Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Jayfeather’s dream dissolved into darkness as he woke and stretched his jaws in a massive yawn. His whole body seemed heavy, and when he sat up in his nest he felt as though ivy tendrils were wrapped around him, dragging him back to the ground. The air was hotter than usual for late newleaf, fil ed with the scents of prey and lush green growth. Noise filtered through the brambles that screened the medicine cat’s den from the rest of the stone hol ow: pawsteps and the excited murmuring of many cats as they gathered for the first patrols of the day.
But Jayfeather couldn’t share his Clanmates’
excitement. Although a moon had passed since he and his companions had returned from their visit to the Tribe, he felt cold and bleak inside. His head was ful of images of mountains, endless snow-covered peaks stretching into the distance, outlined crisply against an ice-blue sky. His bel y cramped with pain as he recal ed one particular image: a white cat with green eyes who gave him a long, sorrowful look before she turned away and padded along a cliff top above a thundering waterfal .
Jayfeather shook his head. What’s the matter with me? That was all a long, long time ago. My life has always been here with the Clans. So why do I feel as if something has been lost?
“Hi, Jayfeather.” Briarlight’s voice had a muffled, echoing sound, and Jayfeather realized she must have her head inside the cleft where he stored his herbs. “You’re awake at last.”
Jayfeather replied with a grunt. Briarlight was another of his problems. He couldn’t forget what Lionblaze had told him when he returned to the mountains: how Briarlight was so frustrated by being confined to the hol ow, trapped by her damaged hindlegs, that she’d persuaded her brother Bumblestripe to carry her into the forest to look for herbs.
“There was a dog running loose,” Lionblaze had told him. “A cat with four functioning legs would have been hard-pressed to outrun it. If it hadn’t been for me and Toadstep luring it away, Briarlight would have been torn to pieces.”
“Mouse-brain!” Jayfeather snapped. “Why would she put herself in danger like that?”
“Because she’s convinced that she’s useless,” Lionblaze explained. “Can’t you give her more to do? Cinderheart and I promised her we’d help her find a proper part to play in the life of the Clan.”
“You had no right to promise her anything without speaking to me first,” Jayfeather retorted. “Are you suggesting I take her as my apprentice? Because I don’t want an apprentice!”
“That’s not what I meant,” Lionblaze meowed, his tail-tip twitching in annoyance. “But you could find more interesting duties for her, couldn’t you?” Stil reluctant, Jayfeather had done as his brother asked. He had to admit that Briarlight was easy to teach. She had been stuck in the medicine cat’s den for so long that she had already picked up a lot.
She’s actually useful, he mused. Her paws are neat and quick when she sorts the herbs, and she’s good at soaking wilted leaves in the pool without letting them fall to pieces.
“Jayfeather?” Briarlight’s voice roused Jayfeather from his thoughts. He heard her wriggling around, and then her voice came more clearly as if she was poking her head out of the cleft. “Are you okay? You were tossing and turning al night.”
“I’m fine,” Jayfeather muttered, unwil ing to dwel any longer on the dreams that had plagued him.
“We’re running low on marigold,” Briarlight went on. “We used up a lot on Dovewing’s scratches when you got back from the mountains. Should I ask Brightheart to col ect some more?”
“No, I’l go,” Jayfeather muttered.
“Fine.” Briarlight’s voice was determinedly cheerful. “I’l get on with sorting the herbs. Oh, one more thing . . .”
Jayfeather heard the young she-cat dragging herself across the floor of the den until she reached his nest and pushed something toward him. “Could you throw this out on your way past the dirtplace?” she asked. “It was stuck at the back of the herb store.”
Jayfeather stretched out his neck until his nose touched a tuft of fur with a few dried scraps of leaf dusted on it. He stiffened as he recognized the faint scent that clung to it.
“Who would have put an old bit of fur among the herbs?” Briarlight continued. “It must have been in there for ages. I don’t recognize the scent or color.” For a moment Jayfeather didn’t reply. He breathed in his lost sister’s scent, overwhelmed by longing for the time when he and Hol yleaf and Lionblaze had played and trained together, before they knew anything about the prophecy, before they learned how Squirrelflight and Leafpool had lied to them.
I don’t know how Hollyleaf’s fur got into the store, he thought, but I should have thrown it out when I first found it there, not left it for another cat to find.
“I wonder where it came from,” Briarlight meowed.
“Maybe a cat from another Clan got in here to steal herbs.” She stifled a mrrow of laughter. “Maybe the kits got in and hid it.”
“How would I know?” Jayfeather snapped, irritated at being jerked out of his memories. “You should stop letting your imagination run away with you.” Turning so that Briarlight couldn’t see what he was doing, he tucked the scrap of fur deep inside the moss of his nest, and rose to his paws. “I’m going to fetch that marigold,” he mewed, and headed out of the den.
Before he had taken half a dozen pawsteps into the clearing, Bumblestripe’s scent washed over him as the young tom bounded up. “I was coming to see you,” Bumblestripe blurted out. “I’m real y worried about Dovewing.”
“Why? What’s the matter? Her scratches have healed, haven’t they?”
“It’s not that. She keeps having bad dreams—she had another one last night. She woke up screeching, and she was muttering about giant birds and snow.” Jayfeather struggled to suppress a stab of impatience. I know how bad it must have been, watching Swoop carried off by the eagle. But Dovewing has to be stronger than this.
“How do you know about it?” he asked Bumblestripe.
“There’s a leak in the warriors’ den right above my nest,” the young tom replied. “And there’s no more room in there, so I thought I’d spend a few nights in the apprentices’ den with Dovewing and Ivypool. And every night Dovewing has these awful dreams. Are there any herbs that can help her?” Jayfeather picked up waves of deep anxiety rol ing off Bumblestripe. “There are no herbs that can take away memories,” he meowed. “You just have to learn to live with them.” Don’t we all? he added silently.
“But—” Bumblestripe began.
Brambleclaw’s voice rang out across the clearing, cutting across his protest. “Hey, Bumblestripe!
You’re supposed to be on hunting patrol. Sorreltail’s waiting.”
“Okay!” Bumblestripe cal ed back. “Coming! Bye, Jayfeather!” He bounded away.
Jayfeather headed toward the apprentices’ den, where Dovewing and Ivypool were sleeping since the warriors’ den was so crowded, only to halt when he realized that Brambleclaw had gotten there ahead of him.
“Ivypool, Dovewing, wake up!” the ThunderClan deputy yowled, sticking his head into the den.
“You’ve overslept again.”
Jayfeather heard muffled mews of protest; a couple of heartbeats later the two she-cats staggered into the open.
“You look dreadful!” Brambleclaw meowed, annoyance in his tone. “I’ve never seen such messy fur! Have you been hunting at night?” Though Jayfeather couldn’t see them, his twitching nose picked up dusty, ruffled fur, and he could sense echoes of fear coming from both cats. He knew very wel why their sleep had been disturbed.
Bumblestripe had just told him about Dovewing’s troubled dreams, while each night Ivypool was visiting the Dark Forest, training with the cats who had been spurned by StarClan.
I wish she’d tell me more about what happens there, Jayfeather thought. But no—she just says that she’ll let me know when there’s anything important to report.
“Why don’t I check them out in my den?” he suggested to Brambleclaw, hoping for the chance to get some information out of the two she-cats in private. “Maybe they’re coming down with something . . .”
Jayfeather’s voice trailed off as he realized that no cat was listening to him. As he was speaking, the swift patter of paws announced the arrival of Whitewing.
“Brambleclaw, don’t get angry with them!” she meowed. “They’re working so hard, now that we don’t have any apprentices.” She paused, then added, “I’l help them with their duties today.”
“I need you to go on border patrol,” Brambleclaw told her.
“And I need to stay here with my daughters,” Whitewing retorted. “Some other cat can go on border patrol instead of me.”
Brambleclaw gave a disapproving sniff. “Fine,” he muttered, and stalked away.
“Now, tidy yourselves up,” Whitewing went on, rasping her tongue busily over Ivypool’s ears.
“Get off me!” Ivypool protested. “I’m not a kit!”
“You’l always be my kit,” Whitewing told her, turning to give the same brisk licks to Dovewing, who jumped back and exclaimed, “Stop! I’m a warrior! I can do my own fur!”
“Then prove it. We need to fetch moss for the elders’ bedding,” Whitewing went on as her daughters gave themselves a quick grooming. “And for StarClan’s sake make sure there are no thorns in Purdy’s, or we’l never hear the end of it. Come on!” She bustled them toward the camp entrance, but before they reached the thorn tunnel Firestar appeared at the head of the dawn patrol.
Jayfeather’s nose was flooded with the scents of his Clanmates. Brambleclaw bounded across the clearing to meet them, with Dustpelt, Cloudtail, and Brightheart hard on his paws. Foxleap raised his head from the fresh-kil pile, a mouse dangling from his jaws, while Berrynose strode importantly up to the patrol, fol owed more slowly by Leafpool and Squirrelflight.
Molekit and Cherrykit burst out of the nursery, scampered out into the clearing, and hurled themselves at Berrynose’s paws, tripping him.
“Careful!” he murmured, recovering his balance and sweeping his tail around the two excited kits.
Berrynose can be a real pain in the tail, Jayfeather pondered. How come he’s such a good father?
“Is ShadowClan attacking?” Molekit squeaked.
“Can we go and fight?”
“I’ve learned a real y good move!” Cherrykit exclaimed, pouncing on a leaf and shredding it with her tiny claws.
“Of course you can’t fight!” Poppyfrost panted as she caught up to her kits. “You’re not even apprentices yet!”
Brambleclaw skirted the kits and halted in front of his Clan leader. “Any news?” he asked.
“No, everything’s quiet,” Firestar responded as Jayfeather padded over to listen. “It looks as if al the Clans are at peace with one another.”
“Right,” Thornclaw agreed; the tabby tom had fol owed Firestar into the camp. “There was no evidence that either WindClan or ShadowClan had been anywhere near the borders, except to renew the scent markers.”
“That’s good news!” Brightheart exclaimed.
Jayfeather wasn’t so sure. He knew that the Clans were keeping to themselves because of the deep divisions within StarClan along Clan boundaries. Al the warrior ancestors were warning every cat to stay apart from the other Clans, to trust none but their Clanmates, and prepare for something dreadful that lay in the future like storm clouds on the horizon.
At least ThunderClan has the three cats mentioned in the prophecy, Jayfeather thought.
There will be three, kin of your kin, with the power of the stars in their paws. Me, Lionblaze, and Dovewing, all in the same Clan. That must make us safer, right?
He flexed his paws. After his sleepless night they didn’t feel particularly powerful, but at least they would carry him as far as the patch of marigold above the hol ow. Then he remembered the other prophecy, from the Tribe of Endless Hunting barely half a moon before. For a moment Jayfeather was plunged back to that dark, windswept mountaintop, surrounded by dead cats who fixed their luminous eyes on him. Once again he seemed to hear the whispers of a long, long line of Stonetel ers.
The end of the stars draws near. Three must become four to challenge the darkness that lasts forever.
Rousing from the trance, Jayfeather was once more aware of the sounds and scents of the camp around him.
How are we going to recognize the fourth cat? We had enough problems finding the first three. And this new prophecy says nothing about Firestar’s kin.
Jayfeather bit back a hiss of frustration. It could be any cat from the Clans!
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Ivypool followed Whitewing until they stopped beside a tiny stream, not far from the camp. Leaves clustered thickly on the trees and the newleaf grass was long and lush, cool for Ivypool’s tired paws.
Thank StarClan! She puffed out a breath of relief.
Every hair on my pelt is aching.
The night before, she had taken part in a tough training session with Sunstrike and Redwil ow.
Hawkfrost had been supervising, not letting up until al three cats bore the marks of their opponents’
claws. Now Ivypool felt as if her body were nothing but a huge bruise, and one ear was stil ringing from a wel -aimed blow
Glancing at her sister, Ivypool saw that she looked just as exhausted. Jayfeather should never have taken Dovewing to the mountains, she thought with a stab of anger. It could have been her that the eagle carried off, and she’s too important to the Clan to risk losing.
“Let’s rest for a bit,” Whitewing suggested, more sympathetic now. “You can have a drink and finish grooming.”
Ivypool could hear anxiety in her mother’s voice. I know she cares about us, even though she’s concerned that we’re falling behind with our duties.
“No, we’re fine,” Dovewing meowed, straightening her shoulders and raising her head in an effort to look alert. “We should keep going. There’s a good moss place a bit farther on.”
“You’re both a long way from fine,” Whitewing pointed out. After a moment’s hesitation, she added,
“I know there’s something troubling you. I’m not going to ask what it is, if you don’t want to tel me. But remember that I’m your mother. Nothing you say could ever shock me or make me love you less.” Ivypool twitched her ears. I bet I could prove you wrong.
But she kept quiet, happy to sit in the long, cool grass and relax as Whitewing helped groom her pelt with long, rhythmic strokes of her tongue. It felt good to be taken care of for once after her visits to the Dark Forest, where she couldn’t trust any cat, and always had to be on her guard.
“I had a bad dream last night,” Dovewing confessed, twisting her neck to get at a clump of matted fur on her shoulder. “I thought I was back in the mountains. Swoop was being carried away by the eagle.”
“You should try not to think about it,” Whitewing mewed gently, turning to Dovewing and helping her to tease out the clump with swift rasping licks. “You know that eagles never come to the lake.” And if they did, Ivypool thought, Dovewing would hear them before any other cat.
Whitewing finished grooming Dovewing and rose to her paws, arching her back in a long stretch.
Ivypool got up, too, ready to move on. Then she noticed that Dovewing was stil sitting by the stream, shaking her head and pawing at her ear as if there was something lodged inside it
Glancing at Whitewing, who was looking the other way, Ivypool leaned over to murmur quietly to her sister, “Are you okay? Are your senses stil not working?”
“No . . . I stil can’t hear properly!” Dovewing’s blue eyes were stricken. “I mean, I can hear you and Whitewing and what’s around us, but I can’t hear any farther than that. It’s al just noise and shrieking and the sound of the wind.”
Ivypool touched her nose to her sister’s shoulder.
“It must be because you heard so much when you were in the mountains,” she meowed. “You said it was much louder when you crossed the ridge above WindClan. Maybe it wil get better soon.”
“I keep hoping that,” Dovewing muttered. “But it’s been a moon. I feel like I’m useless to the Clan.”
“No way!” Ivypool shook her head. “Don’t think like that!”
Dovewing sighed. “But it’s like being deaf.”
“No, it’s like being normal,” Ivypool told her. “You
—”
She broke off as Whitewing turned around. “It’s time we got moving,” she cal ed. “We have that moss to col ect, and then I want to do some hunting for the elders.”
She bounded off toward the lake. Ivypool exchanged a glance with Dovewing, and they both fol owed. They had just reached the gnarled oak whose roots were covered in thick green moss when Ivypool spotted a flicker of movement in the trees nearby. Her neck fur began to rise and she braced her muscles, ready to attack an intruder, then relaxed as she realized it was Jayfeather. She was stil surprised by how confidently the blind medicine cat wove through the undergrowth.
Whitewing had paused, gazing through the trees at Jayfeather. “He shouldn’t be out by himself,” she murmured. “Ivypool, go see if he needs any help.” Ivypool hesitated. She didn’t want to be alone with Jayfeather; she knew he had been waiting for the chance to interrogate her about the Dark Forest
“Go on!” Whitewing flicked her tail toward Jayfeather. “He might be a bit moody, but you know he’l be glad to have your help.”
And hedgehogs might fly! Ivypool thought as she padded after the medicine cat.
“Good luck!” Dovewing whispered after her.
Ivypool quickened her pace, fol owing Jayfeather’s thin tabby shape as he rounded a patch of nettles.
“Hi,” she meowed as she caught up to him.
“Whitewing sent me to see if you need any help.” Jayfeather twitched one ear as if a fly had landed on it. “No,” he replied curtly.
Great! I can get back to moss collecting! But then Ivypool realized that Whitewing would never let her get away with that. “At least let me tag along,” she persisted. “Or I’l just be sent straight back to you.” Jayfeather shrugged. “Okay. But don’t even think of trying to guide me. I was finding my way through this forest before you were kitted. I’m just going to col ect some marigold leaves from the top of the hol ow,” he added as Ivypool fel in beside him.
“There are some good clumps on the slope above the highest part of the cliff, where the trees have thinned out and sunlight reaches the ground.” Ivypool was surprised that the medicine cat could describe the spot so wel when he had never seen it.
She padded beside him over rough ground along the curve of the cliff, where stones poked out of the earth and roots snaked out as if trying to trip them.
Soon they reached the edge, and Ivypool looked down into the hol ow. She shuddered as she remembered her vision of blood and fighting cats, and wondered again if it had been an omen of the destruction of her Clan.
Then Jayfeather swung away from the cliff top and fol owed a steeper trail that led through dense brambles. Ivypool had to press herself close to the ground to avoid the tendrils that reached out over the path. She was so busy concentrating on crouching down that she almost bumped into Jayfeather’s hindquarters when he halted with a hiss of disgust
Ivypool realized that the medicine cat was caught on a bramble tendril, the thorns snagged in his pelt.
She reached out a paw to pul the stem off, then stopped herself. He’d claw me worse than the brambles if I tried to help him!
Awkwardly Jayfeather lifted one paw and groped for the end of the bramble, muttering under his breath. After a moment he managed to free himself, though there was a tuft of tabby fur left on the thorns as he crept forward again. When another tendril raked its thorns along his side, he didn’t even pause, just pul ed himself away and went on.
Ivypool was glad when they emerged into a smal clearing. She flexed her muscles, letting the hot sun soak into her fur, and her jaws watered at the strong smel of rabbits.
“This is the place,” Jayfeather meowed, “but I can’t smel any marigold with this reek of rabbit.” Padding farther into the clearing, Ivypool looked around for the plants. But al she could see were clumps of nibbled stalks and a scattering of leaves, already shriveling in the sun.
“Oh, no!” she hissed.
“What’s the matter?” Jayfeather demanded.
“There’s no marigold here,” Ivypool told him.
“Something has eaten it al . It must have been the rabbits—I can see their droppings here, too.” Jayfeather was already stalking up to the ruined plants, thrusting his nose deep into the remains of the clumps and sniffing at the hard, dark droppings.
“This is a disaster,” he spat. “I’ve tried to grow marigold with my other plants beside the old Twoleg nest, but they only grow wel up here in the sun.” Ivypool walked slowly around the clearing in case there were any plants the rabbits had missed. She couldn’t see any, but suddenly the scent of marigold, strong and sweet, wafted over her. She halted, puzzled.
That smells like a lot of plants. So why can’t I see them?
With her jaws parted to taste the air, Ivypool fol owed the scent. It led to a beech tree at the edge of the clearing; the scent was pouring down from the branches.
“Plants growing in a tree?” she murmured. “That’s mouse-brained!”
But Ivypool couldn’t deny what her nose was tel ing her. Stil confused, she scrambled up the tree until she reached the first branch. Crouching there, claws digging into the bark, she stared at the shal ow hol ow formed where the branch joined the trunk. It was fil ed with rainwater, and several marigold plants had been placed there, with their roots in the water so that they stayed fresh and alive.
“Jayfeather!” she cal ed excitedly. “I’ve found marigold!”
Jayfeather looked around as if he couldn’t figure out where her voice was coming from, then bounded over to the foot of her tree. “Plants up a tree?” His voice was sharp with annoyance. “If this is a joke, I’l
—”
“It’s not a joke,” Ivypool assured him, describing the scoop of water with the plants careful y arranged there. “I’l drop them down to you.”
“This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever come across,” Jayfeather went on, as Ivypool picked up the plants one by one and dropped them to the ground. “How in the name of StarClan did they get up there?”
“Maybe the rabbits carried them up to keep them for later?” Ivypool guessed.
“When have you ever seen a rabbit climbing a tree?” Jayfeather asked in a scathing voice, making a bundle of the plants by his front paws. “Squirrels hoard nuts,” he added thoughtful y. “Maybe this is one of their stores.”
When have you ever seen a squirrel eating marigold? Ivypool didn’t dare ask the question aloud. “It’s a mystery,” she meowed, dropping the last plant and scrambling back down the tree.
Jayfeather divided the marigold plants into two bunches so he and Ivypool could carry them back to camp. Then he padded across the clearing and took a final sniff of the ruined patch. “We ought to find a way to protect the plants so that they’l grow back,” he mumbled around his mouthful.
Ivypool wondered how they could do that. Building a thorn barrier around the patch would be a huge task, and anyway it wouldn’t be much good to keep rabbits out. They hardly stayed away from the wood just because there were bramble thickets in the way.
“Maybe we could bring the scent of fox up here,” she suggested. “That would scare the rabbits away.”
“How?” Jayfeather asked, his tone suggesting it was a mouse-brained idea.
Ivypool thought for a moment. “We could use fox dung . . . it would be yucky getting it here, but it might work.”
“And how would you get it?” Jayfeather mewed.
“Just strol up to a fox and say, ‘Please make some dirt for me?’ I don’t think so.”
Ivypool rol ed her eyes. Jayfeather might be our medicine cat, but he’s such a mouse-brain sometimes. “Old dung,” she responded. “You didn’t think I’d march into a fox’s den to get it fresh, did you?” She said the last part under her breath. It was pointless trying to argue with Jayfeather—somehow he always won.
But Jayfeather was nodding. “You could be right.
Sort it out, wil you, as soon as we’ve taken these plants back to the hol ow?”
Ivypool sighed. Great, she thought as she fol owed Jayfeather back down the trail. Why can’t I keep my big mouth shut?
Back in the stone hol ow, Ivypool went with Jayfeather to the medicine cat’s den to deposit her bundle of marigold.
“You found some!” Briarlight exclaimed, pul ing herself across the den to plunge her nose into the aromatic stems. “I’l sort them out and store them right away.”
“Thanks, Ivypool.” Jayfeather gave her a curt nod.
“You can get on with that fox dung now.” Wrinkling her nose in disgust, Ivypool padded back into the clearing and glanced around. She knew she would have to find another warrior to go with her. Looking for fox dung meant she might encounter a fox, and she knew she would get a talking-to if she took the risk alone. The first cat she spotted was Blossomfal , emerging from the thorn tunnel and bounding across the camp to drop a vole on the fresh-kil pile.
“Hi, Blossomfal ,” Ivypool meowed, heading up to her. “Wil you come out with me to find some fox dung?”
Blossomfal stared at her as if she had sprouted a second head. And I can’t say I blame her, Ivypool thought wryly. “To scare rabbits away from Jayfeather’s marigold patch,” she explained.
“I . . . I’m sorry, Ivypool, I can’t,” Blossomfal replied after a moment’s hesitation. “I promised I’d help Purdy and Mousefur with their ticks.” She hurried off toward the elders’ den.
Huh! Ivypool thought. So why aren’t you collecting mouse bile from Jayfeather if you’re going to do ticks?
At first she thought that Blossomfal was just trying to get out of a messy and maybe dangerous task.
But she’s not usually like that . . . no, she’s still uneasy with me because we met in the Dark Forest.
Maybe she’s starting to realize how bad it is there, and that’s why she doesn’t want to talk to me.
She jumped, startled, as she heard the pawsteps of another cat approaching behind her. Glancing around, she saw her father, Birchfal , who padded up and dropped a squirrel onto the fresh-kil pile.
“You scared me out of my fur!” she gasped.
Birchfal twitched his ears. “I didn’t think anything scared you, Ivypool.”
Ivypool thought that was a weird thing to say, but she didn’t have time to think about it. “I need to col ect some fox dung to protect Jayfeather’s plants against rabbits,” she mewed. “Wil you come with me?”
“Sure.” Birchfal gave his chest fur a quick lick and bounded toward the thorn tunnel beside Ivypool.
Once in the forest, Ivypool took the lead and headed for the border between ThunderClan and the woods outside the Clan territories. “We’re not likely to find foxes living anywhere else,” she explained.
“Al the Clans are pretty good about driving them out.”
Birchfal nodded. “I saw you three nights ago,” he meowed after a moment. “Training with Hawkfrost in the Dark Forest.”
Ivypool halted, staring in shock at her father. She hoped he couldn’t hear how hard her heart was pounding. It was hard to think that any ThunderClan cats would join Tigerstar and the other dark warriors, and harder stil when the cat was her own kin. Can I trust any of my Clanmates? she wondered. Except for Lionblaze, Dovewing, and Jayfeather, they could all be visiting the Dark Forest!
“It was my first visit,” Birchfal continued. “I spotted you through the trees.”
“I didn’t see you,” Ivypool replied, trying not to show him how disconcerted she was.
Birchfal ’s eyes glimmered with amusement. “No, you looked a bit busy.”
“I’ve learned some useful stuff there,” Ivypool meowed careful y.
Her father nodded, the amusement in his eyes replaced by confidence. “The training they give us is good. It gives us a chance to make the Clan even stronger,” he meowed. “I thought I’d learned al I could, but now I see there are ways to be even more powerful in battle for my Clan.”
Ivypool didn’t want to go on talking about the Dark Forest. “It should help dealing with foxes,” she conceded. “Can you scent anything yet?” For a moment Birchfal watched her intently; Ivypool’s pelt itched beneath his amber gaze. Then he raised his head and parted his jaws to taste the air. “No,” he mewed. “We need to get closer to the border.”
Ivypool felt even more uneasy as she and Birchfal crossed the ThunderClan scent marks and stepped into the unfamiliar forest. The ground here was uneven, the hol ows fil ed with damp, decaying leaves; rocks poked up out of the tussocky grass.
The trees grew close together, the branches arching overhead to cut out the light. Ivypool shivered, convinced that she was being watched, though when she spun around she couldn’t see any gleam of eyes peering out from the undergrowth or the branches above.
“Fox!” Birchfal exclaimed with satisfaction. “And not far off, I’d guess. This way.” Ivypool fol owed him around a clump of bracken.
She couldn’t shake off the sensation that some creature was watching her, and kept glancing over her shoulder, vainly peering into the shadows.
“Ouch!” She let out a startled yowl. Bramble tendrils surrounded her, thorns clawing into her pelt.
For a couple of heartbeats she struggled wildly, imagining foxes waiting for her to give up and turn into easy prey.
“Keep stil .” Birchfal ’s voice came from beside her. “Honestly, Ivypool, you were staring around like a kit on its first trip outside the camp. Didn’t you see the bramble thicket in front of you?”
“Oh, sure,” Ivypool muttered. “I just walked into it for fun.” Raising her voice, she added, “Get me out, Birchfal . I don’t want to be stuck here if a fox comes by.”
Her father began pul ing the prickly branches off her, and soon Ivypool was able to wriggle clear.
Thorns were stil stuck in her pelt, and several silver-white tufts were clinging to the tendrils.
“It looks as if it’s been snowing,” Birchfal meowed with a snort of amusement. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
“Then let’s keep going, and for StarClan’s sake, watch where you’re putting your paws this time.” Ivypool fol owed him, simmering with resentment.
He’s talking to me like I don’t know anything. He needs to remember I’m not just a kit anymore.
On the other side of the thicket Ivypool spotted a dark hole between a couple of rocks, almost hidden behind trailing ferns. The smel of fox was very strong.
“There’s the den,” Birchfal pointed out with a flick of his tail.
“But the smel is stale,” Ivypool added, eager to show off her scenting skil s. “I don’t think the fox is there now.”
Birchfal nodded. “Right. So let’s find some dung and get out of here before it comes back.” Gagging on the stench, Ivypool tracked down a pile of fox dung near the opening of the den. She picked up a stick and rol ed one end in the dung until she had coated it thoroughly.
“Great StarClan, that stinks!” Birchfal exclaimed. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
“You’l be glad to have the marigold if you’re wounded,” Ivypool told him through her teeth.
Birchfal rol ed his eyes. “And there isn’t an easier way?”
Ignoring his question, Ivypool hefted the stick in her jaws and headed back toward the ThunderClan border. To her relief, the feeling of being watched faded as soon as she was safely back in her own territory.
I wonder if it was the fox, watching us. But then, why didn’t it attack?
The stick was awkward to carry, but taking it in turns Ivypool and Birchfal managed to transport it back to the clearing above the camp where the marigold plants grew. Ivypool traced a circle around the damaged clumps, daubing the dungy end in the grass.
“That should keep the rabbits away,” Birchfal meowed with satisfaction.
Dropping the stick, Ivypool felt a brief claw-scratch of worry. “I hope we did the right thing. What if other foxes smel fox scent here? Wil they think this is their territory?”
Birchfal shrugged. “They’re mouse-brained if they do. But we’d better tel the patrols what we’ve done, or they’l be bringing back reports of fox invasion.” Ivypool nodded. “I’l find Brambleclaw and tel him.” I hope this was a good idea, she thought, misgiving stabbing her like a thorn in her pad. We’ve just brought the scent of our worst enemy into the heart of our territory.
She headed for the trail back to the camp, with Birchfal just behind her. “Let’s go back the long way, by the stream on the WindClan border,” he suggested. “I want to wash the fox stink off my paws.” On their way to the border, they pushed through clumps of cool green ferns, the fresh green tang beginning to mask the fox scent on their fur. Ivypool felt herself relaxing in the familiar surroundings. But heading down the slope toward the stream she failed to see a branch lying in the grass. As she tripped over it, pain stabbed her leg where she had been wounded in the training exercise the night before.
“Mouse dung!” she muttered, wincing.
“You’l need to be quicker next time,” Birchfal commented; clearly he knew exactly how she had gotten her injury. “You should watch where you’re putting your paws. It would be a shame if you couldn’t fight anymore because of a stupid accident. You must know how tough the training is.” Ivypool gave him a swift glance. “Yeah.” Her pads prickled with the strangeness of sharing her nocturnal life with a Clanmate, especial y when that Clanmate was her father. Birchfall must think I want to be part of Tigerstar’s plans, she thought uneasily. He doesn’t know that I’m spying for ThunderClan. And he can’t find out, she added to herself uncomfortably.
Ivypool knew that the Dark Forest cats meant to destroy the Clans. But she found it hard to believe that Birchfal and Blossomfal were enemies of ThunderClan. They must have been tricked. I know Birchfall only wants to do the best he can for his Clan. And yet she couldn’t entirely stifle her doubts, like a smal worm of unease eating into her.
Trying to push her disturbing thoughts away, Ivypool reached the bank of the stream and stood beside Birchfal , gazing down into the water. “Do we real y have to get down into there?” she asked.
“We could go back to camp stinking of fox,” Birchfal replied. “Not much of a choice, real y.” Reluctantly he slid down the bank until his paws splashed into the water. Ivypool fol owed, wading a little farther into the stream and flinching as the cold current flowed around her legs. She rubbed one paw against another to get rid of the clinging scent.
Behind her, Ivypool could hear Birchfal splashing around. Suddenly the sounds stopped.
“Uh-oh,” Birchfal muttered. “We’ve been spotted.” Four cats were looking down at them from the WindClan side of the stream. Narrowing her eyes against the light, Ivypool recognized Breezepelt and his apprentice, Boulderpaw, and beside them Heathertail with her apprentice, Furzepaw. Neither Breezepelt nor Furzepaw showed any signs of exhaustion after their training session in the Dark Forest the night before, when Ivypool had faced them in a drawn-out mock battle.
“What are you doing in our stream?” Breezepelt demanded. “Get out!”
Birchfal stood his ground. “It’s not your stream,” he pointed out. “We have as much right to be here as you do.”
“Your territory ends at the bank,” Heathertail snapped. “That’s where you’ve put your scent markers.”
“And you’ve put yours on your own bank,” Birchfal retorted. “As if any cat can put scent markers in running water!”
Ivypool felt completely stupid standing bel y-deep in the stream and tilting her head up to see the cats on the bank. She waded back to Birchfal and touched his shoulder with her tail. “Let’s get out of here,” she murmured.
Birchfal didn’t move. “The stream doesn’t belong to either Clan,” he insisted. “We can wash our paws here if we want.”
Breezepelt rol ed his eyes and leaned farther over the bank so that he could talk to them without Heathertail hearing him. “Look, I don’t want to fight you over this,” he muttered. “But I’l have to if you keep arguing. Just clear out, okay?” Birchfal looked as if he might have agreed, but just then Heathertail stepped forward. “Why are you wasting time talking?” she hissed. “We should fight them if they don’t leave. Furzepaw, why are you hanging back there?”
“I’l fight them!” Boulderpaw announced.
“No, Boulderpaw,” Breezepelt told his apprentice.
“This isn’t a battle worth fighting. These are just a couple of ThunderClan fleabags.”
Ivypool realized with a pang of anxiety that the WindClan Dark Forest warriors were al ying themselves with her and Birchfal , not with their own Clanmates. That can’t be right!
“They’re fleabags who are trespassing on our territory.” Heathertail padded forward and gazed down into the stream. Her eyes glittered with fury.
“Leave now, or fight.”
“Come on,” Ivypool urged Birchfal . “We don’t want any more trouble.”
“No, we don’t,” Birchfal agreed. “But we’re not the cats who are causing it.” His neck fur fluffed up with anger as he met Heathertail’s gaze. “I’m not going to back down when we’re not doing anything wrong.” To Ivypool’s dismay, he waded across the stream and leaped up onto the bank on the WindClan side.
Breezepelt let out a snarl and came to stand beside his Clanmate. “Mouse-brain!” he hissed at Birchfal .
“Now I’l have to fight you! Just wait until I see you in the Dark Forest. You need to be taught where your loyalties lie.”
“Yeah, we’l get you then as wel !” Furzepaw added, his paws tearing up the grass as he crouched for a pounce.
To Ivypool’s relief, Heathertail seemed so focused on Birchfal that she wasn’t paying attention to her Clanmates, and their voices were so soft that she would have had to strain to overhear what they were saying.
Reluctantly Ivypool waded across the stream. I have to support my Clanmate! Am I going to spend the rest of my life fighting, awake or asleep?
But before Ivypool could leap up onto the opposite bank, she heard the sound of cats crunching over dry leaves in ThunderClan territory. Sorreltail appeared from behind a hazel thicket, with her patrol hard on her paws: Bumblestripe, Hazeltail, and Berrynose.
Al four cats were carrying prey.
“What’s going on?” Sorreltail asked, dropping her vole.
Thank StarClan! Ivypool turned to face the tortoiseshel warrior. “Birchfal and I were washing our paws in the stream,” she explained. “Then this WindClan patrol came along and told us to get out, so—”
“So you’re going to fight,” Sorreltail sighed. “Over cats washing their paws. I never heard anything so ridiculous! Ivypool, Birchfal , get over here right now.” Ivypool obeyed with relief, climbing out of the stream and shaking water from each leg in turn.
Birchfal was more reluctant, giving Heathertail and Breezepelt a baleful look before he slid down into the stream again and waded back to his own territory.
Horror clawed at Ivypool’s bel y. My father never used to be so battle-hungry, she thought. The Dark Forest is changing him!
“We’l settle this later!” Birchfal meowed over his shoulder.
“You bet we wil ,” Breezepelt retorted, twitching his tail-tip from side to side.
Anxiety surged up inside Ivypool like a flooding stream as she fol owed Sorreltail and the others back to camp. More trouble tonight, she thought wretchedly. Training in the Dark Forest is bad enough, but now we have a score to settle with Breezepelt as well. Will there ever be an end to it?
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Dovewing clawed at the moss, pulling great pawfuls away from the roots of the oak tree.
“It’s nice and dry,” Whitewing commented. “That should please Mousefur and Purdy.” She paused, then added hesitantly, “Dovewing, I’m worried about these bad dreams you’re having. I—”
“I’l be fine, honestly,” Dovewing interrupted, wishing she hadn’t said anything about the dreams in which she saw Swoop, over and over again, carried away by the eagle, the Tribe cat’s heartrending cries shattering the air. Avoiding her mother’s gaze, Dovewing bent her head over the growing pile of moss, checking it for thorns. “The dreams wil go away eventual y.”
Whitewing shook her head. “It’s been a whole moon since you got back, and you’re stil having them.” She pul ed off another clump of moss, raking her claws down the oak root. “I blame myself for letting you go to the mountains. You’re too young, and you haven’t got enough warrior experience to travel so far.”
“You can’t say that!” Dovewing protested, looking up from the moss. “You didn’t let me go. Firestar chose me.”
“Yes, and I would expect a Clan leader to have more sense,” Whitewing meowed.
I wish I could tell you why he made that decision, but I can’t, Dove-wing thought. “Don’t forget I led the expedition to find the beavers,” she reminded her mother. “I got lots of experience there.”
“I know.” Whitewing stil looked anxious. “StarClan shouldn’t have sent the dream about the beavers to an apprentice. It was far too much responsibility.” Except they didn’t send a dream. . . . Dovewing bent even more busily over the moss to hide her expression. Whitewing would never sleep again if she knew how much responsibility I was born with, thanks to the prophecy.
“I’l get over it, I real y wil ,” she reassured her mother. “And it’s not al bad. I’m lucky to have traveled such a long way beyond the Clan. There’s so much out there to see!”
Whitewing sniffed. “There’s plenty to see here beside the lake, too.”
“Yes, yes, I know there is . . . oh, there’s a huge thorn!” Dovewing exclaimed, snagging it in one claw and tossing it aside. “It’s a good thing that didn’t end up in Mousefur’s pelt.”
For a few heartbeats Dovewing and Whitewing worked side by side, clawing more moss off the oak roots. Laying a particularly thick clump on the pile, Whitewing paused. “I was talking to Bumblestripe earlier,” she remarked. “He’s a nice young warrior—
so polite! He likes you a lot, you know.” Dovewing began to feel hot and uncomfortable in her pelt. “I know,” she muttered, squirming with embarrassment.
“You’l need to find a mate one day, to keep the Clan going,” Whitewing pointed out.
“There’s plenty of time,” Dovewing meowed. Will the prophecy allow me to have a mate? How can I have kits if I might be called on to save the Clan at any moment? An image of Tigerheart flashed into her mind, his eyes sparkling as if he were going to spring at her and rol her over in a play fight.
Tigerheart would understand. . . .
Dovewing thrust the thought away. “This is plenty of moss,” she announced. “Let’s get it back to camp.”
Whitewing rol ed the moss into two bal s and the she-cats picked them up to carry back to the stone hol ow. Now that Whitewing wasn’t fussing anymore, Dovewing enjoyed being with her; it wasn’t often that she and her mother could work together without any other cats. In spite of her disturbed night, she began to feel better. But her ears were ful of weird buzzing noises, and she stil couldn’t reach out with her senses.
What if my powers have gone forever? she wondered, a cold trickle of fear passing through her from ears to tail-tip. No, she told herself. I’m not going to think about that.
As she passed a thick bank of ferns not far from the entrance to the camp, there was a sudden flash of gray-and-white fur, and Mousewhisker leaped out of the undergrowth in front of her. Dovewing let out a startled squeak and jumped back, dropping the bal of moss.
“Got you!” Mousewhisker exclaimed with a mrrow of laughter. “I’ve never seen you jump like that. Have you got moss in your ears, Dovewing? Usual y no cat manages to sneak up on you.”
Dovewing batted at him with one paw, trying not to feel annoyed. If I’d had my proper senses, I’d have heard you stomping along like a fox in a fit!
“Do you want to come hunting?” Mousewhisker went on. “The border patrol heard squirrels fighting in the grass clearing near the ShadowClan border. And tired, injured squirrels make easy prey!” Icecloud and Toadstep emerged from the ferns behind Mousewhisker.
“Yes, come,” Icecloud mewed. “It’l be fun!” Dovewing glanced at her mother. “I’m supposed to take this moss back. . . .”
“I can do that,” Whitewing meowed cheerful y. “You go and hunt.”
“Thanks!”
While Whitewing gathered the moss bal s together, Dovewing joined Mousewhisker and the others, heading into the forest. Mousewhisker picked up the pace until they were running ful -pelt through the trees. Dovewing felt her night fears and exhaustion melt away as she bunched and stretched her muscles, her paws skimming the ground.
“Bet I can jump higher than any cat!” Toadstep announced.
“Bet you can’t!” Icecloud retorted, leaping over a fal en tree trunk to show off her skil s.
Toadstep sprang over the trunk after the white she-cat and landed hard on top of her.
“Oof! Get off!” Icecloud spluttered, shoving Toadstep away and jumping to her paws. “You’re as heavy as a badger.”
“Let’s race,” Mousewhisker suggested. “Last cat to reach the dead tree is a mouse!” He streaked off before he had finished speaking, leaving the other three to scramble after him
Dovewing sprinted with her bel y fur brushing the ground and her tail streaming out behind her.
Toadstep overtook her and Mousewhisker, but Dovewing gradual y drew ahead of Icecloud.
It’s easier to run fast and dodge trees when I can’t hear everything from far away, she realized in surprise. There’s nothing to distract me. This is what it must be like for other cats!
She passed Mousewhisker as they skirted a bramble thicket so that only Toadstep was in front of her, his black-and-white shape pelting easily along.
Dovewing gathered herself and put on a spurt, her paws barely touching the ground with each bound.
The dead tree was within sight when she came up alongside her Clanmate, glimpsing his astonished look as she scampered past him and hurled herself at the tree, scoring her claws down the trunk.
“I win!” she yowled.
Toadstep ran up after her, fol owed by Mousewhisker and last of al a panting Icecloud.
“Okay, I’m a mouse.” The white she-cat let herself flop to the ground. “Dovewing, that was a great race!”
“Yes, you even beat Toadstep,” Mousewhisker meowed. “And he’s fast!”
Toadstep gave her an approving nod. “Wel done.” When al the cats had caught their breath, Mousewhisker rose to his paws. “It’s time to start looking for those squirrels. We’d better be quiet now; we’re pretty close to the clearing.” He took the lead; Dovewing and the others fol owed him, brushing through the undergrowth on stealthy paws. At the edge of the clearing Dovewing peered out of a clump of long grass to see that Twolegs were already starting to build their green pelt-dens there.
“Mouse dung!” she muttered as three Twoleg kits ran across the open space, yowling and tossing something red from paw to paw. “They’l scare away al the prey from here to the lake.” Mousewhisker led his patrol around the edge of the clearing, slinking through the shadows so that the Twolegs wouldn’t notice them. Dovewing shivered to the tips of her claws as she crossed the old ShadowClan boundary. There were stil traces of ShadowClan scent, and she half-expected to hear the chal enge of a ShadowClan patrol.
That’s the bush where I first met Tigerheart, she thought as she passed it. Everything was so different back then. . . .
At the other side of the clearing the patrol scattered, tasting the air to pick up the scent of squirrel.
“Over here,” Icecloud cal ed in a low voice. She was standing at the foot of a tree, gazing up into the branches. “There’s a squirrel up there. I think it’s injured.”
Mousewhisker bounded over. “You’re right. You climb this side, and I’l take the other.” Dovewing and Toadstep watched as their Clanmates clawed their way up the tree. But as they reached the lowest branches there was a rustling among the leaves and the squirrel leaped out, skimming the top of Icecloud’s head, and sprang to the ground, streaking straight past Dovewing and Toadstep. Dovewing whirled and gave chase with Toadstep beside her. The squirrel made a dash for the clearing
It’s not so badly injured that it can’t run, Dovewing thought as she pelted after it.
She and Toadstep gained on the squirrel as it raced across the open space. They swerved past the pelt-dens, their paws splashing briefly in the stream. Dovewing drew ahead; the squirrel was so close that she was bunching her muscles for a leap when the reek of ShadowClan scent brought her skidding to a halt.
Great StarClan! I nearly crossed the border.
The squirrel bounded ahead and disappeared up a nearby ash tree with a flick of its tail. Dovewing glanced around as she stood panting at the edge of her territory, but she couldn’t see Toadstep or the rest of the patrol.
“You stopped this time.”
Dovewing’s heart thumped in her chest at the sound of the voice. She spun around to see Tigerheart padding out from a thicket of brambles.
He paced up to his own side of the border and dipped his head
“I haven’t set paw on your territory!” Dovewing meowed defensively, her neck fur beginning to fluff up with anger. I wish the others would get here, she thought.
“Relax. I’m alone,” Tigerheart responded. “You haven’t done anything wrong. Actual y, I was hoping to see you.”
Dovewing narrowed her eyes. “I told you, we can’t talk like this anymore. It’s . . . it’s over.” Tigerheart blinked. “No, there’s something else.” He hesitated and added reluctantly, “It’s about Dawnpelt.”
Dovewing’s fur began to lie flat as curiosity overtook her nervousness.
“She’s been acting weird ever since Flametail’s death,” the tabby tom went on. “She . . . she thinks it was Jayfeather’s fault that he drowned.”
“That’s not true!” Dovewing hissed. “Jayfeather was trying to save him.”
Tigerheart sighed. “He probably was. But I guess it’s hard to know the truth, and Dawnpelt wants revenge.”
Dovewing stared at him, carried back in her mind to the terrible day when the young ShadowClan medicine cat, Tigerheart’s and Dawnpelt’s littermate, had fal en through the ice on the frozen lake and drowned.
“You know the medicine cats have been acting strange,” Tigerheart went on. “Not going to the Moonpool at the half-moon, that kind of thing.
Dawnpelt thinks that Jayfeather had a quarrel with Flametail, and then murdered him when he fel through the ice.”
“That’s nonsense!” Dovewing’s claws tore at the grass in front of her. “Dawnpelt needs to grow up.
Jayfeather would never do anything like that—he was devastated that he couldn’t save Flametail. I can’t believe you’d listen to that kind of rumor!”
“I’m not tel ing you because I think it’s true.” Tigerheart’s voice rose. “I’m trying to warn you. I think Dawnpelt might do something to hurt ThunderClan in revenge.” His voice dropped and he shook his head.
“She’s acting real y weird.”
Dovewing couldn’t feel sympathetic. “I think we can handle Dawnpelt losing her temper, thanks,” she snapped. “Please don’t talk to me again. We’l both be in trouble if we get caught.” She turned, poised to run into the woods on the other side of the clearing.
“I was just trying to help.” There was anger and sorrow in Tigerheart’s voice. “I want to prove to you that we don’t have to be enemies.”
“It’s too late for that,” Dovewing mewed.
Without looking at Tigerheart again she headed for the trees. Before she reached them, the squirrel shot past her, and Dovewing let out a hiss of irritation. I know Tigerheart chased it back onto our territory. Doesn’t he think I can hunt on my own?
But at the same time her paws carried her swiftly after her prey, and she kil ed it with a neat blow to the spine. Picking it up, she plunged into the shelter of the trees, spotting Mousewhisker and the rest of the patrol a few tail-lengths away.
“Great catch!” Toadstep exclaimed as she bounded up to them
“Yeah, you’re real y fast on your paws,” Mousewhisker added, while Icecloud gave the freshkil an admiring sniff.
As the patrol headed back toward the camp, Dovewing cast a final glance back across the clearing. Tigerheart had vanished. Is what he told me true? she wondered. Is Dawnpelt planning revenge for a murder that never happened?
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Lionblaze padded through the thorn tunnel into the camp and stood flexing his aching muscles. “That was a great training session,” he meowed to Blossomfal as she emerged behind him. “You certainly caught me with that backward leap and twist.”
“Yeah, wil you show me how to do it?” Foxleap asked as he fol owed Blossomfal .
The young she-cat’s eyes glowed at her Clanmates’ praise and she gave her chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks. “It’s not that hard,” she murmured. “I’m sorry if I hurt you, Lionblaze.”
“I’l be fine.” Lionblaze gave her a friendly flick over her ear with the tip of his tail. “I should have been a bit quicker.”
Cinderheart padded up, her eyes glimmering with amusement as her gaze traveled over Lionblaze’s ruffled pelt. “You look like you’ve been pul ed through the thorn barrier backward,” she mewed.
“I feel like it, too,” Lionblaze replied. “Blossomfal and Foxleap didn’t give me a chance to catch my breath. They’re turning into great fighters.” He was heading toward the fresh-kil pile when a yowl broke out behind him. “Firestar! Firestar!” Whirling around, Lionblaze saw Sorreltail burst into the clearing with Bumblestripe, Berrynose, and Hazeltail hard on her paws. Birchfal and Ivypool fol owed more slowly.
“Great StarClan!” Lionblaze exclaimed, his neck fur rising. “Are we under attack?” While Sorreltail was struggling to get her breath back, Firestar appeared from his den on the Highledge, then ran lightly down the tumbled rocks to the floor of the hol ow. Sandstorm leaped down behind him, while Dustpelt and Brackenfur bounded over from the fresh-kil pile.
“What’s going on?” Firestar demanded as he halted in front of Sorreltail’s patrol.
“Trouble on the WindClan border,” Sorreltail explained. “Birchfal and Ivypool got into an argument with some WindClan cats. I think if we hadn’t turned up, there would have been a fight.”
“Is this true?” Firestar asked, fixing his green gaze on Birchfal and Ivypool.
For the first time Lionblaze noticed that Birchfal was looking sulky, while the tip of Ivypool’s tail flicked irritably to and fro.
“They started it,” Birchfal mewed defensively.
“They didn’t want to let us wash our paws in the stream.”
“We weren’t on their territory,” Ivypool added. “We weren’t doing anything wrong.”
“For StarClan’s sake!” Dustpelt snapped, before Firestar could respond. “Aren’t the tensions high enough between the Clans, without going out to look for more trouble?”
“We weren’t looking for it!” Ivypool flashed back at him.
As Firestar raised his tail for silence, Brackenfur padded to Sorreltail’s side and touched her ear lightly with his nose. “I hope you haven’t been getting into any skirmishes,” he murmured.
His mate blinked at him affectionately. “No. But it’s no thanks to these mouse-brains.”
“Mouse-brain yourself!” Birchfal retorted.
“Let’s al keep calm,” Firestar meowed, padding into the middle of the hostile group. “No cat is saying you broke the warrior code,” he went on to Birchfal and Ivypool, “but washing your paws on the WindClan border wasn’t the most sensible thing you’ve ever done.”
“Yes, what’s wrong with the lake?” Sandstorm put in.
Ivypool opened her jaws to reply, but just then excited squealing came from the direction of the nursery. Lionblaze glanced over his shoulder to see Molekit and Cherrykit scampering up.
“What’s happening?” Cherrykit demanded, her tail straight up in the air with excitement. “Can we help?”
“Tel us what to do!” Molekit puffed his chest out importantly. “Who are we going to fight?” Lionblaze felt warmed by the kits’ enthusiasm.
They were almost six moons old, ready to be apprentices, and their mother, Poppyfrost, was ready to return to warrior duties. He bent his head and touched noses with each kit in turn. “Settle down,” he purred. “WindClan isn’t about to attack.
You can put your claws away.”
Straightening up again, he caught Cinderheart’s blue gaze, and saw a flash of pain in her eyes. He understood exactly how she was feeling. We could have kits of our own, as soon as you like, if you could only get past the prophecy. He suppressed a growl of frustration that the gray she-cat found his destiny such a big obstacle. I didn’t ask to be picked out by StarClan before I was even born!
“Having fun with the kits?” Brightheart asked, padding up with her mate, Cloudtail. “You’l be a great father one day, Lionblaze.”
And that doesn’t help, either, Lionblaze thought, his fur itching with embarrassment.
More cats emerged from the thorn tunnel.
Mousewhisker was in the lead, ahead of Dovewing, Icecloud, and Toadstep. Dovewing held a squirrel clamped in her jaws, while Icecloud was carrying a blackbird. They padded into the center of the clearing, casting curious glances at the group of cats around Firestar, then headed for the fresh-kil pile to deposit their prey. Most of the other cats drifted after them, the argument about the encounter with WindClan breaking up.
As soon as Dovewing had dropped her squirrel, Purdy padded up to her from the elders’ den. “Hey, young ‘un,” he began, “it was you col ectin’ moss this morning, wasn’t it?”
Dovewing tipped her head on one side. “Yes, Whitewing and I fetched it. Is there a problem?”
“It’s real y dry an’ prickly,” Purdy meowed, blinking apologetical y. “I don’t want to fuss, but Mousefur can’t get comfortable.”
Lionblaze glanced across at the elders’ den to see Mousefur crouched at the entrance, her head lowered. A pang of pity clawed at him; the outspoken old she-cat hadn’t been the same since her denmate Longtail was kil ed by the fal ing tree. Lionblaze would have given anything to hear Mousefur complain about her own prickly moss.
“I’m sorry,” Dovewing mewed. “I thought I got al the thorns out. I’l go through the bedding again, if you like.”
“No, that’s going to take forever,” Graystripe put in; he and Mil ie were sharing a vole beside the freshkil pile. “Bumblestripe and Blossomfal can go out and find some feathers. That should be soft enough.”
“That is so not fair!” Blossomfal exclaimed, looking up from choosing a piece of fresh-kil .
“Yes, we always get the boring jobs.” Bumblestripe came to stand beside his sister. “Just because there aren’t any apprentices in the Clan!
When wil some of the older warriors do the apprentice duties for a change?”
Graystripe narrowed his amber eyes. “Maybe when you learn not to answer back to a senior warrior,” he rasped.
Bumblestripe and Blossomfal exchanged mutinous glances, but before either of them could reply, Sandstorm padded up to Graystripe and gave him a poke in the side. “Come on, Graystripe,” she meowed. “You’re always tougher on your own kits than the rest of the Clan. They have a point. They’re warriors, but they do get stuck with the apprentice tasks. I’l go with you,” she added to the two younger warriors.
“No, I’ve got a better idea.” Firestar bounded over to the rockfal that led up to his den and sprang onto one of the boulders at the bottom. “Let al cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!” he cal ed.
Most of the cats were already out in the clearing, and they gathered around Firestar with murmurs of surprise. Lionblaze headed to sit beside Cinderheart, noticing that Jayfeather had emerged from his den and was crouched beside Briarlight, who had dragged herself to the edge of the bramble screen. Daisy, Poppyfrost, and Ferncloud slipped out of the nursery and sat together at the edge of the crowd.
“Foxleap, Rosepetal, come and stand here with me,” Firestar continued.
Exchanging mystified glances, the two warriors rose to their paws and joined their Clan leader at the foot of the cliff.
“Since the Clan is having problems because of the shortage of apprentices,” Firestar went on, “I think the best solution is to create some more. Molekit and Cherrykit—”
“What?” Molekit exclaimed, springing to his paws with every hair on his pelt fluffed out until he looked twice his size.
“Us?” Cherrykit bounced up and down with excitement. “Oh, cool!”
“Firestar, you can’t!” Poppyfrost leaped up, her paws pattering as she raced across the clearing to her kits. “We’ve had no warning! They’re so untidy—
Molekit, just look at your pelt!”
She flung herself on the little tom, licking frantical y, while Berrynose got up and hurried over to groom Cherrykit. Lionblaze thought the warrior looked as proud as if it were his own apprentice ceremony.
Firestar looked on for a moment with a purr of amusement, then beckoned the two kits with a wave of his tail. “They’re fine,” he meowed. “Come over here and stand in front of me.”
The two kits obeyed him, their fur stil rumpled and sticking up here and there. Firestar reached out with his tail and touched Cherrykit on the shoulder. “From this time forward,” he announced, “this kit wil be known as Cherrypaw. Foxleap, you have shown courage and perseverance in serving your Clan, and I trust that you wil pass on these qualities to your apprentice.”
Foxleap’s eyes were shining with pride as he stepped forward and touched noses with Cherrypaw.
She stayed by his side as they returned to the crowd of cats.
But when Firestar turned to Molekit, the little tom took a leap backward, out of reach of the Clan leader’s tail. “I don’t want to be an apprentice,” he squeaked. “You only want us so we can do al the nasty jobs!”
Gasps of astonishment came from the assembled cats. Lionblaze saw Cherrypaw gazing wide-eyed with horror at her brother. Berrynose lashed his tail, while Poppyfrost shut her eyes and dug her claws into the ground as if she wished she were somewhere else.
But Firestar, far from being angry, was stifling a purr of laughter. “Yes, there are duties to be done,” he agreed. “But every single warrior here did them.
And training is just as important. That’s why I’ve chosen Rosepetal to be your mentor. She’s a skil ed and swift fighter, and I know she’l pass her training on to you.” He beckoned Molekit again.
Molekit stayed where he was, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Can I do some training first?” he checked. “Before I have to search any cat for ticks?”
“That’s up to Rosepetal,” Firestar purred.
Rosepetal’s eyes were sparkling with amusement.
“Even better than training,” she promised. “Today we’l explore the whole territory. Duties start tomorrow.”
“They’d better!” Molekit growled.
At last he padded up to Firestar, who touched him on the shoulder with his tail-tip. “From this time forward, this kit wil be known as Molepaw,” he declared. “Now, go and touch noses with Rosepetal.”
The young tom did as he was told, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
“The Clan meeting is over,” Firestar meowed.
But before any cat could move, Brackenfur came bounding over. “Just a moment, Firestar. I have some news to share with the Clan.” Firestar waved his tail, giving the ginger warrior permission to speak.
“Sorreltail is having kits again,” Brackenfur announced.
Yowls of congratulation rose up from the Clan.
Lionblaze spotted Cinderheart and Poppyfrost, the kits of Sorreltail’s first litter, exchanging a delighted glance.
Sorreltail raised her voice above the noise.
“They’l be born in just under a moon.” Daisy padded over to her and gave her ear a lick, and Ferncloud pressed her muzzle into Sorreltail’s shoulder. “It’s great that you’l be moving into the nursery with us,” she mewed.
Listening to them, Lionblaze couldn’t help glancing at Cinderheart, but she had moved away from his side and was talking excitedly to Poppyfrost.
Foxleap and Rosepetal were padding toward the thorn tunnel, their apprentices bouncing alongside them. Molepaw seemed to have forgotten his misgivings, and looked as excited as his sister.
“They’re so little,” Poppyfrost murmured as they passed her. “I hope they won’t be too tired, walking al the way around the border.”
“They’l be fine,” Cinderheart reassured her.
“Of course they wil ,” Berrynose added, touching his nose to his mate’s ear. “Our kits wil be the best apprentices the Clan has ever seen.” Lionblaze turned away, trying to push down his envy. As the Clan meeting broke up, he spotted Ivypool heading for her den, and bounded across to intercept her. “What was al that about WindClan?” he asked. “Which warriors were involved?” Ivypool paused as if she was reluctant to answer.
“Heathertail and Breezepelt, and their apprentices,” she mewed at last.
It would be, Lionblaze thought. “They just chal enged you? There wasn’t any actual fighting?” Ivypool shook her head.
“It was fine,” Birchfal meowed, overhearing. “We were never in any danger. Breezepelt wasn’t going to cause trouble. Sorreltail overreacted, that’s al .” Lionblaze studied Birchfal for a heartbeat, surprised at how confident he sounded. Normal y any ThunderClan cat returned from an encounter with Breezepelt ruffled and hissing. Why had this time been so different? He narrowed his eyes. Was it because Birchfal and Breezepelt had a connection that went beyond a shared border?
“Tel me more about what happened,” he prompted Ivypool as soon as Birchfal was out of earshot again. “Is there something between Birchfal and Breezepelt? Have you seen Birchfal in the Dark Forest?”
“N-no,” Ivypool replied.
Her hesitation made Lionblaze suspicious. “But you know he goes there, right?” Frustrated, he added, “You’re supposed to tel us everything about the Dark Forest! Even if it involves your father. I think you need to consider where your loyalties lie.” Fury flared in Ivypool’s eyes. “How dare you question my loyalties?” she snarled. “I risk my life for my Clan every time I go to sleep!”
“What’s going on?” Dovewing’s voice sounded behind Lionblaze, and he turned to see her racing up to him. “What are you doing to Ivypool?”
“Nothing,” Lionblaze defended himself.
“So accusing me of being disloyal is nothing, is it?” Ivypool chal enged him, her eyes stil blazing with rage.
“That’s not fair!” Dovewing exclaimed. “Just back off, Lionblaze. If we can’t trust our Clanmates, who can we trust?”
Lionblaze snorted. “I don’t know. I’d trust Ivypool more if she’d give me a straight answer.” Ivypool didn’t answer, just spun around and stalked off. Dovewing was about to fol ow when Lionblaze blocked her with his tail.
“Make sure you listen careful y for anything happening on the WindClan border,” he meowed.
To his surprise, Dovewing hung her head and muttered something that Lionblaze couldn’t catch.
“What?” he asked.
Dovewing looked up; Lionblaze felt his pelt prickle with apprehension as he saw real fear in her eyes.
“My extra senses haven’t come back after my trip to the mountains,” she confessed. “What if I’ve lost my power?”
Lionblaze stared at her. “But you’re one of the Three.”
Dovewing shook her head. “I don’t know if it’s because I heard and saw too much when I was beyond the ridge of hil s, or if I’ve become too good at blocking out far-off sounds. I had to do that when we were traveling, or everything would have overwhelmed me.”
“I’m sure you’l be al right,” Lionblaze soothed her instinctively, remembering the time when she was his apprentice. “You just need to give it time. Your senses wil come back.”
But though he tried to sound confident, inwardly he wasn’t so sure. Anxiety bubbled up inside him. If Dovewing loses her power, does that mean the prophecy is reduced to two?
Prologue
Prologue
Brambles rustled at the edge of a wood as a cat emerged into the open. Watchful eyes flicked to each side; then the cat strode out across a wide stretch of meadow grass, heading toward another belt of trees in the distance. Bright newleaf sun shone down on a landscape patched with fields and hedges. Twoleg dens clustered together beside a Thunderpath.
Even so early in the season, the sun was hot, and the cat’s ears flicked in irritation as flies buzzed around them. It will be cooler under the trees, the traveler thought, pausing for a moment to flex tired paws. And there’s not much farther to go. Just beyond that range of hills . . .
But before the cat reached the inviting shade of the wood, a loud hiss sounded and a second cat leaped out from under a nearby hedge: a tough, lean tom with a gray pelt and one bitten ear.
“What are you doing here?” the tom demanded. “If you’re looking for somewhere to rest, keep looking.
This is my place. And the prey around here is mine.” The traveling cat halted and looked the tom up and down with narrowed eyes. “Your place? You mean, you live in this hedge?”
“No, I’m from the farm over there.” The tom waved his tail in the direction of a large Twoleg den just visible above the thorns. “And I don’t like strangers.
