Prologue
Prologue
Torn clouds streaked the stars. Brancheswhisked the night-black sky and showered leaves over the shadowed glade. Wind hollowed the shallow clearing while, around its rim, bushes stirred and rustled as though wolves paced through them.
At the center of the glade, an old she-cat hunched her shoulders against the growling air. Starlight sparkled on her matted gray pelt. She flattened her ears as two feline shapes padded down the slope to join her.
“Yellowfang.” A white-pelted she-cat spoke first. “We’ve been looking for you.”
“Lionheart told me.” Yellowfang lifted her chin. Rain specked her muzzle as the medicine cat blinked at her former mentor. “What is it, Sagewhisker?”
Sagewhisker answered sharply: “We’ve been talking.”
“The whole of StarClan has been talking,” her tortoiseshell companion cut in. “Every cat thinks you should have stopped it.”
“The battle between ThunderClan and ShadowClan?” Yellowfang flicked her tail. “Do you think I have that much power, Fernshade?”
Sagewhisker leaned forward. “You could have sent a message to ThunderClan.”
“If you had, Russetfur might not have died.” Fernshade stepped closer. There was a hint of claws in her words. “I trained her, you know.”
“I hadn’t forgotten,” Yellowfang rasped.
Fernshade narrowed her eyes. “I’m the one who’s going to have to fetch her.”
Yellowfang’s shoulders sagged. “She was old,” she murmured. “Maybe she’ll be glad to join us.”
Sagewhisker lashed her white tail. “No warrior wants to die. Especially in a battle that should not have happened.”
Fernshade curled her lip. “You knew what the cats from the Dark Forest were doing. There was no need for Firestar to challenge Blackstar over that worthless stretch of grass. Did youwantcats to die?”
Wind swirled through the hollow, tugging ears and tails, as Bluestar’s mew sounded from the top of the slope.
“Enough!”
The ThunderClan leader stalked down to greet the others. She nodded to Sagewhisker and Fernshade in turn. “The battle was unfortunate, but it was a lesson we needed to learn.”
Sagewhisker met her gaze. “A lesson in what?”
Bluestar stood with her paws rooted in the streaming grass. “We know what we’re up against now. The Dark Forest cats can change the destinies of the Clans. This battle would not have been fought if not for them.”
Yellowfang shuddered. “I should have known the Clans would suffer the moment I saw Brokenstar in the Dark Forest.”
Sagewhisker jerked her head toward her former apprentice. “And whose fault is it that he is there? Or that he was ever born at all?” Her eyes glittered. “You broke the warrior code and kitted him. What did you expect?”
Yellowfang flinched.
“Blaming each other won’t help.” Bluestar brushed past Yellowfang, drawing her tail over the old cat’s knotted pelt. “We’ve all made mistakes in our time.”
Fernshade’s whiskers twitched angrily. “Not everycat breaks the warrior code!”
Bluestar didn’t blink. “Mistakes are where we learn the most,” she meowed evenly. “And we can learn from this battle. We must set aside old grievances. The Clans must join forces.”
“Brokenstar has already punished me more than I ever deserved,” Yellowfang muttered. “And now he’s trying to punish me again by destroying the Clans I once called my own.”
“This isn’t about you!” Sagewhisker snapped. “Whatever’s going on in the Dark Forest affects us all. We need to deal with it before it does any more harm to ShadowClan!”
A growl rose in Bluestar’s throat. “Not just ShadowClan! Firestar lost a life, too!”
Lightning flared. The cats crouched and blinked upward, pelts bristling. As thunder rolled in the distance, more cats began to slink into the glade.
“Lionheart!” Bluestar called. There was relief in her voice as she saw her old friend lead Mudfur and Oakheart down the slope.
“What’s going on?” Lionheart stopped beside Bluestar.
“We know the Dark Forest was behind the battle between ShadowClan and ThunderClan,” Bluestar told him.
“ThunderClan started it!” Fernshade growled.
“The cats from the Dark Forest started it!” Bluestar reminded them. She glanced at Yellowfang. “Not just Brokenstar. Tigerstar and Hawkfrost, too.”
Oakheart narrowed his eyes. “Do we know who they’re training?” His slick RiverClan pelt was starred with beads of rain.
Yellowfang showed her cracked and stained teeth. “Brokenstar will claim any soul he can reach.”
“What if they recruit a Clan leader?” Fernshade growled.
Mudfur, the old WindClan medicine cat, shook his head. “We can no longer trust any cat.”
“Or Clan,” Sagewhisker muttered darkly.
Mudfur stiffened and tasted the air, ears pricking. “Who’s there? Mudclaw? We weren’t expecting to see you here.”
The cats turned to watch the WindClan warrior hurry down the slope. “I came as soon as I heard. What’s the plan? How are we going to deal with the Dark Forest cats?”
Grass ripped beneath Bluestar’s paws as she unsheathed her claws. “We must persuade the Clans to join forces and fight this threat together.”
Sagewhisker flattened her ears. “How will they know who to fight?”
“Why don’t the Dark Forest warriors just come and fight us, if they’re so hungry for a battle?” Fernshade snarled.
Lionheart stared over the rippling grass. “Because that would be too easy. They know they’ll hurt us much worse if they attack the Clans we left behind.”
“Is there no other way to defeat them?” Oakheart fixed his questioning gaze on Bluestar.
She froze for a moment as though she were scanning his thoughts. Then she blinked. “Tigerstar has only ever understood violence.”
Oakheart looked away.
“That’s all anyDark Forest cat understands,” Bluestar pressed. “If we try to reason with them, they will see it as weakness.”
Sagewhisker snorted. “Just as long as no one’s blaming ShadowClan for Brokenstar.” She glanced at Yellowfang.
“As far as I can see, it’s ShadowClan who’s suffered most this time,” Fernshade added.
Thunder cracked overhead.
Sagewhisker nudged Fernshade. “You’d better fetch Russetfur.”
As she spoke, the skies opened. Rain pelted the glade, and the cats scattered, racing for the shelter of the trees.
“Fernshade!” Yellowfang called after the tortoiseshell warrior.
Fernshade skidded to a stop and glanced back. “What?”
Rain blurred Yellowfang’s gaze. “Have a safe journey.” Her voice cracked. “And tell Russetfur that I’m sorry.”

Chapter 1
Chapter 1
A yowl sliced through the shriekof battle, sharp with grief more than rage.
Dovepaw ducked out of Toadfoot’s way and spun around.
Firestar!
The ThunderClan leader was being dragged away across the battle-crowded clearing. The grass glistened crimson behind him. Birchfall sank his teeth farther into Firestar’s scruff and heaved him over Spiderleg’s shoulders, then helped to carry him away into the trees.
Horror pulsed through Dovepaw. Around her, the fighting was shuddering to a stop as cats sheathed their claws and stared in bewilderment. Firestar’s deputy, Brambleclaw, his broad shoulders wet with blood, padded toward Blackstar. The ShadowClan leader didn’t look up. His head was bent over a dark ginger pelt.
Brambleclaw dipped his head. “The battle is won,” he growled. “The clearing is ours. Do you concede or shall we fight for it again?”
Blackstar flashed a look of burning hatred over his shoulder. “Take it,” he hissed. “It was never worth the blood that has been spilled here today.”
As Brambleclaw backed away, Dovepaw recognized the ginger pelt.
Russetfur! Is she dead?
The ShadowClan deputy lay unmoving, apart from the blood that trickled from her lips. Her Clanmates began to step carefully past the ThunderClan warriors and head for the pines. Scorchfur, Tigerheart, and Rowanclaw stopped beside their leader. While Scorchfur nudged Blackstar to his paws and guided him gently into the trees, Tigerheart grabbed Russetfur’s pelt and slowly, gently, heaved her onto Rowanclaw’s shoulders. Then in silence they followed their battered Clanmates into the mist-wrapped trees.
Dovepaw stared after them, the energy draining from her as she saw Tigerheart’s tail snake into the shadows. She looked around for Ivypaw. Her sister was helping Blossomfall limp toward the forest.
“Come on, Blossomfall,” Ivypaw was murmuring to her Clanmate. “Jayfeather’ll fix you up.” There was no hint of their past quarrels in her mew.
Squirrelflight was checking Leafpool’s wounds, while Leafpool scanned the battlefield, her eyes round with worry. “Lionblaze is okay,” Squirrelflight reassured her sister.
Brightheart lay panting on the grass, her one good eye so wide that a circle of white showed around the blue.
Cloudtail nudged her with his muzzle. “Come on, you’ll feel better once you start moving,” he urged.
Brightheart let out a low moan as she hauled herself to her paws.
Bumblestripe, one ear torn, surveyed the flattened grass. “I think we showed them,” he declared.
Hazeltail glanced at him with scorn in her eyes and pressed closer to Mousewhisker, lapping at her sister’s bleeding, ruffled fur. “Showed them what?” she muttered between licks. “How much blood can be spilled in a pointless battle?”
Only Lionblaze looked uninjured. A smear of blood stained his flank, but Dovepaw knew it wasn’t his. She frowned, doubts flocking into her mind like starlings. Lionblaze was part of the prophecy, like she was. His power was the ability to fight any cat, any creature at all, without being hurt.
Why couldn’t Lionblaze have saved Firestar? What’s the point of having all that power if he couldn’t help his leader?
In front of her, Brambleclaw crossed the stained grass where Russetfur had lain, and touched the tip of his tail to Lionblaze’s shoulder. “Russetfur was too old for this battle,” he murmured. “It wasn’t your fault she died.”
Lionblaze hung his head.
Oh, StarClan!Dovepaw’s belly tightened. Lionblaze killed Russetfur?Her mentor looked shattered, his eyes dull. She hurried to his side and pressed against his flank. She felt utterly helpless. Her power was the ability to hear and see things that were happening far away, much farther than other cats could sense; she should have known what ShadowClan had been up to. Instead it had been her sister, Ivypaw, who had told Firestar that Blackstar was planning to invade ThunderClan’s territory and steal more land for hunting. Had StarClan sent a dream to Ivypaw because Dovepaw had refused to use her powers to spy on the other Clans? Maybe if Dovepaw had been listening and watching, as Lionblaze had asked, she’d have known what ShadowClan was going to do. She could have warned Firestar about it before there was no choice left but to fight.
Could I have prevented this?
She felt Lionblaze’s warm breath as he touched his muzzle to the top of her head. “Come on,” he whispered wearily. “Let’s go home.”
Dovepaw pressed close to Lionblaze as they trudged on heavy paws through the whispering trees.
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Jayfeather reached a paw into thefar corner of his medicine store. He could smell stale marigold tucked beneath the rock; it was the last of his supply and so old that he wasn’t sure it’d be strong enough to keep infection from Sorreltail’s wound. But he clawed it out anyway and pawed it together with the last of his dried oak.
“This might sting,” he warned Sorreltail.
The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat had been sitting patiently beside Briarlight’s nest. “That’s okay.” From the echo of her voice, Jayfeather could tell she was watching the dozing young warrior. “Her breathing sounds rough.”
Briarlight had fallen asleep before sunset despite the steady flow of injured warriors and apprentices through the den. Sorreltail was the last, having insisted on waiting until the others had been treated, though the gash in her shoulder was deep and still oozing blood.
Jayfeather pressed on the poultice and reached for cobwebs to cover it. “She has a chest infection,” he explained, draping sticky white strands across the wound. “I’m not sure whether to make her exercise harder to clear her chest or to let her rest and fight it from inside.”
Sorreltail brushed his shoulder with her muzzle. “Have you asked Leafpool?”
Jayfeather flicked his tail crossly toward the wads of bloodstained moss and herb fragments that littered the den floor. “Does it look like I’ve had time?”
“I just wondered,” Sorreltail replied mildly.
“Besides,” Jayfeather muttered, “Leafpool’s busy checking injuries.”
“I suppose.” Sorreltail got to her paws. “Thanks for the herbs.”
Regretting his sharpness, Jayfeather touched her flank with his tail. “Do you want poppy seeds to help you sleep?”
“No, thanks.” Sorreltail padded away. “Brackenfur’s snoring lulls me better than any medicine.”
Jayfeather had treated the golden warrior earlier, snapping his wrenched shoulder back into place before sending him to his nest with strict instructions not to move until sunrise. The rest of the Clan had been spared serious injury. Only Firestar’s wound had required careful attention. The tear in his neck had been closed with cobwebs and firmly bound. It would heal, but the life that had seeped away could never be replaced. Jayfeather pictured the faint warrior in StarClan, a little less transparent now, his flame-colored pelt one shade more vivid against the greenness of StarClan’s hunting grounds.
As Sorreltail limped from the den, Briarlight stirred. “What a mess,” she rasped over the edge of her nest.
“How are you?” Jayfeather sniffed her, relieved to find that her ears were cooler.
“Sleepy. How’s Firestar?” Briarlight blinked.
“Asleep in his den,” Jayfeather told her. “Sandstorm’s watching over him. He’ll be fine in a few days.”
“If only Russetfur hadn’t attacked him.” Briarlight had heard all the gossip from the other warriors. “Then Firestar would be fine, and Lionblaze wouldn’t have killed Russetfur.”
Jayfeather tensed. “Russetfur was too oldto be fighting!”
The brambles swished, and Jayfeather breathed the familiar scent of Lionblaze. The warrior padded heavily into the den. “I should have realized that before I attacked her.”
“What else could you do? She was killing Firestar.” Jayfeather shook out his fur and crossed the den to greet his brother. “Is Dovepaw okay?”
“She’s fine,” Lionblaze reassured him. “Still quiet. But fine.”
Dovepaw had returned from the battle shivering and speechless with shock. Jayfeather had offered her thyme, but she’d refused, saying she was just tired. Unlike her Clanmates, who were keen to share every battle move, Dovepaw had sat silently while Jayfeather checked her over, only mentioning when prompted that Lionblaze had saved her from Dawnpelt
Is it fair to make apprentices fight alongside warriors?Worry for Dovepaw tightened Jayfeather’s belly. Sometimes she seemed so young. At least Ivypaw was okay. She seemed rather pleased with herself, actually. And with only a bruised tail to show for her run-in with ShadowClan’s fiercest warriors
But she hadn’t mentioned her dream again. The dream she’d blurted out to Firestar where ShadowClan had invaded ThunderClan territory and set the forest streams running with blood. In fact, when Jayfeather had slipped into Ivypaw’s thoughts, it had vanished from her mind. How could she forget a nightmare so vivid that it had sparked the battle between ThunderClan and ShadowClan?
Jayfeather turned his blind blue gaze on Lionblaze. “Was it worth it?”
“The battle?” Lionblaze stiffened. “Of course!”
“But to lose two lives over a worthless piece of grass!”
“We’ve sent ShadowClan a message they won’t forget.”
“At what cost?” Jayfeather sighed.
“We must not turn soft now.” Lionblaze’s voice dropped to a whisper as Briarlight’s attention pricked across the den. “Who knows where the next blow might fall?”
Jayfeather’s shoulders sagged as Briarlight began coughing again.
Lionblaze nosed him toward his patient. “We can’t afford to ignore any signs now,” he hissed. “Go on, see to Briarlight. We’ll talk later.”
As his brother swished out of the cave, Jayfeather began massaging Briarlight’s flank with his paws. Her coughing subsided, and she laid her chin on the side of her nest, her breath quickly easing into sleep.
“Is she okay?” Leafpool’s hushed mew sounded at the den entrance. She padded over to Briarlight’s nest.
“A little cooler.” Jayfeather could hear Leafpool scraping cobwebs from her paws. He could tell by the scent that she’d been repatching Cloudtail’s gashes. “How’s Brackenfur’s shoulder?” He was worried that wrenching it back into place might have damaged more than it fixed. “Did you get a chance to look at it?”
“Y-yes.” She hesitated. “What do youthink?”
Jayfeather’s belly knotted. In the past, her question would have been a test. Now Leafpool sounded like she reallywasn’t sure. Why mumble like a nervous apprentice? It was as though she was frightened of putting a paw wrong. His mind drifted back to when she used to boss him around in this very den. He’d answer back, and she’d snap in return. The air would fizz and crackle as he rebelled against her overcautious fussing.
The memory hurt. He’d knownLeafpool in those days; he’d been able to predict her every objection. Since he had found out that she was his mother, he felt as if he didn’t know her at all.
Ignoring her question, he dismissed her. “Will you check on Firestar, please?” He lifted a paw to wash.
Leafpool’s whiskers brushed his toes as she dipped her head. “Of course.”
Stop acting like a mouse!Jayfeather thought indignantly, while he tugged a sprig of thyme from between his claws. The brambles swished, and Leafpool’s pads scuffed away across the clearing.
Jayfeather paused from washing and listened to his Clanmates settling down for the night. Poppyfrost was washing Molekit and Cherrykit inside the nursery. Purdy’s rumbling mew droned in the elders’ nest. Brackenfur was snoring just as Sorreltail had predicted. Blossomfall was fixing her nest in the warriors’ den underneath the fallen beech; perhaps she was trying to make it the way it was before the tree had crashed into the hollow.
Jayfeather shuddered as he remembered the day it had fallen. Its roots had been loosened by rainfall, and the great tree had slid from the top of the cliff and smashed down into the camp, crushing the elders’ den and demolishing the thornbush where the warriors used to sleep. Longtail had died. Briarlight had been crippled, her back broken so that she could no longer feel her hind legs. It was only Dovepaw’s powerful hearing that had prevented more cats from being killed or maimed.
For half a moon the Clan had worked to rebuild their home, clearing twigs, leaves, and branches as much as they could. They had rebuilt the elders’ den by weaving the old honeysuckle tendrils around a frame of splintered wood. The beech still spanned the camp, its trunk like a spine, its boughs a rib cage jabbing into the clearing, its roots gripping the bramble nursery like claws. Every night was filled with the sound of leaves and twigs being tugged and adjusted as the warriors worked on their nests in their new den beneath the strongest bough of the fallen tree.
Jayfeather was still finding it hard to navigate the camp, tripping on unexpected branches or piles of twigs that had been brushed to one side but not yet cleared. Longtail, the blind elder, would have struggled even more to adjust. Perhaps he was lucky to be with StarClan, luckier than Briarlight. She had a chest infection now because she couldn’t run and hunt like her Clanmates. She could only drag herself to and from the clearing, her hindquarters dead as fresh-kill.
Jayfeather shook himself. Fretting wouldn’t help. He rinsed his paws in the pool, shuddering at the chilliness of the water, then padded to the bracken pile beside Briarlight’s nest
As Jayfeather curled into the smooth stems and closed his eyes, Ivypaw’s dream pricked his thoughts. Why had StarClan set this battle in motion? He couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion that StarClan would never share dreams with Ivypaw. Why choose herand not one of the Three?
I’ll talk to Lionblaze about it in the morning.Tired to the tip of his tail, he let his mind drift into sleep.
The stench of decay made him shudder. Blinking open his eyes, he found himself in the Dark Forest. Shadows pressed like dark pelts around him. He glanced nervously over his shoulder. What was he doing here? Was Tigerstar planning to recruit him?
No.Tigerstar was no fool.
He tasted the air. A familiar scent bathed his tongue. Stiffening, Jayfeather peered through the gloom.
“Hello!” A cheerful mew sounded in a clearing ahead.
Ivypaw?
A gruff mew answered her. “Sorry if I scared you today.”
Who is she talking to?
“You didn’t scare me at all.” Ivypaw didn’t sound frightened or even surprised to be in the Dark Forest. “I knew you wouldn’t hurt me. You’re one of the Clanmates, aren’t you?”
The Clanmates?
Crouching low, Jayfeather ducked into the mist and crept forward. Ivypaw stood a fox-length away, ears pricked, tail high. Beside her, Jayfeather recognized the broad shoulders of a dark brown tabby.
Tigerheart!
The ShadowClan warrior leaned close to the ThunderClan apprentice. “I saw you with Hawkfrost the other night while I was training with Brokenstar. I never guessed you’d be one of us.”
One of us?Jayfeather crept closer.
Tigerheart circled Ivypaw. “You’re good.” Ivypaw fluffed out her chest as Tigerheart went on. “It was a shame our Clans had to fight, though. How did that happen?”
Tell him about your dream!
Paw steps scuffed in the shadows, and cold fear traced Jayfeather’s spine as a rumbling mew interrupted the two young Clan cats.
“Come on, Ivypaw! You’re wasting time!”
Jayfeather’s breath caught in his throat as he recognized the speaker. Hawkfrost.Tigerstar’s son, endlessly furious that he had been killed by his half brother, Brambleclaw, when he was trying to take Firestar’s remaining lives and leave ThunderClan leaderless and vulnerable for his and Tigerstar’s own cruel ambition.
“You fought well today,” the former RiverClan warrior growled. “But you got the move wrong when you attacked Scorchfur. Never turn on two legs when you can manage on one!” He beckoned Ivypaw away with his tail. She followed without question, disappearing after him into the mist. Hawkfrost’s growl shot back from the shadows. “Wait there, Tigerheart. Brokenstar’s coming for you soon.”
Jayfeather stared in horror, his paws frozen to the chilly earth.
As the mist swirled around him, mews and growls began to rise from the shadows; young voices chirped with questions and called for approval while older mews snarled in reply, urging them on, pushing them ever harder. It was the noise of training sessions from any Clan by the lake—except this wasn’t the lake, it was the Place of No Stars. Jayfeather glimpsed sleek, oily pelts wrestling in the shadows and smelled RiverClan. Beyond a line of gray ferns, lither shapes reared and swiped at each other.
WindClan, too?
“Unsheathe your claws!”
“Fight like a warrior, not a kit!”
The scents of decay swamped Jayfeather’s tongue.
Then Breezepelt’s mew rose from the shadows. “I wish I’d fought in the battle today.” The WindClan warrior sounded tense with frustration. “I’d have fought on your side if I’d been given the chance.”
Who is he talking to?
Jayfeather tasted the air, reaching through the foul tastes of the Dark Forest and shuddering as he recognized a ShadowClan scent. Breezepelt was swearing allegiance to a ShadowClan cat!
Another shape moved between the trees. Jayfeather spotted the long dark spine moving through the mist like a snake. Yellowfang had given this cat a name on his last visit to the Dark Forest—a name she had spat from her tongue like poison.
Brokenstar.
“Don’t worry, Breezepelt,” the black-furred warrior growled. “There’ll be many more chances to fight. We’ll destroy the warrior code. Once it’s gone, there’ll be no limit to what we can achieve.”
Breezepelt growled excitedly as Brokenstar went on. “With no mouse-hearted rules telling us what to do, we can rebuild the Clans stronger than ever.”
Jayfeather shivered against the dread hollowing his belly. Clan cats, cats who lived beside the lake during their waking moments, surrounded him. He could feel their warm hearts beating, quickened by the lies of the dead. There was no hiding now from what was happening: Cats from everyClan were being trained by Dark Forest warriors to rise against their Clanmates, trained to break every part of the code the Clans had long fought to protect.
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
“Mouse dung!” Lionblaze grumbled under hisbreath as Birchfall, snoring, flopped his legs onto Lionblaze’s belly for the third time.
I wishI could sleep!Lionblaze heaved Birchfall away roughly. He got to his paws.
“Ouch!” A sharp twig jabbed Lionblaze between the ears. The roof was low and as prickly as a hedgehog, bristling with twigs that still needed to be trimmed. The whole denneeded trimming.
Lionblaze wrinkled his nose. The air was rank with the stench of combat-weary warriors. Unease tightened his belly as he thought about the battle. Russetfur shouldn’t have died. The skirmish over the Twoleg clearing should have played out till the strongest Clan had claimed the territory. Death had no part in a fight over boundaries.
Lionblaze brushed past Millie, tucked into a ball beside the entrance, and pushed his way out of the den, cold air nipping his nose. He blinked, relishing the chill, pulling free of the trailing branches that dragged at his pelt. The clearing glittered in bright moonlight. Frost silvered the cliffs that circled the camp, and the ground felt like stone. Lionblaze’s warm pads stung for a few paw steps, then grew numb with the cold.
He paused and listened. In the medicine den, Jayfeather soothed Briarlight as she coughed. Molekit was purring in the nursery, probably warming himself with Poppyfrost’s milk. The battle seemed like another world away.
A faint crack sounded from the top of the hollow. Lionblaze jerked his gaze upward and saw a piece of grit catch the moonlight as it fell. It landed with a tiny snick on the frozen clearing.
Something’s up there.
Lionblaze headed for the barrier. Jayfeather had warned that the Dark Forest was rising against them; no sign could be ignored.
“Lionblaze?” Cinderheart squeezed from the den entrance behind him. “Are you okay?”
Lionblaze glanced over his shoulder. Cinderheart’s gray tabby pelt was still ruffled from her nest. “Did you hear something out there?”
The thorns rustled, and Hazeltail slid into the hollow. “What’s up?” Firestar had assigned her to guard the entrance with Graystripe. The ThunderClan leader always doubled the guard after battles.
“Have you seen or heard anything tonight?” Lionblaze glanced back up to the top of the hollow.
Hazeltail followed his gaze. “No.”
“Has Graystripe?”
“Did someone say my name?” The gray warrior peered in through the barrier. His fur was fluffed up against the cold.
“Has anything happened while you’ve been on watch?” Lionblaze pressed.
“Nothing.”
Hazeltail stretched, stifling a yawn. “It’s been silent as the stars all evening,” she agreed. “Why? Are you expecting something?”
The fallen speck of grit glinted on the frosty ground.
“It’s probably just prey,” Lionblaze muttered.
“Mmm, prey.” Graystripe licked his lips and ducked back out of sight. Hazeltail shook out her fur and padded through the thorns to join him outside.
Cinderheart eyed Lionblaze. “Shall we go and check?”
Lionblaze hesitated. “It’ll be freezing in the forest.”
Cinderheart shrugged. “A run will warm us up.”
“But it’s the middle of the night.” He didn’t want to share his unease with her. And what if there was something there? He felt a protective surge rise in his chest. “You stay here. I’ll check.”
Cinderheart’s eyes flashed in the moonlight. “I’m not a kit!”
Flustered, Lionblaze flicked his tail. “I didn’t mean—”
Cinderheart marched past him. “And I’m not going to stand here till my paws freeze to the ground!”
Lionblaze sighed as she stalked toward the camp entrance. If Cinderheart was going to be stubborn, there was nothing he could do about it.
He followed her to the barrier. “We’d better be on the lookout for ShadowClan,” he warned. “They might still have a taste for ThunderClan blood.”
Cinderheart glanced back at him sharply. “You think?” She pushed her way through the tunnel.
Lionblaze snorted, annoyed with himself. She was right; he was treating her like a kit.
“Where are you two going?” Graystripe challenged as they emerged from the wall of thorns.
“Can’t sleep,” Cinderheart explained.
“Be careful,” Hazeltail cautioned.
“We won’t stay out long.” Lionblaze’s breath billowed in front of him. “It’s too cold.” He followed a narrow path through the frosty bracken and up through the trees.
At the top of the hollow, they emerged from the forest into moonlight. Lionblaze sniffed at the grass edging the cliff top. It was limp with frost, and he could smell nothing but frozen leaves and ice.
“Are you okay?” Cinderheart’s mew was hushed with concern.
“What do you mean?”
“About Russetfur.” Cinderheart tipped her head to one side. “About her dying.”
Lionblaze stiffened. “About me killing her, you mean?”
“You had to save Firestar.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Lionblaze turned back to the grass, following the glittering stalks around the hollow’s edge toward a fallen branch. He could only smell ThunderClan scents. No sign of intruders, or prey.
“You have to talk about it,” Cinderheart persisted. “Every other cat will be talking about it. You can’t just pretend it didn’t happen.”
“It shouldn’t have happened!” The words burst from Lionblaze, anger flooding quickly after. He sprang onto the fallen branch and turned on his Clanmate. “I never meant to kill her!” He tore at the bark, ripping chunks out with his claws. “I was just trying to save Firestar! But I didn’t even manage to do that. He still lost a life!”
Cinderheart flinched from the spray of splinters. “You didsave Firestar.” Her voice was firm. “Who knows what Russetfur would’ve done next? She might have taken all his lives.”
Why was she making him remember? He was suddenly back in the battle, Russetfur struggling in his grip as he tried to rip her from Firestar. He shuddered as he felt her grow limp beneath his claws. Why had StarClan let him killher?
Cinderheart kept pushing. “Every warrior knows they might die in battle. Why are you so upset? Are you afraid ShadowClan will retaliate?” Her dark blue eyes reflected the stars. “Why should they? Death happens. Clans have more to worry about than losing a warrior.”
“She was their deputy!” Lionblaze snapped.
Cinderheart met his gaze. “She was old.”
Lionblaze’s anger weakened its grip. He was suddenly sorry he had let his temper get the better of him. “A true warrior doesn’t kill to win,” he murmured. “Remember the code?”
Cinderheart blinked, her pelt smoothing, then turned and stared into the trees as though watching a thought drift into the forest. “Maybe times are changing,” she breathed.
Lionblaze stiffened. “No!”
Cinderheart shifted her paws.
“What do you mean?” Lionblaze pressed. “The warrior code is the same as it always was. How can something thatimportant to all the Clans change?”
Cinderheart shrugged. “Can’t you feel it?”
“Feel what?” Lionblaze felt his pelt start to prickle. Had Dovepaw given something away about the prophecy?
“Something  .  .  .” Cinderheart seemed to be searching for the right words. “Something feels different. The battle was so vicious—too vicious for a fight over boundaries—almost as if it was just the beginning of something much worse.” Her eyes were round, dark pools.
Lionblaze stared at her. Was she the only cat to feel this way? He was used to the prophecy: There will be three who will hold the power of the stars in their paws. He’d known for moons that ancient enemies were stirring. The Clans were on the edge of darkness. The knowledge colored every moment for him now; it shaped every thought. But the rest of the Clan must be protected from knowing. It was more than they could comprehend, more than they could cope with, however hard they trained, however much they believed in the warrior code.
“Have you had a dream? Some warning?” he demanded. “If you have, you should tell Firestar.”
Cinderheart shook her head. “No. It just feels wrong that Russetfur tried to kill Firestar. She was a fine warrior. Why try and kill him? She must’ve known StarClan would disapprove.”
Lionblaze leaned forward as she went on.
“It was like something darker was driving ShadowClan.”
A shriek from the trees made them both spin, fur on end, claws unsheathed. A white owl wheeled from between the trunks. It dived toward them, the air from the downbeat of its wide, snowy wings lifting their fur as it swooped past.
“What in the name of StarClan?” Lionblaze gasped.
A wing tip whipped against his muzzle, and he fought to keep his balance on the branch as, with another shriek, the owl whirled away over the hollow. With a startled yowl, Cinderheart pelted into the trees, her tail bristled like gorse. Lionblaze hared after her.
He started to call to his denmate, to reassure her, but he stopped himself. Running would wear out her fear soon enough. Besides, the cold night wind felt good in his fur. He felt powerful. Trees blurred around him; branches trembled as he passed. Cinderheart’s tail, a fox-length ahead, was already beginning to smooth, snaking behind her as she plunged through a stand of bracken. He followed, the frozen stalks scraping his pelt.
Cinderheart swerved as they burst from the bracken. The forest floor dropped away in a short steep slope that Cinderheart leaped in an easy stride, landing lightly and racing onward. She veered to skirt a knot of bare brambles. The trees grew thicker around them as they headed deeper into the forest. Lionblaze let Cinderheart lead, enjoying the warmth of her wake, matching her pace, concentrating only on the ground beneath his paws.
When Cinderheart began to slow, he slowed too, flanks heaving, breath coming in hard gasps, as together they pulled to a halt. Lionblaze was surprised to see the abandoned Twoleg nest, dark against the darker trees. He hadn’t realized they had run so far. They trotted past in silence and headed up the oak-lined slope behind the stones. Brambles sprang in front of them, but Cinderheart kept pushing her way through until she stumbled into a tiny clearing.
Behind her, Lionblaze stopped with a jolt.
“What is it?” Cinderheart asked, turning.
Lionblaze stared around the cramped space, hedged by thorns. He had been here once before. Then the sloping ground had been flat and grassy, dipping down in the center to a hole. Now the hole was gone, and instead of smooth grass, rocks and mud had set like a scab on the forest floor.
Lionblaze felt sick. Somewhere below that wounded earth lay his sister Hollyleaf’s body. This was where she had fled into the tunnels after finding out that Leafpool was their real mother. The entrance had collapsed and disappeared behind a mudslide, trapping her forever.
“What is it?” Cinderheart’s whiskers brushed his.
Lionblaze shook his head. Only he and Jayfeather knew the truth of Hollyleaf’s disappearance, the reason she had vanished underground: not just because of Leafpool, but because she had killed Ashfur, the only cat apart from them and Squirrelflight who knew, in order to keep the secret. When Ashfur’s death changed nothing in the storm inside Hollyleaf’s head, she had announced the truth at a Gathering, then returned to confront Leafpool one final time before fleeing to the tunnel. As far as her Clanmates were concerned, she had died in a tragic accident, and Ashfur’s murderer was still unknown, presumed to be a passing rogue.
Lionblaze had been so excited when he’d first seen the tunnels. The wonder of them! A secret place to meet and have fun. Now he stared at the fractured earth and wished Heathertail had never found them. Guilt pricked his pelt as he remembered playing underground with the pretty WindClan warrior while they were both still apprentices.
A growl rumbled in his throat. If Heathertail hadn’t discovered the tunnels, Hollyleaf might still be alive.
“Lionblaze?” Cinderheart’s anxious mew brought Lionblaze to his senses. His paws ached, and he realized he had been digging his claws deep into the frozen earth.
“What is it?” Cinderheart was staring at him with her head to one side. “Are you still spooked by the owl?”
“I guess so.” Lionblaze unhooked his claws from the earth and smoothed his fur with a few licks. “Let’s check the ShadowClan border,” he suggested, hoping to distract her. “We’re almost there.”
“Not still scared they’re after our blood?”
Lionblaze glanced at the lightening sky, ignoring her teasing. “It’s nearly dawn,” he meowed. “We can do an early patrol and report back to Firestar.”
Cinderheart looked relieved. “You sound like a warrior again.” She brushed past him. “You had me worried.”
Lionblaze fell in beside her. “Worried about me?”
“Why not?” She stopped and gazed at him seriously. “You’re a good friend.”
Maybe more than a friend?
Before he could summon the courage to say it out loud, she darted away.
“I’ll race you!” she called.
Lionblaze gave chase, keeping up easily as Cinderheart swerved between the trees. Would he ever have the nerve to tell her he wanted her to be more than a friend? His fur prickled with frustration. He could be the bravest warrior in all four Clans, but the thought of telling Cinderheart how he felt drained every drop of courage from him.
Stars glimmered between the trunks ahead. They were nearing the edge of the forest.
He quickened his pace. “Hurry up!” He pulled ahead of Cinderheart, pretending to tease. Truthfully, he wanted to reach the Twoleg clearing before she did. They had fought for it and won it, but he still didn’t trust ShadowClan. There was no way he was going to let Cinderheart run into a trap.
He stopped at the edge of the trees, signaling to Cinderheart with his tail to keep back. She ignored him and crouched at his side as he peered across the frost-whitened grass. “I wish Firestar had never asked for it back!” she muttered.
Lionblaze snapped his head around and stared at her, shocked.
She shifted her paws. “I just mean it’s impossible to patrol.” There was an apology in her mew, as though she sensed she’d spoken too hastily. “ShadowClan can see us patrolling the moment we set paw out of the forest, and the hunting’s so poor, and the Twolegs are here all greenleaf—” She broke off.
Lionblaze saw the sense in her argument and wanted to tell her that he’d had doubts about the battle, too. Had it really been worth the blood that had been spilled? But he held his tongue. The Clan had to remain strong and united, now more than ever.
He stifled a shiver. The sound of battle echoed in his ears. Yet again, he felt Russetfur’s life ebb away beneath his claws. Sickness rose in his throat, and he pressed his belly to the earth.
“Someone’s watching us!” Cinderheart’s hiss jerked him back to the present.
“Where?”
Cinderheart pointed with her muzzle, and Lionblaze spotted a pair of eyes gleaming from among the ShadowClan trees on the other side of the clearing.
In a flash, Lionblaze was tearing across the grass. No cat was going to touch the newly won ThunderClan territory. Pelt bristling with anger, he skidded to a halt a tail-length from the ShadowClan border, ears flattened, tail lashing.
The eyes blinked at him calmly; then a cat stepped out from the trees.
Flametail
The ShadowClan medicine cat stared at him boldly. “Come to kill me like you killed Russetfur?” he growled.
Cinderheart’s paws sounded behind Lionblaze. “This is our territory now,” she warned the ShadowClan cat. “You’d be wise to remember that.”
Flametail snorted and padded closer, crossing the scent line as casually as if he were padding into his own camp. “I’m a medicine cat,” he reminded them. “I can go where I please.”
Lionblaze swallowed against the rage that rose from his bellyShadowClan arrogance!“Shouldn’t you be back at your camp, treating your wounded?”
“My Clanmates are well.” Flametail fixed his gaze on Lionblaze. “Except for Russetfur, of course.”
Lionblaze had to stop himself from leaping at the young cat. Didn’t Flametail understand the significance of the battle? Didn’t he understand how much it had cost both Clans?
He felt Cinderheart’s tail brush his flank. “Enough,” she murmured, smoothing his bristling fur. “He wants a reaction. Don’t give it to him.”
Lionblaze let her soft mew soothe him and pulled in his claws
“You’d best steer well clear of ThunderClan today,” Cinderheart told the ShadowClan cat. “We have to set new markers, and yours is not the only Clan that has suffered from the battle.”
Flametail blinked at Lionblaze, ignoring Cinderheart. “Once I thought we were kin,” he spat. “Now I’m glad we’re not. I would hate to share blood with a murderer.”
Lionblaze let out a warning yowl, but Flametail turned and, chin high, stalked back into the trees.
“The fox-hearted coward!” Lionblaze wanted to tear Flametail to shreds and feel his life ebb away as Russetfur’s had.
“Let’s go.” Cinderheart circled him nervously, edging him backward, away from the ShadowClan border. “There’s nothing we can do here except make more trouble.”
Growling, Lionblaze turned and plunged across the clearing. Reaching the ThunderClan forest, he crashed through a wall of brambles, hardly feeling the thorns that slashed his muzzle and tugged lumps from his pelt. Rage and grief blinded him as he raced through the forest. He headed for the hollow, running blindly, ignoring Graystripe and Hazeltail as they welcomed him back. The thorn barrier swooshed past him as he hurtled into camp.
Berrynose was at the nursery entrance, looking rather startled. “Is everything okay?” he called.
“Fine.”
Berrynose narrowed his eyes for a moment, then nodded and disappeared into the brambles. Squeaks of welcome sounded inside as Molekit and Cherrykit greeted their father.
“Lionblaze?” Jayfeather was beside the warriors’ den.
“What are you doing awake?” Lionblaze panted. “It’s not even dawn.”
“Checking on the wounded cats.”
“Is everyone okay?”
Jayfeather nodded and headed for the barrier. “Come with me,” he instructed. “We need to talk.”
Lionblaze was starting to feel bone tired from all his running. “What about?” he grumbled mutinously.
Jayfeather narrowed his eyes. “Ivypaw,” he growled.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
“Ivypaw?”
Dovepaw sat up, blinking.
Lionblaze’s disbelieving mew had woken her, ringing in her ears as clearly as a blackbird’s alarm. She jerked her head around, searching the apprentices’ den for him, but he wasn’t there. Ivypaw was sleeping; Blossomfall and Bumblestripe were still snoring in their nests. They’d move to the new warriors’ den once it was finished. Then Ivypaw and Dovepaw would be alone, the only apprentices in the Clan until Molekit and Cherrykit became ’paws.
“Yes, Ivypaw.” That was Jayfeather speaking.
Dovepaw shook her head. She must be hearing voices outside the den. She reached past the den walls into the ice-cold camp, casting her senses, searching for the conversation that had disturbed her sleep.
“Are you sure?” Lionblaze sounded breathless with disbelief
What were they saying about Ivypaw? Why did they sound so worried? Trembling, Dovepaw scrambled out of the den. I’m one of the Three. They should be talking to me. I’m Ivypaw’s sister.She headed for the barrier, hurrying lightly over the frosted earth.
The entrance was less than a tail-length away when a voice called from outside the nursery. “Dovepaw!”
She halted, frustrated.
Berrynose was watching her. “Where are you going?” The young warrior’s creamy coat glowed in the pale light. Molekit and Cherrykit huddled beside him, tiny clouds of air spouting from their noses.
“Dirtplace.”
“Then use the dirtplace tunnel.”
Lionblaze’s voice pricked Dovepaw’s ear fur once more. “She knewhim?”
Knew who?
Dovepaw had to find out. She turned and trotted to the dirtplace tunnel. She could slip out that way and find them.
Paw steps followed her. “Are you going to the dirtplace?” Ivypaw, her fur ruffled from sleep, fell in beside her. “Me too.”
Dovepaw curled her claws with frustration. There was no way she could slip away now. Ivypaw would want to come with her. As she pricked her ears, searching out Lionblaze again, she noticed that Ivypaw was limping.
“What’s wrong?” Her worries swiftly focused on her sister. Ivypaw was favoring one of her hind paws, treading lightly on one, heavily on the other. “I thought you weren’t injured in the battle.”
“I must have slept on it funny,” Ivypaw muttered. The silver-and-white she-cat stiffened as though trying to disguise her limp. “Wasn’t the battle exciting?” Ivypaw changed the subject.
“You enjoyed it?” Dovepaw stared at her sister. “But Firestar lost a life.”
“Well, that bit was bad, and Russetfur dying. But it felt so good to use all the skills we’ve learned.”
Dovepaw ducked through the dirtplace tunnel. “I’d rather stick to using hunting skills and save the fighting skills for defending my Clan.”
“But we weredefending our Clan!” Ivypaw followed her. “ShadowClan was going to steal our territory. Don’t you remember my dream?”
Dovepaw didn’t answer. She still didn’t understand why StarClan had sent a dream to Ivypaw and not to her. She made her dirt and headed back into camp.
The Clan was stirring. Graystripe padded past, yawning, heading toward the warriors’ den. He cast a baleful glance at the clear dawn sky. “This chill is here to stay. Prey will be scarce before long.”
Hazeltail padded after the gray warrior. “That was a long, cold night,” she commented.
Graystripe paused to brush muzzles with Millie, who was nosing her way out of the warriors’ den. “You’re warm,” he purred.
Millie pressed against him. “Get some rest,” she told him. “It’s warm inside. I’ll catch you something nice for when you wake up.”
The first rays of sun sliced over the top of the hollow and washed the nursery in orange light. Dovepaw reached again for the conversation that had woken her, but Lionblaze and Jayfeather were heading away from camp, silent now except for their paw steps, which crunched over frozen leaves.
Why are they being so secretive?
“Hey!” Ivypaw hurried from the dirtplace tunnel. “You didn’t wait for me.”
Dovepaw forced her mew to sound light. “Are you surprised?” She wrinkled her nose.
“Are you saying I stink?” Ivypaw reared and cuffed her playfully, then winced and dropped back onto all four paws.
“Maybe you should see Jayfeather about that leg,” Dovepaw suggested.
“It’ll be okay,” Ivypaw promised. “Look.” She turned toward the halfrock, where Brambleclaw and Firestar were organizing the day’s patrols. “There are more important things to worry about.”
“I want two patrols along the new ShadowClan border.” Firestar lifted his chin as he gave the order, but his green eyes were tired. The fur at his throat was still clumped with blood where Russetfur had bitten him.
Toadstep, Icecloud, Cinderheart, and Rosepetal clustered beside the halfrock. Thornclaw, Sandstorm, and Dustpelt sat farther back, while Leafpool and Squirrelflight paced nearby.
“What’s the plan?” Cloudtail joined them, his blue eyes bleary with sleep.
“Two patrols,” Squirrelflight told him.
Firestar went on. “Brambleclaw will lead the lake patrol; Dustpelt will take the other. Thornclaw, Whitewing, and Squirrelflight, go with Brambleclaw.”
Thornclaw dipped his head. Whitewing nodded. Squirrelflight flashed an uncertain look at Brambleclaw, dropping her gaze when he returned it through narrowed eyes.
Firestar pressed on. “Cloudtail, Sorreltail, and Spiderleg, you go with Dustpelt.”
Cloudtail turned at once, fur bristling, and headed for the camp entrance. Sorreltail followed him, her denmates close on her heels. They filed out of camp, tails bushed as though ready for a fight.
“Cinderheart.” Firestar turned his attention to the gray she-cat. “It’s leaf-bare. The Clan needs skilled hunters, so practice stalking with Ivypaw today. I don’t want to let this battle distract our apprentices from their training one moment longer. Lionblaze, do the same with Dovepaw.”
Dovepaw stiffened as Firestar scanned the camp. “Where is Lionblaze?” he said.
Berrynose stepped forward. “He went out with Jayfeather just before dawn.”
Firestar’s eye caught Dovepaw’s. She could tell that he wanted to know if something was wrong. Dovepaw shrugged. She knew no more than he did.
Firestar frowned. “In that case, Dovepaw, join Cinderheart and Ivypaw.” He turned to Berrynose. “Go with them. You can take Lionblaze’s place today.”
Ivypaw leaned closer to Dovepaw. “Great,” she muttered. “Hunting practice andBerrynose.”
Dovepaw understood her sister’s frustration. They had fought alongside warriors yesterday. Today they were back to being apprentices.
“Come on.” Berrynose led the way to the entrance. As they passed the nursery, Molekit and Cherrykit broke away from Poppyfrost’s side and skipped between his paws, almost tripping him. A loud purr rumbled in Berrynose’s throat. “You’ll be warriors soon enough,” he promised. “And when you are, ShadowClan won’t dare threaten our territory.”
Ivypaw rolled her eyes and whispered to Dovepaw, “Does he have to show off about everything?”
Dovepaw hardly heard her. She was casting her senses after Jayfeather and Lionblaze. Where are you?
A shove from behind surprised her. “Stop staring into the trees,” Cinderheart chided gently. “Firestar’s right. Hunting is our priority in leaf-bare. I want you to focus.”
Dovepaw dipped her head and followed Berrynose and Ivypaw out of the hollow.
“Bring us back a vole!” Cherrykit called after them.
As they trailed through the forest to the training hollow, Dovepaw was still fretting. Why were Lionblaze and Jayfeather talking about Ivypaw? She recalled the knowing look her sister had exchanged with Tigerheart during the battle. In that brief glance it had seemed the two young cats weren’t enemies at all. She frowned. Had Lionblaze seen it too? Was he suspicious of Ivypaw’s loyalty? Surely not!
“Dovepaw.” Berrynose jolted her from her thoughts. “Concentrate!”
They’d reached the hollow and had stopped in the middle of the sandy clearing.
“What did I just say?” Berrynose demanded.
Dovepaw lifted her chin and stared at him blankly, her pelt growing hot.
With a sigh loud enough to scare off any prey in the area, Berrynose began to pace in front of her. “I said that even the most seasoned warrior needs to work on his hunting crouch and keep working on it.” He halted and whisked the cold air with his tail. “Show me yours.”
Dovepaw dropped into a crouch.
“Tuck your haunches in more, or your spring will be weak.” Berrynose nudged her flank with his nose. He straightened her tail with a paw. “Keep it off the ground. And stop twitching. The noise of fur on leaves will alert your prey.”
Dovepaw lowered her chin, holding it stiff and straight.
“Don’t stick your neck so far out,” Berrynose corrected. “You must be coiled like a snake, ready to strike, not stretched flat like a weasel sniffing for birds’ nests.”
Dovepaw dug her claws into the stone-hard ground.
Cinderheart stepped forward. “She looks fine to me.”
“I bet she couldn’t reach that conker,” Ivypaw dared.
“Bet I could!” Dovepaw slowed her breath, focusing on the prickly shell three tail-lengths ahead. She let energy build in her paws, then leaped.
She landed on it squarely. “Ouch!” Its spines jabbed her pads, and she sprang away, fur bristling.
Ivypaw squealed with amusement. “Sorry, Dovepaw! I didn’t really think you’d jump on top of it.”
“Okay, okay!” Dovepaw sat back on her haunches and lapped at her stinging paws. “I’m a mouse-brain.” She couldn’t help purring.
Ivypaw skipped around her. “Even a mouse isn’t that dumb.”
Dovepaw pretended to look hurt, then sprang at Ivypaw, knocking into her and rolling her over.
“Enough,” Cinderheart mewed affectionately. “Back to work.” She nudged Ivypaw with her muzzle. “Show us your crouch.”
Ivypaw pressed her white belly to the earth.
“You’re leaning to one side,” Berrynose warned.
Ivypaw was still favoring her injured paw. As Dovepaw watched Berrynose and Cinderheart pad around her sister, she pricked her ears and reached for the sound of Lionblaze’s mew. Concentrating hard, she let her senses trace down to the lake, her ear fur pricking as she heard waves shifting pebbles at the shore. Familiar scents hit her nose. Jayfeather and Lionblaze were beside the water, huddled close together on the stones
“And you’re sure Ivypaw wanted to be there?”
Dovepaw stiffened. Be where?She closed her eyes. Now she could see Lionblaze and Jayfeather shaped in scent and sound, sitting on the shore with the lake lapping beside them, the icy wind lifting their fur.
“She was acting like she belonged there,” Jayfeather muttered.
Lionblaze sucked air through clenched teeth. “This is serious.”
“Serious?”Jayfeather echoed. “This is the worstthing that has ever happened to the Clans! The Dark Forest was filledwith cats from every Clan! So many that a battle with the Dark Forest could destroy us all!”
Dovepaw’s fur bristled as Jayfeather’s words sunk in. She’d known that some cats were being targeted by Hawkfrost and Tigerstar, but she couldn’t believe ThunderClan cats would ever be seduced by their lies.
Something slammed into her side, sending her rolling across the frozen earth.
“Ha!” Berrynose loomed over her. “I told you she was asleep, Cinderheart!”
Dovepaw scrambled to her paws, spitting out frosty soil.
“It’s leaf-bare,” Berrynose meowed sharply. “How much prey do you think you’ll catch in your sleep?”
Dovepaw blinked at him. Ivypaw’s being trained by the Dark Forest warriors!
On the other side of the clearing, her sister was getting to her paws, her pelt ruffled from rolling on the sandy earth. She suddenly looked small and tired, her eyes dull, her shoulders drooping.
It can’t be true! Why would they choose her? She doesn’t have any special powers!
Stop!Her thoughts were rushing like a hurricane. She took a gulping breath and steadied her mind. Jayfeather might be wrong. Perhaps Tigerstar was leadinghim astray, not Ivypaw.
“Dovepaw!” Berrynose’s harsh mew broke into her thoughts again. “Are you this featherbrained when you train with Lionblaze?”
Dovepaw shook her head. “Sorry.” She dropped her gaze. “I’m still a bit distracted after the battle.  .  .  .” She let her voice trail away, relieved to hear Berrynose’s tone soften.
“You’re young,” he mewed gently. “No doubt the battle was hard for you.” He brushed his tail along her flank. “Let’s concentrate on feeding your Clan. It’s every bit as important as fighting. I want to teach you something that will help with leaf-bare hunting.” He trotted to the center of the clearing. “You watch too, Ivypaw.”
Dovepaw glared at her sister as she crossed the clearing.
Ivypaw met her gaze. “Are you okay?”
“Watch this, you two.” Berrynose had dropped into a crouch. He was staring at a small mound of frozen leaves a few tail-lengths ahead. “When the ground is frozen like this, prey can hear every paw step as though it were a woodpecker tapping on a hollow log.” He moved forward slowly, sliding his paws over the frosted leaves.
“You look like a snake,” Ivypaw mewed.
Cinderheart circled her. “And he’ll soundlike a snake to any prey,” she pointed out. “They’ll be so busy sniffing for a snake, they won’t think catuntil it’s too late.”
As she finished, Berrynose sprang forward, darting fast as a hawk, and landed on the mound of leaves. He sat up and turned
“You try it, Dovepaw.”
Dovepaw slithered forward a few paces, her frozen paws slipping easy as ice over ice. Then she jumped.
“Perfect!” Berrynose called as she landed on the leaf mound
Dovepaw whisked her tail. The sooner they got this training over with, the sooner she could question her sister.
“Your turn,” Berrynose told Ivypaw.
Dovepaw sat up straight and blinked at Berrynose. “Why don’t I go off with Ivypaw and put it into practice?” she mewed. “It’s going to be such a short day.” She glanced up through the trees. The sun had hardly cleared the topmost branches. It would begin to sink before long. “Your demonstration was so good that I’m sure Ivypaw will be able to manage this move.”
Berrynose puffed out his chest. “Sounds fair.”
Cinderheart cocked her head. “Are you sure you’ve got it?”
“Absolutely,” Dovepaw promised. “And if Ivypaw needs any help, we’ll come back and find you.”
Cinderheart narrowed her eyes. “Ivypaw?”
Ivypaw nodded.
“Stay away from the ShadowClan border,” Cinderheart warned them.
“Of course!” Dovepaw was already bounding out of the training hollow. She followed a narrow trail between two gorse bushes and headed up the slope to the top of the hollow.
Ivypaw was close on her tail. Dovepaw could feel her sister’s warm breath.
“Good thinking!” Ivypaw puffed. “I couldn’t stand another moment of Berrynose showing off.”
Dovepaw didn’t reply. She was rehearsing questions in her head. Why are you doing this? How could you be so stupid?
They reached the edge of the cliffs. Dovepaw pushed on, following the curve of the sheer stone walls, ignoring the sounds of camp life far below.
“Hey, Rosepetal!” Toadstep was calling to his littermate. “Do you want to come hunting with Mousewhisker and me?”
“Leafpool’s patrol just brought back a thrush.”
“Who knows how long this frost will last? It’s best to keep the fresh-kill pile full.”
Dovepaw felt a tug on her tail.
“Weren’t wegoing to hunt?” Ivypaw meowed crossly.
Dovepaw ignored her, and headed through the beech trees toward the WindClan border. She could hear a squirrel pattering along the ground nearby, but she kept going. She had no intention of stopping to hunt. She had to get Ivypaw somewhere far from the Clan and ask her if Jayfeather was right.
She was suddenly aware that Ivypaw had stopped following. Skidding to a halt on the slippery leaves, she turned back. Ivypaw had dropped into a hunting crouch and was stalking a mouse as it sat nibbling a beechnut between the roots of a tree. Ivypaw pulled herself forward, eyes locked on her prey.
How can you hunt like everything’s normal?Rage rose in Dovepaw’s throat until she couldn’t swallow it back anymore.
“Stop!” she yowled.
The mouse froze, then dropped its nut and darted away beneath the roots of the beech.
“Is it true?” Dovepaw marched toward her sister, pelt bristling, half with fear, half with anger.
Ivypaw blinked at her.
Dovepaw took a deep breath. “Have you been to the Dark Forest?”
“What?” Ivypaw stepped back.
“You heard me!” Dovepaw halted and glared at her sister. “Have you been to the Dark Forest?”
“Of course not!” Ivypaw was bristling now, her green eyes wide. “Why would you say something like that?”
“Jayfeather followed you in your dreams.” Dovepaw saw Ivypaw swallow.
“I—I  .  .  .”
“So it’s true?” Dovepaw’s heart pounded.
Ivypaw’s blue eyes hardened. “So what if I did? It’s the only way I’m going to learn how to be a great warrior. Everyone’s trying so hard to make youthe best warrior in ThunderClan; they hardly bother with me. I’m just Dovepaw’s dumb sister—”
Dovepaw couldn’t bear to listen. “How could you be so stupid? The Dark Forest cats are evil!”
“How would you know?” Ivypaw spat back. “You’ve never met one!”
Dovepaw stared at her. “Of coursethey’re evil. Why else would they be in the Dark Forest? Do you think StarClan sent Tigerstar there because he was good?”
“Have you ever met Tigerstar?”
“No! But I’ve heard nursery tales about him. So have you! He tried to destroy Firestar; he set BloodClan on him—”
“He’s different now!” Ivypaw thrust her muzzle in Dovepaw’s face. “His time in the Dark Forest has taught him the importance of loyalty.” Was that a challenge in her mew?
Dovepaw didn’t flinch. “You’re wrong,” she hissed. “He wants to destroy Firestar as much as he ever did. The only thing that matters to Tigerstar is power.”
Ivypaw curled her lip. “You haven’t spoken to him. Ihave! He told me everything. How he only became ShadowClan’s leader after Bluestar forced him out of ThunderClan. How he’s always stayed loyal to his birth Clan. Despite everything they’ve done to him!”
“Everything they’vedone to him?” Dovepaw couldn’t believe her ears.
“Who won the battle yesterday?”
“What’s the battle got to do with it?”
“It was Tigerstar’s idea! He’s the one who told me to persuade Firestar to fight ShadowClan. He warned me that ShadowClan was planning to steal our territory. And because of Tigerstar, we stole theirterritory instead. What’s that, if it’s not loyalty?”
“But Tigerstar is part of the Dark Forest! You can’t trust him! Don’t you see that the battle caused nothing but trouble?” Dovepaw spat. “Winning a worthless piece of land cost Firestar a life and killed Russetfur!”
Ivypaw narrowed her eyes. “Tigerstar is still loyal to ThunderClan. You’re just jealous. You’re jealous that it’s mehe’s visiting and not you! You’re scared I might become a better warrior than you! That Imight be the special one, and that Firestar might start taking notice of me instead of you!”
“Don’t be a mouse-brain! You’re my sister.” But Dovepaw found herself yowling at empty air. Ivypaw had turned and bounded into the bracken. Suddenly alone in the frozen forest, Dovepaw started shivering.
Her sister was training in the Dark Forest! How could StarClan have let this happen?
引子
引子
一缕一缕的云快速飘过星星，漆黑的夜空下，树枝摇曳，树叶洒落在影影绰绰的林间空地上。一阵风吹过，空地边缘的灌木丛沙沙作响，仿佛有狼群正从中间穿过。
空地的中央，一只上了年纪的母猫缩起肩膀，抵御着呼啸的气流。星光在她暗淡的灰毛上闪烁。两只猫的身影走下斜坡朝她而来，她平贴起了自己的耳朵。
“黄牙，”一只白毛母猫率先开了口，“我们一直在找你。”
“狮心已经给我说了。”黄牙仰起下巴，雨水在这位巫医的口鼻上溅出斑斑湿迹，她向自己曾经的老师眨了眨眼睛，“圣须，有什么事吗？”
圣须厉声答道：“我们之前一直在谈论此事。”
“整个星族一直都在谈论此事。”在她一旁的玳瑁色同伴插了话，“每一只猫都认为，你本该出面阻止的。”
“雷族和影族之间的战斗吗？”黄牙甩了甩尾巴，“你觉得我有那么大的能力去阻止一场战斗吗，蕨荫？”
圣须身子前倾：“你本可以给雷族传个信息。”
“假如你传了信息，黄毛可能就不会死了。”蕨荫朝她逼近几步，语气里流露出些许恨意，“你知道，我训练过她。”
“我没有忘记。”黄牙粗声说道。
蕨荫眯起双眼：“如今不得不去迎接她的猫也是我。”
黄牙肩膀一沉。“她老了，”她嘟哝着，“加入我们中间，或许她高兴还来不及呢。”
圣须猛甩着白色的尾巴：“没有哪位武士想死，尤其是死在一场原本不该发生的战斗中。”
蕨荫卷起了嘴唇：“你清楚黑森林里的那些猫正在谋划什么。火星根本没有必要为了那片没用的草地向黑星发难。难道你蓄意让猫去送死吗？”
风打着旋儿从山谷刮过，撕扯着她们的耳朵和尾巴。就在这时，蓝星的声音从坡顶传来。
“够了！”
这位曾经的雷族族长迈开大步走下来，和她们打招呼。她依次向圣须和蕨荫点了点头说：“发生战斗固然很不幸，但我们可以从中吸取教训。”
圣须迎着她的目光：“什么教训？”
蓝星站在原地，脚掌似乎在起伏的草地里生了根：“起码现在我们知道对手是谁了。黑森林的猫可能会改变几大族群的命运。要不是因为他们，这场战斗根本就不会爆发。”
黄牙身子一阵颤抖：“自从我在黑森林里见到断星的那一刻起，我就该料到，族群将遭受此番厄运。”
圣须朝自己曾经的学徒猛地扭过头去。“那么他会出现在黑森林是谁的错呢？或者说，他居然能被生下来，是谁的错呢？”她的双眼闪着怒光，“是你违背武士守则生下了他。你当初就没料到后果吗？”
黄牙身子向后缩了缩。
“相互指责没任何用处。”蓝星擦着黄牙身边走过，尾巴从这只老猫成绺的皮毛上拂过，“我们在世时，谁没犯过错呢。”
蕨荫愤怒地抽动着胡须：“但不是每只猫都违背了武士守则。”
蓝星的眼睛眨都没眨一下。“错误让我们学到更多，”她平静地说道，“我们也能从这场战斗中吸取教训。我们必须摒弃前嫌，所有族群必须齐心协力。”
“断星给我的惩罚已经太多了，”她轻声嘀咕道，“而现在，他还想来惩罚我，摧毁那些曾被我视同亲族的族群。”
“这不是只和你有关的事！”圣须厉声说道，“黑森林里不管发生什么，都会影响到我们每一位。我们必须在它对影族造成更大的伤害前制止它！”
一声怒吼在蓝星喉中翻滚：“受到伤害的不仅仅是影族！火星也失去了一条性命！”
一道电光划过。众猫蹲伏下来，向上眨着眼睛，身上的毛根根竖立。当雷声隆隆着传向远处时，更多的猫开始进入林间空地。
“狮心！”蓝星叫道。看到自己的老朋友带着泥毛和橡心从斜坡下来，她的声音里透出了一丝宽慰。
“发生什么事了？”狮心在蓝星身边停下脚步。
“我们都知道影族与雷族之间的战斗是黑森林暗中挑起的。”蓝星告诉他。
“是雷族发动的战斗！”蕨荫咆哮道。
“是黑森林里的猫发起的战斗！”蓝星提醒他们。她看了黄牙一眼，说道：“不仅是断星，虎星和鹰霜也在训练族群的武士。”
橡心眯起了眼睛。“我们知道他们训练的是谁吗？”他那河族特有的光滑皮毛上缀着点点雨珠。
黄牙龇出参差不齐的脏牙齿：“断星会诱惑他能够接触到的所有灵魂。”
“如果他们招募了一位族长，那怎么办？”蕨荫咆哮道。
曾经的风族巫医泥毛摇了摇头：“我们再也不能信任任何一只猫了。”
“或者族群。”圣须忧郁地咕哝着。
泥毛绷紧身子，嗅了嗅空气，竖起耳朵说道：“谁在那里？泥掌？我们没料到会在这里见到你。”
众猫转过身，看着那位风族武士从斜坡上急匆匆地跑下来。“我听说这件事就赶来了。你们的计划是什么？我们怎么对付黑森林的猫？”
蓝星伸出爪子，她脚掌下的草叶被撕烂了。“我们必须说服所有族群齐心协力，共同应对这次威胁。”她说道。
圣须平贴起了耳朵：“他们怎么知道要跟谁战斗？”
“如果黑森林的武士那么渴望战斗，为什么他们不直接来跟我们打呢？”蕨荫咆哮道。
狮心的目光越过起伏的草地：“因为直接跟我们打太简单了。他们知道，如果袭击一直被我们保护着的族群，可以给我们造成更大的伤害。”
“就没有别的办法可以打败他们吗？”橡心将疑惑的目光投向蓝星。
蓝星沉默了一会儿，像是在思索着什么。然后，她眨了眨眼睛：“虎星向来只懂得暴力。”
橡心看向一边。
“黑森林里的每只猫都只懂得暴力，”蓝星继续说道，“如果我们试着和他们讲道理，就会被视为软弱。”
圣须哼了一声。“只要没有谁再因为断星而指责影族就好。”说着她瞟了黄牙一眼。
“依我所见，这次损失最惨重的正是影族。”蕨荫补充道。
惊雷在头顶上方猛然炸响。
圣须推了推蕨荫说：“你最好去接黄毛了。”
说话间，天空裂开了一道口子，雨点迅急地拍打着林间空地。众猫四散跑开，寻找树林的遮蔽处。
“蕨荫！”黄牙冲着玳瑁色武士的背影喊道。
蕨荫急停下来，回头问道：“怎么了？”
雨水模糊了黄牙的视线。“一路顺风。”她的声音有些嘶哑，“请告诉黄毛，我很抱歉。”
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
“I think we should just waitand watch.” Jayfeather turned up the slope, flinching from the cutting wind. “I’m going home.” The watery sun had not softened the frost, and the grass crunched beneath his paws.
Lionblaze remained beside the lake. Jayfeather paused, sensing his brother’s struggle to break free from the anxiety that had fixed him at the water’s edge. “Hunt for your Clanmates!” he called over his shoulder. “They’ll be hungry after the battle.”
The pebbles swished as Lionblaze bounded away, and Jayfeather darted over the crest of the slope into the shelter of the trees. As the musty scents of dying foliage touched his nose, memories of the Dark Forest flooded his mind. He couldn’t believe that Tigerstar had found a recruit in ThunderClan. Strange that it should be Ivypaw. Perhaps Dovepaw wasn’t the only one of the sisters with a destiny.
Jayfeather tried to focus on the familiar scents of ThunderClan territory—prey scuttling over frosty bark, birds calling in the branches above—but only sensed fear beating in every tiny heart as leaf-bare tightened its grip on the forest. It was the season of death, and by newleaf cold and hunger would have slain the weakest.
Shivering, he pushed the thought away and hurried down the brambly trail that led toward the hollow. Cold air pooled outside the thorn barrier, but as he pushed through and broke from the tunnel, he felt warmth wash his pelt. His Clanmates were busy.
“We can lift this branch and prop it up with a beech branch,” Leafpool called from the warriors’ den. “If we weave new walls around it, there’ll be room for at least three more nests.”
Jayfeather picked his way through the clutter of twigs piled anew for the warriors’ den.
“Watch out,” Millie warned as he neared the fresh-kill pile. “Birchfall’s digging a hole to preserve prey.” When the earth froze, prey could be kept fresh for days by burying it.
Jayfeather lingered at the edge of the prey-hole. “Do you think this weather’s going to last?” he asked Millie.
“I’m not sure, but it’s best to be safe,” she replied. “We need to preserve as much as we can.”
“Jayfeather!” Bumblestripe yowled from the medicine den.
Jayfeather jerked his head up and felt anxiety flash from Millie. Was Briarlight worse? He raced for the cave, forcing his way through the trailing brambles that veiled the entrance.
Bumblestripe was standing in the middle of the den, his fur scented with bark and damp green leaves. “Look what we’ve brought you,” he announced cheerfully.
Beneath the forest smells, Jayfeather picked up the dusty scent of cobwebs. “I thought something was wrong!”
Millie ran into the den. “Is Briarlight okay?”
“Everything’s fine.” Brightheart padded forward. “Bumblestripe found great clumps of web behind the ivy on the Great Oak.” The one-eyed warrior sounded proud. “He had to climb a long way up to reach it.”
Briarlight fidgeted in her nest. “Isn’t he brave?”
Jayfeather sniffed Brightheart’s pelt, alert for the sour scent of infection. “How are your wounds?”
“A bit sore,” she admitted. “But they were hardly more than scratches. They’ll heal.”
“Make sure you don’t reopen any of the cuts,” Jayfeather warned. “Is your torn ear hurting?” he asked Bumblestripe.
“Stings a bit, but in this weather, everyone’s ear tips are stinging.”
Jayfeather stopped beside Briarlight’s nest and bent to listen to the young cat’s breathing. The roughness had eased. “Make sure you do some exercise today,” he ordered.
“She’s already been to the fresh-kill pile,” Bumblestripe announced.
“Do you want to check these cobwebs?” Brightheart asked Jayfeather. “They’re good and thick.”
“I’m sure they’re fine.” Jayfeather wished his Clanmates’ enthusiasm could brighten his mood. “Brightheart,” he mewed, “would you take moss to the nursery, please? The kits will need fresh bedding.” He felt her stiffen with surprise. “I know it’s an apprentice duty,” he went on apologetically, “but our two apprentices are out training.”
“Of course.” Brightheart headed for the entrance. “I’ll take Bumblestripe with me. After finding cobwebs, he’ll have no trouble sniffing out some moss.”
As they left, Jayfeather turned to Millie. “Birchfall will probably need help with the prey-hole.”
“Are you sure Briarlight’s okay?” Millie pressed.
“She’s better every day.”
“You don’t think it’s too soon to make her do her exercises?” Millie’s tail swished over Briarlight’s flank. “She looks so tired.”
Jayfeather let out a breath slowly. “I’m not making her do more than she can manage.”
“It stops me from getting bored,” Briarlight put in.
Jayfeather sensed uncertainty lingering around Millie. “Go back to work,” he murmured. “Worrying won’t help.”
As the warrior pushed her way out of the den, Briarlight’s nest rustled. “You could have thanked Brightheart and Bumblestripe for the cobwebs,” she scolded him. “They found enough to keep you going till greenleaf.”
The brambles rustled at the den entrance before Jayfeather could reply.
“Jayfeather!” Dovepaw’s fraught mew jangled the air.
Briarlight twitched in her nest. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Jayfeather told his patient quickly, knowing exactly what was troubling the young apprentice. “Follow me.” He nudged her out of the den. “I need to check on Firestar. His wounds may need re-dressing.”
“I know about Ivypaw,” Dovepaw hissed as soon as they were clear of the brambles. “She’s training with the Dark Forest warriors.”
“Keep your voice down!” Jayfeather spat.
“But we have to do something!”
Jayfeather winced as a stray beech twig jabbed his foreleg. “Like what? Order her not to go? Do you think she’ll listen?”
“Why wouldn’t she?” Fear edged Dovepaw’s mew.
Jayfeather steered her to the side of the clearing. “Look,” he breathed. “She’s made her choice. Perhaps we should just keep an eye on her and see what she does. We might be able to learn something about our enemy.”
“Ivypaw’s not our enemy!” Dovepaw sounded desperate. “She’s my littermate. I can’t let this happen to her. StarClan knows what Tigerstar will do to her!”
“I’m not going to stand here and discuss this with you,” Jayfeather growled, then turned as the thorn barrier rustled. Mousewhisker, Toadstep, and Rosepetal were pushing their way through, warming the air with the scent of fresh prey. “Not here. Not now.” He began to pad toward the warriors’ den. “Go help your Clanmates. There’s plenty to do.”
He left Dovepaw standing in a haze of bewildered fear and headed for Highledge. I’ll talk to her later,he told himself. When we have a chance to go into the forest, away from pricked ears and curious eyes.
From the scents drifting from the fresh-kill pile, Mousewhisker’s patrol had brought back thrush, vole, and pigeon.
“We’re going to have to dig this prey-hole deeper,” Millie meowed.
“Not till I’ve had something to eat.” Soil crumbled as Birchfall hopped out of the hole.
“Mousewhisker!” Cherrykit’s mew sounded from the entrance. “You left this behind!”
Jayfeather heard fur brush the earth by the barrier of thorns. Cherrykit and Molekit were dragging something heavy into the hollow.
“A squirrel!” Birchfall licked his lips and bounded toward the pair of kits. “Did you catch it yourselves?” he teased.
“We found it outside,” Molekit explained. “Mousewhisker’s patrol must have dropped it.”
“We didn’t catch a squirrel.” Mousewhisker’s puzzled mew rang from the fresh-kill pile.
Poppyfrost came hurrying from the dirtplace tunnel. “What were you two doing outside camp?” she scolded. “And in weather like this!”
“We’re going to need two prey-holes at this rate,” Millie commented as Birchfall carried the squirrel across the clearing.
As Jayfeather climbed the rocks to Highledge, Sandstorm poked her head out of Firestar’s den.
“How is he?” Jayfeather asked, reaching the top.
“Tired, and complaining about staying in his nest.”
Jayfeather squeezed past her into the small cave. The ThunderClan leader yawned and sat up. The wound at his throat smelled clean and dry.
“Does it hurt?” Jayfeather touched the gash gently with his nose tip, feeling for warmth and swelling. The fur was stiff with dried blood, but the flesh beneath felt healthy and soft.
Firestar pulled away. “I’ll let you know if it does.” He shook out his sleep-flattened fur. “Is Brambleclaw back?”
Sandstorm answered. “Not yet.”
“I hope the border marking went well,” Firestar growled. “I want ShadowClan to know for sure what is now ours.”
Jayfeather’s tail twitched. He thinks we were just two Clans fighting over a piece of territory.
“Jayfeather?” Firestar sounded tense. “Is there something you want to say?”
Should I tell him about Ivypaw? That the cat who persuaded him to fight for the Twoleg clearing is being trained by Dark Forest warriors?Surely the ThunderClan leader should be warned that dreams and signs no longer came only from StarClan?
No. We can manage this alone.
“They’re back!” Sandstorm turned quickly and slipped out of the cave. “Brambleclaw and Dustpelt!”
The rocks clattered as she bounded down to the clearing. Squeezing past Jayfeather, Firestar followed. Jayfeather listened from Highledge as Brambleclaw, Dustpelt, and their patrols halted below him. He could smell the scents of frost and forest rising from their pelts, and the faint tang of ShadowClan lingering on their paws.
“Are the markers set?” Firestar asked his deputy.
“Ours are,” Brambleclaw answered.
Dustpelt stepped forward. “ShadowClan hasn’t set theirscent line yet.”
Millie trotted over from the prey-hole. “They’re refusing to acknowledge the new border!” she declared indignantly.
“They haveto acknowledge it!” Leafpool had left her work on the warriors’ den to listen in.
“They don’t haveto do anything,” Birchfall pointed out.
Millie’s pelt sparked with anger. “But they lost the battle.”
Jayfeather recognized the slow, solid step of Purdy as the loner padded from the elders’ den. “Are you sure they knowthey lost?”
“Well, of course they do!” Mousefur jostled past her denmate. “Lionblaze killed their deputy.”
No cat spoke, but paws shifted and tails brushed the earth until Firestar stepped forward. “We regret the loss of Russetfur,” he meowed heavily.
Where’s Lionblaze?Jayfeather’s paws pricked. He should be here to defend himself.
“Lionblaze should have been more careful,” Brambleclaw muttered.
Jayfeather swallowed back his rage. Lionblaze must face the charge himself. If Jayfeather answered for him, it would look as though Lionblaze were hiding from what he’d done. He heard fur snagging on thorns as the barrier moved.
Ivypaw.
She slipped into camp and wove among her Clanmates. “What’s going on?”
Jayfeather’s pelt grew cold. Light pierced his blind blue eyes, and he could suddenly see Ivypaw, clear as in a dream, her silver pelt bright against the frost-whitened clearing. Foreboding gripped his heart as the vision unfolded. Shadows slid over the top of the hollow, engulfing the dens, swallowing ThunderClan’s warriors. Dark Forest cats swarmed down the cliffs, slithering like lizards over the stone. Their eyes shone red, and their teeth and claws glinted like crystal, flashing in the shadows as they crowded the hollow.
With a roar of fury, ThunderClan rose to meet them. Graystripe slashed at a brown-pelted tom, who lunged for his throat and flung the gray warrior flailing to his death. Millie screeched and fell on her mate’s murderer, but two warriors ripped the fur from her back and dragged her wailing into the darkness.
ThunderClan was outnumbered and overwhelmed.
Birchfall, shrieking in agony and rage, was slaughtered by merciless claws. Dustpelt sank, his throat ripped by savage fangs. One by one, ThunderClan’s warriors fell until the clearing was heaped with bodies. Blood spilled from their mouths, pooled on the ground, and spread a grim shadow over the earth. It oozed from the dens, flooded from the walls of the hollow, and dripped from the thorns of the nursery until the whole camp shone crimson.
Only Ivypaw remained unstained.
Dark Forest warriors swirled around her, triumph lighting their eyes. Ivypaw stood as still as stone, pooled in moonlight, unhurt, unafraid. Jayfeather’s heart seemed to stop as she raised her muzzle and stared directly at him, her eyes black as night, her gaze blank.
A hiss of horror sounded beside Jayfeather, and he turned, fur on end.
Spottedleaf crouched beside him, her expression dark with despair. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I couldn’t change anything.”
第一章
第一章
一声号叫打破了战斗的喧嚣，那尖锐声音里的悲痛甚于愤怒。
鸽爪避开蟾足，转过身去。
火星！
雷族族长正被拖离战云密布的空地，他身后的草地泛着红光。桦落紧咬火星的后颈，将他抬到蛛足的肩上，帮着蛛足一起将他抬进了树林。
恐惧涌过鸽爪全身。她的周围，战斗已戛然而止，众猫都收起了爪子，不知所措地张望着。火星的副族长黑莓掌的宽肩已被鲜血浸染，他朝黑星走了过去。影族族长没有抬头，他正低头看着一团暗姜黄色的皮毛。
黑莓掌低下头。“战斗已经决出了胜负，”他咆哮道，“这块空地是我们的了。你们是承认呢，还是和我们再为之战斗一次？”
黑星回头瞟了一眼，眼睛里燃烧着仇恨。“拿去吧！”他嘶吼道，“它根本不值得我们今天为之溅血。”
黑莓掌退开时，鸽爪认出了那身暗姜黄色的皮毛。
黄毛！她死了吗？
影族副族长一动不动地躺在地上，只有血沿着她的嘴角不断地滴落。她的族猫们小心翼翼地从雷族武士身旁经过，朝松树林走去。焦毛、虎心和花楸掌在他们的族长身边停了下来。焦毛把黑星推起来，动作轻柔地领着他进了树林。虎心抓住黄毛的皮毛，缓慢轻柔地将她提起，放到了花楸掌的肩上。随后，他们默默地跟在战败的族猫身后，进入了浓雾弥漫的树林。
鸽爪看着他们远去。当虎心的尾巴完全消失在阴影中时，她感到自己的精力顿时枯竭了。她四处张望，寻找着藤爪的踪迹。她的姐妹正搀扶着一瘸一拐的梅花落向森林走去。
“加油，梅花落。”藤爪低声鼓励她的族猫，“松鸦羽会治好你的。”从她的语气里，丝毫听不出她俩过去曾发生过争吵。
松鼠飞正在查看叶池的伤势，而叶池则睁大眼睛，担忧地环顾着战场。“狮焰不会有事的。”松鼠飞安慰着姐姐。
亮心躺在草地上喘着粗气，那只未受伤的眼睛睁得溜圆，蓝眼珠的周围都露出了一圈眼白。
云尾用口鼻推了推她。“加油，你一动起来就会感觉好些的。”他催促道。
亮心努力地站起身，忍不住发出一声低沉的呻吟。
黄蜂条的一只耳朵被撕裂了，他打量着被压平的草地。“总算让他们见识到了我们的厉害。”他大声说道。
榛尾鄙夷地瞥了他一眼，朝鼠须贴得更近些，舔舐起鼠须血流不止的杂乱皮毛。“让他们见识到了什么？”她低声嘀咕道，“见识到在一场毫无意义的战斗中能流多少血吗？”
只有狮焰似乎没有受伤。他的侧腹有一道血迹，但鸽爪清楚，那不是他的血。她眉头紧皱，疑惑如八哥一般聚起来，涌入了她的脑海。狮焰和她一样，也是预言的一部分。他的力量就是在与任何猫战斗时都能毫发无伤地全身而退，就算是与别的任何生物作战也是如此。
狮焰为什么没能救下火星呢？要是他连自己的族长都救不了，拥有这些力量又有什么意义呢？
在她的前方，黑莓掌正穿过那片黄毛曾经躺过的血迹斑斑的草地。他用尾尖碰了碰狮焰的肩膀。“黄毛太老了，无法应对这样的战斗。”他小声说道，“她的死不是你的错。”
狮焰垂下了头。
噢，星族啊！鸽爪腹中一紧，狮焰杀了黄毛？她的老师显得心烦意乱，目光呆滞。她匆匆来到老师身旁，靠着他的侧腹。她觉得自己一点儿用都没有。鸽爪拥有的力量是看到并听见远处发生的事情，比其他猫的感知范围广得多——她本应提前知道影族的打算的，可却是她的姐妹藤爪告诉火星，黑星计划入侵雷族领地，窃取更多的狩猎场所。难道因为鸽爪拒绝用她的力量监视其他族群，所以星族只好向藤爪托梦了吗？也许，如果鸽爪按照狮焰要求的那样去听、去看，她便能早早知晓影族的计划，便能提前向火星发出警告，不至于别无选择，只能战斗。
我本有可能制止这一切吗？
狮焰用口鼻轻轻地触碰着鸽爪的头顶，鸽爪感觉到了他温暖的鼻息。“走吧，”狮焰疲惫地低声说道，“我们回家。”
鸽爪靠近狮焰，他们拖着沉重的步伐，穿过沙沙作响的树林。
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Flametail’s paws slid over the frozenpine needles as he raced for camp. He unsheathed his claws to get a better grip and thought again of Lionblaze. Puffing out his chest as though StarClan likes him best. Typical ThunderClan.
A blackbird shrilled from high in the pines as Toadfoot sprang into Flametail’s path.
Flametail skidded to a halt. “Watch out!”
“Just checking your reflexes,” Toadfoot teased, hopping out of the way.
“Check this!” Flametail lunged and rolled his Clanmate to the ground.
Toadfoot struggled free and leaped to his paws, purring. “I bet none of the other Clans have a medicine cat who fights like a warrior.” He shook out his dark brown fur. “Where’ve you been?”
“At the new border.”
Toadfoot snorted. “Have they marked it yet?”
“Brambleclaw was setting a scent line when I left.”
“ThunderClan cats have smaller brains than I thought if they believe we’re going to let them keep that land.”
Flametail snorted in agreement. “They must know the battle isn’t over yet.”
Fur brushed the ground nearby. Flametail jerked his head around, wrinkling his nose as he smelled death.
Toadfoot followed his gaze. “They’re burying Russetfur.”
“Let’s join them.”
Flametail led the way to where Rowanclaw and Rat-scar were dragging the old ShadowClan deputy’s stiff body through the sun-striped pines. Rowanclaw was Flametail’s father, made deputy only last night.
Pelts flashed among the pines as the Clan filed from the camp to gather around the grave.
“We will miss her wisdom.” Tallpoppy’s eyes glistened as she took her place alongside the other elders. Cedarheart and Whitewater shuffled to make room for her.
Snaketail held his gray-flecked chin high as Russetfur was dragged toward her resting place. “Many hard-won skills and memories have died with our Clanmate,” he rasped.
Ratscar and Rowanclaw halted at the grave’s edge and laid Russetfur beside it. Flametail could smell the pine sap he’d rubbed over her pelt as he’d helped Littlecloud prepare the old ShadowClan deputy for vigil.
“A hard farewell,” Owlclaw murmured.
Shrewfoot leaned against her denmate. “Was there ever an easy one?”
Blackstar padded to Russetfur’s side. “She died fighting. She died bravely.” He addressed his Clanmates. “We ask no more than that of our warriors.”
Cedarheart’s eyes shone. “She was my mentor and taught me well.”
Rowanclaw dipped his head. “She came to ShadowClan a rogue and died a warrior.”
Blackstar gazed at the sun as it struggled above the pine-tops. “StarClan will welcome her. What we have lost, they will gain. May her memories become our memories, and her skills become our skills.” He nodded to Rowanclaw, and the orange warrior gripped Russetfur’s scruff in his teeth. Silently, he hauled her body over the grave’s edge and let it fall.
Blackstar turned, eyes glittering darkly, and led his Clanmates away. Flametail caught up to his father at the camp entrance. “Where’s Littlecloud?”
“He’s exhausted after a night treating battle wounds. Blackstar ordered him to rest. He’ll share tongues with Russetfur at the Moonpool. He can say his good-byes then.” Rowanclaw glanced at his son. “You must be tired, too. You were at his side till dawn.”
Flametail was weary to his paws but not ready to admit it. “I can rest later,” he insisted. “I just wanted to see the battlefield.”
“Good.” Rowanclaw nodded. “The land we lost should burn in your mind until it is regained.” He touched his muzzle to Flametail’s head before squeezing through the entrance tunnel. Flametail emerged from the bramble thicket in time to see his father disappear with Blackstar into the leader’s den.
“Sorry to bother you.” Shrewfoot was blinking at him. The gray she-cat thrust a black paw under his muzzle. “Will you check this?” she mewed. “Littlecloud’s sleeping.”
Flametail inspected the paw. It was swollen at the lowest joint, and her fur was warm to the touch, but she only winced when he touched it with his nose.
“Just a sprain,” he assured her. “I’ll give you a poppy seed for the pain.” He led her through the prickly entrance to the medicine den. It opened into a space deep within the bush. Inside, the sandy floor had been hollowed to make the den roomier, and dried-out pine needles scattered to make it soft.
At the back of the den, Littlecloud stretched and sat up in his nest. The neat tabby tom looked smaller than usual, his eyes wide and his pelt ruffled with sleep.
Flametail frowned. “Are you okay?” He crossed the den and sniffed his mentor’s pelt. There was more heat in Littlecloud’s fur than he’d expected.
“I’m fine,” Littlecloud insisted. “Just tired.”
“Stay in your nest,” Flametail told him.
Littlecloud didn’t argue, but instead glanced at Shrewfoot waiting by the entrance. “Is she all right?”
“A sprained paw,” Flametail reported. “I’m going to give her poppy.”
Littlecloud shook his head. “Just wrap it with comfrey and nettle.” He nodded toward a pile of shredded leaves. “Shrewfoot has always slept a little too heavily on poppy.”
“Can you manage the pain if I just ease the swelling?” Flametail asked the she-cat.
She nodded, lifting her paw. Flametail chewed the shredded leaves into a poultice and wrapped up the paw, tying a dock leaf around it to hold the balm in place.
Shrewfoot sighed as he finished. “It feels better already.”
“Rest it for a day, then exercise it gently,” Flametail advised.
Shrewfoot nodded and slid out through the bramble tunnel. Flametail turned to tell Littlecloud he was leaving, but the ShadowClan medicine cat was already asleep. Flametail’s paws felt heavy, and he fought back an urge to curl up in his nest. There were wounds to check.
Nosing his way out of the den, he squinted at the light that bounced around the wide, flat clearing in the forest of pines. Several of his Clanmates were sprawled at the edge, soaking up the meager warmth from the leaf-bare sun. Snowbird rolled and stretched. Her white belly was laced with crimson wounds that made Flametail wince, even though he knew they were all clean now and soaked with marigold juice. Beside her, Scorchfur rested his nose on his paws, ignoring the half-eaten thrush lying by his muzzle. Redwillow lay at the entrance to the warriors’ den, clumps of mottled brown fur sticking out on his pelt. He twisted to give his flank a lick, but flinched and lay back again, panting. Olivenose and Owlclaw stretched side by side, pelts ruffled, muzzles scratched.
The bramble wall shuddered as Tigerheart bounded through the entrance. A squirrel dangled from his jaws, and he tossed it toward the fresh-kill pile. Dawnpelt raced in after him, a pigeon in her jaws.
Flametail hurried toward his littermates, sniffing for blood. “I hope you haven’t opened any wounds.”
“We’ve been careful.” Dawnpelt ducked down to show him that the gash between her shoulder blades was still sealed with sticky cobwebs, no sign of fresh blood.
Tawnypelt squeezed out of the warriors’ den. The tortoiseshell’s green eyes lit up as she saw her three kits together, and she greeted each with a lick on the cheek.
Dawnpelt shook her off. “Yuck! We’re too old for that!”
Tawnypelt purred and gazed around the clearing. “Where’s your father?”
“With Blackstar.” Flametail wove around his littermates. “I guess he’ll be there a lot now that he’s deputy.”
Tigerheart flexed his claws. “I can’t wait till he’s leader.”
“Hush!” Dawnpelt nudged him.
Tigerheart shrugged. “Well, it’s true. Blackstar can’t live forever.”
Tawnypelt brushed her tail across her son’s mouth. “Don’t say such things!”
“At least we always know what Tigerheart is thinking.” Flametail flicked his tail at his brother’s shoulder.
Tigerheart stuck his nose in the air. “I bet you don’t know what I’m thinking now.”
Dawnpelt’s whiskers twitched. “No, but I bet it won’t be long before you blurt it out.”
Tigerheart dropped into an attack crouch, eyes twinkling.
Dawnpelt pretended to look scared. “Help!” she squeaked, darting behind her mother.
“Stop it, you two,” Tawnypelt chided. “The Clan is still mourning Russetfur.”
On the far side of the clearing, Flametail saw that Rowanclaw had emerged from Blackstar’s den and was heading toward his family. Tigerheart and Dawnpelt were too busy chasing each other around Tawnypelt to notice his approach.
Tigerheart rolled Dawnpelt to the ground. “One day I’llbe deputy, and then you won’t be allowed to tease me.”
“No, you won’t!” Dawnpelt struggled from his grip. “I’llbe deputy!”
Rowanclaw halted beside his wrestling kits. “Do I have rivals already?” he inquired.
Tigerheart and Dawnpelt leaped to their paws.
“We were just playing,” Dawnpelt mewed quickly.
“I’m glad to have such ambitious kits,” Rowanclaw purred. “But I’d like to be deputy for a moon or two before you take over.” He glanced at Flametail. “Do you want to be deputy, too?”
“I’m happy to be a medicine cat,” Flametail replied.
Rowanclaw’s eyes glowed. “That’s a relief. I don’t think I could take on all three of you.”
Tawnypelt rubbed her muzzle along Rowanclaw’s cheek. “I’m very proud of you all.” Her gaze wandered to Blackstar’s den.
The ShadowClan leader had appeared in the entrance. His eyes were shining; his pelt was sleek and freshly groomed. “Warriors and apprentices!” Blackstar called as he stepped into the clearing. “You have had time enough to recover your strength! Gather around! There are lessons to be learned from yesterday’s defeat.
“You fought hard,” Blackstar continued. “But we lost territory. If we are ever to regain it, we must learn from our mistakes. This defeat is a chance for us to grow stronger.”
Give me a chance to heal everyone before you start planning the next battle.Flametail tasted the air. He could smell sourness. The wounds he and Littlecloud had dressed last night were going to need new poultices before infection set in. He glimpsed Ivytail wriggling out of the nursery. Her belly was beginning to swell with her first litter. It would be a while before she was fighting battles again. Perhaps she could help him.
“Ivytail!” He approached the long-furred queen and whispered to her while Blackstar continued his speech. “Will you help me re-dress some wounds?”
Ivytail blinked. “Of course.”
In the medicine den, Littlecloud slept as Ivytail and Flame-tail gathered herbs and slipped back out into the clearing.
Ratscar was pacing back and forth, his brown pelt gleaming in flashes of sunlight falling through the trees. “How in the name of StarClan can we fight cats who swoop from trees like owls?” he demanded.
Flametail dropped a bundle of herbs beside Olivenose. “Your wounds need fresh herbs.” Flametail sniffed at the scratches on her flank. “Listen to Ratscar while I fix them.” He beckoned Ivytail closer. “Watch what I do.” He began to lick the dried ointment from the scratches on Olivenose’s flank. Olivenose dug her claws into the ground and concentrated on the debate.
Smokefoot had stepped forward. “Perhaps we can turn what they think is a strength into a weakness?”
Blackstar nodded, eyes like slits. “How?”
“They land heavily,” Smokefoot ventured. “It takes a moment for them to regain their balance. We can use that hesitation to make the first move.”
Applefur tipped her mottled brown head to one side. “Next time we’ll be prepared for their owl tactics. All we have to do is look up. It should be easy to get out of the way while they jump.”
Crowfrost’s eyes grew round with excitement. “It takes time to climb trees and jump. ThunderClan warriors seem to have forgotten that they’re cats, not birds.”
Snowbird nodded. “While they’re wasting time and energy climbing, we can be preparing to pounce on them when they land.”
Dawnpelt joined in. “It’ll be easy to defeat them now that we know what they’re doing!” She glanced up at a hazel branch stretching over the camp. “Let’s practice!”
Tigerheart was already running toward the trunk of the hazel, which was lodged among dense brambles at the edge of the clearing. He scrambled up it and picked his way carefully along the branch. Dawnpelt watched him, shifting her weight from paw to paw, her tail snaking over the ground.
Tigerheart dropped.
Dawnpelt leaped on him as he hit the ground. She rolled him over easily and flattened him against the cold earth.
Blackstar’s eyes brightened. “ThunderClan cats think they’re clever, but they’re pigeon-brained,” he growled.
Owlclaw padded forward. “We weren’t just weak in the forest fighting,” he reminded his leader. “In the clearing, they split our line in two.”
“Perhaps we should arrange our line differently?” Rowanclaw suggested. “Older, more experienced warriors must fight beside younger, less skillful cats. Then, even if they break our line into pieces, each part will be strong.”
“Good thinking, Rowanclaw,” Blackstar praised his new deputy. “Before our next battle, we will pair our warriors: Skilled and less-skilled will fight side by side.”
Flametail felt a rush of pride for his Clanmates. To ShadowClan, defeat meant a chance to come back better, stronger, swifter in the next battle. There was no self-pity, no blame, just the certainty that next time things would be different.
Crowfrost had gotten to his paws. “We could keep a reserve of our strongest warriors,” he suggested. “Then when our enemy thinks they’re winning, we can send a new wave to crush them.”
“Good thinking.” Rowanclaw nodded slowly. “Strategy is all very well, but we mustn’t forget that fighting skills are what win the battle in the end.” He turned to Pinepaw. “You were knocked aside by Hazeltail,” he reminded the young cat.
“She’s bigger than me, and she took me by surprise,” Pinepaw mewed indignantly. “Besides, I was fighting Thornclaw, not Hazeltail.”
“True,” Rowanclaw admitted. “But I think you could have parried her attack more effectively.”
“How?” Pinepaw cocked her head, eyes sparking with interest
“Come here.” Rowanclaw signaled to Oakfur and Ferretpaw to join them in the center of the clearing.
Flametail watched his Clanmates with one eye as he turned to Scorchfur and began smearing fresh ointment on his scratches. Oakfur was still limping, but his pelt was ruffled with excitement.
“Ferretpaw.” Rowanclaw nudged the cream-and-gray tom into position. “You be Thornclaw.”
Ferretpaw fluffed out his fur.
“Oakfur, you be Hazeltail.”
Oakfur nodded and crouched, ready to attack.
Rowanclaw nodded to Pinepaw. “Attack Ferretpaw, just like you attacked Thornclaw yesterday. But when Oakfur lunges for you, let yourself roll with him, so the weight of his leap becomes a weight hemust carry, not you.”
Pinepaw frowned for a moment, then turned and leaped at Ferretpaw. As Ferretpaw wrestled beneath his denmate, Oakfur lunged, hooking his paws around Pinepaw and plucking her off Ferretpaw. Pinepaw went limp, and Oakfur stumbled at the sudden dead weight in his grip. As Oakfur staggered, Pinepaw twisted around, nipped Oakfur’s neck, and escaped from his grip. Oakfur quickly found his paws, but the apprentice was already on his back, churning her hind legs and sinking her teeth into the warrior’s scruff.
“Excellent!” Blackstar stepped forward. “We have learned a valuable skill here.”
“Great move, Pinepaw!” Ratscar called.
Pinepaw nodded to her mentor, her black fur ruffled with pride, as murmurs of approval rippled through her Clan.
Flametail licked the last of the ointment into Scorchfur’s wound. “How does that feel?”
“Better,” answered the gray tom.
Blackstar cast a glance at the fresh-kill pile. “Rowanclaw,” he called to his deputy. “Organize hunting patrols, please.”
Rowanclaw flexed his claws. “What about marking the new border?”
Blackstar bristled. “Not while there is a trace of warmth in Russetfur’s body.” His eyes clouded. “Firestar chose a dark path when he asked for that land back. Would a true warrior give a gift, then kill to take it back?”
“Snake-tongue!”
“Fox-heart!”
Insults were spat into the chilly air from all around the camp.
Blackstar signaled for silence with a flick of his tail. “Flame-tail!”
Flametail jerked his head up in surprise.
“Come to my den and bring Littlecloud. I wish to speak with my medicine cats.” The ShadowClan leader turned to Rowanclaw. “Organize the hunting patrols,” he repeated. “But stay away from the Twoleg clearing. I don’t want any fighting until our warriors are fully healed.”
Flametail hurried to the medicine den and nudged Littlecloud awake. The medicine cat still felt unnaturally warm.
He woke groggily. “What is it?” he mumbled
“Blackstar wants to talk to us in his den.”
Littlecloud was out of his nest in a moment and hurrying to the entrance. Flametail was relieved to see that the old cat was steady on his paws. He caught up with him outside Blackstar’s den, pausing to let Littlecloud in first. Ducking under the low bramble arch, he followed.
Blackstar’s eyes glinted in the gloom. “Did StarClan give you any warning about the battle?”
Flametail shook his head and glanced at Littlecloud.
“Nothing.” There was a rasp in the medicine cat’s mew, and Flametail was suddenly aware that his mentor was wheezing.
Blackstar was frowning. “No warning at all?”
Both cats shook their heads.
“I would have thought StarClan valued Russetfur more,” the leader muttered.
“Perhaps they didn’t know,” Flametail suggested. “Or it may be that her death was unavoidable.”
Blackstar flattened his ears. “Nothingis unavoidable!” he growled. He turned to Littlecloud. “Share tongues with StarClan. Find out why this has happened. I want to know if ThunderClan is planning something else. They might be planning to reach farther into the heart of ShadowClan territory. This battle may only be the start. They are at our tree line already, and that is too close to our camp.”
Littlecloud blinked at him. “ThunderClan hasn’t stolen territory since before the Great Journey.”
Flametail shifted his paws, uncomfortable hearing his mentor defend another Clan. This wasn’t the first time Littlecloud had treated ThunderClan as friends rather than rivals.
The old medicine cat went on. “I thought Firestar’s leadership had put an end to their greed.”
“But not to their arrogance,” Blackstar growled. “They have always tried to tell the other Clans what to do. Perhaps they feel as if they’ve been wasting their words and now is the time for action.” He flexed his long claws. “Go to the Moonpool. Speak with StarClan. Find out what you can.”
Littlecloud’s flanks shuddered as he dipped his head.
“I’llgo,” Flametail blurted out. Littlecloud was in no condition to spend a night in the open, and in such bitter weather.
Blackstar glanced at Littlecloud. The medicine cat’s eyes were growing milky, and there was a tremor in his tail. If the ShadowClan leader was shocked that his senior medicine cat was sick, he hid it. “Very well.”
Flametail followed Littlecloud from the den. Outside, Littlecloud’s tail trembled harder. “Will you be okay on your own?”
“I’ll be happy to know you are warm and resting. You’ve got to take it easy, Littlecloud. Ivytail can help with the simple stuff.”
