PROLOGUE
PROLOGUE
Trees whispered, branch to branch, abovethe lifeless forest floor. Mist wreathed their smooth trunks, pale as bone, and swirled through the night-dark forest. Above their branches, the sky yawned, starless and cold. There was no moon to cast shadows, but an eerie light glowed through the trees.
Paws thudded on the dead earth. Two warriors reared on their hind legs and launched themselves at each other, their bodies heaving and twisting like ghosts in the gloom. One brown. One black. Wind rattled the trees as the brown tom, his broad shoulders heaving, aimed a vicious swipe at his lean opponent. The black tom dodged, not taking his gaze from his rival’s paws for a moment, his eyes narrowed in concentration.
The brown warrior’s strike missed and he landed heavily, too slow in turning to avoid a sharp nip from the black tom. Hissing, he reared again, twisted on one hind paw, and lunged, his forepaws falling like rocks on the black tom’s shoulders.
The tom collapsed under the weight of the blow. Breath huffed from his mouth as his chest slammed against the ground. The brown warrior raked thorn-sharp claws along his opponent’s pelt, and his nose twitched as blood welled in the wound, scarlet and salty.
Quick as a snake, the black tom slithered out from his rival’s grip and began to swipe rhythmically with his forepaws, swaying one way then the other until the brown warrior flinched back. In that flinch—a single moment of distraction—the black tom sprang forward and sank his teeth deep into the warrior’s foreleg.
The warrior yowled and shook the tom off, his eyes flaming with rage. A heartbeat passed as the cats stared at each other, both gazes glittering with calculation. Then the black tom ducked and twisted, raking his way under the brown warrior’s snow white belly. But the warrior pounced on him before he could scramble clear, hooking his pelt with long, curved claws and pinning him to the ground.
“Too slow,” the brown warrior growled.
The black tom struggled, panic flashing in his eyes as his rival’s jaws began to close around his throat.
“Enough.” A dark tabby stepped from the shadows, his massive paws stirring the mist.
The cats froze, then untangled themselves. The brown warrior sat back on his haunches, one foreleg raised as though it hurt. The black tom scrambled to his paws, spraying droplets of blood across the forest floor as he shook out his fur.
“Some good moves, Hawkfrost.” The dark tabby nodded to the broad-shouldered warrior; then his gaze flicked to the black tom. “You’re getting better, Breezepelt, but you’ll need to be even quicker if you’re going to outfight stronger warriors. If you can’t match an opponent in weight, look to speed instead and use his weight against him.”
Breezepelt dipped his head. “I’ll work on it, Tigerstar.”
A fourth tom slid from the shadows. His silver stripes gleamed in the half-light as he wound around Tigerstar. “Hawkfrost can match any warrior,” he purred, smooth as honey. “There aren’t many cats with such skill and strength.”
Tigerstar curled his lip. “Quiet, Darkstripe!” he hissed. “Hawkfrost knows his own strengths.”
Darkstripe blinked. “I wasn’t—”
Tigerstar cut him off. “And there’s always room for improvement.”
A fifth cat slid from behind a tree, his night-colored pelt ragged against the smooth gray bark. “Hawkfrost depends too much on his strength,” he muttered. “Breezepelt too much on his speed. Together they would make a great warrior. Separately they are vulnerable.”
“Brokenstar.” Hawkfrost greeted the matted tabby with bared teeth. “Are we supposed to take advice from the warrior who failed to silence Jayfeather?”
Brokenstar twitched the tip of his tail. “I did not expect StarClan to fight so hard to save him.”
“Never underestimate your enemy.” Hawkfrost stretched his forepaw, wincing.
Breezepelt licked the deep scratches along his flank, his tongue reddening with his own blood.
“We must be ready,” Tigerstar growled. “It’s not enough to be able to beat one enemy at a time. We must train until we can take on a whole patrol single-pawed.”
Breezepelt looked up from his wound, his eyes flashing. “I can already beat Harespring and Leaftail in training.”
Tigerstar’s eyes darkened. “Training is one thing. Warriors fight harder when they’re defending their lives.”
Breezepelt clawed the ground. “I can fight harder.”
Tigerstar nodded. “You have more reason than most.”
A growl rose in Breezepelt’s throat.
“You have been wronged,” Tigerstar meowed softly.
Breezepelt’s young face looked kitlike in the gloom. “You’re the only ones who seem to realize that.”
“I have told you that you must seek vengeance,” Tigerstar reminded him. “With our help, you can take revenge on every cat who has betrayed you.”
Breezepelt’s gaze grew hungry as the dark warrior went on.
“And on every cat who stood by and did nothing while others claimed what was yours as their own.”
“Starting with Crowfeather.” Breezepelt snarled his father’s name.
Brokenstar swished his crooked tail through the air. “What did your father do to defend you?” His words were laced with bitterness, as though soured by his own memories.
Darkstripe slunk forward. “He never valued you.”
Tigerstar shooed the striped warrior back with a flick of his tail. “He tried to crush you, make you weak.”
“He didn’t succeed,” Breezepelt spat.
“But he tried. Perhaps he valued his ThunderClan kits more. Those three kits should never have been born.” Tigerstar padded toward the young warrior, his eyes gleaming, holding Breezepelt’s gaze like a snake mesmerizing its prey. “You have been suckled on lies and the weakness of others. You have suffered while others have thrived. But you are strong. You will put things right. Your father betrayed his Clan and betrayed you. Leafpool betrayed StarClan by taking a mate.”
Breezepelt’s tail was lashing. “I will make them all pay for what they have done.” No heat fired his gaze, only cold hatred. “I will have vengeance on each and every one of them.”
Brokenstar pushed forward. “You are a noble warrior, Breezepelt. You cannot live a life spawned on lies. Loyalty to the warrior code runs too strong in your blood.”
“Not like those weaklings,” Breezepelt agreed.
Hawkfrost was on his paws. “More practice?” he suggested.
Tigerstar shook his head. “There is something else you must do.” He swung his broad head around to face the warrior.
Hawkfrost narrowed his eyes to icy slits. “What?”
“There’s another apprentice,” Tigerstar told him. “She has great power. She must join us to make the battle even.”
“You want me to visit her?” Menace edged Hawkfrost’s mew.
Tigerstar nodded. “Walk in her dreams. Teach her that our battle is her destiny.” He flicked the tip of his long, dark tail. “Go.”
As the broad-shouldered warrior turned away and padded into the mist, Tigerstar growled after him, “You should have no trouble. She is ready.”
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 1
Dovepaw trembled in her sleep.
“Dovepaw! Dovepaw!” Voices wailed around her as she struggled in the current, dragging at her fur, swirling her through darkness. “Dovepaw!” The cries were jagged with fear. Trees and branches tumbled past her, sweeping away downstream. Darkness yawned below, stretching so far beneath her that horror caught in her throat.
“Dovepaw!” Rippletail’s desperate, lonely whimper rang in her ears.
With a start, she blinked open her eyes.
Her sister, Ivypaw, stirred beside her. “Were you dreaming?” The silver-and-white tabby raised her head and gazed anxiously at Dovepaw. “You were twitching like a mouse.”
“Bad dream.” Dovepaw fought to keep her mew steady. Her heart was pounding and Rippletail’s cry echoed in her mind. She stretched forward and licked Ivypaw’s head. “It’s gone now,” she lied.
As Ivypaw’s sleepy eyes began to close, Dovepaw breathed in the soft scent of her sister. I’m home,she reminded herself.
Everything’s okay.Yet her heart still pounded. She stretched in her nest, a shiver running to the tip of her tail, and clambered to her paws. Padding carefully between the nests, she headed out of the den.
Moonlight bathed the deserted clearing, and above the rock walls that encircled the camp, the horizon was milky with dawn light. The mewls of Poppyfrost’s newborn kits drifted from the nursery, and snores rumbled from the dens. The air felt strange, cool and wet on her muzzle. For many moons, Dovepaw had known nothing but the parched wind of drought, dry on her tongue. But now she could taste the green freshness of the forest, heady and mouthwatering.
Thin clouds drifted across the star-speckled sky, draping Silverpelt like cobwebs. She wondered if Rippletail was watching from among her starry ancestors.
I’m sorry.The words echoed in her mind like the lonely call of an owl.
Even though the long journey upstream was a quarter moon ago, the memory still ached in her muscles. Dovepaw had traveled with Lionblaze and two cats from each of the other Clans to track down the beavers that had blocked the stream and starved the lake of water. Together they had destroyed the dam and unleashed the torrent that had filled the lake once more. And now life was returning to the territories. She felt it in the rustling of the forest, heard it in the stirrings of prey beyond the edges of the camp.
Pride coursed through her. She had been the one to sense the beavers as they worked to block the stream. She had helped break their dam to pieces and now all the Clans would survive. But the memory was bittersweet, like yarrow on her tongue. The RiverClan warrior Rippletail had died fighting the large brown creatures, their heavy bodies stronger than foxes, their snapping yellow teeth deadlier than claws.
Memories of the journey had thronged in Dovepaw’s mind since she’d returned, and Rippletail’s death haunted her dreams. Did Lionblaze feel the same? She didn’t dare ask. Nor could she confide in Jayfeather about how much the journey still clung to her thoughts. They might think she was weak. She had a great destiny ahead of her.
How could she ever live up to the prophecy that had been given to Firestar many moons ago? There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws
Dovepaw was one of the Three, along with Lionblaze and Jayfeather. The realization still shocked her. She’d been an apprentice less than a moon and now she carried more responsibility than a senior warrior on her shoulders. What could she do but hone the power she’d been given, the power that made her one of the Three? She practiced each day, reaching out with her senses as deep into the forest as she could, listening, tasting, feeling for sounds and movements even Jayfeather could not detect.
Dovepaw crouched outside the den, her pelt ruffling in the damp air, and closed her eyes. She let the sensation of earth beneath her paws slide away, reached beyond the sound of Poppyfrost’s kits fidgeting in the nursery, and let her senses roam. The forest trembled with life, filling her senses with smells and sounds: birds shaking out their feathers before they began their morning song, an early ShadowClan patrol padding sleepily out of camp, their paws clumsy on the slippery, needle-strewn ground. The sharp scent of catmint growing beside the abandoned Twoleg nest bathed her tongue. The sound of water chattering over the rock-cluttered stream on the WindClan border stirred her ear fur.
Wait!
Why were two cats slinking beside the lake at this time of day?
Anxiety pricked at Dovepaw’s pelt. She blinked open her eyes. She should tell someone. But how could she explain without giving away her secret power? Lionblaze?No. She couldn’t go to her mentor. He’d be asleep in the warriors’ den and it would be impossible to wake him without disturbing his denmates.
Jayfeather?Of course! He slept alone in the medicine den since Leafpool had joined the warriors. Dovepaw hurried across the clearing and pushed through the lichen that draped the entrance to the shadowy cave.
“Jayfeather!” She opened her eyes wide, trying to adjust to the gloom. Hurrying to his nest, she nudged him with her nose.
His gray tabby pelt was ruffled by sleep, his nose tucked tightly under his paw. “Go away,” he grumbled.
“It’s important,” Dovepaw hissed.
The medicine cat lifted his chin and blinked open his sightless blue eyes. “I was dreaming!” he snapped.
Dovepaw tensed. Had she disturbed a message from StarClan?
“I was about to catch a mouse.” Jayfeather held his paws a whisker apart. “It was thisfar away.”
Dovepaw stifled a purr. It was comforting to know that Jayfeather had regular mouse-chasing dreams like any other cat. “Sorry.”
“It’s not funny!” Jayfeather stood and shook out his fur.
Dovepaw ducked out of the way as he sprang from his nest and landed lightly beside her.
“What’s the matter?” Jayfeather licked a paw and drew it along his whiskers.
“Two cats are walking around the lake.”
Jayfeather let his paw drop and met her gaze. Dovepaw blinked. She still wasn’t used to the way Jayfeather acted like he could see even though he was blind.
“Are they heading for ThunderClan territory?”
Dovepaw nodded. She was relieved that he hadn’t asked her if she was sure. He just believed her. He trusted her completely. He had faith in her power. She really was one of the Three.
Jayfeather let out a long, thoughtful breath. “Do you know which Clan they’re from?”
Why hadn’t she checked that already? Dovepaw cast her senses out again, let them stretch back to the lakeshore and wreathe around the two cats still padding steadily onward. “RiverClan,” she breathed, tasting their fishy scent. She could make out the shade of their pelts: one dappled gold, one gray.
The dappled cat was smaller, a she-cat. “Mothwing.” The scent of herbs on the medicine cat’s pelt was strong.
The gray was a she-cat too, but larger, with the muscled shoulders of a seasoned warrior. “And Mistyfoot.” The RiverClan deputy.
Jayfeather nodded, his eyes clouding.
“What?” Dovepaw leaned closer.
“They’re grieving,” he murmured.
She recognized sadness in the slow, dragging steps of the RiverClan cats. But the sorrow sharpening Jayfeather’s mew told her that he could actually feel their grief as though it were his own. “What are they grieving for?”
“Leopardstar must be dead.” He sighed.
“Dead?” Dovepaw stiffened. “She’s lost all her lives?”
“She’d reached her ninth. It was just a matter of time.” Jayfeather got slowly to his paws and headed for the crack in the rock at the back of the medicine den. “Mistyfoot and Mothwing must be heading for the Moonpool,” he called over his shoulder. “So Mistyfoot can receive her nine lives.”
He disappeared into the cleft, his voice echoing from the shadows. “Now that we’re awake so early…”—reproach edged his mew—“we might as well make ourselves useful.”
Dovepaw hardly heard. Leopardstar, dead?She cast her senses far across the lake, reaching for the RiverClan camp. Images of the stricken Clan filled her mind. Cats circled restlessly around a body laid in the clearing, while others smoothed rosemary and watermint onto its spotted pelt in an attempt to hide the odor of death. A queen shooed her kits in a flurry of paws back toward the nursery.
Jayfeather emerged from the cleft carrying a bundle of herbs. “Mistyfoot will make a good leader,” he mewed, dropping the herbs and heading back to his store. “She’s fair and wise, and the other Clans respect her.” He returned with another large bundle of herbs and dropped it beside the first.
“Will Leopardstar hunt with StarClan now?”
“They will welcome such a noble warrior.” Jayfeather began to separate the leaves into smaller piles. The tang of them made Dovepaw’s nose wrinkle.
She dragged her attention back to the medicine den. “What are you doing?”
“We need to spread these herbs out to dry them.”
“But what should we do about Leopardstar?”
“Nothing.” Jayfeather pushed a clump of herbs toward her. “Rain got into the store and I don’t want them to rot,” he explained.
“Shouldn’t we tell Firestar?”
“Do you want to wake him?”
Dovepaw stared at her pile of leaves. She supposed it wouldn’t really make any difference if she waited till he was awake and out of his den.
Jayfeather was already expertly separating the leaves in his pile, laying them one by one out on the dry ground. Dovepaw began carefully peeling a wide, floppy leaf away from the clump. “Is it always the deputy who becomes leader?”
“So long as no other warrior believes they can lead the Clan better.”
Dovepaw stared at him in surprise, a leaf dangling from her paw. “Has that ever happened?”
Jayfeather nodded. “In WindClan, Onestar had to fight for his leadership.”
“Fight?” Dovepaw laid the leaf beside the others, trying to keep her paw steady. Could Clanmates really turn on one another like that?
“Mudclaw thought he’d make a better leader,” Jayfeather answered matter-of-factly. His line of drying leaves was already a tail-length long. Dovepaw tried to work faster.
“Careful!” Jayfeather warned. “If you rip them, they lose some of their healing juices.”
Dovepaw hesitated before she drew another leaf from the soggy pile. “Does it happen often?” Her belly churned. “I mean, Clanmates fighting to be leader.”
Jayfeather shook his head. “It’s rare. And if Mistyfoot is already on her way to the Moonpool, clearly no one’s challenged her.” He began to straighten the leaves Dovepaw had laid out. “Though there might have been a time when she would have been challenged.”
“When?” Dovepaw cast her senses back to the RiverClan camp, searching anxiously for any flicking tail or unsheathed claws that might suggest discontent. She found nothing, only the slow steps and drooping tails of a Clan in mourning.
“Hawkfrost.” Jayfeather half spat the name. “Mothwing’s brother.”
“Hawkfrost?” Dovepaw had heard the name in the stories that elders told about the days when the Clans first made their homes around the lake.
“He’s dead, thank StarClan.” Jayfeather didn’t look up from his work, though his paws slowed down as if memories distracted him.
“Have you seen him in StarClan?” Dovepaw asked.
“Hurry up.” Jayfeather ignored her question. “I want all these leaves laid out by the time the sun’s up, to give them enough time to dry.”
Has he seen Rippletail?she wondered, laying out a new leaf. The memory of the dead RiverClan warrior stabbed her heart.
Jayfeather padded away to the cleft and fetched a new bundle of damp leaves. “Was it Mistyfoot and Mothwing who woke you so early?”
Dovepaw looked up, blinking.
“Did they disturb your dreams?” he pressed.
Dovepaw shook her head. She didn’t want to share the dream that had broken her sleep.
“Were you dreaming of Rippletail?”
Dovepaw looked up sharply, as surprised by the gentleness in Jayfeather’s mew as she was by the question. Had he been there in her dream?
The medicine cat shook his head. “I didn’t walk in your dreams.”
Is he reading my thoughts right now?Dovepaw flinched away, but Jayfeather went on.
“I can tell that you’re troubled and I can feel your grief. It’s like a nettle in your heart, stinging any paw that tries to pluck it out.”
Dovepaw began peeling and laying out leaves as though it were the most important duty she’d ever had. She’d tried so hard to hide her feelings. What would he think of her now that he knew how soft she was? Would he be disappointed that she was one of the Three?
But Jayfeather carried on calmly separating the herbs. “You might feel as if you are responsible for his death, but you’re not,” he told her. “You have a destiny, but so does every other cat. Rippletail was always going to be part of the quest to unblock the stream. He was born with courage, and you couldn’t have succeeded without him. His death steered your path, helped you find another way to defeat the beavers. He died saving the lives of his Clanmates. StarClan led him to the battle that killed him, not you.”
Dovepaw stared deep into the medicine cat’s blue gaze. “Is that true?”
“It’s true.” He rolled a torn leaf into a tight knot and wrapped it in another. His mew grew brisk once more. “The fresh leaf’s juices will leach out and make the damaged leaf stronger,” he explained.
Dovepaw nodded without really hearing. Jayfeather had managed to touch the nettle in her heart and release its sting. For the first time since Rippletail’s death, she felt peace. Was it that simple? Should she just follow her own destiny and leave the rest to StarClan?
But one day she’d be strongerthan StarClan. Lionblaze had promised her that. What then?
She sat back on her haunches. Sunshine was beginning to ripple through the trailing brambles at the cave entrance.Long lines of leaves lay drying in front of her. “Firestar will be awake by now. Should we tell him about Leopardstar?”
Jayfeather’s eyes flashed. “And how would you explain what you know?”
Dovepaw frowned. “Shouldn’t Firestar know about my power?” Firestar had assumed that she had learned about the beavers in a dream sent by StarClan, and Dovepaw had said nothing to change his mind. But how likely was it that she would dream about the death of another Clan’s leader?
“No.” Jayfeather plucked up a leaf, dark with the beginnings of rot, and flung it to the edge of the den. “Things are complicated enough.”
“Doesn’t he know about your powers?”
Jayfeather began to sweep dust away from the leaves with his tail. “He doesn’t even know we’re the Three.”
Worry dropped like a cold stone in Dovepaw’s belly. “Doesn’t know?” Why not?Why should they hide their powers if they were going to protect the future of the Clans? And the prophecy had come to Firestar first of all. “Surely StarClan wouldn’t have shared the prophecy with him if they hadn’t wanted him to know—”
Jayfeather cut her off. “You should join a patrol,” he mewed. “I’ll finish up here.”
She opened her mouth to argue but Jayfeather went on. “I can hear Brambleclaw coming out of his den. He won’t want to be kept waiting.”
Reluctantly, Dovepaw turned away. Jayfeather wasn’t going to give any more answers. As she nosed her way out of the medicine den, she saw Brambleclaw sitting beside the tumbled rocks leading to Highledge. Cinderheart was pacing in front of him while the other warriors emerged from their dens to hear their duties for the day. She saw the flash of surprise in the deputy’s eyes as she padded out of Jayfeather’s den.
“Are you okay?” Brambleclaw called.
Dovepaw forced her ears to stop twitching. “Just a bit of a bellyache,” she lied. “It’s better now.”
Brambleclaw nodded. “In that case you can join the patrol with me and Lionblaze.”
“Did someone say my name?” Lionblaze was emerging from the warriors’ den, yawning.
“You’re joining the dawn patrol,” Brambleclaw told him
The golden warrior’s eyes brightened. Then he spotted Dovepaw and frowned, his gaze questioning. He could clearly sense that something was up. She gave a quick shake of her head.
The nursery rustled and Poppyfrost’s kits tumbled out with their mother padding behind them. The tortoiseshell queen was wearily shaking her head. “Why do kits have to wake up so early?” She steered Cherrykit and Molekit with her tail as they began to skip toward the warriors gathered by the rocks. “Stay out of the way,” she warned.
“But I want to hear Brambleclaw,” Cherrykit complained.
“We won’t disturb them,” Molekit promised.
Dovepaw stared blankly at the kits. The knowledge of Leopardstar’s death churned inside her while her Clanmates surrounded her, aware of nothing but the hunting patrols that lay ahead. She suddenly felt as though she were trapped behind a waterfall, separated from her Clanmates by the glistening torrent, her voice drowned by its thundering.
Ivypaw bounced up to her. “It’s so early!” she complained. But her eyes were sparkling with excitement. “Doesn’t the forest smell great?” She took a deep breath and licked her lips. “The air tastes of prey.”
Brambleclaw nodded toward the silver-and-white apprentice. “Perhaps you and Cinderheart should join our border patrol.”
“Yes, please!” Ivypaw looked at her sister. “I bet I catch the first prey today,” she teased.
Cinderheart padded past them, flicking her tail. “We won’t be hunting until we’re sure the borders are safe,” she reminded her apprentice.
“Yes, but after that.” Ivypaw bounded after the gray tabby she-cat.
Dovepaw followed, catching up to Lionblaze at the thorn tunnel. Brambleclaw, Cinderheart, and Ivypaw were already filing out of the camp.
Should I tell Lionblaze about Leopardstar?
“Come on, Dovepaw!” Ivypaw was calling her.
No. I’ll tell him later.
She slid past her mentor and plunged after her sister into the still-dripping undergrowth. The rainstorms had left the forest soft and yielding, the earth springy underpaw and fragrant. The sun was beginning to warm the forest so that steam drifted up through the branches.
Newly fallen leaves littered the ground, some still green, shriveled by the recent drought and battered early from their branches by the torrential rain. Dovepaw kicked her way through them as she reached Ivypaw. Purring loudly, she flung a pawful over her sister’s back.
“Hey!” Ivypaw shook the leaves from her pelt and sent another bundle showering over Dovepaw. Then she turned tail and ran.
Dovepaw pelted after her sister as Ivypaw bounded onto a fallen tree, her claws scattering bark shreds that caught in Dovepaw’s whiskers. Leaping up beside Ivypaw, Dovepaw nudged her sister off balance and yowled with amusement as she watched Ivypaw wobble, then dive dramatically down the other side.
Ivypaw squeaked, staggering into a thick clump of ferns and disappearing behind the fronds.
“Ivypaw?” Dovepaw sniffed at the ferns, her tail stiffening as she detected no movement. “Are you okay?”
The ferns shivered and exploded as Ivypaw hurtled out and rolled Dovepaw onto her back. Triumphant, Ivypaw pinned her littermate to the ground. “Even Cherrykit wouldn’t fall for the play-dead trick!” she purred.
Dovepaw pushed with her hind paws, knocking Ivypaw away easily, aware of how strong she’d grown from the long journey to find the beavers. Ivypaw scrambled to her paws, scooting out of the way as Dovepaw leaped at her.
“Ha! Missed!” Ivypaw crowed before scrambling down the slope that led lakeward.
Dovepaw raced after her, bounding down to where the trees began to thin. She nearly bundled straight into Ivypaw, who had skidded to a halt.
“Wow!” The silver-and-white apprentice was staring open-mouthed at the lake.
The vast, dried-out lakebed, which had been dotted with shallow muddy pools where fish had huddled while the Clans paced jealously, had vanished.
Shining silver water rippled in its place, gleaming in the dawn sunshine. The lake was brimful, shivering beneath overhanging trees and bushes, lapping lazily at the shores. It heaved and swirled, and the taste of it bathed Dovepaw’s tongue, as fresh and rich with the promise of life as the damp forest.
“Come on!” Ivypaw was already dashing out from the trees.
Dovepaw gave chase, her paws slipping on the damp grass so that she nearly toppled over the short sandy bank at the top of the shore. Pebbles clacked as she landed at the water’s edge and sprinted after Ivypaw.
“I’ve never seen so much water!” Waves were lapping at Ivypaw’s claws.
Dovepaw hung back, remembering the torrent released from the beavers’ dam that had toppled trees, uprooted bushes, swirled like a storm around her as it carried her back to the forest. Then the water had been terrifying, a foaming beast roaring with fury at being pent up behind the dam for so long. Now the lake lay peacefully, like a plump silver tabby, curled beneath the blue sky.
“Where did all the water come from?” Ivypaw pressed. “The sky? The stream?”
Dovepaw cocked her head, listening. She could hear streams splashing and tumbling all around the lake, refreshed by the recent rains. “The streams are back,” she told Ivypaw. “Not just ours, but all of them, thanks to the rainstorms.”
“Good.” Ivypaw nodded. “I hope the lake never goes away again.” She bent her head to lap from the sparkling water, then leaped away as a tiny wave splashed her muzzle.
An angry yowl sounded from behind them. Dovepaw spun around and saw Brambleclaw bounding toward them, with Cinderheart and Lionblaze on his tail.
“This is a patrol, not an outing for kits!” he scolded. “The noise you’ve been making will have disturbed every piece of prey in the area. I don’t envy the hunting patrol!”
Dovepaw hung her head and followed Ivypaw as she slunk back up the bank and halted in front of Brambleclaw. “Sorry.” Her ears burned with shame.
“I know it’s exciting to have the lake back,” Lionblaze meowed with a hint of sympathy in his voice. “But you can play later.”
Brambleclaw’s gaze remained stern. “Have you re-marked the boundary here?” He swished his tail, indicating the scent line running three tail-lengths from the water’s edge. “Now that the lake’s full again, we need to reestablish old markers.”
“I’ll start now!” Ivypaw began to dart away. “Ow!” She skidded to a halt and lifted her paw, ears flat, eyes round with pain.
“What is it?” Cinderheart hurried to her apprentice and examined her paw.
Ivypaw winced and tried to snatch it away.
“Hold still,” Cinderheart ordered. Grasping the apprentice’s paw more tightly, she sniffed at the pad and began to pluck at the splinter with her teeth.
“Ow-ww!” Ivypaw yowled, still trying to wriggle away.
“Wait!” Cinderheart commanded through clenched teeth. “I’ve nearly got it.” Keeping a firm grip on Ivypaw’s paw, she gave one last tug and plucked out a ragged, bloody splinter.
“StarClan’s kits, that hurt!” Ivypaw hopped in a circle, cursing, then sucked at her pad.
Dovepaw weaved around her. “Are you all right?”
Ivypaw’s pelt gradually smoothed. She shook her paw, then inspected the small cut in the pad, oozing a tiny drop of blood. “That feels better.” She sighed.
Brambleclaw sniffed the splinter that Cinderheart had spat onto the ground, then glanced around the smooth grass at the top of the bank. His eyes darkened when he spotted the two halves of a broken stick buried in the long grass. “It must have come from that.”
Dovepaw recognized them at once. “I trod on that last time we were here.” She dragged one half out and laid it at Brambleclaw’s paws before dislodging the other half.
Lionblaze stared at the broken pieces with wide, startled eyes. He opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, but Brambleclaw spoke first.
“Throw them in the lake,” the ThunderClan deputy ordered. “I don’t want any more cats injured.”
Dovepaw picked up one half and dragged it to a high part of the bank where the water lapped the sandy cliff. She tossed it as far as she could, enjoying the splash when it hit the surface, and returned for the second piece. But Ivypaw was already heaving it over the edge, flinging it into the deep water.
As the last part of the stick struck the waves, Dovepaw heard the agonized yowl of a cat in pain echoing through the trees. She froze, listening. Had another cat trodden on a splinter? She glanced back at her Clanmates, but they were calmly watching the two pieces of stick bob away from the bank. None of them had made a sound.
Dovepaw frowned. She cast her senses farther, ears pricked, listening, trying to tell which cat had howled in agony. A scent drifted to her on the damp breeze, tinged with the echo of pain.
Jayfeather!
She could hear his rough tongue scraping the fur on his flank. His movements were urgent, as though he was trying to find the source of the injury.
Fear brushed Dovepaw’s pelt. When Jayfeather let out that terrible wail, it had sounded as if someone had sunk a claw into his heart. Now Lionblaze was standing beside her, his body tense as he stared at the pieces of stick floating out toward the middle of the lake. Worry clouded his gaze and, for a reason she couldn’t explain, Dovepaw shivered.
引子
引子
死气沉沉的森林大地上，树枝相互碰撞着，仿佛在窃窃私语。雾气缠绕着光溜溜的像白骨一样的树干，弥漫在漆黑的森林中。树林上方的天空，暗无星光，寒气阵阵。没有月亮投下的暗影，只有一道怪异的光在树木之间闪烁。
死寂的地面上，响起了重重的脚步声。两位武士正用后腿站着，扑向对方，他们的身体在空中腾挪扭转，就像黑暗中的幽灵。这是两只公猫，一只棕色，另一只黑色。棕色公猫正耸起他宽大的肩膀，朝瘦弱的对手发起猛攻。风吹得树枝咯咯作响。黑猫急忙躲避，眼睛一刻也没有离开对手的脚掌，全神贯注地眯着眼睛。
棕色武士没有击中，重重地摔倒在地，还没来得及转身，便被扑过来的黑色公猫狠咬了一口。棕色公猫嘶吼着站起身，后腿直立，一只后脚掌支撑，转身向前扑去，前脚掌像石头一样砸在黑猫的肩上。
重击之下，黑色公猫倒了下来，胸口朝下摔在地上，愤怒地喘息着。棕色武士荆棘般的利爪划过对手的皮毛。当黑色公猫的伤口溢出猩红的、咸咸的鲜血时，他鼻子抽搐了一下。
黑色公猫如蛇般迅速摆脱了对手的控制，开始用前脚掌有节奏地反击。他不住地左打右击，逼得棕色武士节节后退。黑色公猫趁对手后退时注意力分散的一瞬间，猛扑上去，牙齿深深地咬进棕色武士的前腿。
棕色武士哀号着，甩掉了黑色公猫，眼里燃烧着怒火。两只猫对视了一个心跳的时间，显然都在盘算着什么。突然，黑色公猫迅速屈身向前，打算从棕色武士雪白的肚皮下穿过。但还没等黑色公猫靠近，棕色武士便跃到他的身上，用又长又弯的爪子紧抓住了黑色公猫的皮毛，将他死死按在地上。
“你太慢了！”棕色武士咆哮道。
黑色公猫挣扎着。当对手的嘴开始靠近他的喉咙时，黑色公猫的眼里闪过一丝恐惧。
“行了。”一只深色虎斑猫从阴影处走了出来，他巨大的脚掌带得雾气一阵翻腾。
两只猫愣了一下，然后分开了。棕色武士坐了下去，抬起一条前腿，好像那里受了伤。黑色公猫爬起来，抖了抖身子，血珠溅在森林地面上。
“招式不错啊，鹰霜。”深色虎斑猫向宽肩膀的棕色武士点点头，然后目光扫向黑色公猫，“你也有所进步，风皮。如果你想战胜更强壮的武士，那你还需要更快些。如果你在体重上不能与对手抗衡，那你就要靠速度，利用对手的体重来压制他们。”
风皮低下了头：“我会继续努力的，虎星。”
第四只公猫从阴影处溜了出来。他来到虎星身边，银色条纹在暗淡的光线下闪闪发光。“鹰霜能对付任何一位武士。”他轻声细语道，声音光滑如蜜，“没有多少猫具备这样的技巧和力量。”
虎星撇撇嘴。“闭嘴，黑条！”他嘶吼道，“鹰霜了解自己的能力。”
黑条眨眨眼说：“我不是——”
虎星打断了他：“他还有进步的空间。”
第五只猫从一棵树后转了出来，他深棕色的皮毛在光滑的灰色树皮的映衬下，显得十分粗糙。“鹰霜太依赖他的力量了，”他咕哝道，“而风皮太依赖他的速度。他们俩的优点集中在一起就会成为伟大的武士，但分开来，他们就很弱。”
“断星。”鹰霜龇着牙，问候这只皮毛暗淡的虎斑猫，“我们是不是该听听这位没能制伏松鸦羽的武士的建议呢？”
断星抽动着尾尖：“我没想到星族为救他会那么拼命。”
“永远不要低估你的敌人。”鹰霜抻了抻前脚掌，疼得直咧嘴。
风皮舔了舔侧腹上深深的抓痕，舌头被自己的鲜血染红了。
“我们必须做好准备。”虎星咆哮道，“一次能打败一个敌人根本不够。我们必须训练，直到可以只身对付整支巡逻队。”
风皮从伤口上抬起头，眼睛发亮：“我已经能在训练中战胜兔泉和叶尾了。”
虎星的目光阴沉了下来：“训练是另一回事。当武士们为了保命时，会战斗得更加凶猛。”
风皮抓紧地面：“我也会战斗得更凶猛的。”
虎星点点头：“你比其他大多数猫更有理由这样做。”
风皮的喉咙里发出一声低吼。
“你受委屈了。”虎星轻声说道。
幽暗中，风皮年轻的脸庞看起来就像幼崽一样：“只有你意识到这一点。”
“我告诉过你，你必须复仇。”虎星提醒他，“有了我们的帮助，你可以向每一只背叛过你的猫复仇。”
风皮的眼神变得更加狂热，深色武士继续往下说。
“以及那些袖手旁观、眼睁睁看着你的东西被抢走的猫。”
“就从鸦羽开始。”风皮吼出了自己父亲的名字。
断星在空中抽动着弯曲的尾巴。“你父亲可做过保护你的什么事情？”他话语中带着怨恨，似乎透着自己的痛苦回忆。
黑条偷偷地走上前：“他从来都不在乎你。”
虎星轻弹下尾巴赶开条纹武士：“他想毁掉你，让你变得软弱。”
“他没能得逞。”风皮愤愤地说。
“但他试图那么做了。也许他更在乎他雷族的孩子。那三只猫本来就不应该出生。”虎星走向年轻的武士，眼睛里闪着光，盯着风皮的眼睛，就好像一条蛇在迷惑它的猎物，“你吮吸着其他猫的谎言和软弱。当其他猫茁壮成长时，你却受尽苦难。但你很强大，你会找回公平的。你的父亲背叛了族群，也背叛了你。还有叶池，她背叛了星族，因为她找了一个伴侣。”
风皮的尾巴猛抽着。“我会让他们为自己的所作所为付出代价。”他的眼里没有一点儿温度，只有冷冰冰的怨恨，“我会挨个向他们复仇。”
断星挤上前来：“你是一位高贵的武士，风皮。你不能一辈子生活在谎言中。你体内流淌的忠于武士守则的血液太强烈了。”
“我不会像那些懦夫。”风皮赞同道。
鹰霜站起身来。“还要继续训练吗？”他问道。
虎星摇摇头。“还有另外一件事要你去做。”他转过硕大的脑袋看着这位武士。
鹰霜把眼睛眯成了一条缝，眼神中透着寒光：“什么事？”
“还有一位学徒，”虎星告诉他，“她拥有强大的力量。她必须加入我们，这样这场战斗才更有把握。”
“你想让我去拜访她？”鹰霜的话语中透着阴森。
虎星点点头。“进到她的梦里，告诉她这场战斗是她的使命。”他轻弹了一下又长又黑的尾尖，“去吧。”
宽肩武士转身消失在迷雾中，虎星在他身后咆哮道：“你不会遇到什么麻烦的。她已经准备好了。”
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 2
“Ouch!” Jayfeather staggered sideways as apain, sharp as a hawk’s talon, stabbed his side. He licked at it furiously, anticipating the tang of blood. But his pelt was unharmed.
Puzzled, he sniffed the air, tasting the herbs laid out before him on the floor of the medicine cave. Reaching tentatively forward, he felt the space around him for any brambles.
Nothing.
Then what had stabbed him?
He must have imagined it. Maybe the death of Leopardstar had pierced the air as StarClan mourned. Maybe Mistyfoot’s naming ceremony had somehow touched him—the shock of new lives carried from her mind to his. He frowned. A change in a Clan’s leadership wasan important event; perhaps it was inevitable that it would affect him somehow.
He padded along the row of herbs once more, the pain in his side easing to a dull ache. The leaves were drying nicely in the breeze that filtered through the brambles trailing at the den entrance, and there was enough sunshine striking into the hollow to warm the air. There was nothing left to do but wait. Enough time to check on Poppyfrost and her kits.
Springing over the leaves, Jayfeather pushed his way through the entrance, the brambles stroking satisfyingly over his spine as he headed out of the den.
Firestar was dozing on Highledge, his breath clouding in the cool morning air as he rested his chin over the edge of the jagged rock. Sandstorm lay beside him. Jayfeather could hear their fur brushing as their flanks gently rose and fell. They must have been night hunting again. Jayfeather knew that the ThunderClan leader and his mate sometimes liked to slip out of camp while their Clanmates slept and run through the woods. Images of their hunt filled Firestar’s dreams now, and Jayfeather sensed joy as the ThunderClan leader relished the freedom of the forest, his mate at his side, the worries of the Clan left behind at the barrier of thorns.
Jayfeather pulled his mind away, always uncomfortable at intruding on the thoughts of his Clanmates, though the temptation was never far away.
“Come on, Blossompaw!” Graystripe called to the apprentice. “You’re supposed to be helping, not playing.”
Blossompaw froze, her tail sweeping to a halt, leaves drifting from the stale-smelling bundle that she clutched between her paws.
“Ha!” Briarpaw’s pads brushed the earth as she skipped out of the way, and Jayfeather pictured the scene: Blossompaw had been about to send a shower of leaves over her littermate and had been caught in the act by Graystripe.
“Sorry.” Blossompaw swept her leaves toward Graystripe with her tail, and the gray warrior focused on his task once more; Jayfeather could hear his fur snagging against the prickles. “There are more holes in here than in a rabbit warren,” he fretted. “I want them stuffed with leaves before the wind turns cold.”
Berrynose was picking through the brambles on the other side of the nursery. “It’s just as bad over here,” he reported. The cream-colored tom began crunching pawfuls of leaves in between the branches. It was his kits, after all, who were in the nursery along with his mate, Poppyfrost.
Jayfeather was concentrating so hard on the two warriors working on the nursery walls that the flailing, fluffy bundle rolling into his paws made him jump.
“Sorry, Jayfeather!” Cherrykit scrambled back toward her mother, who was basking on the sandy earth outside the nursery.
“Watch where you’re going,” Poppyfrost chided.
“Jayfeather!” Molekit mewled. The tiny kit pattered toward him. “Watch what I can do!”
Jayfeather felt Poppyfrost tense at her kit’s tactless words; he flicked his tail to let her know he wasn’t offended. He liked the way kits didn’t trip over themselves trying not to say the wrong thing to him. “Show me,” he prompted Molekit.
A scuffle of paws and a sudden “Oof!” were followed by purrs of amusement from Cherrykit.
“That was the worst pounce I’ve ever seen,” Cherrykit squeaked.
“You do better, then!” Molekit challenged.
Jayfeather heard her short, stumpy tail brush the ground as she crouched and prepared for her jump. As she leaped forward, a falling leaf brushed her pelt. Her paws skidded clumsily as surprise flashed through her.
Molekit yowled with amusement. “Nice landing!”
“Shut up!” Cherrykit huffed.
“You’re scared of a leaf!”
“Am not!”
“Are so!”
“Molekit!” Poppyfrost’s mew was stern. “Cherrykit’s your sister. You must encourage her, not tease! True warriors help their Clanmates.”
Molekit scuffed his paws on the ground. “Okay,” he muttered.
The nursery entrance trembled as Ferncloud slid out. Though she had no kits of her own, she preferred to stay in the nursery, along with Daisy, helping the queens as they came and went with the seasons. The two she-cats had helped raise so many kits that, these days, cats were as likely to see young apprentices visit the nursery for advice as the elders’ den. Especially now that Purdy had moved into the honeysuckle bush. Once the old loner started one of his stories, it could be sunset before a young cat got a word in edgewise.
“How are you feeling?” Jayfeather asked Poppyfrost. He sensed the queen’s weariness and felt a pang of sympathy. “The kits are doing well.” He could hear Molekit scampering after Cherrykit.
“Look out!” Graystripe warned, staggering on his hind paws as the kits raced past him.
Poppyfrost purred. Jayfeather stifled an urge to ask exactly what it was about squirming, querulous, hungry kits that made queens so forgiving of the exhaustion, the endless demands, and the squabbles that flared up with every second heartbeat.
“Are you eating and drinking plenty?” he checked.
“I’m fine,” Poppyfrost assured him.
He could smell moss soaked in water lying beside Poppyfrost. It carried Berrynose’s scent. Her mate was obviously making sure she had everything she needed. And judging from the contented aura swirling around the tortoiseshell queen, all the fears she’d had that Berrynose still pined for her sister, Honeyfern, had disappeared.
The memory of Honeyfern, killed by an adder, was still strong in the Clan. Jayfeather sensed it like a lingering scent. But life moved on and Berrynose seemed happy with his new mate. Indeed, the whole Clan seemed content, the camp buzzing with soft mews. It was almost as though the drought had never happened.
Leafpool and Squirrelflight padded through the camp entrance, the fragrant scent of prey clouding around them. Jayfeather snorted, fury rushing anew through his paws. Some things could never be forgotten. Or forgiven. The lies and betrayals that his mother and her littermate had woven around his and Lionblaze’s birth left a taste foul as crow-food in his mouth. If they hadn’t hidden the truth, conspiring like vixens, his sister, Hollyleaf, might never have disappeared behind the mudslide that blocked the tunnels.
Bitterness rose in Jayfeather’s throat. Despite what he and his littermates had been raised to believe, Crowfeather was their father, not Brambleclaw. And it was Leafpool who had kitted them. Squirrelflight had never been their mother.
Mother!As far as Jayfeather was concerned, he had no mother now.
The second hunting patrol returned just before sunhigh. Sorreltail, dozing below Highledge, scrambled to her paws as Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Whitewing dropped their catches on the fresh-kill pile. Thornclaw stretched beside her, purring hungrily at the scent of fresh prey.
But it was a different scent that brought Jayfeather from his den. He’d been half expecting it all morning, ever since Dovepaw had woken him with the news about Mistyfoot
“RiverClan!” Ferncloud’s alarm set the whole camp stirring, and Firestar bounded down from Highledge as Mistyfoot padded through the thorn tunnel with Mothwing at her heels.
Jayfeather heard Ferncloud’s tail swish the earth as she shooed Molekit and Cherrykit back toward their mother. Hostility prickled from Thornclaw and Dustpelt. Graystripe stopped work on the nursery wall and dropped onto four paws, curiosity pulsing from his pelt.
Firestar crossed the clearing to greet the RiverClan cats. “Is everything all right?”
Mistyfoot halted. “Leopardstar’s dead.”
Jayfeather found himself caught in a flood of memories swirling through Firestar’s mind: a forest fire; a kit rescued from a river; mountains, snowcapped and scented with danger; courage and stubbornness flashing in Leopardstar’s amber gaze. Jayfeather caught his breath as the ThunderClan leader’s grief pierced his own heart.
Mothwing sighed. “We’ve just come from the Moonpool,” she murmured. “Mistystar has received her nine lives.”
Firestar’s whiskers brushed the ground as he dipped his head low. “Mistystar,” he greeted the new RiverClan leader.
“Mistystar,” Graystripe echoed the name respectfully.
“Mistystar, Mistystar.” The RiverClan leader’s new name rippled through the watching Clan. Hostility faded like the morning dew.
Firestar touched noses with the gray she-cat. “How’s RiverClan?” he asked.
“Greenleaf was harsh,” Mistystar admitted. “We rely too much on the lake to survive without it.”
Longtail padded stiffly from the elders’ den, his whiskers twitching with curiosity. Mousefur’s tail rested on his shoulder, guiding him forward as Mistystar went on.
“We lost three elders from thirst and hunger.”
Mousefur tensed. “Who?”
“Blackclaw, Voletooth, and Dawnflower.”
Jayfeather heard Mousefur’s pelt brush Longtail’s as the old she-cat pressed closer to her denmate.
Firestar sat beside Mistystar. “Take some strengthening herbs with you,” he offered.
“Thank you, we will, if you can spare them.”
Jayfeather wondered if Leopardstar would have accepted help so easily.
“Mothwing.” Firestar addressed the RiverClan medicine cat. “Go with Jayfeather. He’ll give you the herbs.”
Jayfeather beckoned Mothwing with his tail. He relished the chance to be alone with her, intrigued about how she had managed Mistystar’s naming ceremony when she didn’t believe in StarClan. He held aside the brambles at the entrance to the den, unable to resist probing Mothwing’s thoughts as she passed. But her mind was empty of everything except the ache in her paws.
“Rest there.” Jayfeather slipped into the medicine store and bundled together some of the newly dried leaves. Carrying the wad in his jaws, he placed it gently at her paws. “I can give you some ointment to soothe your pads,” he offered.
“No, thank you.” Mothwing shifted her weight. “It’s not much farther.”
“But the shore is stony.”
“I’ll treat my paws when I get home,” Mothwing insisted. “I’m already depriving you of enough supplies.”
“We can spare them.” But only just.The parched forest had yielded few herbs over greenleaf, and leaf-bare waited like a fox in the shadows.
“Longtail seems to be stiffer than ever,” Mothwing observed. “Have you tried crushing poppy seed and combining it with marigold and comfrey in a poultice?”
Jayfeather looked at her in surprise. Why had he never thought of that? The poppy seed would reduce the pain at once while the comfrey and marigold worked on the inflammation. “That’s a great idea!”
“It used to work on Voletooth’s shoulder.”
“Thanks.” He spread the herbs in front of her. “There’s tansy, watermint, and feverfew here.” His mind was fizzing with curiosity. How had she felt overseeing Mistystar’s receiving her nine lives? Did she finally believe in StarClan now that she’d seen it for herself?
As Mothwing bundled the herbs back into a wad she could carry in her jaws, Jayfeather gave his tail a casual flick. “How was Mistystar’s ceremony?”
“Fine,” Mothwing mewed levelly. “She’s going to be a great leader. Have you got a blade of grass I can tie this bundle with?”
The RiverClan medicine cat wasn’t giving anything away.
Jayfeather padded to the side of the cave and plucked a long stalk of grass poking from the base of the rock wall. As he carried it back to Mothwing, he took a deep breath and probed her recent memories.
Pale sunlight washed the Moonpool, reflecting the clear dawn sky. Jayfeather flinched at the bright images shimmering in Mothwing’s mind. He was used to the night shadows of the Moonpool. Mistystar must have been in a hurry to receive her nine lives.
Mothwing was watching Mistystar. Jayfeather could sense the grief and disquiet of the Clan they’d left behind as the RiverClan deputy crouched at the pool, her paws tucked beneath her, nose tip dabbing the water.
Jayfeather cocked his head. Mothwing’s sense of separation from her Clanmate felt strange. Her bond to her Clanmate was as strong as those Jayfeather felt for his own, and yet she was observing the ceremony like an outsider.
Mistystar suddenly flinched in her sleep with a cry of pain. Mothwing jumped, anxiety jabbing her. Does it hurt?The shocked thought echoed in her mind.
As Mistystar fell still once more, Mothwing fought the urge to creep forward and check that the RiverClan deputy was all right.
Was something realhappening to her Clanmate?
No.Mothwing pushed away the thought.
Yes!Jayfeather willed her to accept it. How could she not believe? She was so stubborn. And yet Jayfeather was impressed by her determination.
They have not visited me; how can they be real?The thought burned like lightning in her mind.
Mistystar was stirring and Mothwing approached. “Are you all right?”
“You weren’t there!”
Mothwing stiffened; then calmness flooded her. The discovery of her secret seemed to bring her relief. “No.” She shook her head, meeting her leader’s gaze without guilt or worry. “You will always visit StarClan alone. They don’t exist for me in the way that they do for you.”
“You…you don’t believe in StarClan?” Mistystar’s pelt rippled with shock. “But you’ve been our medicine cat for so long! Have you never walked with StarClan in your dreams?”
Mothwing felt the stone, cool beneath her pads, weathered by countless moons. “You have your beliefs; I have mine. The cats you see in your dreams guide you and protect you in ways that I have lived without so far. I am a good medicine cat and that has been enough to serve my Clan.”
Mistystar gazed at her medicine cat a moment longer, then dipped her head.
Jayfeather blinked, darkness engulfing him once more as he slid out of Mothwing’s thoughts.
He could feel her gaze like a breeze stirring his pelt. She was watching him curiously; she had known all along that he was inside her memories, reliving the scene at the Moonpool. “You know I have no connection with them,” she reminded him. Her tail brushed the earth. “It doesn’t make me any less of a medicine cat.” She tied the grass around the bundle. “You need to understand that.” She picked up the herbs, her jaws releasing their fragrance as they closed softly around the leaves. Then she turned and padded from the den.
Jayfeather listened to the bramble swish behind her, his paws tingling. Even without StarClan to guide and strengthen her, Mothwing was formidable. Instinctively he dipped his head to her, just as Mistystar had done. StarClan had made a wise choice after all.
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 3
Jayfeather looked up as the bramblesat the entrance to his den swished.
Lionblaze poked his head through. “Mistystar and Mothwing have gone.”
Jayfeather could feel urgency rippling beneath the golden warrior’s pelt. “What’s wrong?”
Lionblaze hesitated.
“Let’s go into the forest,” Jayfeather suggested.
In answer, Lionblaze turned and headed for the camp entrance. Jayfeather let the thoughts and feelings of his Clanmates flood his mind for a moment, searching for any signs of need. All was well. Satisfied, he followed his brother out of the camp.
Lionblaze was already pounding through the trees toward the lake. As Jayfeather caught up to him, the scent of the water bathed his tongue.
“I can see RiverClan fishing,” Lionblaze told him.
A cool, damp breeze rushed through the trees, sending leaves showering onto their pelts. The lake rippled and splashed below.
“So, what’s up?” Jayfeather broached the question.
Before Lionblaze could answer, bushes farther along the shore crackled, and Briarpaw and Bumblepaw came crashing out of the undergrowth, dragging a fat rabbit between them
They halted and Jayfeather could feel the happiness pulsing from their pelts. Graystripe and Millie’s kits were growing fast. They’d be warriors come leaf-bare.
“Impressive catch,” Lionblaze praised. “Where’d you find it?”
“It was grazing by the stream.” Bumblepaw was out of breath.
“It was me who caught it,” Briarpaw boasted.
“Only because I blocked its escape.” Bumblepaw’s purr rumbled deep in his throat.
“You just happened to be in the right place at the right time,” Briarpaw retorted.
The leaves rustled on the forest floor as the littermates fell into a mock fight, tumbling between the slender trees. Jayfeather could sense the strength beneath their pelts. Their minds were filled with green flashes from running through the woods, a mixture of prey-scent and falling leaves and their own fearless pride. A sudden, fierce gladness caught him. ThunderClan was lucky to have cats like these.
“They’ll make great warriors,” Lionblaze whispered, echoing Jayfeather’s thoughts.
“Yes,” Jayfeather agreed, remembering the long, anxious days he’d nursed Briarpaw and Millie through a severe bout of greencough.
“You shouldn’t leave prey unattended!” Lionblaze called to the two young cats. “Some warrior might claim it for his own.”
The apprentices scrambled back to them, panting.
“Paws off!” Bumblepaw warned good-naturedly.
“Hey!” Blossompaw’s petulant mew sounded through the trees and the tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat bounded out from the undergrowth. “I thought you were going to wait for me! Now everyone will think you caught the rabbit without me.”
“We waited for ages,” Bumblepaw objected. “We thought you’d gone back to camp without us.”
Blossompaw sat down. “Why would I do that?”
“So you can moon over Toadstep some more?” Briarpaw teased.
“I do notmoon over Toadstep!” Blossompaw snapped. “Why are you being mean?”
“Why are you being grumpy?” Bumblepaw didn’t wait for an answer. “Let’s take this rabbit to the camp. Mousewhisker is expecting me back for training.” He began dragging the rabbit through the trees. Briarpaw hurried after him, her paws skidding on the leaves as she caught hold of the fresh-kill.
Blossompaw stomped after them, complaining, “You’re leaving me behind again!”
Lionblaze stirred the leaves with one paw. “Did we fight that much?”
Jayfeather felt a prick of grief, remembering the games they’d played with Hollyleaf as kits and then as ’paws. “I guess.” The breeze tugged his fur.
He could sense words on the tip of Lionblaze’s tongue, hesitancy on his breath. At last the golden warrior spoke. “Ivypaw stepped on a broken stick earlier.”
Jayfeather nodded. “I put ointment on her wound.” He suddenly knew what was coming next. Ivypaw hadn’t told him that her injury had come from a stick; he might have guessed Lionblaze’s news earlier if she had.
“It was yourstick, wasn’t it?”
Jayfeather could feel Lionblaze’s gaze prick his pelt, sharp with worry.
“Did you break it?” Lionblaze asked softly.
“Yes.” Guilt surged in Jayfeather’s belly. He’d had so many questions about the prophecy—he still did—but Rock would not answer him. And when the ancient cat had ignored his pleas, frustration had driven Jayfeather to fury and he’d broken the stick. With a shiver, he remembered the crack of the wood when it splintered. The scratches were destroyed forever, all connection with the cats from the past gone. The memory nearly choked him.
“Why?” Lionblaze sounded confused.
Jayfeather’s pelt seemed to crawl with invisible lice. He had destroyed something sacred, something he didn’t fully understand. Why?He wished with all his heart he hadn’t broken the stick. “I-I…” How could he explain?
“I never understood why the stick was so important to you.” Lionblaze’s voice was distant; he was staring out over the lake once more. “But I know you used to go to it when you were worried or troubled.” His fur brushed Jayfeather’s as he leaned closer. “Was it a sign from StarClan?”
If only it were that simple.“There was a time before StarClan,” Jayfeather ventured
Lionblaze’s fur sparked with surprise. “Before?”
“The stick came from then.” Would Lionblaze understand? “The cats who lived here used to become sharpclaws by finding their way through the tunnels….”
Lionblaze halted him midflow. “Sharpclaws?”
“Like warriors.”
“Were they a Clan?”
Jayfeather frowned. “Not a Clan. Not then.”
“But they had warriors?” He paced around Jayfeather.
“Sharpclaws,” Jayfeather corrected.
“What did the stick have to do with them?”
“There were marks on the stick. The marks were a record of the cats who made it out of the tunnels alive and those who didn’t.” Lionblaze had to understand that. They had all been in the tunnels as apprentices—Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf—when floods had swept underground. They all would have drowned if Fallen Leaves, one of the ancient cats, hadn’t shown Jayfeather the way out.
Lionblaze stopped pacing and shuddered. “Cats diedtrying to become warriors?”
Jayfeather nodded.
“And these cats were here before us?”
“Yes.”
“Do they still live here?”
“No.” Though I’ve met them.But Jayfeather wasn’t about to try to explain how he’d lived with those ancient cats, shared their food and their words, traveled back through time to learn their story, to help them leave in search of a new home. “I think some of them went to live in the mountains.”
“Like the Tribe of Rushing Water?”
“I think they became the Tribe of Rushing Water.”
Lionblaze’s mind was whirling so fast Jayfeather had to block out the thoughts tumbling from his brother.
“How did you know what the stick meant?” Lionblaze asked finally.
“I felt it at first, and then I met Rock.” He hurried on before Lionblaze could interrupt. “Rock lived in the tunnels a long time ago. His spirit lives there still, right beneath our territory.”
Lionblaze halted, his paws and his mind suddenly still. What was he thinking? Does he believe me?
Tentatively, Jayfeather probed his brother’s thoughts. He didn’t like to pry in the minds of cats close to him. It felt unfair. And there were some things he didn’t want to know. But right now, Jayfeather needed to know what Lionblaze was thinking. After all, his brother had his own associations with the tunnels underground. How did he feel, knowing that the caves were not as empty as they appeared?
Lionblaze was remembering Heathertail. He was standing in a cavern split by an underground stream and lit by a trickle of gray moonlight. Watching through his brother’s eyes, Jayfeather glanced up at the ledge where he’d first seen Rock.
Rock wasn’t there. But Heathertail was, watching Lionblaze with blue eyes filled with affection. “I am leader of DarkClan!” she announced.
Jayfeather felt a stab of grief pass through Lionblaze, then sensed Lionblaze shove it angrily away.
Lionblaze’s memories held no image of Rock, yet Jayfeather could sense the ancient cat’s presence in the cavern. Furless, ugly, and blind, he kept very still as the young cats played: not judging, hardly interested, just waiting, as though the outcome were inevitable.
“Stop that!” Lionblaze hissed. He must have guessed Jayfeather was walking through his memories.
Jayfeather snapped back to the present. “Sorry.”
“Heathertail and I never saw any other cats down there,” Lionblaze told him. “It was just us.”
“They left long ago.”
“Then why keep the scratched branch?” Lionblaze leaned closer. “Why breakit?”
Jayfeather turned away, unable to describe the rage that had made him smash the stick. The prophecy had churned in his mind for so long; he hadto know what it meant. What were their powers for? Why had the Three been chosen? What was their destiny? Rock knew the answers. Jayfeather sensed it in the very core of his heart. Yet Rock had chosen to stay silent.
Jayfeather swallowed back the frustration that had driven him to smash the stick. Anger hadn’t worked then; it wouldn’t work now.
“Why did you break it?” Lionblaze asked again.
Jayfeather stood up and shook out his fur. “We need to worry about what’s happening now, not what happened in the past. If we’re more powerful than the stars, then no cat can help us. We have to figure it out for ourselves.”
“We haven’t had much luck so far.” Lionblaze padded forward to the very edge of the crest. Jayfeather followed him, the wind from the lake whisking through his ear fur so roughly that he could hardly hear Lionblaze’s next words.
“Shouldn’t we do something?”
“Like what?” Jayfeather raised his voice.
“Go and look for something. Try to find out what we’re supposed to do.” Lionblaze’s mew grew louder as he turned to face him. “Instead of just waiting for things to happen.”
Jayfeather shrugged. He didn’t know the answer. He’d shared tongues with StarClan and with ancient cats and still he was no closer to understanding anything.
Lionblaze snorted and turned away. “I’m going back to camp.”
Jayfeather stayed where he was, breathing the scent of the lake. An image of the stick swirled through his thoughts, its two shattered pieces drifting farther apart on the restless surface of the lake and then disappearing beneath the waves, sinking deeper and deeper, vanishing into the blackness.
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 4
“No, no!” Lionblaze called to hisapprentice. “If you climb up this side of the trunk I’ll see you and know you’re up there!”
Dovepaw slithered down the bark. The oak tree was shiny with rain. Drizzle had been soaking the forest all morning, the rainclouds so low that they seemed to drag over the treetops.
“Are you sure this is the right weather for a tree-fighting session?” Cinderheart queried. She was sitting beside her apprentice, Ivypaw. Both cats looked small, their fur plastered to their pelts.
“It’s the best weather,” Lionblaze insisted. “If they can cling to the branches when they’re slippery, they’ll find it mouse-easy when it’s dry.”
ThunderClan cats were the best climbers among the Clans because they hunted their prey among densely growing, thick-leaved trees; Firestar had recently decided that it was foolish not to take advantage of that skill in battle. From now on, all battle training would include tree-climbing practice, as well as techniques for attacking from among branches.
“Now climb up again,” he instructed Dovepaw. “Imagine I’m a ShadowClan patrol.”
Ivypaw’s whiskers twitched. “A whole one?”
“Concentrate!” Lionblaze was in no mood for silliness. He was hungry and wet and frustrated. What did training apprentices have to do with fulfilling the prophecy? Wait,Jayfeather had said. But Lionblaze was tired of waiting.
Cinderheart flashed Lionblaze a puzzled look. “I’ll guide them up the tree and tell them what to do,” she offered.
Lionblaze hesitated. He didn’t like the thought of Cinderheart climbing trees after the accident that had nearly crippled her as an apprentice.
She rolled her eyes. “We’ll be careful!” She nosed Ivypaw toward the trunk of the oak and watched her scoot up to the lowest branch. Then she nodded to Dovepaw. “You next.”
Dovepaw darted behind the trunk. She reappeared a few moments later on a branch above his head. “Didn’t see me that time!” she called.
He looked up, surprised by her speed. “Very good.”
Cinderheart was scrambling after them. “This is an excellent branch for dropping from.” She peered down at Lionblaze. “If you land squarely on his shoulders, he’ll break your fall, and the surprise will give you long enough to get in a few good moves before he realizes what’s happened.”
“Can I try it?” Ivypaw mewed eagerly.
“I doubt if he’d be very surprised,” Dovepaw pointed out. “He’s staring straight at us.”
“Let’s try climbing onto the next branch,” Cinderheart suggested.
“I’ll wander around,” Lionblaze offered.
“Concentrate on where your paws go,” Cinderheart warned the apprentices. Leaves rustled over Lionblaze’s head. “The bark’s slippery. Use your claws to grip. Watch out!”
Too late. Ivypaw slipped from the branch with a yowl of surprise and plunged down straight onto Lionblaze.
He staggered, hoping his broad shoulders had broken her fall. “Are you okay?”
She scrambled off him and jumped to her paws. “Sorry!”
The shock on her face brought a purr to his throat, banishing his frustration. “I’m the one who’s supposed to be surprised, not you!” he teased.
Pelt ruffling with embarrassment, Ivypaw scrabbled back up the tree.
“Careful, Dovepaw!” Cinderheart warned. “That branch is too narrow. It won’t hold your weight!”
Wood cracked high overhead.
Heart lurching, Lionblaze looked up. “Dovepaw!”
The gray apprentice was gripping a thin, broken branch halfway up the tree. “I can’t hang on!” she wailed. Her paws were sliding down the narrow strip of wood.
“Try to land on the branch below!” Cinderheart called up to her as Dovepaw reached the tip of the branch and tumbled down onto the next. She scrabbled for a grip, yelping as she fell again.
“Keep your claws out!” Lionblaze yowled.
“I am!” Dovepaw cried as she slid from branch to branch like a pebble bouncing down a slope. “I can’t get a grip.”
Lionblaze relaxed. The branches slowed Dovepaw’s fall until she plopped out of the tree like a pigeon landing clumsily. She stood up and fluffed out her fur.
Lionblaze shook his head. “When Jayfeather told me it was going to rain today, he didn’t warn me it was going to rain cats!”
Dovepaw brightened as she saw the glimmer of amusement in his eye. “I’ll do better this time,” she promised, dashing back to climb the tree once more.
Lionblaze padded away through the trees. He could hear the leaves rustling overhead as Cinderheart guided them from one branch to another.
While he was waiting for their “surprise” attack, he decided to hunt. With leaf-fall setting in, any extra prey would be welcomed in camp. He sniffed among the rain-soaked roots of the oak. Fresh squirrel dung made him wrinkle his nose. He climbed silently around the wide trunk, moving snakelike over the roots twining from the ground. The scent dipped between them and ran a few tail-lengths along a dried streambed fracturing the forest floor.
Lionblaze froze.
Rooting beneath the oak’s dripping branches was a fat gray squirrel. Its back was toward him and it was so intent on nibbling a nut that it didn’t even pause to sniff the air as Lionblaze dropped into a hunting crouch.
Whiskers stiff, tail just skimming the leafy ground, Lionblaze crept closer. A tail-length away he paused, waggled his hindquarters, and pounced. The squirrel struggled in his paws for a moment until he snapped its spine with a fast, clean bite. Pleased, he sat up with the fresh-kill hanging from his jaws.
A swish sounded above him. He looked up, his mouth full of squirrel fur. Two shapes dropped, landing one after another on his shoulders. He spat out the squirrel as his legs collapsed beneath him.
“We did it!” Dovepaw’s triumphant mew sounded close to his ear.
Lionblaze shook her off, letting Ivypaw slither from his back. “Deafening the enemy,” he meowed, his ears ringing. “Great strategy!”
Cinderheart scrambled down the trunk, looking pleased. “You didn’t have a clue we were up there, did you?” She glanced at the squirrel lying at his paws. “Nice catch, by the way.”
“Can we try it again?” Ivypaw begged.
“Why not?” Cinderheart flicked her tail back toward the trunk. “Up you go.”
Ivypaw leaped for the tree, but Dovepaw had stiffened and was staring, ears pricked, into the trees.
She’s heard something!Lionblaze could see anxiety darkening his apprentice’s eyes.
“You climb with Ivypaw,” he told Cinderheart quickly. “There’s a hunting technique I’ve been meaning to show Dovepaw.”
“Can I learn it too?” Ivypaw called.
“One at a time is easier,” Lionblaze lied. “I’ll show you another time.”
Ivypaw shrugged. “Okay.” She leaped up the trunk and disappeared into the branches with Cinderheart.
Beckoning with his tail, Lionblaze guided Dovepaw away from the oak. “What did you hear?” he demanded once he was sure they were out of earshot.
“Dogs!”
The fur rose along Lionblaze’s spine. “In the forest?”
Dovepaw shook her head. “In WindClan territory.”
“That’s okay. Twolegs use dogs to chase sheep up there,” Lionblaze explained.
But Dovepaw’s eyes were still round. “They’re not chasing sheep; they’re chasing cats.” She stared in alarm at Lionblaze. “We have to help them.”
“No.” Lionblaze was firm. “WindClan cats are used to it. Don’t forget they can outrun rabbits if they want. They’ll be fine.”
“But Sedgewhiskeris one of the cats being chased!” She froze, her eyes suddenly wild. “One of the dogs has caught up to her! It’s biting her!”
Lionblaze stiffened. “Where are her Clanmates?”
Dovepaw frowned. “They’re with her….” She spoke slowly, describing the scene as it happened. “They’re attacking the dog.”
Lionblaze let out a sigh of relief. “Then Sedgewhisker will be safe.”
“How do you know that?” Dovepaw hissed.
Lionblaze’s heart sank. He’d been waiting for something like this to happen. Dovepaw was clinging to the friendships they’d made on the long journey; Sedgewhisker had traveled with them to destroy the beavers’ dam. Dovepaw had to understand that they were back in their own territories now. “We’re home,” he told her. “Your loyalty lies with your own Clan. You can’t be as close to Sedgewhisker or the others as you were before.”
Dovepaw stared at him. “Why not?”
“Because the warrior code tells us we shouldn’t make friends outside our Clan.”
Her blue eyes flashed. “How can you be so cold?”
“I’m not being cold!” Lionblaze insisted. “Things have changed.”
“Ihaven’t changed,” Dovepaw snapped. “I’m the same cat I was on the journey upstream.” She kneaded the ground with her front paws. “What’s the use of knowing what’s happening far away if I can’t do something about it?”
“Maybe you should figure out how to limit your senses to ThunderClan territory,” he suggested.
