莓掌看到越来越多的猫聚集在湖畔，其中也包括火星、一根须和他的副族长灰脚。这位风族族长看上去筋疲力尽，他肩膀上的那条长长的伤口正在流血。在得知泥掌和其他风族武士背地里发动叛乱之后，他的双眼显得格外空洞无神。
黑莓掌蹚过泥水，与族长和风族猫会合，然后，他们一起来到那棵大树旁。突然，黑莓掌发现树枝窸窣作响，一下子愣住了。他已做好准备，万一泥掌还活着，自己绝对要和他拼个你死我活。接着，随着树枝摆动，一只虎斑猫蹒跚着倒退出来，他的后爪摸索着踩在鹅卵石上。黑莓掌眨了眨眼，认出这只猫正是鹰霜。他的这位同父异母弟弟死死地咬住泥掌的后颈，把他拖到了空地上。只见这位风族武士斜歪着脑袋，毫无生气地瘫着四肢。
鹰霜把泥掌的尸体拖到一根须面前，放到这位族长的爪下。“那棵树把他压死了，”他说，“你的族长地位保住了。”
一根须低头嗅了嗅这位前副族长。“风族会为他哀悼的，”他喃喃地说道，“他曾经是一位优秀的武士。”
灰脚低嘶道：“但他背叛了你！”
“你跟他一样！”一根须突然大声斥责鹰霜，“你帮他造反。”说着，他亮出利爪，就要扑向这只健硕的虎斑猫。
鹰霜垂下了头。黑莓掌感到自己腹部一紧，生怕一根须会对鹰霜进行报复。
“我承认我帮了他，”鹰霜说道，“我请求你能原谅我。我当时真的相信，泥掌才是风族最适合的族长。所以，在他的请求下，我才带上河族猫和影族猫来助他一臂之力。但是星族给了我们一个明确的征兆，它们让一道闪电结果了泥掌的性命。一根须，你才是星族挑选的风族族长。现在，你想要怎么处置我，都随你的便。”
一根须瞥了一眼火星，但雷族族长只是轻弹了一下他的耳朵，表示这个难题应该由一根须自己来解决。黑莓掌仔细观察着火星，试图了解他对星族最终认可一根须作何感想。但火星面无表情，无法看懂他的想法。
与此同时，灰脚前去察看那棵倒下的大树。“一根须，鹰霜说得对，没有比这个更明显的征兆了。星族让闪电把这棵树击倒，杀死了想要篡位的猫。毫无疑问，你就是星族选定的风族族长。”灰脚说道。
一根须抬起头，两眼熠熠发亮。“那么，我将非常荣幸地接受我的九条命，”他转向鹰霜，继续说道，“我不能因为你心存疑惑，就责备你和其他支持泥掌的猫。连我自己都对我的族长身份有所怀疑，又怎能责怪你们呢？我原谅你和其他参加叛乱的猫。”
鹰霜再度低头致意，然后退后了几步。黑莓掌来到他的身边，轻拂着他湿透的毛发说：“我还是要感谢你救了我的命。”
鹰霜看着他，眼睛里闪过一丝暖意：“至少，这是我今晚做的唯一一件不让我感到羞愧的事。”
黑莓掌将尾巴尖放在他同父异母弟弟的肩膀上：“你认为自己帮助泥掌，是在维护武士守则。所以，你不用为此感到内疚。”
越来越多的猫来到了湖畔，尘毛、蕨毛、雾脚和裂耳都在其中。他们围着族群族长和泥掌的尸体，形成了一个不规则的半圆。
“你们快看这个！”蕨毛说着跳上那棵倒地的大树，沿着它在湖面上走了一段距离。
“看上去简直跟两脚兽的桥一样！”雾脚惊叹道。
蕨毛转过身，随着树枝发出一阵沙沙的响动，他跳到了鹅卵石上。“我们可以利用这棵倒下的大树，到达对岸的岛上，”他说道，“树干很宽，即使我们大家都走在上面，也很安全。我们终于可以在岛上召开森林大会了！”
黑莓掌意识到，新家园所面临的最后一个问题也终于解决了。多亏叶池找到了月亮池，他们从此才可以和星族交流。如今，这个小岛成了四大族群召开森林大会的安全场所，它不再属于任何一个族群。
他本能地环顾周围，寻找着松鼠飞的身影，最终，发现她就站在尘毛的旁边。他朝松鼠飞的方向迈了一步，想让她相信鹰霜说的是真话，让她理解鹰霜为何会帮助泥掌袭击风族。但松鼠飞一看到他，就眯起了双眼。她故意转过身，沿着湖畔大步向前走去。
黑莓掌看着她离去的身影，没有跟上去。松鼠飞显然不想再和他有任何瓜葛。原因很简单，她一定是又看见自己和鹰霜说话了。黑莓掌觉得自己的内心像被掏空了一般，非常难受。为什么松鼠飞总是要往最坏的方面去想这位河族武士呢？
他的脑海中又浮现出与虎星和鹰霜会面的梦境。不管松鼠飞喜不喜欢，他们仨都是有着血缘关系的至亲。既然他自己并没有遗传虎星那阴险狡诈的基因，那鹰霜为什么就不能像他一样正直可靠呢？
黑莓掌渴望与松鼠飞分享胜利的喜悦，但他知道，如果她在自己和同父异母的弟弟身上只看到虎星过往的恶行，他们就不可能在一起。黑莓掌就这样看着松鼠飞一路沿着湖畔漫步，直到她的身形变得越来越小，最后消失在阴影中。
特别感谢基立•鲍德卓