Littlecloud opened his mouth as if he was about to protest, but it turned into a cough. “Thanks,” he spluttered.
Flametail dipped his head, uneasy that Littlecloud had given in so easily. The old medicine cat must be feeling really ill
“Take care.” Littlecloud headed back to his den.
“What did Blackstar want?” Ivytail trotted toward Flame-tail, her belly swaying.
“I’m going to consult with StarClan at the Moonpool,” Flametail told her as his mentor disappeared into the brambles. “Will you keep an eye on Littlecloud? He’s not well. He needs to rest.”
“I’ll make sure he does.” Ivytail dipped her head. “And I’ll keep an eye on everyone’s wounds till you get back.”
“You remember what to do?”
“If they smell sour, lick out the old ointment and chew up some fresh herbs.”
Flametail nodded. “Littlecloud will be able to tell you which leaves to use from the store. I’ll be back by sunhigh tomorrow.”
“Take care,” Ivytail mewed.
Flametail ducked through the entrance tunnel, blinking against the shock of cold air outside the camp. He broke into a run, heading along an old badger path that ran down to the lake. His paws sent up showers of needles; his breath billowed at his muzzle.
As he raced down the slope, the lake glinted through the silver-gray trunks. He emerged from the forest at a sprint, squinting against the sun flashing on the waves. Stones clattered as he leaped onto the shore, and he swerved to run along the water’s edge. His muscles felt lean and strong beneath his pelt. Blood pulsed in his ears as his heart quickened.
ShadowClan wasn’t going to be bullied by ThunderClan. ShadowClan wasn’t a Clan that could be pushed around. Their arrogant neighbors needed to be taught a lesson, and ShadowClan would make sure they learned it.
第二章
第二章
松鸦羽将一只脚掌探进药物储存间里侧的角落。他能闻到藏在岩石下金盏花陈旧的气味——这是他仅剩的一点儿了，由于放置的时间太久，他甚至有些怀疑它们的药效是否足以让栗尾的伤口不受感染。不过他还是把金盏花抓了出来，将它和最后一点儿干橡木混在了一起。
“可能会有点儿刺痛。”他提醒栗尾。
这只玳瑁色的母猫一直耐心地坐在荆棘光的窝旁。“没关系。”从传来的回声里，松鸦羽判断出她正注视着那位打盹的年轻武士，“荆棘光的呼吸听起来有点儿粗重。”
尽管不断有受伤的武士和学徒在巢穴里进进出出，荆棘光还是不等日落便睡着了。栗尾是最后一个接受治疗的，她肩头的伤口很深，而且仍在往外流血，但她坚持让其他猫先接受治疗。
松鸦羽按压着药糊，伸出脚掌去抓蛛丝来裹住。“荆棘光的胸腔有点儿感染。”他一边将黏糊糊的白色蛛丝盖在伤口上，一边解释，“我不知道是该让她多锻炼锻炼来清空胸腔，还是该让她多休息，从内部对抗感染？”
栗尾用口鼻蹭了蹭他的肩膀：“你问过叶池了吗？”
松鸦羽恼火地朝地上一堆堆血迹斑斑的苔藓和草药残片甩了甩尾巴：“我看上去像有时间的样子吗？”
“我只是好奇罢了。”栗尾温和地说道。
“况且，”松鸦羽嘟哝道，“叶池正忙着检查伤员呢。”
“我想也是，”栗尾站起身，“谢谢你的草药。”
似乎为自己刚才尖刻的话语感到有些后悔，他用尾巴碰了碰栗尾的侧腹：“你要不要吃些罂粟籽来帮助睡眠？”
“不用了，谢谢。”栗尾迈步走开了，“蕨毛的鼾声对我的助眠效果胜过任何草药。”
松鸦羽之前已经治疗过那位金棕色武士，并将他扭伤的肩膀恢复了原位，还在让他回窝前，严厉地叮嘱日出之前不准随意走动。族群其他成员都没有受到重伤。只有火星的伤情需要细心照料。他脖子上的撕裂伤已经被用蛛丝严密地合拢了。他的伤会渐渐痊愈，但那条流失的生命却再也无法挽回。松鸦羽的脑海里浮现出星族那位武士的模糊身影，现在，那身影变得更清晰了一些，火焰般的皮毛在星族狩猎场的绿色映衬下，显得更加鲜活。
栗尾刚一瘸一拐地离开巢穴，荆棘光便醒了。“真是一团糟啊。”她趴在窝边粗声粗气地说。
“你感觉如何？”松鸦羽嗅了嗅，欣慰地发现她的耳朵已经凉下来了。
“困。火星怎么样了？”荆棘光眨巴着眼睛。
“他在自己的巢穴里睡觉呢，”松鸦羽告诉她，“沙风在照看他。他过几天就好了。”
“要是黄毛没有袭击火星就好了。”荆棘光之前从其他武士那里听到了整件事的来龙去脉，“那样的话，火星就不会有事，狮焰也就不会杀死黄毛了。”
松鸦羽心里一紧：“黄毛太老了，根本就不适合战斗！”
黑莓丛嗖嗖作响，松鸦羽闻到了狮焰那熟悉的气味。这位武士迈着沉重的步伐进入巢穴：“在攻击她之前，我就该意识到那一点的。”
“你还有的选吗？她要杀火星。”松鸦羽抖松皮毛，穿过巢穴去迎接哥哥，“鸽爪还好吧？”
“她很好。”狮焰安慰他，“虽然还是一言不发，但已经没事了。”
鸽爪从战场回来后，由于受到了惊吓，她浑身发抖，一言不发。松鸦羽给她百里香，但她拒绝了，说自己只是太累。和她那些热衷于分享战斗中每一个动作的族猫们不同，鸽爪在接受松鸦羽的检查时，只是默默地坐着，只在被问起时，才提到狮焰从曙皮爪下救了她。
让学徒跟着武士们一起战斗公平吗？对鸽爪的担心让松鸦羽的肚子一紧。有时候，她还是显得太年轻。不过至少藤爪没事。事实上，她似乎对自己相当满意。在这场和影族凶猛武士们的战斗中，她只是尾巴受了点儿伤。
但藤爪没有再提那个梦。在她对火星和资深武士说的那个梦里，影族侵入了雷族的领地，让森林里的溪流血流成河。实际上，当松鸦羽潜入藤爪的思想中时，那个梦境已从她的大脑里消失了。她怎么可能忘记这个如此真实、点燃了雷影两族战火的噩梦呢？
松鸦羽将失明的蓝色眼睛转向狮焰：“这值得吗？”
“战斗吗？”狮焰身子一僵，“当然值得！”
“但为了一片毫无价值的空地，失去了两条性命！”
“我们也向影族传递了一条他们永远都不会忘记的信息。”
“可付出了什么样的代价？”松鸦羽叹了口气。
“我们现在决不能示弱。”看到荆棘光的注意力从巢穴那一边转过来，狮焰压低了声音，“谁知道下一次袭击又会发生在哪里呢？”
荆棘光又开始咳了起来，松鸦羽垂下了肩膀。
狮焰用鼻子将他推向他的病患。“现在不能忽视任何征兆。我们承受不起。”他嘶声说，“去看看荆棘光吧，我们过会儿再谈。”
哥哥飞快地钻出巢穴，松鸦羽也开始用脚掌按摩荆棘光的侧腹。荆棘光的咳嗽停止了，她把下巴搁在窝边上，呼吸很快变得舒缓起来，进入了梦乡。
“她还好吧？”叶池轻柔的声音从巢穴入口处传来，她走到荆棘光的窝旁。
“体温稍微降了一些。”松鸦羽听到叶池从脚掌上撕扯蛛丝的声音，他通过气味判断出叶池刚给云尾处理过伤口。“蕨毛的肩膀怎么样？”他担心将肩膀扳回原位要比固定住造成更大的伤害，“你抽空去看了吗？”
“去……去了。”叶池有些犹豫，“你怎么想？”
松鸦羽腹中一紧。过去，叶池每提出一个问题就是一次测验。而现在，她听起来却是真的不敢自己下定论。她为什么像位紧张的学徒那样吞吞吐吐呢？好像生怕放错了脚掌似的。松鸦羽的脑海中浮现出过去的画面，那时，正是在这个巢穴里，叶池总是对他发号施令。每次他顶嘴，叶池都会厉声呵斥。当他对叶池的谨小慎微和大惊小怪不以为意时，空气就会紧张得嘶嘶作响，像要爆炸一样。
往事不堪回首。在那些日子里，他非常了解叶池，他能够预测叶池对自己的每一次反驳。但是自从发现叶池是自己的母亲以后，他觉得自己好像完全不认识她了。
他没有回答她的问题，只是把她打发走。“请你去检查一下火星，好吗？”他抬起一只脚掌清理起来。
“当然。”叶池低下头，胡须从松鸦羽的脚趾间滑过。
别像只老鼠一样了！松鸦羽怒火中烧地想道。他从爪间抽出一小枝百里香。黑莓丛一阵嗖嗖作响，叶池拖着脚步离开穿过了空地。
松鸦羽停止了清理，他听到族猫们收拾着准备入睡。罂粟霜正在育婴室里帮小鼹鼠和小樱桃清洗。波弟的隆隆鼾声在长老巢穴里回荡。蕨毛呢，也正如栗尾所料，打起了呼噜。在倒下的山毛榉树下的武士巢穴里，梅花落正在修理自己的窝，也许她是试着想让它恢复到这棵大树砸进山谷前的样子。
回想起大树倒下那天的场景，松鸦羽不寒而栗。降雨泡得树根松动，大树从峭壁顶上滑下来，砸进了营地里，将长老巢穴撞个粉碎，也压坏了武士们以前睡觉的荆棘丛。那天，长尾死了，荆棘光也残疾了。由于脊柱断裂，她的后肢失去了知觉。多亏鸽爪那强大的听觉，才避免了更多的伤亡。
半个月以来，族群都在忙着重建自己的家园，他们尽可能地将丫杈、落叶以及树枝清理干净，还将老金银花藤缠绕在用断木搭起的框架上，帮长老们重建了巢穴。山毛榉树仍然横跨在营地上，它的树干如脊柱，枝条如肋骨刺向空地，它的根如爪子一般紧紧地扼住育婴室的黑莓丛。武士们在倒木最粗的一根枝干下建了新的巢穴，每天夜里都充斥着拖拽枝叶，百般调整的声音，那是他们正在为自己的窝辛勤地劳作。
松鸦羽发现自己仍很难在营地里自如行动，一不小心就会绊倒在那些被推到一旁、尚未清理干净的成堆枝条上。那位失明的长老长尾如果要适应这一切，想必会更为困难。对他来说，或许去往星族不失为一种幸运，至少比荆棘光幸运。荆棘光因为不能奔跑，也不能像其他族猫一样狩猎，现在胸部受到了感染。她只能拖着身子在空地上往来，她腰臀以下如猎物一般毫无生气。
松鸦羽抖了抖身子。着急也无济于事。他在水池里冲洗着自己的脚掌，池水的寒意冻得他瑟瑟发抖。他随后走向荆棘光窝旁的蕨叶堆。
松鸦羽蜷缩进光滑的茎秆中，闭上了眼睛。藤爪的梦又出现在他的思绪中。为什么星族要让这场战斗发生呢？他无法打消自己的怀疑：星族绝不会给藤爪托梦。为什么会选择她，而不是他们三力量中的任何一位？
天亮之后我要和狮焰谈谈这件事。他感觉自己连尾巴尖都累了，于是任由思绪飘入梦乡之中。
腐朽的恶臭刺得他忍不住打了个哆嗦。他眨巴着睁开眼睛，发现自己身处黑森林里。周围重重黑影如同暗色皮毛的鬼魅般向他压了过来。他紧张地扭过头去。他在这里干什么？难道虎星打算招募他吗？
不会的。虎星又不是傻子。
他嗅了嗅空气。一股熟悉的味道漫过他的舌尖。他身子一僵，朝黑暗中凝视。
“你好！”一个欢快的声音从前头的空地传来。
藤爪？
一个生冷的声音回答道：“如果今天吓到你了，我实在抱歉。”
她在和谁说话？
“你一点儿都没有吓到我，”从藤爪的声音里听不出一丝害怕，她似乎对自己身处黑森林也不感到惊奇，“我知道你不会伤害我的。你也是族猫中的一员，不是吗？”
族猫？
松鸦羽蹲低身子，躲进迷雾中，向前爬去。藤爪就站在几个狐狸身长外，她竖着耳朵，尾巴翘得高高的。松鸦羽认出了她旁边那只有着宽厚肩膀的深棕色虎斑猫。
虎心！
这位影族武士凑到这位雷族学徒跟前：“那天晚上我和断星一起训练时，看到你和鹰霜在一起。我从没想到你会成为我们中的一员。”
我们中的一员？松鸦羽爬得更近了些。
虎心围着藤爪转了一圈。“你很优秀。”藤爪挺起了胸膛，虎心继续说道，“只可惜我们族群不得不彼此厮杀。怎么会发生这样的事呢？”
把你的梦告诉他！
脚步擦刮地面的声音从阴影中传来，冰冷的恐惧顿时沿着松鸦羽的脊柱袭遍了全身。一个粗厚的声音打断了两只年轻族群猫的对话。
“快点儿，藤爪！你这是在浪费时间！”
松鸦羽辨认出了说话者，呼吸霎时滞在了喉咙里。是鹰霜。他是虎星的儿子，曾试图夺去火星剩余的性命，将火星置于死地，好让雷族成为一盘散沙，沦为自己和虎星残酷野心的牺牲品。不料却在计划进行时被自己同父异母的兄弟黑莓掌杀死，此后他便陷入了无尽的狂怒中。
“你今天打得不错，”这位曾经的河族武士大声吼道，“但是你在攻击焦毛的时候动作错了。一条腿可以制伏对方时，就绝不要用两条腿！”他向藤爪摇了摇尾巴，示意她跟自己一起离开。藤爪全无质疑地跟在他身后，消失在迷雾中。鹰霜的吼声从阴影中传了回来：“虎心，你在那儿等着，断星马上就过来。”
松鸦羽惊恐地看着这一切，脚掌好似被冻在了地面上。
迷雾在他身边翻滚，开始有说话和怒吼的声音从阴影中升腾起来。年轻的嗓音叽叽喳喳地问着不同的问题，征询着意见，而上了年纪的声音则厉声回应，督促着、推动着他们越发努力。这与任何一个湖畔的族群训练时发出的声音别无二致——除了这里不是湖区领土，而是无星之地。松鸦羽看到有皮毛光滑的猫在阴影中摔打，河族的气味传入鼻腔。在一排灰色的蕨丛背后，几个轻盈的身影立起身子，彼此挥击。
风族也在吗？
“伸出你的爪子！”
“像武士一样战斗，别像只幼崽一样！”
东西腐坏的恶臭味淹没了松鸦羽的舌尖。
接着从阴影中传来风皮的叫声。“真希望我今天也参与了战斗。”这位风族武士的声音好似失落得发紧，“如果给我战斗的机会，我肯定站在你这边。”
他在和谁说话？
松鸦羽嗅了嗅空气，在黑森林污秽的种种气味中探察着。突然，他身子一抖，辨认出了一个影族猫的气味。风皮正在向一只影族猫发誓表忠心！
另一个身影在树间移动着。松鸦羽看着他修长的黑色脊背像条蛇一样在迷雾中移动。他上一次来黑森林时，黄牙说过这只猫的名字——一个如毒药般被她从舌尖上啐出的名字。
断星。
“别担心，风皮，”黑毛武士低吼道，“还有很多战斗的机会。我们将把武士守则化为齑粉。只待它成为过去，就再也没什么能够束缚我们了。”
风皮兴奋地长啸一声，断星接着说道：“再也不会有什么老鼠心的规矩来约束我们了，我们可以重建起族群，让它们远远强盛于以往。”
松鸦羽直打激灵，压制着腹中恐惧的空洞。族群猫，那些醒来时就住在湖边的族猫，此刻都在他周围，他能感觉到他们尚还温热的心脏正在死者的谎言蛊惑下加速跳动。现在，一切都已显而易见：来自各个族群的猫都在接受黑森林武士的训练，准备去对抗他们的族猫，将族群长期奋力捍卫的武士守则一条条打破。
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
“What’s going on?”
Ivypaw had limped back to the hollow, her foot sore from her training with Hawkfrost the night before. She was still ruffled by her argument with Dovepaw.
How dare she judge me!
As she’d padded through the tunnel, she’d tensed, trying to disguise her sprained paw. But no one had noticed her slip into the clearing. Her Clanmates were gathered around Firestar, their pelts ruffled.
“What’s going on?” she repeated.
Then she noticed Jayfeather staring down at her from Highledge as though she’d grown wings. A shiver iced her spine as his gaze locked with hers. Could he seeher? He knows I’m training in the Dark Forest.She pushed away the worry. Once he sees me becoming a better warrior for my Clan, he’ll understand why!
Blossomfall’s mew stirred her ear fur. “ShadowClan hasn’t marked the new border.”
Ivypaw turned, sagging with relief. “Is that all? I thought there’d been another omen from StarClan.” She glanced back up at Jayfeather, but his thorn-sharp stare had relaxed into its usual blind blue gaze.
“Is that all?” Blossomfall was blinking at her. “It means ShadowClan hasn’t recognized that the territory now belongs to us. That’s pretty serious.”
Ivypaw shifted her paw, wincing as pain shot up her leg. “Well, yes. But as long as they don’t cross our markings  .  .  .”
“They’d better not,” Blossomfall muttered as she headed toward the warriors’ den, which was misshapen by a half-woven bulge at one side. “Are you coming to help finish the den?”
Dovepaw was already there, working with Leafpool to bend one branch beneath another.
“Later,” Ivypaw called.
“Where have you been?” Cinderheart’s mew made her jump, and Ivypaw spun around. Was that suspicion in her mentor’s eyes? “Dovepaw’s been back for ages.”
“I wanted to practice my stalking till I got it right.” Ivypaw wasn’t going to admit she’d been sitting by the lake silently fuming. I’m as loyal as any ThunderClan warrior. More loyal! I’m the only one who trains to fight for my Clan even in my dreams.
“You must be hungry,” Cinderheart meowed. “Get something to eat. Then you can help Dovepaw and Leafpool with the warriors’ den.”
Ivypaw looked at her paws. “Isn’t there something else I can do?”
Cinderheart leaned forward. “Have you been quarreling with your sister again?” Her whiskers brushed Ivypaw’s cheek. “You shouldn’t be jealous of her, you know. You’re just as good at hunting and fighting as she is.”
Of course I am! I’ve been trained by the best!
“I was proud of you yesterday,” Cinderheart went on. “You fought like a warrior.”
“Thanks,” Ivypaw grunted. Hawkfrost hadn’t wasted time with flattery. He’d watched her fight in the battle, and when they’d met in the Dark Forest afterward, he’d shown her how she could fight better next time. So what if she’d sprained her paw; she’d learned so much!
“Get some fresh-kill.” Cinderheart nudged her toward the pile of prey. It smelled fragrant, and Ivypaw’s belly growled.
“Take what you want.” Birchfall was flinging the kill from the top of the pile into a shallow hole beside it. “What you don’t eat will get buried for later.”
Ivypaw plucked out a fat shrew and gulped it down. As she licked her lips, she noticed Leafpool heading toward her with Foxleap.
“Cinderheart said you’d help finish the new section of the den,” Leafpool meowed.
Foxleap could hardly keep his paws still. “It’s going to be great once we’ve finished,” he mewed. “There’ll be room for Blossomfall and Bumblestripe.”
“Okay, I’ll help,” Ivypaw sighed. She couldn’t avoid her sister forever. Twigs were heaped beside the fresh-kill pile, and she grabbed a bunch in her jaws.
“I’ll help too!” Rosepetal bounded across the clearing.
“I’m just fixing that patch.” Foxleap nodded toward a gap in the den wall where long stems of beech had already been bent and planted into the earth. “You can hardly tell it’s a fallen tree anymore.”
Rosepetal nodded. “It’s become part of the camp now.”
“Mind you, there’s hardly any hollow left,” Foxleap muttered, squeezing past a branch that was sticking out.
“There’s enough,” Rosepetal mewed. “And it’s much less drafty in camp now.”
Ivypaw dropped her mouthful of twigs beside Dovepaw. “Here you go.” Before Dovepaw could thank her, Ivypaw trotted around the bulging wall and began weaving twigs between the gaps.
“You’ve got nimble paws.” Blossomfall settled beside her and began to help. “Here.” She poked a long whip of willow through a hole in the branches. “You guide it, and I’ll pull.”
Ivypaw poked another twig into a gap in the wall. “Why isn’t any cat talking about the battle? It’s like they don’t remember it happened.”
“Why should they?” Blossomfall used her paws to squeeze the woven sticks tighter. “We won. What else should we be doing?”
“We should be learning how we could have fought better.”
Blossomfall stared at her. “But we won!”
“That doesn’t mean we’ll win next time,” Ivypaw pointed out. “And you can bet that ShadowClan warriors are training harder than ever to make sure that next time they win.”
“How do youknow?”
Ivypaw looked away. “They’re ShadowClan.”
Blossomfall snorted. “Well, we’re ThunderClan, and leaf-bare is here, and there’s more to worry about than just fighting.”
Ivypaw sniffed. No wonder Hawkfrost doesn’t visit your dreams.
Ivypaw huffed wearily as she circled in her nest. She’d eaten fresh-kill with Blossomfall and had crept into her nest instead of washing, hoping she’d be asleep before Dovepaw followed her in. Now that Bumblestripe and Blossomfall had moved to the warriors’ den, it would be hard to ignore her only denmate.
Ivypaw shoved her nose under her paw and closed her eyes.
“Ivypaw?” Dovepaw nosed her way through the ferns and settled in her nest. “Ivypaw?”
Ivypaw slowed her breathing, pretending to be asleep. It had been a long day, and not even the niggling ache in her heart could keep her awake. Soon sleep dragged her deeper into her nest and wrapped her in its warmth.
She opened her eyes into a dream. Mist swirled around her paws, and yowls rang in the cold, dead air. For the first time, her heart sank when she found herself in the Dark Forest. She wanted to sleep all night for once. Her scratches from the battle were stinging, and her paw hurt. Training day and night was exhausting. She closed her eyes, hoping the dream would fade, but the cold mist nipped harder at her paws.
With a sigh, she opened her eyes. A stretch of short, bare grass sloped ahead of her, and the sky above loomed black and starless. Ivypaw stretched, preparing herself for the training session. At least her Dark Forest Clanmates never compared her to Dovepaw.
Paws brushed the grass behind her, and she turned. A brown tom with a black ear—small, lithe, clearly from WindClan—approached. He halted and nodded a curt greeting. Ivypaw frowned, trying to remember who he was. She’d seen him at Gatherings. As she groped for the name, a voice beyond the crest of the slope called to him.
“Antpelt!”
Antpelt.That was it.
As the brown warrior raced toward the voice, Ivypaw reared up on her hind legs, trying to glimpse who had greeted him. Pain shot through her sprained paw. Before she could spot another cat in the shadows, she dropped, landing heavily, back onto all fours.
A mew behind her made her jump. “You look tired.”
“Hi, Tigerheart.” She was pleased to see a cat she instantly recognized. His thick tabby pelt rippled over his powerful frame, but his eyes looked weary. “You look tired too,” she sympathized.
“I wouldn’t mind one night’s rest.” He yawned.
“I guess they want to toughen us up.”
Tigerheart didn’t seem to hear her. “I don’t suppose Dovepaw came with you tonight, did she?”
Ivypaw bristled. “They chose me, not her!” Not waiting for a response, she charged up the slope toward the trees, following the trail of crushed grass Antpelt had left. Breaking through the tree line, she hurtled into the shadows, rage pulsing in her ears. So much for being free from her sister here!
Why did Tigerheart want to see Dovepaw anyway? Did he have a crush on her?
She snorted. He’s wasting his time.There was no way Dovepaw would have anything to do with a cat from another Clan. She liked hearing Lionblaze tell her how amazing she was too much to risk breaking the warrior code.
Growling, Ivypaw swerved among the trunks. She saw the matted orange-and-white pelt too late, and slammed into the side of a thick-furred she-cat. Recovering her balance, she turned on the warrior who’d blocked her way. “That was a dumb place to sit!” Ivypaw snarled, still seething.
Before Ivypaw could draw breath, the orange-and-white she-cat leaped on her. Ivypaw felt claws at her neck, and her breath shot from her chest as the warrior thumped her to the ground and pinned her there. Terror flooded Ivypaw as she struggled for air. She froze as the warrior leaned slowly closer.
With stinking breath and lips drawn back, the orange-and-white she-cat snarled, “Show some respect, apprentice.” She curled her claws until the thorn-sharp tips sank into Ivypaw’s skin. “You don’t want to die in a place like this. There’s nowhere beyond here, you know. Only darkness.”
A tabby pelt flashed at the edge of Ivypaw’s vision. “All right, Mapleshade.”
Ivypaw fell limp with relief as she recognized Hawkfrost’s meow.
“Let her go.” There was a menacing growl in his voice, and Mapleshade released her grip.
Ivypaw drew a long gulp of air and began to cough. Hacking, she scrambled to her paws, her belly brushing the earth as she crouched and tried to catch her breath. She was shaking from nose to tail.
“Pull yourself together,” Hawkfrost snapped.
Mapleshade flicked her tail. “Try to keep your visitors under control.” She turned and stalked away, muttering, “I preferred it here when it wasn’t overrun with wide-eyed idiots.”
Ivypaw blinked up at Hawkfrost. “Sorry.”
“Never mind Mapleshade,” he answered briskly. “She’s been here a long time. But not for much longer.”
Ivypaw glanced nervously at the departing warrior. The shadows seemed to be swallowing her, and Ivypaw realized with a start that the she-cat’s outline hung in the air like mist. She could clearly see the trees on the other side of Mapleshade, where she should only have been able to see the warrior’s sturdy body. Ivypaw shivered. “Do all cats fade away?”
“Eventually,” Hawkfrost growled. “If they survive long enough.”
He headed away through the trees. Ivypaw hesitated for a moment, her belly tight. She never wanted to fade away. She shook out her fur and bounded after Hawkfrost.
“Are you okay?” Hawkfrost was frowning at her hind paw as she caught up.
Ivypaw remembered the sprain. “Fine, thanks.”
Hawkfrost leaped a narrow gully in the forest floor. “If you’re not up to training, go home.”
Ivypaw jumped after him, gritting her teeth as her paw jarred on landing. “You should be glad I’m here. Jayfeather knows.” The words tumbled out of her mouth. She hadn’t planned to tell, but she couldn’t keep it to herself any longer.
Hawkfrost turned his head. “Knows what?”
“That I come here,” Ivypaw confessed. “Dovepaw told me.”
“So she knows, too.” Hawkfrost paused and stared at Ivypaw. “And?”
What does he want me to say?Ivypaw shrugged. “And  .  .  . nothing.”
Hawkfrost nodded and set off again.
“After all, I’m not doing anything wrong, am I?” Ivypaw hurried to catch up. “They should be grateful I’m doing extra training. ThunderClan warriors don’t seem to care about fighting. I spent all day building dens.”
Hawkfrost’s pelt brushed the smooth bark of a tree. “You’re not doing anything wrong at all,” he told her. “Don’t you think I’d warn you if you were?”
He led her into a clearing, where a gray-and-black rock jutted from the earth like the hunched back of an ancient badger. Cats circled the stone, and Ivypaw recognized Antpelt and Tigerheart. Tigerheart nodded a greeting, but Ivypaw ignored him. She was too busy looking for other cats she knew. She had never seen so many Clan cats in the Dark Forest before. She spotted the sleek, dark gray pelt of the RiverClan she-cat Minnowtail, and farther along, Breezepelt paced beneath a lightning-blasted pine tree.
Ivypaw halted beside a small white tom. She shivered when she saw the long scar that parted his belly fur and curled over his shoulder to the tip of his ear like a bulging pink snake.
Hawkfrost introduced them. “This is Snowtuft.”
Ivypaw nodded shyly, trying not to stare at his scar.
“That’s Shredtail, and that’s Sparrowfeather.” Hawkfrost flicked his tail toward two more Dark Forest warriors. Shredtail’s dark tabby pelt was crisscrossed with old wounds, and Sparrowfeather, a small mottled she-cat, had a muzzle that looked as though it had been savaged by a dog. Ivypaw curled her claws and lifted her chin. She wasn’t going to let her new Clanmates know how nervous she was feeling.
“Thistleclaw!”
Hawkfrost’s greeting made Ivypaw jump. She’d heard nursery tales about Thistleclaw. He’d been Tigerstar’s mentor, and some cats said it was Thistleclaw who’d first taught Firestar’s old enemy the meaning of cruelty. She jerked around to see a large tom pad slowly into the clearing. Uneven patches of gray mottled his white face. His white shoulders rippled with strength, and he lashed his long gray tail.
“Good evening, Hawkfrost.” His sharp green eyes flashed at his Dark Forest ally. “Not many with us tonight.”
“Only the best,” Hawkfrost replied.
Thistleclaw slowly circled the rock. Ivypaw held her breath. What kind of training session would this be? She lifted the weight from her aching paw, hoping it would hold out.
“You.” Thistleclaw nodded to Shredtail. “Get on the rock.”
Shredtail scrambled up quickly and stood on the broad, smooth stone.
Thistleclaw’s green gaze glittered. “I want you to work together,” he ordered. “You’ve got to knock him from the rock without letting him strike a blow to your heads.” He stared at Shredtail. “Do you understand?”
Shredtail nodded.
Thistleclaw stepped back. “Begin.”
Sparrowfeather leaped first. She was small, but she was strong, and she unbalanced Shredtail momentarily with a savage blow to his face. Ivypaw bristled. Blood was welling on the warrior’s cheek. Were they supposed to train with unsheathed claws? She crouched down and launched herself at Shredtail, but she was knocked aside by Antpelt, who was making his own attack.
“I said work together!” Thistleclaw yowled. He clouted Antpelt’s ear. Ivypaw felt something hot spatter against her neck, and smelled the salty tang of blood. She deliberately didn’t look at Antpelt, didn’t want to see how he had been punished for getting in her way. Instead she darted around the rock to where Tigerheart was standing on hind paws, batting at Shredtail and ducking to keep his head from being battered in return. Ivypaw reared up beside him and joined in.
Shredtail was becoming frantic as cats swiped at him from every side. Whipping one way and then another, he tried to reach them with carefully aimed blows. Ivypaw ducked as he hooked a paw toward her, then reared as he turned to defend his back. She sprang forward and knocked him with both paws, delight rushing through her as she felt him stagger.
Got you!
But Shredtail spun and faced her, a snarl twitching on his lips. Ivypaw jerked backward as Shredtail slashed at her eyes with outstretched claws. He missed, but he was close enough for Ivypaw to feel her eyelashes shiver.
Shock pulsed through her. He could have blinded me!As she dropped, trembling, onto four paws, Shredtail’s eyes suddenly widened in surprise, and he collapsed onto his belly as his hind legs were yanked out from under him. Ivypaw looked up to see Sparrowfeather hauling the young warrior from the rock, her teeth sunk deep into his flesh. Shredtail wailed in agony, his claws scraping over rock as he fought to cling on.
“No!” Thistleclaw roared, and swung a paw that knocked Sparrowfeather off her feet. With a yowl she crashed, sprawling onto the grass.
Ivypaw gasped. She’s not moving!
The gray-and-white warrior swung his head around, his gaze swooping over the trembling cats. “I told you to knockhim off.” His voice was terrifyingly soft. “Not drag him.” He glanced at Sparrowfeather. The small brown cat twitched and lifted her head. “You cheated,” Thistleclaw hissed.
“Sorry.” Sparrowfeather’s mew was little more than a croak
Thistleclaw circled her slowly, then jabbed her with a paw. “Get up,” he growled. “It’s your turn.” He watched as she dragged herself to her paws and began to haul herself up onto the rock.
“And this time, don’t cheat.”
第三章
第三章
“老鼠屎！”狮焰低声咕哝道。桦落打着鼾，已经是第三次把腿挥到狮焰的肚子上了。
我希望自己能睡着！狮焰用力地将桦落推开，站起身来。
“哎哟！”一根尖树枝戳到了狮焰双耳间。巢穴的顶很低，和刺猬一样支支棱棱的，有很多刺出来的小树枝还需要整修。整个巢穴都需要整修。
狮焰皱了皱鼻子。空气中充斥着战后疲倦武士们难闻的气味。一想起那场战斗，不安就让他的肚子发紧。黄毛本不应该死的。对这片两脚兽空地的争夺在两个族群决出胜负后就该停止了，死亡本不该是边界冲突的一部分。
狮焰擦着米莉走过，在通道旁缩起身子朝巢穴外挤。寒冷的空气使他鼻子隐隐作痛。他眨着眼睛，享受着寒意，从扯着他皮毛的枝条间脱出身来。空地在皎洁的月光下闪烁着光芒。营地四周的峭壁被寒霜镀上了一层银辉，地面冻得像硬邦邦的石头。狮焰还没走几步，他温暖的脚掌就被冻得刺痛起来，渐渐失去了知觉。
他停下脚步，听着周围。巫医巢穴里，松鸦羽正在缓解荆棘光的咳嗽。小鼹鼠在育婴室里满足地咕噜着，大概是罂粟霜的母乳让他感到温暖了吧。战斗好像是另一个遥远的世界里的事。
山谷顶部传来微弱的噼啪声。狮焰猛地抬头看去。月光下，一小片沙砾掉了下来，落在冰冻的空地上，留下了一道小小的砸痕。
上面有什么东西。
狮焰朝荆棘屏障方向走去。松鸦羽曾警告过他黑森林正在崛起，要对抗他们——所以不能忽略任何信号。
“狮焰？”炭心跟在他身后，从巢穴口挤了出来，“你还好吗？”
狮焰回过头。炭心的灰色虎斑皮毛保持着在窝里睡得皱巴巴的样子：“你听到外面有声音？”
荆棘丛沙沙作响，榛尾钻进了山谷。“怎么了？”火星派她和灰条一起去守卫入口。每次战斗后，雷族族长都会派出双倍的力量守卫入口。
“你今天晚上有没有看见或听见什么？”狮焰回头看向山谷顶部。
榛尾顺着他的目光看去：“没有。”
“那灰条呢？”
“是谁在喊我吗？”灰毛武士透过屏障往里看着，他的皮毛蓬松着以抵御严寒。
“你们站岗的时候有什么事发生吗？”狮焰追问道。
“什么都没有。”
榛尾伸了个懒腰，强忍着没打哈欠。“一晚上都如同繁星般寂静，”她说道，“为什么这么问？你是觉得会发生什么事吗？”
坠落的小片沙砾在结霜的地面上闪闪发光。
“或许只是猎物的动静吧。”狮焰轻声咕哝道。
“嗯，猎物。”灰条舔了舔嘴唇，低下头去消失在视野内。榛尾抖了抖皮毛，迈步穿过荆棘向外面的灰条走去。
炭心看着狮焰：“我们要去检查一下吗？”
狮焰有些犹豫：“森林里很冷。”
炭心耸了耸肩：“跑一跑可以让身子暖和起来。”
“但是现在已是半夜了。”狮焰不想让炭心看出他的不安，更何况，万一森林里真有什么呢？他的胸中升起一股想要保护她的冲动：“你待在这儿吧，我去检查。”
炭心的眼睛在月光下闪动：“我又不是幼崽！”
狮焰心头一紧，摇了摇尾巴：“我不是说——”
炭心从他身边跑过：“反正我不会一直站在这儿，等着脚掌冻在地面上！”
她迈开大步朝营地入口走去，狮焰叹了口气。如果炭心执意要去，狮焰也拿她没办法。
他跟着她来到了屏障处。“我们最好留心影族。”他警告道，“他们或许还想让雷族流流血。”
炭心回头狠狠地瞪了他一眼。“就你知道是吧？”随后她挤过荆棘通道。
狮焰哼了一声，有些生自己的气。炭心说得对，他把她当幼崽一样对待了。
“你们俩要去哪儿？”看见狮焰和炭心出现在荆棘通道边，灰条问道。
“只是睡不着。”炭心解释说。
“注意安全。”榛尾提醒道。
“我们不会在外面待太久，”狮焰的呼吸在他面前翻腾着，“实在太冷了。”他沿着一条狭窄的小道穿过结了霜的蕨丛，从树林间的坡道往上走。
他们穿过树林来到了山顶，沐浴在月光下。狮焰嗅了嗅峭壁边被霜压弯的野草，除了闻到结冰的树叶和冰冷的石头的味道，什么也没闻到。
“你还好吗？”炭心的语气中满是担忧。
“你指什么？”
“黄毛的事，”炭心的头歪向一边，“关于她的死。”
狮焰身子一僵：“是说我杀了她，你是这个意思吧？”
“你不得不救火星。”
“我不想说这件事。”狮焰转回草地，沿着山谷边缘闪闪发光的茎秆向一根坠落的树枝走去。他只闻到了雷族的气味，没有发现任何入侵者或猎物的迹象。
“你还是说一下吧，”炭心坚持说道，“每只猫都会谈论这件事的，你不能假装它没有发生。”
“这件事本就不该发生！”狮焰脱口而出，一股怒气随之涌上心头。他跳到坠落的树枝上，转向他的族猫：“我从没想过杀她！”他撕扯着树皮，大块大块的树皮被他爪尖剥落下来，“我当时只是想救火星！但是我还是没能救下他。他还不是失去了一条性命！”
炭心向后退了几步，避开飞溅的木屑。“你的确救了火星！”她的声音很是坚定，“谁知道黄毛接下来会干什么？她可能会夺走火星所有的性命。”
她为什么要让他想起这件事？他好像突然回到了战斗中，他努力将黄毛从火星身上扯开，而黄毛在他的爪下拼命挣扎着。当发现黄毛开始瘫软下去时，他惊惧得浑身发抖。为什么星族会容许他杀了黄毛？
炭心还在继续：“每位武士都清楚自己可能死在战斗中。你为什么要这么忧心呢？你是怕影族来找你报复吗？”她深蓝色的眼睛映射着天上繁星：“他们为什么会报复？死亡无可避免。族群需要操心的事很多，不会因为失去一位武士而大动干戈的。”
“可她是他们的副族长！”狮焰厉声说道。
炭心看着他的眼睛：“她已经很老了。”
狮焰的怒气渐渐减了下去，他突然为自己刚才的情绪失控感到抱歉。“真正的武士不会为了获胜而杀戮，”他低声说道，“还记得这条守则吗？”
炭心眨眨眼睛，皮毛平顺下来，然后转身看向树林深处，思绪似乎也一起飘进了树林中。“或许时代正在改变。”她低声说。
狮焰身子一僵：“不！”
炭心挪了挪脚掌。
“你是什么意思？”狮焰追问道。“武士守则和过去没有丝毫改变。对所有族群如此重要的东西怎么能变呢？”
炭心耸了耸肩：“难道你没有感觉到吗？”
“感觉到什么？”狮焰感觉他的皮毛开始刺痛起来。难道鸽爪泄露了某些关于预言的事？
“有些东西……”炭心似乎在搜寻合适的词来表达，“有些东西感觉不一样了。战斗如此残忍——对一场边界争端而言过于残忍了——简直像是一切可怕的事情开始的征兆。”她睁大的眼睛好似一汪深泉。
狮焰盯着炭心。她是唯一一只有这种感觉的猫吗？他已经习惯了那个预言：有三只猫，他们星权在握。他数个月前就知道他们的敌人正蠢蠢欲动，所有的族群正处于黑暗的边缘。这些事情每时每刻都影响着他的生活，干涉着他的想法。但族群里的其他猫却不能知道这个预言。因为他们没办法理解这个预言，这是他们无论多么努力训练、多么笃信武士守则都无法应对的。
“你是不是做过什么梦？比如有警示意味的梦？”他问道，“如果你做过的话，应该告诉火星。”
炭心摇了摇头：“没有，就是感觉黄毛想要杀死火星这件事不太对劲。黄毛是一位很好的武士，她为什么会想杀死火星呢？她应该知道星族是不会赞同的。”
狮焰探身向前，炭心继续说着。
“似乎有一种更黑暗的力量在驱使着影族。”
林中传来的一声尖叫让他俩猛地转过身，皮毛竖立，利爪伸出。一只白色的猫头鹰在树干间盘旋。它朝他们俯冲而下，从头顶上飞掠而过，宽大的雪色双翼拍打着气流掀起了他们的皮毛。
“以星族的名义，这是干什么？”狮焰喘息道。
猫头鹰用一侧的翼尖拍打过狮焰的口鼻，他在树枝上努力地保持住身体的平衡。随着另一声尖叫，猫头鹰朝山谷上方盘旋离去。炭心发出一声惊叫，冲进树林，身后的尾巴如金雀花一般奓开。狮焰跟在炭心身后飞奔。
他开始呼唤他这位同巢伙伴，想要安慰她，但他很快就放弃了。快跑很快就会使她的恐惧消失。而且寒冷的夜风吹进皮毛中的感觉很舒服，他感觉浑身充满了力量。树干飞快地从他身旁掠过，所经之处，枝叶一路颤动。炭心的尾巴就在前面一狐狸身长的地方，上面的皮毛已经开始平顺了下来。她穿过一片蕨丛时，尾巴就像蛇一样在她身后扭动。他跟了上去，冰冻的茎秆刮擦着他的皮毛。
他们冲出了蕨丛，炭心忽然调转了方向。森林地面下陷，出现一处很短的陡坡，炭心轻松地大步跃过，轻巧落地后继续向前跑去。她绕过光秃秃的黑莓丛。他们朝森林深处跑去，身边的树木越发稠密起来。狮焰让炭心带路，享受着跟在炭心身后的这种温暖感觉，跟着她的步伐，唯有眼睛注视着脚下的路。
炭心开始放慢了脚步，他也跟着慢了下来，侧腹起伏着，大口喘息。他们一起停了下来。狮焰惊讶地看到了那座废弃的两脚兽巢穴，在阴暗的树林映衬下更显漆黑。他没有意识到他们已经跑了这么远。他们默默小跑，经过两脚兽巢穴，朝石堆后面长着成排橡树的斜坡跑去。黑莓丛拦在他们身前，但炭心还是继续挤了过去，最后跌跌撞撞地来到一小块空地上。
她身后的狮焰浑身一震，停了下来。
“怎么了？”炭心转过身问道。
狮焰环顾这片被荆棘掩盖的狭窄空地。他以前来过这儿。当时，陡峭的地面还是平坦的草地，空地中央陡然下陷，形成一个坑洞。现在这个洞不见了，洞口所在的地方变成了光滑的野草、岩石和泥土，就好像森林大地上的一道疤痕。
狮焰感觉很难受。在这片伤痕累累的土地下方某处，埋着他的姐姐冬青叶的尸体。发现叶池是他们真正的母亲后，冬青叶就是从这里逃入隧道的。后来一场滑坡导致入口坍塌消失，将她永远埋在了里面。
“怎么了？”炭心的胡须从狮焰的胡须上拂过。
狮焰摇了摇头。只有他和松鸦羽知道冬青叶消失的真相，知道她在地下失踪的原因。她的失踪不仅仅是因为叶池，还因为她为了保守秘密而杀了蜡毛。蜡毛是除了他们姐弟和松鼠飞，唯一知道他们身世秘密的猫。但蜡毛的死并没能让冬青叶脑中的风暴平息下来，她在森林大会上说出了真相。随后，她去见了叶池最后一面，与她对峙后便逃进了隧道。她的族猫们只知道她在一场不幸的意外中丧生了，而杀死蜡毛的凶手没有找到，猜测是路过的泼皮猫干的。
第一次看到这些隧道时，狮焰是那么的兴奋。真是他们的奇境之地！这是他们彼此见面玩耍的秘密基地。而如今他注视着满目疮痍的地面，只希望石楠尾当初从没有发现这些隧道。一想起曾经同为学徒时与这位漂亮的风族武士秘密嬉戏的时光，愧疚之情就刺痛了他的皮毛。
他的喉咙里发出低沉的咆哮。如果石楠尾没有发现隧道，那么冬青叶或许仍然活着。
“狮焰？”听到炭心焦急的叫声，狮焰这才回过神来。他感觉脚掌有点儿疼，这才意识到自己的爪子已经深深刺入冰冻的地里。
“怎么了？”炭心歪着头盯着狮焰问道，“你还没从在猫头鹰的惊吓中缓过神来吗？”
“应该是吧。”狮焰从土里抽出爪子，舔了舔皮毛，让皮毛平顺下来。“我们去影族边界看看吧。”他建议道，希望转移炭心的注意力，“我们快到那儿了。”
“现在不怕他们想让我们溅血了？”
狮焰没有理会她的取笑，看了一眼发亮的天空。“快到黎明了，”他说道，“我们可以早早去巡逻，然后回去向火星报告。”
炭心看上去松了一口气。“你终于听起来又像一位武士了，”她轻擦着狮焰的皮毛走过，“你让我很担心。”
狮焰走到她身旁：“你居然会担心我？”
“怎么不会？”她停下来，认真地看着他，“你是个好朋友。”
或许不仅仅是朋友？
还没等他鼓足勇气大声说出来，炭心已经飞快地跑开了。
“我要和你赛跑！”炭心喊道。
炭心在树林里拐来拐去，狮焰在后面追赶着，很容易就追上了她。他有勇气告诉炭心自己不只是想和她做朋友吗？他沮丧得皮毛刺痛。他能成为四族中最英勇的武士，但一想到要把自己的感受告诉炭心，就让他浑身的勇气都溜了个干净。
星光在前方不远处的树干间闪烁，他们已经接近森林边缘了。
他加快了步伐。“快点儿！”他超过炭心，假装在取笑她。但他其实是想赶在炭心之前到达两脚兽空地。虽然他们为这块空地而战斗过，并最终赢得了胜利，但是他仍然不相信影族。他绝不会让炭心处于险境。
他在树林边缘停了下来，用尾巴示意炭心待在后面。炭心没有理会他，而是在他凝视着白霜覆盖的草地时，蹲伏到他的身旁。“真希望火星没有把这块地收回来！”她喃喃自语道。
狮焰猛地转过头，一脸震惊地盯着炭心。
炭心移动着脚掌。“我只是说，在这里没办法巡逻。”她的语气中带有一丝歉意，好像已经意识到自己刚刚的话有些草率，“我们只要一迈出森林，影族就会看到我们在巡逻，而且这里的猎物那么稀少，绿叶季时又全是两脚兽……”她停了下来。
狮焰听出了炭心的意思，他想告诉炭心自己也曾怀疑过这场战斗。为这块空地流的那些血真的值得吗？但是他忍住了。现在，整个族群必须比以往任何时候都更需要团结一致，保持强大。
狮焰强压着颤抖。战斗的声音在他耳边回响，他再一次感觉到黄毛的生命在他的爪下渐渐消逝。一阵恶心涌上喉咙，他只得把腹部紧贴在地面上。
“有谁在监视我们！”炭心的嘘声使他回过神来。
“在哪儿？”
炭心用口鼻指了指。狮焰看到在空地的另一侧，有一双眼睛在影族的树林中闪闪发光。
一眨眼的工夫，狮焰已经冲过了草地。谁都别想碰这块雷族最新赢得的领地。盛怒之下，他皮毛倒竖，在离影族领地一尾的地方停了下来。他贴平双耳，尾巴抽打着。
一双眼睛镇静自若地朝他眨了眨，接着，一只猫从树木间走了出来。
焰尾。
影族巫医毫不畏惧地盯着狮焰。“你是想像杀死黄毛那样杀了我吗？”他怒吼道。
炭心的脚步声从他身后传来。“现在这里是我们的领地了，”她警告影族猫，“你够聪明的话就该记住。”
焰尾轻蔑地哼了一声，迈步靠近，像走进自己的营地一样自若地越过了气味线。“我是一位巫医，”他提醒道，“想去哪里就去哪里。”
狮焰强压着腹中涌起的盛怒。影族猫的傲慢！“你难道不应该待在营地里治疗受伤的族猫吗？”
“我的族猫都很好。”焰尾盯着狮焰，“当然，除了黄毛。”
狮焰不得不阻止自己扑向这只年轻的猫。焰尾难道不明白这场战斗的意义所在吗？难道他不知道两个族群为此付出了多少代价吗？
他感觉到炭心正用尾巴轻触他的侧腹。“够了，”炭心低声说着，将他竖立的皮毛抚平，“他就是想激怒你。不要理他。”
狮焰的怒火在炭心温柔的声音中平息了，他收回了爪子。
“你今天最好老老实实避开雷族，”炭心对这只影族猫说，“我们必须设定新的标记，何况在这场战斗中受难并不只有影族。”
焰尾朝狮焰眨了眨眼睛，没有理会炭心，就好像她不存在似的。“我曾经以为我们是至亲，”他斥责道，“现在，我很庆幸我们不是。否则，我会憎恶自己与一个凶手流着相同的血。”
狮焰发出了一声警告的怒吼，但焰尾转过身，高抬着下巴，阔步走回了树林。
“这个狐狸心肠的懦夫！”狮焰真想将焰尾撕成碎片，感受他的生命像黄毛那样逐渐消逝的感觉。
“我们走吧。”炭心紧张地绕着狮焰转圈，把他往后推，远离影族边界，“我们待在这儿只会惹出更多麻烦，其他什么也干不了。”
狮焰咆哮着转过身，跑过空地。进入雷族森林后，他冲过了一堵荆棘墙，几乎没感觉到荆棘划破了他的口鼻，将他的皮毛成团扯下。从森林中穿过的时候，愤怒和懊悔占据了他的心智。他埋头朝山谷跑去，对欢迎他回来的灰条和榛尾毫不理会。荆棘屏障在耳边呼啸而过，他直接冲进营地。
莓鼻正在育婴室入口处，看上去相当的吃惊。“一切都还好吧？”他大声问道。
“嗯。”
莓鼻眯了眯眼睛，还是点点头消失在了黑莓丛中。育婴室里传来了小鼹鼠和小樱桃迎接他们父亲的欢呼声。
“是狮焰吗？”松鸦羽在武士巢穴旁问道。
“你怎么这么早就醒了？”狮焰喘着粗气，“这会儿天还没亮呢。”
“我在检查受伤的猫。”
“大家都没事吧？”
松鸦羽点了点头，朝荆棘屏障走去。“跟我来。”他指示道，“我们需要谈谈。”
跑了那么长的距离，狮焰这才开始感觉自己累进了骨头里。“谈什么啊？”他有些不情愿地嘟囔道。
松鸦羽眯起了眼睛。“藤爪。”他咆哮道。
第四章
第四章
“藤爪？”
鸽爪坐了起来，眨着眼睛。
狮焰质疑的叫声吵醒了她，犹如乌鸫的警报声般萦绕在她的耳边。她猛地转过头，在学徒巢穴里仔细搜寻着，但狮焰并不在这里。藤爪还睡着，梅花落和黄蜂条仍然在窝里打着呼噜。新的武士巢穴一建成，武士们就搬了过去。在小鼹鼠和小樱桃成为学徒前，她和藤爪就是族群里仅有的学徒。
“没错，就是藤爪。”那是松鸦羽在说话。
鸽爪摇了摇头。她一定是听到了巢穴外的声音。她将自己的感知延伸到巢穴墙外冰冷的营地，仔细感受着，搜寻着吵醒她睡觉的对话。
“你确定？”狮焰听起来像是难以置信得都喘不上气来了。
他们在说藤爪什么呢？他们为什么听上去这么担心？鸽爪哆嗦着爬出了巢穴。我是三力量之一，他们应该和我说说这事，我还是藤爪的姐妹。她快步越过结霜的地面，匆匆朝荆棘屏障跑去。
离入口不到一尾长的距离了，这时，育婴室外传来了喊声：“鸽爪！”
她沮丧地停了下来。
莓鼻正盯着她。“你要去哪儿？”年轻武士奶油色的皮毛在苍白的月光下显得越发鲜亮。小鼹鼠和小樱桃在他身旁挤成一团，鼻子里喷出微小的气团。
“排便处。”
“那就走排便处通道吧。”
狮焰的声音再一次刺痛了鸽爪的耳朵：“她认识他？”
认识谁？
鸽爪必须搞清楚。她转过身，朝排便处通道跑去。她可以顺着这条路偷偷溜出去找他们。
有脚掌落地声跟了上来。“你要去排便处吗？”是藤爪，她的皮毛还一副睡得乱蓬蓬的样子，她追上来跟鸽爪并排走着，“我也去。”
鸽爪沮丧地屈起了爪子。这下她无法溜走了，藤爪一定会想跟她一起去。她竖起双耳，再次搜寻起狮焰来，却在这时发现藤爪有些一瘸一拐。
“你怎么了？”她的忧虑马上就转到姐妹身上。藤爪似乎两只后脚掌用力不均，一只轻轻地踩着，而另一只则步伐沉重。“我还以为你在战斗中没有受伤。”
“我肯定是在睡觉的时候压到它了。”藤爪轻声咕哝着。这只银白相间的母猫直起身子，好像在掩饰自己的跛足。“这场战斗是不是好刺激？”藤爪转换了话题。
“你很享受这场战斗吗？”鸽爪盯着姐妹，“可是火星失去了一条性命啊。”
“好吧，这点确实很糟，而且黄毛也死了。但是能够运用我们所学的技巧，这种感觉真的特别好。”
鸽爪弯身钻入排便处通道：“我还是宁愿使用狩猎技巧，把战斗技巧留到捍卫族群的时候。”
“但我们就是在捍卫自己的族群啊！”藤爪跟着她，“影族打算窃取我们的领地。难道你忘了我的梦了吗？”
鸽爪没吭声。她始终不明白为什么星族要给藤爪托梦，而不是给她。她排完便后又回到了营地。
整个族群都忙碌了起来。灰条打着哈欠走过，向武士巢穴走去。他恶狠狠地看了一眼黎明时分清澈的天空：“寒冷仍将持续下去，不久以后猎物就会短缺。”
榛尾走在这位灰毛武士身后。“好一个漫长寒冷的夜晚啊。”她评论道。
灰条停了下来，用口鼻蹭了蹭正钻出武士巢穴的米莉。“你真温暖。”他咕噜道。
米莉靠紧他。“去休息会儿吧。”她对灰条说，“巢穴里面很暖和。等你醒来，我就已经给你抓到些好吃的回来了。”
第一缕阳光划破了山谷上方的天际，育婴室沐浴在橙色的阳光中。鸽爪又一次去寻找吵醒她的说话声，可是狮焰和松鸦羽此时正在远离营地，除了听到他们脚掌踩过结冰的树叶的咔嚓咔嚓声，周围一片寂静。
他们为什么那么神神秘秘？
“嘿！”藤爪急匆匆从排便处通道回来了，“你没有等我。”
鸽爪尽量让自己的声音听起来很轻松。“你很意外？”她皱了皱鼻子。
“你是嫌我臭吗？”藤爪立起身来开玩笑似的用前脚掌拍打着鸽爪，却又马上一阵瑟缩，落回到四掌着地的状态。
“或许你应该去找松鸦羽看看那条腿。”鸽爪建议道。
“不会有事的。”藤爪保证道。“快看！”她将头转向了半边石，黑莓掌和火星正在那儿组织当天的巡逻，“还有更重要的事情需要操心呢。”
“我需要两支队伍沿着跟影族的新边界巡逻。”火星抬起下巴命令道，他的绿色双眼显得有些疲倦。他颈部黄毛咬伤处的皮毛上，仍然凝结着血块。
蟾步、冰云、炭心和玫瑰瓣聚集在半边石旁，刺掌、沙风和尘毛坐在靠后一些的地方，而叶池和松鼠飞在附近走来走去。
“你们有什么计划？”云尾加入了他们，他蓝色的眼睛满是睡意。
“要派出两支巡逻队。”松鼠飞告诉他。
火星继续说道：“黑莓掌率领沿湖边的队伍，尘毛率领另一支。刺掌、白翅、松鼠飞，你们跟着黑莓掌。”
刺掌低下了头，白翅也点点头，松鼠飞有些迟疑地看着黑莓掌。当黑莓掌眯起眼睛回望时，松鼠飞的目光垂了下去。
火星继续说道：“云尾、栗尾、蛛足，你们跟着尘毛。”
云尾立刻转身，皮毛竖着向营地入口走去。栗尾跟在他后面，她的同巢伙伴们也紧跟其后。他们一个接一个地走出营地，尾巴蓬松着，似乎随时准备着战斗。
“炭心，”火星将目光转到灰色母猫身上，“现在正值秃叶季，族群需要技艺娴熟的狩猎者。所以今天你让藤爪练习一下追踪能力。我不想让学徒们因为这次战斗而分心，她们的训练一刻也不能耽误。狮焰，你和鸽爪也一起去。”
火星扫视着营地，鸽爪身子一僵。“狮焰在哪儿呢？”火星问道。
莓鼻走上前来：“黎明前，他和松鸦羽一起出去了。”
火星的目光碰上了鸽爪的眼睛。她明白火星想知道是不是有什么事情不对劲。鸽爪耸了耸肩，她知道的并不比火星多。
火星皱了皱眉。“既然这样，鸽爪，你就跟着炭心和藤爪吧。”他又转向莓鼻，“你和她们一起去，今天先替一下狮焰。”
藤爪靠近鸽爪。“太好了。”她轻声咕哝道，“又是狩猎训练，又是莓鼻。”
鸽爪能体会她的失落。她们昨天还和武士们一起并肩作战，今天却又回到了学徒的身份。
“快点儿。”莓鼻带头朝营地入口而去。经过育婴室时，小鼹鼠和小樱桃从罂粟霜身旁跑了过来，在莓鼻的脚掌间跳来跳去，差点儿将他绊倒。他喉咙里发出很大的咕噜咕噜声。“你们很快就会成为武士，”莓鼻保证道，“到那时，影族就再也不敢威胁我们的领地了。”
藤爪翻了个白眼，低声对鸽爪说：“他有必要到处炫耀吗？”
鸽爪几乎没听她讲话，她正在用感知搜寻着松鸦羽和狮焰。你们在哪儿呢？
来自背后的一推让她大吃一惊。“别盯着树林发呆了。”炭心轻声斥责道，“火星说得对，在秃叶季，狩猎是我们的当务之急。我希望你们集中精力。”
鸽爪低下头，跟着莓鼻和藤爪走出了山谷。
“给我们带只田鼠回来。”小樱桃在他们后面叫喊着。
当他们穿过森林来到训练洼地时，鸽爪依旧烦躁不安。为什么狮焰和松鸦羽在谈论藤爪？她回想起姐妹在战场上和虎心心照不宣的眼神交流。在那简短的一瞥间，这两只年轻的猫似乎根本就不是仇敌。她皱了皱眉。狮焰也看到这一幕了吗？他在怀疑藤爪的忠诚呢？肯定不是！
“鸽爪！”莓鼻的喊声将她从沉思中猛地唤醒了，“专心点儿！”
他们到达洼地，在沙质空地中央停了下来。
“我刚刚说了什么？”莓鼻问道。
鸽爪抬起下巴，一脸茫然地看着他，皮毛开始发烫。
莓鼻叹了口气，声音大得足以吓跑周边所有的猎物。他走到鸽爪前面。“我刚才说，即使是经验最丰富的武士也需要训练狩猎蹲伏，而且要一直坚持下去。”他停下来，尾巴在寒冷的空气中拂动着，“给我演示演示。”
鸽爪蹲伏了下来。
“臀部收紧，否则你的跳跃不会有力。”莓鼻用鼻子轻轻地推了推鸽爪的侧腹，一只脚掌拉直了她的尾巴，“尾巴要离开地面。别抽动，否则皮毛与树叶摩擦的声音会让猎物有所警觉。”
鸽爪压低下巴，尾巴僵硬地直直伸着。
“脖子不要伸太长，”莓鼻纠正道，“你必须像条蛇一样缩紧身子，准备攻击，而不是像一只正在嗅闻鸟窝的鼬鼠一样伸展着。”
鸽爪将爪子刺入像石头一样坚硬的地面。
炭心走上前：“我觉得她挺好的。”
“我打赌她够不到那颗七叶树果。”藤爪说道。
“我打赌可以！”鸽爪放缓呼吸，注意力集中到前方三尾远处长满刺的果壳上。她将所有的力量都凝聚在脚掌上，然后跃了起来。
她刚好落到七叶树果子上。“哎哟！”果实的刺戳进了她的掌垫，她跳了下来，皮毛竖立着。
藤爪打趣地尖叫着：“不好意思，鸽爪！我真没有想到你能够到它。”
“好吧，好吧！”鸽爪坐起身，舔舐着被刺的脚掌。“我可真是鼠脑子。”她忍不住咕噜道。
藤爪围着她跳着：“就算是老鼠也没这么笨啦。”
鸽爪假装很受伤的样子，扑向藤爪，撞到她身上将她掀翻在地。
“好了。”炭心温和地说道，“继续练习吧。”她用口鼻推了推藤爪：“让我们看看你的蹲伏姿势。”
藤爪将她那白色的腹部紧贴着地面。
“你的身子偏向一边了。”莓鼻提醒道。
藤爪受伤的那只脚掌仍不敢着地。鸽爪看着莓鼻和炭心绕着姐妹走动，再次竖起双耳搜寻狮焰的声音。她集中精神，让自己的感知沿着新的边界向下一直追踪到了湖边，她的耳毛竖立着，听到了湖边波浪轻拍鹅卵石的声音。突然，一股熟悉的味道扑鼻而来。松鸦羽和狮焰就在湖边，正在水畔的石头上紧挨在一起。
“你确定藤爪是自愿去那儿的吗？”狮焰咆哮着。
鸽爪绷紧身子。去哪儿？她闭上双眼。通过嗅觉和听觉，现在她能察觉到狮焰和松鸦羽的一举一动。他们正坐在湖边，湖水就在他们身边轻轻拍打，寒风拂动着他们的皮毛。
“她表现得就像她属于那儿。”松鸦羽咕哝道。
狮焰咬紧牙关，吸了一口冷气：“这件事很严重。”
“严重？”松鸦羽重复了一句，“这是迄今为止，所有族群遇到过最可怕的事情了！黑森林里到处是来自不同族群的猫！他们太多了，一旦与黑森林开战，我们将全军覆没！”
她听懂了松鸦羽的话，皮毛不由得竖了起来。她早就知道鹰霜和虎星盯上了一些猫，但是她怎么也不敢相信有雷族猫会被他们的谎言所诱惑。
有东西撞上她的身侧，让她翻滚到了冰冻的地面上。
“哈！”莓鼻出现在她头上，“我就跟你说她睡着了吧，炭心！”
鸽爪爬起身，吐出嘴里霜冻的泥土。
“现在是秃叶季，”莓鼻厉声说道，“你觉得你睡着觉能抓到多少猎物？”
鸽爪朝他眨了眨眼。藤爪正在接受黑森林武士的训练！
在空地的另一边，她的姐妹正准备起身，由于在沙地上的翻滚动作，藤爪的皮毛皱皱巴巴的。她突然看上去是那么小，那么疲惫不堪。她的眼神呆滞，双肩下垂。
这不是真的！为什么他们选择了她？她又没有任何特别的力量！
别去想了！她的思绪如飓风般飞旋。她深深地吸了一口气，让自己冷静下来。松鸦羽可能搞错了，或许被虎星误导的其实是他，而不是藤爪。
“鸽爪！”莓鼻严厉的声音再次打断了她的思绪，“你和狮焰一起训练时，也是这样羽毛脑子的样子吗？”
鸽爪摇摇头。“实在抱歉。”她低下头，“战斗结束后，我还是有点儿心烦意乱……”她的声音逐渐减弱，直到莓鼻的语气和缓了一些，她才松了口气。
“你还年轻，”他轻声说道，“毫无疑问，这场战斗对你来说很残酷。”莓鼻用尾巴轻拂着鸽爪的侧腹。“让我们集中精力为你的族群狩获猎物吧，这和战斗同等重要。我想教你一些有助于在秃叶季狩猎的技巧。”他走到空地中央，“藤爪，你也看着。”
藤爪穿过空地时，鸽爪一直瞪着她。
藤爪迎上她的目光：“你还好吧？”
“看好了，你们两个。”莓鼻蹲伏了下来，双眼紧盯着前方几尾远的一小堆结冰的树叶，“当地面冻成现在这样时，猎物就可以听到每一个脚步声，清晰得和啄木鸟啄击空心的树干一样。”他慢慢地向前移动，脚掌滑过结霜的树叶。
“你看起来像条蛇。”藤爪说。
炭心围绕着她。“对任何猎物来说，他听起来也像是一条蛇。”她指出重点，“猎物们只会顾着嗅闻蛇的气息，不会去想是猫，等到它们反应过来时，一切都已经晚了。”
话音刚落，莓鼻已经如老鹰般快速地向前弹起，落在了那堆树叶上。他坐起身，转了过来。
“鸽爪，你试试。”
鸽爪向前滑动了几步，她冰冷的脚掌如冰块在冰面上一样轻松地滑动着，然后她跳了起来。
“完美！”当她在树叶堆上降落时，莓鼻喊道。
鸽爪弹了弹尾巴。他们越早完成训练，她就能越快回去问问藤爪。
“轮到你了。”莓鼻对藤爪说。
鸽爪坐直了身子，对莓鼻眨了眨眼。“要不让我和藤爪一起到边上去实践一下？”她叫道，“短暂的一天马上就要过去了。”她抬头从树林间看去，太阳升到最高时也几乎都没有越过顶端的树枝，日头不久之后就要开始下沉了。“你示范得非常好，我相信藤爪也可以掌握这个动作。”
莓鼻胸脯的皮毛蓬松了起来：“听上去不错。”
炭心抬起头：“你确定你已经学会了？”
“完全会了。”鸽爪保证道，“如果藤爪需要帮助，我们会回来找你们。”
炭心眯了眯眼睛：“藤爪，你觉得呢？”
藤爪点点头。
“离影族边界远一点儿。”炭心警告她们。
“当然！”鸽爪已经开始往训练洼地外跳去。她沿着两排金雀花灌木丛间一条狭窄的小道，爬上洼地的坡顶。
藤爪紧跟着她。鸽爪能感觉到姐妹温暖的呼吸。
“你真聪明！”藤爪气喘吁吁地说道，“我简直一刻也忍受不了莓鼻的炫耀。”
鸽爪没有吱声。所有的问题在她脑海里一遍遍地预演着：你为什么这么做？你怎么会这么傻？
她们到了峭壁边，鸽爪沿着弯曲的陡峭石壁继续前进，不去理会悬崖下方营地传来的声音。
“嘿，玫瑰瓣！”蟾步正在呼喊自己的同窝手足，“你要同我还有鼠须一起去狩猎吗？”
“叶池的巡逻队刚刚带回来一只画眉。”
“谁知道这场霜降会持续多久啊？我们最好把猎物堆存满。”
鸽爪感觉有谁在拉自己的尾巴。
“我们不是要去狩猎吗？”藤爪生气地问道。
鸽爪没有理她，穿过山毛榉树林向风族边界走去。她听到一只松鼠在附近地面上行走的嗒嗒声，但还是继续前进，根本无意停下来狩猎。她必须找个远离族群的地方，问问藤爪松鸦羽说的是不是真的。
她突然意识到藤爪没有跟上来，于是在湿滑的树叶上滑行着停下，转过身。藤爪已经摆出狩猎蹲伏姿势，偷偷靠近一只老鼠。这只老鼠正坐在树根间啃噬山毛榉的坚果。藤爪身体前倾，双眼紧盯着猎物。
你怎么还能一副什么事情都没发生的样子安心狩猎呢？怒火在鸽爪的喉咙里升起，她终于再也忍不住了。
“停下来！”她怒吼着。
老鼠一愣，接着丢掉坚果，朝山毛榉树的树根下冲去。
“是真的吗？”鸽爪支棱着皮毛向姐妹走去。她心里半是恐惧，半是愤怒。
藤爪朝她眨了眨眼。
鸽爪深吸了一口气：“你去过黑森林吗？”
“什么？”藤爪向后退了几步。
“你明明听到了我说的话！”鸽爪停了下来，怒视着姐妹，“你去过黑森林吗？”
“当然没有！”藤爪的皮毛竖了起来，她的深蓝色双眼睁得溜圆，“你为什么要这样说？”
“松鸦羽进入了你的梦中。”鸽爪看到藤爪吞咽了一下。
“我……我……”
“所以是真的？”鸽爪的心怦怦乱跳。
藤爪深蓝色的双眼变得坚定起来：“就算是又如何？只有这样，我才能学到如何成为一位伟大的武士。大家都费尽心力地把你捧成雷族最好的武士——却没那个搭理我的心思！我不过是鸽爪的那个蠢货姐妹罢了——”
鸽爪简直听不下去了：“你怎么能这么傻呢？黑森林的猫都非常邪恶！”
“你怎么知道？”藤爪反驳道，“你连一只黑森林猫都没有见过！”
鸽爪瞪着她：“他们当然不是好猫。不然他们为什么会在黑森林？难道你认为星族把虎星送去那儿是因为他品格优良吗？”
“你见过虎星吗？”
“没有！但是我在育婴室时就听过他的故事，你也听过！他试图置火星于死地，联合血族去攻击他——”
“他现在和以前不一样了！”藤爪的口鼻猛地凑到鸽爪面前，“在黑森林的时光教会了他忠诚的重要性。”她的语气里有挑衅的意味吗？
鸽爪并没有退缩。“你错了。”她嘶吼道，“他还是和过去一样，想毁掉火星。对虎星来说，唯一重要的只有权力。”
藤爪嘴唇后缩：“你连话都没有和他说过，但是我有！他把一切都告诉了我。他成为影族的族长，还不是因为蓝星逼他离开了雷族。他始终对自己出生的族群心怀忠诚，尽管这个族群对他百般迫害！”
“族群对他百般迫害？”鸽爪简直不敢相信自己的耳朵。
“昨天那场战斗，谁才是赢家？”
“这和战斗有什么关系？”
“这就是虎星的主意！是他让我说服火星去攻打影族。他告诉我影族正谋划着窃取我们的领地。也正是因为虎星，我们才反而夺取了他们的领地。这如果不是忠诚，那是什么？”
“但虎星是黑森林的成员！你怎么能相信他的话！你看不出来这场战斗带来的只有麻烦吗？”鸽爪反驳道，“就为了赢下一块毫无价值的土地，要了火星一条命，还害黄毛被杀！”
藤爪眯起了眼睛：“虎星依然对雷族忠诚。鸽爪，你不过是嫉妒罢了。你嫉妒虎星找的是我而不是你！你怕我可能会成为一位比你更加优秀的武士！你怕我会代替你，成为那只特别的猫，怕火星会开始关注我而忽略你！”
“不要这么鼠脑子！你是我的姐妹。”但鸽爪发现自己只是在对着空气喊。藤爪早已转身跳入了蕨丛中。突然只剩自己待在冷冰的树林，鸽爪开始颤抖起来。
她的姐妹居然在黑森林里接受训练！星族怎么能让这一切发生呢？
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Dovepaw sprang awake, shivering. The fernwalls rustled around her, and she tensed against the icy draft. Without Bumblestripe and Blossomfall the den was colder than ever. She pricked her ears. Ivypaw was whimpering in her sleep.
What’s wrong?
“Wake up!” Dovepaw jabbed Ivypaw with her paw. What if the Dark Forest warriors were hurting her?
Whitewing poked her head through the ferns. “Is everything okay in here?”
Dovepaw turned quickly, shielding Ivypaw from their mother’s view. “Ivypaw’s having a bad dream,” she mewed. “I was just trying to wake her up.”
Whitewing opened the fern wider with a snowy paw, letting dawn light seep through. “I thought I heard her whimper—”
“Really, she’s okay.” Dovepaw cut her off.
Whitewing shrugged. “If it’s just a dream, wake her up and come out. Brambleclaw’s organizing the hunting patrols.” She ducked out of the den, and the ferns swished closed.
Dovepaw rocked Ivypaw fiercely with two paws. “Wake up!”
“W-what?” Ivypaw blinked open her eyes.
Dovepaw saw that one of Ivypaw’s eyes was bruised and swollen around the socket. “You’re hurt!”
Ivypaw turned away, hiding her injury in shadow. “It’s nothing.”
“Did that happen in your dream?” Frustration clawed Dovepaw. “You were fighting in the Place of No Stars again, weren’t you?”
Ivypaw thrust her muzzle into Dovepaw’s face. “Shut up!”
“You mustn’t go there!” Dovepaw felt heat pulsing from Ivypaw’s swollen eye.
Ivypaw pushed past her. “Keep your whiskers out of my business.”
“Why can’t you see how dangerous it is?”
But Ivypaw had barged away through the ferns.
Help her, StarClan! Help her to see that she’s wrong. And protect her.Dovepaw closed her eyes. Please, StarClan.She steadied herself with a deep breath and nosed her way out of the den.
Hazeltail, Brackenfur, and Toadstep were crowded around Brambleclaw. Bumblestripe and Blossomfall jostled at their heels, and Cloudtail and Brightheart paced while Dustpelt, Sandstorm, and Thornclaw waited quietly.
The ThunderClan deputy’s ear tips were just visible. “Dustpelt!” he called. “Take Sandstorm and see if ShadowClan has marked the new border.” He turned to Cloudtail. “Take Blossomfall and Bumblestripe hunting.” He nodded to Brackenfur. “Go out with Hazeltail and Toadstep and see what you can catch. I want another prey-hole filled by sundown.”
Where’s Ivypaw?Dovepaw scanned the camp. There was no sign of her sister’s silver-and-white pelt, but she spotted Lionblaze at the far end of the clearing. The golden warrior was deep in conversation with Squirrelflight and Spiderleg, their heads almost touching as they murmured to one another. Curious, Dovepaw focused her hearing and listened.
“How big were the paw prints?” Lionblaze sounded worried.
“Big enough,” Spiderleg reported. “A vixen, by the smell of it.”
“She’s used the track more than once,” Squirrelflight added.
Lionblaze frowned. “So she’s not just passing through.”
Squirrelflight unsheathed her claws. “We’re going to have to track her down and chase her out.”
“It might be better to wait,” Lionblaze reasoned. “The forest is harsh in leaf-bare. She may go elsewhere. Foxes prefer crow-food to fresh-kill when the hunting gets hard.” He suddenly looked up and stared straight at Dovepaw. “Join Brackenfur’s patrol,” he called across the clearing.
Dovepaw shifted her paws, aware that he’d guessed she’d been eavesdropping. “What about training?”
“Training can wait.” Lionblaze turned back to Spiderleg.
Toadstep and Hazeltail were already filing through the thorn tunnel after Brackenfur. Dovepaw raced to catch up to them. “Lionblaze told me to join you,” she mewed to Brackenfur.
“Good.” Brackenfur tasted the air. “The more claws the better. Hunting will be hard today. It’s too cold to smell a thing.”
“And your pelt’s going to stand out like a fox in a snowdrift.” Hazeltail circled him, frosty leaves crackling beneath her gray-and-white paws.
Brackenfur snorted. “You’d better go in front then.”
Hazeltail led the way up the slope, her pale fur no more than a smudge in the frost-whitened undergrowth. Dovepaw tagged on at the end. She pricked her ears, listening for Ivypaw.
“Wait!” Hazeltail halted at the crest of the slope. She dropped into a hunting crouch, her gaze fixed on the ground ahead. A blackbird was hopping over the frozen leaves. Dovepaw held her breath, while Brackenfur and Toadstep stood like stone. Hazeltail began to waggle her haunches.
Crack!
A twig snapped underneath Dovepaw’s foot. The blackbird fluttered away in panic.
“Sorry!” Dovepaw shrank into her pelt.
Brackenfur shrugged. “Twigs are more brittle in the frost.”
“Perhaps it’d be better if we split up,” Hazeltail suggested.
Brackenfur tipped his head. “What do you think?” he asked Toadstep.
“Sounds good,” the black-and-white tom agreed. “At least if we come back with nothing, we’ll have no one to blame but ourselves.”
Brackenfur nodded. “Okay, let’s separate.” He glanced around the patrol. “Anyone mind if I take the shore?”
Dovepaw shook her head. She was quite happy to stay in the shelter of the trees. “I’ll head toward the stream,” she mewed.
Hazeltail was already following the crest of the slope. “See you back in camp, then,” she called over her shoulder.
“I’ll try the edge of the moor,” Toadstep meowed. “There might be a stray rabbit.”
Brackenfur brushed against Dovepaw as he passed. “Will you be all right on your own?”
Dovepaw nodded. “I can practice my stalking.”
The russet warrior disappeared over the crest of the slope. Dovepaw headed deeper into the forest. She listened, reaching far through the trees, searching out Ivypaw. Then she stopped. Ivypaw had already told her to keep her whiskers out of her business. And why spy on her when she was awake? It was when Ivypaw slept that she needed looking out for
Dovepaw wove between the trees until she heard the ripple of water ahead. Dovepaw padded to the edge of the stream and leaned down to drink. Ice cracked beneath her paws. She hopped backward in surprise. The still, shallow water had begun to freeze at the shore. There was a narrow strip of sand on the far side where she could reach unfrozen water more easily. Dovepaw leaped the channel and took a long drink. Water dripping from her chin, she tasted the air. There was no warm scent of prey, only the soft promise of snow. Snow was coming. Dovepaw pricked her ears, unnerved by the silence.
The loud cackle of a starling echoed in the stillness.
Prey!
Excited, Dovepaw headed toward the sound, picking her way between the trees as silently as she could. The starling called again, closer now. Dovepaw unsheathed her claws and scanned the branches above. She would climb if she had to.
A rustle in the bracken behind her made her turn. A starling in bracken? Unusual.She plunged in, tail lashing excitedly.
“Hey!”
A yowl of surprise set her pelt on end. Dovepaw felt fur beneath her feet. This was no starling. Bristling, she wriggled backward out of the bracken. “Who is it?” she mewed, her voice croaking with fear. She tasted the air.
ShadowClan!
The sour stench shocked her, and she tensed, ready to fight. What was ShadowClan doing on ThunderClan territory? The bracken rustled again, and Tigerheart popped out.
Dovepaw stared at him in astonishment. He was on ThunderClan territory! “How dare you come here?” she challenged, ignoring the excitement fizzing beneath her pelt.
“How dare I?” Tigerheart’s eyes were round. “What are you doing on ShadowClan territory?”
“ShadowClanterritory?” She frowned. “But this is ThunderClan.” She glanced quickly around. Pines mingled with oak and beech. She tasted the air. ThunderClan scents mixed with ShadowClan. Where was the border? She sniffed again.
There!The border was behind Tigerheart.
He spun around and stared at the line of scent-marked trees, as though he was just as surprised to find the border behind him. He turned back. “Sorry!” His amber gaze was wide with apology. “The cold seems to have killed every scent. All I can smell today is frost.”
Dovepaw purred. “I know what you mean! I haven’t had a whiff of prey all morning.”
Tigerheart looked relieved. “I’m glad I’m not the only one.” He glanced back at the border. “You’re not going to chase me off, are you?” A purr caught in his mew.
“Oh, no!” Dovepaw shook her head. “It was bad enough having to fight you in the battle.” His amber gaze swung back toward her, and she felt herself growing hot. “I mean, I know we were having a battle, and we’re supposed to fight  .  .  .” The words got tangled on her tongue, and she found herself simply staring at him.
“Borders are more trouble than they’re worth,” Tigerheart muttered.
“What?” She could hardly believe she’d heard him right. But it was true. Without borders, they could meet whenever they wanted. The thought made her heart prick.
Tigerheart cleared his throat. “Of course, borders are borders.” He stopped, his expression growing soft.
“Even when you can’t smell them,” Dovepaw joked. Why did he have to look at her like that?
Paws thrummed on the ground behind her. “Patrol!” she warned.
Tigerheart’s ears were already pricked. “Get back to your side,” she told him. “I’ll steer them away.” Tigerheart hesitated. “Go on!” she urged.
The paw steps were getting closer. Tigerheart bounded toward the scent line. Then he halted. “I want to see you again!”
Dovepaw blinked. “What? When?”
“Here! Tonight. Okay?”
“O-okay.” Dovepaw could hardly believe she was agreeing. She turned on her hind paws and darted away.
Lionblaze, Spiderleg, and Squirrelflight were pounding toward her. Their bright pelts flashed between the trees. Dovepaw raced toward them, blocking their path.
“What are you doing?” Lionblaze slowed to a clumsy halt.
“Hunting,” she mewed innocently.
Squirrelflight and Spiderleg drew up beside her. Spiderleg sniffed at her. “What have you caught?”
“Nothing yet,” Dovepaw confessed.
“Where’s Brackenfur?” Lionblaze asked.
“Down by the shore,” Dovepaw told him. “We split up.”
Lionblaze kneaded the frostbitten leaves under his feet. “Well, with the prey gone to ground to escape this weather, I can’t see you’ll be much use wandering around here by yourself.” He sat back on his haunches and shook tiny specks of ice from his forepaws. “You might as well go back to camp and help patch up the warriors’ den.”
“Won’t Brackenfur be worried if I just disappear?” Dovepaw didn’t want to go back to the hollow. She wanted to stay out in the forest and remember Tigerheart’s amber gaze.
“We’ll find him and let him know.” Lionblaze’s mew cut into her thoughts. “After we’ve tracked this fox.”
“Was it here?” Dovepaw peered around, suddenly nervous.
Squirrelflight looked puzzled. “Can’t you smell it?”
Dovepaw sniffed and felt her fur stand on end. How had she missed it? The forest here was rank with fox stench. “I—I was looking for prey, not fox,” she stammered.
Lionblaze narrowed his eyes. “Get back to camp.”
Dovepaw nodded, relieved that she didn’t have to make any more excuses. As she hurried away, Squirrelflight called after her, “Keep your eyes open!”
“I will,” she yowled back.
She figured that she must have given Tigerheart enough time to get clear. And she was going to see him later. She pictured his thick pelt and his long sleek tail, and she hardly felt her paws as she raced down the slope to the hollow. Her heart was pounding when she burst in through the thorn tunnel.
She skidded to a halt. Outside the nursery, Daisy and Poppyfrost were leaning forward, ears pricked. Mousefur peered from the elders’ den. Berrynose, at the fresh-kill pile with a sparrow in his jaws, seemed to be frozen to the spot. Leaves fluttered from Leafpool’s paws beside the warriors’ den.
All eyes were fixed on Millie and Jayfeather. The two cats faced each other, bristling, in the center of the clearing.
“You’re pushing her too hard!” Millie’s blue eyes blazed.
Jayfeather lashed his tail. “She needs to be pushed!”
“But she’s exhausted.”
“That’s better than lying in her nest slowly suffocating.”
“Are you sure about that?” Millie was trembling.
Jayfeather’s eyes widened. “You want her to die?”
“I want her to be healthy!” Millie hissed. “I want her to run through the forest. I want her to hunt and fight. I want her to know the joys of being a warrior!”
“That’s never going to happen,” Jayfeather mewed gently.
“Then what’s the point?” Millie raged.
“Isn’t there joy in simply being alive?” Jayfeather leaned closer to the distraught warrior.
“Joy?” Millie’s mew was thick with disbelief.
Jayfeather lifted his chin. “I won’t give up on Briarlight.”
A growl rumbled in Millie’s throat. “All you’re doing is dragging out her suffering.”
Leafpool hurried from the warriors’ den. “She’s not in any pain,” she meowed. “Jayfeather makes sure of that.”
“But she’s not getting any better,” Millie pointed out.
“Being a medicine cat is as much about faith as about herbs.” Leafpool swept her tail along Jayfeather’s flank.
Jayfeather jerked away. “I can deal with this by myself, Leafpool!”
But Millie was muzzle to muzzle with ThunderClan’s old medicine cat. “Faith?” she hissed. “If your warrior ancestors are so powerful, why don’t they cure her? If this had happened in my old home, my housefolk would have fixed her.”
“Millie?” Graystripe’s shocked whisper sounded from the entrance as he padded into the clearing. “Is that what you really think?”
Millie backed away. “I don’t know what to think,” she rasped. “I only see my kit, broken and helpless, struggling through each day, with death stalking her like a fox.  .  .  .” Her mew trailed into silence.
“But she’s alive.” Graystripe blinked. “She’s here with us.”
Millie drew a deep breath. “She has to watch her littermates living the lives of warriors, while she just yowls and coughs and drags herself to and from the fresh-kill pile!”
The brambles at the entrance to the medicine den shifted. Briarlight’s paws jabbed through the prickly stems as she began to haul herself out. The hollow was silent except for the sound of Briarlight’s belly fur dragging over the frozen earth. She stared at Millie. “I’m getting better, aren’t I?”
Millie rushed to her kit and licked her cheek fiercely. “Yes, yes you are.”
“I’ll do all my exercises,” Briarlight promised.
“I know you will,” Millie soothed. “And I’ll help you.”
“They make me tired, but they don’t hurt me.”
“Thank StarClan Bumblestripe and Blossomfall weren’t around to hear that.” Dovepaw jumped as Poppyfrost’s mew breathed in her ear. Closing her eyes, Dovepaw reached out with her senses until she could hear Bumblestripe and Blossomfall pounding along the shore, purring as they raced each other to the stream.
They were lucky. Safe in their small world, they couldn’t hear every sound.
Dovepaw glanced around the hollow. Leafpool had returned to her work. Berrynose had carried the sparrow from the fresh-kill pile and was busy gulping it down. Graystripe stood alone in the clearing. Snow was beginning to fall, and the tiny flakes caught in his pelt.
Dovepaw felt a pang of guilt. Her heart was light. She was going to meet Tigerheart tonight.
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Flametail was bone tired.
Clumsily he hauled himself over the lip of the hollow and followed the dimpled rock path that curved down to the Moonpool. He hadn’t slept in two days, and he flopped like a defeated warrior beside the water, his paws frozen and raw.
The stone walls of the hollow glittered with ice. A sharp wind made the star-flecked pool shiver. Closing his eyes, Flametail rested his chin on his paws and let the tip of his nose touch the water. At once flames burst around him. The ice on the rock walls hissed and spat as the fire hit it.
Flametail shot to his paws, spinning in panic. A sheet of dazzling orange flames blocked the path that led up from the pool. He cringed away, heart pounding, ears flattened. StarClan, help me!Blindly, he raced for the pool.
“No, you fool!” A yowl made him halt.
He turned, squinting as he spotted a feline shape, dark against the wall of fire. “Who are you?” As the cat approached, Flametail could make out the gray tabby pelt of a tom. It wasn’t any cat that he knew, though his fur smelled faintly of ShadowClan pines.
“Stay away from the water,” the gray cat growled.
“Don’t be afraid. Palefoot only wants to help.” Now a she-cat shimmered into view. The flames threw flickering shadows over her snowy pelt. Flametail recognized Sagewhisker, the ancient ShadowClan medicine cat.
The StarClan warriors gazed at him calmly.
“Can’t you see the flames?” Flametail wailed.
“Look around you,” Sagewhisker murmured.
Flametail stared around the fiery hollow. And gasped.
Star-pelted cats lined the ledges and stone shelves of the hollow walls. Fire encircled them, making their fur shimmer, but not a flame touched them. Flametail tasted the air. Frost nipped his tongue. The air was cold. His pelt felt nothing but the icy night breeze. The fire was nothing more than a vision. It flamed silently around him, no more than cold light, illuminating the hollow.
Fear drained from him. Breathing deeply with relief, Flametail scanned the ranks of his ancestors and recognized Runningnose, Nightpelt, and Fernshade. With a rush of joy he saw Russetfur. She looked young and strong, as she must have before he’d been born, her dark red fur sleek, her tail curled neatly over her paws. The light of the flames reflected in her dark, steady gaze.
“Who do you see?” Sagewhisker prompted gently.
“Runningnose, Fernshade  .  .  .” he began. Why is she asking? She can see for herself.“Russetfur, Crowtail  .  .  .” He began to recognize more pelts. “Stonetooth, Foxheart  .  .  .” All long-dead ShadowClan warriors he’d met beside the Moonpool. “Just our ancestors.” Why was Sagewhisker staring at him so intently?
“Anyone else?”
Flametail scanned the ranks again. “Hollyflower, Flintfang  .  .  .” He frowned. “All our ancestors,” he repeated. His pelt pricked. There were only ShadowClan cats here. “Is ShadowClan going to die in a fire?” His heart leaped in his throat. “Is this your warning?”
Sagewhisker shook her head. “Our message isn’t that simple, I’m afraid.”
“Where is the rest of StarClan?” Flametail shifted his paws
“They are with their own Clans.”
“But in death you are all one Clan.” Flametail tipped his head to one side, puzzled. “The borders between the Clans disappear.”
A dark pelt flashed through the flames as a large tabby tom jumped down onto the flattened stone. It was Raggedstar, the noble leader of ShadowClan many moons ago.
“There used to be no borders in StarClan.” His deep, rich mew rang around the hollow. “But times have changed.”
Flametail’s claws twitched within their sheaths. “What change? Why?”
“The battle with ThunderClan was unjust and unprovoked. But ThunderClan’s ancestors did nothing to stop it, and Russetfur died.” He nodded respectfully to the ShadowClan deputy.
“Something terrible is coming.” Sagewhisker snatched Flametail’s gaze from Raggedstar. Her eyes glittered. “No Clan can be trusted. Each must stand alone if it is to survive.”
Flametail’s fur bristled. “What’scoming?”
Sagewhisker leaned closer. “We cannot be dragged down by another Clan’s treachery.”
Fear tightened Flametail’s belly. “Can’t you tell me what’s going to happen?”
As Sagewhisker shook her head, Flametail turned to Raggedstar. “What is it?” he begged.
Raggedstar glanced desperately at Sagewhisker. “Why don’t we just tell him?”
Sagewhisker growled. “If he knew, who would he trust? Suspicion could paralyze the whole Clan.”
Raggedstar dropped his gaze to his huge front paws. “This is something far beyond our control,” he murmured.
“What can be beyond your control?” Flametail stepped forward. “You’re StarClan!”
“We guide you,” Sagewhisker meowed. “We advise you. But we cannot stop events that are bound to happen.”
“So what canyou tell me?”
Raggedstar nodded toward the wall of flame. “You must burn as brightly as this fire to protect your Clan. Survival is more important than the code of the medicine cats. You must forget your allegiance to them and pledge yourself only to our Clan. From now on, ShadowClan has no allies. Remember this: A time of war is coming, and your warrior ancestors will stand alongside you. No one else.”
A time of war is coming.The fire began to fade, and with it the starry ancestors. You must burn as brightly as this fire to protect your Clan.
Flametail blinked open his eyes, shivering. He was lying beside the Moonpool, the hollow dark and silent except for the breeze whispering over the water. The scent of StarClan still wreathed around him.
I’ll remember,he promised silently. I’ll protect my Clan, whatever it takes.