Dovepaw looked at him as though he’d grown another head. “The prophecy is bigger than the warrior code, right?”
Lionblaze nodded, wary of where she was heading.
“So my powers aren’t just for ThunderClan’s benefit, are they?”
“We’re ThunderClancats,” he reminded her. “That’s where our loyalties should lie.”
Dovepaw glared at him. “So am I loyal to the prophecy, or the warrior code?” The fur fluffed around her ears. “You and Jayfeather had better make your minds up before I decide myself.” Without waiting for an answer, she pelted back to the oak and disappeared up the trunk after Cinderheart and Ivypaw.
Lionblaze watched her go, his heart sinking. He was only just beginning to understand Jayfeather’s abilities; now he was faced with another cat whose powers were beyond anything he could imagine. Stretching his ears, he strained to listen as hard as he could, but all he could hear was rain pattering on the dying leaves.
Ivypaw’s mew sounded from high in the oak. “This branch keeps bobbing in the wind.”
“Just hang on tight,” Cinderheart advised.
“It’s making me feel sick!”
Lionblaze’s own power was far simpler. He could fight in battles, unscathed, fearless and stronger than any opponent. Did thatseem strange and frightening to his Clanmates? He knew Hollyleaf had always felt uncomfortable about his readiness to fight, as though she didn’t quite believe he wouldn’t get hurt.
But then, she had no power of her own. She was never one of the Three.
And he hadbeen hurt once. Tigerstar had drawn blood in their last dream encounter. Lionblaze glanced behind him, the fur lifting on his shoulders. Was the dark warrior watching him now? Ferns swished beside him and he swung around, uncurling his claws.
“Sorreltail!” He couldn’t hide the relief in his voice. “Are you looking for Cinderheart?”
Sorreltail shook her head. “I’m joining Graystripe’s hunting patrol. Jayfeather just told me that my shoulder’s healed.” The tortoiseshell warrior had wrenched it a few days earlier when her paw had caught in a rabbit hole. “Is Cinderheart with you?” She followed Lionblaze’s gaze up to watch her daughter beckoning Ivypaw farther out along a branch. Cinderheart was balancing skillfully as the branch swayed beneath her paws.
Pride glowed in Sorreltail’s eyes. “I never thought I’d see the day when she’d be strong enough to climb trees like a squirrel.” She sighed gently and watched a moment longer before pulling her gaze away. “Leafpool healed her so well. She was a wonderful medicine cat.”
There was an edge to her mew. Did she blame Lionblaze for Leafpool’s decision to leave the medicine den and become a warrior? His pelt itched. It wasn’t his fault Leafpool had thrown everything away by breaking the warrior code! She was the one who’d had kits with a cat from another Clan and then lied about them!
He held his tongue as Sorreltail headed away; then, remembering Sedgewhisker, he called hopefully, “Where are you hunting?”
“By the WindClan border.”
Good.If the WindClan cats were really in trouble, the hunting patrol would notice; Graystripe could decide whether to help them or not.
As Sorreltail disappeared through a dripping wall of fern, Lionblaze scraped dirt over his catch and padded to the bottom of the oak. “How are you doing?” he called to his Clanmates.
“They’re doing very well.” Cinderheart landed lightly beside him, Ivypaw and Dovepaw dropping down after her. “I think we can try something harder.”
Ivypaw pricked her ears.
“Let’s teach them to cross from one tree to another,” Cinderheart suggested.
“Like squirrels!” Ivypaw squeaked.
“Yes, like squirrels.”
Lionblaze’s tail drooped. He wasn’t a natural climber. “We could teach them battle moves instead,” he suggested hopefully. “There are plenty they don’t know yet.”
“Firestar wants us to practice tree hopping,” Cinderheart reminded him.
We’re cats, not birds!Lionblaze always felt big and clumsy in trees. He’d rather be on the ground, fighting. Why sit up in the branches like a bunch of owls, watching the enemy, rather than tackling them head-on like warriors?
“Come on. Let’s start in this maple.” Cinderheart flashed him a determined glance. She knew he didn’t like tree climbing. “In the old territory, Longtail swears he once crossed from the Great Sycamore to camp without touching the forest floor.”
“How far was that?” Dovepaw sounded impressed.
“About the same as from here to the hollow,” Cinderheart meowed.
Lionblaze snorted. How do you know?Cinderheart had been born by the lake, like him. She had never seen the old territory!
“I bet I could do that,” Ivypaw boasted. She swarmed up the trunk of the maple, eyes half closed against the rain dripping down through the branches. Cinderheart followed, Dovepaw on her tail.
Lionblaze stared up, wishing that the rain would stop. It was going to be hard enough without slippery bark. Sighing, he heaved himself up the trunk, digging his claws deep into the bark to stop himself from sliding down.
Cinderheart was waiting on the lowest branch, while Ivypaw and Dovepaw were already halfway to the end.
“We won’t even have to jump this one,” Dovepaw reported over her shoulder. The branch wove into the lowest branches of a neighboring willow.
“Perhaps we should take a different route,” Lionblaze called to her. The willow had slender branches. “That might not take our weight.”
“Yourweight, you mean!” There was a sharpness in Dovepaw’s reply. She was still angry with him for not helping Sedgewhisker. Lionblaze let it pass, though irritation pricked his pads.
Cinderheart nodded toward the willow. “It’s an old tree.” Dovepaw and Ivypaw had already crossed into its branches. “It’ll be strong enough.”
She was right. Lionblaze padded through its boughs easily, relieved to find them wide and sturdy. “Slow down!” he called. Dovepaw and Ivypaw were rushing on ahead, as though each wanted to be first to make it back to camp without touching the forest floor.
Dovepaw was balancing at the tip of the willow’s longestbranch. An ancient oak sprouted beyond it, gnarled and twisted with age. “I’m going to try this one,” she mewed over her shoulder.
“The bark’s very rough,” Lionblaze warned. “It looks old. There may be cracks in the branches you can’t see.” He quickened his pace, leaping past Cinderheart. “Wait until I’ve checked it!”
Too late!
Dovepaw was already leaping onto a branch of the oak. It cracked as she landed, snapping like a dry twig, and, with a yelp, she plummeted downward.
It was only three tail-lengths to the soft forest floor and she landed on her paws. But Lionblaze knew what was coming next.
“Look out!” He leaped from the willow, skidding across the forest floor and grabbing Dovepaw by the scruff.
“What?” she squawked as he dragged her backward. A moment later the ancient oak branch came crashing down.
Lionblaze screwed up his eyes, shielding Dovepaw with his body. When the branch had stopped rocking he turned on her angrily.
“However much you think you know, sometimes I’m right, okay?” he growled.
Dovepaw lifted her nose and sniffed. Then she turned and stalked away.
第一章
第一章
鸽爪在睡梦中颤抖着。
“鸽爪！鸽爪！”呼喊声在她周围响起，湍急的水流拽着她的皮毛，她在黑暗中旋转着，拼命挣扎着。“鸽爪！”呼喊声此起彼伏，带着恐惧。树木和枝条在她身边翻腾着，顺流而下，漂向远处。黑暗在她身下延伸，她恐惧极了，心提到了嗓子眼儿。
“鸽爪！”涟尾绝望孤独的呜咽在她的耳边响起。
她猛地睁开双眼。
她的姐妹藤爪在她身旁动了一下。“你在做梦吗？”银白相间的虎斑猫抬起头，担心地看着鸽爪，“你刚才抽搐得像只老鼠。”
“做了个噩梦。”鸽爪尽量使自己的语气平和下来，她的心怦怦地跳着，涟尾的叫喊声还在脑海中回荡。她向前伸展了一下身体，舔着藤爪的脑袋。“现在没事了。”她撒谎道。
藤爪闭上了困倦的双眼，鸽爪嗅到了姐妹身上柔和的香气。我是在家里。她提醒自己，一切都很好。然而，她的心还在猛烈地跳着。她在窝里抻了抻身子，一个寒战传遍全身。她爬了起来，小心翼翼地穿过同伴们的窝，走出了巢穴。
月光洒在荒芜的空地上，石壁环绕着营地，黎明的曙光将地平线变成乳白色。育婴室里传来罂粟霜新生幼崽的叫声，巢穴传来轰隆作响的鼾声。她口鼻上的空气又凉又湿，感觉有些奇怪。几个月来，她唯一记得的只有让口舌发干的炎热干燥的风。但现在，她感受到了森林清新的绿意，陶醉得口水直流。
几片薄云飘过繁星点点的夜空，像蜘蛛网一样遮蔽了银毛星带。她不知道涟尾是否也在她那些星光熠熠的祖先中守护着。
对不起。这三个字就像一只猫头鹰孤独的鸣叫，在她的脑海中回响。
尽管逆流而上的远征已经是四分之一个月以前的事了，但那段记忆依然让她肌肉疼痛。鸽爪和狮焰以及其他族群各派出的两只猫一起找到了河狸，正是这些河狸堵住了溪流，使湖水枯竭。他们一起毁掉了大坝，释放水流让湖泊重新注满了水。现在，这片土地又恢复了生机，因为她听到了森林里的沙沙声，还有营地外猎物的动静。
一阵自豪从她的心头涌起：河狸堵塞流水，是她发现的；破坏河狸筑的大坝，她也参与其中。现在，所有族群都能生存下去了。但那段回忆苦乐参半，就像舌头上的蓍草一样。在与那些庞大的棕色动物战斗的过程中，河族武士涟尾死了。那些动物庞大的身体比狐狸还强壮，黄色的牙齿咬起来比爪子更致命。
自从鸽爪回来后，那段旅程的记忆就一直在她脑海中挥之不去，涟尾的死始终萦绕在她的梦里。狮焰也有同样的感受吗？她不敢问。她也不能向松鸦羽坦白，说那段旅程仍顽固地残留在她的脑海中。他们可能会觉得她太脆弱了，还有伟大的使命等着她去完成。
她该怎样才能实现火星很多个月前得到的那个预言呢？有三只猫，是你至亲的至亲，他们星权在握。
鸽爪就是这三只猫之一，另外两只是狮焰和松鸦羽。这仍令她震惊不已。她成为学徒还不满一个月，现在却承担着比资深武士还要重的责任。除了磨炼自己被赋予的成为三力量之一的力量之外，她还能做些什么呢？她每天都练习，尽可能地将感知向森林深处延伸，倾听、品味和感受甚至连松鸦羽都无法察觉的声音和活动。
鸽爪蜷伏在巢穴外，皮毛被潮湿的空气弄得乱蓬蓬的。她闭上双眼，让脚掌下的感知划过地面，延伸向远处，越过育婴室里罂粟霜幼崽们的打闹声，继续向远处蔓延。森林焕发着勃勃生机，在清晨的微风中颤抖着，她感受到了各种气味和声音：鸟儿在晨歌前抖动着羽毛；一支影族早班巡逻队睡眼惺忪地走出了营地，他们脚掌笨拙地踏在铺满松针的光滑地面上；生长在废弃的两脚兽巢穴旁的猫薄荷散发出浓烈的气味，包裹着她的舌头；风族边界上，溪水拍打着石块，哗哗的流水声搅动着她的耳毛……
等等！
这个时候为什么会有两只猫在湖边漫步？
鸽爪紧张起来，眨巴着睁开了双眼。她得告诉其他猫，但怎样说才不会暴露自己的神秘力量呢？狮焰？不，她不能去找她的老师。他正在武士巢穴里睡觉，想要叫醒他又不惊醒其他的同巢猫是不可能的。
松鸦羽？对！自从叶池加入武士行列后，他就独自睡在巫医巢穴。鸽爪匆忙穿过空地，推开覆盖住巫医巢穴入口的青苔，进入昏暗的巢穴。
“松鸦羽！”她睁大双眼，努力适应着巢穴中的昏暗。她快速来到松鸦羽的窝旁，用鼻子拱了拱他。
松鸦羽浅灰色的虎斑皮毛睡得乱蓬蓬的，他的鼻子紧紧地埋在脚掌下。“走开！”他抱怨道。
“有很重要的事。”鸽爪小声说道。
巫医抬起下巴，睁开什么也看不到的蓝色眼睛。“我正做梦呢！”他厉声说道。
鸽爪紧张起来。她该不会是打断了他接收来自星族的信息了吧？
“我就快要抓住一只老鼠了，”松鸦羽将两只脚掌分开成一胡须的距离，“就差这么远。”
鸽爪差点儿咕噜出声来。知道松鸦羽是在做和其他猫一样普通的捉老鼠的梦后，她才放下心来：“对不起。”
“这一点儿都不好笑！”松鸦羽站起身，抖了抖皮毛。
鸽爪向旁边闪了闪。松鸦羽从自己的窝里跳出来，轻轻地落在鸽爪身旁。
“出什么事了？”松鸦羽舔了舔一只脚掌，用它拂过胡须。
“有两只猫在湖边行走。”
松鸦羽放下脚掌，看着鸽爪的眼睛。鸽爪眨了眨眼睛。她仍然还不习惯松鸦羽的这种举动，就好像他看得见似的，但他其实是只盲猫。
“他们正往雷族领地来吗？”
鸽爪点点头。她很欣慰，松鸦羽并没有问她是否确定。他相信她，完全相信她，他对她的力量很有信心，她真的是三力量之一。
松鸦羽若有所思地长叹一口气：“你知道她们来自哪个族群吗？”
为什么她没事先确认这一点呢？鸽爪再次将感知延伸开来，让它们重回到湖岸，聚焦在那两只仍不紧不慢前行的猫身上。“是河族猫。”她吸了口气，闻到了她们身上的鱼腥味。她能辨认出她们的毛色，一只是带有斑点的金色，一只是灰色。
有斑点的猫身形小一些，是一只母猫。“是蛾翅。”这位巫医身上的草药味十分浓烈。
灰色皮毛的也是一只母猫，但身形更大些，她有着资深武士才有的健壮臂膀。“和雾脚。”她认出了河族的副族长。
松鸦羽点点头，眼睛阴沉了下来。
“怎么了？”鸽爪凑近了一些。
“她们很悲痛。”松鸦羽低声说。
鸽爪也从河族猫缓慢沉重的步伐中感觉到了悲伤，但松鸦羽声音中的哀伤告诉她，他对她们的悲伤感同身受。“她们因为什么悲痛？”
“一定是豹星死了。”他叹息道。
“死了？”鸽爪呆住了，“她失去了所有性命吗？”
“她已经用完了第九条命了。这只是时间问题。”松鸦羽缓慢地站起身来，走向巫医巢穴后面的岩缝。“雾脚和蛾翅一定是在前往月亮池。”他回头说道，“这样雾脚就可以得到她的九条命。”
他消失进了岩缝，声音从阴影中传来。“既然我们醒得这么早……”他的语气中带着一丝责备，“我们最好让这早起有些意义。”
鸽爪几乎没有听进去他的话。豹星，死了？她让自己的感知跨过湖泊，来到河族营地。那个备受打击的族群浮现在她的脑海中：一群猫不安地围着躺在空地上的尸体，还有一些猫往尸体上涂抹着艾菊和水薄荷，试图掩盖死亡的气息，一位猫后慌慌张张地将她的孩子赶回育婴室。
松鸦羽叼着一捆草药从岩缝中钻了出来。“雾脚会是一位好族长。”他放下草药，又返回了他的储藏室。“她公正、睿智，其他族群都尊敬她。”他又叼着另外一大捆草药回来，放在第一捆旁边。
“现在豹星已经和星族一起狩猎了吗？”
“他们会欢迎这样一位高尚的武士。”松鸦羽开始将叶子分成小堆，刺鼻的草药味令鸽爪皱了皱鼻子。
鸽爪将自己的注意力收回到巫医巢穴：“你在做什么？”
“我们得把这些草药摊开晒干。”
“但豹星的事，我们做些什么呢？”
“什么也不用做。”松鸦羽把一捆草药推向她。“储藏室漏雨了，我可不想让它们烂掉。”他解释道。
“我们不该告诉火星吗？”
“你想叫醒他吗？”
鸽爪盯着自己眼前的一堆叶子，估计就算等火星醒来走出巢穴再告诉他也没关系。
松鸦羽已经把他面前那堆草药叶熟练地摊开，将它们一片片地摆在干燥的地面上。鸽爪开始小心翼翼地将一片又宽又软的叶子从草药堆里抽出来：“一直都是由副族长来接任族长吗？”
“只要没有其他武士认为他们可以更好地领导族群。”
鸽爪吃惊地看着松鸦羽，叶子在她的脚掌上晃悠：“这种事以前发生过吗？”
松鸦羽点点头：“在风族发生过。一星不得不为他的领导权而战斗。”
“战斗？”鸽爪把叶子放在其他叶子旁边，尽力使自己的脚掌保持平稳。同族猫真的会那样互相战斗吗？
“泥掌觉得他会是一位更优秀的族长。”松鸦羽实事求是地答道。他摊开的叶子已经有一尾长了，鸽爪努力加快速度。
“小心点儿！”松鸦羽提醒道，“如果你把它们弄破了，具有治疗功效的叶汁就会流失了。”
鸽爪犹豫了一下，才从潮湿的草药堆里又抽出一片叶子。“这种事经常发生吗？”她的腹中一阵翻搅，“我是说，同族猫为了成为族长发生战斗。”
松鸦羽摇了摇头。“很少发生。而且如果雾脚已经在去月亮池的路上了，那就清楚表明没有猫反对她。”松鸦羽开始把鸽爪摊开的叶子拉直，“尽管有一段时间她可能是受到了挑战。”
“那是什么时候？”鸽爪将她的感知重新释放到河族营地，她紧张地寻找着任何可能表示着不满情绪的甩尾或亮爪，但她什么也没发现，只有哀伤中的族群缓慢的步伐和低垂的尾巴。
“鹰霜。”松鸦羽几乎是啐出这个名字的，“他是蛾翅的兄弟。”
“鹰霜？”鸽爪在长老们讲的故事里听过这个名字。那时候，族群刚在湖边安家。
“感谢星族，他已经死了。”松鸦羽没有抬头停下工作，但他的脚掌慢了下来，似乎是被回忆分散了注意力。
“你在星族见过他吗？”鸽爪问道。
“快点儿干活吧。”松鸦羽没理她这个问题，“我想在太阳升起前把所有的叶子都摊开，这样才有充足的时间把它们晒干。”
他看见过涟尾吗？她想着，又摊开一片新的叶子，对已逝河族武士的记忆刺痛着她的心。
松鸦羽走向岩缝，又叼出一捆潮湿的叶子：“是雾脚和蛾翅让你醒得这么早的吗？”
鸽爪抬起头，眨了眨眼。
“她们惊扰了你的梦？”他继续问道。
鸽爪摇摇头，她不想说出那个将她惊醒的梦。
“你梦到涟尾了？”
鸽爪猛地抬起头，松鸦羽的这个问题和他问话中的温和语气，都令她感到惊讶。他当时也在她的梦里吗？
巫医摇摇头：“我没有到你的梦里去。”
他在解读我的心吗？鸽爪不由往后缩了一下，但松鸦羽继续说了下去。
“我感觉得出你很苦恼，我也能感觉到你的忧伤。它就像扎在你心头的一根荨麻刺，每当你想要拔掉它，它就会刺痛你。”
鸽爪开始把草药叶分离、摊开，仿佛这是她接受过的最重要的任务。她竭力掩饰着自己的情感。松鸦羽已经知道她有多脆弱了，那他现在怎么看她呢？他会为她是三力量之一而失望吗？
但松鸦羽只是静静地分着草药。“也许你觉得自己对涟尾的死负有责任，但实际并不是这样。”他告诉她，“你有自己的命运，其他猫也有他们的命运。无论怎样，涟尾都会成为排除小溪障碍征程中的一员。他生来勇敢，没有他，你们也不可能成功。他的死为你们指引了道路，帮助你们找到了战胜河狸的另一种办法。他是为了拯救自己的族群而死。引导他加入这场夺去他生命的战斗的，是星族，而不是你。”
鸽爪紧盯着巫医的蓝色眼睛：“真的吗？”
“真的。”松鸦羽将一片被撕碎的叶子卷成一个牢固的结，然后用另一片叶子包了起来。他的语调重新变得轻松起来。“新鲜的叶汁会渗透出来，让受损的叶子更结实。”他解释道。
鸽爪点点头，但她其实并没有在听。刚才，松鸦羽已经设法触碰到扎在她心头的荨麻刺，解除了它引发的刺痛。这是涟尾死后，她第一次感到安宁。真的这么简单吗？她需要做的仅仅是遵循自己的命运，其他的都交给星族去安排吗？
但总有一天，她会比星族还强大。这是狮焰向她保证过的。然后呢？
鸽爪坐了下来。阳光透过入口处垂下的黑莓藤洒了进来。她的面前摆着几长排晾晒的叶子。“火星现在应该醒了。我们要告诉他豹星的事吗？”
松鸦羽的眼睛闪动了一下：“那你怎么解释你是如何知道这些的呢？”
鸽爪皱起了眉头：“难道他不该知道我的力量吗？”
松鸦羽开始用尾巴拂去叶子上的尘土：“他甚至不知道我们就是三力量。”
担忧像一块冰冷的石头沉入鸽爪的腹中。“不知道？”为什么？如果他们是为了保护族群的未来，那为什么要隐藏自己的力量呢？而且还是火星最先收到的预言……“如果星族不想让他知道，那他们根本就不会把预言告诉他——”
松鸦羽打断了她。“你该去参加巡逻队了，”他说道，“这里剩下的工作我来做。”
她张开嘴想要争辩，但松鸦羽继续说道：“我听到黑莓掌已经从巢穴出来了。他可不想一直等着。”
鸽爪不情愿地转身离开了。显然，松鸦羽不会再给她什么解答。她钻出巫医巢穴，看到黑莓掌正坐在通往高石台的落石堆旁，炭心在他面前走来走去，其他武士也陆续钻出巢穴，听他们这一天被分配的任务。当她从松鸦羽的巢穴里走出来时，她看到雷族副族长的眼里闪过一丝诧异。
“你哪儿不舒服吗？”黑莓掌喊道。
鸽爪尽量使耳朵不颤抖。“只是有点儿肚子疼，”她撒谎道，“现在好多了。”
黑莓掌点点头：“既然这样，那你跟我和狮焰一起去巡逻。”
“是谁在叫我吗？”狮焰打着哈欠走出了武士巢穴。
“你来参加黎明巡逻队。”黑莓掌告诉他。
金色武士眼睛一亮，然后他看着鸽爪，皱了皱眉，眼神里充满了疑惑。他清楚地预料到发生了某些事。鸽爪赶忙向他摇摇头。
育婴室那边传来窸窣，罂粟霜的幼崽们连滚带爬地钻了出来，他们的母亲跟在后面。浅玳瑁色和白色相间的猫后困倦地摇着头：“为什么幼崽们醒得这么早呢？”小鼹鼠和小樱桃正要跳往岩石边集合的武士那里，猫后用尾巴将他们拦住了。“别碍事。”她警告道。
“但我想听黑莓掌说话。”小樱桃抱怨道。
“我们不会打扰他们的。”小鼹鼠保证道。
鸽爪呆呆地望着这些幼崽。豹星的死讯让她心潮起伏，但周围的族猫却对此一无所知，只知道那即将来临的狩猎巡逻。她突然感觉自己好像被困在了一道瀑布后面，闪耀的急流将她和族猫们分开，她的声音也被瀑布的轰鸣声淹没。
藤爪跳到她身边。“天还这么早啊！”她抱怨道，但眼里却闪烁着兴奋。“森林闻起来棒极了，对吗？”她深吸一口气，舔舔嘴唇，“空气中弥漫着猎物的味道。”
黑莓掌冲银白相间的学徒点点头：“或许你和炭心应该加入我们的边界巡逻队。”
“好啊！好啊！”藤爪望着她的姐妹。“我打赌今天我会第一个抓到猎物。”她调皮地说。
炭心从他们身旁走过，甩了甩尾巴。“我们要先确定边界安全后才能狩猎。”她提醒自己的学徒。
“是的，但那之后我们就可以狩猎了。”她跳着朝灰色虎斑猫追去。
鸽爪跟了上去，在荆棘通道附近追上了狮焰。黑莓掌、炭心和藤爪已经出了营地。
我该告诉狮焰豹星的事吗？
“快点儿，鸽爪！”藤爪在叫她。
不。我晚点儿再告诉他。
她从老师身旁跑过，跟随姐妹跳进还在滴水的灌木丛。暴风雨使森林变得十分松软，脚掌下的地面很有弹性，散发着芳香。太阳使森林温暖起来，水汽在枝丫间升腾。
新落的树叶洒了一地，它们是被先前凶猛的大雨从枝头冲刷下来的。一些叶子还很绿，它们失去了水分，叶子已经开始皱缩。鸽爪踢动脚掌在落叶间穿行，追上了藤爪。她猛地抓起一把叶子扔到姐妹的背上，发出很大的咕噜声。
“嘿！”藤爪抖掉皮毛上的叶子，将另一团叶子撒向鸽爪，然后掉转尾巴跑开了。
鸽爪紧追了上去。藤爪跳上一棵倒树，抠下碎树皮撒向鸽爪的胡须。鸽爪跳到藤爪旁边，推了藤爪一把。看着藤爪失去平衡，摇摇晃晃，然后滑稽地倒在另一边，鸽爪开心地欢呼着。
藤爪尖叫着，跌跌撞撞掉进了浓密的蕨丛，消失在叶片后边。
“藤爪？”鸽爪在蕨丛中嗅来嗅去。当察觉到没有任何动静时，她的尾巴僵硬了起来：“你还好吗？”
蕨丛一阵晃动，藤爪突然跳了出来，将鸽爪扑倒在地。藤爪成功地将同窝手足压在地上。“即使是小樱桃都不会上这种装死的当。”她咕噜道。
鸽爪一蹬后腿，轻松地将藤爪甩开了，这才意识到她已经在寻找河狸的征途中变得很强壮了。藤爪爬起身。鸽爪跳向她时，她赶忙躲到树后。
“哈！没扑到！”藤爪欢呼道。然后她顺着从湖旁的斜坡往湖的方向跑去。
鸽爪追了上去。树木开始稀疏起来。藤爪一个急停，鸽爪差点儿撞到她。
“哇！”银白色学徒惊讶地张着嘴巴，盯着湖面。
不久前，这里还是宽广干涸的湖床，里面有一些挤满鱼的浅浅泥潭。各族群只能在一旁干着急。现在，那一切彻底消失了。
黎明的阳光照耀着水面，波光粼粼。湖水满满的，在悬垂到湖面的枝条和灌木下闪动，轻轻拍打着湖岸。湖水荡漾，泛起旋涡，它的气息漫过鸽爪的舌头，那种象征生机的新鲜和富饶，和潮湿的森林一模一样。
“快点儿！”藤爪已经冲出了树林。
鸽爪紧追不舍。她的脚掌在潮湿的草地上直打滑，差点儿就摔倒在湖边低矮的沙堤上。
“我从没见过这么多水！”波浪拍打着藤爪的脚掌。
鸽爪有些不敢向前，她想起了急流从河狸筑起的大坝倾泻而下时，冲倒了树木，将灌木丛连根拔起，如风暴般在她身边旋转，裹挟着她回到森林。那时的水太可怕了，就像一只被困在大坝后太久的野兽，口吐泡沫暴怒地咆哮着。可现在的湖泊十分静谧，就像一只丰满的银色虎斑猫蜷伏在蓝天下。
“这些水是从哪儿来的？”藤爪问道，“天上？还是溪流？”
鸽爪抬头倾听。她听到湖泊周围溪水流动飞溅的声音，最近的降雨使溪水更加丰沛。“溪流又回来了。”她告诉藤爪，“不仅我们的回来了，所有族群的都回来了。多亏了这场暴雨。”
“太好了！”藤爪点点头，“我希望湖泊永远不要消失。”她低下头，舔着闪烁的湖水。这时，一个小浪花打来，溅湿了她的口鼻，她急忙跳开。
身后突然传来一声怒吼。鸽爪转过身，看到黑莓掌向她们走来，炭心和狮焰跟在身后。
“这是在巡逻，不是幼崽外出玩耍。”他斥责道，“你们的声音会惊动这里所有的猎物。我可一点儿都不羡慕狩猎巡逻队！”
鸽爪低着头，跟着藤爪回到岸上，站在黑莓掌身前。“对不起。”她的耳朵羞愧得发烫。
“我知道湖泊又回来了，你们很兴奋，”狮焰的语气中带着一丝同情，“但你们可以晚一点儿再玩耍。”
黑莓掌的目光仍然非常严厉。“你们更新了这里的气味标记吗？”他挥舞着尾巴，指着距水边三尾距离的气味线，“既然湖水又满了，我们就要重新确定以前的边界。”
“我现在就开始。”藤爪说完就飞快地跑开了。“哎哟！”她突然停下了，抬起一只脚掌，双耳平贴，痛苦地瞪圆了眼睛。
“怎么了？”炭心赶忙跑到她的学徒身边检查她的脚掌。
藤爪退缩着，想把脚掌抽开。
“别动。”炭心命令道，她紧紧地抓着学徒的脚掌，闻了闻，然后开始用牙齿去拔扎入藤爪脚掌的碎片。
“哎哟！”藤爪痛苦地哀号着，仍然想挣脱开。
“等等！”炭心咬着牙命令道，“马上就弄出来了。”她紧紧抓着藤爪的脚掌，最后使劲一拽，拽出一块带血的锯齿状碎片。
“星族啊，好痛！”藤爪跳了起来，转着圈，一边咒骂着一边吮吸自己的脚掌。
鸽爪围着她转了一圈：“你没事吧？”
藤爪的皮毛渐渐平顺下来，她甩甩脚掌，然后检查掌垫上的细小伤口，一小滴血渗了出来。“好多了。”她松了口气。
黑莓掌闻了闻炭心吐在地上的碎片，然后打量着堤岸顶部光滑的草地。当他看到埋藏在长长的草地中断成两截的棍子时，眼神暗了下来。“碎片一定是那上面的。”
鸽爪立刻认出了它们。“上次我们在这儿的时候，我也踩到过。”她拽出其中的一截，放到黑莓掌的脚掌旁，随后又拉出另外一截。
狮焰睁大眼睛，震惊地盯着折断的棍子，张开嘴刚想要说些什么，但被黑莓掌抢了先。
“把它们扔进湖里。”雷族副族长命令道，“我不希望再有猫受伤。”
鸽爪叼起半截棍子，拖到堤岸高处。湖水拍打着那里的沙崖。她将棍子尽可能地丢得远远的，欣赏着棍子击中湖面时溅起的水花。然后，她回来去拿另一截，但藤爪已经将它拖到岸边，抛向深深的湖水。
当最后一截棍子激起水浪时，鸽爪听到林间传来一只猫痛苦的号叫。她顿时怔住了，仔细聆听着。还有猫踩到碎片了吗？她扭头看向自己的族猫，但他们都在岸上静静地望着两截棍子随着波浪从岸边荡开，没有谁发出声音。
鸽爪皱着眉，将感知向远处延伸，竖起耳朵倾听着，想知道究竟是哪只猫在痛苦地号叫。潮湿的微风中，一股气味飘了过来，还混杂着那痛苦的回声。
松鸦羽！
她听到松鸦羽用粗糙的舌头猛舔着侧腹的皮毛。他的动作很急促，似乎正试图找出受伤的具体位置。
恐惧拂过鸽爪的皮毛。松鸦羽发出可怕的号叫，仿佛是谁将利爪插入了他的心脏。此刻，狮焰站在她身旁。他盯着漂向湖中央的碎片，身体紧绷。不知为何，他的眼睛里充满忧虑。鸽爪浑身颤抖起来。
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 6
Jayfeather jerked awake. The air wasstill damp with night, yet voices were whispering in the clearing. Stones shifted as paws descended the rockfall.
Firestar’s awake.
Jayfeather sat up.
He tasted the air.
WindClan
Jayfeather leaped from his nest and nosed his way through the brambles as Lionblaze and Cinderheart slid from the warriors’ den.
“What’s going on?” Lionblaze circled his apprentice.
Dovepaw didn’t answer, but fidgeted beside her sister as they stood as uncomfortable as owlets caught in daylight
Briarpaw pushed her way out of the apprentices’ den, whiskers twitching with curiosity. “Come and see this,” she hissed over her shoulder to her denmates as Brambleclaw joined Firestar in the clearing. Nests rustled behind him, while Whitewing and Birchfall watched from their den, their tails gently stirring the branches.
Dustpelt pushed past them. “What are they doing here?” The dark tabby tom’s mew rang around the rock walls of the camp, anger aimed like a thorn at the WindClan warriors.
Breezepelt and Heathertail didn’t flinch.
“Keep your voice down, Dustpelt,” Firestar ordered. “We don’t want to wake every cat.”
“Why not?” Daisy marched out of the nursery, her fur bristling. “There are WindClan cats in the camp!”
“It’s not an attack,” Whitewing reassured the anxious queen.
“Are you sure?” Dustpelt circled the edge of the clearing, distrust crackling with every pawstep.
Heathertail’s tail brushed the ground. “You seem to have lost two apprentices,” she meowed. “We’re returning them.”
Jayfeather felt guilt pulse like a flame from Dovepaw and Ivypaw.
“I’llhandle this.” Firestar’s gaze flashed around his Clanmates. “Any cat not directly involved can go back to their nest.”
Dustpelt halted. The yew bush swished as the other apprentices scooted inside. Whitewing and Birchfall backed into their den.
“Lionblaze and Cinderheart, I want you to stay,” Firestar went on. “You too, Jayfeather.”
“What about me?” Brambleclaw meowed.
“Make sure everyone is settled and reassure the queens.” Firestar padded toward the thorn barrier. “Follow me,” he called over his shoulder. “I don’t want any more disturbances in camp.”
Jayfeather tagged behind Dovepaw, Ivypaw, Lionblaze, Cinderheart, and the WindClan warriors as they followed the ThunderClan leader through the thorn tunnel. The night air felt heavy on his pelt, and his mind was ablaze with the tensions flashing among the cats.
Outside the camp, Firestar sat down. Lionblaze’s paws scuffed the fallen leaves. An owl hooted overhead, then flapped away through the trees. Breezepelt and Heathertail stood stiffly beside each other, while Dovepaw and Ivypaw shifted on their paws. Cinderheart was tense and unhappy; Jayfeather could sense the knot in her belly. He shivered in the cold breeze.
Firestar cleared his throat. “Now, what’s going on?”
Breezepelt answered. “We found these two outside our camp.”
Dovepaw and Ivypaw shuffled closer together.
“Ivypaw?” Firestar’s attention focused on the apprentice. “Is that what happened?”
“We…” Ivypaw hesitated. “We were just exploring.”
“In the middle of WindClan territory?” Firestar’s mew was ominously soft.
“It was my fault!” Dovepaw broke in. “I…I heard a dog on the moor while we were tree training and I was worried….”
Jayfeather curled his claws. Oh no! Dovepaw! You mouse-brain!He felt Lionblaze stiffen.
A growl rumbled in Breezepelt’s throat. “You were worried?” His tail swished the leaves. “About WindClan? Firestar, don’t you teach your apprentices the warrior code?”
Firestar paused, then addressed the WindClan warriors calmly. “Thank you for bringing them back. I am sorry they disturbed you and your Clanmates. Nothing like this will everhappen again.”
Jayfeather sensed irritation itching beneath Dovepaw’s pelt, but she had the good sense to hold her tongue.
“We dolive by the warrior code,” Firestar assured Breezepelt, his mew tight. “And we will make sure these young cats understand how important that is.” The ThunderClan leader was seething, embarrassed by his apprentices, but Jayfeather could also sense questions fizzing in his mind. What had these apprentices really been doing in WindClan territory?
Heathertail breathed out slowly. “Make sure you do.” As she turned and began to head away from the ThunderClan camp, Jayfeather felt tension crackle like lightning between her and Lionblaze, and she aimed her final barb at the golden warrior. “You should keep a closer eye on your apprentice from now on.”
Breezepelt swished after her through the undergrowth. “WindClan can take care of itself without your help!” he called before the ferns swallowed him.
Firestar waited until their pawsteps had faded. “What in the name of StarClan did you think you were doing?” he demanded, turning on Dovepaw and Ivypaw.
“It was my idea!” Dovepaw insisted.
“Ivypaw isn’t stuck to you like a piece of cobweb!” Firestar pointed out. “She could have changed her mind at any time.”
“I wasn’t going to let Dovepaw go alone!” Ivypaw objected.
“That doesn’t explain what you were doing in WindClan territory!” Firestar snorted. “What’s this nonsense about hearing a dog?”
When neither apprentice answered, he sighed. “Very well. Whatever the reason, it was a dumb thing to do!”
Was he really going to leave it at that? Jayfeather tipped his head to one side as Firestar went on.
“I’ll leave your punishment up to your mentors, but I hope they will make sure you improve your understanding of the warrior code. Your training so far seems to have left little impression.” Leaves rustled beneath his paws. “If you’re going to behave like kits, then you should be treated like kits. Now go!”
Dovepaw and Ivypaw began to pad away.
“Dovepaw,” Firestar called. “I want an extra word with you.”
Ivypaw halted, puzzled. “Why not me?”
“Never you mind.” Cinderheart nudged her forward. “Just do as you’re told!”
Ivypaw’s feet scuffed the ground as she was marched away by her mentor.
Jayfeather made to leave too, but Firestar called him back. “I want you and Lionblaze to stay.”
He was circling Dovepaw, his mind sharp as a thorn. “How did you know about this dog?” he quizzed the apprentice
“W-what do you mean?” Dovepaw stammered.
Firestar’s attention flashed toward Jayfeather, crackling with suspicion. “What about you? Did StarClan send you a sign or a dream about the dog?”
Jayfeather shook his head. He wished he could lie to hide Dovepaw’s stupid mistake, but Firestar wouldn’t fall for it. “I’ve dreamed about dogs on the moors before,” he mumbled. “But not recently.”
Firestar’s attention shot back to Dovepaw.
“So, how didyou know about it? Did you dream it?”
“I told you,” Dovepaw answered. “I heardit!”
A frustrated growl rumbled in Firestar’s throat. “What about you, Lionblaze? You were tree training with her. Did youhear this dog?”
Lionblaze shifted his paws. “I was on the ground,” he mumbled. “There was a breeze. It was impossible to tell.”
Firestar cut him off. “Then it was just Dovepaw.”
Jayfeather shifted his paws, his belly tightening. What was the ThunderClan leader getting at?
“Have you heard anything else other cats don’t hear?” Firestar’s question came out of the blue. “Like beavers blocking a stream, for example? That wasn’t a dream, was it?”
Jayfeather froze. The shock from Lionblaze’s pelt swept over him like an icy wind.
The Clan leader sighed. “Dovepaw, I’ve worked out that you know things other cats don’t, and I don’t think you’re having dreams about them. So how doyou know?” His tail-tip was tapping the ground. “I need to know. It’s important. It helped save the lake, but it also just got you into serious trouble. Even worse, it could have caused a battle with WindClan, and that makes it my responsibility.”
Confusion was flooding from Dovepaw, her mind whirling as she searched for something to say.
Firestar snorted and flicked his attention back to Jayfeather and Lionblaze. “It looks like I’m going to have to be the one who says it, doesn’t it?”
Lionblaze was holding his breath as Firestar went on.
“I think the three of you have something in common. Something we maybe should have discussed before.”
The fur on Jayfeather’s spine lifted.
“Haven’t you wondered why you can slip so easily into other cats’ dreams, Jayfeather? That’s not something every medicine cat can do. And Lionblaze, do you think I haven’t noticed the way you fight? You’re not just brave; you’re completely without fear. You must knowthat you’re safe. That no mortal cat can hurt you. And then we have Dovepaw, who knows what’s going on farther away than any of us can hear or see.” Firestar paused to take a breath.
He knows!Jayfeather’s heart beat faster. He knows we’re the Three!
第二章
第二章
“哎哟！”一阵疼痛像锋利的鹰爪一般刺穿了松鸦羽的侧腹，他趔趄着倒向一边。他使劲舔着侧腹，以为会尝到血的腥味。但他的皮毛完好无损。
他不解地嗅了嗅空气，只闻到空气中摊开在巫医巢穴里地面上的草药味。他试探着向前摸了摸，想知道自己周围有没有黑莓藤。
什么都没有。
那么，到底是什么刺到他了呢？
这一定是自己的幻觉。或许是星族在哀悼，豹星的死讯刺透天空；或许是雾脚的命名仪式不知何故让他有了感应——新生命带来的震撼从她的头脑中传递到了他的思想里。他皱起了眉。族群领导权的变动是一件大事，或许不可避免地对他多多少少有些影响。
他沿着摊着的草药又走了一遍，侧腹的疼痛已减弱成了隐隐作痛。微风吹过垂在巢穴入口的黑莓藤，草药的叶子渐渐干燥起来。充足的阳光照进石头山谷，空气温暖和煦。现在除了等待也没别的事可做，他有充足的时间去检查罂粟霜和她的孩子。
松鸦羽跳过草药叶子，挤出巢穴入口。黑莓藤拂过他的脊背，让他感觉很舒服。
火星正在高石台上打着盹，他将下巴搭在参差不齐的岩石边上，呼出的气在清冷的空气中形成一团团雾气。沙风躺在火星身旁，松鸦羽能听到他们身体起伏时，皮毛摩擦的声音。他们肯定又在夜里狩猎了。松鸦羽知道，雷族族长和他的伴侣有时喜欢在族猫睡觉时，偷偷溜出营地，在树林中奔跑。现在，火星的梦里全是狩猎的画面。雷族族长尽情享受着森林的自由，身旁伴侣相陪，族群的一切烦恼都被他抛到荆棘屏障外了。松鸦羽感受到了他的快乐。
松鸦羽将他的思想拉了回来，闯入族猫的思绪总是让他感到不舒服，但他却总是无法抵挡住这种诱惑。
“快点儿，梅花爪！”灰条朝学徒喊道，“你是来帮忙的，不是来玩的。”
梅花爪呆住了，挥舞的尾巴停住了，脚掌间抓着的散发着腐烂气味的叶子也散落下来。
“哈！”荆棘爪脚掌掠过地面，躲开了。松鸦羽想象着这一幕：梅花爪刚想给她的同窝手足下场“落叶雨”，不料被灰条抓了个正着。
“对不起。”梅花爪放下叶子，用尾巴将它们扫向灰条。灰色武士将注意力重新集中在自己的任务上。松鸦羽听到他的皮毛被刺给钩住了。“这儿的洞比养兔场的还多。”他焦虑地说，“我们得在风变冷之前用叶子将它们堵住。”
莓鼻从育婴室另一边的黑莓丛钻了进来。“这儿也一样糟糕。”奶油色公猫开始用脚掌把叶子压进枝条的缝隙。毕竟，育婴室里可是住着他的孩子和伴侣罂粟霜。
松鸦羽的注意力全在两位仔细修补育婴室围墙的武士身上，以至于一个毛茸茸的东西滚到他的脚掌上时，把他吓了一跳。
“对不起，松鸦羽！”小樱桃向她的母亲爬去，后者正在育婴室外的沙地上晒太阳。
“注意看路！”罂粟霜责备道。
“松鸦羽！”小鼹鼠叫道，这只幼崽高兴地朝他跑来，“快看我会做什么了！”
松鸦羽感觉到罂粟霜因为自己孩子不得体的话而紧张。于是，他轻摇尾巴，让她知道他没觉得被冒犯。他喜欢幼崽们毫无顾虑地跟他讲话的方式。“做给我看！”他催促着小鼹鼠。
一阵混乱的脚步声和一个突然的“哎哟”后，接着是小樱桃取笑的咕噜声。
“这是我见过的最糟糕的扑跃了！”小樱桃嘲笑道。
“那你就做个更好的看看！”小鼹鼠不服气地说。
小樱桃蹲伏身子，准备起跳时，松鸦羽听到她那短粗的尾巴扫着地面的声音，当她向前跃去时，一片落叶擦过她的皮毛。她一惊，落地时，脚掌笨拙地滑了一下。
小鼹鼠大声取笑道：“落地姿势真棒！”
“闭嘴！”小樱桃恼怒地说。
“你害怕树叶！”
“没有！”
“就是！”
“小鼹鼠！”罂粟霜的语气有些严厉，“小樱桃是妹妹，你应该多鼓励她，而不是取笑她！真正的武士会帮助他们的族猫。”
小鼹鼠在地上磨蹭着脚掌。“好吧。”他咕哝道。
育婴室的入口一阵抖动，香薇云钻了出来。尽管她没有自己的孩子，可这些日子以来，她还是更愿意和黛西待在育婴室里帮助猫后们，料理她们住进来、搬出去的各种事情。这两只母猫已经帮忙抚养了那么多的幼崽，所以，年轻学徒到育婴室寻求建议的次数，跟他们去长老巢穴的次数差不多。尤其是现在，波弟已经搬进了金银花丛。一旦这只老独行猫开始讲起故事，一直能讲到日落前，年轻的猫根本就插不进去嘴。
“你感觉怎么样？”松鸦羽问罂粟霜。他觉察到这位猫后非常疲倦，不由心生同情。“孩子们做得很好。”他听到小鼹鼠蹦跳着在追小樱桃。
“小心！”灰条提醒道。幼崽们从他身边跑过时，害得他后脚掌一阵摇晃。
罂粟霜咕噜了一声。松鸦羽真想问问，究竟是什么原因，让猫后不顾疲倦，乐于照顾这些好动、易怒、饥渴的幼崽，容忍他们没完没了的要求和频繁的吵闹。
“你吃的喝的够吗？”松鸦羽边检查边问。
“都够。”罂粟霜让他放心。
他闻到罂粟霜身旁浸湿在水中的苔藓的气味中，上面还有莓鼻的气味。显然，她的伴侣提供了她所需要的一切。从萦绕在浅玳瑁色和白色相间猫后周围的那股安心气味判断，她先前一直对莓鼻仍然思念她姐妹蜜蕨的担忧已经消失了。
蜜蕨被毒蛇咬死的那段记忆，仍然深深烙在族猫的脑海中。松鸦羽觉得它像一种挥之不去的气味，但生活还要继续，莓鼻和他的新伴侣似乎很幸福。确实，整个族群看起来都很不错，营地里充满了柔和的声音，就好像干旱从未发生过一样。
叶池和松鼠飞穿过营地入口，身边飘满猎物的香气。松鸦羽哼了一声，怒火再次涌过脚掌。有些事永远无法忘记，也无法原谅。他的母亲和她的同窝手足编造的关于他和狮焰身世的谎言，就像吃了鸦食似的在他的嘴里留下了难闻的味道。要是她们没有隐藏真相，没有像阴险的狐狸那样密谋，他的姐姐冬青叶或许就不会永远消失在堵塞隧道的塌方后面了。
怨恨在松鸦羽的喉头生起。不管他和他的姐姐哥哥被养大的过程中一直相信的是什么，他们的父亲都是鸦羽，而不是黑莓掌。而且生下他们的是叶池，松鼠飞从来就不是他们的母亲。
母亲！对松鸦羽来说，他现在没有母亲。
就在日高时分之前，第二支狩猎巡逻队回来了。当云尾、亮心和白翅把他们的捕获放到猎物堆时，在高石台下打着盹的栗尾爬了起来。刺掌也在她身边伸着懒腰，闻到猎物的气味，发出了饥饿的咕噜声。
但吸引松鸦羽走出巢穴的是另一种气味。自从鸽爪叫醒他，告诉他雾脚的消息后，他几乎一上午都在期待着这种气味。
“河族猫！”香薇云的警告声惊动了整个营地。当雾脚和跟在身后的蛾翅穿过荆棘通道进来时，火星跳下高石台。
松鸦羽听到香薇云的尾巴扫过地面，将小鼹鼠和小樱桃赶回他们母亲身旁。刺掌和尘毛充满敌意地竖起了毛，灰条停下修复育婴室围墙的工作，四脚着地，浑身透着好奇。
火星穿过空地，对河族猫招呼道：“一切都好吗？”
雾脚停了一下：“豹星死了。”
松鸦羽发现自己捕捉到了火星思绪中翻滚的记忆洪流：森林大火、从河中救出的幼崽、白雪皑皑又充满危险的山峦、豹星琥珀色眼睛中闪现的勇气和坚定。松鸦羽屏住了呼吸，雷族族长的悲痛仿佛也刺穿了他的心脏。
蛾翅叹了口气。“我们刚从月亮池回来。”她低声说道，“雾星已经得到了她的九条命。”
火星垂下头，胡须拂过地面。“雾星。”他向河族新族长问好。
“雾星。”灰条尊敬地重复着这个名字。
“雾星，雾星。”河族族长的新名字在围观的族猫中响起，族群间的敌意像晨露般渐渐消失。
火星用鼻子碰了碰灰色母猫。“河族怎么样？”他问道。
“绿叶季我们太艰难了。”雾星承认道，“我们河族太依赖湖泊了，没有它，简直没法儿生存。”
长尾僵硬地从长老巢穴走出来，胡须好奇地抽动着，鼠毛的尾巴搭在他的肩上引导他往前走。
雾星继续说：“由于饥渴，我们失去了三位长老。”
鼠毛紧张地问：“谁？”
“黑掌、田鼠齿和曙花。”
松鸦羽听到鼠毛和长尾皮毛相擦，年老的母猫靠紧了同伴。
火星坐在雾星身旁。“你们走的时候带些能增强体力的草药吧。”他说道。
“谢谢，如果你们有富余的，请给我们一些。”
松鸦羽很好奇，要是豹星，她会不会也能如此轻易地接受帮助。
“蛾翅。”火星对河族巫医说道，“你跟着松鸦羽走，他会给你一些草药。”
松鸦羽用尾巴招呼着蛾翅。他非常高兴有机会和蛾翅单独在一起，很好奇她既然不相信星族，是如何安排雾星的命名仪式的。他将巢穴入口的黑莓藤推到一旁。蛾翅走过时，他不由自主地潜入了她的思绪，但她的脑海里除了脚掌的酸痛之外，什么都没有。
“你在那儿休息一下。”松鸦羽走进草药储藏室，将一些新晒干的叶子捆在一起，然后用嘴叼着轻轻地放到蛾翅的脚掌前。“我可以给你一些缓解脚掌酸痛的药糊。”他主动说道。
“不用了，谢谢。”蛾翅转过身，“路不算太远。”
“但是湖边全是小石子。”
“等我回家后再治疗脚掌，”蛾翅坚持说道，“我已经从你这儿拿了太多的草药了。”
“我们可以分给你们一些。”但也只能给一点儿。干枯的森林在绿叶季里并没有长出多少草药，而秃叶季已经像狐狸一样在阴影中等待着了。
“长尾的身体似乎比以前僵硬了许多。”蛾翅说道，“你试过将罂粟籽弄碎，然后把它和金盏花还有紫草混在一起做成药糊给他用了吗？”
松鸦羽惊讶地看着她。他为什么就从没想到这么做呢？紫草和金盏花能给伤口消炎，罂粟籽可以快速缓解疼痛。“你这个主意太棒了！”
“这种方法曾在田鼠齿的肩上用过，很有效果。”
“谢谢。”松鸦羽把草药在蛾翅面前摊开，“有艾菊、水薄荷和小白菊，”他非常好奇：看着雾星接受九条命，不知她有何感想？既然是亲眼看见了这个过程，那她现在总该相信星族了吧？
蛾翅将草药重新卷成一团，以便能用嘴叼着。松鸦羽随意地拂动了一下尾巴：“雾星的命名仪式怎么样？”
“很好。”蛾翅平静地答道，“她会是位优秀的族长。你有可以捆这些草药的长草吗？”
这位河族巫医什么也不肯泄露。
松鸦羽走到巢穴的一边，在岩壁根部拽了一根长长的草茎。当他将草茎拿给蛾翅时，深吸一口气，潜入蛾翅最近的记忆。
苍白的阳光照在月亮池上，池水倒映着黎明晴朗的天空。松鸦羽习惯了月亮池夜晚的阴暗，因此看到蛾翅脑海中闪耀的明亮的画面时，不由心中一惊。雾星一定是在匆忙间接受了她的九条命。
蛾翅正看着雾星。雾星蜷缩在月亮池旁，脚掌盘在身下，用鼻尖轻点水面。松鸦羽感受到了这个族群的悲伤和不安。
松鸦羽抬起头。蛾翅跟族伴间的这种距离感让松鸦羽感到奇怪。她和族猫的关系和松鸦羽跟自己族猫的关系一样亲密，可她却像个外来者一样注视着仪式。
随着一声痛苦的叫喊，雾星突然在睡梦中瑟缩起来。蛾翅紧张地跳了起来。她受伤了吗？不安的想法在蛾翅的脑海中回荡。
雾星再次安静了下来，蛾翅好容易才忍住冲动，没有爬上前去检查河族副族长的情况。
她的族猫身上，真的发生了什么事情？
不。蛾翅打消了这个想法。
是。松鸦羽希望她能接受这个想法。她怎么能不相信呢？她太固执了，但松鸦羽还是被她的坚定所触动。
星族没有造访过我，他们怎么可能是真的呢？这个想法像闪电一样在蛾翅的脑中燃烧。
雾星身体动了起来。蛾翅赶紧走上前：“你没事吧？”
“你不在那儿。”
蛾翅一愣，但很快平静了下来。秘密被发现后，她反而感觉轻松了许多。“是的。”她摇摇头，看着族长的眼睛，没有一点儿愧疚和担忧，“你会一直独自造访星族的，但对我来说，他们并不像对你那样存在着。”
“你……你不相信星族？”雾星皮毛间浮动着震惊，“但你成为我们的巫医已经这么久了！难道你从未在梦中与星族一起同行过吗？”
蛾翅感觉脚垫下的石头冰冷，似乎历经了无数个月的风吹雨打。“你有你自己的信念，我也有我自己的。你在梦中看到的那些猫，他们用一种我至今都没有体验过的方式引导你、保护你。我是一位好的巫医，这已经足以让我为我的族群服务了。”
雾星盯着她的巫医许久，然后低下了头。
松鸦羽眨眨眼，黑暗再次吞噬了他。他离开了蛾翅的思绪。
他感觉蛾翅的目光像微风一样搅动着他的皮毛。她正好奇地望着他。她早就知道他潜入了她的记忆，重现月亮池的那一幕。“你知道，我和他们没有联系，”她提醒他，尾巴扫过地面，“但这丝毫不影响我成为一位巫医。”她用草茎系紧了草药：“你得明白这这一点。”她叼起草药，轻咬着叶片的嘴里散发出阵阵芳香。然后，她转身走出了巢穴。
松鸦羽听到黑莓丛在她身后发出窸窣声，脚掌一阵刺痛。即使没有星族引导她，坚定她的信念，蛾翅依然强大。他本能地朝她低头致敬，就像雾星所做的那样。星族终究还是做出了明智的选择。
第三章
第三章
松鸦羽听到巢穴口的黑莓藤嗖嗖作响，抬起了头。
狮焰把脑袋探了进来：“雾星和蛾翅已经离开了。”
松鸦羽感觉焦躁在金毛武士的皮毛下涌动：“怎么了？”
狮焰犹豫着。
“那我们去森林里吧！”松鸦羽建议道。
狮焰转身向营地出口走去。松鸦羽让族猫的意识和感受短暂的进入自己的脑海，搜寻他们这会儿需不需要巫医的帮助。一切都好。于是，他放心地跟着哥哥走出了营地。
狮焰已经穿过树林，朝湖泊走去。松鸦羽追上他时，湖泊的气味已经包裹了他的舌头。
“我看到河族猫正在捕鱼。”狮焰告诉他。
树林里吹过一阵清凉潮湿的风，树叶纷纷落在他们的皮毛上，湖面水波荡漾，水花四溅。
“到底怎么了？”松鸦羽开口问道。
还没等狮焰说话，湖岸远处的灌木丛中发出一阵声响，荆棘爪和黄蜂爪冲了出来，他们拖着一只肥胖的兔子。
他们停下脚步，松鸦羽感受得到他们皮毛间涌动的喜悦。他们是灰条和米莉的孩子，长得真够快的。秃叶季来临时，他们就会成为武士了。
“收获不小啊。”狮焰称赞道，“你们是在哪儿发现它的？”
“它在小溪边吃草。”黄蜂爪气喘吁吁地说。
“是我抓到的。”荆棘爪自豪地说道。
“那也是因为我堵住了它逃跑的路。”黄蜂爪的喉咙深处发出低沉的咕噜声。
“你只不过恰巧在对的时间出现在了对的地方而已。”荆棘爪反驳道。
两只同窝手足打闹起来，在稀疏的树林间滚来滚去，森林地面上的树叶发出沙沙的响声。松鸦羽感受得到他们皮毛下的力量。他们的脑海中充满了穿过树林时的绿色闪光，猎物和落叶混合在一起的芬芳，还有他们无畏的自豪感。突然，一阵强烈的喜悦向他袭来，雷族有这两只猫可真是幸运。
“他们会成为伟大的武士。”狮焰低声说道，似乎在回应松鸦羽的所想。
“是的。”松鸦羽赞同道，想起了荆棘爪和米莉患上严重的绿咳症时，他照料她们的那段漫长而又焦虑的日子。
“你们不应该丢下猎物不管！”狮焰朝这两只年轻的猫喊道，“或许会有武士说这是他抓到的。”
两位学徒赶忙爬回到他们身边，喘着粗气。
“别碰它！”黄蜂爪温厚地提醒道。
狮焰咕噜了一声。
“嘿！”树林里传来梅花爪暴躁的声音，一只玳瑁色和白色相间的母猫跳出灌木丛，“我还以为你们会等我！现在，大家都会以为是你们俩抓到了兔子，没我啥事。”
“我们等了很久很久！”黄蜂爪反驳道，“还以为你自己回营地了呢。”
梅花爪坐了下来：“我为什么要那么做？”
“这样你就可以有更多的时间冲着蟾步发呆了！”荆棘爪取笑道。
“我才没有冲蟾步发呆！”梅花爪啐道，“你为什么要这样认为？”
“那你为什么那么生气？”黄蜂爪不等梅花爪答复，接着说道，“我们一起把兔子带回营地吧，鼠须还等着我回去训练呢！”他开始拖着兔子向树林中走去。荆棘爪赶忙追了上去，不料在抓住猎物时，脚掌在叶子上滑了一下。
梅花爪跺着脚追了上去，抱怨道：“你们又把我落下了！”
狮焰伸出一只脚掌，拨弄着叶子：“我们小时候也常常这样争吵吗？”
松鸦羽心头涌起一阵悲伤，想起当他们还是幼崽和学徒时，和冬青叶一起玩过的游戏。“我猜也是吧。”微风拂动着他的皮毛。
他感觉得到话已经在狮焰的舌尖了，连狮焰的呼吸中也带着犹豫。终于，金毛武士开口了：“早些时候，藤爪踩到折断的棍子上了。”
松鸦羽点点头。“我给她的伤口涂了药。”他突然知道接下来发生的事情了。藤爪并没有告诉他，她是被一根棍子弄伤的。要是她告诉了他，他一开始就能猜到狮焰要说什么了。
“那是你的棍子，是吗？”
松鸦羽感到狮焰充满担心的锐利目光几乎刺穿他的皮毛。
“你折断它的？”狮焰轻声问道。
“是的。”愧疚在松鸦羽腹中涌动。他对那个预言有着那么多的疑问——到现在仍是——但岩石不愿意告诉他。当这只远古猫对他的请求不理不睬时，原本就非常沮丧的松鸦羽盛怒之下，折断了棍子。想到棍子断裂时发出的噼啪声时，松鸦羽颤抖了一下。棍子上的划痕永远毁掉了，与远古猫的所有联系都中断了。想到这儿时，他几乎有些窒息。
“为什么？”狮焰听起来有些疑惑。
松鸦羽的皮毛上似乎有看不见的虱子在爬。他毁掉了某种神圣的、他还不能完全理解的东西。为什么？他多么希望自己没有折断棍子啊。“我……我……”他该怎样解释呢？
“我不太明白为什么那根棍子对你如此重要。”狮焰的声音像是从远处传来，他再次看向湖的那边，“但我知道，每当你焦虑或感到不安时，你总会来找它。”他倚向松鸦羽，皮毛拂过他的皮毛：“它是来自星族的什么预兆吗？”
要真是那么简单就好了。“在星族之前，还有一个时期。”松鸦羽试着解释道。
狮焰的皮毛间都闪动着吃惊：“星族之前？”
“这根棍子就来自那个时期。”狮焰能理解得了吗？“生活在这里的猫通过在隧道里找到出口，成为利爪——”
狮焰打断了他：“利爪？”
“就像我们的武士。”
“他们是一个族群吗？”
松鸦羽眉头皱起：“不是一个族群，当时还不是。”
“但他们也有武士？”狮焰围着松鸦羽转着圈。
“是利爪。”松鸦羽纠正道。
“那根棍子跟他们有什么关系？”
“棍子上有标记，这些标记记载着哪些猫活着出了隧道，哪些猫没有。”狮焰必须明白这一点。他们——松鸦羽、狮焰、冬青叶——还是学徒时，曾经进入过隧道，洪水淹没了隧道。要不是其中的一只远古猫落叶给松鸦羽指明了出路，他们早就淹死了。
狮焰停下脚步，浑身颤抖：“那些猫在试图成为武士的过程中死掉了？”
松鸦羽点点头。
“那些猫在我们之前就在这里了？”
“是的。”
“他们还住在这儿吗？”
“不。”虽然我见过他们。但松鸦羽并不想解释他是如何和这些远古猫一起生活、一起共享食物、一起聊天，也不打算解释他是如何穿越回去了解他们的经历，帮助他们寻找离开这里去寻找新的家园。“我想他们中的一些到大山里生活了。”
“就像急水部落那样？”
“我认为他们成了急水部落。”
狮焰的大脑飞速转动，松鸦羽不得不堵住哥哥滚滚而来的想法。
“你是怎么知道这根棍子的含义的？”终于，狮焰发问了。
“一开始是感觉，后来我遇到了岩石。”不等狮焰继续发问，他急忙说道，“岩石很久以前就住在隧道里，他的灵魂现在仍在那儿，就在我们的领地下面。”
狮焰一愣，脚掌和大脑突然静止了下来。他在想什么？他相信我说的话吗？
松鸦羽试探着潜入哥哥的思绪。他并不喜欢探查亲近的猫的想法，因为他觉得这很不公平，而且，有些事情他并不想知道。但现在，松鸦羽需要了解狮焰在想什么。毕竟，他的哥哥与这个地下的隧道有着一些特殊的联系。当哥哥意识到隧道并不像表面看起来那样空无一物时，他会如何想？
狮焰正在想石楠尾。他正站在一个被地下河隔开的洞穴里，一缕暗淡的月光照了进来。通过哥哥的眼睛，松鸦羽抬起头，看向他第一次看见岩石时的那个石台。
岩石不在那里，但石楠尾在。她用深情款款的蓝色眼睛望着狮焰。“我是暗族的族长！”她宣布道。
松鸦羽感到一阵悲伤刺穿了狮焰，接着感觉狮焰愤怒地将它甩开了。
狮焰的记忆中并没有岩石的画面，不过，松鸦羽能感觉到这只远古猫就在洞穴里。他身上没长毛，又丑又盲，当年轻的猫嬉戏时，他静静地待着，没有评判，也不感兴趣，只是等着，仿佛结果是不可避免的。
“停！”狮焰嘶吼道。他一定是猜到松鸦羽正游走于他的记忆中。
松鸦羽赶紧回到现实中：“对不起。”
“石楠尾和我从来没在下面看到过其他猫。”狮焰告诉他，“里面只有我们俩。”
“他们很久以前就离开了。”
“那你为什么要留着这根有刻痕的棍子？”狮焰身子前倾，“又为什么弄断它？”
松鸦羽转过身，他无法描述他折断棍子时的那种愤怒。这个预言已经在他的脑海中纠缠了那么久，他必须知道是什么意思。他们的力量是做什么用？为什么被选中的是他们三个？他们的使命又是什么？岩石知道答案。松鸦羽从他的内心深处觉察出了这一点，但岩石却选择保持沉默。
松鸦羽强忍着驱使他弄断那根棍子的愤怒。愤怒当时没什么用，现在也不会有什么用。
“你为什么要折断它？”狮焰再次问道。
松鸦羽站起身，抖抖皮毛：“我们还是关心关心眼前的事吧，没必要再去担心过去的事情。如果我们比星族还有力量，那么就没有谁能帮助我们。我们只能靠自己来弄明白了。”
“到目前为止，我们还不是那么幸运。”狮焰向堤顶走去，松鸦羽跟着他。从湖的方向刮来的风呼呼地吹过松鸦羽的耳旁，他几乎没听清楚狮焰接下来讲的话了。
“难道我们不该做些什么吗？”
“比如呢？”松鸦羽提高了嗓门。
“去寻找，弄清楚我们该做什么。”狮焰转身面向松鸦羽，他的声音也变得大了很多，“而不是干坐着等事情发生。”
松鸦羽耸耸肩，他不知道如何回答。他和星族以及远古猫都交流过了，但仍然没弄明白任何事。
狮焰哼了一声，转身离开了：“我要回营地了。”
松鸦羽待在原地，呼吸着湖泊的气味。他的脑海中浮现出棍子旋转的画面：断成两截的棍子在起伏的湖面上越漂越远，最后消失在浪花之下，越沉越深，消失在了黑暗之中。

CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 5
Dovepaw stretched her aching legs. Hernest rustled as she fidgeted. Her denmates were fast asleep. They’d dozed off by the time the moon had risen above the hollow, tired after their training.
But Dovepaw felt wide-awake. She’d seenSedgewhisker limping back to camp, supported by her Clanmates. She could smell the blood crusting over Sedgewhisker’s wound, feel the heat pulsing from her swollen leg. She needed to know how badly injured her WindClan friend was!
“Are you okay?” Ivypaw peered over the rim of her nest. Her eyes were round with worry. “Did the fall hurt you?”
“No,” Dovepaw answered honestly. Only her pride had been hurt. Lionblaze was so bossy! And now he was trying to tell her how to use her power. He should respect her, like Jayfeather did, not treat her like some dumb apprentice
Ivypaw sat up. “You’re not tired at all?”
Dovepaw flicked her tail. “No.”
“Come on.” Ivypaw stepped from her nest. Blossompaw was snoring again. “Let’s go into the forest.”
Dovepaw’s heart gave a jolt as hope flashed through it. She sat up. What was Ivypaw planning?
Briarpaw rolled onto her back, her paws folded in the air like a rabbit’s.
“We haven’t been out at night since you went to find the beavers.” Ivypaw tiptoed to the entrance and slid out. The low branches of the yew den slicked Dovepaw’s fur as she followed eagerly. The starlit clearing glowed like a pool in the center of the shadowy hollow. Dovepaw could smell the forest above, musty with the scent of leaf-fall, damp with night dew.
She cast her senses out past the thorn barrier and scented Rosepetal guarding the camp entrance, her paws shifting on the ground, her breath coming in billows.
“I know a secret way out,” she told Ivypaw.
“Through the dirtplace tunnel?” Ivypaw guessed.
“Better than that.” Dovepaw crept around the edge of the clearing, past the entrance to the medicine den. She squeezed through the tangle of brambles beside it until she reached the rock wall beyond. Stretching up through the twisted stems, she reached for a low ledge and hauled herself up.
“Are you coming?” she hissed down to Ivypaw.
Her sister’s silver-and-white pelt was flashing beneath the bramble. “Coming,” Ivypaw breathed.
Dovepaw jumped up to the next ledge, then the next, until the dens of the camp looked like small clumps of scrub below her. Fizzing with excitement, she scrambled over the lip of the cliff and onto soft grass.