Keep going, or I’l make you.” He bared his teeth and slid out his claws, his mangy cloud-colored fur fluffing up in anger.
The traveler rocked back on its haunches. It’s been a while since I used my fighting skills . . . but I’m not going to let this mange-pelt scare me. “I’m just passing through. I’m no threat to your precious prey.”
The farm cat let out a disbelieving snort and tilted his head to one side. “Are you one of those cats from the lake?”
The journeying cat’s tone was wary. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I’ve seen them coming this way before,” the gray tom replied. “Oh, they haven’t seen me, I’ve made sure of that. But I’ve heard them talking about the mountains.” He rol ed his eyes. “Who’d want to go al that way? Can’t they find enough food where they live?”
“Maybe they’re not looking for food.” The first cat’s voice was tinged with scorn. “There are other things in life, you know.”
The farm cat sat down and scratched his ear with one hindpaw. “Like what?” he mewed contemptuously. “Gazing at the stars and imagining your ancestors are looking back at you?” At the traveler’s start of surprise, he added, “I’ve listened to plenty of tales about what happens on the other side of those hil s. As long as they don’t trouble me, I don’t care what those cats get up to. They can—”
“Right,” the traveler interrupted, pushing past the farm cat and padding on. “As long as they don’t steal your prey.”
The gray tom sprang to his paws and fol owed.
“You’re one of them, aren’t you?” he asked as he caught up. “I think I’ve seen you before.”
“Maybe.” The journeying cat’s whiskers twitched.
“A long time ago.”
“Where have you been?” The farm cat’s voice was curious. “Did you get lost?”
“Oh, no.” The stranger sounded faintly amused. “I always knew where I was.”
The farm cat fel back, watching the stranger pad toward the trees. Then he shook his head and bounded back to the farm, vanishing under the hedge with a whisk of his tail.
The traveler reached the wood and looked around for a place to make a temporary nest, but each paw prickled with restlessness, and none of the hol ows or the spaces under the tree-roots seemed quite suitable. A mouse crept out from under a bush, nibbling at fal en grass seeds. Remembering long-forgotten lessons, the traveler dropped into the hunter’s crouch and sprang, kil ing the mouse with a single swift blow. But the limp body looked unappetizing with the life chased out of it; the cat scraped a few pawfuls of earth over it and left it.
Dusk was fal ing as the traveler continued, heading up the hil more swiftly through the spindly trees.
It’s been a long time. Will the cats that I remember best still be there?
As the day began to fade, the cat left the trees behind and reached the crest of a hil covered in tough moorland grass. Below, a scarlet sunset was reflected in the lake, transforming the water to the color of blood. Above the stranger’s head, the first warriors of StarClan were glimmering in the sky.
The traveling cat took a deep breath. I have returned. Let vengeance begin.
引子
引子
树林边的荆棘丛窸窣作响，一只猫出现在空地上。只见他迅速警觉地左右张望了几下，接着便大步穿过草地，朝远处的另一片树林走去。新叶季明媚的阳光照耀着大地，到处都是成片的田野和树篱。雷鬼路两侧布满了成排的两脚兽巢穴。
在这个季节，即便是清晨，太阳晒在身上也炙热难耐。这只猫烦躁地抖抖耳朵，驱赶着耳边嗡嗡作响的苍蝇。树下面应该能凉快点儿，远行猫停下来活动了一下酸涩的脚掌，心想，马上就要到了，只要翻过那几道山脊就好……
可还没等他走到那边阴凉的树林，一声响亮的嘶嘶声响起，又有一只猫从附近的树篱下跳了出来。这是一只健壮精瘦的灰毛公猫，一只耳朵被咬掉了一块。
“你来这里做什么？”公猫诘问道，“如果你想找地方歇脚，最好去别处。这里是我的地盘，周围的猎物也都是我的。”
远行猫停下来，眯着眼睛上下打量着公猫：“你的地盘？你的意思是，你住在树篱中？”
“不，我住在那边的农场。”公猫冲着荆棘丛外那处巨大的两脚兽巢穴摇了摇尾巴，“不过我不喜欢生面孔。你快走，不然我就对你不客气了。”他龇着牙亮出利爪，生气地蓬起了脏兮兮的灰色皮毛。
远行猫坐稳了身子。虽然我已经很久没有战斗了……可我也不会让这只疥癣皮给吓住。“我只是过路而已，对你那些宝贝猎物不感兴趣。”
农场猫怀疑地哼了一声，脑袋歪到一边：“你是从湖区来？”
远行猫立刻变得很警惕：“你为什么这么问？”
“因为我以前在这条路上见过他们，”灰色公猫回答道，“嗯，我敢肯定他们没发现我。但我听见他们谈论山区来着。”说着他眼珠一转：“居然还有猫想去那里？难道他们住的地方没有足够的食物了吗？”
“或许他们不是在找食物。”第一只猫的声音里有些不屑，“要知道，生活中要做的事情还有很多。”
农场猫坐了下来，抬起一只后掌挠了挠耳朵。“比如呢？”他轻蔑地问道，“仰望星空，想象着你们的祖先也正凝望着你们吗？”看到远行猫有些惊讶，农场猫又补充道：“我听说过山那边发生的很多故事。只要那些猫不来烦我，我才不在意他们做什么呢。他们可以……”
“没错，”远行猫打断了他，从他身边挤了过去，继续往前走去，“只要他们不偷你的猎物。”
灰色公猫一跃而起跟了上去。“你是他们中的一员，对吗？”他追上前问道，“我感觉我以前见过你。”
“也许吧，”远行猫抖了抖胡须，“不过那是很久以前的事情了。”
“你去了哪儿？”农场猫好奇地问道，“你是迷路了吗？”
“哦，没有。”陌生猫听起来有点儿像开玩笑，“我一直都知道自己的位置。”
农场猫放慢了脚步，看着陌生猫往树林里走去。过了一会儿，他摇摇头转身朝农场跑去，尾巴一甩消失在树篱下。
远行猫钻进树林。他环顾四周，想找个临时歇脚的地方。只是，长途奔波使他的四只脚掌酸痛不已，而树下的那些坑坑洼洼的地方看上去也都不适合休息。一只老鼠从灌木丛中溜了出来，正啃食着掉落在地上的草籽。回忆着很久以前学到的那些狩猎技巧，远行猫摆出狩猎的姿势，蹲伏下身体，然后猛然一跃，只是迅疾一击，便结果了老鼠。可面对老鼠瘫软的尸体，远行猫却毫无食欲，只是刨了几把土盖住它，便离开了。
夜幕降临，远行猫继续前行。穿过四周高耸的树林，他朝远处的山脊加速前行。
时间过去了那么久，那些我仍记得的猫还会在那里吗？
天色渐晚，远行猫终于冲出树林，爬上一座漫山遍野绿草如茵的小山丘。山下，绯红的落日倒映在湖中，将湖水染成了血红色。头顶上方，第一批星族武士正在夜空中闪耀着光芒。
远行猫深吸了一口气。我回来了，让复仇开始吧！
第一章
第一章
梦境消融在黑暗之中，松鸦羽渐渐醒来。他张开嘴巴，打了个大大的哈欠，整个身子都沉甸甸的。他在窝里坐起身，感觉仿佛有无数根常春藤蔓正缠绕着他，想要将他拽回地面。
眼下已是新叶季末，可天气却比往年要热得多，空气中到处飘荡着猎物和茂盛绿植的气息。石头山谷中，巫医巢穴前的黑莓屏风边传来一阵喧嚣，那是猫儿们的脚步声和兴奋的低语声。此时，他们正在集合，准备开始今天的首次巡逻。
可松鸦羽却一点儿也兴奋不起来。自从他跟同伴们从山区的急水部落回来，到现在已经过了一个多月，可他心里仍然感到寒冷和压抑。他满脑子里都是那些白雪覆盖下连绵延伸的山峦，映衬在冰蓝的天空下，轮廓格外清晰。每每想起那个特别的身影，他的心中便一阵钻心的疼：一只白猫，闪动着悲伤的绿色眸子，久久地凝望着他，然后转过身，伴随着水的轰鸣，朝瀑布上方的崖顶走去。
松鸦羽摇了摇头。我这是怎么了？事情已经过去那么久了。我的生命始终跟族群同在，但我为什么还会如此怅然若失呢？
“嘿，松鸦羽。”荆棘光含混的声音回荡着。松鸦羽猜她肯定钻到他储存草药的岩缝里去了。“你终于醒啦。”
松鸦羽咕哝了一声。荆棘光也是他亟待解决的另一个难题。他没忘记从山区回来后，狮焰对他说过的话：荆棘光后腿残疾，不得不整日待在石头山谷里，对此她感到十分沮丧，于是便说服兄弟黄蜂条带她去森林里寻找草药。
“当时有只疯狗四处乱跑，”狮焰告诉他，“即使是四肢健全的猫也未必能跑得过它。要不是我和蟾步把它引开，荆棘光早就被撕成碎片了。”
“真是鼠脑子！”松鸦羽气得大喊，“她怎么能让自己陷入那么危险的境地？”
“那是因为她认为自己是个废物。”狮焰解释道，“你就不能再多给她安排些事情吗？炭心和我答应过她，会帮她在族群里找个适合的角色。”
“你不事先跟我商量，无权向她承诺任何事。”松鸦羽抗议道，“你是想让我收她为徒？我可不想要学徒！”
“我不是那个意思。”狮焰说道，尾尖恼怒地抽动了两下，“但你能给她找些她更感兴趣的事情来做，对吗？”
尽管很不情愿，松鸦羽还是按哥哥的吩咐去做了。他不得不承认，指导荆棘光是件很轻松的事情。她在巫医巢穴里待了那么久，早就耳濡目染学到了很多。
她确实帮了很大的忙。他沉思着，分拣草药的时候，她动作干净利落，浸泡枯萎的树叶时，她也做得很好，不会让叶片碎掉。
“松鸦羽？”荆棘光的声音将松鸦羽的思绪唤了回来。他听到她扭动着身体，声音听上去清晰了很多，好像是把头从岩缝里缩回来了。“你还好吗？怎么一整晚都在翻来覆去的？”
“我很好。”松鸦羽嘟哝道，不愿再提那些折磨着他的梦境。
“金盏花快用光了。”荆棘光继续说道，“你们从山区回来后，治疗鸽翅的抓伤用了很多。要不要我告诉亮心去采集一些？”
“不用，我自己去。”松鸦羽低声说道。
“好的。”荆棘光的声音听上去非常开心，“那我就继续分拣草药。啊，对了，还有一件事……”
松鸦羽听见年轻母猫拖着身子，挪到他的窝旁，然后把什么东西推向他。“你经过排便处的时候，能顺便把这个扔掉吗？”她说，“它粘在草药库的角落里了。”
松鸦羽伸长脖子，鼻子碰到一团皮毛，上面还粘着几片干枯的碎叶子。他身子突然一僵，因为他闻出了上面残存的微弱气息。
“是谁把这一小块旧的皮毛落在草药里面了呢？”荆棘光继续说道，“肯定有些年头了，我都分辨不出它的气味和颜色。”
松鸦羽一时间没有说话。他呼吸着音信全无的姐姐那久违的气味，完全沉浸在他、冬青叶和狮焰一起玩耍训练时的时光里。那时候，他们对预言还一无所知，也不知道松鼠飞和叶池对他们撒了怎样的谎。
冬青叶的皮毛怎么会落在草药库里呢。他暗自纳闷，要是我先发现它，肯定会把它扔掉，不让其他猫看见。
“我很奇怪，它是从哪儿来的。”荆棘光问道。“有可能是其他族群的猫溜进这儿偷草药的时候留下的。”说着，她自己忍不住笑出了声，“也有可能是幼崽们溜进来把它藏在这里的。”
“我怎么知道？”松鸦羽的回忆被打断，有些恼怒地厉声说道，“赶紧把你脑子里那些乱七八糟的胡思乱想清理干净！”
他转过身，以免荆棘光看见自己在做什么。他把那撮皮毛偷偷塞到自己窝里的苔藓深处，然后起身说道：“我要去采些金盏花回来。”说完，他便出了巢穴。
他刚走了几步，黄蜂条的气味便扑鼻而来。年轻公猫出现在他面前，开口说道：“我正要去找你呢。我真的很担心鸽翅。”
“为什么？怎么了？她的抓伤不是已经痊愈了吗？”
“不是伤口的问题，是她一直在做噩梦——昨晚又做了一个。她是尖叫着醒来的，嘴里还念叨着巨鸟和雪崩什么的。”
松鸦羽尽力按捺住心里的一丝不耐烦。我知道亲眼看见鹰扑被老鹰抓走那种感觉有多么糟糕。可是，鸽翅必须得学会更加坚强。
“你是怎么知道的？”他问黄蜂条。
“武士巢穴我的窝上方有个裂缝，”年轻公猫回答道，“而且巢穴里太挤，所以我本来是想在学徒巢穴里跟鸽翅和藤池凑合几个晚上，然后便发现鸽翅每晚都做这些可怕的梦。有没有什么草药可以帮她缓解一下呢？”
松鸦羽感受到了黄蜂条那深深的担忧。“草药抹不去记忆。”他说道，“你得学会接受它。”难道我们不都得这样吗？他心里暗自加了一句。
“可是——”黄蜂条还想说什么。
黑莓掌的声音从空地的另一边传来，打断了他：“喂，黄蜂条！你现在该去狩猎了，栗尾在等你。”
“好的！”黄蜂条回答道，“这就来！我走了，松鸦羽！”说完他便离开了。
松鸦羽朝学徒巢穴走去。武士巢穴太拥挤，所以鸽翅和藤池一直睡在学徒巢穴里。走着走着，他猛然停住了，发现黑莓掌已经先他一步到了这里。
“藤池，鸽翅，快醒醒！”雷族副族长将头探进巢穴里吼道，“你们俩又睡过头了！”
松鸦羽听见一阵不满的咕哝声。不一会儿，两只母猫摇摇晃晃地走了出来。
“看看你们俩！”黑莓掌恼火地说道，“我从没见过那么邋遢的皮毛！难道你们是夜里狩猎去了吗？”
虽然松鸦羽看不见她们，但他一抽鼻子，闻到了她们那脏兮兮皱巴巴的皮毛的味道，感觉到两只母猫身上散发出的恐惧气息。他很清楚她们为什么一直睡不好。黄蜂条已经告诉他了，鸽翅每晚都做噩梦。藤池则每晚都要造访黑森林，接受那些被星族唾弃的猫们的训练。
希望她能跟我说说那里的情形，松鸦羽想道，可是，她什么也不说——只是说一有重要事情就会让我知道。
“要不然去我的巢穴，我给她们检查一下？”他跟黑莓掌建议道，希望能有机会私下里从两只母猫身上获取点儿信息，“或许是有什么事情才让她们搞成了这个样子……”
松鸦羽的声音渐渐小了下去，因为他意识到没有谁听他的。就在他讲话的时候，一阵急促的脚步声宣告了白翅的到来。
“黑莓掌，不要生她俩的气！”白翅说道，“她俩已经很辛苦了，而且我们现在一个学徒也没有。”她顿了一下，然后又补充道：“我会帮她们完成今天的任务的。”
“我需要你去边界巡逻。”黑莓掌告诉她。
“可我需要跟我的女儿们待在一起。”白翅抗议道，“可以让其他猫代替我去边界巡逻。”
黑莓掌不悦地哼了一声。“好吧。”他嘟囔着大步离开了。
“赶紧把你们自己收拾干净。”白翅一边说，一边飞快地用舌头舔过藤池的耳朵。
“别碰我！”藤池抗议道，“我已经不是幼崽了！”
“你们永远都是我的幼崽。”白翅说完，转身也飞快地舔了舔鸽翅。鸽翅赶紧往后一跳，大喊道：“停！我已经是武士了！我能自己整理皮毛！”
“那就证明给我看。现在，我们得去采些苔藓来给长老们铺窝。”白翅看着女儿们快速梳理着自己，继续说道，“看在星族的分上，一定要保证波弟的窝里一根刺都没有，否则我们就永无宁日了。来吧！”
她催促着她俩来到营地入口，快到荆棘通道的时候，火星领着黎明巡逻队钻了出来。松鸦羽的鼻子闻到的全是族猫们的气味。黑莓掌跃过空地去迎接他们，身后紧跟着尘毛、云尾和亮心。狐跃从猎物堆旁抬起头来，嘴里还叼着一只老鼠；莓鼻也大步朝巡逻队走去，后面的叶池和松鼠飞缓缓跟了上去。
小鼹鼠和小樱桃冲出育婴室，蹦蹦跳跳冲到空地上，径直扑到莓鼻的脚掌上，差点儿把他绊倒。
“小心！”莓鼻一边轻声说道，一边稳住身子，尾巴扶住两只兴奋的幼崽。
莓鼻的尾巴肯定很痛。松鸦羽猜想道，他是怎么变成这么好的父亲的？
“影族入侵了吗？”小鼹鼠尖叫道，“我们能去参加战斗了吗？”
“我学会了一个了不起的动作！”小樱桃一边兴奋地说道，一边扑到一片树叶上，用小爪子将它撕碎。
“你们当然不能去了！”罂粟霜气喘吁吁地追上她的孩子，“你们俩连学徒都还不是呢！”
黑莓掌绕过幼崽，走到族长面前。“有什么消息吗？”他问道。
“没有，一切风平浪静。”火星回答道。松鸦羽也走过去听着。“目前看，似乎所有的族群都相安无事。”
“没错。”刺掌跟着火星走进营地，附和道，“除了来更新气味标记，没有迹象表明风族或是影族接近过边界。”
“那就太好了！”亮心欢呼道。
松鸦羽可没这么确信。他知道，四大族群之所以井水不犯河水，是因为星族对族群边界有着清晰严格的划分。所有的武士祖先都警告说要远离其他族群，不要相信除族猫外的其他任何猫，并且要随时准备迎战即将发生的可怕事情。那件事情就像笼罩在地平线上的乌云一样，随时都可能会掀起狂风骤雨。
至少雷族拥有预言中提及的三只猫。松鸦羽想道，将会有三只猫，你至亲的至亲，星权在握。我、狮焰，还有鸽翅，都在同一族群。这必能让我们更安全，不是吗？
他收紧脚掌。在经历了一个不眠之夜后，他的脚掌似乎有些乏力，但它们至少还能坚持到石头山谷上面有金盏花的地方。接着，他想起半个月前杀无尽部落的另外一个预言。恍惚间，松鸦羽似乎又回到了那个一片漆黑、狂风呼啸的山顶。周围全是死去的猫，他们闪闪发光的眼睛死死地盯着他。他似乎再次听到了尖石巫师那长长的低语声。
星族末日就要到来了。三力量必须变成四力量，才能驱散那永无止境的黑暗。
恍惚间，松鸦羽清醒过来，再次感受到营地周围环绕着他的那些声音和气味。
我们怎样才能找到第四只猫呢？找到三只就已经够费劲的了。而且新预言并没有说这只猫是不是火星的至亲。松鸦羽沮丧得几乎发出嘶嘶的声音，这只猫可能是任何族群里的任何一只猫！
第二章
第二章
藤池跟着白翅来到离营地不远的小溪旁。这里枝繁叶茂，绿草盈盈，酸涩的脚掌踩在草地上凉凉的。感谢星族！藤池舒了一口气，可我身上的每一根毛都疼得厉害！
昨晚，她跟日击和红柳进行了一场艰苦的训练。鹰霜一直在旁边监督着，直到三只猫身上全都挂了彩，才结束了训练。此刻，藤池感觉自己遍体鳞伤，一只耳朵由于受到重击，到现在还嗡嗡作响。
藤池瞥了一眼姐妹，发现鸽翅似乎同样精疲力竭。松鸦羽真不应该带她去山区。藤池有点儿恼火地想道，她差点儿就被老鹰抓走，她对族群来说太重要了，绝不可以有任何闪失。
“我们休息一会儿吧，”白翅体贴地提议道，“你们可以喝点儿水，再梳洗一下皮毛。”
藤池听得出母亲声音里的焦虑。我知道她担心我们会完不成任务，但她更关心我们的身体。
“不用，我们没事。”鸽翅说道，她挺直肩膀，昂起头，强打起精神，“我们应该继续走，前面有个地方苔藓很多。”
“你们俩可不像没事的样子。”白翅直接说道。犹豫片刻，她又说道：“我知道你们遇上了麻烦，但如果你们不想说，我也不问。但请记住，我是你们的母亲，不管你们说什么，都不会吓到我，也不会动摇我对你们的爱。”
藤池抖抖耳朵。我敢打赌你会动摇的。
但她什么也没说，只是高兴地坐在长长的清凉的草地上放松身体。白翅用舌头长时间有节奏地帮她梳理着皮毛。从黑森林——那个她得时刻保持警惕，且无法相信任何猫的地方回来，能被如此悉心呵护着的感觉真好。
“我昨晚做了个噩梦。”鸽翅坦白道，她扭过脖子，舔了舔肩膀上一簇缠结的皮毛，“我梦见自己又回到了山区，鹰扑正被老鹰抓走。”
“你应当尽量不去想这些事情。”白翅温柔地说道，把头转向鸽翅，飞快地帮她把那簇皮毛舔顺，“你也知道，老鹰从来都不会来湖区的。”
如果它们来了，藤池暗自想道，鸽翅肯定会比其他猫先听到。
白翅帮鸽翅梳理完毕，然后弓起身子，伸了个懒腰。藤池也站起来，准备继续往前走。她注意到，鸽翅坐在溪水旁一动也没动，只是在那里晃着脑袋挠着耳朵，就好像有什么东西掉进去了似的。
藤池瞥见白翅正朝另一边看，赶紧靠过去在姐妹耳边低声问道：“你没事吧？你的感知还是不起作用吗？”
“还是不行……我还是听不清楚！”鸽翅的蓝色眼睛里满是沮丧，“我是说，我能听见你、白翅，以及我们身旁的声音。可是再远点儿，除了喧闹声、尖叫声，还有风声，我什么也听不到。”
藤池用鼻子碰了碰姐妹的肩膀。“肯定是你在山区时听得太多了。”她说，“你不是说过，穿过风族山脊时声音太大吗？说不定很快就会好了。”
“我也一直这么想。”鸽翅喃喃道，“可现在都已经一个月了，我感觉自己对族群毫无用处了。”
“不会的！”藤池摇摇头，“别这么想！”
鸽翅叹了口气：“可我现在跟聋子没什么区别。”
“不，你只是像正常的猫罢了。”藤池说道，“你——”
看见白翅转身，藤池赶紧打住话头。“该走了，”白翅喊道，“我们先收集苔藓，然后，我还想给长老们抓点儿猎物回去。”
说完，她便朝湖边跑去。藤池跟鸽翅交换了一个眼神，跟了上去。刚跑到那棵盘根错节长满青苔的橡树旁，藤池便发现旁边树丛里有什么东西闪过。她竖起颈毛，绷紧肌肉，准备迎战。结果，来的是松鸦羽，她顿时放松下来。她一直都很好奇，双目失明的巫医是如何信步穿过灌木丛的呢？
白翅停下来，望着树林里走过来的松鸦羽。“他不应该独自出来的。”她喃喃道，“藤池，你过去看看他是不是需要帮忙。”
藤池有点儿犹豫。她可不想单独跟松鸦羽待在一起，因为她知道，松鸦羽一直想找机会，问她有关黑森林的事情。
“快去！”白翅用尾巴点了点松鸦羽的方向，“他可能脾气不好，但你也知道，他还是很乐意你帮他的。”
那刺猬也能飞了！藤池边想边朝巫医走去。
“祝你好运！”鸽翅在她身后悄悄说道。
藤池看见松鸦羽绕过一片荨麻，于是便加快步伐，跟在他瘦削的身子后面。“嘿，”她追上去说道，“白翅让我来看看你是否需要帮助。”
松鸦羽耸了耸一只耳朵，就好像上面落了只苍蝇似的。“不用。”他直接拒绝道。
太好啦！那我就可以回去收集苔藓了！但藤池知道，白翅是不会让她就这样回去的。“那让我跟着你行吗，”她央求道，“不然我还会被赶回到你这里来的。”
松鸦羽耸了耸肩膀。“行。不过不要妄图给我指路，在你出生之前，我就已经在这片森林里穿行了。我只是想到山谷上面去采些金盏花。”等藤池走到他身旁，他又补充道，“山崖最高处的斜坡上有几簇不错的金盏花，那里草木稀疏，阳光可以直射到地面上。”
藤池有点儿惊讶，巫医双目失明，居然还可以把那地方描述得那么详细。她和他肩并肩，沿着崎岖不平的山崖绕行。周围乱石凸起，野草横生，随时都有可能伸出来把他们绊倒。他们很快到了悬崖边，藤池俯瞰着下面的山谷。突然，她想起自己看到的那些群猫大战血流成河的幻象，不由得打了个冷战。她猜想，那会不会就是族群毁灭的征兆呢？
松鸦羽在崖顶转了个方向，走上一条更为崎岖的小路，那里要穿过一片茂密的荆棘丛。藤池不得不贴着地面，小心避开伸到路上的藤蔓。她全神贯注地在地上匍匐前进，以至于在松鸦羽恼怒地嘶叫并且猛然刹住身子时，差点儿撞上他的后腿。
藤池意识到，巫医可能是让荆棘藤蔓的尖刺钩住了皮毛。她伸出脚掌想要帮他拨开藤蔓，可又停了下来。如果我要帮他，他会用比荆棘刺更尖利的爪子来抓我的！
松鸦羽笨拙地抬起一只脚掌，一边嘟囔着，一边摸索着荆棘藤蔓的末梢。过了一会儿，他终于把荆棘藤蔓从身上拽了下来，只不过继续往前爬行时，一撮虎斑皮毛留在了荆棘刺上面。当又有新的藤蔓钩住他时，他连停都没停，直接硬钻了过去。
最后，他们终于来到一小块空地上。藤池兴奋起来，她活动着四肢的肌肉，让全身的皮毛沐浴在阳光之中，周围浓烈的兔子气味让她不禁垂涎欲滴。
“就是这里。”松鸦羽说道，“但是兔子的恶臭让我无法闻到金盏花的气味。”
藤池走进空地，打量着四周的植物。目光所及，她只看见一簇簇被啃食过的植物根茎和散落的叶子。由于太阳的照射，叶子早已枯萎。
“噢，不！”她惊呼道。
“怎么了？”松鸦羽赶紧问道。
“这里没有金盏花了。”藤池告诉他，“它们全都被吃光了。肯定是兔子吃的——我看见它们的粪便了。”
松鸦羽大步向那些被毁的植物走去。他将鼻子伸进一簇植物中，嗅了嗅那些又硬又黑的粪便。“真是太糟了！”他咒骂了一声，“我以前试着在废弃的两脚兽巢穴那边种了些金盏花以及其他植物，可是只有在这里，它们才能充分吸收阳光，长势更好。”
藤池在空地周围慢慢转悠，期许着或许还能有些植物没被兔子吃掉，可却什么都没发现。突然，一阵浓郁的金盏花香飘进了她的口鼻。她疑惑地停了下来。
闻起来像是有很多金盏花，可我为什么看不见它们呢？
她张开嘴感受着空气中的气味，然后循着它来到空地边上的一棵山毛榉树旁。气味就是从山毛榉树的树枝上飘来的。
“植物会长在树上吗？”她喃喃道，“真是鼠脑子！”
可鼻息间的气味却让她无法否认。于是，尽管满腹疑虑，她还是爬上树，攀到了第一根树枝上。她蹲伏在那里，用爪子紧紧地钩住树皮，仔细打量着树枝与树干连接处的那些浅洼。那里储满了雨水，几株金盏花就漂在上面，根部没入水中，因此显得生机勃勃。
“松鸦羽！”她兴奋地大喊道，“我找到金盏花了！”
松鸦羽四处张望，仿佛无法确定她的声音是从哪里传过来的。接着，他也来到她这棵树下。“植物长在树上？”他有些生气，厉声说道，“如果你敢跟我开玩笑，我就——”
“不是开玩笑。”藤池向他保证。她大致跟他描述了一下那些被小心翼翼放在水洼中的植物，最后说道：“我把它们扔下去给你。”
藤池把金盏花一棵棵都捡起来，抛到地上。“这是我碰到过的最奇怪的事情了。”松鸦羽继续说道，“星族啊，它们怎么跑到树上去的？”
“或许是兔子把它们留在那里，等着以后再吃？”藤池猜测道。
“你什么时候见过兔子爬树？”松鸦羽用前脚掌抓了几株金盏花，声音喑哑地说道。“松鼠喜欢储藏坚果，”他若有所思地补充说道，“说不定这就是它们藏的。”
你什么时候见过松鼠吃金盏花？藤池当然不敢把这一句大声说出来。“谁知道呢。”她说道。扔下最后一株金盏花，她顺着树干滑了下来。
松鸦羽把金盏花分成两捆，这样他和藤池就可以各自带一捆回营地了。然后他穿过空地，又不死心地嗅了嗅那些被毁掉的植物。“得想个办法把这些植物保护起来，这样它们才能重新长起来。”他叼满草药的嘴里咕哝着。
藤池不知道他们怎样才能做到这一点。围绕那片植物搭建个荆棘屏障会是个浩大的工程，而且对兔子也起不到什么拦截作用。它们不会因为这里有荆棘丛挡道，就远离这片树林。
“或许我们可以在这里留下狐狸的气味，”她提议道，“那样应该能把兔子吓跑。”
“怎么做？”松鸦羽问道。他的语气仿佛是在说，这就是个鼠脑子主意。
藤池想了想说：“可以用狐狸的粪便……虽然听上去很恶心，但说不定会管用呢。”
“那怎么弄到狐狸的粪便？”松鸦羽问道，“难道要走到一只狐狸跟前，然后对它说，‘请给我拉点儿粪便吧？’我觉得这主意不怎么样。”
藤池翻了个白眼。松鸦羽是我们的巫医没错，可他有时候真是鼠脑子。“用旧的粪便，”她回答道，“你不会以为我要冲进狐狸洞穴去弄新鲜粪便吧？”最后一句她的声音很低，因为试图跟松鸦羽争论是没有意义的——无论怎样，都是他赢。
没想到，这次松鸦羽却点了点头：“或许你是对的。我们把这些植物先送回山谷，然后你就去办这件事，好吗？”
藤池叹了口气。这下好了，她一边跟着松鸦羽沿小路返回，一边心里想道，我这嘴巴怎么就闭不上呢？
回到石头山谷，藤池跟着松鸦羽来到巫医巢穴，把她那捆金盏花放下。
“你们找到一些啦！”荆棘光欢呼道。她拖着身体爬过巫医巢穴，然后将鼻子埋进芳香的根茎中：“我现在就把它们分拣一下，然后储存起来。”
“谢谢你，藤池。”松鸦羽冲藤池微微点点头，说道，“你现在可以去找狐狸粪便了。”
藤池恶心地皱了皱眉，然后走出巢穴来到空地，打量着周围。她想再找个武士跟她一起去，因为去找狐狸粪便，就意味着可能会遇上狐狸。如果她只身冒险，回来肯定会被训一顿。她看见的第一只猫是梅花落，后者刚从荆棘通道钻出来，正跑过营地，要去将一只田鼠放到猎物堆上。
“嘿，梅花落，”藤池朝她走了过去，“你能跟我一起出去找点儿狐狸粪便吗？”
梅花落盯着她，就好像她长了两颗脑袋似的。这不能怪她。藤池无奈地想。“找狐狸粪便是为了把兔子从松鸦羽的金盏花圃里吓跑。”她解释道。
“对……对不起，我去不了。”梅花落犹豫片刻回答道，“我答应了波弟和鼠毛，要去帮他们抓虱子。”说完她便匆忙往长老巢穴跑去了。
哼！要去抓虱子为什么不先去松鸦羽那里取点儿老鼠胆汁？藤池心里想道。
她一开始以为梅花落只是想逃避这个脏乱危险的任务。可她一般不这样呀……不，她应该是因为曾在黑森林里遇到过我，所以才如此慌张不安。或许她现在已经开始意识到黑森林的危险了，所以才不想跟我多说话吧。
身后传来另一只猫的脚步声，吓了她一跳。她看着四周，看到了父亲桦落。桦落走过来，将一只松鼠扔到了猎物堆上。
“你吓死我了！”她惊魂未定地说道。
桦落抖抖耳朵：“我可不觉得有什么能吓住你，藤池。”
藤池觉得他说的这话怪怪的，但她没时间多想。“我要去找些狐狸粪便，以免松鸦羽的草药被兔子吃了。”她说道，“你能跟我一起去吗？”
“当然可以。”桦落飞快地舔了一下胸口的毛，然后跟她一起朝荆棘通道跑去。
一走进森林，藤池就带着桦落朝雷族和族群边界外的那片树林走去。“除了那里，其他地方都不太可能找到狐狸粪便。”她解释道，“每个族群都把狐狸往外赶。”
桦落点点头。“三天前的晚上，我见过你。”他顿了一下说道，“看到你在黑森林跟鹰霜一起训练。”
藤池猛地停住了，震惊地望着自己的父亲。她希望他没听见自己那怦怦的心跳声。真不敢相信，会有其他雷族猫会和虎星以及其他黑森林武士为伍，更别说还是她的至亲。我还能相信我的族猫吗？她想道，除了狮焰、鸽翅以及松鸦羽，其他的猫也有可能造访了黑森林！
“那是我第一次去，”桦落继续说道，“我是透过树林看见你的。”
“我没看见你。”藤池回答道，竭力想要掩饰自己的慌乱。
桦落的眼中闪烁着愉悦的光芒：“你当然看不见我，你那会儿看上去很忙。”
“我在那里学会了一些有用的本领。”藤池字斟句酌地说道。
桦落点点头，眼中的愉悦被自信取代。“他们把我们训练得很好，这让我们有机会壮大族群。”他说道，“我原以为自己什么都会了，但我现在才知道，还有很多办法能让我们在为族群而战时，显得更强大。”
藤池不想再讨论黑森林的话题，于是说道：“对付狐狸的时候也会有用的。你闻到粪便的气味了吗？”
桦落盯着她看了好一会儿，琥珀色的眼睛看得藤池皮毛一阵刺痛。过了一会儿，他抬起头，张开嘴巴嗅探着空气。“没有。”他说道，“我们得离边界再近点儿。”
穿过雷族的气味标记，来到陌生的森林，藤池愈发地感到不安。这里的地面凹凸不平，坑里到处都是潮湿腐烂的树叶；杂草丛生间，乱石突兀，树木林立，头顶上方的树枝盘织交错遮天蔽日。藤池打了个寒战，她感觉有什么东西在盯着她。可当她转身去看时，却没发现任何闪烁的目光从灌木丛或是头上树枝间投来。
“狐狸！”桦落高兴地喊道，“我感觉就在不远处。走这边。”
藤池跟着他绕过一簇蕨草。她还是感觉有东西在盯着她，于是频频回头张望，可除了一片阴影，她毫无收获。
“哎呀！”她突然惊叫一声。一根黑莓藤蔓缠住了她，利刺扎入她的皮毛。有几个心跳的时间，她使劲挣扎，想象着狐狸正在等着她放弃挣扎，然后变成待宰的猎物。
“别动。”桦落的声音从一旁传来，“说实话，藤池，你东张西望的样子，跟第一次走出营地的幼崽没两样。难道你没看见前面的黑莓丛吗？”
“噢，当然看见了。”藤池嘟囔道，“我是觉得好玩故意钻进来的。”说罢，她又扯着嗓门补充道：“快把我弄出去，桦落。我可不想被困在这里。万一有狐狸经过就麻烦了。”
父亲开始帮她把身上带刺的枝条拨开，藤池很快就脱身了。只是皮毛上还挂着一些刺，藤蔓上也留下了几撮银白色的毛。
“看起来好像下雪了一样，”桦落打趣道，“你确定自己没事吗？”
“我很好，谢谢。”
“那我们继续走吧。看在星族的分上，这次你一定要注意脚掌下的路。”
藤池跟在他身后，心里一阵愤愤不平。他说得就好像我什么都不懂似的。他是不是忘记我已经不再是幼崽了。
藤池钻过黑莓丛，在两块岩石间发现了一个黑洞，周围几乎被长长的蕨叶挡得严严实实的。那里的狐狸气味十分浓烈。
“那就是巢穴。”桦落尾巴一弹，指了指那边说道。
“但是气味很陈旧了。”藤池又补充说道，迫切地想要展示自己辨别气味的本领，“我觉得那里面没有狐狸。”
桦落点点头：“没错。所以我们赶紧找点儿狐狸粪便，然后在它回来之前赶紧离开这里吧。”
在巢穴入口附近，藤池强忍着恶臭，找到一堆狐狸粪便。她捡起一根树枝，将一端放进里面滚了滚，直到上面全部沾满粪便。
“伟大的星族啊，这也太臭了！”桦落大呼道，“真不敢相信，我们居然在做这种事情！”
“可你也会很高兴，受伤的时候能有金盏花用。”藤池咬着牙强忍着臭味说道。
桦落翻了个白眼：“难道就没有容易一点儿的办法吗？”
藤池没有回答他的问题。她叼起树枝，转身朝雷族边界跑去。令她欣慰的是，一踏上自己的领地，那种被窥视的感觉便消失了。
很奇怪，到底是不是狐狸在窥视我们。可如果是，那它为什么不攻击我们呢？
叼着树枝走路很不容易，不过藤池和桦落轮流叼着，终于设法将它运到了营地上方长着金盏花的空地上。藤池在被毁掉的金盏花丛周围跑出了个圈，并用沾满粪便的树枝涂抹着草地。
“这样就能把兔子赶跑了吧。”桦落满意地说道。
扔下树枝，藤池心里还是感觉一阵担忧：“希望我们没做错。如果其他狐狸闻见这里的气味，会不会认为这里是它们的领地？”
桦落耸耸肩：“如果真是那样，那它们也太鼠脑子了吧。不过我们最好把这事告诉巡逻队一声，要不然他们还以为是狐狸入侵了呢。”
藤池点点头：“等见到黑莓掌我告诉他。”希望这主意没问题，她想道，只是这种担心仍然像刺一样戳着她的脚垫，我们可是把头号敌人的气味带回了营地的心脏地带。
她朝回营地的小径走去，桦落跟在她身后。“我们走远路吧，沿着风族边界的那条溪流往回走。”他提议道，“我想把脚掌上的狐狸臭味洗干净。”
去边界的路上，穿过一簇簇清新莹绿的蕨丛，他们身上的狐狸的臭味被冲淡了不少，藤池也在周围熟悉的环境中放松了下来。但是，在顺着山坡朝溪流走下去时，她没看见草丛中的枝条，结果被绊了一下，正好碰到她昨晚训练时伤到的那条腿。
“老鼠屎！”她皱起眉头，嘴里咕哝了一句。
“下次你的反应得再快点儿。”桦落指点道。很显然，他知道她受伤的真正原因。“落脚掌时得当心。如果仅仅因为一次愚蠢的失误就从此不能再战斗，那将是一件很丢脸的事情。你必须明白，训练是很艰苦的。”
藤池瞥了他一眼：“是。”
跟族猫分享自己的夜间活动，尤其还是她的父亲，这让藤池感觉怪怪的，脚掌上也传来阵阵剧痛。桦落肯定以为我是想加入虎星的计划。她不安地想道，他不知道我是在为雷族当卧底。不过他会知道的。她不自在地安慰自己。
藤池知道黑森林猫意图毁掉全部的族群。可她始终无法相信，桦落和梅花落会是雷族的敌人。他们肯定是被骗了。我知道桦落只是想尽力为族群做点儿事情。只是，她内心的疑虑还不能完全消除，那种感觉就像是有小虫子在不停地啃噬着她一样。
忍住不去想这些，藤池走到小溪边，站到桦落身旁。她望着下方的溪水问道：“真的要下水吗？”
“不然我们回到营地时，浑身都会是狐狸的臭味。”桦落答道，“没别的办法，真没得选。”
说完他很不情愿地滑下岸，直到四肢全部浸入水中。藤池也紧随其后，蹚到溪水深处。清凉的溪水从腿上没过，冰得她浑身一缩。她脚掌相互摩擦着，想要洗去上面残留的气味。藤池听见桦落在她身后溅起水声，可突然，声音一下子就没了。
“啊，不好，”桦落低声道，“我们被发现了。”
四只风族猫正站在另一侧的岸边，俯视着他们。迎着日光，藤池眯起眼睛。她认出了风皮和他的学徒圆石爪，他们旁边是石楠尾和她的学徒荆豆爪。昨晚在黑森林，藤池跟风皮和荆豆爪进行了一场长时间的模拟战斗，但显然，那场训练并没有让风皮和荆豆爪显现出丝毫的疲惫。
“你们在我们的溪水中做什么？”风皮质问道，“快滚出去！”
桦落站着没动。“这不是你们的溪水。”他表示道，“我们跟你们一样，也有权利到这里来。”
“你们的领地边界在岸上，”石楠尾厉声说道，“那里才是你们留气味标记的地方。”
“可你们的气味标记也留在你们那边的岸上。”桦落反驳道，“说得好像有哪只猫能将气味标记留在流动的水里似的！”
藤池觉得站在齐腹深的溪水中，昂头看着岸上的猫，简直是傻得不能再傻了。她挪到桦落身旁，用尾巴轻触了一下他的肩膀。“我们出去吧。”她低声说道。
桦落没有动。“这条小溪不属于任何族群，”他坚持道，“我们想来就来。”
风皮眼珠一转，从岸边又往前探了探身子，以防石楠尾听见他们的谈话。“听着，我不想为这事跟你们打架，”他放低声音说道，“但如果你们继续争执下去，我可就没办法了。快走吧，行吗？”
桦落看上去准备要同意，这时石楠尾走上前来。“你在这里跟他们废什么话？”她嘶吼道，“既然他们不走，那我们就把他们赶走。荆豆爪，你还愣在那里干什么？”
“我来对付他们！”圆石爪大喊道。
“不，圆石爪，”风皮告诉学徒，“不值得为此大动干戈，只是雷族的两个小跳蚤罢了。”
藤池心里突然感到一阵不安，她发现风族的黑森林武士们像是把她和桦落，而不是他们自己的族猫，视作同盟。这样是不对的！
“他们是践踏我们领地的跳蚤，”石楠尾往前一步，俯视着他们，眼中喷着怒火，“赶快离开，否则就打一架！”
“走吧，”藤池劝桦落，“我们可不想惹麻烦。”
“没错，我们不想，”桦落赞同道，“可是挑事儿的不是我们。”他迎上石楠尾的目光，愤怒地竖起颈毛，“既然不是我们的错，那我绝不让步。”
让藤池大为惊慌的是，他居然蹚过小溪，径直跳到了风族那边的岸上。风皮一声吼叫，冲了过来。“鼠脑子！”他悄声冲桦落说道，“现在好了，我们必须得跟你打一架了！你等着吧，咱们黑森林见。让我教教你忠诚的对象是什么。”
“没错，到了黑森林我们一样也会把你打趴下！”荆豆爪脚掌撕扯着草地，蹲伏在那里准备随时扑过来。
让藤池感到心安的是，石楠尾似乎光忙着看桦落，并没有注意到自己的族猫。他们说话的声音很轻，连她也得使劲儿抻长脖子，才能听清他们在说什么。
藤池很不情愿地蹚过小溪。我得支持自己的族猫！难道无论醒着还是睡着，我这余生都要在战斗中度过了吗？
可还没等藤池跳上对岸，便听见雷族领地传来猫儿们脚踩枯叶的声音。栗尾从一簇低矮的榛树丛中钻了出来，后面紧跟着她的巡逻队：黄蜂条、榛尾和莓鼻。四只猫都叼着刚刚狩获的猎物。
“出什么事了？”栗尾放下田鼠问道。
感谢星族！藤池转身看向玳瑁色猫武士。“桦落和我在溪水里清洗脚掌，”她解释道，“后来风族巡逻队来了，让我们离开，所以……”
“所以你们打算开战对吗？”栗尾叹了口气，“就为了洗个脚掌。我从没听过那么荒谬的事情！藤池、桦落，马上回来。”
藤池舒了一口气，顺从地爬出小溪，抖了抖腿上的水。桦落则狠狠地瞪了石楠尾和风皮一眼，然后很不情愿地滑进溪水，蹚回到了雷族领地。
藤池心中突然被一阵恐惧笼罩。我的父亲以前从不这样好战，她想道，是黑森林改变了他！
“这账我们以后再算！”桦落回头喊道。
“说话算话！”风皮回敬道，尾尖来回摆动着。
藤池跟着栗尾和族猫们返回营地，焦虑犹如洪水一般朝她涌来。今晚麻烦大了，她难过地想道，黑森林的训练已经够糟糕了，现在又跟风皮结下梁子。这种状况什么时候是个头啊？
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
“Hi, Jayfeather.” Sandstorm’s voice came from the entrance to the medicine cat’s den. “We’ve got some cobwebs for you.”
Jayfeather turned, picking up the scent of cobwebs, and faintly beneath it the scent of Cherrypaw and Molepaw. It had been a quarter moon since their apprentice ceremony, and he had to admit they were settling wel into their duties.
As the two young cats bounced into the den there was a splutter of laughter from Briarlight.
“Oh, Jayfeather, I wish you could see these two.
They’re walking cobwebs—it’s stuck al over them from nose to tail!”
“We found lots,” Molepaw announced proudly.
“Sandstorm lifted up a log for us.”
“I’d better untangle them,” Briarlight went on.
“Come here, both of you, and watch out for that pile of burdock root.”
Jayfeather heard the patter of paws as the two apprentices padded across the den, and the sound of Briarlight dragging herself over the ground to meet them.
“Do your legs hurt?” Cherrypaw mewed. “Is it tough, not being able to move them?”
“Yes, it’s tough,” Briarlight replied calmly. “But I’m used to it. And it doesn’t hurt.”
“Bumblestripe says you’re the bravest cat in the Clan,” Molepaw told her.
Jayfeather could feel Briarlight’s embarrassment.
“I don’t know about that,” she murmured. “Now keep stil so I can get this cobweb off your fur.” Jayfeather squeezed past the kits and joined Sandstorm in the clearing. “Thanks for taking them out,” he mewed. “Those cobwebs wil come in handy.”
“No problem,” Sandstorm responded. After a moment she added, “It seems like you’re overworked. Maybe you should think about taking an apprentice sometime soon.”
I’m planning to be around for a while yet, Jayfeather thought. “Briarlight is being very useful,” he meowed out loud.
To his relief, Sandstorm didn’t push it. “I’l see you later,” she murmured.
“Could you find Sorreltail for me?” Jayfeather cal ed after her. “Tel her I’d like to see her.”
“Sure.” Sandstorm padded off.
Jayfeather was turning back toward the den when the scent of more approaching cats drifted over him.
He halted as the sound of their pawsteps grew louder.
Brightheart . . . Foxleap . . . Rosepetal . . . What do they want?
“Have you come to pick up your apprentices?” he asked. “They’re inside, being untangled.”
“Yes, we’re going out for a training session,” Rosepetal replied. “Brightheart is going to teach them some of her battle moves.”
“Firestar wants every apprentice to learn them.” Brightheart’s voice was ful of quiet pride. “That way, if they injure their eye in a battle, or they have to fight at night when it’s hard to see, they’l know what to do.”
The scamper of paws told Jayfeather that Molepaw and Cherrypaw had appeared from the den.
“Are we training now?” Molepaw mewed eagerly.
“We col ected masses of cobwebs.”
“Yes,” Brightheart told him. “You’re training with me today. I’m going to teach you some moves that none of the other Clans know about.”
“Cool!” Cherrypaw exclaimed.
“You’l need to have your wits about you,” Brightheart warned. “We’re going to the slope above the hol ow, and the brambles are very thick there.”
“Great! Let’s go!” Molepaw squeaked.
Jayfeather listened as they moved away, enjoying the sunshine soaking into his fur, and the cool breeze that kept the air fresh. Around him the camp was humming with activity. A hunting patrol had just left, passing Thornclaw at the entrance as he returned with a border patrol. Jayfeather padded over when Brambleclaw emerged from the warriors’
den to hear Thornclaw’s report.
“WindClan seems very jumpy at the moment,” Thornclaw meowed
“So what else is new?” Jayfeather could picture Brambleclaw rol ing his eyes.
“More jumpy than usual, I mean,” Thornclaw went on. “We met a WindClan patrol on the border, and they were convinced they’d seen one of our cats crossing into their territory.”
“Oh?” Brambleclaw’s voice grew sharper. “Did they say which cat?”
“No, they didn’t get a good look. So I told them no way was it a ThunderClan warrior. It must have been a loner—if there was a cat there at al .”
“Hmm . . .” Jayfeather could tel that Brambleclaw was thinking hard. “Did they believe you?”
“I have no idea,” Thornclaw admitted. “Those cats jump at their own shadows! But Sedgewhisker was leading the patrol, and she’s a decent cat, so maybe they did.”
“We’d better tel Firestar,” Brambleclaw decided.
“If WindClan starts throwing accusations around, he’l need to know. Come with me, Thornclaw.” The two cats padded off toward the tumbled rocks, and Jayfeather headed back to his den.
Sorreltail was waiting for him at the entrance.
“Hi, Jayfeather. Sandstorm said you wanted to see me.”
“Right. Come in. I need to check you over.”
“I’l be fine, honestly,” Sorreltail went on as she fol owed Jayfeather into the den. “I’ve done this before, you know.”
“I know. And that was many seasons ago. Older she-cats need their medicine cat to keep an eye on them when they’re having kits.”
“Who are you cal ing older?” Sorreltail bristled, but Jayfeather could tel she wasn’t real y annoyed.
He made her lie down in the bracken and felt her bel y gently with one forepaw. Then he leaned close to her to listen to her heartbeat. Briarlight dragged herself over to watch; Jayfeather could feel her breath on his neck fur.
“Wil she be okay?” Briarlight whispered.
Jayfeather nodded. “Everything seems fine,” he replied, adding to Sorreltail, “I’ve noticed a bit of stiffness in your hip joints. You might need some poppy seeds to take the edge off the pain when you give birth.”
“I’l be fine,” Sorreltail told him. “Leafpool has already given me some exercises to help keep the joints flexible.”
Jayfeather stiffened. “Leafpool is not your medicine cat,” he hissed through gritted teeth.
“She’s stil my friend,” Sorreltail pointed out, “and I’l listen to her, no matter what happens.” Jayfeather suppressed a sigh. I can’t be bothered to argue. With the flick of an ear to dismiss Sorreltail, he fol owed her out into the clearing.
Sitting in a pool of sunlight, he listened to what was going on in the camp. Dovewing had just come back from a hunting patrol, and was settling down beside the fresh-kil pile to eat with Hazeltail and Graystripe.
Dustpelt was leaving at the head of a hunting patrol.
Leafpool, Ivypool, and Poppyfrost fol owed him; Jayfeather detected Poppyfrost’s delight at going out on warrior duties again.
The patrol had scarcely left the clearing when a commotion broke out at the top of the hol ow.
Jayfeather sprang to his paws, every hair on his pelt bristling. Yaps and snarls and the shrieking of cats came from up above, and wails of dismay broke out in the camp.
“That’s Molepaw and Cherrypaw!” Berrynose yowled, leaping out of the warriors’ den and charging across the clearing. “And that sounds like a fox!” He hurled himself toward the thorn tunnel, with Firestar, Cloudtail, Graystripe, and Brackenfur hard on his paws. Jayfeather ran back into his den.
Briarlight was dragging herself toward the entrance; Jayfeather could sense her shock.
“What’s happening?” she asked. “What’s that awful noise?”
“Fox,” Jayfeather replied tersely. “Get the supplies for wounds ready.”
As Briarlight headed for the storage cleft, Jayfeather heard Dovewing behind him, standing by the bramble screen. “A fox?” she gasped. “But that’s not possible! I didn’t hear anything.” Jayfeather wanted to ask her what she meant, but he was distracted by the yowls and screeching that stil came from the top of the cliff.
“It sounds real y bad!” Briarlight’s voice was shaking. “There’l be terrible injuries.”
“We’l deal with it.” Jayfeather made himself sound calm, but he was stil worried by what Dovewing had just said. Why didn’t she hear the fox coming?
Gradual y the sound of battle died away; moments later Jayfeather heard the voices and pawsteps of his Clanmates returning through the thorn tunnel. He padded out to meet them, bracing himself for the scent of wounds and spasms of pain.
But as soon as he emerged into the clearing Jayfeather realized that things weren’t as bad as he had feared. He could hear that Brightheart and Rosepetal were limping, and picked up the scent of blood coming from Foxleap, but their injuries were nowhere near as serious as the wounds an angry fox could inflict.
“Go into my den,” he instructed them. “I’l be with you in a couple of heartbeats. Where are the apprentices?”
“Here!” Cherrypaw bounced up beside him.
“Molepaw and I are fine.”
“Yeah, the fox nearly ate us up.” Excitement was rol ing off Molepaw in fizzing waves. “But the cat came and chased it off!”
Firestar pushed his way through the cats crowding around Jayfeather. “What cat?” he asked Molepaw.
“Do you mean Brightheart, or your mentors?”
“No,” Cherrypaw replied. “They chased after the fox, but it came back, and we thought we’d be eaten.
But there was another cat! It hissed at the fox, and the fox ran away!”
Firestar shook his head, a puzzled look in his green eyes. “I didn’t see any other cat up there.”
“It sounds unlikely to me,” Brackenfur murmured.
“Yes.” Berrynose agreed. “Look, you two, it’s not funny to make up stories about something so dangerous.”
“You had a big scare,” Sandstorm added, sounding sympathetic. “But there’s no need to invent mysterious cats coming to the rescue. Brightheart and your mentors did a great job scaring the fox away.”
“But we’re not making it up!” Cherrypaw protested.
“Right,” Molepaw insisted, pressing up close to his sister. “There was another cat.”
Jayfeather could sense that the young cats were tel ing the truth, or at least that they believed what they were saying. He realized that Firestar was taking their story seriously, too.
“What was this cat like?” the Clan leader asked.
“We never saw it clearly,” Molepaw confessed.
“We were hiding in a bramble thicket. And we couldn’t smel it above the scent of fox.”
“We’re not even sure it was a ThunderClan warrior,” Cherrypaw added.
Firestar was quiet for a moment. “I’l ask the other warriors if they saw anything,” he mewed at last. “The only thing that matters is that every cat is safe.” The group of warriors began to split up.
“Not you,” Jayfeather meowed, sweeping his tail around the two apprentices. “I want you in my den so I can check you out.”
“But we’re fine,” Cherrypaw told him.
“I’m your medicine cat, and you’re not fine until I say so. Inside.”
He herded the two young cats into his den, to find that Briarlight was already treating the warriors’
injuries.
“Brightheart’s paws were ful of bramble thorns,” she explained to Jayfeather. “I pul ed them out, and gave her dock leaf to rub on.”
“I feel fine now,” Brightheart mewed. “Briarlight did a great job. I’l get out of your way, Jayfeather, so you can treat the others.”
Jayfeather gave her paws a sniff to make sure everything was okay, then waved her out of the den with a flick of his tail.
“Foxleap has a fox bite and some scratches on his shoulder,” Briarlight went on. “I’ve given them a good lick, but I don’t know what herbs are best for bites.” Jayfeather sniffed careful y at the wounds; the scratches had already stopped bleeding, but the bite was deep. “We’l put a poultice of burdock root on that,” he decided. “Chew it up smal , Briarlight, and fix it on with some cobweb. You’l need to rest it for a day or two,” he added to Foxleap.
“But who’l be my mentor?” Cherrypaw asked anxiously. “I don’t want to be stuck in camp while Molepaw is learning stuff.”
“You can do the elders’ ticks,” her brother told her, then squeaked, “Ow! Keep your claws to yourself!”
“That’s enough,” Foxleap scolded them. “Of course you’l have a mentor, Cherrypaw. I’ve already asked Cloudtail. He says he’l take over your training for a couple of days.”
“Cool.” Cherrypaw sounded satisfied.
“I’m just scratched a bit,” Rosepetal told Jayfeather. “And I’ve lost some fur from one side, but I don’t think there’s anything serious.” Jayfeather checked, and found that the scratches were quite shal ow. Since Briarlight was stil fixing Foxleap’s poultice, he went to the store for some marigold, and trickled the juice onto Rosepetal’s wounds.
“Come back tomorrow for some more of that,” he instructed her. “You’l need to take it easy at first, but I think you can carry on with your duties. Let me know if the pain gets any worse.”
“Okay, thanks,” Rosepetal meowed.
When she and Foxleap had gone, Jayfeather sent Briarlight out of the den. “You’ve done real y wel ,” he told her. “Go do your exercises and get some fresh air.”
He waited until the dragging sound of her movement had died away before turning back to the apprentices. He was pretty sure that they weren’t hurt, but he wanted the excuse of checking them over.
“Tel me more about the other cat you saw,” he mewed as he sniffed Cherrypaw’s fur.
“Don’t want to,” Molepaw muttered sulkily. “You’l only say we’re lying.”
“Yeah, or that we got scared and imagined it,” Cherrypaw added.
Jayfeather tipped his head on one side. “Try me.”
“Wel , we don’t real y remember anything,” Molepaw went on after a moment’s hesitation.
“Brightheart sent us deep into the brambles. We couldn’t see much, but we heard this other cat.” Jayfeather grunted. Pretending to check Molepaw for injuries, he pressed his paws down on the young tom’s shoulders and let his mind drift into Molepaw’s memories.
Sunlight dazzled Jayfeather’s eyes as it shone on the slope above the hol ow. On an open stretch of grass surrounded by ferns and brambles, Brightheart was showing a move to the two apprentices, while Foxleap and Rosepetal sat close by, looking on. The fur on Jayfeather’s neck began to rise as he waited for what he knew would happen.
“That’s great, Cherrypaw, but try—” A loud snarling interrupted Brightheart as the fox leaped out from a clump of brambles. Foxleap and Rosepetal sprang to their paws as it lunged toward the apprentices.
“Hide!” Foxleap yowled as he hurled himself at the intruder
Rosepetal let out a screech as she dashed past the fox and raked her claws down its side.
Brightheart spun around and shoved both apprentices toward the nearest bramble thicket. “Get under there and don’t move!” she hissed.
Molepaw and Cherrypaw burrowed into the brambles; Jayfeather could feel their fear surging over him like waves. Once they were in the thicket, he couldn’t see much of the fighting, but he heard yelps and snarls from the fox, a shriek of pain from Foxleap, and furious caterwauling from Rosepetal and Brightheart. Through a gap in the tendrils he spotted the fox driven back from the clearing, with al three cats in pursuit.
The fox scent faded and everything went quiet.
“Do you think we can get out now?” Cherrypaw whispered. “I’ve got thorns digging into my pelt.”
“Better not,” Molepaw replied. “Brightheart told us to stay here.”
They waited a little longer, their fear gradual y dying away. Jayfeather tensed as the fox scent grew stronger again, and Molepaw muttered, “I think it’s back.”
He peered out through the gap in the brambles and spotted the fox sniffing along the ground a couple of tail-lengths away.
“It’s looking for us!” Molepaw’s voice was a terrified whisper.
“What if it finds us?” Cherrypaw asked. “Where are the others?”
The fox drew closer; Jayfeather guessed it had picked up the apprentices’ scent. Then a loud hiss and a snarl came from the shadows underneath a nearby bush. The fox raised its head. The hiss was repeated, and after a heartbeat’s hesitation the fox turned tail and slunk away out of sight.
“That was close!” Molepaw gasped.
Jayfeather realized there was definitely another cat under the bush. But the brambles blocked his view and in the shadows he could make out nothing more than a vague shape. He strained to catch a scent.
“Ow!” Molepaw squealed. “You’re pressing too hard!”
Jayfeather’s vision vanished, leaving him in darkness again. “Sorry,” he muttered, frustrated to be thrown out of the young tom’s memory just when he thought he might have learned something. “Okay, you can go.”
When the two apprentices had scampered off, Jayfeather padded into the clearing to discover that the patrols had returned. Poppyfrost was in the middle of the hol ow with Cherrypaw and Molepaw.
Other cats had gathered around her, listening to the apprentices retel their adventure.
“What?” Poppyfrost screeched. “A fox nearly ate you? This is dreadful! Brambleclaw, what are we going to do about it?”
“Calm down, Poppyfrost,” the deputy meowed.
“There’s no harm done—”
“Don’t tel me to be calm!” Poppyfrost retorted.
“My kits could have been eaten!”
“I know it’s worrying.” Brambleclaw’s voice was reassuring. “I’m surprised there’s a fox in the territory at al . It hasn’t been long since we chased the last one out, and I wouldn’t have expected it to come back so soon.”
Jayfeather padded across, wanting to discuss the mysterious cat who had rescued the apprentices, but in the tumult around Poppyfrost no cat wanted to listen.
He shouldered his way into the group and became aware of Ivypool beside him, shrinking in a wave of guilt. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked.
“I think this was my fault,” Ivypool replied miserably. Raising her voice to make herself heard, she meowed, “I think I might have brought the fox into the territory.”
“How?” Firestar demanded.
Jayfeather located the Clan leader bounding over from the Highledge; the other cats quieted down as he confronted Ivypool.
Ivypool began by describing how she and Jayfeather had found the marigold plants eaten by rabbits. “So I went to find some fox dung and put it on a stick,” she went on, her voice shaking. “I put the dung around the plants to frighten the rabbits off. The fox must have smel ed it and fol owed the trail over the border. I’m real y sorry,” she finished.
“Mouse-brain!” Cloudtail commented loudly.
“Yes, you nearly got my kits kil ed!” Poppyfrost hissed.
“Hey, that’s not fair.” Lionblaze thrust his way forward to stand beside Jayfeather and Ivypool.
“How was Ivypool to know what would happen? We don’t normal y train up there.”
“That’s right,” Sorreltail added. “And we’l al be glad of the marigold once it grows back.” More voices broke out, talking al at once so that Jayfeather couldn’t make paws or tail of the argument. Final y, Firestar’s yowl rang out.