第五章
第五章
“我想我们还是静观其变吧。”松鸦羽转身往斜坡上爬去，刺骨的寒风让他瑟缩不已，“我要回家了。”淡薄的阳光并没有让霜冻的天气回暖分毫，脚掌下的野草依旧在踩踏下嘎吱作响。
狮焰仍然待在湖边。松鸦羽停了下来，他知道自己的哥哥正在努力摆脱在湖边时纠缠着他的焦虑。“去给族猫们狩点儿猎物吧！！”他回头喊道，“战斗之后，他们肯定很饿。”
狮焰一跃而起，蹬得脚下的鹅卵石沙沙滚动。松鸦羽冲过坡顶，钻到树林中。当枯萎的叶子的发霉气味飘进鼻子时，有关黑森林的记忆涌入脑海。他还是不能相信虎星已在雷族招募到了新成员，而更令他不解的是，这个新成员居然是藤爪。也许鸽爪并不是两姐妹中唯一有特别命运的。
松鸦羽努力地将注意力集中到雷族领地熟悉的气味上——擦过结霜树皮的猎物，在枝头鸣叫的小鸟——然而，他只感觉到了一个个小心脏跳动中透出来的恐惧，秃叶季已牢牢地掌控了森林。这是死亡的季节。新叶季到来之前，寒冷和饥饿会吞噬掉弱者的生命。
他颤抖着，努力不去想这些，急匆匆地沿着长满黑莓丛的小路向山谷走去。冷空气在荆棘屏障外凝聚，但当他挤进荆棘屏障又钻出来时，他立刻感受到一股暖流冲刷着他的皮毛。他的族猫们都在忙碌着。
“我们可以抬起这根树枝，拿一根山毛榉树枝把它支起来。”叶池在武士巢穴里喊道，“如果能绕着它围出几面新墙的话，至少还能造出三个窝。”
松鸦羽小心翼翼穿过杂乱堆放着的枝条，这些枝条是为修建武士巢穴新堆放起来的。
“当心。”松鸦羽靠近猎物堆时，米莉警告道。“桦落在挖洞储存猎物。”米莉解释着。天寒地冻的时候，挖洞掩藏猎物可以让猎物多贮藏一段时间。
松鸦羽在猎物洞口边上徘徊着。“你觉得这种天气还会持续下去吗？”他问米莉。
“我也不确定，但有备无患嘛。”她答道，“我们需要储存尽可能多的猎物。”
“松鸦羽！”从巫医巢穴传来黄蜂条的大喊。
松鸦羽猛地抬起头来，感觉焦虑从米莉心头闪过。荆棘光的情况恶化了吗？他朝洞穴冲去，在遮掩着通道的黑莓丛中挤出路来。
黄蜂条正站在巢穴中间，皮毛上带着树皮和绿叶潮湿的气味。“快看我们给你带来了什么！”他欢快地说道。
松鸦羽在森林的气味下，辨别出了沾满尘土的蛛丝的气息：“我还以为出问题了！”
米莉冲进巢穴：“荆棘光还好吗？”
“一切都好。”亮心走上前来。“黄蜂条在大橡树上的常春藤后面发现了大团的蛛丝，”这位独眼武士听起来十分骄傲，“他向上爬了很高才够到它。”
荆棘光在窝里坐立不安：“他不是很勇敢吗？”
松鸦羽嗅了嗅亮心的皮毛，感染的酸臭味让他警觉起来：“你伤口感觉怎样？”
“有点儿疼，”她承认道，“但它们跟抓伤差不了多少。它们会痊愈的。”
“一定不要让伤口再崩开。”松鸦羽警告道。“你被撕裂的耳朵还疼吗？”他问黄蜂条。
“有点儿刺痛。但在这种天气里，大家的耳尖都会有点儿刺痛的。”
松鸦羽在荆棘光的窝旁停了下来，俯身听这位年轻武士的呼吸。荆棘光粗重的呼吸声已经平缓了许多。“今天一定要做一些训练。”他命令道。
“她已经去过猎物堆了。”黄蜂条说。
“你要检查一下这些蛛丝吗？”亮心问松鸦羽，“它们挺不错的，很黏。”
“我知道它们很好。”松鸦羽真希望族猫们的热心能让他的心情轻快些。“亮心，”他说道，“你能拿点儿苔藓到育婴室去吗？幼崽们需要新鲜的铺垫。”他感觉亮心惊讶得身子一僵。“我知道这是学徒的职责，”他怀着歉意继续说道，“但是我们的两位学徒都外出训练去了。”
“当然。”亮心朝入口走去，“我带黄蜂条一起去。他既然能找到蛛丝，他肯定也可以找到苔藓。”
他们离开后，松鸦羽转向米莉：“我想桦落需要有猫帮他一起挖储存猎物的洞。”
“你确定荆棘光没事吗？”米莉追问道。
“她一天比一天好。”
“你不觉得现在就让她接受训练，有点儿太早了吗？”米莉用尾巴从荆棘光的侧腹拂过，“她看起来很累。”
松鸦羽缓缓地呼了口气：“我不会让她做力所不及的事。”
“训练让我觉得没那么无聊。”荆棘光插了一句。
松鸦羽察觉到米莉的心中仍是有些犹豫。“回去工作吧，”他小声说道，“担心也帮不上什么忙。”
当这位武士挤出巢穴时，荆棘光的窝里一阵沙沙响。“你应该感谢亮心和黄蜂条找到那么多蛛丝的。”她责备道，“他们找了这么多，足够你用到绿叶季了。”
松鸦羽还没来得及回答，巢穴入口处的黑莓丛又响了起来。
“松鸦羽！”鸽爪不安的声音在空气中回荡着。
荆棘光在她的窝里动了动：“发生什么事了？”
“我确信没什么事。”松鸦羽马上告诉他的患者，他十分清楚困扰这位年轻学徒的是什么。“跟我来，”他推着她出了巢穴，“我需要检查一下火星，他的伤口可能需要再处理一下。”
“我知道藤爪的事情了，”他们一走出黑莓丛，鸽爪就低吼道，“她正和黑森林的武士们一起训练。”
“小点儿声！”松鸦羽呵斥道。
“但我们得做些什么！”
一根散落的山毛榉树枝戳到了松鸦羽的前腿，他瑟缩了一下。“比如呢？命令她别去？你觉得她会听吗？”松鸦羽说道。
“她为什么不听？”鸽爪的声音里带着些害怕。
松鸦羽领着她到空地的边上。“你看，”他吸了口气，“她已经做出了选择。我们也许只能监视着她的一举一动。说不定我们可以从中了解一些我们敌人的情况。”
“藤爪不是我们的敌人！”鸽爪的声音听起来有点儿绝望，“她是我的同窝手足。我不会让这样的事情发生在她身上的。只有星族知道虎星会对她做些什么！”
“我不想站在这儿与你争论这个。”松鸦羽吼道。听到荆棘屏障沙沙作响，他转过身去。鼠须、蟾步和玫瑰瓣正挤出来，空气中顿时溢满新鲜猎物的温热气味。“这里不行。现在也不是好时候。”他向武士巢穴走去，“去帮你的族猫吧。要干的活儿还多着呢。”
他留下一脸茫然和恐惧的鸽爪站在原地，朝高石台走去。我一会儿再和她说，松鸦羽告诉自己，等我们有机会到森林里去，能远离那些竖起的耳朵和好奇的眼睛的时候。
从猎物堆飘来的味道判断，鼠须的巡逻队带回来了画眉、田鼠和鸽子。
“我们得把储藏猎物的洞挖得再深点儿。”米莉说道。
“等我先吃点儿东西再说。”桦落跳出了洞，土块掉下去了一些。
“鼠须！”小樱桃的声音从入口处传来，“你落下了这个！”
松鸦羽听到荆棘屏障附近有皮毛擦过地面的声音，小樱桃和小鼹鼠正拖着重物进入山谷。
“一只松鼠！”桦落舔着嘴巴，跳向这两只幼崽。“你们自己抓住的吗？”他打趣道。
“我们在外面发现的，”小鼹鼠解释道，“一定是鼠须的巡逻队不小心落下了。”
“我们并没有捕获松鼠。”鼠须困惑的声音从猎物堆传来。
罂粟霜慌慌张张地从排便处通道赶来。“你们俩去营地外面干什么？”她大声斥责着，“尤其是在这样的天气里！”
“照这样下去，我们可能需要两个储存猎物的洞。”桦落拖着松鼠穿过空地时，米莉说道。
松鸦羽攀过岩石爬向高石台时，沙风的头从火星的巢穴里探了出来。
“他怎么样了？”松鸦羽一边问道，一边爬上落石堆顶端。
“很累，而且一直抱怨着不想待在自己的窝里。”
松鸦羽从她旁边挤过，进入了狭小的洞穴。雷族族长打着哈欠坐了起来。他喉咙处的伤口闻上去洁净而干燥。
“还疼吗？”松鸦羽用鼻尖轻轻地触了触那道很深的伤口，感觉伤口暖暖的，有些肿胀。沾着干血的皮毛很硬，但是皮毛下面的肉还是健康柔软的。
火星往边上躲开了。“如果疼的话我会告诉你的。”他抖了抖睡觉时压平的皮毛，“黑莓掌回来了吗？”
沙风答道：“还没有。”
“希望边界标记进展顺利。”火星粗声粗气地咆哮道，“我想影族知道现在哪些地方属于我们。”
松鸦羽的尾巴抽动着。他以为这只是两个族群在争夺一块领地。
“松鸦羽？”火星听起来有点儿紧张，“你是不是有什么话想说？”
我应该告诉他藤爪的事吗？告诉他那只曾说服他去攻打两脚兽空地的猫其实在接受黑森林武士的训练？要提醒一下这位雷族族长，梦境和预兆不再只是来自星族？
不，我们可以独自解决这一切。
“他们回来了！”沙风迅速转身跳出了洞穴，“黑莓掌和尘毛回来了！”
当沙风跳到空地上时，岩石哗啦作响。火星从松鸦羽身旁挤过，跟了上去。松鸦羽在高石台上仔细听着，黑莓掌、尘毛和他们的巡逻队在他下方停了下来。他能闻到他们的皮毛正散发着寒霜和森林的味道，脚掌间还残留着影族那难闻的味道。
“气味标记标好了吗？”火星问副族长。
“我们标记好了。”黑莓掌答道。
尘毛上前几步：“影族还没有设置他们的气味线。”
米莉从储存猎物的洞那儿小跑了过来。“他们拒绝承认新的边界！”她愤怒地大声说道。
“他们必须承认！”叶池放下武士巢穴的工作，侧耳倾听。
“没有什么事是他们必须要做的。”桦落指出。
米莉的皮毛间闪烁着愤怒：“但是他们输了这场战斗。”
当波弟从长老巢穴走过来时，松鸦羽认出了这位独行猫缓慢而僵硬的脚步声。“你确定他们知道自己输了吗？”波弟问道。
“哼，他们当然知道！”鼠毛从她的同巢伙伴身旁挤过，“狮焰可是杀了他们的副族长。”
大家都没有说话，只有脚掌移动和尾巴拂地的声音，火星往前走了几步。“失去了黄毛，我们也很遗憾。”他沉痛地说道。
狮焰在哪儿？松鸦羽的脚掌有点儿刺痛，他应该在这儿为自己辩解的。
“狮焰本应该更小心些。”黑莓掌咕哝道。
松鸦羽咽下了怒火。狮焰必须自己面对指责。如果松鸦羽替他作答，就会显得他在逃避自己所做的事。荆棘屏障在动，松鸦羽听到了皮毛钩在荆棘上的声音。
藤爪。
她进入营地，从族猫中钻了过来：“发生什么事了？”
松鸦羽的皮毛冰冷起来。光线刺破了他失明的蓝色双眼，他突然能看到藤爪了，清晰得犹如身处梦境之中，她那银白相间的皮毛在白霜覆盖的空地上显得愈发明亮。阴影掠过山谷的上方，淹没了所有的巢穴，吞没了雷族的武士。黑森林的猫成群结队地爬下峭壁，如蜥蜴般在石头上蜿蜒滑行。他们涌入了山谷，眼睛闪着红光，如水晶般剔透的尖牙利爪在阴影中闪烁。
随着一声怒吼，雷族奋起反抗。灰条朝一只棕色皮毛的公猫劈了过去，但公猫却直取灰条颈部，将四肢挥舞的灰毛武士杀死了。米莉尖叫着扑到杀死她的伴侣的猫身上，但有两位武士从后面扯着她的皮毛，将不住哀嚎着的她拖入黑暗中。
雷族猫寡不敌众，惊慌失措。
桦落在无情的利爪屠戮下发出痛苦与愤怒混杂的尖声呼号。尘毛的喉咙被野蛮的利齿撕开，身体一沉倒了下去。雷族武士一个接一个倒下，空地上堆满了尸体，鲜血从他们口中溢出，淌在了地上，铺开一片可怕的阴影。鲜血从巢穴里渗了出来，溢出了山谷的围墙，沿着育婴室的荆棘丛滴了下来，直到整个营地闪烁一片殷红。
只有藤爪身上没有一丁点儿血渍。
黑森林的武士绕着她移动，胜利点亮了他们的眼睛。藤爪如石头般一动不动地站着，沐浴在月光下，毫发无损，全无畏惧。她抬起口鼻直直地盯着松鸦羽，双眼漆黑如夜，目光一片空洞，他的心脏简直要停止跳动了。
一阵恐惧的嘶嘶声在松鸦羽身侧响起。他皮毛倒竖，转过身去。
斑叶蹲伏在他身旁，一脸暗淡的绝望。“对不起，”她低声说道，“我什么都改变不了。”
第六章
第六章
焰尾向营地飞奔，脚掌在冰冻的松针上直打滑。他伸出爪子抓牢地面，脑海中又浮现出了狮焰的身影。一副昂首挺胸、得意扬扬的样子，好像星族最喜欢他似的。典型的雷族猫。
一只乌鸫在松树林上方尖叫着，蟾足突然跳到了焰尾前面。
焰尾滑行了一段才收住脚掌：“小心点儿！”
“我看看你的反应速度嘛。”蟾足戏谑道，然后跳开，让出路来。
“那我让你看看！”焰尾跳起来扑向他的族伴，把蟾足扑倒在地。
蟾足奋力挣脱，一跃而起，发出咕噜咕噜的声音。“我敢打赌其他族群的巫医没有谁能像武士一样战斗。”他抖了抖一身深棕色的皮毛，“你刚刚去了哪里了？”
“去了新边界那边。”
蟾足哼了一声：“他们已经标记边界了？”
“我离开的时候，黑莓掌正在标记气味线。”
“如果雷族以为我们会让他们安安生生地占有那片土地，那他们的脑子一定比我想象得更小。”
焰尾哼了一声，表示赞同：“他们肯定知道战斗远没有结束。”
不远处传来皮毛摩擦过地面的声音。焰尾猛地转过头，嗅到了死亡的气息，不由皱了皱鼻子。
蟾足顺着他的目光看去：“他们在埋葬黄毛。”
“我们过去帮忙吧。”
焰尾带头走了过去。花楸掌和鼠痕正拖着影族老副族长僵硬的尸体，穿过阳光斑驳的松树林。花楸掌是焰尾的父亲，昨晚刚刚升任为副族长。
有皮毛从松树林间闪出。族猫们从营地聚集到了墓地周围。
“我们会想念她的聪明才智。”高罂走到前排去和其他长老们并列，她的眼里闪着潮湿的光。杉心和白水拖着脚步，为她腾出位置。
黄毛被拖向她的安息之处时，蛇尾抬起他那满是灰色斑点的下巴，粗声粗气地说：“那些来之不易的技巧和记忆，都随我们的族猫一起消逝了。”
鼠痕和花楸掌在墓穴边停了下来，把黄毛放在一旁。焰尾能闻到松树汁液的气味，那是他昨晚帮小云准备这位影族老副族长的守夜时，揉进她皮毛里的。
“真是一次艰难的告别。”枭掌小声说道。
鼩鼱足倚着她的同巢伙伴：“哪有过轻松告别的时候？”
黑星走到黄毛身边。“黄毛是在战斗中牺牲的，死得很勇敢。”他对自己的族猫说道，“影族不能要求自己武士更多了。”
杉心的双眼闪烁：“她是我的老师，她的谆谆教诲，让我受益良多。”
花楸掌低下了头：“她以泼皮猫的身份来到影族，离开我们时却已成为一位武士。”
黑星抬头凝视着将将爬上松树梢的太阳。“星族将欢迎她的到来。我们的所失，将由他们获得。愿她的记忆也能成为我们的记忆，愿她的技巧也能成为我们的技巧。”他冲花楸掌点头示意，于是这位姜黄色武士用牙齿咬住黄毛的后颈，安静地将黄毛的尸体拖至墓穴边缘，让它掉了下去。
黑星转回身，双眼闪烁着幽暗的光，领着族猫们离去了。焰尾在营地入口追上了父亲，问道：“小云在哪儿？”
“他一晚上都忙着治疗族猫的战伤，累坏了，黑星让他去休息了。他可以在月亮池与黄毛分享舌抚时再和她好好告个别。”花楸掌瞥了一眼他的儿子，“你在小云身边一直忙到天亮，一定也很累了。”
焰尾的确累得脚掌酸痛难忍，但他不打算承认。“我待会儿再休息也没问题，”他坚持说，“我想去看看战场。”
“很好。”花楸掌点点头，“希望我们失去的土地能深深烙进你的脑海，直到我们收复它。”他用口鼻轻触了一下儿子的头，然后挤身进了入口通道。焰尾钻出黑莓丛时，刚好瞧见父亲和黑星一起进了族长巢穴。
“不好意思打扰你。”鼩鼱足朝着焰尾眨了眨眼，这只灰色母猫抬起一只黑色的脚掌，伸到他的鼻子下。“你能给检查一下吗？”她问道，“小云睡着了。”
焰尾查看了一下这只脚掌。最低处的关节有点儿肿，皮毛有些发热，但当焰尾用鼻子触碰患处时，她只微微瑟缩了一下。
“只是有点儿扭伤。”他安慰着鼩鼱足，“我给你一粒罂粟籽缓解一下疼痛。”他领着她穿过长满刺的入口进入了巫医巢穴。巫医巢穴位于灌木丛的深处，巢穴内的沙质地面上被挖出了坑，让巢穴显得更宽敞，干燥的松针铺满地面，踏上去感觉特别柔软。
巢穴的后部，小云伸了个懒腰，在窝里坐了起来。这只小个子的虎斑公猫看起来比平时更小了，他的双眼睁得大大的，由于刚刚睡醒，皮毛乱蓬蓬的。
焰尾皱起了眉头。“你还好吗？”他穿过巢穴嗅了嗅老师的皮毛。小云的皮毛比他想得要烫。
“我很好，”小云坚持道，“只是有点儿累。”
“待在你的窝里吧。”焰尾叮嘱道。
小云没有争辩，却看了一眼正在入口处等待的鼩鼱足说：“她没什么问题吧？”
“脚掌扭伤了，”焰尾汇报道，“我给了她一粒罂粟籽。”
小云摇了摇头。“用紫草和荨麻包一下就行了。”他朝一堆碎叶点点头，“鼩鼱足每次服用了罂粟籽以后，都睡得特别沉。”
“如果我直接帮你缓解肿胀，你能忍得了疼痛吗？”焰尾问她。
她点了点头，抬起脚掌。焰尾将碎叶咀嚼成糊状，敷在她的脚掌上，又用羊蹄叶在药糊上裹了一圈，固定好药糊。
焰尾做完了这些，鼩鼱足松了口气：“我现在已经感觉好多了。”
“让脚掌休息一天，然后再轻轻活动。”焰尾叮嘱道。
鼩鼱足点点头，走出了黑莓通道。焰尾转身想告诉小云他也要离开了，却发现这位影族巫医又睡了过去。焰尾突然觉得脚掌沉重起来，他抑制住自己想要蜷缩回窝里的冲动。还有那么多的伤员需要检查，眼下还不是睡觉的时候。
焰尾用鼻子开路，钻出了巢穴，阳光在松林中这片平坦开阔的空地上跃动，他迎着光线眯起眼睛。几只族猫懒洋洋地躺在空地边缘，吸收着秃叶季太阳投下来的微薄温热。雪鸟打了个滚儿，伸了伸懒腰，露出的雪白腹部上的伤口，仿佛镶了红边似的。虽说伤口已被清理得很干净，也涂抹上了金盏花的汁液，但焰尾看在眼里还是不由瑟缩。焦毛蜷缩在雪鸟身边，鼻子伏在脚掌间休息，似乎忘了口鼻边还剩着吃了一半的画眉鸟。红柳躺在武士巢穴的入口处，一团团斑驳的棕色皮毛支棱着。他扭转过身子舔舐了一下自己的侧腹，但身体一缩，又躺了回去，大口喘着粗气。橄榄鼻和枭掌并排舒展着身子，他们的皮毛皱巴巴的，口鼻上满是伤口。
这时，黑莓墙一阵颤动，虎心从入口跳了进来。他的嘴里悬挂着一只松鼠，他甩头将它掷进了猎物堆。曙皮紧跟在他的身后，嘴里叼着一只鸽子。
焰尾急忙奔向他的两位同窝手足，嗅闻着寻找血腥味：“我希望你们的伤口没有崩开。”
“我们很小心的。”曙皮急忙弯下身让他看自己肩胛骨之间整洁的伤口。看到黏糊的蛛丝牢牢地封住了伤口，没有新鲜血液渗出来，焰尾这才松了口气。
褐皮从武士巢穴里挤了出来，看到她的三个孩子在一起，这位玳瑁色武士的绿眼一亮，她挨个舔了舔他们的脸颊，问候了一番。
曙皮闪躲开了：“讨厌！我们都长大了好不好！”
褐皮咕噜起来，扫视着空地四周问道：“你们的父亲呢？”
“和黑星在一起。”焰尾在同窝手足间走动，“他现在是副族长了，我猜，他以后会经常去那里吧。”
虎心屈起了爪子：“我简直等不及看到他做族长了。”
“别胡说！”曙皮轻轻地推了推他。
虎心耸耸肩：“哎，这是实话嘛，黑星又不会长生不死。”
褐皮用尾巴刷过儿子的嘴：“不要说这种话！”
“反正虎心脑子里的东西我们都一清二楚嘛。”焰尾用尾巴弹了弹兄弟的肩头。
虎心将鼻子伸向空中：“我敢打赌你们不知道我现在在想什么。”
曙皮抽了抽胡须：“我们是不知道，不过我打赌你很快就会自己说出来的。”
虎心做出预备攻击的蹲伏姿势，眼睛闪烁着。
曙皮装出一副很害怕的样子。“救命啊！”她尖叫一声，躲到母亲的身后。
“你们两个不要闹了。”褐皮责备道，“整个族群还在为黄毛哀悼呢。”
焰尾注意到父亲出了黑星的巢穴，从空地另一边朝他们走了过来。虎心和曙皮还在褐皮身旁追打玩闹，完全没有注意到父亲的接近。
虎心和曙皮一起滚倒在地上：“终有一天，我会成为副族长的，到那时你就不能取笑我了。”
“不，你才不会成为副族长呢！”曙皮挣脱了他的爪子，“因为成为副族长的是我！”
花楸掌在打闹得正热闹的两个孩子身旁停下。“我已经有竞争对手了吗？”他问道。
虎心和曙皮一跃而起。
“我们只是在玩。”曙皮赶紧答道。
“我的孩子有雄心壮志，我很开心。”花楸掌咕噜道，“但在你们接管这一职位之前，我还想再做一两个月轮的副族长呢。”他看了一眼焰尾：“你也想成为副族长吗？”
“我更乐意成为巫医。”焰尾答道。
花楸掌的眼睛闪着光：“真让我松了口气啊。你们三个全都想当的话，我觉得我可招架不了。”
褐皮的口鼻蹭着花楸掌的脸颊。“我为你们感到自豪。”说着，她的目光飘向黑星的巢穴。
影族族长的身影已经出现在入口处。他的眼睛闪闪发亮，皮毛光滑柔顺。“武士们！学徒们！”黑星走进空地，大声喊道，“休息了这么长时间，你们应该已经恢复了力量！大家集合！从昨天的失败中，我们要吸取教训。”
“尽管你们奋力战斗过，”黑星开始说道，“但我们还是失去了那块领地。如果我们想要重新收复失地，就一定要从我们的错误中吸取教训。这次的失败是让我们变强大的机会。”
在你谋划下一场战斗之前，先给我治愈每一位武士的机会吧。焰尾嗅了嗅空气，闻到了酸臭味。他和小云昨晚处理过的那些伤口需要重新涂抹药糊了，以免伤口感染。他看见藤尾摇摇摆摆地走出了育婴室。藤尾身怀第一窝幼崽，肚子已经开始鼓了起来，她若要再次参加战斗还得等一段时间，或许她能够帮帮他。
“藤尾！”黑星在继续着他的演讲，焰尾靠近这只黑色、白色和玳瑁色相间的猫后说道，“你能帮我给这些伤员的伤口涂抹药糊吗？”
藤尾眨眨眼睛：“当然可以。”
巫医巢穴里，小云仍在熟睡。藤尾和焰尾拿上草药，又回到空地上。
鼠痕正来回走着，他那棕色的皮毛在林木间洒下的阳光下闪闪发光。“看在星族的分上，我们如何打赢那些像猫头鹰一样从树上俯冲而下的家伙？”他问道。
焰尾把一束草药扔到橄榄鼻身旁。“你的伤口得重新敷药了。”焰尾嗅了嗅她侧腹的伤口说，“你只管去听鼠痕说话，我来给你处理伤口。”他让藤尾靠近一些：“仔细看我是怎么做的。”他开始用舌头舔掉橄榄鼻侧腹伤口上干巴的药糊。橄榄鼻的爪子插进了地面，集中精力听场上的讨论。
烟足走上前：“或许我们可以将他们自认为的长处转化成短处？”
黑星点点头，眼睛眯成了一条缝：“怎么转化？”
“他们落地时很重，”烟足尝试着说道，“需要好一会儿工夫才能找到平衡。我们可以利用这个空当迅速出击。”
苹果毛将她那斑驳的棕色脑袋歪向一侧：“下次我们就对他们的猫头鹰策略有所准备了。我们只需仰头看着树上。看到他们向下跳，我们很容易就能躲开。”
乌霜瞪圆了眼睛，无比激动：“要爬上树再跳下来，是需要花些时间的。雷族武士似乎忘记了他们是猫而不是鸟。”
雪鸟点点头：“当他们把时间和精力浪费在爬树的时候，我们就能做好准备，在他们落地时扑向他们。”
曙皮加入了对话。“现在我们知道他们的做法以后，要战胜他们就不是难事了。”她抬头看了看营地上方伸出来的一根榛树枝说，“我们来练习一下！”
虎心早已跑向那棵榛树的树干。榛树长在空地边缘处的黑莓丛中，虎心爬上树，沿着树枝小心翼翼地移动着。曙皮盯着他，重心在脚掌间转移，尾巴像蛇一样扫过地面。
虎心扑向了地面。
他一落地，曙皮就跳到了他身上，将他掀翻过来，死死地压在冰冷的地面上。
黑星眼睛一亮。“雷族猫总是自以为聪明，但他们不过是些鸽子脑袋罢了。”他咆哮着。
枭掌走上前来。“我们上次不仅仅是在森林里战斗时显得薄弱，”他提醒族长，“在空地上时，我们的队列也被他们分成了两块。”
“或许我们应该试试不同的列队方式？”花楸掌建议道，“年长且经验丰富的武士一定要与年轻一些、技巧不足的猫并肩战斗。这样，即便队列被冲散成几部分，每一部分都很有战斗力。”
“好主意，花楸掌。”黑星称赞着他的这位新任副族长，“下次开战之前，我们将武士们两两配对，让经验丰富的武士和缺乏实战经验的武士并肩作战。”
一阵自豪感涌上焰尾的心头。对影族来说，一次战败不算什么，只会让他们有能力在下一次战斗中更好、更强、更快。他们并没有自怨自艾，或相互指责，反而生出更多的自信和笃定。
乌霜站起身。“我们还可以保存一支最强壮的武士队伍，”他建议道，“等我们的敌人自以为胜利在望时，我们就发动新一轮攻势摧毁他们。”
“好主意。”花楸掌慢慢地点点头，“这些策略都很好，不过，我们决不能忘记，战斗技巧才是赢得最终胜利的关键。”他转向松树爪：“别忘了你是被榛尾撞倒的。”他提醒着这只年轻的猫。
“她比我身形大，而且还偷袭了我。”松树爪愤愤不平地说，“更何况，我当时攻击的对象是刺掌，不是榛尾。”
“没错，”花楸掌承认道，“但我觉得你是可以更有效地避开她的进攻。”
“怎么避开？”松树爪仰起头，眼睛里闪烁着好奇。
“你过来。”花楸掌示意橡毛和雪貂爪同他们一起到空地中央。
焰尾一边将新的药糊涂抹到焦毛的伤口处，一只眼瞄着行将过招的族伴。橡毛虽腿脚没好利索，但皮毛已经兴奋得蓬松了起来。
“雪貂爪，”花楸掌将这只奶油色和灰色相间的公猫轻推到合适的位置，“假设你是刺掌。”
雪貂爪抖松了他的皮毛。
“橡毛，假设你是榛尾。”
橡毛点点头，蹲伏成进攻的姿势。
花楸掌朝松树爪点点头说：“你就像昨天攻击刺掌那样，攻击雪貂爪。但当橡毛扑向你时，你跟着他一道滚动，这样的话，他扑向你的重量就转移回他自己的身上，而不是你的身上。”
松树爪皱眉思考了片刻，然后转身跃向了雪貂爪。雪貂爪在松树爪的身下扭动着身体。橡毛猛扑向松树爪，用爪子将她钩住，从雪貂爪身上拉开。松树爪身体一软，橡毛被她身体的重量拉了个趔趄。橡毛稍一迟钝，松树爪一个转身，一口咬住橡毛的脖颈，摆脱了橡毛的束缚。橡毛很快就重新站稳了，但学徒早已爬上他的后背，后肢踢打着，牙齿咬进了武士的皮毛。
“棒极了！”黑星走上前来，“我们学到了很宝贵的技巧。”“松树爪，你的动作很漂亮！”鼠痕叫道。
松树爪冲着老师点点头。听到族猫们的赞许声，她的一身黑毛骄傲地蓬松了起来。
焰尾将最后一口药糊舔进焦毛的伤口：“现在感觉如何？”
“好多了。”这只深灰色公猫答道。
黑星瞄了一眼猎物堆，对副族长说道：“花楸掌，你组织一下狩猎队。”
花楸掌屈起了爪子：“那标记新边界怎么办？”
黑星身上的毛竖了起来。“黄毛的尸体还没凉呢，我们这会儿先不标记。”他的眼睛蒙上了一层阴云，“火星要收回那片土地，就已经选择了一条黑暗的道路。一位真正的武士会为送出的礼物开战，以杀戮夺回吗？”
“蛇口歹毒！”
“狐狸心肠！”
影族营地里谩骂声四起，回荡在寒冷的空气中。
黑星摇了摇尾巴示意大家安静：“焰尾！”
焰尾惊讶地抬起头。
“你跟小云来我的巢穴。我想和我的巫医们谈谈。”影族族长说完转向花楸掌。“去组织狩猎队，”他又重复了一遍，“但要远离两脚兽空地。我不希望在我们的武士痊愈之前发生任何战斗。”
焰尾急匆匆赶回巫医巢穴，推醒小云。这位巫医仍然感觉有些异乎寻常的发热。
他迷迷糊糊地醒了过来。“什么事？”他咕哝道。
“黑星要我俩去他的巢穴谈话。”
小云赶忙走出他的窝，匆匆往巫医巢穴入口走去。看到这只年长的猫脚步稳健，焰尾暗自松了口气。他在黑星的巢穴外追上了小云，停下来让小云先进去。然后他俯身钻过低矮的拱形黑莓丛，跟了进去。
黑暗中，黑星的眼睛闪烁着：“星族给过你们与战斗相关的警告吗？”
焰尾摇了摇头，看向小云。
“没有。”这位巫医的声音有点儿粗重，焰尾突然意识到他的老师正在喘息。
黑星皱了皱眉：“一点儿警告都没有？”
焰尾和小云都摇了摇头。
“我原本以为星族会更珍视黄毛。”这位族长咕哝着。
“或许星族也没料到，”焰尾猜测着，“或者她的死是无法避免的。”
黑星平贴起了耳朵。“没什么是无法避免的！”他咆哮一声，然后转向小云，“去和星族分享一下舌抚吧。弄清楚为什么会发生这样的事。我想知道雷族是不是还在谋划别的什么。他们可能在计划着更深入地侵犯影族领地。这次的战斗或许仅仅是个开始，他们已经抵达我们的林线，离我们的营地太近了。”
小云冲他眨了眨眼：“就算是在大迁徙前，雷族也没有窃取过我们的领地。”
听到老师在为另一个族群辩护，焰尾心里有些不舒服，脚掌挪来挪去。这已不是小云第一次将雷族视为朋友，而非对手了。
年长的巫医继续说道：“我认为火星的领导为他们的贪婪画上了句点。”
“但并没有终止他们的傲慢。”黑星怒吼道，“他们总是试图向其他族群发号施令。或许他们现在觉得那只是浪费口舌，所以转而采取行动了。”他屈了几下自己长长的爪子：“到月亮池去，与星族对话，尽量发现点儿什么。”
小云低下了头，身体两侧不住颤抖。
“我去吧。”焰尾脱口而出。小云现在的状况无法在那么艰苦的野外过上一夜。
黑星看向小云。这位巫医的眼睛已是愈发混浊，尾巴也微颤着。即使影族族长对他们年长巫医的病情感到震惊，他也掩饰住了：“那好吧。”
焰尾跟在小云身后出了巢穴。到了巢穴外，小云的尾巴颤抖得更厉害了：“你自己去行吗？”
“你就暖暖和和地在窝里休息吧，这样我才放心。别担心了，小云。在一些简单的事情上，藤尾能帮上忙。”
小云张开嘴似乎要反对，但却变成了咳嗽。“多谢。”他有气无力地说道。
焰尾低下头，看到小云这么轻易就放弃，很是不安。老巫医一定是真的感觉不适。
“小心点儿。”小云转头走向巫医巢穴。
“黑星想干什么？”藤尾朝焰尾跑去，肚子起伏着。
“我要去月亮池和星族交流。”看到他的老师消失在黑莓丛，焰尾告诉了藤尾，“你能帮着盯着点儿小云吗？他身体不是很好，需要休息。”
“我会保证他好好休息的。”藤尾低下了头，“你回来之前，我也会仔细留意每位伤员的伤口。”
“你记得该怎么做吗？”
“如果伤口有酸臭味，就舔掉之前的药糊，重新咀嚼一些新鲜的草药给伤口涂抹上去。”
焰尾点点头：“小云会告诉你用储藏的哪种草药叶子的。我会在明天日高时分回来。”
“你自己多加小心。”藤尾说。
焰尾穿过入口通道，猛眨着眼睛抵御营地外面冷空气的冲击。他开始跑起来，沿着一条獾踏出的老路往湖边前进着。他的脚掌带起松针四处飞溅，呼出的气在口鼻前翻滚。
他沿着斜坡往下奔去，银灰色的树干间露出波光粼粼的湖面。他冲刺般跑出了森林，眯着眼睛望向照耀在波浪上的阳光。他跃上湖岸时，鹅卵石哗啦作响。他一转弯沿着水边往前跑去。他感到自己皮毛下的肌肉精瘦而强壮。他的心跳加快了，血液在耳朵中涌动。
影族不会任由雷族欺凌压迫，影族也不是个任由摆布的族群。他们傲慢的邻居需要被好好教训一番，影族会让他们牢记教训的。
第七章
第七章
“发生什么事了？”
藤爪一瘸一拐地回到了山谷。昨天夜里和鹰霜一起训练，她的脚掌到现在仍有点儿酸痛。她还在为与鸽爪争吵的事而闷闷不乐。
她居然敢那样评判我！
钻过通道的时候，藤爪有些紧张，试图掩饰自己那只受伤的脚掌。但没有谁留意到她进了空地。族猫们都聚集在火星身旁，个个皮毛竖立。
“发生什么事了？”藤爪又重复了一遍。
接着，她注意到松鸦羽正从高石台上瞪着她，就好像她长了翅膀一样。他的目光牢牢锁定在藤爪身上，让她的脊柱一阵发寒。难道他能看见她？他知道我在黑森林接受训练？藤爪将担心推向一边，一旦他明白我正在成为族群里一位优秀的武士，就会明白我为什么这么做了！
梅花落的声音让她的耳毛动了起来：“影族还没有标记新的边界。”
藤爪转过身，舒了口气。“就这事？我还以为有来自星族的其他预言呢。”说着，她回头仰视着松鸦羽，但松鸦羽那荆棘般尖锐的目光已经变得柔和下来，恢复了往常那种失明的蓝色眼神。
“什么叫就这事？”梅花落眨眼看着藤爪，“这意味着影族并不承认那块领地现在属于我们。这可是相当严重的事情。”
藤爪动了动脚掌，一阵剧痛沿着腿传了上来，疼得她龇牙咧嘴：“哦，是的。但只要他们不越过我们的标记线——”
“他们最好不要越过。”梅花落轻声嘀咕道，朝武士巢穴走去，只编造完成一半的武士巢穴看上去有些怪异，“你能过来帮忙完成武士巢穴吗？”
鸽爪已经在那里了，她正在叶池身旁帮忙，努力将一根树枝折弯压入另一根的下方。
“稍等。”藤爪喊道。
“你去哪儿了？”炭心的声音吓了藤爪一跳，她转过身。老师眼里的是怀疑吗？“鸽爪早就回来了。”
“我只是想再练练跟踪技巧，以便完全掌握。”藤爪不想承认自己坐在湖边默默生闷气。我和雷族的任何一位武士一样忠诚，甚至更忠诚！我是唯一一只为了族群，连梦中都在接受作战训练的猫。
“你一定饿了，”炭心说道，“去吃点儿东西吧。然后你可以去帮鸽爪编造武士巢穴。”
藤爪看着自己的脚掌：“有没有其他什么我可以做的？”
炭心身子前倾。“你们姐妹又吵架了吗？”她的胡须从藤爪的脸颊上轻轻拂过，“你知道的，你没必要嫉妒她。你和她一样擅于狩猎和战斗。”
我当然擅长！我接受过最好的训练！
“我为你昨天的表现感到自豪。”炭心继续说道，“你战斗起来简直就像武士。”
“谢谢。”藤爪咕哝道。鹰霜从不表扬她。他在战场上看着她战斗，后来他们在黑森林里相遇时，给她示范如何在下次战斗中做得更好。所以就算她扭伤了脚掌，但她学到了很多！
“去吃点儿猎物吧。”炭心推着她朝猎物堆走去。猎物的芳香扑鼻而来，藤爪的肚子咕咕地叫着。
“挑你想吃的吧。”桦落正在将猎物从猎物堆顶抛到旁边的一个浅坑里，“吃不了的待会儿会被埋起来。”
藤爪挑了一只肥胖的鼩鼱，狼吞虎咽地吃了起来。她正在舔嘴唇时，看见叶池和狐跃朝她走来。
“炭心说你会帮忙完成巢穴新的部分。”叶池说。
狐跃的脚掌简直闲不下来。“一旦建成，巢穴会很棒的。”他说道，“梅花落和黄蜂条就有地方睡了。”
“好吧，我会帮忙的。”藤爪叹息着。她没办法一直避开自己的姐妹。猎物堆旁堆积着树枝，她叼了一束在嘴里。
“我也来帮忙了！”玫瑰瓣跃过空地。
“我正好在修补那个小洞。”他朝巢穴墙上的一个缺口点点头，在那里，山毛榉长枝已经被折弯固定到了地里，“已经很难辨认出这是一棵倒落的树了。”
玫瑰瓣点点头：“它现在已经成了营地的一部分。”
“提醒你一下，营地里几乎已经没有什么空地了。”狐跃抱怨着，挤过一根伸出来的树枝。
“还是有的。”玫瑰瓣说，“而且现在营地里的风也小多了。”
藤爪将满口的树枝放到鸽爪身旁。“给你。”鸽爪还没来得及感谢她，藤爪便跑到隆起的墙边，开始把树枝编进缺口中。
“你的脚掌可真灵巧。”梅花落在她身旁停下来，开始帮忙。“给。”她将一根长长的柳树条戳进树枝间的小洞里，“你放好位置，我来拉。”
藤爪将另一根小树枝戳进墙上的缺口：“为什么没有猫谈论那场战斗呢？就好像他们不记得曾经发生过战斗。”
“他们为什么要记得这个呢？”梅花落用脚掌将已经编好的树枝挤紧些，“我们胜利了，还有什么别的需要做的吗？”
“我们应该学习如何才能战斗得更好。”
梅花落盯着她：“可是我们已经赢了！”
“那并不意味着我们下次也可以取得胜利。”藤爪指出，“我敢打赌，为了取得下次战斗的胜利，影族武士肯定正在接受比以往更加艰苦的训练。”
“你是怎么知道的？”
藤爪看向别处：“他们可是影族啊！”
梅花落哼了一声：“那又怎样，我们可是雷族。秃叶季已经到了，除了战斗，我们还有更重要的事情需要担心。”
藤爪不屑一顾。难怪鹰霜不会梦中拜访你。
藤爪在自己的窝里翻来覆去，生着闷气。她和梅花落已经吃过猎物了。她没有梳洗便爬进自己的窝里，希望自己能赶在鸽爪回来之前进入梦乡。既然黄蜂条和梅花落已搬去了武士巢穴，她便很难无视她唯一的同巢伙伴了。
藤爪将鼻子埋入脚掌下，闭上了双眼。
“藤爪？”鸽爪钻进蕨丛，来到了她的窝里，“藤爪？”
藤爪放慢呼吸，假装已经睡着了。经过这么漫长的一天，即便心头还在阵阵发痛也无法让她保持清醒。很快，睡意就拉着她沉入了窝里，将她裹入温暖之中。
她在睡梦中睁开了眼睛。迷雾缭绕在她的脚掌间，号叫声在寒冷凝滞的空气中回响。这是头一次藤爪为发觉自己身处黑森林而心头一沉。这一次，她真想一觉睡到天亮。战斗中留下的伤口刺痛不已，脚掌也很酸痛，整日整夜的训练使她筋疲力尽。她闭上眼睛，希望梦境能渐渐消逝，然而寒冷的迷雾却将她的脚掌抓得更紧了。
她叹息一声，睁开了眼睛。她的前方，一块光秃秃的草地倾斜着延伸向远方，头顶上方，天空一片漆黑，没有一点儿星光。藤爪舒展着身子，准备接受训练。至少黑森林的族猫从不拿她与鸽爪比较。
身后传来脚掌刷过草地的声音，她转过身。一只黑耳朵的棕色公猫朝她走来，他是那么的瘦小、轻盈，显然来自风族。他停下来轻轻点点头表示问候。藤爪皱了皱眉，努力回想着他是谁。她在森林大会上见过他。她正搜寻着他的名字，坡顶那边传来了喊他的声音。
“蚁皮！”
蚁皮。对，他的名字是蚁皮。
棕色武士朝着声音的方向奔去，藤爪后腿站立，想看清是谁在呼喊他。疼痛猝然蹿上她那只扭伤的脚掌。还没来得及看清阴影中的另一只猫，她便重重地落了下来，四脚着地。
身后的声音吓了她一跳：“你看起来很累。”
“嘿，虎心。”能看到一只自己熟悉的猫，她感到很高兴。虎心厚厚的虎斑皮毛在他强壮的身躯上起伏着，可是他的双眼满是疲惫。“你看起来也很累。”藤爪同情地说道。
“要是能休息一晚，我可不会介意的。”虎心打着哈欠。
“我猜他们是想让我们更加坚韧。”
虎心似乎没有听到她的话：“我想鸽爪今晚没有同你一起来，对吗？”
藤爪浑身的皮毛竖立了起来。“他们选择的是我，不是她！”不等虎心反应过来，她已经沿着蚁皮离开时在草地中踩出来的那条小道冲上斜坡，往树林跑去。她穿过林线，冲进阴影之中，愤怒在她的耳朵里奔涌。怎么在这里也摆脱不掉自己的姐妹！
为什么虎心非要见鸽爪呢？难道他爱慕她？
藤爪哼了一声。他在浪费时间。鸽爪绝不会在另一个族群的猫身上浪费时间，她那么喜欢听狮焰跟她说她有多么了不起，才不会冒险去违背武士守则呢。
藤爪咆哮着，在树干间不停地转变着奔跑的方向。等看到那团玳瑁色的皮毛时，已经太晚了，她一头撞到了一只皮毛浓密的母猫身上。待她重新站稳，便转向那位挡住她路的武士。“傻坐在那儿干吗呢！”她暴跳如雷地咆哮道。
藤爪还没来得及喘口气，这只玳瑁色母猫便已经扑向了她。母猫将她撞倒在地，死死地按在地上，藤爪感觉有爪子扼住了她的脖子，有些喘不过气来。她挣扎着想要呼吸，恐惧席卷了全身。这位武士身子缓缓靠近，藤爪僵住了。
这只玳瑁色母猫呼出来的气臭烘烘的，她嘴唇后缩，怒吼道：“放尊重点儿，小学徒。”她弯曲着爪子，将荆棘一样的爪尖刺入了藤爪的皮肤：“你可不想这样死在这里吧。你知道的吧，没有比这儿更恐怖的地方了。只有无尽的黑暗。”
藤爪的余光扫到一个虎斑皮毛的身影。“行了，枫荫。”
听出是鹰霜的声音，藤爪松了口气，瘫软下来。
“放开她。”鹰霜的声音里透出一丝威胁的咆哮声，枫荫松开了爪子。
藤爪深深地吸了口气，开始咳嗽起来。她干咳着爬起身，蜷缩起来拼命地喘息着，腹部不停摩擦地面。她从鼻尖到尾梢都在发抖。
“打起精神。”鹰霜厉声说道。
枫荫摇了摇尾巴。“好好管管你的访客。”她一转身，大步走开了，嘴里还嘀咕着，“在被这些瞪着大眼睛的白痴占领之前，我还挺喜欢这儿的。”
藤爪抬头冲鹰霜眨眨眼睛：“对不起。”
“不要理会枫荫，”鹰霜轻快地答道，“她已经在这里很长时间了。但也不会待太久了。”
藤爪惴惴不安地瞥了一眼那位离开的武士。阴影似乎正在吞噬着她，藤爪突然意识到母猫的轮廓如薄雾般悬在空中，在本该是武士结实身躯的地方，她却能透过枫荫的身体，看到对面的树林。藤爪颤抖了起来：“所有的猫都会消失吗？”
“最终都会消失的。”鹰霜咆哮着说，“如果他们能活得足够久的话。”
他走在前面穿过了树林。藤爪迟疑了片刻，腹部发紧。她绝不想消失。她甩了甩皮毛，跳着向鹰霜追去。
“你还好吗？”她追上时，鹰霜眉头紧锁，看着她的后肢问道。
藤爪想起自己后肢扭伤了：“很好，谢谢。”
鹰霜跃过林间地面上的一个小水沟：“如果你还无法接受训练，就先回去吧。”
藤爪跟着他跳过去，脚掌落地时疼得厉害，她咬紧牙关。“我来这儿，你应该感到高兴。松鸦羽知道了。”她一下子说了出来。藤爪并没打算告诉他，但是她再也无法独自守住这个秘密了。
鹰霜回过头：“知道什么？”
“知道我来这儿了。”藤爪坦言说道，“鸽爪告诉我的。”
“所以鸽爪也知道？”鹰霜停了下来，盯着藤爪，“然后呢？”
他想让我说什么？藤爪耸了耸肩：“然后……没什么了。”
鹰霜点点头，又一次出发了。
“毕竟，我也没有做错什么，对吗？”藤爪急匆匆地跟上他，“我额外训练，他们应该感到高兴。雷族武士似乎不怎么关心战斗。我整天都在建造巢穴。”
鹰霜的皮毛从一棵树光滑的树皮上蹭过。“你没有做错任何事。”他对藤爪说，“如果你做错的话，难道你认为我不会提醒你吗？”
他领着她进入了一块空地，一块灰黑相间的石头从地面凸起，就像老獾拱起的后背一样。众猫围绕着在石头周围，藤爪认出了蚁皮和虎心。虎心点头表示欢迎，但藤爪并没有理他，她正忙着寻找其他她认识的猫。她以前在黑森林里从没有看到过这么多族群猫。她认出了有着光滑的深灰色与白色相间皮毛的河族母猫鱼尾，再往前一些，风族武士风皮在被闪电劈中的松树下走来走去。
藤爪停在了一只小个头的白色公猫身旁。她看到他腹部的皮毛被一道长长的疤痕分成两半，疤痕如一条凸起的粉色游蛇一般从他的肩膀一路蜿蜒，直喇到耳朵尖上，不由得打了个激灵。
“这是雪绺。”鹰霜给他们介绍着。
藤爪胆怯地点点头，尽量不去看他的伤疤。
“那是细尾，那是雀羽。”鹰霜朝另两位黑森林的武士摇了摇尾巴。细尾的深棕色虎斑皮毛上有诸多彼此交叉的旧伤口，而皮毛斑驳的小个子母猫雀羽，她的口鼻看上去就像被狗咬过一样。藤爪屈着爪子，抬起了下巴。她不想让新的族猫看出她有多紧张。
“蓟掌！”
鹰霜的问候吓了藤爪一跳。她还在育婴室时，就听过关于蓟掌的故事。蓟掌曾是虎星的老师，最初就是他教会了火星的宿敌什么才是真正的残忍。藤爪猛地转身，看到一只硕大的公猫缓缓进入空地，他白色的脸庞上有着不规则的灰色斑块。他白色的双肩有力地上下起伏，灰色长尾在身后甩打着。
“晚上好，鹰霜。”蓟掌锐利的绿色目光投向他这位黑森林的盟友，“今天晚上的猫不多。”
“在场的是最好的。”鹰霜回答道。
蓟掌围绕着石头慢慢移动，藤爪屏住了呼吸。这会是哪种训练呢？她挪了挪脚掌，以减轻受伤的那只脚掌的负重，希望自己能够坚持住。
“你。”蓟掌冲细尾点点头，“到石头上去。”
细尾快速地爬了上去，站在平滑宽大的石头上。
蓟掌的眼里闪烁着绿色的光芒。“我想要你们一起进攻。”他命令道，“你们要把他从石头上撞落，并避免被他打中你们的头。”说完，他盯着细尾：“你明白了吗？”
细尾点点头。
蓟掌退后几步，说道：“开始。”
雀羽首先跃起。她虽然矮小，但很强壮。她朝细尾的脸上重重一击，细尾立刻失去了平衡。藤爪竖起皮毛。武士的面颊上洇出血迹。他们是要伸着爪子训练？藤爪伏下身子，随后朝细尾扑去，不料却被一旁准备自行进攻的蚁皮撞开了。
“我说过要一起进攻！”蓟掌怒吼着，朝蚁皮的耳朵猛地打去。藤爪感到有热乎乎的东西溅到了她的脖子上，她闻到了血的咸腥味。她刻意不去看蚁皮，不想看到他因为挡了自己的道而受到的惩罚。相反，她沿着石头绕了过去，发现虎心正后肢站立，击打着细尾，同时不断躲闪着以免头部被细尾的回击打中。藤爪在虎心身边也后肢站立，向细尾发起攻击。
众猫从四面八方猛扑向细尾。他变得疯狂起来，左挥右打着，试图用精准的进攻击中他们。藤爪避开了他挥过来的一只脚掌，接着在他转而防护背部时用后肢立了起来。藤爪纵身向前一跃，用两只脚掌猛击细尾。感觉细尾在自己掌下踉跄起来，一阵喜悦漫过她全身。
打到你了！
但细尾转过身体对上了她，从抽搐的双唇间发出了怒吼。细尾伸出利爪抓向藤爪的眼睛，藤爪猛地向后躲闪。细尾没有击中，但这记攻击已经离得很近了，藤爪都能感觉到自己的睫毛都在颤抖。
震惊传遍她的全身。他差点儿就把我抓瞎了！正当她颤抖着四脚落地时，细尾突然吃惊地睁大了双眼，他的后肢被从身下拽了一下，腹部着地跌落下来。藤爪抬头看见雀羽正将这位风族武士从石头上往下拖，她的牙齿深深地咬进他的肉里。细尾痛苦地吼叫着，还想奋力坚持，爪子从岩石表面刮过。“不！”蓟掌怒吼道，他挥舞着脚掌，一下子把雀羽打翻了。随着一声号叫，雀羽重重地撞在了草地上。
藤爪惊喘一口气。她不动了！
灰白色武士环顾四周，目光扫向浑身颤抖的众猫。“我说过让你们把他击落。”他的声音很温和，更显恐怖，“而不是拖下来。”他看向雀羽，这只身体娇小的棕色猫抽搐着抬起了头。“你耍诈。”蓟掌嘶吼道。
“对不起。”雀羽的声音几乎听不见。
蓟掌围着她缓缓绕圈，接着用一只脚掌猛地戳了她一下。“站起来。”蓟掌咆哮道，“轮到你了。”他看着她拖着身子站起来，开始往石头上爬去。
“这一次，别想再耍诈了。”
Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Afternoon sunlight flashed through thinning cloudsas Flametail slipped into the ShadowClan camp. He glanced guiltily around the clearing. He’d only planned to close his eyes for a moment beside the Moonpool, but he’d been so tired he’d woken to find the night gone and the bright air shimmering with snowflakes.
Ivytail was washing outside the nursery, and she looked up as Flametail crossed the snow-dusted clearing. He dipped his head and hurried past her in silence. He had to make his first report to his mentor and then to Blackstar.
As Flametail pushed through the prickly wall of the medicine den, he was relieved to see Littlecloud out of his nest and sorting through a pile of dried herbs. They were smoky with dust, and he coughed as he pawed through them.
“We’ll need fresh supplies before the frost withers everything,” Littlecloud meowed to Flametail without looking up.
“Perhaps you should take a little of the coltsfoot,” Flametail suggested. “It might ease that cough.”
“It’s just the dust.”
Flametail halted beside his mentor. “How are you feeling?” There was less heat flooding from his pelt, but his eyes still looked milky.
“Better,” Littlecloud insisted. “A good night’s sleep is all I needed. What happened at the Moonpool? You’ve been gone a long time.”
Flametail stared at his paws. “I fell asleep in the hollow.”
“It’s a hard journey to the Moonpool, and you were already exhausted.”
“But I should have come straight back after a vision like that!”
Littlecloud leaned forward. “What?”
“StarClan warned me that trouble is coming.”
Littlecloud frowned. “What sort of trouble?”
“They won’t say exactly, but it’s serious.” Flametail shivered. “There was fire in the hollow. It was everywhere. Raggedstar said war was coming.”
“War?” Littlecloud pricked his ears. “What else did he say?”
“That we must forget all of our allegiances and look after our Clan alone.”
“Forget allof our allegiances?” Littlecloud’s tail began to twitch.
“Even our allegiances with the other medicine cats.”
Littlecloud blinked. “That’s never happened before!”
Flametail willed Littlecloud to understand. “Even StarClan is divided now. We can’t trust anyone but ourselves and our own ancestors.”
Littlecloud hurried to the entrance. “We must tell Blackstar.”
Outside, Blackstar had joined Rowanclaw at the head of the clearing. Oakfur was bounding toward the camp entrance with Snowbird and Ratscar at his heels. Crowfrost and Scorchfur were awaiting orders, while Olivenose and Owlclaw paced impatiently around them.
Littlecloud caught Blackstar’s eye.
Blackstar nodded to him. “Crowfrost!”
The black-and-white tom straightened up. “Yes?”
“Finish organizing the extra hunting patrols. I want the fresh-kill pile full by sundown. Rowanclaw, come with me.”
Eager eyes turned to Crowfrost as Blackstar withdrew to his den. Rowanclaw padded after his leader, and Littlecloud followed. Flametail waited as they disappeared into the shadows, then pushed his way in after them.
Blackstar’s gaze burned through the dimness, fixing on Flametail as he entered. “You dreamed at the Moonpool?”
Flametail nodded. “A time of war is coming. StarClan is divided into the four Clans we know here. We must break all allegiances and look after ourselves.”
Blackstar looked puzzled. “But we have no allegiances.”
Flametail glanced at Littlecloud. “Medicine cats share a code that crosses boundaries,” he reminded his leader.
Littlecloud sniffed. “Are you sure that’s what your dream meant?”
Flametail felt the fur on his shoulders begin to prick. “Sagewhisker told me exactlywhat it meant.”
“We can’t simply turn our backs on the other medicine cats,” Littlecloud argued. “Not after countless moons of sharing trouble and help.”
Flametail curled his claws into the needle-strewn floor but held his tongue. Couldn’t Littlecloud hear him?
“I think,” Littlecloud went on, “that we should interpret this dream carefully. StarClan has warned us that trouble is coming, and we must be ready for it. But why must we destroy friendships that have seen us through the most difficult times? It is too soon to forget the Great Journey, or the role medicine cats have played in helping all four Clans to settle here.”
Blackstar narrowed his eyes. “I trust your judgment, Littlecloud.” He dipped his head to Flametail. “Thank you for traveling to the Moonpool and bringing back this warning. We are not so foolish as to sacrifice ourselves for another Clan, but nor are we so stubborn that we’ll ignore help if we need it.”
A coughing spasm gripped Littlecloud.
“Go and rest,” Blackstar ordered.
Littlecloud swallowed hard against his coughing and padded from the den.
“Thank you again, Flametail.” Blackstar flicked his tail, and Flametail knew he was being dismissed. Frustration crawled beneath his pelt as he headed out into the slanting sunshine
“You should rest, too.”
Rowanclaw’s mew made him jump. Flametail turned to see his father staring at him. “You must be exhausted.” Rowanclaw narrowed his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
Flametail snorted and looked away.
“You had something else to say, didn’t you?” Rowanclaw pressed.
“I know what I saw at the Moonpool,” Flametail growled. “I passed on the message I was given.” He saw the tip of his mentor’s tail disappear into the medicine den. “Littlecloud’s too attached to ThunderClan.”
“He’s been a medicine cat for longer than you,” Rowanclaw pointed out. “It’s not surprising he has friends in the other Clans.”
“It’s clouded his reason,” Flametail argued. “A time of war is coming. Didn’t any of you hear that? Raggedstar was clear about how we should deal with it. Why can’t Littlecloud and Blackstar see that no other Clan will help us if it comes to a struggle for survival?”
“Don’t underestimate Blackstar.” Rowanclaw’s eyes darkened. “He’s no fool.”
“But he wasn’t listening to me!” Flametail lashed his tail. “He was listening to Littlecloud, and Littlecloud is too close to his medicine-cat friends.”
“Don’t worry.” Rowanclaw ran his tail along Flametail’s spine. “ShadowClan has always stood alone.”
“The warriors, maybe.” Flametail ducked away from his father’s soothing tail. “But never the medicine cats. Something’s happening inside StarClan.” A surge of determination stiffened his weary muscles. “All the Clans will be affected. This time we cannot risk relying on anyone but ourselves.”
Chapter 12
Chapter 12
The dawn was bright, and Lionblazewatched as Brambleclaw and Firestar stood below Highledge, their Clanmates pacing eagerly around them.
“Dustpelt, Toadstep, and Foxleap,” Firestar called. “Hunt by the Ancient Oak. Sandstorm, Whitewing, and Birchfall, flush anything out of the moorland you can without crossing the WindClan border.”
Dovepaw yawned. “Are we hunting or training today?”
“Both.” Lionblaze wondered why she looked so sleepy. “I’m taking you out with Cinderheart and Ivypaw.” He’d planned the training session with Cinderheart last night as they’d wandered along the moonlit lakeshore. “We want to see how you manage hunting in snow.” His thoughts drifted back to the previous night. Cinderheart’s pelt had shone in the moonlight, and the stars had glittered as though the sky were as frosted as the hills. “Then we aremore than friends?” he had whispered into Cinderheart’s ear
She’d pressed her cheek to his. “Hadn’t you guessed?”
“I’d hoped.”
She’d purred and wrapped her tail around his. “Mouse-brain.”
“Graystripe.” Firestar’s mew broke into his remembering. “Take Millie, Brightheart, and Blossomfall and hunt by the lake.”
Across the clearing, Ivypaw was circling Cinderheart excitedly. The apprentice had grown and filled out in the last moon. Lionblaze narrowed his eyes. Today’s training wasn’t just about seeing Dovepaw hunt. He wanted to observe Ivypaw. Jayfeather had persuaded him to wait and see how her visits to the Dark Forest changed her. He’d agreed and had promised not to challenge the young cat yet. But he wasn’t completely convinced that they shouldn’t intervene. Cinderheart had been fretting over the injuries that appeared fresh each day on her apprentice. Ivypaw had told her mentor that she had fallen out of her nest, or run into brambles while practicing her hunting moves outside the hollow. Clearly the Dark Forest warriors were training the young cat hard.
Firestar issued more instructions. “Squirrelflight, Brackenfur, and Mousewhisker, you can hunt along the banks of the stream. There may be voles.”
As the warriors headed for the entrance, Daisy came hurrying across the clearing. Molekit and Cherrykit scampered at her heels. “There’ll be no warriors left in camp at this rate,” she called to the ThunderClan leader. “The hollow will be empty except for elders and kits. What if ShadowClan decides to take its revenge?”
Cherrykit reared onto her hind legs and boxed at the air. “I’ll shred them.”
Molekit pressed against Daisy’s long cream fur. “I’ll tear off their tails.”
“Thank you, little ones.” Daisy’s eyes darkened with worry as she stared at Firestar. “Well?”
Firestar shook his head. “ShadowClan’s warriors won’t attack undefended kits and elders.”
“Are we ready?”
Lionblaze looked up, surprised at the sound of Ivypaw’s mew. She was a whisker-length from his muzzle. She’s faster and lighter on her paws than she used to be.
Cinderheart joined them, yawning. “Let’s go before we freeze.”
Outside, Rosepetal, Sorreltail, and Brackenfur were tasting the air. “We’d be wasting our time at the shore,” Brackenfur meowed to his mate.
Sorreltail nodded. “The deeper into the forest, the better,” she agreed.
Rosepetal glanced at them expectantly. “Which way?”
“Up there.” Sorreltail flicked her tail toward a thickly brambled slope.
As Rosepetal charged away, shaking snow from the bushes, Sorreltail shook her head. “She’d better slow down, or she’ll scare more prey than she catches.”
Brackenfur purred and headed up the slope with Sorreltail. They seemed to move as one, their pelts brushing.
Lionblaze stared after them. He wanted to walk with Cinderheart like that someday. His whiskers twitched as he imagined kits bounding around their paws, tripping them at every step. A soft muzzle brushed his, and he realized Cinderheart had been watching him.
“I’d like that too,” she whispered.
His heart quickened as he fell into her gentle gaze. He could still smell the night breeze in her pelt. “How did you know what I was thinking?”
“Hey!” Dovepaw’s surprised mew made Lionblaze turn.
The apprentice was shaking snow from her smoky fur. Ivypaw was perched on a snow-laden branch above her sister’s head. With a flick of her striped silver tail she sent another avalanche cascading over Dovepaw.
Dovepaw darted toward the tree trunk and began to climb. “I’ll get you!”
“Get down, both of you!” Lionblaze fluffed out his fur. “We can have fun afterthe hunt.”
Ivypaw leaped to the ground, landing easily. “Which way?” Her eyes shone.
Lionblaze’s paws pricked. She’s more confident.
“The pines,” Cinderheart suggested. “They’ll give us more shelter.”
Ivypaw scampered away. “I’ll race you, Dovepaw!” she called over her shoulder.
Dovepaw scrambled down from the trunk and sent up a flurry of snow as she chased after her sister. Lionblaze frowned.
“What’s wrong?” Cinderheart tipped her head toward him. “Did you want to hunt somewhere else?”
“That fox has been hanging around the pines,” he reminded her.
“Then we’d better keep up with them.” Cinderheart darted off, following the apprentices’ tracks.
Lionblaze pelted after her. They caught up to their apprentices as beech gave way to pine. The ShadowClan border was close enough to taste.
“Look!” Ivypaw was circling beneath a pine tree, her nose skimming the ground. “Fox prints?” She looked excitedly up at Lionblaze.
She’s observant.He hurried to inspect them. The snow framed perfect prints. “Fox,” he confirmed.
Dovepaw’s ears pricked. “I don’t hear anything.”
“Let’s follow them,” Ivypaw suggested.
Cinderheart was already padding along the trail. Lionblaze slid ahead of her, ignoring her growl. He wasn’t going to risk her getting hurt just to save her pride. If they bumped into a fox, he was going to be the one to deal with it.
The fat paw prints trailed under a low, spreading elderberry bush. “Wait there,” he hissed over his shoulder. Slowly, nose twitching for fresh scents, he slithered below the branches. Under the bush the ground opened into a hole. The stench of fox seeped from the earth, thankfully stale.
“Should we fill it in?”
Cinderheart’s mew made Lionblaze jump.
“I thought I told you to stay back.”
She flashed him a look that challenged him to argue. He decided not to. “If we fill in this hole,” he reasoned, “the fox might just dig a new one closer to the camp.” He wriggled backward from under the bush and shook the snow from his pelt
Cinderheart popped out after him.
Ivypaw was hopping from paw to paw. “Should we report back to Firestar?”
She’s still loyal.“When we’ve finished training,” Lionblaze decided. “The fox hasn’t bothered us yet; there’s no reason it’ll start now.”
“But keep your eyes open,” Cinderheart warned.
“And your ears.” Lionblaze looked pointedly at Dovepaw, frustrated to find her staring through the trees. What had happened to her concentration? “Go and hunt!”
She jerked around. “Now?”
“Why do you think we came here?”
Ivypaw was scratching at the snow, clearly keen to start. “Are we hunting together or alone?”
“Alone,” Cinderheart told her. “We’ll be able to assess you better.”
“Okay.” Ivypaw bounded past the elderberry, her silver-and-white pelt soon lost among the trees. Cinderheart hurried after her.
Lionblaze watched them go, frowning. Perhaps he should have suggested they hunt together so he could keep studying Ivypaw.
“Which way should I go?” Dovepaw asked.
“You’re the hunter,” Lionblaze meowed. “You decide.”
Dovepaw scanned the forest, ears stretched, nose twitching, then headed up a rise that ran along the ShadowClan border. Lionblaze hung back until she was out of sight before trailing her.
He paused near the crest and peered over. The snow was falling more heavily now, and he could hardly see Dovepaw through the flakes. But he could hear her paws crunching, and every time she sniffed for prey, she snuffled as though fighting back a sneeze. This was impossible hunting weather.
Dovepaw’s trail led around a wide swath of bramble, then straightened through a stand of slender maple. Her tracks were already covered with fresh snow. The tinier tracks of prey would be impossible to see or scent. Lionblaze caught sight of her through the trees, no more than a gray blur. But he saw her drop into a crouch. She must be stalking something. As silently as he could, praying the falling snow would deaden his paw steps, he crept closer.
His nose picked up the scent of squirrel. Dovepaw was tracking it over roots that were little more than bumps in the snow. Lionblaze glimpsed a bobbing tail as Dovepaw dived. Then she yowled in frustration as she tripped and tumbled forward. Snow clumps showered her from above as the squirrel fled into the safety of a tree.
“Bad luck.” Lionblaze caught up to her.
“Stupid bramble tripped me,” she grumbled. “I couldn’t see it under the snow.”
“These are hard conditions even for experienced warriors,” he comforted her. “And this is your first snow hunt.”
Dovepaw glanced up at the branches, narrowing her eyes. “Why don’t we hunt up there? That’s where the prey seems to be hiding.”
Lionblaze flexed his claws. He hated climbing, but she was right. “Okay.”
He waited while his apprentice scrambled up the trunk of a maple, and then he heaved himself after, relieved to reach the first branch. Dovepaw was already clambering onto the second, and by the time he’d followed, she was scampering along the bough and preparing to launch herself into the branches of the next tree.
Shaking snow from his whiskers, Lionblaze felt like a badger trailing a squirrel. Stretching every claw, he struggled to grip the slippery bark.
“I can see a blackbird!” Dovepaw hissed over her shoulder.
“I’ll wait here.” Lionblaze could see the bird’s black feathers through the snow. It was sheltering in a pine, just a small leap from the branch they were on. Dovepaw drew herself forward, flattening her belly against the bark. She waggled her haunches, then jumped.
The pine shook as she landed. The blackbird squawked, and the branch bent under Dovepaw’s weight. With a yelp of surprise, she fell into the snow underneath.
Lionblaze scrambled down the trunk. “Are you okay?”
Dovepaw was staggering on her hind legs while the blackbird struggled and flapped in her grip. She slammed it to the ground and bent to give it the killing bite.
Suddenly, shrieks of terror echoed through the forest. Dovepaw let go of the blackbird. “The fox is in the camp!” She pelted away through the trees as the blackbird fluttered, shouting indignantly, up into the pine tree once more.
Lionblaze launched himself after Dovepaw. Blinded by the snow, he didn’t see Cinderheart till she swerved along beside him.
“What’s going on?” She matched his pace. “What’s all the noise?”
Ivypaw slowed in front of them and hared after Dovepaw.
“The fox is in the hollow!” Lionblaze growled. He pushed harder against the snow, unsheathing his claws.
As they neared camp, Millie came skidding down a slope, showering snow before her. Blossomfall was at her heels. Graystripe and Brightheart were a few steps behind, pelts bristling.
The shrieks from the hollow grew fiercer.
Lionblaze tore through the ragged barrier, shock pulsing through him as he saw the fox. It was circling wildly, huge against the snowy dens, its red pelt like fire next to the icy walls. Poppyfrost and Ferncloud spat, arch-backed, from the nursery entrance, swiping out with unsheathed claws every time the fox whirled near. Jaws snapping, ears flattened, it lashed its tail against the newly built dens. Daisy pressed herself against the medicine den entrance, her fur bushed up, hissing like a cornered snake.
Brambleclaw’s patrol had arrived just ahead of Dovepaw and Lionblaze. The ThunderClan deputy darted between the fox’s front legs, ducking to avoid its teeth. Dustpelt reared up and swiped at its snout, spattering blood over the white clearing. The fox yelped and snapped harder.
As Dustpelt jumped clear, Toadstep raked his claws down the fox’s flank, ripping out hunks of red fur. Blood roared in Lionblaze’s ears. Time seemed to slow down as he crouched with his haunches beneath him, rage welling inside him until he had to force himself to hold back the power pulsing through his muscles. He locked his gaze on the fox until he was blind to everything but its red pelt.
Then he leaped.
He landed square on the creature’s shoulders and sank his teeth deep into its flesh. The fox shrieked and plunged away from him. Lionblaze lost his grip and thudded onto the snowy clearing. With a snarl, Brightheart grabbed hold of its tail. The fox whirled around, smacking the one-eyed warrior against a beech branch. But Brightheart clung on, her lips drawn back and her ears flat.
Dovepaw darted under the fox and nipped at its back legs, while Ivypaw clawed at its front. Cinderheart reared and slashed its snout. Foxleap flung himself with flailing claws at its flank. Eyes white-rimmed with terror and confusion, the fox scrambled for the entrance. Bucking and twisting, it threw Brightheart clear as it tore through the barrier. With a final wail, it pelted away into the forest.
Brambleclaw climbed onto the halfrock and surveyed the hollow. “Who’s hurt?” he demanded.
Lionblaze scanned his Clanmates. They were checking their pelts and shaking their heads, but Jayfeather was already out of his den and hurrying from warrior to warrior, sniffing for wounds.
“Is Briarlight okay?” Brambleclaw called.
“She’s fine.” Jayfeather moved on to Dustpelt.
Brambleclaw nodded. “Berrynose, Birchfall, and Foxleap, start repairing the barrier. Graystripe, go and find Firestar’s patrol and tell him what’s happened.” He nodded to Ferncloud at the nursery entrance. “Are the kits all right?”
“It didn’t get near them,” Ferncloud reported.
Lionblaze stepped forward. “I’ve seen its den.”
Dustpelt arched his back, snarling. “Let’s go and teach it a lesson.”
Brambleclaw waved his tail. “I think we already have.”
Lionblaze felt a warm cheek pressing against his. “Are you sure you’re okay?” It was Cinderheart.
“I’m fine.” He saw her ruffled pelt. Clumps of fur stuck out around her neck. “What about you?”
“Shaken, but okay.”
Ivypaw bounced toward them. “We showed it, didn’t we?”
Dovepaw trailed after. “I should have heard it sooner.” The words caught in her throat.
“You were hunting,” Lionblaze told her. “You’re good, but you can’t be expected to hear everything.” But he wasn’t sure that was the truth. Perhaps Dovepaw shouldn’t hunt. Perhaps she should concentrate on using her powers to look out for danger.
Ivypaw faced her sister, scowling. “Why should youhave heard it?” she demanded. “We were the farthest from the hollow! Why do you have to act like you’re special all the time?”
Cinderheart flinched.
Lionblaze lashed his tail, angry with himself. Why had he praised Dovepaw in front of Ivypaw? “Don’t quarrel,” he pleaded.
The thorns rattled, snapped stems dropping, as Firestar raced into camp. Thornclaw and Sandstorm followed with Graystripe. The ThunderClan leader held a starling in his jaws. He dropped it and looked around the hollow. “Is everyone okay? Are the dens damaged?”
“The thorn barrier got the worst of it,” Brambleclaw reported.
Sandstorm was already at the nursery entrance comforting Ferncloud. “The kits are safe. You did well.”
Jayfeather was wrapping one of Foxleap’s paws in a comfrey leaf.
“Are you hurt?” Firestar asked the young warrior.
Jayfeather answered for him. “Lost a claw, I’m afraid. But it’ll heal.”
Rosepetal gasped and raced across the clearing. “Does it hurt?” she gasped.
Foxleap lifted his chin. “A bit.”
Jayfeather gently let go of Foxleap’s paw. “We were lucky there weren’t more injuries.” He carefully folded a comfrey leaf. “My stores are running low, and if this snow keeps up, I’m not going to be able to restock them.”
Ferncloud whisked her tail anxiously. “What if the kits get coughs?”
“I’ve taken all the new growth I can from my herb patch by the Twoleg nest,” Jayfeather went on. “I can’t risk taking any more, or the plants won’t keep growing. We need to search the forest for fresh supplies.”
Lionblaze tensed. “Will there be any left in this snow?”
“Not if we delay,” Jayfeather warned. “Any leaves that are left will be black and useless before long. We need to gather them now.”
Brightheart bounded forward. “I’ll go,” she offered. “I know what to look for.”
“I’ll help.” Leafpool stepped forward. “I know where to find them.”
“Thank you.” Firestar nodded to Thornclaw and Dustpelt. “Escort them,” he ordered. “Just in case the fox is still around.” He turned to Brambleclaw. “Organize more hunting patrols.” He kicked the starling he’d dropped. “This won’t be enough to feed the Clan.” He padded across the clearing and climbed the rock tumble while Brambleclaw assembled the warriors.
Lionblaze hurried after the ThunderClan leader, ignoring the curious stares of Cinderheart and Dovepaw as he scrambled up to Highledge. “Let me fight the fox,” he begged.
Firestar turned, eyes wide.
“I’ll drive it from our territory once and for all.” Lionblaze returned Firestar’s green gaze unblinkingly. “You know I won’t get hurt.”
Firestar sat down.
“It would mean we can hunt safely,” Lionblaze pressed.
Firestar frowned. “Are you sure you won’t get hurt?” His eyes darkened. “Just because you haven’t been wounded yet doesn’t prove you can’t be. Why risk your life over a fox when we know there are more dangerous enemies waiting in the shadows?”
“It’s going to be a hard leaf-bare,” Lionblaze reasoned. “Why make it harder by sharing what little prey we have with a fox?”
“And how will you explain to your Clanmates that you drove away a fox single-pawed?” Firestar queried. “I thought you wanted to keep your powers secret.”
“They won’t know,” Lionblaze argued. “I can tell them that I took the fox by surprise. That winning the fight was just lucky. I’ll say that it was already injured after attacking the camp.”
Firestar wrapped his tail over his paws. “Okay,” he agreed. “But take Dovepaw with you.”
“Dovepaw?” Lionblaze’s ears twitched. “She might get hurt.”
“Keep her at a distance,” Firestar ordered. “She can run for help if you need it.”
“I won’t need—” Lionblaze bit back his objection. I won’t need help; I know it.He had gotten what he wanted. There was no need to say anything else.
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Dovepaw shifted her paws. It wastoo cold to stand still. The ground was lightly dusted with snow. The sky had cleared, and stars sparkled over the forest. Chilled to the bone, Dovepaw paced the scent line again, keeping her ears pricked. Was Tigerheart coming? She reached through the trees, past the beeches, through the pines, stretching her senses to the ShadowClan camp.
“Move over, Pinepaw! You’re crushing my nest.”
“Have some juniper before you sleep, Littlecloud. Just to ease the wheezing.”
Other sounds crowded at the edge of her hearing. Dovepaw let her senses spread wider.
“Swallowtail!”
The wind whisking the moor nearly swept away the voices from the WindClan camp.
“Where’s Whitetail?”
“She’s sharing Onestar’s den tonight.”
Water lapped at the edge of the RiverClan camp.
“Willowshine?” Mothwing called to her apprentice. “Did you make sure Pouncetail’s bedding was fixed?”
A dog yapped crossly near the horseplace. It reminded Dovepaw of the fox, and she drew her senses closer, sweeping the forest nearby just in case the freezing air had fooled her nose again.
Paw steps brushed the thin covering of snow only tail-lengths away. There was weight in them, though they were creeping lightly. Dovepaw tensed, jerking her head to scan the shadowy trees. The paw steps quickened. Dovepaw crouched lower as claws scuffed the ground.
“Dovepaw?”
Tigerheart!
“You spooked me!”
“I thought you’d hear me coming.” A purr rumbled in his chest. “You have sharper hearing than any cat I know.”
Too sharp.She’d been listening so hard, she’d missed the one thing she’d been waiting for. She needed to remember that hearing everythingwas sometimes not as useful as hearing something
“Dovepaw?” Tigerheart’s eyes were gleaming in the moonlight.
She blinked. “Sorry.” She wasn’t going to let her powers distract her from Tigerheart. He wasn’t going to think of her as anything but an ordinary forest cat.
The warrior nudged her shoulder softly with his muzzle. “Stop apologizing.”
Above them, the waning moon curled like a claw in the sable black sky and bathed the forest with soft light. Tigerheart’s pelt shone beneath it, and Dovepaw felt dazzled by the sight of him.
“Come on.” He headed away.
“Where are we going?”
“I know a place where no one will find us.”
Dovepaw hurried after him. He was heading away from the lake, following the ShadowClan border. The land sloped gently upward, and the trees began to thin. She started to get breathless keeping up.
“You’ll love this place,” Tigerheart called back. “No one knows about it except me and Flametail.”
The scents of ThunderClan and ShadowClan were growing fainter. Dovepaw glanced over her shoulder. The lake looked like a flattened disc glimmering far away through the trees. “Are we leaving Clan territory?” Excitement prickled in her belly. Was that mountain air she could smell? And what was that musky scent? Her fur pricked as a familiar smell hit her tongue.
Jayfeather.
She stopped and sniffed a low thorny bush. Jayfeather’s scent lingered on the tips of the stems. Lionblaze’s, too. What had theybeen doing here? She touched a stem with her tongue. The scents were stale. Moons had passed, from the taste of it.
“Hurry up.” Tigerheart paused above her on the slope. Silhouetted in the moonlight, his forepaws planted squarely, his chin high, he looked like a Clan leader.
Dovepaw pushed the thought away. “Coming!” She scrambled up the slope to a clearing. Ahead, a tumbledown Twoleg nest rose like a gray tree stump, smaller than the abandoned nest in ThunderClan’s territory. Half the walls had fallen down, and there was hardly any roof.
“Wow!” Dovepaw raced past Tigerheart and dashed up the pebbly path that led to the den entrance. She stopped where shadows filled the opening and turned back to Tigerheart. “Is it safe?”
Tigerheart nodded.
Dovepaw crossed the smooth rock that spanned the entrance and padded into the den. Moonlight pooled on the stone floor. She looked up and saw the starry sky. Straight wooden beams crisscrossed it. They must have held the roof up when the nest had been whole.
“How did you know about this place?” she called as Tigerheart followed her in.
“Flametail and I found it when we were apprentices.” He leaped up onto a rock jutting above a hole in the wall. “We used to play here.” With a second leap he was balancing on one of the crisscrossing logs. It was flat on each side, and he padded along as though he’d done it countless times before.
Dovepaw leaped up onto the jutting stone, her heart lurching as her paws slipped. Dust showered down while she shuffled to regain her balance. She eyed the log where Tigerheart had walked, judging the distance carefully, then leaped. It creaked as she landed, but the wood was rough and soft enough to sink her claws into. Chest pounding, she steadied herself and gazed down at the floor below.
“It’s not too far down,” Tigerheart called from the other end of the log. “Don’t be scared.” He flicked his tail, then jumped. In a long, arcing leap he seemed to fly from one log to another, landing solidly and turning to blink at Dovepaw. “Now watch this.” Without pausing, he leaped from one log to the next the entire length of the nest, then turned and bounded back as though he were leaping stepping-stones across a stream.
“Be careful!” Dovepaw gasped. With each jump her heart jumped too.
“That’s nothing!” he mewed, landing beside her. He glanced up to where two logs sloped upward and met at a point. Without warning, he reared on his hind legs and leaped, swinging by his claws from a sloping log before hauling himself up and scrambling to the peak.
“Stop it!” Dovepaw could hardly breathe. She couldn’t imagine another cat being so strong and nimble—or brave.
Tigerheart slithered down a sloping log and began springing back toward her. As he landed on a log next to hers, it creaked. The sound sent Dovepaw’s thoughts spinning back to the hollow when the beech—its great trunk groaning and splintering—had toppled into the camp.
“Watch out!” A shriek ripped from her throat. She leaped across the gap, clasping Tigerheart in her paws and sending them both hurtling to the floor. They landed with a thump on a soft pile of moss. Dust clouded around them.
Her eyes streaming and throat burning, Dovepaw wriggled her paws. “Are you okay?”
Tigerheart didn’t reply.
Oh, StarClan. Let him be okay!
“Tigerheart!”
“I think I’m okay.” A muffled voice sounded from beneath her. “But you’re going to have to get off me so I can find out.”
Mortified, Dovepaw wriggled away. “I’m sorry!” she squeaked. “I didn’t mean to land on you.”
Tigerheart sat up. He lifted one forepaw, then the other. Then he shook his head. “I’ll live,” he announced. His gaze was warm but puzzled.
Dovepaw fought the urge to stare at her paws.
“What happened?” he asked.
She glanced up at the log. It was still in one piece. “I heard a crack,” she mewed apologetically. “I thought it was about to break.”
Tigerheart followed her gaze, squinting a little. “Wow,” he breathed.
“Wow?”
“Can you see that tiny split?”
Dovepaw looked harder and saw in the moonlight a small, fresh crack in the log.
“You’ve got even sharper ears than I thought.” Tigerheart’s whiskers twitched. “You saved my life!” He scrambled to his paws and began to circle her, tail high, a purr in his voice. “Without you, I’d be dead now. You’re my hero. How can I possibly thank you?”
Dovepaw lifted her chin, playing along. “You must bring me mice,” she mewed haughtily. “And a fresh squirrel every day for a moon. And new moss for my nest. And  .  .  .” She flicked his chin with her tail-tip. “You must follow me around all day and pick the burrs out of my pelt.”
The playfulness drained from Tigerheart’s warm amber gaze. Dovepaw tensed, wondering if she’d teased him too much.
“I’d gladly do all that for you.” His mew was as steady as his gaze. “You didn’t have to save my life first.”
Dovepaw stared back. “I didn’t really save your life,” she whispered. “It was just a tiny crack. That log could still hold your weight.”
“Maybe,” Tigerheart agreed. “But you were worried about me. That means you care, right?” Dovepaw saw doubt flicker in the young ShadowClan warrior’s gaze. “I mean, you care more than if we were just friends?” he pressed.
Dovepaw swallowed. For the first time she actually felt like she had the power of the stars in her paws.
“Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, I care.” Her heart twisted in her chest, half in pain, half in joy. “I shouldn’t, but I do.”
A purr rose deep in her chest as Tigerheart leaned forward and touched his muzzle to hers. Their breath billowed into a single cloud. He twisted his tail around hers, and warmth spread beneath her pelt.
Tigerheart sighed. “We’d better get back, before we’re missed.” He pulled away, but only far enough to let her get to her paws. Together they padded to the nest entrance, fur brushing fur.
They paused on the smooth rock, and Dovepaw stared out at the forest stretching down toward the distant lake. “This is going to work, right?”
“Yes,” Tigerheart promised. “No boundaries are ever going to be strong enough to separate us.”
Dovepaw blinked at him. “Really?” She wanted to believe it. She hadto believe it. Nothing had ever felt so important.
“Let’s meet again before half-moon,” Tigerheart suggested.
“Tomorrow.” Dovepaw felt bold.
“Do you think we could leave camp two nights in a row?” Tigerheart’s eyes widened. “You’d take that risk?”
“It’s worth it.” She brushed his cheek with her nose. His scent felt warm on her tongue. He was hers now. He didn’t belong to ShadowClan. They belonged to each other.
“What about your denmates?” Tigerheart pulled away. “They’ll notice you’ve gone.”
“It’s just Ivypaw now.” Dovepaw hooked a clump of moss from Tigerheart’s pelt. “She won’t tell.”
She felt him stiffen. “Ivypaw?”
A cold stone dropped in Dovepaw’s belly. Suddenly she remembered the look her sister had shared with Tigerheart during the battle. “D-do you know Ivypaw?”
Tigerheart flicked a strand of dried grass awkwardly from her shoulder. “I’ve seen her at Gatherings.”
“But nothing more than that?” Dovepaw demanded.
Tigerheart sat back and looked her straight in the eye. “Do you mean, have I ever asked to meet her in the middle of the night, and brought her here to risk my life on collapsing logs?” He tipped his head. “Let me think.  .  .  .”
Dovepaw fought the urge to shove him.
“.  .  . No. I’m pretty sure I haven’t.” He touched his nose to her ear. “There’s only one sister I’m interested in.”
His breath was warm. How could she have doubted him? He’d risked so much, coming here and confessing his feelings. She must have imagined the look in the battle with ShadowClan.
I trust him.
“Come on.” She led the way down the slope until they reached the deeper forest, where he fell in beside her and pulled brambles from her path. She felt wistful as the scents of their Clans grew stronger, and when she began to recognize the trees along the border, her heart began to ache. Tomorrow night seemed a lifetime away. As they reached the clump of beech where they’d met, their steps slowed.
“It’ll be tomorrow before you know it,” Tigerheart murmured gently. He must have been sharing her thoughts.
She touched her muzzle to his. “See you then,” she whispered.
“Definitely,” he meowed. “Sweet dreams.”
第八章
第八章
焰尾连骨头都觉得累。
他拖着笨重的身子，蹒跚着翻过山谷的边缘，沿着一条凹凸不平的石头小道往下走。这条小路一直蜿蜒到了月亮池边。他已经两天没有睡觉了，颓然坐在水边，宛若一位打了败仗的武士，他感觉自己的脚掌僵硬发疼。
山谷的石壁在冰霜的映衬下发着寒光。一阵凛冽的寒风吹过，星光点点的湖面泛起了涟漪。焰尾将下巴紧贴着脚掌，闭上了眼睛，用鼻尖轻触水面。突然，他的周围燃起团团火焰，火焰蔓延开来，石壁上的冰霜发出了嘶嘶的声响，如雨点般剥落。
焰尾跳了起来，惊慌地转着身体。一团耀眼的橘色火焰堵塞了月亮池通往山顶的小路。他缩到一边，平贴起耳朵，心脏怦怦地乱跳。星族，救救我！他不知所措地朝月亮池跑去。
“不，你这个傻瓜！”一声怒吼喝住了他。
焰尾猛地转回身，眯着眼看到一只猫在火墙映衬下显得越发黑暗的身影。“你是谁？”随着身影的慢慢靠近，焰尾认出了一只公猫灰色虎斑的皮毛。他不认得这只猫，但这只猫的皮毛上透着影族松林淡淡的气味。
“离水远点儿。”灰猫吼道。
“别怕。白足只是想帮忙。”说话间，一只母猫伴着闪烁的微光出现了。火焰在她雪白的皮毛上投下了摇曳的阴影，焰尾认出她是影族曾经的巫医圣须。
星族武士们平静地盯着他。
“难道你们看不见火焰吗？”焰尾哀号道。
“看看你周围。”圣须低语道。
焰尾盯着熊熊燃烧的山谷，屏住了呼吸。
皮毛里星光闪烁的群猫一排排站在山谷墙壁的石台和石架上，火光环绕着他们，让光焰在他们的皮毛上跃动，却不曾有一丝火焰触碰到他们的身体。焰尾嗅了嗅空气。寒霜冻得他舌头发僵，空气很冷，他的皮毛只感觉到了冰冷的夜风。原来火焰只是一个幻象。周围静静的火焰，只是照亮整个山谷的寒光。
焰尾心中的恐惧渐渐消失，他放松地深吸了一口气，打量起面前成排的祖先们，他认出了奔鼻、夜星和蕨荫。突然，他看到了黄毛，一股喜悦涌上心头。她看上去年轻而强健，这一定就是他出生之前黄毛的样子。她姜黄色的皮毛整洁光滑，尾巴灵巧地卷曲在脚掌上，火光映射在她忧郁而坚定的目光中。
“你看见谁了？”圣须温柔地问道。
“奔鼻、蕨荫……”焰尾开始说道。她为什么会这样问呢？她自己可以看啊！“黄毛，鸦尾……”他认出了更多的猫，“石牙、狐心……”以及那些他之前在月亮池旁见过的早已死去的影族武士。“只是我们的祖先。”为什么圣须那么专心地盯着他？
“还有别的吗？”
焰尾又一次扫视着。“冬青花、坚牙……”他皱了皱眉。“我们所有的祖先。”他重复道。他的皮毛猛地竖了起来。这儿只有影族猫。“影族会在烈火中灭亡吗？”他的心跳到了嗓子眼儿，“这是你们的警告吗？”
圣须摇了摇头：“我们的信息恐怕不会如此简单。”
“星族的其他成员在哪儿？”焰尾挪了挪脚掌。
“他们和他们自己的族群在一起。”
“但死后你们同属一个族群啊。”焰尾将头倾向一边，疑惑地说，“族群间的边界会随着死亡消失。”
一个深色皮毛从火焰中一闪而过，一只巨大的虎斑公猫跳到了平滑的石头上。那是残星，是许多个月前影族那位高贵的族长。焰尾低下了头。
“星族过去是没有边界的，”残星深沉的声音在山谷间回响，“但时代已经改变了。”
焰尾收着的爪子抽搐着：“什么改变？为什么会发生改变？”
“我们与雷族的战斗是不公平的，也没有任何缘由。可是雷族的祖先却没有做任何事来阻止它，黄毛还因此丧了命。”他向影族的副族长尊敬地点了点头。
“有可怕的事情正在逼近。”圣须的话让焰尾的目光从残星身上转开了，“没有哪个族群是可以信任的。要想活下去，每个族群就必须各自为营。”圣须的眼睛闪烁着。
焰尾的皮毛竖了起来：“是什么事情？”
圣须朝焰尾靠近：“我们不能被其他族群的背叛所拖累。”
恐惧使焰尾的腹部一紧：“你就不能告诉我是什么事吗？”
圣须摇了摇头，焰尾转向残星。“到底是什么？”他乞求道。
残星绝望地盯着圣须：“我们为什么不能直接告诉他？”
圣须吼道：“如果他知道了，他又能信任谁？猜疑会让整个族群瘫痪。”
残星垂下目光，看着自己巨大的前脚掌。“这是我们无法控制的。”他喃喃说道。
“什么是你们无法控制的？”焰尾向前几步，“你们可是星族啊！”
“我们可以引导你们，”圣须说道，“我们可以给你们建议，但我们无法阻止注定会发生的事情。”
“那么，你们能告诉我什么？”
残星朝着火墙点点头说：“为了保护你的族群，你必须燃烧得像这团火一样明亮。生存远比恪守巫医守则更重要，你必须忘记对它们的忠诚，只把自己奉献给影族。从现在起，影族将没有盟友。记住，战乱时代就要来临，你的武士祖先们将与你同在。除此以外，再无其他。”
战乱时代就要来临。火焰开始消退，星光闪烁的祖先们也随之消逝。为了保护你的族群，你必须燃烧得像这团火一样明亮。
焰尾眨巴着睁开了眼睛，浑身颤抖着。他正躺在月亮池旁，山谷漆黑而寂静，只有微风吹过水面的低语声。星族的气息仍环绕着他。
我会牢牢记住的。他默默发誓，不管付出怎样的代价，我都会保护我的族群。
第九章
第九章
鸽爪从睡梦中惊醒，浑身不住地颤抖，周围的蕨丛沙沙作响。她绷紧肌肉抵御着寒风。少了黄蜂条和梅花落，巢穴里空空荡荡的，格外冰冷。她竖起了耳朵，听到藤爪在睡梦中呜咽。
出什么事了？
“醒醒！”鸽爪伸出脚掌使劲戳着藤爪。该不会是黑森林武士正在伤害她吧？
白翅将头从蕨丛外探了进来：“你们这儿出什么事了吗？”
鸽爪迅速地转回身，将藤爪挡在母亲的视线外。“藤爪正在做噩梦，”她说道“我刚才是想把她唤醒。”
白翅用一只雪白的脚掌拨开了蕨丛，黎明的曙光一下子透进巢穴。“我好像听到了哭泣声……”白翅说道。
“没什么，藤爪真的没事。”鸽爪打断了她。
白翅耸了耸肩。“如果只是做梦，那就叫醒她吧，赶紧出来。黑莓掌在组织狩猎队。”说罢，她退出了巢穴，蕨丛也摇摆着合上了。
鸽爪用两只脚掌使劲地摇晃藤爪：“快醒醒！”
“怎……怎么了？”藤爪的眼睛眨了眨，睁开了。
鸽爪看到藤爪的一只眼睛四周有点儿青肿：“你受伤了！”
藤爪一个转身，将受伤处藏进阴影中：“我没事。”
“你这是在睡梦中受伤的吗？”懊丧之情像爪子一样攫住了鸽爪，“你又到无星之地去战斗了，对吗？”
藤爪的口鼻猛地戳到鸽爪的脸上：“闭嘴！”
“你千万不能再去那儿！”鸽爪感觉到藤爪肿胀的眼睛在一阵阵地发热。
藤爪从鸽爪身边挤过：“你别管我的事。”
“为什么你就是不懂这有多危险呢？”
但藤爪早已穿过蕨丛走了出去。
帮帮她，星族！让她意识到她是错的，请保护她！鸽爪闭上了眼睛，求你们了，星族。鸽爪深吸了一口气，让自己保持镇静，然后顶开蕨丛走出了巢穴。
榛尾、蕨毛和蟾步正围在黑莓掌身边，黄蜂条和梅花落也紧跟着挤了过来。云尾和亮心来回走着，尘毛、沙风和刺掌在静待命令。
鸽爪只能看到雷族副族长的耳朵尖。“尘毛！”他叫道，“你带着沙风去看看影族是否已经标记了新的边界。”他转向云尾：“你带着梅花落和黄蜂条去狩猎。”他又冲蕨毛点点头：“你和榛尾和蟾步出去看看能不能捉到什么，我希望在日落之前能把另一个猎物洞填满。”
藤爪在哪儿呢？鸽爪扫视着营地，并没有发现姐妹银白相间的身影，却在空地另一边看到了狮焰。这位金色武士正在与松鼠飞和蛛足专心交谈，他们的头几乎碰到了一起，窃窃私语着。鸽爪十分好奇，集中精力仔细听了起来。
“脚掌印有多大？”狮焰听起来有点儿担忧。
“很大。”蛛足报告说，“从气味上判断，是只母狐狸。”
“它已经不止一次走过这条路了。”松鼠飞补充道。
狮焰皱了皱眉：“也就是说它不是偶然经过。”
松鼠飞伸出了爪子：“我们要找到它，把它驱逐出去。”
“我们最好还是再等等吧。”狮焰理智地说，“现在正值秃叶季，树林里的环境比较艰苦，它或许会去别的地方。而且在狩猎困难的时候，狐狸更乐意吃鸦食。”他突然抬起了头，眼睛直直地看着鸽爪。“你加入蕨毛的队伍。”他的喊声跨过空地。
鸽爪挪了挪脚掌，意识到狮焰已经猜到她在偷听，便问道：“那训练怎么办？”
“训练可以再等等。”狮焰说完又转向蛛足。
蟾步和榛尾早已跟在蕨毛身后穿过了荆棘通道，鸽爪飞奔着赶上他们。“狮焰让我和你们一起。”鸽爪对蕨毛说。
“很好。”蕨毛嗅了嗅空气，“干活儿的爪子不嫌多。今天狩猎会有点儿艰难，天气太冷了，很难嗅到东西。”
“你的皮毛也会像雪堆里的狐狸一样显眼。”榛尾绕着他打转，结霜的树叶在她灰白色的脚掌下噼里啪啦一阵响。
蕨毛哼道：“那你最好在前头带路。”
榛尾带领大家登上了斜坡，她浅色的皮毛在白霜覆盖的灌木丛中不比一片污迹更显眼。鸽爪跟在最后。她竖起耳朵，听着藤爪的动静。
“等等！”榛尾在斜坡顶上停住了。她摆出狩猎姿势，目光聚集在前方的地面上。一只乌鸫在冰冻的树叶上跳跃着。鸽爪屏住了呼吸，蕨毛和蟾步也像石头似的站住了。榛尾开始摇摆后躯，准备扑击。
咔嚓！
一根树枝在鸽爪的脚掌下断开，乌鸫惊慌地振动翅膀飞走了。
“对不起！”鸽爪缩成一团。
蕨毛耸了耸肩：“结霜的树枝更容易断裂。”
“或许我们分开走会好些。”榛尾建议道。
蕨毛将头倾向一侧。“你觉得呢？”他问蟾步。
“听起来不错。”这只黑白相间的公猫同意了，“如果空手而归，至少我们也没法儿相互责怪。”
蕨毛点点头。“好，那我们分开吧。”他盯着狩猎队，“我去湖边，谁有意见吗？”
鸽爪摇了摇头。她更乐于待在树林的荫蔽下。“我往小溪那儿去。”她说道。
榛尾已经沿斜坡顶部往前走了。“那咱们回营地见。”她扭过头喊道。
“我试着去荒原那边找找。”蟾步说道，“说不定会有迷路的兔子呢。”
蕨毛从鸽爪身旁擦过：“你自己可以吗？”
鸽爪点了点头：“我刚好可以练习一下跟踪能力。”
金棕色武士消失在了斜坡顶。鸽爪向森林深处走去，她集中精力听着，感知穿过森林延伸到了远处，搜寻着藤爪的踪迹。突然，她停下了脚步。藤爪早就告诉自己不要管她的事。再说何必在藤爪醒着的时候监视她呢？需要多留意的是藤爪睡着的时候。
鸽爪在树林间钻来钻去，最后听到前方传来潺潺的流水声。鸽爪来到溪边，俯下身子喝水，脚掌下的冰面噼里啪啦一阵响，她惊讶地向后跳开。平缓的浅水早已从岸边开始结冰。小溪的那一边，有一片狭窄的沙地，在那里，她能更容易够到尚未结冰的溪水。鸽爪跃过小溪，喝了个饱。她嗅了嗅空气，水珠沿着她的下巴滴落。没有猎物温暖的气息，只有降雪将至的气味。大雪即将来临。鸽爪竖起了耳朵，周围的寂静让她有些不安。
一只八哥嘹亮的咯咯声在周遭的死寂中回荡。
有猎物！
鸽爪兴奋地朝声音的方向奔去，她小心翼翼地在树间前进，尽可能不发出一点儿声响。八哥又叫了起来，这次听起来更近了。鸽爪伸出爪子，扫视树枝上方。如果有必要，她打算爬上树去。
鸽爪身后的蕨丛沙沙作响，她转过身。八哥在蕨丛里？太反常了。鸽爪兴奋地甩动着尾巴，跳进了蕨丛。
“嘿！”
一声惊讶的尖叫让鸽爪的皮毛竖了起来，她感觉爪下是一团皮毛。这不是八哥。恼怒之余，她慢慢向后蠕动，退出了蕨丛。“是谁？”她问道，声音因恐惧而变得有点儿沙哑。她嗅了嗅空气。
影族！
一股酸臭味扑鼻而来，她绷紧了身体，准备战斗。影族在雷族的领地上做什么？蕨丛又一次沙沙响，虎心跳了出来。
鸽爪吃惊地看着虎心。他居然在雷族的领地上！“你怎么敢来这儿？”鸽爪质问道，刻意忽视掉皮毛下雀跃的欢欣之情。
“我怎么敢？”虎心睁圆了眼睛，“你在影族的领地干什么？”
“影族的领地？”鸽爪皱起了眉头，“但这儿是雷族的。”她快速地瞥了一眼四周，松树、橡树和山毛榉混杂在一起。鸽爪嗅了嗅空气，发现雷族的气息中混有影族的气味。边界在哪儿？她又嗅了一次。
在那儿！边界在虎心身后。
虎心转了一圈，盯着那一排标记气味的树，满脸的惊讶，仿佛也是才发现边界在他身后。他转回身。“对不起！”他睁大的琥珀色双眼里充满了歉意，“寒冷似乎扼杀了所有的气味，我这一天下来闻到的都是霜的味道。”
鸽爪咕噜道：“我懂你的意思！我一早上都没闻到猎物的气味。”
虎心看起来放松了一些。“原来不只是我这样啊，那我就放心了。”他回头看向边界。“你不会赶我走的，对吗？”他的声音里夹着咕噜声。
“噢，不会！”鸽爪摇了摇头，“在战场上不得不和你战斗就够糟糕了。”虎心琥珀色的目光转向鸽爪，她突然觉得浑身发热。“我是说，我知道影族和雷族在打仗，我们理应战斗……”话在鸽爪的舌头上打了结，她发现自己正凝视着虎心。
“边界带来了太多不必要的麻烦。”虎心轻声嘀咕着。
“你说什么？”鸽爪几乎不敢相信自己刚刚听到的话。但的确如此。如果没有边界，他们就可以随时见面。一想到这些，鸽爪的心便隐隐作痛。
虎心清了清嗓子。“当然，边界就是边界。”他停了下来，目光也变得柔和起来。
“即使你无法嗅到它们。”鸽爪开玩笑说。他为什么用这种眼神看她？
鸽爪身后传来脚掌拍打地面的声音。“巡逻队！”她警告道。
虎心早已竖起了耳朵。“回到你们的那一侧。”鸽爪告诉虎心，“我去引开他们。”虎心有些迟疑。“快点儿！”鸽爪催促道。
脚步声越来越近。虎心朝气味线跳去，又突然停了下来：“我还想见你！”
鸽爪眨巴着眼睛：“什么？什么时候？”
“就在这儿！今晚。可以吗？”
“好……好吧。”鸽爪不敢相信自己居然同意了。她蹬开后腿，飞快地跑开了。
狮焰、蛛足和松鼠飞正朝她跑来，明亮的皮毛在树林间闪烁。鸽爪快速奔向他们，挡住了他们的去路。
“你干什么？”狮焰急忙减慢速度，笨拙地停了下来。
“我在狩猎呢。”鸽爪故作镇静地说道。
松鼠飞和蛛足停在鸽爪身旁。蛛足嗅了嗅她：“你抓到什么了？”
“暂时还没有。”鸽爪坦言说道。
“蕨毛在哪儿？”狮焰问。
“沿着湖边往下去了，”她告诉狮焰，“我们分开了。”
狮焰揉捏着脚下霜冻的树叶。“好吧，猎物都钻到地下躲避这种天气了，你自己乱逛也没有多大的意义。”狮焰坐起身，甩动着前脚掌上细小的冰碴儿，“你还是回营地去帮忙修补武士巢穴吧。”
“如果我就这样走了，蕨毛会不会担心啊？”鸽爪不想回山谷，她想待在外面的森林里，回味回味虎心那琥珀色的眼眸。
“我们会找到他，告诉他的。”狮焰的声音打断了鸽爪的思绪，“等我们追踪到这只狐狸以后。”
“它在这儿吗？”鸽爪突然紧张起来，四处张望着。
松鼠飞一脸的疑惑：“难道你闻不到吗？”
鸽爪嗅了嗅，她感觉自己的皮毛竖立了起来。她怎么能忽略这个呢？森林里充满了狐狸的恶臭味。“我……我在寻找猎物，又不是狐狸。”鸽爪结结巴巴地说。
狮焰眯起了眼睛：“你回营地吧。”
鸽爪点了点头，一想到不用再编更多的借口了，她松了口气。当她匆忙跑开时，松鼠飞在后面喊道：“眼睛瞪大些！”
“我会的。”鸽爪回道。
她预计她已经给虎心争取了足够多的时间来离开，她打算稍晚时再去见他。她的脑海里全是虎心厚厚的皮毛和光滑的长尾巴，她几乎没有注意到脚掌下的地面，就已经冲下了斜坡，来到了山谷。当她闯入荆棘通道时，心脏狂跳不止。
她打着滑停了下来。育婴室外，黛西和罂粟霜正前倾身子，耳朵竖立着。鼠毛也从长老的巢穴里往外看。莓鼻坐在猎物堆旁，嘴里叼着一只麻雀，似乎被冻僵在了那儿。武士巢穴旁，叶片在叶池的脚掌间翻飞。
大家的目光都聚集在米莉和松鸦羽身上。两只猫面对面站在空地中央，皮毛竖立着。
“你推她的力气太大了！”米莉蓝色的双眼燃烧着怒火。
松鸦羽抽动着尾巴：“她需要被推一下！”
“可是她已经筋疲力尽了。”
“总好过躺在窝里慢慢窒息而死吧。”
“你确定？”米莉在发抖。
松鸦羽睁大了眼睛：“你想让她死吗？”
“我希望她健康！”米莉嘶声说道，“我想让她在森林里奔跑，想让她狩猎、战斗。我想让她知道作为武士的快乐！”
“这一切永远都不可能发生了。”松鸦羽轻柔地说道。
“那你又何必逼她！”米莉勃然大怒。
“简单地活着难道就不是一种快乐吗？”松鸦羽朝烦躁不安的武士倾过身子。
“快乐？”米莉的声音里充满了怀疑。
松鸦羽抬起了下巴：“我不会放弃荆棘光的。”
米莉发出低沉的吼声：“你现在所做的一切只是在拖延她的痛苦。”
叶池从武士巢穴匆匆地赶来：“她现在不会疼痛，松鸦羽确保了这一点。”
“但是她并没有好转。”米莉说道。
“身为一位巫医，信仰和草药一样重要。”叶池用尾巴轻轻地拂了拂松鸦羽的侧腹。
松鸦羽猛地转开了头：“叶池，我自己可以解决！”
但米莉却和雷族年长的前巫医鼻子对着鼻子。“信仰？”她嘶吼道，“如果你们的武士祖先那么强大，那他们为什么不让她痊愈？这事要是发生在我以前住的家里，我的主人一定会治好她的。”
“米莉！”灰条震惊的声音从入口处传来，他走进了空地，“你真是这样想的吗？”
米莉退开了。“我不知道自己该怎么想。”她声音尖厉，“我只看见自己的孩子，那么衰弱，那么无助，每天挣扎着才能活下去，死亡像头狐狸一样在她后边跟着……”米莉的声音慢慢低了下去。
“可她还活着。”灰条眨了眨眼睛，“她仍和我们在一起。”
米莉深深地吸了一口气：“她只能看着自己的同窝手足过着武士的生活，而她自己却只能怒吼、咳嗽，只能拖着沉重的身子往返于猎物堆！”
巫医巢穴入口处的黑莓丛晃动起来。荆棘光用脚掌拨开多刺的茎秆，拖着自己出了巢穴。山谷一片寂静，只能听见荆棘光腹部的皮毛在冰冻的地面上拖动的声音。她停下来盯着米莉：“我在好转，是吗？”
米莉冲向自己的孩子，拼命地舔舐着荆棘光的脸颊：“是的，是的！”
“所有的练习我都会做的。”荆棘光保证道。
“我知道你会的，”米莉安慰她，“我也会帮你。”
“练习虽然会很累，但不会对我造成伤害。”
“感谢星族，还好黄蜂条和梅花落没在这里听到这一切。”罂粟霜的声音在鸽爪耳边响起，吓了她一跳。鸽爪慢慢地闭上了眼睛，用自己的感知感受着。她听到黄蜂条和梅花落正沿着湖边相互追逐着朝小溪跑去，嘴里咕噜着。
他们很幸运，安全地生活在自己的小世界里，不会听到所有的声音。
鸽爪瞥了一眼山谷四周。叶池已回到了自己的工作中，莓鼻狼吞虎咽地吞食着自己从猎物堆带回来的麻雀，灰条独自站在空地上。雪开始飘落下来，细碎的雪片卡在了他的皮毛上。
鸽爪的心里突然一阵愧疚。她的心情并不那样沉重。今晚，她要去见虎心。
Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Jayfeather began to scoop up theherbs littering the den floor. What a waste.He’d used the commonest leaves to patch Lionblaze’s “wounds,” but even nettle stem and tansy would be hard to replace now that the snows had come. Last night, Brightheart and Leafpool had returned with only a few pawfuls of mallow and thyme. It had taken them half a day to find that much.