Ivypaw bounded up after her. “How did you find out about that?”
“Lionblaze.” He’d told her in case she ever needed to escape camp without being seen. I bet he didn’t expect me to use it so soon,she thought with a glimmer of satisfaction. I make my own decisions.
A half-moon lit the treetops, filtering through the bare branches and striping the forest floor silver. Breathing the musty scents of the night-damp forest, Dovepaw scampered into the trees.
Ivypaw ran beside her. “I wonder if anyone else is out?”
Dovepaw cast her senses through the trees, feeling for signs of movement. The waves on the lakeshore murmured softly, like the lapping of her mother’s tongue against her fur. Beyond the border, a ShadowClan kit wailed, waking from a bad dream, and across the lake, on the far side of RiverClan territory, Twolegs yowled in their nest.
“Where should we go?” Ivypaw’s question jerked her back. “What about the old Twoleg nest? It’s really spooky. I bet you’re not brave enough!”
No.Dovepaw knew exactly where she wanted to go. She could sense Sedgewhisker stirring in her nest, her eyes flickering as though the pain in her leg wouldn’t let her rest. “Let’s go to the moorland.”
Ivypaw skidded to a halt. “WindClanterritory?”
“Right to their camp.” Dovepaw paused beside her. She needed to make a challenge that Ivypaw couldn’t resist.
Her sister stared at her, whiskers quivering as though she’d scented prey. “To their camp?” she echoed breathlessly.
“I haven’t seen Whitetail or Sedgewhisker since I got back from upstream.”
Ivypaw’s tail drooped. “What do you want to see themfor?” She sounded puzzled and hurt. “You don’t need friends in WindClan. You’ve got friends here.” She flicked her tail toward the hollow.
“But don’t you want to see if we can make it?” Dovepaw coaxed. She couldn’t explain Sedgewhisker’s injury without giving away her secret. “We can always say we were lost if we get caught. We’re only apprentices. No cat is going to think we’re trying to invade.” She had to see if Sedgewhisker was safe. Just because Lionblaze couldn’t care less doesn’t mean I have to.“Oh, come on,” she pleaded with Ivypaw.
Ivypaw narrowed her eyes, then nodded. “Okay.” She trotted away through the trees, heading toward the WindClan border. “If any WindClan cat catches us”—she ducked under a spreading yew bush—“we can say we were chasing a squirrel and hadn’t realized we’d crossed the border.”
Dovepaw’s belly brushed the ground as she scrabbled under the low branches. “They’d think we’re pretty stupid not to notice we’d run onto moorland,” she pointed out.
“Okay.” Ivypaw skidded down a bank. “We’ll say we were sleepwalking.”
“What, both of us?” Dovepaw wondered if her sister was taking this seriously enough.
“We can’t just tell them we’ve come to visit Whitetail and Sedgewhisker,” Ivypaw mewed.
Why not?They hadbeen on the quest together. “We’ll just have to make sure we don’t get caught,” Dovepaw decided.
They were nearly out of the trees and Dovepaw could smell the moorland. She let her senses reach far out over the peat and heather, relieved that she could detect nothing but the soft breathing of cats tucked up in their nests in the WindClan camp. “I wonder what the camp looks like?” she mewed.
Ivypaw padded from the trees and halted at the top of a steep bank. The wind tugged her whiskers and she shivered. “I’m glad I’m not WindClan.” The border stream gurgled below them. “It must be weird to sleep out in the open.”
“They must have dens.”
“But no trees,” Ivypaw mewed. “Just the open sky.” She slid down the bank, pushing off with her hind legs as she reached the bottom and clearing the narrow waterway in one bound. She looked back at Dovepaw, who had paused on the bank. “Imagine what it must be like when it’s stormy.” She shuddered.
Dovepaw was staring across the moorland rising ahead of them like a giant sleeping cat beneath the pale night sky.
“Hurry up,” Ivypaw urged. “It’s spooky over here.”
Dovepaw bounded down the bank and over the stream. Wind rushed over the grass and heather, buffeting her like a flock of starlings. She shivered, remembering the journey upstream and the exposed territories they’d had to cross to find the beavers. “It was like this when we—” She stopped herself.
“What?”
Dovepaw shook her head. “Nothing.” Ivypaw was still upset that she hadn’t been allowed to go on the quest. No wonder she wasn’t interested in visiting Whitetail and Sedgewhisker.
Ivypaw scanned the moorland, her eyes wide and anxious. The tang of the WindClan scent markers tainted the air. “Do you suppose they have night patrols?”
Dovepaw pricked her ears, searching for WindClan patrols. A monster growled far in the distance and sheep mewled on the hillside, their greasy, pungent smell familiar from the quest, when she’d had to hide between their stinky, mudencrusted legs.
She shook away the memory. There was still no sign of cats roaming the moor. “Nothing,” she reassured Ivypaw. Worried that Ivypaw might wonder how she was so certain, she added, “With the wind blowing toward us, it’ll be easy to scent any patrols.”
Ivypaw’s mouth was already open, tasting the breeze. “Come on.” Her silver-and-white pelt glowed in the moonlight as she began to head up the slope, eyes half closed against the wind.
Dovepaw followed her across the scent line, anxiety yawning in her belly, not daring to speak now that they were on WindClan territory. They weaved up the slope, the wind whipping more fiercely at their fur. A sheep bellowed close by and they both jumped, scooting through a clump of gorse and ducking lower as they pressed on between the heather bushes.
Ivypaw slowed. “Are you sure you want to go right to their camp?” There was a quaver in her mew.
Dovepaw could scent the camp just over a rise in the ground ahead. She could hear the gentle breathing of cats in dens. An image of the camp took shape in her mind: stiff bushes sheltering hollows scooped in the sandy soil; a paw-scuffed clearing; a gorse-shadowed dip, rich with the tang of medicine herbs. “Just a little farther,” she pleaded. She could sense Sedgewhisker clearly. The pale tabby she-cat was lying in a den beside Whitetail. Their denmates surrounded them, a jumble of pelts, warm and sheltered from the wind. Only Sedgewhisker stirred. She kept sniffing gingerly at her wound.
It can’t be too bad if she’s not in the medicine den,Dovepaw reasoned. Still, worry pricked at her pelt. She hadto be sure!
But how in the name of StarClan was she going to get Sedgewhisker’s attention without waking the rest of the den?
I’ll worry about that when we get there.
They crested the rise. The earth dipped in front of them, a wide hollow denting the moorland. It was ringed by a grassy slope, edged at the foot by a wall of scrubby bushes. A sandy clearing glowed at the center, just as Dovepaw had imagined.
“That’s it!” Dovepaw could hardly keep her excited mew to a whisper. “The camp!”
Ivypaw flicked her tail across her sister’s mouth. “I bet Bumblepaw or Briarpaw’d never do anything like this!” she breathed. “You’re not really going to look for Sedgewhisker and Whitetail, are you?”
“Of course!” Dovepaw began to slink down the slope.
“You can’t!” Ivypaw protested. “It’s too dangerous.”
Dovepaw glanced over her shoulder. “You can stay at the top if you want!” she hissed.
Ivypaw darted after her. “No way! If you’re going, then so am I! We’re in this together, right?”
Dovepaw knew exactly where the warriors’ den was and crept toward it, the moorland grass slippery beneath her pads.
Ivypaw pressed behind her, hardly breathing. “Is everyone asleep?”
Dovepaw’s tail twitched. “Nearly everyone.”
Ivypaw hesitated. “What do you mean?”
“It’s okay,” Dovepaw urged. “It’s just a guard. He won’t see us.” She could see the silhouette of a single warrior in the clearing, his shoulders bunched with tiredness, his back toward them as he scanned the opposite horizon.
Ivypaw stiffened when she saw him and ducked lower as they slithered into the shadows around the scrubby camp wall. They slid through a gap between the stems and tiptoed toward a wide tangle of shrubs. The warriors’ den.
Slipping into the darkness beneath the branches, Dovepaw felt a glimmer of relief.
Ivypaw was trembling beside her. “What do we do now?”
“Sedgewhisker is asleep just beyond the wall.” Dovepaw touched her tail against the spiny branches, sensing her friend only a tail-length away. “Sedgewhisker!” she hissed.
“What are you doing?” Ivypaw gasped.
Dovepaw ignored her sister’s protest. “Sedgewhisker!” she hissed louder.
Leaves rustled beyond the wall. Sedgewhisker had sat up.
“She’s coming!” Dovepaw whispered to Ivypaw. She could hear Sedgewhisker picking her way between the nests on three legs, her injured leg tucked protectively under her.
The pale tabby appeared beside them like a moonbeam in the darkness. “Great StarClan, Dovepaw! What are you doing here?”
Dovepaw tipped her head to one side. The WindClan warrior sounded cross, not overjoyed to see her old friend from the quest.
“Follow me!” Sedgewhisker hissed, and limped through the camp wall and up the grassy slope. She scrabbled over the top and crouched beyond the rise, wincing with pain.
Dovepaw and Ivypaw scooted after her.
“Are you okay?” Dovepaw looked anxiously at Sedgewhisker’s hind leg, which was swathed in cobweb and reeking of herbs.
Sedgewhisker was scowling. “Why did you come here?”
Dovepaw felt her ears flatten. Wasn’t she pleased they had come? “I-I was worried,” she stammered. “I heard a dog chasing you.” She didn’t dare say more in case she gave away her secret, but it seemed she had said too much already. A growl rumbled in Sedgewhisker’s throat.
“Have you been spying on us?” the WindClan warrior snapped.
Ivypaw swung her head to stare at Dovepaw, her eyes flashing with alarm and confusion. “You didn’t mention a dog!”
Sedgewhisker leaned closer. “How did you know about it?”
Dovepaw flinched away. “I-I heard it while I was training.”
Ivypaw blinked. “When? You didn’t say!”
Sedgewhisker was watching them through slitted eyes.
Dovepaw felt a stab of disappointment. “I was worried you were hurt, that’s all,” she muttered.
Sedgewhisker bristled. “We can take care of ourselves, you know. We don’t need a ThunderClan apprentice to watch out for us!”
A voice grumbled from the shadows outside the bush wall. “What’s going on? Who are you talking to, Sedgewhisker?”
Dovepaw and Ivypaw froze. There was nowhere to hide! Pawsteps padded up the slope toward them. Ivypaw unsheathed her claws while Dovepaw struggled to slow her breathing. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
A lithe ginger shape appeared above the edge of the hollow.
Weaselfur.
His gaze flicked over the two ThunderClan apprentices, and then Sedgewhisker. “What are you up to now?” he mewed wearily. “Haven’t you caused us enough trouble today, getting your patrol tangled up with that dog?”
Sedgewhisker bristled. “I was the only one hurt!”
Weaselfur looked back at the camp. “Invaders!” he called. There was no urgency in his yowl. “Why didn’t you alert the Clan?” he asked Sedgewhisker, hardly paying any attention to Dovepaw and Ivypaw.
“I was handling it,” Sedgewhisker growled.
Ivypaw straightened up, whiskers quivering. “We don’t need handling,” she mewed crossly.
“Hush!” Weaselfur turned on her, his hackles rising.
WindClan cats began streaming through the gaps in the scrub wall and swarmed up the bank.
A blue-eyed tabby she-cat circled them, tasting the air. “ThunderClan!”
“Is it an invasion?” A brown-and-white tom curled his lip.
A tabby tom lashed his tail. “I can’t smellany others.”
“They may have disguised their scent,” snarled a black she-cat.
“Do you really think they’re that clever, Nightcloud?” sneered the tabby.
Breezepelt slunk over the rise, his pelt bristling. “What are you doing here?” His eyes flashed with menace.
Dovepaw blinked hopefully as Onestar appeared and stepped in front of the young warrior. “Harespring!” The WindClan leader nodded to the brown-and-white tom. “Take Leaftail and Owlwhisker and search the area.”
The three warriors raced away, tails down, hackles up.
The blue-eyed tabby watched them leave, her claws kneading the grass. “Can I go too?”
“Calm down, Heathertail,” Onestar ordered. “They’ll call if they need backup.”
Dovepaw’s heart was racing. “We came alone.” She wrapped her tail around Ivypaw and tried to keep her chin high
Onestar’s gaze was stern. “Why did you come?” he demanded. “Did Firestar send you?”
Dovepaw shook her head.
Sedgewhisker looked at her Clanmates. “She knew about the dog. She knew it chased us.” She flashed a look at Dovepaw. “Though it was nothing we couldn’t handle.”
Onestar widened his eyes. “How did you know?”
Dovepaw was ready for the question. “I heard it from the forest, while I was training.”
Heathertail growled. “How could you tell it was chasing our warriors?”
Dovepaw struggled for words. “I just…er…guessed,” she mewed at last.
“You guessed?” The WindClan leader sounded unconvinced. His Clanmates exchanged doubtful glances.
Breezepelt slid around his leader and glared at the two ThunderClan apprentices. “What else have you guessedabout us?”
A small white she-cat appeared over the rise. Whitetail!She bristled when she spotted Dovepaw.
Dovepaw stared at the ground. She didn’t want Whitetail’s disapproval as well as Sedgewhisker’s. What had happened to the friendships they’d made?
Whitetail approached the two ThunderClan apprentices. “The quest is over,” she told Dovepaw. “You must respect boundaries. Your loyalty should be with your own Clan.” There was gentleness in her mew, as if she, at least, understood Dovepaw’s disappointment.
“Don’t they teach ThunderClan ’paws about scent markers?” A young WindClan apprentice was pacing angrily behind Whitetail, his lip curled.
“Of course they do,” Ivypaw replied hotly.
Onestar swept his tail over the heather. “Go back to your dens,” he ordered his Clanmates. “Heathertail and Breezepelt will take these foolish apprentices back where they belong.”
Dovepaw’s pelt flashed with heat. “We’re not foolish!”
Onestar gazed at her. “Then why are you here instead of tucked up in your nest?”
Dovepaw couldn’t meet his gaze. I thought my friends were in trouble!Anger and sadness squirmed in her belly. It was her stupid power’s fault that she’d heard the dog attack Sedgewhisker! She was only trying to be a good warrior. Anda good friend. But it seemed friendship counted for nothing. She hung her head as Heathertail nudged her down the flank of the hill.
“Let’s get you home,” the blue-eyed warrior mewed.
Dovepaw shrugged her away and stomped through the heather. Ivypaw padded beside her. “At least they didn’t shred us,” she whispered.
Remorse stripped Dovepaw’s anger away. “I’m sorry I made you come.”
“You didn’t make me do anything!” Ivypaw answered indignantly.
The two WindClan warriors flanked them as they crossed the moor. No one spoke, but a low growl rumbled occasionally in Breezepelt’s throat.
Heathertail swung her head and glared at her Clanmate. “Will you stop making that noise!” she growled.
“Do you want to make them feel welcome?” Breezepelt snapped back.
“I think they got the message from Onestar,” Heathertail pointed out. “They don’t need you snarling at them all the way to the hollow. They’re just apprentices.”
“It’ll teach them not to do it again.”
“Just shut up!” Heathertail snorted. “No one died and made you leader.”
Breezepelt let out a hiss, then was quiet.
The four cats swished through the heather to the ThunderClan scent line, where the stream chattered through the gully dividing the two territories.
“We know the way from here,” Dovepaw told the WindClan warriors.
Heathertail gazed steadily at her. “We’re taking you back to your camp.”
“You can’t do that!” Ivypaw objected.
What would Firestar say if they brought WindClan cats to the heart of their territory? Dovepaw’s fur ruffled along her spine. But the WindClan cats looked determined. She and Ivypaw couldn’t fight them, and she wasn’t going to make this situation more humiliating by begging them not to come.
Breezepelt had already leaped the stream. Reluctantly, Dovepaw led her sister down the bank and jumped the gully. Heathertail bounded after them. With heavy paws, Dovepaw headed toward camp.
“Firestar’s going to kill us,” Ivypaw whispered in her ear.
Dovepaw didn’t want to think about it. She couldn’t explain why she had taken Ivypaw to the WindClan camp without revealing her power. The whole Clan was going to think they were mouse-brained and reckless.
The WindClan cats padded ahead of them, weaving along tracks and through bushes as though they knew the forest well. Heathertail veered along a fox track that led them around a wide swath of brambles.
Ivypaw flicked her tail. “How do you know where you’re going?”
Without glancing over her shoulder, Heathertail replied, “We’ve been here before.”
“But—” Ivypaw began to protest.
“She said, we’ve been here before,” Breezepelt growled in a voice that put an abrupt end to the conversation.
As they neared the thorn barrier, Dovepaw scented Rosepetal bounding toward them. “What are you doing here?” she challenged the WindClan warriors, hackles raised.
Breezepelt halted. “This isn’t an attack.”
Heathertail stepped aside. “We’re just returning a couple of strays.”
Rosepetal stared at Ivypaw and Dovepaw in disbelief. “What are you doing out of the hollow? And with them?” She flicked her tail to the WindClan cats.
A cloud crossed the moon. Dovepaw was relieved by the sudden shadow. She stared at her paws, not knowing how to explain.
“We found them outside our camp,” Heathertail told the startled ThunderClan warrior.
Shifting her paws, Rosepetal stared levelly back at Heathertail. “Thank you for bringing them home,” she meowed.“I’ll take them back to their den.”
Breezepelt stepped forward. “We’re coming with them,” he told her. “I want to speak with Firestar.”
Rosepetal bristled. “He’s asleep.”
“So was WindClan before this pair woke us!” Heathertail growled.
Dovepaw felt herself shrivel inside her pelt.
Ivypaw’s tail drooped. “I didn’t think it could get worse.”
Breezepelt glared at her. “I don’t want any accusations that we took ThunderClan apprentices prisoner.”
Ivypaw bristled. “We wouldn’t lie!”
Rosepetal sighed and dipped her head. “Very well.” She turned and led the WindClan cats through the thorns.
Dovepaw trailed after, her heart quickening as she heard Rosepetal’s paws on the rock pile. She’s gone to wake Firestar.
Cats were stirring in their nests, den walls trembling as they got to their paws and slid out to see what was happening. The nursery shivered and tiny pawsteps pattered across the clearing. “What’s going on?” squeaked Cherrykit.
Poppyfrost’s nest rustled and the queen’s fur scraped the brambles as she followed her kit out of the nursery.
Dovepaw tried not to hear what any of the cats were saying. Her Clanmates were gathering to witness her humiliation. How could she explain? With a rush of frustration that tightened her throat, she wished fiercely that there were no such thing as the prophecy, and that she didn’t have any powers at all.
Why can’t I just be an ordinary cat?
第四章
第四章
“不，不！”狮焰冲自己的学徒喊道，“如果你从树干的这边往上爬，我就能看见你了，不就知道你在上面了！”
鸽爪顺着树皮滑了下来。雨水冲刷过的橡树闪闪发亮。森林里一早上都下着毛毛雨，乌云压得很低，看上去就像挂在树梢。
“你确信这种天气适合练习树战？”炭心问道。她正跟自己的学徒藤爪坐在一起，她们俩看起来身形娇小，打湿的皮毛紧紧地贴在身上。
“这种天气最适合了。”狮焰坚持道，“如果这么湿滑的树干她们都能抓得住，那树干干的时候，她们就会觉得爬树像抓老鼠一样简单。”
雷族猫是所有族群中最擅长爬树的，他们长年在树木茂密、枝叶繁茂的丛林中狩猎。最近，火星认为，如果在战斗中不利用雷族的这种技能，真是太愚蠢了。从现在开始，他要求所有战斗训练都要包括爬树练习，以及雷族猫在树枝间发起攻击的技巧。
“现在再爬上来。”他指导着鸽爪，“你就当我是一支影族巡逻队。”
藤爪的胡须抽动着：“一整支？”
“集中注意力！”狮焰没心情开玩笑。他又饿又湿，情绪低落。训练学徒与实现预言之间有什么关联？等待。松鸦羽这么说，但狮焰厌烦了等待。
炭心不解地瞥了狮焰一眼。“我来指导她们爬树，告诉她们怎么做。”她自告奋勇道。
狮焰有些犹豫。炭心还是学徒时，有一次爬树时发生了意外，差点儿就残疾了。从那以后，狮焰就再也不愿意去想炭心爬树这件事。
炭心转动眼珠。“我们会小心的！”她用鼻子将藤爪推向橡树树干，看着她迅速冲上最低的树枝。然后，她又向鸽爪点点头：“接下来是你。”
鸽爪冲到了树干后面。片刻后，她在狮焰头顶的树枝上重新出现。“这次你没看到我吧！”她喊道。
狮焰仰起头，对她的速度非常惊讶：“非常好。”
炭心跟在她们身后往上爬。“这根树枝很适合从上面往下跳。”她低头看了一眼狮焰，“如果你们正好落在他肩上，他会阻止你们直接落在地上；而你们的突袭也会让他大吃一惊，在他反应过来之前，你们有足够的时间使出一些好招数。”
“我能试试吗？”藤爪迫不及待地问。
“我怀疑他会不会真的感到吃惊。”鸽爪说道，“他正一直盯着我们呢。”
“我们爬到另一根树枝上试试。”炭心建议道。
“我到周围走走。”狮焰说道。
“注意你们的脚掌下。”炭心提醒着学徒们，狮焰头顶的树叶沙沙作响，“树皮很滑，用爪子抓紧。小心！”
太晚了。随着一声惊叫，藤爪从树枝上滑了下来，直接摔在狮焰身上。
狮焰身子晃了一下，希望自己宽阔的肩膀能让她不落在地上：“你没事吧？”
藤爪从狮焰身上爬开，跳了起来：“对不起！”
藤爪脸上的惊恐神情让狮焰的喉咙里发出咕噜咕噜的声音，他的不快一扫而空。“应该吓到的是我，不是你！”他取笑道。
藤爪的皮毛尴尬地抖动着，重新爬回树上。
“小心，鸽爪！”炭心提醒道，“那根树枝太细，承受不住你的体重！”
头顶上方传来树枝断裂的声音。
狮焰的心猛地一抽，抬起了头：“鸽爪！”
灰色学徒正抓着一根纤细的、半挂在树上的断裂树枝。“我快抓不住了！”她呼喊着，脚掌从纤细的树枝上慢慢往下滑。
“试着落到下面的树枝上！”炭心抬头冲她喊道。后者正离开树枝尖，朝下面的树枝跌落。她挥舞着爪子想抓住什么，不料继续往下落去。
“把爪子伸出来！”狮焰叫道。
“我伸出来了！”当她像一颗滚下斜坡的鹅卵石似的，从一根树枝滑落到另一根树枝时，带着哭腔喊道，“我抓不住！”
狮焰放下心来。树枝延缓了鸽爪的下落速度，她扑通一声从树上掉了出来，像一只鸽子似的笨拙地落在地上。她站起身，抖了抖皮毛。
狮焰摇摇头：“松鸦羽告诉我今天会下雨，但他可没提醒我今天会‘下猫’！”
鸽爪看到狮焰的眼中闪烁着打趣的光芒，也开心起来。“这次我会做得更好。”她保证道，再次猛冲回去爬到了树上。
狮焰走开了，在树林中穿行着。炭心指导着她们从一根树枝跳到另一根树枝，狮焰听到头顶的树叶沙沙作响。
在等着她们“突然”袭击的时候，狮焰决定去狩猎。落叶季来临之前，营地里需要任何额外的猎物。他嗅探着浸泡在雨水中的橡树根。新鲜的松鼠屎让他皱了皱鼻子。他悄悄围着粗大的树干匍匐着，像蛇一样爬过缠绕在地面上的树根。树根间散发出来的香气，蔓延出几尾远，一直到了从森林地面穿过的干涸河床。
狮焰停住了。
在橡树低垂的树枝下，一只肥硕的灰色松鼠正背对着狮焰，专心致志地啃着坚果。当狮焰做出狩猎动作，开始向它靠近时，它甚至都没有停下来嗅嗅空气。
他胡须僵硬着，尾巴小心翼翼地掠过铺满落叶的地面，越爬越近。距离松鼠一尾远时，他停了下来，然后后腿一蹬，一跃而起。松鼠只在他脚掌间挣扎了片刻，就被他敏捷利索地咬断了脊柱。他嘴里叼着猎物，满意地坐起身。
头顶上方响起嗖嗖的声音。他抬起头，嘴中塞满了松鼠的皮毛。两个身影落了下来，接连落在他的双肩上。他的腿一软，倒在地上，吐出了松鼠。
“我们做到了！”鸽爪胜利的欢呼声在他耳边响起。
狮焰把她甩开，让藤爪从他的背上滑下来。“你的敌人都要被你震聋了！”他叫道，耳朵嗡嗡直响，“战术很棒！”
炭心从树干上爬下来，看起来十分开心。“你没有察觉到我们在上面那儿，对吗？”她瞅了一眼狮焰脚掌边的松鼠，“顺便说一句，你刚才的狩猎非常精彩！”
“我们能再试一次吗？”藤爪乞求道。
“为什么不呢？”炭心朝身后的树干弹了下尾巴，“你先上去。”
藤爪朝树干跳去，鸽爪却身体紧绷，耳朵直立，目不转睛地盯着树林深处。
她一定听到什么了！狮焰看到学徒的眼中满是焦虑。
“你和藤爪先爬上去。”他赶忙对炭心说，“我一直想教鸽爪一个新的狩猎技巧。”
“我也可以学吗？”藤爪喊道。
“一次教一只猫更容易些。”狮焰撒谎道，“改天我再教你。”
藤爪耸耸肩。“好吧。”她跳上树干，和炭心消失在树枝间。
狮焰用尾巴示意了一下，便领着鸽爪离开了橡树。“你听到了什么？”当确定炭心和藤爪听不到时，他立刻问道。
“狗！”
狮焰背上的毛竖了起来：“在森林里？”
鸽爪摇了摇头：“在风族领地里。”
“那就没事。应该是两脚兽用狗来驱赶那儿的羊群。”狮焰解释道。
但鸽爪的眼睛仍然瞪得溜圆。“它们不是在追羊，它们正在追猫。”她担心地盯着狮焰，“我们必须帮帮他们。”
“不行。”狮焰态度坚决，“风族猫已经习惯了。别忘了，只要他们想，他们可以跑得比兔子都快。他们不会有事的。”
“但莎草须就在被追的猫里面！”鸽爪一愣，眼睛突然慌乱起来，“一只狗已经追上她了！它正在咬她！”
狮焰身子绷紧了：“她的族猫在哪儿？”
鸽爪皱皱眉。“他们和她在一起……”她慢慢说道，描述着正在发生的场景，“他们正在攻击那只狗。”
狮焰舒了口气，放松了下来：“那莎草须就安全了。”
“你怎么知道？”鸽爪小声问道。
狮焰的心一沉。他知道这种事情迟早会发生。鸽爪很珍惜在远征途中结交下的友情，莎草须和他们一起远征，毁坏了河狸的大坝。鸽爪必须明白，他们现在已经回到了他们自己的领地。“我们现在是在家里。”他告诉她，“你要忠于自己的族群。你不能再像以前那样，和莎草须或者其他猫走得太近。”
鸽爪盯着他：“为什么不能？”
“因为武士守则告诉我们不能和本族之外的猫交朋友。”
鸽爪蓝色的眼睛一闪：“你怎么能如此冷漠？”
“不是我冷漠！”狮焰坚持说道，“是因为事情已经发生了变化。”
“但我没变！”鸽爪猛地说道，“我还是去小溪上游远征中的那只猫。”她的脚掌抓挠着地面：“如果我对此什么都不能做，那感知到远处发生的事还有什么用？”
“或许你该尝试将自己的感知限制在雷族领地内。”他建议道。
鸽爪望着他，仿佛他又长出了一个脑袋：“预言比武士守则更重要，对吗？”
狮焰点点头，不知道她接下来会说什么。
“所以，我的力量不仅仅是为了雷族的利益，对吗？”
“我们是雷族猫。”狮焰提醒她，“这才是我们的忠诚所在。”
鸽爪瞪着他。“那么，我到底是应该忠于预言呢，还是忠于武士守则？”她耳旁的毛竖了起来，“我希望在我做出决定之前，你和松鸦羽最好先能想清楚。”不等狮焰回答，她便又冲回橡树，爬上树干去追炭心和藤爪。
狮焰望着她离去的身影，心渐渐沉了下去。他才刚刚开始理解松鸦羽的力量，现在又要面对另一只力量超出他想象的猫。他竖起耳朵，尽力探听着，但却只能听到雨滴拍打着枯萎的落叶。
藤爪的声音从橡树高处传来：“这根树枝一直在风中摇摆。”
“你只管抓紧些！”炭心建议道。
“晃得我恶心！”
狮焰自己的力量要简单很多。他可以在战斗中毫发无损，比任何对手都更无所畏惧、更强壮。这在族猫看来，会不会很奇怪，很可怕？他知道冬青叶一直对他乐于战斗感到不安，她似乎并不完全相信他不会受伤。
但是那时，她没有自己的力量。她从来都不是三力量之一。
他也曾受过一次伤。上次他在梦中与虎星相遇时，虎星就让他流了血。狮焰回头看了一眼，肩膀上的毛倒立了起来。现在，这位黑暗武士会不会正盯着自己看呢？身旁的蕨丛发出嗖嗖的声音，他猛地转过身，伸出利爪。
“栗尾！”他显然松了口气，“你是在找炭心吗？”
栗尾摇摇头。“我正要加入灰条的狩猎队。松鸦羽刚才告诉我，说我的肩膀已经痊愈了。”前些天，这位玳瑁色武士的脚掌卡进兔子洞里，扭伤了肩膀。“炭心和你在一起吗？”她顺着狮焰的目光往上看去，看到女儿正在远处的树枝上训练着藤爪，女儿脚掌下的树枝不停地晃动，但炭心熟练地保持着平衡。
栗尾眼中流露出骄傲的神情。“我从没想过我会看到这一天，她变得这么强壮，能像松鼠一样爬树。”她轻轻地感叹着，又继续看了一会儿才将目光移开，“叶池让她恢复得这么好，可真是一位优秀的巫医。”
栗尾话里有话。她是因为叶池决定离开巫医巢穴成为武士而责怪狮焰吗？狮焰皮毛有些刺痛。叶池不顾一切违背了巫医守则，这不是他的错！是她和其他族群的猫生了幼崽，还对幼崽们撒了谎！
他没有说话，看着栗尾离开。这时，他想起了莎草须，于是充满希冀地喊道：“你们在哪里狩猎？”
“在风族边界那儿。”
太好了。如果风族猫真的有麻烦，狩猎队会注意到的，灰条会决定要不要帮他们。
栗尾消失在湿漉漉的蕨丛后，狮焰擦掉猎物身上的脏东西，走到橡树根部。“你们几个怎么样了？”他朝族猫们喊道。
“她们表现得很好。”炭心轻轻地落到他身旁，藤爪和鸽爪也跟着落了下来，“我觉得我们可以尝试更难一些的动作。”
藤爪竖起了耳朵。
“教教她们怎样从一棵树跳跃到另一棵树上吧。”炭心建议道。
“像松鼠一样！”藤爪尖叫道。
“是的，像松鼠一样。”
狮焰尾巴垂了下去。他没有攀爬的天赋。从一棵树上跳跃到另一棵树上的想法听起来就很好笑，更别说有多不威风了。“我们可以教她们一些打斗招数。”他满怀希望地建议道，“很多招数她们还没见过。”
“火星想让我们练练树上跳跃。”炭心提醒他。
我们是猫，又不是鸟！狮焰总觉得自己在树上又粗大又笨重，他更愿意在地面上战斗。为什么要像猫头鹰似的坐在树枝上盯着敌人，而不是像武士那样正面攻击呢？
“来吧。我们就从这棵枫树开始吧。”炭心瞥了狮焰一眼，她知道他不喜欢爬树，“长尾发誓说，在旧森林时，他曾经脚掌不沾地从大梧桐树那里返回了营地。”
“那有多远呢？”鸽爪听起来很惊讶。
“大概是从这儿到山谷的距离。”炭心说道。
狮焰哼了一声。你怎么知道？炭心像他一样是在湖边出生，从来就没见过旧领地！
“我打赌我也能做到。”藤爪吹嘘道。她爬上枫树树干，眼睛半闭着避开树枝间掉落的雨滴。炭心跟了上去，鸽爪跟在最后。
狮焰抬头盯着她们，希望雨能停下来。不怎么湿滑的树皮就已经够难爬的了。他叹息了一声，努力把身体往树干上方拖。他的爪子紧紧地插入树皮，以免自己滑落下来。
炭心在最低的那根树枝上等着，藤爪和鸽爪已经爬到了树枝的中央。
“在这根树枝上，我们甚至都不需要跳。”鸽爪扭头说道。这根树枝与邻近的柳树最矮的树枝交织在一起了。
“或许我们应该换条路线。”狮焰冲她喊道。柳树的树枝太细了。“柳树枝可能承受不住我们的重量。”
“你是说承受不住你自己的重量吧！”鸽爪的回答中带着刺，她还在因为狮焰不帮助莎草须而生气。狮焰没有理会，尽管恼怒已经让他的脚垫有些刺疼了。
炭心朝柳树的方向点点头说：“这是一棵老树。”鸽爪和藤爪已经挪到它的枝干上。“枝条足够结实。”
炭心说得没错。狮焰非常容易就走过它的枝干，发现它们又宽又结实，松了口气。“慢点儿！”他喊道。鸽爪和藤爪在前面猛跑着，好像都想脚掌不沾地第一个返回营地。
鸽爪在柳树最长的一根树枝的树梢上维持着平衡。柳树的那边，长着一棵古老的橡树，橡树很老了，树上长满了疙瘩，树干弯弯曲曲的。“我要试试这棵树。”她回头说道。
“那棵树的树皮很粗糙，”狮焰提醒道，“看起来很老，树枝上可能有你看不到的裂缝。”他加快了脚步，从炭心身旁跃过：“等我先检查一下！”
但太迟了！
鸽爪已经跳到了橡树的树枝上。她刚一落到树枝上，树枝就发出咔嚓的一声，然后像干枯的小树枝一样断裂了。随着一声惊叫，鸽爪急速往下掉去。
只差三尾的距离，鸽爪的脚掌就要碰到柔软的森林地面了。但狮焰知道接下来会发生什么。
“小心！”他从柳树上一跃而起，滑过森林地面，一口叼住了鸽爪的后颈。
“干什么？”当他拖着鸽爪往后退时，鸽爪大叫道。片刻之后，老橡树的树枝砸落下来。
狮焰眯起双眼，用身体护住鸽爪。直到枝干不再震颤，他才生气地看向鸽爪。
“不管你自以为知道多少，我也有正确的时候，懂吗？”他咆哮道。
鸽爪抬起头，抽了一下鼻子，然后转过身，大步走开了。
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 7
“Long ago, I was told ofa prophecy—” the ThunderClan leader began.
“We know!” Jayfeather interrupted. He had walked through this memory in one of Firestar’s dreams. “We’re the Three. Kin of your kin, with the power of the stars in our paws.”
Shock flashed from Firestar’s pelt, then ebbed into weary acceptance. “So you know already.” He sighed. “I’ve been waiting for you a long time, since before Leafpool and Squirrel flight were born.”
Jayfeather wasn’t interested in Firestar’s memories. “But what does the prophecy mean?”
“Mean?” Firestar sounded surprised.
Doesn’t he know?
Before Jayfeather could speak, Dovepaw found her voice. “Did you think it would be Leafpool and Squirrelflight?”
“For a while,” Firestar answered slowly. “I thought it might be them and Cloudtail. But nothing happened. Then Jaykit, Lionkit, and Hollykit were born.” He stopped, and when he spoke again his tone was curious. “How long have you known about the prophecy?”
Jayfeather shrugged. “Since we were apprentices.”
“Did StarClan tell you?”
“Not exactly.” Jayfeather wanted to delve into Firestar’s mind, find out everything the ThunderClan leader knew about the prophecy. But he was only one of the Three. Lionblaze and Dovepaw needed to know too. The whole thing would have to be teased out in words. “But it didn’t need to come from StarClan, did it? This is not theirprophecy.”
“No.” Firestar sounded perplexed. His paws shifted on the night-damp earth. “Do you know what your destiny is?”
“Don’t you?” Dovepaw gasped. “I mean, if you know about the prophecy, how come you don’t know what it means?”
“Didn’t the old cat tell you?” Lionblaze meowed.
There was a moment of silence as Firestar digested the fact that the three cats knew who had given the prophecy to him. “I don’t think even heunderstood what it meant,” Firestar admitted. “He was just passing on a message.”
Ice-cold fear spread along Jayfeather’s spine. No cat knows!They were floundering in shadow, heading for what?
He felt Firestar’s muzzle touch his head. “Skywatcher promised that you would come, and you have. We must have faith. There’s nothing we can do but wait,” the ThunderClan leader murmured.
Rage clawed Jayfeather’s belly. Didn’t he care what dangers could be lying in wait for his Clan?
“Tell me.” Firestar turned his attention back to Dovepaw. “What exactly is your power?”
Jayfeather sensed her stiffen, like a hunted mouse. They’d always told her to keep her power secret.
“It’s okay,” Lionblaze mewed. “You can tell him.”
“Okay.” Dovepaw hesitated for a moment. “I can sense things,” she began tentatively. “Faraway things.”
“How do you sense them?” Firestar urged.
“I—I hear them, and smell them, and sort of get glimpses.”
“Do you hear everything all the time?”
“It’s all kind of there—around me, in the background.” Dovepaw fidgeted. “I’m used to it. Like…” Another pause, then, “Like youdon’t see every tree around you all the time but you know they are there; you know what they look like; you can remember which is which. You can focus on one tree or, if something’s out of place or unusual, it’ll catch your eye—it’ll make you look harder.”
“I see.” There was warmth in Firestar’s mew. “Now I know why you’re so good at hunting.” The ThunderClan leader’s tail swished. “The Three have come at last.” He sounded satisfied. “I will sleep a little easier from now on. Just be careful—your powers set you apart from other cats, but you are still members of this Clan. You are still bound by the warrior code, for as long as that stands.”
Jayfeather leaned forward, heart pounding. “But we don’t know what we’re here for!”
“And there’s nothing we can do until we find out.” Firestar began to pad toward the hollow. “ThunderClan is lucky that you have come. Let’s not ask for the stars as well. Tell me if anything changes,” he meowed over his shoulder. “You will have my full support.”
The thorns rustled as the ThunderClan leader disappeared into camp.
Lionblaze breathed out slowly. “How come he never said anything before?”
Jayfeather sat down. “I guess he was just waiting until he was sure.”
“I gave us away.” Dovepaw’s mew was contrite. “I shouldn’t have gone to WindClan.”
“It might be for the best,” Jayfeather reassured her.
“Yes,” Lionblaze agreed. “And now it’ll be easier to ask for more training time away from the other apprentices.”
“But we still don’t know what we’re training for,” Dovepaw pointed out. A yawn overtook her. Jayfeather was suddenly aware of the tiredness dragging at the young cat’s paws.
He blinked at Lionblaze, but the golden warrior was already padding over to his apprentice. “Come on,” he meowed, his fur brushing hers. “Let’s get you back to your den. You’ll need some rest before tomorrow’s training.” Lionblaze paused. “Are you staying here, Jayfeather?”
“I need to think.”
Lionblaze yawned. “Can’t you think in your nest?”
“I won’t stay out long,” Jayfeather promised.
“Okay.” Lionblaze sounded too tired to argue. He followed Dovepaw through the thorn barrier, leaving Jayfeather alone under the trees.
Firestar doesn’t know any more than we do.Jayfeather sighed. He walked down to the lake, following the scent of water and wind. As he emerged from the trees, the breeze whipped his whiskers back against his cheeks.
Jayfeather pictured the lake, wide, black, and silent, hiding the stick in its depths. Why did I destroy it?
He felt pebbles beneath his paws as he neared the water’s edge. A yowl rose from his belly. “I’m sorry! Rock! I didn’t mean it!” He drew the dank night air over his tongue, trying to catch some hint of the ancient cat’s scent, but tasted nothing but dying leaves and water. Fear yawned like a dark pit in his belly. Rock knew about the prophecy long before StarClan crowded Silverpelt, and Jayfeather had broken the only link he’d had with the blind old cat.
“Oh, Rock! Please! I need to know!”
The wind blew Jayfeather’s pleas back into his face. But he knew Rock heard him, could reply if he wanted.
Angrily, Jayfeather headed along the shore to where the stream tumbled out of the forest. He padded up the bank, picking his way carefully over the tangle of roots, heading upstream into the trees. When the stream narrowed, he leaped over it, careful not to let his tail fall into the cold, chattering water.
The damp earth felt good underpaw and he broke into a trot. He focused his senses harder so that he could run among the trees, sharply aware of the space around him, his whiskers and nose mapping his course, his ear fur pricked for the muting of sound that signaled the thickening of the undergrowth ahead.
Suddenly a leaf crackled. A bitter tang spiked his nostrils.
ShadowClan!
Was he that close to the border already? He slowed and padded forward cautiously, sniffing. Border markers dotted the trees ahead. They were fresh. Had ShadowClan started night patrols? He sniffed again. The scent belonged to a single tom. Why would one cat be out scent marking by himself?
A yowl ripped the air. Unsheathed claws slammed into Jayfeather’s shoulders, thrusting him into the leafy soil. He spluttered and shoved himself upward, rage firing his muscles. He flung off his attacker, recognizing the scent.
“Tigerheart!”
It was Tawnypelt’s son.
The young ShadowClan tom scrabbled to his paws. “S-sorry!”
Jayfeather sensed shame flooding Tigerheart’s pelt as the young tom realized he’d attacked a medicine cat.
“I didn’t realize it was you.” The earth whispered as Tigerheart sheathed his claws. “I thought you were trespassing.”
“Medicine cats can go where they need to,” Jayfeather reminded him.
“I—I know,” Tigerheart stammered. “What are you doing here? At night, I mean. Do you need something from Shadow Clan? I can take you to Blackstar. Were you on your way somewhere?”
While Tigerheart gabbled, Jayfeather smoothed his ruffled fur and tasted the air, listening for waves on the shore and the tone of the wind in the trees, trying to figure out exactly where he was. Far from the shore, close to the ShadowClan border, close enough to be knocked onto the wrong side by a clumsy attack from a young warrior. Realizing the markers were behind him, Jayfeather carefully edged backward until he was sure his paws were back in his own territory. A medicine cat could roam where he pleased, but not without good reason
“What are youdoing here at this time of night?” Jayfeather hid his own discomfort by questioning Tigerheart. “Are you on patrol?”
“S-sort of.” Tigerheart shifted his paws. “Anyway, it’s none of your business.” His mew hardened.
He’s being very defensive.Jayfeather leaned closer. “ShadowClan doesn’t usually send out lone patrols in the middle of the night.”
“ThunderClan doesn’t send out lone medicine cats,” Tigerheart countered.
Cheeky cub!“You should go back to your den,” Jayfeather snapped. “You must have training tomorrow.”
To his surprise, Tigerheart backed off. “Okay.” Turning, the young tom scampered away into the trees.
As Jayfeather sniffed his fading scent, another touched his nose. It seemed oddly familiar as it wreathed around him but he couldn’t place it.
The fur on his shoulders prickled. Stiffening, Jayfeather felt himself being watched. He spun around, tasting the air, ears pricked, frustrated by his blindness. Was a cat observing him from the shadows? No sound. No scent, other than those Tigerheart had left.
Jayfeather shook out his fur. Don’t be mouse-brained!Tasting dawn, he ducked through a hazel bush and headed home.
Who’d be watching me at this time of night?
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 9
Dovepaw padded restlessly beside the barrierof thorns, anxious to be off.
Ivypaw sat watching her, her tail twitching irritably. “You’ll tell me everything?” she asked again.
“Of course,” Dovepaw promised. “As soon as I get back.” Ivypaw seemed to have gotten over her suspicion about why Dovepaw was being treated differently by the senior warriors, until Brambleclaw decided that only Dovepaw would go to the Gathering tonight.
Ivypaw glared at the ThunderClan deputy as he padded past
He paused. “Don’t sulk,” he meowed. “You’re not a kit. You don’t need your littermate by your side every moment of the day.”
Whitewing sat up from where she’d been dozing after her evening meal. “As I recall, Brambleclaw,” she teased, “you were never pleased to miss a Gathering.” She glanced affectionately at her daughters.
Brambleclaw gave the white she-cat a stern glance, which lasted only a moment before melting into amusement. “Well, at least I had the decency to sulk in the privacy of my den.”
Ivypaw scowled down at her paws, tail flicking.
“Don’t worry.” Dovepaw weaved around her as Brambleclaw padded away to sit beside Graystripe. “When we’re warriors we’ll go to every Gathering together.”
Squirrelflight slid out of the warriors’ den and padded across the clearing. Her gaze darted toward Brambleclaw for a moment before she joined Leafpool beside the fresh-kill pile.
“Do you think Brambleclaw will ever forgive them?” Dovepaw whispered, staring at the two sisters. How could Brambleclaw be so cold toward his former mate? With a shiver, she wondered how two cats who’d been so close could suddenly start acting like they belonged to different Clans. That would never happen to her and Ivypaw.
At least Squirrelflight and Leafpool are still as close.Dovepaw watched the sisters as they leaned together, pelts pressing like littermates straight out of the nursery.
She nudged Ivypaw with her nose. “I’ll make sure I get some juicy gossip from Petalfur,” she mewed. She hoped that the shy RiverClan she-cat wouldn’t act like they’d never shared an adventure.
Firestar bounded down from Highledge. As the stones clacked beneath his paws, the rest of the patrol hurried toward the thorn entrance. Sandstorm, Thornclaw, and Brackenfur weaved restlessly beside the entrance as Foxleap, Rosepetal, and Brightheart emerged from the warriors’ den. Lionblaze was still licking his lips after a hasty meal as he waited for Jayfeather to pad from the medicine den. Together they joined their Clanmates while Millie slid from the dirtplace tunnel and hurried to stand beside Graystripe. Birchfall slid in next to Whitewing while Blossompaw and Briarpaw came dashing from the apprentices’ den, eyes bright with excitement.
Bumblepaw called after them, “I want to know everything that happens!” He’d be staying behind with Ivypaw.
As Squirrelflight left Leafpool’s side and tagged on to the patrol, Firestar signaled with his tail before ducking out of the camp. His Clanmates streamed out after him. Dovepaw sensed restlessness in the patrol as they headed for the lake in silence. Graystripe had been right: The wind had blown the sky clear and Silverpelt glittered around a full, bright moon. But the forest still dripped from the heavy rains, and Dovepaw’s fur was soon soaked as she followed her Clanmates through the wet undergrowth.
The chilly dampness seemed to have set everyone’s fur pricking with irritation.
“We’d better not find any ShadowClan stench on our land!” Foxleap growled.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Brambleclaw snapped. “We’re heading around WindClan’s side of the lake. Even ShadowClan wouldn’t be dumb enough to stray that far!”
Thornclaw paused and tasted the air. “I wouldn’t put anything past ShadowClan,” he muttered.
Foxleap lashed his tail. “We should cross into ShadowClan territory and leave ourscent. See how they like it!”
“Yeah!” Rosepetal agreed. “I bet they wouldn’t be too pleased.” These days the dark cream she-cat seemed to agree with every word her denmate uttered.
Mouse-brain.Dovepaw instantly felt guilty. Rosepetal was a good warrior. Still, Dovepaw hoped that she would never be too moony about a tomcat to stop thinking for herself.
“We should do it,” Lionblaze growled. “Just to show them. Though their noses are probably too filled with pine scent to notice.”
Squirrelflight bounded up the slope past the golden warrior. “Stop stirring up trouble,” she warned.
Brambleclaw reached the top of the slope and stared down at Squirrelflight. “Sometimes aggression is necessary. StarClan gave us claws for a reason.”
The orange she-cat’s eyes flashed with shock, as though his words had raked her muzzle. Lionblaze winced visibly. The patrol regrouped at the shoreline and followed the lake’s edge, keeping three tail-lengths from the water.
Dovepaw scanned the hillsides. No sign of the other Clans, and no fresh scent tainted the fallen tree spanning the watery gap between the shore and the island. As Dovepaw crossed, her claws unsheathed to grip the slippery bark, she listened past the water rippling below the trunk, beyond the wind stirring the island trees.
The clearing was empty. She hopped down from the tree-bridge. The shingle crunched beneath her paws and water soaked up through her paw fur.
“Come on,” she whispered to Blossompaw. “Let’s explore.”
“But—”
She left Blossompaw trailing as she raced through the trees. “It’s okay,” she called over her shoulder. “We’re the first here.”
Blossompaw burst from the ferns a moment after Dovepaw had skidded into the clearing at the center of the island. The air was foul with the stench of weeds rotting on the waterlogged shoreline. Dovepaw wrinkled her nose. How did RiverClan bear it?
“Wait for me!” Briarpaw hurtled from the undergrowth after them. She halted and stared around the deserted clearing. Their Clanmates were still traipsing through the bushes, tree-lengths behind them.
“Let’s climb the big tree!” Blossompaw was already racing toward the Great Oak that loomed at the head of the clearing. In a blink Blossompaw had shot up the trunk and was sitting on the lowest branch, laying her tail regally over her front paws and puffing out her chest as though she were about to address the Clans.
“I, Blossomstar, welcome you—”
“Get down!” At Squirrelflight’s stinging yowl, Blossompaw slid off the branch and tumbled to the ground.
Dovepaw spun around, startled. The orange she-cat’s eyes blazed as Blossompaw found her paws and padded, shamefaced, back across the clearing.
“How dare you?” Squirrelflight scolded. “What must StarClan think?”
“Oops,” Briarpaw whispered, pressing close to Dovepaw.
Millie jumped out of the ferns, her eyes darting from Squirrelflight to Blossompaw.
Blossompaw was limping slightly. The gray warrior darted to her daughter’s side. “Are you okay?” She sniffed at Blossompaw’s leg.
“It’s fine,” Blossompaw assured her. “I just landed awkwardly.”
“What were you doing?”
Blossompaw hung her head. “I wanted to know what it was like to sit in the Great Oak. Squirrelflight made me jump by shouting at me and I fell out.”
Millie shot an angry glance at Squirrelflight. “There was no need to frighten her! She could have hurt herself badly.”
“She shouldn’t have been sitting in the tree in the first place,” Squirrelflight pointed out.
“She’s just a ’paw,” Millie reminded Squirrelflight.
“She’s old enough to know better!” Squirrelflight turned as Jayfeather emerged from the ferns. “Will you check Blossompaw?” she asked. “She’s had a fall.”
Firestar slid from the bushes. “Who’s had a fall?”
“It was nothing,” Blossompaw mewed, as Jayfeather checked her leg. “I’m fine.”
Firestar’s gaze swept from Squirrelflight to Millie, their pelts ruffled.
Graystripe padded ahead of him, tasting the air. “Yuck!” He wrinkled his nose. “I don’t know if this place smells worse when it’s empty or when the other Clans are stinking up the air.”
Dovepaw was grateful for the gray warrior’s humor after all the bickering. Squirrelflight and Millie had retired to different parts of the clearing. Brambleclaw took himself off to sit underneath a beech tree far from both she-cats. Whitewing padded into the clearing and glanced from Squirrelflight to Millie, uncertainty clouding her gaze, then chose a shadowy spot beside a clump of ferns, midway between them. Jayfeather took his place among the roots of the Great Oak, where the other medicine cats would gather once they arrived. Birchfall paced the edge, sniffing warily, while the rest of the patrol sat to one side, their tails flicking in silence.
The air smelled of rain despite the clear sky. Dovepaw shivered as a breeze sent a flurry of leaves drifting down into the clearing. She was almost relieved when she heard undergrowth rustling on the far side of the island and smelled the fishy tang of RiverClan. They were leaving their camp and heading for the clearing.
She noticed Firestar following her gaze to the reed beds beyond the trees and watching the sleek forms of the RiverClan cats emerge. He lifted his tail in greeting as Mistystar led her Clan into the clearing. Petalfur broke ranks immediately and raced over the leaf-strewn clearing, skidding to a halt beside Dovepaw while her Clanmates weaved among the ThunderClan cats and began sharing tongues.
“Hi!” The gray-and-white RiverClan she-cat puffed out her chest and lifted her chin. She seemed to have grown at least a mouse-span after her experiences on the journey upstream. “How’s training?”
“Great!” Dovepaw was pleased to see her, and even more pleased to be greeted like a friend by at least one of the patrol who had helped find the river. And yet Jayfeather’s words rankled in her mind. Not all cats think that one adventure makes every one friends forever.She pushed the thought away. She could be friendly without being disloyal to her Clan!
“Aren’t you finding everything is boring after our adventure?” Petalfur’s eyes sparkled.
If only!Lionblaze was pushing her so hard to hone her powers that she hardly had time to find anything dull. “I have a really good mentor,” she mewed, conscious of Lionblaze’s gaze flicking over her. Was he scared she was going to give something away?
Her discomfort sharpened as she scented WindClan crossing the fallen tree and heading for the clearing.
“Are you okay?” Petalfur’s eyes were round.
“What?” Dovepaw had been peering anxiously over her shoulder, wary of seeing the WindClan warriors who had watched her being unceremoniously marched home from the WindClan camp. She stiffened as Petalfur’s gaze strayed past her.
“It’s only WindClan!” The RiverClan cat hailed a familiar face. “Hi, Sedgewhisker!”
But the WindClan warrior turned pointedly away. “What’s gotten up her nose?” Hurt glinted in Petalfur’s amber eyes.
Dovepaw wanted to explain that Sedgewhisker’s coldness was directed at her, not at Petalfur. But she couldn’t bring herself to confess her ill-planned expedition into WindClan territory. And now Brambleclaw was staring at her, his eyes narrowed. I bet he’s wondering what Onestar will say about my crossing the WindClan border.She wished Ivypaw were with her.
“Cheer up.” Petalfur’s mew startled her. “WindClan has always been prickly. If they don’t want to speak to us, there’s not a lot we can do about it.”
Dovepaw flicked her tail. Petalfur was right. If her Clanmates wanted to snipe at one another and WindClan wanted to sulk, so what? She couldn’t forget her most important mission tonight. Tigerheart had promised to tell her what he’d been doing in ThunderClan territory. She searched for his scent, surprised to find it close and fresh on the cool night breeze. ShadowClan had reached the island.
As they padded into the clearing, Blackstar at their head, Firestar glanced up at the moon. Clouds were crowding the horizon. The ThunderClan leader bounded up the Great Oak, settling on the low branch Blossompaw had fallen from. Onestar and Blackstar scrambled up after him. Mistystar glanced up the thick trunk, as though looking for clawholds, then hauled herself up and settled beside the other leaders.
Dovepaw watched the cats gathering at the foot of the tree, looking for Tigerheart’s dark tabby fur. She caught a tiny glimpse of him, his pelt merging with his Clanmates’, until a knot of RiverClan cats shouldered between them, blocking her view.
“Tigerheart!” she hissed. But he didn’t turn around. Instead, sharp claws tweaked her tail.
“Ow!” Dovepaw looked over her shoulder.
Sandstorm was looking at her sternly. “It’s time to sit down. The leaders are about to speak.”
Frustrated, Dovepaw peered through the jumble of pelts and ears to where Tigerheart sat. Snowbird’s white fur glowed beside his slick, dark pelt. She tried to catch his eye, but Redwillow slid in beside them and Tigerheart disappeared behind his Clanmate’s wide, tawny head. Reluctantly Dovepaw turned to watch the leaders.
Onestar padded to the center of the branch. Dovepaw anxiously held her breath. Please don’t mention me!“The return of the lake has been a blessing from StarClan,” he began.
“I suppose the cats who went and found it had nothing to do with it,” Blossompaw muttered under her breath.
“Our brave warriors who unblocked the river have returned safely and are happy to be with their Clan once more.” The WindClan leader’s gaze swept over the ThunderClan cats, and Dovepaw found herself hunching into her shoulders as he went on.
“WindClan will be forever grateful for the courage and strength of its brave warriors.”
Briarpaw pressed against her. “He’s acting like WindClan did it alone,” she whispered. “What about you and Lionblaze and Tigerheart and—”
“Hush.” Squirrelflight glared at them before turning back to the Great Oak as Onestar continued.
“As leaf-bare approaches, it’s important we secure our borders. Rabbits are running well, but if leaf-bare is harsh, we must protect what is ours.” He stared down at ThunderClan. “Any trespassers will be dealt with severely.”
Dovepaw curled her claws, waiting for him to mention her by name. Relief swept through her as the WindClan leader simply nodded and withdrew along the branch, making way for Mistystar. Silence gripped the Clans as the new RiverClan leader spoke for the first time.
“You all know by now that I am RiverClan’s new leader.”
Cheers erupted. “Mistystar! Mistystar!”
Firestar stood and dipped his head low to the gray she-cat, his eyes glowing with pride. Dovepaw pricked her ears. The ThunderClan leader seemed to have genuine warmth for the new RiverClan leader. I suppose he’s known her for a long time.Besides, judging from the calls that came equally from every Clan, she was popular with all the cats, just as Jayfeather had predicted.
Mistystar nodded, her blue eyes round and unblinking, her gaze sweeping the Clans until they fell silent. “Leopardstar was a noble leader,” she began. Murmurs of agreement rippled through the cats as Mistystar pressed on. “She was brave and loyal and would have done anything to protect her Clanmates.”
“Or Tigerstar,” a sour mew whispered behind Dovepaw.
She jerked around, puzzled. One of the WindClan warriors was whispering into her Clanmate’s ear. Dovepaw frowned. Like every kit, she’d heard nursery tales about the dark warrior. But what did he have to do with Leopardstar? She leaned closer to Blossompaw. “He was ShadowClan’sleader, wasn’t he?”
Sandstorm glanced sharply over her shoulder. “Yes,” she hissed. “But it was a bit more complicated than that. Now hush!”
Dovepaw bit her tongue as Mistystar went on.
“We are pleased to have Petalfur back and we grieve for Rippletail, who died bravely fighting the beavers.”
Dovepaw’s heart tightened. She hadn’t thought of the RiverClan warrior in days. She didn’t want to forget him, not ever.
“I am sure,” Mistystar added, “that he and Leopardstar walk now among StarClan and watch over their old Clanmates.”
Sighs of sympathy spread through the Clans as Mistystar sat down.
Blackstar took her place. “Leopardstar will be missed.” The ShadowClan leader seemed to speak with genuine grief, his eyes glistening in the moonlight. “The loss of a leader is a loss to all the Clans,” he went on. “But new blood brings new energy, and we wish Mistystar a long and happy leadership.”
Dovepaw stared at the ShadowClan leader, surprised by his compassion. Why couldn’t the Clans show this sense of friendship more often? Perhaps Mistystar’s leadership would mark a new time, one based on trust rather than suspicion.
As hope flashed in Dovepaw’s chest, the ShadowClan leader’s eyes hardened. “And yet borders are still borders. They must remain unblurred.”
Dovepaw saw Graystripe stiffen as Blackstar glared down at the ThunderClan cats.
“There’s been too much activity on ThunderClan’s border,” Blackstar hissed. “Scent marks are becoming confused.”
Thornclaw leaped to his paws, bristling. “How dare you! It was ShadowClan who left scent on ourterritory!”
RiverClan and WindClan cats turned and watched, their eyes bright with interest as ShadowClan warriors began to get to their paws. Dovepaw noticed Graystripe unsheathe his claws.
“The truce!” Sandstorm hissed in the gray warrior’s ear, but Graystripe only dug his claws hard into the ground, letting the fur lift on his shoulders.
“Don’t stir up trouble you can’t handle,” he warned.
“Sit down!” Brambleclaw’s growl made Graystripe pause. Snorting, he let his hackles fall, but kept his claws unsheathed.
Blackstar’s eyes gleamed. “We aren’t stirring up trouble,” he argued. “It was ThunderClan who started the accusations.”
Graystripe’s tail was twitching as the ShadowClan leader went on. “One of my warriors inspected the so-called scent you found inside your border, and he couldn’t tell which Clan it belonged to. As usual, ThunderClan is looking for any chance to tell the other Clans what to do.”
Sandstorm pressed against Graystripe, as though reminding him to control his temper.
Dovepaw wriggled forward so that she could glimpse Tigerheart. The dark brown tabby warrior was keeping his head down. He knows he’s guilty. But do his Clanmates?
As she stared at Tigerheart, the scent of blood touched her nose and she suddenly realized that the young tom was scratched. His fur was ruffled by wounds, not embarrassment, and one of his ears was torn. Perhaps his Clanmates didknow he had left scent on ThunderClan’s territory and had decided to punish him.
She frowned, her thoughts wandering. Poor Tigerheart!ShadowClan warriors must be every bit as vicious as the nursery tales said.
A sharp nudge made her jump. “Stop staring at Tigerheart,” Sandstorm snapped. “You look like an owl!”
Was I staring?Dovepaw turned her gaze back to the Great Oak. Blackstar was still lecturing.
“If ThunderClan can’t keep its borders marked and stay inside those markers, then ShadowClan willreact.” He sighed dramatically. “Why does ThunderClan always seem to think the other Clans are in their debt after a mission that involved all of us?” He let his gaze grow mournful and drift over RiverClan and WindClan, as though they shared a common burden.
Dovepaw winced. Had Blackstar somehow found out about her visit to Sedgewhisker?
Blossompaw gave her a shove. “Stop fidgeting!”
“Sorry!” Dovepaw hadn’t realized she’d been shuffling her paws so much.
“Be quiet!” Sandstorm hissed at them. “Or I’ll send you both home early!”
Dovepaw pulled in her paws and pressed her lips together, vowing not to say another word. What would StarClan think if she was sent home from a Gathering?
At last Blackstar stopped complaining and Firestar padded to the center of the branch, his chin and tail held high“Welcome, Mistystar,” he began. “You have earned your leadership and ThunderClan wishes you well.” He blinked warmly at the RiverClan leader. “We shall miss Leopardstar. I remember her from all the way back when I was an apprentice in ThunderClan.” A purr rose in his throat. He was acting as though Blackstar’s speech had never happened. “I always respected her, and, though her loyalty to RiverClan never wavered, she was a leader who understood the importance of keeping everyClan strong.” Firestar flashed a glance at Blackstar before going on. “She had the heart, courage, and strength of the mighty cat she was named for.”
As he dipped his head, a mew sounded from behind Dovepaw. The WindClan warriors were grumbling again.
“Firestar’s always acting like everyone’s ally!”
“Trying to make friends to avoid battle.”
“Never did like the smell of blood.”
“Just like a kittypet.”
Dovepaw whirled around. “Just because he’s friendly doesn’t mean Firestar orThunderClan is weak!”
Oops!Remembering Sandstorm’s warning, she shut her mouth quickly and turned back to the Great Oak.
“Blackstar.” Firestar used his smoothest mew to address the ShadowClan leader. “We understand borders, and their importance in keeping peace among the Clans. We also know they are worth fighting for.” His voice was suddenly edged with threat. He held Blackstar’s gaze for a moment; then, just as the ShadowClan leader opened his mouth to retaliate, he turned back to the gathered cats. “Good news in ThunderClan,” he mewed brightly. “Cherrykit and Molekit are our newest members, born to Poppyfrost.” He waited while warm murmurs of congratulations echoed through the Clans before concluding, “At this rate, we’ll have to make the warriors’ den even bigger.” He dipped his head. “With the blessing of StarClan.” Then he jumped down from the oak.
Dovepaw lifted her head, feeling very proud of her leader. Around her, the cats began to drift across the clearing. Apprentices mingled, sharing training gossip, and warriors gathered in knots while elders swapped their own news
Blossompaw and Briarpaw were heading for a cluster of ShadowClan and RiverClan apprentices.
“Are you coming?” Briarpaw called.
Dovepaw blinked. She’d been looking for Tigerheart. “In a while,” she promised.
Where had he gone? Snowbird and Redwillow were gossiping with two WindClan warriors. Tigerheart was nowhere to be seen. She breathed deeply, trying to make sense of the jumble of scents on her tongue.
There!
She tasted his scent at last. Her gaze darted toward a bramble bush at the far side of the clearing. He was crouching in the shadows beneath.
“Hiding?” she mewed, trotting up to him.
He sat up. “What from?”
“Me.” Dovepaw stared boldly at him. “You promised you’d explain what you were doing in our territory.”
Tigerheart’s eyes grew wide. “Keep your voice down!” He glanced nervously around. “Follow me.” Creeping away, ears and tail lowered, he led her through the bramble thicket and into a small dip behind a cracked willow tree. Dovepaw blinked, her eyes adjusting to the shadows. The willow blocked out the moon and half of Silverpelt.
“Look,” Tigerheart whispered. “I can’t tell you exactly what I was doing, but we’re not planning an invasion, I promise.”
Dovepaw cocked her head. The young warrior was definitely up to something. “You were on myterritory,” she reminded him. “I have a right to know why. And if you don’t tell me, I’m going to report you to Firestar!”
Tigerheart dropped his gaze. “You do have a right to know.” His mew was soft, apologetic. “But, please, I need you to trust me.” He raised his eyes and gazed into hers. They were round, almost black, and glittering with worry.
Dovepaw felt a rush of sympathy. The young tom was clearly torn. Something was bothering him. She nodded, distracted for a moment by the soft fur edging his face. He seemed desperate for her to understand. She curled her tail to touch the tip of his. He stiffened at her touch, but didn’t draw his tail away; instead, he leaned forward and rested his nose against her ear fur.
“Thank you.”
The warmth of his breath on her ear made her shiver. It smelled sweet, for a ShadowClan cat’s breath.
“Okay.” She made an effort to focus on the reason she’d wanted to talk to him. “But if something is threatening the forest, I need to know.”
“Nothing’s threatening the forest,” Tigerheart promised. “I would tell you if something were.” His eyes grew rounder until Dovepaw felt his gaze reaching into hers. “On the journey upstream, we were almost…friends.”
Dovepaw found herself nodding vigorously.
He sighed. “If we were in the same Clan it would be so easy….”
No!Dovepaw drew back, suddenly aware that she was leaning far too close to this handsome young ShadowClan warrior. She had to change the subject! “H-how did you get those scratches?” She stared at the fur on his shoulder, still clotted with blood. “That one looks nasty.”
Tigerheart sat back and shrugged. “Battle training.”
Dovepaw shuddered. Did ShadowClan warriors train with teeth and claws bared? “Has Littlecloud treated it? It may get infected.”
Tigerheart turned away so that his shoulder was hidden in shadow. “It’s not that bad, honest. It only hurts when I—” He broke off.
The bramble bush rustled.
Tigerheart crouched and flattened his ears. Dovepaw drew back into the deeply shadowed cleft between the roots of the willow tree.
“Blasted prickers.” It was an old mew, croaking with irritation. Dovepaw sniffed and smelled WindClan. It must be an elder looking for a quiet spot to make dirt.
Tigerheart scooted backward. “Got to go,” he murmured, and disappeared over the roots.
Dovepaw stared after him. Why was he acting so odd? Puzzled, she hopped out of the dip and onto a thick root. “It’s quiet over there!” she called to the grumbling WindClan elder, pointing with her tail to a clear spot a few tail-lengths farther into the woods.
The old cat dragged himself free of the brambles. “Nowyou tell me!” he rasped. “Once my ears have been shredded and half my pelt is hanging in this fox-toothed bush.”
Whiskers twitching, Dovepaw scooted back to join her Clan. Sandstorm saw her and nudged Whitewing.
“Dovepaw?” The white warrior was calling for her anxiously. “There you are!”