“That’s enough. What’s done is done.” As the noise began to die down, he added, “Now we need to focus on regular patrols to make sure the fox doesn’t come back.” He let out a snort. “And keep a lookout for strange cats hiding in bushes!” Jayfeather could tel that his leader was only half joking. Strange things were happening, and the Clan needed to be extra vigilant. Molepaw’s memory was stil fresh in Jayfeather’s mind, and he knew there had been a cat on the cliff top.
“Hey, Dovewing,” he meowed, picking up her scent as the Clan cats separated. “What was that you were meowing about earlier? What did you hear happening on the cliff top?”
He sensed Dovewing’s defensiveness as she halted and faced him. “Nothing,” she replied.
“Not the first attack?” Jayfeather persisted.
“No.”
“And what about afterward? Were there any signs of a cat you weren’t expecting to find?”
“No!” Dovewing burst out. “I didn’t hear anything, okay? Stop expecting me to look after the whole Clan!”
She turned her back on Jayfeather and stalked off.
A moment later Lionblaze’s scent wafted over Jayfeather, and his littermate came to stand beside him.
“What’s going on?” Lionblaze asked.
“I think the apprentices were right,” Jayfeather told him. “There is an intruder.”
Alarm surged through Lionblaze; Jayfeather could imagine his neck fur fluffing out. “I’ve got to get a patrol together to track it down,” he meowed.
“No, wait.” Jayfeather reached out and curled his tail around his brother’s foreleg. “If this cat saved the apprentices, then I don’t think she’s any threat. In fact, I don’t think she was a threat to begin with.” For a moment Lionblaze said nothing; Jayfeather could almost hear thoughts buzzing in his head like bees in a hol ow tree. He knew Lionblaze would reach the same conclusion as he had. “Real y? You think so?” Lionblaze mewed at last. There was an undercurrent of hope in his voice, as wel as nervousness.
“We didn’t find her in the tunnel,” Jayfeather pointed out
“Would she real y come back?”
Jayfeather took a long breath. “We learned long ago that we didn’t know her as wel as we thought.
Maybe she would.”
第三章
第三章
鸽翅抓住一把苔藓，使劲儿将它们从橡树下拔出来。
“这些苔藓不错，也很干燥。”白翅评论道，“鼠毛和波弟会喜欢的。”她顿了一下，然后有些迟疑地说道，“鸽翅，我很担心你做的那些噩梦，我……”
“我会好起来的，不骗你。”鸽翅打断了她，希望她不要再提起那些噩梦，因为在梦里，她无数次梦见鹰扑被老鹰带走，部落猫们凄厉的哭喊声响彻云霄。于是她避开母亲的目光，低头看着那一大堆苔藓，挑拣着里面的刺，嘀咕道：“噩梦早晚会消失的。”
白翅摇了摇头。“你回来都一整个月了，可还是总做噩梦。”她的爪子划过橡树根部，又拽下来一大块苔藓，“我一直很自责，不该让你去山区。你还太年轻，还没有积累足够的武士经验，怎么能应付得了长途跋涉呢。”
“快别这么说！”鸽翅从苔藓堆里抬起头来，不赞同道，“不是你让我去的，是火星选择了我。”
“是啊，我本来是希望族长能更理性一点儿的。”白翅说道。
我也希望能告诉你他为什么做出那个决定，可惜我不能。鸽翅想道。“别忘了，是我带领远征队找到了河狸，”她提醒母亲道，“我在那次远征中学到了很多经验。”
“我知道。”白翅看上去还是忧心忡忡的，“星族就不该把有关河狸的梦，托给一名学徒，责任太大了。”
他们其实并没有托梦……为了掩饰自己的表情，鸽翅低头更加忙碌起来，白翅如果知道，由于那个预言，我生来就身负多么重大的责任，那她这辈子都会寝食难安的。
“我会熬过去，真的会的，”她安慰母亲道，“再说也没那么糟糕。我很庆幸能到族群以外更遥远的地方去看看，外面的世界真的很精彩！”
白翅哼了一声：“湖边也有很多值得一看的东西。”
“没错，没错，我知道这里有……啊，有根很大的刺！”鸽翅大喊道，然后用爪子把刺钩出来，扔到了一边，“还好没扎到鼠毛的皮毛里。”
鸽翅和白翅并排忙了一会儿，从橡树树根下拔了更多的苔藓。等苔藓堆成了小山，白翅停了下来。“我之前跟黄蜂条聊了聊。”她评论道，“他是位不错的年轻武士，非常有礼貌。他很喜欢你，这你知道吧。”
鸽翅感到浑身不自在，脸上也热辣辣的。“我知道。”她低声道，不好意思地扭动着身体。
“早晚有一天，你需要找到伴侣，让族群得以延续。”白翅明确地告诉她。
“时间还早得很呢。”鸽翅说道。预言会允许我有伴侣吗？我要随时待命去拯救族群，又怎么能有自己的孩子呢？虎心的影子突然跳进她的脑海，他的双眼闪烁着，仿佛要扑过来和她翻滚嬉戏。虎心会明白的……
鸽翅竭力甩掉这些思绪。“苔藓够多了，”她大声道，“我们把它们运回营地吧。”
白翅将苔藓滚成两个球，然后两只母猫各叼起一个，往石头山谷走去。白翅不再唠叨，鸽翅也很乐意跟她在一起。她们母女单独在一起执行任务的机会并不太多。忘记那些令自己烦恼的夜晚，她现在开始感觉好多了。只是她耳朵里还是充斥着各种奇怪的嗡嗡声，而且她还是不能将感知释放出去。
如果我的力量永远消失了会怎么样？想着想着，一阵寒意从耳朵到尾尖袭遍她的全身。不，她告诉自己，不要去想那些。
走到营地入口附近，经过一簇浓密的蕨丛时，一个灰白相间的身影突然闪了出来，是鼠须。他从她前方的灌木丛里蹿了出来，吓得鸽翅尖叫一声，赶忙往后一跳，苔藓球也滚到了地上。
“成功啦！”鼠须笑着喊道，“我还从来没见你那么惊慌失措过呢。你耳朵里塞苔藓了吗，鸽翅？通常没有哪只猫能悄悄接近你的。”
鸽翅压下恼意，用一只脚掌去打他。要是我的感知没出问题，我听你的动静，就像听狐狸跺脚走路一样！
“你想一起去狩猎吗？”鼠须继续说道，“边界巡逻队听见影族边界附近的草地上有松鼠在打架。疲惫有伤的松鼠最好抓了！”
在他身后，冰云和蟾步也从蕨丛里钻了出来。
“对啊，来吧，”冰云说道，“会很好玩的！”
鸽翅瞥了母亲一眼：“我得把这些苔藓送回去……”
“我自己能行，”白翅愉快地说道，“你去狩猎吧。”
“谢谢！”
说完，白翅开始将两个苔藓球拢到一起。鸽翅则跟鼠须以及其他族猫，一起朝森林跑去。鼠须加快步伐，最后大家都在树林间全速飞奔起来。鸽翅感觉夜里的那些恐惧和疲劳都渐渐消失了，只剩下脚掌不断地掠过地面，浑身的肌肉一张一弛。
“我敢打赌，我比其他任何猫跳得都要高！”蟾步大喊道。
“我赌你做不到！”冰云反驳道。说完，她从一根倒下的树干上方一跃而过，故意秀了秀自己的本领。
蟾步紧跟在白色母猫后面一跃，然后稳稳地落在了她的身上。
“讨厌！走开！”冰云嘟囔着一把推开蟾步，然后跳到一旁说道，“你身子沉得像只獾。”
“我们比赛吧。”鼠须提议道，“谁最后跑到那棵枯树，谁就是只老鼠！”
话音未落他就冲了出去，另外三只猫也不甘落后追了上去。鸽翅拼命狂奔，腹部擦过地面，尾巴也在身后被拖得笔直。蟾步超过了她跟鼠须，但鸽翅最后赶上了冰云。
我听不见远处的声音，却能跑得更快，更灵活地躲避树木。她心里有些惊奇，跑起来就不会分散注意力了，其他猫一定也是这样的！
绕过一簇黑莓丛，她终于超过了鼠须。现在，就只剩下蟾步了，他那黑白相间的身影正在前面飞奔着。鸽翅集中全身的力量，开始冲刺。她每次腾挪跳跃，都只是脚掌轻触地面。等枯树近在咫尺时，她追上了族猫。她从蟾步身旁飞奔过去，扑向枯树，最后用爪子抓住了树干。这时，她瞥见了蟾步那讶异的眼神。
“我赢了！”她大喊道。
蟾步追上了她，接着是鼠须，最后是气喘吁吁的冰云。
“好吧，我是老鼠！”白色母猫瘫倒在地面上，“鸽翅，你跑得真快！”
“对啊，比蟾步还快。”鼠须说道，“他已经够快了！”
蟾步赞许地冲她点点头：“干得漂亮。”
等大家缓过劲儿来，鼠须起身说道：“我们该去抓松鼠了。现在最好保持安静，因为我们离那块空地不远了。”
说完他率先迈步，鸽翅和其他猫紧随其后，悄声钻入灌木丛。快到空地时，鸽翅透过大片草丛，瞧见两脚兽们已经开始建造它们的绿皮巢穴了。
“老鼠屎！”她嘟囔道。三只两脚兽幼崽跑过空地，正嬉戏喊叫着，将一个红色物体用脚掌抛来抛去。“它们这样，会把从这里到湖边的所有猎物都吓跑的。”
鼠须带领队伍绕过空地，隐入阴影处，以防两脚兽看见他们。穿过影族旧边界时，鸽翅紧张得浑身颤抖。这里还留有影族的气味，她居然有点儿期待能听见影族巡逻队的挑衅声。
我就是在这片灌木丛第一次遇见虎心的，她边走边想道，从那之后，一切都不一样了……
他们走到空地的另一侧，分散开来，搜寻着空气中松鼠的气味。
“在那里。”冰云低声唤道，她站在一棵树下，盯着头顶上的树枝，“上面有只松鼠，我猜它受伤了。”
鼠须跑了过来：“你说得没错。那你从这边爬，我从那边爬。”
鸽翅和蟾步看着族猫们爬上去。可他们刚爬到最低处的树枝，树叶间便传来一阵窸窣声。一只松鼠蹦了出来，跃过冰云的头顶，跳到地面上，径直从鸽翅和蟾步身旁跑了过去。鸽翅一个转身，便和蟾步一起追了上去。松鼠猛地冲向空地。
看来它受的伤不重，还能跑。鸽翅边追边想。
松鼠快速跑过空地，她和蟾步则步步紧追。绕过绿皮巢穴，他俩的脚掌踏入水中，轻轻溅起水花。鸽翅跑到了前面，松鼠就在眼前了。她刚要收紧肌肉准备跃起，影族那难闻的气味却让她生生刹住了脚步。
伟大的星族啊！我差点儿就越界了。
松鼠跑到前面，晃了晃尾巴，便消失在附近的一棵白蜡树上。鸽翅气喘吁吁地站在雷族领地的边界上，环顾四周，却没看见蟾步和队伍里的其他猫。
“这次你终于停下来了。”
听到这个声音，鸽翅的心一下子怦怦跳了起来。她转过身，看见虎心从一簇黑莓丛中钻了出来。只见他走到影族边界，冲她点了点头。
“我可没踏入你们的领地！”鸽翅急切地辩解道，颈毛愤怒得竖了起来。我希望其他猫快点儿过来。她暗自想道。
“放松，这里只有我自己。”虎心回答道，“你没做错什么，事实上，是我自己想见你。”
鸽翅眼睛一眯：“我告诉过你，我们不能再这样见面讲话了。一切都……都结束了。”
虎心眨了眨眼睛。“不，是有别的事情。”他犹豫片刻，然后很不情愿地补充说道，“是关于曙皮的。”
鸽翅的好奇心战胜了紧张，她的皮毛平顺了许多。
“自从焰尾死后，她的行为一直很古怪。”虎斑公猫继续说道，“她……她觉得焰尾溺死都是松鸦羽的错。”
“不是那样的！”鸽翅喊道，“松鸦羽是想去救他的。”
虎心叹了口气：“也许吧。可无论如何，真相已无从知晓。曙皮现在想要报仇。”
鸽翅盯着他，脑海里回想起可怕的那天，年轻的影族巫医，也是虎心和曙皮的同窝手足，从刺骨的冰面掉入水中，淹死了。
“要知道，巫医的行为总是非常奇怪的。”虎心继续说道，“我说的不是半月时分去月亮池那种事情。曙皮认为松鸦羽跟焰尾有过争执，所以才在他落水的时候杀死了他。”
“简直是胡说八道！”鸽翅用爪子撕扯着面前的青草，“曙皮也该成熟点儿了。松鸦羽永远不会做那样的事情——没能救下焰尾他也很悲痛。真不敢相信，你居然会听信这样的谣言！”
“我告诉你，并不是因为我认同曙皮说的话，”虎心抬高嗓门，“我只是想给你提个醒。我怕曙皮会做出什么报复雷族的事情来。”说完，他又摇摇头低声说道：“她表现得很古怪。”
鸽翅没心情去同情曙皮。“如果曙皮发疯，我们能应付得了，谢谢。”她厉声说道，“请不要再跟我讲话了。如果被别的猫看到，我们俩都会有麻烦。”说完她转身就要向空地另一侧的林子里跑去。
“我只是想要帮忙，”虎心的声音里透着一丝恼怒和悲伤，“只是想向你证明，我们没必要成为敌人。”
“现在说这些太迟了。”鸽翅说道。
说完，她没再看虎心便朝着林子里跑去。还没等她跑进树林，一只松鼠从她身边蹿了过去。鸽翅气得直吼。肯定是虎心把它赶到我们领地的。难道他认为我自己狩不了猎吗？
想归想，她脚下却加快速度飞快地朝猎物扑了上去，在它的脊背上漂亮地一击，结果了它的性命。接着，鸽翅叼起松鼠，冲进了茂密的树林，在几尾远处找到了鼠须和其他的族猫。
“干得漂亮！”等她跑过去，蟾步欢呼道。
“对啊，你跑得真快啊。”鼠须又加了一句。冰云看到鸽翅新狩到的猎物，也钦佩地嗅了嗅。
返回营地的路上，鸽翅又朝空地那边看了最后一眼。虎心已经不在那里了。他跟我说的是真的吗？她心里很疑惑，曙皮真的会为了一个莫须有的谋杀罪名来复仇吗？
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
“Climb higher! Higher than that!”
Twigs lashed across Ivypool’s face and raked through her pelt as she clawed her way up the tree.
“Faster!” The insistent yowl came from the ground below. “Higher! Now jump!”
“Great StarClan!” Ivypool muttered, digging her claws into the bark of the trunk. “I’l break my neck if I jump from this high up.”
She and the cats with her were so far up the tree that the trunk was starting to bend under their weight.
There wasn’t enough room for four cats to climb safely.
Ivypool risked a glance downward, peering through the gloom of the Dark Forest. She could hear the sounds of cats training al around her, until the noise of fighting almost drowned out the slimy rustling of the leaves. I wonder if Birchfall is here?
And how many other ThunderClan cats?
Below she could just make out Shredtail, who was in charge of the training exercise, sitting on the trunk of a fal en tree. Antpelt stood beside him. He had been Shredtail’s apprentice when he first came to the Dark Forest, but now he was a ful warrior; it was he who was doing al the yowling.
“That mangepelt loves throwing his weight around,” Breezepelt hissed, clinging to the trunk beside Ivypool. “Just because he died doesn’t make him more important!”
Hol owpaw of RiverClan was trying to balance on a thin branch just below Ivypool, his eyes shut tight as he let out a low moan of terror. His Clanmate Minnowtail scrambled past him and headed for the top of the tree, almost knocking Ivypool off her precarious perch.
“Hey, watch it!” Ivypool growled, envying the RiverClan cat’s light, strong body and confident movements.
“Minnowtail, you won!” Shredtail yowled from below. “You don’t have to jump. The rest of you, I want to see you jump now!”
Ivypool took a deep breath. I don’t have any choice . . . . Spotting a pile of dead leaves underneath the tree, she launched herself into the air.
Al the air was driven out of her body as she hit the ground, and before she could struggle to her paws Antpelt was on top of her, holding her down. His amber eyes glared into hers.
“Too slow, mouse-brain!”
Ivypool heaved at him, bringing up her hindpaws to batter at his bel y. “I can’t believe you’ve forgotten how I helped you,” she panted. “Thistleclaw wounded you so badly on the woodpile that you died, remember?”
“Who cares about the past? This is my Clan now!” Antpelt hissed, slashing his claws toward her throat.
“I deserve to be here.”
Ivypool tucked in her chin and bit down on Antpelt’s outstretched paw. Yes, she thought bleakly.
You do. Above her, Antpelt let out a furious yowl and snatched back his foot. Gathering al her strength, Ivypool shoved Antpelt off in time to see Minnowtail jump graceful y down from the tree and land in a clump of fern.
“Wel done,” Shredtail meowed as she emerged, looking smug. “It’s a pity more cats aren’t like you.” Swinging around to rake Ivypool, Breezepelt, and Hol owpaw with a glare, he continued, “Right. Time for battle training. I want to see the backflip we practiced last time.”
Ivypool paired up with Hol owpaw while Breezepelt and Minnowtail worked together. The RiverClan cat wasn’t the same nervous apprentice she had tried to help when he first came to the Dark Forest a moon ago. He had learned a lot since then, and his movements were strong and sure. Ivypool was shocked at the power behind his blows as he leaped on top of her, and shocked, too, at her own skil as she slid out from under him and raked her claws over his ears.
She was aware of how she and the others echoed one another’s moves with barely a pause, like a wel -
ordered patrol who had trained together since they were kitted. You would never think we come from different Clans, she thought, dodging a blow from Hol owpaw and leaping in again to give him a swipe across the ear. Our fighting techniques fit together perfectly. This is a force beyond anything the Clans have seen before. And I’m a part of it.
Ivypool was relieved when final y she heard Shredtail cal out, “That’s enough!”
“Did we do wel ?” Minnowtail mewed, springing up to let Breezepelt get to his paws.
“You’re not here for praise,” Shredtail growled.
“Leave that to your precious Clanmates. You’re here to fight. If you survive, count yourself lucky.” He flicked his tail dismissively. “Now get out of here.” Ivypool stumbled away into the shadowy trees, the other cats keeping pace with her. Breezepelt was limping, and Hol owpaw had oozing scratches from a blow she had given him. Even Minnowtail had fur missing from her hindquarters.
None of the cats spoke to one another. Ivypool spotted Blossomfal through the trees, heading in the same direction and looking equal y battered. She knew that Blossomfal had seen her, but she looked too worn out to cal a greeting. Ivypool was aware of more cats padding around her, their heads lowered with exhaustion and their flanks heaving.
But we’ll all come back next time we close our eyes, Ivypool thought. The Dark Forest has us trapped like flies in a web.
A ful moon floated above the lake, turning its water to silver, as Firestar led his Clan out of the forest. Ivypool padded beside her sister. Even though she was bone tired, she was glad to be going to the Gathering.
I won’t have to go to the Dark Forest tonight, because I’ll be awake for too long.
As the cats fol owed Firestar along the lakeshore, Ivypool noticed that Dovewing kept shaking her head as if she had just emerged from water. She was letting out soft hisses of frustration.
“Is your hearing stil not back?” Ivypool whispered.
Dovewing turned toward her, distress in her wide blue eyes. “No,” she replied. “It’s worse than being deaf! How am I supposed to look after the Clan?”
“Don’t worry,” Ivypool tried to reassure her. “There are warriors al around us.” Anger stabbed at her like a claw as she saw her sister was unconvinced. “But they don’t count, because they’re not part of the prophecy, right?” she added sarcastical y.
“You wouldn’t understand,” Dovewing snapped back at her.
“You think?” Ivypool hissed. “I don’t see you going to the Dark Forest every night!”
In her stress, she didn’t realize that her voice was rising, until she saw Brackenfur dropping back to walk beside them.
“Stop it, both of you,” he meowed. “You can at least present a united front at a Gathering. Do you want the other Clans to see ThunderClan warriors squabbling? Not to mention that StarClan wil be angry if you argue under the ful moon.” Ivypool gave a reluctant nod and Dovewing muttered, “Sorry.” Brackenfur gave them a hard look from narrowed green eyes, then quickened his pace again to rejoin Cloudtail.
StarClan! Ivypool thought. Sometimes I wonder if they have any power at all. Suppressing a shiver, she recal ed everything she had seen in the Dark Forest. I know what those cats can do. How will we ever fight back?
As Firestar led his Clan along the shore toward the tree-bridge, the RiverClan cats emerged from the shrubbery around the stream, with Mistystar at their head. For a few moments every cat mil ed around in confusion. Ivypool spotted a few hostile looks from the rival Clan.
We can’t fight over which Clan gets to cross the bridge first!
Then Mistystar stepped forward and dipped her head politely to Firestar. “Please, go ahead,” the RiverClan leader meowed, waving her tail for her Clan to retreat a few paces.
“Thank you,” Firestar replied.
He waited on the shore beside Mistystar while Brambleclaw led the ThunderClan cats across the treebridge. Ivypool was waiting her turn when she glanced across at the RiverClan cats and caught the gaze of Minnowtail. For a heartbeat she couldn’t look away, as if the memory of training together in the Dark Forest were a claw pinning her to the RiverClan warrior. Then Minnowtail turned her head aside, and the moment was past. Ivypool realized she was shivering.
“Come on!” Dovewing gave her a prod in the side.
“Are you crossing, or are you going to stand there al night?”
“Sorry.” Ivypool leaped onto the tree-bridge and ran across
There were no other cat scents in the air as she jumped down onto the pebbly shore of the island, meaning that ThunderClan was the first to arrive. The clearing seemed very quiet as Ivypool wriggled underneath the surrounding bushes and padded toward the Great Oak. Dovewing and Brackenfur, who had fol owed her, set their paws down careful y as if they didn’t want to break the silence.
Then a scamper of paws sounded from beyond the bushes and Ivypool jumped, startled, as excited squeals rose into the air.
“This way! I’l race you to the Great Oak!”
“I’l get there first! You couldn’t race a hedgehog!” Brackenfur let out a mrrow of amusement. “Our apprentices have arrived for their first Gathering.” Cherrypaw and Molepaw came squirming through the bushes, with Rosepetal right behind them.
“That’s enough,” she meowed. “Don’t even think of racing around the clearing. We have to wait for the leaders and listen quietly while they’re speaking.” She gestured with her tail. “Sit there.” The two apprentices obeyed her, but they were wriggling with excitement, exchanging bright-eyed glances as they gazed around.
“Wow! The Great Oak is big!” Cherrypaw exclaimed.
The rest of the ThunderClan cats emerged from the bushes, closely fol owed by RiverClan and WindClan. A few moments later ShadowClan joined them. As the clearing fil ed up and the different Clan scents mingled, Ivypool crouched in the middle of her own Clanmates, not wanting to see the cats who were familiar to her from the Dark Forest.
I feel as if I half belong with them, she thought uncomfortably. But I’m betraying them already. I wish I could tell the other Clans exactly what’s going on. Maybe then we could make a plan to fight the Dark Forest from within.
Firestar was the first leader to jump into the branches of the Great Oak, fol owed by Onestar, Mistystar, and Blackstar. Brambleclaw and the other deputies took their places on the tree roots. The other cats grew quiet at once; Ivypool noticed that most of them had stayed with their own Clans, instead of mingling to exchange news as they usual y did.
Mistystar stood on a low branch and let out a yowl, sweeping her blue gaze around the clearing.
Moonlight shone on her gray-blue fur. “I wil begin,” she announced. “RiverClan is prospering. The dry weather hasn’t affected the water levels in the lake or the stream, so fishing is good.”
A murmur of approval came from RiverClan, but the other cats were silent.
“Also,” Mistystar went on, “we have two new warriors. Mossypaw and Hol owpaw are now Mossyfoot and Hol owflight.”
“Mossyfoot! Hol owflight!”
Ivypool peered out from behind Lionblaze to see the two new warriors sitting with their heads high while the other cats cal ed out their names. She noticed that most of the cheers came from their own Clan; the others weren’t nearly as enthusiastic. When the yowling had died down, Mistystar dipped her head to the other leaders and sat on her branch, letting her tail hang down.
Firestar rose to his paws and advanced a couple of paces to the end of the branch where he had been sitting. “Prey is running wel in ThunderClan,” he reported. “Two days ago a fox appeared in our territory, but our warriors chased it off.” Ivypool breathed a sigh of relief that the Clan leader didn’t mention what she had done with the fox dung, which led to the fox entering ThunderClan in the first place. He hasn’t mentioned injuries, either.
He won’t want ThunderClan to seem weak.
“And we have two new apprentices,” Firestar went on, “Cherrypaw and Molepaw.”
The two young cats sat up straight, their eyes shining, as their Clanmates cal ed out their names.
Ivypool thought they were in serious danger of bursting with pride. But stil there were only a few cats from other Clans who acknowledged them.
Redwil ow of ShadowClan was eyeing the two apprentices thoughtful y, though he remained silent.
Paws off! Ivypool wanted to tel him. You’re not having them for the Dark Forest!
Firestar waited until the clearing was quiet, then began to step back. But before he could sit down again, Onestar leaped to his paws, rustling the oak leaves as he balanced on his branch.
“I noticed you haven’t mentioned the way your warriors hang around on the WindClan border,” he rasped. “Are you plotting an invasion?” Ivypool’s heart beat faster and she swal owed nervously. Is this because Birchfall and I were caught washing in the stream?
Instantly Firestar took a pace forward so that he was facing the WindClan leader. His eyes blazed with green fire. “No!” he exclaimed. “You’re being ridiculous!”
“Ridiculous, am I?” Onestar hissed. “Then why have my warriors seen a ThunderClan cat scouting our territory?”
“Yes!” Crowfeather yowled from the clearing. He sprang to his paws with his gray-black fur bristling.
“I’ve seen it!”
“So have I!” Whitetail agreed.
Ivypool realized that Lionblaze was stiffening beside her, clearly indignant about the false accusation. She was just relieved that this didn’t seem to have anything to do with her and Birchfal .
“Can you identify this trespasser?” Firestar inquired icily. He waved his tail toward the ThunderClan cats in the clearing. “Is that cat here tonight?”
“No,” Onestar replied. “My warriors never got a good look at the intruder, and the scent wasn’t clear.”
“Oh, really?” Firestar’s green eyes narrowed. “So you have no evidence that this was a ThunderClan cat? It could easily have been a passing loner—
unless it was a bit of mist or a skinny dog.”
“Wel , you would say that, Firestar,” Onestar blustered.
“Yes,” Firestar agreed. “I would always defend my Clan against an unfounded accusation. Onestar, I think you’d better give us your Clan news and sit down, before you fal any further into the hole you’ve dug for yourself.”
There were murmurs of agreement from the cats in the clearing—and not only from ThunderClan, Ivypool realized. The WindClan cats were mostly looking embarrassed, except for a few like Crowfeather and Breezepelt, who were stil furious.
“WindClan has two new apprentices,” Onestar announced abruptly. “Crouchpaw and Larkpaw.” He sat down.
This time only WindClan cal ed out the names of the two new apprentices. Ivypool felt sorry for the young cats. Their special moment has been spoiled because their leader is such a mouse-brain!
Firestar also sat down, waving his tail for Blackstar to speak.
“ShadowClan warriors fought a battle with the two kittypets at the Twoleg nest.” The big white cat lashed his tail with satisfaction. “We won’t be having any more trouble from them for a while.” There was a yowl of agreement from ShadowClan; Ivypool spotted Tawnypelt and Toadfoot with satisfied expressions on their faces, although Toadfoot’s eye was swol en from a nasty scratch, which suggested the kittypets had put up a decent fight.
“Also,” the ShadowClan leader went on, “we have three new warriors: Pinenose, Ferretclaw, and Starlingwing. ShadowClan is strong.” Blackfoot sat down as the cats in the clearing yowled approval of the new warriors. Ivypool couldn’t bring herself to join in. Strong? That sounded like a threat. Does that mean they’ll be causing more trouble?
As the Clan leaders came down from the Great Oak, the Clans at last began to mingle and share tongues before they left the island. Ivypool saw Tigerheart staring at her and Dovewing, and immediately looked away. Dovewing seemed to be ignoring the ShadowClan cat, too.
A heartbeat later, Ivypool noticed that Tigerheart had left his Clanmates and was heading toward Dovewing. Ivypool turned to warn her sister, but at that moment Hol owflight thrust himself between them.
“Hi, Ivypool,” he meowed.
“Hi. Congratulations on becoming a warrior,” Ivypool offered, trying to peer around the RiverClan cat to see what had happened to Dovewing.
“Thanks.” Hol owflight puffed out his chest proudly.
“Hey, wasn’t that great climbing last night?” Oh, sure—you were scared out of your fur! Ivypool thought. “We can’t talk about it here,” she whispered.
Hol owflight didn’t take the hint. “It’s real y weird, being in the Dark Forest,” he went on, though at least he had the sense to keep his voice to a low murmur.
“I mean, half of those cats are dead!”
“Yeah, weird,” Ivypool agreed, stil trying to watch for Dovewing and Tigerheart.
To her relief, she heard the voice of Reedwhisker, the RiverClan deputy. “Hey, Hol owflight! It’s time to go!”
“See you tomorrow night,” Hol owflight purred as he turned and pushed his way through the crowds of cats toward his Clanmate.
As soon as he had gone, Ivypool whirled around, looking for her sister. But there was no sign of Dovewing or Tigerheart. Have they gone off together somewhere?
Then she spotted Dovewing heading out of the clearing behind a group of ThunderClan cats. Ivypool hurried after her, creeping under the bushes and running down the shore to catch up to her as Dovewing waited to cross the tree-bridge.
“What did Tigerheart want?” she asked in a low voice.
Dovewing looked stressed, working her claws into the sandy ground. “It’s nothing,” she snapped. “He’s just trying to stir up trouble over Flametail.” A chil ran through Ivypool from ears to tail-tip. Has Tigerheart told Dovewing what he saw me doing in the Dark Forest? Her bel y heaved as she remembered the moment when Brokenstar had tried to make her kil Flametail when he wandered into the Dark Forest from StarClan.
“What sort of trouble?” she pressed Dovewing, unable to bear the uncertainty. “You know, you can’t believe everything Tigerheart says.”
“Too right!” Dovewing burst out loudly, then lowered her voice again with a swift glance around to see if any warrior was listening. “He’s trying to make me believe that Dawnpelt has a grudge against Jayfeather because he didn’t save Flametail. She thinks Jayfeather murdered him.
According to Tigerheart, Dawnpelt is planning something real y bad for ThunderClan.” She twitched her whiskers. “Does he think that’s going to scare me?”
Ivypool relaxed, trying not to let her sister see how relieved she was. “Maybe you should tel Brambleclaw,” she suggested. “He might want to put extra cats on ShadowClan border patrols.”
“And get into trouble for talking to Tigerheart?” Dovewing responded. “I don’t think so.” She leaped up onto the end of the tree-bridge and looked down at Ivypool. “Honestly, what damage can Dawnpelt do? It’s al a lie, and she knows it.”
第五章
第四章
狮焰钻过荆棘通道进了营地。他站在那里放松着浑身酸痛的肌肉。“这次训练棒极了，”他对跟在后面进来的梅花落说道，“你那个后跃转身，我还真没料到。”
“对啊，你能再给我示范一下吗？”狐跃跟在梅花落身后问道。
听到族猫们的表扬，年轻母猫的眼睛闪闪发亮，不好意思地舔了几下胸前的皮毛。“那不难，”她低声说道，“抱歉伤到了你，狮焰。”
“我没事。”狮焰用尾尖友好地轻触她的耳朵，“我动作应该再快点儿的。”
炭心也走了过来，用打趣的目光扫视着狮焰那乱糟糟的皮毛：“你看上去像是被从荆棘通道里倒着拖回来的。”
“我确实有这种感觉。”狮焰回答道，“梅花落和狐跃根本就没给我喘息的机会，他俩正在成长为勇猛的斗士。”
说完，他朝猎物堆走去。这时，他身后传来一声喊叫：“火星！火星！”
狮焰转过身，看见栗尾冲进空地，她后身还紧跟着黄蜂条、莓鼻和榛尾。桦落和藤池则不紧不慢地走在最后。
“伟大的星族啊！”狮焰喊了一声，竖起颈毛，“我们受到攻击了吗？”
栗尾竭力平复着自己的呼吸。火星从高石台上的巢穴里走出来，然后轻巧地顺着落石堆跳到了石头山谷的底部。沙风紧随其后也跳了下来，尘毛和蕨毛则从猎物堆那里跑了过来。
“发生什么事了？”火星停在栗尾的巡逻队跟前问道。
“风族边界那里出了些麻烦，”栗尾解释道，“桦落和藤池跟一些风族猫起了冲突。要不是我们及时出现，估计他们就打起来了。”
“是真的吗？”火星那绿色的眸子紧盯着桦落和藤池问道。
狮焰这才注意到，桦落看上去怒气冲冲，而藤池也烦躁地来回弹动着尾巴。
“是他们先挑起冲突的，”桦落辩解道，“他们不让我们在溪水里洗脚掌。”
“我们没进入他们的领地，”藤池补充道，“我们没做错什么。”
“看在星族的分上，”尘毛不等火星回答，便呵斥道，“难道族群间的关系还不够紧张吗？你们还要出去找麻烦？”
“我们没有找麻烦！”藤池回敬道。
火星竖起尾巴，示意他们安静。蕨毛则走到栗尾身旁，用鼻子轻触她的耳朵。“希望你没有卷入任何的冲突。”他轻声说道。
他的伴侣冲他温柔地眨眨眼睛：“我没事，都是那些鼠脑子惹的祸。”
“你才是鼠脑子！”桦落反驳道。
“大家安静！”火星走到剑拔弩张的族猫中间。“没有谁责备你们违反了武士守则，”接着，他又对桦落和藤池说道，“但是在风族边界处洗脚掌的确不太明智。”
“对啊，为什么不去湖里洗呢？”沙风插话道。
藤池刚要开口回答，育婴室那边突然传来一阵兴奋的喧闹声。狮焰回头一看，小鼹鼠和小樱桃蹦蹦跳跳地跑了过来。
“发生什么事了？”小樱桃问道，尾巴兴奋得竖了起来，“我们能帮忙吗？”
“直接告诉我们怎么做！”小鼹鼠郑重其事地挺起胸膛，“我们要跟谁打仗了？”
狮焰被幼崽们的热情所感动。他们快六个月了，就要成为学徒了。他们的母亲罂粟霜也要回到武士岗位上去了。他低下头，用鼻子分别碰了碰他们。“别着急，”他轻声说道，“风族还没来入侵，你们可以先把利爪收起来。”
他直起身，正好瞥见炭心用她那蓝色的眸子望着他，他看到炭心的眼中闪过一丝痛苦。他非常理解她的感受。只要你愿意，只要你能跨过预言那道坎，我们也能有自己的孩子。只是，在灰色母猫看来，他的使命让一切变得困难重重。他也只好强压下心头的恼意和沮丧。还没出生就被星族选中，又不是我要求的！
“和幼崽们在一起很有趣吧？”亮心和她的伴侣云尾一起走过来问道，“你将来会成为一个好父亲的，狮焰。”
那没用的。狮焰想道，浑身感到有点儿不自在。
又有很多族猫从荆棘通道钻了出来。打头的是鼠须，后面跟着鸽翅、冰云和蟾步。鸽翅嘴里叼着一只松鼠，而冰云则叼着一只乌鸫。他们走到空地中央，好奇地望了望火星周围的猫群，然后走向猎物堆去放猎物。大多数族猫也都跟着他们离开了，关于遇上风族的争论也就不了了之了。
鸽翅刚放下松鼠，波弟就从长老巢穴那边走了过来。“嘿，小年轻。”他开口说道，“今早是你采回来的苔藓，对吗？”
鸽翅歪着头：“是的，白翅和我去采的，有问题吗？”
“那些苔藓太干燥还扎得很。”波弟略有歉意地眨眨眼说道，“我不想小题大做，只是，鼠毛睡在上面感觉不舒服。”
狮焰抬眼看向长老巢穴，鼠毛正伏在入口处。一股怜悯之情突然涌上他的心头。自从她的同伴长尾被倒下的大树砸死后，曾经爱挑剔的母猫，再也回不到从前的样子了。要是能亲耳听到鼠毛抱怨苔藓有刺，让狮焰做什么他都愿意。
“抱歉，”鸽翅说道，“我记得已经把所有的刺都挑出来了。要是你愿意，那我就再去检查一下。”
“不用了，那太耗时了。”灰条插话说道，他和米莉正在猎物堆旁，分食一只田鼠，“可以让黄蜂条和梅花落出去找些羽毛回来，那个应该够软了。”
“那不公平！”正在挑选猎物的梅花落抬起头来，大声喊道。
“就是啊，为什么总把那些无聊的任务安排给我们呢。”黄蜂条跑过来力挺自己的同窝手足，“不就是因为族群里的学徒不多嘛！那些年长些的武士们，什么时候也换换，去做点儿学徒的任务啊？”
灰条眯起琥珀色的眼睛，厉声说道：“或许等你学会不再跟年长的武士顶嘴的时候再说。”
黄蜂条和梅花落不满地交换了一下眼神，但还没等他俩出声，沙风便走过来，戳了戳灰条的侧腹。“行了，灰条。”她说道，“你对自己的孩子，总是比对其他族猫还要严厉。他们说得也对。他们是武士，却总是被各种学徒的任务缠身。我跟你们俩去。”她朝两名年轻的武士补充了一句。
“不，我有个更好的主意。”火星跃过通往族长巢穴的落石堆，然后落在山谷底部的一块圆石上。“所有能独自狩猎的猫到高石台下集合，参加族群会议！”他大声喊道。
大部分猫都已经来到空地上了，正围在火星周围惊奇地低语着。狮焰走到炭心身旁坐下。他注意到荆棘光早就拖着身子来到了黑莓屏风跟前，而松鸦羽则从巢穴里走出来，蹲伏在她身旁。黛西、罂粟霜和香薇云也从育婴室里溜出来，坐在猫群边上。
“狐跃、玫瑰瓣，过来站到我这边。”火星继续说道。
两位武士不解地互相看了一眼，然后便起身来到岩壁下，站到了族长身旁。
“既然族群现在急缺学徒，”火星继续说道，“我认为最好的解决办法就是任命几个。小鼹鼠、小樱桃……”
“什么？”小鼹鼠惊呼一声，一下子就跳了起来，身上的每一根毛似乎都竖了起来，这让他看起来是平时的两倍大。
“我们吗？”小樱桃也激动得上蹿下跳，“啊，太酷啦！”
“火星，不可以！”罂粟霜立刻跳了起来，穿过空地飞奔到自己的幼崽身旁，“我们一点儿准备都没有！他们俩身上脏兮兮的——小鼹鼠，你瞧你的皮毛！”
她冲向小公猫，拼命地舔着他身上的皮毛。莓鼻也站起来，赶紧去给小樱桃梳理一下。狮焰觉着莓鼻骄傲的样子，就好像是在准备他自己的学徒仪式似的。
火星愉悦地咕噜着在一旁看了一会儿，接着便摇摇尾巴示意两只幼崽过去。“他们这样可以了。”他说道，“到这里来，站到我面前。”
两只幼崽顺从地走了过去，只是，他们身上的皮毛还是皱巴巴的，东一撮西一块地支棱着。火星探出尾巴拍了拍小樱桃的肩膀。“从今往后，”他宣布道，“这只幼崽将更名为樱桃爪。狐跃，你一直为族群贡献着你的勇气和毅力，我相信你会把这些品质传授给你的学徒。”
狐跃走上前，眼中闪烁着骄傲。他跟樱桃爪碰了碰鼻子，然后樱桃爪便和他肩并肩回到了猫群里。
可当火星正要转向小鼹鼠时，小公猫往后一跳，不让族长的尾巴够到他。“我不想当学徒，”他尖叫一声，“你只会让我们做那些又脏又累的杂活儿！”
在场的族猫们都诧异地倒吸了一口冷气。狮焰看见樱桃爪瞪大眼睛，惊恐地盯着自己的哥哥。莓鼻甩了一下尾巴，而罂粟霜则闭上眼睛，爪子紧紧插进土里，就好像恨不得自己不在场似的。
可火星却一点儿也不生气，反而发出咕噜咕噜的笑声。“没错，是有些必需的任务。”他肯定道，“可这里的每一位武士，都是这么过来的。当然，训练也同样重要。这也是我为什么选择玫瑰瓣做你的老师。她动作敏捷、战斗经验丰富，我相信她会把这些都传授给你的。”说完他又示意小鼹鼠上前。
小鼹鼠原地没动，怀疑地眯起了双眼。“那我能先接受些训练吗？”他试探道，“然后再去帮其他猫抓跳蚤？”
“这要由玫瑰瓣来决定。”火星咕噜道。
玫瑰瓣的眼中闪烁着笑意。“比训练还要好哦，”她保证道，“今天我们先探索整个领地，明天再开始其他任务。”
“那就太好啦！”小鼹鼠高声喊道。
他终于走到火星面前，后者则用尾尖轻触他的肩膀。“从今往后，这只幼崽将更名为鼹鼠爪。”他宣布道，“现在，去跟玫瑰瓣碰碰鼻子吧。”
年轻公猫心满意足地照火星的吩咐做了。
“族群会议现在结束。”火星宣布道。
只是，还没等大家散开，蕨毛走上前来说道：“等一下，火星。我有事情要跟大家说。”
火星挥舞尾巴，示意金棕色武士继续说下去。
“栗尾又怀幼崽了。”蕨毛宣布道。
族群爆发出一阵贺喜声。狮焰瞥见炭心和罂粟霜——栗尾的第一胎幼崽——高兴地交换了一下眼神。
栗尾高声说道：“差不多一个月后他们就会出生了。”
黛西走过来，舔了舔她的耳朵；香薇云则将口鼻贴在栗尾的肩上。“太好了，你要搬进育婴室和我们在一起了。”她说道。
听着她们的谈话，狮焰忍不住瞟了瞟炭心，却发现她已从自己身边走开，此时正跟罂粟霜聊得热烈。
狐跃和玫瑰瓣朝荆棘通道走去，他们的学徒蹦蹦跳跳地跟在旁边。此时，鼹鼠爪似乎已然忘记了自己的担忧，看上去跟妹妹一样，兴奋不已。
“他们太小了，”看着他们离开，罂粟霜喃喃道，“希望他们沿着边界绕一圈回来不会太累。”
“他们会没事的。”炭心安慰道。
“那还用说，”莓鼻也附和道，说着还用鼻子碰了碰罂粟霜的耳朵，“我们的孩子会是族群里最棒的学徒。”
狮焰竭力压下心中的嫉妒，转身离开。族群会议结束了，他看见藤池正准备回自己的巢穴，于是跑过去拦住她。“你们和风族到底是怎么回事？”他问道，“风族都有哪些武士在场？”
藤池迟疑了一下，似乎有些不太愿意说。“石楠尾、风皮，还有他们的学徒。”最后，她还是说了出来。
就知道是他们。狮焰想道。“他们只是挑衅吗？你们有没有真打起来？”
藤池摇了摇头。
“还好。”桦落听到他们的谈话，说道，“我们没遇上什么危险。风皮不想找麻烦，只是石楠尾有些反应过度，就是这样。”
狮焰回味着桦落的话，对他笃定的语气感到有点儿惊讶。一般情况下，雷族猫们只要遇上风皮，都会气鼓鼓地大喊大叫。为什么这次却截然不同呢？他眯起眼睛。难道是因为桦落和风皮在边界之外，还有某种联系吗？
“再给我讲讲当时的细节吧。”在桦落听不到的地方，狮焰催促藤池道，“桦落和风皮之间有什么秘密吗？你在黑森林见过桦落吗？”
“不……没有。”藤池回答道。
她犹豫的样子让狮焰更加怀疑。“但是你知道他去过那里，对吗？”说完，他有些沮丧地说道，“你应该把黑森林里的一切都告诉我们！即便这次牵涉到你的父亲。我想，你也应该考虑一下自己应该忠于谁。”
藤池的眼中燃起一股怒火。“你怎么能质疑我的忠诚？”她吼道，“我每次入睡，都是在为族群舍生忘死！”
“怎么了？”狮焰身后传来鸽翅的声音。狮焰转身看见她跑了过来。“你在对藤池做什么？”鸽翅问道。
“没什么。”狮焰辩解道。
“指责我不忠诚叫没什么，对吗？”藤池逼问道，眼中燃烧着怒火。
“这不公平！”鸽翅喊道，“别太过头了，狮焰。如果我们连自己的族猫都无法相信，那我们还能相信谁呢？”
狮焰哼了一声：“我不知道。不过如果藤池能诚实地回答我，我会更加信任她。”
藤池没有回答，只是转身大步离开了。鸽翅正要跟过去，狮焰用尾巴拦住了她。
“一定要仔细倾听风族边界的任何风吹草动。”他说道。
令他惊讶的是，鸽翅垂下头，嘴里咕哝了些什么，可他一个字也没听清。
“你说什么？”他问道。
鸽翅抬起头。狮焰从她眼中看到了真正的恐惧，突然一下子明白了。狮焰感觉浑身的毛都竖了起来。
“自我从山区回来，我那特殊的感知力就一直没恢复。”鸽翅承认道，“如果我的力量没有了怎么办？”
狮焰盯着她：“可你还是三力量之一。”
鸽翅摇了摇头：“我不知道是因为翻越山脊时，我听到和看到的东西太多了，还是因为我太擅长阻隔远处的声音了。在旅途中我不得不那样做，要不然所有的声音都会钻进我的耳朵里来。”
“我相信你会好起来的。”狮焰想起她还是自己学徒时的情形，安慰她道，“你只是还需再等些日子，你的感知力就会回来了。”
只是，尽管他想让自己听上去坚定一些，可他心里却没底。焦虑在他心底蔓延。如果鸽翅失去了她的力量，那是否意味着预言中的三力量就要变成两个了呢？
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
On the morning after the Gathering, Lionblaze returned from the dawn patrol and headed straight for Firestar’s den. The sun was shining down into the hol ow, and puffs of white cloud scudded across a blue sky. The camp was fil ed with the noise of peaceful activity, but Lionblaze couldn’t help feeling that trouble was heading for them like a swel ing storm cloud
As he climbed up to the top of the tumbled rocks, Lionblaze heard Brambleclaw’s voice coming from Firestar’s den.
“Do you think Onestar was making al that up?” the Clan deputy meowed. “Is he looking for a fight?”
“I hope not,” Firestar replied. “But WindClan is certainly getting hostile.”
“Firestar?” Lionblaze reached the entrance to the den and poked his head inside. “Can I talk to you?” Firestar was sitting on his pile of bedding at the back of the den, with Brambleclaw standing beside him. “Come in,” he invited with a wave of his tail. “We were just discussing Onestar’s outburst at the Gathering.”
Lionblaze padded into the den, dipping his head to Brambleclaw. “I heard what you were saying,” he began. “That’s what I wanted to discuss, too. What if WindClan is right?”
“What?” Brambleclaw’s tail-tip twitched. “You think ThunderClan cats—?”
“No,” Lionblaze interrupted. “I know that’s not true.
But suppose they have seen a cat hanging around?
Remember what Cherrypaw and Molepaw said they saw. We might wel have a rogue wandering about in the territory.”
Firestar nodded. “That’s a very good point.”
“I’l track it down if you like,” Lionblaze offered,
“and send it on its way.” Waiting tensely for his leader’s reply, he added to himself, And then I can find out if what Jayfeather and I suspect is true.
“There’s no need for that,” Brambleclaw meowed.
“We can just send out extra patrols.”
“No,” Firestar decided after a moment’s thought.
“Lionblaze can go alone if he wants. There’s no need to be aggressive about this. We just need to find out if there’s any evidence of an intruder.” Brambleclaw looked slightly puzzled, but dipped his head toward Firestar. “Fine, if you think that’s best.”
Lionblaze bade the two cats a hasty farewel , and ran down the tumbled rocks into the clearing. On his way to the thorn tunnel, he spotted Jayfeather outside his den, sniffing at the fox bite on Foxleap’s shoulder. Lionblaze veered toward him.
“That smel s fine,” Jayfeather meowed to Foxleap as Lionblaze approached. “See me again tomorrow.
If there are no more problems I think you can go back to warrior duties in a few days.”
“Great, thanks!” Foxleap replied, heading toward the warriors’ den.
Jayfeather turned to Lionblaze. “Wel ? What are you so excited about?”
Lionblaze paused for a heartbeat, stil finding it odd after al this time that Jayfeather could judge his feelings so accurately without being able to see him.
“Firestar has given me permission to go and look for the intruder,” he told his brother.
Jayfeather twitched his ears. “Real y? You’d better be careful, then.” A heartbeat later, he added, “What wil you do if we’re right?”
“I don’t know,” Lionblaze admitted, feeling a tingle in his paws. “But I don’t want any other cat finding out first.”
“True enough,” Jayfeather commented.
Leaving his littermate to return to his den, Lionblaze brushed through the thorn tunnel and headed to the slope above the hol ow. Wind blew into his face and flattened his fur to his sides as he gazed out over the lake. It looked so peaceful, the water glittering in the sunlight, surrounded by rustling green leaves. Yet Lionblaze felt it was overshadowed by the Dark Forest and his knowledge of what was coming.
The acrid scent of fox dung trickled into Lionblaze’s nose. He fol owed it until he reached the clearing where Cherrypaw and Molepaw had been training.
Phew, what a stench! Ivypool certainly did a thorough job.
He searched along the edges of the bramble thickets until he discovered paw prints and scraps of fur clinging to the thorns, which showed him where the apprentices had hidden from the fox. Squeezing under the brambles, Lionblaze tried to work out what the young cats might have seen from their hiding place. Bramble tendrils cut off his view in most directions, but there was a gap low down, level with a scared apprentice’s sight line. Through it he could see a hazel bush a few tail-lengths away that looked like a place where the mysterious rescuer might have been crouching.
Lionblaze wriggled out from underneath the brambles, hissing with annoyance as thorns raked his fur. Underneath the hazel bush the debris was disturbed as if a cat had stood there, and a few snapped twigs lay on the ground, but there were no clear paw prints.
The cat must have been a bit smaller than me to get under there, Lionblaze thought. Too bad there are no scraps of fur left behind. And I can’t smell a thing over this awful reek of fox.
There was nothing more to be learned in the clearing. After a moment’s thought, Lionblaze headed for the border with the unclaimed forest, then turned toward WindClan, since the intruder had been seen there. Scanning the ground careful y as he padded along, he spotted a place where the leaf-mold had been churned up, as if a pounce and a brief struggle had taken place there.
Sniffing careful y al around, Lionblaze couldn’t find any signs that the prey had been eaten where it was caught. Then he stiffened, spotting tiny drag marks leading toward the border. Fol owing them paw step by paw step, sometimes almost losing the trail among grass and leaves, Lionblaze final y reached the border. The drag marks continued; passing the ThunderClan scent markers, he found scattered feathers a few fox-lengths outside the boundary, in unclaimed forest.
So this cat killed prey, but knew enough to take it across the border before they ate it. Lionblaze’s heart started to beat faster. This is a cat who knows about the territories! It’s confident hunting and moving around here, but it doesn’t want to be found.
Lionblaze sat beside the feathers, wrapped his tail around his paws, and tried to think. If the intruder was living in this area, she had food and water, but she would need shelter, too.
Not too far from here, if they want to keep an eye on ThunderClan, but not so close that scent would stray across the border while they’re resting . . .
Rising to his paws again, Lionblaze ventured a little farther into the unknown woods. He soon came to a bramble thicket, which looked like a possible shelter for a loner.
No, he thought, eyeing it careful y. I wouldn’t live there. It would be too hard to escape, and a cat could be on top of me before I heard them.
Searching farther, his pelt prickling with the feeling that he was very close to his quarry, Lionblaze came to a clearing where the ground was uneven and moss-covered rocks jutted out of the ground.
Beneath one of the biggest boulders was a hole, like the entrance to a tunnel. Lionblaze set his paws down as lightly as if he were stalking a mouse.
Reaching the hole, he stretched out his neck and took a sniff. Dampness and earth flooded his scent glands, but there was the scent of cat as wel , though he couldn’t identify it among al the other scents.
He was crouching down to enter when another thought occurred to him. Wait. I wouldn’t shelter in there unless I knew there was another way out.
Stil treading careful y, he slunk around the boulders, his gaze flicking from side to side in search of another hole. Final y he found it: smal er than the first, and wel -hidden in a clump of ferns.
Yes!
After a moment’s thought, Lionblaze searched until he found a fal en branch, and dragged it back to the second hole, jamming it firmly across the opening.
I don’t know if the intruder is in there, but I’m taking no chances.
He returned to the first entrance, crouching down and straining to see inside. But it was impossible to make out anything in the darkness.
There’s no other choice. I’ll have to go in.
For a couple of heartbeats he hesitated. He real y didn’t want to squeeze himself into the dark hole. It was too smal for him, and he felt as if he would hardly be able to breathe in the cramped space.
There could be anything down there . . . snakes . . .
foxes . . .
Then he gave his pelt a shake. Are you a warrior, or a mouse? Flattening himself to the ground, he began to thrust his shoulders into the narrow gap and crawl forward.
A voice spoke behind him. “Hel o, Lionblaze.” Lionblaze’s heart jumped. He whipped around, banging his head on the boulder that sheltered the hole. Then his jaw dropped open and he stared in astonishment. In front of him stood a cat that he had never expected to see again.
“Sol!”
Sol inclined his head. His mottled brown-and-black pelt gleamed in the sunlight and his whiskers arched with amusement as he looked at Lionblaze.
“How appropriate that you’re the first cat that I see when I return,” he mewed, giving his chest fur a couple of licks. “After al , you were the last cat I saw before I left.”
Guilt surged over Lionblaze as he remembered how he had helped Sol escape from the ThunderClan camp, genuinely believing that he didn’t deserve to be kept prisoner.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded, his mind racing.
Sol’s ears twitched in surprise. “No warm welcome for a former Clanmate?”
“You were never my Clanmate,” Lionblaze retorted, struggling to keep calm, furious with himself that Sol had caught him off-balance, with his pelt covered in soil and debris. “And you’re wrong to expect a welcome from any of us,” he went on. “We know what you did to Blackstar and ShadowClan.” Sol’s eyes widened in a hurt expression. “I simply suggested a different way of living. The world doesn’t begin and end with the warrior code, you know.” An ominous note crept into his voice. “But I also know that the warrior code insists that you treat visitors with courtesy. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to visit old friends, is there?” Lionblaze gritted his teeth. This cat leaves me wrong-footed whatever I say! “We were never your friends,” he muttered.
“Oh, I think you were,” Sol meowed. “After al , you helped me to escape, didn’t you?” Blinking at Lionblaze’s hiss of annoyance, he added, “Ah, I see that this isn’t common knowledge. I can’t say I’m surprised. Hardly your finest moment, was it, releasing a prisoner? Though I have to say I was never entirely sure what I was captured for.” He examined the claws on one forepaw. “So, are you going to take me to Firestar?”
Surprise rippled through Lionblaze’s pelt.
“Real y?”
Sol nodded. “Why not? I have no quarrel with him, even if he did imprison me for no reason. We can share stories about the old days by the lake. The vanishing sun—remember that?”
Lionblaze shuddered and looked up at the sky, remembering the unnatural darkness, chil , and silence al too clearly.
“It’s al right,” Sol purred. “I’m not going to make it disappear again. As long as I’m not treated unfairly, that is.”
Lionblaze emerged from the thorn tunnel with Sol just behind him. Most of the patrols had returned by this time, and the stone hol ow was fil ed with cats sunning themselves, sharing tongues, or gossiping beside the fresh-kil pile. Dustpelt was crossing the clearing, heading for the dirtplace tunnel; he halted when he spotted Sol.
“I don’t believe it!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
Cloudtail and Brightheart, curled up together in a sunny spot, raised their heads and stared. “Sol! It can’t be!” Cloudtail’s voice was a yowl of astonishment.
Alerted by the noise, two or three warriors poked their heads out of their den, then slid into the open.
Brackenfur, who was sharing tongues with Sorreltail just outside, took one look, sprang to his paws, and raced up the rockfal toward Firestar’s den.
“Sol!” Squirrelflight gasped, looking up from the fresh-kil pile with a vole in her jaws. “Oh, no!” Cherrypaw and Molepaw scampered across the clearing and skidded to a halt in front of Sol, gazing at him with eyes stretched wide in wonder.
“Are you real y Sol?” Cherrypaw asked. “Mousefur was just tel ing us about you!”
“Yeah, are you the cat who stole the sun?” Molepaw added.
Sol dipped his head. “Yes, but I gave it back again.”
“Wow!”
Lionblaze didn’t move as more of his Clanmates bounded across the clearing and surrounded him and Sol. He glanced around for Jayfeather and Dovewing, but couldn’t see either of them
“What do you want?” Graystripe growled, pushing himself to the front of the crowd. “Every time you set paw in our territory, it means trouble.”
“Right.” Dustpelt came to stand beside Graystripe, his neck fur bristling. “If I were you, Sol, I would turn around again and go back where you came from.”
“So good to meet old friends,” Sol purred, raising one paw and giving it a lick. “There’s always such a warm welcome in ThunderClan.”
Before any cat could respond, Firestar shouldered his way forward and halted in front of Sol, looking him up and down with suspicion in his green eyes.
“Why are you here, Sol?” he asked, his flame-colored pelt fluffing up.
Sol blinked. “I was just passing through. I couldn’t go on without stopping to greet my friends in ThunderClan.”
Passing through . . . huh! Lionblaze thought. He’s been around for several sunrises, at least.
Firestar seemed to consider Sol’s answer for a moment, the tip of his tail flicking slightly.
“ThunderClan has no quarrel with you now,” he mewed at last. “But I can’t say the same about Blackstar. And you’ve already caused enough trouble by hanging around on the WindClan border.
Al in al , it would be better if you just left.” Sol’s only response was to twitch an ear.
“We can make him go, Firestar,” Cloudtail growled, taking a pace forward. “Just say the word.” But at the same moment, a loud cry of “Sol! Sol!” came from the direction of the warriors’ den.
Poppyfrost came pelting across the camp and wriggled through the crowd of cats surrounding Sol.
“Sol, you saved my kits, didn’t you?” she meowed, gazing wide-eyed at him. “Above the hol ow, when the fox cornered them? It was you, wasn’t it?” she went on insistently when Sol didn’t reply. “They didn’t get a good look at you, but they’d have known if it was a ThunderClan warrior.”
Lionblaze’s heart sank. Realizing that Sol must have been the cat under the hazel bush who scared away the fox didn’t change his opinion at al . He wanted Sol gone.
“And what was Sol doing, wandering around ThunderClan territory?” Dustpelt muttered.
“Yeah.” Cloudtail glared at the newcomer. “Why didn’t he come straight here if he wanted to visit, or make himself known to a patrol?”
Poppyfrost’s head swiveled and she returned Cloudtail’s glare. “He probably wasn’t sure about what sort of a welcome he’d get,” she retorted, then turned back to Sol with a deep-throated purr. “Oh, Sol, thank you so much! You’l always be welcome here.”
“Thank you, Poppyfrost,” Sol replied. “But real y, it was nothing.”
“Fighting off a fox isn’t nothing,” Berrynose meowed, coming up behind Poppyfrost and dipping his head respectful y to the visitor. “Firestar, he can stay the night, can’t he?”
Firestar looked disconcerted. Lionblaze could see that he didn’t want to let Sol back into the camp, but he could hardly turn him away now. “Very wel ,” he agreed, with a curt nod.
“Come over here and take your pick of the freshkil pile,” Berrynose invited.
The cream-colored warrior escorted Sol across the camp, and most of the other cats fol owed.
Cherrypaw and Molepaw were already asking excited questions about Sol’s travels.
“Later,” Poppyfrost told them. “Let Sol eat and rest first.”
Lionblaze stayed where he was, near the camp entrance. I can’t believe this! Sol’s back in ThunderClan as an honored guest. He spotted Jayfeather, who had been listening at the edge of the crowd, and padded over to join him. “We were wrong,” he mewed.
Jayfeather nodded, his head turned toward the fresh-kil pile as if he could see his Clanmates gathering around Sol. “I was so sure . . .” he murmured.
“I don’t care how many apprentices Sol saved,” Lionblaze went on after a moment. “I don’t trust him, and I don’t think Firestar trusts him, either.”
“Neither do I.” Jayfeather gave a disdainful sniff.
“There’s no way he was just passing by. He’s here for a reason, and that reason is bound to be trouble.”
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Jayfeather shivered as a cold wind probed his fur with icy claws. He stood at the crest of a hil ; around him a copse of pine trees bent their tops into the gale, their branches rattling together. Above the trees, the sky heaved with gray clouds.
“I’ve had enough of this,” Jayfeather muttered, gazing out across the bleak landscape. “I’m leaving.” But before he could wake from his dream he heard the puffing breath of a cat climbing the hil , and spotted a skinny gray shape struggling through the thorny undergrowth.
“Yel owfang,” he sighed as the cat emerged into the open. “Did we real y have to meet here? This wind is blowing my fur off.”
Yel owfang halted in front of him and stared at him from narrowed amber eyes. Jayfeather thought that she looked even scruffier than usual. Her pelt was ruffled by the wind, her breath stank, and her eyes were gummy, as if she hadn’t groomed herself for moons.
“I chose this place because I can’t risk any cat overhearing us,” Yel owfang informed him, wheezing.
“There’s stil a bad feeling in StarClan, then?” Jayfeather asked.
“Yes!” the old she-cat hissed. “And you must trust no cat!”
Jayfeather dug his claws into the cold ground. He felt chil ed to the bone, and wanted nothing more than to wake into his warm den. “What do you want?” he mewed impatiently.
“To tel you what you must do,” Yel owfang replied.
“You need to recruit another medicine cat. I don’t mean an apprentice. I mean the other ful y trained cat that lives in ThunderClan.”