“Millie!”
Briarlight’s mew jerked Jayfeather back into the present. His mouth watered at the sweet scent of mouse.
“I brought you some fresh-kill.” Millie dropped it beside Briarlight’s nest. “I thought you might be hungry. You ate hardly anything this morning.”
“I told you,” Briarlight muttered. “I’m not hungry.”
Millie began to tear the mouse apart. “Try a morsel.”
“That’s not going to make me hungry,” Briarlight snapped.
“Just eat a little of it,” Millie coaxed.
“I’m not hungry!”
Jayfeather padded to Briarlight’s nest. He touched his nose to her muzzle. It was damp but not warm. She wasn’t running a fever. But her mind was a whirl of worry and guilt.
“Has her chest infection come back?” Millie asked anxiously
“Leave the fresh-kill with me,” Jayfeather suggested. “I’ll check her over and see if I can persuade her to eat something.”
Millie stayed beside her kit’s nest. “I want to know if she’s okay.”
“Go back to the hollow.” Jayfeather suspected that it would be easier to find out what was troubling the young warrior without Millie hovering. “It’ll give me more room to examine her.”
Millie hesitated.
“I’ll tell you as soon as I know anything,” he promised. He felt reluctance weighing Millie’s paws as she padded out of the den.
“I don’t know why she has to fuss over me so much,” Briarlight huffed as soon as she was gone.
“Don’t you?” Jayfeather didn’t wait for a reply. He leaned forward and sniffed her breath. It was clean and fresh. No sign of infection. He laid a paw on her chest. “Breathe in as deeply as you can.” Her breath was deep and clear.
“So, no appetite, eh?” He sensed stubbornness stiffening her pelt and felt the fierce ache of hunger in her belly.
“No.”
“Liar.”
“What?”
Jayfeather felt surprise flash from the young cat. “You might be able to fool Millie, but not me. Do you really think it’s fair to make her worry just because you’ve gotten it into your head that you don’t deserve food because you can’t hunt?”
“What are you talking about?” Embarrassment glowed hotly from the young warrior.
Jayfeather softened his tone. “I know you think you’re being fair.” He settled down beside her nest. “But it’s not that simple.”
Briarlight turned her head away. “I don’t hunt. I shouldn’t eat.”
“Daisy doesn’t hunt,” Jayfeather pointed out. “Should she starve?”
“She looks after the kits!” Briarlight grunted.
“What about when you keep them amused by playing moss-ball with them while Daisy rests?”
“Any cat could do that.”
“What about Purdy and Mousefur, then?” Jayfeather pressed. “They don’t hunt.”
“They’re old; they’ve hunted enough for the Clan.”
“But they can’t hunt anymore. Why don’t we let them die now?”
Shock pulsed from the young cat. “We couldn’t! They’re part of the Clan. It’s our duty to look after them.” Her nest rustled beneath her paws. “Besides, the Clan wouldn’t be the same without them.”
Jayfeather left a small silence for her to hear her own words. Then he mewed, “Do you think the Clan would be the same without you?”
She didn’t answer.
“The Clan brings you fresh-kill because they think you deserve it, and because looking after their Clanmates is what makes them warriors. They are proud to help you.”
“I just wish there was something I could do to help them back.” Emotion choked Briarlight’s mew.
“Okay.” Jayfeather sat up. “Come on. Out of that nest.”
Fur brushed twigs as Briarlight hauled herself out.
“If helping look after Molekit and Cherrykit isn’t enough work for you, there’s plenty you can do here.” He swept his tail around the medicine den. “I like to keep balls of moss piled beside the pool so that I can soak them if I need water for washing wounds or quenching the thirst of a sick cat. Brightheart usually brings me fresh moss every few days. From now on it’s your job to check it for splinters or thorns, then divide it into balls and stack it by the pool.”
“Okay.” Jayfeather felt Briarlight’s spirits lifting. “What else?”
“Keep the den floor clean,” he ordered. “We have just about every cat in the Clan coming and going at the moment. My herbs seem to get everywhere. Sweep out any dirt and paw up all stray leaves and pile them next to my store.”
“No problem.”
“And I need to go through my supplies and see what’s running low,” Jayfeather went on. “You can help me.” He padded to the crack in the rock at the back of the den. Sliding into the chilly cleft, he called over his shoulder, “I’ll pass them out; you stack them by the wall. We can go through them together.”
He began to shove out bundle after bundle of herbs. Many were dry and crumbled in his paws. Reaching to the back, he felt something downy beneath his paw. Hooking it with his claw, he pulled out a scrap of fur. He sniffed it, his heart quickening. Hollyleaf!How had her fur gotten here? Had she returned from the dead?
Don’t be mouse-brained!
She’d been Leafpool’s apprentice once. It must have lodged in a corner then and been there ever since. The warm familiar scent of his sister flooded his heart. For a moment he was back in the nursery, squirming and fighting with Lionkit and Hollykit while Ferncloud sniffed disapprovingly.
Catch this, Jaykit!
Hollykit’s a slow slug!
“Jayfeather?” A voice summoned him from his thoughts.
“That’s all there is, Briarlight.” Jayfeather tucked Hollyleaf’s fur into a crack in the rock.
“Jayfeather!” the voice called again.
“Start piling the matching leaves together, Briarlight. I’ll be out in a moment.”
“Jayfeather.” This time warm breath stirred his ear fur.
He jumped around, his pelt scraping the rock. No one was there. Yet the scent of another cat hung heavy in the air.
Yellowfang!
He squeezed out of the cleft. Briarlight was beside the far wall, sifting through the herbs. “I’m matching the leaves,” she called.
“Good, good.” Jayfeather circled warily, tasting the air. The frosty chill was thick with her scent. Why had Yellowfang come here? It was half-moon. He’d be sharing dreams with her at the Moonpool tonight. Why come now?
“Come with me.” Her rasping mew sounded behind him. “Don’t worry; no one can hear me except you.”
“What are you doing here?” he hissed.
“Visiting you.”
Briarlight paused. “What did you say?”
“Nothing,” Jayfeather meowed hurriedly. “I—I’ve got to go out for a while. Keep matching the leaves. I’ll be back soon.” He followed Yellowfang’s scent out of the den and across the clearing.
“Couldn’t you have waited till tonight?” he snapped once they were clear of the hollow.
“Do you think I wanted to leave StarClan and come to this freezing place?”
A faint outline shimmered in front of Jayfeather’s eyes. He could see Yellowfang’s ragged pelt now, and the fuzzy outlines of trees behind her.
“Then why did you come?” Jayfeather’s paws ached from the snow.
“You needed to know this before you met with the others at the Moonpool!”
“Okay, okay,” Jayfeather muttered. “Just tell me, and we can both go home.”
“I saw Lionblaze fight the fox,” Yellowfang rasped.
“And?”
“It was a sign.”
“A sign of what? That he’s a mouse-brain?”
“He fought it alone.”
“Yeah. I know. He’s a mouse-brain,” Jayfeather repeated. His teeth were starting to chatter. “Can you get to the point?”
Yellowfang’s stinking breath billowed around his muzzle as she leaned close. “Stop complaining and start listening,” she hissed. “Like Lionblaze, ThunderClan must fight alone.”
“When?”
“When the Dark Forest rises, ThunderClan must face its greatest enemy alone.”
Jayfeather blinked. “But the Dark Forest threatens every Clan.”
“Only one Clan will survive,” Yellowfang growled. “Yesterday four patrols could not drive the fox from your territory. Today Lionblaze sent it fleeing for its life. In the great battle that is coming, ThunderClan must fight alone.”
“But the Dark Forest warriors are training cats from every Clan,” Jayfeather reminded her.
“So every Clan might betray you!”
“But we’re allin danger. Surely we have to fight together?”
“Why do the Three belong to ThunderClan and no other Clan?” Yellowfang’s amber eyes burned. “It must be ThunderClan’s destiny to survive while others perish.”
What? There have to be four Clans!Around them, the cold wind whipped the snow into drifts. “Yellowfang!”
The old cat was fading, and with her his dream-vision. Jayfeather was plunged once more into blackness.
As the dusk patrol returned and settled down to share tongues, Jayfeather slipped out of the medicine den.
“Good luck!” Millie called as he padded softly around the clearing.
“Take care,” Briarlight added.
The young warrior was sharing a scrawny robin with her littermates, and Jayfeather could sense the relief washing over Millie’s pelt. He hadn’t told her why Briarlight had refused to eat, but Millie hadn’t asked. When the gray warrior had come to the medicine den to check on her kit and found her gulping down the mouse, paws stained with herbs, she’d been delighted.
“Keep her busy,” Jayfeather had advised. “She still has two paws, and they’ll get restless if they’re given nothing to do.”
Lionblaze and Dovepaw were yet again describing the miraculous defeat of the fox to their Clanmates. No one seemed to notice that the story changed a tiny bit in every telling. Rosepetal and Foxleap were begging for every detail.
“What was your winning move?”
“How did you avoid its teeth?”
Jayfeather hadn’t told them about his vision. He wanted to visit the Moonpool first. He wanted to see if the rest of StarClan agreed with Yellowfang. He slipped through the barrier of thorns, leaving the voices of his Clanmates behind.
As he broke from the trees, the moorland wind pierced his fur. Flattening his ears against it, he bounded along the slope to the dip where the medicine cats met before traveling together to the Moonpool. His paws sank deep into snow. It reached his belly where it had drifted, and he was breathless by the time he scented Kestrelflight and Willowshine.
“Not good traveling weather,” he called to them.
“At least it’s stopped snowing,” Kestrelflight responded.
Willowshine shook out her fish-scented fur. “Can we go now? It’s freezing.”
“Where are Littlecloud and Flametail?” Jayfeather tasted the air but there was no scent of the ShadowClan medicine cats.
“They’ll have to catch up.” Willowshine was already heading away. “It’s too cold to sit still.”
Snow crunched as Kestrelflight fell into step beside the RiverClan medicine cat. “Hopefully our tracks will make their path easier.”
Their tracks certainly helped Jayfeather. He followed the furrow the others carved in the snow, but even so, keeping his balance on the rocky shores of the stream took all his concentration. He had no chance to focus on the thoughts of his companions. By the time he’d scrambled up the cliff and hauled himself into the hollow, he was panting.
Willowshine was standing on the lip of the hollow. “No sign of Littlecloud or Flametail,” she declared. “I hope there’s no trouble in ShadowClan.”
“We’ll find out soon enough if there is,” Kestrelflight answered.
“Should we wait?” Willowshine wondered.
Jayfeather was already following the path that spiraled down to the Moonpool. “If you can’t see them on the trail by now, they’re not coming.” Snow covered the dimples in the rock where countless paw steps had passed before him.
“Is the Moonpool frozen?” Kestrelflight hurried after him.
Jayfeather touched it with a paw, relieved to feel it ripple softly against his fur. “No.” The hollow must have sheltered the water from the coldest winds. He sank down in the snow and waited for Kestrelflight and Willowshine to settle beside the pool.
“I hope Littlecloud and Flametail are all right,” Willowshine fretted. Her fur brushed against the snow as she rested her chin on her paws and touched her nose to the water. Kestrelflight’s breathing had already slowed. They would both be in trances before long.
Jayfeather waited. There was no need for him to walk in his own dreams tonight. Yellowfang had already spoken to him. Focusing on Kestrelflight, he let his mind flow into the young WindClan cat’s dreams.
Wind tugged his fur, warm and playful. Jayfeather looked around, blinking at the sweep of sky and land before him. He was standing on the arching spine of a rocky hilltop. Forested slopes fell away in front of his paws. Far away the trees darkened toward a shadowy horizon. Is that the Dark Forest?
Voices sounded below the crest of the slope, and Jayfeather quickly scooted behind a boulder. As the voices grew nearer, Jayfeather peered around the side. Kestrelflight was walking beside Barkface. The raddled old WindClan medicine cat hung his head and dragged his tail as though the sky weighed heavily on his back. Another WindClan cat walked beside them. Jayfeather squinted. He didn’t recognize the light brown she-cat with ginger patches and eyes bluer than the lake in greenleaf.
“Explain it to him, Daisytail,” Barkface meowed gruffly. “I knew he wouldn’t believe me alone.”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you,” Kestrelflight objected. “It’s just hard to take in.”
The she-cat spoke, her voice as spirited as the wind lifting Jayfeather’s pelt. “I stood up for my Clanmates once so that I could protect their future. I led the queens against a leader who believed kits should be trained before they were six moons.” Her eyes clouded, and Jayfeather felt pride and grief battling in her heart. “There comes a time when we must stand and fight.”
“But I’m a medicine cat,” Kestrelflight reminded her. “I follow a different code than a warrior.”
“Everything is changing,” Barkface growled. “WindClan’s greatest battle is coming. We cannot let the treachery of other Clans sap our strengths.”
“We must stand alone,” Daisytail insisted.
Why?Jayfeather frowned. Four patrols could not drive the fox from our territory. Today Lionblaze sent it fleeing for its life.Was Yellowfang’s prophecy true?
“You must trust in your ancestors, not in other Clans,” Barkface warned. “The past will be your strength, not the present.”
Kestrelflight looked ruffled. “But who will this battle be against? Why must we fight alone? Tallstar never saw any weakness in allying the Clan with others to make it stronger.”
Daisytail narrowed her eyes. “Tallstar was blinded by friendships,” she mewed pointedly. Jayfeather wondered if she was referring to the long friendship between Firestar and the WindClan leader.
Kestrelflight searched Barkface’s gaze. “Is that who we’ll be fighting? Another Clan?”
“You don’t know your enemy yet,” he rasped. “But you’ll know them when the time comes.”
Jayfeather felt the fur on his neck prickle. Why not tell him? Shouldn’t he know that his Clan was going to face an army of the most dark-hearted warriors ever to have walked forest, moor, or stream?
Daisytail padded into Kestrelflight’s path, blocking his way. “Don’t tell any of the other medicine cats about this,” she warned.
Kestrelflight blinked. “Won’t they already know?”
“Betrayal could come from anywhere,” Barkface growled. “You must stand alone, knowing your ancestors walk with you, and you alone.”
Daisytail jerked her head around and tasted the air. Jayfeather ducked back behind the rock. Had she smelled him? Taking no risks, he backed away down a short, steep slope, flinching as pebbles clattered down beside him. He slid into a narrow gully and followed it quickly away from the hilltop. The rocky channel wound down, cutting ever deeper into the hillside. Jayfeather quickened his step until the slopes of the gully began to smooth into grassy banks. Soon he was following a stony path that opened onto a pebbly shore beside a stream.
Willows drooped over its banks. Ferns clustered at the water’s edge. Instinctively, Jayfeather headed for cover. This was not his dream. Keeping to the ferns, he headed downstream until he caught sight of a rock. Wide and flat, it broke from the water and split the current around it. He recognized Willowshine’s gray tabby pelt silhouetted on the rock, and beside her, Mudfur, the ancient RiverClan medicine cat. Graypool sat with them, paws rooted to the stone even when water splashed and lapped at them.
“You must stand alone,” Mudfur ordered.
Jayfeather pricked his ears harder. The rushing of the stream drowned their words.
“.  .  . ancestors will walk with you  .  .  .” Graypool was staring intently at Willowshine.
Willowshine bristled. “.  .  . cats have always helped each  .  .  .”
Graypool shook her head. “.  .  . have changed. We must change too.  .  .  .”
“Can I tell Mothwing?”
Graypool flashed a glance at Mudfur. “She won’t believe you, but you can tell her.”
Mudfur dipped his head. “She’s a good medicine cat. She will protect her Clanmates through this terrible battle.”
“Please,” Willowshine begged. “What is this battle? Who will we be fighting?”
Jayfeather saw the older cats shake their heads. The stream washed around them.
“.  .  . more terrible than your worst nightmares  .  .  .”
“.  .  . darker than you can dream of  .  .  .”
“.  .  . a river of blood  .  .  .”
Willowshine leaned away from them, her whiskers quivering with fear.
Angry now, Jayfeather slid through the ferns, away from the water’s edge. It seemed like every cat in StarClan was in a state of panic! Did they really think that dividing the Clans and crippling them with fear would help? He must share what he knew with the other medicine cats. They faced a real enemy.
“Do you believe me now?”
Jayfeather jerked to a halt as Yellowfang blocked his path.
“All four Clans must stand alone,” she hissed. “The Dark Forest moves among them. You can’t trust anyone. Why do you think the ShadowClan cats stayed away from the Moonpool tonight? They have abandoned you already. And WindClan and RiverClan will abandon you now.”
“Not if I tell them what’s really going on.”
Yellowfang sprang at him, bowling him over. “No!” She pressed him hard to the ground. “Can’t you read the signs? Lionblaze beat the fox single-pawed!” she hissed. “If you don’t keep quiet, all four Clans will be lost to the darkness.”
Struggling, Jayfeather blinked open his eyes and found himself beside the Moonpool, his vision black once more. Fur brushed snow. Kestrelflight was heading away up the path. Willowshine was already at the top, walking quickly as if she didn’t want to speak to her companions. Was the bond between medicine cats so easily broken?
Jayfeather scrambled to his paws. He had to warn them. “The Dark Forest—”
Crackling silenced him. Ice splintered behind him, echoing around the walls of the hollow. Jayfeather turned, and his vision was flooded with starlight. The Moonpool was freezing over, ice spreading like fire through grass, reaching over the water until the whole pool was white.
Jayfeather stared around the hollow. Hope flared in his chest. Cats of StarClan lined the glittering walls. The ranks of star-pelted warriors sat silent and still. Jayfeather looked more closely. Was that Rockamong them? Jayfeather recognized the ancient, hairless cat with a surge of joy. Had he come to help StarClan? Perhaps he’d changed their minds? Perhaps the cats of StarClan were going to face the Dark Forest together after all?
As he watched, pleading silently for some kind of sign, he saw the hollow start to whiten. One after another, the StarClan warriors turned to ice, their fur glistening, their whiskers stiffening, before shattering into cruel, prickling shards in the cold, dead moonlight.
Only Rock remained. He stared blankly at Jayfeather, his bulging blind eyes as frosted as the Moonpool.
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Lionblaze stretched in his nest. Hisback brushed Cinderheart’s. She murmured but didn’t wake. Dawn hardly showed through the woven stems of the den. Lionblaze lay still, breathing gently, while shadows stirred around him. Dustpelt yawned and slid out of the den, ready for the first patrol.
Whitewing sat up and reached a paw into Brackenfur’s nest. “It’s time,” she whispered.
The russet warrior grunted and hauled himself to his paws. “Has it snowed again?”
“I haven’t looked yet.” Whitewing picked her way between the nests and ducked out of the den. Snow crunched as she headed across the clearing.
Lionblaze waited for Brackenfur to leave before he sat up. He wished he’d fought the fox last night while its wounds were still fresh and before it had rested. But Firestar had ordered him to wait.
“If you hunt it now,” the ThunderClan leader had reasoned, “the other warriors will feel cheated of a chance to protect their Clan. If you wait, they’re more likely to believe you came across it by accident.”
Cinderheart rolled onto her back, ears twitching as though she was dreaming. The gray fur of her belly looked downy and warm. Lionblaze felt a sudden pang of guilt. She had no idea about his special powers. He hadn’t told her about the prophecy. Now that they’d grown so close, it seemed like lying to keep it from her. But how could he tell her? Their love felt strong, but could it survive the truth?
Lionblaze pushed away the worry and breathed in her warm, sleepy scent. I’ll drive this fox out for you, Cinderheart, so that you can hunt safely all leaf-bare.He brushed his tail gently over her as he crept to the den entrance. A fresh layer of snow had fallen, and the clearing had the smoothness of water, ruffled only by the tracks of the dawn patrol. The sky showed pink above the hollow, and soft light filtered down into camp.
Lionblaze slid out of the den. Firestar was standing on Highledge, gazing over the empty clearing. He narrowed his eyes when he saw Lionblaze, then nodded. Lionblaze flicked his tail and hurried to the apprentices’ den. “Dovepaw!”
His call was barely a whisper, but a moment later the ferns rustled and the gray apprentice pushed her way out.
“Training already?” She stretched with her front paws until her belly dented the snow.
“We have a special mission.”
Dovepaw straightened. “Is Jayfeather coming with us?”
“We don’t need his powers for this.” I don’t need yours, either.
He headed out of camp, Dovepaw scampering after him.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll find out when we get there.”
“Do you need me to listen for something?”
“No.” He wasn’t in the mood for questions. He should have done this last night and done it alone. He marched along a well-worn trail, his thoughts on the fox. Dovepaw spoke again, but he didn’t listen. Lionblaze was picturing the fox whirling wildly in the camp, snapping at Ferncloud, lashing Daisy with its tail. Rage boiled in his blood. How dare it threaten his Clanmates?
A gray pelt blocked his path. “Where are we going?” Dovepaw’s frustrated mew made him stop.
“I’m going to chase away the fox.” He pushed past her and pressed on.
She bounded along beside him. “Just us?”
“Just me. Firestar said I had to bring you to fetch help if I got hurt.”
“Firestar knows about this?” Dovepaw sounded surprised.
“Why shouldn’t he?” Lionblaze bristled. “He’s Clan leader. And he knows about my powers. He knows I won’t get hurt.”
“But this isn’t what we were given our powers for!”
Lionblaze halted and stared at Dovepaw. “You think we should stand by and let a fox terrorize our Clanmates?”
“I didn’t mean that.” Dovepaw stood her ground. “I mean other Clans deal with foxes without special powers. Why do something alone that a patrol of ordinary warriors could do?” There was something wistful in the way she mewed ordinary
“It’ll be easier this way,” Lionblaze promised. “And no one will get hurt.”
Dovepaw turned away. “It just seems wrong, that’s all. Like cheating.” She followed the trail around a sprawling patch of ivy.
“Cheating?” Lionblaze hurried after her. “How can it be cheating to use the powers we’ve been given to protect our Clan?”
Dovepaw carried on walking. “In a Clan, everyone looks after one another. It’s what binds us together. If you can do the duties of every other warrior, what’s the point?”
“The point is I won’t get hurt and they might.”
“I’m sure Thornclaw and Dustpelt would be happy to know that they can move straight into the elders’ den. Clearly they’re not needed now that the Clan has you.”
“For StarClan’s sake!” Lionblaze growled. “Why are you making this so difficult?”
“I’m just saying what I think. Or isn’t that allowed anymore? Does only your opinion count?”
“You know I don’t think that.” Lionblaze was surprised to hear Dovepaw sound so fierce. “I’m just being practical. This way, the fox will be gone, and no one will get hurt.”
Dovepaw flicked her tail. “I just wish you felt the same way about Ivypaw.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you told her to stop visiting the Dark Forest yet?”
“Jayfeather thinks we should wait.”
“For what? Until she wakes up with an injury so bad everyone in the Clan will notice it?”
Lionblaze halted. “Look,” he began. “Jayfeather thinks that if we watch her, we might learn how the Dark Forest warriors are training their recruits.”
Dovepaw tipped her head to one side and stared at him. “Why don’t you just ask her?”
“Would she tell us?”
“Of course she would!” Dovepaw snapped. “She doesn’t know they’re using her. She thinks she’s being trained to be a great warrior.”
“In that case, what’s the harm in watching her for a little while longer?” Even as he spoke, doubt pricked his pelt. Ivypaw was only an apprentice. Whatever was going on in the Place of No Stars, she was out of her depth.
“What if she gets badly hurt?” Dovepaw snapped. “How would you feel, knowing you could have stopped her and didn’t?” She turned and kicked through the snow.
There was no time to reason with her. They were nearing the elderberry bush where the fox hole was hidden. Lionblaze padded ahead and signaled with his tail. “Hide under that holly bush and listen out in case there’s trouble.”
Fur bristled along Dovepaw’s spine. “Be careful,” she whispered.
“I’ll be okay, but just in case anything goes wrong, get back to camp and get help.”
She nodded.
Lionblaze turned away and opened his mouth, letting fox scent bathe his tongue. Dovepaw’s arguing had distracted him, interfered with his focus. The fox invaded our territory,he reminded himself. It had attacked the camp. Kits could have been killed. Anger started to bubble beneath his pelt, and he ducked under the elderberry bush and crept toward the fox hole.
There were no fresh paw prints leading from the hole. It must be inside.He peered into the darkness, wrinkling his nose at the stench. His paws itched with foreboding. The hole disappeared into blackness. Every hair in his pelt stiffened.
I’ll draw the fox out.
He crouched at the entrance and gave a sharp, angry yowl.
Silence.
Coward!
Then he remembered with a flash of fury that this fox preferred attacking defenseless kits. He crouched lower, stretching forward. Swallowing against the rank odor, he gave a weak, whimpering yowl.
He pricked his ears. Nothing.
Tentatively, he climbed over the lip of the hole and crept into the darkness. The snow turned to earth beneath his belly as he slithered in. The fox stench was suffocating. He held his breath and crawled farther into the pitch-black lair.
Pain seared his tail as sharp teeth clamped it and dragged him backward. He scrabbled at the earth, struggling to turn, but the fox had caught him, and with a growl it hauled him from the hole and flung him out into the snow. Lionblaze sprang to his paws and faced the fox as it slunk out from under the elderberry bush. It stared back at him, its black eyes bright with hatred. Its snout was still scarred from yesterday’s battle.
Lionblaze stood his ground, hissing. The fox showed its teeth. Then it rushed at him. Lionblaze reared up, meeting it with a flurry of swipes. But the weight of the fox hurled him backward. Lionblaze landed with a thump that knocked his breath away. He twisted, tail thrashing as he tried to stand, but heavy paws slammed him harder against the ground. Jaws snapped at his ear, and saliva sprayed his face.
Struggling for breath, Lionblaze dug his claws into the snowy ground and hauled himself forward, leaping to his paws as soon as he was clear. The power of the fox had startled him. He’d never fought an animal as big as this. He’d have to move faster. With any luck, the fox couldn’t match his speed. Lionblaze spun around, claws slashing.
Too late!
Pain scoured his flesh, and Lionblaze felt his paws lift from the ground. He churned at the air, panic rising. The fox’s teeth were pressing deep into his shoulder. For the first time ever, he feared his flesh would rip.
Dovepaw was standing only tail-lengths away, her mouth wide. “I’ll get help!” she screeched.
“No!” Lionblaze twisted and lashed out, blocking agony as the fox’s teeth stretched his pelt. Triumph flickered in his belly as he felt fur and flesh rip beneath his claws, and the fox let go with a howl.
Time slowed down.
The snowy ground met Lionblaze’s paws. He spun on his haunches and reached out with one paw. Claws stretched wide, he met the fox’s snarling face with a ferocious blow. Saliva drenched his pad as a flick of the fox’s snout sent Lionblaze staggering backward. It dived again. Lionblaze met it with another vicious swipe. Blood sprayed his muzzle, and he heard the fox wail.
As red fur blurred in front of him, Lionblaze pressed his hind legs into the ground and leaped. He sprang high and clear of the fox’s jaws and landed on its shoulders. The fox felt solid beneath him, like warm earth; it bucked and reared, turning this way and that, snapping at Lionblaze over its shoulder and yelping with frustration. But Lionblaze gripped on, keeping just out of reach.
Digging every claw deeper, he sank his teeth into the fox’s fur, feeling flesh tear and tugging harder. Blood throbbed from the wound, filling Lionblaze’s mouth. The fox sank beneath him with a howl. Lionblaze froze, his teeth still embedded in flesh. He waited for a moment.
The fox lay still, its flanks heaving, a soft whine in its throat. Lionblaze let go and backed off. Crouching, he stared at the fox through a haze of blood. The creature stirred and hauled itself to its paws. Gasping and whining, it headed for the hole. Lionblaze darted forward, snarling and blocking its way. The fox stared at him with wide, terrified eyes and veered past the elderberry bush. With a flick of its scarlet, blood-flecked tail, it headed into the bracken.
Dovepaw slid out from the holly bush, her pelt standing on end. Without speaking, she began to herd the fox onward. Slashing at it from either side, they drove it along the ShadowClan border, making sure it didn’t cross into ShadowClan territory, growling threateningly if it tried to break away into the heart of ThunderClan’s forest. Together they drove it away from the lake and up out of Clan land.
As the slope steepened and oak turned to ash around them, the fox scrambled ahead and vanished under a lump of brambles.
“That’s far enough.” Panting, Lionblaze sat down.
Dovepaw halted beside him and watched the leaves quiver where the fox had disappeared.
“It won’t come back.” Lionblaze’s legs started to shake. “Let’s get back to camp.”
Dovepaw eyed him warily. “Are you hurt?”
“Just tired.” The fight had crushed all the energy from him, and he found himself leaning on Dovepaw as they headed back. He hardly saw where they walked, letting Dovepaw lead. When the scent of the hollow began to touch his muzzle, he paused. The snow felt wonderfully cold against his stinging claws.
“Just let me get my breath back,” he meowed to Dovepaw.
Her eyes were dark. “Are you sure you’re not wounded? You’re covered in blood.”
As Lionblaze gazed down at his pelt, a shriek ripped the air. He stiffened and looked up to see Cinderheart staring at him. Her face was frozen, her eyes wild with horror. “Lionblaze?”
She dashed toward him, sniffing frantically. “What happened? Where are you hurt?” Then she turned and ran. “I’ll get help!” she screeched over her shoulder.
Lionblaze wanted to chase after her and reassure her that it wasn’t his blood, but his paws were still heavy and his mind thick with exhaustion. Blood dripped from his pelt, turning the snow below him crimson. Cinderheart was going to send panic through the Clan.
“We’d better hurry,” he grunted.
“Clean yourself up first,” Dovepaw advised.
Lionblaze lapped at his pelt, gagging at the slimy nettle tang of the fox’s blood.
“Roll yourself in the snow,” Dovepaw suggested.
Lionblaze lay down and wriggled as hard as he could in the cold wet snow. When he clambered to his paws, a wide patch of red stained the white forest floor.
Dovepaw plucked at the ground. “Let’s hope we get back before a rescue patrol arrives.”
Lionblaze felt his energy returning. The snow had refreshed him, and now his heart quickened as he imagined Cinderheart yowling through the camp that he’d been horribly injured.
They met the rescue patrol on the slope outside the hollow.
“Are you all right?” Firestar headed the patrol. Brambleclaw, Graystripe, and Birchfall paced around them, ears and tails twitching.
“What in the name of StarClan happened to you?” Graystripe sniffed warily at Lionblaze.
“We met the fox,” Lionblaze growled.
Birchfall flattened his ears. “Where?” He scanned the trees
“We’ve chased it out of our territory,” Lionblaze reassured them. “It won’t come back.”
Graystripe guided Lionblaze toward the thorn barrier with his tail. “We’d better get you to the medicine den. Cinderheart’s already helping Jayfeather prepare herbs for you. She made it sound like you were on your last legs.”
Lionblaze’s whiskers twitched as he imagined Jayfeather muttering under his breath while Cinderheart insisted he unpack all his herbs for wounds that would prove to be nonexistent.
Firestar glanced at Dovepaw. “Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “Lionblaze did most of the fighting,” she mewed. “I just helped guide it off our land.”
“It didn’t stray onto ShadowClan’s territory?” Firestar’s tail twitched.
“No,” Lionblaze told him. “We drove it up toward the mountains.” Why was Firestar always so concerned about the other Clans? They should deal with their own problems.
Firestar narrowed his eyes. “We’d better check.” He turned to Brambleclaw. “Fetch a patrol and go and make sure the fox has definitely gone.”
Brambleclaw bounded back to camp.
“Come on.” Graystripe nudged Lionblaze gently toward the hollow. “Let’s get you home.”
As they entered camp, Lionblaze saw his Clanmates gathered around the clearing.
“Well done, Lionblaze!” Ferncloud called.
Mousefur shook her graying head. “They’ll be telling this story in the elders’ den long after I’ve left it.”
“How did you do it?” Sorreltail stared at Lionblaze in undisguised admiration.
“Are you hurt badly?” Daisy was frowning.
Graystripe prodded Lionblaze toward the medicine den. “Enough questions. Let Jayfeather check him over first.”
Pushing through the brambles, Lionblaze was relieved to be in the peace of the medicine den. Cinderheart looked up sharply as he entered, a pile of herbs at her paws.
“Are you really okay?” she rasped. “I thought they might have to carry you back.” The words caught in her throat.
Jayfeather padded forward. “I’ve had Cinderheart mixing herbs ready to treat you.” He nodded to the gray she-cat. “Thanks for your help, but you can go now. I’ll need quiet to treat him properly.”
Cinderheart’s ears twitched. “I could help,” she offered.
“No,” Jayfeather told her firmly. “Thank you.” He fixed his sightless blue gaze on her until she dipped her head and padded toward the brambles.
Briarlight was straining in her nest, craning to see Lionblaze. “I thought you were dead by the way she was carrying on.”
Jayfeather tossed her a ball of moss. “Do your exercises,” he ordered.
Briarlight grunted but dutifully began to toss the moss ball from one paw to the other, stretching farther and farther each time to keep it in the air.
Jayfeather led Lionblaze to the back of the den. “Are you happy now that you’re everyone’s hero?” he asked sharply.
“It had to be done.” Lionblaze felt stung.
“Not by you alone.”
Lionblaze bristled. “The fox has gone,” he hissed. “No one’s hurt.”
“Well, you can be the one to explain how that happened.”
“Can’t you just clean me up and smear a bit of ointment on me to make it look convincing?”
Jayfeather sighed. “Okay.” He led Lionblaze toward the pool at the side of the den and began to wash him with moss soaked in the icy water.
Exhausted by the fight, Lionblaze let Jayfeather clean his fur. But the quarrel with Dovepaw lingered in his mind.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t stop Ivypaw from going to the Dark Forest?” he whispered, one eye on Briarlight, still busy juggling in her nest. “Dovepaw’s worried about her.”
“Ivypaw’s okay.” Jayfeather dipped a fresh wad of moss into the pool. “She hasn’t come to me with any of her injuries and she hasn’t shown any sign of disloyalty to ThunderClan. We might as well use her to keep an eye on Tigerstar.”
“Then we should speak to her,” Lionblaze reasoned.
“And tell her what? To start spying?” Jayfeather swabbed Lionblaze’s ears roughly. “Remember what happened when you asked Dovepaw to spy for us? Let’s wait, thentalk to her. She’ll have more to tell us, and she won’t feel like we’re using her.”
Lionblaze grunted and closed his eyes, resting until Jayfeather had finished.
“These should convince our Clanmates that you at least got a scratch or two.” Jayfeather rubbed a final blob of chewed herbs between Lionblaze’s shoulder blades.
Briarlight’s moss ball came sailing across the den and landed at Lionblaze’s paws. He scooped it up and threw it back.
“Are you okay now?” Briarlight asked.
“Fresh as a newborn kit,” Lionblaze told her.
Jayfeather snorted and started bundling away the herbs he’d unpacked from his store.
“Thanks, Jay,” Lionblaze murmured.
Jayfeather didn’t look up. “Would there be any point in telling you to be a bit more careful next time?” he muttered. “We don’t know for sure how far your powers stretch.”
Lionblaze touched his nose to the top of Jayfeather’s head. “Okay.” He headed for the entrance. “See you later, Briarlight,” he called as he nosed his way through the brambles.
Cinderheart was waiting outside. She hurried toward him and started sniffing at the streaks of ointment. “I wasn’t sure you’d be out so soon.  .  .  .” Her mew trailed away, and she sniffed harder. “I can only smell the ointment,” she meowed slowly. “I don’t smell blood.”
Lionblaze edged away from her. “Jayfeather used some strong herbs,” he meowed. “They block most of the scent.”
Her eyes grew round. “You sound like nothing happened today.” Was that irritation in her mew? “You just took on a fox, single-pawed. You were drenched in blood.”
Lionblaze shrugged. “I’ve been trained to fight.”
“You looked like you were bleeding to death!” Anguish shone in her eyes. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
Lionblaze pressed his muzzle to her cheek. “You’ll never lose me,” he promised, his heart pricking with guilt.
“No!” Cinderheart flinched away from him. “I can’t do this. I can’t feel this way every time you go into battle.”
“Don’t say that!” Lionblaze’s heart lurched. “All warriors go into battle. But that doesn’t stop them from having mates.”
“Most warriors don’t hurl themselves right into the middle of every battle, or go out hunting foxes while everyone’s asleep!”
“But I’m okay! Look at me!”
“You can’t be!” Cinderheart stared at him, her eyes glazing. “All that blood!” Her tail trembled.
Lionblaze checked the clearing. Dustpelt was organizing hunting patrols. Daisy was washing a complaining Cherrykit while Molekit scrambled up her broad cream back. Berrynose and Hazeltail were busy weaving birch stems into the torn barrier.
No one was listening.
“I need to tell you something,” he whispered to Cinderheart. Wrapping his tail around her shoulders, he led her into the bramble patch beside the medicine den. Ducking between the tangled branches, he beckoned with his tail for her to follow. She crept in after him, eyes wide with curiosity.
“There’s something you need to understand.” Lionblaze stared straight at her. “Something that will reassure you that I won’t ever be hurt.”
She blinked at him.
“I can’t be wounded,” he blurted out.
She snorted. “You’ve certainly been lucky so far.”
“No!” Lionblaze shook his head. “There was a prophecy, many moons ago. It was given to Firestar. It was about cats who’d have more power than any others in all the Clans.”
Cinderheart tipped her head to one side, listening.
“I’m one of them. I’m one of those cats. I can’t get hurt. That’s my power. Not in battle, not with foxes, not by anything.” He stared at her, willing her to understand. To believe what he was saying.
Cinderheart sat back and stared at him. “There’s a prophecy?” she murmured. “About you?”
Lionblaze nodded. She understood!
“And you’ll never get hurt.” Cinderheart glanced at the ointment smears again.
“No.”
“So that you can protect the Clan.”
“Yes.” Lionblaze leaned forward, relieved that she’d taken it all so calmly. “You never need to worry about me again.” He ran his cheek along hers, his heart warming at her scent. “It’s all going to be okay.”
“No!” She jerked away and backed out of the brambles, her eyes glittering with grief. “We can’t do this. I can’t be your mate. Not if StarClan has given you this power.”
Lionblaze’s blood froze. “Wh-what do you mean?”
“You have a much greater destiny than me!” Cinderheart whispered. “We can’t do this anymore!” With a wail she turned and fled toward the warriors’ den.
第十章
第十章
午后的阳光从稀薄的云层中透了出来，焰尾悄悄进了影族营地。他满怀愧疚地瞥了一眼空地。他原本只是想在月亮池旁小憩一会儿，可是他太累了，等再睁开眼时，黑夜已经悄然而逝，在雪花的映衬下，天空显得越发清澈。
焰尾穿过覆盖了一层薄雪的空地时，正在育婴室外清理身子的藤尾抬起了头。焰尾低了低头，一句话也没说便急匆匆地从藤尾身旁走过。他必须先去找老师汇报，然后再去找黑星。
焰尾从巫医巢穴多刺的围墙间钻进来，看到小云已经从窝里出来了，正在整理干草药，他不由松了一口气。这些干草药落满了灰尘，小云刚把它们拨弄开，就是一阵咳嗽。
“我们需要赶在霜冻使万物凋萎之前寻找新鲜的草药。”小云没有抬头，冲着焰尾说道。
“或许你应该服用点儿款冬，”焰尾建议道，“那能帮你止咳。”
“我只是被灰尘呛了一下。”
焰尾停在他的老师身旁。“你感觉怎么样？”小云的皮毛上散发的热浪少些了，但是他的双眼看起来仍有些混浊。
“好些了。”小云坚持道，“我好好睡一夜就好了。在月亮池出什么事了吗？你去了很久。”
焰尾盯着自己的脚掌：“我在山谷中睡着了。”
“去月亮池的路很难走，何况你早就累坏了。”
“可是我本该在看到那个幻象后直接回来的！”
小云身子前探：“什么幻象？”
“星族警告我灾难即将来临。”
小云皱了皱眉：“什么灾难？”
“他们没有说得很具体，但是说很严重。”焰尾不禁打了个哆嗦，“山谷里燃着大火，到处都是。残星说战争正在逼近。”
“战争？”小云竖起了双耳，“他有没有说别的？”
“他还说我们必须忘记所有的效忠誓约，只照顾好我们自己的族群。”
“忘记所有效忠誓约？”小云的尾巴抽搐着。
“甚至是和其他巫医的效忠誓约。”
小云眨了眨眼：“以前从没发生过这种事！”
焰尾想让小云听明白：“就连星族现在也已经分裂了。我们除了我们自己和我们的祖先，其他谁都不能相信。”
小云匆匆忙忙地冲向巢穴入口：“我们必须告诉黑星。”
巢穴外面，黑星和花楸掌正在空地的尽头。橡毛正蹦着奔向营地入口，雪鸟和鼠痕跟在他的身后。乌霜和焦毛正在等候命令，而橄榄鼻和枭掌则围着他们焦躁地来回走动。
小云的目光与黑星的目光碰到了一起。
黑星冲他点了点头：“乌霜！”
黑白相间的公猫挺直了身子：“什么事？”
“继续组织额外的狩猎队，我想赶在日落之前堆满猎物堆。花楸掌，你跟我来。”
黑星退回自己的巢穴，武士们热切的目光转到了乌霜身上。花楸掌跟着族长，小云也紧随其后。焰尾一直等到他们都消失在了阴影中，才跟着挤进了巢穴。
黑星的目光在昏暗中闪烁，他盯着最后进来的焰尾问道：“你在月亮池做梦了？”
焰尾点了点头：“战乱的时代即将到来，星族也分裂成了和我们这里一样的四个族群。所以我们必须放弃以往的效忠誓约，看顾好我们自己。”
黑星看起来有些疑惑：“可是我们也没有效忠誓约啊。”
焰尾看向小云。“巫医们共同遵守一个不受边界约束的守则。”他提醒自己的族长。
小云不以为然：“你确定你做的梦就是这个意思？”
焰尾感觉自己肩上的皮毛开始竖了起来：“圣须和我清清楚楚地说了。”
“我们不能就这么背弃其他的巫医。”小云争论道，“巫医们同甘共苦了无数个月，不能相互背叛。”
焰尾的爪子刺进了针叶铺就的地面，但没有说话。难道小云没听到他说的吗？
“我认为，”小云继续说，“我们应该仔细解读这个梦的寓意。虽然星族警告了我们灾难即将来临，我们就必须为此做好准备，可我们为什么一定要破坏在最艰难的时候支撑着我们度过的友谊呢？现在就把大迁徙抛在脑后，忘记四族在此定居一事中巫医们起到过的作用，这未免也太快了吧。”
黑星眯起了双眼。“我相信你的判断，小云。”他向焰尾低下了头，“谢谢你去月亮池并带回了这个警告。我们还没有愚蠢到为了其他的族群而牺牲自己的地步，但是我们也没有固执到在困顿时拒绝接受帮助。”
小云猛地一阵咳嗽。
“去休息吧。”黑星命令道。
小云艰难地压制住了自己的咳嗽，慢慢走出了巢穴。
“再次感谢你，焰尾。”黑星拂动着尾巴，焰尾知道黑星是在示意自己离开。他走出了巢穴，沐浴在斜晖之中，一阵沮丧从皮毛下往外爬。
“你也该休息休息。”
花楸掌的声音吓了他一跳。他转过身，看见自己的父亲正看着他。“你一定累坏了。”花楸掌眯起了眼睛，“怎么了？”
焰尾哼了一声，看向远处。
“你还有别的事要说，对吗？”花楸掌追问道。
“我知道我在月亮池看到的是什么。”焰尾吼道，“我已经把接收到的信息都传达到了。”他看见老师的尾尖消失在了巫医巢穴：“小云太顾念雷族了。”
“他比你成为巫医的时间久。”花楸掌指出，“在别的族群有朋友也不足为怪。”
“这种友谊遮蔽了他的理智。”焰尾争论道，“战乱的时代即将到来。你们不都听到了吗？残星已经清楚地告诉我们该如何应对。倘若大到了为生存而战的地步，不会有任何一个族群帮我们，小云和黑星怎么就不懂呢？”
“不要低估黑星。”花楸掌的双眼阴了下来，“他可不是傻瓜。”
“但他不听我的！”焰尾抽动着尾巴，“他只听小云的，而小云和他的巫医朋友们走得太近了。”
“别担心。”花楸掌的尾巴拂过焰尾的脊背，“影族向来独立。”
“武士们或许如此。”焰尾低身躲开了父亲抚慰的尾巴，“但巫医却从来都不是这样。星族内部正发生着什么。”坚定的决心让焰尾疲惫的肌肉绷紧了：“所有的族群都将受到影响。这一次，我们不能再冒险依赖其他族群，只能靠自己。”
第十一章
第十一章
鸽爪挪了挪脚掌。站着不动简直太冷了。地面覆盖着薄薄的积雪，天空清澈，繁星在树林上方闪烁。寒气刺骨，鸽爪又一次走向气味线，双耳竖立着。虎心会来吗？她的感知穿过树林，经过山毛榉树，钻过松树林，一直延伸到了影族营地。
“挪开，松树爪！你压坏我的窝了。”
“睡觉之前服用点儿杜松果，小云。能缓解你的气喘。”
她也隐约听到其他的各种声音。鸽爪让自己的感知延伸到更广的地方。
“燕尾！”
狂风呼啸着刮过荒原，几乎吞没了风族营地上的一切声响。
“白尾在哪儿？”
“她今晚在一星的巢穴。”
水轻轻地拍打着河族营地的边缘。
“柳光？”蛾翅正在呼喊自己的学徒，“你确定扑尾的铺垫铺好了？”
一只狗在马场附近狂吠着，让鸽爪想起来了那只狐狸，她将自己的感知收回到近处，仔细探察着附近的一切，生怕冷空气又一次愚弄自己的鼻子。
几条尾巴之外，传来脚掌轻擦过薄薄积雪的声音。这脚步声尽管轻轻向前，却还是能听出发出者并非轻小之物。鸽爪绷紧了身子，猛然回头扫视着阴暗的树林。脚步声加快了。鸽爪蹲伏下身子，爪子刮过地面。
“鸽爪？”
虎心！
“你吓了我一跳！”
“我以为你早听到我来了。”虎心的胸腔中发出低沉的咕噜声，“你的听觉比我认识的其他任何猫都要灵敏。”
是灵敏过头了。她一直在努力听着，但却错过了自己一直期待的响动，她需要记住，听到所有事情有时并没有听到部分事情有用。
“鸽爪？”虎心的双眼在月光下闪烁着微光。
她眨了眨眼。“对不起。”她不想把对虎心的注意力分散到了自己的力量上。他只会把她当作一只普通的森林猫。
这位武士用口鼻轻轻地推了推她的肩膀：“别再说对不起了。”
他们头顶上方，一轮残月如同爪子般悬在漆黑的夜空中，让整座森林沐浴在柔和的月光下。虎心的皮毛在月光下闪烁。一看到他，鸽爪就感到一阵眩晕。
“来吧。”他走开了。
“我们这是要去哪儿？”
“我知道一个不会被发现的地方。”
鸽爪匆忙追了上去。虎心沿着影族边界往远离湖边的方向走去。地面渐渐向上倾斜，树木也开始变得稀疏起来。跟在后面的鸽爪已经有些气喘吁吁了。
“你会喜欢这个地方的。”虎心回头喊道，“除了我和焰尾，没有谁知道这个地方。”
雷族和影族的气味逐渐淡去，鸽爪扭头望去。湖面波光粼粼，如同扁平的圆盘在树林那边很远的地方闪烁。“我们是要离开族群领地吗？”兴奋之情让鸽爪腹中都刺痒起来。她闻到的是山地的气息吗？那麝香的气味又是什么呢？突然，一股熟悉的气味扑入鸽爪的口鼻，她的皮毛竖了起来。
松鸦羽。
她停了下来，嗅了嗅低矮的多刺灌木，灌木的茎秆尖上依旧残留着松鸦羽和狮焰的气息。他们来这儿干什么？鸽爪用舌头舔了舔茎秆，茎秆上残留的气味很陈旧，从气味判断，他俩来这儿已经是数月之前的事情了。
“快点儿。”虎心在鸽爪上方的斜坡上停了下来。月光下虎心的轮廓清晰可见，他用前脚掌稳稳地支撑着身子，下巴高抬，看上去仿佛一位族群的族长。
鸽爪把这个想法甩开。“来了！”她跟在虎心身后爬上斜坡来到了一处空地。在她的前方，一个摇摇欲坠的两脚兽巢穴出现在眼前。它犹如一个灰色的树桩，比雷族领地上被废弃的巢穴要小一些，有一半的墙已经坍塌，几乎没有了顶。
“哇！”鸽爪从虎心身旁跑过，冲上通往巢穴入口的鹅卵石小道。她在一片阴影覆盖着的开口处停住了，转向虎心：“这里安全吗？”
虎心点了点头。
鸽爪越过横在入口处的光滑石头，进入了巢穴。月光倾泻在石头地面上。她抬起头来，看到了繁星点点的夜空。笔直的木头纵横交错。以前巢穴完好的时候，一定是它们支起了屋顶。
“你是怎么知道这个地方的？”虎心跟着她进来时，鸽爪喊道。
“我和焰尾还是学徒的时候就发现了这个地方。”虎心往上一跃，跳到墙洞上方突出的一块石头上，“我们过去常常在这儿玩。”又一跃，他跳上了其中一根交错着的原木，站稳了身体。原木的两头都是平的，他沿着原木缓缓朝前，似乎以前已走过了无数次。
鸽爪一跃而起，跳到了突出的那块石头上，不料脚掌下突然一滑，让她的心里一紧。她移动身子，想再次站稳，却引得灰尘倾泻而下。她盯着虎心走过的那根原木，仔细判断距离，然后跳了起来。她刚落到上面，原木便嘎吱嘎吱一阵响，还好木头比较粗糙柔软，可以让她将爪子插进去。她站稳身子，看向下方的地面，胸膛里狂跳不止。
“离地面不是很高。”虎心在原木的另一端大声叫道，“不用那么害怕。”他摇了摇尾巴，跳了起来。他划过一道长长的弧线，仿佛从一根原木飞到了另一根上。他站稳身子，然后转向鸽爪，朝她眨巴着眼睛。“看好了。”虎心没有停留，跳过一根根原木，绕巢穴整整一圈，随后一转身，又跳了回来，仿佛是踩在踏脚石上跳过小溪一般轻松。
“小心！”鸽爪吓得直喘气。虎心每跳一次，鸽爪的心也跟着一跳。
“没事的！”他说着落在了鸽爪身旁。他抬头看着两根向上倾斜的原木互相交错的地方。他后腿便毫无预警地撑住身体一跃而起，用爪子抓住了其中一根倾斜的原木，前后摇摆着身子把自己拖了上去，然后爬上了顶部。
“别跳了！”鸽爪几乎喘不过气来。她无法想象会有猫像虎心那样强壮、敏捷——或者是勇敢。
虎心沿着一根倾斜的原木滑下，然后又朝鸽爪的方向跳了回来。他跃到鸽爪身旁的一根原木上，原木一阵咯吱作响。这声音让鸽爪一下子想起了在山谷中发生的事——当时山毛榉的大树干呻吟着碎裂开，砸进了营地里。
“小心！”鸽爪尖叫一声。她跳过缺口，用脚掌钩住虎心。两只猫一起急速落向地面。随着砰的一声，他们落到了一堆柔软的苔藓上，灰尘在他们周围扬起烟云。
她直流眼泪，喉咙如火烧一般。她扭动着脚掌问道：“你还好吗？”
虎心没有说话。
哦，星族啊，请保佑他安然无恙！
“虎心！”
“我觉得我没事。”鸽爪身下发出了沉闷的声音，“但是你要先从我身上下来，我才好检查啊。”
鸽爪羞愧难当，扭动着挪开了。“对不起！”鸽爪小声说道，“我不是有意要落到你身上的。”
虎心坐起身。他抬起一只前脚掌，接着抬了抬另一只。最后，他摇了摇头。“我死不了啦。”虎心说，他的目光温暖而迷茫。
鸽爪抑制住盯着自己脚掌看的冲动。
“发生了什么？”虎心问道。
她抬头瞥了一眼那根原木。它完好无损。“我听到了咯吱声，”她满怀歉意地说，“我还以为它要断了呢。”
虎心顺着鸽爪的目光往上看，眯了眯眼睛。“哇。”他低声喘息道。
“哇什么？”
“你能看到那条很小的裂缝吗？”
鸽爪努力地看着，月光下，她发现那根原木上有个小小的新裂口。
“你的耳朵比我想得还要灵敏得多。”虎心的胡须抽搐着，“你救了我一命！”他爬起来，绕着鸽爪转了一圈，尾巴高高抬起，然后咕噜道：“如果没有你，我现在可能已经死了。你真是我的英雄，我该怎么感谢你呢？”
鸽爪抬起了下巴，把戏往下演。“你必须给我带些老鼠。”她淘气地说道，“以及连续一个月里，每天给我献上一只新鲜的松鼠。此外，还要给我的窝换些新的苔藓，还有……”她用尾尖轻轻弹过虎心的下巴：“你必须每天跟着我，把毛刺从我的皮毛中挑出来。”
虎心温暖的琥珀色目光中早已不见了之前的嬉闹，鸽爪紧张了起来，心想是不是自己玩笑开得太过了。
“我很乐意为你做这一切，”虎心的语气如他的目光般坚定，“而你无须先救我一命来作为交换。”
鸽爪往后看了一眼。“我并没有真的救了你一命，”她低声说道，“只是一个极小的裂缝而已，那根原木足以承受你的重量。”
“或许吧。”虎心表示同意，“但是你在替我担心，也就意味着你关心我，对吗？”鸽爪看到这位年轻的影族武士眼里闪烁着怀疑。“我是说，你对我的关心不只是出于朋友那么多？”虎心追问道。
鸽爪咽了咽口水。她第一次真切地感受到自己星权在握。
“是的。”鸽爪喘息着，“是的，我关心你。”她的心脏在胸腔中抽动着，一半出于痛苦，一半又满是欢喜：“我本不该这样，但我就是关心你。”
虎心靠过来，用口鼻蹭着鸽爪的口鼻，一阵咕噜声在鸽爪胸腔深处响起。他们的鼻息团团升起，形成了一朵云。虎心扭过尾巴缠上她的，一阵暖意也随之在鸽爪的皮毛下泛开。
虎心叹了口气：“趁着还没有猫念起我们，我们最好还是回去吧。”他向后退开，但只挪开了一点儿好让鸽爪站起身。他们肩并着肩，慢慢朝巢穴入口走去。
他们停在了一块平坦的岩石上。鸽爪远眺向下朝大湖延伸而去的森林：“我们会在一起的，对吗？”
“是的。”虎心保证道，“即使边界的分隔也不足以将我们分开。”
鸽爪朝他眨了眨眼睛。“真的吗？”她想要相信这句话。她必须要相信这句话。没什么事比这更重要了。
“我们在半月前再见一次吧。”虎心建议道。
“就明天吧。”鸽爪顿觉勇气上涌。
“你觉得我们能连续两个晚上离开营地吗？”虎心睁大了双眼，“你愿意冒这险吗？”
“这值得冒险。”她用自己的鼻子蹭了蹭他的脸颊。他的气息还在她的舌头上泛着温暖。他现在属于她了。他不再属于影族。他们属于彼此。
“你的同巢伙伴怎么办？”虎心退开了，“他们会发现你离开的。”
“现在只有藤爪了。”鸽爪从虎心的皮毛上钩下一团苔藓，“她不会说出去的。”
她觉得他身体突然一僵。“藤爪？”
一块冰冷的石头坠在鸽爪肚子里，她突然想起了战斗正酣时，姐妹与虎心交换的眼神：“你……你认识藤爪吗？”
虎心笨拙地将一长串干草从鸽爪的肩头拂下：“我曾在森林大会上见过她。”
“除此之外呢？”鸽爪追问道。
虎心坐了回去，直视鸽爪的眼睛。“你是指我有没有要求过让她在半夜与我见面，并带她来这儿，在一根快断的木头上拿自己的生命冒险吗？”虎心低下了头，“让我想想……”
鸽爪抑制着想去推他的冲动。
“……嗯，没有。我十分确定自己没有这样做过。”虎心用鼻子轻轻地触了触鸽爪的耳朵，“两姐妹里我只对一个感兴趣。”
他的呼吸那样温暖。她怎么能怀疑他呢？他冒着这么大的风险来这儿表明自己的心意。在与影族的战斗里的那一幕一定是她想象出来的。
我信任他。
“快点儿。”她带路走下斜坡，他们来到了密林深处，虎心走在鸽爪身旁，把挡在她路上的黑莓丛都拨开。随着雷影两族气味变得越来越强烈，鸽爪惆怅起来。等到认出沿着边界的树木时，她的心开始隐隐作痛。现下与明晚似乎隔了一生之久。当走到他俩相遇的那丛山毛榉树时，他们放慢了脚步。
“明天会在你不知不觉的时候就到来。”虎心温柔地说。他一定和鸽爪有同样的感受。
鸽爪用口鼻轻轻地触了触他的口鼻。“到时候见。”她低语道。
“说定了。”他说，“做个好梦。”
第十二章
第十二章
黎明时分，曙光初亮，狮焰看着黑莓掌和火星站在高石台下方，他们的族猫热切地围着他们走来走去。
“尘毛、蟾步、狐跃，”火星叫道，“你们去老橡树附近狩猎。沙风、白翅、桦落，你们尽可能地将藏在荒原上的猎物抓出来，不过记住了，别越过风族边界。”
鸽爪打着哈欠问道：“我们今天是狩猎还是训练？”
“都要做。”狮焰不知道鸽爪为什么看上去这么困，“我带着你和炭心、藤爪出去。”昨晚的月光下，他和炭心沿着湖边散步时就已经计划好了训练项目。“我们想看看你们在雪天狩猎情况如何。”他的思绪飘回了前一天的夜里：炭心的皮毛在月色里闪闪发光，群星闪烁，让夜空仿佛群山一般笼罩着落霜。“那我们不仅仅是朋友吧？”他那样在她耳畔低语。
她也将面颊贴上他的脸庞：“你还猜不到吗？”
“我希望是这样。”
她发出咕噜的声音，用尾巴绕上狮焰的尾巴：“真是鼠脑子。”
“灰条。”火星的声音打断了狮焰的回忆，“你带着米莉、亮心、梅花落去湖边狩猎。”
空地的另一边，藤爪正兴奋地围着炭心。这位学徒在过去的一个月里长大了不少。狮焰眯起了眼睛。今天的训练不只是为了看鸽爪狩猎，他还想观察观察藤爪。松鸦羽曾劝说他静观其变，看看在黑森林的训练让她有什么变化。狮焰也同意了，答应暂时不去跟这只年轻的猫对质，可是他并不完全认为他们不应该进行干预。炭心总是在担心自己的学徒身上每天新增的伤口。藤爪却告诉老师她是从窝里掉了出来，要么就说是在山谷外练习狩猎动作时撞进了黑莓丛里。显然，黑森林的武士在对这只年轻猫进行高强度训练。
火星发出了更多的指示：“松鼠飞、蕨毛和鼠须，你们沿着溪岸狩猎，那里或许会有田鼠。”
武士们朝着入口走去，就在这时，黛西慌慌张张地穿过了空地，小鼹鼠和小樱桃蹦蹦跳跳跟在后面。“这样的话，营地里就没有武士了。”她朝雷族族长喊道，“山谷里就只有长老和幼崽。如果影族来复仇，那可怎么办？”
小樱桃后腿直立，前脚掌在空中挥打着：“我会将他们撕成碎片。”
小鼹鼠紧贴在黛西长长的奶油色皮毛上：“我会把他们的尾巴撕掉。”
“谢谢你们，小家伙们。”黛西十分担忧，双眼暗淡无光，她盯着火星说道，“你怎么想？”
火星摇了摇头：“影族的武士不会袭击毫无反抗能力的幼崽和长老的。”
“大家都准备好了吗？”
狮焰抬起了头，藤爪的声音让他一惊。她离自己的口鼻只有一根胡须的距离。她的脚步比以前更快，也更轻巧了。
炭心打着哈欠来到他们跟前：“我们赶紧出发吧，我都快冻僵了。”
营地外面，玫瑰瓣、栗尾和蕨毛正嗅闻着空气。“我们去湖畔只能浪费时间。”蕨毛对自己的伴侣说道。
栗尾同意地点了点头：“越往森林深处越好。”
玫瑰瓣满怀期待地看着他们：“走哪条路？”
“上那边儿。”栗尾朝一个荆棘密布的斜坡甩了甩尾巴。
玫瑰瓣向前冲去，摇落了灌木丛上的积雪。栗尾摇了摇头：“她最好还是慢一点儿，否则她吓跑的猎物都要比抓住的多。”
蕨毛咕噜着和栗尾登上了斜坡。他们动作几乎一致，皮毛彼此相擦。
狮焰目不转睛地望着他们离去的背影，希望有朝一日自己也能和炭心这样。他想象着幼崽们在他们的脚掌边蹦来蹦去，让他们每走一步都会绊倒的场景，胡须不由得抽动了一下。有口鼻轻轻刷过了他的口鼻，他意识到炭心一直在看着他。
“我也想那样。”炭心低声说道。
他沉浸在炭心温柔的目光里，心跳也随之加快。他仍能嗅到炭心皮毛中晚风的气息：“你怎么知道我在想什么？”
“嘿！”鸽爪惊讶的叫声让狮焰转过了身子。
这位学徒正在摇晃着浅灰色皮毛上的积雪。藤爪正在姐妹头顶上方一根落满雪的树枝上，她那长满虎斑纹的银色尾巴轻轻一甩，就又拂下一层雪花，落满鸽爪全身。
鸽爪冲向树干，开始向上攀爬：“我会抓住你的！”
“你们俩，全都下来！”狮焰抖松了自己的皮毛，“等狩完猎你们再慢慢玩。”
藤爪跃向地面，轻轻松松着了地。“走哪条路？”她的眼睛闪着亮光。
狮焰觉得脚掌有点儿刺痛。她比以前更加自信了。
“走松树林。”炭心建议道，“那儿会有很多可以隐蔽的地方。”
藤爪蹦跳着跑开了。“我要和你赛跑，鸽爪！”她扭头喊道。
鸽爪爬下树干，向姐妹追去，在身后扬起了一阵白雪。狮焰双眉紧皱。
“怎么了？”炭心将头歪向狮焰，“你想去别处狩猎吗？”
“那只狐狸一直在松树林附近游荡。”狮焰提醒炭心。
“那我们最好还是赶紧追上她们吧。”炭心急忙跑开，向两位学徒追去。
狮焰在炭心身后飞奔着。他们在山毛榉和松树林交界处追上了他们的学徒。影族边界已经很近了，都可以嗅到他们的气息。
“快看！”藤爪在一棵松树下绕来绕去，鼻子掠过地面，“狐狸的脚掌印？”她兴奋地抬头看着狮焰。
她的观察力真敏锐。狮焰连忙前去检查。脚掌印清晰地印在积雪上。“是狐狸的。”他非常确定。
鸽爪竖起了耳朵：“我什么都没有听到啊。”
“我们跟着这些脚掌印走吧。”藤爪建议说。
炭心早已沿着脚掌印往前走去。狮焰不顾炭心懊恼的号叫，滑步赶到她前面。他可不打算仅仅为了挽回炭心的骄傲，就让她面临受伤的危险。如果他们遇上狐狸，只能由他去对付。
这些宽大的脚掌印一直延伸到一丛枝叶伸展的接骨木灌木下。“在这里等着。”狮焰扭头低声说道。他鼻子抽动着寻找新鲜的气味，在矮树丛下慢慢往前爬。矮树丛下有一个洞，狐狸的恶臭味就是从土里飘出来的，还好气味已经陈旧了。
“我们要填上洞口吗？”
炭心的声音吓得狮焰跳了起来。
“我想我说过让你待在后面的。”
炭心挑衅地扫了狮焰一眼。但狮焰决定不和她争了。“如果我们填了这个洞，”他推断说，“这只狐狸可能会在靠近营地的地方再挖一个新洞。”他从灌木下向后扭动着身子，退了出来，然后抖了抖皮毛上的雪。
炭心跟在他身后跳了出来。
藤爪一蹦一跳地说：“我们需要回去向火星报告吗？”
她仍是忠诚的。“等我们完成训练吧。”狮焰说道，“这只狐狸目前对我们没有什么影响，也不急在这一会儿。”
“但还是要睁大你们的双眼。”炭心警告道。
“耳朵也放机灵点儿。”狮焰意有所指地看着鸽爪，却失望地发现鸽爪正凝视着树林。是什么吸引了她的注意力呢？“去狩猎吧！”
鸽爪猛地回过头：“现在？”
“那你以为我们为什么来这儿呢？”
藤爪抓挠着雪地，很显然已经有些迫不及待了：“我们是一起狩猎还是分开呢？”
“分开。”炭心告诉她，“这样我们能更好地评估你们的能力。”
“好的。”藤爪跃过接骨木，银白相间的皮毛很快便消失在了树木之间。炭心快步跟了上去。
狮焰眉头紧皱，看着她们离开。或许他本该建议他们一起狩猎的，这样他就能一直观察藤爪。
“我该走哪条路？”鸽爪问道。
“你是狩猎者，”狮焰喊道，“你来决定。”
鸽爪扫视着森林，她耳朵伸展，鼻子抽动。随后她朝沿着影族边界的一个高地跑去。狮焰留在原地拉开距离，等到鸽爪的身影消失在视野里，他才跟了上去。
他在靠近山顶的地方停了下来，四处张望。雪现在下得更大了，透过雪花，他很难看到鸽爪的身影，但却仍能听到她嘎吱嘎吱的脚步声，而且每次嗅闻猎物气息时，她都会抽动鼻子，好像在抑制喷嚏一样。这种天气不可能捕获到猎物。
鸽爪的足迹先是环绕在一大片黑莓丛周围，然后直直地穿过了一片细长的枫树林，她留下的踪迹已经被后面落下的雪覆盖了。猎物的行迹比她的更小，几乎没有被看到或者嗅出的可能。狮焰看到鸽爪穿过了树林，身形完全是一团模糊的灰影。但他能看出她蹲伏了下来。她一定是在跟踪着什么。狮焰尽可能地保持安静，祈祷飘落的雪花能掩盖住他的走动声。他悄悄靠近鸽爪。
他的鼻子认出了松鼠的气味。鸽爪正在大雪中隆起的树根上寻找它的踪迹。狮焰瞥见了一条起伏的尾巴，鸽爪也同时猛扑下去。接着，鸽爪摔倒了，身子向前跌去，她恼火地喊了一声。上方的雪团落下来溅了鸽爪一身，那只松鼠也趁机逃到了树上。
“真倒霉。”狮焰追上了鸽爪。
“讨厌的荆棘绊到我了。”她抱怨道，“它们埋在雪下，我看不到。”
“即便是对于经验丰富的武士，这种环境也很艰难。”狮焰安慰她，“况且这还是你第一次在雪天狩猎呢。”
鸽爪仰头看向树枝，眯起眼睛：“我们为什么不在树上狩猎呢？猎物好像会藏在那里。”
狮焰活动着爪子。他讨厌爬树，但是鸽爪说得很有道理。“好的。”
等到自己的学徒爬上了一棵枫树的树干，狮焰也把自己往上拉，够到第一根树枝后，他松了口气。此时鸽爪已爬上了第二根树枝，当狮焰跟着爬上第二根时，鸽爪正轻快地沿着主干快速移动，准备跃向另一棵树的树枝。
狮焰抖了抖胡须上的雪花，觉得自己犹如一只跟踪松鼠的獾。每次伸出爪子，他都要费很大劲才能抓住光滑的树皮。
“我看见了一只乌鸫。”鸽爪朝狮焰嘘声说道。
“我在这儿等着。”狮焰可以透过大雪看到这只鸟黑色的羽毛。乌鸫隐蔽在一棵松树的枝叶里，离他们所在的树枝不过一跃之遥。鸽爪缓缓向前，腹部紧贴着树皮，她摇动后躯，然后扑了起来。
鸽爪降落时，松树摇晃起来。乌鸫发出了刺耳的怒叫，树枝被鸽爪压弯了。随着一声惊叫，她掉进了下方的雪地里。
狮焰爬下树干问道：“你没事吧？”
鸽爪用后腿摇摇晃晃站起身，而乌鸫还在她的钳制下挣扎着，翅膀疯狂扑打。鸽爪将它猛摔到地上，弯下了身子想将它一口毙命。
突然，惊恐的尖叫声在整片树林中回响起来。鸽爪放开了乌鸫。“那只狐狸在营地里！”她拔腿跑开，从树林间穿过，而那只乌鸫拍打着翅膀，愤怒地尖啼着再次飞上了松树。
狮焰紧跟在鸽爪身后。大雪模糊了他的双眼，直到炭心一转弯来到了他的身旁时，他才看到她。
“发生什么事了？”炭心跟上狮焰的步伐，“那是什么声音？”
藤爪在他们前面慢下脚步，随即又飞速紧追在鸽爪身后。
“那只狐狸在山谷里！”狮焰咆哮道。他伸出利爪，更加用力地蹬踏脚掌下积雪。
他们快到营地时，米莉也正从一个斜坡上往下滑，在身前溅起团团积雪。梅花落紧跟在她身后，灰条和亮心皮毛倒竖，追在后方几步远的地方。
从山谷传来的尖叫声越发惨烈。
狮焰撕开残破的荆棘屏障冲了进去，一眼就看到了那只狐狸，震惊顿时漫过他的全身。这只狐狸正疯狂地打转，白雪覆盖的巢穴衬得它身形巨大，冰冻的巢穴墙让那火红的皮毛浑似熊熊烈焰。育婴室入口处，罂粟霜和香薇云正弓着背啐骂不已，狐狸一转过来，她们便都伸出利爪出鞘的脚掌猛力挥打过去。狐狸平贴起耳朵，利齿猛咬，尾巴抽打着新建的巢穴。黛西紧紧地靠在巫医巢穴的入口，她的皮毛竖立着，像条被逼入墙角的蛇一般嘶叫。
黑莓掌的狩猎队刚好赶在鸽爪和狮焰之前回到了营地。雷族副族长猛冲进狐狸的前腿间，低下头避开它的牙齿。尘毛后肢站立，猛击狐狸的口鼻，将斑斑鲜血溅落到白雪覆盖的空地上。狐狸尖叫得更厉害了，牙齿咬得咯咯作响。
尘毛跳开后，蟾步将爪子刺向狐狸的侧腹，撕掉了大片鲜红的皮毛。热血在狮焰的耳朵里沸腾。狮焰收紧后腿蹲伏下来，愤怒在他的身体内膨胀，时间仿佛也慢了下来。他努力控制着肌肉中涌动的力量，眼睛锁定那只狐狸，直到眼睛里只剩下它红色的皮毛。
接着，他跃了起来。
他稳稳落在那生物的肩膀上，牙齿深深地刺入了它的身体。狐狸尖叫着挣脱了他。狮焰没有抓稳，砰的一声落到积雪的空地上。随着一声怒吼，亮心抓住了狐狸的尾巴，狐狸扭过身子，拖着这位独眼武士猛地撞上了一根山毛榉的树枝。但亮心嘴唇后缩，贴平双耳，仍是紧抓不放。
鸽爪在狐狸身下躲闪着，咬住狐狸的后肢，而藤爪抓住了狐狸的前肢。炭心后腿站立，猛击着狐狸的鼻部。狐跃也飞身扑上，爪子不停地击打狐狸的侧腹。狐狸恐惧又狂乱，连眼白都露了出来，它向营地入口爬去。它又是拱背又是扭身，总算将亮心甩开，撕裂了屏障。随着最后的一声哀号，狐狸飞速逃进了森林。
黑莓掌爬上半边石，查看了一圈山谷，问道：“有谁受伤了吗？”
狮焰仔细看向自己的族猫。他们正检查着皮毛，然后摇头表示无恙，但松鸦羽已经走出了自己的巢穴，正急匆匆地一位接一位地嗅闻着武士们的伤口。
“荆棘光没事吧？”黑莓掌喊道。
“她没事。”松鸦羽朝尘毛走去。
黑莓掌点了点头。“莓鼻、桦落和狐跃，你们马上修理荆棘屏障。灰条，你去找火星的巡逻队并告诉他发生的事。”他向育婴室入口处的香薇云点了点头，“幼崽们都好吧？”
“狐狸没能靠近他们。”香薇云汇报着。
狮焰向前几步：“我见过它的巢穴。”
尘毛拱起背，怒吼道：“我们去给它点儿教训。”
黑莓掌摆动着尾巴：“我想我们已经给它教训了。”
狮焰觉得有个温暖的脸颊靠了上来。“你确定自己没事？”原来是炭心。
“我没事。”狮焰看了看炭心蓬乱的皮毛，脖子周围有几团皮毛还往外支棱着，“你呢，怎么样？”
“被吓着了，但还好。”
藤爪跳向他们：“我们让它见识到我们的厉害了，对吗？”
鸽爪跟在藤爪身后。“我本该早点儿听到它的。”她欲言又止。
“你当时正在狩猎，”狮焰告诉她，“你很优秀，但是不要期望自己能听到所有的事情。”但他其实并不知道自己说的对不对。或许鸽爪不应该去狩猎，或许她就该把精力集中在用自己的力量来防备危险。
藤爪怒视着姐妹。“为什么你就该听到它？”她质问道，“我们离山谷最远！为什么你一直要表现得一副自己与众不同的样子？”
炭心微微一缩。
狮焰甩了甩尾巴，有些生自己的气。为什么自己要在藤爪面前表扬鸽爪呢？“不要吵了。”他恳求道。
荆棘屏障咯吱咯吱一阵响，折断的枝条往下掉，火星冲进了营地。刺掌和沙风跟在灰条后面也进入了营地。雷族族长嘴里叼着一只八哥，他放下猎物，环顾着山谷问道：“大家都没事吧？巢穴损坏了吗？”
“荆棘屏障损坏很严重。”黑莓掌汇报说。
沙风已在育婴室入口安慰着香薇云：“幼崽们都安全，你做得很好。”
松鸦羽正在用紫草的叶子包裹狐跃的脚掌。
“你受伤了吗？”火星问年轻的武士。
松鸦羽替他答道：“恐怕是掉了一个指甲，但是会痊愈的。”
玫瑰瓣气喘吁吁地穿过空地。“疼吗？”她屏住呼吸问道。
狐跃抬起了下巴：“有点儿。”
松鸦羽轻轻地放下狐跃的脚掌。“我们应该庆幸没有更多伤员。”他小心翼翼地折起一张紫草叶，“我的草药储存很少了，倘若大雪天气一直持续，我就无法储存新的草药了。”
香薇云不安地挥了挥自己的尾巴：“那万一幼崽咳嗽怎么办？”
“我已将两脚兽巢穴附近那块草药地上的所有新叶都取走了。”松鸦羽继续说，“我不能再冒险拿更多了，否则植物就无法继续生长了。我们需要在林中搜寻新鲜的草药补充库存。”
狮焰紧张起来：“这样的雪天里还会有草药吗？”
“如果我们一拖再拖就没有了。”松鸦羽警告道，“很快所有剩下的叶子都会发黑，失去功效。我们现在就得去搜寻。”
亮心跳上前。“我去。”她提议说，“我知道该找什么。”
“我去帮忙。”叶池向前几步，“我知道在哪儿能找到它们。”
“谢谢你们。”火星朝刺掌和尘毛点点头。“你们俩陪她们一起去。”他命令道，“以免那只狐狸仍在附近。”他转向黑莓掌。“组织更多的狩猎队。”他踢了踢刚刚放下的那只八哥，“这不够整个族群吃。”他走过空地，爬上落石堆，而黑莓掌将武士们召集起来。
狮焰匆忙跟在雷族族长身后，朝高石台爬去，没理会炭心和鸽爪好奇的目光。“让我来对付这只狐狸吧。”他请求道。
火星转过身，睁大了双眼。
“我会将它永远赶出我们的领地。”狮焰一眨不眨地回视着火星的绿色目光，“你知道我是不会受伤的。”
火星坐了下来。
“这意味着我们就可以安全狩猎了。”狮焰继续说道。
火星皱了皱眉。“你确定你不会受伤？”他的双眼暗了下来，“你只是目前没有受伤，这并不能证明你就不会受伤。我们都知道阴影中还有很多危险的敌人在伺机而动，为什么还要冒着让你丧命的危险去对付一只狐狸呢？”
“这个秃叶季会很难熬。”狮焰分析道，“何必还和一只狐狸分享所剩无几的猎物，让日子更艰难呢？”
“那你该如何向你的族猫们解释你独自赶走了一只狐狸？”火星问道，“我还以为你不想让你所拥有的力量被公之于众。”
“他们不会知道的。”狮焰争论道，“我会告诉他们我是意外地赶走了狐狸，只是运气好而已。我会说它在袭击营地后就已经受伤了。”
火星的尾巴盖在了脚掌上。“好吧。”他同意了，“但是带上鸽爪。”
“鸽爪？”狮焰的耳朵抽动了一下，“她可能会受伤。”
“让她待在远处，”火星命令道，“如果情况超出你的控制，她可以跑去求援。”
“我不需要……”狮焰咽回了自己的反对之词。我其实不需要帮助。我很清楚。他已经得到了想要的结果。无须再行多言了。
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Ivypaw opened her eyes. Mouse dung!It was night, and she was still in the apprentices’ den. She wanted to be in the Dark Forest. She wanted to perfect the complicated move that Hawkfrost had shown her last night. She pricked her ears.
Silence. Dovepaw wasn’t in her nest.
Ivypaw sighed and rolled over. Did Dovepaw think no one was going to notice her disappearing night after night, returning just before the dawn patrol and pretending to wake in her nest as though she’d never been gone?
I know what you’re up to.Ivypaw tucked her nose under her tail. You’re sneaking off to practice by yourself in the woods. You’ve realized that I’m better than you, and you don’t like it.
It was Dovepaw’s turn to play catch-up, for a change.
Ivypaw closed her eyes and pictured Mapleshade’s move. If I put a hind paw there and a forepaw there  .  .  .Her thoughts drifted into a dream.
“Get back, Thornclaw! You might get hurt.” She growled at her Clanmate and turned to face the ShadowClan patrol alone. With a single paw, she sent Oakfur flying over her shoulder, then lunged at Smokefoot, kicking out with her hind legs to scratch Crowfrost’s snapping muzzle.
Pain tore through her dream as two spiked paws gripped her shoulders. The ShadowClan warriors vanished from her thoughts. This enemy wasn’t imagined. The sting of claws in her flesh was real. Ivypaw swallowed a wail of pain as they hooked her pelt and flung her to the ground.
“That’ll teach you to pay attention!”
Thistleclaw’s rancid breath hit her nose. The Dark Forest swam into focus. With her muzzle pressed into the dank earth, she could just make out the shadowy trunks through the hanging mist.
“Get off me!” she screeched.
“I don’t know if begging works on the battlefield.” Thistleclaw dug his claws deeper into her neck.
Panicking, Ivypaw flapped her hind legs. Her paws hit something solid. It must be a root. She pushed against it, thrusting herself forward. Thistleclaw flinched, gasping. In a moment she was on her paws and rearing up at the tabby warrior, claws unsheathed, a snarl curling her lip.
“Very good.” Hawkfrost’s approving growl echoed nearby.
Ivypaw glanced sideways as he stalked from the trees. Suddenly she didn’t care about the stinging of her neck or the welling of blood on her fur. Hawkfrost had praised her.
Thistleclaw hissed at her, his back arched and his teeth bared. “You’ll be watching for me next time,” he snarled.
Ivypaw met his stare. “You might want to start watching for me,” she spat. “I won’t be an apprentice forever.” Her gaze darted back to Hawkfrost. “He’s always picking on the apprentices,” she hissed. “Why don’t you give him one of his own so he might leave the rest of us alone?”
Hawkfrost’s eyes glinted. “Do you want me to give him you?”
Ivypaw lashed her tail. At that moment, she felt ready to take on anything. “If you want. But then you’d have to find a new apprentice and start from scratch.”
Amusement lit the tabby warrior’s eyes. “I guess I would,” he conceded.
“I used to have my own apprentice,” Thistleclaw muttered. “She didn’t pass the final assessment.”
In spite of her burst of confidence, Ivypaw shivered. Something in his tone suggested that failing to pass the assessment meant something more final than trying again after more training.
“Come on, ’paw.” Hawkfrost dismissed Thistleclaw with a curt nod and turned his attention to Ivypaw. “We’re practicing water fighting tonight.”
“Why?” Ivypaw asked as she followed him between the trees. “I’m not a RiverClan cat.”
“But you may fight one someday.” Hawkfrost flicked his tail. “Hurry up. They’re waiting on the shore.”
Ivypaw caught sight of pelts through the trees. Antpelt sat with his tail curled over his paws. Beside him was Shredtail. Hollowpaw, a RiverClan apprentice she recognized from Gatherings, paced beside Snowtuft. Ivypaw looked for the river but saw nothing beyond the warriors except shadow. She pricked her ears but only heard the wind whining softly through bare branches. “Where’s the river?”
Hawkfrost halted as he reached the other cats. “There.”
Ivypaw stared at the flood of dark liquid sliding silently past them. “That’s a river?”
A strange sickly stench rose from it. Hollowpaw wrinkled his nose. “It’s the best they’ve got.”
“This should be funny.” Antpelt scowled at Ivypaw. “I’ve never seen a ThunderClan cat get wet.”
“And I suppose WindClan is always splashing around in the lake,” she shot back. She glanced through the trees. “Is Tigerheart here?” She kept her tone casual. She didn’t want anyone to guess how much she wanted to see the ShadowClan warrior. The thought of getting her pelt wet, especially in that sludgy river, woke butterflies in her belly. She felt safer around Tigerheart. Like the time when they’d trained on the tree trunk and Thistleclaw had knocked Sparrowfeather to the ground.
She frowned, suddenly realizing that she hadn’t seen Sparrowfeather since.
Hawkfrost strode to the riverbank. “Are you ready?”
Ivypaw stiffened.
“Before we try it in the water, I’ll show you what we’re going to practice.” Hawkfrost beckoned Antpelt to step forward.
The WindClan warrior lifted his chin and stood stiffly in front of the dark-furred tom. With a quick, low lunge, Hawkfrost knocked Antpelt’s hind legs out from under him. Antpelt stumbled and scrabbled back onto all four paws.
A shadow slid from the trees. “Easy to recover on dry land.” It was Darkstripe. “But in running water, it’s not so easy to regain your balance.”
Ivypaw’s fur pricked. She didn’t like Darkstripe. There was something sly about the skinny black-and-silver warrior that made her nervous. He’d once bitten Tigerheart after they had finished a training match, and then denied it.
Hawkfrost greeted Darkstripe with a brisk nod and went on. “When you’re in the water, it’s best to keep your claws tucked in. It may feel more natural to try and grip the riverbed, but loose stones rolled by the current may catch a claw and rip it out.”
Ivypaw shuddered.
Hawkfrost flicked his tail. “Antpelt, try the move out on Shredtail in the water.”
Antpelt padded tentatively into the thick, slow-flowing river. He waded up to his belly, then farther, until the water reached his shoulders. It slapped against him, making a sound unlike any water Ivypaw had heard before.
“Snowtuft, you work with Hollowpaw,” Hawkfrost ordered.
Snowtuft nodded, eyes glinting in the half-light.
Hollowpaw waded in. “This isn’t water!” he grumbled. “It’s too slimy.”
Snowtuft shoved the RiverClan apprentice with his muzzle. Hollowpaw stumbled, losing his footing. His shoulders dipped blow the surface as he struggled to find his paws, but he kept his nose high and clear of the dark water.
Ivypaw scanned the forest, wishing Tigerheart would come. She hadn’t seen the young ShadowClan warrior for several nights. Had he been training in a different part of the forest?
Darkstripe blocked her view. “I’ll partner with Ivypaw if you like, Hawkfrost.” He shrugged. “Since you’re supervising.”
Ivypaw straightened and lifted her chin. “Okay.” She waded into the shallows, hoping the cold water would soothe the stinging scratches on her neck. She was dismayed to find it flowing warm and thick around her legs, tugging at her fur like invisible weeds. She grimaced as she headed deeper, trying to glimpse the riverbed through the murky water.
Darkstripe slid through the water beside her. “Come on, slow slug.”
Ivypaw pushed on, shuddering as the slimy water seeped through her pelt and touched her flesh. It rose up past her belly and swallowed her shoulders. She was straining every muscle now, fighting the current to stay standing. She wished she were taller. Darkstripe’s spine was hardly covered, while she struggled to keep her head above water.
Suddenly a stone rocked beneath her paws, and she slipped. The water sucked her under before she could take a breath. Paws churning, Ivypaw panicked.
It’s not that deep,she told herself sharply, and struck out, finding the riverbed with her paws. Her head broke the surface, whiskers dripping, eyes streaming. She spat out the water she’d nearly swallowed. It tasted rank, like crow-food but worse.
Darkstripe watched her, amusement glinting in his eyes. “I can see you’re no RiverClan cat,” he meowed smoothly.
“And I wouldn’t want to be!” Ivypaw’s defiant reply was ruined as she lost her footing again and slipped under the water once more. She struggled, reaching for the bottom, but a lithe shape slid beneath her and knocked her hind legs from under her just as Hawkfrost had demonstrated.
Darkstripe!He’d started the training before she’d had a chance to take a breath.
Ivypaw rolled in the current and floundered with her paws flailing. She fought the urge to breathe in, but her lungs ached for air. Then a paw pressed down on her spine, and she was trapped on the bottom of the river. The water flowed over her. Panic swelled in her chest. She had to breathe. She tried to struggle, but Darkstripe pressed harder, pushing the last gasp of breath from her.
StarClan, help me!
A shadow moved beside her, just recognizable through the muddy water. It was the pale, sleek-furred belly of a RiverClan cat.
Hollowpaw!
The apprentice grabbed Ivypaw’s scruff and heaved her clear of Darkstripe’s paws. Through the murk, Ivypaw could make out the shadowy outline of the Dark Forest warrior fishing around the riverbed with swiping paws. Close beside her, Hollowpaw signaled toward Darkstripe’s hind legs with his muzzle, bubbles spilling from his nose. Ivypaw understood. Though her lungs screamed for air, her panic had faded. She could last a little longer. Together they turned and pulled themselves along the riverbed like a pair of otters and knocked Darkstripe’s hind paws out from beneath him.
As he collapsed into the water, Ivypaw shot skyward and broke the surface, gasping. Hollowpaw bobbed up next to her, and they shared a yowl of triumph. Downstream, the water splashed and frothed as Darkstripe struggled to find his footing.
As Darkstripe fought his way clumsily upstream to join them, Hollowpaw whispered to Ivypaw, “Stay clear of his paws.” Then the RiverClan apprentice swam back toward Snowtuft.
Ivypaw called innocently to Darkstripe, “Do you want to try the move out on me?”
The tabby warrior narrowed his eyes. Water dribbled from his chin. “Okay.” Was that wariness in his gaze?
Ivypaw leaned into the current, bracing her paws against a rock on the riverbed. She wasn’t going to cheat. She waited for Darkstripe to take a breath and prepared to feel his paws knock out her hind legs. As he pulled them out from under her, she darted forward like a fish, escaping his reach. She didn’t even go under.
Amazed that she felt so at ease in the warm, greasy water, she turned, ready to try the move again on Darkstripe. Utterly focused now, she swiped his paws from under him and swam clear in one clean, quick move. She felt a surge of pride. No other ThunderClan warrior was trained to fight in water.
Breaking the surface, she saw Hawkfrost beckoning the trainees from the bank with his thick, mackerel-striped tail. “Not bad,” he called as they padded, drenched, from the river.
Ivypaw shook out her pelt, not caring that she sprayed Darkstripe.
“Though I expected better of you, Darkstripe,” Hawkfrost sneered at the skinny warrior. “I would have thought you could hold your own against an untrained apprentice.”
Darkstripe snorted and slunk away into the trees.
“Ivypaw?” Tigerstar’s mew made her jump. She jerked around to see the dark warrior slide from the water and pad up the bank.
“All ThunderClan cats should learn to get their paws wet.” He shook out his pelt. “You had some nice moves there.”
Ivypaw dipped her head. “Thanks.”
“Have you seen Tigerheart?”
The question took her by surprise. “Me?” Did Tigerstar know that she always kept her eyes open for the young tom when she was in the forest? “No.”
“He’s late again,” he growled. “He’s been coming later and later every night. Is he sick?”
“I can ask at the next Gathering,” Ivypaw offered. Her ear twitched.
“I’ll track him down.” Tigerstar’s tone made Ivypaw shiver. Was Tigerheart in trouble for staying away?
Hawkfrost cleared his throat. “Time to leave.” Far away through the trees, beyond the edge of the Dark Forest, the sky was lightening. Ivypaw stifled a yawn as she turned and headed away from the river.
“See you tomorrow,” Hollowpaw whispered before vanishing into shadow.
The trees around Ivypaw melted into ferns, and she found herself curled in her nest. She could hear Dovepaw breathing.
She’s back.
But only in the last few moments. Her breathing was fast, as though she’d just settled down, and the scent of snow was fresh on her pelt. Ivypaw’s nose twitched. There was another scent in Dovepaw’s fur, too. A familiar one. Ivypaw tried to remember what it reminded her of, but her eyes were growing heavy. Exhausted, she slid into sleep.
“What’s this?” Whitewing’s shocked mew woke Ivypaw.
She jerked up her head. “What?”
“Blood!” Her mother’s eyes were round. “Blood in your nest.” The white warrior ducked down to sniff at the moss sticking out among the twigs and gasped. “It’s on you, too! Are you hurt?”
Ivypaw flinched away. “What are you doing in here?”
“The dawn patrol left ages ago, and neither of you was up, so I came in to wake you.”
Dovepaw climbed blearily out of her nest. “I guess we’ve been training hard.”
“Is that why there’s blood in your nest?” Whitewing was staring at Ivypaw, her eyes dark with worry.
The ferns rustled, and Bumblestripe poked his head in. “What’s all the noise?” he demanded.
“Get Jayfeather,” Whitewing ordered. “Ivypaw’s hurt.”
“No!” Ivypaw protested, “I’m fine.” But Bumblestripe had already gone.
Ivypaw felt hot under her fur. No one needed to know about the scratches Thistleclaw had left on her neck. She thought the river had washed them clean, but clearly they’d still been oozing when she’d returned from the Dark Forest. She glanced down at the moss. It was dark where blood had soaked it. Her gaze caught Dovepaw’s.
“It must be a thorn in the moss,” Ivypaw mewed quickly.
Come on, Dovepaw! Back me up.
Dovepaw shrugged. “Yeah, a thorn,” she mewed before pushing her way out of the den.
Thanks a lot!Ivypaw was fuming that Dovepaw had left her to calm down their mother by herself. “Maybe there’s a sharp stone in my nest.”
“Let me look.” Whitewing bundled Ivypaw out of the way and began sifting through the moss with her paws. “I can’t feel anything.”
Jayfeather nosed his way into the den, carrying a folded leaf. Bumblestripe and Cinderheart barged in after. Ivypaw backed away from her nest.
Jayfeather dropped the leaf at her paws and opened it. It was smeared with thick green ointment. “Let me check you over,” he ordered.
Ivypaw shuffled away. “It’s just a scratch.” He knows I visit the Dark Forest. He’ll guess this isn’t a thorn scratch.
Cinderheart was sniffing in Ivypaw’s nest. “All that blood from a thorn?”
“This might hurt a bit.” Jayfeather began smearing thick pulp onto Ivypaw’s scruff.
Please don’t tell.Fear throbbed harder than pain.
Jayfeather sighed. “It’s nothing too serious, but I can smell some infection.” He wiped another pawful of pulp from the leaf wrap. “You should be more careful.”
Ivypaw shrank under her pelt. There was an edge in his mew. He knew exactly where she’d gotten the wound.
“Will she be okay?” Cinderheart fretted.
Whitewing pushed closer. “Has the bleeding stopped?”
Go away!Ivypaw’s ears pounded. The cuts were stinging where Jayfeather was rubbing in ointment. Just leave me alone!
“She’ll live.” Jayfeather sat back on his haunches and refolded the leaf. “Come for fresh ointment tonight.” He picked up the leaf in his teeth and headed out of the den.
As he left, Dovepaw slid back in.
“Have you come to watch, too?” Ivypaw snapped.
Dovepaw leaned past Cinderheart into Ivypaw’s nest, rummaged for a moment, and then sat up. “Is this what you were looking for?” She spat a long thorn onto the ground.
Whitewing pawed it gingerly. “No wonder there was so much blood!”
Cinderheart frowned. “How did that get in there without you noticing?”
Ivypaw felt a flood of warmth for her sister. As Dovepaw stretched forward and sniffed at her wounds, Ivypaw whispered in her ear, “Thank you.”
Dovepaw grunted. “This isn’t over.” She pulled away.
“Come on.” Whitewing flicked Bumblestripe gently with her tail. “Let’s leave Ivypaw to rest.” She guided the young warrior out of the den. Dovepaw followed, her tail flicking as she disappeared through the ferns.
Cinderheart was staring anxiously at Ivypaw.
“What?” Ivypaw snapped.
Cinderheart sighed. “If those scratches are infected already, they must be deep.”
Ivypaw climbed into her nest. All she wanted to do now was sleep.
Cinderheart’s tail twitched. “You must be tired.” She touched Ivypaw’s head with a gentle paw. Ivypaw felt it tremble.
“Is anything wrong?” Cinderheart whispered, leaning closer. “You can tell me anything, I promise. Those wounds couldn’t have been caused by a thorn. You’d have been awake and out of your nest at the first prick.” She sat back and gazed at Ivypaw. “And a thorn wouldn’t have caused infection so quickly, no matter how deeply it scratched. Besides  .  .  .” She peered at Ivypaw’s wounds. “Thorn scratches don’t rip at the flesh like that.”
Ivypaw had grown stiff as dead prey. What could she say? Her mind whirled while her body froze.
“Tell me the truth,” Cinderheart pressed quietly. “I won’t be angry. I just need to know how I can help you.”
Ivypaw took a deep breath. “I’ve been practicing at night.”
“Practicing?”
“I want to be the best ThunderClan warrior ever.” And I’m going to be!
“Oh.” The word escaped Cinderheart as a sigh. “I understand.” She sounded relieved. “Of course you want to be the best. And you’ve been out in the forest training by yourself.”
“Yes.” Ivypaw cringed. She hated lying to her mentor, who had done nothing but treat her fairly. It’s close to the truth,she told herself. “Dovepaw’s so good at everything. Everybody treats her like a warrior already. Firestar asks her for advice, and Lionblaze never does anything without her  .  .  .”
Cinderheart stiffened. “You’re every bit as good as Dovepaw!” she hissed. “I couldn’t be prouder of you! If you want to do more training, we’ll fit it in during the day. You’re a growing cat; you need your rest.”
Ivypaw nodded dutifully.
“Will you promise me that you won’t go out again at night?” Cinderheart prompted. “There’s no one to look out for you when the Clan’s sleeping. Who knows what might happen? What if that fox came back?” Worry edged her mew. “You’re as good as any warrior. You don’t need to sneak around training in secret.” Cinderheart’s eyes burned into Ivypaw’s. “Promise me you won’t leave the camp at night again!”
Ivypaw stared at her paws, guilt pricking her belly. “I promise,” she muttered.