“I wasn’t far away.” Dovepaw weaved past Thornclaw and Graystripe, while Firestar circled his Clan, his shoulders rippling with tension. “What’s going on?”
“Blossompaw! Briarpaw! I’ve found her!” Whitewing called back the two apprentices who had been scooting around the edge of the clearing, sniffing the bushes. “Where were you?”
“Over there.” Dovepaw nodded vaguely toward the cracked willow. “Why isn’t anyone sharing tongues anymore?”
The Clans had separated and were eyeing one another warily.
Sandstorm flicked her tail. “WindClan and ShadowClan started fussing over boundaries again,” she huffed.
Ratscar paced around his Clanmates, his eyes burning in the moonlight as he glared at ThunderClan.
Breezepelt sat bolt upright, eyes slitted, his tail sweeping the ground behind him. “Borders are borders,” he growled at Lionblaze, who was staring back at the furious warrior.
“You share a mission with ThunderClan and they think they own the whole lake!” Crowfrost hissed.
Foxleap clawed at the ground. “But we saved the lake!”
“We allsaved the lake!” Onestar hissed. “Cats from every Clan. So why are you crossing borders like you own us now?”
Darkness slid over the clearing. Dovepaw looked up. The clouds that had been bubbling on the horizon had begun to drift across the moon. Pale light still filtered through, but the wind was picking up and the thickening clouds were swallowing Silverpelt star by star.
Firestar lashed his tail. “Let’s leave before StarClan calls a halt to this Gathering altogether.” He shot an angry look at Onestar and Blackstar. “ThunderClan is not making trouble and you know it.”
Dovepaw felt herself swept along by her Clanmates as they headed for the edge of the clearing. Blossompaw nudged her forward, while Millie, Brightheart, and Brackenfur jostled behind her.
Firestar held his ground a moment longer. “Think carefully,” he warned the WindClan and ShadowClan leaders, “before you accuse us of something we didn’t do!” He turned, curling his lip, and followed his Clan into the trees.
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 8
Cold raindrops showered from the roofas Ivypaw pushed her way through the entrance and flung herself into her nest, making the whole den shudder.
“Hey!” Blossompaw sat up, shaking out her pelt.
Dovepaw blinked open her eyes. Was it dawn already? She felt heavy with sleep after yesterday’s long training session with Lionblaze. He’d made her test her senses to their limit, insisting she keep her awareness spread to the very edges of their territory while she hunted for the Clan.
“Have a nice sleep?” Ivypaw asked crossly.
Gray light was seeping through the yew branches. Far above the hollow, the forest roared in the wind. Ivypaw’s pelt clung, sodden and dripping, to her small frame.
Another stormy day.
Dovepaw stretched and yawned. “Have you been out already?”
“Dawn patrol,” Ivypaw huffed. “I don’t see why Brambleclaw made me go while he let you sleep in.”
Dovepaw pricked her ears. Did Firestar tell his deputy about her powers so that hewould make allowances too? Why couldn’t they treat her like an ordinary apprentice? She stiffened as Ivypaw went on.
“What’s so special about you?” Ivypaw muttered. “I’ve seen Firestar watching you when he thinks no one’s looking. Now Brambleclaw’s started treating you like you’ve just come down from Silverpelt.”
“I guess they’re just making sure we’re following the rules,” Dovepaw soothed, hoping Ivypaw would believe her
“And the rule is that you get to lie in a warm den while I’m out trudging through the rain?” Ivypaw snapped.
Blossompaw was washing the drips from her pelt. “We all have to do dawn patrols sometimes,” she pointed out.
“Some of us more often than others,” Ivypaw growled.
“Perhaps Brambleclaw’s got something planned for me,” Dovepaw mewed.
“What? Like an extra rabbit for breakfast?” Ivypaw curled down into her nest with her back toward Dovepaw.
“I’m sorry you had to go out without me.” Dovepaw began lapping at the raindrops caught in Ivypaw’s pelt. I wish they’d send me on the same patrols as Ivypaw, just to make it fair.“At least we’re allowed out of camp now,” she mewed between licks.
“Huh!” Ivypaw grumped, but Dovepaw could feel her relaxing.
“They can’t punish you forever,” Blossompaw mewed.
The two apprentices had been confined to camp for a quarter moon as part of their punishment for crossing the border into WindClan territory. Dovepaw couldn’t help thinking the elders’ den and nursery had never been so clean. They had spent every day dragging bracken in and out of the dens until Ivypaw was convinced they’d made every cat in the Clan a new nest.
“Dovepaw!” Lionblaze’s call sounded through the yew branches.
Ivypaw snorted. “Great timing,” she complained. “You were just getting to my itchy spot.”
“Sorry,” Dovepaw apologized. “Got to go.” She leaped from her nest and pushed her way out of the den into a haze of rain. “What is it?”
Lionblaze was sitting, whiskers dripping, in the rain-soaked clearing. “Hear anything?”
Dovepaw sighed. This had become his usual greeting. Did he think she was nothing more than a pair of gigantic walking ears?
“No,” she hissed, her irritation deepening as she noticed Firestar emerge from his den, his gaze flicking straight toward her.
A ripple of dark fur caught her eye. Briarpaw was scampering toward her, brown pelt plastered with rain. Thornclaw, her mentor, padded slowly after her.
“We’re going on border patrol!” Briarpaw skidded to a halt, slewing muddy water against Dovepaw’s pelt. The wind, circling down into the hollow, tugged at her whiskers
Dovepaw purred, cheered by her denmate’s enthusiasm. It was as if the young cat hadn’t even noticed it was raining.
Thornclaw clearly had. He shook his whiskers crossly, sending droplets spraying. “Are you ready?” he asked Lionblaze, casting a brief glance at Dovepaw. “Brambleclaw wants us to check ShadowClan’s markers.”
Dovepaw felt a surge of excitement. A run through the forest would warm her up. “Come on!” She raced for the thorn barrier, beckoning to Briarpaw with her tail, and slipped through, happy to be out of sight of Firestar’s watchful gaze.
Thornclaw caught up to them outside.
“Which way should we go?” Dovepaw panted.
Thornclaw was staring along the gully. “We’ll go by the ancient oak,” he decided. He headed through the trees, his paws slapping over the wet leaves.
As they headed into the dripping forest, Dovepaw screwed up her face. Mud was clogging her claws and oozing up through her toes. Each time they pushed through a thicket a fresh shower of water seeped through her pelt.
Suddenly pawsteps slithered behind them. “Wait for me.” Graystripe was hurrying after them. “Firestar asked me to join you.” The gray warrior was puffing. His leaf-bare pelt, normally so thick, was rain-slicked against his body and he looked unusually lean.
Thornclaw flicked his tail. “Has ShadowClan been crossing the border again?”
“No prey has been stolen.” Lionblaze narrowed his eyes. “Just a few stray scent trails on our side of the border.”
Graystripe shook the rain from his fur till it stood in spikes. “Firestar wants us to keep an eye on the situation.”
Briarpaw’s eyes were round. “Do you think Firestar will mention it at the Gathering tomorrow?”
“I don’t see why not,” Graystripe meowed.
Thornclaw peered up through the trees. “If there isa Gathering.” Dark clouds swarmed the sky, heavy with more rain.
“There’s a good breeze,” Graystripe observed. “I think it’ll have blown away the clouds by morning.” A hefty gust buffeted its way through the canopy and whisked the undergrowth. Graystripe dug in his claws as the breeze streamed through his whiskers. “If it hasn’t blown us away too.”
The stream was in full flood and it took Thornclaw a while to find the narrowest place to cross. He leaped first over the gushing brown water and turned to watch Briarpaw safely over. Dovepaw jumped next, her heart lurching as her paws skidded on the muddy bank. Thornclaw grabbed her scruff while she found her feet. Graystripe and Lionblaze made the crossing in easy bounds.
“It’s hard to believe the lake was ever empty,” Graystripe commented, watching the water swirl away downstream.
Lionblaze was already pushing on, leaping onto a fallen tree. The bark was green and shiny with wet moss, and as he landed his paws skidded, sending him hurtling over the other side. “Oof!”
Dovepaw heard him grunt as he crashed down through the dripping foliage. The smell of wild garlic tainted the air. She stretched her front paws up the log, peering over the top. “Are you okay?”
Lionblaze was thrashing around in a patch of dark green leaves, turning the air sour with their scent as he crushed them beneath him.
Dovepaw swallowed back a purr of amusement as Lionblaze finally scrambled to his paws, his fur ruffled. “I’m fine,” he snapped.
“Should we all disguise our scent?” Dovepaw asked as innocently as she could.
“That wasn’t my intention and you know it!” Lionblaze flicked his tail and headed on through the forest while Thornclaw and Graystripe bounded over the fallen tree after him.
“Be careful,” Briarpaw warned with a sparkle in her eyes as Dovepaw mounted the log. “It’s a bit slippery.”
Dovepaw snorted.
Briarpaw was purring loudly as they caught up with their mentors, but she hushed when Thornclaw flashed her a stern look. Instead, she wrinkled her nose at Dovepaw. “At least we won’t lose him,” she whispered, glancing at Lionblaze.
The golden tom stank of garlic, but was striding ahead as though he hadn’t even noticed.
Dovepaw began to scent ShadowClan markers, so strong that even the smell of Lionblaze couldn’t hide them. They mingled with the ThunderClan markers, which matched ShadowClan’s scent for scent. She wondered whether to cast her senses farther, to try to detect ShadowClan movement beyond, but yesterday’s practice had left her mind weary.
Light splashed in among the trees as they approached the edge of the forest. Dovepaw recognized the grassy space beyond, where she had charged unwittingly into a Twoleg pelt-den on the journey upriver. Fortunately the field was deserted now. Not even a Twoleg would be dumb enough to sit around in this miserable weather.
Lionblaze halted at the tree line, which was dotted with ShadowClan scent. Thornclaw and Graystripe began weaving among the undergrowth within the borderline, sniffing each bush and clump of ferns.
“Any sign?” Lionblaze called.
Graystripe shook his head, but Thornclaw had halted at a low hazel bush a few tail-lengths inside the border.
Briarpaw hurried to join him. “ShadowClan?” She sniffed the bush, the fur rippling along her spine. “They’ve been here!” she mewed in alarm.
Lionblaze and Graystripe crowded around her. Dovepaw hung back, the scent as clear in her nostrils as if she were standing beside it.
Tigerheart!
The scent pricked her memory. The young ShadowClan warrior had journeyed upstream to find the beavers with her. She knew his smell as well as any of her denmates’.
“Get back, Lionblaze,” Thornclaw ordered. “That garlic stink is tainting everything.”
That’s why he doesn’t recognize it!Dovepaw watched as Thornclaw sniffed again and found herself hoping that the warrior wouldn’t identify the scent.
Graystripe padded to the border and started pacing, lashing his tail. “Patrol!” he warned.
Four ShadowClan cats were approaching across the grass, their pelts rippling. Thornclaw and Lionblaze squared up beside Lionblaze to face them, keeping their paws on theirown side of the border, but baring their teeth.
While Briarpaw hurried to join her Clanmates, Dovepaw padded to the hazel bush and sniffed. It was definitely Tigerheart. What in the name of StarClan had he been thinking, crossing the border? Was it an accident? Perhaps he’d been chasing prey and hadn’t noticed until it was too late.
“What are you doing on our border?” A black-and-white ShadowClan tom stared challengingly at the ThunderClan patrol.
Dovepaw recognized Crowfrost from the Gatherings. He had halted a few pawsteps from the ThunderClan cats. Beside him stood Ratscar, Pinepaw, and Tigerheart.
Graystripe curled his lip. “We’re checking out the ShadowClan scents insideour border.”
Crowfrost’s hackles lifted. “What?”
“There’s a hazel bush drenched in ShadowClan scent over here,” Lionblaze snarled.
Tigerheart growled, “What would we want with a load of sodden old trees?”
Graystripe dug his claws into the muddy ground. “Then why did you cross our border?”
“No ShadowClan cat has crossed your border,” Ratscar hissed.
Dovepaw was watching Tigerheart. His amber eyes gave nothing away.
Thornclaw stood aside. “Come and smell it for yourself!” he challenged.
“Don’t tell us what to do!” Pinepaw was ripping at themuddy ground, grass clumping between his claws. “Just because it was ThunderClan’s idea to go upstream to find the river doesn’t mean you’re in charge of every cat.”
“Just smell it!” Thornclaw growled.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Crowfrost spluttered. “If we cross your border then there will definitely be ShadowClan scent on your territory.”
Ratscar curled his lip. “Are you trying to trick us into a fight?”
“Why would we do that?” Lionblaze stared levelly at the ShadowClan warrior.
Tigerheart stepped forward. “Okay,” he meowed. “I’llcheck it. But remember that youinvited me over the border!” He trotted over the scent line, his tail straight up in the air. “Where’s this bush?”
Dovepaw narrowed her eyes. If Tigerheart checked the scent, he’d disguise his old scent with new. The evidence would be hidden. Smart!She felt a flash of admiration for his cunning. But still, he was up to something. What could it be? She stood her ground beside the hazel bush as he approached.
“Over here?” he called, shoving his nose into the brown leaves. “There’s a faint scent here, but it’s too old to tell if it’s ShadowClan or ThunderClan.” He turned, brushing his pelt against the bush, leaving strands of fur clinging to the spiky branches. “You must have bees in your brain, as usual.” Nose high, he turned back toward his Clanmates. The two patrols were still facing each other, as if they were daring their rivals to make the first move.
Dovepaw hissed as he passed her. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
Tigerheart swung his head to stare at her, his eyes startled.
“Don’t deny it!” Dovepaw whispered, one eye on her Clanmates. They were busy outglaring ShadowClan. “I recognized your scent beforeyou crossed the border.”
“Don’t tell, please!” Tigerheart’s tail drooped. “I’ll explain everything at the Gathering tomorrow.”
He shifted his paws, glancing anxiously toward his Clanmates.
A wave of sympathy washed over Dovepaw. She didn’t want to get him in trouble. He’d helped her defeat the beavers. She at least had to give him a chance to explain. “Okay,” she agreed.
“Thank you.” Smoothing his fur, Tigerheart recrossed the border and joined his Clanmates. “They’re imagining it,” he reported to Crowfrost.
“See?” Ratscar sniffed. “It was probably just scent drifting over the border.”
Graystripe took a step forward. “There was definitely scent on that bush!”
Crowfrost leaned closer till their whiskers almost touched. Only the invisible border separated them. “Why are you so scared of a bit of ShadowClan scent?”
Briarpaw puffed out her chest. “We’re not scared!”
No cat moved.
“Are you leaving?” Thornclaw growled at last.
“Why should we?” Ratscar flashed back at him. “We’re on our own territory.”
Graystripe snorted. “Come on,” he ordered his Clanmates. “If they want to rot their paws by standing in the mud, let them.” He turned, letting his tail flick over the border so that it brushed Crowfrost’s nose.
Crowfrost growled, his fur spiking, but he didn’t move as the ThunderClan patrol followed Graystripe into the trees.
Dovepaw glanced over her shoulder. Ratscar and Crowfrost were talking softly, their heads bent together. Pinepaw was pacing the border, hackles still raised, but Tigerheart stood calmly gazing after her.
Dovepaw caught his eye and looked away, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
What’s wrong with him?He had been so open and straightforward on the journey upstream. She’d never thought of him as sneaky. At least he’d promised to explain at the Gathering.
As they approached the hollow, Dovepaw, out of habit, let her senses search for Ivypaw. Her sister was not in camp. She listened until she recognized Ivypaw’s mew.
“Told you so!” Ivypaw was in the training hollow with Blossompaw. “You didn’t get me that time.”
Comforted, knowing her sister was safe and well, Dovepaw followed the patrol through the thorns. Firestar was pacing the clearing, his pelt dripping from the rain. He turned as soon as the patrol entered camp.
“Well?” he demanded, padding straight to Graystripe.
Graystripe shook the water from his whiskers. “More scents inside the border,” he reported.
Firestar frowned. Dustpelt, who had been sheltering under ferns at the edge of the clearing, emerged into the drizzle. “Is ShadowClan still trespassing?”
Cloudtail, his white pelt gray with rain, sat huddled in the clearing, ears pricked and eyes round. Sandstorm peered out from Firestar’s den, her green gaze glinting from the gloom, and stared with narrowed eyes at the knot of warriors. Millie padded out from her den, touching Graystripe’s shoulder with her nose before nuzzling Briarpaw, their kit. The brambles at the entrance to the medicine den trembled and Jayfeather padded out and sat down, his unseeing stare fixed on the returning patrol.
“I think it’s just one warrior who’s crossing the border,” Graystripe reassured his Clanmates.
Sandstorm ran down the tumble of rocks. “Do you know which one?”
Dovepaw glanced at her paws. While angry murmurs rippled through her Clan as they speculated, she let her senses stretch back toward ShadowClan territory. Tigerheart was following his patrol into their camp. While Ratscar reported to Blackstar, he lifted a rat from the fresh-kill pile and carried it to the edge of the clearing, then lay down and began to eat, with one anxious eye on his leader.
“So what are we going to do about it?” Dustpelt’s challenge brought Dovepaw’s senses back to the ThunderClan clearing.
Firestar lifted his chin. “Since we don’t know yet which cat is crossing the border, there’s nothing we can do.”
Thornclaw growled, low and hard.
“But,” Firestar went on, “we will strengthen patrols on the ShadowClan border and hopefully catch this warrior and find out what he’s up to.”
“I’d like to be the one who catches him,” Lionblaze hissed.
“Or her,” Millie countered.
“Whoever it is,” Firestar went on, “we can’t be sure whether they are acting on behalf of ShadowClan or alone, and until we are, we must not overreact.”
“You’ll mention it at the Gathering, though?” Sandstorm prompted.
“If necessary,” Firestar meowed.
“If necessary?” Dustpelt spluttered.
Graystripe weaved between the brown tabby tom and his leader. “Why stir up ill feeling if none exists?”
Lionblaze lashed his tail. “Because ShadowClan will think we’re weak!”
Firestar sat down and hooked his tail over his forepaws. “Strength doesn’t have to be proved.” He gazed intently at the golden warrior. “Remember, it may just be a single ShadowClan warrior, not the whole Clan.”
“Then we should tell them!” Thornclaw snapped. “If they can’t control their own warriors, every Clan should know it.”
“I know, Thornclaw.” Firestar dipped his head to the tabby warrior. “But sometimes it’s better to wait and see before sharing our problems. I don’t want the Clans thinking we can’t protect our borders.”
Thornclaw shook some of the moisture from his fur. “I suppose,” he muttered.
Firestar and Sandstorm bounded up the rocks, back to the shelter of the leader’s cave. Dustpelt followed Thornclaw to the shelter of Highledge, while Graystripe, Millie, and Briarpaw went to sniff the bedraggled prey on the fresh-kill pile.
“Are you hungry?” Lionblaze asked Dovepaw.
Before she could answer Jayfeather called across the clearing, “So?” The gray medicine cat hurried toward them. “Do you know who it is?” His gaze flicked anxiously to Lionblaze as he went on. “I caught Tigerheart sniffing around our border a few nights ago.”
“Really?” Dovepaw couldn’t hide her surprise. Then the ShadowClan warrior wasup to something. Still, she held her tongue. She’d made a promise to let him explain first, and she wasn’t going to break it. After all, the Gathering was tomorrow. She wouldn’t have to keep her secret long.
“Tigerheart?” Lionblaze sounded equally surprised. “Why would he be up to anything on our borders? He was an ally half a moon ago! He helped us bring the river back.”
But Jayfeather was frowning. “That was half a moon ago,” he pointed out. “Not all cats think that one adventure makes everyone friends forever.”
Dovepaw bristled. Was he criticizing her for going to check on Sedgewhisker? Guilt stabbed her. And now she had agreed to keep Tigerheart’s secret. Perhaps Jayfeather was right to remind her of her loyalties.
A raindrop dripped from her ear tip and tickled the soft fur inside. She shook her head sharply. She would keep quiet until she heard what the ShadowClan warrior had to say at the Gathering.
第五章
第五章
鸽爪伸展着疼痛的四肢，翻来覆去，她的窝沙沙作响。她的同巢伙伴很快就睡熟了。月亮刚升到山谷上方，他们便睡着了。训练过后，大家都很疲惫。
不过，鸽爪却没有感到一丝睡意。她看到莎草须在族伴的搀扶下一瘸一拐地走回了营地。她能闻到莎草须结痂的伤口上的血腥味，甚至能感受到热气正从莎草须那条肿胀的腿上往出冒。她需要知道她的风族朋友伤得到底有多么严重！
“你没事吧？”藤爪从窝边看向她，圆圆的眼睛里尽是担忧，“你从树枝上掉下来时伤着了吗？”
“没有。”鸽爪诚实地回答道。受伤的只是她的自尊心。狮焰太专横了！现在他居然在试图教她如何使用她的力量。他应该像松鸦羽那样尊重她，而不是把她当作愚蠢的学徒。
藤爪坐起了身：“你一点儿也不累吗？”
鸽爪弹了弹尾巴：“不累。”
“来吧。”藤爪从自己的窝里走了出来，梅花爪又打起了鼾，“我们去森林里。”
鸽爪的心猛地一跳，希望闪过。她坐起身。藤爪打算干吗？
荆棘爪翻过身平躺着，脚掌像兔子那样在空中交叠着。
“自从你去找河狸以来，我们还没在夜里出去过呢。”藤爪蹑手蹑脚走到巢穴口，溜了出去。鸽爪急忙跟了上去，巢穴口低矮的紫杉枝刷过她的皮毛。幽暗的山谷中央，空地被闪烁的星光照得像水池一样。鸽爪能闻到头顶上方森林的气味，尘土里混着落叶的气味，还有夜露的湿气。
她将自己的感知延伸出去，越过荆棘屏障，嗅到玫瑰瓣正在营地入口警戒。玫瑰瓣的脚掌在地上移动着，呼出的气像白雾一样翻腾着。
“我知道有一条隐秘的通道可以出去。”她告诉藤爪。
“从排便处通道钻出去？”藤爪猜测道。
“比那要好。”鸽爪贴着空地的边爬过去，经过巫医巢穴的入口，挤过巫医巢穴旁杂乱的黑莓丛，最后到了远处的岩壁。她在缠绕的茎秆中伸直身子，够到了一个低矮的石台，爬了上去。
“你跟上来了吗？”她向下冲藤爪悄声问道。
她姐妹那银白相间的皮毛在黑莓丛间闪烁。“来了。”藤爪长喘了一口气。
鸽爪跳上相邻的一个石台，然后又跳上另一个。最后，下方营地里的巢穴看起来像一簇簇小灌木。她兴奋地嘶嘶叫着，爬过峭壁的边缘，跳到柔软的草地上。
藤爪跟在她身后跳了上来：“你是怎么发现这条路的？”
“是狮焰。”他曾告诉过她，万一想在不被发现离开营地时可以用这条路。我敢打赌他绝对想不到我这么快就用上它了，她这么想着，眼睛里露出一丝得意，我要自己做决定。
半月照亮了树梢，月色透过光秃秃的树枝，给森林大地添上了一道道银色斑纹。鸽爪跑到了树林中，呼吸着森林夜色中潮湿的霉味。
藤爪在她身旁跑着：“不知道有没有其他猫也出来了？”
鸽爪释放出自己的感知，穿过树林，感受着一切活动的迹象：拍在湖岸的波浪轻轻低语着，就像她母亲的舌头舔着她的皮毛；边界另一侧，一只影族幼崽从噩梦中醒来，正在哭泣；越过湖泊，在河族领地的另一边，两脚兽在它们的巢穴中号叫着。
“我们该去哪儿？”藤爪的问题让她立刻回过神来，“去废弃的两脚兽巢穴怎么样？那里太恐怖了，我敢打赌你肯定不敢去！”
不。鸽爪非常清楚自己想去哪儿。她感受得到莎草须在窝里翻来覆去，眼睛不停地眨着，似乎腿上的伤痛让她难以入眠。“我们去荒原吧。”
藤爪猛地停住了：“风族领地？”
“直接去他们的营地。”鸽爪停在藤爪身旁，她需要提出一个藤爪无法反对的理由。
她的姐妹盯着她，胡须颤抖着，就像是在嗅闻着猎物。“去他们的营地？”藤爪屏住呼吸重复了一遍。
“自从远征回来后，我还没见过白尾或是莎草须。”
藤爪的尾巴垂了下去。“你见她们做什么？”她听起来有些疑惑和受伤，“你不需要风族的朋友，你在这里有朋友。”她将尾巴指向山谷的方向。
“但是你就不想看看我们能否做到吗？”鸽爪哄劝道。她没法儿做到在不泄露秘密的前提下向藤爪解释莎草须受伤了。“如果被抓住了，我们就说是迷路了。我们还只是学徒，不会有谁觉得我们是想要入侵。”她一定要去看看莎草须是不是没事。狮焰不在乎，不代表我也必须这样。“哦，来吧。”她求藤爪。
藤爪眯起了眼睛，然后点点头。“好吧。”她跑着穿过树林，朝风族边界而去。“如果有风族猫抓到我们，”——她躲在一片紫杉丛下——“我们可以说我们在追一只松鼠，没注意到已经越过了边界。”
鸽爪在矮树枝下爬着，肚皮拂过地面。“那样说，风族猫会觉得我们实在太蠢了，居然没发现误闯到荒原上了。”她指出。
“好吧。”藤爪滑下堤岸，“那我们就说我们在梦游。”
“什么，我们俩都在梦游？”鸽爪不知道姐妹是不是认真的。
“我们只是不能直接告诉他们我们是来探望白尾和莎草须的。”藤爪补充道。
为什么不能呢？她们曾一起踏上征途。“我们只要确保不被他们抓到就行。”鸽爪最后说道。
她们快要走出森林了，鸽爪已经能闻到荒原的气味。她将自己的感知向远处延伸，越过泥沼和石楠丛。然而，风族营地里，除了蜷缩在窝中的猫发出的轻轻呼吸声，她什么也没发现。她松了一口气。“我很好奇风族的营地看起来是什么样子？”她说道。
藤爪走出树林，在陡峭的堤岸顶停了下来。风撕扯着她的胡须，她不禁打了个寒战。“真庆幸我不是风族猫。”她们的下方，两族交界的小溪发出汩汩的声音，“在这么开阔的地方睡觉感觉一定很奇怪。”
“他们肯定有巢穴。”
“但是没有树。”藤爪说道，“头顶只有空旷的天空。”她滑下堤岸，到了底下时后腿一蹬，一跃就过了狭窄的小溪。她转头看着站在堤岸上的鸽爪：“想想看，风暴来临时，这里会变成什么样子。”她战栗起来。
鸽爪的目光越过在她们面前耸起的荒原。荒原像一只正在暗淡的夜空下睡觉的巨猫。
“快点儿。”藤爪催促着，“这里太可怕了。”
鸽爪跳下堤岸，跃过小溪。从草丛和石楠丛中刮过的风，吹在她的身上就像成群的八哥拍打着她。她颤抖起来，想起了逆流而上的那次远征以及途中为了寻找河狸而必须穿过的光秃秃的领地。“这很像当时我们……”她突然停住了。
“什么？”
鸽爪摇了摇头。“没什么。”藤爪仍然对不被允许参加远征而耿耿于怀，难怪她对探望白尾和莎草须不感兴趣。
藤爪扫视着荒原，因为紧张，眼睛睁得大大的。空气中充满风族气味标记的浓烈味道。“你觉得他们有夜间巡逻队吗？”
鸽爪竖起耳朵，搜索着风族巡逻队。很远的地方，有一只怪物在咆哮，山坡上有羊在低叫，它们油腻刺鼻的气味闻起来很熟悉。当初她跟众猫一起远征，不得不在它们散发着恶臭的泥泞的腿间躲藏时，就闻到过这种气味。
她抛开回忆。荒原上仍没有猫的身影。“什么也没有。”她安慰着藤爪，担心藤爪会奇怪她怎么会如此肯定，就补充道，“风向我们刮来，要是有巡逻队，很容易就能嗅到。”
藤爪已经张开嘴巴，嗅闻着风中的气息。“快点儿。”她开始往山坡爬去，半闭着双眼迎着风，银白相间的皮毛在月光下闪耀。
鸽爪跟着她越过气味线，内心十分紧张。她们现在已经在风族的领地上了，她不敢开口说话。她们爬上山坡，风更加猛烈地吹在她们的皮毛上。突然，一只羊在附近大叫一声，她们俩都跳了起来，连忙冲过金雀花丛，压低身子从石楠丛中往前钻。
藤爪放慢了脚步。“你真的想直接去他们的营地？”她的声音中有一丝颤抖。
鸽爪能嗅到风族营地就在前面一座小山丘后。她可以听见猫在巢穴中发出的轻柔的呼吸声。风族营地的画面出现在她的脑海里：一大片坚硬的灌木丛遮蔽着沙地上的洼坑，一块被脚掌踩踏出的空地，一片金雀花掩映着的洼地散发着浓烈的草药味。“就离前方一点点了。”她乞求道。她能清晰地感觉到莎草须，这只浅棕色的虎斑母猫正躺在巢穴里，旁边是白尾。她们的同巢伙伴围绕在四周，皮毛混杂在一起，相互取暖，抵御着寒风。只有莎草须不停地动着，小心翼翼地嗅闻着伤口。如果她没有留在巫医巢穴，那就说明她的伤情不是很严重。鸽爪推断着，但担心还是让她皮毛刺痛。她必须确认一下！
但是星族啊，她该怎样引起莎草须的注意，又不惊醒巢穴中其他猫？
等我们到了再担心这些吧。
她们悄悄来到山丘顶。眼前的地面凹了进去，在荒野上，出现了一个宽阔的洼坑，洼坑四周被草坡包围，洼坑的底部的边上，是繁茂的灌木丛围墙。洼坑的中央是一片发光的沙地，跟鸽爪想象中的一模一样。
“就在那儿！”鸽爪激动得差点儿忘记要小声，“营地！”
藤爪忙用尾巴扫过姐妹的嘴巴。“我打赌黄蜂爪和荆棘爪从不会这么做！”她屏住呼吸，“你不是真的要去寻找莎草须和白尾，对吧？”
“当然要去！”鸽爪开始顺着斜坡往下溜。
“你不能去！”藤爪反对道，“太危险了！”
鸽爪回头看了一眼。“如果你不想去，你可以待在山顶。”她小声说道。
藤爪紧跟在她身后冲了下来。“没门儿！如果你要去，那我也要去！我们是一起的，对吗？”
鸽爪非常清楚武士巢穴在哪里，便向那里爬了过去，脚掌下的草很滑。
藤爪紧紧地跟着她，几乎不敢喘气：“他们都睡着了吗？”
鸽爪的尾巴抽搐着：“几乎都睡了。”
藤爪犹豫了一下：“你什么意思？”
“没事。”鸽爪催促道，“只有一位守卫。他不会看到我们的。”鸽爪能看到空地上有一位武士的身影，他正疲倦地缩着双肩，背向她们，看着前方。
她们偷偷溜到矮小营墙旁的阴影里。看到那个守卫，藤爪吓得身子发僵，忙压低身子。她们轻轻穿过茎秆间的缺口，蹑手蹑脚地走向一大簇灌木丛。武士巢穴。
溜进枝条下的黑暗处，鸽爪这才感到一丝轻松。
藤爪在她身旁仍颤抖着：“我们现在怎么办？”
“莎草须就睡在那墙的后面。”鸽爪用尾巴触摸着长满刺的茎秆，感觉她的朋友就在一尾外。“莎草须！”她小声叫道。
“你在做什么？”藤爪吃了一惊。
鸽爪没理会姐妹的反对。“莎草须！”她的声音更大了。
墙后的树叶沙沙作响，莎草须坐了起来。
“她来了！”鸽爪低声对藤爪说。她能听到莎草须用三条腿在巢穴间走着，她那受伤的腿小心地蜷缩在身下。
浅棕色虎斑猫犹如黑暗中的一缕月光，出现在她们身旁。“伟大的星族啊！鸽爪！你在这儿做什么？”
鸽爪将头扭向一边。这位风族武士听起来很生气，没有表现出见到一起远征的老朋友的狂喜。
“跟我来！”莎草须小声说着，一瘸一拐穿过营墙，爬上长满绿草的斜坡。她爬过坡顶，在山丘的另一边蜷伏下来。因为疼痛，她身子缩了一下。
鸽爪和藤爪紧跟在她身后。
“你还好吧？”鸽爪担心地盯着莎草须的后腿。莎草须的后腿缠着蛛丝，散发出草药的气味。
莎草须皱着眉头：“你们为什么来这儿？”
鸽爪感觉她的耳朵平贴了起来。难道她不高兴她们来？“我……我很担心……”她结结巴巴地说，“我听到有一只狗在追你。”她不敢说太多，以免泄露自己的秘密，但她似乎已经说得太多了。莎草须的喉咙中发出一声低吼。
“你在监视我们吗？”风族武士厉声问道。
藤爪扭头盯着鸽爪，眼里闪过警觉和疑惑：“你没提到过狗！”
莎草须逼近鸽爪：“你怎么知道的？”
鸽爪往后缩着：“我……我在训练的时候听到的。”
藤爪眨眨眼：“什么时候？你没说过！”
莎草须的眼睛眯成了一条缝，盯着她们。
鸽爪突然感到一阵沮丧。“我只是因为担心你受伤。”她嘟哝道。
莎草须身上的毛竖了起来：“我们能照顾好自己，你应该知道的。我们不需要一位雷族学徒来监视我们！”
灌木墙外的阴影处传来一个声音：“发生什么事了？莎草须，你在跟谁说话？”
鸽爪和藤爪僵住了。她们无处可藏！那脚步踏上山坡朝她们走来。藤爪露出爪子，鸽爪则尽力放缓呼吸。这有点儿出乎意料。
一个轻盈的姜黄色身影出现在山谷边上。
是鼬毛。
他先是打量着两位雷族学徒，又望向莎草须。“你这是在干什么？”他疲倦地叫道，“今天因为你，搞得整支巡逻队和那只狗纠缠不休。你还嫌给我们惹的麻烦不够多吗？”
莎草须愤怒地说：“但只有我受伤了！”
鼬毛回头看着营地。“有入侵者！”他大喊道，但吼声中没有丝毫急迫感。“你为什么不提醒族群？”他问莎草须，似乎当鸽爪和藤爪不存在。
“我正处理这件事。”莎草须咆哮道。
藤爪直起身，胡须颤抖着。“我们不需要被处理。”她气愤地说道。
“嘘！”鼬毛面向她，颈毛竖起。
风族猫开始从矮墙中的缺口涌出来，挤到了斜坡上。
一只蓝眼睛的虎斑猫围着她们转着，嗅着空气：“是雷族猫！”
“是入侵吗？”一只棕白相间的公猫卷起了嘴唇。
一只虎斑公猫抽动着尾巴：“我没闻到其他猫的气味。”
“他们可能掩藏了气味。”一只黑母猫咆哮道。
“你真以为他们有那么聪明吗？夜云？”虎斑公猫嘲笑道。
风皮溜上山丘，身上的毛竖着。“你们在这里做什么？”他眼里闪过威胁。
这时，一星出现了，他走到这位年轻武士的前面。鸽爪满怀希望地眨眨眼。“兔泉！”风族族长向那只棕白相间的公猫点头说道，“你带着叶尾和枭须搜查这片区域。”
三位武士尾巴低垂，颈毛竖立，跑开了。
蓝眼睛虎斑猫望着他们离去的身影，爪子抓挠着草地：“我要跟去吗？”
“镇定点儿，石楠尾。”一星命令道，“如果他们需要支援会喊的。”
鸽爪的心在狂跳。“我们是自己来的。”她将尾巴搭在藤爪身上，尽力抬高下巴。
一星目光严厉。“你们为什么来这里？”他质问道，“是火星派你们来的吗？”
鸽爪摇了摇头。
莎草须看着她的族猫。“她知道狗的事情。她知道有狗追咬我们。”她瞥了一眼鸽爪，继续说道，“但没什么是我们处理不了的。”
一星瞪大了双眼：“你是怎么知道的？”
鸽爪早已想好了答案：“我在训练时听到的。”
石楠尾咆哮道：“那你怎么知道它是在追我们风族武士呢？”
鸽爪努力搜寻着合适的词汇。“我只是……猜的。”她最后说道。
“你猜的？”风族族长听起来并不相信，他的族猫也互相交换着怀疑的目光。
风皮来到族长身旁，盯着两位雷族学徒：“你还猜到我们风族其他什么事情？”
一只小个头的白色母猫出现在山丘上。是白尾！她看到鸽爪时，毛竖了起来。
鸽爪盯着地面。她不希望看到白尾像莎草须一样，表现出不高兴的样子。她们结下的友情到底怎么了？
白尾走到两位雷族学徒身边。“远征已经结束了。”她告诉鸽爪，“你必须尊重边界。你应该忠诚的是你自己的族群。”她语气温柔，至少，她似乎能理解鸽爪的失落。
“难道雷族没教他们的学徒识别气味标记吗？”一位年轻的风族学徒在白尾身后生气地走着，嘴唇卷着。
“当然教了！”藤爪激动地回应着。
一星的尾巴扫过石楠丛。“回到你们的巢穴去。”他对自己的族猫命令道，“石楠尾和风皮会把这两位愚蠢的学徒带回她们该去的地方。”
鸽爪的皮毛发热：“我们不蠢！”
一星盯着她：“那你们为什么会在这儿而不是蜷缩在自己的窝里？”
鸽爪无法直视他的眼睛。我以为我的朋友遇到了麻烦！愤怒和悲伤在她的肚子里蠕动。都是她那愚蠢的力量的错，让她听到狗在袭击莎草须！她只是想努力成为一位优秀的武士，成为一位好的朋友。但友情似乎一文不值。当石楠尾推着她走下山坡时，她低垂着头。
“我们送你们回家！”蓝色眼睛武士说道。
鸽爪甩开她，跺着脚掌穿过石楠丛，藤爪跟在她身旁。“还好他们没把我们撕碎。”藤爪低声说。
懊悔驱散了鸽爪的愤怒：“对不起，是我让你来的。”
“你没强迫我做任何事！”藤爪生气地回答道。
她们穿越荒原时，两位风族武士走在她们左右。没有一只猫说话，只有风皮的喉咙中偶尔会发出一声低吼。
石楠尾扭头盯着她的同伴。“你能不能别再发出那样的声音了！”她咆哮道。
“你是想让她们觉得自己受欢迎吗？”风皮厉声回道。
“我觉得她们已经收到一星的警告了。”石楠尾说道，“她们不需要你不停地怒吼，她们只是学徒而已。”
“这是教她们别再犯同样的错误。”
“闭嘴！”石楠尾吼道，“又没有谁死了让你成为族长！”
风皮发出一声嘶吼，然后安静了下来。
四只猫穿过石楠丛，来到雷族的气味线附近。沟中流动的小溪在这里分开了两族的领地。
“我们认识从这里回去的路。”鸽爪告诉风族武士。
石楠尾平静地看着她：“我们要把你们送回营地。”
“你们不能这么做！”藤爪反对道。
如果她们把风族猫带到自己领地的中心地带，火星会怎么说？鸽爪气恼得身上的毛顺着脊背竖了起来。但是风族猫看起来心意已决。她和藤爪打不过他们，她也不能乞求风族猫放弃去雷族营地的想法，因为她们不能再丢脸了。
风皮已经越过小溪，鸽爪不情愿地带着姐妹下到溪岸，跳过水沟。石楠尾跟在她们身后。鸽爪迈着沉重的脚步向营地走去。
“火星会杀了我们的。”藤爪在她耳边小声说。
鸽爪不想去想这些。她不能解释为什么自己会带藤爪去风族营地，除非泄露她的力量。整个族群都会觉得她们是鼠脑子，做事莽撞。
风族猫走在她们前面，沿着小道穿梭着通过灌木丛，似乎很熟悉这片森林。石楠尾沿着一条狐狸走过的小道掉转方向，带着他们绕过一大片黑莓丛。
藤爪摇动着尾巴：“你们怎么知道要往哪儿走？”
石楠尾头都不回地说道：“我们以前来过这里。”
“但是——”藤爪刚要继续发问。
“她已经说过了，我们以前来过这里。”风皮咆哮着打断了她们的对话。
当他们靠近荆棘屏障时，鸽爪嗅到玫瑰瓣向他们跳了过来。“你们在这儿做什么？”玫瑰瓣颈毛竖起，警惕地看着风族武士。
风皮停下脚步：“我们不是要发动攻击。”
石楠尾走到风皮身旁：“我们只是把这两只乱逛的猫送回来。”
玫瑰瓣疑惑地看着鸽爪和藤爪。“你们溜出山谷做什么？为什么和他们在一起？”她将尾巴指向风族猫。
一片乌云遮住了月亮。突来的阴影让鸽爪感到一丝轻松。她盯着自己的脚掌，不知道如何解释。
“我们在我们的营地外面发现了她们。”石楠尾告诉满脸惊讶的雷族武士。
玫瑰瓣动了动脚掌，目光重新回到石楠尾身上。“谢谢你们送她们回来。”她说道，“我会把她们带回她们的巢穴。”
风皮上前一步。“我们要和她们一起进去。”他告诉玫瑰瓣，“我想跟火星说几句话。”
玫瑰瓣的皮毛倒立了起来：“他在睡觉。”
“她俩吵醒我们前，风族猫也在睡觉。”石楠尾咆哮道。
鸽爪感觉自己缩进了皮毛里。
藤爪的尾巴耷拉了下来：“简直没法儿更糟糕了。”
风皮盯着她：“我可不想被指控说我们囚禁了雷族学徒。”
藤爪皮毛倒立：“我们不会说谎的！”
玫瑰瓣叹了口气，低下了头。“好吧。”她转过身，带着风族猫穿过荆棘屏障。
鸽爪跟在后面走了进来。听到玫瑰瓣脚掌踩在岩石堆上的声音，她的心跳开始加速。她要去叫醒火星了。
雷族猫从各自的窝里醒了过来。随着巢穴围墙一阵颤抖，他们纷纷站起身钻出巢穴看到底发生了什么。育婴室也一阵抖动，几声轻微的脚步声急速穿过空地。“发生什么事了？”小樱桃尖叫着问道。
罂粟霜的窝里也发出沙沙声，这位猫后跟着她的幼崽走出了育婴室，皮毛蹭过黑莓丛。
鸽爪尽量不去听其他猫在说什么。她的族猫正聚在一起见证她的耻辱。她该怎样解释呢？一阵沮丧汹涌而至，她感觉喉咙发紧。此刻，她多么希望从来就没有预言之类的事情，她自己也根本就没有什么特殊的力量。
为什么我就不能是一只普普通通的猫呢？
第六章
第六章
松鸦羽猛地惊醒过来。夜里的空气仍然很潮湿，然而空地上却有低语声，还有脚掌从落石堆下来时石子滚动的声音。
火星醒了。
松鸦羽坐起身。
他嗅了嗅空气。
风族猫。
松鸦羽跳出窝，钻出黑莓丛。狮焰和炭心也从武士巢穴出来了。
“发生什么事了？”狮焰围着自己的学徒转圈。
鸽爪没有回答，紧紧靠着姐妹，就像被日光照到的猫头鹰一样，不安地站着。
荆棘爪从学徒巢穴中挤了出来，胡须好奇地抽动着。“快过来看。”她回头冲同巢猫喊道。这时，黑莓掌刚刚走到空地中火星身旁。他身后的窝里一阵沙沙响，白翅和桦落都从巢穴中探头向外张望，尾巴轻轻地搅弄着枝条。
尘毛从他们身旁挤了过去。“他们在这里做什么？”暗棕色虎斑公猫的声音在营地的岩壁间回荡，语气中的愤怒像一根刺，直指风族武士。
风皮和石楠尾没有丝毫畏惧。
“小声点儿，尘毛。”火星命令道，“不要惊醒每一只猫。”
“为什么不？”黛西走出了育婴室，身上的毛竖着，“竟然有风族猫在我们的营地里！”
“这不是进攻。”白翅安慰着紧张的猫后。
“你确定？”尘毛围绕着空地的边缘走了一圈，每一步中都透着怀疑。
石楠尾的尾巴拂过地面：“你们好像有两位学徒不见了吧，我们奉命送她们俩回来。”
松鸦羽感到鸽爪和藤爪身体里跳动着羞愧的火焰。
“我会处理这件事的。”火星的目光扫过自己的族猫，“与此事无关的可以回自己窝里了。”
尘毛停了下来。紫杉丛沙沙作响，其他学徒进到自己的巢穴。白翅和桦落也缩回他们的巢穴。
“狮焰和炭心，你们俩留下来。”火星继续说道，“你也留下，松鸦羽。”
“那我呢？”黑莓掌问道。
“你去确保每一只猫都已回到自己的巢穴，然后安抚好猫后。”说着火星朝荆棘屏障走去。“你们几个跟我来。”他回头喊道，“我不想在营地中引起更多的骚动。”
松鸦羽尾随在鸽爪、藤爪、狮焰、炭心和风族武士之后，跟着雷族族长穿过了荆棘通道。夜里的空气使松鸦羽感觉自己的皮毛格外沉重，他的脑海中闪动着族猫们的不安和紧张。
来到营地外，火星坐了下来。狮焰的脚掌拖在落叶上。头顶上方，一只猫头鹰啼叫着，拍打着翅膀飞过树林。风皮和石楠尾僵硬地并肩站着，鸽爪和藤爪则不住地移动着脚掌。炭心有些紧张，很不高兴。松鸦羽能感受到炭心腹内的纠结。他自己在冷风中瑟瑟发抖着。
火星清了清嗓子说：“现在，说说怎么回事吧？”
风皮答道：“我们在我们的营地外发现了她们俩。”
鸽爪和藤爪靠得更紧了。
“藤爪？”火星盯着这位学徒，“是这么回事吗？”
“我们……”藤爪犹豫着，“我们只是在探险。”
“在风族领地中央？”火星的语气虽然很柔和，但隐隐有些生气。
“是我的错！”鸽爪插嘴说道，“是我……是我在树林中训练时，听到荒原上有只狗，我有些担心……”
松鸦羽屈起了爪子。哦不！鸽爪！你简直是鼠脑子！他感觉狮焰身子一僵。
风皮的喉咙中发出一声低吼。“你担心？”他的尾巴鞭打着落叶，“担心风族？火星，你没教过你的学徒武士守则吗？”
火星停了一下，然后平静地对风族武士说：“谢谢你们送她们回来。我为她们打扰了你们和你们的族猫感到抱歉。我保证这种事情绝对不会再次发生。”
松鸦羽感觉鸽爪的愤怒在皮毛下涌动，但她很明白她最好闭嘴。
“我们一直遵循武士守则生活。”火星向风皮保证道，语气坚定，“我们会确保这些年轻学徒理解武士守则的重要性。”雷族族长有些激动，也为自己学徒的行为感到尴尬，不过，松鸦羽也感觉到族长脑海中满是困惑。这两位学徒到风族领地到底想做什么？
石楠尾缓缓地呼了口气。“一定要说到做到。”当她转过身，准备离开雷族营地时，松鸦羽感觉石楠尾与狮焰之间的紧张如一道闪电噼啪作响。石楠尾给金色武士丢下最后一句狠话：“从现在起，你应该把你的学徒盯得更紧一些。”
蕨丛嗖嗖作响，风皮跟着石楠尾钻了过去。“风族能照顾好自己，不需要你们的帮助！”蕨丛完全合拢前，他还不忘喊了一句。
火星一直等风族猫的脚步声消失了，才转向鸽爪和藤爪：“以星族的名义，你们到底在做什么？”
“是我的主意！”鸽爪坚持说。
“藤爪不是一块时时粘着你的蛛丝！”火星说道，“她随时可以改变自己的想法。”
“我不想让鸽爪单独去！”藤爪反驳道。
“那并不能解释你们在风族领地做什么！”火星哼了一声，“听到有狗是什么意思？”
见两位学徒都默不作声，火星叹息道：“很好。无论是因为什么，这么做都很愚蠢！”
他真的会就这么算了吗？火星继续讲话时，松鸦羽歪着头想。
“我会让你们的老师来惩戒你们，但我希望他们能切实提高你们对武士守则的理解。很显然，你们目前的训练看起来对武士守则的理解还很不够。”树叶在他的脚掌下沙沙作响，“如果你们表现得像幼崽一样，那你们就该被像幼崽一样对待。现在，你们可以走了！”
鸽爪和藤爪刚准备迈步离开。
“鸽爪留下。”火星喊道，“我还有几句话对你讲。”
藤爪停了一下，疑惑地问道：“为什么不让我留下？”
“和你没关系。”炭心推着她向前走，“照说的去做！”
藤爪被老师推着离开，脚掌在地上拖着。
松鸦羽也决定要离开，但火星把他叫了回来：“我想让你和狮焰都留下。”
火星围着鸽爪转着圈，他的思维像棘刺般敏锐。“你怎么知道狗的事的？”他询问着学徒。
“你……你什么意思？”鸽爪结结巴巴地说。
火星将注意力转移到松鸦羽身上，怀疑地问道：“你呢？关于那只狗，星族向你发送过信号或是托过梦吗？”
松鸦羽摇了摇头。他希望自己可以用谎言来掩饰鸽爪犯下的愚蠢错误，但火星不会轻信的。“以前我倒是梦到过荒原上的狗，”他含糊地说道，“但不是最近。”
火星又将注意力转回到鸽爪身上。
“那么，你是怎么知道的？你是梦到的吗？”
“我告诉过你，”鸽爪回答，“我是听到的！”
一声失望的低吼从火星喉咙中响起：“那你呢？狮焰，你当时和她一起在树林里训练，你听到那只狗的叫声了吗？”
狮焰移动着脚掌。“我当时在地面上。”他咕哝着，“有风吹过，不可能听到。”
火星打断了他：“也就是说只有鸽爪听到。”
松鸦羽移动着脚掌，他的腹部一紧。雷族族长感觉到什么了吗？
“你还听到过什么其他猫没听到的事情吗？”火星突然问道，“还有别的吗？比如河狸堵塞小溪？那不是梦到的，对吗？”
松鸦羽僵住了。狮焰皮毛中散发出的震惊像一阵冰冷的风扫过全身。
族长叹了口气。“鸽爪，我已经猜到你能知道其他猫不知道的事，而且我不认为你是梦到的。那么，你是如何知道的？”他的尾巴尖拍着地面，“我需要知道，这很重要。虽然它帮我们拯救了湖泊，但它能让你惹上严重的麻烦。更糟的是，这可能会导致与风族的战斗。所以，作为族长，我必须知道，这是我的责任。”
鸽爪脑子一片混乱，飞速旋转着，思索着怎么说才不会暴露一切。
火星哼了一下，将注意力转回到松鸦羽和狮焰身上：“看来只能由我来挑明这件事了，对吗？”
火星继续说着，狮焰屏住了呼吸。
“我想，你们三个有某些共同之处。或许我们早应该讨论讨论这些。”
松鸦羽脊背上的毛竖了起来。
“松鸦羽，难道你就没想过你为什么能那么轻易地潜入其他猫的梦中？那不是每位巫医都能做到的。还有狮焰，你以为我没注意到你战斗的方式吗？你不只是勇敢，你是毫无畏惧。你一定知道你是安全的，任何一只普通的猫都不能伤到你。现在，我们又有了鸽爪，她能感知远处我们其他猫不能看到或听到的事情。”火星停了下来，深吸一口气。
他知道！松鸦羽的心跳得越来越快，他知道我们是三力量！
第七章
第七章
“很久以前，我被告知了一个预言——”雷族族长开始道来。
“我们知道！”松鸦羽打断了他。他曾潜入火星的一个梦中。“我们就是三力量。是你至亲的至亲，我们星权在握。”
震惊从火星的皮毛间闪过，随即疲惫地接受了这一事实。“所以你们都已经知道了。”他叹了口气，“我已经等待你们很久了，从叶池和松鼠飞出生之前就开始了。”
松鸦羽对火星的回忆并不感兴趣：“可这个预言是什么意思？”
“什么意思？”火星听起来很吃惊。
难道他不知道吗？
松鸦羽还没开口，鸽爪就抢先问道：“你认为三力量包括叶池和松鼠飞？”
“我曾经这么认为过。”火星慢慢地答道，“我猜测可能是她们和云尾，但什么都没发生。后来小松鸦、小狮和小冬青出生了。”火星停住了，再次开口时，他的声音里充满了好奇：“你们知道这个预言有多久了？”
松鸦羽耸了耸肩：“我们还是学徒时就知道了。”
“是星族告诉你们的吗？”
“不完全是。”松鸦羽真想潜入火星的思想，搞清楚雷族族长知道的所有跟预言相关的事，他可没兴趣听这些冗长乏味的话。但他只是三力量之一，狮焰和鸽爪也得了解情况，所以要想弄清整件事情，就不得不听族长无聊的讲述了。“可是，预言不一定非得由星族来告知，对吗？”松鸦羽强调道，“这不是星族的预言。”
“是的。”火星听起来很困惑，他的脚掌在夜里潮湿的地面上不停移动着，“你们知道你们的使命是什么吗？”
“难道你不知道吗？”鸽爪喘息道，“我是说，既然你知道这个预言，那你怎么会不知道它的意思呢？”
“那只老猫难道没告诉你吗？”狮焰问道。
火星沉默了片刻。眼前的这三只猫显然知道是谁告诉他预言的。“我觉得就算是他也不知道预言的意思。”火星承认道，“他只是在传递一个信息。”
冰冷的恐惧沿着松鸦羽的脊背蔓延开来。没有猫知道！他们是在黑暗中摸索，该怎么办呢？
他感觉火星用口鼻触碰了一下他的头。“星族说过你们会来，你们已经来了。我们必须有信心。眼下，我们除了静静等待，什么也做不了。”雷族族长小声说道。
愤怒撕扯着松鸦羽的肚子。难道火星不关心什么样的危险等着他的族群吗？
“告诉我，”火星将注意力转回到鸽爪身上，“你的力量到底是什么？”
松鸦羽感到鸽爪身体一僵，就像一只被捉的老鼠。他们一直都告诉她，要保守她的力量的秘密。
“没关系的。”狮焰说道，“你可以告诉他。”
“好吧。”鸽爪犹豫了片刻。“我能感知一些事情，”她小心翼翼地开始说，“很远的地方发生的事情。”
“你是怎么感知它们的呢？”火星追问道。
“我……我听得到，也闻得到，有时还看得到。”
“你一直都听得到吗？”
“各种各样的事情——它们就在我身边。”鸽爪有些焦躁不安。“我习惯了，就像……”她又停了一下，然后接着说道，“就像你不会时时刻刻注意到身边的每一棵树，但你知道它们就在那里，知道它们长什么样子，也能记住哪棵是哪棵。你可以把注意力集中在一棵树上，或者，如果某棵树换了位置或变得不一样了，你便会注意到它——你就会看得更仔细些。”
“我明白了。”火星的语气里充满了温暖，“现在我知道你为什么如此擅长狩猎了。”雷族族长的尾巴挥动着。“三力量终于到来了。”他听起来很满意，“从现在起，我应该可以睡得更安稳些了。你们一定要当心——你们所拥有的力量会让你们与其他猫产生距离，但你们仍是族群中的成员。在我们弄清预言的含义之前，你们千万别做出太过惹眼的事情。而且只要武士守则还在，你们就仍然受其约束。”
松鸦羽身子前倾，心怦怦地跳着：“可是我们不知道我们的使命是什么！”
“在我们弄清楚一切之前我们什么也做不了。”火星开始朝山谷走去。“雷族很幸运，因为你们已经来了。我们也不要去问星族。如果有任何风吹草动，一定告诉我。”他回头说道，“我会全力支持你们的。”
随着荆棘丛沙沙作响，雷族族长消失进了营地。
狮焰缓缓地舒了口气：“他之前怎么从没说过？”
松鸦羽坐了下来：“我猜他只是在等有十足的把握时才说。”
“是我暴露了大家。”鸽爪的语气中充满了懊悔，“我不该去风族。”
“这样对我们也好。”松鸦羽安慰她。
“是啊。”狮焰赞同道，“而且，现在要求与其他学徒分开训练时，也更容易了。”
“可我们仍然不知道，我们训练是为了什么。”鸽爪说着，打了个哈欠。松鸦羽突然意识到，这只年轻猫连脚掌都已经非常疲倦了。
他向狮焰眨眨眼睛，但金毛武士已经走向他的学徒。“来吧。”说着，他皮毛蹭着鸽爪，“我们送你回巢穴去。在明天训练之前，你得好好休息。”狮焰停了一下，继续说道：“你还要待在这里吗，松鸦羽？”
“我需要想一想。”
狮焰打着哈欠：“你就不能在你的窝里想吗？”
“我不会在外面待太久的。”松鸦羽保证道。
“好吧。”狮焰听起来太累了，不想多说什么。他跟着鸽爪穿过荆棘屏障，把松鸦羽独自留在树下。
火星知道的也不比我们多。松鸦羽叹了口气，顺着湖水和风的气息向湖泊走去。一走出树林，微风便将他的胡须吹拂在脸颊上。
松鸦羽脑中浮现出湖泊的画面。湖泊很宽广，黑漆漆的，也非常静谧，那根棍子就在湖泊的深处。我为什么要弄断它呢？
他靠近水边时，感受到了脚掌下的鹅卵石。一个声音从他的腹中响起：“对不起！岩石！我不是故意的！”他让夜里的湿气从舌头上飘过，想要捕捉到远古猫的气息。但除了枯萎的落叶和湖水的气味外，他什么也没嗅到。恐惧像一个黑暗的深坑，在他腹中张开大口。早在星族集聚在银毛星带之前，岩石就已经知道那个预言了，而松鸦羽却毁掉了与这只盲眼老猫的唯一联系。
“哦，岩石！求求你！我得知道！”
风将松鸦羽的乞求吹了回来。但他知道岩石听得见，如果岩石想回答，也能回答。
松鸦羽愤怒地沿着湖岸向溪流从森林中涌出的方向走去。他走上湖岸，小心翼翼地绕过缠绕着的树根，逆流进入树林。当溪流变窄时，他越过小溪，小心着不让尾巴沾到冰冷的潺潺流水。
脚掌下潮湿的地面踩着很舒服，他开始小跑起来。他注意力更加集中，跑着穿过树林，十分清楚地感受着周围的一切，胡须和鼻子为他指引着道路。他竖起耳毛，听到前方传来细小的声音，知道浓密的灌木丛就快到了。
突然，传来叶子断裂的噼啪声，一阵刺鼻的气味使他缩紧了鼻孔。
影族的气味！
他已经那么接近边界了吗？他放慢脚步，小心翼翼地前行着，不住地嗅着空气。边界标记分布在前面的树上，它们仍很新鲜。影族开始夜间巡逻了吗？他又闻了闻。只是一只公猫的气味。为什么只有一只猫出来独自标记气味呢？
一声号叫划破了空气，一双收着的爪子打到松鸦羽的肩膀上，将他推倒在铺满落叶的地面上。他胡乱骂着，向上撞去，怒火燃烧着他的肌肉。他甩开了攻击者，认出了这个气味。
“虎心！”
是褐皮的儿子。
年轻的影族公猫爬起身：“对……对不起！”
松鸦羽察觉到羞愧在虎心皮毛间奔涌，因为年轻公猫意识到自己攻击了巫医。
“我没想到是你。”虎心收起爪子时，地面上发出细微的声响，“我还以为你是入侵者。”
“巫医可以去任何需要去的地方。”松鸦羽提醒他。
“我……我知道。”虎心结结巴巴地说，“你在这儿做什么？我是说，这么晚了，你是来影族办事的吗？我可以带你去找黑星。你是要去那里吗？”
虎心还在说个不停。松鸦羽伏下自己蓬起的皮毛，嗅着空气，听着冲打湖岸的浪声和林间的风声，想弄清楚他所在的确切位置。他居然远离了湖岸，如此地接近影族边界，近得在年轻武士笨拙的攻击下倒向了错误的一边。意识到边界标记就在他的身后，松鸦羽小心翼翼地往回挪动，直到确保脚掌又回到他自己的领地内。巫医是有权利去想去的任何地方，但也不能毫无理由。
“这么晚了，你在这里做什么呢？”松鸦羽用反问虎心来掩饰自己的不安，“你在巡逻吗？”
“算……算是吧。”虎心移动着脚掌。“不管怎样，这跟你都没关系。”他的语气变得强硬了一些。
他的戒心很重。松鸦羽向虎心凑得更近了：“影族通常是不会在半夜派出只有一只猫的巡逻队的。”
“雷族也不会派巫医单独出来的。”虎心反驳道。
无耻的小子！“你应该回到自己的巢穴。”松鸦羽厉声说道，“你明天一定还有训练吧。”
令他惊讶的是，虎心真的向后退去。“好吧。”一转身，这只年轻的公猫忙跑进了树林。
松鸦羽闻着他的气味渐渐消失，这时，另一股气味传入他的鼻中。这股气味很奇怪，有些熟悉，似乎就环绕在他身边，却又不知到底在哪儿。
松鸦羽肩上的毛竖了起来。他身体一僵，感觉自己正被观察着。他猛地转过身，嗅着空气，竖起耳朵，心里懊恼自己看不见东西。暗处有猫在观察他吗？但没有声音，没有气味，只有虎心留下的气息。
松鸦羽抖抖皮毛。别这么鼠脑子了！品尝着黎明的气息，他低头钻过一簇榛树丛，朝营地走去。
在夜里这个时候，谁在观察我呢？

CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 10
Bright flowers nodded around the apprenticeas she weaved, slender as a pine martin, through the grass. She sneezed as pollen dusted her soft muzzle. Then, relishing the sun on her back, she lifted her forepaws and peered over the curving stems. Wide-eyed, she gazed at the broad green pasture and breathed the soft scent of the shimmering grass.
A huge gray mare ambled past, its wide hooves thumping the earth and tearing trails through the grass. The she-cat scooted backward and sheltered beneath the lush leaves of a dock. Butterflies whirled up as the horse sauntered away. The apprentice scampered and leaped after them, swiping the air as they jerked on the breeze and scattered like windblown petals into the blue sky.
The air was heavy with greenleaf scent and, as the cat tasted the breeze, she caught the musky tang of prey. Nostrils flaring, she followed the scent, tail down, ears flat. She tracked it through dark green clover and around a clump of bobbing white flowers before catching sight of a tiny flicker of movement.
Mouse!
Nibbling at the juicy roots of a cowslip, it didn’t even flinch as she began to wiggle her hindquarters. Confident, she pounced, but as her front paws left the ground, her back brushed against a thick poppy stem. Red petals flashed and the mouse whisked into the clover, diving under cover so thick that the cat lost sight of its tiny brown body. She plunged in her paws, patting the ground crossly, claws plucking but finding nothing but earth and roots.
Mouse dung!
“Bad luck.”
The apprentice spun around as a deep mew sounded behind her. She blinked at the broad-shouldered tom gazing at her. His muzzle was scarred, and when he lifted a paw to flick away a fly, his long, hooked claws glinted in the sun.
“I-is this your field?” she mewed nervously.
“I visit here, just as you do,” the tom replied. He rested his paw on the ground and cocked his head.
“This is the first time I’ve been here,” she admitted.
“Well, I’m glad you’ve come,” purred the tom. “It gets lonely sometimes.”
“Do you live nearby?”
The tom didn’t answer, but nodded toward the patch of clover where the mouse had disappeared. “Too bad you lost it,” he commented. “I could show you how to pounce without arching your back, if you like.”
She nodded shyly. This tom didn’t smell like a Clan cat, though he was as smooth pelted and tightly muscled as any warrior. His scent was strange and reminded her of walking in the forest at night.
“Watch this.” Crouching, the tom leaped forward, skimming the ground, keeping his back smooth and straight as he landed so that only his flank grazed the overhanging stems without disturbing them.
The apprentice watched wide-eyed.
“You try it.” The tom nodded to a knot of moss. “Aim for that.”
The she-cat nodded and squatted down, ready to pounce. Wriggling her hindquarters, she bunched her muscles and sprang, but she skimmed the ground too closely and came to a skidding halt before her front paws reached the moss.
“Try again,” the tom coaxed.
Again the apprentice pounced, this time keeping farther off the ground, but when she tried to flatten her spine she lost her balance and landed clumsily, stumbling to one side and sending shivers through the grass.
“Again,” came the quiet encouragement.
Thinking hard this time, the apprentice backed up, stared at the moss, and let awareness of every muscle spread through her body. Then she jumped, raking the ground, curving her body to weave around the stems before landing perfectly, the ball of moss falling between her paws as naturally as if StarClan had placed it for her.
“Wow!” She sat up, pleased with herself. “I’ll show my sister that move.”
The tom looked around. “Is she here?”
The apprentice shook her head. “It’s just me.” She frowned, aware how strange it felt to be here alone, without the company of her littermate. “Maybe I can bring her next time.”
The tom looked quizzical. “Don’t you like to do things by yourself?”
The apprentice shook her head. “It’s much more fun with two.”
“Well, there are two of us.” His blue gaze reached intently into hers. “Is that okay?”
She nodded.
“I could show you a stalking technique, if you like,” the tom offered.
“I know all the basic ones,” the she-cat told him.
“I bet you haven’t seen this one.” He crouched down and began to draw himself forward, chin stretched out, whiskers drawn back so that he weaved through the grass like a snake. Suddenly his muzzle darted forward, and he grasped a flower stem in his jaws so quickly that the apprentice gasped.
“That was so fast!”
“Good for catching fish.”
“Fish?”
“Mice too,” the tom added. “Any prey that’s quick.”
“Can I try?”
“Of course.”
As she flattened herself to the ground, the tom sat up and wrapped his bushy tail over his paws.
“What’s your sister like?” he asked.
The apprentice was focusing on a long blade of grass a tail-length ahead. “She’s clever,” she mewed, pulling herself slowly forward. “And funny.” She crept closer to the grass. “And the bravest cat I know.” With a lunge, she snapped at the grass stem, grabbing it in her jaws before spitting it out, coughing. “Yuck! Bitter!”
The tom purred. “I suppose you mean the grass, not your sister.”
“Of course!”
A faint yowl drifted across the meadow. A cat was calling
The she-cat turned her head. “I’ve got to go now.” She started to pad toward the voice, the grass stroking her back.
The tom called after her, “Don’t you want to know my name?”
The apprentice turned, blinking.
“I’m Hawkfrost.”
“Good-bye, Hawkfrost.” The name felt strange on her tongue.
“Aren’t you going to tell me yours?”
“Oh, yes. It’s Ivypaw.”
Ivypaw shook herself awake, surprised to feel chilly air around her muzzle after the warmth of her dream. Cinderheart was peering through the den entrance. “Ivypaw!” she hissed.
Dovepaw was still asleep, tired after the Gathering, and Cinderheart was clearly trying not to wake her. But Blossompaw’s, Briarpaw’s, and Bumblepaw’s nests were all empty.
Dazed from her dream, Ivypaw hauled herself to her paws. “Coming!” She picked her way on half-numb legs past Dovepaw’s nest and padded out into the damp dawn air. Briarpaw and her littermates were pacing the clearing, Blossompaw mumbling under her breath as though running through answers while Bumblepaw kept stopping to crouch and pounce.
Ivypaw remembered through the haze of her dream that today was their final assessment. Mist hung in the camp, shrouding the dens so they looked eerie and far away. The dawn sky was obscured by thick, dark clouds.
Ivypaw shivered. “What did you want?” she asked Cinderheart.