Jayfeather’s pelt prickled with surprise. “But Leafpool isn’t a medicine cat anymore,” he pointed out. “That’s beyond my control—or yours.” Regret clouded the old gray cat’s eyes. “I know,” she mewed sadly. “I don’t mean Leafpool. What she did was so wrong when judged against the medicine cat code, it’s as if her training had never existed.
Don’t underestimate the depth of her punishment, Jayfeather. She hasn’t only given up her place as medicine cat. She’s forbidden to use her knowledge, even though she worked so hard to achieve it.” Jayfeather felt a flash of frustration. Like you didn’t have a kit of your own, even if your Clan never knew the truth. “That’s like punishing the whole Clan for one cat’s mistake!” he hissed.
“It was a grave mistake.” Yel owfang’s voice was somber.
“Then what do you mean about another medicine cat?” Jayfeather prompted. “Not Briarlight or Brightheart, surely? They know more than the others, but they haven’t had any real training. Brightheart hasn’t even been to the Moonpool.” Yel owfang lashed her scraggy tail. “You should know who I mean, mouse-brain,” she rasped.
“ThunderClan has a third medicine cat—
Cinderheart. Perhaps it’s time to tel her who she real y is.”
Jayfeather flinched. “You think so? Wil she believe me?”
“She wil if you walk in her dreams,” Yel owfang meowed. “Take her back to the life she had before.
Al the knowledge is there; she just needs to reach out for it.”
Disconcerted by the burning intensity in Yel owfang’s amber eyes, Jayfeather took a step back. “Wait. Cinderpelt was your apprentice; she doesn’t have to be mine. How can I train a new medicine cat with everything else that’s going on?” Yel owfang rol ed her eyes. “You won’t need to train her!” she spat. “She already knows more than you do. She just needs to remember who she is.” Jayfeather bristled. “I’l think about it,” he snapped.
“Make sure you do,” Yel owfang mewed. “Or I might walk in her dreams myself.”
That would scare Cinderheart out of her fur, Jayfeather thought, unable to imagine anything more unsettling for the young warrior.
“Al right, I’l do it,” he growled.
Yel owfang turned to leave, then glanced back over her shoulder. “You have to be ready for the worst battle the Clans have ever known,” she reminded him. “One medicine cat wil not be enough!”
Jayfeather woke to darkness. He was curled comfortably in the moss and fern of his nest in the medicine cat’s den; the air around him was warm, and ful of the fresh scents of early greenleaf. But although his body was at ease, his mind was troubled, and he felt as if he had scarcely rested at al .
Outside in the clearing, cats were moving around; Jayfeather could hear Brambleclaw’s voice as the deputy organized the patrols. Paws scampered closer to his den, and Cherrypaw’s voice rose above the background murmur.
“Sol—come and watch us training, please!”
“Yeah,” Molepaw added. “I’ve learned this real y cool battle move I want to show you.” Jayfeather raised his head out of his nest and tasted the air. He could pick up the apprentice’s scent, along with Sol’s, just outside the bramble screen. Rosepetal and Cloudtail, who was stil mentoring Cherrypaw, stood a couple of tail-lengths farther away.
“That’s real y not a good idea,” Rosepetal meowed. “Sol has better things to do than watch a couple of apprentices.”
“And we want you to concentrate on your training session,” Cloudtail added, his voice cool with dislike of Sol. “Not showing off for a visitor.”
“It’s kind of you to ask me,” Sol mewed to the two young cats. “But I have other duties right now. I’l want to hear a ful report of what you’ve learned when I get back.”
Jayfeather heard a suppressed hiss from Cloudtail, and sensed a wave of annoyance rol ing off him. He could understand what the white warrior felt. Sol is talking as if he’s our Clan leader!
“Jayfeather?”
Focused on what was happening outside the den, Jayfeather hadn’t noticed Brightheart dragging herself up to him.
“Jayfeather, can I go and speak to Sol?” she asked.
The eagerness in her tone irritated Jayfeather.
“He’s not going to mend your back, if that’s what you’re thinking,” he snapped.
“I wasn’t hoping for that,” Briarlight huffed. “I’m curious about him, that’s al .”
“Wel , don’t be,” Jayfeather retorted. “He’s nothing special.”
“He saved the apprentices from the fox,” Briarlight reminded him.
Jayfeather snorted. “Maybe.”
I can’t believe Lionblaze and I got it so wrong, he thought. Sol was the last cat we were expecting to turn up.
The apprentices and their mentors moved away.
Sol loitered for a few more moments outside the den, then he, too, retreated in the direction of the entrance. Jayfeather hauled himself out of his nest and began to groom the scraps of moss and bracken from his fur.
“Jayfeather!” Daisy’s voice came from the other side of the bramble screen. “Can you come and have a look at Sorreltail?”
Leaving his grooming unfinished, Jayfeather brushed past the screen and out into the camp.
Daisy was waiting for him a tail-length away.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
“I’m not sure,” Daisy admitted, fal ing in beside him as he padded toward the warriors’ den. “You’re the medicine cat. But I’ve seen a lot of cats near to giving birth, and I’m not sure I like the look of Sorreltail.”
Jayfeather replied with a grunt. As he slid between the outer branches of the warriors’ den, his nose twitched at the musty scent of dried moss and fern.
Most of the cats were already out on patrol; he located Sorreltail lying in a nest near the edge of the den, and picked his way through the bedding to her side.
“Hi, Jayfeather,” the tortoiseshel warrior meowed.
“You didn’t need to come. I’m fine.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Jayfeather muttered.
Sorreltail’s voice sounded tired, and as Jayfeather sniffed at her he picked up her feelings of anxiety and exhaustion. “You’re trying to do too much,” he told her. “You’re less than half a moon from giving birth, and keeping up with your warrior duties is wearing you out.”
“But last time—” Sorreltail began.
“Like it or not, you’re older than the last time you had kits,” Jayfeather pointed out. “You need to slow down to give yourself a chance to stay in good health. Birth is a very difficult time.” Sorreltail sighed. “I know.”
As both cats fel silent, Jayfeather felt her flank shudder beneath his forepaw, and he was plunged into a terrible whirlpool of memory. He felt Sorreltail’s agony as she gave birth; he shared her horror as the badger forced its way into the nursery. He saw Cinderpelt leap bravely to protect Sorreltail and heard her shriek cut off abruptly as the huge creature clamped its jaws on her neck and shook her. In the same heartbeat he heard the thin wail of a tiny gray kit, born as the medicine cat gave up her life.
Jayfeather shivered. That was when Cinderpelt became Cinderheart. And now Yellowfang says that I need to bring her back, for the sake of the Clan.
He started, jerked out of the memory, as he realized that Sorreltail was speaking again, her voice low and weary.
“I know you’re right,” she mewed. “These kits need to have the best possible start. And if that means sitting around for this last half-moon . . . wel , so be it!”
“Thank you, Sorreltail,” Jayfeather replied. “You’ve made the right decision.” And made my job a lot easier, he added to himself.
“Come on, then, Sorreltail,” Daisy mewed, bustling forward and nudging the tortoiseshel warrior to her paws. “Ferncloud and I have made you a real y comfortable nest in the nursery.”
Jayfeather’s anxieties faded as he edged his way out of the warriors’ den. It’s obvious Sorreltail is going to be thoroughly mothered before these kits arrive!
Back in the clearing, Jayfeather listened for Cinderheart’s pawsteps, wondering whether this was the right time to speak to her. What in the name of StarClan am I going to say?
His ears twitched as he heard paw steps padding toward him, but the scent that he picked up was Birchfal ’s. “Are you busy right now?” he asked.
“No,” the tabby tom replied. “Do you want something?”
“Yes—Cinderheart,” Jayfeather replied. “If you see her, would you tel her I want a word with her?”
“Sure.” Birchfal padded off.
Jayfeather headed for the warriors’ den, but when he paused to taste the air there was no trace of Cinderheart among the mingled scents. He stood lashing his tail with frustration. She must be out on patrol.
Then a voice spoke close to his ear. “Are you looking for Cinderheart?”
Jayfeather stiffened as Leafpool’s scent washed over him. How does she know that?
“Yes,” he replied warily. “Have you seen her?”
“Yes, but I need to speak to you first.” Jayfeather hesitated, unwil ing to discuss Cinderheart—or anything else—with his mother. But he could sense Leafpool’s determination, and knew he wouldn’t be able to put her off. “Okay,” he sighed.
“Go ahead.”
“Not here,” Leafpool meowed. “Let’s go into the forest. I don’t think that what I have to say should be overheard.”
Suppressing a sigh, Jayfeather fol owed her out of the forest and into the camp. As he padded beside her, he felt the usual sense of disbelief that Leafpool was his mother. Sometimes she felt more like a stranger to him than a cat from another Clan.
Leafpool halted beneath a broad tree with noisy, rustling leaves; Jayfeather could hear the trickle of water close by. “So?” he demanded.
“I had a dream last night,” Leafpool murmured; Jayfeather had to lean close to hear her.
“Spottedleaf came to me, and told me that Yel owfang wants to tel Cinderheart about . . . about who she was before. Is that right?”
“Yes,” Jayfeather replied.
“Wel , she can’t!” Leafpool burst out; Jayfeather winced at the lightning bolt of her emotions.
“Cinderheart has been given the chance to live a different life, as a warrior and as a mother. If you tel her about her previous life, you wil rob her of that chance.”
Jayfeather could hear Leafpool tearing at the grass with her claws. He tried to interrupt her, but she ignored him.
“I was Cinderpelt’s apprentice,” Leafpool went on.
“I knew her wel . I knew she had longed to be a warrior, a mate, and a mother, but al that was taken away from her when she had the accident on the Thunderpath. In spite of that, she was a good medicine cat, one of the best that ThunderClan wil ever have. I won’t let her life be taken away from her again!”
“But the Clan has to come first,” Jayfeather argued. “More medicine cats are needed.” Leafpool was silent for a moment. Both of them knew that she was a ful y trained medicine cat quite capable of caring for her Clan, if only she hadn’t broken the medicine cat code, as wel as the warrior code, by taking a cat from another Clan as her mate.
But neither she nor Jayfeather mentioned that. The silence stretched out until it tingled between them as if a storm were about to break.
“Individual cats are important, too,” Leafpool went on at last. “You could take an apprentice. Briarlight is already doing a great job.”
“Oh, sure!” Jayfeather lashed his tail. “Wouldn’t that just be great? One medicine cat who can’t see, and another who can’t walk. ThunderClan would be invincible!”
“I know you see much more than the rest of us,” Leafpool stated calmly. “You can’t use that as an excuse. But I’m tel ing you, Cinderheart deserves a different life this time. That’s why StarClan gave her a second chance. Spottedleaf said so, in my dream.
I won’t let you spoil everything for her again.” Without giving Jayfeather a chance to respond, she rose and walked away
Jayfeather stayed beneath the tree, thoughts swirling in his head. He had to admit that Leafpool had a point: If StarClan had interfered enough to let Cinderheart have another life, he knew there must be a very good reason for it. And Yellowfang isn’t thinking straight at the moment, he reminded himself. She’s too closely caught up in the rivalries inside StarClan, and her fear of the Dark Forest.
Jayfeather returned slowly to the camp, stil unsure about what he should do. Before he had even reached his den, he picked up Cinderheart’s scent and heard her paw steps approaching.
“Birchfal said you were looking for me,” she meowed. Her voice was cheerful. “Do you need me to do something?”
As clearly as if he could see, Jayfeather was aware of Leafpool’s gaze fixed on him. He took a deep breath. “Nothing important,” he told Cinderheart. “It can wait until another day.”
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Dovewing followed Brambleclaw through the thorns with a squirrel clamped in her jaws. Hazeltail and Thornclaw fol owed, also carrying prey. It had been a good hunt.
At the end of the narrow tunnel, Dovewing almost bumped into Brambleclaw, who had halted abruptly just inside the camp. “Sorry,” he muttered, moving out of the way.
When Dovewing emerged, she saw that the Clan deputy was gazing across the clearing at a strange cat who was sitting beside the fresh-kil pile, eating a piece of prey and chatting to the ThunderClan warriors who surrounded him. He looked sleek and wel -fed, his pelt mottled brown and black, patched with white.
“Who is that?” she asked Brambleclaw, who was stil staring at the newcomer, his neck fur beginning to bristle.
“Sol,” the deputy replied, dropping the rabbit he was carrying. “He was here before you were born, and—”
“Mousefur told me about him, moons ago!” Dovewing interrupted, excitement beginning to prickle her paws. “Didn’t he make the sun go away? I thought that was just a story.”
Brambleclaw nodded. “It’s no story.”
“Do you think he’l do it again?”
“He’d better not,” Thornclaw growled, coming to stand beside Brambleclaw. “That cat is trouble. I can’t imagine what Firestar’s thinking, letting him in here.”
Brambleclaw picked up his rabbit and led the way across to the fresh-kil pile. The rest of the patrol fol owed to deposit their prey, weaving their way between the cats who were talking to Sol.
“Come and meet Sol,” Mousewhisker meowed enthusiastical y as Dovewing added her squirrel to the pile. “He’s the cat who chased the fox away and saved the apprentices.”
“Yes, isn’t it great that he came back?” Whitewing added. “Just think what would have happened to those poor young cats!”
But Dovewing could tel that not al the cats around Sol were pleased to see him. Firestar was sitting with Sandstorm, Graystripe, and Mil ie, looking distinctly awkward about the newcomer’s presence, while Dustpelt, Ferncloud, and Squirrelflight had their heads together, speaking in undertones and casting suspicious glances at Sol.
Purdy and Mousefur padded slowly across from the elders’ den, looking curious; Purdy blinked in surprise when he spotted Sol.
“Wel , what next!” the old tabby exclaimed. “Sol! I never reckoned I’d see you again.” Sol inclined his head. “Purdy. You’re looking wel .
Mousefur, I—”
The brown she-cat lashed her tail as Sol turned to her, taking a pace back and letting out a hiss. “Don’t come near me,” she snarled.
For a moment Dovewing thought she detected a flash of anger in Sol’s amber eyes. Then the mottled tom dipped his head again. “The same old Mousefur, I see,” he mewed smoothly. “I’m so glad to see you again.”
Mousefur spun around and stalked back to her den. Purdy cast a helpless glance at Sol before fol owing her. Watching the cranky elder, Dovewing didn’t notice that Ivypool had appeared at her side until her sister poked her with one paw.
“How weird is this?” Ivypool meowed. When Dovewing didn’t answer, she went on in a whisper,
“Did you see anything on the ShadowClan border?” Dovewing guessed that her sister was referring to the threat from Dawnpelt. “You’re taking that stupid she-cat seriously?” she asked, rol ing her eyes. “No, I didn’t see a thing. No cat’s going to listen to her lies when there are bigger things to think about.” Firestar sent more patrols out to bring back extra prey, and as the sun went down the Clan feasted around the fresh-kil pile. Dovewing sat nibbling at a mouse, trying to work out what Sol’s arrival would mean for ThunderClan. The younger cats were gathered around the newcomer, crouching with wide-open eyes and ears pricked to take in every word he said.
“Then there was the time I fought off a badger single-pawed,” Sol was relating. “A huge, ugly brute it was, too. I came across it unexpectedly when I was hunting in a forest a long way from here.” He gave his paw a long lick and drew it slowly over his ear.
“But badgers aren’t dangerous if you know how to handle them. It soon got out of there when I gave it a scratched nose.”
I hope Cherrypaw and Molepaw don’t think that’s the right way to deal with a badger, Dovewing thought. The two apprentices were right at the front of the crowd, forgetting to eat as they gazed up at Sol with gaping jaws.
“Tel us more!” Cherrypaw begged. “Have you ever fought with dogs, Sol?”
“I’ve fought off more dogs than you’ve eaten mice,” Sol replied. “There was a time—”
“No, that’s enough,” Poppyfrost mewed, flicking Cherrypaw’s shoulder with her tail. “I’m sorry, Sol, but it’s time they were both in their nests.”
“No way!” Molepaw protested. “We’re not kits anymore.”
“You stil need your sleep,” Poppyfrost told him.
Berrynose leaned over to his mate and touched her ear with his nose. “Let them stay up for once,” he murmured. “It’s not every day they have the chance to learn about what’s beyond these hil s.”
“Yes!” Molepaw gave an excited little bounce. “Go on about the dog, please, Sol.”
“Wel , it was with a couple of Twolegs and their kits,” Sol began. “They were walking in the woods where I was staying at the time, and the stupid creatures let their dog off that tendril-thing they use to tie themselves to animals. It picked up my scent and came yapping through the ferns toward my den. So do you know what I did then?”
“No!” Cherrypaw breathed out. “Tel us!”
“I climbed a tree,” Sol went on. “I waited until the dog came running underneath, and I dropped down right on top of it!”
Dovewing heard several cats catch their breath in excitement. They actually believe this nonsense?
“That mangy fleapelt yowled to the moon and back, I can tel you,” Sol went on. “It went yelping back to its Twolegs with its tail between its legs and me stil clinging onto its neck.”
“Did the Twolegs catch you?” Blossomfal asked breathlessly.
Sol shook his head. “Just before the dog ran up to them, I jumped off and hid in some ferns. They shouted at the dog for running off, and put its tendril-thing back on. And that was the last I saw of it.” Trying to ignore the admiring comments from her Clanmates, Dovewing stared at Sol. She cast back through her recent memories in case she could pick up any faint sounds that might have been him trespassing on ThunderClan territory. But there was nothing. She shook her head in frustration.
If only I had my proper senses. . . . What if I never get them back?
Dovewing jumped as a tail rested on her shoulder, and turned to see Cinderheart.
“Cheer up,” the gray she-cat meowed.
“Whatever’s worrying you, I’m sure it’l be okay.”
“I don’t know,” Dovewing murmured. “It’s Sol . . . I don’t like him, and I don’t like the fact that he’s here.” Cinderheart nodded, her blue eyes sympathetic.
“I’m not too sure about Sol myself,” she confessed.
“But if he did save the apprentices, then the Clan owes him a decent meal and shelter, at least.” While Dovewing was thinking that over, she noticed Bumblestripe getting up from his place beside Blossomfal . The thick-furred warrior, his pelt just like his father’s, stretched before padding over to her.
“Hi, Dovewing,” he meowed. “I feel like going for a walk in the forest. Do you want to come with me?”
“Not right now,” Dovewing replied. “I’l probably go to my den soon.”
Bumblestripe blinked, a hurt expression in his eyes. “Oh, okay.” He turned away and vanished down the thorn tunnel.
“That wasn’t very kind,” Cinderheart murmured.
“Don’t go trampling on Bumblestripe’s heart. He real y likes you.”
Dovewing wriggled, feeling her pelt grow hot with embarrassment. “No, he doesn’t. . . .” she began.
“Of course he does.” Cinderheart sounded convinced. “You know,” she added more seriously, “if there are no obstacles to getting to know a cat better, then you should take the opportunity.”
“Does that mean that you and Lionblaze—” Dovewing broke off as Cinderheart shook her head, her blue eyes clouding with sadness. “No,” she mewed. “There is an obstacle to that, but you’d never understand.”
Dovewing stared at her. Does Cinderheart know about Lionblaze’s special power? Is that the obstacle?
She opened her jaws to question Cinderheart, but the gray she-cat never gave her the chance. “Off you go after Bumblestripe,” she urged. “It’s not too late.
He’l be so happy to see you.”
Though she stil had misgivings, Dovewing didn’t argue. Ducking through the barrier, she emerged into the cool, dusky wood. Moonlight shone through the leaves, turning the forest floor into a pattern of silver and shadow. A faint breeze stirred the grass and rustled the leaves above Dovewing’s head.
“Bumblestripe!” she cal ed.
There was no reply. Dovewing tried to send out her senses, straining to listen. After a moment she picked up the sound of paw steps, and the image of a cat sitting by the lake. Excitement tingled through Dovewing from ears to tail-tip. Maybe my special powers are starting to come back!
She raced through the forest in the direction of the cat she had seen. It was harder to stay focused, and the image was fainter than before, but when she burst out of the undergrowth onto the lakeshore she was delighted to see Bumblestripe sitting at the water’s edge, his face turned upward to the stars
The stripes on his pale pelt stood out sharply in the silver moonlight.
“Bumblestripe!” she cal ed, her voice high-pitched with joy that she hadn’t lost her power for good.
Bumblestripe sprang to his paws and whirled around. “Dovewing!” he exclaimed, running to meet her. “You came,” he added, purring so hard he could hardly get the words out. “Come and sit beside me.
It’s beautiful here.”
Dovewing suddenly felt awkward. “Is it okay if we go for a walk instead?” she asked.
“Sure.”
Together the two cats turned to pad along the shore, Bumblestripe walking close enough that their pelts brushed. Dovewing fished for something to talk about.
“Do you remember Sol from when he was here before?” she asked as the silence began to drag out.
“Sort of,” Bumblestripe replied. “I recognized him when he turned up today. But I was only a kit then.”
“What do you think of him?”
Bumblestripe shrugged. “He thinks a lot of himself, doesn’t he?”
A sudden spurt of amusement bubbled up inside Dove-wing. “Yes! Al those stories! Jumping down onto a dog’s back . . . please! I know we leaped out of trees when we were fighting ShadowClan, but you’d have to be total y mouse-brained to try it with a dog.”
“Oh, I’ve had enough of Sol,” Bumblestripe meowed. “Let’s not talk about him here as wel .
Toadstep told me how you won that race the other day. Do you want to race with me?”
“Great!” Dovewing responded. “Where to?”
“That tree stump over there?” Bumblestripe asked, angling his ears toward a stump at the edge of the forest farther along the shore.
Dovewing nodded and bounded off, her paws flicking up little stones behind her. For a few moments Bumblestripe kept pace with her, but soon she began to draw ahead. Wow, I really can run fast!
But then Dovewing became aware of sounds from the other Clans across the lake: A RiverClan cat was fishing in the stream beside their camp, while in ShadowClan a gray-muzzled warrior was teaching his apprentice about night hunting.
She felt as though her senses were surging in and out, like a wave on the lake. Sometimes she picked up everything clearly, sometimes the images were blurred, but excitement and relief pulsed through her as she realized that she was recovering.
It just needed time, she thought. Lionblaze was right! My senses were overwhelmed by the journey to the mountains, that’s all.
Dovewing was so pleased to have her senses back, and was concentrating so hard, that she didn’t notice where she was putting her racing paws.
Something coiled around one forepaw; Dovewing was flung down onto the pebbles, letting out a startled yowl that ended in a gasp as the breath was driven out of her body.
Bumblestripe flashed past her. Dovewing tried to scramble up and realized that an ivy tendril, snaking out from the edge of the trees, had tripped her. As she wrenched her paw free, Bumblestripe was by her side again.
“Are you okay?” he panted.
“Fine,” Dovewing replied, struggling to get her breath. Even though she felt battered from her fal , happiness was surging through her like a stream in flood. I haven’t lost my senses. Everything’s okay!
“I’m absolutely fine,” she repeated.
Bumblestripe let her lean on his shoulder as she staggered to her paws, and stroked her pelt gently with his tail to get rid of the sand and grit. His eyes shone. “You would have won the race if you hadn’t tripped,” he mewed.
“Maybe.” Dovewing had almost forgotten the race; getting her senses back was so much more important. “You’re pretty fast, too.” She began to pad back along the lakeshore, and Bumblestripe stayed close to her side.
“Dovewing . . .” he began, sounding a little shy, “can I show you something?”
“Okay,” Dovewing agreed, only half-listening as she focused on a WindClan she-cat scolding her kits for putting a beetle in her nest.
“It’s this way.” Bumblestripe veered into the trees, and Dovewing fol owed, ferns brushing against her pelt on both sides.
Without fol owing any path that Dovewing could see, they came to a tiny clearing where wild jasmine scrambled over a gnarled oak tree, forming an archway with a tiny space underneath it. A few white flowers had already appeared on the branches.
Bumblestripe squeezed into the space, and beckoned Dovewing with his tail. She crept in after him, feeling his warmth against her side, and enjoying the sweet scent of the jasmine flowers.
“I’ve always loved this place,” Bumblestripe confided in her. “It’s even better in greenleaf, when al the flowers are out.” He blinked at her anxiously, and Dovewing realized he was afraid that she might make fun of him.
“It’s lovely,” she assured him.
Bumblestripe relaxed and lifted his muzzle to gaze upward; Dovewing spotted a gap between the branches through which they could see the stars.
“I like to look up at our ancestors,” he meowed.
“Sometimes I wonder which ones are mine.” He hesitated, then added, “I think your ancestors would shine real y brightly, Dovewing.”
“I don’t know about that,” Dovewing replied. “I think my ancestors would be hiding behind a cloud, because they were always getting into trouble!” Bumblestripe let out a little mrrow of laughter. “I think that’s an ancestor of mine up there,” he murmured, pointing with his tail. “The one that looks as if it’s stuck in the branches!”
“I wonder if they’re watching us,” Dovewing mused. “Can they see everything we’re doing from up there?”
“I think they can,” Bumblestripe meowed seriously.
“They glare down at us and see al the things we’re doing wrong. I bet that one over there knows al about the time I put fire ants in Blossomfal ’s nest!”
“You didn’t!” Dovewing exclaimed, half-amused and half-shocked.
“I did.” Bumblestripe ducked his head, embarrassed. “When we were apprentices. She got back at me, though; she pushed me into the stream when I wasn’t looking.”
Dovewing snorted. “There must be a star glaring down at her, then. Maybe it’s that one.” She pointed at it with one paw. “And the one beside it is annoyed with me because I forgot to change the elders’
bedding one time.”
“Oh, no!” Bumblestripe leaned over and touched her ear with his nose. “I bet Mousefur told you off.” Dovewing winced. “I think they must have heard her in RiverClan!”
Bumblestripe lapsed into silence. This is good, Dovewing thought, reveling in the cool grass and the scent that wreathed around her. Just sitting here, talking to a Clanmate, looking at the stars. . . .
It wasn’t exactly the same as the nights she had spent with Tigerheart—she couldn’t feel her heart thumping hard enough to burst out of her chest, and her paws weren’t tingling as she ran through forbidden territory—but right at that moment, she was very happy to be sitting beneath the jasmine with Bumblestripe, and nowhere else.
“Okay,” Cinderheart meowed. “Let’s see your hunter’s crouch.”
Dovewing watched as Ivypool took up her position at the edge of the training clearing, while Cinderheart padded around her, checking that she had it right.
“Tuck your tail in a bit more,” she instructed. “Yes, that’s great. Now spring, and see if you can hit that primrose under the tree over there.” Ivypool bunched her muscles and exploded in an enormous pounce, leaping through the air and bringing her forepaws down on the primrose, flattening it to the ground.
“Wel done,” Lionblaze commented. “Now let’s see you do it, Dovewing.”
As she crouched down, trying to make sure her paws and tail were in the right place, Dovewing thought that once she might have resented going back to this kind of basic training with her former mentor. But today she felt too happy to resent anything. She had slept wel the night before, after her walk with Bumblestripe, and this morning her senses were even clearer
She felt a claw-scratch of fear, knowing how fragile her special senses were. But then she shrugged off the feeling. I have to protect them, that’s all, just like I protect my paws on stony ground, or the soft parts of my belly in a fight.
While Lionblaze checked her position, she took a moment to reach out. WindClan had a new litter of kits. Noisy little things! Dovewing thought as they burrowed into their mother’s bel y to feed. In RiverClan the newly-made warriors were overwhelmed by excitement at being out on patrol, while in ShadowClan Tigerheart was teaching a couple of apprentices how to stalk a squirrel.
Dovewing let out a mrrow of laughter as something alerted their prey. The squirrel dashed one way, then doubled back and ran right across Tigerheart’s back before leaping to safety up a tree.
“You’re in a good mood today,” Lionblaze commented.
“Mmm,” Cinderheart agreed with a twitch of her whiskers. “That must have been a real y good walk last night!”
“What walk?” Lionblaze asked.
Cinderheart glanced at him, her blue eyes glimmering. “I couldn’t possibly tel you.” Lionblaze flicked his ears. “Okay. Meanwhile, Dovewing, bring your hind paws a bit farther forward and see if you can pounce on that primrose.”
“If Ivypool hasn’t demolished it,” Dovewing muttered.
Drawing her paws in to give more power to her spring, she launched herself across the clearing and landed beside her sister, shredding what was left of the pale yel ow primrose with her claws.
“Good!” Lionblaze commented. “You’re both on form today.”
“What did Cinderheart mean about a walk last night?” Ivypool whispered. “You were real y late coming back to the den.”
Dovewing didn’t want to talk about her evening with Bumblestripe, but she knew that her sister would be upset if she refused. “Nothing,” she replied. “I went down to the lake with Bumblestripe, that’s al .” Ivypool’s eyes widened with surprise. “Oh, that’s terrific!” she exclaimed. “He’s real y nice. Are you two going to be mates?”
“That’s the last thing on my mind!” Dovewing twitched her tail irritably. “It was just a walk. It was fun, but no big deal.”
Her sister gave her a poke in the side. “The two of you would have the cutest kits together!” Dovewing rol ed her eyes. To distract herself from Ivypool’s teasing, she extended her senses into the forest again. Almost at once she picked up the image of a cat heading through the trees toward the WindClan border. It took her a moment to identify his scent and appearance; she stiffened when she realized it was Sol.
Is he leaving already? she wondered. Or just going for a walk? He’s a strange cat, that’s for sure.
“Why don’t we do some hunting before we go back to camp?” she suggested, dismissing Sol from her mind. She wanted to show Lionblaze that her senses had returned.
“I’m surprised you have the energy after that training session,” Lionblaze remarked.
Dovewing bounced on her paws. “I feel like I could run right around the lake!” she purred. Then she spotted Cinderheart blinking with pleasure. Oh, no, she thinks it’s because of Bumblestripe!
“Okay, let’s hunt,” Lionblaze meowed. “And to make it a bit more interesting, we’l have a contest.
We’l al start from here, and the first to make a catch wins.”
Ivypool pricked up her ears. “Wins what?”
“Oh . . . how about first pick of the fresh-kil pile?” Cinderheart suggested.
Dovewing crouched down and waited, sending out her senses as delicately as the seeds from a dandelion, drifting on the wind. Soon she picked up a bird—a moorhen—beside the lake, pecking its way along the shoreline. Concentrating intensely, she held her focus as Cinderheart and Ivypool set off in different directions, holding their heads high to scent the air.
Lionblaze was stil watching her. Dovewing fixed on the exact location of the moorhen, stil pecking among the little stones at the water’s edge, then sprang to her paws. She took off toward the lake, winding her way through the trees, leaping over dead branches and tiny streams.
I didn’t realize how far we were from the lake!
Pausing beside a hazel bush, Dovewing checked that the moorhen was stil there, then carried on. As she burst out of the trees the bird fluttered up, but she batted it out of the air with a massive pounce, and gave it a sharp bite to the neck. Picking up her prey, she headed back to the clearing. She wasn’t surprised, given how far she had run to make her kil , to see that the three others had al gotten there before her.
“Bad luck,” Ivypool mewed sympathetical y, a plump mouse lying at her paws.
Cinderheart had caught a squirrel, and Lionblaze a blackbird.
“Ivypool was first back, so she wins,” Cinderheart announced.
Dovewing dipped her head to her sister. “Wel done.”
Picking up her prey, Cinderheart led the way back to the clearing with Ivypool at her side. Shrugging, Dovewing fol owed. Secretly, she wasn’t disappointed to be the last back. She had done what she set out to do. Lionblaze was watching her intently, and as she met his gaze, he gave her a nod.
He wasn’t disappointed, either. He knew her power had come back.
第五章
第五章
“嘿，松鸦羽，”巫医巢穴入口传来了沙风的声音，“我们给你找了些蛛丝。”
松鸦羽转过身，他闻见了蛛丝的气味，还有樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪那淡淡的气息。他俩的学徒仪式已经过去七天了，他不得不承认，他俩的任务完成得很好。
等两只小猫蹦蹦跳跳进了巫医巢穴，荆棘光扑哧一声笑了起来。
“噢，松鸦羽，真希望你能看见他俩。他们简直就是行走的蛛丝，从鼻子到尾巴全是蛛丝！”
“我们找到了很多。”鼹鼠爪骄傲地说道，“沙风帮我们抬起了一根木头，那下面有很多。”
“我最好把它们都清理下来。”荆棘光继续说道，“你们两个，都到这儿来，小心那堆牛蒡根。”
松鸦羽听见两位学徒匆忙穿过巢穴的脚步声，还有荆棘光拖着身子迎上去的声音。
“你的腿疼吗？”樱桃爪问道，“不能动的感觉是不是很难受呀？”
“是的，是很难受，”荆棘光平静地回答道，“不过我习惯了，而且也不疼。”
“黄蜂条说你是族群里最勇敢的猫。”鼹鼠爪说道。
松鸦羽感觉到荆棘光有些不好意思。“这我可不知道，”她喃喃道，“现在，站着别动，我好把这些蛛丝从你身上拿下来。”
松鸦羽从小猫们身边挤过去，来到沙风站着的空地上。“谢谢你带他俩出去，”他说道，“这些蛛丝迟早会用上的。”
“这没什么。”沙风回答道，接着，她又补充道，“你看起来有些劳累，或许你该考虑什么时候收位学徒了。”
我还打算再自在一段时间呢。松鸦羽想道。“荆棘光帮了我很多。”他大声说道。
还好，沙风没再说什么。“那就一会儿见。”她轻声说道。
“你能帮我找一下栗尾吗？”松鸦羽在她身后喊道，“告诉她我要见她。”
“没问题。”沙风说完便离开了。
松鸦羽正要转身回巢穴，突然闻见了很多猫的气味。他们的脚步声越来越大，他于是停住了。
亮心……狐跃……玫瑰瓣……他们来干什么？
“你们是来找你们的学徒吗？”他问道，“他俩在里面，被蛛丝缠住了。”
“是的，我们要出去训练了。”玫瑰瓣回答道，“亮心打算把她的一些格斗动作教给他们。”
“火星想让每位学徒都学一学这些，”亮心满是骄傲地说道，“那样的话，如果他们在战斗中伤到眼睛，或者夜间作战看不清时，依然能知道该怎么做。”
蹦蹦跳跳的脚步声告诉松鸦羽，鼹鼠爪和樱桃爪从巢穴里出来了。
“我们要去训练了吗？”鼹鼠爪迫切地问道，“我们采回来了很多蛛丝。”
“是的，”亮心告诉他，“你们今天跟着我训练，我打算教你们一些其他族群不会的动作。”
“太酷啦！”樱桃爪欢呼道。
“不过你们可得机灵点儿。”亮心警告道，“我们要去山谷上方的山坡上训练，那里的黑莓丛很茂密。”
“太好啦！快走吧！”鼹鼠爪催促道。
松鸦羽听着他们离开。他享受着阳光洒在皮毛上的那种温暖的感觉。凉风微动，空气是那么的清新。周围的营地里处处散发着活力与生机。一支狩猎队刚刚离开，刺掌则带领边界巡逻队刚刚返回。松鸦羽走过去，这时，黑莓掌从武士巢穴出来了，打算听取刺掌的汇报。
“风族看上去紧张兮兮的。”刺掌说道。
“还有其他新消息吗？”松鸦羽能够想象黑莓掌翻白眼的样子。
“我是说，他们比平时还要紧张。”刺掌继续说道，“我们在边界遇上了一支风族巡逻队，他们坚称看见我们的一只猫跑到他们的领地去了。”
“哦？”黑莓掌的声音变得尖厉起来，“他们说是谁了吗？”
“没有，他们也没看清楚。所以我跟他们说，不可能是雷族猫。要是真有这么一只猫，也只能是独行猫。”
“嗯……”松鸦羽听得出来，黑莓掌正在努力思考着，“他们相信了吗？”
“我也不知道，”刺掌坦白道，“那些猫现在草木皆兵的！但是带队的是莎草须，她是只有分寸的猫，所以有可能会相信吧。”
“我们最好告诉火星一声。”黑莓掌最后决定道，“如果风族开始找碴儿，那就必须得让火星知道。一起来吧，刺掌。”
两只猫朝落石堆走去，松鸦羽则转身朝巫医巢穴走去。栗尾正在入口处等着他。
“嘿，松鸦羽，沙风说你想见我。”
“是的，进来吧，我要给你好好检查一下。”
“我没事，真的。”栗尾跟着松鸦羽走进巢穴，然后继续说道，“我以前生过孩子，心里有数。”
“我知道，可那是很久以前的事了。年龄大的母猫怀孕，必须时时有巫医关照。”
“你说谁年龄大？”栗尾生气地说道，不过松鸦羽知道她并不是真的生气。
他让她躺在蕨叶上，然后用一只脚掌轻柔地抚过她的腹部。接着，他俯身靠过去，仔细倾听她的心跳。荆棘光也拖着身子过来观摩，松鸦羽能够感觉到她喷在他颈毛上的气息。
“她没事吧？”荆棘光小声说道。
松鸦羽点点头。“一切看上去很正常。”他回答道，然后又看向栗尾说道，“我注意到你髋关节有点儿僵硬，所以生产时可能会需要些罂粟籽来缓解疼痛。”
“我没事。”栗尾说道，“叶池已经教了我一些保持关节韧性的训练方法。”
松鸦羽一僵。“叶池又不是你的巫医。”他咬牙哼了一声。
“可她是我的朋友啊。”栗尾说道，“不管怎样，我都会听她的。”
松鸦羽压下心头的一声叹息。我犯不着因为这个争吵。他抖抖耳朵，示意栗尾可以离开了，并随她一起来到外面的空地上。沐浴在温暖的阳光下，他坐在那里静静倾听着营地里的声音。鸽翅刚刚狩猎回来，正靠在猎物堆旁跟榛尾和灰条吃东西。尘毛则正要带着另一支狩猎队离开，叶池、藤池和罂粟霜跟在他身后。松鸦羽听得出来，能够再次执行武士任务，罂粟霜十分开心。
狩猎队刚刚离开空地，山谷上方便传来一阵骚乱。松鸦羽一跃而起，浑身的皮毛都竖了起来。猫的呼喊声、怒吼声和尖叫声从头顶上方传来，惊慌的哀号响彻营地。
“是鼹鼠爪和樱桃爪！”莓鼻吼了一声，便蹿出武士巢穴，飞奔过空地，“听上去像是遇到了狐狸！”
莓鼻朝荆棘通道扑去，火星、云尾、灰条还有蕨毛紧随其后。松鸦羽跑回巫医巢穴，荆棘光拖着身子也来到入口处，松鸦羽能感觉到她的惊恐。
“发生什么事了？”她问，“那个可怕的声音是怎么回事？”
“狐狸，”松鸦羽简要地回答道，“准备好处理伤口的草药。”
于是荆棘光朝储存草药的岩缝爬去。松鸦羽听见身后传来了鸽翅的声音，她正站在黑莓屏风旁。“狐狸？”她倒吸了一口冷气，“不可能！我什么都没听到！”
松鸦羽刚想问她什么意思，却被山崖上传来的吼叫声和尖叫声给吸引了过去。
“听上去很糟糕的样子！”荆棘光声音颤抖着说道，“肯定是受了很严重的伤。”
“我们能应付的。”松鸦羽让自己尽量听上去镇静一些，不过他还是对刚才鸽翅的话有些担心。为什么她没听到狐狸来了的声音呢？
渐渐地，战斗的声音消失了。不一会儿，松鸦羽听见了族猫从荆棘通道回来的说话声和脚步声。他赶紧循着受伤的气味和叫疼的声音迎了上去。
不过等他来到空地上，却发现事情没有像他所担心的那样糟糕。他能听得出来，亮心和玫瑰瓣走路一瘸一拐的，而受伤流血的气味则来自狐跃，不过应该伤得不重，不像是发疯的狐狸攻击所致。
“去我的巢穴，”他指挥道，“我一会儿就过去。学徒呢？”
“在这里！”樱桃爪跑到他身边，“鼹鼠爪和我都没事。”
“是的，不过狐狸差点儿吃了我们。”鼹鼠爪还没从激动中平复下来，“但是那只猫过来赶走了它！”
火星从围在松鸦羽身旁的猫群中挤了过来。“什么猫？”他问鼹鼠爪，“你说的是亮心还是你们的老师？”
“都不是。”樱桃爪回答道，“亮心他们去追狐狸，可狐狸又跑了回来。我们本以为会被狐狸吃掉，可那只猫出现了！那只猫冲狐狸一吼，狐狸就被吓跑了！”
火星摇摇头，绿色的眸子里还是十分困惑：“我在那里没看到其他什么猫啊。”
“我听着也觉得不可思议。”蕨毛喃喃道。
“是啊。”莓鼻附和道，“你们两个听着，那么危险的事情不能瞎编故事，那样一点儿都不好玩。”
“你们受到了那么大的惊吓，”沙风同情地说道，“可也没必要编故事说是一只神秘的猫救了你们。亮心和你们的老师能把狐狸赶跑，这很了不起。”
“可是我们没有编故事啊！”樱桃爪抗议道。
“没错，”鼹鼠爪靠近妹妹，坚持说道，“确实还有一只猫。”
松鸦羽感觉小猫们没有说谎，或者至少，他们说话的语气很笃定。他发现，火星也开始重视他们的话了。
“那只猫长什么样子？”族长问道。
“我们没看清，”鼹鼠爪承认道，“我们躲在黑莓丛后面，狐狸的气味很浓，我们也没办法再闻到其他什么气味。”
“我们甚至都不确定，那只猫到底是不是雷族武士。”樱桃爪补充道。
火星沉默了片刻。“我会再问问其他武士有没有看到什么，”他最后说道，“最重要的是大家都安然无恙。”
聚集的武士们开始散去。
“你们别走，”松鸦羽用尾巴拦住两位学徒，说道，“我想让你们来巫医巢穴，我好给你们检查一下。”
“我们很好。”樱桃爪说道。
“我是巫医，得我说没事才行。进去吧。”
他把两只小猫赶进巫医巢穴，却发现荆棘光已经开始处理受伤武士的伤口了。
“亮心的脚掌上全是刺，”她跟松鸦羽解释道，“我拔出来后给敷了些酸模叶。”
“我现在好多了。”亮心说道，“荆棘光太棒了，我就不麻烦你了，松鸦羽，你去看看其他猫吧。”
松鸦羽嗅了嗅她的脚掌，确信没问题了，才甩了一下尾巴示意她离开。
“狐跃被狐狸咬了一口，肩上还有抓伤。”荆棘光继续说道，“我已经舔过伤口了，但是不知道哪种草药对咬伤效果最好。”
松鸦羽小心翼翼地闻了闻伤口。那些抓伤已经不再流血了，但是狐狸咬伤的伤口有些深。“我们应该在上面敷些牛蒡根药糊。”他最后决定道，“咀嚼得碎一点儿，荆棘光，然后用蛛丝把它固定在伤口处。你得休息一两天。”他又对狐跃说道。
“那谁来当我的老师呢？”樱桃爪着急地问道，“鼹鼠爪学本领的时候，我可不想待在营地里无所事事。”
“你可以给长老们抓虱子。”她的哥哥逗她。刚说完，就听鼹鼠爪发出一声尖叫：“啊！把你的爪子拿开！”
“够了，”狐跃责备道，“你肯定会有老师的，樱桃爪。我已经问过云尾了，他说这几天会负责你的训练。”
“太好了。”樱桃爪心满意足地回答道。
“我只是被抓了几下，”玫瑰瓣对松鸦羽说道，“侧腹掉了一些毛，不过我觉得不碍事儿。”
松鸦羽检查后发现抓伤很浅。看荆棘光在忙着给狐跃敷药糊，他就去储物室取了些金盏花，然后将花汁慢慢滴在玫瑰瓣的伤口上。
“明天再来滴几次，”他建议道，“首先你得放松，我觉得它不妨碍你执行任务。如果要是感觉疼得厉害了，一定要告诉我。”
“好的，谢谢。”玫瑰瓣说道。
等玫瑰瓣和狐跃走了，松鸦羽将荆棘光打发到巢穴外面。“你今天做得非常好。”他说道，“去继续你的训练，呼吸些新鲜空气吧。”
等荆棘光拖着身子离开的声音消失了，松鸦羽又转身面向学徒们。他很清楚他们没有受伤，但他需要以检查的借口来留下他们。
“再跟我说说你们看见的那只猫。”他嗅了嗅樱桃爪的皮毛，然后说道。
“不想说，”鼹鼠爪很不情愿地嘟囔道，“你只会说我们在撒谎。”
“就是，要不然就会说我们是被吓坏了，所以编故事。”樱桃爪附和道。
松鸦羽歪着头：“试试看，跟我说说吧。”
“好吧，其实我们都记不清了。”鼹鼠爪犹豫了片刻，继续说道，“亮心把我们藏在了黑莓丛深处，我们看不太清楚，但是我们听见了那只猫的声音。”
松鸦羽咕哝着。他假装检查鼹鼠爪的伤口，将脚掌放在年轻公猫的肩上，然后让自己的意识进入鼹鼠爪的记忆里。
山谷上方的山坡上，阳光灿烂，照得松鸦羽的眼睛都快睁不开了。在一块蕨丛和黑莓丛环绕的开阔草地上，亮心正在给两位学徒示范动作，狐跃和玫瑰瓣则在一旁坐着观看。一想到即将发生的事情，松鸦羽的颈毛忍不住竖了起来。
“不错，樱桃爪，但是可以试试——”
这时，一声吼叫打断了亮心，一只狐狸从一簇黑莓丛中跳了出来，玫瑰瓣一跃而起，赶紧冲向两位学徒。