第十三章
第十三章
狮焰在窝里舒展着身子，他的后背擦过炭心的后背。炭心喃喃了几句，但没有醒来。黎明的光线几乎很难透过巢穴四周的茎秆。狮焰静静地躺着，呼吸轻缓，有阴影在他周围移动。尘毛打着哈欠出了巢穴，准备加入第一支巡逻队。
白翅坐起身，将一只脚掌伸入蕨毛的窝里。“该起来了。”她低声说道。
金棕色武士咕哝着站了起来：“又下雪了吗？”
“我还没看呢。”白翅在窝间小心翼翼地走着，低头出了巢穴。她穿过空地，脚掌下的积雪咯吱作响。
蕨毛还未起身，狮焰就已经在等着他离开了。他多么希望昨夜自己能趁着狐狸新伤未愈、疲累不堪时就去和它打斗。可是火星却命令他等着。
“如果你现在就去对付它，”雷族族长分析道，“其他武士会觉得被剥夺了保卫族群的机会。如果你再等等，他们就更可能相信你是无意间碰上它的。”
炭心翻身仰躺，耳朵抽动着，似乎在做梦。她肚子上灰色的皮毛看起来毛茸茸的，十分温暖。狮焰突然心生愧疚。炭心对他的超力量一无所知，他也从没跟她提起过预言的事。如今他们这么亲密，再对炭心保守这个秘密似乎是在欺骗她。可是，他该如何告诉炭心呢？他们对彼此的爱意很强烈，但是它能经受住真相的考验吗？
狮焰推开了心中的担忧，呼吸着炭心熟睡时温暖的气息。炭心，我会为你赶走这只狐狸，这样你在整个秃叶季里都可以安心狩猎了。他悄悄朝巢穴入口爬去时，用尾巴轻轻地拂了拂她。又新下了一层雪，空地如水面般光滑，只有黎明巡逻队经过的地方有些起伏。山谷上方的天空泛着粉色，柔和的光线洒入营地。
狮焰悄悄溜出巢穴。火星正站在高石台上凝视空荡荡的空地。看到狮焰时，他眯起了眼睛，然后点了一下头。狮焰摇了摇尾巴，匆忙朝学徒的巢穴奔去。“鸽爪！”
他的呼叫几乎跟低语一样，可是片刻后，蕨丛一阵沙沙响，浅灰色学徒挤了出来。
“要训练了吗？”鸽爪伸展着前脚掌，肚子陷进了雪中。
“我们有一项特殊任务。”
鸽爪绷紧了身子：“松鸦羽和我们一起吗？”
“这项任务不需要他的力量。”我也不需要你的。
狮焰走出了营地，鸽爪蹦跳着跟在后面。
“我们要去哪里？”
“到了你就知道了。”
“你需要我听些什么吗？”
“不需要。”他没有心情去回答这些问题，他本该昨晚就独自把这事做了的。他沿着一条熟悉的小道向前行进着，满脑子都是那只狐狸。鸽爪又说了起来，可是他并没有听。他的脑海中浮现出那只狐狸在营地里疯狂奔跑，咬向香薇云，用尾巴抽打黛西的情景。狮焰的怒火在血液中沸腾。它竟敢威胁他的族猫？
一团浅灰色的皮毛挡住了狮焰的去路。“我们要去哪儿？”鸽爪不安的叫声使他停住了。
“我要去赶走那只狐狸。”他从鸽爪身旁挤过，继续向前走。
鸽爪蹦跳着跟在他身旁：“就我俩？”
“只有我。火星说我必须带着你，如果我受伤了，你可以去寻求帮助。”
“火星知道这件事？”鸽爪听起来很吃惊。
“他为什么不能知道？”狮焰竖起了皮毛，“他是族长，也对我的力量知情。他清楚我不会受伤。”
“可是我们的超力量不是用来干这件事的！”
狮焰停了下来，盯着鸽爪：“那你是认为我们应该置身事外，任由一只狐狸威胁我们的族猫？”
“我不是这个意思。”鸽爪没有退缩，“我是说，其他族群没有超力量也能去对付狐狸。明明派出一队普通武士就能解决的事，我们何必孤身前来？”鸽爪说到“普通”二字时，声音里透出惆怅。
“这样比较容易。”狮焰允诺道，“并且也不会有谁受伤。”
鸽爪转了个方向：“这样做就是不对，像在欺骗大家。”她沿着小道绕过一片蔓生的常春藤。
“欺骗？”狮焰急忙跟上，“我们用自己被赐予的力量去保护族群怎么能叫欺骗呢？”
鸽爪继续往前走着：“在一个族群里，大家理应互相照顾。这才是让我们彼此相依的原因。如果所有武士的职责都被你承担了，那族群还有什么存在的意义？”
“意义在于我不会受伤，但他们也许会。”
“我敢保证，刺掌和尘毛要是得知他们可以直接搬进长老巢穴，肯定高兴死了。很显然，族群现在有你，已经不需要他们了。”
“看在星族的分上！”狮焰怒吼道，“为什么你要把这事搞得这么复杂呢？”
“我只是说了自己的想法而已。还是我不可以有其他的想法了？只有你的想法才是对的？”
“你知道我没有这样想。”听到鸽爪如此激动，狮焰有些吃惊，“我只是比较实际罢了。这样的话，狐狸也赶走了，而大家都不会受伤。”
鸽爪摇了摇尾巴：“我只希望你也是这样为藤爪着想。”
“你是什么意思？”
“你有告诉她不要去黑森林了吗？”
“松鸦羽认为我们应该等等。”
“等什么？等到她带着重伤醒来，让整个族群都发现吗？”
狮焰停了下来。“听我说，”他开始说道，“松鸦羽认为，如果我们仔细观察藤爪，或许能了解到黑森林的武士是如何训练他们招募的成员的。”
鸽爪将头歪向一边，瞪着他说道：“为什么你们不去直接问问她呢？”
“她会告诉我们吗？”
“当然！”鸽爪厉声说道，“藤爪根本就不知道黑森林的武士在利用她，她以为他们只是想把她训练成一位伟大的武士。”
“既然这样，我们多观察她一段时间能有什么坏处？”他在说这些话的时候，怀疑刺痛了他的皮毛。藤爪只是一位学徒，无论无星之地里发生什么，她都没有能力应对。
“如果她受了重伤怎么办？”鸽爪厉声说道，“而你明明知道自己可以阻止她，但是却没有这么做，你到时会做何感受？”她转过身子，胡乱踢打积雪。
没有时间同鸽爪理论了。他们已经靠近掩映着狐狸洞穴的接骨木丛。狮焰走在前头，用尾巴发出示意：“藏在那处冬青灌木下，仔细听着，以防有什么麻烦。”
鸽爪脊背的皮毛竖了起来。“小心点儿。”她低声说。
“我不会有事，但是万一发生意外，你就赶回营地寻求帮助。”
鸽爪点了点头。
狮焰转过身，张开嘴巴，让狐狸的气味从自己的舌尖流过。鸽爪的争论使他分了心，扰乱了他的注意力。这只狐狸侵入了我们的领地。他提醒自己。狐狸曾袭击了营地，幼崽差点儿就被它杀死。愤怒开始在他的皮毛下沸腾，他低头钻进接骨木灌木下，悄悄朝狐狸洞穴爬去。
并没有新的脚掌印从洞口通出来。它肯定在里面。他向黑漆漆的洞穴里窥探着，扑面的恶臭让他皱了皱鼻子。一股不祥的预感让他脚掌发痒。洞穴里面黑乎乎的，他身上的每根毛都绷直了。
我得将狐狸引出来。
他蹲伏在洞口，发出了一声尖锐的怒吼。
一片寂静。
懦夫！
接着，他突然想起这只狐狸更喜欢攻击毫无抵抗能力的幼崽，怒火在他心头闪过。于是他蹲低身子，身体前伸，忍受着难闻的气味，发出了一声虚弱的抽噎声。
他竖起了耳朵。可是什么都没有。
他试探着爬过洞口边，悄悄爬进洞穴的黑暗中。他扭动着身体进入洞穴内，肚子底下的雪地也变成了地面。狐狸的恶臭味简直呛得他快窒息了。他屏住呼吸，朝漆黑的巢穴深处爬去。
痛意遽然灼上他的尾巴。利齿钳住了他的尾巴，还把他往后拖。他在地上乱扒着，拼命想要转过身，但狐狸没有松嘴。随着一声吼叫，狐狸将他拖出了洞口，扔到了雪地里。狮焰一跃而起，与溜出接骨木灌丛的狐狸对峙。狐狸也怒目相对，仇恨点亮了它漆黑的双眼。它的鼻子上，昨天战斗中留下的伤疤仍清晰可见。
狮焰毫不退让，嘶吼不已。狐狸露出了牙齿，朝他冲来。狮焰立起身子，用一连串挥打迎向狐狸。但狐狸身体的重量仍是撞得他直往后倒。狮焰砰然倒地，差点儿喘不上气来。他扭过身子，尾巴狂甩，试图站起来。可是重重的脚掌狠狠将他打翻在地。利齿就在他耳边噼啪咬合，唾沫星子溅了他一脸。
狮焰拼命呼吸着，爪子刺入白雪覆盖的地面，竭力把自己往前拖。刚一脱身，他便跳了起来。狐狸的力量让他震惊不已。他从没有和这么大的动物战斗过。他必须动作再快一些。如果运气好，狐狸便跟不上他的速度。狮焰跳转过身，爪子猛劈下来。
太迟了！
身体上一阵疼痛袭来，他感觉自己的脚掌被提离了地面。他在空中胡乱挥打着，心中的恐惧不断加剧。狐狸的牙齿在他肩头越扣越紧，狮焰第一次有了害怕血肉被撕裂的感觉。
站在几尾开外的鸽爪张大了嘴巴。“我去寻求支援！”她尖叫道。
“不！”狮焰扭动身子朝后猛击，强忍着狐牙撕扯皮毛带来的剧痛。突然，狮焰感觉有皮毛和肉体在自己爪下绽开，胜利的快慰顿时从他腹中闪过。狐狸号叫一声，松开了牙齿。
时间慢了下来。
狮焰再度踩到了白雪皑皑的地面。他以后臀为支点旋过身去，一掌前探，利爪大张，重重地击打在狐狸狰狞的脸上。狐狸口鼻一仰，推得狮焰踉跄后退，口水溅得他满掌垫都是。狐狸再次冲了过来，狮焰又给了它猛烈的一击。鲜血飞溅到狮焰的口鼻上，他听到狐狸发出了哀号。
红色的皮毛在狮焰眼前逐渐模糊。他后腿蹬地，一跃而起，干净利落地避开了狐狸咬来的下颌，落到它的肩上。他身下的狐狸非常健硕，肌肉坚实如同温暖的大地。狐狸弓起了背，后腿站立，一面扭头朝肩上的狮焰咬来，一面沮丧地尖叫着。但狮焰紧抓不放，避开了狐狸的攻击。
他将爪子刺得更深些，牙齿也咬进了狐狸的皮毛。他感觉狐狸的皮肉被撕裂了，便更用力地撕扯。鲜血从狐狸的伤口喷涌而出，灌了狮焰一嘴。随着一声哀号，狐狸倒在狮焰身下。狮焰纹丝不动，牙齿仍嵌在狐狸的血肉里。他等了一会儿。
狐狸一动不动地躺着，侧腹上下起伏，喉咙里轻声哀鸣。狮焰放开了狐狸，向后退了几步。他蹲伏下来，怒视着血泊中的狐狸。狐狸动了，它费力地站起身，喘着粗气，悲号着朝洞口走去。狮焰猛冲向前，咆哮着挡住了它的去路。狐狸睁大那双满是惊恐的眼睛盯着狮焰，转身离开了接骨木灌丛。它一甩那溅满血迹的猩红色尾巴，钻进了蕨丛。
鸽爪从冬青灌木下溜了出来，她的皮毛竖立着。她什么都没说，便开始驱赶狐狸向前。狮焰和鸽爪双面夹击，他们沿着影族边界一直驱赶着狐狸，确保它不会越过边界进入影族的领地。一旦狐狸想转身往雷族森林深处跑，他们便发出威胁的咆哮。他们一起将它赶着远离大湖，迫使它朝上一直走，离开族群领地。
随着斜坡越来越陡，周围的橡树也变成了白蜡树，狐狸在前面不停地爬着，最后消失在了一簇荆棘丛中。
“这下够远了。”狮焰喘着粗气，坐了下来。
鸽爪停在狮焰身旁，看着狐狸消失处颤抖的叶子。
“它不会回来了。”狮焰的腿开始颤抖，“我们回营地吧。”
鸽爪担心地看着狮焰：“你受伤了吗？”
“只是太累了。”这场战斗消耗了狮焰所有的体力，在回去的路上，他一直倚靠着鸽爪，几乎无法看清脚掌下的路，全凭鸽爪带路。当山谷的气息开始飘进他的口鼻时，他停了下来。刺痛的爪子踩在雪里，感觉出奇地冷。
“让我喘口气。”他对鸽爪说。
她的眼睛里满是担心：“你确定自己没有受伤？你可浑身是血。”
狮焰正低头看向自己的皮毛，突然一声尖叫划破了空气。他一下子绷紧了身体，抬头就看见炭心正盯着他。她的表情都凝固了，眼睛瞪得很大，满眼都是恐惧：“狮焰？”
她朝他冲过来，疯狂地嗅闻着：“发生了什么？你哪儿受伤了？”接着她转身就跑。“我去寻求援助！”她回头尖叫道。
狮焰想去追上她，告诉她这不是自己的血，可是他的脚掌还是沉得要命，精力早已耗尽。鲜血从他的皮毛上滴落，把他身下的积雪染得一片深红。炭心会把恐慌传遍整个族群的。
“我们最好还是快点儿回去。”狮焰咕哝道。
“先把你自己清理干净吧。”鸽爪建议道。
狮焰轻轻舔舐着自己的皮毛，狐狸黏糊糊的血液散发出的刺鼻气味令他作呕。
“你在雪地里打个滚儿好了。”鸽爪建议道。
狮焰躺下来，在又湿又冷的雪地里尽力扭动着身体。等他爬起身时，树林中白色的雪地上留下了一大片红色的血迹。
鸽爪刨了刨地面：“希望我们能赶在营救队伍到来之前回到营地。”
狮焰感觉自己的身体又充满了力量。冰冷的雪让他精神焕发，可是一想到炭心在营地里大喊自己身受重伤的消息，他的心跳就加快了。
他们在山谷外的斜坡上遇到了营救队伍。
“你们没事吧？”火星带领着队伍。黑莓掌、灰条和桦落围着他们走动，耳朵和尾巴都在不住抽动。
“看在星族的分上，你们到底遇上了什么？”灰条仔细地嗅闻着狮焰。
“我们遇到了那只狐狸。”狮焰大声说道。
桦落平贴起耳朵。“在哪儿？”他扫视着树林。
“我们已将它赶出我们的领地了。”狮焰安慰他们，“它再也不会回来了。”
灰条用尾巴指引着狮焰朝荆棘屏障走去：“我们最好带你去巫医巢穴。炭心已帮助松鸦羽为你备好了草药，她的反应让我们还以为你已经命悬一线了。”
狮焰想象松鸦羽小声抱怨着，而炭心则坚持让他取出所有的草药，来治疗自己那根本不存在的伤口。想到这里，他的胡须不由抽搐起来。
火星看着鸽爪问道：“你还好吗？”
她点了点头。“主要是狮焰在战斗，”她说道，“我只是帮着将狐狸赶出了我们的领地。”
“狐狸没有进入影族的领地吧？”火星抽动着尾巴。
“没有。”狮焰告诉他，“我们把狐狸朝着山那边赶过去了。”为什么火星总是这么关心其他族群呢？他们应该多关心自己的问题。
火星眯起了眼睛。“我们最好还是检查一下。”他转向黑莓掌，“你带一支巡逻队去看看，确保狐狸真的已经离开了。”
黑莓掌跳向了营地。
“来吧，”灰条轻轻地推着狮焰，朝山谷走去，“我们送你回家。”
他们刚一进入营地，狮焰便看见族猫都聚集在空地周围。
“狮焰，干得漂亮！”香薇云喊道。
鼠毛晃动着她那发灰的脑袋说道：“就算我死后很久，都还会有猫在长老巢穴里讲述这个故事的。”
“你怎么做到的呀？”栗尾一脸钦佩地盯着狮焰。
“你伤得重吗？”黛西眉头紧锁。
灰条催促狮焰赶紧去巫医巢穴：“不要再问了，先让松鸦羽给他检查检查。”
狮焰推开黑莓丛，进到了安静的巫医巢穴，马上就松了一口气。他刚一进巢穴，炭心便立刻抬起了头，她的脚掌边还放着一堆草药。
“你真的没事吗？”炭心粗声问道，“我以为他们得把你抬着回来呢。”剩下的字句哽在了她的喉咙里。
松鸦羽走向前。“我已让炭心拌好了草药来治疗你的伤。”他向灰色的母猫点了点头，“感谢你的帮助，现在你可以离开了，我需要安静的环境来治疗他。”
炭心耳朵抽动着。“我可以帮忙。”她主动说道。
“不用。”松鸦羽语气坚定地说，“谢谢你。”他用失明的蓝色双眼一直盯着炭心，直到她低下了头，朝黑莓丛走去。
荆棘光正在窝里做拉伸训练，她探头看向狮焰：“我听炭心描述的情形时，还以为你已经死了呢。”
松鸦羽将一团苔藓扔向荆棘光，命令道：“做你的练习。”
荆棘光嘟囔着，但还是开始认真地将苔藓球从一只脚掌投向另一只，她的身体越探越远，以确保苔藓球不落到地上。
松鸦羽领着狮焰来到巢穴的后部。“现在你是大家心中的英雄了，开心吗？”他尖刻地问道。
“这件事总要去做的。”狮焰感觉一阵疼痛。
“但不该你独自去做。”
狮焰的皮毛竖立了起来。“那只狐狸已经离开了，”他低声嘶叫，“而且谁都没有受伤。”
“很好，反正是由你去跟大家解释怎么把狐狸赶走的。”
“你就不能先把我清理干净，帮我涂点儿药糊，好让我的伤口看起来更像真的吗？”
松鸦羽叹了口气。“好吧。”他领着狮焰朝巢穴一侧的水池走去，然后用浸泡在冷水里的苔藓给他清洗。
战斗早已让狮焰筋疲力尽，他让松鸦羽清理着他的皮毛。之前与鸽爪争吵的情景仍在他的脑海中挥散不去。
“你真的确定我们不应该阻止藤爪去黑森林吗？”狮焰小声说道，一只眼睛盯着正忙着在窝里抛接苔藓球的荆棘光，“鸽爪非常担心她。”
“藤爪没事。”松鸦羽将一团新鲜的苔藓浸入水池中，“她没有带着伤来找过我，也没有表现出一丝对雷族不忠的迹象。或许我们可以利用她来监视虎星。”
“那我们应该和她说。”狮焰劝说道。
“和她说什么呢？让她开始监视？”松鸦羽粗鲁地擦拭着狮焰的耳朵，“还记得当初你要求鸽爪帮我们暗中监视其他族群发生了什么吗？我们先等等，然后和她交流。那时她会有更多可以告诉我们的信息，也不会觉得我们是在利用她。”
狮焰咕哝着，闭上眼睛放松下来，直到松鸦羽为他清理完身子。
“这些足以让族猫们相信，你至少受了一两处伤。”松鸦羽在狮焰的肩膀之间涂抹上最后一点儿咀嚼好的草药糊。
荆棘光的苔藓球滚过巢穴，落到了狮焰的脚掌边，他钩起苔藓球扔了回去。
“现在好点儿了吗？”荆棘光问道。
“如刚出生的幼崽一样精神饱满。”狮焰告诉她。
松鸦羽哼了一声，开始将自己从库存里取出来的草药包上。
“谢了，松鸦儿（此处是狮焰对松鸦羽的昵称）。”狮焰轻声说道。
松鸦羽连头都没抬一下。“告诉你下次小心点儿有意义吗？”他咕哝着，“我们也不知道你的力量到底有多厉害。”
狮焰用鼻子碰了碰松鸦羽的头顶。“好了。”他朝巢穴入口走去。“再见，荆棘光。”他用鼻子顶开黑莓丛时喊道。
炭心正等在巢穴外。她急忙朝狮焰跑来，嗅闻着他身上一片片的药糊。“没想到你这么快就出来了……”她的声音停住了，仔细地嗅闻着。“我只能嗅到药糊的味道了，”她缓缓说道，“没闻到血腥味啊。”
狮焰躲开炭心。“松鸦羽用的草药气味太重了，”他说道，“可能把血腥味给遮住了。”
她的眼睛睁得越发圆了。“你怎么听起来就好像今天什么都没有发生似的。”炭心的声音里是恼怒吗？“你只身对付狐狸，还搞得一身都是血。”
狮焰耸了耸肩：“我接受过战斗训练的。”
“可你看起来好像要流血身亡似的！”炭心的眼里闪烁着痛苦，“我还以为我要失去你了。”
狮焰将口鼻贴上炭心的脸颊。“你永远不会失去我的。”他承诺道。他的心里充满了愧疚，仿佛刺扎般难受。
“不！”炭心瑟缩着向后退去，“我做不到，我不能每次你上战场时都承担着这样的恐惧。”
“别这样说！”狮焰的心猛地一抽，“所有的武士都会上战场的，但也没妨碍他们拥有自己的伴侣啊。”
“大多数武士不会让自己身陷战斗重围，也不会趁大家睡着的时候跑去驱赶狐狸！”
“可是现在我没事啊！你看看我！”
“你不可能没事！”炭心瞪着他，眼里泪光闪烁，“明明浑身都是血！”她的尾巴颤抖着。
狮焰察看了一下空地。尘毛正在组织狩猎队，黛西在给不停抱怨的小樱桃做清洗，而小鼹鼠爬上了她宽阔的奶油色后背，莓鼻和榛尾忙着把桦树的枝条编进千疮百孔的屏障。
没有谁在听他们说话。
“我有事情要告诉你。”狮焰压低声音对炭心说。他的尾巴搭在炭心的肩部，领着她进入巫医巢穴旁边的黑莓丛。狮焰一低头钻进了缠绕的枝条间，用尾巴示意炭心跟上。炭心小心翼翼地跟在狮焰身后，好奇地睁大了眼睛。
“有些事你需要知道一下。”狮焰眼睛直直地盯着炭心，“这些事能让你相信我永远不会受到伤害。”
炭心眨巴着眼睛看他。
“我不会受伤的。”狮焰脱口而出。
炭心哼了一声：“迄今为止，你确实很幸运。”
“不是！”狮焰摇了摇头，“数个月以前，有一个预言。这个预言传给了火星。它提到会出现一些猫，他们能拥有胜于族群里其他所有猫的力量。”
炭心的头歪向一边，静静地听着。
“我是其中之一。是那些猫中的一员。我不会受伤，这就是我的力量。在战场上不会，在与狐狸战斗时也不会，什么都伤害不了我。”他盯着炭心，希望她能明白，能相信他所说的一切。
炭心坐了下来，盯着狮焰。“有一个预言？”她喃喃地说，“关于你的？”
狮焰点了点头。她听明白了！
“你永远不会受伤。”炭心再次看向涂抹药糊的地方。
“不会。”
“所以你可以保护整个族群。”
“是的。”狮焰身子前倾，看到炭心平静地接受了这一切，他松了口气。“你永远不需要为我担心了。”他用脸颊蹭着炭心的脸颊，炭心的气息让他心头发暖，“一切都会没事的。”
“不！”炭心猛地推开狮焰，退出了黑莓丛，眼睛里哀痛闪烁，“我们不能这样。我不能成为你的伴侣。既然星族给了你这样的力量，我们就不能在一起。”
狮焰的血液凝结了：“你……你在说什么？”
“你的使命比我重要太多了！”炭心低语道，“我们不能再在一起了！”随着一声哀号，炭心转身向武士巢穴飞奔而去。
第十四章
第十四章
松鸦羽开始捡拾丢弃在巢穴地面上的草药。简直浪费。他治疗狮焰的“伤口”时，用的是最常见的草药叶子，可现在冰天雪地的，就连荨麻茎和艾菊这样普通的草药，地位都无可取代。昨晚，亮心和叶池只带了几爪锦葵和百里香回来，就这也是她们忙活了半天才找到的。
“米莉！”
荆棘光的声音把松鸦羽拉回了现实。老鼠散发出的香味让他口水直流。
“我给你带了一些猎物来。”米莉把老鼠丢在荆棘光窝旁，“我想你一定饿了吧。你今天早上几乎没吃什么东西。”
“我跟你说过了，”荆棘光咕哝道，“我不饿。”
米莉开始把老鼠肉撕开：“尝一块吧。”
“就算尝了，我还是不饿啊。”荆棘光大声说道。
“就吃一点儿嘛。”米莉哄道。
“我不饿！”
松鸦羽走到荆棘光的窝旁。他伸出鼻子，触了触荆棘光的口鼻。荆棘光的口鼻有些潮湿，但并不发热。她没有发烧，可是她的心里充满了忧虑和愧疚。
“她胸部的感染又复发了吗？”米莉忧虑地问。
“你把那只猎物留下吧，”松鸦羽提议道，“我会给她检查一下，看看能不能劝她吃些东西。”
米莉仍待在她的幼崽窝旁：“我想知道她有没有事。”
“你先回山谷去吧。”松鸦羽猜测如果米莉不在边上晃悠的话，他能更容易找到困扰这位年轻武士的原因，“好让我有更多空间给她做检查。”
米莉有些犹豫。
“要是有什么发现，我马上告诉你。”他保证道。当米莉走出巢穴时，松鸦羽从她沉重的脚步声中，感觉得到不情愿。
“我实在想不通她干吗这么大惊小怪。”米莉刚一出去，荆棘光就气鼓鼓地说。
“是吗？”松鸦羽并没有等荆棘光回答。他身体前倾，嗅了嗅她的呼吸。荆棘光的呼吸干净清新，没有感染的迹象。他把一只脚掌放在荆棘光的胸膛上：“尽量深吸气。”荆棘光的呼吸深沉而清晰。
“怎么，没胃口，嗯？”他感觉荆棘光固执地绷紧了皮毛，腹中涌上阵阵饥饿的疼痛。
“没胃口。”
“撒谎。”
“什么？”
松鸦羽感觉到惊讶从这只年轻猫心头闪过：“你骗得了米莉，可骗不了我。就因为你一心觉得自己无法狩猎就不配进食，所以不吃东西，这让米莉很担心，你真的认为这样对她公平吗？”
“你在说什么呢？”这位年轻的武士尴尬得浑身发烫。
松鸦羽缓和了一下自己的语气。“我知道，你觉得自己这样做对大家才公平。”他一边说，一边坐到荆棘光的窝边，“但事情并不是那么简单的。”
荆棘光把头转开了：“我狩不了猎，就不应该吃东西。”
“黛西也不狩猎，”松鸦羽指出，“那她就该饿死吗？”
“可她照顾幼崽啊！”荆棘光嘟囔着说。
“那当黛西休息时，你不也跟幼崽们玩苔藓球，逗他们笑吗？”
“这么简单的事，谁都能做。”
“那波弟和鼠毛呢？”松鸦羽紧逼道，“他们也不狩猎啊。”
“他们年纪大了。他们以前为族群狩猎足够多了。”
“可他们已经无法狩猎了。为什么我们不现在就让他们去死呢？”
这只年轻的猫一阵惊愕。“我们当然不能！他们是族群的一部分，照顾他们是我们的责任。”窝中的铺垫在她脚掌下沙沙作响，“而且，要是没有他们，族群就不一样了。”
松鸦羽沉默了一小会儿，让她回味她自己说的话。然后，他说道：“那你觉得族群没有了你，还会和以前一样吗？”
她没有说话。
“族猫带猎物给你吃，是因为他们觉得那是你应得的，因为照顾自己的族猫才是身为武士的真谛。能够帮助你，他们都很自豪。”
“我只是希望自己能够做些什么来回报他们。”荆棘光的声音有点儿哽咽。
“可以啊。”松鸦羽坐起身，“来，从窝里出来。”
皮毛擦过枝条，那是荆棘光拖着身子出了窝。
“如果你觉得帮着照看小鼹鼠和小樱桃还不够的话，这儿还有很多你可以做的事。”他用尾巴扫动，指过巫医巢穴四周，“我想把苔藓球堆到水池边去。这样一来，如果我需要水清洗伤口或者给病猫止渴，就能直接把苔藓球泡进去了。每隔几天，亮心会给我带来新鲜的苔藓。从现在开始，你的工作就是把苔藓里的碎屑和尖刺挑出来，然后把苔藓分成一个个小球放在水池旁。”
“好的。”松鸦羽感觉到荆棘光的精神振奋了一些。“还有别的活儿吗？”
“巢穴的地面要保持干净。”他命令道，“这段时间，族群的每只猫几乎每天都要在这里进进出出，弄得我的草药到处都是。你把土扫出去，把散落的叶子捡起来，放在储存室旁边。”
“没问题。”
“我得去检查一下我储存的草药，看看哪种不够了，”松鸦羽继续说道，“你也可以来帮我。”他走到巢穴后面的岩石裂缝处，滑进了寒冷的裂缝中，扭头朝荆棘光喊道：“我把它们递出去，你把它们堆放在墙边。我们俩一起检查。”
他开始一捆接着一捆地把草药搬出来。草药大都是干燥的，在他的爪中化为碎屑。他朝底部探出脚掌，感觉爪下有一团毛茸茸的东西。他用爪子去掏，结果拖出一块皮毛。他嗅了嗅，心跳突然加快。冬青叶！她的皮毛怎么会在这里？难道她死而复生了吗？
别那么鼠脑子！
冬青叶曾经当过叶池的学徒。这片皮毛肯定是那个时候卡在这里的，然后就一直留到了现在。姐姐那熟悉的温暖气味如潮水般从他的心头漫过。有那么一个瞬间，他感觉自己又回到了育婴室，扭动着身子同小狮和小冬青打闹，而香薇云则无奈地抽动着鼻子。
接着，小松鸦！
小冬青真是太磨蹭了！
“松鸦羽？”一个声音打断了他的思绪。
“所有的草药都在这儿了，荆棘光。”松鸦羽把冬青叶的皮毛藏进岩石的缝隙中。
“松鸦羽！”那个声音再次响起。
“把相同的叶子堆放在一起，荆棘光。我马上就出来。”
“松鸦羽。”这一次，有温暖的呼吸吹动他的耳毛。
松鸦羽跳转过身，皮毛刮蹭过岩石。这里没有猫，然而，空气中却弥漫着另一只猫浓烈的气味。
黄牙！
他从裂缝中挤出来。荆棘光在远处的那面墙边挑拣草药。“我正在给叶子分类。”她喊道。
“好的，好的。”松鸦羽小心翼翼地打着转，嗅闻空气。结霜的寒气中凝结着她浓重的气味。黄牙为什么来这儿？今晚就是月半之夜，他到时会在月亮池和黄牙一起分享梦境的啊。为什么她现在来这儿？
“跟我来。”黄牙刺耳的声音在他身后响起，“别担心，只有你能听见我的声音。”
“你来这儿干什么？”他嘘声问道。
“拜访你。”
荆棘光停了下来：“你刚刚说什么？”
“没什么。”松鸦羽匆忙说道，“我……我得出去一会儿，你继续分那些叶子吧，我很快就回来。”他跟随着黄牙的气味走出巢穴，穿过了空地。
“你就不能等到今天晚上吗？”他们刚从山谷里出来，松鸦羽就厉声说道。
“你觉得我愿意离开星族，跑到这冻骨头的地方吗？”
松鸦羽的眼前浮现出一个模糊发亮的身影。他这下可以看到黄牙残破的皮毛和她身后模糊不清的树林了。
“那你来干什么？”积雪冰凉，让松鸦羽的脚掌隐隐作痛。
“你在去月亮池见其他猫之前，必须知道这件事！”
“好吧，好吧，”松鸦羽喃喃低语道，“那就告诉我吧，这样我们就都可以回家了。”
“我看到狮焰和狐狸作战了。”黄牙粗声粗气地说。
“那怎么了？”
“这是一个预兆。”
“预兆什么？预兆着他是鼠脑子吗？”
“他独自作战。”
“嗯，我知道。他是个鼠脑子。”松鸦羽重复道，上下牙齿开始打战，“你能直接说重点吗？”
黄牙靠近时，散发出的恶臭味在他的口鼻周围翻滚。“别抱怨了，听我说，”她嘶声说，“就像狮焰那样，雷族也必须独自战斗。”
“什么时候？”
“等黑森林强大起来的时候。雷族必须独自迎战最强大的敌人。”
松鸦羽眨了眨眼：“可是，黑森林威胁着每个族群啊！”
“只有一个族群能够存活。”黄牙低声咆哮道，“昨天，四支巡逻队都没能把狐狸从你们的领地里赶走。今天，狮焰独自就让它落荒而逃。在这场即将到来的大战中，雷族必须独自战斗。”
“但是黑森林的武士正在训练来自每个族群的猫。”松鸦羽提醒道。
“所以每个族群都可能背叛你们！”
“但我们都处于危险之中。不正是应该齐心协力作战吗？”
“那为什么三力量都是雷族猫，而不是其他族群的呢？”黄牙琥珀色的眼睛燃烧着，“雷族存活，其他族群消失，必是命中注定。”
什么？必须有四个族群啊！冷风在他们的周围呼啸，雪花被吹成了堆。“黄牙！”
这只老猫的身影在渐渐消失，和她一同消失的还有他的幻象。松鸦羽再次陷入黑暗之中。
当黄昏巡逻队返回营地，安顿下来开始分享舌抚时，松鸦羽悄悄走出了巫医巢穴。
“祝你好运！”当松鸦羽轻轻地绕过空地边时，米莉说道。
“注意安全。”荆棘光补充道。
这位年轻武士正和她的同窝手足分享着一只瘦骨嶙峋的知更鸟，松鸦羽感觉宽慰之情从米莉的皮毛上拂过。他并没有告诉她荆棘光拒绝进食的原因，不过米莉也没问。这位灰毛武士来到巫医巢穴看自己的孩子时，发现荆棘光正狼吞虎咽地吃着老鼠，脚掌上沾满了草药，这让她高兴起来。
“让她忙起来，”松鸦羽这么和她建议道，“她还有两只脚掌呢，如果无事可做，就会焦躁不安。”
狮焰和鸽爪仍在一次又一次地向族猫描述着奇迹般打败狐狸的故事。可大家似乎都没有注意到，每讲一次，故事都会有点儿不同。玫瑰瓣和狐跃恨不得要知道每一处细节。
“你的决胜招式是什么？”
“你是如何避开它的尖牙的？”
松鸦羽还没有把自己的幻象告诉他们。他想先去月亮池一探究竟，想看看星族的其他猫是否同意黄牙的看法。他钻过荆棘屏障，族猫们的声音留在了他身后。
他从树林中一出来，荒原上的冷风就刺穿了他的皮毛。他平贴起耳朵抵御寒风，沿着斜坡前行，来到了巫医在去月亮池之前会合的洼地。他的脚掌深陷积雪中，积雪深处都到了他的腹部。等嗅到了隼飞和柳光的气味时，他已经上气不接下气了。
“真不是出门的好天气。”他朝他们喊道。
“至少没下雪了。”隼飞回答说。
柳光抖了抖她那散发着鱼腥味的皮毛：“我们能现在出发吗？太冷了。”
“小云和焰尾在哪儿？”松鸦羽嗅了嗅空气，可是并没有影族巫医的气味。
“让他们自己赶上来吧。”柳光边说边向前走去，“天太冷了，我们不能坐着不动。”
隼飞迈步走到河族巫医身旁，搅得掌下积雪扑簌作响：“但愿我们踩出来的路能让他们后头好走些。”
他们踩出来的足迹确实帮上了松鸦羽。他跟着其他猫在雪地里踏出的浅沟前行，可是即使这样，在满是石头的溪岸边保持平衡也让他无暇分心，根本没有精力去探察同伴们的心思。等到他爬上峭壁，拖着身子进入山谷的时候，他已经气喘吁吁了。
柳光站在山谷边上。“没有小云和焰尾的迹象。”她大声说道，“希望影族不会有麻烦。”
“如果他们有麻烦的话，我们很快就会知道了。”隼飞答道。
“我们要等等吗？”柳光问道。
松鸦羽已经沿着通往月亮池的盘旋小道往前走去。“如果现在你还看不到他们踪迹的话，他们就不会来了。”大雪覆盖住了岩石上面的坑洼，那是在他到来之前，无数来过此处的脚掌留下的印迹。
“月亮池结冰了吗？”隼飞急匆匆地跟在他的身后。
松鸦羽伸出一只脚掌摸了摸。感觉池水轻柔的涟漪触碰着他的皮毛，他顿时松了口气。“没有。”这个山谷肯定提供了遮蔽，池水才没遭受冷风蹂躏。他坐在雪中，等待着隼飞和柳光在水池边安顿下来。
“我希望小云和焰尾能够一切都好。”柳光担忧地说道。她将下巴放在脚掌上，皮毛随之拂过雪面，接着，她将鼻头轻触池水。隼飞的呼吸已经减慢下来。很快，他们就会进入梦境。
松鸦羽等待着。他今晚没必要进入自己的梦境，黄牙已经和他谈过了。他将注意力集中在隼飞身上，让自己的思绪进入这只年轻风族猫的梦中。
暖风惬意地撩动他的皮毛。松鸦羽四处观望，冲身前一望无际的天空和大地眨了眨眼。他正站在一座岩石小山拱起的山脊上，层林密布的斜坡从他脚掌前通向远方。远处的树林阴暗下去，地平线上一片黑沉。那是黑森林吗？
坡下有声音传来，松鸦羽迅速躲到一块石头后面。当声音越来越近时，松鸦羽从石头边缘往外偷看。隼飞和青面并肩走着。这位棕毛的风族老巫医垂着头，尾巴拖着，似乎背上担着天空的重量。还有另一只风族猫和他们一起走。松鸦羽瞥了一眼。他认不出这只身上带着姜黄色斑块的浅棕色母猫，她的一双眼睛比绿叶季的湖水还要蓝。
“你跟他解释吧，雏菊尾，”青面粗声说道，“我就知道我一个说不动他。”
“我并非不相信你，”隼飞辩解道，“但这话很难接受啊。”
那只母猫开口说话了，她的声音犹如吹起松鸦羽皮毛的风一般。“为了保护族猫的未来，我曾挺身而出。我率领猫后们反对族长，因为他坚信幼崽应在年满六个月前就接受训练。”她的眼内布满了阴云，松鸦羽能感受到自豪和悲壮在她的心中起伏，“时候到了，我们必须奋起战斗。”
“但是我只是一位巫医，”隼飞提醒她，“我和武士遵守的守则不一样。”
“一切都在改变，”青面咆哮着说，“风族最大的战斗正在到来。我们不能让其他族群的背叛削弱我们的力量。”
“我们必须独自迎敌。”雏菊尾坚持说道。
为什么？松鸦羽眉头紧锁，四支巡逻队都没能把狐狸从我们的领地里赶走。今天，狮焰独自就让它落荒而逃。难道黄牙的预言是真的？
“你们必须要相信你的祖先，而不是其他族群的。”青面警告道，“过去的族猫才是你的力量所在，而不是现在的盟友。”
隼飞的眼里燃起了怒火：“可是我们要对抗的是谁呢？为什么我们必须独自作战？高星就从不认为与其他族群结盟以求壮大有任何不妥。”
雏菊尾眯起了双眼。“高星被友谊蒙蔽了双眼。”她直言不讳地说道。松鸦羽好奇她是不是指的火星和这位风族族长之间长久以来的友情。
隼飞搜寻着青面的目光：“我们要对抗的就是这个吗？就是另一个族群？”
“你现在还不知道敌人是谁，”青面声音粗哑，“但等时候到来时，你自然就会知道。”
松鸦羽感到脖子上的皮毛一阵刺痛。为什么不告诉他呢？他的族群即将面对一队由有史以来心肠最为黑暗险恶的武士组成的敌人，这些武士曾踏足过森林、荒原和溪流。难道他不应该知道这些吗？
雏菊尾走到隼飞的前面，挡住了他的去路。“别把这些告诉其他巫医。”她警告道。
隼飞眨了眨眼：“他们不会已经知道了吗？”
“背叛可能来自任何地方。”青面咆哮着说，“你必须依靠自己。要记住你们的祖先们与你们同在，也只与你们同在。”
雏菊尾突然抬头看着周围，嗅了嗅空气。松鸦羽迅速躲到了石头后面。她嗅到他了吗？为了保险起见，他小心翼翼地退向一个陡峭的短坡，鹅卵石从他身边哗啦啦地落了下去，吓得他不由瑟缩。他溜进了一个狭窄的岩沟，循着它快速地离开了山顶。岩石通道弯弯曲曲向下延伸，在山坡处变得更深了。松鸦羽加快步伐，直到岩沟的斜坡逐渐变成了长满青草的溪岸。很快，他走上了一条石径，石径通往一条溪水旁鹅卵石岸。
岸边的柳树垂下了丝丝柳条，水边长满了蕨丛。松鸦羽本能地朝隐蔽处走去。这不是他的梦境。在蕨丛的掩映下，他朝下游走去，直到一块岩石映入眼帘。这块岩石宽大、扁平，从水中突出，把水流分成了两股。他认出了岩石衬托下柳光那身灰色虎斑皮毛，还有她旁边的河族老巫医泥毛。灰池和他们坐在一起，脚掌紧紧地抓住岩石，任由水花飞溅拍打。
“你们必须独自迎敌。”泥毛命令道。
松鸦羽竖起耳朵使劲听着，水流的冲击声淹没了他们说话的声音。
“……祖先们会与你们同行……”灰池直直地盯着柳光。
柳光皮毛倒竖：“众猫一直以来都是相互帮助的……”
灰池摇了摇头：“……已经改变了。我们也必须改变……”
“我能告诉蛾翅吗？”
灰池瞥了一眼泥毛：“她不会相信的，但是你可以告诉她。”
泥毛低下了头：“她是一位优秀的巫医。在这场可怕的战斗中，她会保护自己的族猫。”
“求你了，”柳光恳求道，“这场战斗是什么？我们要和谁战斗？”
松鸦羽看到那些年长的猫摇了摇头。溪流从他们身旁流过。
“……比你最糟糕的噩梦还要可怕……”
“……比你所能想的还要黑暗……”
“……一条血河……”
柳光身体后倾远离他们，恐惧得胡须颤抖。
松鸦羽现在是怒火中烧。他滑步穿过蕨丛，离开了水边。似乎星族的每只猫都处于惊慌之中！他们真的觉得把各族群分开、用惧怕来恐吓他们会有帮助吗？他必须把他所知道的告诉其他巫医，他们面临着一个真正的敌人。
“你现在相信我说的了吗？”
黄牙挡住了他的去路，松鸦羽猛地停了下来。
“四大族群必须自谋活路，”黄牙低吼道，“黑森林的武士就在族群中游走，你不能相信任何猫。你以为为什么影族猫今晚会远离月亮池？因为他们已经抛弃了你们。而现在风族和河族也会离你而去。”
“只要我把事情的真相告诉他们就行了。”
黄牙扑向松鸦羽，将他撞倒在地。“不行！”她把松鸦羽重重地压在地上。“你就看不懂预兆吗？狮焰只掌独斗就打败了狐狸！”她低吼道，“你要是不把嘴巴闭紧，所有四大族群都会陷入黑暗之中。”
松鸦羽挣扎着，双眼眨了眨便睁开了。他发现自己回到了月亮池旁，眼前又是一片黑暗。有皮毛擦过积雪的动静，是隼飞正离开池边，沿着小道往上走去。柳光已经到达了山顶，她走得飞快，好像不想和同伴说话。巫医之间的纽带就这么轻易地破裂了吗？
松鸦羽挣扎着站起身来。他必须警告他们：“黑森林——”
咔嚓声打断了他的话音。冰片崩裂声从背后响起，在山谷岩壁间回响。松鸦羽转过身子，视野中星光涌动。月亮池正在凝固，冰像肆虐草原的烈火般蔓延过水面，最后，整个水池变成了白茫茫一片。
松鸦羽环顾山谷。希望在他胸口点燃。星族的众猫沿着闪烁的岩壁依次排开。皮毛间星光照耀的武士们一动不动，无声地坐着。松鸦羽更仔细地看向他们。那位岩石在他们中间吗？松鸦羽认出了那只浑身无毛的远古猫，心中泛起一阵喜悦。他是来帮助星族的吗？或许他改变了星族猫的想法？或许星族猫最终还是会共同面对黑森林？
他盯着他们，希冀着某种信号的出现，却在这时看到山谷开始变白。一个接一个，星族武士们化为寒冰，皮毛闪着冷光，胡须僵直绷紧，随后在阴冷死寂的月光下崩裂，化为无情而尖利的碎片。
只有岩石的身影仍在。他空洞洞地盯着松鸦羽，那双凸起的盲眼如同月亮池一样冰冷。
Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Dovepaw barged out of the apprentices’den after Whitewing and Bumblestripe. Let Cinderheart fuss over her! I found her a thorn. She can explain the rest.
But her rage quickly ebbed. She wasn’t angry. She was scared. Every night she went to sleep wondering what wounds Ivypaw would wake with. And what if Ivypaw started thinkinglike a Dark Forest warrior? She needed to talk to Jayfeather. He hadto help. She headed for his den.
She stalked past the fresh-kill pile, where Purdy was turning over a muddy-looking mouse. “Do you think this will appeal to Mousefur?” he rasped.
Dovepaw paused. “What?”
“It doesn’t look like much.” Purdy dangled the scrawny mouse from a claw. “But it might tempt her.”
“Isn’t she hungry?” Dovepaw was surprised. Surely every cat in the Clan must be hungry?
Squirrelflight hurried over. “Does she have a fever?”
Purdy shook his head. “She just seems tired and sad.” His shoulders drooped. “I was hoping there would be something on the fresh-kill pile to cheer her up.”
“One of the hunting patrols should be back soon,” Squirrelflight meowed. “They might bring something.” She glanced at Dovepaw. “Isn’t Lionblaze taking you out?”
Dovepaw shrugged. “When he’s ready.” Besides, I have something else to do first.She glanced toward the medicine den, hoping Bumblestripe wouldn’t be hanging around there long.
Purdy let the mouse fall with a soft thud into the snow. “If I were a few seasons younger, I’d go out myself.” He stared dreamily up to the top of the hollow. “I was quite a hunter in my youth. I could catch rabbits.” He puffed out his chest. “And pheasants, although  .  .  .” His whiskers twitched. “Pheasants aren’t that hard to catch. They prefer eating to flying.”
Dovepaw blinked, her attention snatched from Jayfeather. “You caught pheasants?” Purdy wasn’t small, but even he must have been outweighed by a pheasant.
“When I was younger, nothing was too big for me.” Sighing, the old cat headed away toward the elders’ den.
Dovepaw dipped her head to Squirrelflight and hurried to the medicine den.
Bumblestripe was pacing beside Briarlight’s nest. “You should have seen it! So much blood. All from one thorn. And she’d been sleeping on it all night and hadn’t noticed.”
Jayfeather was soaking his pulp-stained paws in the pool. “Don’t exaggerate, Bumblestripe.” He snatched them out and began licking them. “It was nothing more than a couple of scratches.”
“I’m going to be checking moss for Jayfeather now,” Briarlight announced proudly. “I’m the thorn patrol.” She looked across at the medicine cat. “Perhaps I should check the moss for the nursery before it goes in the nests.”
Dovepaw was about to call to Jayfeather, but he was already crossing the den toward her. “I’m sure Daisy and Poppyfrost would appreciate you checking the kits’ moss,” he told Briarlight as he passed her nest. “I’ve got to go out for a while. Bumblestripe, keep Briarlight company. But no more wild stories, please.”
Jayfeather swished past Dovepaw. “Come on,” he whispered, pushing through the brambles. “We need to talk.”
Finally!Was Jayfeather going to start taking Ivypaw’s visits to the Dark Forest seriously? She hurried after him. Without breaking his stride, Jayfeather nodded to Lionblaze. The golden warrior broke away from Firestar and Brambleclaw and bounded after them. Firestar watched, eyes narrowed, as the three padded out of camp.
“Right.” Jayfeather halted in a clearing on the bracken-covered slope outside the hollow. He fixed his blind stare on Dovepaw. “You’ve got to stop Ivypaw coming back from the Dark Forest in such a state. She’s going to give everything away.”
Dovepaw stared at him, openmouthed. Rage roared up from her belly. “I’vegot to stop her?” she spat. “What do you think I’ve been trying to do? And not just because all her scratches and swellings and sprains might give away our secret.” She thrust her muzzle into Jayfeather’s face. “Because I’m scared she’s going to get killed!”
“Calm down.” Lionblaze wove between them. “You’re right, Dovepaw. Ivypaw is getting hurt too often, and it’s our duty to protect her.”
Dovepaw let out a slow breath. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all along!”
“But,” Lionblaze added, “we can’t follow her into her dreams.”
“Jayfeather can!” Dovepaw pointed out.
Lionblaze shook his head. “Tigerstar’s already warned him away from the Dark Forest once. We can’t risk him going there again.”
“But you can risk Ivypaw going there night after night,” Dovepaw fumed.
“She’s one of them,” Jayfeather reminded her. “They won’t hurt her on purpose, as long as they think she’s on their side.”
“Can’t you just talk to her?” Dovepaw looked pleadingly from Jayfeather to Lionblaze. “Tell her she can’t go. She might listen to you.”
Lionblaze ran his tail along Dovepaw’s spine. “Do you really think she’d listen?”
Dovepaw’s heart sank. No.Ivypaw seemed convinced that Tigerstar was making her a great warrior. She’d never give that up.
“Besides,” Jayfeather sat down and tucked his tail over his paws, “we need her in the Dark Forest more than ever.”
Lionblaze’s attention flashed toward his brother. “Why?”
“Yellowfang visited me and warned me that we must fight the Dark Forest alone.”
Lionblaze cocked his head. “Alone?”
“All the medicine cats are being told the same thing. We must cut all ties to other Clans and face the danger alone.”
“Do the other Clans know about the Dark Forest warriors?” Lionblaze flattened his ears.
“No.” Jayfeather shifted his paws. “StarClan seems to know, but they’re keeping it from the medicine cats.”
“Why?” Dovepaw demanded.
“They might not want to scare them.” Jayfeather shrugged. “They might simply not know who to trust anymore.”
“Why don’t youtell the medicine cats?” Dovepaw asked.
“Yellowfang ordered me to keep my mouth shut.” Jayfeather shifted his paws. “And when I tried to warn Kestrelflight and Willowshine, I had a vision.”
“What was it?” Lionblaze leaned closer.
“StarClan froze in front of me and shattered like ice until there was nothing left. StarClan was destroyed.”
Dovepaw stared at him. “So we’re on our own?”
Jayfeather shrugged. “ThunderClan has the Three, so ThunderClan must be the one to survive.”
Lionblaze began to pace. “So I’msupposed to fight this battle for everyone?” The tip of his tail flicked angrily. “Great StarClan, why can’t I just have a normal life like any other cat?”
Dovepaw frowned. She thought Lionblaze liked being part of the prophecy. Why was he suddenly acting like he didn’t want to be so powerful? He had always encouraged her to embrace her own powers, and at last she was beginning to enjoy them. Thanks to her super senses she could hear Tigerheart wherever he was. She could hear him hunting with his Clanmates; she could listen to his breathing as he fell asleep in his nest.  .  .  . She jerked her thoughts back. This wasn’t the time to think about Tigerheart. “But why does Ivypaw have to keep visiting the Dark Forest?” she demanded.
“We need to know what they’re up to,” Jayfeather told her.
“We knowwhat they’re up to,” Dovepaw retorted.
“But we don’t know when they plan to strike, or if they’re behind this plan to divide the Clans.” Jayfeather leaned closer to Dovepaw. “Ivypaw could find out for us.”
Dovepaw flinched away. “You want her to spy? Don’t you think she’s in enough danger already? If Tigerstar found out she was spying, StarClan knows what he’d do to her.” Sickness welled in her throat. “No! There’s no way you’re going to put Ivypaw through that. Not even if the whole Clan depends on it!”
She spun around, spraying snow, and stormed through the bracken. Lionblaze and Jayfeather didn’t care about Ivypaw at all! She was just a way of getting what they wanted. First they wanted to use me, and now they want to use Ivypaw.
Pulsing with rage, Dovepaw raced to the top of the slope. The trees thinned at the crest, and she saw the lake below, glittering under a clear blue sky. She might as well use her anger to help her Clan. Plunging down the snowy slope, she headed for the lake. She would hunt.
Where the shore stretched toward the forest stream, Dovepaw picked up the scent of prey. She stopped, her paws aching with cold, and tasted the air.
Water vole.
She padded forward, dipping her nose to sniff the ground. She soon picked up the scent in the snow and saw tracks. Treading lightly, she followed the tiny paw prints along the shore to where the trees lined the stream as it flowed into the lake. After hopping onto the bank, she snuffled her way upstream, weaving through the trees until she spotted the vole—a small, dark shape crouched beside the water. It was focused on the morsel grasped between its front paws.
Dovepaw dropped into a hunting crouch and pulled herself across the snow, keeping her tail and belly high to stop her fur from brushing loudly against the powdery whiteness. She crept closer. The vole kept nibbling, oblivious to the danger. Dovepaw stopped above it. She waggled her hindquarters, then plunged down the bank.
The vole felt warm and fat between her paws, and she finished it off with a sharp, killing bite. Fragrant and limp, it hung in her claws. Her mouth watered from the scent. It was the best piece of fresh-kill she’d seen in days.
“Well done!” Ivypaw called from the opposite bank. Her silver-and-white fur was camouflaged against the snow. She splashed through the shallow, freezing water and scrambled onto the shore beside Dovepaw. “Nice catch.”
Dovepaw wrinkled her nose. Ivypaw’s fur was still matted with herb pulp. Then she noticed that Ivypaw’s eyes were feverishly bright. “You should be resting in camp,” she mewed. “Didn’t Jayfeather say those scratches were infected?”
Ivypaw bristled. “So?” She lifted her muzzle. “They’ve got ointment on.”
“I wasn’t criticizing,” Dovepaw mewed quickly. “I’m just worried about you.” She dropped her catch in front of Ivypaw. “Here, have a bite.” She didn’t want to argue with her sister.
Ivypaw shook her head. “That would be against the warrior code,” she pointed out.
“Just take a small bite,” Dovepaw urged. “You look starving. I’ll say it got damaged in the hunt.”
Ivypaw narrowed her eyes. “No, thank you,” she growled. “I’m not the one who likes breaking the warrior code.”
“What?” Dovepaw stared at her in surprise.
“I’m not the one who disappears at night to meet a ShadowClan warrior.”
Dovepaw’s heart seemed to drop in her chest like a stone. Ivypaw knows about Tigerheart!“How did you find out?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t smell him on you?” Ivypaw’s tail lashed. “Not very loyal, is it? Spending every night with a tom from another Clan?”
Dovepaw stiffened. “At least we’re not putting anyone in danger.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Every time you go to the Dark Forest, you betray your Clanmates.”
“That’s not true!” Ivypaw hissed. “I’m learning to be a great warrior so I can help my Clan!”
“Yeah, right!” Dovepaw snapped scornfully. “Just like Tigerstar. He was a greatwarrior!”
“He was!”
“He became ShadowClan’s leader. He tried to kill Firestar!” How could Ivypaw be so dumb?
Ivypaw glared at her, eyes cold as ice. “Aren’t you going to ask how I recognized his smell?”
Dovepaw blinked, confused. “What?”
“Don’t you think it’s odd how easily I recognized Tigerheart’s scent?”
Dovepaw froze, her blood draining into her paws. She remembered the look Ivypaw and Tigerheart had shared in battle.
“H-how did you know?” Dovepaw cringed beneath her pelt. She didn’t want to hear the answer. She didn’t want to hear that Tigerheart had been seeing Ivypaw, too. That he’d lied to her. That she wasn’t the only ThunderClan cat that occupied his thoughts.
“I meet him almost every night,” Ivypaw crowed.
“You can’t; he’s with me!”
“Not allnight.”
Dovepaw backed away. “Don’t say that! He likes me, not you. Have you been following him? Find your own mate! Leave him alone!”
Ivypaw padded closer. “Oh, I don’t like him in thatway. I’m not a soppy dovelike you. I’m a warrior, and so is Tigerheart.”
Dovepaw wished she were deaf, wished she could see Ivypaw’s mouth moving without hearing the words.
“Tigerheart doesn’t spend every night cooing in your ears,” Ivypaw taunted. “He’s one of the best warriors the Dark Forest has. That’s where his loyalty lies. Not with you!”
“That’s not true! You’re just jealous!” Dovepaw shrieked at her sister. She couldn’t believe these lies. “You’re jealous that I’m a better warrior than you. I always have been and I always will be, and you can’t stand it. And now you’re jealous that Tigerheart loves me and not you! You want to destroy everything I’ve got because you’re jealous. That’s all!”
Ivypaw’s eyes gleamed. “Really? Why not ask Tigerheart?”
“Shut up!” Dovepaw scrambled up the bank. “If you tell anyone that I’m seeing Tigerheart, then I’ll tell the whole Clan you’ve been training in the Dark Forest with Tigerstar, and then you’ll have no friends. Everyone will hate you as much as I do!” She pelted through the trees.
“You forgot your catch,” Ivypaw called after her.
“You take it!” Dovepaw yowled back. “Then your Clanmates might think you’ve done something right for a change!”
She raced on, blocking out the thoughts that whirled in her head. The ShadowClan scent line was close. Its smell bathed her tongue. Had Tigerheart really betrayed the Clans by the lake? She skidded to a halt and pricked her ears. Casting out her senses, she searched for Tigerheart.
She’d done it so often that it was easy to find him. She could hear his mew, hear his paws on the forest floor. She knew their sound—strong and certain. He was with Clanmates. She listened harder. Ratscar, Pinepaw, and Snowbird.Purrs rumbled in their throats as Pinepaw fell into a snowdrift with a soft thump.
They sounded happy. Dovepaw wished she were with them. She wished she were playing in the snow with Tigerheart, certain that he loved her. She wanted to be with him all the time.
Maybe she should join ShadowClan? The idea flashed wildly in Dovepaw’s mind, making her heart soar.
Don’t be stupid! I’m one of the Three.She couldn’t leave Jayfeather and Lionblaze to face the Dark Forest warriors alone. And deep down, she knew that she couldn’t leave Ivypaw. Pain pierced her heart like a thorn. She shouldn’t have said all those things. She’d been cruel. She’d made it sound like the Clan didn’t want her sister around.
Suddenly Dovepaw felt sick. What if Ivypaw decided to stay in the Dark Forest forever? She whirled around and raced for home. She’d apologize to Ivypaw. She’d tell her she’d been wrong.
But that wouldn’t be enough! Ivypaw would still keep visiting the Dark Forest. She didn’t understand she was being used. Dovepaw pushed harder against the frozen snow. Trees blurred beside her. Ice cracked beneath her paws.
What’s the use of all this power if I can’t keep my own sister safe?
Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Flametail scraped snow hopefully from theroots of an old tree stump. He sighed as he uncovered leaves blackened by frost. Why wasn’t there a single herb that thrived in the season when sickness was most deadly? Littlecloud was already sick. The Clan was weakened by hunger. It was only a matter of time before whitecough threatened every den.
“Ow!” Pinepaw’s mew rang through the trees.
Tigerheart answered her. “That’s what you get for messing around.”
His brother’s hunting patrol was near. Flametail kept digging. “Mouse dung.” He cursed as he revealed more rotten leaves.
Tigerheart came bounding through the trees. “What’s up?”
Flametail shook snow from his paws. “I can’t find any fresh herbs,” he sighed. “Not even nettles.”
The rest of the patrol caught up. “Need help?” Ratscar offered.
“We’ve got time,” Snowbird explained. “The prey’s hiding, too.”
Pinepaw leaned over Flametail’s shoulder. “What are you doing?”
Flametail’s nose twitched. He smelled something green on the apprentice’s pelt. He twisted and sniffed harder.
“Do you mind?” Pinepaw ducked away. “I washed this morning!”
“Where’ve you been?” Flametail demanded.
Pinepaw jerked her head toward the trail they had left in the snow. “Near the larch.”
Tigerheart purred. “Pinepaw fell into a snow drift.”
“There were brambles underneath it,” Pinepaw complained. “I’ve got prickles in my fur.”
“Brambles beneath the snow?” Flametail felt his spirits soar. “That’s why I can smell fresh borage on your fur!”
Snowbird narrowed her eyes. “I think your littermate’s gone pigeon-brained,” she murmured to Tigerheart.
“Flametail knows what he’s doing.” Tigerheart flicked his tail at his brother. “Don’t you?”
“The brambles will have kept the snow off the borage leaves,” Flametail explained. “They won’t be frost-scorched.”
Ratscar padded forward. “I’ll show you where we were.”
But Flametail was already hurrying back along his Clanmates’ trail. “Don’t worry,” he called. “I can follow your paw prints.”
“You won’t have trouble finding where Pinepaw fell!” Tigerheart called after him. “The hole’s big enough to hide a hare.”
Flametail trotted along the tracks left by his Clanmates, his fur pricking with excitement when he saw a drift rise in front of him, the snow dented where Pinepaw had fallen into it. He burrowed through, ignoring the cold that stung his paws, until he felt the first stab of bramble. Wincing, he drew back the stems and saw, safely sheltered, the dark green leaf of unscorched borage.
Thank StarClan!He nipped off as many leaves as he could reach, then shuffled backward out of the snowy burrow. But worry still pricked his pelt. If only it had been catmint or even tansy. Borage was only good for easing fever. It didn’t drive out infection, and Littlecloud’s lungs were thick with it. What if his sickness turned to greencough? With no catmint, Flametail would be helpless.
He pushed the thought away. Enjoy StarClan’s blessings,he reminded himself.
Flametail headed for the camp. He liked the cold, crisp weather, and though it made his paws ache, he enjoyed the crunch of snow.
“Flametail!”
As he ducked through the camp entrance, Tawnypelt hurried to meet him. “You’ve found herbs!” She licked him roughly on the cheek. “Well done!”
Flametail screwed up his face, reminding himself that he was lucky to have such affectionate kin. Sometimes at Gatherings he glimpsed Breezepelt eyeing Crowfeather and Nightcloud with undisguised rage. Crowfeather and Nightcloud never noticed; they were usually too busy exchanging harsh words between themselves.
“You’re looking thin,” Tawnypelt fretted.
Flametail shrugged. His jaws were too crammed with borage to speak. Of course he looked thin. It was leaf-bare.
Tawnypelt glanced toward the medicine den. “You’d better go to him. He’s been coughing again.”
Flametail brushed his mother’s cheek with his tail as he hurried away. The medicine den smelled of infection. Flame-tail dropped the borage beside the store. “You should be in your nest.”
Littlecloud was slowly sorting leaves at the back of the den. The fresh herbs were piled on one side; the dry were pushed to the other. “There’s no feverfew at all,” he sighed.
“Let me help,” Flametail offered.
“I can manage.” Littlecloud burst into a fit of coughing, which sent the dried leaves fluttering over the den floor.
Flametail gently steered the medicine cat to his nest. “I’ll find the comfrey and take it to the elders’ den,” he promised.
“Stupid cough,” Littlecloud grumbled as he climbed into the moss. He looked relieved as he sank into its softness. “It’ll clear up in a day or two.”
“Of course.” Flametail padded to the herbs. Littlecloud had been saying the same thing for days. He’d been too sick to travel to the Moonpool again, and he was no better now.
Flametail had been secretly relieved that Littlecloud hadn’t gone to the Moonpool, because he hadn’t gone, either. Raggedstar had told them to stay away from the other medicine cats. With Littlecloud too sick to travel, Flametail could obey Raggedstar without arguing with his mentor. When half-moon had come, Flametail had gone alone into the forest and waited out the night in the shelter of a hollow log.
He started tidying the leaves that Littlecloud’s cough had scattered.
“Have you had any dreams?” Littlecloud asked suddenly.
Flametail began to roll a wad of comfrey ready for Tallpoppy. “No.”
“What about when you went to the Moonpool at half-moon?”
Flametail stiffened. “It was the same as before. We must stand alone.”
A growl sounded in Littlecloud’s throat. “Why are you lying?”
Flametail stopped rolling the comfrey. “Lying?” he echoed, trying to keep his voice calm.
“About going to the Moonpool.” Littlecloud’s nest rustled. “I’ve been waiting for a quarter moon for you to tell me the truth.” He coughed hard. “When you got back, there was no scent of water or stone or the other medicine cats on you. Only damp wood and fear.”
Flametail turned to face his mentor. “I’m sorry.” He meant it. He searched for the right words to explain what was going on. “Raggedstar told me to stay away from the other medicine cats, remember? I’ll go to the Moonpool alone if you like.”
“Why are you so sure you interpreted your vision correctly?” Littlecloud challenged.
“There was nothing to interpret!” Flametail swallowed against the frustration rising in his throat. “Raggedstar was clear. War is coming. We must rely on our ancestors to guide us through it. No one else!”
“But Blackstar agrees with me. We must be cautious.”
Flametail flexed his claws. “I’m a medicine cat. I answer first to StarClan!”
“If war is coming, alliances may be our only hope!” Littlecloud’s mew was growing hoarse. “Joining forces with the other Clans kept us alive on the Great Journey, and before that it helped us to defeat Scourge and BloodClan.”
Flametail stared at his mentor. “That was then. This is now. Times have changed.”
“The warrior code never changes.”
“We’re not warriors!” Flametail snapped. “We’re medicine cats.”
Littlecloud stared back with wide, milky eyes. A cough seized him and shook his body. Flametail rushed to Littlecloud’s nest and began to massage his scrawny chest with both paws, trying to ease the tightness he could hear in the cough. He hated arguing with his mentor. Especially when he was sick. Littlecloud had taught him everything he knew, and he trusted him with his life. But Littlecloud hadn’t shared the vision of flame. It had been given to Flametail alone.
Flametail jerked away. Why had StarClan shared the warning only with him? He watched Littlecloud being racked with coughs. Was the old medicine cat going to die? Grief hollowed Flametail’s belly. He began rubbing Littlecloud’s back more urgently.
Gradually the coughing eased. Littlecloud lay back in his nest, fighting for breath. “You must always be honest with me,” he rasped.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about not going to the Moonpool.” Flametail smoothed Littlecloud’s clumped fur with a paw. “I didn’t want to upset you.” He met his mentor’s anxious gaze. “But I couldn’t disobey StarClan.”
Littlecloud nodded. “I understand,” he croaked. “I only ask for the truth.”
“Now you have it.” Flametail straightened. “We must stand alone. Raggedstar has made that clear, and I’m going to honor his wish.”
“Must I?” Littlecloud asked. “I’ve had no dreams. No visions. I’ve no reason to abandon old friends.” His voice was hardly a whisper.
“Are you thinking of Cinderpelt?” Flametail knew of the close bond between the two medicine cats.
Littlecloud’s eyes glistened.
Flametail leaned closer. “She’s dead,” he murmured. “Jayfeather is ThunderClan’s medicine cat now. He’s not Cinderpelt. He’ll want to fight alone if StarClan wishes it.”
“Jayfeather can do what he likes!” Littlecloud propped himself up with a groan. “Cinderpelt saved my life once. That act bonded us closer than friends. I will not abandon the Clan she loved until that debt is repaid.”
The stems around the entrance rustled, and Rowanclaw poked his head in. “Flametail?” he called. “Blackstar wants to see you.”
Littlecloud tried to clamber out of his nest.
“Just Flametail,” Rowanclaw told the medicine cat. “Blackstar heard you coughing. He wants you to rest.”
Littlecloud growled with frustration but sank back into the soft moss.
“I’ll tell you what he says,” Flametail promised, and hurried after Rowanclaw. As he crossed the clearing, he felt pelts brush either side of him. He slowed, puzzled. Rowanclaw was leading. No other cat was near.
Warm scents wreathed his pelt. Russetfur and Sagewhisker!He heard their voices, a soft wind in his ears.
“Stay strong!”
“We are with you!”
He nodded and padded into Blackstar’s den, leaving the ghostly warriors to the breeze.
“Have you had any more signs?” Blackstar was pacing the cramped den. His tail whipped behind him.
Flametail leaned out of the way. “Nothing,” he reported.
“Then why am I having such bad dreams?” Blackstar fixed him with a troubled gaze. “Every night I toss and turn, my dreams filled with blood and violence and death.”
Flametail blinked. The old leader looked haunted, darkness rimming his eyes.
“What dangers do we face?” Blackstar demanded. “Will ShadowClan be destroyed?” He peered through the entrance, anguish sharpening his mew. “When you visited the Moonpool after the battle with ThunderClan, you spoke of a war coming. Who threatens us? ThunderClan? WindClan? RiverClan? All of them? How should we face them? What do our ancestors say?”
Flametail dipped his head. “I told you what they said. We must face the danger alone. Allies will weaken us. So long as we stand alone, we’ll be safe.”
Hope lightened Blackstar’s eyes. “Really?”
“Yes.” Flametail looked down at his paws. “We’ll be fine.” The words sounded hollow, but he had to calm Blackstar. How could they face any battle if their leader lost his nerve?
Blackstar turned away. “We can fight this. We’ll be fine.” The ShadowClan leader had disappeared into his own thoughts. Flametail backed out of the den.
“I hear you found herbs.”
Rowanclaw’s mew made him jump. “Herbs?” he echoed.
“This morning,” Rowanclaw pressed. “Tawnypelt said you brought borage back. Do you want help to collect more?”
Flametail shook out his pelt, clearing his mind. “Yes,” he meowed. “That’s a good idea.”
Rowanclaw scanned the snowy clearing. “Toadfoot! Dawnpelt!” The two warriors were patching the nursery wall with leaves. Rowanclaw signaled to them with his tail. “I have a task for you.”
“What is it?” Dawnpelt reached her father first.
Rowanclaw purred. “Flametail’s found a supply of borage. We should collect it while the leaves are still green.”
“There may be other herbs that have been protected from the snow,” Flametail added. “We must hunt under every bramble.”
Toadfoot shuddered. “We’ll be sleeping with scratched pelts tonight.”
“Not if we’re careful.” Dawnpelt was staring into space. “In fact, I have an idea.”
“Lift it higher!” Dawnpelt called from beneath a clump of brambles.
Toadfoot groaned as he heaved the stick up with his front paws, balancing on his rear legs and levering the prickly stems from the ground until they were high enough for Flametail and Dawnpelt to squeeze underneath.
“Don’t let it drop!” Dawnpelt warned as she wriggled farther under the brambles.
“I won’t,” Toadfoot puffed.
Flametail followed his sister, his belly scraping the frozen earth. The top brambles were weighted with snow, but here at ground level the stems were bare, and he could see green shoots sprouting among them. “Can you reach?” he mewed to Dawnpelt.
“I think so.” She stretched out her forepaws and began plucking the leaves. “Here.” She passed a pawful back to Flametail. It was coltsfoot. Even if he couldn’t cure Littlecloud, he’d have some way to ease his breathing.
He gathered the leaves Dawnpelt passed him until he was holding a satisfying, green-scented wad between his paws. “Any more?” he called.
“That’s it,” Dawnpelt answered.
Flametail squirmed backward, out from under the brambles, and shook the prickles from his pelt. Toadfoot was panting with the effort of levering the bush up. Flametail dropped the coltsfoot and put his paws under the stick, next to his Clanmate. Together they held the brambles high until Dawnpelt wriggled out.
Flametail gazed happily at the pile of coltsfoot. “That supply should keep us going for a moon, so long as there aren’t too many coughs.”
“Let’s try another bush!” Dawnpelt circled excitedly, scanning the trees. “What about that one over there?” She hared toward another snow-covered thicket.
Toadfoot rolled his eyes. “I guess I’m carrying the stick.” He picked up the sturdy pine branch in his teeth and began to drag it after Dawnpelt.
Suddenly, Flametail heard a sharp crack. Dawnpelt stumbled as ice split underneath her paws. As she started to fall, Flametail felt a rush of dread.
Plunged into a vision, he found himself floundering in freezing black water. It sucked him down, clutching at his fur, filling his ears and mouth. He gasped for breath, and water flooded his chest. Gagging and coughing, he fought his way up, flailing for the surface. His claws hit ice. It blocked the air, trapping him underwater, forcing him back into the sucking depths. Terror roared in his ears as he scrabbled to break it. He felt his claws rip against the smooth surface, and his lungs screamed.
“No!”Flametail hurled himself at Dawnpelt before she could sink through the ice. He knocked her into the snow at the side of the trail.
“What in the name of StarClan are you doing?” she yelped, and pushed him off, scrabbling to find her paws. “Have you gone crazy?”
In the center of the path, a small circle of ice had cracked to reveal a muddy puddle, barely more than a leaf’s thickness deep.
“Were you afraid I was going to get my paws wet?” Dawnpelt demanded.
Flametail stared at the puddle, his flanks heaving. “I  .  .  . I  .  .  .” The vision crowded his thoughts, and he could think of nothing but being trapped under that ice in freezing, choking water.
Flametail backed away. Why had a puddle triggered such a vivid vision? He shivered. First fire, now water. He was seeing danger everywhere.
“I know,” he whispered to StarClan. “You don’t have to keep reminding me.”
He must concentrate on what was important right now. Littlecloud was sick. He had to find herbs to keep his Clanmates strong and healthy. Visions could wait.
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
The roof of the elders’ dencreaked under the weight of snow. Jayfeather winced. “I hope it holds,” he muttered.
“The old den would have been flattened.” Beside him, Purdy’s fur brushed against bark. “But now, with the honeysuckle woven around the beech branches, this den is strong enough to hold off a hollowful of snow.”
Mousefur turned in her nest. “It’s the thaw I’m not looking forward to. At least the snow is dry now. When it starts dripping through the roof—”
Purdy cut her off. “When the thaw comes, you’ll get wet. Like you do every leaf-bare.” His tail swished. “Cats that live wild get wet. Not even your StarClan can change that.”
Jayfeather touched his muzzle to Mousefur’s. “Hold still,” he ordered as she pulled away. He smelled her breath. It wasn’t sour, and her nose was cool. He listened to her chest, unsure whether the wheezing was infection or just age. Yet it was sunhigh, and the old she-cat was still in her nest. “Are you sure you don’t have a sore throat?” he asked again.
“I’m sure,” Mousefur grunted.
“Any aching in your joints?”
“Only the usual.”
Jayfeather frowned. Why had she refused to play moss-ball with Molekit this morning? He turned to Purdy. “Let me know if she starts coughing.”
“I’ll fetch you myself,” the old loner promised.
Jayfeather nosed his way through the honeysuckle tendrils, shivering as his paws touched snow in the clearing. The big catch Lionblaze’s patrol had made had fed the Clan for days, but now the fresh-kill pile was pitifully empty, and Sandstorm’s whitecough was beginning to spread. First, Jayfeather had confined Bumblestripe to his nest after coughing and fever gripped the young warrior during the night. Then Poppyfrost had sent Blossomfall to the medicine den.
“She says Cherrykit’s got a fever,” Blossomfall had told him.
“Tell her I’ll come as soon as I’ve checked on Mousefur.”
As Thornclaw led his patrol out of camp, Jayfeather headed for the nursery, praying that Poppyfrost was just being overanxious. Rasping breath caught his ear. He paused. “Is that you, Mousewhisker?”
“Yes,” the warrior croaked from the edge of the clearing.
“Get to your nest and stay there.” Jayfeather crossed the clearing, not waiting for the warrior to object. There was no time for argument. The infection was spreading. He’d moved Sandstorm to the medicine den. She couldn’t stay with Firestar. ThunderClan needed its leader to be healthy. Jayfeather sent a silent prayer to StarClan. Please don’t let Briarlight catch it.
“Jayfeather!” Poppyfrost’s mew sounded from the entrance to the nursery. As the warmth of the den surrounded him, tiny claws bit into his back.
“Get off him, Molekit!” Daisy’s stern mew sounded from her nest.
Molekit slid down Jayfeather’s back. “Just practicing my attack pounce!”
Poppyfrost bustled past Jayfeather. “Go and practice outside,” she told the young kit.
“Can Cherrykit come?” he mewed.
Jayfeather cuffed him gently with a soft paw. “Maybe later. I need to check her first.”
As Molekit tumbled out of the den, Poppyfrost put her mouth against Jayfeather’s ear. “She feels hot,” she murmured.
Jayfeather leaned into the nest and touched Cherrykit’s small muzzle with his own. “She is a bit warm.” He pressed an ear to her chest. “Her breathing is clear, though.”
“I feel fine,” Cherrykit squeaked. “Can I go and play with Molekit?”
“Does she need herbs?” Poppyfrost’s mew was tight with worry.
“Not yet.” Jayfeather wanted to preserve his small supply for as long as possible. “Send her out to play in the snow with Molekit.”
Poppyfrost gasped. “Outside?”
“The best thing you can do is to keep her cool,” Jayfeather advised. “The snow will do that as long as her breathing is clear.” He nosed Cherrykit out of the nest. “If you start to feel sick,” he told the kit, “come inside and rest.” He turned to Poppyfrost. “Call me if she starts to cough or wheeze.”
Jayfeather slid out of the nursery and headed back to his den to check on Sandstorm. “How are you?” he meowed as he leaned into the orange warrior’s makeshift nest.
“I’ve felt better,” Sandstorm admitted.
Jayfeather touched a pad to her ears, worried to find them hotter than ever. He turned away from the nest and began pulling herbs from his store. There must be more feverfew somewhere. His chest tightened as he felt the dried leaves and sniffed. Nothing good for coughs.
The brambles rustled, and a fresh tang filled the air. Yarrow?
“You forgot to bring these in.” Rosepetal’s muffled mew sounded at the den entrance. Leaves thumped gently on the floorIt is yarrow!Yarrow never survived the first frost.
Jayfeather hurried over to sniff the pile of leaves. “Where did you find these?” There might be other herbs nearby.
“They were lying outside the camp, near the thorns,” Rosepetal mewed. “I thought you’d dropped them.”
Jayfeather frowned. “Not me.”
“Well, someone did.” Rosepetal’s paw brushed the yarrow, and bitter scent drifted up. “Perhaps it was Leafpool,” she suggested.
“Maybe.” Leafpool had been scouring the forest for days. She was so tired that it was possible she had dropped some leaves and forgotten about them. “I’ll go thank her.” Jayfeather brushed past Rosepetal and pushed through the brambles.
Leafpool was tumbling with the kits outside the nursery. Her pelt smelled of the forest, but there was no scent of yarrow on her.
Jayfeather crossed the clearing. “Thanks!” he called.
Leafpool paused. “Thanks?”
“For the herbs.”
“What herbs?”
“The yarrow leaves,” Jayfeather explained. “Rosepetal found them outside the camp. We figured you’d picked them and dropped them there.”
“It wasn’t me.” Leafpool’s tail-tip brushed the snow as she walked toward him. “Maybe it was one of the other cats?”
Jayfeather twisted and called toward his den. “Rosepetal?”
The young cat came bounding out. “What?”
“Show me where you found the yarrow.”
He followed Rosepetal through the thorn barrier. “Here,” she announced, stopping in the narrow clearing outside, between the hollow and the trees.
Jayfeather sniffed the ground. No scent of any cat. Just yarrow and snow.
“Perhaps a warrior found leaves and hoped they’d be useful,” Rosepetal suggested. “They may have been on patrol and planned to tell you later.”
“Maybe.” Jayfeather shrugged. “If no one mentions it, I’ll ask Firestar to thank whoever found it at the next Clan meeting.” Pushing his curiosity aside, he headed back into the hollow.
“Jayfeather!”
Thornclaw’s yowl made him stop. “What is it?” Jayfeather tasted the air. “Mothwing, is that you?” Thornclaw and Spiderleg were accompanying the RiverClan medicine cat down the slope to the hollow.
“We found her by the shore,” Thornclaw reported. “She wants to speak with you.”
Mothwing snorted and broke away from her escort. “Thanks for your company,” she muttered. “I think I could have found my own way here.”
Spiderleg’s pelt sparked. “We were just trying to help.”
Jayfeather flicked his tail. “I’m sure she’s grateful.” He padded past the warrior, nudging Mothwing along with him. “Let’s go to the lake. My den is full.”
“Sickness?” Mothwing followed him up the slope.
“Whitecough.” Jayfeather wrinkled his nose at the scent of fish on her breath. “Only Sandstorm so far, but possibly three more.”
As Mothwing sighed, he wondered if he should warn her that StarClan was trying to divide the Clans. After all, she had no connection with StarClan. They had no power over her. But he couldn’t forget Yellowfang’s words. Or his vision.
“How’s Briarlight?” Mothwing asked.
“She’s shaken off the infection.”
“Good.”
“Her forepaws are as strong as any warrior,” Jayfeather went on. “They’ll be stronger if she keeps on with her exercises.”
“It’s going to be a long hard path for her,” Mothwing warned.
“Once it becomes the only path she knows, it won’t seem so hard.” The lake breeze stung Jayfeather’s nose as he reached the crest of the slope. He hurried on, breaking from the trees and bounding down the snowy slope. He wanted to stay a few paw steps ahead of Mothwing. It was too easy to fall into the old bond of friendship.
He plunged down the bank, shocked as snow swallowed him up. It had piled along the shore, and he coughed as it shot up his nose. Sneezing, he struggled toward the water’s frozen edge until he was free of the drift. “I wish it would thaw,” he spluttered to Mothwing.
She lumbered through the snow and settled beside him. “It’s just getting colder,” she observed. “We’re having trouble stopping the kits from playing on the ice. I had to treat three sprained paws yesterday.”
Has she just come to gossip about kits?Jayfeather let his thoughts drift into hers.
Her mind seemed empty. He was wasting his time. “What do you want?” he snapped. “I don’t have all day.”
A purr rolled in her throat. “Blunt as ever.” She pawed at the snow, then lowered her voice. “Willowshine told me that StarClan has ordered us to stop talking to the other medicine cats.”
“Then why are you talking to me?”
“I want to know if they told you the same thing.”
Yellowfang’s matted outline suddenly shimmered at the edge of Jayfeather’s awareness. His pelt pricked as he sensed the old medicine cat’s presence. “I’m not telling you what StarClan shares with me,” he grunted.
“Then they havetold you the same!”
Jayfeather bit back a reply as Mothwing pressed on. “They told you to stop talking to me, and you have!” Her tail scraped the snow. “If StarClan told you to jump in the lake, would you?”
Jayfeather bristled. “That’s not the same.”
“Really?” Mothwing leaned closer. “How many times has another Clan helped us save our Clanmates?”
Jayfeather shrugged.
“They’re asking us to stop doing something that medicine cats have done since the Clans were born. They’re asking us to let cats die. Have they gone mad?”
“Remember to hold your tongue.” Yellowfang’s rasping mew sounded in Jayfeather’s ear. “If you don’t keep quiet, all four Clans will be lost to the darkness.”
“They’re StarClan,” he muttered. “They have their reasons.”
“What reasons?” Mothwing growled. Her fishy breath billowed in his face. “You don’t know, do you?”
He pulled away. “I can’t explain it to you.”
“I know when something feels wrong,” she argued. “Our code is different from the warrior code. It reaches across boundaries. To us, every cat is simply that—a cat, with the same right to life as any other. We made a promise to heal and protect, remember?”
“Then protect your Clanmates,” Jayfeather snapped back. “But leave mine alone.”
“What if Sandstorm’s whitecough turns to greencough?” Mothwing’s muzzle was close to his again. “Could you let her die because StarClan told you to?”
“They have their reasons.” Jayfeather dug his claws into the snow.
“They’re just dead warriors!” Mothwing hissed. “Do you think that when they die, they get clever and brave? Don’t you realize that some of them may be as foolish and wrong-headed as they were when they were alive?”
Jayfeather wrinkled his nose against Yellowfang’s rancid breath. He felt her matted pelt snag his. She hadn’t changed a whisker when she’d joined StarClan. A growl rumbled in his throat. “You’ve never met a warrior from StarClan,” he spat. “You’re just guessing.”
“So are they!”
Yellowfang growled beside him. “Mothwing was born an idiot. She’ll die an idiot.”
Jayfeather turned away. “You won’t convince me.”
Mothwing let out a slow, frustrated breath. “Okay, okay!” She bounded after him, spraying him with snow. “Do you need herbs for whitecough? I’ve got tansy and catmint—not much, but enough to share if you’re desperate.”
“No, thank you.” Jayfeather forced out the words as he clambered up the bank.
Mothwing halted behind him. “If you do, come find me.”
“I won’t.” Jayfeather trudged up the slope. The snow on the shore crunched as Mothwing headed back toward the WindClan border.
The icy wind tugged at Jayfeather’s fur. “Happy now?” he growled to Yellowfang. But she had vanished.
He broke into a run, bounding up the slope and into the trees. His paws followed the trail home, and his lungs stung harder with each frosty breath, until he skidded, panting, to a halt outside the thorn barrier.
Poppyfrost met him when he wove his way through. “Cherrykit can’t breathe!”
Jayfeather pushed past the queen and hurried across the clearing. He could hear the kit’s paws scuffing the snow outside the nursery.
Anxiety sparked from Daisy. “We kept her outside like you told us, but now she’s wheezing.”
Jayfeather stopped Cherrykit with a flick of his tail and pressed his ear to her flank. There was thickness in her chest that rattled every time she breathed in. “Has she been coughing?” he asked Poppyfrost.
“A little,” the queen answered.
“Take her inside.”
“What about the fresh air?” Daisy demanded.
“She needs rest now.” Jayfeather nosed Cherrykit toward her mother. “Wash her. Keep her damp. It’ll keep her cool.”
Cherrykit yelped with indignation as Poppyfrost scooped her up and squeezed into the nursery.
Daisy trotted after Jayfeather as he headed for his den. “Are you fetching herbs for her?”
“I will, if she gets worse.”
“Why not now?”
Jayfeather turned. “I don’t have enough,” he hissed under his breath.
“What about the leaves Rosepetal brought in?”
“That was yarrow,” Jayfeather explained. “Only good for expelling poison.”
“But whoever found those leaves might be able to find tansy or catmint.”
“When I find out who it was, I’ll ask them.” Jayfeather wanted to get back to his den and check Sandstorm.
“Is something wrong with Cherrykit?” Sorreltail was hurrying toward them.
“Just a little wheezing,” Jayfeather told her.
“Is Cherrykit sick?” Jayfeather prickled with frustration as Dovepaw dropped a sour-smelling squirrel and joined them.
“Just some wheezing!” he repeated.
Daisy’s tail swished. “He sent Mousewhisker to his nest earlier because he was coughing.”
“And Bumblestripe was coughing half the night,” Sorreltail added.
Leafpool’s mew sounded close by. “Sandstorm hasn’t left the medicine den all morning.”
Was the whole Clan going to join in? Jayfeather lashed his tail. “Stop worrying! I can—”
Dovepaw cut Jayfeather off. “There’s greencough in ShadowClan,” she mewed.
Leafpool’s breathing quickened.
“Greencough?” Daisy’s mew was barely a whisper.
Jayfeather thrust his muzzle toward Dovepaw. “How bad is it?”
Dovepaw’s pads brushed the snow as she shifted her paws. “J-just Littlecloud.” Her mew was suddenly awkward.
“No one else?” Jayfeather pressed. She must have been listening in to the ShadowClan camp. He knew how uncomfortable she was about spying on other cats.
“No.”
“Good.” He flicked his tail. He needed to distract the others before they started wondering how Dovepaw knew what was going on in ShadowClan. “Why don’t you and Sorreltail fetch Cherrykit a wet moss ball?” he suggested to Daisy. “And Dovepaw, put that stinky old squirrel on the fresh-kill pile before someone trips over it.” He headed toward the medicine den
Leafpool followed him. “What are you going to do?”
“About what?”
She was almost treading on his heels. “About Littlecloud?”
“Pray to StarClan.”
“Is that all?”
“What else am I supposed to do?”
“Help him!” Leafpool’s mew was sharp.
“Why?”
“You’re a medicine cat!”
Jayfeather halted and faced Leafpool. She didn’t know that StarClan had ordered him to cut ties with the other medicine cats, and he wasn’t about to tell her. When she’d given up being a medicine cat, she’d given up the right to share with StarClan. But he understood her. He’d shared tongues and gossip with Littlecloud at the Moonpool enough times to have formed a bond with the old ShadowClan cat. He lowered his voice. “There’s enough sickness here without worrying about other Clans,” he murmured. “My supplies are low. I need every scrap to treat our Clanmates.”
Leafpool didn’t reply. Her silence made his pelt prick. “There is nothing I can do, even if I wanted to,” he hissed. He turned and headed for his den.
Could you let a cat die because StarClan told you to?Mothwing’s words echoed in his ears.
Leafpool’s gaze burned his pelt. Jayfeather could see her thoughts, clear as dreaming. They were focused on the patch of herbs he’d nursed beside the old Twoleg nest. Would she steal them to help Littlecloud?
No!
Yet he couldn’t risk it. Her connection with Littlecloud was long and deep. He veered away from the medicine den, tasting the air. Brambleclaw was below Highledge, talking with Spiderleg and Berrynose.
“Brambleclaw?” He padded toward the ThunderClan deputy.
“Yes?”
“I need to ask you something,” Jayfeather whispered.
“What?” Brambleclaw lowered his voice.
“There’s sickness in the camp,” Jayfeather began. “Only whitecough, but that’s enough. The herb patches I’ve grown are more precious than ever. I want you to post a guard around them.”
“A guard?” Surprise sharpened Brambleclaw’s mew. “You don’t think anyone would steal them?”
“There’s sickness in ShadowClan, too,” Jayfeather explained. “They know about the herbs. They were planning to take our territory to get their paws on them, remember?”
Brambleclaw’s tail swished through the air. “That was part of Ivypaw’s dream,” he growled.
“Exactly,” Jayfeather meowed. Ivypaw’s dream may not have come from any cat in StarClan, but maybe it had its uses after all. “And the forest is full of starving prey who might be grateful for a few juicy stems.”
“Berrynose! Spiderleg!” Brambleclaw summoned the two warriors. “Do you know where Jayfeather’s herb patches are, beside the Twoleg nest?”
“I do,” Spiderleg answered.
“I want them guarded, day and night.”
Jayfeather stepped forward. “No cat or prey must get near them,” he urged. “They’re too precious to lose.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll keep them safe!” Berrynose bounded away.
“I’ll send a relief patrol at sundown,” Brambleclaw called as the two warriors pounded across the clearing.
Jayfeather closed his eyes. The Dark Forest was growing in strength. The cats in StarClan were frightened. And now he didn’t trust his Clanmates. The ground seemed to rock beneath his paws.
“I must stay strong,” he murmured to himself. “I must stay strong.”
Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Sandstorm was coughing. Lionblaze broke offfrom his work patching the elders’ den and glanced at her as she crouched with her shoulders hunched beneath Highledge. She’d been coughing last night, too.
Firestar leaped down the rocks and touched his mate’s head with his muzzle. “Are you okay?”
“Just swallowed a snowflake,” Sandstorm rasped.
Lionblaze pushed another pawful of leaves into a gap in the branches. Though it was sunhigh, the hollow was gray under a gray sky. More snow had fallen in the past days, weighing down the beech tree so that the freshly built walls creaked and buckled, sprouting holes and cracks. Lionblaze had been working all morning to fill them in and stop the icy drafts that sliced through the new dens. Toadstep and Birchfall had been bringing leaves into camp, their paws muddy where they’d dug through the snow to scrape them from the frozen forest floor.
Birchfall dropped another pile at Lionblaze’s paws. Toadstep paced behind him, trying to keep warm. “Do you need more?”
Both warriors were out of breath. Their pelts clung to their bones. Prey had been scarce for nearly half a moon, and the Clan was lucky to eat a few mouthfuls a day.
Lionblaze scooped up a pawful of frostbitten foliage. “If you can find more, I’ll be able to patch the back of the den, too.”
Birchfall nodded and led Toadstep back out of camp.
“Make sure you patch it up well!” Mousefur’s reedy mew sounded through the den wall. “I hardly slept last night, the den was so windy.”
Lionblaze purred. The fat water vole Ivypaw had brought back had restored Mousefur’s spirits. He scooped up another pawful of leaves and walked gingerly over the branches to the back of the den.
“Is Lionblaze in here?” Brambleclaw had stuck his head through the entrance.
“I’m in back.” Lionblaze dropped his leaves, jumped down to the ground, and hurried to meet the ThunderClan deputy. “What is it?”
Brambleclaw was shuffling backward out of the den. “I want you to lead a hunting patrol.”
Lionblaze wiped his leaf-clogged claws in the snow. “Great. Where?”
“In the woods near the WindClan border.”
Mousefur’s head appeared in the den entrance. “What about the drafts?”
Brambleclaw dipped his head. “Birchfall and Toadstep can finish the job.”
Lionblaze narrowed his eyes. “Is it wise to hunt near the border?” he ventured. “WindClan has been touchy about it since they started hunting there themselves.”
Brambleclaw snorted. “That’s precisely why we should make our presence felt. They’ve chased prey across the scent line before. We don’t want them to make a habit of it.”
“I guess not.” Lionblaze saw the sense in what the deputy was suggesting.
“We’re not looking for trouble,” Brambleclaw went on. “But WindClan needs to know that ThunderClan is never far from the border line.”
Mousefur flexed her claws. “I don’t know why they couldn’t stick to hunting the moors like they did in the old days.” She turned and headed back into the warmth of the den, still grumbling. “WindClan hunting in woodland. What next? ShadowClan fishing in the lake?”
Brambleclaw waited for her to vanish inside. “Don’t look for trouble,” he told Lionblaze again. “But don’t hide from it either.”
Lionblaze fluffed out his pelt. “With any luck, we’ll catch a rabbit.” Rabbits sometimes strayed into the shelter of the forest when the weather hardened.
“A rabbit would be good.” Brambleclaw’s gaze strayed to the mouse and the scrawny robin that formed the fresh-kill pile. “Take Leafpool, Cinderheart, and Dovepaw,” he ordered.
Lionblaze’s heart sank. He’d been avoiding Cinderheart. Why had he told her his secret? Why had he believed she’d just accept it? Why couldn’tshe just accept it? His tail twitched. I haven’t changed! I’ve always had this power.He glanced across the clearing. He knew Cinderheart was there, sharing tongues with Leafpool. He stiffened as she whispered in Leafpool’s ear. What if she told someone? Would she give his secret away?
No!Lionblaze pushed away the worry. Cinderheart hadn’t changed, either—he still trusted her. “Is Ivypaw coming?”
Brambleclaw shook his head. “Jayfeather says she’s still fighting the infection in her scratches. He wants her in camp till she’s recovered.”
Lionblaze headed toward Cinderheart and Leafpool. He called to Dovepaw as he passed the medicine den. She’d gone to keep Briarlight company. She nosed her way out of the brambles and ran to catch up to him. “What is it?” she asked breathlessly as he reached Cinderheart and Leafpool.
“We’re hunting beside the WindClan border.”
Leafpool got to her paws. “And checking WindClan hasn’t strayed over it, I presume?”
Cinderheart stretched, her pelt ruffled from washing. She twisted to smooth a clump of fur with her tongue.
“We may as well get going.” Lionblaze glanced at Leafpool, surprised to find that she met his gaze. She seemed more confident lately. She was quick to offer help to Jayfeather, unflinching whether he accepted or rejected her advice. And she was stronger on patrols, too, often the first to catch prey or to point out where a border scent had grown stale.
Lionblaze scowled. Was she a medicine cat or a warrior now? How should he treat her? He shifted his paws. Was she his mother or his mother’s sister? He knew she’d kitted him, but she hadn’t raised him. Squirrelflight had done that. At least she had when Clan duties hadn’t kept her from the nursery. He shrugged. Daisy and Ferncloud had so often been the queens to warm and wash him; they felt as much like his mother as Squirrelflight, and far more so than Leafpool.
“So?” Leafpool’s mew shook him from his thoughts. “Are we going or not?”
“We’re going.”
Dovepaw was yawning.
“Why are you so tired all the time?” Lionblaze flashed with irritation.
Dovepaw blinked at him. “Sorry.” She scampered away and followed Cinderheart out of the camp. As Leafpool headed after them, Lionblaze felt a pang of guilt. He shouldn’t have snapped at Dovepaw. She was young. Perhaps her power was too strong for her.
He followed his patrol out of the camp. The smell of the forest pushed away his worries. Fresh snow had smoothed the trails and bushes. The woods looked untouched, and he plunged ahead of his Clanmates, giving in to the kitlike urge to be the first to spoil the soft snow. Cinderheart, Leafpool, and Dovepaw followed him in silence, their paw steps muffled.
As they neared the narrow stream that separated the territories, Lionblaze tasted the air, making sure that no WindClan cat had strayed over the scent line. The stream was hardly more than a frozen ditch filled with snow that left nothing except a dent in the forest floor, but the scent line was fresh, pungent with both WindClan and ThunderClan markers.
“Should I take Cinderheart and hunt up past the brambles?” Leafpool offered.
“We’ll cover more ground if we split up,” Cinderheart put in.
“Okay.” Lionblaze felt relieved. “Take Dovepaw, too.” She was yawning again. He’d be better off hunting alone.
As the patrol headed away, bounding past the brambles, Lionblaze sniffed a hawthorn bush on the edge of the ditch, hungry for signs of prey, watchful for WindClan scent.
Frosted snow cracked beyond the ditch, and Lionblaze jerked his head up. Breezepelt was snuffling his way along a trail of small paw prints. Crowfeather followed, ears pricked, fur bristling along his spine.
Lionblaze ducked lower behind the bush. They didn’t know he was there. Through the bare stems of the hawthorn, he watched the WindClan cats, skinny and shivering, as they followed the tracks. They weren’t even trying to keep low. Did they imagine they were hidden by heather here? Mouse-brains!
A shower of snow spattered from the branches overhead. The WindClan cats looked up, their eyes gleaming. Lionblaze could hear the flicker of feathers, and without looking he knew that a thrush was near. He opened his mouth and let the scent bathe his tongue. More snow dropped. Then the thrush fluttered down. It landed beside a larch cone and began to peck for bugs between the bracts. Crowfeather stiffened. Breezepelt tensed. Only their tail-tips twitched. The thrush carried on pecking.
Then Breezepelt leaped. His paws thrust snow out behind him. The thrush exploded into the air, squawking an alarm. Breezepelt shot after it, paws outstretched. He leaped into the air, batting the thrush with a deadly swipe. It bounced from his grasp and shot across the ditch.
Lionblaze sprang out to meet it and swatted at the thrush mid-flight. It fell to the ground, dead.
“Hey!” Breezepelt’s outraged mew shrieked across the ditch. “That was mine!”