Her mentor was already halfway across the clearing, heading to where Hazeltail, Mousewhisker, and Thornclaw sat like stones, eyeing their apprentices with anxious interest
Ivypaw glanced up, past the rocky walls of the hollow and the trees crowding the rim. The clouds were darker than ever. There would be rain before long. Ivypaw shuddered. Why couldn’t she have lingered longer in her dream meadow with Hawkfrost?
“The assessment will be carried out in pairs this time,” Cinderheart told Ivypaw. “We need you to pair up with Blossompaw.”
“No way!” Blossompaw’s horrified mew took Ivypaw by surprise. “She’s not properly trained! Can’t I have Dovepaw? At least she can hunt.”
Ivypaw glared at the tortoiseshell-and-white cat. “I know how to hunt!” Hawkfrost had just taught her two new moves!
“You’ve hardly caught more than a mouse!” Blossompaw complained. “Dovepaw’s brilliant! She can hear prey anywhere!”
Self-conscious and disappointed, Ivypaw felt her shoulders begin to sink.
You’re just as good as your sister.
The words rang in her head. Another voice, not here, though she couldn’t place it. She straightened up and lifted her chin. “I’ll do my best,” she promised. “Besides, you’re the one being assessed, not me.”
“Well said, Ivypaw.” Hazeltail padded through the mist and stood beside her apprentice. “Ivypaw is doing you a favor,” she scolded Blossompaw. “Youshould be doing the work, not her.”
The warriors’ den rustled as Dustpelt and Spiderleg padded out. “Are we ready to go?” Spiderleg asked, yawning.
Cinderheart nodded. “You’ll be assessing Bumblepaw with Hazeltail,” she informed him. “I’ll help Mousewhisker with Briarpaw. Dustpelt, you and Thornclaw can assess Blossompaw.”
Hazeltail looked surprised. “So we’re not assessing our own apprentices?”
“Firestar wants us to try a different way,” Cinderheart reminded the small gray-and-white she-cat.
“Firestar has a new training technique every moon these days,” Thornclaw muttered, padding toward the entrance. “This is pointless,” he growled. “By the time we’ve figured out this way of training, Firestar will have come up with something else.” He disappeared through the tunnel, the mist closing after him.
“Come on,” Cinderheart urged.
Ivypaw hurried after Blossompaw and her littermates as they pushed their way out of the camp.
“You two will hunt by the lake,” Cinderheart announced. She signaled to Briarpaw and Bumblepaw with her tail and the apprentices darted away, heading for the shore. Cinderheart looked at Ivypaw. “Be careful,” she warned. “Don’t forget you’re just helping. You’ve got nothing to prove.”
Except that I’m as good a hunter as my sister. Wait till they see what I learned in my dream!
Ivypaw dug her claws into the soft, damp earth as she watched Cinderheart trot toward the lake with Mousewhisker, Hazeltail, and Spiderleg, quickening their pace as their apprentices hared off, clearly keen to make their first catch.
“Where are we hunting?” Blossompaw asked Dustpelt.
Dustpelt glanced questioningly at Thornclaw. “The abandoned Twolegplace?”
The golden brown warrior nodded. “Sounds good to me.”
Blossompaw flicked Ivypaw’s flank with her tail-tip. “Come on.” She pelted into the trees and Ivypaw raced after her, wishing she had longer legs as the older apprentice gathered speed and leaped the ruts and gullies in easy strides.
She was panting by the time she spotted the cracked stones of the abandoned Twolegplace. Blossompaw was waiting on the wall surrounding the tumbledown nest. “You can’t even keep up,” she scoffed.
“We’re supposed to be showing them we can work together,” Ivypaw snapped.
“Like I’m going to give you the chance to hold me back.” Blossompaw jumped down from the wall and headed past the plants Jayfeather had carefully nurtured. The scent of them made Ivypaw’s mouth water, but she knew the warning given to every Clan cat: Stay away from the catmint. It was the only cure for greencough, and more precious than poppy seeds.
As she disappeared around the corner of the wall, Blossompaw called over her shoulder, “Just stay out of my way!”
Ivypaw’s heart quickened with rage. How come everyone thought Dovepaw was so great and she was just a mouse-brain? I’ll show them!
She padded past the wall and ducked into the echoing Twoleg den. A jagged stone slope rose up to a hole in the roof and she scooted up it and peeked through a gap in the wall at the top. Blossompaw was tracking something in the unkempt grass below. Ivypaw couldn’t see what, but the tortoiseshell apprentice was moving intently through the tangled weeds.
Suddenly Ivypaw spotted movement at the bottom of the wall. Peering to see what it was, she pushed away a wave of dizziness, then turned and pelted down the jagged slope, the neatly cornered stones a blur beneath her paws. Treading lightly but fast, she nipped out of the nest and darted around the corner. There it was! A squirrel, rummaging in the plants at the bottom of the wall.
Remembering Hawkfrost’s instructions, she crouched down, keeping her back low so that it didn’t brush the branches arching from the rocks.
The squirrel was busy feasting on seeds it had shaken from a clump of dried-up flowers. Ivypaw slowed, preparing, letting awareness spread through her muscles, then sprang, flattening her back as she swerved around the plants. Her paws reached the squirrel with a curling swipe before it could see her and she grasped it and nipped it with a single killing bite.
Thanks, Hawkfrost!
“Impressive!” Thornclaw’s mew startled her and she swung around, the squirrel dangling from her jaws. The warrior was trotting toward her with Dustpelt on his tail.
“Where did you learn thatmove?” Dustpelt asked, his eyes wide. “You looked like you were hooking a fish out of water!”
Ivypaw gazed back innocently. There was no reason she had to give away her secret. “I guess it was just…instinct.”
The tall weeds beside them swished and Blossompaw came stomping out. “What’s all the noise about?” she spat. “I was stalking a rat and you scared it away!”
Dustpelt tipped his head to one side. “Weren’t you helping to catch this squirrel?”
“I thought you were working in pairs,” Thornclaw added.
Blossompaw bristled. “She was supposed to be helping me, not the other way around.”
You told me to stay out of the way!Ivypaw glared at her denmate but kept her mouth shut.
“Then why was she herewhile you were trawling through the undergrowth?” Dustpelt queried. “You’re supposed to be organizing a hunting pair. You should have told her where you wanted her.”
“Okay,” Blossompaw huffed. She flicked her tail at Ivypaw. “Come with me.” Turning, she pushed her way back into the jungle of weeds.
Ivypaw dropped the squirrel and flashed a rueful glance at the two warriors before following.
“What did you have to show me up for?” Blossompaw hissed as soon as they were out of earshot. “This is myassessment, remember?”
“Okay, then.” Ivypaw was still feeling pleased from her catch. “What do you want me to do?”
Blossompaw nodded toward the pine trees on the far side of the abandoned Twoleg nest. “We’ll hunt in there.”
They padded between the trunks. The crowded trees blocked the daylight, which was dull anyway. Ivypaw could taste the coming rain. Wisps of mist still lingered, but little undergrowth thrived here and it was easy to spot prey.
“There!” Blossompaw hissed.
A blackbird was rooting along the needle-strewn floor. There was no cover to hide their approach, but if they worked as a team, they might be able to trap it between them.
“Perfect,” Blossompaw murmured. “You head that way; I’ll come at it from the other side.” She nodded Ivypaw away, adding, “Keep low, and don’t drag your paws.”
“I’m not a kit!” Ivypaw hissed back.
Before Blossompaw could give her any more obvious instructions, she crept fast between the trees, keeping down but not letting her belly or tail brush the floor. She fixed her eyes on the blackbird, not allowing her gaze to stray even when trees passed between her and their quarry. It had hold of a worm and was struggling to drag it out of the ground.
Blossompaw’s pelt flashed at the edge of Ivypaw’s vision. She ignored it, padding closer and closer until she was only a few tail-lengths from the bird. Then she halted.This is Blossompaw’s assessment,she reminded herself, fighting the urge to pounce. She knew she could get it, with Hawkfrost’s lesson still fresh in her mind.
Where was Blossompaw? The blackbird was winning the struggle with the worm. It would fly away any moment. Ivypaw narrowed her eyes. Perhaps she should catch it, just to make sure. She began to waggle her haunches, ready to leap.
A flash of tortoiseshell fur made her freeze as Blossompaw flew at the bird, paws outstretched, hind legs hitting the ground a moment too early. She managed to clasp the blackbird in her forepaws but there was no grace in the catch. The blackbird struggled, frantic wings battering the earth and sending pine needles flying while Blossompaw regained her balance enough to make the killing bite.
Hawkfrost would have sneered at such a clumsy catch. For a moment the scent of night washed over Ivypaw’s tongue, bringing a vivid image of the warrior tom to her mind and the dark forest musk that clung to his thick pelt.
Was he a StarClan cat? Had he come especially to teach her?
Dovepaw has never been visited by StarClan!Ivypaw felt a prick of satisfaction. She would have told me.
Rain began to patter on the canopy high overhead as Dustpelt and Thornclaw caught up. Dustpelt was carrying Ivypaw’s squirrel. He dropped it and nodded toward the blackbird. “Nicely caught.”
Thornclaw shrugged. “Whatever Firestar says, I don’t see the point of hunting in pairs. Blossompaw would have caught it if Ivypaw were somewhere else catching her own prey.” He snorted. “Seems like a waste of warriors.” He glanced up as the rain grew heavier and began to drip through the branches. It splashed on his nose, making him sneeze.
“Come on,” he meowed, shaking his head. “I think we’ve seen enough. Let’s get back to camp before the downpour starts.”
Blossompaw lashed her tail. “But I’ve only caught one bird!”
The rain began to pound through the trees until the pine needles bounced on the forest floor.
“We’ve seen enough,” Thornclaw repeated. He flicked his tail toward the squirrel. “You may as well carry your own catch,” he told Ivypaw.
Pleased at the thought of walking into camp carrying such a fat piece of prey, Ivypaw grasped the squirrel in her jaws and began to head through the trees.
By the time they reached the thorn barrier, the forest was drenched. Ivypaw could hardly see her Clanmates through the fog of rain. Her paws squelched on the muddy forest floor, each sucking pawstep filling with water behind her. After so many moons of drought, the elders couldn’t complain now. There was enough water to fill the lake even if every stream dried up.
Blossompaw trotted past Ivypaw, quickening her pace to enter camp first, and tripped on the wing of the blackbird. “Fox dung!” She cursed through her mouthful of feathers. “One wretched bird while you have to catch a squirrel!” She glared at Ivypaw. “If I fail this assessment, it’s all your fault.”
She ducked into the tunnel, leaving Ivypaw startled. At the start of the morning Blossompaw had been complaining that she’d be no help. Now she was upset because Ivypaw had been too much help.
Ivypaw dragged the squirrel through the thorn tunnel. Whitewing and Millie hurried to greet them.
“You’re the first back,” Millie meowed.
Whitewing’s eyes glowed with pride as she gazed at the squirrel hanging in her daughter’s jaws. “Well done!”
Millie glanced at Blossompaw’s blackbird. “You two obviously work well together.”
Yeah, right!
Ivypaw lifted her chin to keep the squirrel out of the mud as she carried it to the fresh-kill pile.
Dovepaw ducked out from the apprentices’ den, her shoulders hunched against the battering rain. “Great catch!” she called. “It’s nearly as big as you!”
“Thanks.” Pride rushed through Ivypaw as she dropped the squirrel beside Blossompaw’s blackbird. She wanted to tell Dovepaw about Hawkfrost. She glanced around the clearing. Millie and Graystripe were crowding around Blossompaw to find out how the assessment had gone, while Thornclaw and Dustpelt sheltered beneath Highledge, conferring with Firestar.
“Come with me.” Ivypaw beckoned with her tail before scooting toward the thorns.
“Why?” Dovepaw sounded puzzled as she hurried after her. “What’s going on?”
Wait till she hears how a StarClan cat taught me how to hunt!
Ivypaw was bubbling with excitement. She slid through the tunnel and waited in the clearing outside, pummeling the muddy earth impatiently till Dovepaw caught up.
“What is it?” Dovepaw’s eyes were wide.
Ivypaw glanced around, making sure no cat was listening. “A StarClan cat came to see me,” she breathed.
“When?” Dovepaw blinked away raindrops.
“In my dream!” Ivypaw explained. “He was teaching me how to hunt!”
Dovepaw leaned closer. “Tell me more.”
Suddenly Ivypaw felt self-conscious. Did Dovepaw believe her or was she humoring her? Perhaps it had just been an ordinary dream. “This cat…” She fumbled for words. “He taught me some new hunting moves….”
Dovepaw was staring at her. “Who was it?”
“It was…”
The undergrowth shivered. “What are you doing out here?” Brightheart burst from a clump of ferns, panting. She was clearly racing for the shelter of the hollow. “You’ll catch your death!” She circled them, pressing them toward the thorn tunnel. “Inside, both of you! What would Whitewing say? Or Jayfeather? We don’t want to start leaf-bare with a medicine den full of sneezing apprentices!”
Sparking with frustration, Ivypaw allowed herself to be herded into camp. Praying the apprentices’ den would be empty, she headed straight for it, beckoning to Dovepaw. Her sister kept close as they slipped into the dry den and shook the rain from their fur.
Ivypaw turned and started to explain about Hawkfrost. “He was a warrior….”
“Dovepaw!” Lionblaze was calling through the den wall.
Ivypaw unsheathed her claws. Can’t he wait?
“Sorry.” Dovepaw looked apologetic as she backed outside. Ivypaw ripped a pawful of bracken from her nest and flung it down. Dovepaw was always racing off to talk to warriors without her. Didn’t she care about her? And since when did the least experienced cats run the Clan? Couldn’t Lionblaze manage a few moments without his precious apprentice?
The yew bush shivered as Blossompaw, Briarpaw, and Bumblepaw came bouncing in, water spraying from their pelts. “We passed! We passed!”
“Great!” Ivypaw slunk into her nest. “Congratulations!” She closed her eyes, blocking her ears to the mews of excitement as her denmates congratulated one another. If she went to sleep, Hawkfrost might teach her some more hunting moves until she wasn’t just as good as her sister—she was better. Then the Clan might start paying some attention to her as well.
第八章
第八章
藤爪挤进巢穴，猛冲进自己的窝里时，整个巢穴一阵颤动。冰冷的雨滴顺着巢穴顶落了下来。
“嘿！”梅花爪坐起身，抖了抖皮毛。
鸽爪眨巴着睁开眼睛。天已经亮了吗？昨天与狮焰进行长时间训练后，她感觉自己睡得很沉。狮焰测试了她感知的极限，坚持要求她在为族群狩猎的时候，将自己的感知范围控制在雷族领地之内。
“你睡得不错哦？”藤爪话里有话地问。
微弱的光透过紫杉树枝照了进来，远处山谷上方的森林在风中呼啸。藤爪的皮毛紧贴着她瘦小的身躯，湿漉漉的，还往下滴着水。
又是一个暴风雨天。
鸽爪伸了个懒腰，打着哈欠：“你已经出去过了吗？”
“黎明巡逻。”藤爪气鼓鼓地说，“真搞不懂为什么黑莓掌让我去巡逻，却让你在这儿睡大觉。”
鸽爪竖起了耳朵。火星将她拥有特殊力量的秘密告诉副族长了，所以他才会特意这么安排？为什么他们不能像对待普通学徒那样对待她呢？鸽爪愣在原地，而藤爪则继续絮叨着。
“你到底有什么特别之处啊？”藤爪嘟囔道，“我看见火星一直盯着你，他还以为没谁注意到。现在黑莓掌对你的态度，就好像你是刚从银毛星带下来的似的。”
“我猜他们只是想确保我们遵守武士守则。”鸽爪安慰道，暗暗祈祷藤爪能相信她的说辞。
“难道武士守则说让你躺在温暖的窝里，而我却要在雨中艰难跋涉？”藤爪大声说。
梅花爪舔掉皮毛上的雨滴。“我们有时也都要去参加黎明巡逻的。”她说道。
“可我们中的有些猫要比其他猫去的次数更多。”藤爪咆哮道。
“也许黑莓掌给我安排了其他任务。”鸽爪说道。
“什么？比如早餐给你多加只兔子吗？”藤爪蜷缩进自己的窝里，背对着鸽爪。
“没有跟你一起出去巡逻，我很抱歉。”鸽爪开始舔藤爪皮毛上沾着的雨滴。为了公平起见，我希望他们能让我像藤爪一样去巡逻。毕竟，去风族营地是她的主意。“至少我们现在又被允许出营地了。”她边舔边说道。
“哈！”藤爪发着牢骚，但鸽爪感觉得到她已经不那么生气了。
“他们不会永远惩罚你们的。”梅花爪说道。
藤爪挪挪身子，这样鸽爪就能舔到她湿漉漉的肩膀了。“希望如此吧。”她说道。
作为对她们跨越边界进入风族领地的惩罚的一部分，鸽爪和藤爪已经被限制待在营地四分之一个月了。鸽爪不禁心想，长老巢穴和育婴室从来没有如此干净过。她们俩每天都拖着蕨叶进出巢穴，直到藤爪确信她们为族群里的每只猫都铺设了新窝。
“鸽爪！”狮焰的喊声穿过了紫杉枝。
藤爪哼了一声。“真会挑时间。”她抱怨道，“你们刚好碰到了我的痒痒处。”
“对不起。”鸽爪满怀歉意地说道，“我得走了。”她跳出藤爪的窝，挤出巢穴，站到了朦胧的雨中：“怎么了？”
狮焰胡须低垂，正坐在浸满雨水的空地上。“你听到什么了吗？”他问道。
鸽爪叹了口气。这已经成了他日常打招呼的方式。难道狮焰只把她当作一对巨大的顺风耳吗？
“什么也没听到。”她低吼道。当看到火星从他的巢穴中出来，目光直接瞥向她时，她更加愤怒了。
一阵起伏的深色皮毛吸引了她的目光。荆棘爪正蹦蹦跳跳向她跑来，深棕色的皮毛上沾满了雨水。她的老师刺掌在她身后慢悠悠地走着。
“我们要去边界巡逻了！”荆棘爪打着滑停住了，侧滑出的脏水溅到了鸽爪的皮毛上。风打着转吹进山谷，猛拽着她的胡须。
鸽爪咕噜咕噜地叫着，同巢猫的热情感染了她。荆棘爪似乎都没注意到天正在下雨。
但刺掌显然注意到了。他故意甩着胡须，雨滴溅得四处都是。“你们准备好了吗？”他瞥了一眼鸽爪，问狮焰，“黑莓掌让我们去检查影族的标记。”
鸽爪感到心中涌起一阵兴奋。在森林间奔跑能让她暖和起来。“那快走吧！”她用尾巴招呼着荆棘爪，跑向荆棘屏障，一下子就钻了过去。一想到可以远离火星注视的目光，她就很开心。
刺掌在外面追上了他们。
“我们该走哪条路？”鸽爪气喘吁吁地问。
刺掌顺着水沟看着。“我们沿着老橡树走吧。”他做出决定，便带头穿过树林，脚掌落在湿漉漉的叶子上，发出啪啪声。
走进湿漉漉的森林中时，鸽爪皱起了眉头。污泥塞满了她的爪子并从她的爪缝间渗了出来。每次穿过灌木，一阵雨水就会渗进她的皮毛里。
突然，身后传来脚掌滑过的声音。“等等我！”灰条正匆匆赶来，“火星让我和你们一起去。”灰毛武士喘着粗气。他秃叶季时也厚实的皮毛，被雨水淋得贴在身上，这使得他看起来异常的瘦弱。
刺掌弹了一下尾巴：“影族又越界了？”
“没有猎物被偷。”狮焰眯着眼说道，“只是在边界线我们这一侧残存着影族的几道气味。”
灰条抖掉皮毛上的雨水，身上的皮毛一绺一绺的：“火星希望我们留意相关情况。”
荆棘爪的眼睛瞪得溜圆：“你们觉得火星会在明天的森林大会上提起这件事吗？”
“我没看到不提的理由。”灰条说道。
刺掌透过树林向天空瞥了一眼：“如果森林大会还照常召开的话。”乌压压的云层堆满了天空，预示着会有更多的雨水。
“这阵风来得可真及时！”灰条说道，“我觉得到明天早上的时候，风就会吹走乌云了。”说话间，又一阵狂风从头顶刮过，灌木丛不住晃动着。风吹起了灰条的胡须，他的爪子插进地面：“如果这风不会把我们也吹跑的话。”
小溪的水满了，刺掌花了好长时间才找到能越过去的狭窄地方。他第一个跳过奔涌的棕色水流，然后转过身，看着荆棘爪安全跃过。鸽爪接着也跳了过去，但脚掌在泥泞的岸上滑了一下，她的心猛地一紧。刺掌叼住了她的后颈，帮她重新找到平衡。灰条和狮焰轻松地跳过小溪。
“真的很难相信这湖不久前还是干涸的。”看着翻腾着向下流去的溪水，灰条感慨道。
狮焰已经挤到岸上，向一棵倒树跳去。树皮是绿色的，上面潮湿的青苔闪闪发光。狮焰的脚掌落在上面时，滑了一下，让他猛地摔到树的另一边。“哎哟！”
鸽爪听到他跌落湿漉漉的叶丛时，嘴里嘟囔着。空气中立刻散发出一股野生大蒜的气味。鸽爪伸出前脚掌搭在木头上，看着另一边问道：“你还好吗？”
狮焰在一片深绿的叶子中间扑腾着。身下的叶子被他压碎了，空气中弥漫着叶子的酸酸的气味。
看到狮焰皮毛支棱着终于爬起来时，鸽爪强忍着才没有发出咕噜咕噜的取笑声。“我很好。”狮焰没好气地说道。
“我们都要伪装自己的气味吗？”鸽爪故作不懂地问。
“我不是有意那么做的，你知道的！”狮焰弹了弹尾巴，继续穿过森林向前走去，刺掌和灰条跳过倒树，跟了上去。
“小心点儿。”鸽爪爬上倒树时，荆棘爪眼中一惊，忙提醒道，“有点儿滑。”
鸽爪嗯了一声。
她们追上老师，荆棘爪发出响亮的咕噜声。刺掌严厉地瞪了她一眼后，她立刻安静了下来，但她又向鸽爪皱了皱鼻子。“至少，我们不会跟丢他。”她瞥了狮焰一眼，低声说道。
金色公猫身上散发出的大蒜的气味很刺鼻，但他仍然大步向前走着，就好像根本没注意到似的。
鸽爪开始追踪影族的标记。影族的气味十分浓烈，甚至连狮焰身上的臭气都掩盖不住它们。影族的标记中混合着雷族的标记，两者的气味混合在一起。鸽爪不知道是不是要将自己的感知延伸到远方，试着探查一下远处影族的动静，但昨天的训练已使她精神疲惫。
阳光从枝叶间洒了进来，他们已经接近森林边缘。鸽爪认出了远处的绿草地，她曾在远征途中不情愿地冲进了两脚兽的皮毛巢穴。幸运的是，那里现在空空的。在这样糟糕的天气里，就算两脚兽再愚蠢也不会坐在那儿。
狮焰在树林边停了下来，那里零零星星有影族的气味。刺掌和灰条开始在边界内的灌木丛中迂回行进，嗅着每一片灌木丛和每一簇蕨丛。
“有情况吗？”狮焰喊道。
灰条摇摇头，但刺掌在边界内几尾远的一处很矮的榛树丛处停住了。
荆棘爪急忙跑到他身边。“影族气味吗？”她闻了闻矮树丛，脊背上的毛起伏着。“他们来过这儿！”她警觉地叫道。
狮焰和灰条挤到她身旁。鸽爪犹豫着，她鼻孔中的气味如此清晰，就好像她正站在这气味旁边。
是虎心的气味！
这气味勾起了鸽爪的回忆。那位年轻的影族武士曾与她一起去小溪上游寻找河狸，她像熟悉自己族猫的气味一样熟悉他的气味。
“退后，狮焰！”刺掌命令道，“你身上的大蒜味会破坏周围的气味的。”
这就是他为什么没有辨别出影族气味的原因！刺掌又嗅了嗅，鸽爪望着刺掌，暗暗希望这位武士辨认不出这个气味。
灰条走向边界，开始走来走去，尾巴不住抽动着。“有巡逻队！”他发出了警告。
四只影族猫穿过草丛朝他们走来，他们的皮毛起伏着。刺掌和狮焰在灰条身旁摆好架势面对着影族猫，虽然他们让自己的脚掌待在边界这边，但却龇出了牙齿。
荆棘爪急忙赶到族猫身边的同时，鸽爪则走到榛树丛嗅探着。绝对是虎心！星族在上，他究竟在想什么啊，居然越过了边界？是意外吗？也许他在追捕猎物，等发现自己越过边界时已经太迟了。
“你们在我们的边界附近做什么？”一只黑白相间的影族公猫挑衅地盯着雷族巡逻队。
鸽爪认出是乌霜，她在森林大会上见过。乌霜在距雷族猫几步远的地方停住了，鼠痕、松树爪和虎心站在他的身旁。
灰条卷起了嘴唇：“我们正在检查雷族领地里的影族气味。”
乌霜的颈毛立了起来：“什么？”
“那边的榛树丛中全是影族的气味。”狮焰咆哮道。
虎心怒吼道：“我们要那些湿漉漉的老树有什么用？”
灰条将爪子插进泥泞的土地：“那你们为什么要越过边界？”
“没有影族猫越过边界。”鼠痕嘶吼道。
鸽爪观察着虎心。他琥珀色的眼睛里没有任何异常。
刺掌往边上一让。“你们自己过来闻闻！”他针锋相对。
“用不着你来教我们该做什么！”松树爪刨着泥泞的土地，爪间塞满了草，“就算去上游找回水流是你们雷族出的主意，但这并不意味着你们可以对所有的猫指手画脚。”
“那就闻啊！”刺掌吼道。
“太可笑了！”乌霜气急败坏地说，“要是我们越过边界到了你们那边，那你们的领地上就真的会留下影族的气味了。”
鼠痕卷起了嘴唇：“你们是想诱骗我们陷入战斗吗？”
“我们为什么要那么做？”狮焰直视着影族武士。
虎心走上前来。“好吧。”他说道，“我来检查一下。但记住是你们请我跨过边界的！”他快步走过气味线，高高竖起尾巴在空中：“哪片矮树丛？”
鸽爪眯起了双眼。如果虎心来检查气味，那么他的新气味就会掩盖之前他留下的旧气味，证据就会被隐藏。聪明！鸽爪对他的狡猾有些钦佩。但是他肯定有着什么企图。是什么呢？虎心靠近时，鸽爪站在榛树丛旁没有动。
“这里吗？”虎心喊道，将鼻子挤进棕色的树叶里。“这里有一个很微弱的气味，但时间太久了，很难分辨是影族的还是雷族的。”他转过身，皮毛蹭过矮树丛，尖尖的枝条上留下了一撮皮毛，“你们一定是跟往常一样脑子里进蜜蜂了。”虎心鼻子高抬，转身向他的族猫走去。那两支巡逻队仍面对面站着，好像都在等对方先行动似的。
虎心从她身旁走过时，鸽爪对他小声说道：“是你留下的气味，是吗？”
虎心猛地转头盯着鸽爪，眼睛里满是惊恐。
“别否认了！”鸽爪一边小声说，一边瞄了眼自己的族猫。他们正忙着怒视影族。“在你越过边界之前，我就识别出了你的气味。”
“别说出来，求你了！”虎心尾巴低垂了下来，“我会在明天的森林大会上解释这一切。”
虎心的脚掌动来动去，紧张地瞥着他的同伴。
一阵同情漫过鸽爪全身。她不想让虎心陷入麻烦，因为他曾帮助她打败河狸。她至少得给他一个解释的机会。“好吧。”她同意了。
“谢谢你。”虎心的皮毛平顺下来，重新跨过边界，回到自己的族伴身旁。“是他们臆想出来的。”他向乌霜报告道。
“看到了吗？”鼠痕嗤之以鼻地说道，“那可能只是飘过边界的气味。”
灰条向前一步：“那片矮树丛确实有影族的气味！”
乌霜身子前倾，与灰条近得几乎胡须都要碰到一起了。只有无形的边界将他们分隔开来。“你们为什么连一点点影族的气味都这么害怕呢？”
荆棘爪挺起胸膛：“我们不是害怕！”
没有猫动。
“你们要走了吗？”刺掌最后吼道。
“我们为什么要走？”鼠痕怼了他一句，“我们在我们自己的领地上。”
灰条哼了一声。“我们走吧。”他命令自己的族猫，“如果他们想一直站在泥里等脚掌烂掉，那就随他们去吧。”他转过身，尾巴弹过边界，从乌霜的鼻子上拂过。
乌霜怒吼着，皮毛竖了起来，但并没有动。雷族巡逻队跟着灰条走进树林。
鸽爪回头瞥了一眼。鼠痕和乌霜正在轻声说着什么，他们低着头靠在一起。松树爪在边界处走来走去，颈毛仍立着。但虎心默默地站在那里盯着她的背影。
鸽爪的眼睛对上了他的眼睛，很快移开了，她突然觉得有些难为情。
他怎么了？在去小溪上游的远征途中，他是那么的坦率直白，她从没想过虎心会这样鬼鬼祟祟。好在他承诺会在森林大会上解释这一切。
他们走近山谷时，鸽爪习惯性地释放出感知寻找着藤爪。她的姐妹不在营地，于是她继续听着，直到听到了藤爪的声音。
“早就告诉过你了！”藤爪正和梅花爪在训练场，“那一次你没抓到我。”
知道姐妹安然无恙后，鸽爪放下心来。她跟着巡逻队穿过荆棘通道。火星正在空地上走着，皮毛上不住滴着雨水。巡逻队刚一进入营地，他便转过身来。
“怎么样？”他直接走向灰条问道。
灰条抖掉胡须上的水珠。“边界内多了一些气味。”他报告道。
火星眉头皱了起来。在空地边缘的蕨丛下避雨的尘毛也走进小雨中：“影族还在侵入我们的领地吗？”
云尾的白色皮毛被雨水浸得灰蒙蒙的，他坐在空地上缩成一团，耳朵竖起，眼睛瞪得溜圆。沙风从火星的巢穴向外看着，绿色的眼睛在阴暗处闪烁，眯眼盯着这几位武士。米莉走出巢穴，用鼻子触碰了一下灰条的肩膀，又用鼻子爱抚着他们的孩子荆棘爪。巫医巢穴入口的黑莓丛一阵颤动，松鸦羽走了出来。他坐下身，用盲眼注视着返回的巡逻队。
“我觉得只有一位武士越过了边界。”灰条安慰着族猫。
沙风跑下落石堆：“你们知道是哪只猫吗？”
鸽爪盯着自己的脚掌。大家猜测时，愤怒的低语声在族群中回荡。鸽爪让自己的感知延伸到影族领地。虎心正跟随巡逻队走进营地，鼠痕向黑星报告时，他从猎物堆叼起一只老鼠走向空地边缘，然后放下猎物开始食用，同时一只眼睛不安地留意着他的族长。
“那么我们怎么办？”尘毛的提问将鸽爪的思绪拉回雷族空地。
火星仰起下巴：“既然我们还不知道究竟是哪只猫越过了边界，那么我们先不采取行动。”
刺掌咆哮着，声音低沉猛烈。
“但是，”火星接着说，“我们会在影族边界加强巡逻，希望可以抓到这位武士，搞清楚他到底想干什么。”
“希望由我抓住他。”狮焰嘶嘶道。
“也可能是她。”米莉说道。
“无论是谁，”火星接着说，“我们都没法儿确定他这么做是影族的意思，还是他擅自的行为。所以，在确定这点之前，我们不要冲动行事。”
“那么，你会在森林大会提起这件事吧？”沙风提醒道。
“如果有必要的话。”火星说道。
“如果有必要的话？”尘毛气恼地重复了一遍。
灰条急忙挤到暗棕色虎斑公猫和族长之间：“如果没必要的话，何必要挑起争端呢？”
狮焰抽打着尾巴：“因为影族会认为我们软弱！”
火星坐下身来，尾巴钩住前脚掌。“真正的力量无须证明。”他目不转睛地盯着金色武士，“记住，越界的或许只是一位影族武士，而不是整个影族。”
“那么，我们就该告诉他们！”刺掌厉声说道，“要是他们约束不了自己的武士，就该让每个族群都知道这件事。”
“我知道，刺掌。”火星朝虎斑武士低下了头，“但有时候，我们在说出自己遇到的麻烦前，先等一等更好些。我不想让其他族群认为我们不能保护自己的边界。”
刺掌抖掉皮毛上的一些水滴。“我想也是。”他低声说。
火星和沙风跳上岩石，回到族长的洞穴。尘毛跟着刺掌来到高石台的遮蔽处，灰条、米莉和荆棘爪则嗅闻着猎物堆那里湿透了的猎物。
“你饿吗？”狮焰问鸽爪。
还没等她回答，松鸦羽的声音就从空地那边传来。“那么，”灰色巫医匆匆向他们走来，“你知道是哪只猫吗？”他将焦虑的目光转向狮焰，继续说道：“几天前的夜里，我碰到虎心在我们的边界附近嗅来嗅去的。”
“真的吗？”鸽爪无法掩饰自己的惊讶。这么说来，影族武士一定在谋划着什么事情。但她依然没有说什么。她答应过虎心，让他先解释，她不打算违背诺言。毕竟，明天就是森林大会了，她不用守着这个秘密太久的。
“虎心？”狮焰听起来也很惊讶，“为什么他在我们的边界附近活动？半个月前，他还是我们的盟友！帮助我们夺回了水流。”
但是松鸦羽皱起了眉头。“那是半个月前的事了。”他指出，“并非所有的猫都觉得共同冒一次险就能永远成为朋友。”
鸽爪的皮毛竖了起来。他是在批评她去探望莎草须吗？愧疚刺痛了她。而她现在已经答应虎心要保守秘密，也许松鸦羽提醒她要忠于自己的族群是对的。
一滴雨水从她的耳尖滑落，滴在她耳窝柔软的皮毛里，使她一阵发痒。她猛地摇摇头。在森林大会上听到影族武士的解释之前，她会一直保持沉默。
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 11
Rain dripped at the mouth ofFirestar’s den. As Jayfeather slid in, he brought a scattering of raindrops with him. Lionblaze shuffled closer to Dovepaw.
“Any news?” Firestar asked. He glanced uneasily at his den entrance, as though he was afraid they would be disturbed.
Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Dovepaw shook their heads.
“No word from StarClan,” Jayfeather mewed.
“No more ShadowClan scents on our side of the border,” Lionblaze reported.
“Dovepaw?” The ThunderClan leader gazed at the pale gray apprentice. “Have you sensed anything?”
She stared at her paws. “Nothing,” she mumbled.
Lionblaze guessed she was uncomfortable being used as a spy. It seemed that, while Jayfeather secretly relished being able to creep into other cats’ minds, Dovepaw wasn’t used to following her senses farther than any ordinary cat could go.
She’d better get used to it.She’d been given her power for a reason.
“ShadowClan is up to something,” Firestar warned. “Border incursions are bad enough, but telling lies about them is low, even for ShadowClan.”
“They’ve always been sneaky,” Lionblaze reminded him.
“We must be even more vigilant,” Firestar growled.
“Extra border patrols?” Jayfeather suggested.
Firestar shook his head. “They’ll see it as provocation.”
Outside, the haze of rain that had obscured the camp all morning was lifting; sunshine was arcing into the hollow. But the gale that had blown the clouds away was roaring through the forest and buffeting the dens. It whined at the den entrance.
Lionblaze noticed Dovepaw stiffen. “It’s just the wind,” he murmured.
She shook her head, her eyes widening. “There’s something else.”
Lionblaze leaned closer. He recognized the distant look in her eyes. “What?”
“A sucking noise.” Fear lit her gaze. “Roots.” Her breath quickened. “Roots coming out of the ground.” She stared directly at Lionblaze. “A tree is falling. One of the trees at the top of the hollow.” Her shrill mew echoed around the cave. “Clear the camp!”
Firestar was on his paws in a moment. “Is it true?” he asked Lionblaze.
“It’s true.” Lionblaze had no doubt that Dovepaw was describing something real. “We’ve got to get everyone out.”
He pelted out of the cave, taking the rockfall in three bounds. “Everyone leave the camp!” he screeched. The wind howled around him, almost drowning his words.
Faces peeped out from the den entrances. Dustpelt and Brightheart, who had been picking through the fresh-kill pile, spun around.
“What’s going on?” Alarm filled Dustpelt’s call.
“A tree is falling!” Lionblaze stared up at the rim of the hollow, trying to spot the tree that was losing its grip on the rain-drenched earth. The whole forest was swaying in the gale. It was impossible to tell if one was about to crash down onto the camp. “Clear the dens!”
Brambleclaw skidded from the warriors’ den as Firestar scrambled down the rocks from Highledge. “You heard him!” Firestar yowled. “Clear the camp!”
Brambleclaw headed straight for the nursery.
Firestar nodded to Dustpelt. “Apprentices’ den.” He turned to Brightheart. “Elders’ den.”
Jayfeather raced over the clearing. “The medicine den’s empty.”
“Double-check it!” Firestar ordered. He turned to Lionblaze. “You check the warriors’ den; I’ll check the rest of the camp.” The ThunderClan leader pelted past the warriors’ den as warriors began to stream out.
Lionblaze pushed his way in between Thornclaw, Foxleap, and Toadstep as they crowded through the entrance, ripping it wide in their rush to escape. Frantically he began searching the dark thornbush. “Hurry up!” he snapped at Cloudtail, who was stretching in his nest.
The white warrior blinked sleepily at him. “What’s happening?”
“Just go!” Lionblaze ordered. “Get every cat out of camp!”
He weaved through the nests, reassuring himself that each one was empty, then darted outside. The Clan was bunched together at the entrance to the tunnel through the barrier of thorns.
Brambleclaw stood at the nursery entrance, pulling Ferncloud by the scruff as she squeezed through the brambles after Daisy. He ducked inside, then hopped out. “Nursery clear!”
Poppyfrost was running for the tunnel with Molekit swinging in her jaws. Cherrykit sprawled on the ground behind her, wailing, her eyes glazed in terror. Daisy scooped her up and headed after Poppyfrost.
“Apprentices’ den clear!” Dustpelt’s yowl rang across the clearing.
“Warriors’ den empty!” Lionblaze called.
“No one in the medicine den!” Jayfeather’s fur was barbed with prickers from the brambly entrance.
Firestar emerged from behind the nursery. “Perimeter clear!” He charged over to Brambleclaw, who was guiding his Clanmates through the barrier. “Slow down!” he ordered as Rosepetal slipped and Brackenfur tripped over her.
Lionblaze glanced at the elders’ den. Brightheart hadn’t made her report yet.
Purdy was plucking anxiously at the ground outside the entrance. “Hurry up!” he hissed through the honeysuckle.
Why were they dawdling?
“Dovepaw!” Lionblaze caught sight of his apprentice. She was circling the clearing, staring up at the rim of the hollow. “Which tree is it?” he demanded.
“I don’t know!” Terror filled her mew. “I can hear its roots slipping through the earth. It’s the rain. Too much rain! It’s loosened the roots!”
Ivypaw paused beside the halfrock and stared at her sister, bewildered. “Get out of the camp!”
“I can’t go till I’m sure!”
Ivypaw blinked. “Sure of what?”
“Which one is falling!”
“Why in the name of StarClan do you need to know?”
Lionblaze lashed his tail. “It doesn’t matter which one!” he screeched. “Just get out of the hollow! Both of you!”
As the two apprentices scooted from the clearing, he turned back to the elders’ den. Still no sign of Longtail, Brightheart, or Mousefur. He pelted for the den, skidding past Purdy, and ducked inside. “What’s going on?”
Brightheart was staring in panic at Mousefur.
Mousefur glared back at her indignantly. “If I leave my bed, the moss will get wet!”
Longtail was thrusting his muzzle under his denmate’s flank. “Just get up!” he urged. “We’ll get dry moss when we come back.”
“Where are we going to find dry moss?” Mousefur objected. “It’s been raining all moon!”
Fury surged through Lionblaze. “Get out!” His order barked like cracking wood, and Mousefur jumped to her paws, gazing at him in shock.
“Get out!” he repeated, unsheathing his claws. He wasn’t going to let this stubborn old cat die for the sake of a dry bed!
Brightheart rolled her eyes thankfully as Mousefur headed for the entrance. She nudged Longtail, herding them both through the trailing honeysuckle and into the clearing.
Lionblaze darted after them. The camp was empty apart from the elders hobbling across the clearing. He stared around the top of the hollow, wondering again which tree was falling, praying that Dovepaw had overreacted, though his gut told him she was right.
As Brightheart and Purdy steered Longtail and Mousefur through the tunnel, Firestar and Brambleclaw barged back in. Dovepaw slid in after them, her fur on end.
“Is the camp clear?” Firestar demanded.
Lionblaze nodded.
Brambleclaw darted from one den to another, poking his head in.
Dovepaw’s ears were pricked. “It’s clear,” she assured them.
“Come on, then,” Firestar ordered. “Let’s join the Clan. They’re sheltering along the gully on the way to the lake.” He glanced at Dovepaw. “You’re sure they’ll be safe there?”
Dovepaw was looking up to the top of the cliff that overhung Highledge. “It’s falling!” she whispered.
She knows which tree it is.Lionblaze followed her gaze to a tall beech that still had nearly all its leaves. He could see the danger clearly now. The wind kept tearing at the tree’s heavy branches as it began to slip from the earth and slide toward the rim of the hollow.
“Come on!” Firestar insisted. He prodded Dovepaw toward the entrance. Lionblaze ran across the clearing and followed her out, Brambleclaw and Firestar on his tail. As he ran, Lionblaze glimpsed the pelts of his Clanmates through the trees, huddling in the gully several tree-lengths from the entrance to the hollow. Then he spotted Mousefur stumbling toward him. She was trying to dodge back into the camp.
Longtail stood in her way. “Leave the mouse! We can catch another.”
“I’m not wasting prey!” Mousefur growled. “It’s an insult to StarClan!”
“Then I’ll get it!”
Before Lionblaze could stop him, Longtail had darted back through the thorn barrier.
Briarpaw raced after him, a blur of dark brown fur. “Come back! It’s not safe!”
Lionblaze slowed to a halt and spun around. He pelted after Longtail and Briarpaw. “The tree’s going to fall!” he shrieked, tearing through the thorns in time to see Longtail and Briarpaw disappear into the elders’ den. “Get out!”
His yowl was smothered by a great creaking roar from the top of the hollow. With a deafening crack, the beech toppled over the rim and hurtled down the cliff. Its branches scraped the rocky walls like claws, showering thorn-sharp stones over the camp. Lionblaze shrank back against the barrier, shards of rock raining around him, terror pulsing through him as the clearing disappeared under a storm of flailing branches. He flattened his ears against the snapping, splintering wood and watched, frozen in horror, as the honeysuckle den caved under a tangle of branches. With a wrenching crunch, the beech trunk hit the ground and split like a shattered bone.
He felt a pelt trembling next to his. Dovepaw was beside him, mouth open, eyes so wide he could see their white rims.
“Briarpaw,” she breathed.
Lionblaze charged toward the den, slithering through the tangle of branches, clambering over the ripped wood. He could hardly see the honeysuckle underneath the fallen beech. The tree was half propped against the far side of the hollow, its muddy roots reaching like talons around the nursery. Half the warriors’ den was gone, and branches obscured the entrance to the medicine den.
“Wait!”
Lionblaze halted when he heard Firestar’s yowl. He turned, balancing on the jagged end of a shattered branch.
The ThunderClan leader was clambering after him, Dovepaw following on shaky paws.
“Can you hear anything?” Firestar asked.
“No.” Lionblaze glanced at Dovepaw.
The gray apprentice shook her head. “Nothing.”
“They still might be alive.” Firestar leaped past Lionblaze and began to wriggle through the fluttering golden leaves toward the flattened den. Lionblaze struggled after him, wincing as the jagged wood scraped his pelt.
The tree creaked.
“It’s not safe!” Dovepaw’s wail sounded behind them.
Lionblaze felt the tree move around him.
“It’s slipping down the side of the hollow,” Dovepaw warned.
“I can see a shape,” Firestar called from inside the debris.
Lionblaze squirmed deeper into the snarled branches, feeling a surge of hope as a honeysuckle tendril snaked out, whipping him across the muzzle. “Who is it?”
“I can’t tell,” Firestar called back. “But I think it’s moving.”
“The whole tree’smoving!” Dovepaw shrieked. “Get out of there!”
With a groaning, scraping sigh, the beech began to slide down the wall of the hollow.
“Out!” Firestar ordered sharply.
Lionblaze hesitated. He couldn’t leave his Clanmates! He yelped as teeth clamped around his tail.
“It’s collapsing!” Dovepaw’s mew was muffled by fur as she dragged him backward and the tree shivered beneath his paws. Firestar was scrambling out beside him.
“Jump!” Dovepaw yowled.
The three cats hurled themselves onto an empty patch of ground beside the apprentices’ den. Behind them, the tree groaned and dropped down, its branches caving beneath it as crumpled into the base of the hollow.
Dovepaw let out a whimper.
Lionblaze strained to see the elders’ den. Strands of honeysuckle snaked among the branches. There was still a chance that part of the den wasn’t crushed.
“Firestar?” Brambleclaw was crossing the wreckage toward them. As he jumped down beside them, Lionblaze saw the rest of the Clan streaming back into camp. They barged through the barrier of thorns until it was as tattered and wrecked as the rest of the camp.
“Stop!” Firestar yowled at his Clanmates.
They froze and stared at the ruins of their home. Leafpool closed her eyes, as though praying to StarClan.
“Where’s the camp?” Cherrykit mewled.
Daisy bent to comfort the kit as Poppyfrost stared blankly at the fallen tree. “It’s gone,” she breathed.
“It’s still there,” Firestar growled. “We just need to stay calm.”
“Where’s Longtail?” Purdy asked shakily.
“Briarpaw?” Millie’s mew cracked.
“I’m going to find them!” Lionblaze promised, bracing himself to force his way through the smashed branches. If he thought of the tree as an enemy in battle, would that protect him from getting hurt?
Firestar turned to his deputy. “Brambleclaw, I want a patrol to clear a way to the elders’ den and I want the rest of the Clan outside the hollow and taken care of.”
Brambleclaw studied the tree. “We’ll need to clear the branches we can move and prop up the ones we can’t.” He called to Dustpelt, “How many warriors will you need to do that?”
Dustpelt narrowed his eyes. “Four,” he meowed. “Any more would get in the way.”
Lionblaze remembered how they had destroyed the dam. “We could use logs to lever the heaviest branches out of the way.”
Squirrelflight stepped forward. “I’ll organize a team to find logs and props.” She glanced at her Clanmates. “Millie, Brackenfur, Birchfall, and Thornclaw, you can help me.”
“Sorreltail, Graystripe, Cloudtail, and Berrynose.” Dustpelt nodded to his denmates. “Come with me.”
Lionblaze stiffened as he heard a faint mewl from where the elders’ den had been. “There’s definitely a cat still alive in there.”
Firestar nodded. “Then there’s not a moment to lose.” He flicked his tail at Whitewing. “Get everyone else back to the gully. Jayfeather, do what you can to treat any cat with shock. Daisy, I’m putting you in charge of the elders, queens, and kits. Keep them calm.” He nodded at Brambleclaw. “Work with Dustpelt and Squirrelflight.”
Mousefur paced back and forth, a wail sobbing in her throat. “This is my fault! I should be buried under there, not Longtail!”
Purdy weaved around her, steering her away through the shredded thorns. “They’ll find him,” he promised.
Dovepaw was shaking from nose to tail-tip. “Why didn’t I hear it earlier? I could have stopped this!”
Firestar glanced at the horror-stricken apprentice, then called softly to Whitewing. “Take Dovepaw with you. Make sure she’s okay.”
Gently, the white warrior led her kit out of the camp.
Blood pulsed in Lionblaze’s ears. He wanted to launch himself back among the tangle of branches and haul Longtail and Briarpaw out. But how? Even if he found them, how would he get the two cats past the shattered branches without hurting them?
Dustpelt was already nosing around the edge of the beech. Reaching up with his forepaws, he snapped the first branch out of the way.
Squirrelflight hurried to his side and grabbed the branch in her paws. “We can use this as a prop.”
Dustpelt pushed deeper into the tree, forcing an arching bough up with his back long enough for Squirrelflight to wedge her branch underneath.
“Briarpaw!” Millie wailed into the gap. “Longtail?”
Sorreltail and Thornclaw shoved her away as they squeezed after Dustpelt, snapping branches where they could, propping others out of the way. Graystripe plunged in beside them, claws fraying as he ripped at the mangled beech wood.
“Briarpaw!” Brackenfur rolled a log toward a heavy bough, and while Birchfall and Cloudtail levered it up with a long splinter of wood, he pushed the log underneath. The beech creaked, but stayed still. They were making progress.
“Longtail? Can you hear me?” Lionblaze peered down the tunnel that was beginning to form.
No answer.
Tendrils of honeysuckle shivered tantalizingly beyond the tangle of branches still blocking their way. Lionblaze turned to see his brother behind him, blind blue eyes glittering with worry.
“I need to get to my den,” Jayfeather meowed.
Branches blocked the entrance.
“Poppyfrost’s in shock and Mousefur is beside herself with worry. And if you get Longtail and Briarpaw out alive, I’ll need to treat them.”
“Can’t you gather fresh herbs?” Lionblaze suggested.
Jayfeather’s eyes blazed. “It’s leaf-fall! There are no fresh herbs!”
Firestar turned away from helping Dustpelt roll a log. “Fetch Rosepetal,” he ordered. “She’s skinny like her father.” It was true. She had the same lithe body as Spiderleg. “She might be able to find a way through.” He cast a glance at the branches blocking the cave. “It’s a mess, but there may be enough gaps.”
Jayfeather turned and hurried away.
“Lionblaze!” Squirrelflight was trying to wedge a forked branch into place.
Lionblaze scooted over and helped her to push. The tree seemed to sigh as they lodged the branch under the trunk.
“We’re nearly at the elders’ den,” Dustpelt announced. His pelt was threaded with splinters, and blood oozed from his paws.
Lionblaze looked down the tunnel to the last pair of branches blocking their way. “I can push my way through.”
“Do it,” ordered Firestar. “We’ll shift them while you’re inside so that you can get Longtail and Briarpaw out.”
Millie and Graystripe stood side by side, looking past the rescue operation at the crumpled honeysuckle. Their daughter was somewhere in the wreckage.
“Please, StarClan,” whispered Millie. “Let her be okay.”
“She’ll be fine,” Firestar vowed, his eyes dark.
Jayfeather raced back with Rosepetal. As he passed Millie and Graystripe, Lionblaze noticed him stiffen as though he’d stepped on a thorn. He can feel their grief.
Rosepetal was peering through the fractured branches into the medicine den. “I can get through,” she announced. Paws first, she wriggled between the spars, grunting a little as her hind legs and tail disappeared into the golden leaves. “What do you want me to get?” she called out.
While Jayfeather began to describe the herbs he would need, Lionblaze padded down the tunnel toward the honeysuckle bush. His heart was pounding and he could feel Graystripe’s and Millie’s worried gazes on his pelt. What if he found only dead bodies? He pushed away the thought and shouldered his way past the two remaining branches. The bark tore his fur as he squeezed his way through, hope pricking as he felt soft honeysuckle tendrils beneath his paws. Delving into the crushed heap, he squirmed into what was left of the elders’ den.
A tiny space opened up in front of him. Only Mousefur’s nest remained; the others were hidden underneath shattered branches.
Then he saw the body.
Twisted. Limp. Lifeless.
As he stared, stiff with grief, Dustpelt squeezed in beside him.
“We’ve cleared the last two branches,” the tabby warrior began. His voice trailed away when he saw the body. “Longtail.” The name caught in his throat.
With a strange choking feeling in his throat, Lionblaze lifted the pale tabby elder by the scruff and dragged him from what was left of the den. The old cat was light as a squirrel in his jaws as Lionblaze pulled him through the tunnel and laid him on the bare ground.
Firestar dipped his head while Graystripe pressed close to Millie.
“Did you see Briarpaw?” the gray warrior whispered.
As Lionblaze shook his head, Dustpelt called from inside the den, “She’s alive! Quick!”
Lionblaze dashed back with Graystripe pressing on his tail. As they raced along the makeshift tunnel, an ominous snap cracked the air. A prop snapped beside them, spraying splinters. The tree shivered as another prop broke.
“It’s not going to hold!” Millie’s terrified mew wailed behind them.
Ignoring her, Lionblaze ducked into the remains of the elders’ den. Graystripe squashed in beside him. Dustpelt was crouching on Mousefur’s nest, his muzzle probing a branch where the beech had crushed the honeysuckle into a mangled mass of tendrils. As Lionblaze slid in beside the tabby tom he saw Briarpaw looking up at him, her face twisted with pain.
“I can’t move,” she croaked.
Her hind legs were pinned. She screeched as the beech trembled again.
Lionblaze tensed at the sound of another prop splinteringbehind them. “We’ve got to get her out now!”
“How?” Dustpelt gasped. “The tree’s collapsing and she’s trapped.”
“I’ll get her!” Graystripe grabbed her scruff.
As Briarpaw squealed in terror and pain, Lionblaze knocked the gray tom away. “You’ll kill her,” he warned. Without thinking, he pressed his back against a wide branch that spanned the crushed den. Pressing his paws to the ground, he arched his spine, forcing his shoulders up until he felt the whole weight of the tree. The branch shuddered and creaked and began to shift upward.
“Y-you’re moving it!” Dustpelt whispered.
“Grab her now!” Lionblaze panted as he felt the tree move another whisker.
Graystripe leaned forward and grabbed his daughter’s scruff.
“Gently!” Lionblaze warned. The weight on his shoulders was agonizing. But he wouldn’t leave his Clanmate to die. Outside the den, wood splintered and cracked.
“The props are going!” Millie shrieked.
Slowly, carefully, Graystripe drew Briarpaw from under the branch. “I’ve got her,” he mewed through her fur.
Briarpaw whimpered as her father pulled her out.
Dustpelt stared down the tunnel as the pair disappeared.
Lionblaze felt his lungs screaming as he fought for breath, his legs trembling beneath him.
“They’re clear!” Dustpelt reported.
“You go too!” Lionblaze yelped.
Dustpelt scooted away between the branches as the tree groaned and wood splintered.
With a last heaving gasp, Lionblaze ducked out from underneath the branch and dived after Dustpelt. The tree crumpled around him and he shot from the tunnel a moment before the last prop gave way and the tree fell to a shuddering halt, its roots slamming against the nursery. With a heaving crash, its branches flopped to the ground like corpses.
Darkness crowded Lionblaze’s vision as he struggled to catch his breath. His legs shivered but he refused to let them buckle. He waited, letting strength gather within him and spread through his limbs. Then he stretched and blinked the darkness away.
A tail smoothed his back.
“Well done, Lionblaze.” Firestar was at his side.
Graystripe and Millie were crouching beside Briarpaw. Jayfeather grabbed a mouthful of herbs from the pile Rosepetal had passed through the branches. He dropped them next to Briarpaw and began to sniff her limp body.
“Will she be okay?” Millie rasped.
The young cat’s breath was coming in gasps and her eyes were glazed.
“I don’t think she can see us,” Graystripe wailed.
“Out of my way!” Jayfeather scooted around Briarpaw, sniffing her pelt, his eyes narrowed in a frown.
“Longtail?” called a trembling voice. It was Whitewing.
Lionblaze turned and saw the Clan creeping back into the hollow. They padded slowly, edging what was left of the clearing, and sniffing at the remains of their devastated camp. Blossompaw and Bumblepaw broke away and raced to Graystripe and Millie, pressing hard against them.
“Will Briarpaw be okay?” Bumblepaw whimpered.
Mousefur darted from Whitewing’s side and began to circle Longtail’s body. “No, no, no, no, no,” she moaned.
Purdy shuffled close to the old she-cat as she dropped to her belly and pressed her nose into her denmate’s chilly pelt.
Dovepaw and Ivypaw stared in horror at Briarpaw’s unmoving body.
“Is she dead?” Ivypaw whispered.
“Don’t just stand there like rabbits,” Lionblaze snapped. “Go and fetch her some moss. Try to make her comfortable!”
The two cats sprang away and raced from the hollow. They passed Leafpool, who padded through the thorns and halted. Through slitted eyes, she watched Jayfeather work.
Jayfeather lifted his head to face her. “Well?” he snarled. “Are you going to help me or not?”
Leafpool blinked, pain flashing in her eyes. Then her gaze hardened. “What do you want me to do?” She slid in beside Jayfeather and sniffed at Briarpaw.
“Shock’s setting in fast,” Jayfeather reported.
“She needs thyme,” Leafpool instructed. “I’ll make pulp.” She took a mouthful of leaves from the pile and began to chew them.
Jayfeather sat up. “I can’t find where she’s hurt. There’s not a scratch on her.” He sounded perplexed.
Briarpaw’s eyelids flickered. “I-I c-can’t feel my hind legs.”
Jayfeather leaned forward and gently took one leg in his jaws to lift it up. He let go and it dropped to the ground like dead prey. “Is that thyme ready yet?” he called to Leafpool.
“Yes.” She began wiping the pulp around Briarpaw’s lips with her paw. Instinctively Briarpaw licked it off and Leafpool applied more.
Millie was pacing around them, her eyes clouded with grief. “What’s wrong with her?” she begged.
Jayfeather didn’t answer. Instead he glanced up at Lionblaze. “Comfrey, please.”
Lionblaze hurried to the medicine den entrance and called through the branches to Rosepetal, “Jayfeather needs comfrey!”
“I’ve got loads,” Rosepetal meowed back. She began stuffing pawfuls of leaves through the branches.
Lionblaze grabbed a mouthful and carried them to Jayfeather. “Will she be okay?” he whispered.
“Her heartbeat is getting steadier, but her legs…” Jayfeather’s words trailed into a frustrated growl. He flicked Lionblaze away with his tail.
Ferncloud was trying to comfort Graystripe and Millie. “If anyone can save her, Jayfeather can.” She glanced at Jayfeather as he began rubbing a dark green poultice into Briarpaw’s hind legs. “And he’s got Leafpool helping,” she added in a hopeful whisper.
Firestar straightened up. “Dustpelt!” he called. “See if the nursery is secure. We can at least make sure the queens and kits have some shelter.” He glanced around the camp, which was half-hidden by the beech. “The apprentices’ den looks okay.” He nodded to Cloudtail and Squirrelflight. “Check that it’s secure. Then collect bedding. As much as you can find. The elders and queens and kits will sleep inside tonight. But the rest of us will still need nests.”
Squirrelflight nodded and beckoned to Berrynose, Thornclaw, and Brackenfur with her tail before charging out of the camp.
“Should I go with them?” Lionblaze offered.
Firestar gazed at him. “You’ve done enough for the Clan for today,” he murmured. “Thank you. And thank StarClan we have you. If it wasn’t for you, Briarpaw would be dead by now.”
Lionblaze looked at Briarpaw lying on the sodden ground. Leafpool was massaging her chest with a firm paw, her eyes more focused than they had been in moons.
Briarpaw opened her eyes and stared at her father and mother. “Where are my back legs? Are they still there?”
Millie let out a muffled squeak, and the fur rose along Graystripe’s spine. Briarpaw’s hind legs were stretched out behind her, looking just as they always had, strong and glossy. But she couldn’t feel them—and if she couldn’t feel them, she couldn’t stand or walk or run….
A torrent of grief swept through Lionblaze, and for one unbearable moment he wondered if the lively young apprentice would thank him for saving her life.