“躲起来！”狐跃一边扑向入侵者，一边喊道。
玫瑰瓣发出一声尖叫，冲到狐狸前面，用利爪划伤了它的侧腹。亮心急忙转身，将两位学徒推进最近的黑莓丛里藏起来。“待在那里别动！”她喊道。
鼹鼠爪和樱桃爪躲在黑莓丛里，松鸦羽能够感觉到他们内心那惊涛骇浪般的恐惧。只是由于他们躲进了黑莓丛，他看不到打斗的场面，但却能听到狐狸的喊叫嘶吼声、狐跃吃痛的尖叫声，以及玫瑰瓣和亮心愤怒的哀号声。透过藤蔓的缝隙，松鸦羽看见，在三只猫的步步紧逼下，狐狸被赶出了空地。
狐狸的气味终于消散，一切又归于平静。
“你觉得我们现在能出去了吗？”樱桃爪悄声问道，“我身上扎了很多刺。”
“最好不要，”鼹鼠爪回答道，“亮心说让我们待在这里。”
他们俩又等了一会儿，心里的恐惧也渐渐消退。可突然，狐狸的气味又变浓烈了，松鸦羽不由得心里一紧。鼹鼠爪低声说道：“我想那只狐狸又回来了。”
透过黑莓丛的缝隙，他看见一只狐狸正在几尾远处嗅来嗅去。
“它是在找我们！”鼹鼠爪惊恐地低语道。
狐狸越来越近了，松鸦羽猜它是循着学徒们的气味来的。就在这时，附近灌木丛中的阴影处，突然传来响亮的嘶吼声。狐狸抬起头，嘶吼还在继续。狐狸犹豫了片刻，最终掉转尾巴溜走了。
“就差一点点了！”鼹鼠爪惊魂未定地说道。
松鸦羽知道，灌木丛下肯定藏着一只猫。但是黑莓丛挡住了他的视线，阴影中除了一个模糊的身影，他什么都看不见。于是他又努力地闻了闻空气中的气味。
“啊！”鼹鼠爪尖叫道，“你把我压疼了！”
松鸦羽的幻象消失了，他又独自留在了黑暗中。“抱歉，”他喃喃道，心里满是沮丧，他刚刚以为自己就要揭秘真相了，却又被年轻公猫的记忆给赶了出来，“好了，你们可以走了。”
两位学徒一蹦一跳地离开了。松鸦羽来到空地上，发现巡逻队已经回来了。罂粟霜站在山谷中央，旁边围着樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪，还有族群的其他猫。他们都在听两位学徒讲述他们惊险的经历。
“什么？”罂粟霜惊声尖叫道，“你们差点儿被狐狸吃了？太可怕了！黑莓掌，我们该怎么办呢？”
“冷静，罂粟霜，”副族长说道，“没造成什么伤害——”
“别跟我说冷静！”罂粟霜驳斥道，“我的孩子差点儿就被吃掉了！”
“我知道这让大家很担忧，”黑莓掌安慰道，“我也很惊讶，领地里怎么会有狐狸。自从上次我们赶跑了一只，就再也没出现过狐狸。我没想到它们那么快又来了。”
松鸦羽走过去，想要跟他们讨论一下救了学徒的那只神秘猫。可罂粟霜周围乱哄哄的，根本就没有猫听他说话。
他挤进猫群，感觉到藤池在自己身边，正愧疚地浑身颤抖着。“你怎么了？”他问道。
“我想这应该是我的错。”藤池难过地回答道。她抬高嗓门，好让大家听到她讲的话：“我想，可能是我把狐狸引进领地里的。”
“怎么回事？”火星追问道。
松鸦羽知道族长正从高石台上下来。等火星在藤池面前停下，其他猫也都安静了下来。
藤池开始讲述她和松鸦羽是如何发现兔子吃掉了那些金盏花。“所以我找了些狐狸粪便蘸在树枝上，”她声音颤抖着继续说道，“然后把粪便抹在金盏花周围，想要吓跑那些兔子。那只狐狸肯定是循着气味越过边界的。真的很对不起大家。”
“鼠脑子！”云尾大声批评她。
“是啊，你差点儿害死了我的孩子！”罂粟霜嘶吼道。
“喂，这不公平。”狮焰挤进来，站到松鸦羽和藤池身旁，“藤池怎么知道会发生这种事情呢？我们平时又不在那里训练。”
“没错，”栗尾也表示赞同，“而且如果金盏花重新长出来，我们都会很高兴的。”
更多的声音响起，大家全都一起嚷嚷，以至于松鸦羽根本听不清他们到底是支持藤池的做法还是反对藤池的做法。最后，火星大吼了一声。
“够了，事情已经发生了，”看到大家安静下来，他继续说道，“现在我们需要集中精力加强平时的巡逻，以确保狐狸不会再来。”接着，他轻哼一声，补充道：“还有就是留意藏在灌木丛里的陌生猫！”
松鸦羽知道族长不全是开玩笑。最近总是发生各种奇怪的事情，族群必须得格外警惕才行。鼹鼠爪的记忆还犹然在目，松鸦羽知道，有只猫就藏在山崖上面。
“嘿，鸽翅，”族猫们散开后，松鸦羽嗅到了鸽翅的气味，问道，“你先前说的什么？你听到山崖上发生了什么吗？”
鸽翅停下脚步，转身面向他。松鸦羽能够感觉出她的警惕和戒心。“没有。”她回答道。
“没听见第一次攻击吗？”松鸦羽追问道。
“没有。”
“那后来呢？有没有发现什么陌生猫的踪迹？”
“没有！”鸽翅脱口喊道，“我什么也没听到，好吗？别再指望我照顾整个族群了！”
说完，她便转身大步离开了。过了一会儿，狮焰的气味飘了过来，他哥哥走过来站在了他身旁。
“怎么了？”狮焰问道。
“我认为学徒们说的是真的，”松鸦羽告诉他，“确实有陌生猫。”
狮焰一下子警觉起来，松鸦羽能想象出他颈毛竖起的样子。“那我现在就去组织一支巡逻队找找看。”他说道。
“不，等等。”松鸦羽探出尾巴，卷住哥哥的前腿，“既然是这只猫救了学徒们，那么我想，这只猫应该不会威胁到我们。事实上，我从一开始就没觉得那只猫会是个威胁。”
狮焰一时间没有作声。松鸦羽几乎能听出来，他心里闪过万千思绪，就如同一棵空洞大树中的蜂鸣一般。他知道，狮焰跟他的结论是一样的。“真的吗？你真的这么想吗？”狮焰最后说道，声音里掩藏着一丝紧张，一丝希冀。
“我们在隧道里没找到她。”松鸦羽表示道。
“她真的会回来吗？”
松鸦羽深吸了一口气：“很久以前我们就知道，我们并不像想象中那么了解她。所以，或许，她会回来的。”
第六章
第六章
“爬得再高点儿！再高点儿！”
藤池往树上爬着，小树枝划过她的脸，钩住了她的皮毛。
“再快点儿！”地面上传来阵阵吼声，“再高点儿！好，现在开始跳！”
“伟大的星族啊！”藤池将利爪刺入树干上的树皮，低声说道，“从那么高的地方跳下去，我会把脖子扭断的。”
她跟另外几只猫已经爬得够高了，树干已经被重重地压弯了下去。四只猫在一棵树上爬，地方太挤也不安全。
藤池大着胆子向下俯视，朝阴沉沉的黑森林外面看去。她能听见周围众猫训练的声音，直到这打斗的喧嚣将树叶的沙沙声淹没。不知道桦落在不在这里？还会有多少雷族猫呢？
她勉强辨认出了下面空地上的细尾。细尾负责此次训练，此刻正坐在一棵倒下的树干上。他旁边是蚁皮。蚁皮第一次来黑森林时，曾是细尾的学徒，不过现在他已经是一位武士了，刚才的吼叫声就是他发出来的。
“那个疥癣皮太嚣张跋扈了。”风皮在藤池身旁攀着树干轻哼道，“他不过就是死了而已，摆什么威风！”
风族的荆豆爪落在藤池下方的一根细树枝上，努力保持着平衡，她双眼紧闭，发出一声害怕的低吟。河族猫鱼尾从她身边爬过，然后攀向树顶，差点儿把将将保持住平衡的藤池撞得掉下去。
“嘿，小心点儿！”藤池怒吼道，她嫉妒河族猫轻盈、强健的身体，还有那自信的步伐。
“鱼尾，你赢了！”细尾在下面喊道，“你不用往下跳了，其他几只猫，我现在就想看你们往下跳！”
藤池深吸了一口气。我别无选择……她看准树下有一堆枯叶的地方，跳了下去。只是，当她落地时，身体里的空气仿佛都被挤了出去，差点儿没喘上气来。还没等她挣扎着起身，蚁皮就跳到了她身上，将她压在下面动弹不得。他琥珀色的眼睛怒视着她。
“你太慢了，鼠脑子！”
藤池推开他，并用后脚掌踢打他的腹部。“真不敢相信，你居然忘了我是怎么帮你的了。”她气喘吁吁地说道，“你是在那堆木头上被蓟掌打成重伤才死的，记得吗？”
“那些过去谁会在乎啊？现在，这里才是我的族群！”蚁皮冷笑道，利爪划向她的喉咙，“我就应该来这儿。”
藤池低头咬住蚁皮伸过来的脚掌。没错，她难过地想道，你确实应该来这儿。接着，蚁皮怒吼一声，赶紧抽回他的脚掌。藤池使劲将他推到一边，恰好看见鱼尾优雅地从树上跳下来，落在一簇蕨丛里。
“漂亮！”细尾对扬扬自得的鱼尾说道，“可惜像你这样的猫不多。”说完，他又转身瞪了藤池、风皮和荆豆爪一眼，继续说道：“好了，该进行战斗训练了，我想看看上次练习的后跃怎么样了。”
藤池和荆豆爪一组，风皮则跟鱼尾一组。风族猫已经不是一个月前初来黑森林时，她尽力去帮助的那个紧张学徒了。自从来到这里，荆豆爪学到了很多，动作精准有力。当荆豆爪跳到她身上时，藤池对荆豆爪出击的力度大为震惊，同时也对自己能从荆豆爪身下逃脱，并用爪子挠过荆豆爪耳朵时展示出来的技巧大为惊讶。
藤池意识到，她和其他这些猫仅需片刻，便可相当精准地模仿出对方的动作，就像是一支从小就在一起受训的井然有序的队伍。谁也想不到，我们居然都来自不同的族群。她一边想着，一边避开荆豆爪的袭击，然后又向前朝她的耳朵猛地一击。我们的战斗技巧配合得天衣无缝，这是任何族群都未曾见过的一支力量，而我正是其中的一员。
这时，藤池听到细尾大喊一声：“可以了。”她终于松了一口气。
“我们表现得好吗？”鱼尾边问边跳了起来，风皮也站起了身。
“你们不是为了受到表扬才来这里的，”细尾吼道，“把这个问题留给你们亲爱的族猫吧。你们是来这里战斗的，能活下来，就应该感到幸运。”说完，他傲慢地甩了下尾巴：“现在，赶紧离开这里。”
藤池跌跌撞撞地走进幽暗的森林，其他猫也跟在她后面。风皮一瘸一拐的，荆豆爪被抓伤的身侧还流着血，连鱼尾的后腿都被扯掉了几撮毛。
大家谁都没说话。藤池在林子里看见了梅花落，她也一副打斗过的样子，正朝着同一方向走去。她知道梅花落也看见了她，只是她看起来疲惫至极，已经没有力气过来打招呼了。藤池意识到周围还有很多猫，一个个累得耷拉着脑袋，气喘吁吁地往前走着。
可下次等我们合上眼睛，还是会回到这里，藤池想道，黑森林就像粘住苍蝇的蛛丝一样，将我们牢牢地困住了。
一轮满月升起在湖面上，将湖水映成了银色。火星带领着族群走出森林。藤池与姐妹并肩而行，尽管她累得骨头都要散架了，却还是很高兴能去参加森林大会。
今晚我不用去黑森林了，因为会一直醒着。
大家跟着火星沿湖边前进着，藤池注意到鸽翅一直在甩脑袋，就好像刚从水里出来似的，嘴里还失望地唏嘘不已。
“你的听力还没恢复吗？”藤池悄声问道。
鸽翅转头看着她，大大的蓝色眼睛里流露出痛苦的神情。“没有，”她回答道，“现在这样子，比聋了还要糟糕！我还怎么守护族群呢？”
“别担心，”藤池想要安慰她，“我们还有很多武士。”看到姐妹不以为然的样子，怒气像利爪一样抓挠着她的心。“但是他们都不算数，因为他们都不是预言的一部分，对吗？”她又略带讽刺地补充说道。
“你是不会明白的。”鸽翅反驳她道。
“你是这么认为的吗？”藤池嘶吼道，“我可没看到你每晚都去黑森林！”
由于激动，她没意识到自己的嗓门太大了，直到看到蕨毛放慢了脚步，走到她俩的旁边。
“你们俩都别吵了，”他说道，“至少在森林大会上表现得团结点儿吧。你们想让其他族群看雷族武士内讧吗？更不用说在满月的时候争吵会惹怒星族了。”
藤池不情不愿地点了点头，鸽翅也低声说了句“对不起”。蕨毛眯着绿色的眸子狠狠地瞪了她俩一眼，接着便加快步伐重新追上了云尾。
星族啊！藤池想道，有时我真怀疑他们是否真的有什么力量。想起黑森林里看到的一切，她强压下心头的寒意，我知道那些猫的厉害，我们该如何抗击他们呢？
火星带领族群沿湖边走向树桥，而河族猫们则由雾星率领，从溪边的灌木丛里钻了出来。一时间，所有的猫都不知该如何是好，在原地打转。藤池瞥见河族猫中有几张充满敌意的面孔。
我们可不能为了谁先过桥而起争执！
接着，只见雾星向前一步，礼貌地冲火星点点头。“你们请先过吧。”河族族长说道，并摆了下尾巴，示意她的族猫退后几步。
“谢谢你。”火星回答道。
于是黑莓掌带领雷族猫们走上树桥，而火星则站在雾星身旁等着。藤池排队过桥的时候，在河族猫中瞥见了鱼尾，她也正在看她。一时间，她难以挪开目光，就好像黑森林一起训练的记忆，如尖爪一般将她和河族武士牢牢钉在了一起。不过很快，鱼尾便扭过头去不再看她。藤池这才发现自己浑身都在颤抖。
“快点儿！”鸽翅拱了拱她的侧腹，“你是打算过桥，还是一整夜都站在这里？”
“对不起。”藤池赶紧跳上树桥，跑了过去。
等她跳到岛上的鹅卵石岸时，空气中还没有其他族群的气味，也就是说，雷族是最早到达的。空地上似乎异常安静，藤池在周围的灌木丛中钻来扭去，朝大橡树走去。鸽翅和蕨毛跟在她身后，小心翼翼地迈着步，就好像他们不想打破这静谧似的。
紧接着，一阵急促的脚步声从灌木丛外传了过来。藤池吓了一跳，接着就听见兴奋的喊叫声响彻云霄。
“这边！我要和你比赛跑到大橡树！”
“我会先到！你连刺猬都跑不过！”
蕨毛打趣地说道：“我们的学徒也来参加他们的第一次森林大会了。”
樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪从灌木丛里钻了出来，玫瑰瓣则紧跟在他们身后。
“行了，”她说道，“谁都别想绕着空地比赛跑步，我们得在这里等族长们，然后在他们讲话时，安静地听着。”她用尾巴示意道：“坐在这儿。”
两位学徒猫乖乖听她的话，但还是兴奋得扭来扭去，四处打量着，时不时还睁着亮闪闪的眼睛相互交换下眼神。
“哇！大橡树真大啊！”樱桃爪惊呼道。
其他雷族猫也陆续从灌木丛里钻了出来，后面还跟着河族猫和风族猫。过了一会儿，影族也来了。渐渐地，空地上挤满了猫，各个族群的气味混合在了一起。藤池蹲伏在雷族猫中间，她一点儿也不想见到黑森林里的那些熟面孔。
我感觉自己好像有一半也属于他们，这个念头让她很不舒服，但是我已经背叛了他们，希望我能把这真相也告诉其他族群。或许到那时，我们就可以团结起来制订计划，从内部瓦解黑森林。
火星是第一个跳上大橡树的族长，一星、雾星还有黑星，也相继跳了上去。黑莓掌和其他几位副族长全都在树根旁坐下。族猫们立刻都安静了下来。藤池注意到，绝大多数猫都留在了自己的族群里，而不是像以往那样，混杂在一起相互交流着消息。
雾星站在低处的树枝上，发出一声吼叫，蓝色的眼眸扫视着空地周围。月光洒在她灰色的皮毛上。“我先说吧。”她宣布道，“河族欣欣向荣。干旱天气不再影响溪流湖泊的水位，所以捕鱼十分便利。”
河族里响起一阵赞许的低语声，但其他猫没有作声。
“还有，”雾星继续说道，“我们又有了两位新武士，苔爪和空爪现在已经是苔足和空飞了。”
“苔足！空飞！”
藤池从狮焰背后往外瞧去，看见两位新晋武士正昂首坐在那里，而其他猫则大声呼喊着他们的名字。不过她注意到，大部分的欢呼声都来自他们自己的族群，其他族群猫则并不热情。等欢呼声消退，雾星冲另外几位族长点点头，然后便回到自己的树枝上，低垂着尾巴坐在那里。
火星站起来，向前迈了几步，走到他坐着的那根树枝的末梢。“雷族的狩猎很顺利。”他汇报道，“两天之前，一只狐狸出现在了我们的领地上，但被我们的武士赶跑了。”
雷族族长没提她找狐狸粪便，从而将狐狸引入雷族领地的事情，这让藤池舒了一口气。他也没提受伤的事情，是不想让雷族看上去显得软弱可欺吧。
“我们还有了两位新学徒，”火星继续说道，“樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪。”
两只年轻猫两眼放光，身子坐得直直的。他们的族猫在周围高呼着他们的名字。藤池感觉他们的自豪之情溢于言表。不过，其他族群的猫还是没有几只为他们欢呼的。
影族的红柳若有所思地盯着两位雷族学徒，却沉默不语。把你的爪子拿开！藤池想警告他，别想把他们带到黑森林去！
火星等到大家安静下来，便迈步坐了回去。可还没等他坐定，一星起身慢慢走了过来。他在自己那根树枝上保持着平衡，大橡树的树叶沙沙作响。
“我注意到，你没提雷族武士在风族边界附近出没的事情。”他粗声粗气地说道，“你们是要谋划着入侵吗？”
藤池的心跳加速，她紧张地咽了下口水。是因为桦落和我在溪流洗脚掌被看见的事情吗？
火星立刻向前一步，这样正好对着风族族长。他的双眼中燃起绿色的火焰。“没有！”他大喊道，“你简直太荒谬了！”
“我荒谬？”一星嘶吼道，“那我们的武士为什么看见雷族猫鬼鬼祟祟出现在了我们的领地上？”
“没错！”鸦羽也在空地上喊道。他一下子跳起来，深灰色的皮毛竖着，说道：“我也看见了！”
“还有我！”白尾也附和道。
藤池感到身旁的狮焰身子一僵，显然是对这种不实的指控感到愤怒。不过，她稍稍放松了一些，这事跟她和桦落似乎没什么关系。
“那你能辨认出入侵者是谁吗？”火星冷冷地问道。他冲空地上的雷族猫摇了摇尾巴：“今晚那只猫在这里吗？”
“没有，”一星回答道，“我们的武士并没有看清入侵者的长相，而且气味也不明显。”
“哦，是吗？”火星绿色的眼睛眯了起来，“也就是说，你没有证据证明那就是雷族猫？也有可能就是一只过路的独行猫，或者烟雾朦胧看不清，只是条瘦骨嶙峋的狗呢。”
“就知道你会那么说，火星。”一星咆哮道。
“没错。”火星回应道，“对于那些毫无根据的指控，我向来都是维护自己的族群的。一星，我认为你最好和我们分享一下你们风族的新消息，然后坐下，省得掉进你给自己挖的坑里面。”
空地的猫群中传来赞同的低语声，藤池注意到，赞同的不光是雷族猫。风族除了鸦羽和风皮等几只猫依然怒不可遏，其他大多则看上去十分尴尬。
“风族也有两位新学徒。”一星突然厉声宣布道，“蹲爪和云雀爪。”说完他就坐下了。
这次只有风族猫呼喊两位学徒的名字。藤池为他们感到遗憾。他们的特殊时刻就这么被毁了，只因为他们的族长是个鼠脑子！
火星也坐了下来，摇着尾巴示意黑星发言。
“影族武士跟两脚兽巢穴的两只宠物猫进行了一场战斗。”体形硕大的白猫满意地甩着尾巴，“一段时间内，他们不会再来找我们的麻烦了。”
影族猫们欢呼起来。藤池看见褐皮和蟾足一脸满意的神色。不过，由于被狠狠地抓伤，蟾足的一只眼睛还肿着，这说明宠物猫们进行了一定的抵抗。
“而且，”影族族长继续说道，“我们又有了三位新武士，松树鼻、雪貂掌和八哥翅。影族依旧强大。”
说完黑星坐了下来，空地上的猫们纷纷祝贺新武士。藤池没兴趣参加。强大？听上去更像是威胁。那是否意味着他们想找麻烦呢？
等族长们从大橡树下来，各个族群的猫终于在离开小岛之前，混在一起相互交流起来。藤池看见虎心正盯着她跟鸽翅，立刻扭头看向别处。鸽翅也装作没看到影族猫。
过了一会儿，藤池注意到虎心离开自己的族猫，朝鸽翅走来。藤池赶紧转身想去提醒姐妹，可就在这时，空飞一下子冲过来，挡在了她们中间。
“嘿，藤池。”他喊道。
“嘿，祝贺你成为武士。”藤池寒暄道，在河族猫四周打量搜寻着，想要看看鸽翅的情况。
“谢谢，”空飞骄傲地挺起胸膛，“嘿，昨晚我们爬得不错，不是吗？”
哦，当然——你差点儿吓掉了毛！藤池暗想。“我们不要在这里说这个。”她悄声说道。
空飞没理会她的暗示。“黑森林里真是奇怪，”他把自己的音量放低，继续说道，“我是说，有一半的猫都是已经死了的！”
“是啊，是很奇怪。”藤池附和道，试图找到鸽翅和虎心。
让她欣慰的是，她听见河族副族长芦苇须的声音：“嘿，空飞！该走了！”
“明晚见。”空飞低声说道，然后便转身挤过猫群，朝自己的族猫走去。
他一离开，藤池赶紧转身去找姐妹，可却连鸽翅或是虎心的影子都没看见。他们是一起去哪里了吗？
接着，她看见鸽翅正跟在一群雷族猫后面，朝空地外走去。她赶紧追上去，钻过灌木丛，沿湖边跑过去，终于赶上了正在等着过树桥的鸽翅。
“虎心想干什么？”她低声问道。
鸽翅看上去很紧张，爪子紧紧地抓进沙土里。“没什么，”她厉声说道，“他只是想拿焰尾的事情找麻烦。”
一阵寒意从藤池的耳朵传至尾尖。虎心有没有告诉鸽翅，他看见我在黑森林里所做的事？一想到那时候，断星想让她杀死从星族误入黑森林的焰尾，她肚子里便犹如翻江倒海一样难受。
“什么麻烦？”她追问道，“要知道，虎心的话不可信。”
“你说得太对了！”鸽翅脱口而出。她赶紧环顾四周，看看有没有武士在偷听，然后放低声音说道：“他想让我相信，说曙皮想要报复松鸦羽，因为曙皮认为松鸦羽对焰尾见死不救，反而杀死了他。听虎心讲，曙皮正计划着对雷族不利的事情。”她抖了抖胡须，继续说道：“他以为那样就可以吓住我了吗？”
藤池松了一口气，她竭力掩饰，不想让姐妹看出她如释重负的样子。“或许你应该告诉黑莓掌。”她提议道，“说不定他会加派一些猫，在影族边界加强巡逻呢。”
“然后因为跟虎心讲话而陷入新的麻烦？”鸽翅回答道，“我可不想那样做。”她跳到树桥，低头看着藤池：“说实话，曙皮能找什么麻烦？她不过是撒谎而已，她自己清楚这一点。”
第七章
第七章
森林大会后的第二天早上，狮焰结束了黎明巡逻，径直朝火星的巢穴走去。太阳照耀着石头山谷，朵朵白云在蓝天上飘荡，整个营地一片安静祥和、生机勃勃。可狮焰还是感觉，麻烦就像一团庞大的暴雨云，正缓缓向他们逼近。
他爬到落石堆上，听见火星巢穴里传来了黑莓掌的声音。
“你认为一星是编造出来的吗？”副族长说道，“他是想找碴儿开战吗？”
“希望不是，”火星回答道，“但风族肯定对我们怀有敌意。”
“火星？”狮焰到达巢穴入口，把脑袋往里一探，“我能跟你谈一谈吗？”
火星正坐在巢穴深处的窝里，黑莓掌则站在他旁边。“进来吧，”他摆了摆尾巴示意他进来，“我们正在讨论森林大会上一星的指控。”
狮焰走进巢穴，冲黑莓掌点点头。“我听见你们的话了，”他开口说道，“这也是我想要谈的问题。如果风族说的是真的呢？”
“什么？”黑莓掌的尾尖一抖，“你是说雷族——”
“不，”狮焰打断他，“我知道那不是真的。只是假设，他们真看见一只雷族猫在边界附近徘徊。记不记得樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪说过，他们见过一只陌生猫？或许真有一只泼皮猫在领地里游荡呢。”
火星点点头：“说得很有道理。”
“如果你同意，我会继续搜查，”狮焰主动说道，“然后让那只猫该回哪里就回哪里。”说完，他紧张地等待着族长的回复，并在心里暗自说道：这样我就能确定松鸦羽和我的怀疑是否是真的。
“没必要继续查下去，”黑莓掌说道，“只要加派力量，多加巡逻就好。”
“不，”火星想了一会儿说道，“狮焰如果想去，可以单独行动。我们没必要大张旗鼓，只需弄明白是否有入侵者即可。”
黑莓掌看上去仍有些困惑不解，可还是冲火星点了点头：“好的，如果你认为这样最好的话。”
狮焰匆忙跟两只猫道别，然后顺着落石堆滑到了空地上。在去荆棘通道的路上，他看见松鸦羽站在巫医巢穴外，正嗅着狐跃肩膀上被狐狸咬伤的地方。狮焰朝他走了过去。
“闻起来还不错。”狮焰走过来时，松鸦羽对狐跃说道，“明天再来一次吧。如果没有其他问题，我想你过几天就能回到武士岗位上去了。”
“太好了，谢谢！”狐跃说完，便朝武士巢穴走去。
松鸦羽转向狮焰：“嗯？什么事情让你那么兴奋？”
狮焰顿了一下，尽管早已知晓，可他仍对松鸦羽不用看他，就能准确判断出他的情绪，还是感觉怪怪的。“火星已经允许我去调查入侵者的事情了。”他对弟弟说道。
松鸦羽抖了抖耳朵。“真的？那你最好小心一些。”紧接着他又说道，“如果我们猜得没错，你打算怎么办？”
“我也不知道，”狮焰感觉脚掌一阵刺痛，坦诚说道，“可我不想让其他猫先发现。”
“没错。”松鸦羽附和道。
告别松鸦羽，狮焰钻过荆棘通道，往山谷上方的山坡爬去。风吹在他脸上，他的皮毛平贴在身上。他眺望着远处的湖面。湖面看上去是如此的平静，湖水在阳光下泛着粼粼波光，周围到处是沙沙作响的绿叶。可是，狮焰还是感觉这里被黑森林的阴影所笼罩，像是有什么事情就要发生了。
狐狸粪便的臭味钻进狮焰的鼻子，他循着气味来到樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪训练的那块空地。
呵，可真够臭的！藤池这工作做得可真够彻底的呀。
他沿着黑莓丛的边缘仔细搜索着，最后发现了爪印和挂在荆棘上的几撮毛，这应该就是学徒们躲避狐狸的地方。狮焰钻进黑莓丛，想要从年轻猫的藏身之地看看他们究竟看到了什么。黑莓藤阻隔了他大部分的视线，但从一位被吓坏的学徒的视角来看，还是能发现下方有个缝隙。从那里可以看见几尾远处的榛树丛，那个神秘的施救者或许就藏身在那里。
狮焰从黑莓丛里钻出来，荆棘刺钩住了他的毛，他大为光火地吼了两声。榛树丛里乱七八糟的，似乎有只猫曾藏身在那里。地上躺着几根断裂的树枝，还有些看不太清的脚掌印。
要钻进这里，那只猫个头肯定比我小。狮焰想道，真可惜没留下毛，而且守着这堆狐狸粪便，我什么也闻不出来。
空地上已经没什么可查的了，狮焰想了一下，便朝边界那片不属于任何族群的无主森林跑去。过了一会儿，他又朝风族的方向跑去，因为那只猫曾在那里被发现过。他一边走，一边小心翼翼地检查着地面，发现有个地方的腐叶曾被翻起来过，像是有猎物曾在这里被扑倒或是挣扎的痕迹。
狮焰仔细地四处嗅着，却在这个猎物被抓的地方，找不到任何猎物被吃掉的迹象。他突然一愣，发现有条不易察觉的细小拖痕，一直通往边界的方向。狮焰步步紧跟，有时候拖痕在草丛和树叶里几乎看不到了。最后，他终于来到边界。拖痕还在延伸，穿过雷族边界，在边界外无主森林中几狐狸身长的地方，他发现了散落的羽毛。
所以，这只猫杀死了猎物，但却非常清楚要将它拖过边界，然后再吃。狮焰的心跳开始加速，这只猫有领地意识！她自信地在附近狩猎和活动，但却不想被发现。
狮焰坐在羽毛旁边，将尾巴绕在脚掌边上，开始梳理思路。如果入侵者住在这附近，她不仅需要食物和水，应该还需要个住处。
如果她想要观察雷族，那住的应该离这里不远，但又不能太近，否则，她休息的时候，气味会飘过边界……
狮焰重新站起来，又继续往无主森林里探索。很快，他看到一簇黑莓丛，那里看起来像是独行猫可能的住处。
不，他认真地打量着，我不会住在这里的，不方便逃跑。还没等我听见动静，就有猫会扑到我的头顶上来。
狮焰又往前探了探路，感觉自己离目标又近了些，身上的毛不禁竖了起来。他来到一块空地上，那里的地面凹凸不平，凸起的乱石上长满了苔藓。在一块大圆石下方有个洞，看着像是个通道的入口。狮焰轻轻踩在地上，就像是在抓老鼠一样。等到了洞口，他抻长脖子闻了闻。潮气和泥土的气息扑鼻而来，中间还夹杂着猫的气味，尽管混合在其他气味中很难分辨出来。
他正要蹲下身子钻进去，突然，又一个想法冒了出来。等等，如果这儿没有其他出口的话，我才不会在这儿住呢。
他小心翼翼迈步前行，悄无声息地绕过圆石，环顾四周寻找着另一个出口。最后，他终于找到了它：比前一个要小一些，并且巧妙地隐藏在一簇蕨丛里。
找到了！
思索片刻，狮焰去找了根掉落的树枝，把它拖回来，然后把第二个洞口堵得严严实实的。
虽然我不知道入侵者是否就在里面，但我绝不能冒这个险。
做完这一切，他重新回到第一个入口，蹲伏在那里，目不转睛地盯着里面。只是，洞里太黑，他根本就看不清楚。
我别无选择，我只能进去。
有那么一小会儿，他犹豫着。他真的不想将身体塞进那个一片漆黑的洞里。对他来说，那个洞太小了，他感觉自己在狭小的空间里，根本就无法呼吸。而且那里面可能什么都有……蛇……狐狸……
他抖了抖自己身上的毛。你是一位武士，还是一只老鼠？想到这里，他肚皮贴紧地面，开始将肩膀使劲挤进那狭小的缝隙里，慢慢往前挪动。
突然，他身后传来一个声音：“你好，狮焰。”
狮焰的心差点儿跳起来。他赶紧转过身，却一头撞在洞口前面的大圆石上。紧接着，他张着大嘴，目瞪口呆地愣在了那里。在他面前，站着一只他从未想过会重逢的猫。
“日神！”
日神斜着脑袋，棕色和玳瑁色相间的皮毛在阳光下闪着光。他好整以暇地看着狮焰，连胡须也笑成了弯弯的样子。“这安排真是再巧妙不过了，你居然是我回来见到的第一只猫。”他舔了舔胸前的毛说道，“说起来，你还是我离开时见到的最后一只猫呢。”
狮焰想起当初自己太天真，认为日神不该被当成囚犯关起来，因此帮助他从雷族营地逃离，现在想想，他内心顿时一阵愧疚。
“你来这里做什么？”他问道，脑子里闪过无数的疑问。
日神惊讶地耸了下耳朵：“见到以前的族猫，不是应该热烈欢迎吗？”
“你从来都不是我的族猫。”狮焰反驳道，心里竭力保持着冷静。可让他恼火的是，日神出其不意的出现，正巧赶上他身上全都沾满了泥土和碎叶的时候。“不要妄想我们中的任何一只猫会给你热烈的欢迎。”他继续说道，“你对黑星和影族所做的事情，我们全都知道了。”
日神瞪大眼睛，露出一副受伤的表情。“我只是提出一种不同的生活方式而已。这个世界的生死，不是只有武士守则才能决定的。”他的声音里透着一丝邪魅，“不过我可是知道，武士守则要求你们要礼貌待客吧。再说了，我想来看看老朋友，这没什么错吧？”
狮焰气得咬牙切齿。不管我说什么，这只猫总能让我难以招架！“我们从来都不是你的朋友。”他嘟囔道。
“啊，我可是把你当朋友。”日神说道，“毕竟，是你帮我逃走的，不是吗？”听到狮焰发出愤怒的喊声，他眨眨眼睛，又补充道：“啊，我明白了，你放我走这事儿，不是个好事儿，对吗？这我一点儿也不意外。毕竟，放走一名囚犯对你来说，不是什么美好的记忆，对吧？不过我还是得说，我一直都不太明白，自己到底是为什么被关起来的。”他一边看着一只前脚掌上的利爪，一边说道：“所以，你要带我去见火星吗？”
狮焰浑身一震：“你是当真的吗？”
日神点点头：“为什么不呢？即便是他毫无理由地囚禁了我，我也不曾跟他有过任何争执。我们可以到湖边去叙叙旧。消失的太阳——还记得吗？”
狮焰浑身一个激灵。他抬头看了看天空，那些不同寻常的黑暗、寒冷，还有寂静，他全都清清楚楚地记了起来。
“会没事的，”日神咕哝道，“我不会再让它消失了。只要我受到公平对待，它就不会消失。”
狮焰从荆棘通道钻出来，日神紧跟在他身后。此时，大部分巡逻队都已返回营地，石头山谷里到处都是闲散下来的族猫。他们有的在晒太阳，有的在为对方梳理皮毛，或是在猎物堆旁八卦。尘毛穿过空地，朝排便通道走去。看到日神，他猛然收住了脚步。
“我简直无法相信！”他大喊道，“你来这里做什么？”
云尾和亮心正蜷缩在有阳光的地方晒着太阳，听到声音，也抬起头瞪大了眼睛。“日神！不可能！”云尾震惊地大喊了一声。
听到喧闹声，又有两三位武士从巢穴里探出脑袋，一溜烟跑到了空地上。蕨毛本来正跟栗尾在外面聊天，也往这边看了一眼，立刻一跃而起，快速爬上落石堆，朝火星的巢穴奔去。
“日神！”松鼠飞嘴里叼着一只田鼠，也从猎物堆上抬起头来，惊呼道，“噢，不！”
樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪蹦蹦跳跳地穿过空地，在日神跟前刹住了脚步。他们俩瞪大眼睛，好奇地盯着他。
“你真的是日神吗？”樱桃爪问道，“鼠毛跟我们讲过你的事情！”
“呀，你就是那只偷了太阳的猫吗？”鼹鼠爪又问了一句。
日神点点头：“是的，不过我又把它送回来了。”
“哇噢！”
越来越多的族猫朝空地跑来，围在狮焰和日神的周围。狮焰站在原地没动，他搜寻着松鸦羽和鸽翅的身影，却谁也没看见。
“你想干什么？”灰条拨开猫群挤上前吼道，“每次你来我们的领地，准没好事儿。”
“没错。”尘毛也走过来，站在灰条旁边，他颈毛竖起怒喝道，“如果我是你，日神，我会转身离开，从哪儿来再回哪儿去。”
“见到老朋友真是太好了。”日神抬起一只脚掌舔了舔，低声说道，“雷族总是那么热情地欢迎我。”
没等大家作声，火星便挤开众猫来到日神面前，绿色的眸子怀疑地上下打量着他。
“你为什么会来这里，日神？”他问道，火焰般的皮毛蓬松了起来。
日神眨眨眼：“我只是路过，所以来看看。不跟雷族的老朋友们打个招呼，我于心不安。”
路过……哼！狮焰心中暗想，他在这里至少晃悠了好几个日落了。
火星轻轻拂动着尾尖，像是在琢磨日神的回答。“雷族跟你没有矛盾，”最后，他说道，“但我不敢保证黑星也会这么想。你在风族边界晃荡，已经惹了不少是非。总而言之，如果你能离开，那就再好不过了。”
日神却只是耸了耸耳朵。
“我们可以赶他走，火星。”云尾怒吼一声，向前迈了一步，“你下命令吧。”
可就在这时，武士巢穴那边传来了一声高呼：“日神！日神！”罂粟霜穿过营地，从围在日神周围的猫群中挤了进来。
“日神，是你救了我的孩子，对吗？”她眼睛瞪得大大的，注视着他，“在山谷上面，狐狸拦截他们的时候？是你，对吗？”尽管她一再追问，日神都没有回答。“他们看不清你的脸，也不知道你是不是雷族猫。”
狮焰的心里一沉。即便知道日神就是躲在榛树丛下赶跑狐狸的那只猫，也丝毫改变不了他对日神的看法。他希望日神赶紧离开。
“日神在雷族边界附近闲晃什么？”尘毛嘟囔着。
“就是！”云尾怒视着那只外来猫，“如果他想来拜访，大可以直接进来，或者找巡逻队也行啊。”
罂粟霜转头迎上云尾的怒视。“他或许不太确定，自己会受到怎样的招待呢。”她驳斥道。说完，她又转身低声对日神说道：“非常感谢你，日神！随时欢迎你来这里。”
“谢谢你，罂粟霜。”日神回答道，“不过说真的，这没什么大不了。”
“打跑狐狸怎么会没什么大不了呢。”莓鼻走过来站在罂粟霜身后，尊敬地冲日神点了点头，“火星，他今晚住在这里可以吗？”
火星看上去很尴尬。狮焰看得出来，火星不想让日神回到营地里来，但此刻又不好赶他走。“好吧。”火星点头同意了。
“到这儿来，我带你去猎物堆挑点儿好吃的。”莓鼻邀请他道。
奶油色武士带着日神穿过营地，后面还跟着很多其他猫。樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪一直在兴奋地问日神旅途中的各种问题。
“过会儿再问吧。”罂粟霜告诉他们，“让日神先吃点儿东西，休息一会儿。”
狮焰还是待在营地入口处没动。我简直不敢相信！日神回到雷族居然被奉为上宾！他看见了松鸦羽。松鸦羽一直在猫群外围听着动静。狮焰走到他身边。“我们都猜错了。”狮焰说道。
松鸦羽点点头，往猎物堆的方向看去，仿佛能看见族猫们围着日神似的。“我本来那么确信……”他喃喃道。
“我才不在乎日神救了多少位学徒呢。”狮焰过了一会儿继续说道，“我不相信他，我觉得火星也不信他。”
“我也不信。”松鸦羽轻蔑地冷笑一声，“他绝对不是路过，他来这里是有目的的，而且这个目的一定会给我们带来麻烦。”
Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Ivypool slid cautiously through the Dark Forest. It seemed positively crowded now, as busy as a disturbed anthil , with clusters of cats training in every clearing, racing along every path, and splashing through the sludgy river. Anxious not to be cal ed into a training session, Ivypool clung to the shadows, her senses alert for traces of one particular cat. Hearing voices, she dived into the middle of a clump of ferns, then poked her head out warily to spot Tigerheart and Mapleshade a few tail-lengths ahead.
Ivypool felt her heart begin to pound faster. She had been terrified of Mapleshade ever since the old she-cat had almost drowned her in the river in a socal ed training exercise. Now Mapleshade looked paler than ever; Ivypool’s eyes widened as she realized that she could see the tree trunks behind the she-cat’s misty shape.
But Mapleshade’s eyes stil burned as she leaned close to Tigerheart. “The Dark Forest wil rise up and stamp out the Clans,” she told him, her voice a spitty, rasping hiss. “StarClan wil bow down to us, and the warriors who chose not to join us wil be punished beyond the end of their lives.”
Horrified, Ivypool shrank back among the ferns.
Tigerheart was listening intently, nodding as the old she-cat went on.
“Every cat who ever lived wil know—” Suddenly Mapleshade broke off, sniffing the air. “I smel fear,” she growled. Ivypool’s heart almost stopped as the pale she-cat’s baleful gaze swept past the ferns where she crouched, shivering. “Who has come here with insufficient courage to face their Clanmates?” Mapleshade swung her massive, scarred head around, stil sniffing. Then she hauled herself to her paws and stalked in the opposite direction from Ivypool, pushing through dead, slimy brambles.
Ivypool stayed very stil , trying not to let her breath stir the fern fronds around her.
“Snowtuft!” Mapleshade snarled. “I might have known! You mangy pile of dung, get back into the fight and show some mettle.” Ivypool winced at the sound of a heavy blow and a high-pitched shriek of pain.
Several heartbeats passed, and at last Ivypool realized that Mapleshade wasn’t coming back.
Swal owing her fear, she emerged from the ferns and padded up to Tigerheart. The ShadowClan warrior sat grooming himself, passing one paw over his ears; he glanced up casual y as she approached.
“Sneaking around, Ivypool?” he mewed.
“Just looking for you,” Ivypool replied careful y.
Tigerheart had seemed to lap up what Mapleshade was tel ing him; if he real y agreed with her about destroying al the Clans, he was a dangerous enemy.
“What’s this about Dawnpelt?” she asked.
“Dovewing said you tried to warn her at the Gathering.”
Tigerheart’s gaze raked over her contemptuously.
“Are you worried I said something about what happened with Flametail? You shouldn’t be. I haven’t told Dovewing anything—not for your sake, but because I don’t want her to know what you did.”
“I didn’t do anything!” Ivypool hissed, her neck fur beginning to rise.
“Only because I stopped you,” Tigerheart growled.
Ivypool’s claws worked in the cold, dark grass. “It was a test! What could I do?”
“Nothing could justify you destroying my brother’s spirit,” Tigerheart retorted.
Ivypool knew that he was right. But there’s no way I can tell him. I have to hide the fact that I’m spying for ThunderClan. “So what’s al this about Dawnpelt?” she prompted.
Tigerheart hesitated. “Dawnpelt blames Jayfeather for Flametail’s death in the lake,” he meowed at last.
“That’s ridiculous!” Ivypool exclaimed.
Tigerheart shook his head, his hostility swal owed up in sadness. “You don’t know what it’s like to lose a littermate,” he told Ivypool. “You want to blame anyone, anything. Not just a crack in the ice.” Ivypool felt a claw-scratch of sympathy. I couldn’t bear it if I lost Dovewing. Then she reminded herself that Tigerheart had been listening to Mapleshade’s tirade. She couldn’t trust him. He doesn’t deserve pity!
“I don’t know what Dawnpelt thinks she can do against ThunderClan,” she went on aloud. “Or maybe you’re thinking of bringing her here?”
“That’s not up to me,” Tigerheart replied.
“I’m sure you could put in a good word for her,” Ivypool suggested mockingly.
Tigerheart didn’t react. Before Ivypool could say anything else, the ferns parted again and Hawkfrost emerged into the open.
“There you are, Ivypool!” he hissed. “Come with me. You’re keeping the other apprentices waiting.” He turned and padded off without waiting for a reply.
Ivypool winced at being cal ed an apprentice. But why should I care? she asked herself, shocked. Do I wish I were a Dark Forest warrior?
Padding after the dark tabby tom, Ivypool wondered if the Dark Forest had anything to do with Sol turning up. There’s something about Sol that I don’t trust. Especially with all the stories the elders tell about the time the sun vanished! Maybe the Dark Forest is plotting to hide the sun again.
Gathering her courage, Ivypool sped up until she was walking beside Hawkfrost. “Do you know Sol?” she asked, trying to sound casual.
Hawkfrost twitched an ear. “Who?”
“Sol,” Ivypool repeated. “The cat who arrived in ThunderClan five sunrises ago. He was here before, when the sun vanished.”
“Ah,” Hawkfrost mewed. “That was after my time in RiverClan, but I know what happened. What about him?”
“I just wondered if he had . . . er . . . ever been here.”
Hawkfrost paused, narrowing his ice-blue eyes as he gazed at her. “So, you want to know if Sol is a true Clanmate?”
“Yes,” Ivypool mewed, trying not to flinch under that freezing gaze. “Something like that.” The dark tabby tom hesitated before he replied, as if he were wondering how much to give away.
“Sol is a welcome presence in ThunderClan,” he meowed.
That means Sol is very bad news, Ivypool realized. Too scared to ask any more questions, she fol owed Hawkfrost until he halted at the edge of a stretch of marsh. Four other cats were waiting there, bel y-deep in mud and bristly grass. Al of them turned as one, watching as Ivypool and Hawkfrost approached.
“Right,” Hawkfrost announced. “Fighting in difficult terrain . . .”
The sky was flushed with rose-pink the next morning as the dawn patrol set out. Drops of dew glittered on every stem of grass and sparkling cobwebs spread across the bramble thickets.
Ivypool’s paws dragged as she forced herself through the forest. She was exhausted from the night’s training, and she was convinced that her fur stil smel ed of the stinking mud of the marsh.
“Stop sniffing,” Toadstep muttered. “It’s so annoying! Do you think you have greencough?”
“No, I just need to wash my fur,” Ivypool responded.
“Your fur is fine.” Mil ie, who was leading the patrol, glanced over her shoulder. “Concentrate on what we’re doing, please.”
Hazeltail, who had been scouting a few tail-lengths ahead, suddenly froze. A moment later she came creeping back through the long grass. “I heard a cat walking close to the border,” she murmured.
Mil ie gave her a brisk nod. “Ivypool, head that way,” she directed, flicking her tail at a narrow path around a clump of elder bushes. “I’l go this way.” Ivypool obeyed, setting down her paws with al the stealth she had learned in the Dark Forest as she skirted the elder clump, then ducking low to avoid brambles that trailed across the path. Soon she picked up the cat’s scent and the sound of its paw steps. It was heading confidently toward the border, seeming not to care whether any cat spotted it or not. Ivypool recognized the scent at once.
Sol!
She crept forward until she could see him brushing through the undergrowth. He halted as Mil ie appeared from his other side.
“Is everything okay?” the gray tabby she-cat cal ed.
For a heartbeat Sol seemed startled, then he recovered his poise. “Am I being fol owed?” he meowed. “Look, I’m not stealing any prey. You fed me too wel last night for that.”
“Then where are you going?” Mil ie prompted.
Sol arched his back and relaxed. “I thought I’d visit ShadowClan,” he explained. “Catch up for old times’
sake.”
“You won’t be welcome there,” Mil ie warned him.
“I had friends there.” Sol’s eyes flashed at her.
“And it was a long time ago. I come in peace!” Ivypool bristled with distrust, but there was no way she or Mil ie could stop him from going. Looking after him as he strode away, she muttered, “Maybe you can eat their fresh-kil , then.” Toadstep and Hazeltail arrived in time to hear what she said.
“That’s a bit unfair,” Toadstep protested.
“Yes,” Hazeltail agreed. “Don’t forget that Sol saved the apprentices from the fox. He must have changed.”
Mil ie gave a disdainful sniff. “Tabbies don’t change their stripes,” she growled.
Ivypool stared at Sol’s vanishing hindquarters and wondered just how much he knew about the Dark Forest. Has he been sent here to stir up trouble?
When the patrol returned to camp, Ivypool spotted Firestar and Brambleclaw beside the fresh-kil pile.
Mil ie padded straight across the clearing to join them, the rest of the patrol fol owing her.
“We met Sol while we were out,” she reported. “He said that he was going to pay a visit to ShadowClan.”
“What?” Brambleclaw sprang to his paws, his neck fur bristling and an angry look in his amber eyes. “The treacherous mange-pelt! What is he going to tel them about ThunderClan?” Firestar calmly finished his mouthful of vole and twitched his ears at his deputy. “Take it easy, Brambleclaw. We’ve got no proof that he’s going to betray us. Anyway, what can he tel them that we would want to keep secret?”
“I stil don’t like it,” Brambleclaw muttered. “Every time I set eyes on Sol my paws itch and I want to claw his pelt off.”
Firestar blinked in surprise. “I don’t want to encourage Sol to stay here in ThunderClan,” he meowed, “but if we persecute him without reason, he could go to the other Clans and cause trouble.”
“I’m not afraid of Sol or the other Clans,” Brambleclaw growled.
“Neither am I,” Firestar told him. “But if we have a chance to keep our enemies close, let’s not turn that down.”
Some of the other cats had drifted up to listen.
Dovewing came up to Ivypool and gave her a prod with one paw. “What was al that about?” she asked.
Ivypool told her sister what Sol had said when they met him near the border.
“That cat is bad news,” Dovewing hissed. “Ivypool, do you know if he’s connected to the Dark Forest?” Ivypool twitched her tail. “I’m not sure. I’ve never seen him there, but when I asked Hawkfrost about him, he said he was pleased that Sol was here in ThunderClan.”
Dovewing’s neck fur began to fluff up, and her eyes reflected Ivypool’s own uneasiness. “That proves it’s bad to have him here,” she mewed.
Ivypool nodded. “But we can’t do anything about it as long as Firestar lets him stay. We’l just have to keep an eye on him. I’l tel you one thing, though,” she added. “Even if we find out he’s chased every fox in the woods out of our territory, I wouldn’t trust Sol a single mouse-length.”
第八章
第八章
鸽翅嘴里叼着一只松鼠，跟在黑莓掌后面钻过了荆棘丛。榛尾和刺掌也都带着猎物跟在后面。他们这次狩猎收获颇丰。
在狭长的荆棘通道尽头，刚一进入营地，黑莓掌突然停了下来，以至于鸽翅差点儿撞上他。“对不起。”黑莓掌咕哝着，赶紧让开路。
等鸽翅从通道里出来，她看见副族长正盯着空地那边的一只陌生猫。那只猫坐在猎物堆旁吃着东西，跟围坐一旁的雷族武士们闲聊着。他看起来皮毛光亮、营养充足，身上的皮毛是棕色和玳瑁色相间，点缀着些白色的斑点。
“那是谁？”她问黑莓掌。副族长还在盯着那个新来的猫，颈毛开始竖了起来。
“日神，”副族长放下嘴里的兔子，回答道，“你出生前他曾来过这里，而且——”
“鼠毛几个月前告诉过我他的故事！”鸽翅打断了他，脚掌兴奋得刺痛起来，“他真的让太阳消失了吗？我还以为那只是个故事呢。”
黑莓掌点点头：“那不是故事。”
“那你觉得他还会那样做吗？”
“他最好别那样。”刺掌走到黑莓掌旁边，怒吼道，“他就是个麻烦精。真不知道火星在想什么，怎么能让他在这里留宿呢。”
黑莓掌叼起兔子，率先朝猎物堆走去。队伍里的其他猫也都跟了过去，绕过正跟日神聊天的猫群，把猎物放在了猎物堆上。
“来认识一下日神吧。”看到鸽翅放下一只松鼠，鼠须兴奋地说道，“就是他把狐狸赶走，成功救了两位学徒。”
“是啊，他回来了很好不是吗？”白翅也说道，“要不是他，还不知道那些可怜的小猫们会发生什么事情呢！”
但是鸽翅也看得出来，围坐在日神旁边的族猫并不是都很乐意见到他。火星跟沙风、灰条、米莉坐在一起，对于新访客的到来，他显然很别扭。尘毛、香薇云和松鼠飞则凑在一起，小声地议论着，时不时地还向日神投去怀疑的目光。
波弟和鼠毛从长老巢穴那边慢悠悠地走了过来。看到日神，波弟惊讶得直眨眼睛。
“啊，看谁来了！”长老惊呼道，“日神！真没想到还会再见到你。”
日神斜了一下脑袋：“波弟，你看上去气色不错。鼠毛，我——”
他看向鼠毛，却见棕色母猫甩了一下尾巴，往后一退，发出一声嘶吼。“别靠近我。”她咆哮道。
有那么一瞬间，鸽翅感觉自己好像在日神琥珀色的眼睛里，捕捉到了一丝怒意。不过，杂色公猫最终只是点了点头。“看得出来，鼠毛还是老样子。”他平静地说道，“很高兴再见到你。”
鼠毛转身大步朝巢穴走去。波弟无奈地看了日神一眼，也跟了过去。鸽翅光顾着看大发脾气的长老，却没注意到藤池走过来站在了她身旁，最后，还是藤池用脚掌戳了戳她。
“很奇怪，对吗？”藤池说道，见鸽翅没有说话，她继续悄声说道，“你在影族边界看到什么了吗？”
鸽翅猜姐妹可能指的是曙皮那件事情。“你真把那只愚蠢母猫的事当真了？”她翻了个白眼说道，“没有，我什么也没看见。每天要想的重要事情那么多，谁会去听她的那些胡言乱语。”
火星派出了很多巡逻队，他们带回来了丰富的猎物。于是，等夜幕降临，族猫们便围坐在猎物堆旁享用美餐。鸽翅一边啃着一只老鼠，一边琢磨着日神的到来究竟会给雷族带来什么。年轻猫围在新访客身边，趴在那里瞪着眼睛、竖起耳朵，仔细听着他的每一句话。
“后来还有一次，我一只脚掌就打跑了一只獾，”日神讲道，“是很大很丑的那种。我当时正在离营地很远的森林里狩猎，偶然间碰上了它。”他舔了一会儿脚掌，然后把它慢慢举到耳边：“但如果你知道怎么对付獾的话，它们就不是什么威胁了。我抓了一下它的鼻子，它很快就跑开了。”
希望樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪不会真的以为，那就是对付獾的正确方法。鸽翅暗想。两位学徒坐在猫群的最前面，看着日神一张一合的嘴巴，连吃东西都忘了。
“再给我们讲讲吧！”樱桃爪恳求道，“你打过狗吗，日神？”
“我打过的狗，比你吃过的老鼠还要多。”日神回答道，“有一次——”
“行了，今天就到这里吧。”罂粟霜喊了一声，用尾巴拍拍樱桃爪的肩膀，“抱歉，日神，他们俩该回去睡觉了。”
“不要！”鼹鼠爪抗议道，“我们不是幼崽了！”
“但你们还是需要睡觉。”罂粟霜回答他。
莓鼻靠过来，用鼻子碰了碰伴侣。“那就让他们今天晚点儿睡吧。”他轻声说道，“他们可不是每天都能有机会听到大山以外的那些事情的。”
“太好啦！”鼹鼠爪兴奋得蹦了一下，“给我们继续讲那只狗的故事吧。求求你了，日神。”
“好吧，狗和两只两脚兽以及它们的幼崽在一起。”日神开始讲道，“两脚兽在我当时所在的那个树林里散步，结果那些蠢笨的家伙，把那根用来拴狗的藤蔓状东西给松开了。狗闻见了我的气味，便隔着蕨丛朝我的巢穴狂吠了起来。你们猜我怎么做的？”
“不知道！”樱桃爪大喊道，“快告诉我们吧！”
“我爬上了一棵树。”日神继续讲道，“等狗跑到树下，我就一下子跳到了它身上！”
鸽翅听到几只猫激动得屏住了呼吸。他们真的相信这些鬼话吗？
“我跟你们说，那个狼狈的家伙吓得屁滚尿流嗷嗷直叫。”日神继续说道，“它灰溜溜地夹起尾巴，转头朝它的两脚兽主人求救，而我还紧紧抓着它的脖子呢。”
“那两脚兽抓住你了吗？”梅花落屏住呼吸急切地问道。
日神摇了摇头：“还没等那只狗跑到它们身边，我就跳下来躲到蕨丛里去了。两脚兽把它训了一通，骂它乱跑，然后就又把那根藤蔓给它套上了。我最后看到的就是那样。”
鸽翅望着日神，努力不去听族猫们发出的那些赞叹声。她在自己最近的这段记忆里，搜索着所有能捕捉到的各种微弱声音，以期能找到他擅闯雷族领地的片段。可脑子里还是什么都没有，她只好失望地摇了摇头。
要是我的感知能力恢复正常了该有多好……要是永远都恢复不了怎么办？
一条尾巴轻轻落在她肩上，鸽翅转身看见了炭心。
“振作点儿。”灰色母猫说道，“不管你遇上什么麻烦，我相信都会好起来的。”
“我不知道。”鸽翅喃喃道，“日神……我不喜欢他，我也不喜欢他留在这里。”
炭心点点头，蓝色的眸子满含着理解和同情。“我也不太相信他。”她坦承道，“但如果真的是他救了小学徒，那族群至少应该留他住下吃顿美餐，留宿于此。”
鸽翅陷入了沉思。就在这时，她看到黄蜂条从巢穴里出来，旁边还跟着梅花落。这位武士厚厚的皮毛跟他父亲的简直一模一样。他伸展了一下身体，然后便朝她走了过来。
“嘿，鸽翅，”他喊道，“我想去森林那边散散步，你想不想和我一起去？”
“现在还不想去。”鸽翅回答道，“我一会儿可能会回巢穴。”
黄蜂条眨了眨眼睛，流露出一丝受伤的表情。“哦，好吧。”他说完便转身消失在荆棘通道里了。
“那样可不太好。”炭心轻声说道，“不要随意伤黄蜂条的心，他是真的喜欢你。”
鸽翅扭动着身子，感觉皮毛尴尬得发烫。“不是那样的，他不是——”她刚要开口。
“他确实是喜欢你。”炭心确定地说道。“你知道的。”她又认真地补充道，“如果不存在你多了解他一些的障碍，那你就应该抓住这个机会。”
“这是不是说，你跟狮焰——”
炭心摇了摇头，鸽翅停住了。炭心蓝色的眸子里布满了忧伤。“不，”炭心说道，“我们之间有障碍。你永远都不会明白的。”
鸽翅看着她。炭心知道狮焰的特殊力量吗？那是他们之间的障碍吗？
她刚想开口问炭心，可灰色母猫没给她机会。“你快去追黄蜂条吧。”她催促道，“现在去还来得及，见到你他会很高兴的。”
尽管还是有些迟疑，鸽翅最后还是同意了。她钻过荆棘屏障，来到凉爽、昏暗的树林里。月光透过枝叶洒落下来，将林间空地变成了光影绰约的一片。微风吹拂过草地，将鸽翅头顶上方的树叶也都吹得飒飒作响。
“黄蜂条！”她大喊道。
没有回应。于是鸽翅释放出感知，仔细倾听着。过了一会儿，她听到了脚步声，看到湖边像是有只猫正坐在那里。鸽翅顿时浑身激动起来。也许，我的力量开始恢复了！
她穿过森林，朝她看见的那只猫跑去。想持续集中精力非常困难，那个影像越来越模糊。不过等她钻出灌木丛来到湖边时，她惊喜地发现黄蜂条就坐在水边，正抬头仰望着星空。他浅色皮毛上的条纹，在璀璨星空的映衬下，格外显眼。
“黄蜂条！”鸽翅大声喊道，声音高亢兴奋。因为她的力量并没有永远消失！
黄蜂条呼地站起来，转身看向她。“鸽翅！”他大声喊着朝她跑了过来。“你来了，”他激动得说不出话来，“过来坐在我旁边吧。这里景色很美。”
鸽翅突然有些不好意思起来。“我们能去散散步吗？”她问道。
“当然。”
他俩一起沿着湖边慢慢走着，彼此皮毛相擦。鸽翅努力地想找些话题。
“你还记得日神以前在这里时的样子吗？”鸽翅打破沉默问道。
“有点儿印象。”黄蜂条回答道，“今天他一出现我就认出来了。不过我那时还只是只幼崽。”
“你觉得他怎么样？”
黄蜂条耸耸肩：“很自以为是，对吗？”
鸽翅心里突然觉得好笑。“没错！全是胡编乱造！跳到狗身上……得了吧！我知道，跟影族战斗时我们会从树上跳下来；可如果把这招用来对付狗，那完全就是鼠脑子！”
“嗯，我受够这个日神了，”黄蜂条说道，“我们不在这儿说他了吧。蟾步告诉我说，你那天跑赢了他们。你想跟我比一比吗？”
“好啊！”鸽翅回答道，“跑到哪儿？”
“那边的树桩怎么样？”黄蜂条折起耳朵，指了指远处湖滨森林边的那截树桩。
鸽翅点点头冲了出去，脚掌下的小石头纷纷弹到了身后。刚开始的时候，黄蜂条还能跟得上她，但很快，她就跟他拉开了差距。哇，我真的可以跑得很快！可紧接着，鸽翅就听到了湖的那边其他族群的动静：河族猫正在营地旁的溪流里捉鱼；影族领地里有位口鼻发灰的武士，正在教自己的学徒如何进行夜间狩猎。
她感觉自己的感知如湖面的波浪一般起伏不定。有时她能清清楚楚捕捉到每个细节，可有时却又很模糊。但一想到自己的力量正在恢复，她就感到无比的激动和轻松。
只是还需要一些时间而已。她想，狮焰说得对，我的力量是在去山区的时候使用过度了。就是这么回事。
重获感知的力量让鸽翅很开心。可她太专注于想这件事情，以至于没有注意到脚掌下。突然，有什么东西缠住了她的一只前脚掌。鸽翅一下子摔倒在碎石上，惊叫一声，差点儿没背过气去。
黄蜂条从她身边一闪而过。鸽翅挣扎着爬起来，发现是一根常春藤的藤蔓从旁边的树林伸出来绊倒了她。等她把藤蔓从脚掌上扯开，黄蜂条又折返了回来。
“你还好吗？”他上气不接下气地问道。
“还好。”鸽翅喘着气说。尽管摔得晕头转向的，可幸福犹如泛滥的溪水漫过她全身。我没有失去自己的力量。一切都很好！“我非常好。”她重复道。
她踉踉跄跄地站起来，黄蜂条让她靠在自己的肩上，又用尾巴将她身上的沙石轻轻扫掉。他眸光闪动，说道：“如果不是摔倒的话，你肯定赢了。”
“也许吧。”鸽翅差点儿忘了比赛的事儿，跟那相比，恢复感知能力才是更重要的，“你跑得也很快。”
她开始沿湖边慢慢往回走，黄蜂条紧挨着她。“鸽翅……”他听上去有点儿羞赧，“我能给你看样东西吗？”
“好啊。”鸽翅心不在焉地回答道，此刻她正忙着听风族的一只母猫责备自己的孩子们，因为他们把虫子放进了她的窝里。
“这边走。”黄蜂条转向树林，鸽翅跟在后面，路边的蕨丛扫过她身体两侧的皮毛。
还没等鸽翅看清前面的路，他们便来到一块小小的空地上。在那里，粗糙的橡树上，到处都爬满了野生茉莉花，在树下形成了一个小小的拱形空间。树枝上已经有了几朵早开的白花。黄蜂条挤进那个小空间里，用尾巴示意鸽翅过去。于是鸽翅跟在他身后也钻了进去，感受着身旁他的温度，享受着茉莉花那香甜的气息。
“我一直很喜欢这个地方。”黄蜂条真诚地对她说道，“等绿叶季这些花全部盛开，这里会更美。”说完，他紧张地冲鸽翅眨眨眼，鸽翅意识到他可能是担心她会笑话他。
“这里很美。”她肯定地说道。
黄蜂条如释重负，然后抬头仰望天空。鸽翅发现，透过枝条间的缝隙，他们可以看见星星。
“我喜欢仰望我们的祖先。”他说，“有时候我会想，哪些会是我的祖先呢。”他犹豫一下，又补充道：“我想你的祖先一定很耀眼，鸽翅。”
“这我可不知道。”鸽翅回答道，“我想我的祖先一定是躲到云后面去了，因为他们总是惹麻烦！”
黄蜂条轻声笑了起来。“我想那上面那颗，肯定是我的祖先。”他用尾巴指了指，喃喃说道，“就是看上去像被树枝缠住的那颗！”
“我很好奇，不知道他们是不是也在看着我们。”鸽翅若有所思地说道，“他们能看见我们在这里的一切吗？”
“我想应该能吧。”黄蜂条认真说道，“他们会盯着我们，我们做错事他们全都能看见。我敢打赌，我往梅花落的窝里放火蚂蚁，那边那颗星肯定全都知晓！”
“你不会吧！”鸽翅半笑半惊地喊道。
“是真的。”黄蜂条不好意思地垂下头，“我们还是学徒的时候，她报复我，趁我不注意，把我推进了水里。”
鸽翅笑了一声。“那肯定也有一颗星在瞪着她呢，说不定就是那颗。”她用一只前掌指向天空，“旁边另外一颗肯定生我的气了，因为有一次我忘记给长老们换铺垫了。”
“哦，不会吧！”黄蜂条靠近她，用鼻子碰了碰她的耳朵，“我猜鼠毛肯定骂你了吧。”
鸽翅皱了皱眉：“我觉得连河族猫们都能听到她的骂声！”
黄蜂条安静下来。这样很好，鸽翅想道，沉醉在清凉的小草和周围萦绕着的美好气息之中，就这样坐在这儿，跟族猫聊聊天，抬头看看星空……
这跟她和虎心一起度过的那些夜晚不太一样——她感受不到心怦怦地快要跳出胸腔的感觉，也没有穿越禁地时脚掌下发麻的刺痛感——但此刻，跟黄蜂条一起坐在茉莉花下，她感到无比的惬意。再也没有其他地方能比得上这里了。
“好，”炭心说道，“让我们来看看你的狩猎姿势。”
鸽翅看着藤池在训练场地边上摆好姿势，而炭心则在她身边走来走去，检查她的姿势是否正确。
“把尾巴收起来点儿。”她指导道，“好，很好。现在，跳起来看看你能不能够到那边那棵树上的报春花。”
藤池收紧肌肉奋力一跳，身体跃到空中，用前爪抓住报春花，将其拍落在地。
“做得真棒。”狮焰评价道，“现在，鸽翅，让我们来看看你的动作。”
鸽翅蹲伏下来，努力摆正自己的脚掌和尾巴。她本以为自己会很讨厌跟前老师重新进行这种初级训练。可今天她开心得什么都不在意了。昨天跟黄蜂条散步回来，她睡得很好，今天早上她的感知力甚至更敏锐了。
意识到自己的特殊力量是如此脆弱，她还是有点儿担心，可转念就又释然了。无论如何，我得保护自己的力量，就像踏在坚石上要保护脚掌，战斗中要保护腹部最柔弱的部位一样。
就在狮焰检查她姿势的时候，她又释放出感知。风族又添了一窝幼崽。这些吵闹的小家伙！看幼崽们在妈妈怀里找奶吃，鸽翅不禁想道。河族的新晋武士正在外出巡逻，他们个个看起来兴奋不已。而影族的虎心正在教几位学徒怎样潜伏追踪松鼠。看到他们的猎物被吓跑，鸽翅忍不住笑出了声。松鼠朝一边蹿出去又折返回来，可还没等安全逃到树上，就径直撞到了虎心后背。
“你今天心情不错啊。”狮焰表示道。
“嗯，”炭心抖了抖胡须表示认同，“看来昨晚的散步真是不错！”
“什么散步？”狮焰问道。
炭心瞥了他一眼，蓝色的眼睛闪动着：“我才不告诉你呢。”
狮焰耸了耸耳朵：“那好吧。对了，鸽翅，把后腿再往前点儿，看看能不能够到那朵报春花。”
“如果藤池没把它毁掉的话。”鸽翅咕哝道。
她收起脚掌以便积蓄更多的力量跳起来。接着，她冲过空地，落在藤池身旁，用爪子将留在树上的那朵浅黄色报春花撕成了碎片。
“棒极了！”狮焰评价道，“你们俩今天的状态都不错。”
“炭心说的昨晚的散步，是怎么回事？”藤池悄声问道，“你昨晚回来得确实很晚。”
鸽翅不想谈论昨晚她跟黄蜂条的散步，但她也知道，如果她拒绝回答的话，姐妹会伤心的。“没什么，”她回答道，“我跟黄蜂条沿湖边散步去了。仅此而已。”
藤池惊讶地瞪大眼睛。“噢，太好了！”她欢呼道，“他真的很不错，你们两个要成为伴侣了吗？”
“我根本就没想过那个！”鸽翅恼怒地摆了摆尾巴，“就只是散步而已。一起散步很有意思，但没那么重要。”
藤池戳了戳她的侧腹：“你们俩在一起，生出来的孩子肯定最可爱！”
鸽翅翻了个白眼。为了不去理会藤池的取笑，她又将感知探向森林那边，结果立刻发现了一只猫的身影，正穿过森林朝风族边界走去。等她花了好一会儿辨认出对方的气味和长相时，不由一愣：是日神！
他要走了吗？她很好奇，还是仅仅去散步而已？不过毫无疑问的是，他是只怪猫。
“我们何不在回营地之前去狩猎呢？”她提议道。她不想理会日神的事，只想让狮焰看看她恢复了的力量。
“我很惊讶，你训练完了居然还有力气去狩猎？”狮焰问道。
鸽翅一跃而起。“我感觉还能绕湖跑一圈呢！”她咕哝道。说完她瞥见炭心正开心地冲她眨眼睛。噢，不，她以为我是因为黄蜂条！
“好的，我们去狩猎。”狮焰说道，“这次我们来点儿好玩的。我们来比赛，大家都从这儿出发，谁第一个抓住猎物，谁就赢了。”
藤池竖起耳朵：“奖品是什么？”
“嗯……第一个去猎物堆挑猎物怎么样？”炭心提议道。
鸽翅蹲下身子等待着。她轻轻释放出感知，就像蒲公英种子那样任由其轻盈地随风飘动。很快，她在湖边找到一只鸟——黑水鸡——正沿着湖边啄食。于是她全神贯注地盯着它，而炭心和藤池则仰头嗅了嗅空气中的气味，接着便分头跑开了。
狮焰一直在旁边看着她。鸽翅紧盯着黑水鸡的位置，它还在湖边碎石间啄食着。她跃起身，朝湖边奔去，风一般穿过树林，跃过枯枝和小溪。
我居然没发现，我们离湖边那么远！
鸽翅在一簇榛树丛旁停住，确定黑水鸡还在那儿，便继续前行。她从树林里冲出来，黑水鸡受惊想要振翅逃走，却被她纵身一跃，击打得喘不过气来。然后，鸽翅用牙齿咬住了它的脖子。鸽翅叼起猎物，准备返回营地。等她看到其他三只猫早已先她一步返回时，她一点儿也不惊讶，因为为了追赶猎物，她跑得太远了。
“你的运气不好。”藤池说道，脚下扔着一只肥硕的老鼠。
炭心抓到了一只松鼠，狮焰的则是一只乌鸫。
“藤池是第一个回来的，所以她赢了。”炭心宣布道。
鸽翅冲姐妹点点头：“好样的。”
炭心叼起猎物，带队往营地返回。藤池和她肩并肩，鸽翅耸了耸肩也跟了上去。其实私底下，这次落到最后她并不感到失望，因为她完成了自己想做的事情。狮焰在一旁专注地看着她，眼神交汇间，他冲她点了点头。狮焰也没有失望，因为他知道，鸽翅的力量恢复了。
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
The sun was beginning to descend as Lionblaze led Graystripe, Spiderleg, and Blossomfal into the forest.
“I want to check the WindClan border,” Lionblaze meowed. “And we’l keep a lookout for any more signs of fox, too.”
Golden sunlight was pouring through the branches, and the trees rustled gently in a fresh breeze. The fresh scents of grass and leaves surrounded the patrol. But al Lionblaze could see were the shadows under the trees, and his mind was fil ed with imagining the day when they might spread and engulf everything.
He took his patrol to the border stream where it flowed into the lake, then turned to fol ow it away from the shore, renewing the scent markers on the way. Everything was quiet; although the WindClan scent markers on the opposite bank were fresh, there was no sign of any WindClan patrols. They had covered about half the length of the border when the WindClan scent suddenly grew stronger, carried on the breeze that blew down from the moorland.
Lionblaze raised his tail for the patrol to halt.
“Now what?” Spiderleg muttered.
As the black warrior spoke, a WindClan patrol appeared from behind a rocky outcrop and bounded up to the edge of the stream. Onestar was at the front; Crowfeather and Sedgewhisker were with him.
Lionblaze dipped his head. “Greetings, Onestar.” The WindClan leader didn’t return the greeting.
Instead, he stared across the stream at the ThunderClan cats with hostility in his eyes. “I was hoping to meet some of your Clan,” he rasped.
“Oh?” Lionblaze could feel anger stirring inside him at the chal enge in Onestar’s voice, but he forced his fur to stay flat. “What can we do for you?”
“One of my warriors overheard a patrol of yours talking,” Onestar replied. “It seems you have that StarClan-cursed excuse for a cat, Sol, staying with you. Is that right?”
Lionblaze nodded. “Yes.”
“Then you have to drive him out at once!” Lionblaze heard an annoyed hiss from Spiderleg, standing at his shoulder, but he stil refused to let his anger show. “Why?” he meowed. “Has Sol done you any harm?”
“That’s not the point!” Onestar spat. “Every cat knows Sol is bad news. Firestar has to get rid of him now!”
The tip of Lionblaze’s tail began to twitch. “Firestar won’t be ordered around by the leader of another Clan,” he warned.
“Then maybe WindClan wil have to force him.” Onestar drew his lips back in the beginning of a snarl. “Every cat knows that Sol is an enemy to al the Clans.”
Lionblaze’s indignation spil ed over and he bounded to the very edge of the stream, his tail lashing and his fur fluffed up. “If you want a fight, you can have one now!”
“Right!” Spiderleg leaped up to stand beside his Clanmate and slid out his claws.
Instantly Onestar and Crowfeather stepped up to the bank on the WindClan side of the stream. A growl began deep in Onestar’s throat, but before any cat could make another move, Graystripe shouldered Lionblaze back. Lionblaze glared at him.
Surely he was as furious as Lionblaze at the way Onestar was trying to give orders to ThunderClan?
“That’s enough, Lionblaze.” Graystripe’s voice was firm and calm, and Lionblaze recal ed that once he had been Clan deputy. “There’s no need to fight over this. Onestar, you need to remember that it’s not up to you to decide who receives ThunderClan’s hospitality. You’re insulting Firestar if you think he would offer shelter to a cat who didn’t deserve it.” Though Lionblaze didn’t try to interrupt, he could tel that Graystripe’s words were sticking in his throat. He knew that Graystripe didn’t like Sol any more than Lionblaze did. We’d both like to see him gone. But that’s not the point. It’s not up to another Clan to tell us what to do.
Onestar was unimpressed by what Graystripe had said. “Send Sol away,” he growled. “Or I’l make you.”
Graystripe shook his head, and there was sadness in his eyes now. “Onestar,” he began, “do you remember when you were Firestar’s friend, back in the old forest? How can we have come so far from that time? We don’t need to be enemies.” Onestar lashed his tail. “Your Clan makes it impossible to be anything else.”
Lionblaze watched the younger warriors welcome Sol when he strol ed back into the camp as the sun went down.
“The hunting patrols are just back,” Blossomfal meowed. “Come and choose some fresh-kil .”
“Wil you tel us more stories?” Cherrypaw added, bouncing along at Sol’s side as he strol ed across to the fresh-kil pile.
“Yes, did you ever see that dog again?” Molepaw asked eagerly.
Toadstep and Rosepetal gathered to listen, and Briarlight dragged herself over from the medicine cat’s den. Foxleap and Icecloud, who were sharing a blackbird, looked up as Sol approached; Whitewing, Birchfal , and Hazeltail appeared from the warriors’
den and sat nearby.
Lionblaze noticed that Dovewing remained within earshot, but a few tail-lengths off, with Ivypool and Bumblestripe. None of them looked enthusiastic about Sol’s return, and they made no move to join him and the others.
Good. Not all the young warriors want to be friends with him.
While Sol gulped down a plump vole, Blossomfal told him about the clash with WindClan earlier that day. “Lionblaze and Graystripe told Onestar that he can’t tel ThunderClan what to do,” she meowed. “But Onestar said that if we don’t send you away, then he’l make us!”
Sol swal owed the last bite of vole and swiped his tongue appreciatively around his jaws. “You can’t possibly be afraid of WindClan,” he taunted. “Those scrawny rabbit-chasers? They’re no match for our warriors!”
“We’re not your warriors! You’re not a ThunderClan cat!” Ivypool blurted out.
Several cats gasped, and Whitewing turned and glared at her.
“Ivypool! That’s no way to talk to a visitor.”
“Wel , he’s not,” Ivypool muttered.
Dovewing pressed her muzzle sympathetical y against her sister’s side and Bumblestripe let his tail-tip rest for a heartbeat on her shoulder. The young warrior exchanged a glance with Dovewing over Ivypool’s head, and she gave a tiny nod in reply.
Dovewing and Bumblestripe seem to be getting very close, Lionblaze thought, and added to himself grimly, I wonder what will happen when Bumblestripe finds out about the prophecy?
Meanwhile, the young cats around Sol raced to reassure him that they weren’t afraid of WindClan at al .
“We’l show them,” Foxleap yowled. “They can’t order us around like that!”
“Yes, we’l rip their pelts off if they try,” Blossomfal growled.
Lionblaze listened to them with a growing sense of unease. The last thing any cat should want was a battle with another Clan. But Firestar couldn’t ignore Onestar’s chal enge. Now he would be forced to offer hospitality to Sol purely in order to preserve the honor of ThunderClan. Anything else would look like Firestar was obeying orders from WindClan.
We can’t back down now, Lionblaze realized.
Onestar has forced us to ally ourselves with Sol, even though he isn’t welcome here.