“It’s on my territory.” Lionblaze crouched over his catch, his mouth watering. One less piece of fresh-kill for WindClan, one more for ThunderClan. He looked at Crowfeather, the cat who’d made Leafpool betray her Clan. Lionblaze would never admit that this cat was his father. Your WindClan son couldn’t even keep hold of his catch.
“I killed it.” Breezepelt’s growl sounded like a challenge
“Are you sure?” Lionblaze lifted his chin and stared at the WindClan warrior. “Why don’t you come and fetch it, then?”
Breezepelt flicked his tail. In one jump, he had crossed the ditch and slammed into Lionblaze.
Lionblaze suddenly felt alive. His fur bushed up as he fell under the WindClan warrior’s weight. When Breezepelt’s claws tried to hook into his flesh, Lionblaze reared and shook him off like a fly. Then he turned and leaped on top of him, trapping him between his front paws.
“ThunderClan slime!” Breezepelt slithered out of his grip, swiping wildly with all four feet.
Lionblaze’s whiskers twitched. This was too easy. Swinging a paw, he thumped Breezepelt heavily across the cheek. The WindClan warrior staggered and fell, then heaved himself up. “That was my thrush,” he spat. With a lightning-fast swipe, he knocked Lionblaze’s hind paws from under him.
Lionblaze gasped, taken by surprise, and collapsed into the snow. He felt Breezepelt’s teeth land in his shoulder. Raging, Lionblaze thrashed like a fish on the slippery snow. Finding a paw hold, he heaved himself to his paws and thrust Breezepelt clear with another hefty blow. Blood spattered onto the snow like crimson rain.
“Stop it!”
Leafpool’s high-pitched shriek shattered the freezing air as she plunged through the bracken with Cinderheart and Dovepaw behind her. “How can you watch your sons fight?” she screeched at Crowfeather.
Before Crowfeather could reply, his mate, Nightcloud, stalked from the shadows beyond the border. Her black pelt matched Breezepelt’s, and her amber eyes glittered with the same venom. “He only has one son.” Hatred laced her hiss. “Crowfeather is Breezepelt’s father. No one else’s!”
Breezepelt crouched down. Lionblaze could see his muscles bunching beneath his pelt, ready for another attack.
“Stop!” Leafpool shot between them.
Breezepelt’s lunge hit her square in the side. His claws tore her pelt as he dragged her to the ground. Another jet of blood sprayed the snow. Lionblaze stared in shock. Before he could reach for Breezepelt, Crowfeather had crossed the ditch and hauled his son off Leafpool.
He tossed him aside like prey and leaned over Leafpool. “You chose your Clan, remember?” he hissed.
She stared up at him. “That doesn’t mean I didn’t love you.”
Crowfeather’s eyes flashed with pain. “Maybe you did,” he growled. “But it wasn’t enough, was it?”
“Get away from her!” Nightcloud had crossed the ditch. She sank her claws into Crowfeather’s pelt and dragged him away from Leafpool.
Crowfeather turned on his mate, hissing. Breezepelt darted between them with a wail of protest. Lionblaze felt sick. He’s my brother. How can I fight my brother?
Breezepelt faced his father, tail bushed, lips drawn back. “Leave my mother alone.” The thrush had been forgotten. This was about a different kind of blood now, the sort that flowed in a cat’s veins, binding him to another.
Lionblaze shook his head, making his ears flap. These cats aren’t my kin.A few paces away, Leafpool heaved herself to her paws. Lionblaze glared at her. It’s her fault. She made this mess.Yet her eyes were shot with grief, and he suddenly felt her pain as though it were his own. She has suffered more than any of us.
Crowfeather, growling, turned away from Breezepelt and jumped the ditch back onto WindClan territory. “Come on,” he snarled. “If ThunderClan is going to starve without that puny bird, let them have it.” Breezepelt slunk after him, leaving a thin trail of blood in the snow.
Lionblaze fluffed out his fur. He hadn’t felt a scratch. Should he stop fighting Clan cats? It’s cheating.Dovepaw’s words echoed in his mind. Perhaps he should save his powers for the Dark Forest warriors.
Nightcloud leaped the ditch, then paused and turned back. “Next time we’ll shred you!” she spat.
Dovepaw darted forward. “Breezepelt started it!”
“Hush.” Cinderheart guided her away from the border, murmuring to Lionblaze as she passed, “Perhaps you shouldn’t have fought him.”
Dovepaw’s ears pricked. “Why not?”
Lionblaze narrowed his eyes. “Have you caught anything yet?” he asked his apprentice pointedly.
Dovepaw flicked her tail. “Not yet.”
“Then start hunting.” Lionblaze watched Dovepaw stamp away, then turned to Leafpool. “You should go back to the camp and get Jayfeather to look at your wounds,” he ordered. Leafpool dragged her gaze from the border and nodded.
Lionblaze waited till the two cats had disappeared past the brambles. “Why are you worried about a WindClan cat?” he hissed to Cinderheart.
“You could’ve really hurt him!”
Do you think I don’t know that?“I know what I’m doing!” he growled. “Stop treating me like a two-headed fox!”
Cinderheart stared at her paws. “Well, excuse me for not knowing how to handle this,” she muttered. “You’re the one who changed everything.”
Lionblaze stared at her. Tiredness swamped him like a black wave. “No,” he sighed. “This was all decided long before I was born.” He turned away. “Let’s hunt and go home. The Clan is hungry.”
Lionblaze stood back while Graystripe circled the fresh-kill pile, licking his lips. They’d brought back two rabbits, the thrush, and a grouse.
“We should hunt on the WindClan border more often,” the gray warrior purred.
Berrynose’s mouth fell open. “It looks like a pileagain!”
Lionblaze stared across the clearing. The good day’s hunting hadn’t eased the pain in his heart. Cinderheart hadn’t even looked at him since they’d talked, and Leafpool had hardly spoken to anyone. He watched Sandstorm coughing. The ginger she-cat was crouched beside the halfrock with Firestar. Brightheart was with them. “She should see Jayfeather,” she meowed.
“Really, it’s just snowflakes,” Sandstorm insisted.
Brightheart circled her. “We’re all breathing in snowflakes,” she fretted. “You’re the only one coughing.”
Firestar sniffed her. “Perhaps Jayfeather should check you out.”
Brightheart nodded. “It sounds like whitecough.” Firestar flashed the one-eyed warrior a sharp look. Brightheart twitched her tail. “If it iswhitecough, we need to know.”
Firestar leaned forward. “Keep your voice down!” Clearly he didn’t want the Clan worried.
“I’m going to fetch Jayfeather,” Brightheart decided. She hurried away to the medicine den.
“Well done, Lionblaze.” Brambleclaw sniffed the fresh-kill pile. “Poppyfrost should eat first, and the kits.”
“Briarlight will need some too,” Millie added.
Lionblaze rolled a rabbit distractedly with his paw. “There’ll be enough for everyone.”
Jayfeather was following Brightheart from his den. He stopped beside Sandstorm and leaned over her.
Lionblaze broke away from his Clanmates. “Is it whitecough?” he asked softly as he neared his brother.
“Shhh!” Jayfeather pressed his ear closer to Sandstorm’s flank. His tail quivered. “She’ll need rest.” He straightened. “And keep her warm.”
Brightheart shifted her paws. “So it iswhitecough.”
“It may be.” Jayfeather touched Sandstorm’s ear with a pad. “I’ll see if there’s any feverfew left.”
Lionblaze sat down. It was early in leaf-bare for whitecough. What if it spread? A flash of tabby pelt caught his eye. Leafpool was hurrying toward her mother.
“Sandstorm, what’s wrong?” Leafpool bent to sniff Sandstorm’s breath and looked up at Jayfeather. “We need tansy. I’ll go and find some.”
“It’s getting late.” Firestar rested his tail on Leafpool’s spine. “Why not wait till morning?”
“And where are you going to find tansy?” Brightheart shook her head in despair. “We’ve been scouring the forest for days.”
“There’s some in your herb patch beside the Twoleg nest,” Lionblaze offered.
Jayfeather stiffened.
Leafpool shook off Firestar’s tail. “I’ll fetch it!”
“It’s too delicate,” Jayfeather snapped. “If we pick it now, it may kill off the roots, and we’ll lose the whole plant.”
Leafpool snapped her head around to stare at him. “And if we don’t, Sandstorm might get worse!”
“She’s strong,” Jayfeather countered. “She may not need tansy. I don’t want to risk it.”
“Risk what?” Leafpool challenged. “The tansy or Sandstorm’s life?”
Firestar stepped forward. “It hasn’t come to that yet.”
Jayfeather kept his blind gaze fixed on Leafpool. “I’lldecide when to use the tansy,” he growled. “I’mthe medicine cat.”
Lionblaze tensed in the chilly silence. Snow creaked beneath his paws.
“Very well,” Leafpool meowed at last. “I’ll find some in the forest.” She turned and stalked away.
“Wait till the morning!” Firestar called.
Leafpool hesitated, then stalked to the warriors’ den and disappeared inside.
“Was there any sign of intruders on the border?”
“What?” Lionblaze looked up and saw Firestar staring at him. He’d forgotten to report the skirmish. “We met a WindClan patrol.”
Firestar’s eyes narrowed. “Did they cross the border?”
Lionblaze felt a rush of confusion. Yes, but only because he’d taunted his half brother. How would he explain that? “There was a small argument about a piece of prey that crossed the border,” he meowed at last. “Nothing we couldn’t handle.”
“Who won the prey?” Firestar asked.
“I did.”
Sandstorm started coughing again. Firestar wrapped his tail around his mate. “These disputes are bound to happen,” he meowed before turning his attention to Sandstorm.
If only it were that simple!Lionblaze closed his eyes. Today’s fight hadn’t been about prey, or hunger, or hunting rights. The tangling of relationships between the two Clans had caused the skirmish. It had poisoned feelings, not just between Clans but between Clanmates, weakening the Clan from within as cat turned against cat.
Perhaps Yellowfang was right. Perhaps each Clan should stand alone. When faced with such a treacherous enemy, they couldn’t risk letting anything distract them from the final battle
第十五章
第十五章
藤爪睁开了双眼。老鼠屎！此时还是晚上，可她仍待在学徒巢穴里。她想要去黑森林，将鹰霜昨晚教她的那些复杂的动作练得更为娴熟。她竖起了耳朵。
周围一片寂静。鸽爪不在她的窝里。
藤爪叹了口气，翻过身。难道鸽爪以为她不会被发现吗？她夜复一夜地消失，每天赶在黎明巡逻之前回来，还装出是从自己的窝里醒来、从未离开的样子。
我知道你在忙什么。藤爪将鼻子藏在尾巴下面，你偷偷地溜进森林里独自练习。你已经意识到我比你更强了，而你并不喜欢这样。
现在轮到鸽爪改变自己，奋起直追了。
藤爪闭上了眼睛，在脑海中想象枫荫的动作。如果我把一只后脚掌放这儿，一只前脚掌放那儿……她不知不觉进入了梦乡。
“回来，刺掌！你会受伤的。”她对自己的族猫吼道，然后转身独自面对着影族的巡逻队。只用一只脚掌，她便将橡毛从她肩上甩了出去。随后，她冲向烟足，同时蹬出后腿，抓伤了乌霜到处乱咬的嘴巴。
两只利爪出鞘的脚掌紧紧抓住了她的肩，梦境被剧痛撕裂开来。影族武士们消失了。可这位敌人并非来自想象。利爪刺入肉体带来的刺痛真真切切。它们钩住她的皮毛，将她推倒在地。她强忍着疼痛才没叫出声。
“那是教你集中精力！”
蓟掌腐臭的气息扑入了藤爪的鼻子。她晕晕乎乎的，这才留意到了黑森林。她的口鼻被摁进潮湿的地面里，透过萦绕的迷雾，她只能隐隐约约分辨出那些阴沉沉的树干。
“放开我！”藤爪尖叫道。
“我不知道在战场上哀求有没有用。”蓟掌的爪子在藤爪脖子里刺得更深了。
藤爪惊慌起来，拼命摆动着自己的后腿。她的脚掌碰到了一个硬东西。肯定是条树根。她用力蹬着树根，把身子向前猛推。蓟掌喘着粗气缩开了。一眨眼的工夫，藤爪便站起了身。她弹出利爪，后腿直立朝虎斑武士扑去，怒吼着卷起了嘴唇。
“非常好。”鹰霜赞许的吼声在附近回响。
藤爪朝旁边瞥了一眼，看到鹰霜正穿过树林大步走来。突然，她不再在意自己颈部的刺痛或者皮毛上涌出的鲜血——鹰霜刚刚称赞了她。
蓟掌拱起后背，露出牙齿，朝藤爪发出嘶嘶的声音。“你下次就知道要对我当心了！”他怒吼道。
藤爪迎着蓟掌盯过来的目光。“或许该当心的是你，”她啐道，“我不会永远只是一位学徒的。”她回头看了看鹰霜。“他老是找学徒的麻烦，”她嘶吼道，“你们为什么不给他安排一位学徒呢？免得他总来招惹我们其他猫。”
鹰霜的眼睛闪烁着：“你想让我把你给他吗？”
藤爪抽动着尾巴。那一刻，她已做好迎接各种可能的准备：“你想给就给呗。但到时你又得再找一位新学徒，从头开始教他怎么用爪子了。”
虎斑武士眼睛里亮出一抹被逗乐的光。“还是免了吧。”他说道。
“我曾经也有自己的学徒。”蓟掌咕哝着，“但她没有通过最终的测试。”
尽管藤爪近来颇为自信，但闻言还是不由一颤。从蓟掌的口气中可以听出，没有通过最终测试的结局并不是接受更多训练后重考这么简单。
“快来，学徒。”鹰霜朝蓟掌生硬地点了点头，示意他离开，然后将注意力放在了藤爪身上，“今晚我们练习水战。”
“为什么？”藤爪问道，她跟在鹰霜身后，在树间穿梭，“我又不是河族猫。”
“但是或许有一天你会和河族猫战斗。”鹰霜弹动着尾巴，“快点儿，他们在岸边等我们。”
透过树林，藤爪看到了众猫的身影。蚁皮坐在细尾身旁，尾巴盘绕在脚掌上。她之前在森林大会上认识的河族学徒空爪，在雪绺身旁来回踱步。藤爪四处寻找着河流，可是猫群身后除了阴影，什么也没有。她竖起耳朵，但只听到了轻风吹过光秃秃的树枝发出呜呜声。“河在哪里？”
鹰霜来到其他猫的身旁，停了下来：“那儿。”
藤爪凝视着昏暗的液体静静地从他们身旁流过：“那是河？”
一股恶心的怪味从那里涌起，空爪皱起了鼻子：“这是他们这里最好的河了。”
“这下好玩儿了。”蚁皮瞪着藤爪，“我还没见过雷族猫被搞得湿透呢。”
“我猜风族经常会在湖边上扑腾吧。”她反唇相讥。接着，她朝林间望去。“虎心在这儿吗？”她用平常的语调问道。藤爪不希望被谁猜测自己有多想见这位影族武士。可是一想到皮毛要被河水弄湿，更别说是那么脏兮兮的泥水，她的心中便忐忑不安起来。她觉得还是在虎心身旁比较安全，就像他们在树干上训练，蓟掌把雀羽撞翻在地那次一样。
她皱了皱眉，突然意识到自己打那以后再没有见过雀羽。
鹰霜大步走向河边：“准备好了吗？”
藤爪绷紧了身子。
“到水里练习之前，我先给你们展示一下练习的内容。”鹰霜招呼蚁皮向前。
风族武士抬起了下巴，挺直身子站在深色公猫前面。鹰霜弯着身子向前猛冲过去，从身下将蚁皮的后肢撞开。蚁皮趔趄了一下，挣扎着又站住了。
一个阴影在树间滑过。“在干燥的地面上很容易恢复平衡。”是黑条，“但是在流动的水中，要找回平衡就没那么容易了。”
藤爪的皮毛竖了起来。她并不喜欢黑条。这位黑银相间、骨瘦如柴的武士身上透着某种狡诈的气息，让藤爪惴惴不安。他有次在与虎心训练比赛之后又咬了虎心一口，却拒不承认。
鹰霜快速地朝黑条点了点头，然后继续说：“在水中时，最好将爪子缩好。你们可能会很自然地觉得想抓住河床，可是随水流滚落的散石可能会卡住你的爪子，把它从脚掌上扯下来。”
藤爪颤抖起来。
鹰霜甩了甩尾巴：“蚁皮，你在水中用细尾示范一下。”
蚁皮试探着迈进缓缓流动的黏稠河水中。他蹚到了水深及腹的地方，继续向前，直到河水漫上了他的双肩。水流轻轻拍打着他，发出了一种藤爪以前从未在水边上听到过的声音。
“雪绺，你和空爪一起练习。”鹰霜命令道。
雪绺点点头，眼睛在昏暗的光线中闪烁着。
空爪走进河中。“这不是水！”他抱怨说，“太黏滑了。”
雪绺用口鼻推了河族学徒一下，空爪身子一歪，失去了平衡。他挣扎着想要站稳身体，肩膀没到了水下，但他将鼻子抬得老高，以免呛入漆黑的河水。
藤爪扫视着森林，期待虎心的出现。她已经有好几个晚上没有看到这位年轻的影族武士了，难道他是在这片森林里其他地方训练？
黑条挡住了她的视线。“鹰霜，如果你同意，我来跟藤爪一起练习。”他耸了耸肩，“这样你方便指导。”
藤爪挺直身子，抬起下巴。“好的。”她走进浅水中，希望冰冷的河水能够减轻她颈部伤处的刺痛感。但她失望地发现水流温暖而黏稠，环绕着她的四肢，像看不见的海藻一样拼命扯拽着她的皮毛。她苦着脸向深处走去，试图透过混浊的河水看见河床。
黑条在藤爪身旁的水中穿行着：“快点儿，慢吞吞的鼻涕虫。”
藤爪继续向前，黏滑的河水渗透皮毛，触到了她的皮肤，让她颤抖了起来。河水慢慢上涨，淹过她的腹部，接着漫过了她的肩膀。她现在绷紧了每一块肌肉，对抗着水流，尽量保持平衡。她希望自己能再高点儿。她已经要很努力才能使自己的头部高出水面了，但黑条的脊背才堪堪没入水中。
突然，有一块石头在她脚掌下一动，她便滑倒了。她还没来得及吸口气就被河水吞没，脚掌四处乱蹬。藤爪惊恐极了。
水没那么深。她连忙告诉自己，接着探出脚掌，摸到了河床。她把头浮出了水面，水顺着胡须往下滴，眼泪横流。她吐出了刚刚差点儿吞下去的河水。水的味道很臭，有点儿像鸦食，但比鸦食更难闻。
黑条看着她，眼里充满了戏谑。“看得出来你不是河族猫。”他油腔滑调地说道。
“我也不想当河族猫！”藤爪还未说完，便又一次失足滑落到了水里。她不断挣扎着，想触碰河床，但有一个轻盈的身体滑到了她身下，将她的后肢从身下撞开，就像鹰霜示范的那样。
黑条！他趁着藤爪还未来得及吸口气，就已经开始了训练。
藤爪在水流中翻滚，胡乱挥动着脚掌，惊慌失措。她努力屏住呼吸，可是肺部却因缺少空气而隐隐作痛。突然，一只脚掌压上了她的脊背，将她困在了河底，河水从她的头顶上方流过。恐慌在她的胸中膨胀。她必须要呼吸。她奋力挣扎着，可是黑条却把她压得更紧了，把她的最后一口气也给挤了出来。
星族，救救我！
一个阴影来到了她的身旁。透过混浊的河水，一只河族猫皮毛光滑的淡色腹部依稀可见。
空爪！
学徒抓住藤爪的后颈，将她从黑条的脚掌下拉了出来。在搅动的一片昏暗中，藤爪只能勉强看到那位黑森林武士挥动着脚掌，在河床上摸索。空爪紧挨着她，用口鼻指了指黑条的后肢，气泡从他的鼻孔中往外冒着。藤爪心领神会。尽管肺部仍然在尖叫着渴求空气，但她内心恐惧已经烟消云散。她还可以再坚持一会儿。于是他们一同转身，像两只水獭般沿着河床向前，钻入黑条身下撞开他的后腿，把他掀翻在水里。
趁着他倒进水里，藤爪奋力向上游，冲出水面，大口喘息。空爪也从她身旁浮出水面。他们号叫着，分享胜利的喜悦。河的下游，黑条在水中挣扎着想要站稳身体，溅起水花，泛出层层白沫。
黑条非常狼狈地溯流朝他们走来，空爪低声对藤爪说道：“离他的脚掌远点儿。”然后这位河族学徒便转身向雪绺游去。
藤爪若无其事地朝黑条喊道：“你想在我身上试一下这个动作吗？”
这位虎斑武士眯起了双眼，河水从他的下巴滴落。“好啊。”他的目光中流露出的是谨慎吗？
藤爪靠近水流，脚掌用力踩住河床的一块石头。她不打算耍诈。她等着黑条喘上气来，准备好被他的脚掌撞上后肢。当黑条猛地将她的后腿从身下往外拉时，藤爪立刻如同一条鱼般向前蹿去，避开了黑条的进攻。她的身体甚至都没有往下沉。
她讶异地发现自己在这温暖黏滑的河水里居然觉得舒适自在。她转过身子，准备再次对黑条使出这个动作。这次，她聚精会神，从黑条身下对他的脚掌一记痛击，然后干净利索地游开了。一股自豪感在她的心中油然而生。其他雷族武士都没有接受过水中战斗训练。
藤爪浮出了水面，看见鹰霜在岸边用他那皮毛浓密、密布鲭鱼纹的尾巴呼唤诸位接受训练的猫。“还不错。”看着他们浑身湿透地从河水里往岸边走，鹰霜喊道。
藤爪抖了抖皮毛，一点儿也不在意会不会溅到黑条身上。
“不过我看来是高估了你，黑条，”鹰霜对这位皮包骨的武士发出嘲讽的冷笑，“我还以为你应该对付得了一位没有经过训练的学徒。”
黑条哼了一声，偷偷地溜进了树林。
“藤爪？”虎星的叫声吓得藤爪跳了起来。她猛地四处张望，看到这位深色武士滑出河水，登上了河岸。
“所有的雷族猫都应该学着把脚掌弄湿。”他抖了抖皮毛，“你水中有几个动作很漂亮。”
藤爪低下了头：“多谢夸奖。”
“你看见虎心了吗？”
这个问题让藤爪一惊。“我？”难道虎星知道她在黑森林里时，一直在寻找这只年轻的公猫吗？“没看见。”
“他又迟到了。”虎星怒吼道，“他每天晚上来得越来越晚。他生病了吗？”
“下次森林大会时我问问他。”藤爪主动说道，她的耳朵抽动着。
“我会找到他的。”虎星的语气吓得藤爪浑身颤抖。虎心会因为不来训练，惹上麻烦吗？
鹰霜清了清喉咙。“时间差不多，你们可以走了。”在森林的远方，越过黑森林的那边，天空正在发亮。藤爪强忍着哈欠，转身离开了小河。
“明天见。”空爪低声说道，随后消失在了阴影中。
藤爪身边的树木逐渐与蕨丛融为了一体，接着发现自己正蜷缩在窝里。她能听到鸽爪的呼吸。
她回来了。
但是也刚回来不久。鸽爪的呼吸很快，似乎刚躺下不久，皮毛上雪花的气味也还很新鲜。藤爪抽动着鼻子。鸽爪的皮毛上还有别的气味。很熟悉。藤爪努力想这是什么的气味，可她的眼皮却渐渐沉重起来。她已是精疲力竭，很快就沉入梦乡。
“这是什么？”白翅震惊的叫声吵醒了藤爪。
藤爪猛地抬起头：“怎么了？”
“血！”她的母亲睁圆了双眼，“你的窝里有血。”这位白毛武士弯下身子嗅闻着夹在细枝间的苔藓，抽了口凉气：“你身上也有！你受伤了吗？”
藤爪往后缩开：“你在这儿干什么？”
“黎明巡逻队早就离开了，你们俩都没有起来，所以我来叫醒你们。”
鸽爪迷迷糊糊地爬出了自己的窝：“我猜是最近训练太辛苦了。”
“你窝里有血是因为这个吗？”白翅盯着藤爪，眼睛阴沉，充满了担心。
蕨丛一阵沙沙响，黄蜂条的头探了进来。“你们在吵什么？”他问道。
“去找松鸦羽。”白翅命令道，“藤爪受伤了。”
“不要！”藤爪反对道，“我很好。”可是黄蜂条已经跑开了。
藤爪感觉皮毛下发烫。没必要让大家知道蓟掌在她脖子上留下的伤痕。她还以为河水早已将伤口清洗干净了，可是很显然，她从黑森林回来时，伤口仍在流血。她低头看了看苔藓，被鲜血渗透的地方已经一片暗红。她的目光碰上了鸽爪的目光。
“苔藓里一定有刺。”藤爪迅速说道。
鸽爪，拜托！快掩护我。
鸽爪耸了耸肩。“是哦，有刺。”她说着便挤出了巢穴。
我可真得谢谢你啊！鸽爪竟然溜之大吉，丢下藤爪独自平复母亲的情绪，气得她冒烟儿。“可能是我窝里有块尖石头。”
“我看看。”白翅把藤爪推到一边，用脚掌去拨弄苔藓，“我什么也没摸到。”
松鸦羽探着鼻子进入了巢穴，带着一片卷好的叶子。黄蜂条和炭心也跟在后面闯了进来。藤爪从自己的窝边退开了。
松鸦羽把叶子放到藤爪脚边拆开。叶子上面涂抹了厚厚一层绿色的药糊。“让我检查一下。”他命令道。
藤爪拖着脚掌走开了。“只是点儿擦伤。”他知道我去了黑森林。他会猜到这不是被刺刮伤的。
炭心在藤爪的窝里嗅闻着：“这么多血都是被一根刺刮出来的吗？”
“可能会有点儿疼。”松鸦羽开始将厚厚的药糊涂抹到藤爪的颈背上。
请不要说出来。内心的恐惧比伤口的疼痛更让她害怕。
松鸦羽叹息了一声。“伤口不太严重，可是我能闻到有些感染。”他从药物包里挖出另一爪药糊，涂抹在了伤口处，“你应该多加小心才是。”
藤爪畏缩着身子。松鸦羽的语气尖锐无比。他非常清楚藤爪的伤是在哪里弄上的。
“她不会有事吧？”炭心担心地问道。
白翅挤近问道：“血止住了吗？”
走开！藤爪的耳朵里轰隆隆地响，松鸦羽涂抹药糊的伤口处有些刺痛，让我安静会儿吧！
“她会活下来的。”松鸦羽坐了回去，重新将叶子折叠了起来，“今晚来找我涂上新的药糊。”他将药物包叼在齿间，走出了巢穴。
松鸦羽离开后，鸽爪偷偷地溜回了巢穴。
“你也要来看看热闹是吗？”藤爪生气地说道。
鸽爪侧身经过炭心身边，来到了藤爪的窝里，她胡乱翻找了一会儿，然后坐起身子。“你是在找这个吗？”她将一根长长的刺吐到了地上。
白翅小心翼翼地扒拉着刺：“怪不得会有那么多血！”
炭心皱了皱眉：“这是怎么搞进来的，你居然都没发现吗？”
姐妹的举动让藤爪心头涌上一股暖流。鸽爪身子伸向前，嗅闻她的伤口。藤爪在她耳边轻声说道：“谢谢你。”
鸽爪咕哝了一句：“这件事还没完呢。”她走开了。
“走吧。”白翅用尾巴轻轻地弹了弹黄蜂条，“我们让藤爪休息会儿吧。”她带领这位年轻的武士走出了巢穴。鸽爪紧随其后，尾巴弹动着消失在了蕨丛中。
炭心满眼焦虑地看着藤爪。
“怎么了？”藤爪没好气地问道。
炭心叹息道：“如果都已经感染了的话，说明伤口一定很深。”
藤爪爬到自己的窝里。此刻她最想做的便是好好睡一觉。
炭心抽动着尾巴。“你一定累了。”她用脚掌轻轻地触摸着藤爪的头。藤爪感觉到她的脚掌在颤抖。
“出什么事了吗？”炭心凑近些，低声说道，“你有什么事都可以告诉我的，我发誓。那些伤口不可能是刺造成的。如果是刺的话，你第一次感觉到痛的时候，就会醒过来，不会还留在窝里。”炭心坐了回去，盯着藤爪。“况且不管扎了多深，刺都不可能这么快就引发感染的。此外……”她盯着藤爪的伤口，“刺造成的刮伤不会被撕成这个样子。”
藤爪浑身僵似一只死去的猎物。她能说什么呢？她浑身僵硬，大脑却飞速转动着。
“把真相告诉我吧。”炭心平静地追问道，“我不会生气的，我只是需要知道该如何帮你。”
藤爪深深地吸了口气：“我一直在晚上练习。”
“练习？”
“我一直想成为雷族最优秀的武士。”我也一定会的！
“这样啊。”炭心叹息道，“我明白了。”她听起来如释重负：“你当然会想要成为最优秀的武士。所以你就晚上独自外出去森林里训练。”
“是的。”藤爪感到局促不安。她讨厌对老师撒谎，老师一直对她平等相待，从没轻视过她。这和真相也没差多少了。她告诉自己。“鸽爪做什么都很擅长，大家早就把她当武士看待了。火星会向她征询意见，狮焰也干什么都把她带上……”
炭心身体一僵。“你哪里都和鸽爪一样优秀！”她低声道，“我为你感到无比骄傲！如果你想要多加训练，我们可以白天抓紧时间来做。你正处在生长发育期，需要休息好。”
藤爪听话地点了点头。
“你能答应我，再也不会晚上出去了吗？”炭心催促道，“整个族群都在睡觉，没有猫照顾你。谁知道会发生什么呢？要是那只狐狸又回来了怎么办呢？”炭心的声音里充满了担心。“你和任何一位武士一样优秀，无须私下里偷偷练习。”炭心眼神恳切，盯着藤爪说道，“答应我，你晚上不会再离开营地了！”
藤爪低头看着自己的脚掌，愧疚刺痛了她的肚子。她嘟囔道：“我答应你。”
Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Dovepaw crouched behind a tangle ofivy. She flattened her belly against the snow, keeping low in the gully so that no moon shadow spread out behind her.
Paw steps had nearly reached the top of the gully. Opening her mouth, she tasted the familiar scent. Her belly fluttered. Another tail-length. She held her breath. Almost there.
“Got you!” She shot up the short, steep slope and sent Tigerheart rolling across the forest floor.
“I give up!”
She scrambled off him. “One night you’ll get here first.”
“I thought I was early tonight.” He smoothed his ruffled pelt. “It’s as if you know exactly when I leave camp!”
Dovepaw dropped her gaze. “Yeah, right,” she mumbled. “Like I can hear you creeping out of your nest.” She changed the subject. “I wonder how much longer this snow’s going to last.”
Tigerheart shrugged. “It’s better than rain.”
“But it’s impossible to go anywhere without leaving a trail.”
“A good warrior can follow a trail without snow.”
Dovepaw leaned forward and rubbed her nose against his cheek. “I could find your trail on water,” she murmured.
A purr rumbled in his throat. “I’ve missed you.”
Border scents filled the air around them, ThunderClan mingling with ShadowClan. “Should we go to the abandoned Twoleg nest?” Dovepaw suggested.
“There’s no time tonight.” Tigerheart sighed. “Blackstar’s sending out extra patrols at moonhigh and dawn.”
Dovepaw tipped her head. “Why?”
“We’re hunting for herbs as well as prey.”
“Is Littlecloud worse?”
“Yes.” His belly growled. “And the Clan’s getting hungry.”
Dovepaw pressed her cheek against Tigerheart’s. ThunderClan was lucky that whitecough hadn’t turned to greencough. “I wish I could help.” She pictured Jayfeather’s fat clumps of juicy herbs growing by the Twoleg nest, protected from the ice by heaps of bracken. “But Jayfeather’s made sure no one can take leaves from his herb patch.”
Tigerheart pricked his ears. “Herb patch?”
“The plants he’s been nursing since greenleaf.”
“He’s been growing herbs?”
Dovepaw drew away, surprised. “I thought you knew.” She frowned. “Isn’t that why ShadowClan wanted our territory?”
Tigerheart stared at her. “We never wanted ThunderClan territory.”
“But Ivy—” Dovepaw stopped herself. There was no need for Tigerheart to hear about Ivypaw’s dream. “I thought that’s why we had the battle.”
“It was Firestar who wanted territory,” Tigerheart meowed. “He asked for the clearing back.”
Dovepaw shifted her paws. Only because Ivypaw persuaded him to.She shook out her pelt. She didn’t want to argue with Tigerheart. The battle was over. “Never mind.”
“But Jayfeather has herbs.” Tigerheart leaned closer. “Which herbs?”
“Just some tansy.” The words felt sticky on her tongue. She couldn’t lie to Tigerheart, but it felt disloyal to tell him about Jayfeather’s precious supply. “A bit of catmint.”
“Catmint?” Tigerheart’s eyes shone. “Would he let us have some?”
Dovepaw felt hot. “Leafpool’s asked him to give you some already.”
“And?”
“He said no.”
“But Littlecloud might die!”
“He said we have to look after our own Clan.” Dovepaw wove around Tigerheart, brushing against him. Come on, Tigerheart, let’s have fun!She flicked his nose with her tail. “Let’s see who can climb highest.” She glanced up at the pine beside them, wondering if her claws were strong enough yet to make it up the trunk to the lowest branch. It stuck out high above her head.
“Did you hear me?” Tigerheart snapped. “Littlecloud might die.”
Dovepaw dropped her gaze, her heart sinking. “I could steal some,” she offered. Her belly twisted.
“No.” Tigerheart was firm. “You can’t steal from your own Clan for me.”
Relief swamped her. “I can try and persuade Jayfeather to give you some.”
Tigerheart touched his nose to hers. “Thank you,” he murmured. Dovepaw felt a rush of affection for him. “I just hope we get some herbs soon,” Tigerheart went on. “Otherwise the Clan is going to starve to death while we’re scraping the forest floor for leaves.”
“Watch this.” Dovepaw scuttled backward to the top of the slope. She was going to distract Tigerheart even if it meant falling on her nose. She crouched, pushed up hard with her hind legs, and stretched her forepaws back over her head, trying to reach her tail. Arcing her belly toward the sky, she reached for the ground, praying that she’d manage to complete the backflip.
She landed on her chin with a thump that knocked the wind from her. Thrusting her claws through the snow into the frozen forest floor, she managed to stop herself from rolling down the slope.
Tigerheart was purring with amusement. “Smooth landing.”
“Keep watching.” She scrabbled to her paws and crouched down, ready to try again, but Tigerheart laid his tail over her shoulders.
“Wait a moment.”
“What?” She looked at him.
His front paw flicked up and a clump of snow hit her on the nose.
“Hey!” Dovepaw leaped to her feet, scooped up a pawful, and flung it at him. Tigerheart ducked as the snow sailed past his ear. Dovepaw lunged at him playfully and tumbled him into the snow.
“Whoa!” Tigerheart pretended to lose his balance and rolled over and over down the short, steep slope, holding Dovepaw in his strong grip. She squeaked as they rolled to a halt. Out of breath, they lay entangled in each other’s paws. Dovepaw felt a surge of happiness so strong that she broke into a purr.
Then she stiffened.
“What?” Tigerheart tensed beside her.
“Paw steps.” She had forgotten to listen out for danger. Now she could hear fur brushing bracken and pads scraping over the frost-crusted snow. “Someone’s coming.”
“Who?”
Dovepaw tasted the air. Her tail bushed out. “Ivypaw!”
Too late!
Her sister’s white face appeared at the top of the slope. “I knew it!” she hissed.
Dovepaw lifted her chin. “You knew ages ago!”
“But now I’ve seen it for myself.” Ivypaw’s eyes glittered.
Tigerheart straightened up beside Dovepaw. “You’re on ShadowClan territory,” he challenged.
“So’s she!” Ivypaw snorted. “At least I’mnot betraying my Clan.”
Dovepaw flashed with rage. “You betray us every night in the Dark Forest!”
Did Tigerheart flinch? Dovepaw glanced at him. His gaze was fixed on Ivypaw.
Ivypaw lifted her tail. “Are you going to tell her, Tigerheart, or should I?”
Dovepaw leaned forward, her ears flat. “Don’t start that again!” There’s no way Tigerheart would train in the Dark Forest!
Ivypaw’s gaze was still locked with Tigerheart’s. Dovepaw felt a chill along her spine.
“You see?” Ivypaw snarled at Tigerheart. “My sister doesn’t believe me.” The tip of her tail began to twitch. “Perhaps she’ll believe you.”
No!Dovepaw began to back away. Please don’t let Tigerheart be part of the Dark Forest too.
Bracken rustled behind Ivypaw. Dovepaw gasped as Tigerheart shoved her underneath a pile of dead brambles. “Stay still,” he hissed.
Dovepaw flattened herself against the ground and held her breath. The air was thick with ShadowClan scents.
“What’s happening here?” She recognized Smokefoot’s deep growl.
Tigerheart’s paws scrabbled on the snow. “I found her near the border.”
Trembling, Dovepaw peered through the tendrils. She could just make out Smokefoot and Applefur at the top of the slope. The ShadowClan warriors were glowering at Ivypaw.
Tigerheart puffed his chest out beside the ThunderClan apprentice. “I was about to bring her back to camp so Blackstar could question her.”
“Really?” Applefur narrowed his eyes. “Why were you wandering about in the middle of the night?”
Smokefoot leaned closer. “You weren’t assigned to a moonhigh patrol.”
Tigerheart met Smokefoot’s gaze. “I couldn’t sleep.”
The ShadowClan warrior turned to Ivypaw. “What are youdoing on ShadowClan land?”
Dovepaw’s heart quickened.
“I was looking for prey.”
Please believe her!
“It’s a strange time to be hunting,” Applefur challenged.
“Food is scarce,” Ivypaw answered. “I thought there might be some night prey.”
“On ShadowClan land?” Smokefoot challenged.
“I didn’t realize I’d crossed the border.”
“Can’t ThunderClan apprentices smell? Come on,” Smokefoot hissed. “Let’s take her back to the camp.”
Dovepaw fought panic as she listened to the ShadowClan cats lead her sister away. Tigerheart, protect her!she pleaded silently.
As soon as they were out of hearing distance, she crawled out from the brambles and dashed for the border. Ivypaw had been captured by ShadowClan! But I can’t tell anyone!
Dovepaw’s heart seemed to stop. How could she explain why Ivypaw had been taken? She might give away her meetings with Tigerheart. How could Lionblaze or Jayfeather trust her again? Would her Clanmates ever forgive her? She pricked her ears, searching for Ivypaw, until she heard voices from the ShadowClan camp.
A kit was squeaking excitedly. “Who’s that?”
“Just a ThunderClan ’paw, dear,” a queen soothed. “Go back to your nest. It’s late.”
Dovepaw listened harder.
“Blackstar will see you in the morning.” That was Smokefoot! He must be talking to Ivypaw. “Stay here until you are fetched.”
“There’s some moss in the corner.” She heard Tigerheart’s whisper. “You can make a nest out of it. You won’t be disturbed. Just keep quiet and don’t try to escape.”
The tightness in Dovepaw’s chest eased. They were treating Ivypaw well. There would be no need for a rescue party, surely? Dovepaw padded home and crept through the dirtplace tunnel. Treading lightly, she slipped past the ferns into her den. As she curled into soft moss, she was painfully aware of Ivypaw’s cold, empty nest. Thoughts spinning, heart pounding, she closed her eyes.
The sounds of the camp woke her. Brambleclaw was organizing the hunting patrols below Highledge. Sandstorm was coughing. Poppyfrost was in the medicine den begging Jayfeather for a little tansy for Cherrykit. Ruffled and anxious, Dovepaw climbed out of her nest. She listened hard to locate the ShadowClan camp and finally heard a gruff ShadowClan warrior. “Blackstar will see you later.” A small thud made Dovepaw jump. “Eat this.” He must have thrown her some prey.
“Thank you.” Ivypaw didn’t sound frightened.
Dovepaw lifted her chin. She knew what she had to do now. “Ivypaw?” she called. She waited a few moments, then hopped out of the den.
“Ivypaw?”
Graystripe, Berrynose, Millie, and Whitewing were sitting with Icecloud and Foxleap beneath Highledge. Brambleclaw paced in front of them.
Dovepaw took a deep breath and called to them. “Has Ivypaw already left on patrol?”
Graystripe turned and glanced, puzzled, at Dovepaw. “Do you need her for something?”
Dovepaw shrugged as casually as she could. “She wasn’t in her nest when I woke up.”
Whitewing got to her paws. “I haven’t seen her.” Concern edged her mew. “Birchfall?” She called to her mate.
Birchfall paused from digging in the snow. He was unearthing a prey store. “What’s up?”
“Have you seen Ivypaw?” Whitewing asked.
Birchfall looked at Dovepaw. “Isn’t she in her nest?”
Dovepaw shook her head. “She was gone when I woke up.”
Whitewing pushed her way into the apprentices’ den, popping out a moment later. “Her nest is cold. She hasn’t been in it all night.”
Birchfall’s fur spiked. “Brambleclaw?”
The Clan deputy looked up. “Is everything okay?”
“Ivypaw hasn’t slept in her nest,” Birchfall told him.
Brambleclaw glanced around the gathered warriors. “Has anyone seen her?”
“Not since last night,” Berrynose answered.
“I shared a mouse with her at sundown,” Sorreltail told him
Cinderheart came hurrying from the dirtplace tunnel. “Did someone say Ivypaw’s missing?”
Whitewing paced at the edge of the clearing. “Her nest hasn’t been slept in.”
“It’s too cold to be out of camp for long.,” Brambleclaw meowed.
“What if she’s hurt?” Whitewing gasped.
Birchfall brushed his tail along her ruffled spine. “We don’t know that.”
“We’ll have to start searching for her,” Brambleclaw decided. He nodded to Berrynose and Graystripe. “Take a patrol each and search the forest.”
Dovepaw’s heart began to race. They mustn’t waste hunting patrols! Her thoughts whirled. She couldn’t blurt out that Ivypaw was in ShadowClan’s camp. They’d wonder how she knew.
Jayfeather! He’d understand.
Glancing furtively at her Clanmates, Dovepaw headed for the medicine den. “Jayfeather!”
“Shhh!” The medicine cat was soaking leaves in the pool. “Sandstorm’s sleeping!”
Briarlight propped herself up on the edge of her nest. “What’s wrong?”
“Ivypaw’s missing,” Dovepaw mewed. She stared at Jayfeather, willing him to hear the urgency in her mew. She had to speak to him in private.
Carefully he rolled the soaked leaf into a dripping bundle and laid it beside the pool. “Come with me,” he told Dovepaw, and padded past her. Briarlight’s eyes were sharp with curiosity as Dovepaw followed Jayfeather out of the den.
Toadstep and Icecloud were clambering over the beech. Toadstep peered down the gap between the branches and the cliff wall. “Ivypaw?”
Rosepetal was checking behind the nursery. “No sign of her here.”
“I’m guessing she’s not in camp,” Jayfeather muttered.
“I know where she is!” Dovepaw could hardly keep the words in. “I can hear her. She’s in ShadowClan’s camp!”
“What’s she doing there?” Jayfeather demanded.
“I  .  .  . I don’t know. I can just hear her. I think they’re holding her captive. They told her to stay where she was and gave her some food and said that Blackstar would see her later.”
“How in the name of StarClan did she end up there?” Jayfeather sounded more annoyed than worried. He headed toward the rock tumble. “Let’s tell Firestar before the whole Clan starts to panic.”
Dovepaw followed him up the stones. Say as little as you can,she reminded herself. You mustn’t give anything away.
“In the ShadowClan camp?” Firestar blinked with surprise when Jayfeather told him. He turned his sharp gaze on Dovepaw. “How long has she been there?”
Dovepaw stared at him innocently. “She was in camp last night when we went to our nests, but she was gone this morning.”
“Do you think she went there herself?”
“She may have gone to the border,” Dovepaw ventured. “Perhaps they caught her there?”
“What would she be doing on the ShadowClan border?” Firestar shook his head as though he had a tick in his ear. “I can’t think of anywhere more dangerous since the battle.”
Dovepaw dropped her gaze, her pelt burning. “I—I don’t know.”
Jayfeather leaned closer to the ThunderClan leader. “Perhaps you should call off the search.”
Firestar ducked out of the den. Dovepaw trailed after him. “We believe that Ivypaw has been taken prisoner by ShadowClan,” he called down to the clearing.
Dovepaw flinched as her Clanmates stared in shock at the ThunderClan leader.
“How do you know?” Mousefur growled, padding to the center of the clearing.
Firestar shifted his paws. “She was last seen on the ShadowClan border.” He couldn’t reveal any more without giving away Dovepaw’s powers.
Thornclaw padded past Mousefur. “We should send a patrol to rescue her!”
“I want to go!” Whitewing insisted.
Thornclaw flexed his claws. “I’ll lead it.”
“We should leave now!” Birchfall yowled.
Firestar flicked his tail. “We must stay calm.”
“We can’t just leave her there!” Whitewing hissed.
“A small patrol should go and see if it’s true,” Firestar reasoned. “If it is, they can ask for her return.”
Birchfall bristled. “Ask?”
Firestar nodded. “We can’t fight them in their own camp,” he pointed out. “There are elders and kits there.”
Mousefur twitched one ear. “Don’t forget, they have Ivypaw. They might harm her if we attack.”
Firestar sat down and wrapped his tail over his paws. “Brambleclaw!” he called. “Take Brackenfur, Cloudtail, and Dovepaw.”
Dovepaw curled her claws into her pads. She wanted to stay out of this. She wanted to pretend it wasn’t happening.
Whitewing darted forward. “I want to go with them!”
Firestar shook his head. “Brambleclaw can handle it,” he meowed. “He’ll bring Ivypaw back safely.” Whitewing turned away, growling. Firestar glanced at Dovepaw. “Off you go.”
She scrambled down the rock tumble and joined Brambleclaw, Cloudtail, and Brackenfur as they headed out of camp. “What was she doing on the border at night?” Cloudtail wondered as they headed through the trees toward ShadowClan territory.
“Surely she’s not a traitor?” Brackenfur murmured.
Never!Guilt shot through Dovepaw. It was her fault that Brackenfur doubted Ivypaw’s loyalty.
“It wouldn’t be the first time a cat has met secretly with a warrior from another Clan.” Brambleclaw’s eyes were dark, fixed on the trail.
It’s all because of me! Don’t blame her!
At the border, Brambleclaw sat down. Cloudtail stared at him. “Aren’t we going to the camp?”
“We’ll wait for a patrol,” Brambleclaw answered.
Cloudtail snorted.
“We don’t know for sure they have her,” Brackenfur pointed out.
Cloudtail began to pace the scent line. “It’s just the sort of trick ShadowClan would pull.”
Dovepaw pricked her ears. Paw steps were crunching through the snow. ShadowClan was awake and patrolling. She waited, listening over the pounding of her heart, until the paw steps came near enough for her to announce without suspicion, “I can hear something!”
Brambleclaw stood up and faced the border, fur smooth, gaze steady. Rowanclaw, Shrewfoot, and Crowfrost wove through the bushes toward them. Dovepaw forced herself to stop trembling. It’s going to be okay.She spotted Tigerheart as he slid out from behind his Clanmates. She looked down at her paws, frightened to catch his eye in case she gave her feelings away.
“Come to fetch something you’ve lost?” Crowfrost snarled across the scent line.
Cloudtail bristled. “Then you admit you’ve taken her!”
Shrewfoot glared at the white warrior. “Tigerheart found her wandering on our territory.”
Brambleclaw blinked. “Is she safe?”
Crowfrost hesitated. Dovepaw groped desperately for some sound from her sister in the ShadowClan camp.
“We haven’t hurt her,” Crowfrost murmured.
Rowanclaw and Shrewfoot exchanged glances.
“May we escort her home?” Brambleclaw addressed the ShadowClan deputy.
“Why’s he being so polite?” Cloudtail breathed into Brackenfur’s ear.
Brambleclaw flicked his tail. “You don’t want an extra mouth to feed,” he meowed to Rowanclaw.
Rowanclaw nodded. “True, but we don’t want ThunderClan apprentices wandering across our borders either.”
Rowanclaw stepped closer to the border. “You can have her back,” he growled, “in exchange for catmint.”
Dovepaw looked sharply at Tigerheart. His face betrayed nothing. Only yesterday he was worried sick about Littlecloud, and now Ivypaw was being offered in exchange for exactly the herb needed to save the ShadowClan medicine cat? He must have told his Clanmates about the herb patches. How couldhe?
Pain seared Dovepaw’s heart. He doesn’t really love me! He was just using me, and now he’s using Ivypaw!Dovepaw froze. Wouldn’t she do the same for her Clan? Would her loyalty lie with Tigerheart or ThunderClan?
“Catmint?” Brambleclaw echoed.
“Littlecloud’s sick with greencough,” Rowanclaw told him. “He needs catmint to survive.”
Brambleclaw looked puzzled. “Why ask like this?”
“We don’t want to harm Ivypaw,” Rowanclaw meowed. The meaning in his words was clear. “We just need catmint.”
Brambleclaw tensed, and Dovepaw guessed he was forcing himself not to react to the implied threat. Instead he nodded. “I’ll tell Firestar.” He signaled to his Clanmates with his tail and headed back toward camp.
“Why didn’t Flametail just ask Jayfeather?” Firestar stared in bewilderment at his deputy as Brambleclaw reported Rowanclaw’s demand. “We’ve always helped other Clans in the past.”
Beside him, in the clearing, Graystripe curled his lip. “And we’ve been criticized for helping,” he growled.
Jayfeather stood at the entrance to the medicine den. Dovepaw could see his claws digging into the snow.
Leafpool, watching with Squirrelflight from the halfrock, looked grief-stricken. “How sick is Littlecloud?”
Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. “Sick enough to hold an apprentice hostage.”
“I’ll go and pick the herbs,” Jayfeather muttered.
“Thank you.” Firestar nodded. “I know herbs are scarce, but Littlecloud needs them.”
Squirrelflight stepped forward. “What about Sandstorm?”
“And Cherrykit!” Daisy trotted across the clearing with her fluffy cream-colored tail held high. “She’s no better today.”
Firestar dipped his head. “We will try to see to the needs of everyone,” he meowed. “But Littlecloud and Ivypaw are in the gravest danger. We must help them first.”
Poppyfrost’s face appeared in the nursery entrance. Her eyes were round with worry. Firestar’s gaze rested on her for a moment before he turned back to Brambleclaw. “Perhaps the cat who found the yarrow can find more herbs,” he murmured.
Dovepaw wanted to creep into her nest and hide. What if Sandstorm or Cherrykit got worse? What if they died? This is all my fault!
第十六章
第十六章
鸽爪跟在白翅和黄蜂条身后大步走出了学徒巢穴。让炭心替她操心去吧！我帮她找了根刺，剩下的她自己去解释。
可是鸽爪心中的愤懑很快便烟消云散了。她其实并不是生气，她是被吓到了。每天晚上，她睡觉的时候都在想藤爪醒来后会带着怎样的伤。万一藤爪连思想都变成了黑森林武士那样该如何是好？她觉得有必要跟松鸦羽谈谈。他必须帮忙。于是，她朝松鸦羽的巢穴走去。
她大步走过猎物堆，波弟正在那儿拨拉着沾满泥的老鼠。“你觉得它能让鼠毛有胃口吗？”波弟粗声粗气地问。
鸽爪停下了脚步：“什么？”
“这看着不怎么样，”波弟将这只皮包骨的老鼠挂在爪子上，“但是或许能让她感兴趣。”
“她不饿吗？”鸽爪很惊讶。族群的每只猫一定都很饿吧？
松鼠飞急匆匆地过来了：“鼠毛发烧了吗？”
波弟摇了摇头。“她只是看起来有点儿累，还挺悲伤的。”他垂下双肩，“我希望猎物堆里能有什么可以让她振作起来。”
“应该很快就有一支狩猎巡逻队回来了。”松鼠飞说道，“他们或许会带回些好猎物。”她看了看鸽爪：“狮焰没有带你出去吗？”
鸽爪耸了耸肩。“我在等狮焰准备好。”而且，我还有一些别的事情要先做。她瞥了一眼巫医巢穴，希望黄蜂条不会在那儿逗留太久。
波弟让老鼠落进积雪里，发出了噗的一声。“如果能再年轻几个季节，我就自己出去了。”他心不在焉地抬头看着山谷顶部，“我年轻时可是一位优秀的狩猎者，连兔子都能逮住。”他胸脯的毛蓬松了起来。“还有野鸡，虽然……”他抽动着胡须，“野鸡没有那么难抓。它们忙着埋头觅食，都不愿意飞走。”
鸽爪眨了眨眼，她的注意力从找松鸦羽转移了过来。“你抓住过野鸡？”波弟个子不小，但肯定也没有野鸡重。
“年轻的时候，没什么是太大了抓不住的。”这只年长的猫叹息着，离开猎物堆朝长老巢穴走去。
鸽爪向松鼠飞点点头，便匆匆忙忙朝巫医巢穴奔去。
黄蜂条正在荆棘光的窝边走来走去：“你真该去看看！流了好多血，都是一根刺惹的祸。她在刺上睡了一整晚，居然都没有注意到。”
松鸦羽将沾满药糊的脚掌浸入水池中。“别说得那么夸张，黄蜂条。”他抽出脚掌，开始舔舐起来，“只是几道抓伤而已，没什么大不了的。”
“我现在就去替松鸦羽检查检查苔藓。”荆棘光自豪地宣布，“我是尖刺巡逻队的。”她看向巫医：“或许我该先检查一下要放进育婴室窝里的苔藓。”
鸽爪刚打算叫松鸦羽，但是松鸦羽已经穿过巢穴朝她走来。“黛西和罂粟霜肯定会很感激你给幼崽检查苔藓的。”他经过荆棘光窝边时，对她说道，“我得出去一会儿。黄蜂条，你陪着荆棘光，但是请不要再乱编故事了。”
松鸦羽飞快地从鸽爪身旁经过。“来吧。”他低声说着挤过黑莓丛，“我们需要谈谈。”
总算要谈谈了！松鸦羽是不是要开始严肃对待藤爪造访黑森林的事了？她急匆匆地跟在松鸦羽身后。松鸦羽朝狮焰点了点头，但并未停下脚步。金色武士从火星和黑莓掌身边走开，跳着跟在他们身后。火星眯着眼睛，看着这三只猫走出了营地。
“好了。”山谷外蕨丛覆盖的斜坡上有一处空地，松鸦羽在这里停了下来。他用那双看不见的眼睛盯着鸽爪：“你必须阻止藤爪，不能让她再以这种样子从黑森林回来。否则，她会暴露一切的。”
鸽爪张大了嘴巴，瞪着松鸦羽。一股怒气从她肚子里翻腾起来。“我必须阻止她？”她啐了一口。“你以为我一直在努力干什么？不光是因为她那些伤口、肿胀和瘀青会泄露我们的秘密。”鸽爪将口鼻戳到松鸦羽面前，“而且因为我害怕她会被杀死！”
“冷静点儿。”狮焰挤进他俩之间，“你说得对，鸽爪。藤爪总是受伤，我们有责任保护她。”
鸽爪缓缓地呼了口气：“我一直想告诉你们的就是这个！”
“可是，”狮焰补充道，“我们又不能跟着她进入她的梦里。”
“松鸦羽可以啊！”鸽爪说道。
狮焰摇了摇头：“虎星已经警告过松鸦羽，让他离黑森林远点儿。我们不能冒险让他再去那儿。”
“但你们就可以冒险让藤爪夜复一夜去那儿！？”鸽爪火冒三丈。
“她是他们中的一员，”松鸦羽提醒鸽爪，“只要他们觉得藤爪站在他们那边，就不会故意伤害她的。”
“你们就不能和她谈谈吗？”鸽爪乞求的目光在松鸦羽和狮焰之间转移，“告诉她不能去。她或许会听你们的。”
狮焰的尾巴拂过鸽爪的脊柱：“你真以为她会听？”
鸽爪的心一沉。不会的。藤爪似乎坚信虎星正在把她训练成一位伟大的武士，她是不会放弃的。
“另外，”松鸦羽坐了下来，把尾巴卷在脚掌上，“我们比以往更需要她待在黑森林。”
狮焰将注意力投向他的弟弟：“为什么？”
“黄牙拜访了我，警告我们必须独自对抗黑森林。”
狮焰歪过头：“独自？”
“所有的巫医都被传达了同样的指令。我们必须切断与其他族群的所有联系，独自应对危险。”
“其他族群知道黑森林的事吗？”狮焰耳朵平贴了起来。
“不知道。”松鸦羽挪了挪脚掌，“星族似乎知道，可是却没有告诉巫医。”
“为什么？”鸽爪问道。
“可能是不想吓到他们吧。”松鸦羽耸了耸肩，“也可能只是不知道该信任谁。”
“那你为什么不告诉其他巫医呢？”鸽爪问道。
“黄牙命令保守秘密。”松鸦羽挪了挪脚掌，“而且当我想要警告隼飞和柳光时，出现了一个幻象。”
“什么幻象？”狮焰靠松鸦羽更近了。
“星族在我面前凝固，然后像冰块散落碎裂，最后什么都没有了。星族被摧毁了。”
鸽爪盯着松鸦羽：“所以我们只能依靠自己？”
松鸦羽耸了耸肩：“雷族拥有三力量，所以幸存的一定是雷族。”
狮焰开始走动起来。“所以我理应替每只猫打这场战斗？”他愤怒地甩动着自己的尾巴尖，“伟大的星族啊，为什么我就不能像其他猫一样，过普普通通的生活呢？”
鸽爪皱起眉头。她本以为狮焰很乐意身为预言的一部分呢。他为什么突然表现出一副不愿意这么强大的样子呢？他一直鼓励她要接受自己的力量，她最后也开始喜欢自己的力量了。多亏了她特异的感知力量，无论虎心身在何处，她都能听到。她能听到虎心与他的族猫一起狩猎，能听到虎心在自己的窝里熟睡时的呼吸……她猛地回过神来。现在不是想虎心的时候。“可是为什么藤爪必须去黑森林呢？”她追问道。
“我们需要知道他们在干什么。”松鸦羽告诉她。
“我们知道他们在干什么啊。”鸽爪反驳道。
“可是我们并不知道他们打算何时突袭，或者他们暗中是否有分裂族群的计划。”松鸦羽身子前倾靠近鸽爪，“藤爪能帮我们找出答案。”
鸽爪退开了。“你想让她去监视他们？你不觉得她现在已经够危险了吗？如果虎星发现她在打探情报，只有星族知道他会对藤爪做什么。”她的喉咙里一阵难受，“不行！你绝对不能让藤爪去做这些。就算这关系着整个族群的命运也不行！”
她转过身冲过蕨丛，踢得雪花四溅。狮焰和松鸦羽根本不在乎藤爪！她只不过是他们取得情报的工具罢了。他们先是想要利用我，现在又想利用藤爪。
一股怒气涌上心头，鸽爪朝坡顶奔去。坡顶的树木稀疏下来，她能看见下面的湖水在澄澈蔚蓝的天空下闪动着粼粼波光。她还是利用愤怒去为自己的族群做点儿事吧。她冲下白雪覆盖的斜坡，朝湖的方向奔去。她要去狩猎。
在湖岸延伸到林中小溪的地方，鸽爪嗅到了猎物的气息。她停住被冻得生疼的脚掌，然后嗅了嗅空气。
水老鼠。
她向前走去，垂下鼻子嗅闻着地面。很快，她便在雪地里闻到了猎物的气味，看到了它的踪迹。她轻轻向前，循着岸边小小的脚掌印来到两岸长满树林的小溪汇入湖泊的地方。鸽爪跳上了溪岸，沿着小溪往上游嗅闻着。她在树林间穿梭着，终于发现了那只水老鼠——一个小小的深色身影，正蹲伏在水边。它的全部注意力都集中在两只前脚掌间的吃食上。
鸽爪蹲伏了下来，慢慢爬过雪地。她抬起尾巴，收住肚腹，生怕皮毛刷过白雪碴子会发出响声。她靠得更近了。水老鼠仍在咀嚼，全然没有意识到危险。鸽爪在它上方停了下来，然后摆动臀部，纵身跳下溪岸。
脚掌间的水老鼠温暖肥硕，她利落地将它一口毙命。悬挂在她脚掌间的水鼠软塌塌的，散发出芳香的气味。这味道勾得鸽爪口水直流。这是这些天来，她见到过最美味的猎物了。
“干得好！”藤爪的喊声从对岸传来，皑皑白雪掩饰了她银白色的皮毛。她蹚过冰冷的浅水，爬上溪岸来到鸽爪旁边。“抓得好。”
鸽爪皱了皱鼻。藤爪的皮毛上仍然抹着药糊。接着，她发现藤爪的眼睛格外明亮。“你应该在营地里休息。”鸽爪说道，“松鸦羽不是说那些伤口感染了吗？”
藤爪的皮毛竖立了起来。“那又怎样？”她抬起口鼻，“伤口上已经抹了药糊。”
“我不是在批评你。”鸽爪赶紧说道，“我只是担心。”她将自己狩获的猎物放在藤爪面前：“来，吃点儿吧。”她不想跟自己的姐妹吵架。
藤爪摇了摇头。“那会违背武士守则的。”她指出。
“只咬一小口。”鸽爪催促道，“你看起来饿坏了。到时我就说是在狩猎时弄破的。”
藤爪眯起了眼睛。“不了，谢谢你。”她咆哮道，“喜欢破坏武士守则的猫不是我。”
“什么？”鸽爪吃惊地盯着她。
“我可不会在晚上消失，跑去见影族的武士。”
鸽爪的心像块石头一样坠进了肚里。藤爪知道虎心的事情！“你是怎么发现的？”
“你以为我在你的身上闻不到他的气味吗？”藤爪抽动着尾巴，“这算不得很忠诚，是吧？每天晚上和其他族群的公猫在一起？”
鸽爪僵住了：“至少我们不会让谁身处险境。”
“你说这话什么意思？”
“你每次去黑森林，都是对自己族猫的背叛。”
“不是这样的！”藤爪嘶吼道，“我在学习成为一位伟大的武士，这样就能帮助我的族群！”
“是，你说得对！”鸽爪嘲讽地厉声说道，“就像虎星一样。他可真是位了不起的武士啊！”
“他本来就是！”
“他后来成了影族族长，还试图杀死火星！”藤爪怎么会这么愚蠢？
藤爪瞪着她，双眼冷若冰霜：“你不打算问问我怎么会识别得出虎心的气味吗？”
鸽爪眨着眼睛，满脸困惑：“什么？”
“我能轻而易举地认出虎心的气味，你不觉得奇怪吗？”
鸽爪愣住了，鲜血涌入了她的脚掌，她想起了藤爪和虎心在战斗中交换的那个神情。
“你是怎么……怎么知道的？”鸽爪的身子在皮毛下缩着。她不想听见答案。她不想听到虎心也一直在和藤爪见面。如果真是这样，那他就对她撒了谎，而她也就不是唯一一只让虎心心心念念的雷族猫了。
“我几乎每天晚上都会和他见面。”藤爪得意扬扬地说。
“不可能，他跟我在一起！”
“又不是整晚都在一起。”
鸽爪向后退去：“不准你这么说！他喜欢的是我，不是你。你一直在缠着他吗？找你自己的伴侣去！离他远点儿！”
藤爪迈步靠近：“哦，我可不是以那种方式喜欢他。我又不是你这只一往情深的小鸽子。我是一位武士，虎心也是。”
鸽爪多希望自己是个聋子，多希望自己只能看见藤爪的嘴动，却听不见这些钻心挖骨的话。
“虎心没有每天晚上都在你耳边咕咕地呢喃情话吧。”藤爪奚落道，“他是黑森林最优秀的武士之一。这才是他的忠心所在，可没有在你身上！”
“不是这样的！你只是在嫉妒！”鸽爪朝姐妹尖叫道，她无法相信这些话，“你妒忌我是一位比你优秀的武士。我过去是，将来也是，而你忍受不了这一切。如今，你又妒忌虎心爱的是我而不是你！你想摧毁我所拥有的一切，只是因为你嫉妒。仅此而已！”
藤爪的双眼闪烁着：“真的吗？你何不问问虎心呢？”
“闭嘴！”鸽爪爬上了溪岸，“如果你告诉其他猫我跟虎心见面，那我就会告诉整个族群你一直在黑森林与虎星一起训练。到时候谁都不会向着你了。大家都会和我一样讨厌你！”她朝树间飞奔而去。
“你忘了你的猎物。”藤爪在她身后喊道。
“你带回去吧！”鸽爪回头怒吼道，“说不定你的族猫还会觉得你有所改变，做了一件对的事！”
她继续飞奔着，不去想一直萦绕在脑海里的想法。影族的气味线已经很近了，她的舌尖上全是影族的气味。虎心真的背叛了湖边的族群吗？她猛地停了下来，竖起了耳朵，释放出自己的感知能力，努力搜寻着虎心。
她经常这样做，因此很容易便发现了虎心。她听到了虎心的声音，听到他脚掌踩在林地上。她对这声音很熟悉——坚定有力。他和族猫在一起。鸽爪更仔细地听着。是鼠痕、松树爪和雪鸟。松树爪“扑通”跌入了雪堆里，低沉的咕噜声也随之从他们的喉咙里响起来。
他们听起来很高兴。鸽爪真希望她能和他们在一起。她希望自己能与虎心在雪地里玩耍，希望能确定虎心爱的是自己。她想每时每刻都和虎心在一起。
或许她应该加入影族？这种想法狂乱地在鸽爪的脑海里闪动，让她的心狂跳不停。
别傻了！我是三力量之一。她不能让松鸦羽和狮焰独自面对黑森林的武士。在内心深处，她也知道自己不能离开藤爪。痛苦如尖刺，扎穿了她的心。她本不该说那些话的。她太残忍了。她那些话，让一切听起来像是整个族群都再也不想要她的姐妹了一样。
鸽爪突然感觉很难受。倘若藤爪决定永远待在黑森林该怎么办？她转过身子，朝营地的方向奔去。她要向藤爪道歉，她要告诉藤爪她错了。
可这样还远远不够！藤爪仍会造访黑森林。她根本不懂自己是被利用了。鸽爪的脚掌更用力地蹬踏冻雪。身旁的树木模糊不清，脚掌下的冰块咔嚓作响。
如果我连自己姐妹的安全都无法保证，那拥有这些力量又有何用呢？
第十七章
第十七章
焰尾满怀希望地扒拉着老树桩根部的积雪。当发现露出来的树叶已经发黑时，他长叹一声。在这个疾病最致命的季节，为什么连一株草药都不长啊？小云已经病了，整个族群也因为饥饿变得十分虚弱。白咳症在各个巢穴里爆发也只是时间问题。
“哎哟！”从树林间传来了松树爪的叫声。
虎心对她说道：“这就是你胡闹的代价。”
他兄弟的狩猎队就在附近。焰尾不停地挖掘着。“老鼠屎。”他发现了更多腐烂的树叶，咒骂道。
虎心蹦跳着穿过树林，跑了过来：“怎么了？”
焰尾甩了甩脚掌上的积雪，叹息道：“我找不到任何新鲜的草药，甚至连荨麻都没有。”
狩猎队的其他队员也跟了上来。“需要帮忙吗？”鼠痕主动问道。
“反正我们有空闲时间，”雪鸟解释说，“猎物也藏起来了。”
松树爪从焰尾的肩膀旁探出头：“你在干什么？”
焰尾抽动着鼻子，在学徒的皮毛上嗅到了绿色植物的味道。他扭过身子，嗅闻得更仔细了。
“你干吗呀？”松树爪躲开身子，“我今天早上清洗过了！”
“你去哪里了？”焰尾问道。
松树爪将头转向他们在雪地上留下的小径说：“落叶松附近。”
虎心发出了咕噜咕噜的声音：“松树爪摔进了一堆雪里。”
“雪堆下面有黑莓丛。”松树爪抱怨道，“我的皮毛上挂满了刺。”
“雪下面有黑莓丛？”焰尾兴奋不已，“我说你身上怎么有新鲜的琉璃苣的味道！”
雪鸟眯起了眼睛。“我觉得你兄弟恐怕是变成鸽子脑袋了。”她小声对虎心说。
“焰尾知道他在做什么。”虎心朝自己的兄弟弹了弹尾巴，“对吧？”
“黑莓丛能保护琉璃苣叶子不落上积雪。”焰尾解释道，“这样琉璃苣就不会被霜冻坏了。”
鼠痕走向前：“我给你指指我们刚才去过的地方。”
但焰尾早已沿着族伴留下的踪迹急匆匆往回跑去。“别担心，”他喊道，“我可以顺着你们的脚掌印找到的。”
“你不会错过松树爪摔倒那里的！”虎心在焰尾身后喊道，“洞口大得能藏下一只野兔。”
焰尾沿着族猫留下的踪迹往前跑着。很快，他看到前方有一个凸起的雪堆，松树爪跌落的地方积雪凹陷了进去，他兴奋地竖起了皮毛。他扒拉着雪往里钻，根本顾不得脚掌被冻得生疼，直到传来被黑莓藤扎到的刺痛感。他疼得缩了一下，赶紧拉开茎秆，这才看到了那些尚未被霜冻坏、安然无恙的深绿色琉璃苣叶。
感谢星族！焰尾尽可能地将自己能够得着的叶子都咬了下来，然后往后慢慢退出了雪洞。但担忧仍让他难以平顺下皮毛。如果这是猫薄荷就好了，哪怕艾菊也行啊。琉璃苣叶只能缓解发烧，却无法治疗感染，可是小云的肺部已经严重感染了。万一他的病发展成绿咳症，那可如何是好？没有猫薄荷，焰尾也无能为力。
他把这些想法甩开。为星族的恩赐庆幸吧。他提醒自己。
焰尾朝营地走去。他喜欢寒冷清澈的天气，虽然冻得脚掌疼，但他很享受积雪嘎吱嘎吱的声音。
“焰尾！”
他低头钻出营地入口时，看到褐皮急匆匆地跑了过来。“你找到了草药！”她猛舔着焰尾的脸颊，“干得好！”
焰尾做了个怪相。他提醒自己，能拥有如此亲近的至亲是何等的幸运。有时在森林大会上，他会瞥见风皮毫不掩饰地朝鸦羽和夜云报以怒目。但鸦羽和夜云从没注意到——他们通常都忙着相互叱骂。
“你看起来瘦了。”褐皮担忧地说道。
焰尾耸了耸肩，他的嘴里塞满了琉璃苣叶子，无法说话。他当然会显得瘦削了。这可是秃叶季啊。
褐皮看向巫医巢穴：“你最好去看看小云。他又开始咳个不停了。”
焰尾用尾巴轻轻地刷过母亲的脸颊，匆忙跑开了。巫医巢穴里充斥着感染的味道，焰尾将琉璃苣叶子放到库存旁。“你应该待在窝里。”他对小云说道。
小云正在巢穴后面慢慢地分拣着叶子，他把新鲜的草药堆到一边，干枯的则堆到另一边。“一点儿小白菊都没有了。”他叹息着。
“我来帮你。”焰尾提议道。
“我自己可以。”小云突然咳嗽起来，吹得干枯的叶子满地都是。
焰尾轻轻地领着这位巫医往他的窝里走。“我会找到紫草，然后送去长老巢穴。”他保证道。
“讨厌的咳嗽。”小云一边抱怨着，一边爬进苔藓中。躺进柔软的苔藓里后，他似乎松了一口气。“过一两天我就差不多好了。”他说道。
“当然。”焰尾朝草药走去。同样的话小云已经说了好几天了。他之前就病得太重，无法到月亮池去，到现在也没有好转的迹象。
其实小云没能去月亮池让焰尾暗自松了口气，因为他自己也没有去。残星告诉过他们，要离其他巫医远一些。眼下小云病重，无法远行，焰尾无须同自己的老师争论便可以遵守残星的命令。月半的时候，他独自去了森林，在一截空心木桩中过了一夜。
他开始整理起小云之前咳嗽吹散的叶子。
“你做什么梦了吗？”小云突然问道。
焰尾开始卷起一包紫草，准备给高罂用。“没有。”
“那月半去月亮池的时候呢？”
焰尾身子一僵：“和之前一样。我们必须要各自为营。”
一阵咆哮在小云的喉咙里响起：“你为什么要撒谎？”
焰尾停止了卷起紫草。“撒谎？”他重复着小云的话，努力使自己保持镇定。
“去月亮池的事，”小云的窝里沙沙作响，“我一直等了四分之一个月，等你告诉我真相。”他剧烈地咳嗽着：“你那次回来时，身上没有任何水、石头或其他巫医的气息。你满身的气味只有潮湿的木头和恐惧。”
焰尾转过身面对老师。“对不起。”他是真的觉得内疚，他搜寻着合适的词语想要解释，“残星告诉我远离其他巫医，还记得吗？如果你想的话，我可以独自去月亮池。”
“为什么你就那么确定你对你那幻象的理解是正确的呢？”小云质疑道。
“因为根本不需要再理解什么！”焰尾压制着涌上喉咙的失望，“残星说得很清楚了。战争即将来临。我们必须依靠自己的祖先，让他们带领我们逃出生天。不能靠别的猫！”
“可是黑星同意我的想法，我们必须要谨慎。”
焰尾收紧了爪子：“我是巫医。我首先听命于星族！”
“如果战争就要来临，盟友或许是我们唯一的希望！”小云的声音越发沙哑起来，“在大迁徙中，正是与其他族群团结一致才使我们生存了下来，而在此之前，也是结盟才帮助我们战胜了长鞭和血族。”
焰尾恼火地盯着他的老师：“今时不同往日，时代已经变了。”
“武士守则从不改变。”
“我们不是武士！”焰尾厉声说道，“我们是巫医。”
小云睁大混浊的双眼怒视焰尾。突然，他咳嗽起来，身子颤抖着。焰尾匆忙冲到小云的窝边，用两只前脚掌按摩他骨瘦如柴的胸部，试图让他卡在喉咙里的咳嗽得到缓解。他很不愿与老师争吵，更别提现在小云正在病中。小云将他所知道的一切都教给了焰尾，并全心全意地信任着他。但小云没有接到那个火焰的幻象。那个幻象是只传给焰尾的。
焰尾心里一震。为什么星族只给他警告？他看着正遭受咳嗽折磨的小云。这位年老的巫医要死了吗？悲伤在焰尾腹中留下一片空洞。他开始更急切地按揉起小云的后背。
渐渐地，小云的咳嗽舒缓下来。他躺回自己的窝里，努力地呼吸着。“你一定要永远和我说实话。”他粗声粗气地说。
“对不起，我没有告诉你我没去月亮池。”焰尾用脚掌捋顺了小云结团的皮毛。“我不想让你难过。”他盯着老师焦虑的目光，“可是我不能违背星族的旨意。”
小云点了点头。“我能理解，”他沙哑地说道，“我只是想知道真相。”
“现在你知道了。”焰尾挺直了身子，“我们必须独自应对。残星已经说得很清楚了，我将尊重他的愿望。”
“我也必须尊重吗？”小云问道，“我没有做梦，也没有收到幻象。我没有理由背弃老朋友。”他几乎像是在喃喃自语。
“你想起炭毛了吗？”焰尾知道这两位巫医之间有着牢不可破的纽带。
小云的眼睛亮了一下。
焰尾靠近小云。“她已经死了。”他低声说，“松鸦羽现在是雷族的巫医。他不是炭毛。如果星族意愿如此，松鸦羽也会独自战斗的。”
“松鸦羽想怎么做是他的事！”小云呻吟着撑起身子，“炭毛曾救过我的命。她对我来说远不止是朋友。在这份恩情还清前，我决不会抛弃她热爱的族群。”
入口处的茎秆沙沙作响，花楸掌的头探了进来。“焰尾？”他喊道，“黑星想要见你。”
小云想要从窝里爬出来。
“只是焰尾。”花楸掌告诉这位巫医，“黑星听到你在咳嗽。他想让你好好休息。”
小云失落地咆哮一声，落回到柔软的苔藓中。
“我会把黑星说的都告诉你。”焰尾保证道，随后急匆匆地跟在花楸掌身后。穿过空地时，他觉得身体两侧都有皮毛擦过。他放缓了脚步，十分疑惑。花楸掌在他的前头，旁边也没有其他猫。
温暖的气息环绕着他的皮毛。是黄毛和圣须！他能听到她们的声音，如微风在耳中吹拂。
“坚强点儿！”
“我们与你同在！”
他点了点头，走进了黑星的巢穴，把这些星族武士留在微风中。
“你收到更多的预兆了吗？”黑星在狭窄的巢穴里走动着，尾巴在身后不住抽动。
焰尾侧身给他让开路。“没有。”他报告道。
“那我为什么老是做这么可怕的梦？”黑星不安的双眼盯着焰尾，“每天晚上我辗转反侧，梦里到处都是血、暴力和死亡。”
焰尾眨了眨眼。这位年老的族长看起来心神不宁，眼底一片阴沉。
“我们面临的危险是什么？”黑星问道，“影族会被摧毁吗？”他盯着入口外面，声音里充满了痛苦：“与雷族战斗之后，你去了月亮池，你说战争即将到来。谁威胁着我们？雷族？风族？河族？还是他们一起？我们该如何对付他们？我们的祖先是怎么说的？”
焰尾低下了头：“我告诉过你他们说了什么，我们必须独自面对危险，结盟只会削弱我们的力量。只要我们独自应对，我们就是安全的。”
希望点亮了黑星的眼睛：“真的吗？”
“是的。”焰尾低下头看着自己的脚掌，“我们不会有事的。”这些话听上去不能更空洞了，但是他必须让黑星镇定下来。如果连族长都惊慌失措了，他们怎能应对出现的战斗呢？
黑星转过身。“我们能打赢战斗。我们不会有事的。”影族族长陷入自己的沉思中。焰尾退出了巢穴。
“我听说你找到了草药。”
花楸掌的声音吓得他跳了起来。“草药？”他重复道。
“今天早晨，”花楸掌进一步说，“褐皮说你带了琉璃苣回来。你需要帮忙多收集些吗？”
焰尾抖了抖皮毛，整理了一下思绪。“是的。”他说道，“这是个好主意。”
花楸掌扫视着积雪的空地。“蟾足！曙皮！”这两位武士正在用树叶修补育婴室。花楸掌用尾巴示意他们：“我有一个任务交给你们。”
“什么任务？”曙皮率先来到了父亲身旁。
花楸掌咕噜起来：“焰尾找到了一丛琉璃苣。我们应趁叶子仍然鲜绿时多收集一些。”
“或许也有别的草药在大雪中幸存了下来。”焰尾补充道，“我们必须在每处黑莓丛下找找。”
蟾足身子颤了一下：“那今晚我们要带着伤睡觉了。”
“小心点儿的话就不会。”曙皮盯着远方，“实际上，我有个主意。”
“抬高点儿！”曙皮在一簇黑莓丛下喊道。
蟾足呻吟着，他用后腿保持平衡，前脚掌撑起树枝，将带刺的茎秆从地面撬起来，直到焰尾和曙皮可以从下面挤进去。
“别让它掉下来！”曙皮一边往黑莓丛深处钻，一边提醒道。
“不会的。”蟾足气喘吁吁地说。
焰尾跟在姐妹身后，腹部刮擦着冰冻的地面。黑莓丛的顶部压满了积雪，但是下面靠近地面的茎秆没有落上雪花。焰尾能在藤条间看到绿色的嫩枝。“你能够到吗？”他对曙皮说道。
“应该可以。”曙皮伸出了前脚掌，开始采摘叶子。“给。”她把满满一掌叶子递给焰尾。这是款冬。就算他治愈不了小云，也得想办法缓解小云的咳嗽。
焰尾将曙皮递给他的叶子聚集在一起，直到两掌间聚起一个散发着青绿气息的足量草药包。“还有吗？”他喊道。
“就这些了。”曙皮答道。
焰尾扭动身子从黑莓丛下退了出来，甩开皮毛上扎的刺。蟾足气喘吁吁地抬着灌木。焰尾放下款冬，挨着族猫，将脚掌放在枝条下。他们一起将黑莓丛抬得高高的，直到曙皮扭着身子钻了出来。
焰尾高兴地看着这堆款冬：“只要别有太多猫咳嗽，这些够我们用一个月了。”
“我们再找找别的灌木丛吧。”曙皮兴奋地转着圈，扫视树林。“那边那丛怎么样？”她朝另一处被雪覆盖的灌木丛冲去。
蟾足转动着眼睛。“我猜树枝还是我搬。”他用牙叼起那根坚固的松树枝，拖着它跟在曙皮身后。
突然，焰尾听到咔嚓一声响。曙皮脚掌下的冰裂开了，她一个踉跄。当她开始往下掉时，一阵恐惧袭过焰尾心头。
幻象突然将他包围。他发现自己在冰冷的黑水里挣扎。水紧紧抓着他的皮毛，灌进他的耳朵和嘴巴里，把他直往下拖。他大口试图呼吸，水流顺势涌进他的胸膛里。他一面呕水，一面咳嗽，挣扎着向上，四肢拼命扑腾着想浮上水面。他的爪子撞上了冰块。冰块隔绝了空气，将他困在水下，逼着他沉回深水之中。他四处摸索，挣扎着想要打破冰块，恐惧在他耳中轰鸣。他感觉自己的爪子在光滑的冰面上无用地撕扯，肺部在尖叫。
“不！”在曙皮沉入冰下之前，焰尾扑向了她，将她撞到小路一旁的雪中。
“以星族的名义，你在干什么？”曙皮尖叫着将他推开了，踉踉跄跄站了起来，“你疯了吗？”
在小路的中央，一小圈冰块裂开了，露出了一个泥泞的水坑，只有一片树叶深。
“你怕我会弄湿脚掌吗？”曙皮问道。
焰尾盯着小水坑，侧腹起伏着。“我……我……”他的脑海里全是幻象中的场景，只能想起自己被困在了冰块下冰冷窒息的水中。
焰尾往后退开了。为什么一个小水坑会引起如此生动真实的幻象呢？他颤抖起来。先是火，现在又是水。他眼中到处都是危险。
“我知道了。”他对星族低语，“你们没必要一直提醒我。”
他必须将精力集中在重要的事情上。小云生病了。为了让自己的族猫保持强壮健康，他必须找到草药。幻象的事可以先等等。
第十八章
第十八章
沙风不住咳嗽着。正在修补长老巢穴的狮焰停了下来，朝她看去。沙风正缩着肩膀蜷缩在高石台下，她昨天夜里也一直在咳嗽。
火星跳下石堆，口鼻轻触伴侣的头：“你没事吧？”
“只是被雪花呛了一下。”沙风沙哑着说道。
狮焰又将一大把叶子推入了枝条间的缝隙里。虽然已是日高时分，可是天空灰蒙蒙一片，山谷里也显得阴沉灰暗。过去几天大雪不断，压弯了山毛榉树，新建的围墙也随之咯吱作响着变了形，出现了许多小洞和裂缝。狮焰一上午都在忙着填补它们，以免寒风侵入新巢穴。蟾步和桦落一直忙着往营地送叶子，他们用脚掌挖开落雪，把落叶从冰封的森林大地上刨出来，溅得积雪上泥迹斑斑。
桦落将另一堆树叶放在了狮焰的脚掌边，蟾步跟在他身后，想让身体暖和些：“还要吗？”
两位武士都累得上气不接下气。他们的皮毛紧紧贴在骨头上。猎物短缺的状况已经持续了近半个月，整天下来能吃上几口猎物，都已经是族群的幸事了。
狮焰抓起一把霜冻的树叶：“如果你们能多找一些，我就能将巢穴后面的洞也补好。”
桦落点点头，领着蟾步又出了营地。
“要确保修得完好无损！”巢穴墙外传来了鼠毛尖厉的声音，“我昨晚就没怎么睡着，巢穴到处都透风。”
狮焰发出了咕噜声。藤爪带回的肥硕水老鼠让鼠毛的精神好了不少。他又抓起一把叶子，小心翼翼地跨过枝条朝巢穴后面走去。
“狮焰在里面吗？”黑莓掌将头探入了巢穴。
“我在后面。”狮焰放下叶子，跳到地面上，然后匆忙跑到副族长身旁，“怎么了？”
黑莓掌拖着脚步退出了巢穴：“我想让你率领一支狩猎队。”
狮焰在雪地里擦了擦塞满碎叶的脚掌：“太好了。那我去哪儿？”
“靠近风族边界的树林里。”
鼠毛从巢穴入口探出了头：“那巢穴透风怎么办？”
黑莓掌低了低头：“桦落和蟾步会把活儿干完的。”
狮焰眯了眯眼睛。“去风族边界附近狩猎明智吗？”他小心翼翼地说，“自从风族开始在边界附近狩猎以来，他们就对此特别敏感。”
黑莓掌哼了一声：“正是因为这个，我们才必须强调自己的存在。他们以前就追着猎物跨越过气味线。我们可不想让他们养成这种习惯。”
“我想也是。”狮焰明白了副族长话语中的深意。
“我们不是在找麻烦。”黑莓掌继续说道，“但是风族需要知道，雷族从来不会远离自己的边界。”
鼠毛屈起了爪子。“我就不明白了，为什么他们不能像过去那样在荒原上狩猎啊。”她转身朝温暖的巢穴走去，嘴里仍不住抱怨着，“风族在林地上狩猎。然后呢？影族要在湖里捉鱼吗？”
黑莓掌一直等到她消失在巢穴中。“不要主动找麻烦。”他再次对狮焰说道，“但如果遇上了，也不用避退。”
狮焰抖松了皮毛说：“如果幸运的话，我们能抓只兔子。”天气变冷时，兔子有时会来到树林里以求遮蔽。
“有兔子当然好了。”黑莓掌的目光转向组成猎物堆的老鼠和干巴巴的知更鸟。“你带上叶池、炭心和鸽爪。”他下令道。
狮焰的心沉了下去。他一直在躲避炭心。他为什么要把自己的秘密告诉炭心啊？为什么会以为她能坦然接受呢？为什么她就是不能接受呢？他的尾巴抽动着。我又没变！我一直都拥有这些力量。他看向空地另一边。他知道炭心在那儿和叶池分享舌抚。看到炭心在叶池的耳边小声说着什么，狮焰的身子一僵。万一炭心告诉了别的猫怎么办？她会把他的秘密泄露出去吗？
不会的！狮焰抛开了心中的忧虑。炭心也还是原来那只猫——狮焰仍然相信她。“藤爪也来吗？”他问了一句。
黑莓掌摇了摇头：“松鸦羽说藤爪仍伤口感染得厉害。他想让她待在营地，直到康复为止。”
狮焰朝炭心和叶池走去。经过巫医巢穴时，他喊上了鸽爪。鸽爪刚才去陪荆棘光了。她用鼻子拱开黑莓丛，走出了巢穴，跑着追上了狮焰。“什么事？”狮焰到炭心和叶池跟前时，鸽爪气喘吁吁地问道。
“我们要去风族边界附近狩猎。”
叶池站起身：“顺便检查一下风族有没有越过边界。我猜得对吗？”
炭心伸了个懒腰。她的皮毛刚经过清洗，仍然卷皱着。她扭过身子，伸出舌头梳理一簇支棱起的皮毛。
“我们还是赶快出发吧。”狮焰看向叶池，惊讶地发现她毫不退缩地迎上了自己的目光。她最近似乎变得自信多了，经常很快就向松鸦羽提供帮助，不管松鸦羽接受与否，她都毫不畏缩。另外，在巡逻方面，她也进步飞快，经常能最先抓住猎物，也能率先指出边界上哪里的气味不新鲜了。
狮焰面露不悦。叶池现在算巫医还是武士呢？他该如何对待她？他挪了挪脚掌。她到底是他的母亲，还是他母亲的姐姐呢？他知道是叶池生下了自己，但是她没有养育过他。是松鼠飞将他养大的。至少在松鼠飞没离开育婴室去担任族群的其他职责前，一直是她在照顾狮焰。狮焰耸了耸肩。经常给他温暖，为他清洗身子的猫后是黛西和香薇云——她们和松鼠飞就像自己的母亲一样，是叶池远远比不上的。
“怎么了？”叶池的声音将狮焰从他的思绪中惊醒，“我们出不出发？”
“走吧。”
鸽爪打着哈欠。
“你怎么一直都很疲倦啊？”狮焰怒气冲冲地扫了她一眼。
鸽爪朝他眨了眨眼睛。“对不起。”她从他身边跳开，跟着炭心出了营地。当叶池去追她们时，狮焰觉得一阵内疚。他本不该对鸽爪厉声说话的。她还小。或许她的力量对她来说太过强大了。
他跟着狩猎巡逻队走出了营地，森林的气息使他抛开了心中的忧虑。刚刚落下的雪花填平了坑洼的小道和枝叶支棱的灌木丛，林中看起来似乎还未被踩踏过。狮焰冲到族猫前面，让自己像幼崽一样享受率先踩踏柔软积雪的乐趣。炭心、叶池和鸽爪静静地跟在他身后，发出沉闷的脚步声。
他们靠近分开两族领地那条狭窄的小溪时，狮焰嗅了嗅空气，确信没有任何风族猫越过气味线。小溪现在变成了一条上冻的水沟，上面覆满积雪，在林地上只能看出一条凹痕。可是气味线很清晰，风族和雷族的标记散发出刺激性气味。
“需要我带上炭心，经过黑莓丛往上面去狩猎吗？”叶池提议。
“如果我们分开的话，就可以搜索更多的地方。”炭心插话道。
“好的。”狮焰感到一阵轻松，“你们也带上鸽爪吧。”鸽爪又打起了哈欠。狮焰觉得自己还是单独去狩猎好些。
队员们跳步离开，走过了黑莓丛。狮焰在水沟边上嗅闻一丛山楂树灌木，期待能发现猎物的踪迹，同时也警惕着风族的气味。
水沟对面冻硬了的积雪突然咔嚓作响，狮焰猛地抬起了头。是风皮正抽动着鼻子，沿着一条留有小小脚掌印的小道往前走。鸦羽跟在他身后，耳朵竖着，皮毛也顺着脊柱立了起来。
狮焰在灌木后面蹲低了身体。他们还不知道他在这儿。透过山楂树光秃秃的茎秆，他观察着这两只风族猫。风族猫们瘦骨嶙峋，一边追踪猎物痕迹，一边战栗个不停。他们根本没打算掩藏自己的行动。难道他们以为在这里还有石楠丛给他们提供遮挡吗？真是鼠脑子！
一阵积雪从上方的枝条上散落，两只风族猫抬起了头，眼睛一亮。狮焰听到了翅膀振动的声音，不用看他也知道有只画眉就在附近。他张开了嘴巴，空气从他的舌尖飘过。更多的雪落了下来。画眉振翅而下，落到了一个松果旁，开始在松鳞间啄食虫子。鸦羽僵直着身子，风皮也绷紧了肌肉，只有他们的尾巴尖还在抽动。画眉继续啄食着。
接着，风皮跃了起来，脚掌蹬起了身后的积雪。画眉惊叫着飞上天空。风皮利爪大张，直扑了过去。他跃到空中，朝画眉挥出致命的一掌。画眉从风皮的爪下被拍开，掠过了水沟。
狮焰迎面跳出去，在半空中给了画眉狠狠一击。画眉落到了地上，死了。
“嘿！”风皮恼怒的尖叫声越过了水沟，“那是我的！”
“它在我们的领地上。”狮焰蹲伏在猎物上方，嘴里口水直冒。留给风族的猎物少一只，留给雷族的猎物就会多一只。他看着鸦羽——就是这只猫让叶池背叛了她的族群。狮焰永远都不会承认这只猫是他的父亲。你风族的儿子甚至都守不住他的猎物。
“是我杀的！”风皮咆哮着，声音里充满了挑衅。
“你确定？”狮焰仰起下巴盯着风族武士，“那你为什么不过来取呢？”
风皮尾巴弹动。他一跃跨过水沟，猛地撞到了狮焰身上。
狮焰突然感觉浑身充满了力量。他被风族武士的体重撞倒，皮毛登时立了起来。风皮试图将爪子插入他的身体，但狮焰猛地后腿直立起来，如甩掉一只苍蝇似的将风皮甩落了。接着，他转过身，跳到了风皮身上，用前脚掌死死地摁住了风皮。
“雷族的杂种！”风皮挣脱了狮焰的控制，发疯似的挥动着四只脚掌猛击。
狮焰抽了抽胡须。这也太简单了。他挥出一掌，砰地重重地打在风皮脸颊上。风族武士趔趄几步，摔倒在地上，然后挣扎着站起身。“那是我的画眉！”他啐道。他以迅雷不及掩耳之势朝狮焰后腿挥出一记猛击，撞开了狮焰的后腿。
这记出其不意的攻击让狮焰喘息着跌倒在了雪地里。他感觉风皮的牙齿咬进了自己的肩部。狮焰暴怒起来，他像条鱼似的在光滑的雪地里扭动身子。他找到了一个支撑点，立刻撑起身子站了起来，一个重击将风皮利落地推到了一边。鲜血如同深红色的雨点，溅落到了雪地上。
“住手！”
叶池尖厉的叫声划破了冰冻的空气，接着就见她冲过蕨丛，身后紧紧跟着炭心和鸽爪。“你怎么能看着你的儿子们打架啊？”她朝鸦羽尖声喊道。
不等鸦羽回答，他的伴侣夜云便从边界那边的阴影中大步走了出来。她黑色的皮毛与风皮的如出一辙，琥珀色的眼睛里也闪烁着别无二致的凶光。“他只有一个儿子。”她的嘶吼声里满是憎恨，“鸦羽是风皮的父亲。他没有别的孩子！”
风皮蹲伏了下来。狮焰看见他皮毛下的肌肉紧绷着，准备要再次发动攻击。
“住手！”叶池冲到了他们之间。
风皮的冲击狠狠地撞上了叶池侧身。他将叶池拖向地面，爪子撕开她的皮毛。又一股鲜血溅落在了雪地上。狮焰惊得目瞪口呆。不等他扑向风皮，鸦羽已经越过水沟，将自己的儿子从叶池身上拉开了。
他像扔只猎物似的将风皮扔到一旁，俯身看着叶池。“你选择了你的族群，还记得吗？”他低声说道。
叶池抬头盯着他：“那并不意味着我没爱过你。”
鸦羽的眼睛里闪烁着痛苦。“或许你是爱过，”他吼道，“但爱得不够，不是吗？”
“离她远点儿！”夜云已经穿过了水沟。她将爪子插进鸦羽的皮毛里，把他从叶池身边拖开。
鸦羽转身与自己的伴侣对峙，怒声嘶吼。风皮抗议地哀号着冲进他们中间。狮焰觉得一阵难受。他是我的弟弟，我怎么能打自己的弟弟呢？
风皮直面父亲，蓬松起了尾巴，嘴唇向后卷着。“别碰我母亲！”画眉早已被抛到脑后。这场冲突至此已和猎物之血无关了，现在涉及的是流淌在这些猫血管里的血脉，让他们情愿与否都彼此相连的血脉。
狮焰甩了甩脑袋，耳朵也随之扑动。这些猫不是我的至亲。在离他几步远的地方，叶池拖着身子站了起来。狮焰怒视着她。全是她的错。是她搞出了这摊烂事。但她的眼神是那样悲痛，让狮焰突然觉得自己好像也感受到了她的痛苦。她遭受的痛苦远多于我们中的任何一个。
鸦羽咆哮着从风皮身边转过身，跳过水沟回到了风族领地。“走吧，”他怒吼道，“如果雷族没有这只小小的鸟就要饿死，那就让给他们吧。”风皮悄无声息地跟在鸦羽后面离开了，在雪地上留下了一道细细的血迹。
狮焰抖松了皮毛。他没感觉到伤口。他应该不再和族群猫战斗吗？这是欺骗。鸽爪的话在他的脑海里回响，或许他应该省着点力，用来对付黑森林的武士。
夜云跃过水沟，然后停下脚步转过了身。“下次我们会把你们撕成碎片的！”她啐骂道。
鸽爪冲向前：“是风皮先开始的！”
“嘘。”炭心把鸽爪从边界处劝了回来，经过狮焰身边时，她低声说，“或许你不该和他战斗的。”
鸽爪竖起了耳朵：“为什么不该？”
狮焰眯起了眼睛。“你抓到什么了吗？”他故意问自己的学徒。
鸽爪弹了弹尾巴：“还没有。”
“那就开始狩猎吧。”看到鸽爪跺着脚离开后，狮焰转向了叶池。“你应该回营地让松鸦羽检查你的伤口。”他命令道。叶池的目光从边界转了回来，点了点头。
等这两只猫走过黑莓丛，消失不见了，狮焰才转向炭心。“为什么你要担心一只风族猫呢？”他不满地小声问炭心。
“你可能把他伤得很重！”
你以为我不知道？“我知道自己在干什么！”狮焰怒吼着，“我又不是什么穷凶极恶的双头狐狸，别这样提防我了！”
炭心盯着自己的脚掌。“好吧，很抱歉，我不知道如何处理这种事情。”她咕哝道，“是你改变了这一切。”
狮焰盯着炭心，疲倦如同黑色的波浪淹没了他。“不。”他叹了口气，“这些早在我出生之前就已经注定了。”他转过身：“我们去狩猎，然后回家吧。族群还饿着呢。”
狮焰舔着嘴唇退到一旁，灰条围绕着猎物堆转圈。他们带回了两只兔子，那只画眉，还有一只松鸡。
“我们应该常去风族边界狩猎。”这位灰毛武士咕噜道。
莓鼻张大了嘴：“这儿看上去总算又像个猎物堆了！”
狮焰看向空地另一边。一天狩猎的好收获并未缓解他心中的疼痛。自从他们谈话以来，炭心甚至连看都没再看过他一眼，叶池也几乎不跟别的猫说话。狮焰看着沙风一直在咳嗽。这只姜黄色的母猫与火星一起蹲伏在半边石旁，亮心也和他们在一起。“她该去找松鸦羽看看。”亮心说道。
“真的，只是被雪花呛了一下。”沙风坚持说。
亮心围着她打转。“我们都吸入了雪花，”她焦虑地说，“可只有你在咳嗽。”
火星嗅了嗅她：“或许松鸦羽真该给你检查一下。”
亮心点了点头。“听起来像白咳症。”火星眼神锐利地瞥了一眼独眼武士。亮心抽了抽尾巴：“如果真是白咳症，我们有必要知道。”
火星身子前倾：“小声点儿！”显然他不想让整个族群担心。
“我去找松鸦羽。”亮心做了决定，随后急匆匆地朝巫医巢穴奔去。
“干得好，狮焰。”黑莓掌嗅闻着猎物堆，“应该让罂粟霜和幼崽们先吃。”
“荆棘光也需要吃点儿。”米莉补充了一句。
狮焰心烦意乱地用脚掌翻动着兔子：“这些够每只猫都吃上了。”
松鸦羽跟着亮心走出了巢穴。他停在沙风旁，朝她倾过身子。
狮焰从族猫身旁走开了。“是白咳症吗？”他靠近自己的弟弟，轻声问道。
“嘘！”松鸦羽将耳朵紧紧地贴在沙风的侧腹上，尾巴颤抖着。“她需要休息。”他挺直身子说道，“注意保暖。”
亮心动了动脚掌：“所以真是白咳症了。”
“可能是。”松鸦羽用一只脚掌触碰沙风的耳朵，“我去看看还有没有剩下的小白菊。”
狮焰坐了下来。现在还是秃叶季初期，这个时候就患上白咳症恐怕太早了。万一传播开来怎么办呢？一个闪过的虎斑身影吸引了他的目光——叶池正急匆匆地奔向她的母亲。
“沙风，你怎么了？”叶池弯下身嗅了嗅沙风的呼吸，然后抬头看着松鸦羽，“我们需要艾菊，我去找一些来。”
“天已经太晚了。”火星将尾巴放在了叶池的脊背上，“为什么不等到明天早上呢？”
“你要去哪儿找艾菊？”亮心绝望地摇了摇头，“我们已经在树林中搜寻了好几天了。”
“你在两脚兽巢穴旁建立的草药地里有。”狮焰主动说道。
松鸦羽僵住了。
叶池甩掉火星的尾巴：“我去采！”
“那里的草药还太脆弱，”松鸦羽厉声说道，“如果我们现在就摘下来，可能会彻底破坏根部，然后整株植物就都没了。”
叶池猛地转头过来瞪着松鸦羽：“要是不采回来，沙风的病情可能就要加重了！”
“她很强壮。”松鸦羽反驳道，“她可能根本用不上艾菊。我不想冒这个险。”
“拿什么冒险？”叶池生气地说道，“艾菊还是沙风的生命？”
火星走上前：“还不至于那么严重。”
松鸦羽那双看不见的眼睛仍盯着叶池。“我来决定何时使用艾菊。”他咆哮道，“我才是巫医。”
狮焰在这片冰冷的寂静中紧张起来，他脚掌下的积雪咔嚓作响。
“非常好。”叶池最后说道，“我去森林里找。”她转身大步走开了。
“明天早上再去吧！”火星喊道。
叶池迟疑了一下，然后朝武士巢穴走去，消失在了巢穴里。
“边界处有入侵的迹象吗？”
“什么？”狮焰抬起头，看到火星正盯着自己。他忘记汇报跟风族发生的冲突了。“我们碰到了风族的巡逻队。”
火星眯起了眼睛：“他们穿过边界了吗？”
狮焰感到一阵慌乱。是的，但只是因为他嘲讽了他那同父异母的弟弟才导致这种情况。他该如何解释呢？“我们因为一只越界的猎物发生了一点儿小冲突。”他最终说道，“小事而已，很快就解决了。”
“谁赢得了猎物？”火星问道。
“是我。”
沙风又开始咳嗽了，火星用尾巴包裹着他的伴侣。“这些争吵是不可避免的。”他说道，随后将注意力转向了沙风。
要是真这么简单就好了！狮焰闭上了眼睛。今天的战斗并不是因为猎物、饥饿或是狩猎权。是两个族群间那段纠缠不清的恩怨导致了这场冲突。它不仅恶化了两个族群间的关系，甚至破坏了族猫之间的感情，猫儿们反目成仇，族群也从内部被削弱了。
或许黄牙是对的，每个族群应该独自应对。最终的决战就要到来，面对着那样可怕的敌人，他们决不能被任何事分心。
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
A shriveled mouse thudded in frontof Ivypaw. “Eat this.”