第九章
第九章
鸽爪在荆棘屏障旁不安地走来走去，很想赶紧离开。
藤爪坐在一旁望着她，尾巴烦躁地抽动着。“你会告诉我所有的事情，对吗？”她又一次问道。
“当然了。”鸽爪保证道，“我一回来就告诉你。”黑莓掌通知今晚的森林大会只让鸽爪前去参加，这似乎让藤爪已经消除的疑虑又产生了，她疑惑资深武士们为什么会对鸽爪这么特殊对待。
雷族副族长经过藤爪身旁时，她一直瞪着他。
黑莓掌停住了。“别生气了。”他安慰道，“你又不是幼崽，所以不需要你的同窝手足每时每刻都陪在你身边。”
晚餐后一直在打盹的白翅坐起身来。“黑莓掌，在我的记忆里，”她揶揄道，“你可是从来都不愿错过任何一次森林大会的。”她慈爱地瞥了一眼她的两个女儿。
黑莓掌严肃地瞪了一眼这只白色母猫，但最后还是笑了出来：“好吧，可我至少还懂得场合，只在自己的巢穴里悄悄生气。”
藤爪生气地盯着自己的脚掌，尾巴不停摆动着。
黑莓掌走过去坐在灰条身边。鸽爪围着藤爪转圈：“别担心，等我们成为武士后，每一次森林大会时就能一起参加了。”
松鼠飞钻出武士巢穴，穿过空地。她看了黑莓掌片刻后，来到猎物堆旁的叶池身边。
“你觉得黑莓掌会原谅她们吗？”鸽爪盯着叶池两姐妹低声问道。黑莓掌怎么能对曾经的伴侣如此冷漠呢？鸽爪不禁颤抖着，她很好奇，曾经关系那么密切的两只猫怎么会突然疏远得就像分属不同族群似的。她和藤爪之间永远都不会发生这样的事。
至少松鼠飞和叶池依旧很亲密。鸽爪望着这对姐妹。只见她们依偎在一起，像刚出育婴室的同窝手足那样，皮毛紧紧地贴在一起。
她用鼻子轻推了藤爪一下。“我保证会从花瓣毛那里打听些有趣的小道消息。”她柔声说道。她希望那只胆小的河族母猫不会表现得像是从未跟她一起冒过险。
火星从高石台跳了下来，脚掌下的石子啪啪直响，其余的队员匆匆赶往荆棘通道入口。沙风、刺掌和蕨毛在入口旁焦躁地走来走去，狐跃、玫瑰瓣和亮心也走出了武士巢穴。狮焰急匆匆进食后仍舔着嘴唇，等着松鸦羽从巫医巢穴中走出来。米莉从排便处通道那里出来后赶忙站在灰条身旁，狮焰和松鸦羽也一同来到族猫跟前。桦落溜到白翅身旁，梅花爪和荆棘爪也冲出学徒巢穴，激动得眼睛发亮。
黄蜂爪在她们身后喊道：“我想知道森林大会上发生的所有事！”他和藤爪被留了下来。
松鼠飞从叶池身旁走开，快步追上队伍。火星用尾巴发出信号，然后钻出了营地。他的族猫们跟在他身后鱼贯而出。当他们默默向着湖泊方向行进时，鸽爪感觉队伍有些不安。灰条说得对，风将天空吹晴了，银毛星带在明亮的圆月周边闪烁着。但森林里那场大雨留下的水仍不断往下滴着。鸽爪跟着族伴穿过湿漉漉的灌木丛，皮毛很快就湿透了。
冰冷的潮湿似乎让每只猫的皮毛都恼怒得竖了起来。
“最好别让我们在雷族的领地上发现影族的臭味。”狐跃咆哮道。
“别那么傻了！”黑莓掌厉声说道，“我们沿着风族一侧的湖边行走，就算影族猫再愚蠢，也不会来到这么远的地方！”
刺掌停住了，嗅了嗅空气。“我绝对不会放过影族的。”他咕哝道。
狐跃抽动着尾巴：“我们就应该跨进影族领地，留下我们的气味。看看他们有多喜欢！”
“对！”玫瑰瓣附和道，“我打赌他们不会太开心的。”这些天来，这只深奶油色母猫似乎对同巢猫说的每一句话都很赞同。
鼠脑子！鸽爪立刻就感觉很内疚。玫瑰瓣是一位优秀的武士，鸽爪真希望她不会因为迷恋一只公猫而放弃自己的思考。
“我们就该这么做！”狮焰吼道，“给他们点儿颜色看看。不过，他们鼻子里尽是松树味，或许不会留意到。”
松鼠飞跳上斜坡，经过金毛武士身边。“别惹麻烦！”她警告道。
黑莓掌来到斜坡顶，向下盯着松鼠飞：“有时候，侵略也是必要的，星族让我们长着脚掌总是有缘由的。”
暗姜黄色母猫眼中闪过震惊，仿佛黑莓掌的话划破了她的口鼻。狮焰明显退缩了一下。队伍重新在湖岸线上聚集，沿着湖边行进，与水面保持着三尾远的距离。
鸽爪扫视着山坡一带，没有其他族群的踪迹。横跨湖岸与小岛之间水面的倒树上也没有新鲜的气味。鸽爪经过倒树时，伸出爪子紧紧抓住光滑的树皮。她听到树干下哗哗流动的水声，还有远处吹过小岛树木的风声。
空地里空荡荡的。鸽爪跳下树桥，脚掌下的鹅卵石嘎吱作响，水从她脚掌的皮毛间浸了上来。
“来吧。”鸽爪轻声对梅花爪说，“我们去探险吧。”
“但是——”
鸽爪已经跑进了树林，把梅花爪落在了身后。“没关系的。”她扭头喊道，“我们可是最先来的呢。”
鸽爪已经冲进了小岛中央的空地。过了一会儿，梅花爪也冲出了蕨丛。空气中充满了湖边被水浸泡烂的野草的臭味。鸽爪皱起了鼻子。河族怎么受得了？
“等等我！”荆棘爪冲出矮树丛追上了她们。她停下来打量着荒芜的空地，她们的族猫还在身后几树远的灌木丛间不紧不慢地走着。
“我们爬上这棵大树吧！”梅花爪冲向空地尽头耸立的大橡树。一眨眼的工夫，她已经跳上了树干，坐在最低的树枝上，郑重其事地将尾巴绕在前脚掌上，挺起胸膛，好像要对族群发表演说。
“我，梅花星，欢迎你们——”
“下来！”松鼠飞刺耳的一声怒吼，吓得梅花爪滑落树枝，滚到地面上。
鸽爪猛转过身，呆住了。暗姜黄色母猫的眼里燃着怒火。梅花爪站稳后满脸羞愧地退着穿过空地。
“你怎么敢这样？”松鼠飞训斥道，“星族会怎么想？”
“哎哟。”荆棘爪低声叫着，紧紧靠着鸽爪。
米莉跳出蕨丛，眼睛看了松鼠飞一眼，便看向梅花爪。
梅花爪走路有些一瘸一拐。灰毛武士冲到女儿身旁。“你没事吧？”米莉嗅闻着梅花爪的腿。
“没事。”梅花爪安慰着她，“只是落地时没站稳。”
“你做什么了？”
梅花爪低下了头：“我想知道坐在这棵大橡树上是什么感觉。然后松鼠飞冲我大喊大叫，我吓了一跳，就掉下来了。”
米莉生气地看向松鼠飞：“你没必要吓唬她！她可能会受重伤的！”
“首先她就不该坐在这棵树上。”松鼠飞指出。
“她还只是学徒。”米莉提醒松鼠飞。
“她已经够大了，该懂这些了！”看到松鸦羽走出蕨丛，松鼠飞转向他。“你能检查一下梅花爪吗？”松鼠飞问道，“她刚才从树上掉下来了。”
火星从灌木丛中出来了：“谁掉下来了？”
“没关系的。”松鸦羽检查她的腿时，梅花爪说道，“我没事。”
火星扫了松鼠飞一眼，又看向米莉。两只母猫都怒气冲冲的。
灰条走在火星身前，嗅了嗅空气。“呸！”他皱着鼻子，“不知道这里空荡荡时难闻呢，还是其他族群的气味混在空气中时更难闻。”
鸽爪很感激争吵过后这位灰毛武士表现出的幽默。松鼠飞和米莉退到空地的不同区域。黑莓掌在远离这两只母猫的山毛榉树下坐了下来。白翅走进空地，瞟了一眼松鼠飞，又看了一眼米莉，犹豫了一下，然后在她俩之间的蕨丛旁的阴影处坐了下来。松鸦羽在大橡树的树根间坐下了，其他巫医到了之后也会坐在这里。桦落走到空地边缘，警觉地嗅探着。剩余的雷族猫都坐在一旁，尾巴默默地拂动着。
尽管此刻的天空很晴朗，但空气中仍弥漫着雨水的味道。一阵微风吹来，叶子簌簌地飘落到空地上，鸽爪不由得打了个寒战。她正要放松下来，这时，听到小岛远处的灌木丛中传来沙沙的声音，接着闻到了河族浓烈的鱼腥味。他们正离开营地向空地而来。
鸽爪发觉火星正顺着她的目光望向树林那边的芦苇丛，看着一只只光滑皮毛的河族猫出现在视野中。雾星带领着她的族群走进了空地，火星扬起尾巴打着招呼。河族猫纷纷走进雷族猫中间，开始交头接耳，花瓣毛则立刻跑出队伍，跑过落满叶子的空地，在鸽爪身旁猛停了下来。
“嘿！”灰白相间的河族母猫挺起胸膛，仰起下巴。远征之旅后，她至少长了一老鼠的长度。“训练怎么样？”花瓣毛问道。
“棒极了！”见到她，鸽爪十分高兴。让她更开心的是，至少有一位曾帮助寻找溪流的远征队员像朋友一样问候她。然而，松鸦羽的话回响在鸽爪的脑海：并非所有的猫都觉得共同冒一次险就能永远成为朋友。她抛开这种想法。她完全可以在忠于族群的同时对花瓣毛表示友好！
“你不觉得我们上次冒险之后干什么都很无聊吗？”花瓣毛的眼睛里闪着亮光。
要是这样就好了！狮焰特别严苛地磨炼她的力量，她几乎都没有时间去想事情是不是无聊。“我有一位很好的老师。”鸽爪说道。她意识到狮焰的目光从她身上闪过。他是担心自己会泄露什么吗？
当嗅到风族猫穿过倒树，向空地走来时，鸽爪越发不安起来。
“你没事吧？”花瓣毛的眼睛睁大了。
“什么？”鸽爪扭过头紧张地凝视着，她警觉地看着风族武士。这些风族猫曾目睹自己被灰溜溜地从风族营地押送回家。花瓣毛的目光投向远处时，鸽爪不由身子一僵。
“只是风族猫而已！”河族猫冲一张熟悉的面孔打着招呼，“嘿！莎草须！”
但风族武士刻意地走开了。“她的鼻子怎么了？”花瓣毛的琥珀色眼睛里流露出受伤的神情。
鸽爪很想解释莎草须的冷漠是对自己的，而不是花瓣毛，但她不想向花瓣毛坦白自己去风族领地探险的糟糕经历，更何况，黑莓掌现在正眯眼盯着自己呢。我打赌，他一定想知道一星会怎么说我越界到风族营地的事的。她真希望藤爪此刻陪在她的身边。
“高兴点儿！”花瓣毛的声音吓了鸽爪一跳，“风族猫一向都爱生气。如果他们不想和我们说话，那我们也没什么办法。”
鸽爪弹了弹尾巴。花瓣毛说得对，如果自己的族猫想互相攻击，如果风族猫乐意闷闷不乐，她又能怎样呢？她可不能忘记自己今晚最重要的任务。虎心已经答应告诉她，他在雷族领地干什么。她搜寻着虎心的气味，惊讶地发现，虎心的气味在凉爽的夜风中格外清新，而且就在很近的地方。影族已经到小岛了。
影族以黑星为首走进空地时，火星抬头瞥了一眼月亮。云层已经聚集在地平线上。雷族族长跳上大橡树，坐在梅花爪早前掉落的那棵矮树枝上，一星和黑星也跟着爬了上去。雾星抬眼瞄了一眼粗大的树干，似乎在寻找落脚的地方，随即把自己拖曳了上去，坐在其他族长身旁。
鸽爪望着聚集在树下的猫群，寻找虎心那深色虎斑皮毛。她瞥到虎心了，他的皮毛和他族猫的皮毛混在一起。接着一群河族猫从影族猫中间挤过，挡住了她的视线。
“虎心！”鸽爪小声叫道。但虎心没有转身，相反，有利爪抓了一下她的尾巴。
“哎哟！”鸽爪扭过了头。
沙风正严厉地看着她：“该坐下来了，族长们就要发言了。”
鸽爪只好沮丧地透过一堆皮毛和耳朵向虎心坐着的地方望去。雪鸟洁白的皮毛在虎心光滑的深色皮毛旁闪闪发亮。她想引起他的注意，但红柳来到了他们旁边，虎心又消失在族猫宽大的棕色脑袋后面。鸽爪只好不情愿地转身望着族长们。
一星走向树枝中央。鸽爪紧张地屏住了呼吸。请不要提到我！
“托星族的福，湖泊回来了。”一星开口说道。
“我觉得寻找并找到了湖泊的猫和星族没有任何关系。”梅花爪屏住呼吸小声说。
“我们释放了溪流的勇敢的武士已经安全返回，并且为再次与族群团聚感到高兴。”风族族长的目光扫过雷族众猫，当他继续说下去时，鸽爪情不自禁地缩起了身子。
“风族会永远感激它的英勇武士的胆识和力量。”
荆棘爪紧贴着鸽爪。“他说的就好像是风族自己做到的似的。”她小声说道，“那么你、狮焰、虎心还有——”
“嘘！”松鼠飞瞪了她们一眼，转向大橡树继续听一星讲话。
“秃叶季即将来临，保护我们的边界至关重要。虽然风族领地上的兔子依然很多，但如果秃叶季形势严峻，我们必须保护属于我们的东西。”他向下盯着雷族猫，“任何入侵者都会受到严惩。”
鸽爪屈起爪子，等着一星提到她的名字。但风族族长只是点点头，便沿着树枝退了回去，给雾星让出地方，鸽爪这才松了一口气。新上任的河族族长头一次发言时，族群一片寂静。
“你们现在应该知道了，我是河族的新任族长。”
欢呼声顿时响起：“雾星！雾星！”
火星站起身，向这只灰色母猫低头致意，他的眼里闪烁着骄傲的光。鸽爪竖起了耳朵。雷族族长看起来真心欢迎这位新任河族族长。我想，他已经认识雾星很久了。此外，从各族群都爆发出同样的欢呼来看，雾星的确深受所有猫欢迎，这与松鸦羽预测的一样。
雾星点点头，蓝色的眼睛睁得大大的，一眨也不眨。她的目光扫过所有族群，直到大家安静下来。“豹星是一位高尚的族长。”她开口道。顿时表示赞同的低语声在猫群中传开。雾星继续说道：“她勇敢忠诚，为了保护族猫，她什么事情都愿意做。”
“虎星也是。”鸽爪身后响起酸溜溜的低语声。
她困惑地环顾四周。原来是一位风族武士正在自己族猫的耳边低语着。鸽爪不禁皱起了眉头。跟所有的幼崽一样，她也在育婴室里听过那位深色武士的故事。但是，虎星与豹星有什么关系呢？她靠近梅花爪：“他曾是影族族长，对吗？”
沙风扭过头，严厉地瞪了鸽爪一眼。“是的。”她低嘶道，“但这件事要比那复杂得多。现在闭嘴！”
雾星继续讲话，鸽爪闭紧了嘴巴。
“我们为花瓣毛的凯旋感到高兴，也为涟尾感到悲伤。涟尾为了打败河狸，英勇地战死了。”
鸽爪的心一紧。她已经有好些日子没想起这位河族武士了。她不想忘记他，永远都不想。
“我敢肯定，”雾星补充道，“他现在正和豹星在星族间散步，守护着他们的前族猫。”
雾星说完坐下了，一片同情的叹息声在族群中响起。
黑星来到雾星的位置。“我们会永远怀念豹星的。”影族族长说话时似乎真的很悲伤，他的双眼在月光中闪烁。“失去一位族长是所有族群的损失。”他继续说道，“但新鲜的血液将带来新的力量。我们祝愿雾星有一段漫长而愉快的族长生涯。”
鸽爪盯着影族族长，对他的同情心感到惊讶。为什么族群间不能经常这样表达友谊呢？也许雾星的领导将标志着一个新时代，一个基于信任而不是猜疑的时代。
希望在鸽爪胸中闪动，但影族族长的目光突然变得严厉起来：“但边界就是边界，不能被模糊。”
黑星向下怒视着雷族猫，鸽爪注意到灰条的身子僵硬起来。
“雷族在边界附近的活动太频繁了。”黑星嘶吼道，“气味标记都变得不清楚了。”
刺掌颈毛倒立，跳了起来：“你怎么敢这么说！是你们影族在我们领地上留下了气味！”
河族猫和风族猫转身观看着。当影族武士纷纷站起身时，他们的眼睛都兴奋地发着光。鸽爪注意到灰条爪子伸了出来。
“休战协定！”沙风在灰毛武士耳旁小声说道，但灰条只是将爪子深深插进地面，肩上的皮毛直立着。
“不要挑起你无法掌控的争端。”灰条警告着黑星。
“坐下！”黑莓掌的怒吼让灰条一愣。他哼了一声，使自己的颈毛平顺下来，但依然伸着爪子。
黑星的眼睛闪烁着。“不是我们挑起争端。”他辩解道，“是雷族先控诉我们的。”
影族族长继续发表看法时，灰条的尾巴不停地抽动着。“我们的一位武士检查了你们在雷族边界内发现的所谓气味，他分辨不出是哪族留下的。像以往一样，雷族正在寻找机会对其他族群指手画脚。”
沙风紧贴着灰条，好像在提醒他控制自己的脾气。
鸽爪向前挪动着身子，这样她就能看到虎心了。只见这位深棕色虎斑武士正低着头。他知道自己是有愧的。但他的族猫呢？
她盯着虎心，鼻子里闻到了一股血腥味，突然意识到年轻的公猫被抓伤了。他的皮毛因为伤口乱蓬蓬的，而不是因为尴尬，有一只耳朵也被撕裂了。也许他的族猫已经知道，是他在雷族领地留下了气味，并惩罚了他。
她眉头紧蹙，胡乱想着。可怜的虎心！影族武士肯定像育婴室中传说的那样凶残。
一个猛推把她吓得跳了起来。“别盯着虎心。”沙风猛地说道，“你看起来就像只猫头鹰！”
我在盯着他吗？鸽爪将目光转向大橡树。黑星还在讲话。
“如果雷族不能做好边界标记，不能待在气味标记内，那么，影族一定会做出回应。”他夸张地叹了口气，“明明是我们所有族群一起完成那项任务，为什么雷族却总像大家欠了他们似的呢？”他的眼神中流露出惋惜的神情，扫过河族和风族，就仿佛他们也承受了同样的重负似的。
鸽爪身子缩了起来。难道黑星也知道她去造访莎草须了吗？
梅花爪推了推鸽爪：“别抖了！”
“对不起！”鸽爪竟没意识到自己的脚掌一直抖得非常剧烈。
“安静！”沙风冲她们嘘了一下，“否则我就早点儿让你们俩回家！”
鸽爪拖回脚掌，紧闭嘴巴，发誓不再说一个字。如果在森林大会上被送回家，那星族会怎么看自己呢？
终于，黑星停止了控诉。火星走到树枝中央，高抬着下巴和尾巴。“欢迎你，雾星。”火星开口说道，“你已经取得了族长的位置，雷族祝愿你一切都好。”他热情地冲河族族长眨眨眼睛。“我们会想念豹星的。当我还是雷族学徒时，就认识她了。”火星的喉中响起一阵咕噜声，他表现得就像是黑星的演讲从未发生过似的，“我一直很尊敬她。虽然她对河族的忠诚从未动摇过，但作为族长，她也十分清楚让每个族群保持强大的重要性。”火星瞟了一眼黑星，又继续说道：“犹如她的名字一样，她有一只强大的猫才会有的心胸、勇气和力量。”
当火星低下头时，一阵低语声从鸽爪身后响起。风族武士又开始发起牢骚来。
“火星总表现得像是大家的盟友似的！”
“他靠尽力结交朋友来避免战斗。”
“他不喜欢血腥味。”
“就像宠物猫一样。”
鸽爪扭过头：“火星的确很友善，但这并不表示他或雷族就很软弱！”
哎呀！突然想起沙风的警告，鸽爪赶忙闭上嘴巴，转回到大橡树。
“黑星，”火星用他最平静的声音对影族族长说道，“我们理解边界的意义，也理解边界在维护族群间和平的重要性。我们也知道必要的时候，我们会为之战斗。”说到这里，他的语气突然严厉起来，带着一丝威胁。他盯着黑星好一阵子，就在影族族长张开嘴刚要反驳时，火星转向聚集的族猫。“雷族有一个好消息。”他轻快地说道，“罂粟霜生了两只小猫，雷族多了两位新成员，他们是小樱桃和小鼹鼠。”一阵热情的祝贺声在族群间响起。火星等待大家温暖的祝福声停止了，才总结道：“照这样的速度，我们得把我们的武士巢穴修得再大一些。”他低下头。“托星族的福。”说完，他跳下了橡树。
鸽爪抬起头，为自己的族长感到骄傲。在她四周，众猫开始在空地上走动起来。不同族群的学徒们混在一起，分享着训练中的各种趣事；武士们也三五成群聚在一起；长老们则交流着他们自己的消息。
梅花爪和荆棘爪向一群影族和河族学徒走去。
“你要来吗？”荆棘爪冲鸽爪喊道。
鸽爪眨了眨眼睛。她一直在寻找虎心。“我一会儿就过来。”她答应道。
他去哪儿了？雪鸟和红柳正在和两位风族武士闲聊。哪儿都看不到虎心。鸽爪深吸了一口气，想分辨出舌头上混杂的气味。
在那儿！
她终于嗅到了他的气味。她的目光望向空地另一边的一处荆棘丛。虎心正蜷伏在下方的阴影里。
“想躲起来？”鸽爪说着跑向虎心。
他坐起身：“谁？”
“我。”鸽爪勇敢地盯着虎心说道，“你答应会向我解释你在我们的领地上做什么？”
虎心的眼睛瞪大了。“小声点儿！”他紧张地朝四周看了一眼，“跟我来。”他放低耳朵和尾巴，偷偷离开了。他带着鸽爪穿过灌木丛，来到一棵断裂的柳树后的小洼地里。鸽爪眨眨眼，适应着黑暗的光线。柳树挡住了月亮和半条银毛星带。
“听我说！”虎心低声说，“我不能告诉你我具体在做什么，但我们没计划入侵，我发誓。”
鸽爪抬起头。年轻武士确实在谋划着什么。“你是在我的领地上，”鸽爪提醒他，“我有权知道原因。如果你不告诉我，我就把这件事报告给火星！”
虎心垂下了眼睛。“你确实有权知道。”他的声音温柔，充满歉意，“但是，求求你相信我。”他抬起眼睛看着鸽爪，他的眼睛很圆，几乎是黑色的，闪烁着焦虑的光。
鸽爪感到一阵怜悯涌上心头。很显然，这只年轻的公猫左右为难，有什么事情正困扰着他。鸽爪点点头，虎心脸上柔软的皮毛使她有些分神。他看起来很年轻，渴望着她的理解。她卷起尾巴碰了碰他的尾巴尖儿。她的触动让虎心一僵，但并没有把尾巴挪开，相反，他侧身向前，鼻子抵着鸽爪耳毛。
“谢谢你。”
他温暖的呼吸触碰到她的耳朵，让她不禁战栗起来。一只影族猫的呼吸，闻起来竟如此香甜。
“好吧。”她绞尽脑汁，让自己回到最初找他谈话的理由上，“但如果有什么事情威胁到了森林，我必须知道。”
“没有什么威胁森林。”虎心保证道，“如果真的有，我一定会告诉你。”他的眼睛睁得更圆了，直到鸽爪觉得他俩目光相交。“在远征途中我们几乎……成了朋友。”
鸽爪发觉自己使劲地点着头。
虎心叹了口气：“如果我们在同一个族群那就好了……”
不！鸽爪向后退去，突然意识到她与这位年轻潇洒的影族武士靠得太近了。她必须换个话题！“你……你这些抓痕是怎么回事？”她盯着虎心肩上的皮毛，那里仍结着血块，“那个伤口看起来很严重。”
虎心坐了回去，耸耸肩：“战斗训练时留下的。”
鸽爪打了个寒战。难道影族武士训练时是露着尖牙和利爪的吗？“小云为你治疗了吗？伤口也许会感染的。”
虎心转过身去，这样他的肩膀就能藏在阴影里了。“实话说，没那么严重。也不痛，除非我……”他没有继续说下去。
荆棘丛突然沙沙响起来。
虎心蜷伏着身子，耳朵平贴，鸽爪退回到柳树根间最暗的裂缝中。
“该死的刺。”这是一个苍老的声音，沙哑的声音中带着恼怒。鸽爪嗅了嗅，闻到了风族的气味。一定是位长老在找僻静的地方排便。
虎心快步向后退去。“我得走了。”他小声说着，消失在树根的那一边。
鸽爪盯着虎心离去的背影。他的行为为什么如此古怪？一脸疑惑的鸽爪跳出洼地，站到一根很粗的树根上。“那边很僻静！”她对那位不停抱怨的风族长老喊道，尾巴指向树林深处几尾远的一处空地。
这只老猫从荆棘丛中挣脱了出来。“怎么现在才告诉我！”他恼怒地说道，“我的耳朵都被划破了，这像狐狸牙齿似的荆棘刺几乎刮掉了我一半的皮毛。”
鸽爪抽动着胡须，跑回自己的族群。沙风看到她后推了推白翅。
“鸽爪？”白毛武士紧张地冲她喊道，“原来你在这儿！”
“我没走远。”鸽爪从刺掌和灰条身旁穿过，此时火星正围着自己的族群，他的肩膀紧张地耸动着。“发生什么事了？”
“梅花爪！荆棘爪！我找到她了！”白翅冲那两位正在空地边上嗅着灌木丛搜寻的学徒喊道。“你去哪儿了？”
“去那儿了。”鸽爪含糊地朝倒下的柳树点点头，“大家为什么不聊天了？”
各个族群已经分开，正警惕地相互看着。
沙风弹了一下尾巴。“风族和影族又在边界问题上小题大做了。”她气呼呼地说。
鼠痕在他的族猫周围走来走去，他看向雷族的目光，似乎在月光下燃烧。
风皮笔直地坐着，眼睛眯成一条缝，尾巴扫着身后的地面。“边界就是边界。”他冲狮焰咆哮道，后者正回瞪着这位狂怒的武士。
“你一旦和雷族共同完成了某个任务，他们就会觉得他们拥有整个湖泊。”乌霜嘶嘶地说道。
狐跃抓挠着地面：“但是我们拯救了湖泊！”
“是我们一起拯救了湖泊！”一星嘶吼道，“每个族群都派出了猫。所以你们为什么跨越边界？搞得就像你们征服了我们似的。”
黑暗掠过空地。鸽爪抬起头，云层在天边积聚，开始飘过月亮。苍白的月光仍能渗透下来，但起风了，厚厚的云层一颗星一颗星地吞噬掉了银毛星带。
火星抽打着尾巴。“在星族叫停森林大会之前，我们赶紧离开吧。”他生气地看了一眼一星和黑星，“雷族并不想挑起麻烦，你们知道的！”
鸽爪感觉自己被族猫推挤着向空地边缘走去。梅花爪推着她向前，米莉、亮心和蕨毛则跟在她身后。
火星在原地多停留了片刻。他警告风族和影族族长：“在你们无中生有控诉那些我们没做过的事情之前，一定考虑清楚了。”他转过身，卷起嘴唇，跟着他的族猫走进了树林。
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 12
Jayfeather lifted his head and sniffedthe dawn breeze. The air was fresh with the tang of sap from the fallen tree and musty with wet leaves and mud. He felt the warmth of Millie’s pelt against his. The gray queen was wrapped around her kit.
Briarpaw slept on, the poppy seed he’d given her last night still heavy on her breath. He could sense the weight in her limbs and the emptiness of feeling in her hind legs.
Aching with the strain of yesterday’s disaster, he sniffed at his patient, his whiskers brushing over Millie’s pelt as he leaned into Briarpaw’s nest.
Millie raised her head. “How is she?”
“She’s safe from the shock,” he told her. Briarpaw’s heart beat steadily beneath her clammy pelt.
“What about her legs?” Millie’s mew trembled.
“I don’t know.” Jayfeather stifled a growl. He hated being so helpless.
Outside, warriors were moving in the half clearing. Jayfeather could hear Brambleclaw issuing orders.
“Patrols will carry on as normal. We must hunt. Dustpelt, how many cats do you need to help you clear the debris?”
Jayfeather pricked his ears. The wreckage of the beech muted sound. The mews of his Clanmates no longer rang against the rocky walls of the hollow but soaked into the soft mass of sodden branches and leaves.
“Four or five should be enough for the first shift,” Dustpelt answered his deputy resolutely, but Jayfeather felt the sting in the warrior’s paws, raw from yesterday’s work. “Birchfall and Brackenfur? They could start with the bigger branches. Rosepetal and Hazeltail could help with the smaller ones.”
A path had been cleared to the medicine den. The nursery was safe, enfolded in a tangle of beech roots. The apprentices’ den had survived unscathed.
Briarpaw was stirring. As Jayfeather bent to sniff her muzzle he felt her eyelids flicker on his cheek.
“How are you?” he asked gently.
He could feel panic pricking from Millie and tapped her with his tail-tip. Don’t let her smell your fear
“Don’t know,” Briarpaw answered groggily.
“Any pain?”
“No. Just sleepy.”
“That’s because of the poppy seed.”
“Is that why I can’t feel my hind legs?”
Jayfeather felt Millie’s gaze burning his pelt. She wanted him to say yes. She wanted it to be true.
Perhaps it was. Perhaps once the trauma of the accident had worn off Briarpaw would be up and about, her hind legs fine. After all, he hadn’t felt any breaks in the bones. There was no reason why they shouldn’t work.
“Well?” Briarpaw pressed.
“I think they’re just recovering from the accident a little more slowly than the rest of you,” he told her. “Let’s wait and see. StarClan willing, they’ll wake up before too long.”
Briarpaw hooked her claws into the bracken of her nest. “I hope it’s soon. I’ve just passed my assessment. I can be a warrior now!”
Millie swallowed hard. “Go back to sleep,” she whispered. “The more you rest, the quicker you’ll recover.”
Briarpaw rested her chin on her paws and within moments her breath deepened into slumber.
Millie followed Jayfeather out of the den. “What’s wrong with her?” she demanded as soon as they were beyond the trailing brambles.
Jayfeather winced as his paw stubbed a branch littering the pathway to his den. The camp had changed shape, distorted by the fallen beech, and he had to pick his way carefully through it, not knowing what might be jutting out, waiting to trip him. He snorted with frustration. The camp had been the one place he could move around without concentrating. Now it was as foreign to him as RiverClan territory.
“What’s wrong with her legs?” Millie pressed as he licked his paw fiercely to ease the pain.
He paused, fixing his gaze on her. He knew that cats listened harder when he looked at them, though it made no difference to him. “I don’t know.”
“You must!” Fear and frustration edged her mew.
Jayfeather was relieved to hear Graystripe’s pawsteps approaching. The gray warrior could comfort his mate.
Graystripe’s fur brushed Millie’s. “No change?” His voice was taut with worry.
“We’re just going to have to wait,” Jayfeather told them. “At least she’s not in pain.”
He began to pad away, his mind whirling. Why couldn’t Briarpaw feel her legs? They were bruised, but not broken. Jayfeather frowned. He’d never come across that before.
“Can we see her?” Graystripe called after him.
“Sitting with her won’t harm her, though she needs her rest,” Jayfeather meowed over his shoulder. “She’s your kit. You’ll know best how to keep her spirits up.”
Jayfeather’s belly growled. The prey pile smelled freshly stocked. He figured that he’d better eat. There hadn’t been time last night. He padded toward it, tasting the familiar scent of Lionblaze, mixed with heavy, wet earth.
Jayfeather plucked a mouse from the stack. “Have you been burying Longtail?” He knew his grief for lost Clanmates was less than that of other cats. Hewould see Longtail again, free from blindness and aches, basking in the warmth of StarClan’s hunting grounds or sitting with old friends in the ranks of starry-pelted cats who visited the Moonpool.
Briarpaw’s problem upset him more. If her legs didn’t recover, she faced more suffering than he wanted to imagine.
Lionblaze flicked his tail against the ground. “I was helping Mousefur and Purdy. They were tired after sitting vigil all night.” He pushed the blackbird distractedly with a paw. “I sent them to rest in the nursery, but I don’t think Mousefur will sleep. She’s still very agitated.”
“I’ll take her a poppy seed once I’ve eaten,” Jayfeather promised. “Is Dovepaw any calmer?”
“A little.” Concern edged his mew. “She should be proud that she saved so many lives by warning us.”
“She feels the responsibility of looking after the Clan more heavily than ever,” Jayfeather guessed.
“She’s young.” Lionblaze sighed. “And being one of the Three isa great responsibility.”
Jayfeather nodded. He and Lionblaze were older, surer of their abilities, and they still found it hard.
“I’ll take her hunting with Ivypaw this morning,” Lionblaze decided. “I want her to remember what normal Clan life feels like.”
“Good.” As Jayfeather bent to pick up his mouse he heard pattering pawsteps. Blossompaw and Bumblepaw brushed against him.
“Can we see Briarpaw?” Bumblepaw circled anxiously.
“She’s sleeping at the moment,” Jayfeather answered. “But I don’t see why not. She’s not in pain. Company will be as good a medicine as any.”
The two young cats hurried away to the medicine den while Lionblaze headed for the tattered thorn barrier. Jayfeather bent again for his mouse.
“How’s Briarpaw?”
Leafpool’s mew took him by surprise. She was the only cat who could creep up on him. Perhaps her scent was too familiar. Too close to his own. He shook the thought away.
“Why don’t you check on her yourself?” he suggested, trying to keep his fur lying flat.
“I’m a warrior now,” she reminded him gruffly.
Disappointed, he snatched up his mouse and began to pad away.
“I’d go and see Littlecloud.”
Leafpool’s suggestion stopped him in his tracks.
“Really?” He turned back to her. “I thought you weren’t a medicine cat anymore.”
“I meant, if I were you.”
“But you’re not me!”
Leafpool took a steadying breath. “Littlecloud’s dealt with an injury like Briarpaw’s,” she explained. “A cat whose legs were crushed. He might have ideas about how to help Briarpaw.”
Jayfeather didn’t reply.
“It’s not that I don’t trust your judgment,” Leafpool went on. “It’s just what I would do.”
Jayfeather dropped his mouse, his appetite gone, and padded away. He climbed the rocks to Firestar’s den, pushing all thoughts except Briarpaw from his mind.
Sandstorm was sitting with the ThunderClan leader, grooming his shoulders, her rough tongue scraping his sleek fur. She paused as Jayfeather padded in.
“News?” Firestar’s voice was pricked with worry.
Jayfeather shook his head. “I want to travel to the ShadowClan camp to speak with Littlecloud,” he meowed. “Leafpool says he’s dealt with injuries similar to Briarpaw’s.”
“Very well.” Firestar didn’t hesitate. “But take Squirrelflight with you.”
Jayfeather’s heart sank. “I can manage by myself.”
“I know,” Firestar agreed. “But if one tree can fall after so much rain, so can another. We can’t risk losing you. Take Squirrelflight.”
Jayfeather could sense that there was no point arguing. But why Squirrelflight? He couldn’t think of any cat he’d like to travel with less. Except Leafpool.
Was Firestar forcing them together on purpose?
Jayfeather left the leader’s den and picked his way across the clearing. Grief pricked the air, the cats speaking only when necessary.
Foxleap and Icecloud were dragging a rustling branch past the apprentices’ den. They stopped as Jayfeather passed
“How’s Briarpaw?” Icecloud called.
“No better, no worse.”
Farther on, Thornclaw was gnawing at a branch, trying to loosen it from its thick bough. “How’s Briarpaw?”
Jayfeather hardly broke pace. “No better, no worse.”
“How’s Briarpaw?” Brightheart padded across his path.
Jayfeather growled. “No better, no worse.”
Sympathy flooded from the one-eyed warrior’s pelt. “We ask only because we care.”
Jayfeather’s shoulders slumped. “I don’t like being helpless,” he confessed.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Actually, there is.” Jayfeather nodded. Brightheart was used to helping in the medicine den. “I have to go out. Can you give Briarpaw poppy seeds if she starts to complain of pain? No more than one at a time. I don’t want to dull her feeling any more than necessary.”
“Okay.”
“And take one to Mousefur as soon as you get a chance,” he added. “She’s still very upset.”
“Right.” Brightheart ducked away toward the medicine den.
Jayfeather wanted to check on the elder himself before he left. He slid into the apprentices’ den, where Purdy and Mousefur were crouched in thickly padded nests.
“It was my fault,” Mousefur was muttering. “All my fault.”
Purdy forced a loud purr. “I bet he’s walking with StarClan now,” he mewed. “Hunting in lush forest, warm and happy.”
“How will he manage without me to guide him?” Mousefur fretted.
“I wish I’d known him longer,” Purdy pressed on. “I heard he made the Great Journey while he was blind.”
“He never seemed to get tired.” Memory distracted the old she-cat for a moment. “Always first up and ready to move on. Never afraid of what lay ahead.”
“What was he like before he lost his sight?” Purdy prompted.
“Eyes like a hawk,” Mousefur remembered. “Could spot prey under a rock a tree-length away.”
Jayfeather felt Purdy’s gaze flit over his pelt. For the first time, Jayfeather thanked StarClan for the garrulous old loner.
“Tell me about his best catch,” Purdy urged Mousefur. “I hear he once caught an eagle.”
“Well, it wasn’t exactly an eagle, though he did fight off an owl when it tried to snatch a kit.”
Relieved, Jayfeather backed out of the den.
As he neared the barrier, branches swished. Cloudtail and Brackenfur were heaving them up against the ragged thornbush.
“Wait!” Squirrelflight was hurrying after him. “Sandstorm told me to accompany you to ShadowClan’s camp.”
“I’m going to speak to Littlecloud.” Jayfeather didn’t turn to greet the orange warrior before he ducked through a gap in the barrier.
She hurried after him but kept a few paces behind as they headed into the forest. The wind was cold: the first promise of leaf-bare. Jayfeather shivered, then jumped as a tree creaked beside him. He had never considered the fragility of the trees before. They stood so strong and tall. How could rain have defeated one?
Squirrelflight quickened her pace and fell in beside him. “It’s not right to fear the forest.”
“It’s not right for a tree to crush the camp,” Jayfeather growled. “But it did.”
Squirrelflight moved a little farther away and padded on in silence. Jayfeather relished the tension sparking between them if it meant she would keep her distance. He had not been alone with the cat who had raised him since the truth came out: that she had lied to him and his littermates all their lives, that she wasn’t their mother at all, but their mother’s sister.
“I remember when you, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf were still kits,” Squirrelflight meowed suddenly.
Jayfeather stiffened.
“A leaf landed on Hollyleaf’s head. She thought the forest was falling and hid in the nursery and wouldn’t come out for three days.”
Shut up!Jayfeather flattened his ears.
“I couldn’t have loved you more,” Squirrelflight murmured.
Anger flashed through his pelt. “If you’d really loved us, you wouldn’t have lied!”
Squirrelflight bristled. “Well, the truthis just great, isn’t it!” She whipped her tail though the air. “Look at Leafpool. She’s lost everything she ever cared about.”
“Her choice,” muttered Jayfeather.
Squirrelflight ignored him. “She lost you, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf.”
“She gave us away.”
“Other cats have been hurt too!” Squirrelflight snapped. “This was never just about you, and I’m sick of you flapping your wings like an injured sparrow, feeling oh so sorry for yourself. You’re not the only cat suffering. Your pain is not the hardest to bear. I suppose I expected more from you because you’re the medicine cat; I suppose I forget how young you are!”
As she lectured him, Jayfeather’s rage spiraled alongside hers. “Leafpool made this happen. Ididn’t go looking for mates in another Clan. Ididn’t have kits and give them away! Ididn’t lie and let every cat think I was something I wasn’t!”
Squirrelflight drew in a long breath and let it out slowly. “Try to remember,” she meowed quietly, “that we did what we thought was best. Remember that you were always loved.”
Yeah, right.
Border markers crossed their path.
Jayfeather padded past them.
“Wait,” Squirrelflight ordered.
Jayfeather dug his claws into the ground. Was she going to argue with everything he did or said? They had to speak with Littlecloud as soon as possible! But he waited while she tasted the air, her paws shifting the needles on the forest floor as she scanned the woodland.
“Patrol,” she warned.
Jayfeather sniffed, and scented the fresh tang of ShadowClan warriors. Oakfur and Ferretpaw were padding close by.
Squirrelflight hailed the ShadowClan warrior. “Oakfur?”
Jayfeather felt surprise spark from the ShadowClan cats’ pelts. Pawsteps came hurrying.
“So Blackstar was right!” Oakfur growled. “You aretrying to invade.”
“Keep your fur on!” Jayfeather realized he was on the wrong side of the border. “I just want to see Littlecloud.”
Ferretpaw swarmed around him, whiskers twitching. Jayfeather stood still and let the young cat sniff.
“Do we look like a battle patrol?” Squirrelflight asked
“There may be more of you.” Oakfur sounded suspicious.
“Can you smell any others?”
Ferretpaw snorted. “The others may be disguised.”
Squirrelflight sighed. “We really haven’t come to invade. Can you take us to see Littlecloud, please?”
Oakfur hesitated. “Okay,” he agreed. “But Blackstar will send a full patrol to check the rest of the area.” His mew rang through the trees, clearly aimed at the invasion patrol he suspected was hiding behind the trees along the border.
Squirrelflight padded across the scent line and fell in behind Oakfur. Jayfeather followed, his irritation with Ferretpaw growing as the apprentice trotted around him as though he were guarding the Clans’ most dangerous warrior
“What’s the matter?” Jayfeather muttered. “Worried I might give you some medicine?”
Ferretpaw bristled. “Shut up!”
Jayfeather recognized the ShadowClan camp as they approached. He’d been here before, with Sol. He padded across the clearing, confident the way was clear, aware of Kinkfur and Ivytail peering from the nursery, of Tawnypelt and Scorchfur crowding from the warriors’ den, and hearing fur brush the earth as Starlingpaw and Pinepaw leaped to their paws on the edge of the clearing where they’d been sharing a shrew.
Oakfur gave a warning yowl, which brought Blackstar from his den.
“What’s going on?” the ShadowClan leader demanded.
Squirrelflight’s paws scuffed the clearing. “May we speak to you in private?”
Oakfur brushed past her. “They want to see Littlecloud.”
Surprise bristled in the ShadowClan leader’s pelt. “Then go get him,” he ordered. His fur snagged the brambles as he disappeared back into his den. “Come inside,” he called.
Jayfeather followed Squirrelflight through the entrance. The stench of ShadowClan was strong and he wrinkled his nose.
Blackstar sat down. “What’s wrong?”
“A beech tree fell into the hollow,” Squirrelflight explained. “We have an injured cat and we were hoping Littlecloud would be able to advise us on her treatment.”
“Just oneinjured cat?” Blackstar’s mew croaked with surprise, then hardened. “StarClan must have been keeping a close eye on you.”
“Yes,” Squirrelflight replied. “We managed to clear the camp before it fell.”
“Longtail died,” Jayfeather told Blackstar bluntly.
The ShadowClan leader sighed, sympathy flashing briefly like sunlight between clouds. “StarClan will welcome such an old friend, though his Clanmates will miss him.”
Littlecloud poked his head through the entrance. “Did I hear you say a tree fell?” He gasped.
“Yes.” Squirrelflight was keeping her answers short. “It fell into the hollow. Briarpaw was injured. Longtail died.”
“Thank StarClan it wasn’t worse,” Littlecloud breathed
“It’s bad enough.” Jayfeather flicked his tail. “Briarpaw can’t move her hind legs.”
He let Littlecloud’s thoughts flood his own. He saw images of a tom howling in agony, then lying in a nest, limp with fear, unable to move, anguish clouding his gaze.
“I had a case like that.” Littlecloud’s mind cleared as he began to speak. “Back when I was Runningnose’s apprentice. Wildfur’s legs were crushed by a collapsing burrow.”
“Leafpool told me.” Jayfeather wanted to hear about the cure, not the cause. “But Briarpaw’s legs aren’t crushed. No broken bones.”
“Same with Wildfur,” Littlecloud told him. “His legs were only bruised. It was his backbone that was broken.”
Jayfeather felt sick. He was suddenly aware of the arch of his own spine. The strength in it. The fragility of it. “Did he recover?”
“He died,” Littlecloud mewed quietly.
“But Briarpaw’s alive and feels no pain.”
“Same as Wildfur, to begin with. I don’t think it was the broken backbone that killed him.”
Jayfeather leaned forward. “Then what killed him?”
“He couldn’t walk.”
“Didn’t you feed him?” Squirrelflight gasped.
“Of course we did,” Littlecloud snapped. “But he kept getting a cough, over and over. Each time we treated it, it came back. He found it harder and harder to breathe.”
“Did the loss of feeling spread to his chest?” Jayfeather wondered.
“No. I think it was because he never moved from his nest.” Littlecloud spoke slowly, thoughtfully. “It seemed as if he never had a chance to shake the sickness from his chest. As though it filled with disease, like a pool filling with water until there was no air left.”
Jayfeather shivered, picturing Briarpaw curled in her nest. Had she coughed this morning? Was she coughing now, while he was here, away from his patient? His paws suddenly itched for home.
Squirrelflight’s tail-tip brushed the roof of the den. “Then we must keep Briarpaw moving.”
Jayfeather blinked. “Do you think that would work?” he asked Littlecloud.
“If you can manage it, then it’s worth a try,” Littlecloud murmured. “And you could try making her a nest that lets her sleep sitting up. It might help keep her chest filled with air.” There was doubt in the medicine cat’s mew. “But it will be uncomfortable. And keeping her moving will be hard for her and for the rest of the Clan.” He paused. “I wish you luck.”
Jayfeather bristled. “Luck will have nothing to do with it.”
Littlecloud brushed his tail over the ground. “Let me fetch you some herbs to help with her chest and belly. That’s where you must focus your healing. Her legs are beyond your powers.”
The ShadowClan medicine cat padded from the den, and Jayfeather and Squirrelflight waited in awkward silence with Blackstar until the tang of strong herbs touched Jayfeather’s nose. He padded out to meet Littlecloud.
“The coltsfoot will ease her breathing.” The ShadowClan medicine cat pushed a bundle of leaves toward him. “The juniper berries will keep her belly soothed.”
“We have these herbs already,” Jayfeather told him.
“You’ll need all you can get.” Littlecloud sat down. “Come back if you need more. Or if you want to share any more ideas. We can all learn from this.”
Jayfeather picked up the bundle. As Squirrelflight squeezed out of Blackstar’s den, he headed for the camp entrance.
“May StarClan watch over you and Briarpaw,” Littlecloud called.
They may watch,Jayfeather thought. But I won’t let them take her yet.
As Jayfeather followed Squirrelflight back to the hollow, he kept trying to work out ways to keep Briarpaw healthy and moving.
Squirrelflight paused outside the hollow. “I’m proud of you,” she meowed. “If any cat can help Briarpaw, it’s you.”
Jayfeather turned to her, searching for words. He wanted to believe it. That she wasproud. That he couldhelp Briarpaw. “Thanks,” he mumbled through his mouthful of herbs, and ducked into camp.
Cloudtail and Brackenfur were still hauling branches against the tattered barrier, slower now as weariness dragged at their paws.
Firestar stood in the empty patch of clearing, talking with Brambleclaw and Dustpelt. “How much of the tree do you think you’ll be able to clear?” the ThunderClan leader asked his senior warriors.
Jayfeather sensed the weight of worry in Dustpelt’s chest. “We may need to wait for wind and weather to destroy the larger branches and trunks.”
“We could make use of them to construct new dens,” Brambleclaw suggested. “And looking at how much of the debris we’ve cleared already, I think we can rebuild most of our camp in less than a moon.”
“But we can’t neglect hunting and border patrols,” Dustpelt warned.
Firestar’s attention swung toward Jayfeather. “What did Littlecloud say?” he called across the clearing.
Jayfeather padded to the leader’s side and dropped his bundle of herbs. “He had some good advice,” he reported. “I want to share it with Graystripe and Millie first.”
“I sent Graystripe on patrol,” Brambleclaw confessed. “I wanted to keep him busy.”
Jayfeather picked up his herbs and left the warriors. He could hear Brightheart and Millie in the medicine den. Anxiety was sparking from them, and he sensed Briarpaw’s agitation growing as the two she-cats fussed over her.
“Just eat a little!” Millie begged. Jayfeather could smell the shrew dangling from her claws.
“I’m not hungry!” Briarpaw complained.
Jayfeather pushed through the trailing brambles and put down the herbs. “Leave her alone,” he ordered.
Millie rounded on him. “She’s my kit!”
“I’m her medicine cat!”
Briarpaw churned her nest with her forepaws. “I just want to help my Clanmates rebuild the camp!” she wailed.
Brightheart crossed the den and whispered in Jayfeather’s ear, “We told her about Longtail. She’s still distressed, but I didn’t want to give her poppy seed, after what you said.”
Jayfeather nodded. “Good. She’s going to have to learn to deal with distress.” He felt Brightheart stiffen at the darkness in his mew. “We have to face the truth,” he explained. “Briarpaw has a difficult path ahead, but I will do everything I can to save her.”
“Save her?” Millie nudged between them, her pelt prickling. “What did Littlecloud tell you?”
Jayfeather wasn’t ready to share what he’d learned. “Wait.” He needed to check Littlecloud’s theory first. There was still a chance Briarpaw’s legs were only bruised. That her backbone wasn’t damaged. He padded to her nest.
“What are you going to do?” Anxiety tightened Millie’s mew as Jayfeather leaned into Briarpaw’s nest.
“I need to be sure.” He ran his paws down Briarpaw’s back. He felt her twist to see what he was doing.
“Sure of what?” Millie fretted.
When Jayfeather didn’t answer, Brightheart padded closer and nudged Millie gently away. “He knows what he’s doing,” she whispered.
The backbone felt smooth: nothing out of place. Hope sparked in Jayfeather’s chest. He sniffed her legs. Definitely swollen. Perhaps when the swelling went down…? He lifted a leg in his teeth as he had done yesterday. It dropped, still lifeless. More comfrey might quicken the healing.
One last test.
Leaning farther into the nest, he nipped Briarpaw’s backbone in his teeth, just below her shoulders.
“Ow!” Briarpaw stiffened in alarm.
“I’m testing something,” Jayfeather reassured her. “It’ll prick, but I won’t damage you.” He put his muzzle close to hers until their whiskers brushed. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” she breathed.
“I need you to be brave while I do this.”
“Okay.”
Millie tried to move nearer the nest.
Brightheart blocked her. “Give him room to work.”
Jayfeather nipped Briarpaw’s backbone again, a little farther down.
“Ow.”
He nipped again, working his way gradually toward her tail.
With each nip she stiffened, but stifled her mew.
He nipped her lower.
“Aren’t you going to do it again?” she asked.
The question turned Jayfeather’s blood cold. He reached into the nest with one paw and poked a claw into the same spot. “Did you feel that?”
“Feel what?” Briarpaw twisted around to see.
“No, don’t look,” said Jayfeather. He dug his claw in harder. “Now?”
Briarpaw started to shake. “I can’t feel anything.” Panic edged her mew.
“What are you doing?” Millie barged past as Jayfeather stuck his claws in hard. “You’re making her bleed!”
“Is he?” Briarpaw struggled to see.
Jayfeather hardly heard them. “You couldn’t feel my claws, could you?” he murmured numbly.
“No,” Briarpaw whispered.
“Your backbone is broken,” Jayfeather told her. “There’s no pain because there’s no feeling past the break.” He pressed his paw gently against her flank. “I’m sorry.”
“Why?” she squeaked. “If I can’t feel pain, surely that’s a good thing?”
“You won’t ever be able to feel pain in your legs again,” Jayfeather told her slowly. “You won’t ever feel anythingin your hind legs again.”
Millie gasped. “What do you mean? Broken bones mend.”
“Not backbones.”
“How do you know that?”
“Littlecloud had a warrior with the same injury,” he told her.
Briarpaw was craning her head toward him. “What happened to him?” she mewed.
Jayfeather didn’t answer.
“He died, didn’t he?” Briarpaw whimpered.
Jayfeather felt Millie barge into his shoulder, shoving him until she had bundled him right out of the den.
“How could you tell my kit she was going to die?” she hissed. “She can’t feel her legs, that’s all! You’re not fit to be a medicine cat! Dosomething!”
“What’s going on?” Squirrelflight dashed across the clearing and slid between Jayfeather and her snarling denmate.
“He says she’s going to die!”
Squirrelflight stiffened. “Did you say that, Jayfeather?”
Jayfeather shook his head.
“I didn’t think so.” Squirrelflight’s voice grew calm“Littlecloud’s patient died. It doesn’t mean Briarpaw will.”
“We can feed her and help her move to keep her healthy,” Jayfeather put in. “If we keep her active, she stands a good chance of beating this.”
Millie’s breath was coming in quick gasps. “She’ll recover?”
“Her legs won’t,” Jayfeather meowed gently. “But she doesn’t have to die.”
Squirrelflight’s tail swished the air. “We need to keep her as active as we can, so that her chest stays clear. If we can do that, she’ll be okay.”
“Okay?” Millie sobbed. “She’ll never hunt. She’ll never be a warrior! She’ll never have kits!”
Graystripe bounded into camp. “What’s happening?” He skidded to a halt at Millie’s side.
“Our poor kit!” Millie buried her muzzle in his shoulder.
The trailing brambles at the entrance to the den swished. “Briarpaw can hear you!” Brightheart hissed. “I think you should come in, Jayfeather, and explain to her exactly what’s happening.”
Squirrelflight’s nose brushed his cheek. “I’ll look after Millie and Graystripe,” she told him.
Heart heavy as a stone, Jayfeather padded into his den. He settled beside Briarpaw’s nest. Panic was flooding in waves from the young cat.
“I’m never going to walk again, am I?”
Jayfeather rested his muzzle on her trembling head. “No,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 14
Ivypaw shivered. A chilly wind hadstripped the flowers from the meadow and driven pale gray clouds across the sky. The ground trembled beneath her paws. The horses were running, crowding along the edge of the meadow, their eyes wild and their ears flat back.
Where was Hawkfrost?
Ivypaw felt nervous. She didn’t want to be alone in the wide pasture today. The breeze was moaning across the dull, dry grass, ruffling her fur the wrong way.
There!A dark rump showed above the grass, thick, bushed tail flicking.
She scampered toward the RiverClan warrior.
“You’re here!” she puffed, relieved when he turned and fixed his familiar dark blue gaze on her. “I thought you weren’t coming! I’ve been looking for you for ages.”
Hawkfrost sat up and gazed at her lazily through half-closed eyes. “Lucky you found me today, then.”
“Teach me something new!” she begged. Cinderheart was already impressed by the progress she had made in training; she wanted to please her mentor again today when they practiced battle moves.
Hawkfrost yawned, hunching his shoulders as he stretched his spine.
“Just one battle move,” Ivypaw pleaded.
“Haven’t I given you enough to practice already?”
“I’ve practiced it all. Now I need something new.” Ivypaw widened her eyes hopefully. “Please!”
Wearily, Hawkfrost stood up. “Do you pester your Clanmates this much?” he murmured.
“They don’t teach me such interesting stuff,” Ivypaw mewed.
“Watch carefully.” Hawkfrost lunged for her, hooking her hind legs under her and rolling her over with his forepaw till she found herself splayed on her back.
“Wow!” she squeaked, springing to her paws. “Let me try it.”
She leaped at Hawkfrost, curling a paw around his hind legs and tugging.
Nothing happened. The broad-shouldered warrior turned his head to look back at her. “Have you started?”
Frustrated, Ivypaw backed away and tried again.
Still, the RiverClan warrior didn’t budge.
Ivypaw put her head to one side. “How did you do that, exactly?”
“Run your paw along my hind legs,” Hawkfrost ordered. “Can you feel the tendon along the back of the joint?”
Ivypaw felt a tough cord behind the crook of his legs, like a stretched mousetail.
“Aim there,” Hawkfrost told her. “A sharp jab. Try to hit both legs at once.”
Excited, Ivypaw crouched down, fixing her gaze, then leaped. She brought her forepaws down hard, hitting the tendon, and Hawkfrost’s legs buckled beneath him. Seizing the advantage, she used her shoulders to shove him sideways. Unbalanced, he toppled over and she threw herself on top of him, pinning him to the ground.
“Good,” he grunted. He got to his paws, shaking her off. “But make more of your advantage. The surprise will last only a moment. You must use that moment. Try again.”
Ivypaw tried the move again, but this time swept his forepaws from under him too. Her teeth were at his exposed throat before he could recover himself.
He shoved her off with a hiss. “Not bad.”
Pride rippled through her pelt.
“We might make something of you after all,” he conceded
She lifted her chin. “Of course!”
A shadow rippled through the grass some distance away. Ivypaw jerked her head to look at it and saw eyes glinting at her. Some cat was watching. She stiffened. “Who’s that?” As she spoke, the cat ducked lower in the grass and slunk away.
Hawkfrost shrugged. “I mentioned you to a couple of friends,” he meowed. “It was probably one of them. No doubt he wanted to see the apprentice who keeps badgering me for extra training.”
Ivypaw tossed her head. “He probably wanted to learn from me.”
“Yeah, right.” Hawkfrost cuffed her softly over the ear. “Come on, try that move again. See if you can do it twice.”
“Okay!” Ivypaw crouched down. “I want to get it perfect before I show Dovepaw.”
Hawkfrost blinked. “Who’s Dovepaw?”
“My sister.” Ivypaw wriggled her hindquarters, ready to pounce. “The one I told you about. Remember?”
She sprang up, hitting the tendon harder this time, feeling a surge of triumph as the broad-shouldered warrior crumpled and she rolled him to the ground.
Sitting back on her haunches, she wiped a paw over her whiskers while she got her breath back. “All the senior warriors think Dovepaw’s the best apprentice ever.” She shrugged. “They’re always asking her stuff, like she knows something no other cat does.”
Hawkfrost sat down and lapped at his chest. “And does she?” he asked between licks.
“There’s somethingshe’s not telling me, but I can’t figure out what it is.” Ivypaw cocked her head. “I just wish she wouldn’t act like she’s so special. She’s always got her ears pricked like she’s on guard: like no one else in the Clan can keep us safe.”
Hawkfrost finished grooming his chest and ran a claw across a clover leaf. The soft green tissue split and darkened beneath his touch. “Did you tell her about me?”
“I was going to,” Ivypaw mewed, irritation prickling as she remembered their interrupted conversation. “But I didn’t get a chance.” She sniffed. “Now I don’t want to tell her.” The tip of her tail twitched. “Why should I? She has her secrets, so I’ll have mine.”
Hawkfrost plucked at another leaf. “Probably a good idea. It sounds like…” He paused. “Dovepaw—is that her name?”
Ivypaw nodded.
“It sounds like Dovepaw would get jealous and want to learn all your moves.”
Ivypaw unsheathed her claws.
“She’s your littermate,” Hawkfrost pressed. “Not your echo, right?”
“Right!” Ivypaw declared. “Why should I give her the chance to copy me?”
Hawkfrost stretched his hind legs. “No more echoes. Let’s try something new.”
Ivypaw woke up. Her shoulders were stiff. She wriggled them into the soft moss of her nest, wondering if she’d slept awkwardly. Then she remembered: Hawkfrost had worked her hard, until her muscles ached. She sat up, surprised. Wow! What a vivid dream!
Dovepaw was snoring. Curled in her nest, her eyes closed, the gray apprentice looked small and fluffy. Far more like the innocent kit she had been than the knowing apprentice she pretended to be now. With a surge of affection, Ivypaw longed to tell Dovepaw about her dream, just like they used to when they shared a nest in the nursery with Whitewing
No.Ivypaw pushed away her nostalgia. Dovepaw had a secret. I’m going to have one too.It was probably a far better secret than Dovepaw’s anyway. Shewas being trained by a StarClan warrior! She was going to be the best warrior ever. She’d be even better than Lionblaze!
“Ivypaw!” Cinderheart’s mew rang through the wall of the den.
Ivypaw crept out into the cold, gray dawn. Blossomfall and Bumblestripe were stretching in their makeshift nests beneath the arching bough of the beech. Cinderheart beckoned them over with her tail.
“You three will be training together today,” she announced.
Blossomfall sat down, yawning. “You want us to train Ivypaw?”
Cinderheart shook her head. “You will be training together.”
“We’re not apprentices!” Bumblestripe shook out his fur, fluffing it against the cold air.
Cinderheart’s gaze flashed to the slope of rocks. Firestar was leaping down into the clearing.
Blossomfall rolled her eyes. “Let me guess,” she grumbled. “A new idea about training.”
Ivypaw could hear Thornclaw’s irritated sigh echoing in her mew. Blossomfall was obviously quoting her denmate.
Firestar halted beside them. “There’s nothing wrong with trying something new,” he meowed.
Blossomfall looked at her paws. “I guess.”
Firestar straightened his tail in the air. “We don’t want the Clan getting stale. And there’s no harm in warriors practicing their skills. Would you rather we started battles to keep our paws nimble?”
“I suppose not,” Blossomfall conceded.
Ivypaw glanced at the apprentices’ den. “What about Dovepaw? Will she be training with us?”
Cinderheart shook her head. “She’ll be training with Lionblaze.”
“Of course.” Ivypaw’s fur pricked along her spine. “Why should she train with ordinary warriors?”
“Pardon?” Cinderheart pricked her ears.
“Nothing,” Ivypaw mewed quickly. She felt hot as she noticed Firestar staring at her. “I just don’t get to train with her much these days.”
Dustpelt, Birchfall, and Leafpool were stirring in their nests beneath the fallen tree.
“I hear Firestar put you in charge today, Cinderheart.” Dustpelt yawned, padding under the snaking branch. “Are we ready to go?”
Birchfall and Leafpool followed him, neither looking excited at the prospect of a training session.
“Yes, we’re ready,” Cinderheart meowed. “Come on; follow me.”
They stopped in a clearing where bracken edged a leafy patch of forest floor. Leafpool flicked her tail restlessly as Cinderheart weaved between the warriors. Ivypaw circled Bumblestripe and sat down.
“It’s weird training with senior warriors,” she whispered in his ear.
“It’s certainly different.” The young warrior’s eyes were bright. “I wonder if we’ll be able to beat them?”
“Maybe.” Ivypaw stretched her claws. The run through the forest had warmed her up and loosened the stiff muscles in her shoulders. She was ready to try out some of Hawkfrost’s moves.
“Now,” Cinderheart began, “we’re going to set up a mock battle.” She flicked her tail toward the hazel bush at one end of the clearing, then at the clump of ferns at the other. “I’m going to split us into two patrols.” She nodded to Dustpelt. “You lead Leafpool, Blossomfall, and Ivypaw. I’ll lead Bumblestripe, Hazeltail, and Birchfall. If that’s okay with you, Birchfall?” The tawny tom dipped his head to the younger warrior. “We’ll try to take the hazel. You”—she nodded again at Dustpelt—“try to take the ferns.”
Ivypaw padded after Bumblestripe into the center of the clearing. She crouched beside him, preparing for the attack, while Leafpool and Dustpelt flanked them. Cinderheart’s patrol lined up opposite, so close that their whiskers almost touched.
Bumblestripe narrowed his eyes, concentrating on the hazel bush a tree-length behind his opponents. Hazeltail and Birchfall pressed their bellies to the earth.
“Remember,” Cinderheart ordered, “claws sheathed. We’re not ShadowClan.”
The warriors nodded and Ivypaw quickly curled her claws away beneath the soft fur of her white paws.
“Go!”
At Cinderheart’s command, Ivypaw rolled over. She heard Cinderheart’s paws thump the ground where she’d been.
“Nice!” Cinderheart’s praise was cut short as Leafpool bowled the gray she-cat over and bundled her with flailing paws to the end of the clearing.
Ivypaw jerked around, ready for an attack. Bumblestripe was wrestling with Blossomfall.
Blossomfall wriggled from his grasp. “Don’t forget I learned all your moves before you were out of the nursery.”
“Bet you don’t remember this one.” Bumblestripe jumped in the air and landed, belly first, flat on her spine.
Blossomfall collapsed, her legs crumpling beneath her. “Hey! That’s unfair. That’s a kit move!”
“But it still works,” Bumblestripe teased, refusing to budge as Blossomfall struggled underneath him.
Ivypaw stiffened. Birchfall was streaking toward the fern clump. If he reached it, his patrol would win. She raced after him, spraying dirt with her hind legs. He was nearly at the ferns. She pounced. Reaching out, she jabbed his hind legs, aiming for the tendons. He stumbled and fell and she leaped onto his shoulders, fighting to cling on with unsheathed claws while he writhed beneath her.
With a fierce shove he flung her away and she landed heavily, the wind huffing from her. Narrowing her eyes, she sprang to her paws. She wasn’t going to let Hawkfrost down! Birchfall was on his paws but looking bewildered, his hind legs trembling. She dived underneath him, curving her body and hooking herself under his belly. With one paw on either side of her, she knocked a foreleg and hind leg out from under him. Then she darted out of the way before he collapsed.
Where was the rest of her patrol? She couldn’t defend the ferns without help. She scanned the clearing.
Leafpool was staring at her, her eyes wide. I bet she’s impressed with my moves,Ivypaw thought.
Leafpool blinked as Dustpelt blindsided her. Rolling over onto her side, the pale tabby warrior scrabbled to escape, but Dustpelt held her down and she could do nothing but lash her tail.
“I give up!” Leafpool yowled.
“You’ve lost anyway!” Cinderheart was standing beside the hazel bush. “I claim this bush for CinderClan!”
Birchfall was scrambling to his paws. He dipped his head to Ivypaw. “Good moves for an apprentice.”
Leafpool struggled out from under Dustpelt and padded across the clearing. “Yes,” she agreed. “Very nice moves. Where did you learn them?”
Ivypaw wasn’t going to give her secret away. “I k-kind of worked them out for myself.” Why shouldn’t her Clanmates think she was as talented as Dovepaw?
“That last one looked like a RiverClan move,” Dustpelt commented, padding over.
Ivypaw shrugged, making her eyes as round and innocent as she could. Dustpelt was wrong. It was a StarClanmove!
“Whatever it looked like,” Birchfall meowed warmly, “it was a good one. I’ll remember to look out for it in the future.”
Leafpool was still staring at her quizzically. “Do it again,” she suggested. “We could all learn it.”
Ivypaw opened her mouth. “I—I don’t remember exactly what I did.” She didn’t want to share her secret moves with any cat. Nor did she want Dustpelt analyzing it any more. Leafpool already looked suspicious. They both might have known Hawkfrost when he was alive, and recognized his special technique.
Dustpelt flicked his tail. “Too bad.” He turned and called to Cinderheart, who was still proudly guarding her captured ferns. “Are you going to give us a chance to make it even?”
“Okay,” Cinderheart agreed. “But this time we start from the bracken. Your patrol on one side, ours on the other.”
Relieved that the attention had slipped away from her, Ivypaw followed Blossomfall, Leafpool, and Dustpelt into the bracken on one side of the clearing. She crouched among the brittle branches and peeped out into the clearing.
The bracken opposite trembled as Cinderheart’s patrol prepared for the attack.
“Blossomfall,” Dustpelt hissed. “You’re fast. I want you to race for the ferns while the rest of us stop them from reaching the hazel.”
Blossomfall dropped into a crouch with her haunches bunched underneath her.
“Ready?” Dustpelt whispered.
Before any of them could answer, the bracken on the far side of the clearing crashed apart and Cinderheart’s patrol pelted out.
“Go!” Dustpelt yowled.
Blossomfall dashed toward the ferns while Ivypaw hurtled out beside Dustpelt and Leafpool and raced to block the path to the hazel. Birchfall and Bumblestripe were already charging for it while Cinderheart and Hazeltail rushed to stop Blossomfall from reaching the ferns.
Blossomfall tried to zigzag out of their way, but Cinderheart and Hazeltail brought her down.
“Help her!” Dustpelt yowled to Leafpool. As Leafpool veered away, Ivypaw pelted beside Dustpelt, stretching her stride to match the warrior’s bound for bound. Bumblestripe was almost at the hazel.
You’re not winning again!Ivypaw sprang forward, stretching her forepaws to grasp Bumblestripe’s tail. She tugged it and he stumbled. She hauled herself close enough to nip his hind legs.
“Ow!” He flicked his haunches up out of the way, then spun and swung a clumsy paw at Ivypaw’s muzzle.
She ducked and swerved, hooking a forepaw around his and sending him crashing onto his side.
“Too easy!” she crowed, leaping on top of him.
He didn’t even struggle, but gazed up at her, his eyes dark with sadness.
“What’s up?” Surprised, she sat back on her haunches and let him clamber to his paws.
A yowl sounded behind them. Dustpelt was wrestling with Birchfall. But the battle could wait. Something was wrong with Bumblestripe.
“Are you okay?” Ivypaw prompted.
The warrior was staring sadly at the hazel bush. Was he just trying to trick her? Was he about to make a sudden dash for it? Ivypaw narrowed her eyes, tensing.
“Briarlight would have loved this,” Bumblestripe mewed quietly. Anger flashed in his gaze. “It’s just not fair!” he growled. “She was trying to help Longtail. Why did StarClan have to punish her?”
Ivypaw wished she had an answer. “Sometimes bad things happen.” The words felt lame on her tongue.
“Then what’s the point of StarClan?” Bumblestripe looked utterly defeated.
Ivypaw padded to his side and pressed her head against his shoulder. “Briarlight won’t let this beat her,” she murmured.
“No.” Bumblestripe sighed. “But it didn’t have to happen.”
Feeling her Clanmate’s grief in every shaking breath, Ivypaw imagined Dovepaw dragging herself around the hollow like half-dead fresh-kill. She understood Bumblestripe’s fury. It was so unfair.
“We won!”
Leafpool had captured the ferns. She pressed a frond beneath her paws while Hazeltail circled her, snorting. Cinderheart dipped her head in gracious defeat, then glanced over to Bumblestripe. Her eyes narrowed in puzzlement. She was clearly trying to guess why the two young cats were sitting so close.
Then she blinked and nodded.
She understood.
“Hey! You two!” Cinderheart turned to Dustpelt and Birchfall. The toms were still fighting. Dustpelt thrust Birchfall away with his powerful hind legs, but Birchfall landed on his paws and spun around, ready to attack again.
Cinderheart cleared her throat. “I hate to break it up,” she called. “But the battle’s over.”
Dustpelt and Birchfall halted and stared in surprise at the gray she-cat.
Birchfall sat down, the fur ruffling on his shoulders. “We were just practicing battle moves,” he meowed self-consciously.
“Yes,” Dustpelt agreed. “That’s what training’s all about, isn’t it?”
Cinderheart’s whiskers twitched. “And I suppose if we happen to enjoy it, StarClan won’t mind too much,” she teased.
The sun was lifting over the trees, brightening the sky. “Looks like it’ll be a good day for hunting,” Leafpool commented.
Cinderheart nodded. “Let’s get back to camp and see if Brambleclaw wants us to join a patrol.”
Dustpelt nodded. “The Clan needs fattening before leaf-bare.”
Birchfall led the way through the bracken and disappeared among the trees. Cinderheart, Blossomfall, and Dustpelt followed.
Bumblestripe drew away from Ivypaw, his pelt smooth where she’d pressed it. “Thanks,” he murmured. He hurried to catch up with his sister and fell in beside her.
Ivypaw followed, feeling left out as the two young warriors walked side by side, speaking softly to each other.
“Ivypaw.” Leafpool’s gentle mew made Ivypaw jump. The pale warrior had caught up to her and was padding at her side. Leaves crunched underpaw, golden as Brackenfur’s pelt.
“Those were pretty advanced moves,” Leafpool commented.
Ivypaw glanced sideways but the she-cat’s amber gaze was fixed on the path ahead.
“I guess I just did them accidentally.”
“Lucky,” Leafpool commented.
“I suppose.” Guilt itched in Ivypaw’s pelt.
“And you’re sure you couldn’t do them again?” Leafpool pressed.
Leave me alone!Ivypaw quickened her pace, irritated when Leafpool kept up. Every other cat in the Clan had secrets—including Leafpool. Why wasn’t she allowed to have her own?
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 13
“StarClan honors your courage and spirit.”Firestar touched his muzzle to Briarpaw’s head. Watching, Dovepaw felt a surge of excitement.
“I name you Briarlight.”
Bumblestripe and Blossomfall, already named, were the first to start the cheering for ThunderClan’s newest warrior.
“Briarlight, Briarlight!”
The voices of the Clan shook the chilly air and rang up through the hollow into a clear blue sky. Millie and Graystripe pressed against each other, their proud gazes sharpened with grief.
Briarlight shifted her forepaws, propping herself higher, raising her chin. Dovepaw tried not to look at her hind legs, splayed uselessly behind her.
It had been a quarter moon since the tree fell. Dovepaw was weary, like the rest of her Clan. The work of clearing the camp of debris on top of the regular patrols had left every cat exhausted. And with each shortening day, prey was starting to grow leaner and scarcer.
Dovepaw longed for a good night’s sleep. She had been plagued by terrible dreams. If only she’d given more warning, then Longtail might have been saved and Briarlight would be scampering around her littermates right now. A dream had woken Dovepaw only last night: the tree splintering into the clearing yet again, a trapped cat wailing.
Ivypaw!
In every dream it was Ivypaw who was trapped underneath the beech tree, not Briarlight; and in every dream Dovepaw struggled in vain to reach her sister.
“Dovepaw?” Whitewing’s mew brought her back. “Are you all right?”
Dovepaw shook herself. “I’m just glad Briarlight’s got her warrior name.”
“She’s a warrior at heart,” Whitewing murmured.
It was true. Briarlight had never stopped fighting for a moment. Jayfeather had devised exercises to keep her chest clear and strengthen her forelegs. And Briarlight never missed a chance to practice them: stretching and twisting, reaching out with her forepaws until she trembled with the effort and her pelt grew matted. The past few days she’d insisted on fetching her own food from the fresh-kill pile, though her Clanmates often tripped over one another trying to be the first to carry the tastiest morsel to her nest in the medicine den.
“I’ll get my own,” Briarlight had told Cherrykit, who had tried to give her own meal to the injured young cat.
Cherrykit had stared with round eyes at Briarlight as she hauled herself with her forepaws across to the fresh-kill pile.
“Look, Molekit!” Cherrykit had called. “She’s doing it herself!”
Molekit had come running. “Go, Briarlight!” he cheered.
Dovepaw secretly thought the two kits and Jayfeather had been Briarlight’s greatest allies; they alone accepted her entirely as she was now. Millie’s gaze was still clouded with grief, and pity flashed in every warrior’s eyes when they saw the young cat hauling herself across the camp. Mousefur could not even look at Briarlight. She still blamed herself for the tragedy that had killed her best friend and crippled the young warrior.