第九章
第九章
冷风像冰冰的爪子一样穿透了皮毛，松鸦羽浑身发抖。他站在山顶，周围是被狂风吹得东倒西歪哗啦作响的松树林，树林上空则是翻腾汹涌的乌云。
“我受够了。”松鸦羽盯着眼前荒凉的景象，嘟囔道，“我要走了。”
可还没等他从梦里醒来，便听见一只猫气喘吁吁爬上山的声音。他看见一个瘦骨嶙峋的灰色身影，正奋力穿过长满刺的灌木丛。
“黄牙，”看着灰色母猫来到空地上，松鸦羽叹了口气，“我们非得在这儿见面吗？这儿的风快把我的皮毛都吹掉了。”
黄牙在他面前停了下来，眯起琥珀色的眼睛盯着他。松鸦羽觉得她比平时还要邋遢：皮毛被风吹得皱巴巴的，呼出的气臭烘烘的，眼睛也肿了起来，好像已经好几个月都没梳洗了。
“我之所以选这儿，是因为不想让其他猫听见我们的谈话。”黄牙喘着粗气告诉他。
“星族里的感觉还是不好，对吗？”松鸦羽问道。
“没错！”年迈的母猫吼道，“不要相信任何猫！”
松鸦羽将爪子插进冰冷的地里。他感觉骨头都冷得厉害，现在，他只想回到暖暖的窝里一觉睡到天亮。“你找我有什么事？”他不耐烦地吼道。
“来告诉你你要做什么。”黄牙回答道，“你需要再找一位巫医，我说的不是学徒，而是一只受过全面训练，并且生活在雷族的猫。”
松鸦羽惊讶地竖起了毛。“可是叶池已经不再是巫医了。”他指出道，“这事儿我管不了——你也掌控不了。”
灰色老猫的眸子里满是遗憾。“我知道。”她难过地说道，“我说的不是叶池。按照巫医守则，她犯的错误太严重，接受过的巫医训练已经完全没用了。不要低估她所受的惩罚，松鸦羽。她不仅仅是放弃了巫医的职位，还被禁止使用她好不容易才努力学到的知识。”
松鸦羽心里闪过一丝沮丧。就好像你没有过自己的孩子似的，虽然你的族群对真相一无所知。“那就好像是因为一只猫的错误，惩罚整个族群一样！”他吼道。
“那是个非常严重的错误。”黄牙的声音很严肃。
“那你说的再找一位巫医是什么意思？”松鸦羽又问道，“肯定不是荆棘光或者亮心，对吗？她们是比其他猫懂得多一些，不过从来没有接受过任何正式的训练。亮心连月亮池都没去过。”
黄牙抽动着细削的尾巴。“你应该知道我说的是谁，鼠脑子。”她粗声粗气地说道，“雷族还有第三位巫医——炭心。或许，是时候告诉她她是谁了。”
松鸦羽有点儿犹豫：“你真是这么想的吗？那她会相信我的话吗？”
“如果你进入她的梦境，那她会相信的。”黄牙说道，“把她带回到她以前的生活中去。她所有的知识都在那里，她只需要去拿就好了。”
黄牙那琥珀色的眸子里，燃烧着热切和激情，让松鸦羽惶恐地后退了一步。
“等等，炭毛曾是你的学徒，她没必要成为我的学徒。现在的事情那么多，我怎么可能有空去训练一只新的巫医呢？”
黄牙翻了个白眼。“又不需要你训练她！”她厉声说道，“她知道的比你还要多，只是需要重新记起自己是谁而已。”
松鸦羽的毛竖了起来。“我会考虑的。”他厉声道。
“你一定要那么做。”黄牙说道，“否则的话，我可能会亲自进入她的梦里。”
那会把炭心的魂都给吓跑的。松鸦羽暗想。他想象不出，对这位年轻的武士而言，还有什么会比这个更令她不安的。
“好吧，我会去做！”他咆哮道。
黄牙转身离开时，又回头瞥了他一眼。“你必须得准备好，迎接族群有史以来最可怕的战争，”她提醒道，“一位巫医是不够的！”
松鸦羽醒了过来，又进入黑暗之中。他舒舒服服地蜷在巫医巢穴铺满苔藓和蕨叶的窝里。周围的空气是那么的温暖，到处都弥漫着新叶季初期清新的气味。不过，尽管他的身体很惬意，心里却烦躁得很，感觉自己像是从来都没休息过一样。
外面的空地里，猫儿们四处走动着。松鸦羽能听见副族长黑莓掌组织巡逻队的声音。有脚步声靠近巫医巢穴，一片低语咕哝声中，樱桃爪的声音响了起来。
“日神——来看我们训练吧，求你了！”
“对啊。”鼹鼠爪也附和道，“我学会了一种特别酷的格斗动作，想给你看看。”
松鸦羽从窝里抬起头，嗅了嗅空气。他闻到了学徒，还有日神的气味，他们就在黑莓屏风外。玫瑰瓣和一直指导樱桃爪的云尾，此时正站在几尾远的地方。
“这个主意真不怎么样。”玫瑰瓣说道，“日神不能观看学徒们训练，他还有更重要的事情去做。”
“而且我们希望你们能集中精力训练，”云尾补充道，冰冷的声音里透着对日神的厌恶，“而不是跟来客炫耀。”
“谢谢你们能邀请我，”日神对两只年轻猫说道，“但我现在还有其他任务，等回来的时候，再听你们完完整整汇报今天所学的成果吧。”
松鸦羽听见云尾强压着嘶吼声，浑身散发着怒意。他能理解白色武士的感受。日神的语气就好像他是我们的族长似的！
“松鸦羽？”
松鸦羽太过于专注外面发生的事情了，以至于没有注意到荆棘光拖着身子向他爬了过来。
“松鸦羽，我能去跟日神说句话吗？”她问道。
她语气里的渴望让松鸦羽很是不爽。“他帮不了你的，如果你是想让他帮你恢复的话。”他厉声说道。
“我没抱那个希望。”荆棘光也生气了，“我只是对他很好奇，仅此而已。”
“嗯，用不着对他好奇。”松鸦羽反驳道，“他没什么特别的。”
“可他从狐狸口中救下了学徒们。”荆棘光提醒他道。
松鸦羽哼了一声：“也许吧。”
我不相信狮焰和我都会弄错。他暗想，日神是我们最不想再看见的猫。
学徒和他们的老师离开了。日神在巫医巢穴外徘徊了片刻，接着便朝荆棘通道入口方向跑去。松鸦羽走出巢穴，开始梳理皮毛里苔藓和蕨叶的碎屑。
“松鸦羽！”黛西的声音从黑莓屏风的另一侧传来，“你能来看看栗尾吗？”
松鸦羽的皮毛才梳理了一半。他赶紧停下，穿过屏风来到营地中央。黛西正在一尾远处等着他。
“出什么事了吗？”他问道。
“我也不确定。”黛西回答道，她走到松鸦羽身旁，跟他一起往武士巢穴走去，“你才是巫医呀。不过我看过很多母猫临近生产时的样子，我感觉栗尾不太对劲。”
松鸦羽咕哝了一声。他从武士巢穴外的枝条间钻了过去，抽动鼻子闻到了干苔藓和蕨叶发霉的味道。大部分猫现在都出去巡逻了。他感觉栗尾躺在巢穴一边的窝里，于是便绕到她的窝旁。
“嘿，松鸦羽。”玳瑁色武士叫道，“你不用来的，我很好。”
“我不放心。”松鸦羽轻声说道。
栗尾的声音听起来很累，松鸦羽嗅了嗅她，感觉到她非常焦虑疲倦。“你做得太多了。”他对她说道，“还有不到半个月你就要生产了，再坚守武士职责会把你拖垮的。”
“可上一次的时候……”栗尾刚要开口。
“不管你喜不喜欢听，你现在比上次生产时年龄要大。”松鸦羽指出道，“你需要慢下来，给自己一个机会好好调养。生孩子可是个很艰难的时刻。”
栗尾叹了一口气：“我明白。”
两只猫陷入了沉默。松鸦羽感觉到前掌下，栗尾的侧腹传来一阵战栗，他被拽进了一股可怕的回忆旋涡之中，感受到了她上次生产时的痛苦。他感受到了一只獾冲进育婴室时栗尾内心的恐惧；他看见炭毛勇敢地跳起来保护栗尾；听到那个庞然大物咬住炭毛的脖子用力摇晃时，炭毛那戛然而止的尖叫声。就在那一刻，在巫医炭毛牺牲了自己性命的同时，他听到了一只灰色幼崽孱弱的哭声。
松鸦羽颤抖着。炭毛就是那时成为炭心的。现在，黄牙说为了整个族群，我需要把她带回到过去。
他从回忆中清醒了过来，发现栗尾正在说话，声音低沉而又疲惫。
“我知道你是对的。”栗尾说道，“这些幼崽需要尽可能有个好的开始。如果这意味着最后这半个月，我什么也不能做的话……那好吧，没什么大不了的。”
“谢谢你，栗尾。”松鸦羽回答道，“你做了一个正确的决定。”也会让我的工作轻松些。他心里补充了一句。
“那快来吧，栗尾。”黛西一边劝说，一边用脚掌轻轻推了推玳瑁色武士，“香薇云和我已经在育婴室为你准备了个非常舒服的窝。”
松鸦羽走出巢穴，心里的焦虑消散了不少。很显然，在幼崽降生之前，栗尾将会得到非常体贴周到的照料！
回到空地中，松鸦羽仔细听着炭心的脚步声，心里却在打鼓，不知道现在跟她说这事是不是时候。伟大的星族啊，我该怎么跟她说呢？
听到有脚步声向他传来，他耳朵动了动，但捕捉到的却是桦落的气味。“你现在忙吗？”松鸦羽问道。
“不忙。”虎斑公猫回答道，“需要帮忙吗？”
“是的——我找炭心。”松鸦羽回答道，“如果你看见她，能不能告诉她我有话要跟她说？”
“当然。”桦落说完离开了。
松鸦羽朝武士巢穴走去，他偶尔停下来嗅嗅空气中的气味，却还是没有在各种气味中捕捉到炭心的一丝踪迹。他失望地站在那里，抽动着尾巴。她肯定是出去巡逻了。
可紧接着，一个声音从靠近他耳边的地方传了过来：“你是在找炭心吗？”
叶池的气味扑鼻而来，松鸦羽身子一僵。她怎么知道？
“是的。”他警觉地回答道，“你见过她吗？”
“是的。不过我需要先跟你谈一谈。”
松鸦羽犹豫着，他不愿意跟他的母亲谈论炭心或是别的什么。不过他能够感觉到叶池很坚决，知道自己不可能推托掉。“好吧，”他叹了一口气，“那就说吧。”
“这里不行。”叶池说道，“我们去森林里吧，我不想我说的话被偷听。”
压下心头的叹息，松鸦羽跟着她走进了森林。他跟她并肩前行时，和以往一样，依然无法相信叶池就是自己的母亲。有时候，对他来说，她更像是一只陌生猫，连外族猫都不是。
叶池来到一棵大树下停住，树叶在头上沙沙作响，松鸦羽能听见附近流水的声音。“你要说什么？”他问道。
“我昨晚做了个梦。”叶池的声音很小，以至于松鸦羽不得不靠她近一点儿，才能听清楚，“我梦到了斑叶，她告诉我说，黄牙想要告诉炭心有关……有关她的过去的事情。是这样吗？”
“是的。”松鸦羽回答道。
“不可以！她不能这样做！”叶池一下子激动起来。面对她突如其来的情绪爆发，松鸦羽不由往后退了几步。“炭心有机会可以过上另外一种生活，成为一位武士和母亲。如果你们现在告诉她她的过去，就等于是抢走了她的这个机会。”
松鸦羽听得出来，叶池用爪子撕扯着地上的青草。他想要打断她，但叶池没有理会。
“我是炭毛的学徒，”叶池继续说道，“我很了解她。我知道她渴望成为武士、有个伴侣、成为母亲。但这一切，都让雷鬼路上的那个意外夺走了。尽管如此，她依然是一位优秀的巫医，是雷族有史以来最好的巫医。我不能让她的生活再次被夺走！”
“可要先以族群为重。”松鸦羽辩驳道，“族群现在需要巫医。”
叶池沉默了片刻。她跟松鸦羽都明白，她受过完整训练，绝对有能力照顾族群，可她却违背武士守则和巫医守则，跟外族猫结为伴侣。不过她跟松鸦羽都对此缄默不语。沉默在他们之间蔓延，如同即将暴发的暴风雨一样，触动着他们的心弦。
“族群的每一只猫都很重要。”最后，叶池打破沉默，“你可以选位学徒，荆棘光做得就不错。”
“哦，那当然！”松鸦羽抽动着尾巴，“那样可就有意思了，不是吗？一只巫医看不见，另一只腿脚不好，雷族可真是坚不可摧啊！”
“我知道你比我们这些猫看得都要清楚。”叶池不为所动地说道，“不要拿这些当借口。我告诉你，炭心这次应该过一种不同的生活。这也是星族之所以给她第二次机会的原因。斑叶在我梦里也是这么说的。我也不会让你们再次毁掉她的生活。”
说完，不等松鸦羽回答，叶池便起身离开了。
松鸦羽仍待在树下，思绪万千。他不得不承认，叶池说得有道理：如果星族真要介入，让炭心过另外一种生活，那他们必定有非要这么做的理由。黄牙考虑问题不够理智，他提醒自己道，她只是深陷星族内部的纷争，对黑森林的威胁太害怕了。
松鸦羽慢慢走回营地，还是不确定自己下一步该怎么办。快走到巫医巢穴时，他闻见了炭心的气味，听见了她走过来的脚步声。
“桦落说你在找我。”她开心地问道，“有什么需要我去做的吗？”
松鸦羽虽然看不见，可他非常清楚，叶池此刻正死死盯着他。他深吸了一口气。“没什么大事。”他告诉炭心，“改天再说吧。”
Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Dovewing found herself walking through shadowy trees, and for a heartbeat she was terrified that somehow she had found her way into the Dark Forest. But moonlight was filtering down through the branches, and when she looked up she could see the stars.
Al was quiet except that in the distance Dovewing could hear the wails of a cat in distress. She began to search among the ferns and brambles, but she couldn’t figure out where the wails were coming from. They grew louder and more urgent, but the cat stil remained hidden.
Panicking, Dovewing started to run. Her flying paws tripped over a dead branch; letting out a startled screech, she rol ed over on the ground and woke in her own nest, her legs flailing in the struggle to get up. Ivypool was sleeping beside her, while Cherrypaw and Molepaw were curled up together at the opposite side of the den.
“Whew!” Dovewing muttered. “That was some dream!”
Then she realized that she could stil hear the wails of distress. They were fainter than in her dream, but loud enough to reach her through the wal s of the camp.
“That’s Sorreltail!” she exclaimed. “And she’s somewhere outside the camp.”
Struggling to her paws, Dovewing scrambled out of the den and raced across the camp to find Jayfeather.
“Wake up!” she panted, brushing past the bramble screen at the entrance to the medicine cat’s den.
“Jayfeather, it’s Sorreltail!”
“Wha’?” Jayfeather raised his head, his blue eyes blurred with sleep. “What’s the matter?”
“It’s Sorreltail,” Dovewing repeated. “I can hear her wailing. She must be having her kits, and she’s way outside the camp!”
Jayfeather was instantly alert, springing to his paws and shaking bits of moss and bracken from his pelt. “Her kits are coming early!” he exclaimed.
“Show me where.”
Briarlight was waking, too, dragging herself out of her nest. “Can I help?” she meowed.
“No, it’l be too far for you,” Jayfeather replied. “But be ready to give herbs to Dovewing. I’l send her back to fetch them when I know what I need.” As he finished speaking he whisked out of the den with Dovewing hard on his paws. Cloudtail was on watch at the entrance to the tunnel through the barrier.
“What’s going on?” he asked, rising to his paws.
“Sorreltail’s out in the forest, and her kits are coming,” Jayfeather panted, hardly breaking stride as he plunged into the thorns.
As Dovewing fol owed, she thought Cloudtail looked confused, and realized that no other cats could hear Sorreltail’s heartrending cries. Cloudtail must be wondering how they knew. “Fetch Brackenfur,” she cal ed over her shoulder. “Tel him to fol ow our scent trail.”
Cloudtail waved his tail in acknowledgment as Dovewing headed out of the camp. Jayfeather was waiting for her at the other end of the tunnel, his claws digging impatiently into the ground.
“Lead the way,” he ordered.
Sorreltail’s pitiful wails were even louder now, flooding Dovewing’s senses. She could hardly believe that Jayfeather couldn’t hear them.
“She’s near the lake,” Dovewing meowed, pointing with her tail before remembering that Jayfeather couldn’t see her. “Fol ow me.” She bounded through the undergrowth, skirting bramble thickets and clumps of nettles. At first she kept looking back, uncertain whether the medicine cat would be able to keep up with her, but every time she turned her head he was hard on her paws.
“Sorreltail, we’re coming!” he yowled as they drew closer to the lake; Dovewing guessed that by now he must be able to hear the tortoiseshel she-cat for himself.
At last they broke out of the undergrowth into a clearing not far from where Dovewing had walked with Bumblestripe. Sorreltail lay stretched out on her side underneath an arching clump of ferns. She raised her head as Dovewing and Jayfeather raced across to her. “Oh, thank StarClan!” she gasped. “I was afraid no cat would hear me.”
Jayfeather crouched down beside her, studying her intently. “Lie stil ,” he murmured. “These kits wil be born soon.”
“It hurts so much!” Sorreltail moaned. “It was never this bad with my first litter.”
Stil concentrating, Jayfeather ran one paw down Sorreltail’s bel y and felt her hips. “There’s the problem,” he told her. “It’s the stiffness I warned you about.”
“But I did my exercises—oh!” Sorreltail’s words ended in a gasp of pain as a powerful ripple passed down her bel y.
“Should she have poppy seed?” Dovewing suggested.
“No!” Jayfeather snapped. “She’s already tired, and she needs al her energy to give birth. Go and fetch me some chervil root,” he added after a moment’s thought. “That should help things along.” Dovewing turned and dashed back through the forest. I have no idea what chervil root looks like, she thought. I hope Briarlight knows. She hadn’t traveled many fox-lengths before she met Brackenfur and Ferncloud hurrying to meet her.
“Is Sorreltail okay?” Brackenfur demanded.
“She wil be,” Dovewing responded, pausing briefly. “Jayfeather’s with her.”
Brackenfur nodded and raced on with Ferncloud at his side. Feeling reassured that Sorreltail’s mate and the most experienced queen in the Clan were heading to help, Dove-wing bounded on toward the stone hol ow. As she panted up to the thorn barrier, Brambleclaw emerged, closely fol owed by Dustpelt and Thornclaw. Dovewing halted until they had al cleared the thorn tunnel.
“This way?” Brambleclaw checked, angling his ears in the direction from which Dovewing had come.
Dovewing nodded.
“We’re going to guard Sorreltail,” the Clan deputy explained. “A cat crying out, and the scent of blood, could attract foxes.”
He led his patrol away, the three cats slipping easily through the trees, their jaws parted as they fol owed the scent trail.
Dovewing brushed through the thorns to find Cloudtail stil on watch; with a nod to the white warrior she bounded across the camp and into the medicine cat’s den.
Briarlight was at the back of the den, her head inside the storage cleft. She pushed herself back and looked over her shoulder as Dovewing came in.
“How’s—” she began.
“Jayfeather sent me for chervil root,” Dovewing interrupted. “Do you know what it looks like?”
“There.” Briarlight pointed with one forepaw, and Dove-wing realized that she had set out several different herbs in a neat line across the floor of the den. “Right at the end. You’d better take some fennel, too,” she added, pointing to an herb with thin, spiky leaves. “It should help the pain in Sorreltail’s hips.”
“Thanks.” Dovewing grabbed up the knobby brown root and the herb in her jaws and raced out again.
When she returned to the clearing, she found Sorreltail stil lying underneath the ferns. Brackenfur was close beside her, bending over her and licking her ears. Brambleclaw, Thornclaw, and Dustpelt had spread out around the clearing, facing into the forest, their jaws parted and their ears pricked for the first sign of danger.
As Dovewing crossed the clearing, Ferncloud appeared from the direction of the lake with a bundle of dripping moss in her jaws. She set it down beside Sorreltail so that the tortoiseshel queen could drink.
“Thanks, Ferncloud,” Sorreltail murmured as she lapped at it; Dovewing could tel how exhausted she was. “That’s so good.”
Jayfeather was sitting beside her, listening closely, unmoving except for the tip of his tail, which twitched back and forth. He glanced up as Dovewing dropped the chervil root and fennel beside him. “I thought you’d gone to the mountains for that,” he commented.
“Briarlight sent the fennel,” Dovewing explained, her chest heaving as she gasped in air.
Jayfeather gave a satisfied nod. “Good thinking.” He fixed Dovewing with a blank stare. “Wel , chew up the chervil root for her. You don’t think she’s going to do it herself, do you?”
How do I know? Dovewing thought resentful y, setting her teeth into the hard root. I’m not a medicine cat.
“Break the fennel stalks,” Jayfeather added brusquely to Ferncloud. “Squeeze the juice into her mouth.”
Ferncloud looked slightly surprised at the medicine cat’s tone, but she did as he told her and let the fennel juice trickle between Sorreltail’s jaws.
When Dovewing had chewed up the chervil root, Brackenfur urged Sorreltail to eat the pulp, but the tortoiseshel she-cat was in so much pain that she could hardly get it down between her gasps of distress.
“Oh, it hurts so much!” she wailed. “Leafpool!
Leafpool!”
Dovewing felt her pelt tingle. Did Sorreltail know she was cal ing for the wrong medicine cat? Then she noticed that Leafpool had appeared at the edge of the little group. She was blinking uncertainly, looking as if she didn’t know if she was al owed to do anything more than watch.
“I’m here,” Leafpool murmured. She settled down beside Sorreltail, but keeping out of Jayfeather’s way. “Don’t be afraid, Sorreltail. Jayfeather knows what to do.”
“Is there something wrong?” Brackenfur hissed to Jayfeather. “Shouldn’t the kits be here by now?”
“Kits take their own time,” Jayfeather responded, though Dovewing thought that there was worry in his eyes. It was clear that Sorreltail was growing weaker with every spasm.
“Stupid furbal ,” Brackenfur purred to his mate.
“What were you thinking of, leaving the camp like that?”
“I needed air,” Sorreltail replied, her words coming in short puffs. “I wasn’t expecting the kits to come yet, and I thought it would be cooler by the lake . . .”
“Never frighten me like that again,” Brackenfur meowed. “Stay where you’re told next time!” Sorreltail flinched as another spasm racked her body. “There won’t be a next time!” she spat through gritted teeth.
Spotting a stick in the middle of the clump of ferns, Dove-wing pul ed it out and took it to Sorreltail. “Bite down on this,” she suggested. “It should help when the pain comes.”
“Thanks, Dovewing,” Sorreltail meowed, gripping the stick in her jaws.
Dovewing saw Jayfeather giving her a nod of approval. At last I’ve done something right!
Then Sorreltail gave a massive heave. Her jaws clamped down on the stick until it began to splinter.
In a rush, a smal wet bundle slipped out from under her tail and lay motionless on the grass.
“Wel done!” Ferncloud cried. “There’s your first kit, Sorreltail. It’s a little she-cat.”
“She’s wonderful!” Brackenfur purred, nudging the tiny kit toward her mother.
Sorreltail turned her head to look and licked feebly at the smal body, only to break off a moment later as her bel y convulsed again and the second kit—
another tiny she-cat—was born.
Dovewing couldn’t share Brackenfur and Ferncloud’s delight. Both the kits were very smal , and looked weak; they were hardly moving, and Sorreltail was too exhausted to give them the vigorous licking they needed.
Jayfeather was examining Sorreltail, careful y patting her bel y with one forepaw. “You’re done,” he announced. “Let’s get you and the kits back to camp.”
Brackenfur nudged Sorreltail to her paws and let her lean on his shoulder. Brambleclaw came to support her on her other side.
“What about my kits?” she whimpered, her eyes wide with distress.
“They’l be fine,” Ferncloud promised. “Dovewing and I wil bring them.”
She picked up one kit, and Dovewing took the other. As she lifted the tiny cat from the ground, the kit let out a feeble squeak, then hung as limp as a piece of fresh-kil . The weight was less than a sparrow in Dovewing’s mouth.
Thornclaw took the lead, stil keeping watch for foxes, while Sorreltail staggered along between the two toms. Leafpool hovered at her side, and Jayfeather brought up the rear with Dustpelt.
The sky was growing pale with dawn by the time they reached the camp. The Clan was beginning to stir: Brightheart was near the entrance to the tunnel, talking to Cloudtail, and she fol owed Sorreltail and the others across to the nursery.
“Everything’s ready for you,” she told Sorreltail.
As Brackenfur and Brambleclaw supported the queen into the nursery, Daisy got up from a nest of thick moss and bracken. “Here,” she mewed to Sorreltail, touching noses with her. “I’ve made the nest warm for you. Lie down and rest.”
“Thanks, Daisy.” Sorreltail’s voice was an exhausted murmur.
Once Sorreltail was settled, Dovewing and Ferncloud set the two kits down in the curve of her bel y. Ferncloud and Daisy began to lick them with strong, rhythmic tongue-strokes, until they started to wriggle and let out tiny squeals of hunger. They huddled close to their mother and began to suck.
Dovewing let out a faint sigh of relief. Maybe they’ll be okay. “I’m worn out after al that!” she told Jayfeather. “You should get some rest, too.” Jayfeather shook his head. “I need to stay here and keep an eye on Sorreltail and the kits.”
“No, you don’t.” Brightheart padded up to his side.
“I’l stay. I know enough to tel if I should wake you.” Jayfeather hesitated for a moment, then dipped his head. “Okay. Thanks, Brightheart.” Dovewing fol owed Jayfeather out of the nursery and headed back to her own den. Ivypool was stil curled up asleep beside Molepaw and Cherrypaw.
Suddenly feeling as if her legs wouldn’t support her anymore, Dovewing flopped into her nest and closed her eyes.
At first she thought that she was stumbling through a tangled forest, where ivy and bramble tendrils reached out to trip her paws. Al around her she could hear the shrieks of cats and kits in agony, but she couldn’t find them or do anything to help them.
Then she broke out of the trees and found herself on a bare hil side. Two tiny kits were squirming on a flat rock in front of her. But as Dovewing started to head toward them a shadow fel across the rock. An eagle swooped out of the sky and caught up the kits, one in each talon. They squirmed helplessly as they were carried into the sky.
“No!” Dovewing screeched. She leaped into the air, her claws stretching for the murderous bird. But it was far out of reach; she crashed to the ground again in a tumble of feathers. Her eyes flew open and she saw that she was in her own nest, with Ivypool bending anxiously over her.
“Are you okay?” her sister mewed. “You were thrashing around. You must have had a real y bad dream.”
Raising her head, Dovewing saw that the moss and bracken from her nest was shredded and scattered al over the floor. She was stil shaking from the horror of her dream, and her heart was beating fast.
“I’m okay,” she whispered. “Thanks, Ivypool.” She needed to get outside and clear her head.
Clambering out of her den, she ran lightly across the camp. By now the sun was above the trees at the top of the hol ow and Brambleclaw stood in the middle of the clearing, organizing the patrols.
Dovewing dodged around them and stuck her head inside the nursery. In the dim light she could see that Sorreltail was asleep, her kits enclosed in the warm curve of her bel y. Their fur was dry and fluffy now, and they were feeding eagerly.
Brightheart was stil on watch, while Ferncloud and Daisy were drowsily sharing tongues. Daisy looked up as Dovewing looked in through the entrance.
“They’re al fine,” she purred. “And it’s thanks to you, for realizing that Sorreltail was in trouble. You must have real y sharp hearing!”
“Er . . . yeah.” Dovewing backed away, not wanting to discuss how she had managed to hear Sorreltail from so far away.
“You’re a hero!” Bumblestripe spoke behind Dovewing, making her jump. “You saved Sorreltail’s life, and the kits!” he added as she whipped around to face him.
“Any cat would have done the same,” Dovewing replied, embarrassed.
“I wouldn’t.” Bumblestripe’s eyes glimmered with amusement. “I’d sleep through fal ing off a cliff!” The amusement faded from his eyes, to be replaced by a glow of admiration. “I’m real y proud of you,” he murmured. “I’m glad you’re my Clanmate.” Feeling warm beneath her pelt, Dovewing took a step forward and touched her nose to his. “I’m glad you’re my Clanmate, too.”
“I’m convinced Sol is up to something,” Dovewing muttered into Ivypool’s ear.
The littermates were heading toward the abandoned Twoleg nest, bringing up the rear of a hunting patrol led by Mil ie. Spiderleg and Birchfal were just ahead of them; Ivypool slackened her pace until the rest of the patrol was out of earshot.
“What makes you think that?” she prompted.
Dovewing stopped walking for a moment and concentrated hard. “I can hear him talking, somewhere on the far side of the hol ow,” she replied.
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
“Hey, are you on this hunting patrol or not?” Mil ie’s voice floated back to them. The rest of the patrol had disappeared into the undergrowth.
“Coming!” Ivypool cal ed back. “You go and check out what he’s up to,” she added to Dovewing in a whisper. “I’l cover for you.”
“Thanks.” With a swift nod to her sister, Dovewing turned and slid noiselessly into the ferns. She headed for the opposite side of the camp, close to the place on the cliff where a determined cat could climb out. As she drew closer to the sound of Sol’s voice, she flattened herself to the ground, setting her paws down as careful y as if she were stalking a mouse.
The noise grew clearer as she approached, and Dovewing realized that several cats were there, talking to Sol. A strong ThunderClan scent was coming from the other side of a bramble thicket.
Cautiously Dovewing raised her head so that she could peer through the stalks of long grass.
Sol was stil out of sight, screened by the brambles, but Dovewing’s eyes stretched wide with dismay as she recognized Blossomfal , Hazeltail, Mousewhisker, and Rosepetal. Were she and Ivypool the only cats in the Clan who didn’t want to hang on Sol’s words?
“You’re right, Sol,” Rosepetal was meowing as Dovewing crept up. “We can’t just sit here and wait for WindClan to attack us.”
Dovewing bit back a shocked yowl. Her claws slid out and dug into the ground. Why are they discussing an attack from WindClan?
“Quite true.” Sol’s voice was a deep-throated purr.
“They might get the idea that ThunderClan cats are scared.”
“ThunderClan cats aren’t scared of anything!” Mousewhisker leaped to his paws, his neck fur fluffing out. “We have to strike first!”
“That’s an excel ent idea, Mousewhisker.” But it wasn’t Mousewhisker’s idea at all.
Dovewing’s forepaws kneaded the ground in her fury. It was yours! You’re putting words into his mouth.
“We’l prove we’re not afraid of a battle,” Hazeltail agreed, her tail lashing. “We’l rip their treacherous fur off!”
“Don’t you think we should discuss this with Firestar first?” Rosepetal suggested.
“Would he agree?” Sol asked.
“No, of course he wouldn’t,” Mousewhisker retorted. “He’s the Clan leader. He can’t show that he’s hostile to another Clan without good reason.”
“We have good reason,” Blossomfal meowed.
“We know that WindClan is plotting an attack.
Firestar might not be able to order his Clan into battle, but that doesn’t mean he’l be angry with us when we’ve sorted out those rabbit-chasers once and for al !”
“Yes!” Mousewhisker’s eyes shone. “Let’s do it!” Al Dovewing’s instincts were pushing her to leap into the open and tel them al how mouse-brained they were being. But she knew that it wasn’t her Clanmates who were making this disastrous decision. It’s Sol’s fault.
As quietly as she could, she slid backward until she was wel away from the bramble thicket. Then she spun around and sped off, sending out her senses to locate Ivypool. She found her sister beside the old Thunderpath with a vole in her jaws. There was no sign of Mil ie or the rest of the patrol.
“Come quick!” Dovewing hissed when she reached Ivypool. “Sol is planning an attack on WindClan!”
Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Movement outside his den woke Jayfeather, and he padded into the clearing to discover several of his Clanmates mil ing around outside their dens.
“What’s going on?” he asked, hurrying up to Graystripe, who was standing beside Firestar near the thorn tunnel.
“Cherrypaw woke up,” the gray warrior replied.
“She realized that Ivypool and Dovewing weren’t in their nests. She told Firestar, and we’ve been searching the camp.”
“There’s no sign of either of them,” Sandstorm reported worriedly, bounding over to join them.
“Then we have to send out search parties,” the ThunderClan leader decided. “I don’t trust WindClan since Onestar threatened us. Dovewing and Ivypool could have been captured.”
“If WindClan has laid a claw on our warriors, we’l rip their pelts off,” Graystripe growled.
Since Jayfeather couldn’t help with the search, he returned to his den, but he couldn’t sleep. He wasn’t as worried about Dovewing and Ivypool as the rest of the Clan, knowing what he did about them.
But it’s odd that they’d vanish in the night without giving me any idea of what they’re doing, he thought. He shivered as a new thought struck him.
They wouldn’t put WindClan’s threats to the test on their own, would they? They’ve already gotten in trouble for visiting their camp in the past.
He could hear Briarlight moving around in her nest, and picked up a stifled gasp of pain. “Are you okay?” he asked sharply.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Briarlight replied. “I’m just a little stiff.”
Jayfeather heaved himself out of his nest and padded over to her. Since I’m awake, I might as well do something useful, he decided, settling down beside Briarlight and starting to massage her wasted muscles.
“Thanks, Jayfeather.” Briarlight let out a long sigh.
“That feels better.” A moment later, she added, “Do you think Ivypool and Dovewing wil be okay?”
“I’m sure they wil ,” Jayfeather meowed, crushing down his own misgivings. “They’ve probably just gone out for a night hunt.”
Soon Briarlight drifted back into sleep, soothed by Jayfeather’s reassurance and the rhythmic rubbing from his paws. But Jayfeather was ful y awake. He rose, arched his back in a long stretch, then made his way out into the clearing again.
Firestar was sitting in the center of the camp, while Daisy paced beside the thorn barrier.
Jayfeather could sense her anxiety, as sharp as if two of her own kits were missing. Locating Mousefur outside her den, Jayfeather crossed the camp to her side. “You should be in your nest,” he meowed. “I’m sure there’s no need to worry about Ivypool and Dovewing.”
“I’m fine where I am,” Mousefur snapped back at him. “I can sit and look at the stars if I want.”
“Of course you can,” Jayfeather responded, making his voice more gentle. I wonder if she’s looking for Longtail.
Padding off again, he drew closer to the nursery, and picked up a murmur from Sorreltail. “That’s right, kits. Have a good feed. Grow big and strong.” The tortoiseshel she-cat stil sounded tired, but not with the dragging exhaustion she had felt just after she gave birth. She was recovering wel , Jayfeather thought with satisfaction, and her kits were growing stronger. She and Brackenfur had named them: Lilykit and Seedkit.
They’ll all be fine. Jayfeather was warmed by the thought of more kits in the Clan. They meant hope and new life, a faith that the Clan would go on in spite of everything that the Dark Forest was planning. His ears pricked at the sound of a rustle from the thorns. He recognized the scents of Whitewing and Birchfal ; their sense of defeat washed over him like a muddy wave.
“There’s no sign of Dovewing and Ivypool by the lake,” Whitewing reported to Firestar. Her voice was taut with worry for her kits.
Foxleap and Icecloud fol owed their Clanmates in a moment later. “There’s no trace of them between here and WindClan,” Foxleap announced.
“We thought we picked up a scent trail early on,” Icecloud added. “But it faded out, and we couldn’t find it again.”
Jayfeather’s anxiety was rising now, and he padded closer to Firestar. Other cats were emerging into the clearing from their dens: Cloudtail and Brightheart talking quietly to each other; Dustpelt sliding his claws in and out as he stalked around the clearing; Ferncloud popping her head outside the nursery to listen to the news, then disappearing back inside. Leafpool and Squirrelflight slid quietly out of the warriors’ den and sat close together; Cinderheart joined them after a few heartbeats.
More movement from the barrier alerted Jayfeather. This time Brambleclaw and Sandstorm were reporting back, and he could sense their failure before either of them spoke.
“They’re not between here and ShadowClan,” Brambleclaw told Firestar.
“That just leaves Lionblaze and the abandoned Twoleg nest,” Firestar meowed. His voice was heavy with concern. “If they don’t find them—” He broke off as more cats emerged from the tunnel. Lionblaze was in the lead.
“I found them,” he announced.
Jayfeather tensed at the sound of his brother’s voice. Lionblaze wasn’t pleased or relieved; instead he sounded strained. Something’s wrong.
“Are Dovewing and Ivypool okay?” he cal ed out.
“We’re fine,” Dovewing replied, pushing through the thorns after Lionblaze.
Ivypool fol owed her, and Whitewing bounded across the clearing to meet them.
“Where have you been?” she demanded, her furious words broken up with purrs of joy as she pressed herself against her daughters. “We’ve been frantic!”
Jayfeather could sense the young she-cats’
embarrassment.
“What’s the big deal?” Ivypool muttered. “We only went for a walk.”
Firestar rose to his paws and padded over to them. “You’re safe, and that’s the most important thing,” he meowed. His voice grew stern as he went on. “Tomorrow we’l have a talk about letting your Clanmates know where you are at al times, especial y when we’re being threatened by our neighbors.”
“Okay,” Dovewing responded in a smal voice.
“We’re sorry,” Ivypool mewed.
The she-cats were heading for their den when Lionblaze spoke again. “Wait.” His voice was stil strained. “That’s not al I found.” Jayfeather heard another rustle from the entrance, fol owed by a gasp from his Clanmates. He strained to detect a scent. The newcomer was a cat that smel ed more of earth and stones and ferns than the other warriors, but underneath there was a faint layer of ThunderClan scent.
Can it be . . . ?
“Hol yleaf!” Cinderheart gasped. There was a patter of paw steps as she rushed past Jayfeather.
“You’re alive!”
Jayfeather felt as if the ground were unsteady beneath his paws, and he staggered. She’s come back! Even though he had suspected that his sister hadn’t died in the tunnels ever since he and Lionblaze had found no trace of her body, it was stil a shock to have her walk into the camp. He stood back as the other cats crowded around her, the quiet air buzzing with their comments and questions.
“It’s real y Hol yleaf!”
“Where have you been al this time?”
“How did you survive?”
It was a few moments before Hol yleaf could get a word in. When she spoke at last, her voice was muted and a little hoarse, as if she weren’t used to speaking.
“I lived underground,” she mewed, “and I hunted in the woods on the other side of the hil s, outside the territory.”
“But the tunnel col apsed!” Poppyfrost protested.
“Not on top of me,” Hol yleaf meowed. “I found a way out.”
Jayfeather thought that she sounded tired and troubled, as if the very last thing she wanted to be doing was standing in the center of the hol ow answering questions from her old Clanmates.
“Wel ?” Lionblaze spoke close to Jayfeather’s ear.
“It looks like we were right.”
“Was it Hol yleaf who chased off the fox?” Jayfeather asked
“It seems so,” his brother replied. “And she found Dove-wing and Ivypool in the tunnels tonight, and brought them out.”
So they didn’t just go for a walk, Jayfeather thought. Why am I not surprised?
There would be time later to question the sisters about that. “Hol yleaf could have gone much farther if she didn’t want to stay in the Clan. She must have known that we would find out she was there eventual y,” he commented.
Lionblaze let out a sigh. “Perhaps that was what she wanted. Perhaps she was tired of living alone.”
“She took a risk.” Jayfeather twitched his whiskers. “What if the truth had been discovered about Ashfur’s death?”
“It must have been a risk worth taking.” Lionblaze’s voice was ful of sympathy.
Jayfeather realized he wasn’t as ready as his brother to welcome Hol yleaf back. The Clan seemed to be treating her as a returning hero, and he couldn’t share that. Al along he had suspected—
hoped with every hair on his pelt—that his sister was alive. He had wanted her to come back because he missed her so much, but now that Hol yleaf was actual y here, al he could think about was how complicated the future was going to be.
“She told al the Clans about Leafpool and Crowfeather,” he reminded Lionblaze. “It’s because of her that every cat knows we are half-Clan, and that Squirrelflight lied about being our mother.”
“That wasn’t Hol yleaf’s fault,” Lionblaze pointed out.
“But she didn’t stay here to deal with it afterward, did she?” Jayfeather hissed. “And how wil the other Clans react to her? She caused a lot of trouble, there’s no getting around that. Cats have long memories.” He paused and then added, “What do you think wil happen now? Wil she stay?”
“I don’t know,” Lionblaze mewed. “I guess we’l have to let her decide.”
There was a stir among the knot of cats in the center of the clearing as Leafpool pushed her way through to Hol yleaf’s side. “Oh, my precious daughter, you came home!” Her voice was quivering.
“I’m so, so sorry for what happened. None of it was your fault, none of it.”
Jayfeather could tel from the tension in the air that Hol yleaf was shrinking away from Leafpool. He wasn’t surprised that she didn’t want the joyous reunion that most of the Clan seemed to be expecting.
He felt another cat brush past him, heading for the warriors’ den. Brambleclaw. No wonder that he wants out of this happy gathering. Squirrelflight had lied to him, too, letting him believe that the three cats were his. Was there any part of Brambleclaw that wanted to welcome Hol yleaf home as a daughter?
Squirrelflight wriggled through the cats until she reached Hol yleaf. “I’m glad that you’re alive,” she mewed, her voice steady. “And that you’re looking so wel .”
“Thanks. I . . .” Hol yleaf didn’t seem to know how to respond.
“That’s enough for now,” Firestar broke in. “It’s time we al went back to our dens. Hol yleaf, Molepaw and Cherrypaw wil make a nest for you.”
“Thanks,” Hol yleaf repeated. She sounded confused as she continued, “The hol ow . . .
something looks different.”
“A tree fel into it!” Molepaw meowed excitedly.
“Come with us, and we’l tel you al about it . . .” As the cats dispersed, their paw steps and their astonished comments dying into silence, Firestar padded up to Jayfeather and Lionblaze. “You too,” he ordered. “Rest now. You can spend as much time as you want with your sister tomorrow.” I’m not sure I can face that, Jayfeather thought. I don’t know what to say to her.
Before he could leave for his den, Ivypool and Dovewing padded up, their uneasiness as plain as if they had yowled it from the Highledge.
“Firestar, we’ve got some urgent news,” Dovewing began. “When we found Hol yleaf—or when she found us—we were listening to Sol plotting with some WindClan cats to attack ThunderClan!”
“I knew we couldn’t trust Sol,” Jayfeather hissed.
“Where is he now?”
“Not here.” Firestar sounded grave.
Jayfeather snorted. “What a surprise!”
“Firestar, should we attack WindClan?” Ivypool asked.
“That’s not a good idea,” Firestar responded; Jayfeather could feel his anxiety rising. “Onestar is already looking for any sign of hostility, so we’l have to wait for him to make the first move. But we’l be ready,” he added. “I’l order extra patrols, and every cat must be ready for battle at a moment’s notice.” Jayfeather heard Lionblaze working his claws into the earth of the camp floor. “It’s not that simple,” he meowed. “WindClan wil attack through the tunnels, like they did before. ThunderClan cats have no experience in fighting underground, and that means we’l have to wait until the attackers are right in the heart of our territory.”
“We have the advantage in forests,” Firestar reminded him. “Whatever the risk, we wil have to bring the battle to us.”
For the rest of the night Jayfeather slept uneasily, shifting about in his nest, the darkness broken by flashing images of places he didn’t recognize: a rocky slope; a pool by the gnarled roots of an oak; a wide river glittering in starshine. The sound of a cat brushing past the bramble screen brought him back to ful wakefulness. He recognized Hol yleaf’s scent, carried on a damp dawn breeze.
“Hi.” Briarlight greeted her confidently. “I’m Briarlight; I’m Jayfeather’s assistant. I’l wake him for you.”
Jayfeather heard the sound of Briarlight dragging herself out of her nest, fol owed by a surprised meow from Hol yleaf. “Oh, you can’t . . .”
“Walk?” Briarlight finished for her. “Not real y. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be useful.”
“N-no, I guess not,” Hol yleaf mewed.
Jayfeather rose to his paws and padded into the middle of the den. But when he stood facing his sister, his mouth went dry. He had no idea what to say to her.
“I’m back,” Hol yleaf mewed after a long silence.
“Yes.” Jayfeather had to force out the word.
“Can we go for a walk?” Hol yleaf suggested.
“Lionblaze, too? There’s . . . there’s a lot I need to tel you.”
Clouds covered the sky as Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hol yleaf headed out into the forest. The air carried the scent of rain and a chil y breeze blew into their faces. But Jayfeather felt ruffled by more than just the wind. None of the three spoke until they emerged from the trees onto the grassy slope that led down to the lake and sat in the shelter of an elder bush. Then Hol yleaf took a deep breath.
“Thank you,” she mewed. “I guess you didn’t tel Firestar what . . . what I did.”
“There was no point,” Lionblaze replied. “It was much easier for every cat to think it was a rogue who kil ed Ashfur.”
Jayfeather couldn’t entirely agree, but he said nothing, keeping his face turned toward the lapping of waves on the shore
“Didn’t any cat think it was odd?” Hol yleaf asked.
“The timing, I mean?”
“I don’t think any cat stopped to wonder about it,” Jayfeather grunted. “There was a lot of other stuff going on, if you remember.”
“Yes, of course.” Hol yleaf’s voice was meek.
“What about now? Wil you tel Firestar the truth?”
“Why would we?” Lionblaze burst out. Jayfeather could imagine his brother’s golden neck fur bristling.
“Because I got away,” Hol yleaf pointed out.
“But you didn’t real y,” Lionblaze meowed. “You exiled yourself from the Clan; that’s quite a punishment.”
Something about his brother’s words made Jayfeather’s pain wel up and spil over like rain overflowing the edges of a leaf. “No!” he hissed.
“You let us think that you were dead! How could you do that?”
For a few heartbeats Hol yleaf was silent. “I had no choice,” she murmured at last. “You were better off without me.”
“That wasn’t your decision to make,” Jayfeather told her. “And you were wrong. You’re our littermate.
Nothing you could do wil ever change that.” Hol yleaf sighed. “But I’m not one of the prophecy, am I? Does that mean I’ve ruined everything? That the prophecy won’t come true?”
Jayfeather felt Lionblaze look sharply at him. He took a deep breath. “There is a third cat. You met her last night. She’s Dovewing, Whitewing’s daughter.” Hol yleaf let out a puff of breath. “Wel . . . maybe it wasn’t a coincidence that I met her in the tunnels last night. What . . . what can she do?”
“Her senses are very sharp,” Lionblaze explained.
“I mean, really. She knows what’s going on in the other territories . . . and even farther away. A few seasons ago, when the lake dried up, she knew it was some animals cal ed beavers who had built a dam way upstream.”
Hol yleaf made a smal noise that sounded as if she was impressed. But Jayfeather picked up feelings of grief and envy, too . . . not a bitter jealousy that would make her Dovewing’s enemy, but a deep regret that she was excluded from something that her littermates shared.
If only Hollyleaf had been part of the prophecy, he thought. She would have taken her place in it so seriously . . . maybe it would have stopped her from doing what she did.
The words of the latest prophecy came back to Jayfeather’s mind. Three will become four . . . He wondered if Hol yleaf could be the fourth cat, even if she hadn’t been part of the original prophecy. But sensing the trouble in his sister’s mind, he decided not to say anything yet. I’ll discuss it with Lionblaze first.
“Are you going to stay?” Lionblaze asked Hol yleaf.
“I think so,” she replied. “For a while, at least. After al , you’ve got a problem with Sol. If . . . if I can help you, then I wil .”
“Isn’t it great that Hol yleaf came back?” Briarlight purred as soon as Jayfeather pushed past the bramble screen into his den. “Why did she stay away for so long?”
“Maybe you should ask her,” Jayfeather grunted.
“Meanwhile, you can sort out those borage leaves and take some to Sorreltail to help her milk come.”
“Okay.” Briarlight didn’t sound offended, just a bit mystified that Jayfeather didn’t want to answer.
“And after that, do your exercises,” Jayfeather went on. “I’l be away until tomorrow. I’m going to the Moonpool.”
Until he spoke, Jayfeather hadn’t been aware that he had made the decision. But when he left the camp, after a quick word with Brambleclaw to tel him where he was going, he felt a burden lifting from his shoulders. It was good to be alone with his thoughts. His fears about the Dark Forest had receded into the background. Sol was their biggest threat.
And Hollyleaf has come back. That could change everything.
The air was growing cooler as Jayfeather slid through the bushes that ringed the Moonpool and padded down the spiral path. Though he couldn’t see, he knew that darkness was fal ing. His paws slipped easily into the prints left by the ancient cats, and grief wel ed in his heart.
Half Moon . . .
Jayfeather pushed away the thought of the cat he had loved, the cat who had been dead for seasons upon seasons. He crouched at the water’s edge and touched his nose to the surface of the pool.
After a little while the splashing of the waterfal faded and Jayfeather slept. He opened his eyes on sunlight, and rose to his paws to find himself in a clearing in StarClan territory. The grass was long and lush, and the trees that surrounded him were weighed down with damp green leaves. He let out a sigh of relief when he realized that Yel owfang wasn’t waiting for him.
But there was no sign of the cat he wanted to see, either. Choosing a direction at random, Jayfeather set out. His ears were pricked and he glanced rapidly from side to side as he headed into the trees, passing through glades and leaping over smal streams. The air was fresh and clear, loaded with prey-scent, and a warm breeze ruffled Jayfeather’s fur. But his errand was too urgent for him to stop and hunt, or bask in the sun.
From time to time as he searched, Jayfeather passed other cats; some of them were old and faded, the trees visible through their misty outlines, while others were young and bright against the green ferns. They didn’t notice Jayfeather, or if they did, they didn’t recognize him.
Then Jayfeather spotted the cat he was looking for. He stood a little way off through the trees: a muscular gray warrior, his tail twitching as he scented the air for prey.
Ashfur.
Jayfeather crept closer, using the shadows of the trees for cover, then jumped in surprise as Bluestar leaped down from a branch above his head and stood in front of him.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” the former ThunderClan leader meowed.
“I just want to talk to him,” Jayfeather retorted defensively.
“Why?” Bluestar asked.
“Hol yleaf is back,” Jayfeather replied, craning his neck to see if Ashfur was stil there. “I . . . I want to know if Ashfur thinks that’s okay.” When Bluestar didn’t respond, he continued, “I mean, he’s here, so StarClan must believe he was a good cat, and that means he shouldn’t have died the way he did.” Bluestar stil stood in front of him, blocking his path, her intense blue gaze fixed on him. “But you’ve kept Hol yleaf’s secret, haven’t you?” she prompted.
“You could have told Firestar or any cat the truth before now.”
“No, I couldn’t have! She’s my sister!” Jayfeather protested.
Bluestar rested her tail on his shoulders, drawing him away from the gray warrior. “You won’t learn anything by talking to Ashfur,” she mewed. “He knows who kil ed him, and why. Perhaps he did a lot to bring it on himself, perhaps not. It is not StarClan’s place to judge him.” As Jayfeather opened his jaws to argue, she added more sternly, “If he found his way here, then he must deserve to be here. That is what we al have to believe.”
Jayfeather sighed and shook his head. “I don’t understand . . .”
“There are some things that are beyond understanding,” Bluestar told him, sounding more sympathetic. “How can we say that Hol yleaf deserved to be in StarClan and Ashfur didn’t, or the other way around? Things are different here. Some cats even forget parts of their life that they don’t want to remember.”
“But . . . I don’t know if Hol yleaf deserves to be back in ThunderClan,” Jayfeather meowed.
“That’s not your decision, either.” Bluestar twitched the tip of her tail. “Hol yleaf has her own conscience to answer to. Ashfur paid a high price for what he did wrong—and so did she. Perhaps justice has been served.”
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Ivypool stared at her littermate in astonishment. She dropped her vole and hastily scraped earth over it.
“He can’t do that!” she exclaimed.
“He can,” Dovewing replied grimly. “Enough of our cats wil fol ow him. Come with me—and hurry!” Together the warriors raced back to the top of the stone hol ow. But while they were stil scrambling up the path, they met Hazeltail, closely fol owed by Mousewhisker, Rosepetal, and Blossomfal .
“What are you doing?” Dovewing gasped.
“What does it look like?” Hazeltail’s voice was curt. “We’re a hunting patrol, mouse-brain.”
“Yeah, thanks for scaring al the prey away,” Mousewhisker added. “Trampling through the bushes like a herd of badgers!”
Ivypool exchanged a frustrated glance with her sister. “Have you seen Sol?” she asked.
“No.” It was Blossomfal who replied. “Did you want him?”
Dovewing twitched her whiskers at Ivypool, a tiny gesture warning her to hide the fact they’d been eavesdropping. She could see her own anger glittering in her sister’s eyes. They’re supposed to be our Clanmates—and they’re lying to us! “No, we just hadn’t seen him for a while,” she responded.
“We wondered if he was stil around.” Mousewhisker shrugged. “I haven’t heard that he’s left.”
Dovewing and Ivypool had to step back and let their Clanmates go on their way. Ivypool was tempted to tel them that if they wanted to pretend to be a hunting patrol, they should at least catch something before they returned to camp. Once they were out of sight, Dovewing waved her tail at Ivypool for silence, then stood alert; Ivypool guessed she must be sending out her senses.
After a few heartbeats, Dovewing shook her head.
“I can’t pick up any signs of Sol,” she mewed. “That’s real y weird. He was there with the others.”
“Should we go and search?” Ivypool suggested.
“No, we can’t do any more now,” Dovewing replied. “We have to get back to the hunt.” Ivypool nodded, though every hair on her pelt was prickling with anxiety. “What if they’re going to attack right now?”
“They won’t do that,” Dovewing reassured her.
“Four cats aren’t enough to launch an attack on WindClan. They’l have to convince a few more of our Clanmates to join them.”
“I can’t believe ThunderClan cats would do this,” Ivypool meowed. “Dovewing, are you sure about what you heard? I mean, your hearing hasn’t been great since—”
“My hearing is fine now,” Dovewing snapped. “And I know what I heard. Except . . .” Her voice trailed off.
“Wel ?”
“I didn’t hear Sol say very much,” Dovewing confessed. “I thought he was putting ideas into our Clanmates’ heads, but maybe . . . maybe it was just the usual sort of warrior boasting.”
“Maybe.” Ivypool ducked under a low hazel branch.
“But we can’t be sure of that.”
“There’s no scent of Sol around here,” Dovewing went on, “so he didn’t come this way. I wish I knew where he was now.” She shook her head. “Let’s get back to our patrol.”
“Are we going to tel Firestar?” Ivypool asked, her paws tingling with apprehension.
Dovewing thought for a heartbeat, then shook her head. “I don’t want to get our Clanmates into trouble when I can’t be sure exactly what was going on. And it’s al Sol’s fault, anyway. You can bet that I’l keep a close watch on him from now on,” she added more forceful y as she bounded away.
Ivypool fol owed, her bel y stil churning. Even if Dove-wing doubted what she had overheard, Ivypool was convinced that her sister’s first instincts had been right.
Something’s going on, and Sol is at the bottom of it.
Ivypool woke with a start. Dovewing was curled up close beside her, while at the opposite side of the den Molepaw was snoring softly and Cherrypaw’s tail was twitching as if she were deep inside a dream.
I wish the warriors’ den weren’t so crowded, Ivypool thought. We’re warriors; we shouldn’t be stuck in here with the apprentices!
But there was no time to worry about that now.
Somehow in her sleep an idea had come to her, and she knew she had to check it out right away. She gave Dovewing a gentle prod.
“Wake up,” she breathed into her sister’s ear.
“And keep quiet. We don’t want to wake the apprentices.”
Dovewing sat straight up, instantly alert. “Is something happening in the Dark Forest?” Ivypool shook her head, relieved that her dreams hadn’t taken her there that night. “No, this is about Sol,” she replied in a whisper. “I think I know where he vanished to today.”
The visiting cat hadn’t returned to the camp before dark, and no cat had seemed to know where he was.
Ivypool had heard Dustpelt muttering, “Good riddance. I never trusted him anyway.” Cloudtail had agreed with a lash of his tail. “That cat is trouble wherever he goes.”
Now Ivypool leaned even closer to murmur into Dove-wing’s ear. “Come with me. We have to go right away, or it might be too late.” Side by side, the two she-cats slipped out of their den. Clouds drifted across the moon; its light was faint and uneven. Here and there a warrior of StarClan glittered frostily. Graystripe was on watch; they waited until his head was turned the other way, then raced across the camp and plunged into the dirtplace tunnel. Heartbeats later they were once more climbing the path that led to the top of the hol ow.
“Take me to the place where you heard Sol,” Ivypool meowed.
She fol owed Dovewing until they reached a bramble thicket near the edge of the cliff. Jaws parted to pick up Sol’s scent, Ivypool began to search, poking among the bramble tendrils, crouching low so that she could see underneath them.
“I don’t think Sol would hide under there,” Dovewing objected. “He likes to be comfortable.”
“I’m not looking for a cozy hiding place,” Ivypool replied. She knew exactly what she was looking for. It has to be here somewhere.
At last she spotted what she was searching for; her paws tingled with a mixture of fear and excitement as she clawed aside a pawful of bramble tendrils to reveal a dark hole leading deep into the ground.
“Sol went down there?” Dovewing asked, sounding incredulous
“It’s a tunnel,” Ivypool explained. “The hil side is ful of them. Remember when Icecloud fel into one, when we were doing our assessment? Wel . . .” She went on more hesitantly as Dovewing flicked her ears. “Blossomfal and I . . . er . . . went down there, too. We walked underground for ages.”
“You never told me!” Dovewing exclaimed indignantly.
Ivypool shrugged, unwil ing to get into an argument. “If Sol knows about these tunnels,” she pointed out, “then he could have gone down one and be anywhere by now.”
Dovewing crept closer and took a deep sniff.
“Sol’s scent is here,” she meowed. “It’s faint, but it’s definitely his.” She paused for a heartbeat, then added, “What do we do now?”
“Fol ow him,” Ivypool declared. She was half-scared by her own suggestion, but she didn’t see any other option. They couldn’t accuse a cat who was considered a hero by half her Clanmates of plotting with WindClan—not unless they had real evidence.
Dovewing’s eyes stretched wide, but she didn’t argue, just gave her sister a brief nod. “Lead on,” she mewed.
Ivypool squeezed into the tunnel. It was so narrow that her fur brushed the wal s on either side, and their bodies blocked the dim light from outside. Her heart began to pound as she walked into the dark, but she made herself keep going.
“This shouldn’t be as bad as last time I was underground,” she whispered after a few moments, trying to reassure herself as much as Dovewing.
“With your special senses, you should be able to work out where we’re going, just as easily as if we could see.”
“I’m not sure.” Dovewing’s voice quivered. “It’s al so strange down here . . . so confusing . . . Give me a moment to get used to it.”
To Ivypool’s relief, she felt her sister’s fear begin to ebb as they padded forward. She lost count of how much time had passed before she sensed that the passage was growing wider. She couldn’t feel the wal s any longer, and the steep downward slope leveled out. There was hard stone beneath her paws, not close-packed earth, and the smal sounds of their movement echoed eerily around them.
“Let’s stop a moment,” Dovewing mewed. “I think I can reach out now.”
Ivypool halted. Al she could hear was the sound of their breathing, and the occasional drip of water, but she knew that the whole of this strange underground world would be open to Dovewing.
“Voices!” Dovewing whispered after a long, tense silence. “I can hear voices.”
“Where?” Ivypool asked.
“Let me go in front.”
There was enough space in the tunnel now for Dovewing to slip past her sister, and lead the way farther into the depths. Ivypool couldn’t see or hear anything; al she could do was fol ow her sister’s scent and the sound of her paw steps. The tunnel twisted in front of them, sometimes plunging deeper, sometimes leading upward again. Sometimes it felt as though they were turning back to fol ow their own trail. But Dove-wing walked without hesitating, taking side tunnels that were hidden to Ivypool, skirting pools and patches of broken rock.
Ivypool was acutely aware of the weight of earth and rock above their heads, and the cats who were sleeping above, not knowing that two Clan warriors were so far beneath them. With a shudder, she pushed these thoughts away.
Focus. Concentrate on what we have to do.
“You’re doing real y wel ,” she told Dovewing encouragingly. “We’l soon find out what’s going on.” At last Ivypool thought she could hear the murmur of voices some way ahead of them. At first she thought she was imagining things. But as she fol owed in Dovewing’s paw steps, the sounds grew clearer. She felt every hair on her pelt rise as she began to make out some of the words.
“WindClan!” she whispered. “And Sol!”
“Shhh.” Dovewing’s voice was no more than a breath. “If you can hear them, they can hear us.” She led the way forward more cautiously, until the voices grew clearer stil .
“I wil lead you through the tunnels,” Sol was meowing. “I can bring you out above the ThunderClan camp. Those mouse-brains won’t know what’s happening.”
“Traitor!” Ivypool hissed, taking a pace forward.
Dovewing blocked her, and slapped her tail over her sister’s mouth. “Shut up and listen!”
“How do we know we can trust you?” Ivypool recognized Owlwhisker’s voice. “How do we know that you haven’t told ThunderClan to attack us?” WindClan cats aren’t completely mouse-brained, Ivypool reflected.
“Of course I have.” Sol’s tone was scornful. “How else would I get them to trust me? But it’s WindClan that I’l be leading into ThunderClan territory.” Another WindClan cat spoke, the words too soft for Ivypool to make out. She leaned forward, and felt a pebble slip underneath her paw. The clinking sound it made seemed as loud as a crack of thunder
Ivypool froze, but the damage was done.
“What was that?” Owlwhisker growled. “Who’s there? Is some cat eavesdropping on us?”
“Get us out of here!” Ivypool whispered into Dovewing’s ear.
But Dovewing didn’t move. “I fol owed the voices to get here,” she confessed. “I’m not sure of the way out.”
Ivypool heard movement from Sol and the WindClan cats. “They’re coming to look for us! We have to go.” But even as she spoke she was terrified at the thought of wandering blindly through the dark tunnels. Will we ever find our way out?