She looked up at the dark tabby ShadowClan warrior who’d thrown it, and sniffed. “Thanks.”
The warrior stalked away, around the bramble screen that half hid Ivypaw’s corner of the ShadowClan camp.
“I don’t know why they’re giving you food.” Starlingpaw scowled at her. “You were trying to steal ours.”
Ivypaw leveled a scornful look at the young ShadowClan tom who’d been ordered to guard her. “I crossed the border by mistake.”
“Yeah, right.” Starlingpaw turned away and resumed his watch.
Ivypaw rolled her eyes. Anyone would think he was guarding a LionClan warrior. “What exactly do you think I’m going to do? Attack the warriors’ den and take over the camp?”
Starlingpaw glanced at her. “Who knows what you’re planning? ThunderClan cats are known for being sneaky.”
“ThunderClan? Sneaky?” Ivypaw couldn’t believe her ears. ShadowClancats were the sneakiest cats in the forest. She snorted. I give up.She wasn’t going to waste time talking to this mouse-brain. She settled onto her belly and began eating the mouse. As she gnawed at the stringy meat, she peered around the edge of the bramble, past Starlingpaw’s tail, and watched the ShadowClan camp begin to stir.
Two kits tumbled out of a small hole in the bramble wall. “Come on, Dewkit!” The bigger kit—a tabby tom—crouched down, waggling his tail.
“What?” His littermate—a gray she-kit—stared at him.
The tabby dashed across the clearing. “Race you to the dirtplace!”
“That’s cheating, Sparrowkit!” Dewkit pelted after him.
A third kit fell out of the brambles. “Wait for me!” She landed and stared after them, eyes wide.
“Don’t worry, Mistkit.” A tabby queen slid out behind her. “We’ll catch up to them together.” She headed after them, Mistkit trotting at her side. The kit’s pale gray pelt was as spiky as a pinecone. When they reached the far end of the clearing, they ducked into a tunnel and disappeared from view
Cedarheart, the graying elder, stretched outside his den. Tallpoppy squeezed out from the brambles behind him and yawned. She looked at the gray sky. “Looks like more snow’s coming.”
Cedarheart shivered. “We’ll be eatingsnow before long.”
A pure-white she-cat was crossing the clearing toward a small pile of mangy-looking prey. Was that a dead frog lying on the top? Ivypaw shivered. The white warrior sniffed at it and carried a piece back toward her den. Ivypaw recognized Olivenose squeezing out.
“Do you want to share this?” the white warrior offered.
“Thanks, Snowbird.” Olivenose called back over her shoulder, “Do you want to share a vole, Owlclaw?”
Ivypaw chewed on her mouse, a little surprised to see that the ShadowClan camp worked just like ThunderClan’s. What did you expect? Mice and squirrels doing the work for them?
Rowanclaw ducked into Blackstar’s den and emerged a few moments later with the ShadowClan leader. They talked for a few moments before Rowanclaw lifted his chin and called to the Clan, “Let all those ready to hunt gather for patrol.”
Pelts swarmed around him. Ivypaw strained to recognize as many warriors as she could. The shapes and colors of these cats were so like ThunderClan, more than stunted WindClan or the fat, sleek RiverClan cats.
“Ratscar, Scorchfur, Snowbird, and Applefur.” Rowanclaw nodded to each one. “You will lead the hunting patrols today. Redwillow, you take the border patrol. Tigerheart, Shrewfoot, and Crowfrost”—he flicked his tail—“you’ll be coming with me.”
Tawnypelt flicked her tail. “The snow has drifted over the training ground,” she reported. “We need to find a more sheltered clearing, or else train in camp.”
Rowanclaw nodded. “If anyone finds a suitable training area, let me know. Until then, battle training will take place here.”
The kits burst out of the dirtplace tunnel.
“Is that strange cat still here?” Sparrowkit squeaked. “The one Tigerheart brought back last night?”
The warriors glanced at one another, surprised. Ivypaw stiffened as, one by one, the cats began to turn and stare at the sheltered corner where she was crouching. She wasn’t going to hide like she’d done something wrong to their precious territory. Puffing out her chest, she padded out from behind the brambles and met their gaze.
Rowanclaw took the center of the clearing. “Tigerheart found a ThunderClan apprentice inside our scent line last night,” he announced.
Pelts bristled behind him.
“Was she alone?” Ratscar demanded.
“The patrol didn’t find any other cats,” Rowanclaw answered. “No warrior scent has been found.”
“Are you sure?” Olivenose flattened her ears. “They could be trying to take more of our territory!”
“We’re not!” Ivypaw couldn’t stop herself calling out.
Starlingpaw turned on her, bristling. “Be quiet!”
Ivypaw scowled at him as Tawnypelt padded forward and turned to her Clanmates. “She’s just an apprentice.”
Rowanclaw sat down and wrapped his tail over his paws. “We’re holding her for now,” he meowed. “No doubt ThunderClan will look for her soon. Until then, she’s no threat.”
“Yeah,” grunted Starlingpaw. “No threat.”
Ivypaw fought the urge to cuff him around the ear.
Rowanclaw flexed his claws. “The patrols must leave,” he ordered. “We can’t waste hunting time.”
Ratscar, Scorchfur, Snowbird, and Applefur began to weave among their Clanmates, assembling their patrols. Within moments they were thundering through the brambles, out into the pine forest.
A tiny mew made Ivypaw turn. “Hey, Thundercat!”
Sparrowkit had leaped past the bramble screen and was facing her, back arched and fur on end. Ivypaw broke into a purr as Dewkit leaped out after him and Mistkit peeped, trembling, around the prickly stems.
“Can you fly?” Sparrowkit demanded.
Ivypaw blinked. “Fly?”
“The warriors said you flew down from the trees in the battle.”
“Oh, yes.” Ivypaw nodded. “All ThunderClan cats can fly.”
“Liar,” growled Starlingpaw.
Ivypaw shrugged. “It’s not my fault that ShadowClan kits have poppy seeds for brains.”
Sparrowkit raced at her, spitting. “No we don’t.”
Ivypaw ducked and snarled in his face, baring her teeth. The kit’s pelt bushed, and his eyes widened with terror. “Kinkfur! Help!” With a squeal, he turned and hared away. Mistkit and Dewkit went wailing after him.
Starlingpaw turned on her. “What did you do that for?”
“Sorry.” Ivypaw winced. “I didn’t think I’d scare them that much.” Her pelt burned. “I was just joking.”
“Those kits have been raised on tales about ThunderClan warriors who eat kits for fun!” Starlingpaw snapped.
Ivypaw stared at him. “Really?”
“They’ll have bad dreams for days.”
“Let me go and apologize,” Ivypaw offered.
The brambles rustled, and Blackstar stalked in. “You willapologize,” he growled. “But not yet.”
Ivypaw straightened up. Blackstar was huge. His one black paw was the size of her head. “I’m really sorry,” she mewed.
Blackstar’s whiskers twitched. “Don’t worry. We’re not going to put you on the fresh-kill pile yet.” His eyes seemed to glow. Was he amused? He scanned the corner she’d been held in, glancing down at the half-eaten mouse at her paws. “Sorry to keep you like this. Have you had enough to eat?”
“Yes.” Hastily, Ivypaw pushed the mouse toward him. “I don’t want to use up your food. Prey is scarce.”
Blackstar dipped his head. “I expect you want to go home.”
Ivypaw felt her eyes glisten. “Yes.”
“You’ll be back in your camp soon enough.” He gazed past her. “First, there’s a bargain to be struck. ThunderClan has something we need.” He turned and padded away.
Ivypaw watched him go, unease pricking her belly. “A bargain?” she echoed.
Starlingpaw shrugged. “Perhaps we’re going to swap you for food.”
Tawnypelt padded around the jutting brambles. “Are you all right?” The sympathy in the tortoiseshell’s mew made Ivypaw more homesick than ever.
“I’m fine.” She swallowed against the lump rising in her throat. “What do you want to swap me for?”
“Herbs,” Tawnypelt answered. “Littlecloud’s sick. We need catmint and tansy. Tigerheart told us that Jayfeather has been growing some.”
“Tigerheart?” Ivypaw was confused. ButTigerstar told me that ShadowClan knew about the herbs ages ago. That’s why they’d wanted to invade ThunderClan territory. Had Tigerstar lied?
“He overheard some ThunderClan warriors talking about it yesterday,” Tawnypelt told her.
No he didn’t!Anger throbbed in her ears. Dovepaw told him!How could her sister betray her Clan like that? Ivypaw stared around her prison. How could she betrayme?
Tawnypelt padded closer. “Don’t worry, dear.” Her eyes were round. “I’m sure Jayfeather will happily give up a few herbs on your behalf. You’ll be home in no time.”
Ivypaw backed away, bristling.
“Would you like to use the dirtplace?” Tawnypelt offered. “You could stretch your legs. You must be stiff, holed up here.” She waved Starlingpaw away with her tail. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”
Tawnypelt took her across the camp. The clearing was long and wide. All the dens were neatly tucked away inside the camp wall. Ivypaw was impressed. It was perfect for practicing battle moves. Dawnpelt, lying near the edge, looked up from the frog she was chewing and scowled. Sparrowkit was huddling beside Kinkfur. Dewkit and Mistkit were nowhere to be seen. Cedarheart and Tallpoppy had made nests in the snow outside their den and watched her pass.
Ivypaw felt hot under her pelt. She was relieved to duck through the tunnel to the dirtplace while Tawnypelt waited in the clearing. The dirtplace was outside the camp wall, and Ivypaw wondered if she could slip away and make it to the border.
“Are you finished?” Tawnypelt called.
Ivypaw pushed the idea away. The forest was full of patrols that all knew the territory better than she did. She kicked snow over her dirt and headed back through the tunnel. “I want to apologize to the kits,” she told Tawnypelt as she emerged.
“What for?”
“I frightened them.”
Tawnypelt purred. “I thought Sparrowkit was looking a little quieter than usual.” She led Ivypaw across the clearing toward Kinkfur. As they neared, Mistkit squirmed out of the den and hid behind the tabby queen. Dewkit followed and ducked under Kinkfur’s tail.
Sparrowkit, trembling, lifted his chin. “You don’t scare me!” he growled.
“Good—”
A shriek ripped across the camp, and Flametail came racing through a gap in the brambles, wild-eyed and with his fur bushed up.
Tawnypelt bristled. “What is it?” She raced over to the terrified medicine cat.
“Darkness!” Flametail gasped. “Cold, sucking darkness.” The ginger tom’s eyes were black with terror.
Blackstar rushed out of his den. “What’s the matter?” He barged past Smokefoot and stared at the medicine cat.
Flametail’s gaze fixed on his leader. “There is a great darkness coming,” he hissed. “I’ve felt it, all around me. It will engulf ShadowClan like an endless wave and suck us down to our doom.”
Blackstar thrust his face closer. “What can we do?”
“We must prepare to fight. StarClan was right. We are alone, and we must fight for our lives!”
Smokefoot leaned forward. “Who? Who must we fight?”
Flametail shook his head. “I couldn’t see.”
“It must be the other Clans,” Blackstar snarled. “If StarClan says we fight alone, it must be them that we fight!”
Kinkfur trembled beside Ivypaw and swept her kits closer with her tail. The brambles shivered. Ivypaw turned to see Tigerheart pad into camp. Rowanclaw, Shrewfoot, and Crowfrost followed.
Flametail straightened up, calmness flooding his mew. “The greatest battle in the history of the Clans is coming, and we must prepare to meet it.”
Tigerheart’s broad shoulders stiffened. He glanced backward, catching Ivypaw’s eye. We are being prepared already,he seemed to say.
Ivypaw didn’t feel comforted. Flametail’s prophecy of doom had scared her; she wanted her Clanmates around her, and Firestar to decide which battles should be fought and which could be left for another day.
If the greatest battle ever was coming, Ivypaw wanted to be home before it arrived.
第十九章
第十九章
在大雪的重压下，长老巢穴的顶部嘎吱作响。松鸦羽皱起了眉。“希望撑得住。”他咕哝道。
“换作以前的老巢穴，肯定都被压扁了。”在松鸦羽身旁，波弟的皮毛刷过树皮，“不过现在有金银花藤编进山毛榉的枝叶里，巢穴坚实多了，能够支撑顶部的积雪。”
鼠毛在窝里转过身：“我倒更不愿意看到积雪融化，至少现在的雪是干燥的。等到雪消融后开始从巢穴顶往下滴——”
波弟打断了鼠毛的话。“等到积雪融化时，你会被淋湿。你每个秃叶季不都这样嘛。”他的尾巴抽动着，“野外生活的猫都会被淋湿，就连你们的星族也改变不了。”
松鸦羽用口鼻触碰鼠毛的口鼻。鼠毛刚想躲闪，松鸦羽就命令道：“别动。”他闻了闻鼠毛的气息。没有发酸的味道，她的鼻子也凉凉的。他又听了听鼠毛的胸膛，不太确定她的气喘是由于感染了，还是因为年纪大。现在已经是日高时分，而这只老母猫仍待在自己的窝里。“你确定自己的喉咙不痛吧？”松鸦羽又一次问道。
“确定。”鼠毛咕哝着。
“关节哪儿疼吗？”
“还是老样子。”
松鸦羽皱了皱眉。那为什么她今天早晨要拒绝和小鼹鼠玩苔藓球呢？他转向波弟：“如果她开始咳嗽就告诉我。”
“我会亲自找你来的。”这位年迈的独行猫保证道。
松鸦羽用鼻子拱开金银花的卷须走出了巢穴，他的脚掌一碰到空地的积雪，身子就不由哆嗦了一下。狮焰的巡逻队带回的丰盛猎物让族群支撑了好几天。但现在，猎物堆已经是一副空空如也的可怜相，沙风的白咳症也开始传播了。先是黄蜂条整夜高烧不退，不住咳嗽，松鸦羽说服他待在自己的窝里。接着，罂粟霜又派梅花落来到了巫医巢穴。
“罂粟霜说小樱桃发烧了。”梅花落告诉松鸦羽。
“告诉她我一检查完鼠毛就来。”
刺掌刚率领巡逻队出了营地，松鸦羽便向育婴室走去，心里暗自祈盼罂粟霜只是太过紧张。沙哑的喘息声传进他的耳朵里。他停了下来：“是你吗，鼠须？”
“是我。”那位武士在空地边缘瓮声说道。
“回你的窝里待着。”不给武士拒绝的机会，松鸦羽便穿过了空地。他没有时间去争论，疾病正在蔓延。他已经将沙风移到了巫医巢穴。她不能同火星待在一起。雷族需要自己的族长保持强健。松鸦羽默默地向星族祈祷：请不要让荆棘光也被感染。
“松鸦羽！”罂粟霜的叫声从育婴室的入口传来。当巢穴内的温暖将松鸦羽包裹起来时，有小小的爪子刺入了他的后背。
“下来，小鼹鼠！”黛西严厉的声音从她的窝中传来。
小鼹鼠从松鸦羽的后背滑下：“只是练练我的突袭嘛！”
罂粟霜急匆匆从松鸦羽身边走过，对小猫说道：“到外面去练。”
“小樱桃也出来吗？”小鼹鼠问道。
松鸦羽用柔软的掌垫轻轻拍了拍他：“或许待会儿吧，我得先给她检查。”
小鼹鼠跌跌撞撞地走出了巢穴，罂粟霜在松鸦羽耳边小声说道：“我感觉她有点儿热。”
松鸦羽将身子倾入窝里，用口鼻轻轻触了一下小樱桃那小小的口鼻。“是有点儿热。”他将一只耳朵贴在小樱桃的胸膛，“但是呼吸声非常清晰。”
“我感觉自己没事。”小樱桃尖声叫道，“我可以和小鼹鼠一起去玩吗？”
“她需要吃些草药吗？”罂粟霜的声音里充满了担忧。
“暂时不需要。”松鸦羽想让自己那一小点儿库存尽可能多用一些时间，“让她出去和小鼹鼠一起在雪里玩吧。”
罂粟霜惊讶地喘了口气：“去外面？”
“你最好的办法就是让她保持凉爽。”松鸦羽建议道，“只要她的呼吸不混浊，雪就可以给她降温。”他用鼻子推着小樱桃出了窝，对她说道：“如果你感觉不舒服，就进来休息。”他又转向罂粟霜：“如果小樱桃开始咳嗽或气喘，就来叫我。”
松鸦羽退出了育婴室，又回到巫医巢穴检查沙风。“你感觉怎么样了？”他把身体俯进姜黄色武士临时的窝里，问道。
“已经感觉好多了。”沙风承认道。
松鸦羽用掌垫触摸沙风的耳朵，担心地发现她的耳朵比以前更烫了。他从沙风窝边转开，到自己储藏的草药中去扒拉。肯定还有剩下的小白菊藏在某处。他摸着干枯的叶子，不断嗅闻着，胸口绷紧了。没有缓解咳嗽的草药。
黑莓丛沙沙作响，空气中弥漫着一股新鲜浓烈的气味。蓍草？
“你忘了把它们带进来了。”玫瑰瓣沉闷的声音从巢穴入口传来。叶子轻轻地碰撞着地面。是蓍草！但蓍草从来都活不过第一场降霜的。
松鸦羽匆忙俯身嗅闻那堆叶片。“你在哪儿找到的？”附近或许还有别的草药。
“它们就在营地外面，靠近荆棘那里。”玫瑰瓣说道，“我还以为是你落那儿的。”
“不是我。”松鸦羽皱起了眉头。
“好吧，肯定是谁落下的。”玫瑰瓣的脚掌擦过蓍草，搅动着苦涩的气味扬起来。“或许是叶池放那儿的。”她猜测道。
“或许吧。”叶池已在森林中搜寻了数天。她实在太累了，有可能将叶子放那儿，然后就忘了拿回来。“我去谢谢她。”他从玫瑰瓣身旁擦过，挤出黑莓丛。
叶池正在育婴室外与幼崽们摔跤。她的皮毛上散发着森林的气味，但是没有蓍草的气味。
松鸦羽穿过空地。“谢谢你！”他喊道。
叶池停了下来：“谢谢我？”
“谢谢你的草药。”
“什么药草？”
“蓍草叶子。”松鸦羽解释说，“玫瑰瓣在营地外发现的。我们猜是你采集回来放在那儿的。”
“不是我。”叶池朝松鸦羽走来，尾巴尖轻轻地刷过积雪，“或许是别的猫？”
松鸦羽转过身，朝自己的巢穴喊道：“玫瑰瓣？”
年轻的猫跳了出来：“怎么了？”
“来给我指指你是在哪儿找到蓍草的。”
他跟着玫瑰瓣穿过了荆棘屏障。“就在这儿。”玫瑰瓣在营地外狭窄的空地上停下了，空地位于山谷和树林之间。
松鸦羽嗅闻着地面。没有任何猫的气味，只有蓍草和雪的气息。
“或许是某位武士发现了它们，希望它们能被用上。”玫瑰瓣猜测道，“他们可能现在巡逻去了，打算稍后再告诉你。”
“也许吧。”松鸦羽耸了耸肩，“如果没有谁提起来的话，我就去找火星，让他在下次族群会议上对找到草药的族猫表示感谢。”松鸦羽放下了心中的好奇，转身准备返回山谷。
“松鸦羽！”
刺掌的喊声让他停下了脚步。“怎么了？”松鸦羽嗅了嗅空气，“蛾翅，是你吗？”刺掌和蛛足正与这位河族巫医一起下坡朝山谷走来。
“我们在湖畔碰到了蛾翅。”刺掌说道，“她有话要跟你说。”
蛾翅哼了一下，离开了护送她的雷族猫。“谢谢你们的陪伴。”她嘀咕道，“我觉得我自己能找到这儿来。”
蛛足的皮毛闪闪发亮：“我们只是想帮帮你。”
松鸦羽弹了弹尾巴：“我确信她一定会心怀感激的。”他从那位武士身旁走过，推了推蛾翅，让她和自己一起走：“我们去湖边吧，我的巢穴里已经没地方了。”
“族猫病了？”蛾翅跟着他上了斜坡。
“白咳症。”嗅到蛾翅呼吸中的鱼腥味，松鸦羽不禁皱了皱鼻子，“目前只有沙风得了这病，但另三只猫可能已经被传染上了。”
蛾翅叹了口气。松鸦羽在想他是不是应该警告蛾翅，星族希望族群各自为营。毕竟蛾翅与星族没什么联系，星族无法与她交流。可是松鸦羽忘不了黄牙的话，还有他那个幻象。
“荆棘光怎么样了？”蛾翅问道。
“已经摆脱了感染。”
“太好了。”
“她的前脚掌同其他武士一般强壮。”松鸦羽继续说道，“如果她坚持练习，她的前脚掌会更加有力的。”
“对她而言，这会是一条漫长又艰难的道路。”蛾翅警告道。
“一旦她知道自己只有这条路可走，也就不会那么艰难了。”松鸦羽抵达了坡顶，湖边的微风吹得他的鼻子隐隐作痛。他快速行进，躲闪着树木，跳下了积雪覆盖的斜坡。他想一直保持在蛾翅的前面几步远，因为一不小心就会陷进旧日的友情中。
他纵身跳下湖岸，瞬间就被积雪吞没了。他惊愕万分。积雪堆满了湖岸，落到了他的鼻子上，他不禁一阵咳嗽。他打着喷嚏，挣扎着朝结冰的湖水边缘走去，终于摆脱了雪堆。“真希望雪能快点儿融化。”他气急败坏地对蛾翅说。
蛾翅笨拙地穿过积雪，来到了松鸦羽身旁。“只会越来越冷的。”她说，“我们很难阻止幼崽在冰上玩耍。昨天我还治疗了三只扭伤脚掌的幼崽。”
她只是来抱怨幼崽的吗？松鸦羽让自己的思绪进入蛾翅的大脑。
她的大脑一片空白。他是在浪费时间。“你来找我什么事？”他突然问道，“我可没一整天时间。”
蛾翅的喉咙里发出了咕噜咕噜的声音。“你还是跟以前一样直率。”她踢着积雪，然后压低声音说道，“柳光告诉我，星族命令我们不要再同别的巫医交谈。”
“那你为什么还要来找我说话呢？”
“我想知道他们是不是也这样给你说了。”
黄牙皮毛缠乱的身形突然在松鸦羽的知觉边缘闪动起来。感觉到这位年迈的巫医出现了，他紧张地竖起皮毛。“我不会告诉你星族跟我说了什么。”他咕哝道。
“那他们肯定是跟你说了同样的话！”
松鸦羽忍住没有说话。蛾翅继续说道：“他们告诉你不要同我交谈，你也照做了！”她的尾巴刷过积雪，“如果星族让你去跳湖，你也会跳吗？”
松鸦羽竖起了皮毛：“那不一样。”
“真的吗？”蛾翅靠得更近些，“以前，有多少次是别的族群帮我们拯救了我们的族猫？”
松鸦羽耸了耸肩。
“打从族群诞生以来，巫医就一直是这样做的，而现在他们要我们停止这样的做法。他们是在要求我们眼睁睁地看着猫死去，他们疯了吗？”
“记得把嘴管好。”黄牙粗哑的声音在松鸦羽耳边响起，“如果你不能保持安静，四个族群都将会消失在黑暗之中。”
“他们是星族。”松鸦羽咕哝道，“他们有他们的理由。”
“什么理由？”蛾翅怒吼道，她那充满鱼腥味的气息直扑上松鸦羽的脸，“你也不知道，对吧？”
松鸦羽躲开了：“我不能解释给你听。”
“事情变得不对劲的时候，我能感觉到的。”蛾翅争论道，“我们的守则不同于武士守则，它是跨越族群界限的。对我们而言，每一只猫就只是猫，和其他猫有着同样的生存权利。我们曾发誓要治疗和保护他们，还记得吗？”
“那就去保护你的族猫吧。”松鸦羽厉声回斥，“但离我的族猫远点儿。”
“要是沙风的白咳症转变为绿咳症怎么办？”蛾翅再次将口鼻凑近松鸦羽，“你能听从星族的旨意，看着她去死吗？”
“星族有他们的理由。”松鸦羽的爪子刺入雪地。
“他们只是些已经死了的武士而已！”蛾翅嘶吼道，“难道你觉得他们死后会变得更加聪明，更加勇敢吗？你意识不到他们中有的可能和活着的时候一样愚蠢、一样固执吗？”
松鸦羽皱着鼻子抵抗黄牙腐臭的呼吸。他能感觉到黄牙乱蓬蓬的皮毛钩住了自己的皮毛。黄牙加入星族之后，连根胡须都没变。咆哮声在松鸦羽的喉咙隆隆作响。“你从未遇见过星族的武士，”他怒斥，“你只是在瞎猜。”
“他们也一样！”
黄牙在他身旁怒吼道：“蛾翅天生就是个白痴。白痴死了也是白痴。”
松鸦羽转过身：“你说服不了我的。”
蛾翅沮丧地缓缓叹了口气。“好吧，好吧！”她跳步跟在他身后，把积雪溅了他一身，“你需要治疗白咳症的草药吗？我有艾菊和猫薄荷——不是很多，但如果你急需的话，还是够分你一些的。”
“不用了，谢谢你。”松鸦羽逼着自己说出这些话，便爬上了湖岸。
蛾翅在他身后停住了：“如果你需要的话，就来找我吧。”
“我不会的。”松鸦羽步履沉重地登上了斜坡。蛾翅转身朝风族边界走去，湖畔的积雪在她脚掌下发出咔嚓咔嚓的响声。
刺骨的寒风撕扯着松鸦羽的皮毛。“现在高兴了吧？”他朝黄牙怒吼道。但黄牙早已消失了。
他快步跑了起来，蹦跳着跑上斜坡，进入森林。他的脚掌沿着回家的路跑去，每呼吸一次，霜冻的空气就使他的肺部更痛一分。他喘息着，在荆棘屏障外猛地停了下来。
当他摸索着通过荆棘屏障时，碰到了罂粟霜。“小樱桃喘不上气了！”
松鸦羽推开猫后匆匆穿过空地。他听到幼崽拖着脚掌在育婴室外的雪地上走动的声音。
黛西的身上散发着焦虑：“我们照你说的，让她一直待在外面，可是她现在有点儿气喘。”
松鸦羽甩了甩尾巴拦住了小樱桃，然后将耳朵贴上她的侧腹。她的胸腔中有黏厚的东西，一吸气就摩擦着响。“她咳嗽吗？”他问罂粟霜。
“有一点儿。”猫后答道。
“带她去里面。”
“那呼吸不到新鲜空气怎么办呢？”黛西问道。
“她现在需要休息。”松鸦羽用鼻子将小樱桃推向她的母亲，“给她舔梳。让她保持湿润，这样能让她凉爽点儿。”
罂粟霜叼起小樱桃挤进育婴室，幼崽愤怒地尖叫着。
松鸦羽朝他的巢穴走去，黛西小跑跟在他身后问道：“你是去给她取草药吗？”
“我会的，如果她的病情恶化的话。”
“为什么现在不给她吃草药呢？”
松鸦羽转过身。“我没有那么多草药。”他压低声音小声说。
“玫瑰瓣带来的叶子呢？”
“那是蓍草。”松鸦羽解释道，“只能用来排毒。”
“但是能找到这些叶子的猫，或许也能找到艾菊或猫薄荷。”
“等我找出是谁带来的那草药，我会问问他们的。”松鸦羽想回巢穴去检查沙风的病情。
“小樱桃不舒服吗？”栗尾匆匆忙忙地朝他们跑来。
“只是有点儿气喘。”松鸦羽告诉她。
“小樱桃病了吗？”鸽爪放下一只散发着酸臭味的松鼠，也过来了。松鸦羽十分沮丧，皮毛隐隐作痛。
“只是有点儿气喘！”他重复着。
黛西的尾巴扫动着：“他早些时候就让鼠须回自己的窝里了，因为鼠须在咳嗽。”
“黄蜂条昨天咳嗽了半个晚上。”栗尾插话道。
叶池的声音从附近传来：“沙风整个上午都没有离开巫医巢穴。”
整个族群都要跑过来吗？松鸦羽甩动尾巴：“别瞎担心了！我可以——”
鸽爪打断了松鸦羽。“影族已经有猫出现了绿咳症。”她说道。
叶池的呼吸加快了。
“绿咳症？”黛西的声音小得像耳语。
松鸦羽将口鼻转向鸽爪：“有多么严重？”
鸽爪移动着脚掌，掌垫轻刷着积雪。“只……有小云。”她的声音突然有些尴尬。
“没有别的猫了吗？”松鸦羽追问道。她一定是在监听影族营地。松鸦羽知道，鸽爪一直觉得监视其他猫让她很不舒服。
“没有了。”
“好。”松鸦羽弹了弹尾巴。他需要在其他猫开始好奇鸽爪怎么会知道影族发生的事情之前，把他们的注意力吸引开。“你和栗尾何不去给小樱桃拿个湿苔藓球来呢？”他向黛西提议。“还有鸽爪，把那只臭烘烘的老松鼠放到猎物堆上去，别把谁绊倒了。”他朝巫医巢穴走去。
叶池跟在松鸦羽身后：“你接下来打算怎么做？”
“你是指什么？”
她差点儿踩到松鸦羽的脚后跟上：“小云的事啊！”
“向星族祈祷。”
“就这样？”
“不然我该怎样？”
“帮帮他！”叶池的声音尖厉起来。
“为什么？”
“因为你是巫医！”
松鸦羽停了下来，面对着叶池。她并不知道星族已经命令过他，要他切断与其他巫医的联系，而他也不打算告诉叶池。当叶池放弃担任巫医的时候，她就已经放弃了与星族对话的权利。但他能理解叶池的担忧。他也曾在月亮池旁与小云分享舌抚，彼此闲聊，那些友好的时光足以让他与这只影族的老猫建立起友谊。他压低了声音。“雷族的疾病已经够多了，我没精力再去担心别的族群。”他低声说，“我的草药也不多了。我需要把每一片都用到治疗自己的族猫身上。”
叶池并未作声。她的安静让松鸦羽竖起了皮毛。“我现在即使有心，也是无力。”他嘶声道，然后转身朝自己的巢穴走去。
你能听从星族的旨意，看着别的猫去死吗？蛾翅的话在他耳边回响。
叶池的目光灼烧着他的皮毛。松鸦羽能看到叶池的想法，如同在梦中那样清晰。叶池的注意力全在他在两脚兽巢穴旁培育的那片草药上。她会偷走草药去帮小云吗？
不会的！
可是他不能冒此风险。叶池同小云的关系密切，是多年的老友。他拐了个弯，偏离巫医巢穴的方向，嗅了嗅空气。黑莓掌在高石台下，正与蛛足和莓鼻谈话。
“黑莓掌？”他朝雷族副族长走去。
“怎么了？”
“我需要你帮个忙。”松鸦羽低声说。
“什么事？”黑莓掌降低了声音。
“营地里出现了疾病。”松鸦羽开始说道，“虽然只是白咳症，但是已经很严重了。我种的那片草药比以往更加珍贵了。我想要你派守卫好好看守它们。”
“守卫？”黑莓掌的声音中流露出惊讶，“你不会是觉得有谁要偷它们吧？”
“影族也出现了疾病。”松鸦羽解释道，“他们也知道那片草药。他们计划着占领我们的领地，就是为了染指那片草药，还记得吗？”
黑莓掌的尾巴在空气中嗖嗖挥动了几下，怒吼道：“藤爪梦里提的正是这个。”
“就是这样。”松鸦羽说道。藤爪的梦可能并非任何星族猫的旨意，但总算还是有点儿用。“况且林中到处都是饥肠辘辘的猎物，它们没准儿也会对长满汁液的茎秆感兴趣。”
“莓鼻！蛛足！”黑莓掌召唤两位武士，“你们知道松鸦羽在两脚兽巢穴附近的草药地位置吗？”
“我知道。”蛛足答道。
“我想让你们守护它们，日夜都要。”
松鸦羽走向前。“千万不要让任何猫或者猎物靠近它们，”他叮嘱道，“它们十分珍贵，决不能丢失。”
“别担心，我们会保证它们的安全！”说着，莓鼻跳着离开了。
“日落时分我会派一支队伍去替换你们的。”这两位武士已经跳步跑过空地，黑莓掌在他们身后喊道。
松鸦羽闭上了眼睛。黑森林的实力日益壮大，已经把星族猫吓坏了。而现在他连自己的族猫都没法儿信任了。他脚掌下的地面似乎在摇晃。
“我必须要保持坚强。”他对自己喃喃道，“我必须要坚强。”
Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Dovepaw paced outside the thorn barrierwith her ears pricked. She could hear the patrol heading back from the ShadowClan border with Brambleclaw in the lead. Brackenfur and Graystripe padded after, their paws heavy on the snow. Ivypaw was with them, tailed by Squirrelflight.
Dovepaw was unnerved by the patrol’s silence. They didn’t scold Ivypaw for her carelessness in getting caught. They didn’t ask her what had happened in ShadowClan’s camp. Her pelt itched with anticipation. Would Ivypaw forgive her for letting ShadowClan take her prisoner?
The patrol appeared at the top of the slope and headed down toward the camp. Dovepaw tried to catch Ivypaw’s eye, but her sister’s gaze followed her paws, dark with worry.
“Are you okay?” Dovepaw fell in beside Ivypaw. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“She’s fine,” Squirrelflight told her. “Let her rest.”
“Won’t Firestar want to speak to her?”
Squirrelflight shook her head. “What’s done is done.” She sighed. “Ivypaw knows she made a stupid mistake. She won’t do it again.”
Dovepaw paused. Didn’t they want to question Ivypaw about what she’d been doing on the border in the middle of the night?
Ivypaw headed straight for her den.
“Please talk to me!” Dovepaw pleaded.
Ivypaw stopped and looked at her with clouded eyes. “I’m fine. Don’t worry. I’m just tired.”
“Really?” Dovepaw leaned closer.
Ivypaw nodded and turned away.
Stones cracked on the pile of rocks beside the cliff. Firestar’s orange pelt glowed in the twilight as he bounded down from Highledge. “Did everything go okay?” he asked Brambleclaw.
“We gave them the herbs; they gave us Ivypaw,” the deputy reported.
“Any idea how they caught her?” Firestar prompted.
“She said she was trying night hunting on the border and strayed over the scent line.”
Thornclaw was frowning outside the warriors’ den. “You shouldn’t have sent such senior warriors to fetch her,” he grumbled. “It shows too much respect.”
Dustpelt paced around him, tail whipping. “If any ThunderClan cat dies because we have no herbs, ShadowClan will have blood on their fur.”
Guilt clawed at Dovepaw as she stared after her sister.
“Come on,” Squirrelflight murmured in her ear. “Leave Ivypaw to rest. It’s time to leave for the Gathering.”
Dovepaw spun around. “I’d completely forgotten!” She glanced up at the fat white moon. If she saw Tigerheart tonight, what would she say to him?
Thornclaw and Dustpelt were already waiting by the tunnel. Firestar’s tail disappeared through the brambles at the medicine den entrance. Dovepaw guessed he was checking on Sandstorm before he left. Sorreltail padded across the clearing with Blossomfall and Rosepetal, fur fluffed against the cold. Berrynose, Foxleap, and Lionblaze emerged from the shelter of the warriors’ den.
Squirrelflight waited beside the nursery until Leafpool slid out of the entrance. “How’s Cherrykit?” the orange warrior asked.
“Her breathing’s a little rough, but she still has her appetite,” Leafpool answered. They headed for the barrier.
Brambleclaw glanced over to the medicine den, breath billowing at his nose, as Firestar and Jayfeather padded out. “Let’s go.”
They headed for the lakeshore. Jayfeather stuck close to Lionblaze’s side as the patrol headed down the bank. The snow had drifted deep in places, but Lionblaze guided his littermate through a gap and dug a channel to where the breeze from the lake had blown the snow thin enough to cross easily.
“Dovepaw?” Lionblaze called to her softly.
She hurried to catch up to him. “What?”
“Do you know what Ivypaw was doing on the border?” Lionblaze hissed. Beside him, Jayfeather’s ears were pricked.
“It didn’t have anything to do with the Dark Forest,” Dovepaw whispered. “She was just  .  .  .” She groped for a reason. “Practicing her night hunting, like she said.” Jayfeather’s tail twitched, and Dovepaw focused hard on believing that was what Ivypaw had been doing. She didn’t want Jayfeather spying on her thoughts and discovering the truth.
“Look!” Squirrelflight was staring up the hillside. They were crossing WindClan’s shore, and high on the moorland, the silhouettes of WindClan warriors were lined along the crest.
“What are they waiting for?” Thornclaw growled.
Foxleap shook snow from his tail. “Perhaps they don’t want to arrive first.”
The moon glinted on the WindClan warriors, sending long shadows spilling down the smooth, white hillside.
“Come on.” Firestar quickened the pace. “The sooner we get into the shelter of the island, the better.”
Dovepaw waited for Rosepetal and Blossomfall to catch up, then matched their pace. Blossomfall was fretting. “I hope they’ll be okay.”
“Briarlight will be happy being left in charge of the medicine den,” Rosepetal pointed out.
“But Bumblestripe’s been coughing all day,” Blossomfall sighed. “What if he takes a turn for the worse?”
“Jayfeather put Brightheart in charge,” Rosepetal reminded her. “She’ll know what to do.”
Dovepaw reached out with her senses, up the WindClan slopes where the heather creaked under the layers of snow. The warriors waiting at the top made no sound, only watched. Unease began to prick Dovepaw’s belly. She stretched her senses farther, back to ShadowClan territory.
“It could be a trap.” Crowfrost’s mew was sharp with worry
“Perhaps we shouldn’t go.”
Blackstar cleared his throat. “We must not show fear,” he meowed. “They won’t attack under the full-moon truce.”
“Can you be sure?” Snowbird demanded.
“It’s a Gathering!” Tawnypelt declared. “They wouldn’t dare!”
Who are they frightened of?Had StarClan warned them about the Dark Forest warriors? Dovepaw turned her ears toward RiverClan.
“Are you coming?” Mothwing was calling across the camp.
Willowshine’s reply was firm. “I’m staying here.”
“Will they obey the truce?” Reedwhisker muttered.
Mosspelt’s paws pattered over the snow. “Perhaps we should hide the kits and elders until they’ve left the island.”
Fear was darkening every Clan like clouds across the moon.
Dovepaw could hear RiverClan warriors pacing the clearing when ThunderClan reached the island. She nosed her way past Blossomfall and Rosepetal and crouched on the shore beside Jayfeather and Lionblaze. “They know!” she whispered.
Lionblaze blinked at her. “Who knows?”
“The other Clans! They know about the Dark Forest.”
“You’re imagining it.” Jayfeather’s eyes glinted in the moonlight. “Only weknow about the Dark Forest.”
Dovepaw realized that she hadn’t actually heard any cat mention the Dark Forest. “Well, they’re scared of something,” she hissed.
“I know,” Jayfeather agreed. “I can sense it in the air. The medicine cats must have told their Clanmates about StarClan’s warning.”
“Perhaps we should tell our Clanmates,” Dovepaw suggested.
“And scare them to death?” Lionblaze dug his claws into the snow. “We can deal with whatever’s coming by ourselves.”
“Look!” Foxleap called from the edge of the water. “It’s solid all the way to the island!” The young warrior was already slithering across the frozen lake.
Dovepaw padded to the edge and put out a tentative paw. The ice burned, but as her pad grew numb, she tried another paw, and another, until she was standing on the hard white surface.
“Come back!” Sorreltail called. “It might break!”
“Don’t worry,” Foxleap yowled. “It’s shallow here.” With unsteady paws he wobbled farther out, picking up speed and falling into a clumsy skid. “Whoa!” He slithered to a halt, purring. “Try it, Blossomfall! It’s fun.”
Blossomfall hurtled after him, yowling with surprise and pleasure as she glided over the ice. Dovepaw’s heart lurched as her paws slid underneath her. Tensing to stay upright, she picked her way across. Every muscle felt stiff with fear, but it was still thrilling to be walking across the lake. She could see the dark shadow of water lapping beneath the moon-white surface. With every paw step, the ice groaned and creaked.
“Come on!” Firestar’s sharp order sounded from the island shore. “Get off there.”
Dovepaw’s claws scraped the ice as she fought to grip it, and she slithered ungraciously onto the snowy shore, relieved to feel solid earth beneath her.
Brambleclaw and Dustpelt were already pushing through the bracken toward the clearing in the pine trees. Dovepaw slipped through the crackling fronds, lost for a moment as her Clanmates disappeared around her. She followed the sound of their fur brushing stems until she slid out onto the edge of the clearing. The RiverClan warriors froze, as though trapped in ice, while they watched ThunderClan arrive.
“What’s up with them?” Rosepetal whispered.
Firestar headed for the Great Oak and climbed onto one of the snow-laden roots. The RiverClan cats drew closer to one another like fish bunching into a shoal. Dovepaw eyed them warily and padded closer to Blossomfall.
“What’s spooking them?” Blossomfall hissed.
“Who knows?” Dovepaw stared at her paws.
The bracken behind her crunched, and she turned to see WindClan flooding into the clearing. She bristled, surprised that they were here already. She’d lost track of them while she’d played on the ice. They filed around ThunderClan, hardly making eye contact. Breezepelt’s gaze grazed Dovepaw’s but quickly jerked away.
Dustpelt was pacing. “I’ve never heard it so quiet.”
“Isn’t anyone going to share tongues?” Squirrelflight gazed around, puzzled.
The ShadowClan patrol came last, tense and round-eyed. Dovepaw spotted Tigerheart’s dark brown ear tips. He didn’t look around for her, but stayed in the knot of his Clanmates. Dovepaw felt a jab of frustration. How could things change so quickly? Each Clan was acting like it was at war with the others. Was it StarClan who had sown the seeds of mistrust, or the Dark Forest warriors?
“It’s so cold; we must be quick!” Mistystar called from the lowest branch of the Great Oak. Firestar sat a little farther along the branch, Onestar and Blackstar stiff as owls beyond him.
RiverClan and WindClan gathered closest to the tree. ShadowClan hurried to take its place beside them. Dovepaw followed her Clanmates as they padded into a pool of moonlight and settled down to listen. She nosed her way past Rosepetal and Blossomfall, seeking the warmth of the crowd and settling between Thornclaw and Lionblaze.
Mistystar, huddled in the moonlight, looked like a small pool of silver. “It’s a tough leaf-bare, and with the lake frozen in the shallows, hunting has been hard.”
Nightcloud growled. “It makes a change for the fish-eaters to go hungry as well.”
Mistystar pressed on. “The bad weather has not kept us from training, and we are thankfully free of sickness.”
Onestar stood. “WindClan too is healthy, though rabbits are scarce and the snow is thick around the camp. We have improved our tracking skills and found a way to trace prey to its burrows.”
He nodded to Blackstar, who stood and gazed down at the gathered cats for several long heartbeats. “Rowanclaw has become ShadowClan’s deputy,” he announced at last, appearing to choose his words carefully. “We still mourn the loss of Russetfur. It was not her time to die.” He didn’t look at Firestar, but went on, “Hunting has been hard, and Littlecloud has been ill. But I’m pleased to report that we have found a remedy, and he will be here with us next full moon.”
Murmurs of approval rose from the ShadowClan cats. Dovepaw felt Thornclaw tense beside her and heard Lionblaze’s claws scrape the snowy ground.
Firestar stood up. His gaze was fixed on Blackstar. “And how did you find that remedy?” he challenged. Dovepaw heard breaths quicken and paws shift as the Clans tensed around her. Firestar didn’t wait for an answer. “You took one of our apprentices hostage, that’s how.”
There were muffled gasps from RiverClan and WindClan warriors
“She was on our land!” Blackstar hissed.
“And you would have been within your rights to chase her off,” Firestar shot back. “But what true warrior takes a cat, too young to defend herself, and bargains with her like she was prey?”
Blackstar bared his teeth as Firestar pressed on. “A true warrior would have the courage to ask for what he wants.” The ThunderClan leader arched his back. “You’re lucky we didn’t strike back more harshly. We’ve beaten you once already this moon. Don’t think we wouldn’t do it again.”
Blackstar smoothed his fur. His eyes were slits. “Whatever happens,” he breathed, “ShadowClan will be ready.”
“We’re ready now!” Rowanclaw jumped to his paws, pelt bristling, at the bottom of the tree. Crowfrost and Smokefoot stood up beside him and glared into the crowd, their eyes fixed on the ThunderClan warriors.
Lionblaze curled his lip, and a growl rasped in Squirrelflight’s throat. Dustpelt flattened his ears. Gulping, Dovepaw unsheathed her claws. Were they going to fight here? She glanced at the bright, clear moon. There was no cloud in the sky to end the truce.
Dovepaw heard whispers spread through the Clans.
“Is this it?”
“Has the darkness come?”
“But the moon is still shining!”
That didn’t seem to matter. Every pelt was on end now. Eyes flashed in the moonlight as the warriors glared, half-wary, half-threatening, at the other Clans.
Mistystar got to her paws. “RiverClan! We’re going home.” She leaped down from the oak and led her Clan through the bristling warriors. Onestar jumped down after her, Blackstar following. They took their Clans out of the clearing in silence.
Dovepaw watched as Firestar scrambled down last from the oak. At the far side of the clearing, the bracken rattled and hissed as the Clans pushed their way through it.
I must speak to Tigerheart!
She raced after the departing cats, finally spotting the tip of his tail. She clawed at it, just scraping the tuft at the end, and he turned and glared at her.
“What?”
“We have to talk!”
His eyes softened. “Come on.” He guided her to a quieter spot, where the stiff bracken stems gave way to snow-covered mounds of grass. “Sorry I couldn’t talk to you before, but things are tense,” he murmured.
Dovepaw scowled at him. “You told Blackstar about Jayfeather’s herbs!”
He gazed steadily back at her without saying anything.
“How couldyou?” Dovepaw wailed. “If Sandstorm dies, it’ll be your fault!”
“But Littlecloud’s sick.”
“So is Sandstorm!”
“Not with greencough.”
Dovepaw’s rage grew. Tigerheart sounded so reasonable. Didn’t he understand what he’d done? Tigerheart stroked her flank with his tail, and she flinched.
He frowned. “If Jayfeather were a true medicine cat, he would have given us the herbs.”
“He has to put his own Clanmates first!”
Tigerheart tipped his head to one side. “So do I.”
Dovepaw felt sick. She wanted this conversation to stop now, but she had to know. “Even above me?”
Tigerheart’s tail quivered. “I didn’t mean it like that.” His amber eyes grew round. “I just—”
Dovepaw cut him off, her mew barely a whisper. “I think you did.” She turned and padded away. “I think that’s exactly what you meant.”
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Flametail folded the catmint in anivy leaf and pushed it into his store among the brambles. He began to lay the tansy stems side by side, ready to bundle. They blurred in front of his eyes. A yawn overtook him.
“Flametail.”
Far away someone was calling his name.
“Flametail!” Kinkfur nudged him with her nose. “Didn’t you hear me?”
“Sorry.” Flametail turned, blinking. “Did you want something?” Inwardly he sighed. He didn’t know if he had energy left to help any more cats.
“Please, come and check on Mistkit. She’s lost her voice.”
“I’ll be there in a moment,” Flametail promised. “I have to put these away first.”
As the queen ducked out of the medicine den, Littlecloud’s nest rustled. The tabby’s brown nose appeared over the edge. “You should get some rest,” he advised. His voice was still thick, but there was more life in it than before. “Did you sleep last night?”
Flametail padded heavily over to his mentor’s nest. “A bit.”
Littlecloud’s eyes were brighter, and though his pelt was still clumped, it was freshly groomed. “I thought so.” Slowly he sat up. “You were tossing and turning.”
“Bad dream,” Flametail admitted.
“The same one?” Littlecloud prompted.
“Yes.” For the last quarter moon Flametail hadn’t had a moment’s sleep undisturbed by the same vision of falling far, far down into endless darkness while around him cats shrieked and yowled in terror.
“But no details?”
Flametail turned back to the tansy. “StarClan just sends the darkness,” he murmured. “They don’t send any clues. I don’t know who’ll strike first or how we should prepare.”
Littlecloud leaned forward. “Our warrior ancestors are with us,” he soothed. “Otherwise they wouldn’t be warning you. Perhaps they don’t know either. They’ll share it with you when they do.”
“Or with you,” Flametail countered.
A purr caught in Littlecloud’s throat. The first in a while. “Don’t worry,” he rasped. “I don’t plan to be joining our ancestors for a long time.” A cough shook him.
Flametail tensed. “Do you want more catmint?”
Littlecloud shook his head. “I’m getting better,” he assured Flametail.
“I want to be sure of that.” Flametail began to reach into his store.
“My fever has gone, and my chest is loosening. Save the catmint. Leaf-bare always drags on longer than you think.”
Flametail turned his gaze toward his denmate. “I’m glad we didn’t lose you.”
“You and me both.” Littlecloud’s eyes glowed. “Now go check on Mistkit.”
Flametail gathered the tansy stems together, putting one aside, and pushed them into the store with the catmint.
“Check Cedarheart, too,” Littlecloud went on. “I heard coughing from the elders’ den last night.”
“Okay.” Flametail picked up the tansy stem and headed for the entrance.
Kinkfur was pacing outside her den. She hurried to greet Flametail. “Mistkit was chattering like a starling this morning, but when she woke after her nap, she couldn’t speak.”
“Don’t worry.” Flametail hopped through the den entrance. “Even if she’s sick, we have herbs now.”
It was warm and dark inside the nursery. Sparrowkit was charging across the sandy floor, a moss ball only whiskers from his grasp. He batted it upward, and Dewkit jumped, snatching the ball in her paws. Sparrowkit lunged, knocking Dewkit into Flametail. Flametail dodged out of the way.
“Careful,” Kinkfur warned, pushing into the den.
Mistkit peeked out from a nest woven from hazel stems.
Sparrowkit untangled himself from Dewkit. “Mistkit’s really sick!’
“We’ll have her better in no time.” Flametail dropped the stem beside the nest. He sniffed at the kit. She was warm, but there was no sourness on her. If anything, it was whitecough. He nipped off one end of the tansy and laid it carefully at Kinkfur’s paws.
“Chew it up and give her the pulp to swallow after her next feed,” Flametail instructed.
Kinkfur nodded and pawed the stem out of the way as Sparrowkit and Dewkit bounced over to investigate.
“Blargh!” Dewkit shuddered.
Sparrowkit made a face. “Does she have to eat herbs?”
Flametail leaned down till his nose was level with theirs. “Don’t go too near her, or you’ll have to eat herbs, too.” He left Sparrowkit squeaking with disgust and nosed his way out of the den.
Cedarheart was lying outside the elders’ den, his flanks shuddering as he swallowed back a cough.
“Here.” Flametail dropped the rest of the tansy stem in front of the old tom’s muzzle. “Chew this,” he advised. “Make sure you swallow it all.”
Cedarheart pushed it away. “Save it for the young ’uns,” he croaked. “I’ve survived this long. A cough won’t harm me.”
“Probably not,” Flametail agreed. “But swallow it anyway. It’ll make my life easier.”
“In that case  .  .  .” Cedarheart scooped up the tansy with his tongue, chewed it, grimacing, then swallowed. “I’ll be more glad to see this newleaf than I’ve ever been,” he grunted.
Flametail yawned. “I think I’d better stretch my legs,” he meowed. “Or I’ll be asleep before the dusk patrol leaves.”
He headed for the camp entrance. Outside, the air was already brittle with frost.
Shrieks sounded from the lake. Flametail pricked his ears. Was a cat in trouble? Then he recognized the voices of Redwillow and Pinepaw. They didn’t sound in fear for their lives. In fact, they sounded happy
Paws pounded over the frozen snow toward him. A tortoiseshell pelt flashed, and Olivenose skidded to a halt beside him. She was out of breath. “We’re playing on the lake! It’s completely frozen,” she panted. “You could walk right over to RiverClan territory if you wanted.”
Dawnpelt caught up to her. “I’m going to fetch Scorchfur and Owlclaw!” She trotted past, heading for camp. “Go and play, Flametail,” she called over her shoulder. “You’ve been looking much too worried lately. Go and have some fun.” She disappeared into the brambles.
Flametail’s paws pricked. It had been a long time since he’d felt carefree. He’d been turning into an elder, obsessed with aches and pains and worrying about every cough and sneeze
Olivenose bounded away. “Come on!”
Flametail raced after her, weaving between the bushes down to the shore. The Twoleg halfbridge jutted out into whiteness, clamped by ice. Olivenose trotted along the wooden boards and beckoned from the end with her tail. Flametail caught up to her and stood at the edge of the bridge.
The lake was completely frozen, a broad sheet of ice glowing pink under the sinking sun. Redwillow, several fox-lengths from the shore, raced over the gleaming whiteness, then flung himself down and skidded, spinning, on his belly. Yowls of amusement followed him from where Crowfrost and Ratscar stood watching. Even the senior warriors were enjoying themselves.
Olivenose jumped down from the halfbridge and landed on the ice. “Come on; it’s safe,” she called.
Nervously, Flametail hopped down, relieved to find the ice firm beneath his paws. He tentatively padded away from the halfbridge, heading for where Starlingpaw and Pinepaw were sliding stones to each other.
“What are you playing?” Flametail called.
Pinepaw jumped up. “Well done, Olivenose!” she meowed. “Now we’ve got enough players.”
Starlingpaw trotted up to Flametail. “We want to play prey-stone. It’s this game we just made up.” He called to Pinepaw. “Slide the stone over here!” He stopped the smooth fat stone with an expert paw as Pinepaw slid it fast over the ice.
“This is the prey,” he explained, pushing the stone toward Flametail. “Over there is the prey-hole.” He flicked his tail and Flametail peered across the ice.
“It’s not a real hole, but all the ice between that tree and that holly bush”—Starlingpaw flicked his tail toward the shore—“is where the stone’s safe. If you get in there, you win. If me and Pinepaw stop you, we win, and we have to swap places.”
Flametail narrowed his eyes. “Got it.” He put his paw on the stone.
Olivenose padded past him. “I’m on your team,” she told him. “Slide the stone to me if they block your path.”
Starlingpaw and Pinepaw were already taking up position guarding the “prey-hole.”
Flametail quickly realized it would be impossible just to slide the stone past them. Instead he turned and began batting it away from them. “Keep up with me!” he called to Olivenose. She scampered a few tail-lengths away from him and stayed level as he pushed the stone farther out across the lake. The ice was freezing under his paws, lightly dusted with snow, but wonderfully slippery.
Out of the corner of his eye, Flametail spotted a group of ThunderClan cats stepping gingerly onto the ice near their territory. He didn’t care. There were no boundaries on the lake. Anyway, he was a medicine cat. He could go wherever he chose. As he picked up speed, he stopped lifting his paws and let them skate over the surface instead. The wind rippled his fur, and he felt as if he were flying. He let himself glide, then shoved the stone toward Olivenose.
She stopped it with a paw and spun around. “Let’s attack!” she yowled.
Flametail turned and, matching Olivenose’s speed, headed back toward Pinepaw and Starlingpaw. They were crouched on the ice, eyes narrowed and fixed on the stone, ready to lunge and stop it whisking past them.
“Here!” Olivenose sent the stone toward him.
Flametail caught it, not missing a step as he skated forward. He batted it back to Olivenose. She was ready and parried it back toward him. Starlingpaw and Pinepaw looked from side to side, trying to follow the stone as Flametail and Olivenose flicked it between them faster and faster, all the time closing in on the prey-hole.
Flametail fixed his gaze on the gap between the two apprentices and, with an almighty shove, flung the stone across the ice. It whizzed toward the gap, straight as a diving hawk. Flametail slowed to a halt and watched it get closer and closer with excitement rising in his belly.
“I’ve got it!” Pinepaw yelled to her denmate, and flung herself across the ice. She slid on her belly as fast as a snake and stopped the stone dead with an outstretched paw. Yowling in triumph, she hurled it back out across the ice. It hurtled past Flametail, shooting toward the middle of the lake. Flametail turned, paws skidding, and raced after it.
He skated past Ratscar and Crowfrost, chasing the stone as it whirled onward. With a rush of satisfaction he saw it slow and slide to a halt. Dropping onto his belly, he slid after it
Crack!
The world split beneath him.
Terror gripped Flametail’s chest as he felt the ice heave under his paws and tip him into the water. He slid into the freezing depths with a shriek. The water was instantly black around him. It dragged at his fur, so cold it felt like claws.
Above him, the light faded as the water sucked him down.
This is what I was seeing in my dream!
He began to churn with desperate paws, fighting for the surface.
Why didn’t StarClan tell me?
He blinked, focusing on which way the bubbles around him were drifting, then headed upward with a surge of hope. His paws thudded against a solid wall.
No!
He could see light beyond the whiteness, and scrabbled toward it. This time his claws ripped against the jagged underside of the ice. He saw movement above him, shadows over the ice. He heard yowls and mews calling his name as paws thundered above him.
Then the water began to pull him down. He was too tired to fight it. As the noise and chaos faded, Flametail felt numbness spread through his body. He let his paws grow still, allowed the water to cradle him.
Such quiet.
Such calm.
Suddenly the water started to churn. Flecks of ice and bubbles floated around him. He saw silky gray fur wafting near him.
Jayfeather?Had the ThunderClan medicine cat fallen in, too? It’s quiet here.He wanted to reassure his fellow medicine cat that everything was okay. Don’t fight it.
Suddenly claws tugged Flametail’s fur. Jayfeather had grabbed hold of him. He was trying to pull him up. Where did you learn to swim underwater?
Through the darkening depths, Flametail could see Jayfeather’s eyes; though blind, they seemed to be pleading with him. He stared back. It’s hopeless. The ice has blocked us in.
The current was pulling harder now, drawing them down despite Jayfeather’s flailing and struggling.
Then Flametail saw another pair of eyes. Bulging and white. There was a third cat in the water. A grotesque creature. Hairless and scarred. Flametail stared at it as it seemed to float beside them. A tiny part of his mind wondered if this was a StarClan cat he hadn’t met yet. But did any warriors, past or present, ever look like that?
The ugly cat reached toward Jayfeather.
Let him go!
Flametail heard the voice in his head. It wasn’t speaking to him. It was speaking to Jayfeather.
It is his time to die, not yours. Let him go!
Flametail felt Jayfeather’s claws unhook from his pelt. He began to sink, gazing up at the fading light.
Darkness swept over Flametail and the sunlight vanished forever.
Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Ivypaw curled into her nest. Snowswished and paws shifted as her Clanmates pounded out of camp and headed for the island. She tucked her nose under her paw
I’m doing it to be a better warrior!She closed her eyes. I’m doing it for my Clan!
As sleep slid around her, she opened her eyes. She was in the Dark Forest. She tasted the air, scenting nothing beyond the sourness of the earth and the reek of mold on the trees. “Hawkfrost?” Her mew echoed through the trees. She needed to see his face. He wants me to be a great warrior, that’s all.
She padded along a mossy trail. The warmth of soil felt strange against her paws after the sting of snow. The trees parted, and the slimy river rolled in front of her. With a flicker of satisfaction she remembered dunking Darkstripe beneath the water with Hollowpaw.
She followed the dark water for a few paces before spotting light through the trees. She veered onto a path that wound deep into the forest. The light glowed stronger, and she quickened her pace. Thick trunks reared up more tightly around her. Ivypaw kept her gaze fixed on the light. As she neared it, she realized that it glowed from a strange gray fungus, which sprouted from the tree trunks and crowded between their roots. Was the fungus reflecting the moon?
Ivypaw strained to see the round white moon. It must be full here too, right? But the branches grew too thickly overhead. There was no sign of sky or moon. The branches began to clatter, though no wind stirred the forest. A shiver ran along Ivypaw’s spine. Don’t be silly.She pressed on.
With a rush of relief, she heard voices and hurried forward. Beyond the clustering trunks, Tigerheart and Tigerstar were talking.
“You’re late.” Tigerstar sounded angry.
Ivypaw pricked her ears to hear Tigerheart’s reply.
“I had to go to the Gathering.”
“Training is more important.”
She ducked behind a tree and peered through the shadows. Tigerstar circled Tigerheart. “Don’t you know who your real Clanmates are yet?” he growled. “Don’t I deserve your loyalty more than those mouse-eaters?”
Ivypaw stiffened. Was Tigerstar trying to turn Tigerheart against ShadowClan?
She heard a thump. Tigerheart groaned. Ivypaw slipped forward, ducking behind the next tree before peeking out. Tigerstar had Tigerheart pinned to the ground.
“That’s the same mistake you made in the battle with ThunderClan,” Tigerstar sneered before letting Tigerheart go.
Tigerheart scrambled up. “What did I do wrong?”
“Don’t watch my paws.” Tigerstar lunged forward, as if to knock the ShadowClan warrior’s hind legs out from under him. Tigerheart bucked, flicking his back paws high and out of the way, but Tigerstar twisted faster. While Tigerheart avoided the lunge, the dark warrior nipped the young warrior’s scruff between his teeth. He dragged him off balance, and Tigerheart landed with a thump on his side.
“Never forget that paws fight, but jaws kill,” Tigerstar growled, backing off.
Tigerheart jumped up. “I won’t,” he panted.
“Lionblaze knows that,” Tigerstar snarled. “That’s how he killed Russetfur. If you can’t match those ThunderClan weaklings, you are nothing.”
Ivypaw gasped. Tigerstar lied to me! He’s not loyal to ThunderClan at all!Tightness gripped her chest, and she struggled to steady her breathing. He’s been telling Tigerheart the same things he’s been telling me. He hasn’t been training me to help ThunderClan at all.
“When the final battle comes”—Tigerstar was still talking—“wasting time at Gatherings won’t help you. It’ll be us against four Clans and their puny ancestors. Then we’ll see who the real warriors are.”
Ivypaw fled. She raced through the forest, the trees blurring on either side. This must be the battle Flametail had seen in his vision. This was why Hawkfrost had recruited her.
She wasn’t special.
She was stupid.
Tigerstar didn’t want to help ThunderClan. He wanted to wage war against the Clans. And he was using their own warriors against them!
Gasping, Ivypaw stumbled to a halt. The river blocked her path, sliding silently before her. How do I get home?She blinked and blinked again.
Wake up! Wake up!
“Are you okay, little one?”
For a moment Ivypaw imagined she was back in the nursery, Daisy murmuring over her. She snapped open her eyes and saw Mapleshade. The orange-and-white warrior was gazing at her with a mocking gleam in her eyes.
“Leave me alone!” Ivypaw hissed.
“Are you having a bad dream, dear?” Mapleshade sneered.
Ivypaw shrank from Mapleshade’s stinking breath. “Why don’t you just fade away to nothing?”
Mapleshade flexed her claws. “Oh, I’m not going anywhere until I’ve settled a few scores.”
Ivypaw forced herself not to start shaking. “I  .  .  . I was looking for Hawkfrost.”
“He’s busy.” Mapleshade moved closer. “He wanted me to train you tonight.”
Ivypaw swallowed. “Really?”
“Let’s try out those river moves you learned last time.” Heart sinking, Ivypaw gazed at the river.
“Show me what you learned,” Mapleshade ordered before she turned and waded out into the water.
Ivypaw forced herself to follow. The water oozed around her paws and dragged at her pelt.
“Am I deep enough yet?” Mapleshade asked. The water was lapping the warrior’s shoulders. Ivypaw had to follow on tiptoes to keep her nose above the water. “Now what happens?” Mapleshade prompted. “Come on, you must remember your lesson.”
“I have to knock your legs from under you.”
“Go ahead then, dear.”
Get it over with quickly.Ivypaw took a breath and ducked under, gagging as the warm, slimy water washed her muzzle. She swam down toward Mapleshade’s paws and reached out to grab them. A heavy weight hit her back and pushed her deep into the water, till her chest bumped onto the riverbed. Ivypaw struggled as the blood roared in her ears. Mapleshade had her pinned down. The great she-cat’s claws pierced Ivypaw’s pelt, pressing her harder against the stones.
Ivypaw writhed on the bottom of the river, bubbles escaping her mouth. Mapleshade was pushing the air from her chest. She fought wildly, kicking out with her legs, hoping to knock Mapleshade away. Ivypaw’s lungs screamed. Blackness edged her vision. She fought the urge to suck in water.
Then her flailing hind legs struck a rock. It budged, barely the width of a whisker. Ivypaw flailed again, harder. The stone shifted, then gained speed. Mapleshade’s paws shifted as the rock rolled away. With a mighty shove, Ivypaw pushed upward, wrenching herself free as the she-warrior lost her balance.
Desperate for air, Ivypaw forced herself to stay beneath the water. She struck out with her paws and began swimming underwater as far from Mapleshade as she could. As the riverbed sloped up, she followed the curve, emerging from the water on the far bank. She slithered onto the mud, gulping for air.
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Mapleshade splashing around in the river, searching the riverbed with floundering paws. Low as an otter, Ivypaw crept up the bank and slunk between the trees. When she was sure the shadows hid her, she collapsed, panting, onto the ground and coughed up a lungful of black water. Exhausted, she closed her eyes.
“Ivypaw?”
Dovepaw!
She looked up, relief swamping her as she saw the edges of her nest and her sister’s face peering anxiously over its woven stems. Early dawn light was beginning to filter through the ferns.
“Are you okay?”
Ivypaw coughed again, her chest burning. “Yes,” she rasped. “I’m okay now.” She never wanted to go back to the Dark Forest, not ever. “How was the Gathering?”
“I need to ask you something.” Dovepaw was looking anxious. The Clan was beginning to stir outside the den.
“What?”
Dovepaw leaned closer as Ivypaw sat up. “Tell me about Tigerheart again.” Her ears twitched. “Is he reallytraining in the Dark Forest?”
Ivypaw lowered her gaze. “Yes,” she murmured. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Dovepaw sighed. “I don’t think he ever loved me.”
Ivypaw jerked up her muzzle. “Don’t say that!”
Dovepaw shook her head. “You don’t understand.”
“I do!” Ivypaw leaped out of her nest and pressed against Dovepaw. “Tigerstar tricked him just like he tricked me!”
Dovepaw stared at her. “What do you mean?”
“It was all a lie—”
“Wait!” Dovepaw cut her off. “Lionblaze and Jayfeather need to hear this, too.”
Ivypaw stared at her sister. What was she talking about? What did they have to do with it?
“Just trust me.” Dovepaw nosed Ivypaw to her paws and jostled her out of the den.
Jayfeather was padding from the warriors’ den with a bundle of withered herbs in his jaws. He seemed to sense Dovepaw, because he turned his blind gaze on them and narrowed his eyes. Then he tucked the herbs under a stone by the den entrance and hurried over.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“We’re fine,” Dovepaw told him. “Where’s Lionblaze?”
“I’m here.” The golden warrior was bounding down the tumble of rocks from Highledge.
“We need to talk,” Dovepaw hissed. She headed for the entrance with Jayfeather and Lionblaze on her tail.
What’s going on?There seemed to be as many secrets here as there were in the Dark Forest.
Dovepaw led them up the steep slope outside the entrance, forged her way through the drifted snow, and hopped over a fallen tree. The ground behind was clear where the trunk had held back the drift. Dovepaw crouched against the rotting bark as Jayfeather and Lionblaze settled beside her. Ivypaw balanced on the trunk for a moment before jumping down next to them. They huddled together, cocooned from the bitter wind.
“Go on, Ivypaw,” Dovepaw prompted. “Tell them.”
Ivypaw looked from Jayfeather to Lionblaze. Their pelts were pricking with expectation. She took a deep breath and began. “I’ve been visiting the Dark Forest in my dreams.”
“Tell us something new,” Jayfeather grunted.
Ivypaw blinked. “Tigerstar’s been training me,” she went on, trying to squash the butterflies leaping in her belly. “And Hawkfrost. They told me they wanted me to be a great warrior so I could protect my Clan.”
“And you believed them?” Lionblaze snapped.
Dovepaw turned on him. “Let her tellyou!” she snarled.
Ivypaw glanced gratefully at her sister. “Tigerstar said that he was loyal to ThunderClan. That he’d been born ThunderClan and he’d never stopped feeling like a ThunderClan cat.”
Jayfeather was nodding slowly. “Okay.”
“I just wanted to be as good as Dovepaw,” Ivypaw explained. “I wanted to be so good that everyone would notice me, too.”
She was relieved to see Lionblaze’s gaze soften. “You’re a good apprentice, Ivypaw, and you’re going to make a fine warrior. Don’t try competing with your sister.”
Why not?The old jealousy sparked beneath Ivypaw’s pelt. What’s so special about her?“It’s over now. I know the truth. Tigerstar and his warriors are planning to attack all the Clans. They want to destroy us. I’m never going back to the Dark Forest.” She felt bone tired as tension eased from her muscles.
“How will you stop?” Jayfeather’s mew took her by surprise
“Stop what?”
“When you go to sleep, do you chooseto dream about the Dark Forest?” Jayfeather pressed.
Ivypaw narrowed her eyes. “I  .  .  . I guess not. I just wake up there,” she admitted.
Jayfeather sat up. “Good.”
What do you mean? What if I wake up there again, without wanting to?Ivypaw felt sick. “W-why is that good?”
“Because you’re going to spy for us,” Jayfeather declared.
Ivypaw started to tremble. “But I don’t want to go there again.”
“Too late.” Jayfeather shrugged. “You joined the Dark Forest. Do you think Tigerstar’s going to let you go after training you so hard?”
“But I don’t want to train anymore!”
Jayfeather wasn’t listening. His blind blue eyes seemed to be boring into hers. “They don’t know you’ve changed your mind, do they?”
Ivypaw shook her head, unable to speak.
“Then you must keep training with them and tell us everything you find out.”
Ivypaw’s chest throbbed. “You want me to spyon them?”
“Of course.” Jayfeather smoothed his whiskers with a paw. “You were ready to betray us. Why not betray them?”
Dovepaw sat up sharply. “She didn’t know she was betraying us—”
Jayfeather interrupted her. “She was training with Tigerstar,” he snapped. “How was that ever going to be good for ThunderClan?”
Lionblaze tucked his tail over his front paws. “I think it’s a good idea.”
Ivypaw felt as if she were caught in another terrible dream.
“But only,” Lionblaze went on, “if Ivypaw agrees.”
Ivypaw felt Mapleshade’s paws on her shoulders, pressing her down into the riverbed. “No!” She just wanted to be an ordinary apprentice again, fetching moss for Mousefur and Purdy, learning to hunt in a real forest with real cats. “I’m not going back.”
“You may not have the choice,” Jayfeather muttered.
Dovepaw’s tail was flicking. “Let me talk to her on my own. Please.” Lionblaze dipped his head and leaped up onto the trunk.
“Come on,” he called to Jayfeather. “Let’s leave this to Dovepaw.” Jayfeather gave a small sigh and followed his brother.
As their paw steps crunched away through the snow, Ivypaw looked at her sister. “What’s going on?”
Dovepaw settled back into a crouch. “There’s something that you still don’t know.”
“What?”
“Climb over the trunk and go do something.”
“Like what?”
“Anything.” Dovepaw blinked at her. “Throw a snowball; climb a tree. It doesn’t matter. Just make sure I can’t hear you or see you.”
Puzzled, Ivypaw scrambled onto the trunk and bounded away through the snow. She looked back and saw nothing, then headed farther away. Once she knew Dovepaw wouldn’t be able to hear her, she slid behind a tree and dug a hole in the snow. Then she filled it in and hurried back to her sister.
“Well?” she panted.
“You dug a hole, and then you filled it in,” Dovepaw told her.
Ivypaw felt dizzy. “Did you follow me?”
“Did you see my paw prints?”
Ivypaw shook her head. “Then how did you know?”
Her sister was silent for a moment, gazing at her with wet blue eyes. “I can hear everything,” she blurted out. “I can smell everything too, if I set my mind to it.”
Ivypaw snorted. “Shut up! You’re just showing off again! No cat can smell and hear everything.”
Dovepaw lashed her tail. “I’m notshowing off. Sometimes I wish that I were. I have special powers. I’m part of a prophecy that says three cats will have more power than the stars in their paws. Jayfeather and Lionblaze are the other two cats. That’s why they listen to me. That’s why Firestar listens to me.”
“Firestar listened to me when I told him about my dream!” Ivypaw pointed out.
“But you made it up!” Dovepaw thrust her muzzle in Ivypaw’s face. “This is real! Right now I can hear Hollowpaw getting lectured for not getting the ticks out of Pouncetail’s pelt yesterday. I can hear Dewkit and Mistkit fighting in their nest over who gets first bite of the stinky old sparrow Crowfrost brought them. I can hear Heathertail showing Harespring a new route through the thickest patch of gorse, and Onestar is washing—”
“Stop!” Ivypaw struggled to keep up. “You can really hear all that?”
Dovepaw nodded. “Everything. I heard the beavers.”
“That’s how you knew they were stopping the water!” Things that had puzzled Ivypaw for a long time were starting to make a strange kind of sense. “That’s why Firestar sent youon the mission, even though you were only an apprentice.” Her head was spinning. “So Firestar knows, too?”
“Yes, but only Firestar.”
Ivypaw’s pelt felt hot and prickly. “Why didn’t you tell me before?” She didn’t give Dovepaw a chance to reply. “Didn’t you realize how much it hurt to see you being singled out like some kind of super apprentice?”
Dovepaw shuffled her paws. “I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone. No cat knows about Jayfeather and Lionblaze, except Firestar.”
“But they knew about each other, right? And I bet Hollyleaf knew!” Ivypaw was starting to seethe. “It’s your fault I went to the Dark Forest!!”
Dovepaw stared at her. “Wha-what do you mean?”
“The first time I met Hawkfrost, it wasn’t in the Place of No Stars; it was in a field with flowers and sunshine and stuff like that. He  .  .  . he flattered me; he seemed interested in what I could do, not what my sister could do. No cat has ever treated me like that in this Clan. I’m just your shadow here.”
“That’s not true!” Dovepaw hissed.
“But that’s how it felt! You can’t blame me for listening to Hawkfrost, for wanting to learn all the moves that he taught me.”
“No cat is blaming you.” Dovepaw sighed.
Ivypaw narrowed her eyes to slits. “Are you sure? Lionblaze and Jayfeather don’t trust me. Maybe they want me to go back to the Dark Forest and stay there!”
Dovepaw flattened her ears. “Don’t be ridiculous! Can’t you see that we needyou? Without knowing exactly what’s going on in the Dark Forest, the prophecy is useless. You got your wish: You’re the special one now.”
Ivypaw blinked. “I wish I weren’t,” she whispered. “I’m scared.”
Her sister rested her tail on Ivypaw’s shoulders. “I know,” she mewed softly. “We all are, even the cats in StarClan. I think that we could be all that stands between the Dark Forest and the end of the Clans.” Suddenly she looked tiny, huddled into a crouch with the snow banked around her.
“I’ll help you if I can,” Ivypaw promised in a rush. This wasn’t just about her now—in fact, it wasn’t about her at all. It was about every cat who lived beside the lake.
“Tell Jayfeather and Lionblaze that I’ll go back. I’ll pretend I’m still one of them, and I’ll find out everything I can about their plans.”