In spite of their horror, most of the Clan was getting used to Briarlight’s injury. They no longer stared with startled eyes at the medicine den when she wailed and yowled under Jayfeather’s instruction.
“It’ll keep your chest clear,” he’d encouraged. “Yowl your head off if you have to. Your Clanmates won’t mind.”
The treatment seemed to be working. Briarlight’s hind legs were no better, but her fur was sleek, her eyes brighter each day, and her forelegs as strong as any warrior’s
They didn’t even tremble now as Molekit clawed his way up the newest warrior’s pelt and balanced on her shoulders. “Briarlight!” he cheered.
Millie nosed him off crossly. “Be careful!”
“It’s okay,” Briarlight insisted. “I bet I can carry both of them.”
“Really?” Cherrykit’s eyes sparkled.
“Don’t you dare!” Millie warned the kits.
Graystripe softly pushed his mate away. “Let them have some fun.”
“We’ll be warriors, too, soon!” Molekit bundled his sister over in a surprise attack.
“You’re not even apprentices!” Briarlight teased.
Dovepaw gazed at her old denmate. How could she act so cheerful?
Whitewing leaned forward and licked her daughter’s ear. “Don’t forget, we’re gathering moss for the new elders’ den.”
How could she forget? For days, she’d been helping to weave the honeysuckle around what was left of the beech branches where the old den had stood. The new den was spacious and strong. Purdy and Mousefur would move in as soon as the new nests were built.
She gazed around the camp, accustomed now to its new shape. The warriors’ den was lost for good, crushed by the trunk. But the thick boughs of the beech, which arched over half the clearing and pressed against one side of the hollow, gave plenty of new shelter. There were plans to shape a brand-new warriors’ den around the thickest of them; rescued branches had already been stacked, ready for construction to begin. The nursery looked safer than a badgers’ set, enclosed in a thick tangle of roots that had been woven where possible to form a protective shell around the old bramble bush.
“Come on.” Whitewing flicked Dovepaw’s flank with her tail-tip. She beckoned to Toadstep and Rosepetal. “Are you ready?”
The two warriors trotted to meet them.
“Where’s Ivypaw?” Dovepaw glanced around the clearing, and spotted her sister slipping in from the dirtplace tunnel.
“I’m coming!” Ivypaw bounded across the clearing. “See you later, Briarlight!” she called cheerfully.
Briarlight had lain down in a spot of weak sunshine, while Molekit and Cherrykit clambered over her. She lifted her head and purred at Ivypaw. “Can’t you take these two with you?”
“I’m afraid you’re stuck with them for another moon yet,” Ivypaw joked.
“Hey!” Molekit objected. “We’d come if we could!”
Ivypaw bounded to a halt beside Toadstep. “A dawdling cat gathers no moss,” she teased the black-and-white tom.
Dovepaw weaved around them. “I bet I collect the most,” she challenged.
Ivypaw shrugged. “If you say so.”
Dovepaw tensed. Ivypaw was acting really weird lately. She’d been like this since the tree fell. Had she guessed Dovepaw’s powers? Was Ivypaw blaming her for not warning the Clan sooner? Dovepaw shook the thought away. Impossible
She watched her sister race after Toadstep and Rosepetal toward the camp entrance, still not sure if she was imagining Ivypaw’s coldness.
“Watch this!” Ivypaw called to Toadstep as they reached the slope leading down to the shore. She skidded onto her belly and slid three tail-lengths down the soft grass.
“You look like a duck!” Toadstep huffed with amusement.
Rosepetal was watching the pair through narrowed eyes. Had she seen the change in Ivypaw too?
“Right.” Whitewing gazed along the shore. “Let’s see if we can find swan feathers. After all they’ve been through, I expect Purdy and Mousefur will appreciate soft nests.”
“And Briarlight,” Dovepaw added.
Ivypaw rolled her eyes. “Well, of courseBriarlight.”
Whitewing flashed her daughter a stern look. “Seeing as you and Toadstep seem to be getting on so well…”
“Not that well!” Toadstep shifted his paws, his fur spiking up with embarrassment.
“Howeverwell,” Whitewing went on, “you may as well gather bedding together.”
Ivypaw nudged Toadstep, her eyes sparkling as she relished the young warrior’s discomfort. “Come on,” she mewed. “I’ll race you to the water.” She charged away down the bank, pebbles crunching as she landed gracefully on the shore.
Dovepaw flicked her tail. Ivypaw was even movinglike a different cat.
“You and Rosepetal can work together,” Whitewing told Dovepaw. “I’ll be upshore if you need me.” She flicked her tail toward WindClan territory and headed away.
“Where do you want to start?” Rosepetal asked.
“You’re the warrior,” Dovepaw replied. Ivypaw had left her feeling ruffled.
“Yes,” agreed Rosepetal. “But I was hoping you’d have as good a nose for moss as you do for prey.”
Dovepaw glanced at her paws. “I guess the trees around the stream will have the most moss, and there might be feathers caught there too.”
“Right.” Rosepetal headed downshore to where trees lined the stream that raced into the lake.
Dovepaw padded after her. By the time she’d caught up, Rosepetal was already stripping moss from the roots of a tree.
“You head farther upstream,” the dark cream she-cat ordered.
Dovepaw nodded and walked into the chilly shadows of the trees. The stream chattered past her paws as she searched for the mossiest roots.
Suddenly a white flash caught her eye. A feather was bobbing on the breeze. It danced along the forest floor and Dovepaw gave chase. It was long and downy and would make great bedding. She weaved after it through the trees, then pounced, flattening it between her forepaws. “Got you!”
“There you are!” Lionblaze slid from a clump of ferns. “Whitewing said you’d gone this way.”
Dovepaw sat up, startled. “What is it?” A breeze rustled the ferns and lifted her feather, carrying it away through the trees. “Mouse dung!” Dovepaw started after it.
“Feathers can wait!” Lionblaze called her back.
“What about Mousefur’s nest?”
The fur rose along Lionblaze’s spine. “There are more ShadowClan scents inside the border,” he growled. “Something’s going on. The sooner we find out what, the better. They might be planning to invade. They know about the tree. They probably think it’s weakened us.”
Dovepaw sat down crossly. ShadowClan had known about the tree for a quarter moon. They hadn’t invaded yet. She watched her feather flicker out of sight. It’s probably just Tigerheart again.Only StarClan knew what he was up to, but he’d promised there was no danger to ThunderClan. Why would he betray her? They were friends.
“Well?” Lionblaze stared at her. “Have you heard anything from ShadowClan territory? Are they planning something?”
“How would I know?” she answered stubbornly.
Lionblaze rolled his eyes. “Your powers?”
Dovepaw lashed her tail over the forest floor. “If I’d heard something important, don’t you think I’d have told you?”
“You might not know what’s important!”
Dovepaw stood up and faced her mentor. “It’s mypower!” A growl rose in her throat. “I don’t tell you how to fight, do I?”
A bramble rustled a few trees farther upstream and Ivypaw popped out. “Hello,” she mewed, her eyes darting from Lionblaze to Dovepaw. “I-I’ve just found the best patch of moss.”
Lionblaze flashed anger at Dovepaw and bounded away into the forest.
“What did he want?” Ivypaw asked. Her mew was softer than it’d been in days.
“He’s my mentor; he was just checking up on me,” Dovepaw snapped, still prickling from Lionblaze.
“But it sounded important.” Ivypaw padded closer. “Why does he think you know what’s going on in ShadowClan?”
Dovepaw tensed. How much had her sister heard? “I don’t know,” she mewed quickly.
“You’re lying!” Ivypaw scowled.
Dovepaw flinched.
Ivypaw leaned closer still. “What is it with you? Why are you always going off to talk with Firestar? Why is Lionblaze always calling you away for secret conversations?”
“They’re just interested in my training.” Dovepaw hated this. With every lie she felt another barrier of thorns spring up between her and Ivypaw.
Ivypaw curled her lip. “Firestar never asks about mytraining! What makes you so special?”
“It’s not like that, honestly!” Dovepaw’s heart fluttered with panic. “I don’t think I’m special. It’s…” Her voice trailed away. “It’s just complicated.”
Ivypaw took a step backward. “Too complicated to tell your sister? I thought we were best friends!” She glanced away through the trees, her eyes darkening. “Well, you have your secrets; I’ll have mine!”
Secrets?What was Ivypaw talking about?
Suddenly, Dovepaw remembered Ivypaw’s story about the StarClan cat who’d visited her. She dug her claws into the ground, annoyed with herself. Why hadn’t she shown more interest?
“Have you had another dream?” she guessed. “Another visit from StarClan?”
“Jealous now?” Ivypaw sneered. “You weren’t that interested when I tried to tell you before. Too busy chitchatting with Lionblaze. Why should I tell you now? Are you worried I might be more specialthan you? Are you worried the senior warriors might start taking an interest in me instead?” Rawness edged her mew, and Dovepaw felt a wave of dismay. She hadn’t realized Ivypaw felt like this.
“I-I’m sorry,” she began.
But Ivypaw was already bounding away into the trees. She glanced over her shoulder. “Clearly not sorry enough!”
I’ll explain it all one day!Dovepaw vowed silently to her. Then you’ll understand!
Back in the hollow, Rosepetal and Toadstep dumped the moss in the new elders’ den before hurrying off to find out what duties Brambleclaw had planned for them next.
“You’ll be okay straightening it out?” Rosepetal called to Ivypaw over her shoulder.
“No problem.” The feather wrap muffled Ivypaw’s answer as she slid under the branch arching over the entrance.
Dovepaw followed her sister inside. They worked silently, draping the moss over the bracken that Icecloud and Birchfall had already patted into place at one edge of the den. Late sunlight rippled through the honeysuckle roof, making the den seem underwater.
Wordlessly, Ivypaw unfolded the wrap and placed a pawful on the nest that Dovepaw was shaping.
“Aren’t you going to speak to me at all?” Dovepaw begged.
Ivypaw ignored her. The honeysuckle rustled and Dovepaw turned to see Purdy leading Mousefur into the den.
“See,” purred the old loner. “I told you they’d have the nests ready.” He nodded to Dovepaw and Ivypaw. “They look lovely. Thank you.”
Mousefur stared blankly around the new den. “It’s very big,” she murmured.
Dovepaw waited for her to start complaining about drafts, but the old she-cat didn’t say anything else, just curled into one of the nests and rested her nose on her forepaws.
Dovepaw wished she’d planted a burr in the moss. Anything to get the elder complaining again. It wasn’t right, seeing her so sad. “Not too damp?” she prompted.
“I preferred the old nests.” Mousefur sighed. “They smelled of Longtail.”
Purdy glanced at the apprentices and Dovepaw guessed that he wanted them to leave. As she turned to the entrance, she saw him circle down into his nest, pressing close to Mousefur. With a pang she wondered if she and Ivypaw would ever curl up together like that again. Watching Ivypaw stomp out ahead of her, she guessed not.
“Hey!” Rosepetal called as they reached the clearing. She was standing beside the fresh-kill pile. “Do you want a mouse?”
“Yes, please!” Ivypaw trotted away as if Dovepaw didn’t exist.
Dovepaw was too sad to feel hungry. Maybe Briarlight wanted company. She padded toward the medicine den, her paws scuffing through the beech leaves that littered the ground outside. She paused outside the den to listen to Jayfeather and Briarlight working on exercises.
“That’s it,” Jayfeather urged. “Stretch just a little bit more.”
“Oof!” Briarlight panted. “A few more of those and I’ll be able to wrestle Thornclaw!”
“Good!” Jayfeather purred. “I would love to see the look on his face!” The tang of fresh herbs was drifting through the brambles. “Three more stretches, and then you should have your medicine.”
“Can’t I just go outside and enjoy the last of the sunshine?” Briarlight pleaded. “The Clan will be sharing tongues soon and I don’t want to be stuck in here.”
“Eat your herbs first,” Jayfeather insisted. “Then you can share a mouse with your littermates.”
“Are they back from patrol?”
Dovepaw looked around the clearing. Blossompaw and Bumblestripe were padding into camp, carrying fresh prey. She should have known that as well as Jayfeather. She’d been so busy worrying about Ivypaw that she’d forgotten to keep her senses open to movements around the camp.
“Yuck!” Briarlight gagged on the herbs. Then Dovepaw heard her hind legs dragging across the den floor. She backed out of the way as the brambles swished and Briarlight’s head poked out. “Can’t you find a way of making them taste better?” she called back to Jayfeather.
“I’ll do my best,” he promised.
Briarlight hauled herself from the den and over the shifting leaves. Her eyes were bright but her teeth were clenched with effort. She spotted Dovepaw.
“Hi!” The greeting came as a hiss. “Sorry,” she groaned. “This is hard work! It’ll get easier.”
She headed toward the fresh-kill pile, where Blossomfall and Bumblestripe were arriving with their catches. Their eyes lit up as they spotted her.
“Briarlight!” Blossomfall hurried to greet her sister, a mouse dangling in her jaws. She dropped it at Briarlight’s paws. “Want to share this?”
Dovepaw ducked into Jayfeather’s den. “Hi,” she murmured wearily. She needed advice. She wanted to be friends with Ivypaw again. She wanted to share a mouse with her littermate, like Blossomfall and Briarlight.
Jayfeather was sweeping herb fragments with his tail into a dusty pile. He looked up as Dovepaw padded in. “Would you rather eat herbs sweetened with nectar or mouse blood?”
“Mouse blood,” Dovepaw answered absently.
Jayfeather let his tail lie still. “What’s wrong?” His blue eyes glowed in the dim light of the den.
“Please can I tell Ivypaw about the prophecy?”
Jayfeather sighed and went back to his sweeping. “No.”
“But it’s making it really hard to stay friends with her.”
“How?”
“She thinks I’m getting special treatment.”
“She’s jealous?”
“No!” Dovepaw suddenly felt defensive of her sister. Then she sighed. “Well, yes, sort of. I guess.”
“Lionblaze and I never told any other cat,” Jayfeather pointed out.
“But you had each other!”
“Not to start with.” Jayfeather began to pick the cleanest fragments out of the pile. “I was the first one to find out, and I couldn’t share it with Lionblaze and Hollyleaf until I was sure they were the ones.”
“But Hollyleaf wasn’t one of the Three.”
“I thought she was.” Jayfeather shook out another herb fragment. His eyes darkened. “She thought she was too.” He put the leaf shred carefully down. “Not being one of us was the hardest thing for her to live with in the end.”
“She didn’t know how lucky she was,” Dovepaw muttered under her breath. Curiosity pricked her pelt. “What didhappen to her?”
“She went away.” Jayfeather picked up another shred. “She couldn’t stay here.”
“Because she wasn’t included in the prophecy?” Dovepaw frowned. She sometimes tried to imagine what it would be like to be an ordinary warrior. It had to be easier, surely?
“Partly,” Jayfeather mewed.
“Partly?” What was the other reason?
Jayfeather scooped the pile of shreds in his jaws and carried them to the split in the rock where he stored his herbs. Clearly he wasn’t going to give any more information away.
Secrets! Always secrets!Crossly, Dovepaw pushed her way out of the den.
Blossomfall, Bumblestripe, and Briarlight lay in a patch of dying sunshine sharing their mouse. Ivypaw was lying beside Rosepetal, sharing a blackbird.
Dovepaw gazed at her sister. I would tell you if I could.
Ivypaw swallowed her last mouthful and began grooming Rosepetal.
But I have to keep this secret. Even if it means losing my best friend.
第十章
第十章
学徒细长的身影像松貂似的在草丛中穿行，四周明亮的花儿向她点头。花粉落在她柔软的口鼻上，她不禁打了个喷嚏。她很享受背上温暖的阳光，抬起前脚掌，从弯曲的茎秆上面窥探着。她睁大双眼，盯着辽阔的绿油油的草地，呼吸着微光闪闪的青草散发出的淡淡香气。
一匹身形巨大的灰色母马慢慢走过，宽大的马蹄重重地踏在草地上，在草地上踩出一条路。母猫忙向后退去，藏在浓密的羊蹄叶下。这匹马慢慢走开时，蝴蝶在空中翩翩起舞。学徒蹦蹦跳跳追着蝴蝶，在空中挥舞着脚掌，蝴蝶在一阵微风中忽然飞高，就像被风吹落的花瓣一样，在蓝天下四散开来。
猫嗅闻着微风。空气中有浓郁的绿叶气息，她捕捉到了猎物的香味。她循着气味前行，鼻孔大张，尾巴下垂，耳朵平贴。她在深绿色的三叶草间追踪着，绕过一丛晃动的白花。突然，她发现有什么东西闪过。
老鼠！
老鼠正啃着驴蹄草多汁的草根。当她开始摆动后臀时，老鼠甚至都没有动。她自信地向前跳去，但她前脚掌刚一离地，后背就蹭到了茂密的罂粟花的茎秆。红色的花瓣一闪，小老鼠嗖地钻进了三叶草丛。三叶草太茂密了，她再也没找到老鼠瘦小的棕色身影。她伸出脚掌，胡乱撕扯着地面，爪子乱抓，但除了空荡荡的地面和草根，什么也没有。
老鼠屎！
“运气真不好！”
身后传来低沉的声音，学徒猛地转过身。一只宽肩公猫正盯着她。她冲公猫眨眨眼睛。公猫的口鼻处伤痕累累，当他抬起一只脚掌驱赶苍蝇时，他长长的钩爪在阳光下闪闪发光。
“这……这是你的地盘吗？”她紧张地问道。
“我和你一样，只是路过。”公猫回答道。他脚掌放到地上，昂起头。
“我第一次来这儿。”她承认道。
“噢，很高兴你能来这里。”公猫咕哝道，“有时候我觉得很孤独。”
“你住在附近？”
公猫没有回答，但冲着老鼠消失的那块长着三叶草的地方点点头。“真遗憾你没逮到它。”他评论道，“如果你愿意的话，我可以教你跃起时不用弓起背。”
她害羞地点点头。公猫闻起来不像是族群猫，但他有武士一样光滑的皮毛，肌肉也非常发达。他的气味很奇怪，让她想起夜间走在森林里的感觉。
“注意看。”公猫蹲伏下来，向前一跃，从地面上掠过，落地时后背仍保持平直，只有侧腹轻擦过垂悬的茎秆，没有扰动它们。
学徒睁大双眼看着。
“你来试试。”公猫冲着一块苔藓点点头说道，“瞄准那儿。”
母猫点点头，蹲伏下来准备跳跃。她扭动后臀，绷紧肌肉跃了出去，但掠过时离地面太近，前脚掌还没碰到苔藓，就滑行着停了下来。
“再试试。”公猫鼓励她。
学徒又纵身跃出。这一次，她离地面稍远了一些。但当她试着绷直脊背时，失去了平衡，笨拙地落在地上，倒向一侧，弄得整片草丛都抖动起来。
“再试一次。”公猫轻声鼓励着。
这次，学徒认真思考了一番，向后退了退，紧盯苔藓，让身体的每一块肌肉都做好准备。接着，她脚掌一蹬地面，腾空而起，身子绕过茎秆，完美落地。苔藓球正落在她的脚掌间，就好像是星族特意为她安放的一样自然。
“哇！”她坐起身，为自己感到高兴，“我要把这招展示给我的姐妹。”
公猫四处张望着：“她在这里吗？”
学徒摇摇头。“只有我自己。”她眉头紧蹙，意识到没有同窝手足的陪同，独自来到这里感觉有些奇怪，“或许下次我可以把她带来。”
公猫露出嘲弄的表情：“难道你不喜欢独立做事吗？”
学徒摇了摇头：“两只猫一起会更有趣。”
“哦，我们现在也是两只猫。”他的蓝色眼睛直勾勾地盯着她，“这样不挺好吗？”
她点点头。
“如果你愿意，我还可以教你一个追踪技巧。”公猫主动说道。
“我知道所有的基本技巧。”母猫告诉他。
“我敢打赌你肯定没见过这个。”他蹲伏下来，开始拖着身子向前。他伸长下巴，胡须向后，像蛇一样在草丛间穿行。突然，他口鼻向前，一下子用嘴叼住一根花枝，速度快得让学徒诧异不已。
“真是太快了！”
“这招很适合捕鱼。”
“捕鱼？”
“老鼠也可以。”公猫补充道，“任何跑得快的猎物都行。”
“我能试试吗？”
“当然可以。”
她压低身体，紧贴地面，公猫则坐起身，用毛茸茸的尾巴盖住脚掌。
“你姐妹是什么样的？”他问道。
学徒正聚精会神地盯着前方一尾处的长草丛。“她很聪明。”她说道，拖着身子慢慢向前，“也很幽默。”她离草丛越来越近。“她是我认识的最英勇的猫。”她突然向前一蹿，咬住草茎，将它扯到嘴里，随后又吐了出来，咳嗽个不停。“呸！真苦！”
公猫咕噜道：“我猜你说的是草，不是你的姐妹。”
“当然！”
一个微弱的喊声飘过草地。一只猫正在呼喊。
母猫扭过头。“我现在得走了。”她朝声音的方向走去，长草搭在她的背上。
公猫在她身后喊道：“难道你不想知道我的名字吗？”
学徒转过身，眨着眼睛。
“我叫鹰霜。”
“再见，鹰霜。”这个名字从她的舌尖蹦出来时，怪怪的。
“你不打算告诉我你叫什么吗？”
“哦，对了，我叫藤爪。”
藤爪摇晃着身子醒了过来。经历了温暖的睡梦之后，口鼻周边冰凉的空气让她感觉有些吃惊。炭心正脑袋探进巢穴入口看着。“藤爪！”她小声地叫道。
鸽爪还在睡觉，森林大会之后她很疲惫，显然炭心不想吵醒她。但梅花爪、荆棘爪和黄蜂爪的窝都空了。
刚从梦中醒来，藤爪还有些发蒙，她费力地站起身。“来了！”她拖着尚有些发麻的四肢绕过鸽爪的窝，走出巢穴，来到黎明潮湿的空气中。荆棘爪正和同窝手足在空地上走动着，黄蜂爪不断地练习蹲伏和扑跃，梅花爪小声嘟囔着，似乎在回答着什么。
渐渐从梦中清醒过来的藤爪想起今天是他们最终测评的日子。营地笼罩在迷雾之中，云雾缭绕的巢穴看起来奇怪缥缈。黎明的天空被厚厚的云层遮着，显得有些阴沉。
藤爪打了个哆嗦。“有什么事吗？”她问炭心。
她的老师此时已走到空地中央，正朝榛尾、鼠须和刺掌坐着的地方走去。榛尾、鼠须和刺掌像石头一样坐着，眼睛有些担心地盯着他们的学徒。
藤爪抬起头，目光越过山谷的岩壁和边缘丛生的树木。云层比之前更黑了，很快就会下雨。藤爪瑟瑟发抖着。她为什么不在梦中的草地上和鹰霜多待一会儿呢？
“这次的测评以两两一组的形式进行。”炭心告诉藤爪，“我们想让你和梅花爪一组。”
“不行！”梅花爪惊恐的声音吓了藤爪一跳，“她还没训练好！我就不能和鸽爪一组吗？至少她会狩猎。”
藤爪瞪着玳瑁色和白色相间的母猫。“我知道如何狩猎！”鹰霜刚教了她两个新的招数！
“你顶多就能抓住一只老鼠！”梅花爪抱怨道，“鸽爪非常出色！她能听到任何地方猎物的动静！”
藤爪觉得尴尬失落，肩膀开始下沉。
你和你的姐妹一样优秀。
这句话在她脑海中响。这是另一处传来的声音，并不在这儿，尽管她不能找到这声音的来源。她挺直身子，抬起下巴。“我会尽力的！”她保证道，“再说了，接受测评的是你，不是我。”
“说得好，藤爪。”榛尾穿过迷雾，站在自己的学徒身旁。“藤爪只是协助你，”她批评梅花爪，“是你接受测评，而不是她。”
武士巢穴一阵沙沙响，尘毛和蛛足钻了出来。“准备好出发了吗？”蛛足打着哈欠问道。
炭心点点头。“你和榛尾测评黄蜂爪。”她通知他，“我帮助鼠须测评荆棘爪。尘毛，你和刺掌测评梅花爪。”
榛尾看起来很吃惊：“这么说，我们不是测评我们自己的学徒？”
“火星希望我们换一种方式。”炭心提醒这只身形娇小的浅灰色和白色相间母猫。
“这一阵子，火星每个月都会想出一种新的训练方法。”刺掌嘀咕道，开始朝入口走去。“毫无意义。”他怒吼道，“等我们掌握了这种训练方法，火星又会提出其他的方法。”说着，他消失在通道中，身后只留下一片迷雾。
“快走吧！”炭心催促道。
藤爪匆匆跟在梅花爪和她的同窝手足身后，出了营地。
“你们俩在湖边狩猎。”炭心说道。她用尾巴示意荆棘爪和黄蜂爪，两位学徒立即向湖岸跑去。炭心看着藤爪。“小心点儿！”她提醒道，“别忘了你只是帮忙而已，你无须证明什么。”
但我得证明我是和姐妹一样优秀的狩猎者。等他们看到我在梦里学到的新招数再说吧！
藤爪将爪子插进柔软潮湿的地面，看着炭心和鼠须、榛尾还有蛛足跑向湖泊的方向。当他们的学徒跑开时，他们也加快了步伐。很显然，这帮学徒都非常渴望他们的首次狩猎。
“我们去哪儿狩猎呢？”梅花爪问尘毛。
尘毛征询似的瞥了刺掌一眼：“去废弃的两脚兽巢穴附近？”
金棕色武士点点头：“我也觉得挺好。”
梅花爪用尾尖弹了藤爪侧腹一下。“快点儿。”她冲进树林，藤爪跑着追了上去。藤爪多希望自己的腿能长一些，这样就能像这位年岁大一些的学徒那样，步幅更大，更轻松地跃过洼地和水沟了。
终于看到废弃的两脚兽巢穴旁的碎石堆了，藤爪早已气喘吁吁。梅花爪在摇摇欲坠的两脚兽巢穴的围墙上等着。“你居然都跟不上。”梅花爪嘲笑道。
“我们应该让他们看到，我们可以团结协作的。”藤爪不满地说道。
“就像我会给你机会扯我的后腿似的。”梅花爪跳下围墙，走过松鸦羽精心栽培的植物。植物的香气让藤爪口水直流，但她深知给所有族猫的警告：远离猫薄荷。这是治愈绿咳症的唯一草药，可比罂粟籽珍贵多了。
当她消失在墙角处的时候，梅花爪扭头喊道：“别挡我的道！”
藤爪气得心跳加速。为什么大家都觉得鸽爪很优秀而她却是鼠脑子呢？我会证明给他们看的！
她走过围墙，冲进两脚兽巢穴。一段高低不平的石坡直通穴顶的一个洞口。藤爪沿着斜坡迅速跳了上去，透过顶部的一道墙缝窥探着。梅花爪正在下面乱糟糟的草丛中追踪着什么。藤爪看不清楚是什么，但玳瑁色和白色相间的学徒正专心地在杂草间穿行着。
突然，藤爪看到墙脚有动静。她向下张望，一阵眩晕袭来。她定定神，转身冲下斜坡，整齐的石头在她脚掌下晃动。她步伐轻快地冲出巢穴，绕过墙脚。在那里，一只松鼠正在墙脚的植物中翻找着什么。
她回忆着鹰霜的教导，蹲伏下来，把后背压得很低，这样身体就蹭不到伸到岩石上的枝条了。
松鼠正忙着享受从一簇干花枝上摇下来的种子。藤爪放慢速度，做好准备，收紧身体的每一块肌肉，然后一跃而起。她后背放平，没碰到植物。还没等松鼠看到她，她便一掌打在了松鼠身上，然后抓住它，一口就结果了它。
谢谢你，鹰霜！
“太棒了！”刺掌的叫声让她吃了一惊，她猛地回过头，嘴里的松鼠晃荡着。武士正朝她跑过来，尘毛跟在身后。
“你是从哪儿学到这招的？”尘毛睁大双眼问道，“你刚才的动作看起来就像在钩舀水里的鱼！”
藤爪装作什么都不知道地看着。她没理由泄露自己的秘密。“我猜这只是……本能。”她结结巴巴地说道。
他们身旁高高的杂草沙沙作响，梅花爪跺着脚走了出来。“怎么这么吵？”她怒声问道，“我正在悄悄接近一只老鼠，你们都把它吓跑了！”
尘毛将头歪向一边：“难道你不是在帮着抓这只松鼠吗？”
“我还以为你们是一起行动的。”刺掌补充了一句。
梅花爪皮毛竖起道：“她本应该帮我的，而不是在这里捣乱。”
是你告诉我别挡道的！藤爪瞪着同巢猫，但什么也没说。
“那为什么藤爪在这儿，你却在灌木丛里搜索呢？”尘毛问道，“本应该由你组织结伴狩猎。你想要她去哪儿应该告诉她。”
“好吧。”梅花爪气鼓鼓说道，尾巴拂向藤爪，“跟我来。”她转身又钻回到杂草丛中。
藤爪放下松鼠，沮丧地瞥了两位武士一眼，追了上去。
“你为什么要让我这么丢脸？”两位武士刚一听不见她们的声音，梅花爪就对藤爪嘶吼道，“这是我的测评，记得吗？”
“好吧，那么，”藤爪还沉浸在捕到松鼠的喜悦中，“你想让我做什么？”
梅花爪冲着废弃的两脚兽巢穴另一边的松树点点头说：“我们去那儿狩猎吧。”
她们在树干间走着，茂密的树木挡住了光线，树林里很阴暗。藤爪感觉马上就要下雨了。一团团的白雾仍然萦绕在丛林间，但这里的灌木丛很稀疏，所以很容易看到猎物。
“那儿！”梅花爪小声说道。
一只乌鸫正静静地站在落满松针的地上。这儿没有植被可以掩护她们靠近，但如果她们能团队协作，也许就能围堵住这只乌鸫。
“太好了！”梅花爪小声道，“你去那边，我从另一边靠近。”她冲藤爪点了一下头，离开时又补充道：“身子放低，脚掌别拖地。”
“我不是幼崽！”藤爪小声回复。
不等梅花爪给出更多多余的指示，藤爪已经在树林间快速匍匐向前了。她的身体压得很低，但不让肚子或尾巴擦到地面。她双眼死死地盯着乌鸫，即便有树木挡在她和猎物之间，她的目光都没有离开乌鸫片刻。那只乌鸫正捉住一条蚯蚓，努力把它拽到地面上。
透过余光，藤爪看到梅花爪的皮毛闪过。她没理会，一步一步靠近乌鸫。直到距离这只鸟几尾远时，她才停住了。这是梅花爪的测评。她提醒自己，努力抑制着跃起的冲动。她知道她可以抓到这只鸟，鹰霜教给她的招数在她脑中仍然非常清晰。
梅花爪在哪儿？这只乌鸫马上就要吃掉蚯蚓了，随时可能飞走。藤爪眯起了眼。或许她应该抓住它，这样更保险些。她开始摆动后臀，准备跃起。
玳瑁色和白色相间的皮毛闪过，她愣了一下。只见梅花爪扑向乌鸫，她伸出脚掌，后腿过早地撞在了地面上。虽然梅花爪努力用前脚掌按住了乌鸫，但她的这一扑一点儿也不优雅。乌鸫挣扎着，翅膀拼命地拍打着地面，搅得松针四处飞散。梅花爪重新恢复平衡后，才给了乌鸫致命的一咬。
鹰霜一定会嘲讽如此笨拙的一扑的。刹那间，夜晚的气息漫过藤爪的舌头，她的脑海中出现了那位雄性武士的鲜活形象以及他浓密的皮毛上沾着的黑森林的麝香味。
他是星族猫吗？他是专程来教她的吗？
鸽爪就从未被星族拜访过！藤爪心头涌起一阵得意，如果有的话，她会告诉我的。
雨水开始滴滴答答地拍打在头顶的枝叶上，尘毛和刺掌出现了。尘毛正叼着藤爪的松鼠。他放下松鼠，冲着乌鸫点头说道：“捉得漂亮。”
刺掌耸耸肩。“不管火星说什么，我都不理解结伴狩猎有什么意义。如果藤爪在其他地方捕捉自己的猎物，梅花爪自己也能捕到这只乌鸫。”他气哼哼地说，“这简直就是对武士的浪费。”雨越下越大，开始透过树枝滴落下来，他抬头瞥了一眼。雨水溅落在鼻子上，他不禁打了个喷嚏。
“快点儿。”他甩了甩脑袋，说道，“我觉得我们已经考察够了。在大雨瓢泼之前，我们赶回营地吧。”
梅花爪抽动着尾巴：“可我才抓到一只鸟！”
雨水透过树林倾泻下来，松针在森林地面上跳跃着。
“我们已经考察够了。”刺掌重复道。他尾巴弹向松鼠。“你也带上你自己的猎物。”他对藤爪说道。
一想到带着这样一只肥硕的猎物走进营地，藤爪就感觉非常满意。她叼起松鼠，开始朝树林走去。
当他们到达荆棘屏障时，森林已经湿透了。雨雾中，藤爪几乎看不清族猫。她的脚掌踩在泥泞的森林地面上，发出扑哧扑哧的声音。每走一步，身后就会留下一个水坑。许多个月的干旱后，现在长老们不会再抱怨了。即使每条小溪都干涸了，现在也有足够的水填满湖泊了。
梅花爪跑着超过藤爪，加快步伐想第一个进入营地，不料被乌鸫的翅膀绊了一下。“狐狸屎！”她嘴叼羽毛抱怨道，“我只抓到这么一只可怜巴巴的鸟，你却抓到了一只松鼠！”她瞪着藤爪：“如果我这次测评没通过，全是你的错！”
梅花爪低头钻进通道，留下藤爪惊愕地杵在原地。自从早上开始，梅花爪就一直抱怨她帮不上忙。现在，她又因为藤爪帮过了头感到失落。
藤爪拖着松鼠穿过荆棘通道。白翅和米莉赶忙跑了上来。
“你们是第一组回来的。”米莉夸赞道。
看到女儿藤爪嘴里悬着的松鼠时，白翅的眼里闪烁着骄傲的光芒：“干得好！”
米莉瞥了梅花爪的乌鸫一眼：“你们俩显然合作得很好。”
是啊，没错！
藤爪叼着松鼠走向猎物堆时，仰起头，尽量让松鼠不沾到泥土。
鸽爪钻出学徒巢穴，耸起双肩抵挡着大雨。“好样的！”她喊道，“这松鼠简直和你一样大了！”
“谢谢。”一阵骄傲冲过藤爪的全身，她将松鼠放在梅花爪的乌鸫旁。她很想告诉鸽爪鹰霜的事。她瞥了一眼空地四周。米莉和灰条正围在梅花爪身旁询问测评进行得如何，刺掌和尘毛则躲在高石台下，正和火星商谈着什么。
“跟我来。”藤爪用尾巴招呼着姐妹，然后快速溜向荆棘通道。
“怎么了？”鸽爪匆忙跟在藤爪身后，一脸的疑惑，“怎么了？”
等着听我告诉她星族猫是怎样教我狩猎的吧！
藤爪发出兴奋的呼呼声。她溜出通道，在营地外面的空地上等着，焦躁地拍打着泥泞的地面，等着鸽爪跟上来。
“怎么了？”鸽爪睁大了双眼。
藤爪四处瞄了几眼，确定没有其他猫偷听才开口了。“有一只星族猫来探望我了。”她屏住呼吸说道。
“什么时候？”鸽爪眨眨眼睛，甩掉雨滴。
“在我的梦里！”藤爪解释道，“他还教我如何狩猎！”
鸽爪倾身向前：“说详细些。”
藤爪突然觉得有些不安。鸽爪是真的相信了还是在逗她呢？也许这只是个普通的梦。“这只猫……”她寻找着合适的词汇，“他教给我一些新的狩猎招数……”
鸽爪盯着她：“那只猫是谁？”
“是……”
灌木丛一阵颤动。“你们在这儿做什么？”亮心从一簇蕨丛中冲出，气喘吁吁地问。显然，她是刚跑回山谷，来到这儿避雨的。“你们会得重感冒的！”她围着她们，将她们推向荆棘通道，“你们俩快进去！白翅看到还不知道会怎么说呢？还有松鸦羽？我们可不想秃叶季刚刚开始，巫医巢穴里就全是打喷嚏的学徒！”
藤爪沮丧极了，任由亮心将她赶进了营地。她祈祷着学徒巢穴里是空的。她径直走向学徒巢穴，招呼着鸽爪。她的姐妹紧紧跟着。她们俩溜进干燥的巢穴，甩掉皮毛上的雨滴。
藤爪转过身，开始解释鹰霜的事：“他是一位武士……”
“鸽爪！”狮焰的喊声从巢穴围墙外传来。
藤爪伸出了爪子。他就不能再等等吗？
“对不起。”鸽爪看起来满怀歉意，退出了巢穴。藤爪从自己的窝上扯下一把蕨叶，摔在地上。鸽爪总是撇下她去和武士们交谈。难道她不关心她吗？也不知从什么时候起，经验最少的猫管理起族群来了？狮焰就离不开他的宝贝徒弟片刻吗？
紫杉丛颤动起来，梅花爪、荆棘爪和黄蜂爪跳了进来，他们皮毛上的水溅得四处都是。“我们通过了！我们通过了！”
“太棒了！”藤爪钻回自己的窝中，“恭喜你们！”她闭上眼睛，堵上耳朵，不想去听同巢猫相互庆贺的激动声音。如果她睡着的话，鹰霜也许会来教她更多的狩猎招数，直到她和姐妹一样优秀——甚至更优秀！那时，族群也许也就会关注她了。
第十一章
第十一章
火星的巢穴口滴着雨水，松鸦羽钻了进去，弄得雨滴四处飞溅。狮焰拖着脚步靠近鸽爪。
“有什么消息吗？”火星问道。他不安地瞥了一眼巢穴的入口，好像害怕被打扰似的。
狮焰、松鸦羽和鸽爪同时摇摇头。
“我没收到星族的任何消息。”松鸦羽说道。
“边界我们这一侧也没有再出现影族的气味。”狮焰汇报说。
“鸽爪呢？”雷族族长盯着浅灰色学徒，“你感知到什么了吗？”
她盯着自己的脚掌。“没有。”她嘟囔道。
狮焰猜测她还很不适应被当作密探。尽管松鸦羽很享受能偷偷潜入其他猫的思想之中，但鸽爪似乎还不习惯将自己的感知延伸到比普通猫更远的地方。
她最好习惯它。她被赋予这种力量一定是有理由的。
“影族一定有什么企图。”火星警告道，“侵入边界已经够糟的了，但为此撒谎就更可恶了，即便是影族。”
“他们一直都是那么鬼鬼祟祟。”狮焰提醒火星。
“我们更要提高警惕。”火星吼道。
“要加强边界巡逻吗？”松鸦羽问道。
火星摇摇头：“他们会视作挑衅。”
巢穴外，笼罩了营地一上午的雨雾正在消散，阳光照进了山谷。但吹走了乌云的大风还在森林间咆哮着，猛烈地冲击着巢穴，在入口处呜呜作响。
狮焰注意到鸽爪的身子开始僵硬。“只是风而已。”他嘀咕了一句。
她摇摇头，睁大了双眼：“还有别的东西。”
狮焰靠近鸽爪。他看到她的眼神飘向了远处：“是什么？”
“是一种抽吸的声音。”鸽爪的眼中燃起恐惧，“是树根。”她的呼吸急促起来。“树根马上就要钻出地面了。”她直直地盯着狮焰，“有一棵大树要倒了，是山谷顶端的一棵树！”她尖锐的喊声在巢穴中回荡：“快让大家离开营地！”
火星马上站起身。“真的吗？”他问狮焰。
“真的。”狮焰对鸽爪所描述事情的真实性、危险性和紧迫性没有丝毫怀疑，“我们得马上让大家离开营地。”
他冲出巢穴，三个蹦跳就跃下了落石堆。“大家立刻离开营地！”他尖叫道。大风在他的身边呼啸，几乎淹没了他的喊声。
一张张脸从巢穴口探了出来，正在猎物堆上挑选食物的尘毛和亮心也猛地转过身来。
“发生什么事了？”尘毛的叫喊声中充满了警觉。
“一棵树要倒了！”狮焰抬头盯着山谷的边缘，试图找出那棵即将从雨水浸泡的地面上倒掉的大树。可是，整座森林都在狂风中摇摆着，根本不可能分辨出哪棵树会倒下来砸向营地。“全部离开巢穴！”
火星爬下高石台，刚从武士巢穴中冲出的黑莓掌猛地停住了。“你听到了吧！”火星大吼道，“马上清空营地！”
黑莓掌直冲育婴室。
火星朝尘毛点点头：“你负责学徒巢穴。”然后他转向亮心：“你负责长老巢穴。”
松鸦羽冲过空地：“巫医巢穴已经空了。”
“再检查一遍！”火星命令道。随后他转身对狮焰说：“你检查武士巢穴，我来检查营地剩下的区域。”雷族族长冲过武士巢穴，武士们开始陆续涌出。
刺掌、狐跃和蟾步一起挤出巢穴口，他从他们中间挤了过去。他们匆匆逃跑时，把入口挤出更大的缺口。狮焰开始发疯似的搜查着黑漆漆的灌木丛。“快点儿！”他冲着还在窝里伸展着身子的云尾大喊道。
白毛武士睡眼惺忪地冲狮焰眨眨眼睛：“发生什么事了？”
“赶快离开就是了！”狮焰命令道，“所有猫都赶快离开营地！”
狮焰穿梭于武士巢穴的各个窝之间，直到确信每个窝都清空了才冲到了外面。整个族群都聚在通道入口处，等着穿过荆棘屏障。
黑莓掌站在育婴室入口，当香薇云跟着黛西挤过黑莓丛时，他叼住香薇云的颈背，把她拉了出来。他一低头，冲进育婴室，接着又跳了出来，大喊道：“育婴室已清空！”
罂粟霜正跑向通道，叼在嘴里的小鼹鼠荡来荡去。小樱桃趴在她身后的地上号啕大哭，眼里闪烁着恐惧。黛西忙叼起她，跟在罂粟霜身后。
“学徒巢穴清空！”尘毛的喊声响彻空地。
“武士巢穴清空！”狮焰喊道。
“巫医巢穴清空！”松鸦羽的皮毛被入口处的黑莓刺刮掉了不少。
火星从育婴室后面现出身来。“营地四周已清空！”他朝黑莓掌喊道，后者正指挥族猫们穿过荆棘屏障。玫瑰瓣滑了一下，蕨毛被她绊倒了，黑莓掌连忙叮嘱道：“慢点儿！”
狮焰看向长老巢穴。亮心还没有汇报长老巢穴的情况。
波弟正在长老巢穴口外紧张地抓扯着地面。“快点儿！”他冲着金银花丛嘶嘶地喊着。
他们怎么这么磨蹭？
“鸽爪！”狮焰看到了他的学徒。她正巡视着空地四周，眼睛一直向上盯着山谷的边缘。“是哪棵树？”他问道。
“我不知道！”她的声音里充满了恐惧，“可我能听到树根正从地里面往出探。是雨。雨太大了！让树根松动了！”
藤爪在半边石旁停了下来，疑惑地看着姐妹：“快离开营地！”
“我确定了之后再离开！”
藤爪眨了眨眼睛：“确定什么？”
“确定哪棵树要倒下来！”
“星族啊，你为什么需要知道？”
狮焰抽动着尾巴。“是哪棵树不重要！”他尖叫道，“快离开山谷！你们俩都马上离开！”
当两位学徒跑离空地时，他转身面向长老巢穴。仍然没有长尾、亮心及鼠毛的身影。他冲向长老巢穴，从波弟身边冲到巢穴内。“怎么回事？”他问道。
亮心正慌张地看着鼠毛。
鼠毛正生气地瞪着她：“如果我离开了铺垫，这苔藓就全湿了！”
长尾用口鼻在同伴的侧腹下推着。“快起来！”他催促道，“我们回来的时候再弄些干燥的苔藓。”
“可我们去哪儿找干燥的苔藓呢？”鼠毛反驳道，“这一个月都在下雨！”
狮焰心头腾地燃起一股怒火。“出去！”他命令的吼声如同爆裂的树枝，鼠毛一下子跳了起来，震惊地看着他。
“出去！”他一边重复着，一边伸出脚掌。他可不想让这只顽固的老猫为了一片干燥的铺垫而死。
当鼠毛走向入口时，亮心感激地转动着眼睛。她推着长尾，督促他们穿过长长的金银花丛，进入空地。
狮焰跟在他们身后冲了出去。营地里空荡荡的，只剩这几位长老们蹒跚着穿过空地。他打量着山谷的顶端周围，想再确定一下究竟是哪棵树要倒下来。他暗暗希望是鸽爪弄错了，但直觉告诉他，鸽爪是对的。
当亮心和波弟领着长尾和鼠毛穿过通道时，火星和黑莓掌又冲回营地，鸽爪跟在他们身后，身上的毛竖着。
“营地全清空了吗？”火星问道。
狮焰点点头。
黑莓掌在巢穴之间猛冲着，不停探进脑袋检查着。
鸽爪的耳朵竖了起来。“营地已经清空了！”她安慰着他们。
“那么快走吧！”火星命令道，“我们快去和族群会合，他们正躲在前往湖泊方向的水沟中。”他瞥了一眼鸽爪：“你确定他们在那里是安全的吗？”
鸽爪正抬头看着高石台上方的峭壁顶端。“树正在往下倒！”她低声说道。
她知道是哪棵树了。狮焰顺着她的目光，望向一棵高大的山毛榉树，那棵树依然几乎长满了叶子。现在他能清晰地看到这个危险物了。大风不停地撕扯着这棵树厚重的枝干，它开始从地里探出来，向山谷边缘倒去。
“快点儿！”火星继续喊着。他将鸽爪推向入口。狮焰跑过空地，跟着她跑了出去，黑莓掌和火星也追了上去。狮焰奔跑时，瞥到了族猫的皮毛在林间飞奔，他们正挤在距离山谷入口几树远的水沟中。突然，他发现鼠毛跌跌撞撞地向他走来。她想要躲回营地。
长尾拦住她：“别管那些老鼠了！我们还可以再抓的！”
“我可不想浪费食物！”鼠毛吼道，“这是对星族的不敬！”
“那我回去取！”
狮焰还没来得及拦住他，长尾已经飞奔着穿过荆棘屏障回去了。
荆棘爪在长尾身后跑着，深棕色的皮毛渐渐看不见了：“快回来！那里不安全！”
狮焰减慢速度停下来，转过身，急忙去追长尾和荆棘爪。“那棵树就要倒下来了！”他尖声叫着撕扯着冲过荆棘丛，恰好看到长尾和荆棘爪消失在长老巢穴，“快出来！”
然而，他的声音被山谷顶端一阵巨大的轰响给吞没了。随着一阵震耳欲聋的声响，那棵山毛榉树从山谷顶端的边缘倒了下来，猛冲下悬崖。它的枝干像爪子一样划过岩壁，将像刺一样锋利的石块撒向营地。狮焰缩起身子，紧贴屏障，岩石的碎片就像雨滴一样洒落在他身旁。空地消失在一阵树枝的猛打之下，恐惧顿时漫过他的全身。他耳朵平贴，抵挡着碎木噼噼啪啪的声响，不住观望着。当看到金银花巢穴被压在一团树枝下时，他惊呆了。随着一阵猛烈的嘎吱声，山毛榉树干重重地击打在地面上，像粉碎的骨头般四分五裂。
狮焰感觉身旁有皮毛在颤抖。是鸽爪，她正在他的身旁张大嘴巴，眼睛瞪得老大，连眼白都看得到。
“荆棘爪。”鸽爪屏住了呼吸。
狮焰冲向长老巢穴，钻过一团树枝，爬过起伏的树干。他几乎看不到倒塌的山毛榉树下的金银花。这棵树的另一半撑在山谷的另一边，带着泥土的树根像爪子一样直抵育婴室周围。武士巢穴一半都不见了，巫医巢穴入口也被树枝遮盖住了。
“等等！”
听到火星的叫声，狮焰停了下来。他转过身，在一根破碎树枝的一端站住了。
雷族族长正跑过来，鸽爪摇摇晃晃地跟在他身后。
“你能听到什么吗？”火星问道。
“听不到。”狮焰瞥了鸽爪一眼。
灰毛学徒摇摇头：“我也什么都听不到。”
“他们也许还活着。”火星从狮焰身边跃过，开始扭动身子钻过颤动的金色树叶，爬向被压平的巢穴。狮焰奋力跟了上去，皮毛蹭在凹凸不平的木头上，身子不禁一缩。
那棵树发出嘎吱嘎吱的声响。
“这儿不安全！”鸽爪在他们身后喊道。
狮焰感觉身旁的树木在动。
“它正从山谷边滑下来。”鸽爪提醒道。
“我看到了一个身影。”火星在巢穴废墟里喊道。
狮焰扭动身体往深处爬去，钻进缠绕在一起的树枝里。当一根金银花藤蔓探出来从他的口鼻上打过时，他心中燃起一丝希望。“谁？”
“我不知道。”火星喊道，“但我想，他在动。”
“整棵树都在动！”鸽爪尖叫道，“快离开那儿！”
伴着一阵低沉的刮擦声，山毛榉树开始顺着山谷的岩壁向下滑落。
“快出去！”火星厉声命令道。
狮焰有些迟疑。他不能丢下自己的族猫！有牙齿紧紧咬着他的尾巴，他大叫一声。
“它要塌了！”因嘴里有毛，鸽爪的叫声有些模糊不清。她向后拖着狮焰，脚掌下的树颤抖着。火星从狮焰身旁爬了出来。
“跳！”鸽爪喊道。
三只猫用力跳到武士巢穴旁的一片空地上。他们身后，大树呻吟着落了下来，砸到山谷底部，枝条在地面砸出了洞。
鸽爪发出一声呜咽。
狮焰紧张地看着长老巢穴。金银花从树枝间探了出来。仍可能巢穴有一部分没被压塌。
“火星？”黑莓掌正穿过废墟向他们走来。当他跳下来到他们身旁时，狮焰看到族群其余的猫正涌回营地。他们冲过荆棘屏障，直到通道变得跟营地其他地方一样破烂不堪。
“停！”火星冲族猫们喊道。
雷族猫僵住了，盯着已成废墟的家园。叶池闭上双眼，似乎在向星族祈祷着。
“我们的营地在哪里？”小樱桃叫道。
黛西俯下身安抚着这只幼崽，罂粟霜则呆呆地盯着倒树。“营地没了。”她小声说道。
“我们的营地还在！”火星吼道，“我们必须保持镇定。”
“长尾在哪儿？”波弟颤抖着问。
“荆棘爪呢？”米莉声音尖厉。
“我会找到他们的！”狮焰保证道。他强打精神，挤过破碎的树枝。如果他把这树当作战斗中的敌人，就能保护他不会受伤吗？
火星转向副族长：“黑莓掌，我们需要组织一支队伍，清理出一条通往长老巢穴的路。我希望其他猫待在山谷外，能得到好生照料。”