Before either of the she-cats could move, they heard paws padding toward them from the tunnel behind. Cat scent washed over Ivypool; she thought she ought to recognize it, but she was too scared to think clearly. She slid out her claws, her heart thumping in panic at the thought of being trapped between two enemies.
Then the newcomer spoke. “Come with me.
Quick!”
“No way!” Ivypool hissed, bunching her muscles to spring. “You could be with them.”
“I’m not,” the strange cat mewed.
“Prove it,” Dovewing chal enged her.
“I shouldn’t have to,” the newcomer replied irritably. “For StarClan’s sake, let’s go.” Ivypool’s eyes widened in shock and she exchanged a glance with her sister, picking up the gleam of Dovewing’s eyes. “StarClan? Then you . . .”
“Do you want to get out of here or not?” the newcomer interrupted.
“Yes, we do,” Ivypool snapped back. “But how do we know you won’t lead us farther in?” The strange cat let out a hiss of annoyance.
“Because I’m a ThunderClan cat like you,” she replied, a darker shadow in the darkness of the tunnel. “My name is Hol yleaf.”
Ivypool felt her mouth drop open. “Hol yleaf? But you . . . you’re dead!”
“Obviously not,” the newcomer replied, with an edge to her voice. “And we don’t have time to stand here discussing ancient history. We have to leave now.”
The paw steps of the WindClan cats were drawing closer, speeding up as they sensed their quarry was near. Ivypool could picture them bounding along the tunnel toward them, jaws parted to take in their ThunderClan scent.
“Okay,” Dovewing mewed. “Show us the way.” Hol yleaf spun around and whisked down a narrow side tunnel. Ivypool and Dovewing fol owed her, just as the first of the WindClan cats raced past. Ivypool heard their flying paw steps halt suddenly, fol owed by a murmur of confused voices.
“Where did they go?”
“They were here, I know they were.”
“Fox dung! We’ve lost them!”
Hol yleaf ignored the WindClan cats, heading deeper into the tunnels. Ivypool pressed close up behind her, terrified of losing her. She knew that she and Dovewing would never find their way out alone.
After a while Hol yleaf paused; in the pitch-blackness of the tunnels Ivypool almost barged into her.
“You can trust me, you know,” Hol yleaf meowed. “I led you out once before, remember?”
“Oh!” Ivypool gulped, realizing why Hol yleaf’s scent had seemed familiar. “That was you?” Hol yleaf padded on without saying more. Soon Ivypool realized that a pale light was filtering into the tunnel; Hol yleaf’s head and ears were outlined against it. A moment later they emerged into a shal ow dip of tumbled rocks and fern on the hil side; Ivypool drew in the fresh night air, loaded with the scents of ThunderClan. She turned to their rescuer, a slender, long-legged black she-cat with piercing green eyes. “Thank you!”
“We’d never have made it without you,” Dovewing added, fol owing them out of the tunnel and giving her pelt a shake.
Hol yleaf gave her a curt nod. “Listen,” she meowed. “I’ve heard Sol plotting with the WindClan cats for the last half-moon, and—”
“What?” Ivypool interrupted. “That’s even before he came to ThunderClan.”
“They’re going to attack through the tunnels,” Hol yleaf continued, as if Ivypool hadn’t spoken.
“Then we have to warn the others,” Dovewing mewed, her eyes wide with dismay. “Come on, Ivypool!”
“Wait.” Hol yleaf raised her tail as Dovewing spun around to head for the camp. “It’s not going to happen yet. Sol wants to win more support from your Clanmates first. The WindClan cats know that he’s winning ThunderClan’s friendship so he can betray you.” A soft growl rumbled in her throat. “You should never have let him come back!”
“It wasn’t up to us,” Ivypool pointed out. “And he did save the apprentices from a fox.”
“Sol didn’t save them,” Hol yleaf hissed scornful y.
“That was me.”
Shock kept Ivypool silent for a moment. Before she could recover, she saw Dovewing’s ears flick up, and a heartbeat later she heard voices coming from the direction of the camp.
“Dovewing! Ivypool!”
“Mouse dung!” she muttered. “They’re looking for us.”
Panic flared in Hol yleaf’s green eyes. “Don’t tel any cat you saw me,” she begged.
“Why not?” Dovewing asked. “Why can’t you come home? You belong here!”
“You don’t understand,” Hol yleaf whispered, beginning to back away toward the tunnel opening. “I have to go!”
But before she could plunge back into the darkness, a shaft of moonlight broke through the clouds, fixing al three cats in a pool of silver light. At the same moment Lionblaze appeared on a rock at the edge of the dip, and stood looking down at them.
“No!” His voice rang out in the night air. “Hol yleaf, I won’t let you run away again.”
第十章
第十章
藤池小心翼翼地在黑森林里穿行着。现在，这里似乎变得越来越拥挤了，如同受惊的蚁群一样忙碌，到处都是成群的猫。空地上，道路上，还有溪流中，总能看见他们在训练、奔跑，或是泼溅着水花。由于害怕会被叫去训练，藤池贴着阴影处前行，警惕地听着某只猫的动静。一听到有声音，她便冲进蕨丛中，小心地探出脑袋。在前方几尾远的地方，她瞥见了虎心和枫荫。
藤池感觉自己的心开始怦怦直跳。自从枫荫在那次所谓的训练中，差点儿把她淹死在河里之后，她就一直很害怕这只年长的母猫。此刻的枫荫，皮毛看上去比之前更苍白了。藤池的眼睛瞪大了，因为她发现，她居然能透过枫荫影影绰绰的身形，看到其身后的那三棵大树。
但枫荫靠近虎心时，双眼仍炯炯有神。“黑森林将会崛起，踏平所有的族群。”她粗声粗气地说道，“星族也会向我们臣服。那些选择拒绝加入我们的武士，将世世代代受到惩罚。”
藤池吓得赶紧缩回蕨丛。虎心则听得很认真，一边听老猫讲一边不时地点头。
“所有曾活着的猫都应该知道——”突然，枫荫停下来嗅了嗅空气，“我闻见了恐惧。”她大吼道，眼神扫过藤池蹲伏的那簇蕨丛。藤池吓得心跳都快要停止了。“是谁来了又没勇气面对自己的族猫？”
枫荫转动着她那颗满是疤痕的大脑袋，不停地嗅着周围的空气。紧接着，她起身大步朝藤池对面的方向走去，挤过枯萎细小的黑莓丛。藤池静静待在原地没动，尽量收敛自己的气息，以免搅动周围的蕨丛。
“雪绺！”枫荫咆哮道，“我早就发现你了！你这个臭狗屎，赶紧滚回去训练，拿出点儿勇气来！”听见一记重击和惊声尖叫，藤池身体下意识地往后缩了一下。
最后，等了一会儿，藤池感觉枫荫应该不会回来了，便忍住害怕，从蕨丛里钻出来，朝虎心走去。影族武士正坐在那里，抬起脚掌放在耳边，梳洗着自己。他不经意间瞥见藤池走过来。“藤池，你鬼鬼祟祟的干什么？”他问道。
“来找你。”藤池谨慎地回答道。虎心似乎已欣然接受了枫荫的话。如果虎心真的认可枫荫所说，要毁灭所有的族群，那他就是危险的敌人。“曙皮是怎么回事？”她问道，“鸽翅说你在森林大会上警告过她。”
虎心的目光轻蔑地扫过她：“你是担心我说了什么有关焰尾的事吧？不用担心，我什么也没说——不是为了你，而是因为我不想让她知道你的所作所为。”
“我什么也没做！”藤池嘶吼道，颈毛开始竖了起来。
“那是因为我及时拦住了你！”虎心咆哮道。
藤池的爪子在阴暗冰冷的草丛中撕扯着：“那是在考验我！我能怎么办？”
“什么也不能成为你会毁掉我兄弟灵魂的理由。”虎心驳斥道。
藤池承认他说得没错。可我无论如何都不能告诉他。我必须要隐瞒，我是在为雷族去刺探黑森林这个事实。“那曙皮到底是怎么回事？”她逼问道。
虎心犹豫了片刻。“曙皮将焰尾在湖中溺亡归咎于松鸦羽。”最后他说道。
“荒谬！”藤池大喊道。
虎心摇了摇头，悲伤取代敌意笼罩着他。“你不明白失去同窝手足的那种感受。”他告诉藤池，“除了冰面上的裂缝，你还会痛恨周围的一切。”
藤池心里生出一丝同情。如果失去鸽翅我会受不了的。可紧接着，她又提醒自己，虎心一直听信枫荫的煽动言论，所以不能信任他。他不值得同情！
“不知道曙皮想怎么对付雷族。”她继续大声说道，“或者，你在考虑着要带她来这里？”
“这我说了不算。”虎心回答道。
“我相信你可以为她多美言几句。”藤池嘲弄地提议道。
虎心没有理她。藤池刚要再说些什么，蕨丛再次被拨开，鹰霜出现了。
“你在这里，藤池！”他嘶吼道，“跟我来，你让其他学徒等太久了。”说完，不等藤池回答，他便转身大步离去。听见被称为学徒，藤池心里一紧。我在乎这个做什么？她心下一惊，暗暗想道，难道我还希望成为黑森林武士吗？
跟在深色虎斑公猫身后，藤池想知道黑森林会不会对日神的出现做些什么。日神身上总有些什么让我无法相信，尤其是长老们说的那次太阳消失的事情！说不定黑森林正在谋划着再次把太阳藏起来呢。
想到这里，她鼓起勇气加快脚步，走到鹰霜身旁。“你知道日神吗？”她问道，尽量让自己的语气听上去很随意。
鹰霜耳朵动了动：“谁？”
“日神，”藤池重复道，“就是五天前来雷族的那只猫。太阳消失前他曾来过。”
“哦，”鹰霜说道，“那是在我离开河族之后的事了，不过我知道后来发生的那些事情。他怎么了？”
“我只是有点儿好奇，他是否……嗯……来过这里。”
鹰霜迟疑了一下，眯起冰蓝色的眼睛注视着她：“所以，你是想知道日神是否是真正的族猫？”
“是，”藤池说道，努力迎着他冰冷的目光不退缩，“差不多就是那意思吧。”
深色虎斑公猫犹豫了片刻，像是在思索到底应该对她透露多少。“日神出现在雷族是好事。”他说道。
那就意味着日神绝非善类。藤池心里想。她不敢再多问，一直跟着鹰霜来到一片沼泽地边上。有四只猫等在那里，肚子深深没入泥泞和杂草中。藤池和鹰霜靠近时，他们一起注视着。
“好，现在，”鹰霜宣布道，“在艰苦的地方战斗……”
第二天一早，天空一片霞绯，黎明巡逻队出发了。青草上，露珠晶莹剔透；黑莓丛中，蛛丝四处闪闪发亮。藤池拖着脚掌强撑着穿过森林。昨晚的训练让她精疲力竭，她感觉自己身上的皮毛闻起来还是有股沼泽地里臭泥巴的气味。
“别再闻了！”蟾步轻声道，“你烦不烦！你以为自己得了绿咳症了吗？”
“不，我只是想梳洗下我的皮毛。”藤池回答道。
“你的皮毛没问题。”带队的米莉回头瞥了她一眼，“专心点儿。”
在前面几尾远处查探的榛尾突然停住了。过了一会儿，她悄悄穿过茂密的草丛跑了回来。“我听见有只猫在边界附近走动。”她悄声说道。
米莉冲她微微点了下头。“藤池，你去那边。”她指挥道，摇了摇尾巴指向旁边小路上的一簇接骨木灌木丛，“我去这边。”
藤池遵从命令，用在黑森林学的所有潜行本领悄然行进。她绕过接骨木丛，低头避过蔓生到路边的黑莓丛，很快便捕捉到那只猫的气味和脚步声。那只猫大踏步地朝边界走来，似乎根本就不在意是否会被发现。藤池一下子就认出了这个气味。
日神！
她悄然前进，透过灌木丛看到了他的身影。日神猛地停下了，因为发现米莉出现在了他的另一边。
“一切都还好吗？”灰色虎斑母猫喊道。
有那么一瞬间，日神似乎愣了一下，但他很快就恢复了镇静。“我这是被跟踪了吗？”他问道，“听着，我可没偷猎物。昨晚你们已经把我招待得够饱了。”
“那你这是要去哪儿？”米莉追问道。
日神弓了弓身子，又放松了下来。“我想去拜访一下影族。”他解释道，“只是去怀怀旧。”
“你在那里不会受到欢迎的。”米莉提醒他。
“我在影族有朋友。”日神冲她眨眨眼，“再说那都是很久以前的事了，我这次是为和平而来！”
藤池厌恶地竖起了皮毛，不过无论是她还是米莉，都没有理由阻止他前往。看着他昂首阔步离开，藤池小声说道：“说不定你还能吃上他们新鲜的猎物呢。”
蟾步和榛尾走过来，刚好听见她的话。
“这可有点儿刻薄了。”蟾步反对道。
“就是啊。”榛尾附和道，“别忘了，日神还从狐狸口下救过我们的学徒呢。他肯定已经改过自新了。”
米莉轻蔑地哼了一声。“虎斑猫可永远改变不了身上的斑纹。”她吼道。
藤池盯着日神消失的背影，猜想着他对黑森林到底知晓多少。他是被派来捣乱的吗？
巡逻队返回了营地，藤池在猎物堆旁看见了火星和黑莓掌。米莉径直朝他们走了过去，巡逻队其他猫们也都跟了上去。
“我们巡逻的时候遇见了日神，”米莉汇报道，“他说要去拜访影族。”
“什么？”黑莓掌一下子跳了起来，颈毛竖起，怒气冲冲地瞪着琥珀色的眸子，“这个奸诈的疥癣皮，叛徒！他打算去那里说雷族什么？”
火星平静地吃完一口田鼠，冲副族长抖抖耳朵：“别紧张，黑莓掌。我们没有证据证明他是要背叛我们。再说了，我们有什么秘密值得他说出去呢？”
“可我就是生气。”黑莓掌喃喃道，“每次看见日神我就脚掌痒痒，恨不能一爪子扒了他的皮！”
火星惊讶地眨眨眼睛。“我也不赞成日神留在雷族。”他说道，“可如果我们毫无理由地指控他，那他就可能去其他族群，然后制造麻烦。”
“我才不怕日神或是其他族群！”黑莓掌吼道。
“我也不怕。”火星对他说道，“但如果有机会能近距离观察敌人，我们也不要将其拒之门外。”
又有一些猫凑过来听着。鸽翅走到藤池旁边，用一只脚掌碰碰她。“这是怎么了？”她问道。
藤池把刚才在边界遇到日神，以及日神说的话，都告诉了姐妹。
“那只猫可真是个瘟神。”鸽翅哼道，“藤池，你知道他跟黑森林有什么联系吗？”
藤池甩了一下尾巴：“我也不确定，我在那儿没见过他。不过我问过鹰霜有关他的事情，鹰霜说他很高兴日神能来雷族。”
鸽翅的颈毛竖了起来，她同藤池一样，眼中也闪现出不安的神情。“那说明让他留在这里会有麻烦。”她说道。
藤池点点头。“可是，只要火星允许他留下，我们就没有办法。我们只能密切观察他。我还要告诉你一件事，”她补充说道，“即便他把树林里所有的狐狸都赶出了我们的领地，我还是一丁点儿也不相信他。”
第十一章
第十一章
太阳开始落山了，狮焰带着灰条、蛛足，还有梅花落钻进了森林。
“我想检查一下风族边界，”狮焰说道，“顺便看看是否还有任何狐狸的踪迹。”
金色的阳光从树枝间洒下，清新的微风拂过，树木轻轻摇曳着。草叶的清香萦绕在四周。可对狮焰来说，他眼里却只有树下的暗影，脑子里不停地想象着将来它们不断蔓延吞噬一切的情形。
他带领巡逻队来到边界，溪流在那里汇入湖里。接着他们又转身顺流而上，沿途更新了气味标记。周围静悄悄的。尽管对岸风族的气味标记很新鲜，但却看不到风族巡逻队的影子。等差不多巡视到边界一半的位置时，风族气味突然变得浓烈起来，被微风从荒原那边吹了下来。狮焰抬起尾巴示意大家停下。
“怎么了？”蛛足嘟囔道。
黑色武士话音刚落，风族巡逻队突然从突出的岩石后冒了出来，朝溪流边走了过来。一星走在最前面，鸦羽和莎草须跟在他旁边。
狮焰冲他点点头：“你好，一星。”
风族族长没回应他的问候，相反，他怒目圆睁地盯着对岸的雷族猫。“我正想着会会雷族猫呢。”他粗声粗气地说道。
“哦？”听到一星语气里的挑衅，狮焰感到胸腔里升腾起一股怒火，但他还是强压下竖起来的皮毛，说道，“我们能为你们做些什么吗？”
“我们的武士无意中听到你们巡逻队的谈话，”一星回答道，“好像你们让那只被星族诅咒的猫——日神——留在雷族了，对吗？”
狮焰点点头：“对。”
“那就立刻赶他走！”
狮焰听到站在一旁的蛛足发出一声恼怒的嘶吼，但他还是忍住怒意，问道：“为什么？日神伤害你们了吗？”
“这不是重点！”一星骂道，“所有猫都知道，日神是个危险分子，火星必须现在就赶他走！”
狮焰的尾尖开始颤动。“火星可不是其他族群的族长能随便命令的。”他警告道。
“那风族恐怕就得强迫他那么做了。”一星龇牙咧嘴地咆哮道，“每一只猫都知道，日神是所有族群的敌人。”
狮焰怒意升腾，跳到溪边，他尾巴抽动着，皮毛倒竖：“如果你想打架，那现在就来吧。”
“没错！”蛛足跳到族猫身旁，亮出利爪。
一星和鸦羽立刻跳到风族一侧的岸边，一星喉咙里发出一声低吼。可还没等任何一只猫采取任何行动，灰条就用肩膀将狮焰顶了回去。狮焰怒气冲冲地瞪着他。他应该跟狮焰一样，对一星想要命令雷族感到很愤怒吧？
“够了，狮焰，”灰条的声音里透着坚定和镇静，让狮焰想起他也曾是族群的副族长，“没必要为此争斗。一星，你要记住，谁受到雷族的热情招待，还轮不到你来决定。如果你认为，火星是向一只没资格的猫提供了庇护，那等于是对火星的侮辱。”
尽管狮焰没有插话，可他能听得出来，灰条还有很多话憋在心里没说出来。他知道，灰条比他更不喜欢日神。我们都想让他走，可那不是重点。重点是还轮不到另一个族群告诉我们该怎么做。
一星不为灰条的话所动。“让日神离开，”他大吼道，“否则的话，我会强迫你们那么做。”
灰条摇摇头，眼中充满了悲伤。“一星，”他开口说道，“你记得在旧森林里，你和火星还是朋友的时候吗？我们之间怎么会渐行渐远了呢？我们没必要成为敌人。”
一星抽动着尾巴：“是你的族群让这一切都变成了不可能。”
太阳落山时，日神大摇大摆地回到了营地。狮焰看着年轻的武士们迎了上去。
“狩猎巡逻队刚回来，”梅花落说道，“快来选点儿猎物。”
“你可以多讲几个故事给我们听吗？”樱桃爪补充了一句。看到日神朝猎物堆走去，她蹦蹦跳跳地跑到他身边。
“对啊，你后来又见过那只狗吗？”鼹鼠爪急切地问道。
蟾步和玫瑰瓣凑过去听着，荆棘光也从巫医巢穴里拖着身子爬了过来。狐跃和冰云在分享一只乌鸫，他们抬头看着正走过来的日神。桦落和榛尾也从武士巢穴里出来，坐到了旁边。
狮焰注意到，鸽翅也待在能听到谈话的范围内，只是她和藤池以及黄蜂条，坐到了几尾开外的地方。他们对日神的回来都不太在意，更是连动也没动，没去靠近他和其他猫。
很好。并不是所有年轻武士都想和他成为朋友。
日神狼吞虎咽地吃着一只肥硕的田鼠，梅花落将那天早些时候跟风族的冲突告诉了他。“狮焰和灰条告诉一星，他没有权力命令雷族做这做那。”她说道，“但一星说，如果我们不赶你走，那他就会强迫我们赶你走！”
日神吞下最后一口田鼠，心满意足地用舌头在嘴巴周围舔了舔。“你们不会是怕风族吧？”他讥讽道，“怕那些瘦骨嶙峋只会抓兔子的家伙？他们跟我们的武士根本就没法比！”
“我们不是你的武士！你不是雷族猫！”藤池脱口而出。
其他几只猫屏住了呼吸，白翅转身怒视着藤池。
“藤池！不能对访客这样讲话。”
“哼，他又不是访客。”藤池嘟囔道。
鸽翅同情地将口鼻放在姐妹的侧腹，黄蜂条则将尾尖放在她的肩上。年轻武士隔着藤池的脑袋，瞥了鸽翅一眼，而后者则冲他微微点头作为回答。
鸽翅和黄蜂条看起来更亲密些了。狮焰想道，接着，他又冷静地问自己，如果黄蜂条发现预言的事情，不知道会发生什么呢？
与此同时，围坐在日神身旁的年轻猫争相向他表示，他们一点儿也不害怕风族。
“我们会让他们好看。”狐跃咆哮道，“他们可不能那样命令我们！”
“没错，如果他们敢，我们就把他们的皮给剥掉。”梅花落吼道。
狮焰听着他们的谈话，内心升腾起一股越来越强烈的不安。没有哪只猫会期待跟其他族群开战。可火星也不能对一星的挑战坐视不理。现在，为了维护雷族的尊严，他不得不对日神热情相待了。否则，火星会被看成像是在听风族的指挥。
我们现在不能退缩让步。狮焰心里想，是一星逼得我们跟日神结盟，虽然这里并不欢迎他。
第十二章
第十二章
鸽翅发现自己正走在幽暗的森林里，有那么一刻她吓坏了，以为自己走进了黑森林。可月光透过树枝倾洒而下，她抬起头还能看见星星。
一切都静悄悄的，鸽翅听见远处一只猫在痛苦地哀号着。她在蕨丛和黑莓丛中四处搜寻，却判断不出声音到底是从哪里传来的。哀号声越来越响、越来越急，可那只猫还是没有找到。
惊慌之下，鸽翅开始跑了起来。她飞奔的脚掌被一根枯树枝绊了一下，发出一声尖叫摔倒在地，从梦中醒了过来。她发现她在自己的窝里，正挣扎着四肢想要站起来。藤池睡在她旁边，樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪则在巢穴里的另一侧，蜷缩在一起睡着了。
“哦，”鸽翅喃喃道，“原来只是梦！”
可紧接着，她发现她还是能听见那痛苦的哀号声。那声音听起来比在梦里模糊，却足以穿透营地的围墙传到她耳朵里。
“是栗尾！”她惊呼一声，“她在营地外面。”
她努力站起来，爬出巢穴，穿过空地去找松鸦羽。
“快醒醒！”她气喘吁吁地喊道，冲过巫医巢穴入口处的黑莓屏风，“松鸦羽，是栗尾！”
“什么？”松鸦羽抬起脑袋，睡眼惺忪地说道，“她怎么了？”
“是栗尾！”鸽翅重复道，“我听见了她的哀号声，她肯定是要生了，就在营地外面！”
松鸦羽立刻清醒了过来，他一跃而起，抖落身上的苔藓和蕨叶。“她的幼崽出生时间比预计中提前了！”他惊呼道，“赶紧带我去。”
荆棘光也醒了，她拖着身子出了窝。“我能帮忙吗？”她问道。
“不，对你来说远了点儿。”松鸦羽回答道，“不过，要准备些草药给鸽翅，如果需要我会让她回来取。”
说完，他飞奔出巢穴，鸽翅紧随其后。云尾正在荆棘通道入口处警戒。
“发生什么事情了？”他站起来问道。
“栗尾在外面的森林里，她要生幼崽了。”松鸦羽喘息着，几乎没有停步冲进了荆棘通道。
鸽翅跟着，看到云尾还是一脸的困惑，她意识到其他猫是听不到栗尾撕心裂肺的喊叫声的。云尾肯定纳闷他们是怎么知道的。“快去叫蕨毛，”她回头喊道，“告诉他跟着我们的气味踪迹赶紧来。”
说完她跑出营地，云尾则摆摆尾巴示意明白。松鸦羽在荆棘通道的另一头等着她，爪子正不耐烦地抓着地面。
“前头带路！”他命令道。
栗尾痛苦的哀号声越来越大，直冲鸽翅的感官。她不相信松鸦羽居然听不见。
“她在湖边。”鸽翅说道，用尾巴指了指，然后才想起松鸦羽根本就看不见，“跟我来。”
她穿过灌木丛，绕过黑莓丛和荨麻丛。起初，她时不时地回头张望，不确定巫医是否能跟得上她。可每次她转过头，松鸦羽都紧紧跟在后面。
“栗尾，我们来了！”快接近湖边时，松鸦羽大吼道。鸽翅猜他现在应该能听到玳瑁色母猫的声音了。
终于，他们钻出灌木丛，来到鸽翅和黄蜂条散步的那块空地附近。栗尾正侧卧在一簇拱起的蕨丛下。她抬头看见鸽翅和松鸦羽快步向她跑来。“噢，感谢星族！”她喘息道，“我还担心谁也听不到我。”
松鸦羽蹲在她旁边，专注地给她检查身体。“躺好了，”他轻声说道，“幼崽们很快就会出生了。”
“太疼了！”栗尾呻吟道，“我第一次生产时都没这么痛！”
松鸦羽全神贯注地用前掌抚摸栗尾的腹部和臀部。“找到原因了。”他告诉她说，“我之前提醒过你，是关节僵硬。”
“可我做练习了呀——啊！”栗尾的话被腹部一阵强烈的疼痛打断。
“需要给她用罂粟籽吗？”鸽翅建议道。
“不！”松鸦羽厉声说道，“她已经很累了，现在需要集中力量把幼崽生出来。去给我拿些山萝卜根吧，”想了一下他又加了一句：“那样有助于催产。”
鸽翅转身冲进森林。我不认得山萝卜根长什么样，她想道，希望荆棘光能知道。她跑了没几狐狸身长，便看见蕨毛和香薇云匆忙赶了过来。
“栗尾还好吗？”蕨毛急切地问道。
“她会没事的。”鸽翅回答道，稍顿片刻她又说道，“松鸦羽在陪着她。”
蕨毛点点头，继续和香薇云往前跑。栗尾的伴侣和族群最有经验的母猫都赶过去帮忙，这让鸽翅放心了不少，她于是继续朝石头山谷跑去。等她气喘吁吁跑到荆棘屏障时，黑莓掌钻了出来，身旁紧跟着尘毛和刺掌。鸽翅停下来，等着他们全都从荆棘通道里钻出来。
“这边吗？”黑莓掌歪着耳朵，指着鸽翅来时的方向问道。
鸽翅点点头。
“我们去保护栗尾。”副族长解释道，“猫叫声，还有血腥味，会把狐狸招来的。”
他带队离开了，三只猫轻巧地钻进树林，张开嘴巴循着气味一路找了过去。
鸽翅钻出荆棘丛，发现云尾还在警戒。她冲白色武士点点头，便穿过营地，进到了巫医巢穴。
荆棘光在巢穴的最里面，头探进储存药草的岩缝。她缩回身子，扭头看见鸽翅进来，开口问道：“怎么样——”
“松鸦羽让我回来取山萝卜根。”鸽翅打断了她，“你知道那东西长什么样吗？”
“在那儿。”荆棘光抬起一只前爪指了指，鸽翅这才发现，她已经把好几种不同的草药整齐地摆放在了巫医巢穴的地上。“最边上那个就是。你最好再带些茴香，”她指着一种细长长满刺的叶子补充道，“它能缓解栗尾臀部的痛感。”
“谢谢。”鸽翅叼起疙疙瘩瘩的棕色山萝卜根和茴香，又跑了出去。
等她回到空地，发现栗尾依然躺在蕨丛下。蕨毛紧靠在她身旁，俯身舔着她的耳朵。黑莓掌、刺掌和尘毛则在空地周围散开，面朝森林，张大嘴巴，竖起耳朵，随时警惕着危险。
鸽翅穿过空地，看见香薇云从湖边回来了，嘴里还叼着一捆滴水的苔藓。她把苔藓放在栗尾身旁，这样玳瑁色母猫就可以喝上水。
“谢谢，香薇云。”栗尾舔着水轻声说道，“这水真好喝。”鸽翅看得出来她十分地疲倦。
松鸦羽坐在她旁边，仔细地听着，除了尾尖偶尔来回摆动几下，他几乎是一动不动。鸽翅把山萝卜根和茴香放在他身边，他抬眼瞥了一下。“我还以为你去山区取这些东西了呢。”他说道。
“荆棘光还让我带来了茴香。”鸽翅解释道，胸口上下起伏大口喘息着。
松鸦羽满意地点点头。“考虑得很周到。”他那空洞的眼神盯着鸽翅，“好，给她把山萝卜根嚼碎。你不会以为她自己还能做这个吧？”
我怎么知道？鸽翅一边用牙咀嚼着硬硬的山萝卜根，一边心里气愤地想道，我又不是巫医。
“把茴香茎咬断，”松鸦羽径直对香薇云说道，“把汁液挤进她嘴里。”
香薇云对巫医的语气感到有点儿惊讶，但她还是按照他的要求，把茴香汁慢慢滴进栗尾嘴里。
鸽翅嚼好山萝卜根，蕨毛劝栗尾吃一点儿，可玳瑁色母猫正经历着剧痛，只能在痛苦的喘息间歇，艰难地把它咽了下去。
“啊，太疼了！”她哀号道，“叶池！叶池！”
鸽翅身子一震。栗尾知不知道自己喊错巫医的名字了？可紧接着，她看见叶池已经出现在了旁边。这位前巫医眼中闪烁着迟疑，似乎不清楚除了观望，自己还能被允许做些什么。
“我在这儿。”叶池轻声说道，她坐在栗尾身旁，但没有妨碍松鸦羽做事。“别害怕，栗尾，松鸦羽知道该怎么做。”
“出什么问题了吗？”蕨毛冲松鸦羽嘶吼道，“幼崽现在不应该已经出生了吗？”
“幼崽们会决定自己的降临时刻。”松鸦羽回答道，不过鸽翅看到他眼中露出了担忧。很明显，随着一次次的痉挛和阵痛，栗尾变得越来越虚弱了。
“你这个蠢毛球。”蕨毛轻声对伴侣说道，“你怎么会想着自己离开营地呢？”
“我想出去呼吸点儿新鲜空气。”栗尾断断续续地回答道，“我没想到孩子们会这时候出生，而且我觉得湖边可能会凉快些……”
“不要再让我担惊受怕了。”蕨毛说道，“下次一定待在指定的地方！”
随着又一股阵痛，栗尾的身体颤抖着。“不会再有下次了！”她咬牙吐出了几个字。
鸽翅发现蕨丛中有根树枝，跑过去把它弄出来拿给栗尾。“咬住这个，”她说道，“阵痛的时候能起点儿作用。”
“谢谢你，鸽翅。”栗尾说道，然后用嘴巴紧紧地咬住了树枝。
鸽翅看见松鸦羽冲她赞许地点了点头。我总算做对了一件事！
突然，栗尾开始剧烈喘息起来，嘴巴死死咬住树枝直至它被咬断。很快，一个湿漉漉的小团子，从她尾巴下滑了出来，落在草地上一动不动。
“干得不错！”香薇云大喊道，“你的第一个孩子，栗尾，是只小母猫。”
“她好漂亮！”蕨毛咕噜着，把小家伙推到母亲旁边。
栗尾转过头看着那个小小的身体，虚弱地舔了舔她。可才刚休息一小会儿，她的肚子又鼓了起来，第二只幼崽——也是一只小母猫——出生了。
鸽翅没办法体会到蕨毛和香薇云的喜悦之情。两只幼崽又小又弱，几乎都还不会动。而栗尾已经精疲力竭，也没力气使劲地舔她们了。
松鸦羽给栗尾做检查，他小心地用一只前掌拍了拍她的腹部。“生完了。”他说道，“我们带你和幼崽们回营地去。”
蕨毛轻轻将栗尾推起来，让她靠在自己的肩膀上，黑莓掌走到另一边扶着她。
“我的孩子们怎么样？”栗尾难受地睁大眼睛，轻声问道。
“她们很好，”香薇云向她保证道，“鸽翅和我会带她们回去。”
说完，她叼起一只幼崽，鸽翅叼起另一只。当她把那只幼崽从地上叼起来时，小家伙发出一声有气无力的叫声，然后便像猎物那样变得软绵绵的。鸽翅感觉嘴里的幼崽还不如一只麻雀重。
刺掌带队，随时警惕着狐狸，栗尾则在两只公猫的保护下蹒跚前行。叶池走在她身旁，松鸦羽则和尘毛断后。
等他们到达营地时，天空已露出了一丝鱼肚白。族群开始骚动起来，亮心站在荆棘通道入口处，跟云尾说了些什么，之后便跟栗尾和其他猫去了育婴室。
“所有的东西都为你准备好了。”亮心对栗尾说道。
蕨毛和黑莓掌搀扶着猫后走进育婴室，黛西从一个铺满厚厚苔藓和蕨叶的窝里起身。“到这儿来。”她跟栗尾碰了碰鼻子，对她说道，“我把你的窝焐得暖暖的，快躺下休息一下。”
“谢谢你，黛西。”栗尾疲惫地低语道。
栗尾一躺下，鸽翅和香薇云就把两只幼崽放到了她怀里。香薇云和黛西开始用舌头一下一下有力地舔着她们，直到她们开始扭动身体，发出轻微的饥饿的叫声。她们弓起身子靠着母亲，开始吮吸起奶汁。
鸽翅轻轻地舒了一口气。她们这样应该就是没事了。“我累坏了。”她告诉松鸦羽，“你也应该休息一下。”
松鸦羽摇摇头：“我得留在这里，随时观察栗尾和幼崽们。”
“不，你不用在这里。”亮心走到他身旁，“还是我留下吧，我也很有经验，如有需要我会叫醒你。”
松鸦羽犹豫片刻，然后点点头：“好吧，谢谢你，亮心。”
鸽翅跟随松鸦羽走出育婴室，朝自己的巢穴走去。藤池已经蜷缩在鼹鼠爪和樱桃爪身旁睡着了。鸽翅突然感觉腿一软，再也支撑不住，一头倒在窝里，闭上眼睛睡了过去。
起初，她感觉自己像是在枝蔓丛生的森林里跌跌撞撞地前行，常春藤的藤蔓和黑莓丛的藤蔓伸出来绊住了她的脚掌。在她周围，到处都是族猫和幼崽们痛苦的尖叫声，可她谁也看不见，也无法去帮助他们。后来她走出树林，发现自己来到一个光秃秃的山坡上，两只幼崽在她前面那颗平坦的大石头上蠕动着。可等鸽翅刚要朝他们走去，一个阴影掠过岩石。一只老鹰从天而降，一只爪子抓着一只幼崽。幼崽们无助地扭动着身子，被带上了天空。
“不！”鸽翅尖叫着。她一跃而起，伸出爪子想要抓住那只凶残的大鸟。但是它已飞得太高够不着了。最后，鸽翅摔回地面落在一堆羽毛中。她睁开眼睛，发现是在自己的窝里，藤池正在一旁俯身焦急地看着她。
“你还好吗？”藤池问道，“你不停地蹬来蹬去，肯定是做噩梦了吧？”
鸽翅抬起头，看见窝里的苔藓和蕨叶早已被她弄得散落四处。一想到梦里的可怕景象，她忍不住又颤抖了起来，心也怦怦跳得很快。
“我没事。”她轻声说道，“谢谢你，藤池。”她需要走到外面，让头脑清醒一下。
她爬出巢穴，快步跑过营地。此时，太阳已爬上树梢升到了山谷上空，黑莓掌站在空地中央，正在组织巡逻队。鸽翅绕过他们，低头钻进育婴室。昏暗的光线中，她能看到栗尾在睡觉，幼崽们则被拢在她怀里。她们的皮毛现在变得干燥蓬松多了，此时正急切得吮吸着奶水。
亮心在一旁看着，而香薇云则在和黛西昏昏欲睡地说着些什么。黛西抬起头来，刚好看见鸽翅从入口处往里瞧。
“她们没事。”黛西轻声说道，“谢谢你听到栗尾的呼救声。你的听力真好！”
“呃……是啊。”鸽翅退了回去，不想继续讨论她是如何听到栗尾从那么远的距离发出的呼救声。
“你是她们的救星！”黄蜂条的声音在她身后响起，吓了她一跳。“你救了栗尾和幼崽们的命！”鸽翅转身看向他时，他又补充道。
“任何一只猫都会这样做的。”鸽翅不好意思地回答道。
“我就不行。”黄蜂条打趣地说，他的两眼亮晶晶的，“就算掉到悬崖下，我都能一直睡着！”他眼中开玩笑的表情消失了，取而代之的是一丝敬佩。“我真为你感到骄傲，”他轻声道，“我很高兴能有你这样的族猫。”
鸽翅感觉心里一暖，向前一步碰了碰他的鼻子：“我也很高兴能有你这样的族猫。”
“我敢肯定，日神此次前来是有所图谋。”鸽翅悄声附在藤池耳边说道。
姐妹俩跟在米莉带领的狩猎队后面，朝废弃的两脚兽巢穴走去。蛛足和桦落走在她俩前面。藤池放慢脚步，直到队伍里的其他猫都听不到她们的谈话。
“你为什么那么想？”藤池追问道。
鸽翅停下来，集中精力感受着。“我能听到他讲话，就在山谷深处的某个地方。”她回答道。
“你确定吗？”
“千真万确。”
“喂，你们俩到底要不要狩猎？”米莉的声音从前面传了过来。巡逻队的其他猫已经都钻进灌木丛里去了。
“马上就来！”藤池回应道。“你去查查看他要干什么，”她悄悄对鸽翅说道，“我来掩护你。”
“谢谢。”鸽翅冲姐妹快速点了下头，转身悄无声息地钻进了蕨丛，朝营地相反的方向跑去。那里靠近悬崖的地方，可能会有一只心怀叵测的猫爬出来呢。离日神的声音越来越近的时候，她低下身子贴着地面，就像围堵老鼠时那样，小心翼翼地迈着步子。
她慢慢靠近，那声音越来越清晰。鸽翅发现，跟日神讲话的猫不止一只。一股浓烈的雷族气味从黑莓丛那边飘了过来。鸽翅小心翼翼地抬起头，以便能够透过长长的草叶看到那边的情况。
日神被黑莓丛挡着，她看不见。可接下来她一下子惊愕地瞪大了眼睛，因为她认出了梅花落、榛尾、鼠须，还有玫瑰瓣。难道她和藤池是族群里为数不多不被日神蛊惑的年轻猫吗？
“你说得对，日神，”鸽翅悄然靠近时，听见玫瑰瓣说道，“我们不能在这里坐等风族来进攻。”
鸽翅震惊地忍不住要吼叫出来。她伸出爪子插进了地里。他们为什么会讨论风族的进攻呢？
“没错，”日神的喉咙里发出低沉的咕噜声，“说不定他们还以为，雷族猫是害怕了呢。”
“雷族猫什么都不怕！”鼠须一下子跳了起来，颈毛竖起，“我们要先采取行动！”
“好主意，鼠须。”
可那根本就不是鼠须的主意。鸽翅愤怒地用前脚掌撕扯着地面，那是你的主意！是你在借他的嘴说话！
“我们会证明我们不害怕战斗。”榛尾甩了甩尾巴附和道，“我们要撕掉背信弃义者的皮毛！”
“你们觉得，我们是不是应该先跟火星商量一下？”玫瑰瓣提议道。
“他会同意吗？”日神问道。
“不，他肯定不会同意的。”鼠须反驳道，“他是族长，没有充分的理由，他不能对其他族群表现出敌意。”
“我们有足够的理由，”梅花落说道，“我们知道风族正在谋划着攻打我们。火星或许不能命令族群开战，但这并不表示，如果我们把那些只知道抓兔子的家伙收拾一顿，以绝后患后，火星还会对我们发火！”
“没错！”鼠须眼前一亮，“那我们就开始行动吧！”
全身的本能都在催促鸽翅跳进空地，去告诉他们这样做多么愚蠢。可是她很清楚，做出这个灾难性决定的，并不是她的族猫们。都是日神的错！
于是，她尽可能静悄悄地退了回去，直到远离黑莓丛。接着，她转身飞奔而去，并释放出感知搜寻着藤池。她发现姐妹在旧雷鬼路上，嘴里正叼着一只田鼠。周围没看见米莉或是巡逻队其他成员的踪迹。
“快点儿来！”鸽翅来到藤池身旁嘶吼道，“日神计划着要去攻打风族！”
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Lionblaze opened his eyes in his nest in the warriors’ den. Gray dawn light was filtering through the branches; a breeze found its way through the gaps and probed his mossy bedding with cold claws. Lionblaze yawned and tried to blink away sleep, then sat up sharply as Cloudtail crashed into him.
“Hey!” he yelped.
“Watch where you’re putting your tail,” the white warrior snapped, pushing his way out into the open.
Lionblaze rose to his paws. It’s too crowded in here, he thought. We’re all tripping over one another.
Skirting careful y past Squirrelflight, who was just beginning to stir, Lionblaze headed into the clearing.
Brambleclaw stood in the middle of the camp with warriors gathering around him as he sorted out the morning’s patrols. Firestar stood a little to one side, looking on.
“Sandstorm, wil you lead a patrol along the WindClan border?” Brambleclaw was meowing as Lionblaze padded up. “Take Thornclaw and Ivypool.
Cloudtail, you and Brightheart can do the WindClan border as wel , but start from the other end. Take Blossomfal with you. Make sure the scent markers are fresh and strong.”
“And make sure there’s no WindClan scent on our side of the stream,” Firestar added. “Report back right away if you find any.”
“Hunting patrols,” Brambleclaw continued, glancing around at his Clanmates, “stay away from the WindClan border. We don’t want to give WindClan any reason to complain about us.”
“What?” Spiderleg’s neck fur bristled. “Are you tel ing me we can’t hunt on our own territory because of those flea-ridden rabbit-eaters?”
“Yeah,” Thornclaw added, the tip of his tail twitching. “Why should we have to creep around like mice when we’ve done nothing wrong?” Brambleclaw avoided the question, just continued dividing up the hunting patrols. Lionblaze guessed that Firestar had warned his deputy about Sol’s plot with WindClan, though he had said nothing to the rest of the Clan.
“What’s Firestar thinking?” Dovewing whispered, padding up to Lionblaze’s side. Her blue eyes were puzzled. “Shouldn’t he tel the Clan that there’s a threat?”
Lionblaze shrugged. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I guess there’s no point starting a panic when we don’t know what wil happen, or when.”
“I notice Sol hasn’t come back to camp,” Dovewing observed with a twitch of her whiskers.
Lionblaze snorted, feeling his neck fur begin to fluff up. “Are you surprised? He must know that he was seen last night, so he’s staying away.” Guilt weighed down his bel y like a stone as he remembered how he had helped Sol escape from the camp al those moons ago. After I helped him, Sol has betrayed us! And I can never tell any cat what I did.
As the cats mil ed around, splitting up into their patrols, Lionblaze noticed that Mil ie was looking around with a confused air. “I don’t see Sol,” she mewed to Dustpelt. “Where do you think he can be?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care,” Dustpelt growled.
“Good riddance is what I say.”
“And so do I,” Thornclaw agreed. “But I’d like to know where the mange-pelt is, al the same.”
“Sol hasn’t done any harm,” Berrynose argued.
A chorus of arguments broke out, and Brambleclaw had to raise his voice to a yowl to be heard above it. “That’s enough! Can I have a bit of quiet around here?”
Lionblaze felt the tension in the deputy’s voice, and watched his slowly lashing tail. I don’t blame him for getting frustrated, he thought with a stab of sympathy.
“Mil ie,” Brambleclaw went on more quietly as the querulous voices died down. “You’re leading a hunting patrol with Toadstep, Mousewhisker, and Hol yleaf.”
Lionblaze heard several gasps of shock as Brambleclaw announced the names, a protest rippling like a cold wind through the Clan. Toadstep muttered something to Foxleap.
“What was that, Toadstep?” Brambleclaw’s voice was icy.
Toadstep hesitated for a moment, then raised his head defiantly. “I don’t want to be on a patrol with Hol yleaf,” he meowed. “I don’t know her! Patrols are supposed to trust one another with their lives, but we have no idea what Hol yleaf has been doing since she vanished.”
Lionblaze stared at the young warrior in dismay.
Did he really say that? As more murmurings broke out around him he realized that Toadstep wasn’t the only cat who was suspicious about Hol yleaf.
“She could have been anywhere,” Icecloud whispered.
“Yeah, how do we know she wasn’t with one of the other Clans?” Hazeltail responded.
“No offense, Hol yleaf.” Mousewhisker stepped forward and confronted the black she-cat. “I know we were friends before, but you’ve hardly said anything about where you’ve been. And now you’ve come back just when Sol reappears—is there a connection?”
Hol yleaf looked startled.
“There’s no need for this,” Brambleclaw meowed, before any other cat could say anything. “The past is the past. You’re making a fuss about nothing.”
“Real y, Brambleclaw? Nothing?” Birchfal padded up to the deputy, his amber eyes serious. “Why won’t Hol yleaf tel us where she’s been? And why did she leave in the first place?”
Lionblaze took a breath for an indignant protest, but left it unspoken. Perhaps these questions would have to be answered before Hol yleaf could stay in the Clan.
“Yes, why did you leave?” Thornclaw sounded much more bel igerent than his Clanmates.
Brightheart let her tail rest lightly on the tabby warrior’s shoulder. “No need to ruffle your fur, Thornclaw,” she mewed. To Hol yleaf she added gently, “If you tel us, we’l understand, whatever it is.
Did some cat do something to hurt you? We need to know.”
Hol yleaf was stil silent.
Thornclaw shook off Brightheart’s tail. “You left not long after Ashfur was kil ed.” He spoke slowly, as if he was thinking about every word. “Hol yleaf, did it have something to do with that?”
Lionblaze thought that his heart had stopped beating. A thick silence hung in the clearing, as though every cat had been turned to ice.
Then Poppyfrost cal ed out, “No, of course it doesn’t! If Hol yleaf had seen who had kil ed Ashfur, she would have told us back then.” Thornclaw blinked. “I’m not asking if she witnessed another cat kil ing him.” This time Lionblaze thought that the silence would last forever. Berrynose turned to Thornclaw. His whisper sounded throughout the clearing like the shriek of trapped prey. “You think Hollyleaf was the kil er?”
Poppyfrost’s eyes stretched wide. “She can’t be!”
“I won’t believe it,” Cinderheart declared.
“Nor wil I,” Leafpool agreed. “Oh, Hol yleaf . . .” Her voice faded into silence.
Birchfal ’s gaze was fixed on Hol yleaf. “I don’t want to believe it,” he rasped. “But it makes sense.” More voices rose around Hol yleaf where she stood, hunched and smal , in the middle of the clearing. Lionblaze stared desperately at his Clanmates, wondering what in the name of StarClan he could say; he felt as if a piece of fresh-kil was lodged in his throat, choking him. He glanced at Firestar for help, but the Clan leader was standing in silence, his eyes slightly narrowed and his gaze fixed on Hol yleaf. There was nothing to tel Lionblaze what he was thinking.
“Hol yleaf, you have to speak for yourself,” Graystripe cal ed out.
“Yes, let’s hear what happened,” Thornclaw demanded, sliding out his claws with a menacing look at Hol yleaf.
Lionblaze stepped forward, putting himself between his sister and the tabby warrior. “Stop!” he snarled. “This is ridiculous. There’s no way that Hol yleaf knows anything about Ashfur’s death.” Hol yleaf took a pace toward Lionblaze until they were so close that their pelts brushed. Her green eyes were ful of misery, and she was gaunt from the hardship of her life as a loner, but Lionblaze could read determination in every hair on her pelt.
“No, Lionblaze,” she whispered. “I know you’re only trying to help, but you must let me speak. I think it’s time for the truth to come out.” Lionblaze heard a whimper from somewhere at the back of the crowd. Without turning to look, he knew that it had come from Squirrelflight. The rest of the Clan was silent, pressing around Hol yleaf in a circle, a barrier of eyes.
Hol yleaf raised her head and spoke clearly to her Clan. “Thornclaw is right. I was there when Ashfur died. And his death was my fault.” Her confession was greeted with a horrified gasp from the cats. As if at a word of command, they shrank back, widening the circle. Lionblaze spotted Foxleap swiftly thrusting Cherrypaw behind him.
Sorreltail, who had brought Lilykit and Seedkit into the clearing for the first time, gathered them close to her with a sweep of her tail.
Hol yleaf looked terrified, her glance darting around the clearing as if she expected some cat to leap on her and rip her throat out. Lionblaze suddenly wished that she had never come back, that she had gone away to the mountains if that would have kept her safe. Dovewing and Ivypool would have found their own way out of the tunnels, he thought, his bel y shaking from the force of his fear and anger. She didn’t have to help them!
“I was there . . .” Hol yleaf’s faltering voice began again. “I saw Ashfur, beside the stream. He had threatened to kil me and my littermates. Most of you know how much Ashfur wanted Squirrelflight to be his mate. He hated us al because he thought we were Squirrelflight’s kits with Brambleclaw. Even when he knew he was wrong, he stil hated us.
So . . .”
Lionblaze stared at his sister in horror, wanting to hold back the words he knew she was about to speak. She can’t confess to killing Ashfur! She mustn’t!
But while Hol yleaf was gathering herself to go on, Brambleclaw pushed his way to the front of the crowd and stood beside her.
“I was there, too, that day, beside the stream,” he announced. He glanced at Hol yleaf as she opened her jaws to protest, and added, “You didn’t see me there, but I saw you, and Ashfur.” He paused for a moment, letting his glance rake across the Clan.
“When Ashfur saw Hol yleaf alone by the stream,” he continued, “he sprang at her. He was determined to hurt one of the three cats Squirrelflight loved most, to punish her for not loving him. Hol yleaf fought bravely, but before I could help her, Ashfur slipped on the edge of the stream and fel in. He was stil alive when he hit the water. There was nothing Hol yleaf could do to save him. She was only defending herself.” The clearing exploded as the tabby warrior finished speaking.
“Why didn’t you tel us that at the time?” Thornclaw demanded.
“Yes, we spent moons suspecting one another,” Berrynose growled. “Firestar, they should both be punished for not tel ing the truth back then.”
“No!” Leafpool protested, her amber eyes ful of pain.
Lionblaze stepped forward and glared at Berrynose. “You might want to know that it was Hol yleaf who saved your kits, not Sol,” he snarled.
“Think about that before you start meowing about punishment.”
Berrynose stared at him in disbelief. “It was Hol yleaf?”
“Then we have to let her back into the Clan!” Poppyfrost mewed. “She risked her life for my kits!”
“Besides, Ashfur only got what he deserved,” Dustpelt declared. “He tried to kil four cats—his own Clanmates! If you ask me, Hol yleaf did us a favor.” Firestar padded into the middle of the crowd, raising his tail for silence. His fur was bristling and his tail twitched. “What happened was a tragic accident,” the Clan leader began as soon as he could make himself heard. “I agree that Hol yleaf should have spoken up at the time.” His green gaze rested sternly on Hol yleaf. “She should have trusted us to believe her, and deal with her fairly. But she has been punished enough by living away from her Clan for so many moons.” Firestar transferred his gaze to his Clan. “She wil not be punished again, and nor wil Brambleclaw for not speaking out before. Their silence has been a burden for both of them, and that has eased now.” With a drawn-out sigh he added, “What’s done is done. Let Ashfur be judged by our ancestors.”
Lionblaze puffed out a breath of relief, but he could see that not al the cats were satisfied. And Hol yleaf stil looked as if she wished the ground would open up and swal ow her.
Firestar beckoned her with his tail. “You should have told the truth back then,” he meowed quietly; Lionblaze strained to overhear. “It’s going to be hard for you now, do you understand that?” Hol yleaf nodded, her eyes bleak. “I shouldn’t have tried to come back—”
“Never say that,” Firestar interrupted. “You are back, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The Clan wil settle down now that the truth is out.” He paused, but Hol yleaf had nothing to add. “I won’t include you on any patrols today,” Firestar went on more briskly.
“Go to the elders’ den and see what you can do for them.”
“They’l know, won’t they?” Hol yleaf asked, glancing around at the rapidly dispersing Clan.
Firestar nodded. “News travels fast around here, you know it does. But you are strong enough to deal with this. Put it behind you, Hol yleaf. Your Clan stil needs you.”
Hol yleaf bowed her head. “Thank you,” she whispered.
As Lionblaze watched his sister padding away toward the elders’ den, he was aware of Cinderheart coming up beside him. “Poor Hol yleaf!” she murmured, her eyes wide with shock and excitement. “Who would have expected that?” She doesn’t know I knew, Lionblaze thought.
“I feel so sorry for her,” Cinderheart went on. “She must have felt so terrible, al the time she was away.
And I never realized Ashfur felt that way about Squirrelflight.”
“It happened before we were born,” Lionblaze replied shortly. He didn’t want to talk about any of it, and to his relief Cinderheart seemed to understand that.
“Brambleclaw wants you to lead a hunting patrol,” she meowed. “Foxleap and Rosepetal are coming, with their apprentices.”
“Good,” Lionblaze grunted. It would feel good to work off some of his tension with his claws in prey.
Turning toward the thorn tunnel, he saw that the rest of the patrol was already waiting. Cherrypaw and Molepaw were bouncing up and down in front of their mentors.
“How did it happen?” Molepaw was asking, his eyes wide with excitement. “What did you do when you found out that Ashfur was dead?”
“Hol yleaf’s a kil er!” Cherrypaw breathed out.
Rosepetal stood over her with her lips drawn back in a snarl. “If I ever hear either of you say that again, you’l see nothing but Mousefur’s hindquarters and ticks for a moon! Firestar said that the past is to be left behind. I don’t want any gossiping from you, I don’t want any more bouncing about, and I definitely don’t want to hear any more accusations. Have I made myself clear?”
Subdued, the two apprentices nodded. “Sorry, Rosepetal,” Cherrypaw muttered.
Lionblaze was grateful for Rosepetal’s loyalty, but he could see how shocked the she-cat had been by Hol yleaf’s confession.
“They’l calm down soon, you’l see,” Cinderheart whispered into his ear.
Lionblaze nodded, though he wasn’t sure that Cinderheart was right. Will my Clanmates ever get used to Hollyleaf being back in the hollow?