第二十章
第二十章
鸽爪蹲伏在一丛常春藤后，她将腹部紧紧地贴在雪地上，低着身子趴在深沟里，好让自己不会在月光下留下影子。
脚步声越来越近，就快来到深沟顶部了。鸽爪张开嘴巴，尝了尝这熟悉的气味。她的腹部上下起伏着。还有一条尾巴的距离。她屏住了呼吸。就快到了。
“逮住你了！”她冲上短短的陡坡，一下子把虎心扑倒在林地上。
“我投降！”
鸽爪从他身上爬开：“总有一天，你会比我先到的。”
“我还以为自己今晚已经够早的了呢。”他平顺下自己蓬松的皮毛，“你似乎知道我离开营地的准确时间！”
鸽爪垂下了自己的目光。“嗯嗯，是啊。”她咕哝道，“就像我能听到你爬出窝里的声音一样。”她赶紧转移了话题：“也不知道这雪要持续下多久。”
虎心耸了耸肩：“总好过下雨吧。”
“可是这样的天气里，到哪里去都会留下踪迹。”
“一位优秀的武士即便没有雪也能追踪到踪迹。”
鸽爪身子前倾，用鼻子蹭着虎心的脸颊，喃喃道：“就算在水上我也能找到你的踪迹。”
虎心的喉咙里咕噜作响：“我好想你啊。”
边界的气味充斥在他们周围的空气中，雷族气息与影族气息彼此交缠。“我们去废弃的两脚兽巢穴怎么样？”鸽爪提议道。
“今晚没时间了。”虎心叹息着，“黑星会在月高和黎明时分派出额外的巡逻队。”
鸽爪低下了头：“为什么？”
“我们一直在搜寻草药和猎物。”
“小云的病情恶化了吗？”
“是的。”虎心的肚子在咆哮，“整个族群也饥肠辘辘了。”
鸽爪将脸颊贴到了虎心的脸颊上。雷族很幸运，白咳症尚未转变为绿咳症。“真希望我能帮上忙。”她脑海中浮现出了松鸦羽在两脚兽巢穴旁种植的大片多汁的草药，在蕨丛的保护下，这些草药并未遭受到寒冷的毁坏。“可是松鸦羽采取了保护措施，确保没有谁能从他的草药地上带走一片叶子。”
虎心竖起了耳朵：“草药地？”
“就是他从绿叶季开始精心种植的那些植物。”
“他一直在种植草药？”
鸽爪退开身子，一脸的惊讶。“我还以为你们知道呢。”她皱起了眉，“影族想侵占我们的领地不就是为了这个吗？”
虎心盯着她：“我们从没想过侵占雷族的领地。”
“可是藤……”鸽爪止住了。没必要让虎心知道藤爪的那个梦。“我还以为两族之间发生战斗就是因为这个原因。”
“想侵占领地的是火星。”虎心说道，“他想拿回那片空地。”
鸽爪移动着脚掌。火星那么做是被藤爪说服的。她抖了抖皮毛。她不愿意同虎心争论。那场战斗已经过去了。“别管那场战斗了。”
“可是松鸦羽有草药。”虎心靠得更近了，“是什么草药？”
“只是些艾菊。”鸽爪感觉这些话似乎粘在了舌头上。她不想欺骗虎心，但把松鸦羽那些珍贵草药的情况告诉虎心，她又觉得自己对雷族不忠诚，“还有点儿猫薄荷。”
“猫薄荷？”虎心的眼睛一下子亮了起来，“他能给我们一些吗？”
鸽爪感觉全身发烫：“叶池已经向他提出过这样的请求了。”
“然后呢？”
“他说不行。”
“但小云可能会死的！”
“他说我们必须照顾好自己的族群。”鸽爪围着虎心转圈，与他皮毛相擦。得了，虎心，让我们来一起玩个痛快吧！她用尾巴拂过虎心的鼻子。“我们看看谁爬得最高。”她抬头看了一眼他们身旁的松树，想知道自己的爪子是否足够强壮，能不能爬上树干上最低的那根树枝。
“你听到我说的话了吗？”虎心厉声说道，“小云可能会死。”
鸽爪垂下了目光，她的心直往下沉。“我可以偷一些。”她主动说道。她肚子里一阵搅动。
“不。”虎心坚决地说道，“你不能从自己的族群偷东西给我。”
鸽爪如释重负：“我可以试试看说服松鸦羽给你们一些。”
虎心与她鼻头相触。“谢谢你。”他喃喃道。鸽爪突然对他萌生了一股同情。“我只是希望我们能尽快拿到草药。”虎心继续说道，“否则我们都跑去森林搜寻叶子，族群就要饿死了。”
“看这个。”鸽爪快步跑回坡顶。她打算分散虎心的注意力，哪怕自己会鼻子着地也在所不惜。她蹲伏下来，后腿猛地将身体往上蹬，然后前脚掌努力向脑后伸展，试图够到自己的尾巴。她肚皮朝天拱起来，想用前脚掌够到地面，心中暗自祈祷自己能够成功完成这个后空翻。
砰的一声，鸽爪下巴着地，扑起了一阵风。她将爪子插进积雪，抓住冰封的森林大地，这才没滚下斜坡。
虎心被逗得咕噜起来：“好一个平稳落地。”
“继续看。”鸽爪挣扎着爬起身，蹲伏下来，准备再试一次，可是虎心却将他的尾巴搭到鸽爪肩膀上。
“等会儿。”
“什么？”她看着虎心。
虎心突然举起前脚掌，一团雪便击中了鸽爪的鼻子。
“嘿！”鸽爪一跃而起，抓起一大把雪朝他挥去。虎心低头躲闪，雪花划过他的耳边。鸽爪打闹着冲向他，将他撞进了积雪中。
“哎呀！”虎心假装失去了平衡，紧紧地搂住鸽爪，他们一起翻滚着滚下了这一小段陡峭的斜坡。鸽爪尖叫着，直到滚动停下。他们上气不接下气，脚掌彼此相拥着躺在地面上。一股强烈的幸福感从胸口泛起，鸽爪忍不住咕噜着欢笑起来。
接着，她愣住了。
“怎么了？”一旁的虎心紧张起来。
“有脚步声。”她方才忘了警惕危险。此刻，她听见有皮毛从蕨丛上刷过，脚掌刮擦着白霜覆盖的雪地。“有猫来了。”
“谁？”
鸽爪嗅了嗅空气。她的尾巴蓬松开来：“是藤爪！”
太晚了！
她姐妹那张带着白色的脸庞出现在坡顶。“我就知道！”她嘶吼道。
鸽爪抬起了下巴：“你早就知道的！”
“但这下我可是亲眼看到了。”藤爪的眼睛闪烁着。
鸽爪一旁的虎心挺直了身子。“你现在是在影族的领地上。”他提醒藤爪。
“她不也是？”藤爪哼着鼻子，“至少我没有背叛自己的族群。”
一股怒气在鸽爪心中闪过：“你每晚都在黑森林背叛我们！”
虎心是缩了一下吗？鸽爪看向他。他的目光正紧盯着藤爪。
藤爪扬起了尾巴：“你打算告诉她吗，虎心？还是我来？”
鸽爪身子前倾，耳朵平贴：“别又提起这事！”虎心绝对不可能在黑森林接受训练！
藤爪的目光依旧死死盯着虎心，鸽爪觉得一股寒意流过自己的脊背。
“你看见了吧？”藤爪朝虎心吼道，“我的姐妹不信我的话。”她的尾巴尖开始抽动：“或许她会相信你。”
不！鸽爪开始后退，请不要让虎心也成为黑森林的一分子。
藤爪身后的蕨丛一阵沙沙作响，虎心猛地将鸽爪推入了一丛枯死的黑莓藤下，鸽爪倒抽一口气。“待着别动。”虎心嘘声说道。
鸽爪紧贴地面，屏住了呼吸。空气中弥漫着浓厚的影族气味。
“这儿发生什么事了？”她辨别出了烟足深沉的怒吼。
虎心的脚掌在雪地里抓挠：“我在边界附近发现了她。”
鸽爪浑身发抖，透过卷须窥视外面。她只分辨出了坡顶的烟足和苹果毛。这两位影族武士正怒视着藤爪。
虎心在雷族学徒身边挺着胸膛说道：“我正打算将她带回营地，让黑星当面问她。”
“真的吗？”苹果毛眯起了眼睛，“大半夜的，你怎么在这儿闲逛呢？”
烟足倾身靠得更近了：“你没有被安排午夜巡逻啊。”
虎心迎着烟足的目光说道：“我睡不着。”
影族武士又转向了藤爪：“你在影族领地上干什么？”
鸽爪的心跳加速了。
“我在寻找猎物。”
千万要相信她啊！
“在这个时候狩猎，倒真是奇了怪了。”苹果毛提出质疑。
“食物短缺。”藤爪答道，“我想着可能会有猎物晚上出来活动。”
“在影族领地上？”烟足怒斥道。
“我没意识到自己越过了边界。”
“难道雷族的学徒不会用鼻子吗？走吧，”烟足嘶吼道，“我们带她回营地。”
听着影族猫领着姐妹离开，鸽爪心里一阵惊慌。虎心，把她保护好！她默默地恳求道。
他们一离开能听到鸽爪响动的范围，她就爬出了黑莓丛，朝边界冲去。藤爪被影族抓走了！但是我不能说出去！
鸽爪的心跳似乎停止了。她该如何解释藤爪被带走了呢？她可能会泄露自己与虎心见面的事情。那狮焰和松鸦羽又如何再相信她呢？她的族猫们还能原谅她吗？她竖起双耳，搜寻藤爪的响动，最后听到了从影族营地传来的声音。
一只幼崽兴奋地尖叫着：“那是谁？”
“只是一位雷族学徒，亲爱的。”一位猫后安慰道，“回你的窝里去吧，已经很晚了。”
鸽爪更努力地听着。
“黑星要到早上才会见你。”那是烟足！他一定是在对藤爪讲话。“待在这儿等着，会有猫带你去的。”
“角落里有些苔藓。”她听到了虎心的低语声。“你可以用它做个窝。不会有谁来打扰你的。安静待着就好，别想着逃跑。”
鸽爪胸中的紧张缓解了一些。他们对藤爪很好。没必要叫救援队了。鸽爪朝家走去，从排便处通道溜进营地。她蹑足走过香薇丛，进入了巢穴。当蜷缩在柔软的苔藓上时，她难过地意识到藤爪的窝里一片冰冷，空荡荡的。她思绪万千，心怦怦乱跳着闭上了眼睛。
营地的声音吵醒了她。黑莓掌在高石台下组织着狩猎队。沙风正在咳嗽。罂粟霜在巫医巢穴求松鸦羽给小樱桃用一点儿艾菊。鸽爪皮毛缠结，心头烦乱，她爬出了自己的窝，努力地听着，将听觉锁定在影族的营地里，终于听到了一位影族武士不友善的声音。“黑星待会儿要见你。”小小的砰声吓了鸽爪一跳。“吃吧。”他肯定是将猎物扔给了藤爪。
“谢谢你。”藤爪听起来并不害怕。
鸽爪抬起了下巴，她知道自己现在该怎么做了。“藤爪？”她大声喊道。她等了一会儿，又跳出了巢穴。
“藤爪？”
灰条、莓鼻、米莉和白翅正跟冰云和狐跃一起坐在高石台下，黑莓掌在他们前面踱步。
鸽爪深吸了口气，朝他们喊道：“藤爪已经巡逻去了吗？”
灰条转过身，满脸疑惑地看着鸽爪：“你找她有事吗？”
鸽爪尽可能自然地耸了耸肩：“我醒来的时候，她不在自己的窝里。”
白翅站起了身。“我也没有看见她。”她的声音里充满着担忧。“桦落？”她叫喊着自己的伴侣。
桦落正在雪地里挖掘着猎物储藏洞，他停了下来：“怎么了？”
“你看见藤爪了吗？”白翅问道。
桦落看着鸽爪：“她不在窝里吗？”
鸽爪摇了摇头：“我醒来时她就已经不见了。”
白翅挤进学徒巢穴，很快就跳了出来：“她的窝是冰冷的，应该是整夜未归。”
桦落的皮毛支棱了起来：“黑莓掌？”
雷族副族长抬起了头：“怎么了？”
“藤爪没有在自己的窝里睡觉。”桦落告诉他。
黑莓掌看着聚集在身边的武士，问道：“大家有谁看到她了吗？”
“从昨晚起就没有见过她。”莓鼻答道。
“日落时我还和她分享过一只老鼠。”栗尾告诉黑莓掌。
炭心匆匆忙忙地从排便处通道出来：“是谁说藤爪不见了吗？”
白翅在空地边缘来回走动：“她的窝昨晚没被睡过。”
“营地外太冷了，不能待太久的。”黑莓掌说道。
“万一她受伤了怎么办？”白翅着急得都开始喘气了。
桦落的尾巴沿着白翅皮毛支棱的脊背刷过：“我们还不确定呢。”
“我们必须去找她。”黑莓掌做出了决定。他冲莓鼻和灰条点了点头：“你们各带一支队伍去森林中搜寻。”
鸽爪的心跳开始加速。他们不能浪费狩猎的力量！她的大脑一片混乱。她不能直接说出藤爪在影族营地里。如果那样，他们会好奇自己是怎么知道的。
松鸦羽！他会理解的。
鸽爪偷偷地瞥了一眼族猫们，然后朝巫医巢穴走去。“松鸦羽！”
“嘘！”巫医正在水池中浸泡叶子，“沙风在睡觉！”
荆棘光抬起身子，来到了自己的窝边：“怎么了？”
“藤爪不见了。”鸽爪说道。她盯着松鸦羽，希望他能听出自己声音中的急切。她必须私下和他谈谈。
松鸦羽小心翼翼地把浸透的叶子卷成湿淋淋的一捆，放在了水池旁。“跟我来。”他告诉鸽爪，然后从她身旁经过。鸽爪跟着松鸦羽出了巢穴，荆棘光的眼里充满了好奇。
蟾步和冰云已经爬上了山毛榉的树干。蟾步向下窥探着枝叶和峭壁墙间的缝隙：“藤爪？”
玫瑰瓣检查着育婴室后面：“这里没有她的痕迹。”
“我猜她不在营地。”松鸦羽咕哝着。
“我知道她在哪儿！”鸽爪已经憋不住这些话了，“我能听见她。她在影族营地里！”
“她在那儿做什么？”松鸦羽质问。
“我……我不知道。我只是听到了她。我想他们把她囚禁了，他们告诉藤爪待在原地，给了她一些吃的，说黑星稍后会见她。”
“看在星族的分上，藤爪是怎么跑去那儿的？”松鸦羽听起来恼怒胜于担忧，他朝落石堆走去，“趁整个族群还没有慌乱起来，我们得把这事告诉火星。”
鸽爪跟着他登上了岩石。尽量少说话，她提醒自己，千万不能泄露任何事。
“在影族营地？”听了松鸦羽的话后，火星吃惊地眨巴着眼睛。他将锐利的目光转向鸽爪：“藤爪在那儿多久了？”
鸽爪满脸无辜地看着火星：“昨晚我们回窝里时，她还在营地里，可今早就不见了。”
“你觉得她是自己去的吗？”
“她可能是去了边界。”鸽爪小心翼翼地说，“说不定是在那里被他们抓走了。”
“她在影族边界干什么？”火星摇了摇头，像耳朵里进了只虱子一样，“自从那场战斗之后，我想象不出还有哪个地方比那儿更危险。”
鸽爪垂下了目光，她的皮毛一阵灼烫：“我……我不知道。”
松鸦羽将身子靠近族长：“或许你应该叫停搜寻行动。”
火星低头钻出了巢穴，鸽爪跟在他身后。“我们基本可以相信，藤爪被影族囚禁了。”火星朝空地大声喊道。
族猫惊愕地看着雷族族长，鸽爪不由往后躲。
“你是怎么知道的？”鼠毛怒吼着走到了空地中央。
火星挪了挪脚掌。“昨晚有族猫最后一次看见藤爪时，她在影族边界。”他再多说，就要泄露鸽爪超力量的秘密了。
刺掌从鼠毛身边走过：“我们应该派支队伍去营救她！”
“我要去！”白翅说道。
刺掌活动着爪子：“我愿意领队。”
“我们现在就走！”桦落怒吼道。
火星甩了甩尾巴：“我们必须保持冷静。”
“我们不能把藤爪丢在那儿！”白翅嘶吼道。
“我们应该派一小支队伍去探探虚实。”火星理智地说，“如果情况属实，他们会请求将藤爪带回的。”
桦落的皮毛竖了起来：“请求？”
火星点了点头。“我们不能在他们的营地里挑起战斗，”他指出，“长老和幼崽都在那儿。”
鼠毛抽动着一只耳朵：“别忘了，藤爪还在他们那里。如果我们发动攻击，他们没准儿会伤害藤爪。”
火星坐了下来，尾巴包裹住脚掌。“黑莓掌！”他喊道，“带上蕨毛、云尾和鸽爪。”
鸽爪将爪子缩进了掌垫里。她不愿意参与进这件事里。她宁愿假装一切都未发生。
白翅冲到前面：“我想跟他们一起去！”
火星摇了摇头。“黑莓掌能够解决。”他说道，“他会将藤爪平安带回来的。”白翅转过身，怒吼着离开了。火星看了一眼鸽爪。“你们可以出发了。”
鸽爪爬下落石堆，在黑莓掌、云尾和蕨毛走出营地时，追上了他们。“她晚上在边界那儿干什么？”他们正穿过树林朝影族领地走去时，云尾问道。
“她肯定不会是叛徒吧？”蕨毛嘀咕道。
绝对不会！一阵内疚刺穿了鸽爪的身体。全是她的错，蕨毛才会怀疑藤爪的忠诚。
“这又不是第一次有猫秘密与其他族群的武士见面。”黑莓掌目光阴沉，紧紧地盯着小路。
全都是因为我！别怪到她头上！
到达边界时，黑莓掌坐了下来，云尾盯着他问道：“我们不去影族营地吗？”
“我们要等影族巡逻队。”黑莓掌答道。
云尾嗤之以鼻。
“我们不确定他们是不是真的抓走了藤爪。”蕨毛指出。
云尾开始在气味线上走来走去：“这不就是影族惯用的把戏吗！”
鸽爪竖起了耳朵。有脚掌穿过雪地的咯吱声。影族已经醒来，开始了巡逻。她等待着，心怦怦直跳。她仔细听，直到脚步声越来越近，足以让她不引起怀疑地宣布有猫过来了。“我听到声音了！”
黑莓掌面对边界站了起来，他的皮毛平顺，目光坚定。花楸掌、鼩鼱足和乌霜穿过灌木丛朝他们走来。鸽爪强迫自己停止颤抖。会没事的。她看到了从族猫身后走出的虎心，赶紧低头盯着自己的脚掌，生怕迎上他的目光，泄露了自己的情愫。
“来拿回你们丢失的东西吗？”乌霜的咆哮声越过了气味线。
云尾皮毛竖立了起来：“那你们承认抓了藤爪啰！”
鼩鼱足怒视着这位白毛武士：“虎心发现她在我们的领地上游荡。”
黑莓掌眨了眨眼睛：“她没事吧？”
乌霜犹豫了一下。鸽爪拼命地搜寻着姐妹在影族营地里的任何声音。
“我们并没有伤害她。”乌霜低声说。
花楸掌和鼩鼱足互相交换了一下眼神。
“我们能带她回家吗？”黑莓掌对影族副族长说道。
“为什么黑莓掌要这么客气啊？”云尾在蕨毛耳边说。
黑莓掌尾巴轻弹。“你们也不想多张吃饭的嘴吧。”他对花楸掌说。
花楸掌点了点头：“的确如此，可是我们也不想雷族学徒肆意穿越我们的边界。”
花楸掌向前几步，靠边界更近了。“你们可以带她回去。”他怒吼道，“但要拿猫薄荷来换。”
鸽爪狠狠瞪了虎心一眼，但他的脸上没有任何表情。就在昨天，虎心对小云的病情担心得要命，而现在，藤爪就变成了换取草药来救影族巫医的筹码？虎心一定是将草药地的事情告诉了自己的族猫。他怎么能这么做？
疼痛烧灼着鸽爪的心。他不是真的爱我！他只是在利用我，现在他又在利用藤爪！鸽爪一下子僵住了。她就不会为了自己的族群这么做吗？她的忠心到底属于虎心，还是属于雷族？
“猫薄荷？”黑莓掌重复影族猫的话。
“小云患了绿咳症。”花楸掌告诉他，“他需要猫薄荷才能活下去。”
黑莓掌神色不解：“那又何必用这种方式索求呢？”
“我们不想伤害藤爪。”花楸掌说道，他话里的意思很清楚，“我们只想要猫薄荷。”
黑莓掌绷紧了身子。鸽爪猜想，他在强迫自己不对这话里隐含的威胁做出回应。最后，黑莓掌点了点头。“我会向火星汇报的。”他用尾巴向族猫示意，带队返回营地。
“为什么焰尾不直接来问松鸦羽要呢？”黑莓掌向火星汇报花楸掌的要求时，火星疑惑地盯着自己的副族长，“我们向来乐于帮助其他族群。”
灰条挨着火星，站在空地中央。他卷起了嘴唇。“对其他族群的帮助反而让我们妄受非议！”他吼道。
松鸦羽站在巫医巢穴入口，鸽爪看见他的爪子刺入了雪中。
叶池和松鼠飞在半边石处看着，显得忧心忡忡：“小云的病有多严重？”
黑莓掌眯起了眼睛：“严重到要用一位学徒做交换。”
“我去采草药。”松鸦羽咕哝着。
“谢谢你。”火星点了点头，“我知道草药短缺，但是小云需要它们。”
松鼠飞向前迈出几步：“那沙风怎么办？”
“还有小樱桃！”黛西跑过空地，她蓬松的奶油色尾巴高高竖着，“她今天也没有好转。”
火星垂下了头。“我们会尽力满足大家的需求。”他说道，“但是小云和藤爪正处于极度危险中，我们必须先帮他们。”
罂粟霜的脸出现在了育婴室入口，她圆圆的眼睛里满是担忧。火星的目光在她身上停留片刻，然后转向了黑莓掌。“或许找到蓍草的那只猫可以找到更多的草药。”他低语道。
鸽爪只想爬进自己的窝里，躲得远远的。万一沙风或小樱桃病情加重了怎么办？万一她们死了呢？这一切都是我的错！
第二十一章
第二十一章
砰的一声，一只干瘪的老鼠落到了藤爪眼前。“吃吧。”
她抬头看着这位扔下老鼠的深色影族虎斑武士，然后嗅了嗅：“多谢。”
这位武士绕过半遮住藤爪所在营地角落的黑莓屏障，大步走开了。
“我真不知道他们为什么给你吃的。”八哥爪怒视着藤爪，“你曾试图偷窃我们的食物。”
藤爪满脸轻蔑地看着这只被派来看守自己的年轻影族公猫：“我是不小心越过边界的。”
“呵，是啊。”八哥爪转过身，继续承担起看守之责来。
藤爪翻了个白眼。不知道的还以为他在看守一位狮族武士呢。“你觉得我会干什么啊？攻击武士巢穴，把你们的营地给占领了吗？”
八哥爪睨了她一眼：“谁知道你在计划什么？雷族猫一向以奸诈狡猾闻名。”
“雷族？奸诈狡猾？”藤爪简直无法相信自己的耳朵。影族才是整片森林里最狡猾的猫。她哼了一声。算了吧。她不想再浪费时间与这个鼠脑子的家伙交谈，于是趴在地上吃起了老鼠。藤爪一边啃咬着筋多肉少的老鼠肉，一边探头从黑莓丛的边缘观察四周。她从八哥爪的尾巴边看过去，影族营地已经开始热闹起来。
两只幼崽跌跌撞撞地从黑莓墙上一个小洞中走了出来。“快点儿，小露珠！”个头大一些的幼崽是一只虎斑公猫，他蹲伏下来，不停地来回摇动着尾巴。
“什么？”他的同窝手足是一只灰色的母猫，正看着他。
虎斑小猫冲过空地：“比赛谁先跑到排便处！”
“你作弊，小麻雀！”小露珠急忙追了上去。
又一只幼崽从黑莓丛里滚了出来。“等等我！”她落到地上，在后面瞪着他们，眼睛睁得老大。
“别担心，小雾。”一位虎斑猫后在她身后跟了出来，“我们一起去追他们。”猫后追赶着他们，小雾与她并排跑着。幼崽浅灰色的皮毛一簇簇支棱着，就像松果一样。抵达空地的另一头后，她们低头进入一个通道，从藤爪的视野里消失了。
皮毛日益发白的长老杉心在巢穴外舒展着身子，高罂从他身后的黑莓丛中挤出来，打了个哈欠。她看着灰蒙蒙的天空，说道：“看起来又要下大雪了。”
杉心打了个寒战：“要不了多久，我们就得吃雪了。”
一只纯白色的母猫正穿过空地朝一小堆皮毛破烂的猎物走去。顶上那个是只死青蛙吗？藤爪不禁打了个寒战。这位白色武士嗅了嗅猎物，带上一只往她的巢穴走。藤爪看到橄榄鼻挤了出来。
“想要一起分享吗？”白色武士提议道。
“谢谢你，雪鸟。”橄榄鼻又朝枭掌喊道，“想要一起分享田鼠吗？”
藤爪咀嚼着自己的老鼠，看到影族营地里的生活竟然同雷族没什么两样，她有些惊讶。那你以为会是什么样子？老鼠和松鼠替他们干活儿吗？
花楸掌弯下身子进入黑星的巢穴，片刻之后便同影族族长一起出现了。他们谈了一会儿后，花楸掌抬起下巴，冲族群喊道：“准备去狩猎的猫过来集合。”
群猫围到花楸掌身边。藤爪努力把自己认识的武士都认出来。跟发育不良的风族或是肥胖光滑的河族猫相比，这些猫的体形和颜色与雷族猫的更像。
“鼠痕、焦毛、雪鸟和苹果毛。”花楸掌朝他们依次点了点头，“你们今天率领狩猎队。红柳，你带领边境巡逻队。虎心、鼩鼱足和乌霜，”他弹了弹尾巴，“你们跟我一起。”
褐皮弹了弹尾巴。“训练场地已落满了雪花。”她汇报道，“我们需要找一个更有遮蔽的空地，要么就在营地里训练。”
花楸掌点了点头：“如果有谁找到合适的训练场所，就告诉我。在那之前，战斗训练就在营地里进行。”
幼崽们从排便处通道里一窝蜂跑了出来。
“那只我们不认识的猫还在吗？”小麻雀尖叫道，“就是昨晚虎心带回来的那只。”
武士们相互看了一眼，都是一脸惊讶。当他们一只接一只转过身，凝视着藤爪蹲伏的那个隐蔽角落时，藤爪挺直了身子。她才不打算躲起来，她又没对他们的宝贝领地做什么坏事。她挺起胸膛，大摇大摆地从黑莓丛后面走了出来，迎上了他们的目光。
花楸掌站在空地中央。“昨天晚上，虎心在我们这边的气味线里发现了一位雷族学徒。”他大声说道。
他身后众猫的皮毛都竖立了起来。
“只有她一个吗？”鼠痕问道。
“巡逻队并未发现其他猫。”花楸掌答道，“也没有发现武士的气味。”
“你确定吗？”橄榄鼻耳朵平贴，“他们可能正试图侵占我们更多的领地。”
“我们才没有呢！”藤爪不由自主地喊道。
八哥爪转向了她，支棱着皮毛命令道：“闭嘴！”
藤爪怒视着他。这时褐皮走上前来，转向了自己的族猫：“她只是个学徒。”
花楸掌坐了下来，用尾巴包裹着脚掌。“我们暂且把她关在这儿。”他说道，“毫无疑问，雷族很快会来找她。在那之前，她构不成什么威胁。”
“是的。”八哥爪咕哝着，“她能有什么威胁。”
藤爪恨不得在他的耳朵上狠狠拍打一番。
花楸掌活动着爪子。“巡逻队该出发了。”他命令道，“我们不能浪费狩猎的时间。”
鼠痕、焦毛、雪鸟和苹果毛开始从族猫中穿过，各自召集他们的巡逻队员。不一会儿工夫，他们便大步穿过黑莓丛，钻进了松树林。
一个小小的叫声让藤爪转过了身：“嘿，雷猫！”
小麻雀已经从黑莓屏障边上跳了过来，此刻正对着她。他拱着背，耸着皮毛。小露珠跟在小麻雀身后跳了出来，而小雾浑身发抖，只从长满刺的茎秆旁探头窥视。藤爪不禁咕噜笑起来。
“你会飞吗？”小麻雀问道。
藤爪眨了眨眼：“飞？”
“武士们说，战斗时你们是从树上飞下来的。”
“哦，是的。”藤爪点了点头，“雷族所有的猫都会飞。”
“骗子！”八哥爪怒吼道。
藤爪耸了耸肩：“影族幼崽的脑子里填的是罂粟籽，还能怪我咯？”
小麻雀吐着口水朝她冲来：“我们才没有呢。”
藤爪弯下了身子，冲小麻雀的脸龇牙咆哮。小麻雀的皮毛一下子全立了起来，惊恐地瞪大了眼睛。“杂毛！救命！”随着一阵尖叫，他转身狂奔而去。小雾和小露珠也跟在后面哀号着跑开了。
八哥爪转身冲藤爪发火：“你干什么啊！”
“对不起。”藤爪身子往后缩了一下，“我没想到能把他们吓得这么厉害。”她皮毛有些发烫：“我只是开个玩笑。”
“那些幼崽从小听的故事里，说的都是雷族武士以吞食幼崽取乐！”八哥爪厉声说道。
藤爪盯着他：“真的？”
“他们又要做好几天的噩梦了。”
“那我去道个歉吧。”藤爪提议道。
这时，黑莓丛沙沙作响，黑星走了进来。“你是要去道歉，”他咆哮着，“但不是现在。”
藤爪挺直了身子。黑星个头巨大。他光是一只黑色的脚掌就有藤爪的脑袋大。“真的对不起。”她说道。
黑星的胡须抽动着。“别担心，我们暂时还不会将你放进猎物堆的。”他的眼睛似乎在闪动。他是被逗乐了吗？他扫了一眼关押藤爪的角落，目光向下看到藤爪脚掌边才吃了一半的老鼠。“很抱歉这样对你。吃饱了吗？”
“饱了。”藤爪匆忙地将老鼠朝他推过去，“我不想浪费你们的食物，猎物现在非常短缺。”
黑星低下了头：“我想，你也想回家了吧。”
藤爪感觉自己的眼睛都亮了：“是的。”
“你很快就会回到你的营地。”黑星的目光扫过了藤爪，“不过，我们得先谈笔交易。雷族有我们需要的东西。”说完，他转过身离开了。
藤爪看着他离去的背影，不安刺痛了她的腹部。“交易？”她重复着黑星的话。
八哥爪耸了耸肩：“或许我们会拿你换食物。”
褐皮从黑莓丛突出的枝叶旁走了过来。“你还好吗？”这只玳瑁色母猫的语气中的同情让藤爪更想家了。
“我很好。”她吞咽着，掩饰喉中的哽咽，“你们想拿我换什么？”
“草药。”褐皮答道，“小云病了，我们需要猫薄荷和艾菊。虎心告诉我们说松鸦羽种植了一些。”
“虎心？”藤爪有些糊涂了。但虎星告诉我说，影族很久以前就知道草药的事了，所以他们才一直想入侵雷族领地。虎星在说谎吗？
“他昨天无意中听到雷族武士提起。”褐皮告诉藤爪。
不，他不可能是无意中听到的！愤怒刺痛了她的耳朵，鸽爪告诉他的！她的姐妹怎么能这样背叛自己的族群呢？藤爪怒视着关押自己的四周。她怎么能背叛我？
褐皮靠得更近了一些。“亲爱的，别担心。”她睁大了双眼，“我敢肯定，为了你，松鸦羽一定很愿意让出一些草药。你很快就能回家了。”
藤爪向后退去，皮毛竖立着。
“你想去排便处吗？”褐皮主动提议道，“可以顺便伸展伸展自己的腿脚。被囚禁在这儿，你肯定全身都僵硬了。”她用尾巴示意八哥爪离开：“我会看着她的。”
褐皮带着她穿过营地。影族的这块空地又长又宽，所有的巢穴都整齐地隐藏进营地的围墙上。藤爪暗中惊叹。这是训练战斗动作的绝佳场所。曙皮躺在空地边缘，从正吃着的青蛙上抬起头，瞪着藤爪。小麻雀蜷缩在杂毛身旁，可没有看到小露珠和小雾。杉心和高罂在他们巢穴外的雪地里做了窝睡下来，看着藤爪经过。
藤爪觉得皮毛发烫。褐皮在空地里等着，藤爪独自弯下身子通过了排便处通道，这才如释重负。排便处位于营地的围墙外，藤爪心想自己能不能偷偷地溜走，逃出边界。
“好了吗？”褐皮喊道。
藤爪放弃了这个念头。森林中到处都是巡逻队，他们都比她更了解这里。她将雪踢到了自己的排泄物上，转身又钻过通道。“我想去跟幼崽们道歉。”走出通道时，她对褐皮说。
“为什么道歉？”
“我之前吓到他们了。”
褐皮咕噜起来。“我说小麻雀怎么比往常安静了一些。”她领着藤爪穿过了空地，走向杂毛。当她们靠近时，小雾钻出了巢穴，躲在虎斑猫后身后。小露珠也紧跟其后，躲到杂毛的尾巴下。
小麻雀浑身发抖地抬起了下巴。“我不怕你！”他吼道。
“好——”
一声尖叫撕裂了营地里的空气。只见焰尾飞奔着穿过黑莓丛中的缝隙冲进来。他眼睛大睁，皮毛竖立。
褐皮顿时皮毛倒立。“怎么了？”她急忙奔向这位惊恐万分的巫医。
“黑暗！”焰尾喘息着，“寒冷，吞没黑暗。”姜黄色公猫眼神黯淡，充满了恐惧。
黑星冲出了巢穴。“怎么了？”他从烟足身边冲过，盯着巫医。
焰尾直直地盯着他的族长。“巨大的黑暗即将到来。”他嘶声道，“我已经感觉到了，就在我身边，到处都是。它会如无尽波涛一般吞噬影族，将我们都拖入末日之中。”
黑星将脸靠近了焰尾：“我们能做什么？”
“我们必须准备战斗。星族是对的，我们孤立无援，必须为自己的生存而战！”
烟足身子前倾：“谁？我们要和谁作战？”
焰尾摇了摇头：“我看不清楚。”
“一定是其他族群！”黑星怒吼道，“如果星族说我们要独自战斗，那么战斗的对象必定是他们！”
藤爪身旁的杂毛浑身颤抖，她用尾巴将幼崽们紧紧裹在自己身旁。这时，黑莓丛一阵颤抖，藤爪转过身，看见虎心走进了营地。花楸掌、鼩鼱足和乌霜跟在他后面。
焰尾挺直了身子，声音非常镇静：“族群有史以来最大的战斗即将到来，我们必须准备迎战。”
虎心宽阔的肩膀绷紧了。他一回头，正好迎上藤爪的目光。我们已经在做准备了。他似乎这样说。
藤爪半点儿都没觉得宽慰。焰尾说的末日预言吓到她了。她希望自己能在族猫中间，由火星来决定哪些战斗应该即刻打响，哪些可以来日再说。
如果这场有史以来最大规模的战斗就要来临，藤爪只希望能赶在战斗开始之前回家。
第二十二章
第二十二章
鸽爪竖着耳朵，在荆棘屏障外来回走着。她听见巡逻队离开了影族边界，在黑莓掌的带领下正往回赶。蕨毛、灰条跟在后面，他们的脚掌沉重地踩踏雪地。藤爪跟他们在一起，松鼠飞走在最后。
巡逻队一言不发，让鸽爪有点儿不安。他们并没有斥责藤爪太过粗心，被影族抓获，也没有问她在影族营地里发生了什么。鸽爪期待得皮毛都有些隐隐作痛。她眼睁睁地看着藤爪被影族俘虏，藤爪会原谅她吗？
巡逻队出现在坡顶，沿着斜坡朝营地走来。鸽爪想捕捉藤爪的目光，可是姐妹却始终看着自己的脚掌下，眼里暗淡无光，充满了担忧。
“你还好吗？”鸽爪来到藤爪身旁，“他们没有伤害你吧？”
“她很好。”松鼠飞告诉鸽爪，“让她休息吧。”
“火星不会想问她什么吗？”
松鼠飞摇了摇头。“做过的事也无法改变。”她叹息道，“藤爪知道她犯了一个愚蠢的错误，她不会再犯了。”
鸽爪停下了脚步。他们不想问问藤爪半夜去边界那里干什么吗？
藤爪径直朝她的巢穴走去。
“求你别不理我！”鸽爪恳求道。
藤爪停下来看着她，眼睛里布满了愁云：“我很好。别担心，我只是有点儿累了。”
“真的吗？”鸽爪将身体靠近她。
藤爪点了点头，然后转身离开了。
峭壁旁岩石堆上的石头一阵咔嚓响，火星从高石台上跳了下来。暮光中，他那身姜黄色的皮毛绚丽夺目。“一切顺利吗？”他问黑莓掌。
“我们给了他们草药，他们便把藤爪给我们了。”副族长汇报道。
“知道他们是如何抓到藤爪的了吗？”火星追问道。
“藤爪说她夜里想在边界处狩猎，结果不小心跨越了气味线。”
武士巢穴外的刺掌皱起了眉头。“你不该派出如此资深的武士去接她。”他抱怨道，“太给他们面子了。”
尘毛抽打着尾巴，在刺掌身旁来回走动：“倘若雷族的任何一只猫因为我们缺少草药而死，影族猫就等着皮毛被血浸透吧。”
鸽爪盯着远去的姐妹，愧疚像利爪般撕扯她的心。
“来吧。”松鼠飞在鸽爪耳边低声说，“让藤爪去休息吧。该出发去参加森林大会了。”
鸽爪猛地转过身。“我完全忘了这事！”她抬头看着圆润的明月。如果今晚和虎心碰上了面，她该对他说些什么呢？
刺掌和尘毛已经在通道旁等候着了，而火星的尾巴消失在了巫医巢穴入口处的黑莓丛里。鸽爪猜他是想在离开之前再看一下沙风。栗尾和梅花落、玫瑰瓣正走过空地，她们的皮毛蓬松着抵御着严寒。莓鼻、狐跃和狮焰也从武士巢穴中出来了。
松鼠飞等候在育婴室外，直到叶池从出入口走了出来。“小樱桃怎样了？”暗姜黄色武士问道。
“呼吸有点儿粗重，但食欲还很不错。”叶池答道。她们朝屏障走去。
黑莓掌看了一眼巫医巢穴，呼出的气息在他鼻子前翻腾。这时，火星和松鸦羽走了出来。“我们出发。”
他们朝湖岸走去。队伍走下湖岸时，松鸦羽紧紧地靠在狮焰身侧。到处都堆了厚厚的积雪，狮焰带领自己的同窝手足穿过一个缝隙，又在雪里挖出一条路来，通往积雪被湖风吹薄、易于通过的地方。
“鸽爪？”狮焰轻轻地喊道。
鸽爪连忙来到狮焰身旁：“怎么了？”
“你知道藤爪在边界附近做什么吗？”狮焰小声问道，一旁的松鸦羽竖起了耳朵。
“这事与黑森林没有任何关系。”鸽爪低声说道，“她只是……”她努力想找个借口，“在练习夜间狩猎呢，她就是这么说的啊。”松鸦羽的尾巴抽了抽。鸽爪竭尽全力专注地让自己相信藤爪确实在练习夜间狩猎。她可不想被松鸦羽窥探自己的想法，发现真相。
“快看！”松鼠飞抬起头看着山坡，他们正经过风族的湖滨。在荒原的高处，出现了沿着山脊列队的风族武士的身影。
“他们在等什么？”刺掌低吼道。
狐跃抖掉尾巴上的雪花：“或许他们不想第一个到达吧。”
月光洒到风族武士身上，在光滑雪白的山坡上映出了长长的阴影。
“快点儿。”火星加快了步伐，“我们越早到小岛上避风越好。”
鸽爪等着玫瑰瓣和梅花落赶上来，然后跟她们一起往前走。梅花落有些担心地说道：“我希望他们能赶快好起来。”
“荆棘光很乐意留下来照看巫医巢穴。”玫瑰瓣安慰道。
“但是黄蜂条一整天都在咳嗽。”梅花落叹了口气，“万一他的病情加重了怎么办？”
“松鸦羽让亮心照看着他。”玫瑰瓣提醒她，“亮心知道该怎么办。”
鸽爪释放出自己的感知，去探察风族猫所在的山坡。她听到层层积雪压得石楠嘎吱作响，等在坡顶的武士们悄无声息，只将观望的目光投向湖畔。不安使鸽爪的腹部隐隐作痛。她将自己的感知延伸到更远的地方，回到了影族的领地上。
“这可能是个陷阱。”乌霜的声音里充满了担忧。
“或许我们不应该去。”
黑星清了清嗓，说道：“我们不能流露出一丝胆怯。有满月停战协定，他们是不会发动攻击的。”
“你能确定吗？”雪鸟问道。
“这可是森林大会！”褐皮强调说，“他们不敢的！”
他们在害怕什么？难道星族警告过他们要当心黑森林武士吗？鸽爪又将耳朵转向了河族。
“你来不来？”蛾翅的喊声跨过营地上空。
柳光的回答十分坚定：“我要留在这儿。”
“他们会遵守停战协定吗？”芦苇须咕哝着。
藓毛的脚掌拍打过雪地：“或许我们应该把幼崽和长老们藏好，等他们离开小岛再出来。”
恐惧如同乌云遮蔽了月亮一般，让每个族群都忧心忡忡。
雷族到达小岛时，鸽爪听到有河族武士在空地上来回走动。她用鼻子拱开路，从梅花落和玫瑰瓣身边走过，挨着松鸦羽和狮焰在湖岸边蹲伏下来。“他们知道！”她小声说。
狮焰朝她眨了眨眼：“谁知道？”
“其他族群！他们知道黑森林的事。”
“你瞎想什么。”松鸦羽的眼睛在月光下闪闪发光，“只有我们几个知道黑森林的事。”
鸽爪这才意识到，她实际上并未听到任何猫提起过黑森林。“呃，反正他们在恐惧什么东西。”她嘘声说道。
“我知道。”松鸦羽表示赞同，“我能从气氛里感受到。巫医一定是将星族的警告告诉了他们的族猫。”
“或许我们也应该告诉我们的族猫。”鸽爪建议道。
“然后把他们吓死？”狮焰将爪子刺入了雪地，“无论发生什么，我们都可以自己应对。”
“快看！”狐跃在水边喊道，“通往小岛的湖面结冰了！”年轻的武士已经摇摇晃晃地滑上了结冰的湖面。
鸽爪走到水边，伸出一只脚掌试探着。冰块冻得她的脚掌灼痛，但她的掌垫早就麻木了，于是她又踩了一只脚掌上去，接着又迈上一只脚掌。最后，她站到了坚硬的白色表面上。
“回来！”栗尾喊道，“冰面可能会裂的！”
“别担心。”狐跃叫道，“这儿水浅。”他脚步不稳，摇摇晃晃地往前滑去，渐渐加快了速度，却总是笨拙地往侧边打滑。“哇！”他咕噜着，滑动脚步停住了，“试一下嘛，梅花落！很好玩的。”
梅花落朝他追去，她从冰面上溜过，又惊又喜地叫个不停。鸽爪的脚掌也在身下打起滑，她的心都悬了起来。她绷紧身子保持直立，小心翼翼地向前行进。心中的恐惧让她绷紧了身上的每块肌肉，但是能在湖面上行走还是让她觉得十分刺激。她能看到月白色的冰面下有湖水拍打，映出沉沉黑影。她每走一步，冰面都咯吱咯吱一阵呻吟。
“别玩了！”火星尖厉的命令声从小岛岸边响起，“从那儿上来。”
鸽爪试图紧紧地抓住冰面，可是爪子仅仅刮擦而过。她踉踉跄跄地滑到白雪皑皑的湖岸上，感到身下坚硬的地面，她这才松了口气。
黑莓掌和尘毛早已推开蕨丛朝松树林中的空地走去。鸽爪钻进哗啦作响的蕨叶中，她有些找不着方向，周围的族猫都已消失不见了。她循着他们皮毛擦过茎秆的声音，从空地的边上钻了出来。看着雷族的到来，河族武士们都像被困在了冰上一般僵在原地。
“他们怎么了？”玫瑰瓣低声问。
火星朝大橡树走去。他爬上一根落满积雪的树根。河族猫一只只紧挨在一起，像游进了浅滩的鱼群一样。鸽爪留心地看着他们，朝梅花落挨近了些。
“他们怎么这么紧张？”梅花落小声问道。
“谁知道？”鸽爪盯着自己的脚掌。
身后的蕨丛一阵响。她转过身，看见风族猫涌入了空地。她竖起了皮毛，惊讶地发现他们已经到了。之前她只顾着在冰面上玩耍，没顾上留意他们。他们在雷族猫四周列好队，几乎不跟雷族猫进行眼神接触。风皮的目光和鸽爪的短暂相撞，但立刻便转开了。
尘毛踱起步来：“我从没听过这么安静的会场。”
“难道没有谁想去分享舌抚吗？”松鼠飞疑惑地环顾着四周。
影族是最后到达的。他们神情紧张，瞪着眼睛。鸽爪看见了虎心那深棕色的耳尖。虎心并没有在猫群中找她，而是同族猫紧紧地靠在一起。鸽爪突然觉得一阵沮丧。事情怎么会变得这么快呢？每个族群都一副跟其他族群处于交战中的样子。埋下猜忌种子的是星族还是黑森林的武士？
“太冷了，我们得快点儿！”雾星在大橡树最低的树枝上喊道。火星顺着树枝坐在较远的位置，他那边的一星和黑星则绷紧了身子，好像两只猫头鹰一般。
河族和风族聚集在离大橡树最近的位置，影族匆匆在他们旁边占了地。鸽爪跟在自己的族猫身后，走进一片月光中，安顿下来准备倾听。她从玫瑰瓣和梅花落身旁拱出一条路，在众猫中间找温暖的地方，最后待在了刺掌和狮焰中间。
月光下，雾星缩成了一团，仿佛一小池银光：“这是个艰难的秃叶季，由于浅滩的湖水结成了冰，狩猎非常艰难。”
夜云低声吼道：“总算让这些吃鱼的家伙也尝尝挨饿的味道了。”
雾星继续说道：“坏天气没有让我们的训练停滞。河族猫中没有出现疾病，也是我们的幸事。”
一星站起身：“风族也很健康。虽然兔子短缺，营地周围都是厚厚的积雪，但我们的跟踪技巧有所提高，发现了追踪到猎物巢穴的方法。”
他朝黑星点了点头。黑星站起身，盯着下方聚集的猫群看了几个心跳的时间。“花楸掌已晋升为影族的副族长。”他最后说道，似乎在小心翼翼地组织自己的语言，“我们依旧在为黄毛的死而哀悼。她本该寿终正寝的。”他没有看火星，而是继续说道：“近来狩猎艰难，小云也一直病着。但是我还是很高兴地告诉大家，我们已经找到了给小云治病的草药，下一个月圆之夜，他将会和我们一起出现在这里。”
影族猫间响起了阵阵赞许的窃窃私语。鸽爪感觉身旁的刺掌绷紧了身子，听见狮焰的爪子刮过雪地。
火星站了起来，盯着黑星。“那你的草药是从何而来的？”他挑衅地问道。周围的各个族群都紧张起来，鸽爪听见他们加快了呼吸，脚掌在地面上挪动。火星没有等黑星开口回答继续说道：“你们抓了我们的一位学徒来要挟我们，就是这样拿到草药的吧？”
从河族和风族武士中传来低沉的惊叹声。
“她跑到了我们的领地上！”黑星嘶吼道。
“那你有权将她驱逐出去。”火星反驳道，“可是哪有真正的武士会抓走一只毫无抵抗能力的年轻猫，拿她做筹码来讨价还价，好像她是只猎物一样？”
黑星龇出了牙齿。火星继续说了下去。“真正的武士会有勇气开口请求自己需要的东西。”雷族族长拱起了后背，“你应该庆幸，我们没有发动更猛烈的反击。我们这个月里已经打败过你们一次了。别以为我们不能再来一次。”
黑星伏下了自己的皮毛，眼睛眯成了两条缝。“无论发生什么，”他低声说道，“影族都会做好准备。”
“我们现在已经准备好了！”大树底下的花楸掌跳起了身，皮毛倒立。他两侧的乌霜和烟足也站起了身，将怒目投向群猫，锁定了雷族的武士们。
狮焰卷起了嘴唇，松鼠飞的喉咙里发出低沉的咆哮，尘毛耳朵平贴。鸽爪干咽了口唾沫，也伸出利爪。他们会在这里开战吗？她瞥了一眼皎洁明亮的月亮。天空中没有云朵，没有一点儿结束停战协定的迹象。
鸽爪听到阵阵低语声从各个族群中传来。
“是这个吗？”
“黑暗已经来了吗？”
“但是月亮仍亮着啊！”
不过那看来也无所谓了。此刻，每一只猫的皮毛都竖了起来，武士们半是警惕半是威胁地怒视着其他族群，一双双眼睛在月光下闪烁着。
雾星站起了身。“河族！我们回家。”她从橡树上跳了下来，领着自己的族群从皮毛竖立的武士中穿过。一星紧跟着她跳了下来，接着是黑星。他们默默地领着各自的族群走出了空地。
鸽爪看着火星最后从橡树上爬了下来。空地的另一侧，蕨丛被各族的猫挤得窸窣直响。
我必须和虎心谈谈！
她朝离去的猫追去，终于看到了虎心的尾巴尖。她朝那条尾巴抓去，却只从尾巴尖的一小撮皮毛上划过。虎心转过身，瞪着她。
“干吗？”
“我们必须谈谈！”
他的目光柔和起来。“来吧。”他领着鸽爪来到了一个安静些的地方，这里没有僵硬的蕨叶秆，处处都是积雪覆盖的草堆。“很抱歉我之前不能跟你说话，但你也知道是形势紧张。”他喃喃道。
鸽爪怒视着他：“你把松鸦羽那片草药地的事告诉黑星了！”
虎心目光坚定地回视着鸽爪，没有说话。
“你怎么能这样？”鸽爪哀号着，“如果沙风死了，那就是你的错！”
“可是小云病了。”
“沙风也病了！”
“但她不是绿咳症。”
鸽爪的怒火燃烧得更旺了。虎心说得振振有词。难道他不知道自己做了什么吗？虎心用尾巴轻抚她的侧腹，她却躲开了。
他皱起眉头：“如果松鸦羽是一位真正的巫医，他早就该给我们草药的。”
“他不得不首先考虑自己的族猫！”
虎心将头歪向了一边：“我也是。”
鸽爪觉得一阵难受。她一刻也不想再多谈下去了，但她必须知道答案。“甚至比我还重要吗？”
虎心的尾巴颤抖着。“我不是这个意思。”他睁大了琥珀色的眼睛，“我只是——”
鸽爪没让他说下去，她的声音低如耳语。“我想你就是这个意思。”她转身走开，“这就是你真正的意思。”
Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Ivypaw spotted a shrew scampering overthe snow. She shot after it, lunging and pinning it by its tail before it realized what was happening. She muttered her thanks to StarClan and bent to give the killing bite.
The shrieking from the lake swelled. Now a shrill edge sharpened the yowls. Ivypaw lifted her head. The prey dangled from her jaws as she strained to hear, and she wished for a moment that she had her sister’s abilities. Then she unwished. It must be a real nuisance to have such power. How did Dovepaw ever manage to sleep?
The screeches from the lake echoed strangely in the frosty air. Ivypaw had wanted to go and play on the ice with Blossomfall and Rosepetal. But she’d promised herself she’d hunt for the Clan until she’d caught enough to make up for the herbs she’d cost her Clanmates. She knew she had to take at least half the blame for getting caught on the ShadowClan border. And it sounded like ThunderClan already owed Dovepaw more than they could ever repay.
She padded to a gnarled oak and began to dig between its roots. Beneath the snow lay a mouse and sparrow. She’d hunted since before sunhigh, and now weariness weighed down her paws. Scooping the two bodies out, she picked them up gently between her teeth and headed back to camp.
By the time she reached the barrier of thorns, the sun had dipped behind the treetops, and shadows enfolded the camp. Her Clanmates milled beneath Highledge, their pelts ruffled.
Jayfeather was padding toward his den. Ivypaw saw with surprise that his pelt was drenched. Leafpool fluttered around him and followed him through the brambles.
Ivypaw dropped her catch on the solitary squirrel and skinny starling that made up the fresh-kill pile. Graystripe came to admire her contribution. “Nice catch.”
“I’ve been hunting all day,” Ivypaw confessed.
Firestar’s mew rang across the clearing. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge.”
Thornclaw and Dustpelt padded from the warriors’ den. Poppyfrost hurried from the nursery while Daisy shooed the kits back inside the bramble den. Foxleap was already pacing, fur standing on end, at the foot of the rocks. Rosepetal watched him, her eyes round and dark, while Berrynose barged past Toadstep and Icecloud to sit at the front. Brambleclaw settled at the bottom of the rock tumble and stared at his paws, while Squirrelflight sat down a few tail-lengths away.
Ivypaw spotted her sister scurrying from the dirtplace tunnel. She joined her beside Whitewing. “What’s going on?” she whispered.
Whitewing shook her head and sighed.
“I have bad news,” Firestar began. “Flametail was playing on the lake and fell through the ice,” the ThunderClan leader announced.
Poppyfrost gasped. “Is he dead?”
“His body has not been found.” Firestar glanced toward the medicine den. “Jayfeather tried to save him, but Flametail was too heavy.”
Squirrelflight’s pelt bristled. “Is Jayfeather all right?”
Firestar nodded. “He’s cold, but Leafpool is with him. She’ll know what to do.”
Brambleclaw’s eyes darkened. Flametail was his littermate’s son. Ivypaw knew he’d feel the loss most sharply.
“In the future”—Firestar’s mew hardened—“any cat caught on the ice will be severely punished.”
Foxleap’s whiskers twitched. “Yeah,” he whispered. “By death.”
Squirrelflight hushed him with a flick of her tail.
Ivypaw felt her mother’s tail slip around her. “Promise you won’t go on the ice,” Whitewing murmured.
“Of course not,” Dovepaw meowed.
“No way.” Ivypaw shuddered, remembering her terrible panic when Mapleshade held her underwater in the black river.
Firestar leaped down from the Highledge and headed for the medicine den.
“Did any other ShadowClan cats fall in?” Dovepaw called to Foxleap as the young tom headed for the fresh-kill pile.
He shook his head. “Just Flametail.”
Ivypaw shuffled closer to Dovepaw. “Are you all right?”
Her sister’s ears were twitching. “We nearly lost Jayfeather,” she murmured.
“But he’s alive, right?”
Dovepaw nodded. “What if it had been Tigerheart?” Her eyes clouded.
“But it wasn’t.” Ivypaw brushed Dovepaw’s flank with her tail. “I bet you can hear him now.”
Dovepaw lifted her muzzle. Ivypaw could see her ears twitch as she strained to listen. Her sister’s faraway gaze softened. “He’s sitting vigil with the others.” She snapped her attention back to Ivypaw. “It’s like I can hear the emptiness where Flametail was.” Dovepaw pressed closer. “It must be awful to lose a littermate.” She wrapped her tail around Ivypaw. “You don’t have to go to the Dark Forest, you know.”
Ivypaw’s chest tightened. She wasn’t sure that she had any choice. It wasn’t like in the beginning, when her dreams had carried her to the meadow and she’d chosen to follow Hawkfrost into the woods. Now she opened her eyes straight into darkness whether she wanted to or not. But she had promised she would do this.
She wanted to help her Clan.
She wanted to help Dovepaw.
As she settled into her pile of moss, Ivypaw felt her sister bend over her.
“I’ll sleep next to you in your nest if you want,” Dovepaw offered. “Then I can wake you up if you seem to be in trouble.”
Ivypaw shook her head. “I’ve been there loads of times before, remember?” she mewed under her breath. “I’ll be okay.” I hope.She closed her eyes.
It was a long time before sleep overtook her. Dovepaw’s breathing had slowed by the time Ivypaw’s weary limbs relaxed and she slid into darkness. She opened her eyes and tasted the air. For the first time, her paws trembled.
“Hello, Ivypaw.”
She turned, flustered. Tigerstar was standing beside a straight, dark pine as if he’d been waiting for her. Fighting back panic, Ivypaw swallowed hard. She forced her muscles to loosen and met the dark warrior’s curious gaze. “Hi.”
Tigerstar watched her a moment. “Have you seen Tigerheart?”
“He’s sitting vigil for Flametail,” she mewed. “He may not come tonight.”
“Flametail, eh?” Tigerstar shrugged. He clearly knew all about the medicine cat’s death. “That’s one less, I guess.”
You fox-heart!
Tigerstar padded around her, letting his tail sweep her flank. “I’m glad youcame.”
“What are we practicing tonight?” Ivypaw prayed the brightness in her mew was convincing.
“We may train later, but first I thought we should all get to know each other a little better.” He padded away between the soaring trunks. Mist puddled around his paws, swirling as he walked. “Are you coming?”
Ivypaw trotted after him. She felt sure her heart was pounding hard enough for anyone to hear. I must keep calm. I’m doing this for Dovepaw and my Clan.
She saw shapes in shadows around her. The dark outlines of warriors. As she followed Tigerstar deeper into the forest, she became aware that cats were everywhere, waiting in the mist, their paws scuffing the earth as they paced.
Were these Clan cats or Dark Forest warriors? She peered through the shadows, trying to recognize pelts. There was Mapleshade, scowling from the darkness. Scarred and ragged warriors circled her, growling and muttering to each other.
“I—I didn’t know there were so many cats here,” she mewed to Tigerstar.
“There are enough to match StarClan,” he answered calmly.
The trees opened into a gloomy clearing. She recognized the boulder they’d trained on almost a moon before. Thistleclaw was sharpening his claws on the smooth rock, admiring their clean tips between each scratch. Hawkfrost nodded a greeting to Ivypaw, while Darkstripe paced behind him. Shredtail and Snowtuft were there too. And, in the boulder’s shadow, unmoving and watchful, sat Brokenstar.
Ivypaw was relieved to see Hollowpaw, Antpelt, and Breezepelt. She’d begun to fear she was the only Clan cat here. Tigerstar glanced back at her. “You may as well sit with your friends,” he murmured. “I’ve an announcement to make.”
They’re not my friends!Yet she hurried toward the familiar faces and felt less nervous as she settled among them.
Tigerstar jumped onto the boulder. “Gather all cats old enough to catch their own prey.” There was a sneer in his voice, and the cats circling the rock purred in mocking amusement.
“The time is close!” Tigerstar growled.
Shapes moved from among the trees. More warriors began to stream from the shadows. Ivypaw’s heart pounded harder, and she huddled closer to Antpelt.
“The day is nearing!” Tigerstar’s growl became a hiss. “We are going to invade the world of the Clans and destroy them and their warrior code, once and for all.”
Ivypaw felt Antpelt tense beside her. Was he shocked? She searched his face, then Hollowpaw’s and Breezepelt’s. Their eyes were shining! It was as if they were truly Dark Forest warriors. Struggling to hide her horror, Ivypaw scanned the clearing. Cats filled every tail-length, yowling in fury.
“We’ll kill them all!”
“The days of the Clans are over.”
Mapleshade reared and slashed at the air. “They’ll be sorry we ever kitted them!”
Ivypaw pricked her ears. When were they going to attack? But Tigerstar only bared his teeth and slid, hissing, from the boulder. He slipped into the throng of cats, and Ivypaw lost sight of him. The air crackled with excitement as the cats paced and wove around each other, bristling.
A pair of eyes glinted at Ivypaw, and she found herself unsheathing her claws as Darkstripe padded toward her.
“Are you ready for the battle of your life?” There was a taunt in his mew.
Ivypaw glanced at the forest, wishing she could disappear into its shadows.
“Or do you want to leave?” Darkstripe seemed to guess what she was thinking.
“N-no, of course not.”
“Good.” He circled her, letting his tail slither over her spine. It felt like a snake, cold and heavy. Ivypaw wished Tigerheart were with her.
“Ivypaw!”
She looked up hopefully, disappointed when she saw Brokenstar heading toward them. The massive, scarred tom dipped his head to her. “Greetings, Ivypaw. I’ve been watching you train.” He shouldered Darkstripe out of the way. “Very impressive.”
Ivypaw met his gaze, keeping Darkstripe at the edge of her vision. Why was Brokenstar singling her out? Was he trying to make Darkstripe jealous?
“I have a special mission for you,” Brokenstar went on.
Ivypaw blinked. “Really?” Maybe it was a kind of assessment
“Follow me.” Brokenstar headed into the trees.
Ivypaw trotted after him, her breath quickening as the dark tom climbed over a low rise and jumped down into an empty streambed. The gully meandered between twisted trunks and led them under low-slung branches that dripped with dusty gray moss. Ivypaw ducked beneath them, shuddering as the moss left cobwebby smears on her pelt.
She paused. Something was flitting through the brittle ferns on the bank. She peered through the mist, stiffening when she recognized Darkstripe’s pelt.
“Go away, Darkstripe!” Brokenstar’s yowl made Ivypaw jump. She wasn’t the only one to have spotted the shadow.
The scrawny outline froze, then slid from sight.
“He’s no better than a whining kit,” Brokenstar muttered. He flicked his tail toward the nearest tree. “Show me your climbing skills.”
“Okay.” Ivypaw leaped onto the lowest branch and clawed her way up the thick, knotted trunk. When her paws started to ache, she stopped to catch her breath and looked up. There was still no sign of sky. How tall is this tree?Far below, she could see Brokenstar watching from the streambed.
“Not bad!” Brokenstar called. “See if you can get down faster, though.”
Concentrating hard, Ivypaw let herself drop a tail-length at a time, clutching at the bark to control her fall. As the ground grew near, she pushed away from the tree and landed nimbly on a patch of slimy grass at the edge of the gully.
Brokenstar bounded up the bank and joined her. “Now show me an attack lunge.”
Ivypaw crouched down, unsheathed her claws, and focused on a clump of moss a few tail-lengths ahead. She sprang and hit the moss squarely, then flipped over, lashing out with her hind legs before jumping back onto all fours.
“You’re fast.” Brokenstar faced her. “How are your defensive moves?” The words still hung in the air as he pounced.
Just in time, Ivypaw saw his claws flash and ducked. With a jerk of her spine, she rolled out of his way. She guessed he’d anticipate her and shot forward as soon as her paws hit the ground.
She was right. Brokenstar’s claws pierced the spot where she’d been a half moment earlier. She spun around and confronted him, hackles up, teeth bared, prepared for another attack.
Brokenstar sat down. “Nice.”
Ivypaw’s heart was thudding so loud she was convinced Brokenstar would be able to hear it. Where was her mission? Was he just testing her skills?
“I have one final task for you before you can fight alongside your new Clanmates.”
Ivypaw pricked her ears. This wasan assessment! “What is it?”
Something moved in the shadows at the edge of the clearing.
Darkstripe?
“Come out!” Brokenstar called.
Ivypaw gripped the earth as an orange-colored cat padded out of the ferns.
“Flametail?”
The ShadowClan medicine cat’s eyes were stretched wide. “Did you fall through the ice, too?”
Ivypaw shook her head. “I—I  .  .  .” Words choked in her throat. How could she explain why she was here? “H-how did youget here?”
“I was in StarClan.” He squinted, puzzled, up through the branches. “I heard a noise in the bushes and followed it. It kept moving ahead of me, whispering my name, so I followed it until I got here. But  .  .  . but this doesn’t feel like StarClan anymore.” He shifted his paws. “Do you know the way back?”
Ivypaw stared at him, not knowing what to say.
“Kill him.” Brokenstar’s order cut through the silence.
A bolt of panic shot through Ivypaw. “What?”
He can’t mean it!
Then she understood. It was a trap—one that she wasn’t going to fall into like a dandelion-brained rabbit. “I can’t.” She looked triumphantly at Brokenstar. “He’s already dead.” He’s not catching me out with stupid questions.
Brokenstar’s whiskers quivered. “So young, so innocent,” he growled. “No cat stays in StarClan forever. They all fade in the end.” His gaze ran over Flametail as if the medicine cat were a juicy piece of prey. “Unless someone kills them first.”
Ivypaw narrowed her eyes. “That’s not true! This is where cats come for the rest of all the moons!”
“Oh, it’s true,” Brokenstar assured her. “It’s also unimaginably painful to give up the last dying echo of one’s life.”
Ivypaw started to back away. “I’m not killing him.”
Brokenstar’s muzzle was suddenly a whisker from hers. His hot, rancid breath stung her eyes. “Why?” he hissed. “Are you a Dark Forest warrior or not?”
Ivypaw blinked. “I—I  .  .  .”
Brokenstar’s gaze scorched her. “I don’t know why Hawkfrost chose you,” he snarled. “I think your loyalties will always be with your Clanmates beside the lake.” He stepped closer. “Which makes you dangerous.”
“I thought you wanted dangerous cats,” Ivypaw spat back. If she could defend herself convincingly, surely Brokenstar would let Flametail go?
Brokenstar’s gaze didn’t waver. “I know what your sister is.”
“So?”
“You’re her littermate.”
“If you know so much,” Ivypaw hissed, “then you must know that I’m not part of the prophecy.”
“But you share her blood. Would you really betray that? Or should I kill her instead, to be sure that your loyalties are not divided?”
Leave Dovepaw out of it!Without Dovepaw, the Clans would be lost. Ivypaw lifted her chin. She was ready to die.
And yet  .  .  .
If she died here, who would warn the Clans? She’d heard Tigerstar say that the battle was near. She had to go back. Which meant she had to persuade Brokenstar to let her live. There was only one thing to do.
“I’m loyal to the Dark Forest.” She rounded on Flametail and crouched down, lashing her tail. I’m sorry, Flametail, but I have to do this for the sake of our Clans!She unsheathed her claws. Forgive me, StarClan!
As she sprang, there was a blur of dark brown fur, and something hard slammed into her. The force knocked her sprawling across the clearing. Blinking, she staggered to her paws.
Tigerheart!
“What are you doing?” he screeched, standing in front of Flametail. Horror and bewilderment flared in his eyes. “I won’t let you destroy what’s left of my brother!”
Tigerstar stalked from the shadows. “Oh, very brave. I see my blood flowing in yours.”
I’m sorry!Ivypaw tried to catch Tigerheart’s eye. But the young warrior’s gaze was darting between Tigerstar and Brokenstar. Spitting, he pressed against Flametail. “Leave him alone.”
“Brokenstar.” Tigerstar’s mew was soothing. “There’s no need to kill Flametail. He’s no threat. He can only mix herbs.”
Brokenstar swung his head around. “He means nothing to me, alive or dead. But what about her?” He flicked his tail toward Ivypaw.
Ivypaw hung her head, trying to catch her breath. Had she done enough to convince the Dark Forest cats that she was loyal to them, and not the Clans by the lake? She didn’t dare think about what Tigerheart would do to her when they got back to the lake.
“We need all the warriors we can get,” Tigerstar answered smoothly. Ivypaw jerked her head up.
“I believe that Ivypaw is loyal to the Place of No Stars. When the final battle comes, she will stand with us.”
第二十三章
第二十三章
藤爪蜷缩在自己的窝里。外面大雪纷飞，族猫们走出营地朝小岛而去时，传来脚掌在雪地上移动的声音。她将鼻子藏在了脚掌下。
我这样做是为了成为一位更优秀的武士！藤爪闭上了眼睛，我这样做是为了自己的族群！
睡意一丝丝溜走，她睁开了眼睛，发现自己在黑森林里。她嗅了嗅空气，除了土地的酸腐味和树干上的霉臭气息，并没有其他的气味。“鹰霜？”她的叫声在林间回荡。她迫切地想看到他的脸。他想让我成为一位优秀的武士，仅此而已。
她沿着一条苔藓遍布的小径往前走。经受了积雪带来的刺痛之后，脚掌下再度传来泥土的暖意让她感觉有点儿陌生。树林分成两片，泥泞的河水在她眼前翻滚。她一下子得意地想起与空爪一起将黑条按在水中的一幕。
她沿着暗沉沉的水边走了几步，才看到有光从树林中穿过，便转向一条通往密林深处的小路。光线越来越强，藤爪加快了脚步。四周粗壮的树干高高耸立着，林木越发密集起来。她紧紧地盯着那道光线。随着她慢慢靠近，她意识到这道光是从某种奇怪的灰色真菌上发出的。这些真菌长在树干上，聚集在树木根部。这些真菌是反射着月光吗？
藤爪抬头想看到圆圆的白色月亮。这儿也一定是月圆之时，对吗？但是她头顶上方的树枝太密了，完全看不到天空和月亮。虽然林中没有起风，但树枝开始哗啦啦地响了起来。一阵激灵蹿上藤爪的脊椎。别傻了。她继续往前走。
听到声音后，她松了口气，匆匆向前跑去。在密集的树干那边，虎心和虎星正在交谈。
“你迟到了。”虎星听起来有些生气。
藤爪竖起耳朵听虎心的回复。
“我得去参加森林大会。”
“训练更重要。”
藤爪躲在一棵大树后面，透过阴影窥视着。虎星围着虎心转圈。“你还不清楚谁才是你真正的族猫吗？”他咆哮道，“难道我不比那些吃老鼠的家伙更有资格拥有你的忠诚吗？”
藤爪僵住了。难道虎星在试图让虎心背叛影族？
她听见砰的一声，接着是虎心的呻吟声。她悄悄向前，藏到更靠近的一棵树后向外偷看。虎星已经将虎心死死地按在了地上。
“这次你又犯了同雷族作战时一样的错。”虎星冷笑着放开了虎心。
虎心爬了起来：“我哪儿没做对？”
“别往我的脚掌上看。”虎星猛冲向前，好像是要俯身撞向他的后腿，让他失去平衡。虎心弓背跃起，高高抬起后脚掌躲开了，但虎星转身的动作更快。虽然虎心躲开了猛冲，可是深色武士却将年轻武士的后颈咬到了齿间。他一使劲，拽得虎心失去了平衡，砰的一个侧身倒在了地上。
“永远不要忘记，脚掌虽能战斗，但嘴巴才是杀死对方的武器。”虎星咆哮着退开了。
虎心一跃而起，气喘吁吁地说：“我不会忘记的。”
“狮焰就知道这一点，”虎星怒吼着，“他正是这样杀死黄毛的。如果你连雷族的那些懦夫都比不上，那你便什么都不是。”
藤爪倒吸一口气。虎星欺骗了我！他对雷族根本就不忠诚！她的胸膛一阵发紧，竭尽全力才能维持呼吸平稳。他和虎心说的这些话，和他对我说的一模一样。他一直训练我，根本不是想让我帮助雷族。
“等到最后的战斗到来时，”虎星还在继续说，“浪费时间去参加森林大会对你来说毫无用处。我们要对付四个族群和他们那些不值一提的祖先。到那时，我们就知道谁才是真正的武士了。”
藤爪拔腿就逃。她在森林里狂奔着，快得两侧的树木都模糊不清起来。这一定就是焰尾在幻象中看到的战斗了，也一定是鹰霜招募自己的原因。
她才不特别呢。
她蠢透了。
虎星从来就不想帮助雷族。他一心想的是对所有的族群发动战争，而且他在利用族群自己的武士来对抗他们！
藤爪喘着粗气，踉踉跄跄地停了下来。那条河拦住了她的去路，无声地从她面前淌过。我要怎么才能回家？她一次又一次地眨巴着眼睛。
醒醒！快醒醒！
“你还好吗，小家伙？”
有那么一刻，藤爪还以为自己回到了育婴室，黛西在她耳边小声说着话。她猛地睁开眼睛，看见的却是枫荫。这位玳瑁色武士正盯着她，眼睛里满是嘲弄的光。
“离我远点儿！”藤爪嘶吼道。
“你在做噩梦吗，亲爱的？”枫荫嘲弄道。
藤爪缩身避开了枫荫臭烘烘的呼吸：“你怎么还不消散啊？”
枫荫活动着爪子：“哦，在把旧账算清之前，我哪儿也不去。”
藤爪强迫自己不要发起抖来：“我……我在找鹰霜。”
“他忙着呢。”枫荫靠近了一些，“他今晚想让我来训练你。”
藤爪咽了咽口水：“真的？”
“我们来试试你上次学的那些水中动作。”
藤爪盯着河水，心往下一沉。
“让我看看你都学到了什么。”枫荫命令道，然后转身走进了水中。
藤爪强迫自己跟了上去。河水在她的脚掌间流淌，拖拽着她的皮毛。
“我现在的深度可以吗？”枫荫问道。河水轻轻地拍打着这位武士的肩膀。藤爪不得不踮着脚尖跟在后面，才使自己的鼻子露出水面。“现在，该怎么办呢？”枫荫逼问道，“快点儿，你学过的东西必须要记住。”
“我要从你身下攻击你的腿。”
“那就来啊，亲爱的。”
快点儿做完了事。藤爪深吸一口气，俯身向下，温暖黏滑的河水刷过她的口鼻，令她几欲作呕。她向下朝枫荫的脚掌游去，伸出自己的脚掌去抓。突然有沉重的东西撞上她的背部，将她深深压入了水中，直到她的胸口都撞到了河床上。藤爪奋力挣扎着，血液在她的耳中咆哮。枫荫将她紧紧按住。这只大个头母猫有力的爪子刺入了藤爪的皮毛，将她狠狠地摁在了石头上。
藤爪在河底剧烈地扭动身体，气泡从她嘴里往外冒。枫荫把她胸腔中的空气直往外挤。藤爪疯狂地试图攻击，腿胡乱踢打着，希望能将枫荫撞开。藤爪的肺部在尖叫。她的眼前开始发黑，她拼命抑制住张口吸气的冲动，以免呛水。
突然，她胡乱摆动的后腿碰上了一块岩石。岩石被她蹬得稍微移动，但也不过一根胡须的长度。她用更大的气力再次踹了上去。石头又是一动，然后被水冲开了。滚走的岩石让枫荫一时脚下不稳。藤爪趁机用力向上一顶，才猛地从失去平衡的枫荫爪下挣脱开来。
虽然极其渴望空气，但藤爪还是强迫自己待在水下。她伸出脚掌，在水下游动起来，尽可能地远离枫荫。当河床倾斜着向上时，她才循着河床的曲线在远处的岸边浮出水面。她爬上泥泞的河滩，大口地喘着气。
藤爪回过头，看见枫荫在河里水花四溅地伸着脚掌，盲目搜索河床。藤爪放低身子，像水獭一样偷偷爬上了河岸，溜进树林里。等到她确定自己被阴影隐蔽起来以后，才喘着粗气倒在了地上，咳出了吸入肺部的黑水。精疲力竭的她慢慢闭上了眼睛。
“藤爪？”
鸽爪！
她抬起了头。看见她的窝的边缘和姐妹从编织的茎秆上方焦急看向自己的脸庞时，她顿时松了口气。黎明的曙光已经开始从蕨丛的缝隙中透了进来。
“你没事吧？”
藤爪又咳嗽起来，她的胸口火烧火燎地痛。“没事。”她声音沙哑着说，“我现在没事了。”她再也不想回到黑森林，永远都不会再去了。“森林大会怎么样？”
“我得问你点儿事。”鸽爪看起来一脸的焦急。巢穴外，整个族群已经开始忙碌起来。
“什么事？”
藤爪坐起身，鸽爪俯身靠近了一些。“再跟我说说虎心的事吧。”她的耳朵抽动着，“他真的在黑森林里训练吗？”
藤爪垂下了目光。“是的。”她低声说，“对不起。”
“别这么说。”鸽爪叹息道，“我觉得他从没爱过我。”
藤爪猛地抬起了口鼻：“别这样说！”
鸽爪摇了摇头：“你不懂。”
“我懂！”藤爪跳出了自己的窝，紧紧靠住鸽爪，“虎星欺骗了他，就像他当时欺骗我一样！”
鸽爪盯着她：“什么意思？”
“全都是谎言——”
“等等！”鸽爪打断了她，“狮焰和松鸦羽也需要听听。”
藤爪盯着自己的手足。她在说什么？他们与这有什么关系？
“相信我就好。”鸽爪用鼻子推着藤爪站起来，将她推出了巢穴。
松鸦羽嘴里衔着一束枯萎的草药，正从武士巢穴出来。他似乎感应到了鸽爪，因为他失明的目光已经转向了她们，并眯起了眼睛。随后，他将草药塞到巢穴入口旁的石头下，匆匆走了过来。
“一切都好吗？”他问道。
“我们没事。”鸽爪告诉他，“狮焰在哪儿？”
“我在这儿。”金色武士正沿着落石堆从高石台上跳下来。
“我们需要谈谈。”鸽爪小声说道。她朝入口走去，松鸦羽和狮焰跟在她尾巴后面。
到底是怎么回事？藤爪迷惑不解。这里的秘密似乎同黑森林的秘密一样多。
鸽爪领着他们爬上入口外陡峭的斜坡，他们在积雪中行进，又跃过了一棵倒在地上的树。树干挡住了雪花，树后的地面干干净净的。鸽爪紧靠着腐烂的树皮蹲伏下来，松鸦羽和狮焰也在她身旁位置坐好。藤爪先是平衡着身子在树干上站了一会儿，然后也跳到了他们身旁。他们紧紧地挤在一起，抵御着寒风。
“说吧，藤爪。”鸽爪催促道，“告诉他们。”
藤爪看看松鸦羽，又看看狮焰。他们的皮毛因期待而竖了起来。藤爪深深地吸了口气，开始说道：“我一直在梦中前往黑森林。”
“说点儿我们不知道的。”松鸦羽咕哝道。
藤爪眨了一下眼睛。“虎星一直在训练我。”她努力克制住心中的紧张，继续说，“还有鹰霜。他们告诉我，他们想让我成为优秀的武士，这样我就能保护我的族群了。”
“而你就相信了？”狮焰厉声说道。
鸽爪转向他。“听她说完！”她怒吼道。
藤爪感激地看了看自己的姐妹，继续说道：“虎星说他忠于雷族，说他生于雷族，从来没有觉得自己不是雷族猫。”
松鸦羽缓缓点头：“嗯。”
“我只是想要和鸽爪一样优秀。”藤爪解释说，“我想要让自己优秀到大家也都能注意我。”
看到狮焰的目光柔和下来，她放松了下来。“你是一位优秀的学徒，藤爪，你也会成为一位杰出的武士。不要总想着跟自己的姐妹比较。”狮焰说道。
为什么不要比？藤爪的皮毛下闪过一直以来的嫉妒，她凭什么这么特别？“现在都过去了。我知道了真相。虎星和他的武士们正计划着向所有的族群发动攻击。他们想毁了我们。我再也不会回黑森林了。”肌肉中的紧张感逐渐消失后，藤爪此时觉得自己累到了骨子里。
“但你如何阻止呢？”松鸦羽的声音让藤爪大吃一惊。
“阻止什么？”
“当你入睡时，是自己选择梦见黑森林的吗？”松鸦羽追问道。
藤爪眯起了眼睛。“我……我猜不是。我是，一醒过来就在那里了。”她承认道。
松鸦羽站起身：“很好。”
你什么意思？万一我不想去，一醒来就又在那里了怎么办？藤爪感到一阵难受：“为……为什么很好？”
“因为你要去替我们监视他们。”松鸦羽宣布。
藤爪浑身开始颤抖：“可是我不想再去那儿了。”
“太晚了。”松鸦羽耸了耸肩，“你已经加入了黑森林。虎星这么费力地训练你，你以为他会放你走吗？”
“可是我再也不想接受他的训练了！”
松鸦羽根本不听，他那失明的蓝色双眼似乎看进了藤爪心里：“他们还不知道你已经改变了主意，对吗？”
藤爪摇了摇头，说不出话来。
“那你一定要继续同他们一起训练，然后将你发现的事情一五一十地告诉我们。”
藤爪胸口阵阵发紧：“你要我去监视他们？”
“是的。”松鸦羽用脚掌捋了捋他的胡须，“你都准备好背叛我们了，为什么不能背叛他们？”
鸽爪猛地坐起身：“她不知道她是在背叛我们——”
松鸦羽打断了她。“她一直在跟虎星训练。”他厉声说道，“这对雷族能有什么好处？”
狮焰将尾巴放在前脚掌上：“我觉得这是一个好主意。”
藤爪感觉自己仿佛被困在了另一个可怕的梦里。
“但前提是，”狮焰继续说，“藤爪自己愿意。”
藤爪感觉枫荫的脚掌踩在自己的肩上，正将她向下按进河床中。“不！”她只想做回普普通通的学徒，只管为鼠毛和波弟拿苔藓，在真实的森林中同真实的猫一起学习狩猎，“我不会回去的。”
“你可能没的选。”松鸦羽咕哝着。
鸽爪弹动着尾巴说：“让我单独和她谈谈吧。”狮焰低下头，跳到了树干上。
“走吧，”他朝松鸦羽喊道，“我们交给鸽爪吧。”松鸦羽轻轻叹了口气，跟了上去。
听到他们踩在雪地上的脚步声远去，藤爪看向自己的姐妹：“这到底是怎么回事？”
鸽爪又蹲伏了下来：“有些事你还不知道。”
“什么事？”
“你爬到树干那边去，去做点儿什么。”
“做什么？”
“随便。”鸽爪朝藤爪眨了眨眼，“扔雪球，爬树，无所谓。只要确保我听不见或看不见你就好。”
藤爪疑惑不解地爬上了树干，从雪地里跳步跑开。她回头看了一眼，没看到什么，便继续向远方跑去。等确定鸽爪不可能听到自己后，她滑步到一棵树后，在雪地里挖了一个洞。然后她将洞填上，匆忙回到姐妹的身旁。
“怎么了？”藤爪喘着粗气问道。
“你挖了一个洞，然后又填上了。”鸽爪对她说。
藤爪十分疑惑：“你跟踪我了？”
“你看到我的脚掌印了吗？”
藤爪摇晃着脑袋问：“那你是怎么知道的？”
鸽爪沉默了一会儿，用湿润的蓝色眼睛看着藤爪。“我能听见一切。”她突然说，“我也能闻到一切，只要集中精力就行。”
藤爪嗤之以鼻：“闭嘴吧！你又开始瞎显摆了！谁都不可能闻到或者看到一切。”
鸽爪抽动着尾巴：“我没有显摆。有时我也希望自己是在乱显摆。我有特别的力量。有个预言说有三只猫的掌中会拥有比群星更为强大的力量。我就是其中的一只猫，另外两只是松鸦羽和狮焰。所以他们才会听我的话。火星也是因为这个才会认真听取我的意见。”
“我把我那个梦的事情告诉火星时，他也听了我话。”藤爪指出。
“但那是你编出来的！”鸽爪将口鼻伸到了藤爪的脸前，“我说的是真的！就现在，我能听见空爪在挨训，因为他昨天没有把扑尾皮毛里的虱子挑出来。我能听到小露珠和小雾在窝里打架，争抢着谁该第一个吃乌霜带给她们那只发臭的老麻雀。我还可以听到石楠尾正给兔泉指一条能穿过茂密金雀花丛的新路，而一星在梳洗——”
“停停停停！”藤爪的思维快跟不上了，“你真的能听到这些？”
鸽爪点了点头：“都能听到。河狸也是听到的。”
“所以你才知道是它们拦住了水！”困惑了藤爪很久的事情终于以一种奇怪的方式清晰了起来，“也是因为这个火星才会派你去参加那个任务，虽然你还只是个小学徒。”藤爪觉得脑袋都晕了：“所以火星也知道？”
“是的，但没有别的猫知道了。”
藤爪觉得自己的皮毛发烫，有点儿刺痛。“为什么你以前不告诉我？”她并未给鸽爪回答的机会，“难道你意识不到，看着你像个超级学徒一样得到特殊对待，我有多难受吗？”
鸽爪的脚掌在地面上蹭来蹭去：“我被告诫不能告诉任何猫。除了火星，也没有谁知道松鸦羽和狮焰的事。”
“但是他们早就知道对方的力量，对吗？我打赌冬青叶肯定也知道！”藤爪突觉怒火在心中燃烧，“我去黑森林都是你的错！”
鸽爪看着她：“你……你什么意思？”
“我第一次遇到鹰霜不是在无星之地，是在一个阳光明媚、鲜花烂漫的地方。他恭维我，似乎对我能做的事情很上心，而不是只关注我姐妹做的事。这个族群里没有谁这样对待过我。我在这里，只是你的影子罢了。”
“不是这样的！”鸽爪嘶声说道。
“但是我的感觉就是这样！你们怨不得我听信鹰霜的话，怨不得我想把他教我的那些动作全都学会。”
“没有谁会怨你的。”鸽爪叹息道。
藤爪眼睛眯成了一条缝：“你这么确定？狮焰和松鸦羽不信任我。说不定他们就希望我滚回黑森林，待在那儿别回来了！”
鸽爪耳朵平贴了起来：“别傻了！你看不出来我们需要你吗？如果不能确切地知道黑森林里发生的一切，那个预言将毫无意义。你的愿望实现了——你现在成为了一只特殊的猫。”
藤爪眨了眨眼。“我倒希望自己不是。”她低声说，“我很害怕。”
她的手足将尾巴放在了藤爪的肩上。“我知道。”她温柔地说，“我们都很害怕，就连星族的猫也在害怕。我想，能站在黑森林面前阻止族群末日降临的，也只有我们了。”突然之间，她看上去那样渺小，在周围的厚厚的积雪里蜷成了小小的一团。
“我会尽力帮你的。”藤爪立刻答应道。现在，这件事已经不仅仅是只跟她相关了——实际上，这牵涉着生活在大湖畔的每一只猫。
“告诉松鸦羽和狮焰，我会回去。我会假装仍是他们中的一员，尽我所能地把他们计划的一切调查清楚。”
第二十四章
第二十四章
焰尾把猫薄荷放入常春藤叶子里折起来，然后推进位于黑莓丛间的储藏室。他开始将艾菊茎秆并排放好，准备捆扎起来。这些草药在他的眼前模糊起来。他打了个哈欠。
“焰尾。”
远处有谁在喊他的名字。
“焰尾！”杂毛用鼻子推推他，“你听不到我说话吗？”
“对不起。”焰尾转过身，眨了眨眼睛，“你需要什么吗？”他心里叹息着，不知道自己是否还有力气去帮助更多的猫。
“麻烦你过来检查一下小雾，她说不出话了。”
“我一会儿就来。”焰尾答应道，“我先把这些草药放好。”
猫后低身退出了巫医巢穴。小云的窝里沙沙作响，窝边探出了虎斑猫棕色的鼻子。“你应该休息休息。”他建议道，他的声音仍很粗重，但是比以前有气力多了，“你昨晚睡觉了吗？”
焰尾迈着沉重的步伐走到老师的窝边：“睡了一小会儿。”
小云的眼睛明亮了许多，但他的皮毛还是有点儿杂乱，虽然刚刚梳理过。“我想也是。”他慢慢坐起身，“你一直在辗转反侧。”
“做了个噩梦。”焰尾承认。
“还是以前那个？”小云追问道。
“是的。”在刚刚过去的四分之一个月里，焰尾一想入睡，就会被同一个幻象纠缠。他梦到自己一直往下掉，最后掉入无尽的黑暗中，周围全是众猫害怕的尖叫和怒吼声。
“还是没有细节吗？”
焰尾重新转向艾菊。“星族只让我看到了黑暗。”他低语道，“他们没有给我任何线索。我不知道谁会首先攻击我们，也不知道我们该如何准备。”
小云身体前倾。“我们的武士祖先与我们同在。”他安慰道，“否则他们就不会警告你了。或许他们也不知道。等他们知道了肯定会告诉你的。”
“或者告诉你。”焰尾回答道。
小云的喉咙里发出咕噜咕噜的笑声，这是他好久以来的第一次笑。“别担心。”他沙哑地说道，“我短时间内还没有加入祖先行列的计划。”说着，又一阵咳嗽让他的身体也晃动起来。
焰尾紧张起来：“你还要再吃点儿猫薄荷吗？”
小云摇了摇头。“我在好转了。”他安慰焰尾。
“我想确保你不会再恶化。”焰尾开始将脚掌伸入自己的草药存货。
“我的烧已经退了，胸部也没那么闷了。还是省点儿猫薄荷吧。秃叶季总会拖得比你想象中还长。”
焰尾将目光转向自己的同巢伙伴：“还好我们没有失去你。”
“我们都很庆幸。”小云的眼睛闪着亮光，“赶紧去检查小雾吧。”
焰尾将艾菊茎秆聚拢到一起，取出一根放在一边，然后将其余的都推入储存室，和猫薄荷放在一起。
“也给杉心检查一下。”小云继续说道，“我昨晚听到长老巢穴里有咳嗽声。”
“好的。”焰尾捡起艾菊茎秆，朝入口走去。
杂毛正在她的巢穴外来回走着，看到焰尾，她连忙迎了上来：“小雾早上时还像只八哥一样聒噪个没完，但等她睡了一会儿醒来后，就说不了话了。”
“别担心。”焰尾跳着穿过巢穴口，“就算她病了，我们现在也有草药。”
育婴室里很暖和，黑乎乎的。小麻雀正从沙地上冲过，苔藓球离他有几根胡须远。他将苔藓球打向了空中，小露珠一跃而起，用脚掌紧紧地抓住了它。小麻雀向前猛冲，将小露珠撞向了焰尾。焰尾连忙闪身躲开了。
“小心点儿。”杂毛警告着，也挤进了巢穴。
小雾透过榛树枝编织的窝向外偷看。
小麻雀从小露珠脚掌下挣脱出来：“小雾病得好厉害！”
“我们很快就能让她好起来啦。”焰尾将艾菊的茎秆放在窝旁，嗅闻着这只幼崽。小雾的身体有些发烫，但闻不到酸味。如果她真的病了，也只是白咳症。焰尾咬下一截艾菊，小心翼翼地放在杂毛的脚掌上。
“嚼碎它，等下次进食后让小雾将药糊吞下去。”焰尾指导着。
杂毛点了点头。小麻雀和小露珠蹦跳着跑过来想看看，杂毛赶紧将茎秆拿开了。
“呕！”小露珠身子颤抖着。
小麻雀做了个怪相：“她必须吃草药吗？”
焰尾俯下身体，直到鼻子同他们的一样高。“不要离她太近，不然你们也得吃草药。”说完，他鼻子拱开一条道出了巢穴，留下小麻雀嫌弃地尖叫着。
杉心正躺在长老巢穴外面，他强忍着咳嗽，憋得侧腹都在颤抖。
“给。”焰尾将剩下的艾菊茎秆放在这只年长公猫的口鼻前。“嚼碎了，”他指点说，“一定要全部咽下去。”
杉心把艾菊推向一旁。“还是留给年轻的猫吧。”他用沙哑的声音说道，“我活这么大岁数了，一点儿咳嗽算不了大事。”
“可能不算大事。”焰尾随口附和他，“但是不管怎样，还是把它吃了吧。能让我的工作轻松些。”
“既然这样……”杉心用舌头舔起艾菊，苦着脸嚼碎后咽了下去。“要是还能看到下一个新叶季，那就是我这辈子最开心的事了。”他咕哝道。
焰尾打了个哈欠。“我想我最好还是去活动活动腿脚吧。”他说道，“不然黄昏巡逻队还没出发，我恐怕就已经睡着了。”
他朝营地口走去。营地外的空气仿佛都被严霜冻裂了。
从湖的方向传来一阵尖叫，焰尾竖起了耳朵。有猫遇到麻烦了吗？接着，他辨认出这是红柳和松树爪的声音。听起来他们好像不是在为面对死亡威胁而感到恐惧。恰恰相反，他们的声音很快活。
有脚掌踩过冰冻的雪地朝他走来。一个玳瑁色皮毛的身影闪出，橄榄鼻打着滑停到了他的身旁。她已经上气不接下气了。“我们正在湖上玩呢！湖面已经完全冻住了。”橄榄鼻气喘吁吁地说，“你愿意的话，从湖面上直接走到河族领地上都行。”
曙皮追上了她。“我要去找焦毛和枭掌！”说着她从橄榄鼻身边跑过，朝营地而去。“去玩玩吧，焰尾。”她回头喊道，“你最近看起来一直忧心忡忡的。去好好开心一下。”说完，她就消失在黑莓丛中。
焰尾感觉脚掌痒痒。他已经好久没有体会过无忧无虑的状态了。他感觉自己都快变成长老了，整天忙着看这里疼那里痛，一声咳嗽一个喷嚏都能担心半天。
橄榄鼻蹦跳着跑开了：“快来啊！”
焰尾紧紧地追在她身后，钻过灌木丛下到了湖岸上。两脚兽的半桥向外突出到一片茫茫的白色之中，上面结满了冰。橄榄鼻沿着木板向前跑着。快到木板尽头时，她用尾巴向焰尾示意。焰尾追上她，站在桥边上。
湖面全都冻住了，结成了一块宽阔的冰面，在落日余晖的照耀下泛着红晕。在距岸边几个狐狸身长远的地方，红柳从微光闪烁的白冰上跑过，接着往下一扑，用肚子贴着冰面，转着圈打起滑来。乌霜和鼠痕站在那儿观看，并发出开心的喊叫。就连这些资深武士们也乐在其中。
橄榄鼻从半桥上跳了下去，落到了冰面上。“快来，很安全的。”她喊道。
焰尾提心吊胆地跳了下去，发现脚下的冰面十分坚固，这才松了口气。他小心翼翼地离开半桥。八哥爪和松树爪正把一块石头在彼此之间滑来滑去，焰尾朝他们走去。
“你们在玩什么呢？”焰尾喊道。
松树爪跳了起来。“干得好，橄榄鼻！”她喊道，“这下我们数量够了。”
八哥爪跑到焰尾身边。“我们想玩猎物石头，这是我们刚刚发明的游戏。”他朝松树爪喊，“将石头滑到这边来！”松树爪将石头快速滑过冰面，八哥爪熟练地用脚掌挡住了这块光滑扁平的石头。
“这是猎物。”八哥爪一边解释，一边将石头推向焰尾，“那儿是猎物洞。”他弹了弹尾巴，焰尾朝冰面那边看去。
“不是一个真正的洞，是指那棵树和冬青灌木之间的所有冰面……”八哥爪尾巴朝岸边一弹，“那里就是石头的安全区域。如果你把石头滑到了那儿，就算你赢。如果我和松树爪拦住了石头，就算我们赢。然后我们再交换场地。”
焰尾眯起了眼睛。“明白了。”他将脚掌放到石头上。
橄榄鼻从焰尾身旁走过。“我和你一队。”她告诉他，“如果他们挡住了你的路，就把石头滑给我。”
八哥爪和松树爪已经站好了位置，守卫着“猎物洞”。
焰尾很快便意识到，没办法直接把石头从他们身边滑过去。于是他转过身，拍打着石头往远离他们的方向滑去。“跟上我！”他朝橄榄鼻喊道。橄榄鼻急忙跑到离焰尾几尾远的地方。当焰尾将石头从湖面推向远方时，她与焰尾保持着平行。焰尾脚掌下的冰面上覆着一层薄雪，正在结冰，但是却出奇地滑。
透过余光，焰尾看到一群雷族猫小心翼翼地踏上了他们领地附近的冰面。他一点儿也没在意，毕竟湖面上没有边界，更何况他是一位巫医，想去哪里就去哪里。他把速度提起来以后，连脚掌都不用抬了，直接踏着冰面掠过。风吹得他的皮毛泛起了涟漪，他感觉自己仿佛在飞。他继续向前滑行了一会儿，然后才将石头推向了橄榄鼻。
橄榄鼻用脚掌挡住了石头，然后转过身。“我们进攻！”她大喊道。
焰尾转过身，跟橄榄鼻保持同样的速度，重新朝松树爪和八哥爪冲去。两位学徒在冰面上压低了身体，眯起眼睛，将目光集中在石头上，准备朝石头扑上去，以免石头从他们身旁掠过。
“给！”橄榄鼻将石头滑向了焰尾。
焰尾拦住了石头，连向前滑去的步伐都没有乱一下。他又将石头朝橄榄鼻拍去。橄榄鼻早已准备就绪，轻轻一挡，又让石头回到了焰尾脚掌中。石头在焰尾和橄榄鼻之间不停地来回滑动，速度越来越快。两位学徒的脑袋摆来摆去，试图跟上石头的速度，而焰尾和橄榄鼻已经朝“猎物洞”越逼越近。
焰尾的眼睛紧紧地盯着两位学徒间的空隙。他用力一推，猛地将石头从冰面上滑过。石头如同俯冲的老鹰一般“嗖”地径直滑向了空隙。焰尾侧滑着停了下来，看着石头离“猎物洞”越来越近，一阵兴奋在心头涌起。
“看我的！”松树爪一边朝同巢伙伴喊着，一边飞奔穿过冰面。她像条蛇一样腹部着地，飞快地在冰面上滑过，随后探出一掌，将石头稳稳地拦下了。在一阵胜利的欢呼中，她用力地将石头滑了回去。石头从焰尾身旁滑过，冲向了湖中央。焰尾转过身，脚掌打着滑朝石头追了上去。
他追着旋转往前的石头，从鼠痕和乌霜的身边滑过。看到石头慢慢停住了，他心中一阵暗喜，于是腹部着地，朝石头滑了过去。
咔嚓！
世界在他的身下裂开了。
恐慌霎时涌上心头，他感觉脚掌下的冰面剧烈起伏，直将他往水里抛。随着一声尖叫，他滑进了刺骨的深水里。阴沉的湖水立刻将他包围起来。黝黑的湖水冰冷，宛如无情的利爪般扯拽他的皮毛。
头顶上方的光线渐渐消失，湖水直把他往下拖。
我在梦里看到的就是这个！
他绝望地扑打脚掌，挣扎着想浮出水面。
为什么星族不告诉我呢？
他眨了眨眼，全神贯注地看着周围气泡漂动的方向。胸中涌起希望，他奋力向上游去。接着，他用力挥出的脚掌碰上了一堵坚实的墙。
不！
他能看到白茫茫的冰面那边有光亮，便朝那边扑腾过去。这一次，他的爪子从冰块参差的下表面挠过。他看见上方有动静，身影在冰面晃动。他听到有高高低低的声音在呼唤他的名字，有脚掌在猛拍他上方的冰层。
然后湖水开始将他往下拉。他累得已经无法继续挣扎了。随着喧闹声渐渐消失，焰尾感觉自己的身体一点点麻木起来。他脚掌一动不动，任凭湖水摇晃着自己。
如此安宁。
如此平静。
突然，湖水开始翻腾，点点碎冰和气泡在他周身浮动起来。他看见有光滑的皮毛毛发从身边漂过。
松鸦羽？雷族巫医也落进水中了吗？这儿很安宁。他想让自己的巫医同行放心，自己一切都很好。不要去抗拒它。
突然有爪子拽住了焰尾的皮毛。是松鸦羽抓住了他。他正努力把自己往上拉。你是在哪里学会在水下游泳的？
透过黑暗的深水，焰尾能看见松鸦羽的眼睛。虽然那双眼睛已经失明，但却似乎在恳求他。他回望那双眼睛。没希望的。冰已经将我们困住了。
水流拖拉得更猛了，尽管松鸦羽奋力踢打划水，但他们还是被往下拖去。
这时，焰尾又看到了另一双眼睛，一对泛白的眼球向外鼓着。水里还有第三只猫。一个丑陋怪异的家伙，浑身无毛，满是疤痕。他好似漂在他们身边，焰尾紧盯着他。他脑子里有一个小小的角落在思索，这是不是某只他未曾见过的星族猫。但是无论是过去还是现在，有哪位武士长成这样吗？
这只丑陋的猫朝松鸦羽伸出脚掌。
放开他！
焰尾在脑海里听到了这个声音。但这声音不是在和他讲话，而是对松鸦羽说的。
这是他的死期，不是你的。放开他！
焰尾觉得松鸦羽的爪子松开了自己的皮毛。他开始下沉，眼睛还望着上方逐渐消失的光线。
黑暗将焰尾吞没，阳光永远地消失了。
第二十五章
第二十五章
藤爪看到一只鼩鼱在雪中奔跑，立刻追了上去。不等鼩鼱反应过来，她便扑了上去，死死按住了它的尾巴。她喃喃向星族致谢，然后俯身一口咬死了它。
湖边传来的尖叫声越发凄厉了。现在的喊声里还带着哀号。藤爪抬起头，集中精力听着，猎物在她的嘴边荡来荡去。有那么一刻，她真希望自己能拥有和姐妹一样的力量。可转瞬她就不这么想了。拥有这么强大的力量肯定是件麻烦事，真不知道鸽爪怎么睡得着？
湖边传来的尖叫声在萧瑟的空气中回响，渗出一丝诡异。藤爪原本想和梅花落还有玫瑰瓣一起去冰上玩，但她发过誓要为族群狩猎，直到狩获的猎物能补偿族群交换自己时用掉的草药。藤爪非常清楚，她在影族边界被抓，自己至少有一半的责任。何况雷族似乎对鸽爪亏欠很多，永远都偿还不上。
她走向一棵树瘤很多的橡树，开始在树根间往下挖。积雪下边有一只老鼠和一只麻雀。她从日高时分之前就开始狩猎，现在脚掌已非常疲惫，都快抬不起来了。等把两只猎物挖出来后，她用牙齿轻轻地咬着它们，向营地返去。
等她抵达荆棘屏障的时候，太阳已落到了树梢那边，阴影笼罩着营地。高石台下，族猫们皮毛耸动，来回走动着。
松鸦羽正在朝他的巢穴走去，藤爪惊讶地发现，他一身皮毛湿透了。松鸦羽身旁的叶池紧张地跟着他穿过了黑莓丛。
藤爪把猎物丢在猎物堆里那只孤零零的松鼠和瘦小的八哥上。灰条走过来赞扬道：“捕获得可真不少。”
“我一整天都在狩猎。”藤爪承认道。
火星的声音从空地那边传来：“所有年龄够大，能独自狩猎的猫到高石台下集合。”
刺掌和尘毛从武士巢穴走了过来，罂粟霜也从育婴室匆忙赶到，黛西则小声把幼崽赶回他们的巢穴中。狐跃皮毛倒立，在岩石下来回走着。玫瑰瓣看着他，一双瞪大的眼睛里阴云密布。莓鼻从蟾步和冰云身旁挤过，在前边坐了下来。黑莓掌在落石堆下方坐着，盯着自己的脚掌，松鼠飞则坐在几尾开外。
藤爪看到姐妹从排便处通道急跑过来，便跟着她坐在了白翅身旁，小声问道：“怎么了？”
白翅摇摇头，叹了口气。
“我有一个坏消息。”火星开始说道。“焰尾在湖上玩耍的时候，从冰面上掉了下去。”雷族族长宣布。
罂粟霜倒吸了一口气：“他死了吗？”
“他的尸体还没找到。”火星说着朝巫医巢穴瞥了一眼，“松鸦羽试过救他，但焰尾太重了。”
松鼠飞的皮毛竖了起来：“松鸦羽没事吧？”
火星点了点头：“他冻坏了，但叶池和他在一起，她知道该做什么。”
黑莓掌眼神阴沉下来。焰尾是他妹妹的儿子。藤爪知道，焰尾的死给他带来的伤痛会更为剧烈。
“以后，”火星的声音严厉起来，“无论是谁，只要被发现是在冰上，都会受到严厉的惩罚。”
狐跃的胡须抽动着。“是的。”他小声说道，“死亡的惩罚。”
松鼠飞甩了甩尾巴让他闭嘴。
藤爪感到母亲的尾巴从自己的身上滑过。“答应我，你们不会到冰上去。”白翅低声说。
“当然不会去。”鸽爪说道。
“绝对不去了。”藤爪身体颤抖起来。她想起了枫荫将她按在那条黑暗的河中时，她有多么恐惧。
火星跳下了高石台，朝巫医巢穴走去。
“影族还有其他猫掉进去了吗？”鸽爪朝狐跃喊道，这只年轻的公猫正朝猎物堆走去。
狐跃摇了摇头说：“只有焰尾。”
藤爪拖着脚步靠紧鸽爪问道：“你还好吗？”
手足的耳朵不住抽动着。“我们差点儿就失去了松鸦羽。”她低语道。
“但他现在还活着，对吗？”
鸽爪点了点头。“万一掉进湖里的是虎心可怎么办？”她的眼睛里充满了担心。
“但不是他啊。”藤爪用尾巴拂着鸽爪的侧腹，“我敢打赌你现在能听到他的声音。”
鸽爪抬起了口鼻，集中精力听着。藤爪看到鸽爪的耳朵在抽动。姐妹恍惚的目光变得柔和起来。“虎心正同其他猫一起守夜。”她的注意力又回到了藤爪身上。“我好像能听到焰尾生前的地方空空的。”鸽爪挨她更紧些，“失去自己的同窝手足肯定是件非常可怕的事情。”她用尾巴缠绕着藤爪：“你知道吗，你没必要非得去黑森林的。”
藤爪胸中一紧。她不确定自己还有没有选择。现在的情况已经和刚开始时不一样了，那时她被梦境带到了那片草地上，然后自己选择跟着鹰霜进入了森林。现在她睁开眼睛时就直接进入黑暗之中，无论自己愿意与否。但是她答应过会去黑森林的。
她想帮助自己的族群。
她想帮助鸽爪。
藤爪在她的那堆苔藓中安顿下来时，她感觉姐妹俯过身来。
“如果你愿意的话，我们俩可以一起睡在你窝中。”鸽爪提议道，“这样的话，如果你看上去遇到了麻烦，我就能叫醒你。”
藤爪摇了摇头。“我以前已经去过无数次了，记得吗？”她低声说道，“我没事的。”但愿是这样。她闭上了眼睛。
过了好久，藤爪才睡着。当她疲倦的四肢慢慢地放松下来，不知不觉进入了黑暗中时，鸽爪的呼吸声早已舒缓了下去。藤爪睁开眼睛，嗅了嗅空气。她的脚掌头一次在发抖。
“你好，藤爪。”
她慌慌张张地转过身子，发现虎星站在一棵挺拔的深色松树旁，似乎一直在等着她。藤爪强忍着心中的恐惧，艰难地咽了咽口水。她强迫自己的肌肉放松，迎上这位深色武士好奇的目光：“你好。”
虎星盯着藤爪看了一会儿：“你看见虎心了吗？”
“他在为焰尾守夜。”藤爪说道，“今晚可能来不了了。”
“焰尾，嗯？”虎星耸了耸肩，他显然对巫医的死一清二楚，“看来是又少了一个。”
你真是狐狸心肠！
虎星围着她走了一圈，尾巴轻轻地刷过她的侧腹：“至少你能来，我很高兴。”
“今晚我们练习什么呢？”藤爪暗自祈求自己声音里的轻快能够让虎星不起疑。
“我们可以晚点儿再练习。我觉得我们大家首先应该更好地了解彼此。”虎星从高耸入云的树干间走向远处，迷雾聚在他的脚掌旁，随他的走动翻滚着，“你来不来？”
藤爪小跑着跟了过去。她感觉自己的心跳得太厉害了，肯定谁都能听见。我必须保持镇静，我所做的一切都是为了鸽爪和我的族群。
她看见四周的阴影里有身影出现，是武士们阴暗模糊的轮廓。当她跟着虎星走进森林深处时，才发现这些猫无处不在，他们一直在迷雾中等待，走动时脚掌在地面上拖着。
这些是族群猫还是黑森林的武士呢？她透过阴影张望，试图分辨出他们的皮毛。有枫荫，她从黑暗之中投出怒目。伤痕累累，皮毛参差的武士们围在她身边，时而高声咆哮，时而彼此私语。
“我……我不知道这儿还有这么多猫。”她对虎星说道。
“这里猫的数量足以匹敌星族。”他平静地答道。
树林变得开阔起来，出现了一块阴暗的空地。她认出了那块他们大概一个月前在上面训练过的大圆石。蓟掌正在光滑的岩石上磨着爪子，每磨一下，都要欣赏欣赏干净的爪尖。鹰霜朝藤爪点头问好，而黑条则在他身后来回走动。细尾和雪绺也在。断星坐在大圆石的阴影中，静静地观看着。
看到空爪、蚁皮和风皮后，藤爪松了一口气。她一开始害怕自己会是这里唯一的族群猫。虎星回头瞥了她一眼。“你也可以和你的朋友坐在一起。”他咕哝着，“我有话要说。”
他们不是我的朋友！但她还是匆匆朝这些熟悉的面孔走去，坐到他们中间，这才没那么紧张了。
虎星跃到大圆石上。“所有可以独自狩猎的猫集合。”他的声音里带着嘲讽，围绕在岩石周围的猫发出了嘲弄的咕噜声。
“这一刻就要到了！”虎星咆哮道。
不断有身影在树林间移动，越来越多的武士开始从阴影中涌了出来。藤爪的心跳得更快了，她缩成一团，靠近蚁皮。
“这一天就快要来了！”虎星的怒吼转为嘶吼，“我们将要入侵族群猫的世界，一举彻底摧毁他们和他们的武士守则。”
藤爪感觉身旁的蚁皮身子绷紧了。他很震惊吗？她仔细观察他的脸，随后又看向空爪和风皮的脸。他们的眼睛在发亮！仿佛他们真的是黑森林武士。藤爪竭力隐藏着心中的恐惧，扫视空地。众猫群集，挤得彼此之间不过一条尾巴远，他们都在怒气冲冲地咆哮着。
“我们要把他们全都杀死！”
“族群的日子就要结束了。”
枫荫后腿站立，前脚掌劈向空中：“他们会后悔出生的！”
藤爪竖起了双耳。他们打算何时进攻呢？然而虎星只是露出了牙齿，嘶吼着从大圆石上滑下，进入群猫中，从藤爪的视线里消失了。群猫一个个皮毛直竖，兴奋得来回乱窜，空气似乎都被涌动的气氛感染得噼啪作响。
有双眼睛朝藤爪闪烁着。当黑条朝她走来时，她发现自己下意识伸出了爪子。
“你为这场千载难逢的大战做好准备了吗？”他的声音中带着戏弄。
藤爪瞥向森林，希望自己能消失在森林的阴影中。
“还是说你想要离开？”黑条似乎猜到了藤爪的想法。
“不……不，当然不是。”
“很好。”他围着藤爪转了一圈，尾巴从她的脊背上滑过。他的尾巴感觉像一条蛇，冰冷而沉重。藤爪真希望自己此刻是和虎心在一起。
“藤爪！”
她满怀希望地抬起头，却失望地看到朝他们走来的是断星。这只巨大的、满身疤痕的公猫向藤爪低了低头。“欢迎你，藤爪，我一直在看你训练。”他用肩膀把黑条挤到了一边，“你给我留下了十分深刻的印象。”
藤爪迎上了断星的目光，但余光仍盯着黑条。为什么断星要特别夸赞她呢？他是想让黑条嫉妒吗？
“我有一个特殊的任务给你。”断星继续说道。
藤爪眨了眨眼睛。“真的吗？”或许这是某种测试。
“跟我来。”断星率先进入了树林。
藤爪小跑着跟在他身后。这只深色公猫翻过一座低矮的山丘，又跳进空荡荡的河床，藤爪的呼吸逐渐加快。水沟在扭曲的树干间蜿蜒着，领着他们来到一丛低悬的树枝下，盖着灰尘的灰色苔藓从树枝上垂下来。藤爪低头从下面钻过，苔藓不时将蜘蛛网黏到她的皮毛上，令她忍不住打激灵。
她突然停住了。有东西正从河岸上干枯的蕨丛间快步走来，她透过迷雾看去，认出了黑条的皮毛，身子不由一僵。
“滚开，黑条！”断星的吼叫声吓了藤爪一跳。原来注意到了那个身影的不止她一个。
那骨瘦如柴的轮廓一僵，随后便从视野中消失了。
“他和哭哭啼啼的幼崽没什么两样。”断星咕哝着，朝附近的树弹了弹尾巴，“让我看看你的攀爬技巧。”
“好的。”藤爪跃上了最低的树枝，沿着粗壮多节的主干往上爬。当感觉脚掌开始发疼时，她便停下来喘口气，并抬头向上看。依然看不到天空。这棵树有多高？一低头，她看见断星在远远的下方，正从河床上看着她。
“还不错！”断星喊道，“不过看看你能不能用更快的速度下来。”
藤爪集中精力，每次让自己下降一尾的距离，并紧紧地抓住树皮控制往下滑的趋势。快到地面时，她在树干上一蹬，敏捷地落到水沟边缘一块泥泞的草地上。
断星跳上岸，来到她身边：“现在让我看看你发动进攻时的猛扑吧。”
藤爪蹲伏下身子，伸出爪子，紧盯着前方几尾开外的一块苔藓。她一跃而起，精准地击中了苔藓，接着飞快翻过身来，用后腿往后猛蹬，然后敏捷地跳起身，四脚稳稳地落了地。
“动作很快。”断星看着她，“你的防卫技能如何？”话音未落，他便扑了过来。
看到断星爪子闪过，藤爪一低头正好及时躲开。她后背一弓，翻滚着离开了原来的位置。她猜断星预估到了她的动作，于是脚掌刚一沾地，就赶紧飞身朝前躲开。她猜得没错。断星的爪子果然直劈向她半瞬前起身的地方。她旋过身来与他直面，颈毛奓起，利齿毕露，准备要应对下一次进攻。
断星坐了下来：“很好。”
藤爪的心怦怦乱跳，声音很大，她确信断星肯定能听到。她的任务是什么？难道断星只是测试一下她的技巧？
“在你有资格与你的新族猫们并肩作战之前，我还有最后一个重要任务给你。”
藤爪竖起了耳朵。这果然是一场测评！“什么任务？”
空地边缘的阴影处有什么东西在移动。
黑条？
“出来！”断星喊道。
一只姜黄色的猫走出蕨丛。藤爪抓紧了地面。
“焰尾？”
影族巫医睁大了双眼：“你也从冰面上掉下去了吗？”
藤爪摇了摇头。“我……我……”她喉咙哽住了，说不出话来。她该如何解释自己出现在这儿的原因呢？“你……你是怎么到这里来的？”
“我本来在星族。”焰尾满脸困惑，眯着眼睛透过树枝向上看着，“我听见灌木丛里有声音，便跟了过来。那个声音一直在我前面，小声呼唤着我的名字，我就一路跟到了这儿。可是……可是这里好像已经不是星族了。”他移动着脚掌：“你知道回去的路吗？”
藤爪盯着他，不知该如何回答。
“杀了他。”断星的命令打破了寂静。
一阵恐慌袭上藤爪的心头：“什么？”
他不可能是认真的吧！
她随即明白了。这是一个陷阱，她才不会像只蒲公英脑子的兔子那样掉进去。“我杀不了。”她得意扬扬地看着断星，“他已经死了。”这么愚蠢的问题可难不倒我。
断星的胡须颤抖着。“多年轻，多天真啊。”他咆哮道。“没有哪只猫可以永远待在星族，他们终究都会化为虚无。”他的目光从焰尾身上扫过，似乎这位巫医在他眼里不过一只可口的猎物，“除非有谁先杀了他们。”
藤爪眯起了眼睛：“这不是真的！星族是众猫死后度过无尽岁月的地方！”
“不，这是真的。”断星向她保证，“而且失去生命在世上最后的一丝回音，会是一个痛苦到难以想象的过程。”
藤爪开始往后退：“我不会杀他的。”
断星的口鼻突然凑到藤爪面前，离她只有一根胡须远。他那臭烘烘散发着热气的呼吸刺痛了她的双眼。“为什么？”他嘶吼道，“你到底是不是黑森林的武士？”
藤爪眨了眨眼睛：“我……我……”
断星的目光在她身上灼灼燃烧。“我真不知道鹰霜为什么会选择你，”他咆哮道，“我觉得你会始终忠于你那些湖边的族猫。”他迈步靠近：“所以你很危险。”
“我还以为你们想要的就是危险的猫。”藤爪反驳道。如果她能自信地为自己辩护，断星肯定就会放焰尾走吧？
断星的眼神没有任何变化：“我知道你的姐妹是什么。”
“所以呢？”
“你是她的同窝手足。”
“既然你知道那么多，”藤爪嘶嘶地说道，“那你肯定也知道我并非预言的一部分。”
“但是你与她有着一样的血脉。你真的会背叛她吗？还是我应该杀了她，以确保你的忠心不贰？”
不要把鸽爪牵扯进来！没有鸽爪，族群就完了。藤爪抬起了下巴。她做好了受死的准备。
但是……
如果她死在这儿，谁去警告族群呢？她听到了虎星说大战已经临近。她必须要回去。这意味着她必须说服断星让自己活着。那么，她能做的就只有一件事了。
“我忠于黑森林。”她转身朝向焰尾，蹲伏了下来，尾巴抽动着。对不起，焰尾，可是为了我们的族群，我必须这样做！她伸出了爪子，原谅我，星族！
她将将跳起，就闪过一团暗棕色的皮毛，有什么东西狠狠地撞上了她。这股力将她撞得滑过了空地。她眨着眼睛，踉踉跄跄地站了起来。
虎心！
“你在做什么？”他站在焰尾前面尖声喝问，恐惧和疑惑在他双眼里闪烁，“我不会让你毁掉我兄弟留存的灵魂的！”
虎星迈着大步从阴影中走了出来：“哦，真勇敢，我能看出你身体里流淌着我的血。”
对不起！藤爪试图捕捉虎心的目光，可是这位年轻武士的眼神一直在虎星和断星之间移动。他紧紧贴着焰尾，厉声啐道：“别碰他。”
“断星，”虎星的声音充满了安抚意味，“没有必要杀死焰尾。他构不成什么威胁，只会搅拌草药而已。”
断星转过头来。“他对我来说毫无意义，是生是死都一样。但是她呢？”他的尾巴弹向藤爪。
藤爪垂下头，努力屏住呼吸。她做的这些，够不够让黑森林的猫相信她忠于他们，而不是湖边的族群？她不敢去想回到湖边后，虎心会对她做什么。
“我们需要所有能团结的武士。”虎星平静地答道。藤爪猛然抬起头来。
“我相信藤爪忠于无星之地。等到最后的战斗打响时，她会站在我们这一边。”精彩内容抢先看