黑莓掌打量着这棵树。“我们得清理掉搬得动的树枝，撬走那些我们搬不动的树枝。”他对尘毛喊道，“你需要多少武士来做这些工作？”
尘毛眯起了眼睛。“四位。”他说道，“再多就碍事了。”
狮焰想起了他们是如何摧毁大坝的：“我们可以用原木将最重的树枝从路上撬走。”
松鼠飞走上前。“我组织一支队伍去找原木和支柱。”说完她看向族猫，“米莉、蕨毛、桦落，还有刺掌，你们跟我来。”
“栗尾、灰条、云尾，还有莓鼻，”尘毛冲他的同巢猫点点头，“你们跟我来。”
狮焰听到原来的长老巢穴处传来微弱的声音，身子一震：“那儿一定还有猫活着。”
火星点点头。“刻不容缓。”他用尾巴弹向白翅，“你带其他猫返回水沟。松鸦羽，你尽可能治疗受到惊吓的猫。黛西，我授权你负责长老、猫后和幼崽们，让他们镇定下来。”他冲黑莓掌点点头：“你和尘毛、松鼠飞一起去工作。”
鼠毛来回走着，喉咙中发出呜咽声：“这是我的错！该埋在下面的是我，不是长尾！”
波弟在她身边穿梭着，引导她穿过已成碎片的荆棘丛。“他们会找到他的。”他安慰道。
鸽爪浑身都在颤抖：“为什么我没能早点儿听到？我本可以阻止这一切的！”
火星瞟了一眼这位吓坏了的学徒，然后温柔地冲白翅喊道：“你带着鸽爪一起离开。确保她没事。”
白毛武士温柔地带着她的孩子离开了营地。
血液在狮焰的耳朵里涌动。他很想跳回到那团树枝中，把长尾和荆棘爪拉出来。但是该怎样去做呢？即便找到了他们，又如何在不让他们受到伤害的情况下，带他们走出这些破碎的树枝呢？
尘毛已经在山毛榉树周围嗅探起来。他用前脚掌摸索着，啪地折断了第一根挡路的树枝。
松鼠飞赶忙来到尘毛身边，用脚掌抓住树枝说：“我们可以用这根树枝当作支柱。”
尘毛向山毛榉树的深处拱了拱，用后背将一根拱形树干尽量往上抬，这样松鼠飞可以将树枝支进它的底部。
“荆棘爪！”米莉冲着缺口处哭喊道，“长尾？”
栗尾和刺掌推开米莉，挤到尘毛身后，咬断他们够得到的树枝作为支柱，把其他树枝从路上移开。灰条也在他们身边挥舞着脚掌，撕扯着碎裂的山毛榉树枝，脚掌都磨破了。
“荆棘爪！”蕨毛把一根原木滚向一根粗树干，桦落和云尾则合力用一根长长的碎木枝将这棵粗树干撬了起来，蕨毛把原木放在了下边。山毛榉树发出咯吱咯吱的声音，但仍一动不动。他们正在加快进度。
“长尾？你听得到吗？”狮焰向下窥探着刚刚成形的通道。
没有回答。
仍有一团树枝阻挡着道路，那边的金银花仍揪心地颤动着。狮焰转过身，看到身后的弟弟，只见他蓝色的盲眼里流露出担心的目光。
“我得回到我的巢穴。”松鸦羽说道。
树枝挡住了巫医巢穴入口。
“罂粟霜受到了惊吓，鼠毛在她身旁也很焦虑。况且，如果你们救出长尾和荆棘爪，我也得医治他们。”
“你不能再收集些新鲜的草药吗？”狮焰建议道。
松鸦羽眼中燃起怒火：“现在可是落叶季！哪儿还有什么新鲜的草药！”
正在帮尘毛滚动原木的火星停了下来。“去把玫瑰瓣找来。”他命令道，“她像她父亲一样瘦小。”的确如此，玫瑰瓣有着同蛛足一样灵巧的身体。“她也许能找到一条可以过去的路。”他看了一下堵住巫医巢穴的树枝，“树枝虽然乱成一团，但或许有足够的空隙过去。”
松鸦羽转身匆匆离开。
“狮焰！”松鼠飞正努力将一根分叉的树枝嵌进去。
狮焰冲过来帮她一起推。他们合力将这根树枝嵌入树干下面时，这棵树似乎叹息了一声。
“我们就快到长老巢穴了。”尘毛大声说道。他的皮毛被碎片划破，鲜血从脚掌渗了出来。
狮焰向下看了看通道，还有最后两根树枝挡着道。“我能挤过去了。”
“去吧。”火星命令道，“你进去后，我们把这些树枝挪开，这样你就能带长尾和荆棘爪出来了。”
米莉和灰条肩并肩站着，望着杂乱的金银花丛旁的救援行动。他们的女儿荆棘爪就在这片废墟中的某个地方。
“求求你，星族，”米莉低声说道，“保佑荆棘爪安全无恙。”
“她不会有事的。”火星说道，眼睛阴沉着。
松鸦羽和玫瑰瓣跑了回来。当他经过米莉和灰条身边时，狮焰注意到他身子一僵，仿佛踩到一棵荆棘似的。他感受到了他们的悲伤。
玫瑰瓣透过凌乱的树枝向巫医巢穴内看着。“我能进去。”她说道。于是，她先将脚掌伸进去，然后在树枝间扭动着身子，当后腿和尾巴消失在金色树叶里时，哼了一下。“你想让我拿什么？”她朝外喊道。
当松鸦羽开始描述他需要的草药时，狮焰走下通道，朝金银花丛走去。他的心猛跳着，他能感觉得到灰条和米莉正紧张地盯着他的皮毛。万一他发现的只是死尸怎么办？他努力抛开这种想法，挤过剩余的那两根树枝。当他挤过时，树皮刮破了他的皮毛。他感觉到脚掌下的金银花藤蔓十分柔软，心中燃起了希望。他钻入废墟堆中，扭动身子进到残存的长老巢穴。
一个狭小的空间出现在他的面前。只有鼠毛的窝还在，其他长老的窝都被碎树枝给掩埋了。
随后他看到了一个身体。
蜷缩着，软软的，没有生命迹象。
他盯着那个身体，悲伤得身子一僵。这时，尘毛挤到了他身旁。
“我们已经清理了最后两根树枝。”虎斑武士开口说道。当他看到那个身体时，声音渐渐低了下来。“长尾。”这个名字哽在了他的喉头。
一股奇怪的感觉让狮焰感觉喉咙有些堵得慌，他叼住浅色虎斑长老的后颈，将长尾的尸体拖出了巢穴废墟。他嘴中的老猫像松鼠一样轻。狮焰将长尾的尸体拖过通道，放在裸露的地面上。
火星低下了头，灰条紧紧靠着米莉。
“你看到荆棘爪了吗？”灰毛武士低声问道。
狮焰摇摇头。这时，尘毛的声音从巢穴里传了出来：“她还活着！快！”
狮焰赶忙冲回巢穴，灰条紧跟在他身后。他们沿着临时通道往前跑时，一声可怕的噼啪声在空中响起。他们身旁的一根支柱突然断了，碎片四处飞溅。紧接着，另一根支柱也断了，整棵大树颤动起来。
“快撑不住了！”米莉惊恐的哀号声在他们身后响起。
狮焰没理她，俯身冲进残存的长老巢穴，灰条从他身旁挤了进来。尘毛正蹲伏在鼠毛的窝上，用口鼻嗅探着一根树枝。山毛榉树倒下时，把金银花灌木丛压成了一团乱糟糟的藤蔓。狮焰钻到虎斑公猫身旁，看到荆棘爪正抬眼望着他，疼得脸都有些变形了。
“我动不了。”荆棘爪嘶哑着说道。
她的后腿被压住了。当山毛榉树再次颤动时，她疼得尖叫起来。
狮焰听到他们身后又有一根支柱断了，不由心里一紧：“我们得马上带她离开这儿！”
“怎么做呢？”尘毛急促地问道，“这棵树正在向下塌，她又不能动。”
“我来把她救出来！”灰条叼住了她的后颈。
又怕又疼的荆棘爪尖叫着。狮焰把灰毛公猫撞开了。“你这样会害死她的！”他提醒说。来不及多想，他用后背抵住压着破碎巢穴的粗大树枝，脚掌踩住地面，拱起脊背，肩膀拼命向上，直到感觉到了整棵大树的重量。树枝一阵颤抖，咯吱咯吱地响着，开始慢慢向上。
“你……你挪动它了！”尘毛低声说。
“快叼住她！”当感觉这棵树又挪动了一胡须的距离时，狮焰喘着粗气说。
灰条倾身向前，叼住女儿的后颈。
“轻点儿！”狮焰提醒道。肩上的重量让他几乎无法承受，但他不会让族猫死去。巢穴的外面，木头在不断崩裂，发出咯吱咯吱的声响。
“支柱要倒了！”米莉尖叫道。
灰条小心翼翼地将荆棘爪从树枝下慢慢地拖了出来。“我把她拖出来了。”他的声音从满是女儿皮毛的嘴中传出。
当她的父亲把她拉出来时，荆棘爪呜咽着。
尘毛向下看着通道，确保他俩都出去了。
狮焰拼命呼吸，腿在身下不住颤抖，他感觉自己的肺在不住地尖叫。
“他们已经出去了！”尘毛报告道。
“你也赶紧离开！”狮焰大叫道。
尘毛赶忙从树枝间冲出，树枝不断发出巨响，接连崩裂。
狮焰深吸一口气，拼尽全力最后向上一举，低着头从树枝下蹿出，全速向尘毛追去。树在狮焰周围颤动着。就在狮焰跳出通道的同时，最后一根支柱断了，整棵大树垮塌下来，震得四处发颤，树根狠狠地砸了下来。伴随着这股冲击，树枝如尸体般纷纷落到地上。
黑暗模糊了狮焰的视线。他拼命喘息着，腿不停地颤抖，但他不愿意趴下。他等待着，直到力量在身体内重新聚集，又涌遍了四肢。然后，他伸展了一下身体，眨眨眼睛，驱散黑暗。
一条尾巴拂过他的脊背。
“干得好，狮焰。”火星站在了他身旁。
灰条和米莉正蹲伏在荆棘爪身边，松鸦羽从玫瑰瓣透过树枝递出来的草药堆中叼起一口草药，放在荆棘爪身旁，开始嗅着她虚弱无力的身体。
“她没事吧？”米莉担心地问。
年轻母猫呼吸急促，眼神呆滞。
“我觉得她看不到我们。”灰条悲叹道。
“让开！”松鸦羽围着荆棘爪转了一圈，嗅闻着她的皮毛。他皱着眉眯起了眼。
“长尾呢？”一个颤抖的声音响起。是白翅。
狮焰转过身，看到族猫们已经爬回到了山谷。他们走得很慢，来到仅存的空地边上，嗅着被摧毁的营地的废墟。梅花爪和黄蜂爪冲出族群，跑到灰条和米莉身旁，紧紧靠着他们。
“荆棘爪不会有事吧？”黄蜂爪低声问。
鼠毛从白翅身旁冲过来，围着长尾的尸体不住地转着圈。“不，不，不，不，不！”她呻吟道。
当她趴伏下来，用鼻子触着同巢猫冰冷的皮毛时，波弟紧紧地贴着这只年老的母猫。
鸽爪和藤爪惊恐地看着荆棘爪一动不动的身体。
“她死了吗？”藤爪低声问。
“别像只兔子似的在那儿傻站着。”狮焰厉声说道，“快去给她找些苔藓来，尽量让她舒服些！”
两只猫赶忙离开，跑出山谷。她们从叶池身边跑过，后者正在通过荆棘丛。她停了下来，眼睛眯成了一条缝，观看着松鸦羽工作。
松鸦羽抬起头看向她。“怎么？”松鸦羽咆哮道，“你到底要不要帮我？”
叶池眨了眨眼睛，眼里闪过痛苦。接着，她的目光变得坚定起来。“你需要我做什么？”她来到松鸦羽身旁嗅着荆棘爪。
“她惊吓过度。”松鸦羽报告说。
“她需要百里香。”叶池指示道，“我来做药糊。”说完她从草药堆中叼起一口草叶嚼了起来。
松鸦羽坐起身。“我找不出她哪里受伤了，她身上没有伤痕。”他听起来有些不知所措。
荆棘爪的眼皮颤了一下：“我……我感觉不到我的后腿。”
松鸦羽倾身向前，用嘴轻轻地叼起荆棘爪的一条后腿向上抬起，然后松开口，这条腿就像死去的猎物一样垂到了地上。“百里香准备好了吗？”他冲叶池喊道。
“好了。”她用脚掌将百里香涂抹在荆棘爪的嘴唇周围，荆棘爪本能地舔掉了这些药糊，叶池就又涂抹一些。
米莉围着他们走来走去，眼里布满了悲伤。“她怎么了？”她急切地问道。
松鸦羽没有回答，而是看了一眼狮焰：“给我一些紫草。”
狮焰赶忙来到巫医巢穴入口，透过树枝冲玫瑰瓣喊道：“松鸦羽需要紫草！”
“我已经拿到了。”玫瑰瓣回复道，说着从树枝缝隙间递过一把叶子。
狮焰叼了一嘴运给松鸦羽。“她没事吧？”他低声问。
“她的心跳越来越稳定，但是她的腿……”松鸦羽的话最后变成了沮丧的咆哮。他用尾巴弹了狮焰一下，把狮焰赶走了。
香薇云正在努力安慰灰条和米莉。“如果有谁能够救她的话，那一定是松鸦羽。”她瞥了松鸦羽一眼。松鸦羽正往荆棘爪的后腿上涂抹一种深绿色的药糊。“而且叶池也在帮松鸦羽呢。”她满怀希望地小声补充道。
火星直起了身。“尘毛！”他喊道，“看看育婴室是否安全，我们至少得保证猫后和幼崽们有地方可住。”他看着营地四周。营地已经被山毛榉给半掩着。“学徒巢穴看起来还可以。”他点头对云尾和松鼠飞说道，“检查一下看看是否安全。然后再收集些铺垫，尽可能多找些。长老、猫后还有幼崽们今晚都得睡在里面，我们剩下的这些猫也需要搭窝。”
松鼠飞点点头，用尾巴招呼莓鼻、刺掌和蕨毛，然后一同出了营地。
“我要跟他们一起去吗？”狮焰主动问道。
火星凝视着他。“你今天为族群做得已经够多了。”他低声说，“谢谢你，也感谢星族让我们拥有你。如果不是你，荆棘爪现在已经死了。”
狮焰望着躺在潮湿地面上的荆棘爪。叶池正用脚掌有力地按摩荆棘爪的胸部。此时，她的眼睛比这几月的任何时候都更加专注。
荆棘爪睁开眼睛，盯着她的父母：“我的后腿呢？它们还在吗？”
米莉支吾着，灰条脊背上的毛竖了起来。荆棘爪的后腿在她身后伸着，看起来就像以前一样，强壮而光滑。但她却感觉不到它们——如果她感觉不到它们，那么她就无法站立、行走、奔跑……
一阵悲伤流遍狮焰的全身。在这个难以承受的时刻，他不知道这位活着的年轻学徒是否会感激他救了她的性命。
第十二章
第十二章
松鸦羽抬头嗅了嗅黎明中的微风。空气十分清新，混着倒塌树木的汁液味，还有潮湿的叶子与泥土散发的霉味。米莉的皮毛紧贴着他，使他感觉格外温暖。这位灰毛猫后紧紧拥着她的孩子。
荆棘爪睡着了，她的呼吸中仍有罂粟籽浓烈的味道。那还是他昨晚让她服下的。松鸦羽能感觉得到她四肢的重量，也能感觉到她后肢的麻木。
昨天的灾难带来的伤痛仍在继续。他探进荆棘爪的窝中，嗅了嗅他的病患，胡须拂过米莉的皮毛。
米莉抬起了头：“她怎么样了？”
“她已经从震惊中安定下来了。”他告诉她。荆棘爪的心脏在米莉湿冷的皮毛下稳健地跳动着。
“那她的腿呢？”米莉声音有些颤抖。
“我不知道。”松鸦羽差点儿咆哮出来。他讨厌这种无助感。
巢穴外，武士们正在残存的空地中活动，松鸦羽听见黑莓掌在发号施令。
“巡逻会正常进行。我们必须得狩猎。尘毛，你需要多少猫帮你清理营地废墟？”
松鸦羽竖起了耳朵。山毛榉的残骸减弱了声音，族猫的声音不再回响在山谷的岩壁上，而是被大片柔软潮湿的枝叶吸收了。
“第一次清理，四五只猫应该够了。”尘毛对副族长坚决地说道。但松鸦羽感觉到了这位武士脚掌上的疼痛，那是昨天干活时留下的伤口。“桦落和蕨毛怎么样？他们可以搬大一点儿的树枝，玫瑰瓣和榛尾可以帮忙搬小一点儿的。”
通往巫医巢穴的路已经被清理出来。尽管育婴室被一团山毛榉树根围住了，但已经安全了。学徒巢穴也没有遭到损毁。
荆棘爪扭动身子。松鸦羽赶忙俯下身，嗅了嗅她的口鼻，荆棘爪颤动的眼睑蹭着他的脸颊。
“你还好吗？”他轻声问道。
他感觉恐慌从米莉心头升起，于是用尾巴尖拍拍她。别让她感觉到你的担忧。
“我不知道。”荆棘爪无力地答道。
“哪里疼吗？”
“不疼，只是很困。”
“那是因为服用了罂粟籽。”
“所以我才感觉不到后腿吗？”
松鸦羽感觉米莉的目光灼烧着他的皮毛。她希望他说是。她希望事实果真如此。
或许就是这样的。或许荆棘爪在这次事故中受的伤一好，她就能起来走动了，她的后腿会好起来。毕竟，他没有发现骨头上有任何断裂之处。所以，她的后腿没有理由不能动。
“到底怎么了？”荆棘爪追问道。
“我想，你的后腿只是比其他部位恢复得慢一些。”他告诉她，“我们再等等看。只要星族愿意，它们很快就能站起来。”
荆棘爪将爪子钩进窝里的蕨叶中：“希望能很快。我刚刚通过测评，现在我可以成为一位武士了！”
米莉痛苦地吞咽着。“回去继续睡吧。”她低声说，“你休息得越多，你就好得越快。”
荆棘爪将下巴搭在脚掌上，呼吸很快便变成了鼾声。
米莉跟着松鸦羽出了巢穴。“她怎么了？”他们刚一走出拖在地上的黑莓丛，米莉便追问道。
松鸦羽踢到一根落在通往巫医巢穴小路上的树枝，疼得一缩。营地已经面目全非，被倒塌的山毛榉树压得变了形，他只好小心翼翼地穿行，也不知道会冒出什么东西绊到他。他懊恼地哼了一声。营地曾是他无须集中精力便可自如走动的地方，可现在，这儿对他来说却像河族领地一样陌生。
“她的腿到底怎么了？”米莉追问道。松鸦羽正使劲舔着脚掌以减轻疼痛。
他停了下来，盯着米莉。他知道，他望着这些猫时，他们会听得更加仔细，尽管这对他来说没什么不同。“我不知道。”他说道。
“你肯定知道！”米莉的声音里充满了恐惧与失望。
这时，松鸦羽听到灰条靠近的脚步声，顿时松了口气。灰毛武士可以安慰他的伴侣。
灰条蹭着米莉的皮毛。“还是没有好转吗？”他的声音里充满了担心。
“我们只能等待。”松鸦羽告诉他们，“至少荆棘爪不疼了。”
他走开了，脑子里一片混乱。为什么荆棘爪感觉不到自己的后腿？它们虽然又青又肿，但并没有断。松鸦羽眉头紧蹙。他以前可从未遇到过这种情况。
“我们能看看她吗？”灰条在他身后喊道。
“虽然她需要休息，但陪陪她对她没什么害处。”松鸦羽扭头喊道，“她是你们的孩子，你们更了解如何才能让她振作精神。”
松鸦羽的肚子咕咕直叫。猎物堆刚得到补充，他觉得自己最好吃点儿东西，昨晚他就没顾得上吃。他走向猎物堆，闻到了狮焰熟悉的气味，还有浓重的、潮湿的泥土味。
松鸦羽从猎物堆中拽出一只老鼠。“你一直在埋长尾吗？”他知道，自己不会像其他族猫那样，对失去长尾非常痛苦，因为他还会再见到长尾，而且那时的长尾可以摆脱盲眼和疼痛，沉浸在星族狩猎场的温暖之中，或者和曾经光临过月亮池、身上闪着星光的老朋友一起坐着。
狮焰的尾巴拂过地面。“我刚刚在帮鼠毛和波弟。他们一晚上都在守夜，很累。”说着，他心烦意乱地用一只脚掌把乌鸫推开，“我把他们送去育婴室休息了。但我觉得鼠毛未必睡得着，她仍然非常激动。”
“我吃完就给她送一粒罂粟籽过去。”松鸦羽答应道，“鸽爪镇定些了吗？”
“好点儿了。”他的声音里充满了担心，“她应该感到自豪。正是因为她的警告，才拯救了那么多生命。”
“在照顾族群这方面，她比以往更有责任心了。”松鸦羽说道。
“她还年轻。”狮焰叹息道，“成为三力量的一员意味肩负重大责任。”
松鸦羽点点头。他和狮焰更年长些，也非常清楚自己的力量，可就连他们也觉得履行使命非常艰巨。
“今早我会带她和藤爪去狩猎。”狮焰说道，“我希望她能想起正常的族群生活是什么样子。”
“很好。”松鸦羽刚要俯身拾起老鼠，就听到一阵急促的脚步声。梅花爪和黄蜂爪挤到他身旁。
“我们能去看看荆棘爪吗？”黄蜂爪焦急地围了上来。
“她这时候正睡觉呢。”松鸦羽答道，“但我看不出为什么不可以。她不疼了，而且陪伴就像药物一样有效。”
两只年轻猫赶忙冲向巫医巢穴，狮焰则朝破碎的荆棘屏障走去。松鸦羽再次俯身，准备叼起他的老鼠。
“荆棘爪怎么样了？”
叶池的声音让他吃了一惊。只有她可以在不被察觉的情况下来到他的身旁。或许是因为她的气味太熟悉了，毕竟他俩的气味太相似了。他努力不去想这些。
“为什么你不去亲自检查她呢？”他建议道，努力使自己的皮毛保持平顺。
“我现在是武士。”叶池生气地提醒他。
他失望地叼起老鼠，向远处走去。
“我会去见小云。”
叶池的建议使松鸦羽停下了脚步。
“真的吗？”他转身面向叶池，“我认为你不再是巫医了。”
“我的意思是，如果我是你的话。”
“可你不是我！”
叶池缓缓地吸了口气。“小云治疗过一位像荆棘爪这样的患者。”她解释说，“那只猫的腿被压断了。他或许能为你治疗荆棘爪提些建议。”
松鸦羽没有说话。
“不是我不相信你的诊断。”叶池继续说道，“只是如果是我，我会那样做。”
松鸦羽食欲全无，丢下老鼠走开了。他爬上岩石，前往火星的巢穴，此刻他心里只想着荆棘爪。
沙风正坐在雷族族长身旁，梳理着火星的肩膀，她粗糙的舌头舔着他光滑的皮毛。看见松鸦羽走进巢穴，她停了下来。
“有什么消息吗？”火星的声音里充满了担忧。
松鸦羽摇摇头。“我想去影族营地找小云谈谈。”他说道，“叶池说小云曾治疗过和荆棘爪相似的患者。”
“很好。”火星毫不犹豫地说，“但带着松鼠飞一起去吧。”
松鸦羽的心沉了下去：“我自己应付得来。”
“我知道。”火星说道，“但既然有一棵树在大雨后能倒下来，就可能会有第二棵。我们不能冒失去你的危险。带松鼠飞一起去吧。”
松鸦羽感觉没有理由继续争辩了。但为什么非得是松鼠飞呢？他想不出更不愿同行的其他猫了。叶池除外。
难道火星故意让他们一起？
松鸦羽离开族长巢穴，小心翼翼穿过空地。空气中弥漫着悲伤，众猫只在必要时偶尔交流几句。
狐跃和冰云正拖着一根沙沙作响的树枝经过学徒巢穴。松鸦羽路过时，他们停住了。
“荆棘爪怎么样了？”冰云喊道。
“不算好，也不算糟。”
远处，刺掌正咬着一根树枝，试图将它从粗树干上弄下来。“荆棘爪怎么样了？”
松鸦羽没有停步：“不算好，也不算糟。”
“荆棘爪怎么样了？”亮心从他面前走过。
松鸦羽吼道：“不算好，也不算糟。”
一阵同情从独眼武士的皮毛间漫过：“我们只是因为关心才会问的。”
松鸦羽的肩膀垂了下来。“我不喜欢无能为力的感觉。”他坦白道。
“我能帮上什么忙吗？”
“确实有件事。”松鸦羽点点头。亮心习惯于在巫医巢穴帮忙。“我得出去一趟。你能在荆棘爪开始喊疼的时候，给她一些罂粟籽吗？一次一粒就好。如果不是必须，我不希望麻痹她的感觉。”
“好的。”
“你要是有机会，也给鼠毛一粒吧。”他补充道，“她仍旧很伤心。”
“好的。”亮心低头跑向巫医巢穴。
松鸦羽想在离开前亲自检查一下长老的状况。他走进学徒巢穴，看见波弟和鼠毛正蹲伏在铺满厚厚铺垫的窝里。
“是我的错。”鼠毛叨咕着，“全都是我的错。”
波弟故意发出响亮的咕噜。“我敢打赌，他现在正和星族猫一起散步呢。”他说道，“正在郁郁葱葱的森林里狩猎，那里又温暖又幸福。”
“没有我的引导，他可怎么办啊？”鼠毛焦急地说。
“我真希望能早点儿认识他。”波弟继续说道，“听说他参加大迁徙时，眼睛就已经盲了。”
“他似乎从不会疲倦，”回忆使这只老母猫分了神，“他总是最早起来，做好前行的准备。从不畏惧前方有什么危险。”
“那他失明前是什么样子？”波弟追问着。
“眼睛像鹰一样好，甚至能看到一树远岩石下的猎物。”鼠毛回忆道。
松鸦羽感觉波弟的目光扫过他的皮毛。他第一次为拥有这只喋喋不休的老独行猫而感谢星族。
“给我讲讲他最厉害的一次捕获吧。”波弟催促鼠毛，“我听说他曾经抓到过一只老鹰。”
“嗯。确切说，那不是一只老鹰。不过当有只猫头鹰企图抓走一只幼崽时，长尾确实打跑了它。”
松鸦羽放下心来，退出了巢穴。
当他走近屏障时，树枝沙沙作响。云尾和蕨毛正举起树枝，去支撑破碎的荆棘丛。
“等等！”松鼠飞匆匆追上了他，“沙风让我陪你去影族营地。”
“我要去和小云谈谈。”松鸦羽并未回头向暗姜黄色武士打招呼，直接从屏障的空隙中钻了过去。
他们走进森林里时，松鼠飞紧紧跟在松鸦羽身后，但保持着几步远的距离。寒风凛冽，这是秃叶季的第一个征兆。身旁的一棵树咯咯作响，松鸦羽身子一抖，接着吓得跳了起来。他以前从未想过树木会如此脆弱。它们那么挺拔高大，一场雨怎么就打败它们了呢？
松鼠飞加快步伐来到松鸦羽身旁：“我们不该惧怕森林。”
“那棵树也不该压垮营地。”松鸦羽吼道，“可它确实压垮了。”
松鼠飞稍微挪远了些，默默地走着。如果这样能使松鼠飞保持距离，那么松鸦羽很享受他们之间摩擦出的这种紧张火花。松鼠飞一直对他和他的同窝手足撒谎说，她是他们的母亲，但她根本就不是，他们的母亲是她的姐姐。自从知道这个真相后，松鸦羽还从未和这只把他养大的猫单独相处过。
“我仍记得你、狮焰和冬青叶还是幼崽时的事情。”松鼠飞突然说道。
松鸦羽身子一僵。
“一片树叶落在冬青叶的头上，她还以为森林要倒了，就躲进育婴室里，三天都不肯出来。”
闭嘴！松鸦羽伏下了耳朵。
“我太爱你们了。”松鼠飞低声说。
愤怒从松鸦羽的皮毛间闪过：“如果你真的爱我们，就不会撒谎了！”
松鼠飞皮毛倒立。“哦，真相就真的很好，是吗！”她的尾巴在空中抽打着，“看看叶池，她失去了她钟爱的一切。”
“她自作自受。”松鸦羽嘀咕着。
松鼠飞没理他，继续说道：“她失去了你、狮焰，还有冬青叶。”
“是她抛弃了我们。”
“其他猫也受到了伤害！”松鼠飞大声说道，“不仅仅是你们。我受够了你像只受伤的麻雀似的拍打着翅膀，顾影自怜。你并非唯一痛苦的猫。你的痛苦也不是最难以承受的。我想我对你期望高，是因为你是巫医，但我想我忘了你是多么年轻了！”
她教训他时，松鸦羽的怒火越生越旺。“是叶池让这一切发生了。我可没去其他族群寻找伴侣，我也没生下孩子又抛弃他们！我更没有撒谎去欺骗所有猫！”
松鼠飞长吸一口气，又缓缓地呼了出来。“你记住，”她平静地说道，“我们做了我们认为最正确的事情。你也记住，我们一直爱着你们。”
对，没有错。
边界标记横在他们路中。
松鸦羽直接走了过去。
“等等。”松鼠飞命令道。
松鸦羽将爪子插进地里。松鼠飞非要对他的一言一行都指手画脚吗？他们得尽快和小云交谈！但当松鼠飞嗅着空气，用脚掌翻动着森林地面上的松针，察看着林地时，他还是停下来等着。
“有巡逻队。”她提醒道。
松鸦羽嗅了嗅，闻到了影族武士的新鲜气味。橡毛和雪貂爪就在附近。
松鼠飞冲着影族武士打着招呼：“橡毛？”
松鸦羽感到影族猫的皮毛中闪过一丝惊讶，接着传来脚步匆匆的声音。
“看来黑星说得没错！”橡毛咆哮道，“你们想要入侵影族。”
“别那么紧张！”松鸦羽意识到自己站在边界影族的一侧，“我只是想去见小云。”
雪貂爪围着他转着圈，胡须抽动着。松鸦羽静静地站着，任凭这只年轻猫不停地嗅着。
“我们看起来像战斗队吗？”松鼠飞问道。
“也许你们还有更多的帮手。”橡毛听起来有些怀疑。
“你能闻到其他猫吗？”
雪貂爪哼了一声：“其他猫可能伪装起来了。”
松鼠飞叹了口气：“我们真的不是来入侵的。你们带我们去见小云，好吗？”
橡毛迟疑片刻。“好吧。”他同意了，“但黑星会派一整支巡逻队来搜查其他区域。”他的喊声响彻树林，很显然，他依旧怀疑边界的树林后藏有入侵巡逻队，这番话是对他们说的。
松鼠飞跨过气味线，跟在橡毛身后。松鸦羽跟着他们，雪貂爪像在看管族群最危险的武士一样，围着他小跑着。他更加生气了。
“怎么了？”松鸦羽咕哝道，“担心我会给你开几服药吗？”
雪貂爪皮毛倒立：“闭嘴！”
当他们走近影族营地时，松鸦羽认出了这里。他以前和日神来过这儿。他相信地面是干净的，大步走过空地。他感觉杂毛和藤尾正从育婴室向外窥探，褐皮和焦毛正挤出武士巢穴。他还听到正在空地边上吃着鼩鼱的八哥爪和松树爪纵身跃起时，皮毛擦过地面。
橡毛发出一声警告的吼声。黑星闻声走出巢穴。
“什么事？”影族族长问道。
松鼠飞走过空地：“我们能和你单独谈谈吗？”
橡毛从她身旁挤上前：“他们想见小云。”
好奇从影族族长的皮毛间涌起。“那么去把小云叫来。”他命令道。随即挤过黑莓丛，又消失在他的巢穴里。“进来吧。”他喊道。
松鸦羽跟随松鼠飞穿过入口。影族的气味很强烈，他皱起了鼻子。
黑星坐了下来：“发生什么事了？”
“一棵山毛榉树掉进了山谷，”松鼠飞解释道，“我们有一只猫受伤了，我们希望小云能为我们的治疗提供一些建议。”
“只有一只猫受伤吗？”黑星嘶哑的声音里满是惊讶，但接着恢复了严厉的语气，“星族一定很关照你们。”
“是的。”松鼠飞答道，“在这棵树倒下来之前，我们就清空了营地。”
“长尾死了。”松鸦羽直接告诉黑星。
影族族长叹了一口气，同情就像云间的阳光短暂地闪烁了一下：“星族会欢迎这样一位老朋友的，尽管他的族猫会想念他。”
小云的脑袋探进入口。“我听见你刚刚说有棵树倒了？”他气喘吁吁地说道。
“是的。”松鼠飞简短地答道，“树掉进了山谷，荆棘爪受了伤，长尾死了。”
“感谢星族，还不算太糟。”小云喘息道。
“已经够糟了。”松鸦羽拂动尾巴，“荆棘爪的后腿不能动。”
他让小云的想法漫入自己的脑海。他看到一只公猫痛苦哀号的画面。当时，那只猫躺在窝里，惊恐无力，不能动，眼神痛苦极了。
“我有过这样的病例。”小云开口说道，脑海中的画面也消失了，“那要追溯到我还是奔鼻的学徒时，野毛的腿被倒塌的洞穴砸到了。”
“叶池告诉我了。”松鸦羽想听治疗方法，而不是原因，“可荆棘爪的腿没有断，她的骨头没有裂。”
“和野毛的情况一样。”小云告诉他，“他的腿也只是青肿，是他的脊椎断了。”
松鸦羽感觉很不舒服。他突然意识到他脊柱的拱起部分很脆弱，虽然很有力量。“野毛痊愈了吗？”他问道。
“他死了。”小云轻声说道。
“可荆棘爪还活着，而且也不觉得疼。”
“野毛一开始也是这样。我觉得他死去并不是因为脊椎断了。”
松鸦羽身体前倾：“那他是因为什么死的？”
“他不能走路。”
“你们没喂他吗？”松鼠飞喘息道。
“我们当然喂了。”小云厉声说道，“但他一直咳嗽，反反复复的。每次我们把咳嗽治好了，就又复发。后来，他的呼吸就越来越困难。”
“连他的胸腔也失去感觉了吗？”松鸦羽好奇地问。
“不，我觉得是因为他从不离开他的窝。”小云若有所思地缓缓说道，“他好像就从没有机会摆脱胸腔的不适，那里仿佛堆满了各种病症，就像往池子里不停地注水，最后就没有空气了。”
松鸦羽身子一颤，想象着荆棘爪蜷在窝里的样子。她今天早晨咳嗽了吗？她现在在咳嗽吗？可他却还在这里，远离自己的患者。他的脚掌突然迫不及待地想要回雷族。
松鼠飞的尾巴尖扫过巢穴顶部：“那么我们一定得让荆棘爪动起来。”
松鸦羽眨了眨眼。“你觉得那样会有用吗？”他问小云。
“如果你能做得到，我觉得值得试试。”小云低声说道，“你可以试着为她做一个能够坐着睡觉的窝，这或许能保持她胸腔充满空气。”这位巫医的语气中带有一丝疑虑。“但那样肯定不舒服，而且对她和族群中的其他猫来说，让她保持移动会很艰难。”小云顿了顿，“祝你们好运。”
松鸦羽愤怒说道：“运气一点儿用也没有。”
小云的尾巴扫过地面：“我为你们取些对荆棘爪的胸腔和腹部有好处的草药吧。你治疗时，要重点注意她的胸腔和腹部。至于她的腿，你已经无能为力了。”
影族巫医走出了巢穴，只留下松鸦羽、松鼠飞和黑星在尴尬的沉默中等待着，直到松鸦羽闻到一阵强烈的草药味。他走出巢穴去迎接小云。
“款冬可以平缓她的呼吸。”影族巫医将一束叶子推向他，“杜松果能让她的腹部保持通畅。”
“我们已经有这些草药了。”松鸦羽告诉小云。
“你需要你能得到的所有草药。”小云坐下来，“如果你还需要草药，或是想和我说说你的想法，可以再来找我。我们都能从中学到很多。”
松鸦羽叼起这束草药。松鼠飞挤出黑星巢穴时，他已经向营地入口走去。
“愿星族看护着你和荆棘爪。”小云喊道。
星族或许在天上看着，松鸦羽想，但我决不会让星族把荆棘爪带走。
在跟随松鼠飞返回山谷的途中，松鸦羽一直在琢磨使荆棘爪保持健康和活动的方法。
松鼠飞在山谷外停了下来。“我为你感到自豪。”她说道，“如果有猫能帮助荆棘爪，那一定是你。”
松鸦羽转向她，搜索着合适的词汇。他想相信她的话，相信松鼠飞确实为他感到自豪，相信他一定可以帮助荆棘爪。“谢谢。”他从满是草药的嘴里含糊着说了一句，钻进了营地。
云尾和蕨毛还在搬运树枝，去支撑破碎的屏障。现在，他们的脚掌已经很疲惫，动作也慢了许多。
火星正站在一块空地上与黑莓掌和尘毛交谈。“你们觉得能清理多少树枝？”雷族族长问他的资深武士。
松鸦羽感觉得到尘毛胸中的焦虑。“我们可能得等大风和天气来摧毁这些较大的枝杈和树干。”尘毛说道。
“我们可以利用这些树枝修建新的巢穴。”黑莓掌提议，“从已经清理掉的废墟来看，我觉得，用不了一个月，我们就能修复大部分营地了。”
“但我们也不能忽视狩猎和边界巡逻。”尘毛提醒道。
火星的注意力转向松鸦羽。“小云怎么说？”他隔着空地喊道。
松鸦羽走到族长身旁，放下嘴里的草药。“他给了一些很好的建议。”他报告道，“我想先和灰条、米莉说一说这些建议。”
“我派灰条去巡逻了。”黑莓掌说道，“我想让他忙起来。”
松鸦羽叼起草药，离开了这些武士。他听见亮心和米莉在巫医巢穴里，焦虑从她们身上流露出来。他还察觉到这两只母猫的不安让荆棘爪非常烦躁。
“就吃一点点！”米莉乞求道，松鸦羽嗅到了她爪间悬着的鼩鼱。
“我不饿！”荆棘爪生气地说道。
松鸦羽穿过蜿蜒的黑莓丛，放下草药。“让她独自静一静吧。”他命令道。
米莉反驳道：“她是我的孩子！”
“我是她的巫医！”
荆棘爪用前脚掌搅动着自己的窝。“我只想帮助我的族猫重建营地！”她哀号道。
亮心穿过巢穴，在松鸦羽耳边轻声说道：“我们告诉她长尾的事了。她还是很难过，但我听你那么说，就不想让她吃罂粟籽。”
松鸦羽点点头。“很好，她必须得学会面对悲伤。”他感觉亮心在听到他沉重的语气后身子一僵。“我们得面对现实。”他解释说，“荆棘爪前面的路很艰难，但我会竭尽全力救她的。”
“救她？”米莉挤到他们之间，皮毛竖着，“小云给你说什么了？”
松鸦羽还没准备好如何告诉她自己听到的消息。“稍等。”他得先检验一下小云的理论。也许荆棘爪的腿只是青肿，她的脊椎也并未损坏。松鸦羽走到荆棘爪的窝边。
“你要做什么？”见松鸦羽身子探进荆棘爪的窝里，米莉的语气紧张了起来。
“我需要确认一下。”松鸦羽的脚掌顺着荆棘爪的脊背摸索着。他感觉荆棘爪正扭着身子看他在做什么。
“确认什么？”米莉焦急地问。
松鸦羽没有回答，亮心走过来，轻轻地将米莉推开了。“他知道自己在做什么。”亮心低声说。
荆棘爪的脊椎十分光滑——没有错位。希望在松鸦羽的胸中闪烁。他嗅了嗅她的腿。确实很肿胀。也许肿胀消退的时候……他像昨天那样，用牙齿抬起荆棘爪的一条腿。这条腿依旧耷拉着，毫无生气。多敷一些紫草或许能加快痊愈。
再最后试一次。
他身体向荆棘爪的窝里倾得更深了，牙齿轻轻咬住荆棘爪双肩下的脊椎。
“啊！”荆棘爪警觉地绷紧了身子。
“我在做测试。”松鸦羽安慰她，“会有些痛，但我不会伤到你的。”他将口鼻贴近荆棘爪的口鼻，直到他们的胡须碰在一起：“你相信我吗？”
“嗯。”荆棘爪屏住了呼吸。
“我这样做的时候，我需要你勇敢一些。”
“好。”
米莉想移动到离女儿的窝更近的地方。
亮心拦住了她：“给他一些治疗空间吧。”
松鸦羽再次咬住荆棘爪的脊椎，但这次咬得更靠下面一些。
“哎哟！”
他又咬了一下，就这样，渐渐咬向荆棘爪的尾巴。
每咬一下，她的身子都会一僵，但没有叫出声。
他咬的位置又靠下了一些。
“你不再试试了吗？”她问道。
这个问题让松鸦羽顿时血液冰凉。他将一只脚掌伸进窝里，用爪子戳着刚才咬过的同一位置：“感觉到了吗？”
“感觉到什么？”荆棘爪扭身看着。
“没什么，别看。”松鸦羽说道，他将爪子戳得更用力了，“现在呢？”
荆棘爪身子开始颤抖。“我什么也感觉不到。”她的声音里充满了害怕。
“你在做什么？”当松鸦羽用爪子使劲戳着荆棘爪时，米莉闯了过来，“你会让她流血的！”
“是吗？”荆棘爪挣扎着想看看。
松鸦羽几乎没听到她们说什么。“你感觉不到我的爪子，是吗？”他呆呆地问道。
“是的。”荆棘爪低声说。
“你的脊椎断了。”松鸦羽告诉她，“你之所以感觉不到疼痛，是因为感觉无法从断处通过。”他用脚掌轻轻地按着荆棘爪的侧腹：“对不起。”
“为什么？”她尖叫道，“如果我感觉不到疼痛，难道不是好事吗？”
“你的腿再也感觉不到疼痛了。”松鸦羽缓缓地告诉她，“你的后腿再也不会感觉到任何东西了。”
米莉喘着粗气问道：“你什么意思？断了的骨头也可以痊愈！”
“但脊椎不能。”
“你怎么知道？”
“小云曾治疗过相同病症的武士。”他告诉她。
荆棘爪抬起头望着他。“他后来怎么样了？”她问道。
松鸦羽没有说话。
“他死了，对吗？”荆棘爪低声问道。
松鸦羽感觉米莉撞着他的肩膀，推着他，一直把他推出了巢穴。
“你怎么能告诉我的孩子她要死了呢？”她嘶吼道，“她只是腿没有知觉了而已！你不配做巫医！干别的去吧！”
“怎么了？”松鼠飞冲过空地，停在了松鸦羽和咆哮着的同巢猫之间。
“他说她快要死了！”
松鼠飞身子一僵：“你说这话了吗，松鸦羽？”
松鸦羽摇了摇头。
“我觉得也不会。”松鼠飞的声音平静了下来，“小云的患者死了，但那并不意味着荆棘爪也会死。”
“我们可以喂她食物，帮她活动，让她保持健康。”松鸦羽插话道，“如果我们能让她多活动，她就有机会战胜这场磨难。”
米莉的呼吸急促起来：“她会痊愈吗？”
“她的腿不会。”松鸦羽轻声说，“但她不会死。”
松鼠飞的尾巴在空中抽打着：“我们得尽可能让荆棘爪活动起来，这样她的胸腔才能保持干净。如果我们做得到，她就会好起来的。”
“好起来？”米莉抽泣着，“她再也不能狩猎了，再也不能成为武士了！也不能生儿育女了！”
灰条跳进了营地。“怎么了？”他在米莉身旁猛地停住了。
“我们可怜的孩子！”米莉将口鼻埋进他的肩膀。
巫医巢穴入口处的黑莓丛发出一阵沙沙的响声。“荆棘爪听得到你们说话！”亮心小声说道，“松鸦羽，我觉得你应该进来，对她解释清楚到底是怎么回事。”
松鼠飞用鼻子蹭着松鸦羽的脸颊。“我来照顾米莉和灰条。”她对松鸦羽说。
松鸦羽的心头像压了块石头。他走进巫医巢穴，坐在荆棘爪的窝旁。惊恐如巨浪般在这只年轻的猫的体内汹涌着。
“我再也不能走路了，对吗？”
松鸦羽将口鼻搭在她颤抖的脑袋上。“是的。”他低声说道，“我很抱歉。”
第十三章
第十三章
“星族以你的勇气和精神为荣。”火星用口鼻触着荆棘爪的脑袋说道。鸽爪观看着眼前的一切，十分激动。
“我为你取名荆棘光。”
已被命名的黄蜂条和梅花落最先为这位新晋的雷族武士欢呼起来。
“荆棘光！荆棘光！”
整个族群的欢呼声震颤着寒冷的空气，穿过山谷，响彻在碧蓝的天空里。米莉和灰条紧紧地靠着，他们自豪的目光中有些悲伤。
荆棘光移动着前脚掌，撑高自己身体，抬起下巴。鸽爪努力不去看她那拖在身后的无用的后腿。
自那棵大树倒下之日起，已经过去了四分之一个月，鸽爪像其他族猫一样备感疲倦。在正常巡逻的基础上，又增加了清理营地废墟的工作，这让每只猫都身心俱疲。并且随着白昼渐短，猎物也越来越瘦，越来越少。
鸽爪很渴望能好好睡个懒觉。可她最近总被噩梦惊醒。要是她当初能多给出一些警告的话，长尾或许就不会死了，荆棘光现在也就能在同窝手足身旁蹦蹦跳跳了。昨天晚上，鸽爪又被一场梦惊醒了：又有一棵大树噼里啪啦砸进空地，一只被困住的猫不停地哀号着。
藤爪！
在每场梦里，被困在山毛榉树下的那只猫都是藤爪，而不是荆棘光。在每场梦里，鸽爪都奋力想到姐妹跟前，却总是徒劳。
“鸽爪？”白翅的叫声使她回过神来，“你还好吗？”
鸽爪抖抖身子：“我只是在为荆棘光得到她的武士名号感到高兴。”
“她有颗武士之心。”白翅小声说。
确实如此。荆棘光从未停止与命运的抗争。为了使她的胸腔保持干净、前腿更加强健，松鸦羽制定出了一个训练计划。荆棘光从不错过任何练习的机会：伸展身体，扭动身体，前脚掌往前伸，直到身体颤抖，皮毛缠结起来。过去的几天里，尽管族猫们每次都争着第一个将最美味的食物送到她位于巫医巢穴的窝里，但她仍坚持自己去猎物堆取食。
“我自己去拿。”荆棘光告诉小樱桃，后者想要将自己的食物送给受伤的年轻母猫。
“快看，小鼹鼠！”小樱桃喊道，“她自己做到了！”
小鼹鼠赶忙跑来。“加油，荆棘光！”他欢呼道。
鸽爪暗想，这两只幼崽和松鸦羽已经成为荆棘光最好的伙伴，他们已经完全接受了现在的荆棘光。米莉的目光中仍愁云密布，每一位武士看到这只年轻的母猫拖着身子穿过营地时，目光中都会泛起惋惜之情。鼠毛甚至不能看到荆棘光，因为她还在为这场悲剧而深深自责，这场悲剧害死了她最好的朋友，也让这位年轻的武士成了残疾。
尽管大家还很震惊，但大多数族猫都已经习惯了荆棘光的伤。每当荆棘光在松鸦羽的治疗下痛苦哀号时，他们不再惊慌地盯着巫医巢穴了。
“这样可以使你的胸腔保持干净。”他鼓励道，“如果忍不住，你就放声大叫吧。族猫们不会介意的。”
治疗似乎有了效果。虽然荆棘光的后腿没有好转，但她的皮毛却日渐光滑，眼睛日渐明亮，前腿也像其他武士一样强壮。
小鼹鼠爬到这位新晋武士的身上，站在她的肩头，她的前腿甚至都没有颤抖。“荆棘光！”小鼹鼠欢呼着。
米莉生气地用鼻子将他推下来：“小心点儿！”
“没关系的！”荆棘光说道，“我敢打赌，现在我能经得住他们俩。”
“真的吗？”小樱桃两眼放光。
“你们敢！”米莉警告着幼崽。
灰条温柔地将伴侣推开：“让他们自己去玩吧。”
“我们很快也要成为武士了！”小鼹鼠一个突袭把妹妹扑倒了。
“你们现在连学徒都不是呢！”荆棘光取笑道。
鸽爪盯着她曾经的同巢猫。她怎么会表现得那么乐观呢？
白翅身体前倾，舔着女儿鸽爪的耳朵：“别忘了，我们在为新的长老巢穴收集苔藓呢。”
她怎么会忘记呢？这些天来，她一直帮忙把金银花藤编织进巢穴周围的山毛榉树枝中。新巢穴宽敞结实。新窝一建好，鼠毛和波弟就可以入住了。
她环视着营地四周，已经适应了营地现在的样子：武士巢穴被树干压碎后永远消失了，但山毛榉树的粗大枝干，成弧形架过半块空地，倚在山谷的一侧，给族猫们提供了许多新的遮蔽之处。族猫们已做好计划。围绕最粗的树干修建一个全新的武士巢穴，新收集的树枝已经被堆放在一起，只等着开始重建巢穴。育婴室被一团缠绕着的浓密树根包围着，树根在需要的地方进行了编织，已经在旧黑莓丛附近撑起一个保护壳，看起来比獾的巢穴还要安全。
“快点儿！”白翅用尾尖弹了一下鸽爪的侧腹。她招呼着蟾步和玫瑰瓣：“你们准备好了吗？”
这两位武士跑到她们身边。
“藤爪在哪儿？”鸽爪看着空地四周，瞥见姐妹正从排便通道处出来。
“我来啦！”藤爪跳过空地。“一会儿见，荆棘光！”经过新晋武士身旁时，她高兴地打着招呼。
荆棘光正躺在一缕淡淡的阳光下，小鼹鼠和小樱桃在她的身上爬上爬下。她抬起头冲藤爪咕噜道：“你就不能把这两个淘气包也带走吗？”
“恐怕你还要跟他们再待上一个月。”藤爪开着玩笑。
“嘿！”小鼹鼠反驳道，“只要可以，我们随时会来的！”
藤爪跳到蟾步身旁停下来。“你可真是够懒散的，一点儿苔藓都没收集到。”她取笑着黑白相间的公猫。
鸽爪从他们身旁穿过。“我赌我采到的苔藓最多。”她骄傲地说。
藤爪耸耸肩：“你说什么就是什么喽。”
鸽爪紧张起来。最近藤爪的表现真的很古怪，好像自山毛榉树跌落山谷以来，她就一直这样。难道她猜到鸽爪的力量了？她是在责怪鸽爪没更早提醒大家吗？鸽爪甩掉这种想法。不可能。
她望着姐妹跟随蟾步和玫瑰瓣跑向营地入口的身影，依然不确定自己觉得藤爪冷漠，是不是只是她的臆想。
“看着！”当他们抵达向下通往湖岸的斜坡时，藤爪冲蟾步喊道。她俯下身，沿着柔软的长草往下滑了三尾远的距离。
“你看起来就像只鸭子！”蟾步取笑道。
玫瑰瓣眯起眼望着他们俩。她也看出藤爪的变化了吗？
“好啦。”白翅沿湖岸望去，“看看我们能否找到天鹅的羽毛。毕竟它们从这里经过了。我想波弟和鼠毛一定会喜欢柔软的窝的。”
“还有荆棘光。”鸽爪补充道。
藤爪翻了个白眼：“哦，当然还有荆棘光。”
白翅严厉地瞥了她一眼：“看来你最近和蟾步相处得不错啊……”
“没那么好！”蟾步移动着爪子，皮毛尴尬地竖了起来。
“不管好不好，”白翅继续说道，“你们都可以一起收集铺垫。”
藤爪推了蟾步一下，两眼发光，似乎很享受这位年轻武士的尴尬。“快点儿。”她说道，“我会比你先跑到水边。”她跑下湖岸，优雅地落在岸边，脚掌下的鹅卵石发出咯吱咯吱的声响。
鸽爪弹了弹尾巴。藤爪甚至连动作都像一只陌生的猫。
“你和玫瑰瓣可以一起合作。”白翅对鸽爪说，“如果你需要我，就在岸上找我。”她尾巴向风族领地的方向弹了弹，走开了。
“你想从哪儿开始？”玫瑰瓣问。
“你是武士。”鸽爪答道，她还在生藤爪的气。
“好。”玫瑰瓣同意了，“我希望你对苔藓的嗅觉能像对猎物一样敏锐。”
鸽爪盯着自己的脚掌：“我猜小溪附近的树林里应该有很多苔藓，没准儿还有羽毛呢。”
“对呀。”玫瑰瓣走下湖岸，朝小溪旁的树林而去。溪水哗哗地流入湖泊。
鸽爪跟了过去。等她追上来时，玫瑰瓣已在小溪旁的树根处扯着苔藓了。
“你再往上游走走看。”这只深奶油色的母猫命令道。
鸽爪点点头，走进清凉的树荫里。她搜寻着苔藓最多的树根，溪水在她的脚掌间潺潺流过。
突然，一道白光吸引了鸽爪的目光。一片羽毛正在微风中飘动着，它沿着森林地面翩翩起舞，鸽爪追了上去。这片羽毛又长又软，一定可以成为很好的铺垫。她追着穿过树林，然后扑了过去，将它拍在前脚掌间：“抓到你了！”
“原来你在这儿！”狮焰从一簇蕨丛后出来了，“白翅说你朝这边来了。”
鸽爪坐起身，有些惊讶。“怎么了？”一阵风吹来，蕨丛沙沙作响，吹起了羽毛。羽毛随风飘向树林远处。“老鼠屎！”鸽爪想要去追。
“先别急着追羽毛！”狮焰把她喊了回来。
“那鼠毛的窝怎么办？”
皮毛顺着狮焰的脊背竖了起来。“边界内又多了一些影族气味。”他怒吼道，“肯定有什么事情，我们越早查明越好。他们也许正计划入侵呢。他们知道了大树跌入营地的事，可能以为雷族被削弱了。”
鸽爪生气地坐了下来。影族知道大树跌落的事情已经有四分之一个月了，可他们并没有入侵。她眼睁睁看着羽毛飞出了视线。或许又是虎心。只有星族知道他在干什么。不过，他保证过对雷族没有危险。他怎么会背叛她呢？他们可是朋友。
“怎么了？”狮焰盯着她，“你听到影族领地里发生什么了吗？他们是不是在谋划什么？”
“我怎么知道？”鸽爪大声反问道。
狮焰转动着眼珠：“你的力量呢？”
鸽爪的尾巴抽过森林地面：“如果我听到了什么重要的事情，你觉得我会不告诉你吗？”
“你也许不知道什么是重要的！”
鸽爪站起身，看着她的老师。“那是我的力量！”她的喉咙中发出一声怒吼，“我可没教过你该如何作战，对吧？”
上游几树远的一簇黑莓丛沙沙作响，藤爪蹿了出来。“你们好！”她叫道，目光从狮焰挪到鸽爪身上，“我……我刚刚找到一块很棒的苔藓。”
狮焰恼怒地瞥了鸽爪一眼，然后跳进森林中。
“他想干什么？”藤爪问道，语气比前些天温柔了许多。
“他是我的老师，刚刚只是在考察我。”鸽爪大声说道。她还在生狮焰的气。
“但听起来很重要。”藤爪走近了一些，“为什么他觉得你会知道影族发生什么事呢？”
鸽爪紧张起来。她的姐妹到底偷听到了多少？“我不知道。”她立刻说道。
“你撒谎！”藤爪怒视着她。
鸽爪身子缩了一下。
藤爪还在逼近：“你到底有什么事？为什么总跑去找火星说话？为什么狮焰总把你叫开悄悄说话？”
“他们只是对我的训练进度感兴趣。”鸽爪讨厌这样。每撒一次谎，她就觉得与藤爪之间多了一层荆棘屏障。
藤爪卷起了嘴唇：“火星从不过问我的训练进度！你怎么会如此特殊？”
“说实话，也不是那样！”鸽爪的心慌得乱颤。“我并不觉得自己特殊，只是……”她的声音变小了，“只是有点儿复杂。”
藤爪向后退了一步。“复杂到不能告诉你的姐妹？我以为我们是最好的朋友！”她朝树林间望去，目光阴沉，“好吧，你有你的秘密，我也有我的秘密！”
秘密？藤爪在说什么？
突然，鸽爪想起藤爪说过的星族猫造访她的故事。她将爪子插进地面，暗自生气。为什么她就没表现出更多的兴趣呢？
“你又做梦了吗？”她猜道，“又有星族猫造访你了？”
“现在嫉妒了？”藤爪嘲笑道，“以前我想告诉你的时候，你可没这么感兴趣，那时你只忙着跟狮焰说话。现在我为什么要告诉你？你担心我会比你更特殊吗？担心资深武士们开始对我感兴趣而不关注你了吗？”藤爪话中带刺，鸽爪感到一阵沮丧。她从没想到藤爪会有这种感觉。
“对……对不起。”她开口说道。
但藤爪已经跳进了树林里。她扭头瞥了一眼：“显然，光说道歉是不够的！”
总有一天，我会向你解释这一切的！鸽爪暗暗发誓，到时你就会明白了！
回到山谷，玫瑰瓣和蟾步将苔藓扔在新的长老巢穴里，然后便匆匆离开，去看黑莓掌接下来安排什么任务。
“你把苔藓铺开可以吗？”玫瑰瓣扭头朝藤爪喊道。
“没问题。”藤爪嘴里叼着羽毛，声音有些含糊不清。这时，她刚来到拱在入口上方的树枝下。
鸽爪跟着姐妹走了进去。她们默默地干着活儿，将苔藓铺在冰云和桦落已经在巢穴一角铺好的蕨叶上。夕阳从金银花顶洒了下来，巢穴宛若处于水底。
藤爪默默地打开包裹，拿出一把羽毛铺在鸽爪正在整理的窝上。
“你真的不打算再跟我说话了吗？”鸽爪乞求道。
藤爪没有理她。金银花丛一阵沙沙响，鸽爪转过身，看见波弟带着鼠毛走进了巢穴。
“看吧，”老独行猫嘟囔道，“我说过她们会做好窝的。”说完他冲鸽爪和藤爪点点头：“这些窝看起来真舒服。谢谢你们。”
鼠毛呆呆地环视着新巢穴。“真的很大。”她自言自语道。
鸽爪原以为鼠毛会抱怨巢穴简陋，可这只老母猫什么也没再说，只是蜷缩进其中的一个窝里，将鼻子搭在前脚掌上。
鸽爪真希望她在苔藓中插了一根刺。无论什么东西，只要能让这位长老重新开始抱怨就好。她看起来这么难过，这可有些不对劲。“不会太潮吗？”鸽爪暗示道。
“我更喜欢以前的窝。”鼠毛叹息着，“因为那里有长尾的气味。”
波弟瞥了两位学徒一眼。鸽爪猜测他希望她们离开，于是转身走向入口。她看到波弟蜷进自己的窝里，紧紧挨着鼠毛。鸽爪感到一阵痛苦，她不知道自己和藤爪是否还会像那样蜷在一起。看着前方的藤爪跺着脚出去了，她猜她们不会了。
“嘿！”她们来到空地上时，正站在猎物堆旁的玫瑰瓣喊道，“想来只老鼠吗？”
“太好了！”藤爪说着就跑了过去，仿佛鸽爪不存在。
鸽爪太难过了，甚至感觉不到饥饿。也许荆棘光需要陪伴。她朝巫医巢穴走去，拖着脚掌走过堆在巫医巢穴外面的山毛榉树叶。她在巢穴外停住了脚步，听见松鸦羽和荆棘光正在训练。
“就是这样。”松鸦羽鼓励道，“再伸开一些。”
“哎哟！”荆棘光喘着粗气，“我再多做些这样的训练，我就能摔过刺掌了！”
“很好！”松鸦羽咕噜道，“我很想看看他的表情！”新鲜的草药味从黑莓丛中飘了出来。“再伸展三次，你就该吃药了。”
“我就不能出去享受那最后一缕阳光吗？”荆棘光乞求道，“族猫们马上就要分享舌抚了，我不想独自待在这儿。”
“先吃药。”松鸦羽坚持说道，“然后你就可以和同窝手足一起分享老鼠了。”
“他们巡逻回来了吗？”
鸽爪看看空地四周。梅花落和黄蜂条正带着刚刚捕获的猎物走进营地。她早该和松鸦羽一样知道他们回来了，然而她只顾着担心藤爪，都忘了去感知营地周围的动静了。
“呸！”荆棘光吐出了草药。接着，鸽爪听见她拖着后腿走过巢穴地面。黑莓丛沙沙作响，荆棘光探出头来，鸽爪赶忙后退让出道。“你就不能想办法让这些草药好吃点儿吗？”她回头朝松鸦羽喊道。
“我会尽力。”松鸦羽保证道。
荆棘光拖着身子走出巢穴，滑过飘动的落叶。她双眼明亮，但牙齿拼命咬着。她瞥见了鸽爪。
“嘿！”她的问候犹如嘶吼。“对不起。”她呻吟着，“这真的很艰难！以后会容易一点儿的！”
她朝猎物堆走去，梅花落和黄蜂条带着猎物刚到那儿。看到荆棘光时，他们的眼睛顿时亮了。
“荆棘光！”梅花落嘴里叼着一只老鼠，匆匆迎了上去。她将老鼠放到荆棘光的脚掌前：“想不想一起吃？”
鸽爪低头进了松鸦羽的巢穴。“嘿。”她疲倦地低声说道。她想从松鸦羽这儿得到一些建议。她想和藤爪重新成为朋友，她想像梅花落与荆棘光那样，和藤爪一起分享老鼠。
松鸦羽正用尾巴将草药残渣扫进尘土堆。鸽爪进来时，他抬起了头：“你更喜欢吃加花蜜的草药呢，还是加老鼠血的？”
“老鼠血。”鸽爪心不在焉地答道。
松鸦羽让尾巴停住了。“怎么了？”他的蓝眼睛在昏暗的巢穴中闪闪发光。
“我能把预言的事告诉藤爪吗？”
松鸦羽叹了口气，又继续扫起他的草药。“不行。”他说道。
“可这样一来，我们就很难继续做朋友了。”
“为什么？”
“她觉得我受到了特殊对待。”
“她嫉妒了？”
“没有！”鸽爪突然想袒护她的姐妹。接着，她又叹了口气：“嗯，是的，我猜的确有点儿。”
“狮焰和我从没告诉过其他猫。”松鸦羽说道。
“可你们相互知道。”
“一开始也不是这样。”松鸦羽开始从一堆草叶中拾起最干净的一部分，抖了抖说：“我是第一个发现自己是三力量之一的，直到我确定狮焰和冬青叶是三力量中的另外两位，我才告诉他们。”
“可冬青叶不是三力量之一。”
“我以为她是。”松鸦羽抖了抖另一片草叶，目光暗了下来。“她也以为自己是三力量之一。”他轻轻放下破碎的草叶，“对她来说，不是三力量之一是她最难接受的事情。”
“她不知道她有多幸运。”鸽爪低声咕哝着。好奇让她的皮毛感到刺痛：“她后来怎样了？”
“她离开了。”松鸦羽又捡起一片碎叶，“她不能待在这儿了。”
“就因为她跟预言没关？”鸽爪眉头紧蹙。她有时会试着想象她如果是一位普通武士会怎么样。真的就会更轻松些吗？
“这只是部分原因。”松鸦羽说道。
“部分原因？”还有什么原因呢？
松鸦羽用嘴叼起那堆碎叶，放在他储存草药的岩石裂缝里。显然，他不想再多说什么了。
秘密！又是秘密！鸽爪愤怒地挤出巢穴。
梅花落、黄蜂条和荆棘光正俯卧在一小片即将消逝的阳光下分享着老鼠，藤爪俯卧在玫瑰瓣身旁，分享着一只乌鸫。
鸽爪盯着她的姐妹。如果可以的话，我会告诉你的。
藤爪吞下最后一口肉，开始帮玫瑰瓣梳理皮毛。
但我必须保守秘密，即便这意味着失去我最好的朋友。
第十四章
第十四章
藤爪瑟瑟发抖。一阵冷风吹来，吹落了草地上的花，吹动了浅灰色的云层。她脚掌下的地面颤动着。一群马沿着草地边缘奔腾着，它们眼睛中发出狂野的光，耳朵向后伏着。
鹰霜在哪里？
藤爪有些不安。今天，她不想独自待在这宽阔的牧场上。风呜咽着吹过毫无生机的干枯草地，将她的皮毛吹得乱蓬蓬的。
那儿！一个深色的后臀出现在长草上，浓密的尾巴拂动着。
她蹦蹦跳跳跑向这位河族武士。
“原来你在这儿呀！”她气喘吁吁说道。当鹰霜转过身，那熟悉的冰蓝色眼睛望着她时，她松了口气：“我还以为你不来了呢！我已经找你好久好久了。”
鹰霜坐起身，半闭着眼，懒洋洋地看着藤爪：“那你今天能找到我可真是幸运。”
“教我一些新招数吧！”她乞求道。炭心已经对她在训练中的进步感到惊讶了，她想在今天练习战斗招数时，再让老师感到满意。
鹰霜打了个哈欠，伸个懒腰，耸起双肩。
“就教一个战斗招数。”藤爪乞求道。
“我教给你的已经不够你练习了吗？”
“我都已经练习过了。现在我需要学些新招数。”藤爪一脸期待地睁大了双眼，“求你了！”
鹰霜疲倦地站起身。“你也经常这样缠着你的族猫吗？”他嘟囔着。
“他们才不会教我这么有趣的招数呢。”藤爪答道。
“看仔细了。”鹰霜扑向她，从身下钩住她的后腿，将她摔倒在地。她这才发现自己已经四脚朝天了。
“哇！”她尖叫着跳起身，“我来试试。”
她跃向鹰霜，蜷起一只脚掌钩住鹰霜的后腿，使劲拽。
可什么也没发生。宽肩武士回头看着她：“你已经开始了？”
藤爪沮丧地向后退开，又试了一次。
可这位河族武士依然纹丝不动。
藤爪歪着脑袋问：“你到底是怎么做到的？”
“用你的脚掌顺着我的后腿摸。”鹰霜命令道，“能感觉到关节后面的肌腱吗？”
藤爪感觉他的腿弯后面有一条结实的带子，就像一条拉长的老鼠尾巴。
“对准那儿。”鹰霜告诉她，“然后猛地戳一下。试着同时戳中两条腿。”
藤爪兴奋地蹲伏下来，集中精力，然后纵身跃起，前脚掌努力往下伸，朝鹰霜的肌腱击去。鹰霜的腿顿时弯了下来。藤爪抓住机会，用肩膀将他撞向一旁。鹰霜失去平衡，倒了下来，藤爪立刻跳到他身上，将他死死压在地上。
“很好。”鹰霜咕哝道。他甩开藤爪，站起身：“但你要多利用你的优势。这种突然的感觉只能持续片刻，你必须好好利用那一刻。再试试。”
藤爪再次尝试这个招数，不过这一次，她仍从鹰霜身下扫到了他的前脚掌。还没等鹰霜缓过神来，她的牙齿已经在他裸露的喉咙处了。
他嘶吼一声将她甩了下来：“不错。”
一阵骄傲从她的皮毛上泛起。
“我们终究还是可以指望你的。”鹰霜坦率地说。
她抬起下巴：“一定会的！”
一个阴影从远处的草丛间闪过。藤爪抬头望去，看见一双眼睛正盯着她。有猫在暗中观察。她绷紧了身子。“谁？”她刚一开口，那只猫便躲进草丛溜走了。
鹰霜耸耸肩。“我跟几个朋友提到过你。”他说道，“可能是他们中的谁吧。他可能是想看看整日缠着我，要额外训练的学徒长什么样子。”
藤爪仰起头：“或许他是想从我这儿学些什么。”
“嗯，确实如此。”鹰霜轻轻拍了拍她的耳朵，“来吧，再试试那个招数，看看你还能不能再次做到。”
“好的！”藤爪蹲伏下来，“在给鸽爪看之前，我得把它练好。”
鹰霜眨眨眼睛：“鸽爪是谁？”
“我姐妹。”藤爪扭动着臀部，准备起跳，“我跟你提过她。还记得吗？”
她一跃而起，这次撞击鹰霜肌腱的力量更大。宽肩武士身子一扭，藤爪立刻将他掀翻在地。胜利的喜悦涌上藤爪的心头。
她重新坐下之后，用一只脚掌拂动胡须，渐渐平复了呼吸。“所有资深武士都觉得鸽爪是有史以来最优秀的学徒。”她耸耸肩，“他们总向她问一些事情，就好像她知道一些别的猫不知道的事似的。”
鹰霜坐了下来，舔着自己的胸脯。“那她真的是这样吗？”他边舔边问。
“有些事情她没告诉我，但我不知道是什么事。”藤爪抬起头，“我只希望她不要表现得好像很特殊似的。她总是竖着耳朵，像站岗似的，就好像族群里的其他猫都不能保证我们的安全。”
鹰霜梳理完了胸脯，一只爪子抓过三叶草，柔软的绿色叶子被撕碎了，渐渐变黑。“你跟她提起过我吗？”
“我本打算说的。”藤爪说道，一想起之前被打断的对话她就来气，“可我没有机会。”她哼了一声。“现在我不打算告诉她了。”她的尾巴尖抽动着，“我为什么非得告诉她呢？她有她的秘密，我也有我的秘密。”
鹰霜摘下另一片树叶。“这也许是个好主意，听起来好像——”他停了下来，“鸽爪——是这个名字吗？”
藤爪点点头。
“听上去鸽爪会嫉妒你，会想学你所有的招数。”
藤爪伸出了爪子。
“她是你的同窝手足。”鹰霜故意说道，“不是你的回音，对吗？”
“对！我为什么要给她模仿我的机会！”藤爪大声说道。
鹰霜伸展了一下后腿：“咱们不说回音了，我们再试些新招数吧。”
藤爪醒来了，双肩十分僵硬。她将肩膀扭进窝中柔软的苔藓里，怀疑是不是自己的睡觉姿势不对。接着她就回想了起来：鹰霜严格地训练她，最后她肌肉都疼痛了。她坐起身，非常惊讶。哇，多真实的梦啊！
鸽爪还在酣睡。她蜷在窝里，双眼紧闭。灰色学徒看起来很小，毛茸茸的，更像以前那只天真无邪的幼崽，而不是现在这个假装无所不知的学徒。一股爱怜之情从心头涌起，藤爪很想把她的梦告诉鸽爪，就像过去她们和白翅一起住在育婴室同一个窝里时那样。
不。藤爪撇开怀旧的情绪，鸽爪有秘密，我也要有秘密。她的这个秘密或许要比鸽爪的好很多。她正在接受星族武士的训练！她就要成为有史以来最优秀的武士了，甚至比狮焰还要优秀！
“藤爪！”炭心的喊声从巢穴围墙外传来。
藤爪爬出巢穴，来到寒冷、灰蒙蒙的黎明中。在山毛榉树弧形粗枝下临时搭建的窝里，梅花落和黄蜂条正伸着懒腰。炭心用尾巴招呼他们过来。
“今天你们三个一起训练。”她宣布道。
梅花落打着哈欠坐了下来：“你想让我们训练藤爪？”
炭心摇摇头：“你们一起接受训练。”
“我们不是学徒了！”黄蜂条抖开皮毛，抵御寒冷的空气。
炭心瞥向岩石坡，火星正顺着那儿跳进空地。
梅花落翻了个白眼。“让我猜猜，”她抱怨道，“一定又有训练的新点子了。”
藤爪能从梅花落的声音里听到刺掌恼怒的叹息声，梅花落显然在借用同巢猫的话。
火星在他们身旁停了下来。“试试新鲜事物也没什么不好。”他说道。
梅花落盯着自己的脚掌：“就猜到你会这么说。”
火星的尾巴直直竖在空中：“我们不希望族群变得没有活力。武士们练习技能没有害处，难道你们更愿意通过战斗保持我们的爪子敏捷吗？”
“我可不想那样。”梅花落坦率地说。
藤爪瞥了一眼学徒巢穴：“那鸽爪呢？她也和我们一起训练吗？”
炭心摇摇头：“她和狮焰一起训练。”
“那是当然，”藤爪脊背上的毛立了起来，“她怎么会和普通的武士一起训练呢？”
“什么？”炭心竖起了耳朵。
“没什么。”藤爪立刻说道。她发现火星正盯着她，感觉浑身发热。“我只是觉得这些天没怎么和她一起训练。”她说道。
尘毛、桦落和叶池在倒树下的窝里起身的声音传了过来。
“我听见火星说今天让你负责，炭心。”尘毛一边打着哈欠，一边从弯曲的树枝下走来，“我们准备好出发了吗？”
桦落和叶池跟在后面，他们也似乎对即将进行的训练项目不感兴趣。
“是的，我们准备好了。”炭心说道，“快走吧，跟我来。”
他们在森林里的一块空地上停了下来，空地的边缘长满了繁茂的蕨叶。炭心走到武士之间时，叶池不安地挑了挑尾巴，藤爪在黄蜂条身边坐了下来。
“和资深武士一起训练感觉有些奇怪。”她在黄蜂条耳边小声说。
“确实不一样。”这位年轻的武士两眼发亮，“我不知道我们能不能打败他们。”
“或许可以的。”藤爪活动着爪子。森林间的奔跑已经使她热了身，肩膀紧绷的肌肉也松快了不少。她准备试试鹰霜教给她的一些招数。
“现在，”炭心开口说道，“我们将要进行模拟作战。”她冲着空地一角的榛树丛挑挑尾巴，接着又指了指另一角的蕨丛。“我们分成两队。”她朝尘毛点点头，“你带着叶池、梅花落和藤爪，我带着黄蜂条、榛尾和桦落。可以吗，桦落？”这只浅棕色虎斑公猫朝比他年轻些的武士点了点头。“我们尝试占领榛树丛，你们——”炭心又向尘毛点头说，“你们尝试占领蕨丛。”
藤爪跟着黄蜂条走进空地中央。她蹲伏在黄蜂条身旁，做好进攻准备。叶池和尘毛则站在他们两侧。炭心带领的队伍在对面站好。彼此间离得很近，胡须几乎都要碰到一起了。
黄蜂条眯起双眼，盯着对手身后一树远的榛树丛，榛尾和桦落肚皮紧贴着地面。
“记住，”炭心命令道，“不许伸出爪子。我们可不是影族。”
武士们点点头，藤爪赶紧将爪子缩进柔软的白色掌毛中。
“开始！”
炭心刚发出指令，藤爪马上就地一个翻滚。她听见炭心的脚掌重重踩在她刚才所在的地方。
“漂亮！”炭心赞扬的声音刚落，叶池便将这只灰毛母猫击倒在地，脚掌一阵连击，将她逼到了空地边缘。
藤爪转过身，准备攻击。黄蜂条正和梅花落扭打在一起。
梅花落挣脱了黄蜂条的控制：“别忘了，在你出育婴室之前，我就已经学会了你的所有招数。”
“你肯定不记得这招。”黄蜂条跳到空中，随后肚子首先落下，压在梅花落的背上。
梅花落腿支撑不住，倒了下去：“嘿！那不公平，这是幼崽耍赖的招数！”
“但依旧有效。”黄蜂条取笑道。梅花落在黄蜂条的身下挣扎着，但黄蜂条却不放开。
藤爪一愣。桦落正跑向榛树丛。如果他到了那里，他那一队就会赢。藤爪追了上去，后腿蹬起阵阵尘土。眼看桦落就要到榛树丛那儿了，藤爪一跃而起，伸出脚掌，瞄准桦落后腿的肌腱戳了过去。桦落一个趔趄，接着就倒了下来。藤爪迅速跳到他肩上，用缩着利爪的脚掌紧紧按住他，桦落则在她身下不断地扭动着。
桦落猛地一推，将藤爪从身上甩了下来。藤爪重重地摔在地上，差点儿喘不过气来。藤爪眯着眼睛跳起身。她不想让鹰霜失望！桦落也站起身，但看起来很困惑，后腿依旧颤抖着。她俯冲到他身下，蜷起身子，倒吊在桦落肚皮上。她身体两侧各伸出一只脚掌，从他身下撞向他的一条前腿和后腿。接着，在他倒地前，她蹿了出去。
他们这队其他成员在哪儿？如果没有其他猫相助，她难以守住榛树丛。她扫视着空地。
叶池正睁大双眼看着她。我敢说她一定是被我的招数惊到了。藤爪想。
就在叶池眨眼之际，炭心趁其不备，将其撞翻在地。浅棕色虎斑武士挣扎着想要逃脱，但炭心将她死死按在地上，她只能抽打着尾巴。
“我认输！”叶池叫道。
“总之，你们输了！”炭心正站在榛树丛旁，“我宣布，这处灌木丛属于‘炭族’！”
桦落挣扎着爬起身，低头对藤爪说：“对一位学徒来说，你刚才的招数真是不错。”
叶池也从炭心身下挣脱出来，穿过空地。“是啊。”她赞同道，“很厉害的招数。你是从哪儿学到的？”
藤爪并不打算泄露自己的秘密。“我是……是自己琢磨出来的。”为什么她的族猫们就不能觉得她和鸽爪一样有天分呢？
“最后一招看起来像河族的招数。”尘毛走过来的时候，评论道。
藤爪耸耸肩，尽力使自己的双眼瞪得又圆又天真。尘毛错了。那是星族招数！
“不管看起来如何，”桦落热情地说道，“那都是个好招数。我会记得将来要小心它。”
叶池还在困惑地盯着藤爪。“你再做一遍，”她建议道，“这样我们就都能学一学了。”
藤爪张大了嘴巴。“我……我记不清怎么做了。”她不想和任何猫分享她的秘密招数，也不希望尘毛再分析它。叶池看起来已经有所怀疑。也许鹰霜活着的时候，他们都认识他，能认出他那特殊的技巧。
尘毛弹了弹尾巴：“那真是太糟了。”他转身冲炭心喊道：“能否给我们一个扳平的机会？”炭心还在骄傲地守护着刚刚占领的榛树丛。
“可以。”炭心同意了，“但这次我们从榛树丛开始。你们在一边，我们在另一边。”
见大家不再关注她，藤爪如释重负。她跟着梅花落、叶池还有尘毛走进空地一边的蕨丛中。她蹲伏在干燥的枝条间，向外窥探着空地。
对面的榛树丛颤动着，炭心一队准备发起攻击。
“梅花落，”尘毛小声说道，“你跑得快。我希望你能跑到那边榛树丛，我们负责阻止他们到达这边的蕨丛。”
梅花落摆出蹲伏姿势，后臀收紧。
“准备好了吗？”尘毛小声问道。
不等大家回答，空地另一头的榛树丛突然裂开一道缝，炭心的队伍冲了出来。
“上！”尘毛喊道。
梅花落冲向榛树丛，藤爪也跟在尘毛和叶池身旁猛冲出来，堵住通往蕨丛的路。桦落和黄蜂条已经冲向蕨丛，而炭心和榛尾则冲过去阻拦梅花落。
梅花落不断转变方向，试图绕开她们，但炭心和榛尾还是把她压倒在地。
“快去帮她！”尘毛朝叶池喊道。叶池转身跑开了，藤爪则在尘毛身旁飞奔着，拉大步幅，跟上武士的步伐。
你们不会再赢了！藤爪向前跃起，伸长前脚掌去抓黄蜂条的尾巴。她拽住他的尾巴，把他拖倒在地。她拖动身体靠近黄蜂条，咬住了他的后腿。
“哎哟！”黄蜂条臀部向上躲避着，然后转过身，脚掌笨拙地挥向藤爪的口鼻。
她一低头，一个转身，一只前脚掌钩住他的脚掌，迫使他侧倒在地上。
“太容易了！”她跳到他身上欢呼着。
黄蜂条甚至都没挣扎，只是抬眼看着她，忧郁的眼睛里满是悲伤。
“怎么了？”藤爪吃了一惊，忙坐起身，让黄蜂条爬起来。
他们身后传来一声吼叫。尘毛正和桦落打在一起。战斗可以等等再说。黄蜂条有点儿不对劲。
“你还好吗？”藤爪追问道。
这位武士悲伤地盯着蕨丛。他是想麻痹她吗？他是打算突然冲向蕨丛吗？藤爪眯起了眼睛，绷紧了身体。
“荆棘光一定会喜欢这种训练的。”黄蜂条轻声说。怒火在他的眼中闪动。“这不公平！”他吼道，“她只是想去帮助长尾。星族为什么要惩罚她？”
藤爪希望她能知道答案。“有时候，会发生不幸的事情。”她说出的话苍白无力。
“那么星族的存在还有什么意义？”黄蜂条看起来被彻底击溃了。
藤爪走到他身旁，脑袋紧紧贴着他的肩膀。“荆棘光不会被击倒的。”她小声说。
“是的。”黄蜂条叹息着，“可这本不应该发生的。”
藤爪感到族猫每一个颤抖的呼吸中都充满了悲伤，她想象着鸽爪像只半死的猎物在山谷中拖拉身子的样子。她理解黄蜂条的愤怒，那的确很不公平。
“我们赢了！”
叶池占领了榛树丛。她脚掌下踩着一团叶子，榛尾靠在她身旁，喷着响鼻。炭心大度地低着头接受失败，然后看向黄蜂条。她疑惑地眯起了眼睛，显然正在猜测为什么这两只猫会坐得那么近。
接着，她眨了眨眼睛，点了点头。
她明白了。
“嘿！你们两个！”炭心转向尘毛和桦落。这两只公猫还在打斗，尘毛用有力的后腿将桦落甩了出去，但桦落落地后，立刻转身，准备再次进攻。
炭心清了清嗓子。“我不想打断你们，”她喊道，“可是战斗已经结束了。”
尘毛和桦落这才停下来，惊讶地看着灰色母猫。
桦落坐下身来，肩膀的毛乱蓬蓬的。“我们只是在练习战斗招数。”他有些不自然地说道。
“没错。”尘毛附和道，“这才是训练，不是吗？”
炭心的胡须抽动着。“我想，如果我们偶尔享受一下战斗的话，星族也不会太介意的。”她打趣道。
太阳已经高挂树梢，照亮了天空。“看来是个狩猎的好天气。”叶池评论道。
炭心点点头：“我们回营地吧，看看黑莓掌是否需要我们加入巡逻队。”
尘毛点点头：“秃叶季来临之前，族猫们得多长点儿肉。”
桦落带头穿过蕨丛，消失在树林间，炭心、梅花落和尘毛跟了上去。
黄蜂条从藤爪身旁抽开身。他身上被她靠过的皮毛十分平顺。“谢谢。”黄蜂条低声说了一句，就赶忙追上他的姐妹，走在她的身旁。
藤爪也跟了上去。两位年轻武士并肩走着，相互轻声交谈着。藤爪感到自己被遗忘了。
“藤爪。”叶池温柔的声音吓了藤爪一跳。浅棕色武士已经追上了她，在她身边走着。脚掌下的叶子像蕨毛的皮毛一样金闪闪的，踩起来咯吱咯吱作响。
“那些都是很高级的招数。”叶池评价道。
藤爪向身旁瞥了一眼，但母猫琥珀色眼睛一直盯着前方。
“我想我只是碰巧做到的。”
“真幸运。”叶池说道。
“可能吧。”愧疚让藤爪的皮毛发痒。
“你确定你再做不出来了吗？”叶池追问道。
让我安静会儿吧！藤爪加快了步伐。当叶池紧紧跟了上来时，她觉得有些恼怒。族群里的每只猫都有秘密——也包括叶池，她为什么就不能有她自己的秘密呢？