第十三章
第十三章
藤池震惊地盯着姐妹。她把田鼠扔下，刨了些土把它埋起来。“他不能那样做！”她大喊道。
“他已经这么做了。”鸽翅冷冷地说道，“我们很多族猫都会跟他去的。快跟我来——快点儿！”
两位武士快速往石头山谷的顶上飞奔而去。可就在她们奋力向上奔跑的路上，她们遇上了榛尾，后面还紧跟着鼠须、玫瑰瓣和梅花落。
“你们在做什么？”鸽翅气喘吁吁地问道。
“你觉得像在做什么？”榛尾粗鲁地回答道，“我们在狩猎，鼠脑子。”
“是啊，感谢你们把所有的猎物都吓跑了。”鼠须补充了一句，“像一群獾似的在灌木丛里乱跑！”
藤池跟姐妹失望地交换了一下眼神。“你们看见日神了吗？”她问道。
“没有。”这次回答的是梅花落，“你要找他吗？”
鸽翅冲藤池抖了抖胡须，暗自用动作提醒她，不要把她们偷听的事情暴露出来。她在姐妹的眼中也看到了同样的愤怒。他们本该是我们的族猫——可现在却对我们撒谎！“不，我们只是好一阵子没见到他了。”她回答道，“很好奇他是不是还在。”
鼠须耸耸肩：“我没听说他要离开。”
鸽翅和藤池只好后退一步，让族猫先过去。藤池真想过去提醒他们，如果他们打算假装成狩猎队，那么在回营地前，至少应该抓点儿什么回来吧。等他们走出了视线，鸽翅冲藤池摇摇尾巴，示意她安静，然后便警觉地站在那里不动了。藤池猜她肯定是释放出感知去搜索了。
过了一会儿，鸽翅摇了摇头。“我一点儿日神的踪迹都没追踪到，”她说道，“真是太奇怪了。他跟其他猫当时就在那里呀！”
“那我们要不要去找找看？”藤池提议道。
“不，我们现在不能轻举妄动，”鸽翅回答道，“我们得回去狩猎。”
藤池的皮毛因焦虑而感到刺痛，可她还是点了点头：“如果他们现在就去进攻怎么办？”
“他们不会那样做的。”鸽翅安慰她道，“四只猫还不足以进攻风族，他们会说服更多的族猫加入他们。”
“真不敢相信雷族猫会做这样的事情。”藤池说道，“鸽翅，你确信这是你亲耳听到的吗？我的意思是说，你的听力一直不太好，自从——”
“我的听力现在很好，”鸽翅生气地说道，“而且我也很清楚自己听到了什么。除了——”
“什么？”
“我没听到日神说太多的话。”鸽翅坦白道，“我当时以为他是把自己的想法灌输给雷族猫，但是，也有可能……也许只是武士们像平时那样吹吹牛而已吧。”
“也许吧，”藤池低下脑袋，钻进一簇低矮的榛树丛，“可我们也不能确定啊。”
“周围没有日神的气味，”鸽翅继续说道，“所以他应该是没来过这里。我真希望能知道他现在在哪里。”说完，她摇了摇头：“我们还是回到队伍中去吧。”
“那我们要不要告诉火星？”藤池忧心忡忡地问道，脚掌因恐惧而刺痛。
鸽翅想了想，然后摇了摇头。“在没有确定具体情况之前，我不想让族猫们陷入麻烦。不管怎么说，这都是日神的错。等着瞧吧，从现在开始，我会紧盯着他。”她坚定地补充道，然后便跳着离开了。
藤池跟在后面，依然感到忐忑不安。但即便是鸽翅自己都怀疑她听到的事情，藤池仍旧相信，姐妹的直觉向来都是很准确的。
要有大事发生了，而日神就是那个始作俑者。
藤池是被惊醒的。旁边鸽翅蜷缩着身子紧靠着她，巢穴的另一侧，鼹鼠爪轻轻地打着鼾，樱桃爪则抖动着尾巴，好像正在做梦。
真希望武士巢穴里没那么挤。藤池想，我们是武士，不应该在这里跟学徒挤在一起！
但现在不是想那些的时候。刚才睡着的时候，她突然有了个想法，她知道自己必须得马上去弄清楚。于是，她戳了戳鸽翅。
“醒醒。”她轻声对着姐妹的耳朵说道，“别出声，我们别把学徒吵醒了。”
鸽翅立刻警觉地坐直身子：“黑森林里发生什么事情了吗？”
藤池摇了摇头，很庆幸今晚的梦没把她带到那里去。“不是，是关于日神的。”她小声回答道，“我想我知道他今天去哪里了。”
来访猫直到天黑才回到营地，但大家谁也不知道他去了哪里。藤池曾听到尘毛嘟囔道：“走了才好呢。无论如何我都不会相信他。”
云尾甩了甩尾巴附和道：“那只猫无论走到哪里，都是个麻烦精。”
此刻，藤池离鸽翅的耳朵更近了一些，声音更小了：“跟我来，我们现在就走，不然就太晚了。”
两只母猫肩并肩溜出巢穴。云层在月亮旁边涌动，月光变得昏暗模糊。星族武士在天空闪烁着清冷的光芒。灰条正在站岗，她们等他转头看向另一边时，快速穿过营地，一头冲进了排便通道。很快，她们就再次来到通往山谷顶部的那条路上。
“带我去你听见日神说话的地方。”藤池说道。
她跟着鸽翅来到悬崖边上的一簇黑莓丛跟前。藤池张大嘴巴开始搜寻日神的气味，她的脑袋探进黑莓藤蔓，伏低身子，以便能看清黑莓丛里的情形。
“我认为日神不会藏在那下面，”鸽翅提出质疑，“他喜欢舒适的环境。”
“我不是在找舒适的藏身之所。”藤池回答，她很清楚自己在找什么。肯定就在这附近什么地方。
最后，她终于看到了那个想找的地方。她拨开一堆黑莓藤蔓，里面露出一个通往地下的黑洞，这让藤池既害怕又兴奋。
“日神去这下面了？”鸽翅怀疑地问道。
“这是个隧道，”藤池解释道，“山坡上到处都是。记得我们测评的时候，冰云也掉进去过吗？嗯……”鸽翅抖了抖耳朵，藤池有点儿犹豫地继续说道：“我跟梅花落也……掉下去过。我们在那下面走了很久。”
“你从来都没告诉我！”鸽翅生气地大喊道。
藤池耸耸肩，她不想吵架。“如果日神知道这些通道，”她说道，“那么他有可能已经下去了，现在说不定就在下面的什么地方。”
鸽翅爬到洞跟前使劲地嗅了嗅。“这里有日神的气味，”她说道，“虽然很微弱，但肯定是他的。”她顿了一下，又追问道：“我们现在要做什么？”
“跟着他。”藤池决定道。她也被自己的提议吓了一跳，可除此之外，她看不出还有什么其他选择。没有真凭实据，她们不能指控这只被半数族猫视为英雄的猫，说他跟风族密谋。
鸽翅瞪大了眼睛，不过她没有反对，只是冲姐妹微微点了一下头。“那你就带路吧。”她说道。
藤池挤进了隧道。这里太窄了，她的皮毛擦着两侧的岩壁，而外面透进来的光线，也被她俩的身体挡住了。她走进黑暗之中，心脏不禁怦怦直跳，可还是努力坚持往前走去。
“应该不会像上次掉进洞里那么糟糕吧？”过了一会儿，她轻声说道，像是在安慰鸽翅，又像是安慰自己，“用你的特殊感知，你应该能很容易辨别出我们现在的方位吧，就跟我们用眼睛看一样吧。”
“我不太确定，”鸽翅的声音在颤抖，“这里太陌生了，我有些晕头转向……给我点儿时间适应一下。”
让藤池感到宽慰的是，随着她们的深入，姐妹的恐惧渐渐消失了。不知过了多久，她终于感觉到隧道变宽了。两侧的岩壁碰不到身体了，陡峭的下坡也变得平坦。脚掌下不再是紧实的泥土，而是变成了坚硬的石头。她们每个细微的动作都在周围发出奇怪的回响。
“停一下，”鸽翅说道，“我觉得我现在可以感知一下。”
藤池停了下来。她只能听到她们的呼吸声和偶尔的滴水声，但她知道，在这个陌生的世界中，一切都会展现在鸽翅面前。
“声音！”沉寂了良久，鸽翅悄声说道，“我听见有声音。”
“在哪里？”藤池问道。
“让我在前面吧。”
隧道里的空间足以让鸽翅从姐妹身边钻过去，并带她往更深处走去。藤池看不见也听不着，只能循着姐妹的气味和脚步声跟在后面。隧道蜿蜒曲折，有时陡然向下，有时向上延伸，有时又像是回到了原来的路上。但鸽翅毫不犹豫地向前走着，走进藤池看不见的岔道，绕过水洼和成堆的碎石。
藤池能清晰地感觉到头顶上方大地和岩石的重量。族猫们就在上面熟睡，他们不知道，两位武士就在他们下方如此深的地方。她打了个寒战，赶紧将这些想法抛开。
集中精力，专心做我们应该做的事情。
“你做得很不错，”她鼓励鸽翅，“我们很快就能弄清楚是怎么回事了。”
终于，藤池感觉自己能听到前方的一些低语声。起初，她以为自己是幻听，但跟着鸽翅一步步靠近，那些声音变得越来越清晰。她感觉自己浑身的毛竖了起来，因为她甚至都能听清楚一些对话。
“风族！”她悄声说道，“还有日神！”
“嘘。”鸽翅的声音很轻，“如果你能听见他们，那他们也能听见我们。”她小心谨慎地在前面带路，直到这些声音变得更加清晰。
“我会带你们穿过隧道，”日神说道，“我能把你们带到雷族的营地。那些鼠脑子根本就不知道怎么回事。”
“叛徒！”藤池嘶吼着就要往前冲。
鸽翅拦住了她，用尾巴轻轻拍了一下姐妹的嘴：“闭嘴，仔细听着！”
“我们怎么知道该不该相信你？”藤池听出这是枭须的声音，“谁知道你有没有也让雷族来进攻我们？”
风族猫也不全是鼠脑子。藤池暗想。
“我当然说了，”日神轻蔑地说道，“要不然他们怎么会信任我？只不过不同的是，我要带领风族进入雷族领地。”
又一只风族猫在讲话，声音太小藤池听不太清楚。她往前一探身子，却感觉脚掌下一块石子滑落了下去，发出的咣当声仿若平地炸雷一样响。
藤池一愣，可已经迟了。
“什么声音？”枭须吼道，“谁在那里？有猫在偷听我们讲话？”
“快离开这里！”藤池附在鸽翅耳边悄声说道。
可鸽翅没有动。“我跟着声音找到这里，”她承认道，“可我不确定怎么出去。”
藤池听见日神和风族猫已经动了起来。“他们来找我们了！我们得赶快离开！”虽然嘴上这么说，但一想到在漆黑的隧道里乱跑乱撞，她就感到无比恐惧。我们能找到出去的路吗？
两只母猫还没开始挪动，这时，她们听见身后隧道里有脚步声走来，陌生猫的气味向藤池飘来。她本以为自己能分辨出来是谁，可她太害怕了，根本就无法好好思考。她只好亮出利爪，一想到会被两只敌猫夹击，她的心就慌得怦怦直跳。
陌生猫说话了：“跟我来，快！”
“不！”藤池嘶吼着收紧肌肉，准备扑上去，“你可能是跟他们一伙儿的。”
“我不是。”陌生猫说道。
“那就证明给我们看。”鸽翅挑衅道。
“我不需要。”陌生猫恼火地回答道，“看在星族的分上，我们快走吧。”
藤池震惊地瞪大眼睛，跟姐妹交换了个眼神。她看到鸽翅两眼放光：“星族？那你——”
“你们还想不想从这里出去？”陌生猫打断了她。
“想，当然想，”藤池赶紧回道，“但我们怎么知道你会不会把我们带到更深的地方？”
陌生猫气得嘶吼了一声。“因为我跟你们一样，也是雷族猫。”她回答道，黑暗的隧道里只能看到她更为幽暗的影子，“我的名字叫冬青叶。”
藤池感觉自己的嘴巴张得大大的：“冬青叶？但是你……你不是死了吗？”
“很显然，我没死。”陌生猫的声音变得凌厉起来，“我们没时间站在这里讨论古老的历史了，必须马上离开。”
风族猫的脚步声越来越近。他们已经发现藤池她们就在附近，加快了脚步。藤池能想象得出，他们张大嘴巴搜索着雷族猫的气味，并顺着隧道往这边来的样子。
“好，”鸽翅说道，“带我们走吧。”
冬青叶转身钻入一条狭窄的隧道。藤池和鸽翅跟着她。就在这时，第一批风族猫冲了过来。藤池听见飞驰的脚步声突然停住了，一阵杂乱的声音响起。
“他们去哪里了？”
“他们刚才还在，我确定他们在这儿。”
“狐狸屎！我们跟丢了！”
冬青叶没去管那些风族猫，继续朝隧道深处前进。藤池紧紧跟在她的身后，唯恐自己跟丢了。她知道，仅凭她和鸽翅是无论如何也找不到出口的。过了一会儿，冬青叶停了下来。在漆黑一片的隧道里，藤池差点儿一头撞上她。
“你可以信任我，这又不是第一次。”冬青叶说道，“我以前带你走出过这里，还记得吗？”
“噢！”藤池用力嗅了嗅，发现冬青叶的气味似曾相识，“那次是你吗？”
冬青叶没有作声继续往前走。很快，藤池发现隧道里透进来一束微弱的光，冬青叶脑袋和耳朵的轮廓被勾勒了出来。过了一会儿，她们来到山坡上布满乱石和蕨丛的一处浅洼地。藤池呼吸着夜晚清新的空气，嗅到了浓浓的雷族气息。她转向她们的救星，看到了一只绿眸犀利、身形苗条的黑色长腿母猫，说道：“谢谢你！”
“没有你，我们永远都走不出来。”鸽翅跟着她俩走出隧道，抖了抖皮毛，补充道。
冬青叶冲她微微点点头。“听着，”冬青叶说道，“我听到过去半个月以来，日神一直与风族猫密谋——”
“什么？”藤池打断了她，“那就是在他来雷族之前的时候！”
“他们打算从隧道里发起进攻。”冬青叶像是没听到藤池的话，继续说道。
“那我们得去提醒一下其他族猫。”鸽翅瞪大眼睛恐慌地说道，“快走，藤池！”
“等一下，”鸽翅刚要转身往营地跑去，冬青叶竖起尾巴拦住了她，“事情现在还没发生。日神想先争取更多雷族猫的支持。风族也知道，他正在赢取雷族的友谊，好在需要的时候背叛你们。”她喉咙里低吼了一声：“你们决不能让他再回到雷族！”
“我们说了不算，”藤池说道，“而且他确实从狐狸嘴里救下过我们的学徒。”
“他们不是日神救下的，”冬青叶轻蔑地嘶吼，“是我救的。”
藤池震惊得目瞪口呆了好一会儿。还没等她缓过神来，她看见鸽翅的耳朵竖了起来，很快，她就听到从营地的方向传来了声音。
“鸽翅！藤池！”
“老鼠屎！”她咕哝了一声，“他们在找我们。”
冬青叶绿色的眸子闪过慌张。“不要告诉任何猫说你们看见过我。”她恳求道。
“为什么不能说？”鸽翅问道，“你为什么不能回家来呢？你属于这儿！”
“你不明白的。”冬青叶低语道，她开始朝隧道入口走去，“我得走了！”
可还没等她重新冲入黑暗之中，一道月光冲破云层，将三只猫全部笼罩在一片银光之中。与此同时，狮焰出现在了浅洼旁边的岩石上，正站在那里俯视着她们。
“不！”狮焰的声音划破了夜空，“冬青叶，这次我不会再让你跑掉了。”
Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Dovewing stood motionless in the clearing while around her the cats split up into their patrols. Her mind was whirling.
No wonder Hollyleaf wasn’t part of the prophecy, she thought. She killed a cat!
Ivypool came over, her fur fluffed up with excitement and her blue eyes showing the same confusion that Dovewing felt. “I can’t believe this!” she murmured.
“Ivypool,” Dovewing mewed hesitantly, “have you ever seen Ashfur in the Dark Forest?” Her bel y clenched as she waited for her sister’s reply; she knew how defensive Ivypool could be if any cat questioned her about her visits to the Place of No Stars.
But Ivypool merely looked thoughtful. “I wouldn’t know him if I saw him,” she admitted. “But I don’t think I have. At least, no cat has ever pointed him out to me.”
“He was horrible to Squirrelflight before he died,” Dove-wing reflected. “But maybe he got to go to StarClan because he died so terribly.” Before she got the last words out she was aware of Brambleclaw looming over her, his amber eyes gleaming with annoyance.
“Stop gossiping,” he ordered. “Ivypool, I thought I told you to join Sandstorm’s border patrol.
Dovewing, you’re in a training session with me, but Firestar wants to see you first. You’l find him in his den.”
Ivypool scuttled off, and Dovewing turned toward the Highledge. Climbing the tumbled rocks, she wondered briefly why Firestar wanted her. The answer wasn’t difficult to guess. WindClan!
Dovewing reached the Highledge and approached the entrance to the den. “Firestar?” she cal ed, looking in.
Firestar was sitting in the shadows at the back of his den, on his nest of moss and bracken. His green eyes gleamed in the dim light. He beckoned Dovewing with his tail. “Come in.” When Dovewing was sitting beside him, Firestar went on. “I asked you to come because of your special senses,” he began. “I expect you can guess why.”
Dovewing dipped her head. “You want me to tel you what’s going on in WindClan.”
“That’s right,” Firestar meowed with a nod. “If you can.”
Pride surged through Dovewing as she sent out her senses and settled down to listen, tucking her forepaws under her chest. This isn’t sneaking around, she thought. I’m truly using my powers to protect my Clan. She let her senses range across the border stream and over the moor until they were focused on the WindClan camp. Onestar was standing in the middle of the shal ow scoop in the ground, with some of his senior warriors clustered around him.
“I can see their camp. Onestar is there with Crowfeather and Sedgewhisker,” she reported to Firestar. “Ashfoot just joined them. And there are a couple of cats I don’t know.”
“Is Onestar speaking?” Firestar asked. “Can you hear anything?”
Dovewing nodded, concentrating hard as the WindClan leader’s words faded in, as if he were approaching from a long distance.
“. . . trouble with ThunderClan,” Onestar meowed.
“Border patrols need to keep a special lookout. If you pick up their scent on our side of the stream, I want to know about it.”
“You wil , don’t worry,” Crowfeather growled, digging his claws into the earth.
Dovewing repeated what she could hear to Firestar, who twitched one ear in surprise.
“That’s almost word for word what I said to ThunderClan,” he murmured. “Has Onestar mentioned Sol at al ?”
Dovewing kept listening, but the WindClan leader had gone on to give Ashfoot instructions about hunting patrols.
“Not a word,” she replied to Firestar.
“Then either he doesn’t know what Sol is planning,” Firestar mewed, “or he’s being very careful about what he says. At any rate, it doesn’t sound as if the attack wil happen anytime soon. Can you see Sol?” he added.
Dovewing cast her senses out again, careful y searching the WindClan camp, then widening her focus to take in the whole of the WindClan territory as far as the horseplace. Sweeping back toward the ThunderClan border, she encountered one of the tunnel entrances and tried to penetrate the tunnels, but after a few fox-lengths the weight of stones and earth blocked her from continuing.
Returning to reality in Firestar’s den felt like coming back to the surface after sinking for a long time into dark water
“Not a trace,” she replied to Firestar’s question.
“He doesn’t seem to be in WindClan, unless he’s down one of the tunnels. My senses don’t work too wel underground.”
Firestar nodded thoughtful y, not speaking.
“I suppose it’s too much to hope that Sol has gone away?” Dovewing suggested after a moment.
“No, he’s stil here,” Firestar assured her. “He has a score to settle with the Clans—I just don’t know why.”
When Firestar dismissed her, Dovewing ran lightly down the tumbled rocks to find Bumblestripe waiting for her.
“Brambleclaw went ahead with the others,” the young warrior explained. “He asked me to wait for you and show you where we’re going to train.”
“Okay, thanks,” Dovewing mewed. It felt comfortable to head across the clearing beside Bumblestripe.
“What did Firestar want?” the gray tom asked.
“Are you in trouble?”
“No, it was just . . . stuff.” However much she liked Bumblestripe, she couldn’t tel him what Firestar had asked her to do. That would take a whole moon to explain!
“Firestar has never invited me into his den,” Bumblestripe continued, sounding slightly envious.
Dovewing shrugged. “It was no big deal.” Leading the way through the thorn tunnel, she realized that she wanted to push her special powers to the back of her mind when she was with Bumblestripe. She just wanted to be an ordinary cat.
It’s a nice change from when I was with Tigerheart!
Then I always had to be listening to make sure no other cats found us.
Brambleclaw had taken the rest of the group to a smal clearing on the ShadowClan side of the territory, not far from the dead tree. Hol y and elder bushes lined the rim of a shal ow dip, which was fil ed with long grass and ferns.
When Dovewing and Bumblestripe arrived, Brambleclaw was sitting at one side of the hol ow, watching Toadstep and Blossomfal as they stalked around each other. Without warning, Blossomfal darted in, skil ful y hooked Toadstep’s legs from under him, and delivered a blow to his hindquarters before leaping back out of range.
“Wel done,” Brambleclaw meowed. “You’ve got that move perfectly, Blossomfal .” Toadstep scrambled to his paws and shook scraps of fern out of his pelt. “She sure has!” Brambleclaw looked up as Dovewing and Bumblestripe padded down the slope to join the others. “Good, you made it. Now I’m going to show you a new move.”
“Great!” Blossomfal exclaimed, bounding over to Bumblestripe. “Come on,” she urged him, “let’s work on it together.”
Bumblestripe looked briefly embarrassed. “Er . . .
sorry, but I’m going to partner with Dovewing.” Blossomfal ’s ears shot straight up in surprise.
“Excuse me, but who’s your littermate?” she muttered. “You could show a little loyalty, you know.” Dovewing was slightly shocked at Blossomfal ’s hostility. Why is it such a big deal? “I don’t mind if you partner with Blossomfal ,” she told Bumblestripe.
“No, Blossomfal ’s being ridiculous,” Bumblestripe retorted. “Of course I’m not being disloyal if I partner with you.”
“Do you mind?” Brambleclaw rose to his paws and padded over to them, his strong shoulders thrusting the ferns aside. “Stop twittering like a lot of starlings and let’s get on with it.” Blossomfal spun around, stuck her tail in the air, and stalked across the clearing to Toadstep.
“I’l demonstrate the move first, and then you can try it yourselves,” Brambleclaw meowed. “Dovewing, you’re a WindClan cat. Come and attack me.” Instantly Dovewing let out a yowl and hurled herself at the Clan deputy. Brambleclaw reared up on his hindpaws, his forepaws stretched out with claws sheathed. As Dovewing tried to duck under his guard and claw his exposed bel y, he flipped backward, away from her. She lost her balance, and as she tried to recover Brambleclaw leaped on her and braced his forepaws on her bel y.
“Like that,” he purred, stepping back to let her get up.
Dovewing rol ed over and sprang up to see the Clan deputy watching her with a faint trace of pride in his amber eyes.
“That’s bril iant!” she panted. “Let’s try it.” First Brambleclaw made them practice the backflip until they could do it and land squarely on their paws. When he was satisfied and let them work with their partners, Dovewing was surprised at how strong and agile Bumblestripe was.
It’s been a long time since I trained with him, one on one like this. He’s so bulky, I’d expect him to be slow. . . .
As Bumblestripe flipped neatly away from her attack, Dovewing’s paws skidded out from under her. She flopped onto her side; while she was struggling to get up Bumblestripe sprang toward her and reached out with one forepaw to touch her gently.
“I win, I think,” he mewed, his eyes narrowed with amusement. “Paws belong on the ground, not in the air.”
Huh! Dovewing thought, stung. When Bumblestripe attacked her, she backflipped on the opposite side, catching him unawares. The gray tom missed his footing and landed hard among the ferns, his paws flailing.
“What was that about paws going on the ground?” Dove-wing teased as she pounced on him.
“Why don’t we watch each other?” Blossomfal suggested when al four cats had practiced the move several times. “We might pick up some helpful tips that way.”
Brambleclaw nodded. “Okay. You and Toadstep go first.”
Watching the other pair, Dovewing noticed how good Blossomfal was already, both in attacking and performing the new move. She had worked out how to stay balanced, and knocked her weight into Toadstep before he could recover from the backflip.
“Blossomfal , that’s real y great!” she told her Clanmate. “You’l have to be a bit faster, Toadstep.” Toadstep nodded. “I’m working on it.” When it was her turn to demonstrate with Bumblestripe, Dovewing felt that they had both done pretty wel . She was surprised to see Blossomfal looking at her with a disdainful expression.
“Bumblestripe was fine, but Dovewing, you need to do a lot more work,” she meowed. “Your paws were al over the place. And you seem to have forgotten that you even have a tail. It’s there for balance, you know.”
Dovewing muttered something noncommittal, embarrassment flooding over her until every hair on her pelt burned. “Blossomfal wouldn’t have said that if you hadn’t chosen me as your partner,” she whispered to Bumblestripe. Trying to set her own hurt aside, she added, “I’m sorry if I’ve made things difficult between you.”
Bumblestripe rested his tail comfortingly on Dovewing’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’s not you causing the problem,” he mewed, glaring across the clearing at his sister.
“I think that’s enough for one session,” Brambleclaw announced. “Back to camp, al of you, and take your pick of the fresh-kil pile. You’ve al worked hard.”
“You should walk with Blossomfal now,” Dovewing murmured as the group moved off. “Littermates are more important than friendship.”
Bumblestripe paused and gave her a long look. “I was kind of hoping that what we have is more than friendship,” he mewed at last.
Dovewing stared at him, not knowing what to say.
To her relief, Bumblestripe didn’t press her. He just ducked his head and trotted off, catching up with Blossomfal and touching his nose to her ear.
Dovewing padded on; a moment later Toadstep bounded up to join her.
“What’s going on between you and
Bumblestripe?” he asked with a little mrrow of amusement.
Dovewing felt her neck fur beginning to fluff up, and forced it to lie flat. “Bumblestripe is a great cat,” she replied calmly.
As she spoke, an image of Tigerheart popped into her head: the gleam of green eyes as he thrust his dark tabby head out of a clump of ferns.
Resolutely she pushed it away. That was different. I can’t think about him anymore, she decided.
Tigerheart can’t be part of my life . . . but Bumblestripe could be.
第十四章
第十四章
巢穴外面的动静惊醒了松鸦羽，他走到外面的空地上，感觉好几只族猫在巢穴外面转来转去。
“发生什么事了？”他匆忙走向灰条问道。灰条正站在荆棘通道附近，和火星在一起。
“樱桃爪醒来后，”灰色武士回答，“发现藤池和鸽翅不在窝里。她告诉了火星，所以我们现在一直在营地里找她俩。”
“没有她俩的踪迹。”沙风跑过来，焦急地汇报道。
“那我们得派些猫到外面去找。”雷族族长决定道，“自从一星威胁过我们后，我就不信任风族了。鸽翅和藤池说不定被抓了。”
“如果风族敢动我们的武士一爪子，那我们就扒了他们的皮。”灰条吼道。
松鸦羽不能帮着去寻找，所以只好回到巢穴，可他却一点儿也睡不着。相较于族群其他猫，他没那么担心鸽翅和藤池，因为他知道自己交代过她俩的事情。
但很奇怪，她俩没告诉我一声就在夜里一起消失了。他暗想道。突然，他想到了一点，这让他不由得浑身一颤。她们不会是以身犯险，亲自去调查风族威胁我们的事情去了吧？她俩以前就因为去风族营地惹上过麻烦。
他听到荆棘光在窝里翻来覆去的声音，还听到她痛苦地闷哼了一声。“你还好吗？”他急忙问道。
“我没事，”荆棘光回答道，“只是身子有点儿僵了。”
松鸦羽从窝里爬出来，走到她跟前。既然都已经醒了，那我就做些有用的事情吧。他暗自决定道。他坐在荆棘光身旁，开始按摩她那麻木的肌肉。
“谢谢你，松鸦羽，”荆棘光长叹了一口气，“感觉好多了。”过了一会儿，她又说道：“你觉得藤池和鸽翅会有事吗？”
“她们肯定会没事的。”松鸦羽压下内心的焦虑，回答道，“她们也许只是夜里出去狩个猎而已。”
很快，在松鸦羽的安抚和有节奏的按摩下，荆棘光又进入了梦乡。可松鸦羽自己却清醒得很。他站起身，弓背舒展了一下身子，然后再次往空地走去。
火星正坐在营地中央，黛西则在荆棘屏障那里走来走去。松鸦羽能够感觉到她的焦虑，就好像是她自己的孩子丢了似的。他感觉到鼠毛也出了巢穴，于是便穿过营地走到她身旁。“你应该待在窝里。”他说道，“我很肯定藤池和鸽翅没有事。”
“我在这儿待着挺好。”鼠毛反驳道，“高兴的话，我还可以坐在这里看星星。”
“当然了。”松鸦羽回答道，努力让自己的声音听上去更加温和。不知道她是不是在寻找长尾。
他往育婴室走去，听见里面传来了栗尾的低语声：“对，孩子们，好好吃，长得高高壮壮的。”
玳瑁色母猫的声音听上去还有些疲倦，但已没有了刚生完幼崽时的那种虚脱和无力。松鸦羽心满意足地想道：她恢复得很好，她的幼崽也会越来越壮实的。蕨毛和她已经给幼崽们取了名字：小百合和小种子。
她们都会越来越好的。一想到族群以后会有更多的幼崽，松鸦羽心里不禁一暖。他们代表着新的生命和希望，代表着信念，不管黑森林在密谋什么，族群都会勇往直前。荆棘丛里传来窸窣声，松鸦羽竖起耳朵。他闻到了白翅和桦落的气味，他俩的沮丧如浑水般朝他涌来。
“湖边根本就没有鸽翅和藤池的影子。”白翅向火星汇报道，声音里透着对女儿们的担忧。
不一会儿，狐跃和冰云也跟着族猫们过来了。“营地和风族之间的这片区域，也没发现她俩的踪迹。”狐跃大声说道。
“一开始我们还嗅到了她们的一点儿气味，”冰云补充道，“但后来气味消失了，我们就再也找不到了。”
松鸦羽此刻更加担心了，他朝火星走去。其他猫也都钻出巢穴来到空地上：云尾和亮心在窃窃私语；尘毛伸缩着爪子围着空地来回走着；香薇云从育婴室里探出脑袋听听动静，然后又缩了回去；叶池和松鼠飞也悄悄钻出武士巢穴，一起坐了下来；过了一会儿，炭心也跑了过来。
松鸦羽听到荆棘屏障那里又传来了响动。这次回来报告的是黑莓掌和沙风，可还没等他们开口，松鸦羽就知道他们也是无功而返。
“营地和影族之间的区域没发现她俩。”黑莓掌告诉火星。
“那就只剩狮焰和废弃的两脚兽巢穴那儿了。”火星说道，关切的声音里透着一丝沉重，“如果还没找到她俩——”
他一下子停住了，因为又有猫从通道里钻了出来，狮焰走在最前面。
“我找到她们了。”他说道。
听到哥哥的声音，松鸦羽心里一紧。狮焰听上去既不是高兴也不是欣慰，相反，他的声音听起来有些紧张。哪里不对劲。
“鸽翅和藤池没事吧？”他大声喊道。
“我们很好。”鸽翅从狮焰身后的荆棘丛里挤出来说道。
紧接着，藤池也出来了。白翅赶忙跑过空地去迎接她们。
“你们去哪儿了？”她紧紧挨着女儿，高兴之余又忍不住生气地责怪道，“我们都快急疯了！”
松鸦羽能感觉到两只年轻母猫的尴尬。
“有什么大不了的？”藤池嘟囔道，“我们只是出去散个步而已。”
火星起身走向她们。“你们都安然无恙，这才是最重要的。”他说道。接着，他又严肃地说道：“不过明天我们得谈一谈。任何时候，都要让族猫知道你们去了哪里，尤其是当我们受到邻族威胁的危急关头。”
“好的。”鸽翅小声回答道。
“我们错了。”藤池嘟哝道。
说完，两只母猫便朝巢穴走去。就在这时，狮焰又开口了。“等一下，”他的声音里仍有些紧张，“我找到的不止这些。”
松鸦羽听到入口处又是一阵窸窣，紧接着便是族猫们的惊呼声。他紧张地辨别着那个气味。这只新来的猫闻起来，比其他的猫多了些泥土、石头和蕨叶的气味，但又隐隐带着一股雷族猫的气息。
难道是……？
“冬青叶！”炭心倒吸了一口气，接着便是一阵脚步声，她从松鸦羽身边快速冲了过去，“你还活着！”
松鸦羽仿佛感觉脚掌下的地面摇晃了起来，以至于他站都站不稳了。她回来了！之前他跟狮焰在隧道里没发现姐姐的尸体，曾怀疑过她可能没死。可她现在真的回来了，却还是让他震惊不已。他站在那里，而其他猫则将冬青叶围了起来，寂静的夜空中响起了大家的各种疑问和议论声。
“真的是冬青叶！”
“这么长时间你都在哪里啊？”
“你怎么活下来的？”
一时间，冬青叶根本就插不进话。最后，她终于可以开口说话了。她的声音低沉而嘶哑，就好像她很不习惯讲话了似的。
“我一直生活在地下，”她说道，“我在领地之外的山那边的树林里狩猎。”
“可是隧道都坍塌了呀！”罂粟霜问道。
“我头顶上方的隧道没有塌。”冬青叶回答道，“后来我找到了一条出口。”
松鸦羽感觉她的声音听起来又累又烦，好像不愿意站在山谷中央回答族猫们的各种问题。
“怎么样？”狮焰凑到松鸦羽耳边说道，“看来我们猜对了。”
“上次是冬青叶赶走狐狸的吗？”松鸦羽问道。
“好像是。”哥哥回答道，“她今晚在隧道里发现了鸽翅和藤池，然后就把她们带出来了。”
所以她们不仅仅是散步那么简单。松鸦羽想道，只是我怎么一点儿也不意外呢？
等以后再找时间问问那姐妹俩这事。“冬青叶如果不想回族群，本来可以走得更远一些。她肯定早就料到我们早晚会发现她的。”他分析道。
狮焰叹了一口气：“或许这正是她所期望的。又或许她厌倦了独自的生活。”
“她这样做是在冒险。”松鸦羽抖了抖胡须，“万一蜡毛死因的真相被发现怎么办？”
“这个险值得一冒。”狮焰的声音里充满了同情。
松鸦羽意识到，自己并没有像哥哥那样，做好了欢迎冬青叶回来的准备。族群似乎把她当成了回归的英雄，可他却无法认同这一点。一直以来他都怀疑——身上的每根毛也都希望着——姐姐还活着。他也期待着她能回来，因为他很想念她。可现在，冬青叶真的回来了，他却满脑子都在想着以后复杂的形势。
“她把叶池和鸦羽的事情告诉了所有族群。”他提醒狮焰，“正是因为她，族猫们才知道我们只有一半的雷族血统，知道松鼠飞谎称是我们的母亲。”
“那不是冬青叶的错。”狮焰指出道。
“可她没有留下来善后，不是吗？”松鸦羽嘶吼道，“其他族群会怎么对她？她惹了那么多麻烦，是不可能逃避的。猫儿们的记性都很好。”他顿了一下，接着又补充道：“你觉得接下来会怎么样？她会留下来吗？”
“我也不知道。”狮焰说道，“我想得让她自己决定吧。”
空地中央的猫群中一阵骚动，叶池挤到了冬青叶身旁。“啊，我的宝贝女儿，你终于回来了！”她的声音颤抖着，“对于发生的那一切，我非常非常抱歉。那都不是你的错，一个也不是。”
松鸦羽能够感觉到周围的空气骤然一紧，冬青叶躲开了叶池。她并没有像大多数族猫期待的那样，对重逢充满了喜悦。对此，松鸦羽毫不意外。
他感觉又有一只猫从他身边擦身而过，直奔武士巢穴。是黑莓掌。很显然，他想避开这场欢聚。松鼠飞也跟他说了谎，让他以为那三只猫都是他的孩子。他会不会也有点儿想像欢迎女儿那样，欢迎冬青叶回家呢？
松鼠飞挤过猫群，站到冬青叶身旁。“很高兴你还活着，”她说道，声音听上去很平稳，“你看上去状态不错！”
“谢谢，我……”冬青叶似乎不知道该怎么回答。
“就先到这儿吧。”火星插话道，“我们都该回巢穴里去了。冬青叶，鼹鼠爪和樱桃爪会为你准备个窝。”
“谢谢。”冬青叶一再道谢，接着她又困惑地继续说道，“山谷……有些地方看起来不太一样了。”
“有棵树倒在了山谷里！”鼹鼠爪兴奋地喊道，“跟我们来，我们会把一切都原原本本地告诉你……”
猫儿们散去了，他们的脚步声和惊讶的议论声也终于归于平静。火星走到松鸦羽和狮焰身旁。“你们也去休息吧，”他命令道，“明天你们有的是时间陪你们的姐姐。”
我也不敢肯定我能面对那种情形，松鸦羽暗想道，我都不知道跟她说些什么。
还没等他回巢穴，藤池和鸽翅走了过来。她们的不安非常明显，就好像是在高石台上将它吼出来了一样。
“火星，我们有些紧急情况要汇报。”鸽翅先开口说道，“我们发现冬青叶，或者应该说她发现我们时——我们听到日神和几只风族猫正在密谋攻打雷族！”
“我就知道我们不能相信日神！”松鸦羽嘶吼道，“他现在在哪里？”
“没在这儿。”火星语气凝重地说道。
松鸦羽哼了一声：“毫不意外！”
“火星，我们要攻打风族吗？”藤池问道。
“这不是个好主意。”火星回答道，松鸦羽感觉他更加焦虑了，“一星已经开始在找我们的碴儿了，所以我们只需等他先有所动作。不过我们会做好准备。”他又补充道：“我会加派更多的巡逻队，每只猫都必须做好随时迎战的准备。”
松鸦羽听见狮焰将爪子插进土里。“没那么简单，”他说道，“风族会像以前一样，从隧道里发起进攻。雷族猫没有隧道作战经验，这就意味着我们必须得等进攻者进入我们领地的腹地才行。”
“我们在森林里占优势。”火星提醒他，“不管危险是什么，我们都会迎战。”
这天夜晚余下的时间里，松鸦羽睡得很不安稳，一直在窝里辗转反侧。一个个他不认识的地方划破黑暗倏然闪过：一片石坡，一棵盘根错节的橡树旁的池塘，一条星光闪闪的宽阔河流。一只猫穿过黑莓屏风的声音，让他一下子清醒了过来。他认出那是冬青叶的气味，随着清晨潮湿的微风飘过来。
“嘿，”荆棘光大大方方地跟她打了个招呼，“我是荆棘光，松鸦羽的助理。我去帮你叫醒他。”
松鸦羽听见荆棘光拖着身子，从窝里爬出来，紧接着便传来冬青叶的惊呼声：“啊，你不能——”
“走路吗？”荆棘光替她把话说完，“确实不能。不过那不代表我没用处。”
“不……不，我不是那个意思。”冬青叶说道。
松鸦羽起身走到巢穴中央。可等他面朝姐姐站定时，却感到有些口干舌燥，不知道该跟姐姐说些什么才好。
“我回来了。”沉默良久，冬青叶终于说道。
“是啊。”松鸦羽憋出来两个字。
“我们能出去走走吗？”冬青叶提议道，“也叫上狮焰？我有……有很多话要跟你们说。”
天空乌云密布，松鸦羽、狮焰和冬青叶走进森林深处。空气中夹杂着雨水的气息，冷风吹打着他们的脸。可让松鸦羽心烦意乱的并不只是风。他们三个谁都没有说话，径直钻出树林，来到通往湖边的草坡，在一片接骨木丛下坐了下来。然后，冬青叶深吸了一口气。
“谢谢你们。”她说道，“我猜你们没告诉火星关于……关于我做的那些事。”
“说出来也没有意义。”狮焰回答道，“让大家以为是泼皮猫杀了蜡毛，反而更简单些。”
松鸦羽虽然并不完全认同，但也没说什么，只是让脸继续面向下方拍打着岸边的阵阵涟漪。
“那没有谁觉得奇怪吗？”冬青叶问道，“我是说，那个时间点？”
“我想大家才没空去想这个。”松鸦羽咕哝道，“你应该记得，当时还发生了很多其他的事情。”
“是啊，当然。”冬青叶嗫嚅道，“那现在呢？你们会告诉火星真相吗？”
“为什么要告诉他？”狮焰脱口说道。松鸦羽能想象哥哥金色颈毛竖起来的样子。
“因为我逃跑了。”冬青叶指出。
“但你那不是真正的逃跑，”狮焰说道，“你是自我放逐离开了族群而已。那已经是很重的惩罚了。”
哥哥的话激起了松鸦羽心中的痛楚，就像叶子边缘溢下的雨水一样涌了出来。“不！”他嘶吼道，“你让我们以为你死了！你怎么可以那样做？”
一时间，冬青叶没有作声。“我别无选择。”她最后喃喃道，“没有我，你们会更好。”
“那不是你能决定的。”松鸦羽告诉她，“而且你错了。你是我们的手足，不管你做了什么，都不会改变这一点。”
冬青叶叹了一口气：“可预言里没有我，不是吗？那是否意味着，是我破坏了一切呢？那样的话，预言是不是就无法实现了呢？”
松鸦羽感觉狮焰目光灼灼地看着自己。他深吸了一口气，说道：“我们找到第三只猫了。你昨晚见过她，她叫鸽翅，是白翅的女儿。”
冬青叶舒了一口气：“哦……或许我昨晚在隧道里遇见她，并不是偶然。她……她有什么本领？”
“她的感知能力很敏锐。”狮焰解释道，“我是说，异常敏锐。她能探知其他领地里正在发生的事情……甚至还能更远。几个季节之前，湖里的水干涸了，是她发现有种叫河狸的动物在上游建了个堤坝。”
冬青叶小声说了些什么像是表示惊讶。可松鸦羽却从中捕捉到了一丝痛苦和嫉妒……不是那种恶毒刻薄让她和鸽翅反目成仇的嫉妒，而是一种被同窝手足排除在外的深深的遗憾。
如果冬青叶也是预言的一部分，松鸦羽想道，她一定会尽职尽责……说不定还能阻止她不去做以前的那些事情。
松鸦羽想起上次预言中的那些话：三力量会变成四力量……尽管冬青叶不在最初的预言中，但她会不会就是第四只猫呢？感觉到姐姐此时心神不定，他决定还是什么都不说的好。我会先跟狮焰商量一下再说。
“你会留下来吗？”狮焰问冬青叶。
“应该会吧。”她回答道，“至少，会待一段时间。毕竟，你们现在遇上了日神这个大麻烦。如果……如果我能帮上忙，我一定会尽力。”
“冬青叶回来真是太好了，不是吗？”松鸦羽挤开黑莓屏风钻进巢穴的时候，荆棘光咕哝道，“她为什么离开了那么久？”
“也许你应该去问问她。”松鸦羽嘟囔着，“另外，你可以挑些紫草叶子，给栗尾拿去催奶。”
“好的。”荆棘光听上去并没有不高兴，只是不明白松鸦羽为什么不想回答她的问题。
“忙完那些，就去做你的那些练习吧。”松鸦羽继续说道，“我现在要离开，明天才能回来。我要去月亮池。”
直到这话说出口，松鸦羽才意识到自己做的决定。他跟黑莓掌简单交代了一下去处，然后便离开了营地。他感觉终于卸下了肩上的重担，能独自思考的感觉真好。他对黑森林的那些恐惧已经消退，眼下，日神才是族群最大的威胁。
冬青叶回来了，一切都会发生改变。
松鸦羽悄然穿过月亮池周围的灌木丛，然后沿蜿蜒的小路往下走。空气变得越来越清冷，尽管看不见，他却知道夜幕已经降临了。他的脚掌非常轻松地落在远古猫们留下的脚印上，心头不禁涌起一阵悲伤。
半月……
松鸦羽努力不去想心中深爱但却去世很久的那只猫。他蹲伏在水边，用鼻子碰了碰池水表面。
过了一小会儿，瀑布飞溅的声音渐渐消失了，松鸦羽睡着了。紧接着，在阳光照耀下，他睁开眼睛，起身发现自己来到了星族领地的空地上。这里的青草长势茂盛，周围的参天大树上满是盈润的绿叶。他意识到黄牙并没有在这里等他，于是舒了一口气。
只是其他想见的猫也一只都没看到，于是他随便选了个方向出发了。走进树林，穿过林间空地，然后跃过小溪，松鸦羽一路上竖起耳朵，不时地左右打量着两侧。这里空气清新，到处都弥漫着猎物的气息，和煦的微风拂动起他的皮毛。只是他眼下有紧急任务，不可能停下来狩猎或是在这里沐浴阳光。
松鸦羽一边不时搜寻，一边从一些猫身边经过：有些身形又老又模糊，透过身体轮廓能看见他们身后的树木。而另一些则在绿色蕨叶的映衬下，显得年轻又明亮。他们没有注意到松鸦羽，或者即便看到，他们也不认识他。
接着，松鸦羽看到了他要找的那只猫。那只猫就站在树林那边不远处：是一只身强力壮的深灰色武士，正抖动着尾巴，捕捉猎物的气味。
蜡毛。
松鸦羽借着树下阴影的掩护，悄悄靠近他。这时，蓝星从他头顶上方的树枝上跳下来，站在他面前，把他吓了一跳。
“我觉得这可不是个好主意。”前雷族族长说道。
“我只是想跟他说说话。”松鸦羽辩解道。
“为什么？”蓝星问道。
“冬青叶回来了。”松鸦羽一边回答，一边伸长脖子看看蜡毛是否还在那里。
“我……我想知道蜡毛会不会在意。”蓝星没有作声，松鸦羽继续说道，“我是说，既然他在这儿，那星族肯定相信他是只好猫，那也就意味着他不应该是当初的那个死法。”
蓝星还是站在他面前，挡着他的去路，蓝色眸子认真打量着他。“可是你选择隐藏了冬青叶的秘密，不是吗？”她追问道，“你大可以在此之前，将真相告诉火星或是其他猫。”
“不，我不能那样做！她是我的姐姐！”松鸦羽抗议道。
蓝星将尾巴落在他肩上，将他带离深灰色的武士。“跟蜡毛谈，你什么也了解不到。”她说道，“他知道是谁杀死了他，也知道为什么。或许这一切都是他咎由自取，又或者不是。星族没法评判他。”松鸦羽刚要开口争辩，蓝星又严肃地补充道：“既然他自己找到了来这里的路，那他就应该在这里。我们都必须相信这一点。”
松鸦羽叹了口气，摇头说道：“我不明白……”
“总有些事情是难以理解的。”蓝星同情地说道，“我们怎么能说冬青叶应该在星族而蜡毛不该呢？反之亦然。这里的情况有所不同，有些猫甚至都忘了他们不愿记起的某些生命历程。”
“可……我不知道冬青叶是否应该回到雷族。”松鸦羽说道。
“那也不该由你来决定。”蓝星抖了抖尾尖，“冬青叶的良心会回答这个问题。蜡毛为自己犯下的错误付出了高昂的代价——所以，冬青叶也一样。或许正义已然得到了伸张吧。”
Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Jayfeather pushed through the thorns into the camp just after sunhigh. The chil dawn wind had dropped as he journeyed back from the Moonpool, and warm light bathed the clearing. The stone hol ow was deserted, and Jayfeather realized that al the warriors and apprentices would be out on patrol. He was heading for his den when he heard Mousefur’s voice.
“Jayfeather! Come here a moment.”
Jayfeather padded across and found the elder crouching alone outside her den. “Where’s Purdy?” he asked.
“Hol yleaf took him for a walk in the forest,” Mousefur replied. “I didn’t want to go. My legs are aching too much.”
“We can sort that out,” Jayfeather assured her. “I’l go and fetch you some daisy leaves.”
“I didn’t cal you over for that,” Mousefur snapped at him. “It’s about Hol yleaf.”
Jayfeather stood frozen with shock as Mousefur described the scene that had taken place in camp that morning. “Then Brambleclaw told every cat that he’d seen what happened,” she meowed. “That Ashfur attacked Hol yleaf and then fel into the stream by accident. I was sitting right here and I heard everything.”
She paused and Jayfeather could feel her gaze burning into his pelt. His mind was whirling. What does it all mean? What’s going to happen, now that every cat thinks they know the truth? What happens if the real truth comes out?
“You knew this al along, didn’t you?” the old cat asked shrewdly.
Jayfeather nodded.
“But you said nothing?”
“What was the point? Hol yleaf had gone, and the situation was more complicated than it looked because of Ashfur’s threats. He threatened me, too, you know.”
Mousefur sniffed. “So it suited you to have him dead.”
“It suited the whole Clan,” Jayfeather retorted, refusing to be disconcerted by the elder’s plain speaking. “Ashfur was determined to cause trouble for every cat.”
“I won’t say that no harm was done,” Mousefur grunted, “because harm has been done. To Ashfur, to Hol yleaf, to Brambleclaw, to you. And now the Clan has to carry on as normal, is that what you want?”
Jayfeather licked one paw and drew it over his ear, giving himself time to figure out a reply. “I think there are bigger things to worry about right now than the death of one cat many moons ago.” Mousefur snorted, then lapsed into silence.
Jayfeather was getting ready to leave when she spoke again. “Darkness is coming, isn’t it?” Jayfeather felt every hair on his pelt begin to rise.
“What do you know?” he asked hoarsely. Could Mousefur be the fourth cat in the prophecy? An elder?
“I don’t know anything that could help us,” Mousefur admitted. Her voice was bleak. “But my dreams have been troubled for a long time.” She let out a weary sigh. “I never thought that I would live to see the end of the Clans.”
Jayfeather leaned close to her. “This wil not be the end of the Clans,” he meowed. “As long as I have breath in my body, the Clans wil be safe.” He waited beside Mousefur until the old cat drifted into sleep, muttering and twitching. She’s so old, he thought. Does she really know what she is saying?
As he rose and headed for his own den, Jayfeather’s fur prickled at the truth of what Mousefur had said about keeping quiet about Hol yleaf and Ashfur.
But the Clan must move forward, he told himself.
There’s no time to waste looking back at what can’t be changed.
Before he reached his den, Jayfeather heard the sounds of cats brushing through the thorn barrier, and he heard Purdy’s voice.
“There was this fox, see, took to wanderin’ through my Upwalker’s garden. Wel , I wasn’t havin’ any of that, so what do you think I did?”
“I have no idea, Purdy,” Hol yleaf replied, sounding distracted. “Hey, watch out for that bramble!”
“I can see it,” Purdy muttered. “I’m not a young ’un like you, but I’ve got eyes. Anyway,” he went on, “I hid under this hol y bush, see, right next to my Upwalker’s fence, an’—”
He broke off as Jayfeather approached. “Hol yleaf, I need to talk to you.”
“We were talkin’,” Purdy retorted with dignity, before Hol yleaf could reply. “Don’t they raise young cats with manners anymore?” He gave a disgusted sniff. “I’l be in my den when you’ve finished, Hol yleaf, an’ I’l tel you the rest of the story.” Jayfeather heard him stalking away. “Come over here,” he meowed to Hol yleaf. With his sister fol owing him, he padded over to the bottom of the cliff and sat in a sheltered spot underneath an elder bush.
“You know, don’t you?” Hol yleaf guessed as she settled down beside him. “What happened this morning?”
“Mousefur told me,” Jayfeather replied. He hesitated for a moment and then went on, “Hol yleaf, do you understand what Brambleclaw has done for you?”
Jayfeather knew what it must have cost the Clan deputy to speak out as he had. It was hard for him to appreciate what it meant, how much Brambleclaw—
and Squirrelflight, too, he admitted to himself—had loved him and his littermates. And maybe they love us still. He felt as uncomfortable as if ants were making their nest in his pelt.
“They al know now,” Hol yleaf murmured, her voice stricken. “They know I kil ed a cat.” Jayfeather reached out and rested his paw on her shoulder. “It was an accident, remember.” He could feel Hol yleaf’s gaze on him, scorching him like a flame. “But it wasn’t,” she whispered.
Jayfeather heard Mousefur’s words echoing in his ears, tel ing him how much harm had been done as a result of that single moment. He shook his head as if he could get rid of her voice like a buzzing insect.
“Enough,” he insisted. “We have to live with what has happened. I’m glad you came back. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” Hol yleaf murmured. Jayfeather felt the light touch of her nose on his ear, only for a moment. “I just hope I’ve done the right thing by coming back. Perhaps it would have been better if you’d al forgotten about me.”
“We would never have done that,” Jayfeather told her, leaning closer to her and drinking in her scent.
“Never.”
In the silence that fol owed, Jayfeather could hear the breeze rustling in the trees overhead, and farther away the sound of cats approaching the camp. As they drew closer, he heard the excited voices of the apprentices.
“I caught two mice!”
“And I caught a squirrel! It’s huge!” The hunting patrol emerged from the thorns, Cherrypaw and Molepaw scampering ahead.
Lionblaze and Cinderheart fol owed, with Rosepetal and Foxleap bringing up the rear.
“Hey, take it easy,” Cinderheart warned the apprentices. “You’l make every cat think that badgers are invading.” Her tone was gently teasing.
“But you’ve hunted very wel today,” she went on.
“Molepaw, why don’t you take your mice to Mousefur and Purdy? They’re so nice and plump I’m sure they’l tempt their appetites.”
Jayfeather heard Molepaw scurrying off, while Cherrypaw dragged her squirrel to the fresh-kil pile.
Cinderheart is a natural mentor, he thought, even though these aren’t her apprentices. And she couldn’t be a more loyal warrior to ThunderClan.
StarClan made the right decision when they let her live a second life.
Grief sharp as thorns suddenly pierced Jayfeather, as if he had stumbled into a bramble thicket.
Tensing, he realized that it came from Lionblaze.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“You wouldn’t understand,” Lionblaze snapped.
“Al you ever think about is this dumb prophecy.” Jayfeather bit back a sharp reply as he realized that his brother’s grief was tangled with longing for Cinderheart. “Try me,” he suggested.
For a few heartbeats Lionblaze was silent. “I know Cinderheart wants to be with me,” he meowed grudgingly at last. “But she thinks she can’t, because I have a destiny. She thinks I’m too important!” He spat out the last word and stalked away before Jayfeather could reply.
Anger surged up inside Jayfeather, and for a moment he wanted to yowl his pain to the sky. Half Moon . . . No cat in ThunderClan knew of his love for the long-ago cat, lost to him now through the passing of so many seasons. He would have given anything to have her beside him again. Remembering her now helped him to understand his brother’s hurt and frustration.
“She thinks he’s the only cat who’s important?” he muttered to himself. “Maybe it’s time some cat showed her just how wrong she is.” That night Jayfeather curled up in his nest and took a deep breath before letting himself sink into sleep. He knew exactly where he wanted to go.
Somehow we have to settle this, once and for all.
Not for Lionblaze, or even the Clan, but for Cinderheart. I have to show her what a great cat she is.
His eyes opened in a sun-fil ed forest, where thick foliage rustled above his head and the undergrowth was fil ed with the murmurings of prey. Jayfeather padded through the ferns, enjoying the cool grass beneath his pads and the warmth of sunbeams that struck down through the canopy. Al his senses were alert as he searched for one particular cat.
Soon he heard a rush of paws, a pounce, and a hiss of disappointment. “Mouse dung! I missed it!” Heading in the direction of the voice, Jayfeather bounded around a tree stump and burst into a sun-dappled clearing. Cinderheart was standing at the foot of a tree, looking up with a disgusted expression on her face. On a branch above her head a squirrel was chattering crossly.
“Bad luck,” Jayfeather meowed.
Cinderheart started. “Wow! Jayfeather—I didn’t expect to see you here.” A fearful look flickered in her eyes. “I am stil dreaming, right? I’m not in StarClan?”
“Don’t worry,” Jayfeather reassured her. “This isn’t StarClan. Everything’s fine, and yes, you are dreaming. There’s something I need to tel you.” Cinderheart faced him warily. “What is it?” For a moment Jayfeather stood in silence, not sure where to begin. Get on with it! he told himself.
You started this, so you’d better finish it. “It wil be easier if I show you,” he mewed aloud. “Come with me.”
He set off with Cinderheart padding at his shoulder. Jayfeather pictured in his head the old ThunderClan camp, with the former cats leading their busy everyday lives. Gradual y as they passed through the trees the old forest took shape around them. A stream appeared, splashing beneath arching fronds of bracken, and a jay swooped out of the branches of an oak tree. Jayfeather heard a gasp from Cinderheart as she realized that she had somehow left the territory of her dream and was on unfamiliar ground.
A patrol flashed through the undergrowth a couple of fox-lengths away; Jayfeather recognized younger versions of Firestar, Graystripe, and Sandstorm.
Turning to fol ow, he saw them halt at the foot of a tree where a young gray she-cat was gathering celandine.
“Picking flowers again?” Sandstorm teased.
The young she-cat flicked her tail. “Flowers and leaves,” she replied, unruffled, though her blue eyes were sparkling with amusement. “Do you have a problem with that, Sandstorm? Because if you do, you’d better take it up with Yel owfang.” Sandstorm took a pace back, shaking her head.
“Anything but that!” she yelped in mock alarm.
“Yeah, she doesn’t want to get her ears clawed,” Graystripe meowed.
“Why don’t we keep on hunting?” Firestar suggested. “Maybe we’l catch something good and fat for Yel owfang to put her in a good mood for once.
You’re doing a great job,” he added to the gray she-cat as he led the patrol away.
“Make it a squirrel!” the she-cat cal ed after them.
“That’s Yel owfang’s favorite at the moment!” Jayfeather was aware of Cinderheart standing beside him, her pelt bristling as she stared in astonishment. “That . . . that’s me,” she stammered.
“I mean, it’s not, but it looks just like me.”
“No, it’s not you,” Jayfeather responded. “At least, not then.”
Cinderheart shot him a baffled look, but said no more.
When she had col ected enough celandine, Cinderpelt picked up the bundle in her jaws and headed off, limping heavily. Jayfeather and Cinderheart fol owed. The medicine cat apprentice wove her way confidently through the undergrowth until she came to the head of the ravine that led down to the camp.
“Does she know we’re fol owing her?” Cinderheart whispered
Jayfeather shook his head. “She can’t see us. We aren’t real y here.”
Cinderpelt padded down the ravine and vanished into the gorse tunnel. Jayfeather and Cinderheart fol owed and soon they emerged into the old ThunderClan camp. Jayfeather’s gaze swept the clearing, taking in the dens, the fresh-kil pile, and the Highrock where the Clan leader’s den was. Not Firestar, Jayfeather reminded himself. He’s not Clan leader yet.
“This is so weird . . .” Cinderheart murmured.
They padded behind Cinderpelt as she carried her bundle of herbs through the ferns and into the medicine cat’s den. Yel owfang sat in the smal er clearing, looking just as scrawny and ungroomed as she did whenever Jayfeather met her in StarClan.
“That’s a good bundle,” Yel owfang praised her apprentice gruffly, trudging over to sniff the celandine. “Some of the leaves are a bit wilted, though.”
“They’l be fine if we use those first,” Cinderpelt pointed out.
Yel owfang snorted. “Al right. Put them away and then come over here.”
While Cinderpelt stowed the celandine in a cleft in the rock at the back of the den, Yel owfang padded over to a clump of ferns a couple of tail-lengths away.
For the first time Jayfeather saw that a large white tom was sitting among the ferns, his fur rumpled and a look of pain in his eyes.
“Whitestorm had an argument with a bramble thicket,” Yel owfang rasped as Cinderpelt returned.
“He has a thorn in his paw. What do you think we should do for him?”
“Advise him to stay away from brambles,” Cinderpelt meowed, provoking a snort of amusement from the white tom. “But for now, we need to get the thorn out, tel him to give the paw a good lick, and rub it with marigold to make sure it doesn’t get infected.”
“Quite right.” Yel owfang gave a nod of satisfaction.
“I have a good mentor!” Cinderpelt responded, warmth in her blue eyes.
Yel owfang gave her an affectionate nudge, but al she said was, “Better get on with it, then.”
“Whoever she is, she’s a great medicine cat,” Cinderheart commented, as Cinderpelt bent her head over Whitestorm’s paw and swiftly extracted the thorn with her teeth.
“Yes, she was,” Jayfeather agreed.
“Did you know her?” Cinderheart asked curiously, her gaze stil fixed on the gray cat.
“Not then. This was before ThunderClan came to the lake.”
Cinderheart turned to gaze at him, her eyes as big as moons. “So this is ThunderClan in the past? Is that why Firestar and the others look so much younger? But how . . . why . . . ?”
“You don’t need to worry about that,” Jayfeather reassured her. “Just keep watching. That medicine cat apprentice is cal ed Cinderpelt.” He felt a pulse of shock run through Cinderheart as she heard the name that was so like her own, but she didn’t interrupt him. “She wanted to be a warrior just like you,” he continued, “but she was injured before she finished her training. Did you notice that she limps?
Her leg wil never heal properly. She knew she would never be able to keep up with patrols, so she became a medicine cat instead. She taught Leafpool, you know.”
“Wow . . .” Cinderheart breathed. “I’ve heard about her. Didn’t she die saving my mother?”
“Her death meant more than that,” Jayfeather replied, though he didn’t explain any further. She’ll find out soon enough.
While they were speaking, white mist drifted out of the ferns, wreathing around them until it blotted out the medicine cats’ den.
“What’s happening?” Cinderheart whimpered.
“It’s okay,” Jayfeather repeated. “Just wait.” After a few heartbeats the mist cleared. The two cats were standing on a hil side, where rough moorland grass swept upward to huge peaks of gray stone. A long line of cats was trekking across it, their fur buffeted by the wind. Cats from al four Clans—
long-legged WindClan, broad-shouldered ThunderClan, sleek-furred RiverClan, and lean ShadowClan—walked side by side, talking quietly.
“It’s the Great Journey!” Cinderheart exclaimed.
“They’re heading for the mountains. Jayfeather, why are you showing me this?”
“You’l find out,” Jayfeather promised. “Look, there’s Cinderpelt again. She’s the only medicine cat in ThunderClan now.”
Padding closer, Jayfeather saw that Mousefur—a younger, stronger Mousefur, before she retired to the elders’ den—was talking to Cinderpelt.
“My paws hurt,” she was complaining. “It’s walking over al these sharp stones that does it. It’s not natural for cats.”
“I’m sure we’l rest soon,” Cinderpelt replied sympathetical y. “When we do, I’l bring you some dock leaves to rub on your pads. You’l find that helps a lot.”
Mousefur gave her a brusque nod and limped on.
Heartbeats later, a mottled brown kit bounced up to Cinderpelt and announced, “I’ve got burrs in my fur!” That must be Applefur, Jayfeather thought, recognizing a tiny version of the ShadowClan warrior.
“Oh, it’s Applekit!” Cinderpelt yelped with mock astonishment. “I thought for a heartbeat there was a giant burr chasing me. Never mind. When we stop, I’l help you untangle them. Until then, watch where you’re putting your paws.”
“Thank you!” Applekit charged off toward her littermates.
Not watching out at all, Jayfeather thought, unsurprised.
Cinderpelt watched the kit go, her head tilted and amusement glimmering in her blue eyes, then returned to the weary toil up the slope. As the cats drew closer to the cliff face, a few snowflakes began to drift down. A wind rose, and soon they were struggling through a blizzard. Jayfeather lost sight of the other cats, and could barely make out Cinderheart fighting her way forward against the wind.
“Over here!” Jayfeather recognized Firestar’s voice. “Every cat shelter under the cliff!” Together Jayfeather and Cinderheart huddled together in the lee of the gray rocks, at the edge of their Clanmates. The whole world seemed to be ful of whirling white flakes. Even the sound of the other cats was lost in the whining of the wind.
Suddenly everything was quiet. The fal ing snow died away and seemed to melt into the earth.
Abruptly the air grew warmer. Jayfeather looked around and realized that he and Cinderheart were back in the stone hol ow, crouched against the thorn barrier.
“Oh!” Cinderheart sighed, disappointment in her voice. “Are we back home already?”
“Not quite,” Jayfeather warned.
His words were hardly out when darkness fel over the clearing. Jayfeather heard a grumbling roar growing closer through the trees. Along with it came the sound of trampling, as if twigs were breaking under heavy paws.
“What is it?” Cinderheart gasped.
Before Jayfeather could reply the thorns beside them gave way and badgers erupted into the camp.
Warriors surged out of their den to meet them: Jayfeather spotted Squirrelflight hurling herself at one of the leading badgers, with Brambleclaw and Cloudtail just behind her. Firestar let out a yowl of defiance as he plunged into the fight with Dustpelt, Sandstorm, and Thornclaw. Spiderleg and Ashfur were attacking one of the huge creatures together, darting in from both sides to confuse it.
Cinderheart let out a screech of terror.
“Jayfeather! What’s happening?”
“It’s okay,” Jayfeather reassured her, thrusting her to one side. “They can’t hurt us.” At least, I hope they can’t
A horror-struck shriek sounded from the nursery, rising above the clamor from the fighting cats.
“I’m so sorry,” Jayfeather murmured to Cinderheart. “There’s one more thing you have to see. Fol ow me.”
He led the way across the clearing to the nursery, slipping between the battling shapes that appeared without warning out of the darkness. Squirrelflight lay panting across the entrance, wounded but stil guarding the nursery from attack. Jayfeather and Cinderheart passed straight through, somehow without disturbing her.
The nursery was crowded. At the far side, Sorreltail was lying in a mossy nest, her bel y heaving as she struggled to give birth. Cinderpelt crouched beside her, gently stroking her bel y with one paw. But a badger loomed over both of them, its jaws parted in a threatening snarl. As it raised a paw to swipe at Sorreltail, Cinderpelt turned and sprang between them. The badger’s claws slashed down her side; blood wel ed out as she col apsed.
“Oh, no—no!” Cinderheart whispered.
Jayfeather was vaguely aware of Leafpool and Crowfeather bursting into the den and attacking the badger, driving it out into the clearing. Al his attention was fixed on Cinderpelt. Blood stil gushed from her side; she was struggling to breathe, and as Leafpool returned she managed to gasp out a few words before her eyes closed and she went limp.
Behind her in the nest, a tiny kit gave its first thin cry.
Cinderheart’s eyes were wide with horror. “She can’t be dead,” she breathed. “Jayfeather, tel me she’l be okay.”
“Look at the kit,” was al that Jayfeather said.
Sorreltail was licking the newborn kit with strong, rasping strokes of her tongue. Its gray fur stuck up in tiny spikes. Its delicate nose, the shape of its head, the set of its stubby tail were al echoed in the cat that stood beside Jayfeather
“That’s me,” Cinderheart murmured in amazement. “That’s how I was born.”
“Yes,” Jayfeather mewed.
Cinderheart turned stricken eyes on him. “Then Cinderpelt gave her life to save mine.”
“Not exactly.” Jayfeather tensed.
Cinderheart blinked in confusion. “But you said she died!”
“Only for a heartbeat,” Jayfeather replied. “And then she was given a whole new life.” Cinderheart stared at him and he saw the moment when understanding flashed into her eyes. Her voice was scarcely audible, no more than a breath. “And that life was . . . me.”
Jayfeather nodded. A spiraling flock of emotions was chasing through Cinderheart’s eyes: horror, shock, pride, and then memories upon memories, thicker than fal ing leaves.
“I’m an apprentice . . . and Fireheart’s my mentor . . . he’s such a great teacher!” Cinderheart’s words were coming so fast that Jayfeather could hardly make them out. The she-cat’s flanks twitched as Cinderpelt’s long-buried memories surged through her like a river in ful flood. “Hunting’s such fun . . . and fighting . . . I want to be the best warrior in the Clan!”
Then she let out a screech of fear and pain. “The monster . . . no . . . oh, my leg hurts . . . I’l never be a warrior. But I’l learn al the herbs . . . marigold for infection, borage leaves for fever, juniper for bel yache, catmint for whitecough and greencough . . . what are the traveling herbs? Sorrel, daisy, chamomile . . . oh, and burnet! Must get it right . . .” Her voice took on a note of deep sadness.
“Yel owfang is gone! And now I’m the only medicine cat . . . It’s so cold here, by the Moonstone. Fireheart is so stil . . . maybe he’s dead. Wil StarClan real y give him his nine lives?”
Cinderheart began to pant hard, as if she were struggling up a steep slope; then she let out a little cry of wonder and joy. “The lake . . . it’s so beautiful!
Oh, StarClan, thank you for leading us here.” Then the sadness came back, threaded through with a note of fear. “Is that truly my destiny? And Leafpool wants to leave us . . . what wil become of my Clan?” At last Cinderheart was silent, her breath coming in ragged gasps. In the ruins of the nursery she stared at Jayfeather. “Who am I?” she wailed. “What am I supposed to be?”
Jayfeather stepped forward until he could look down into her distraught blue eyes. “You are Cinderheart,” he insisted. “That is your destiny.
StarClan chose to let you live again so that you could fol ow your first path, to be a great warrior, to have a mate and kits of your own, to fight and hunt for your Clan after caring for them so long from the medicine cat’s den.” He took a deep breath. “Honor StarClan for their decision,” he went on, “and be proud of everything you have achieved in both of your lives.
This is al your destiny, Cinderheart.”
“Are you sure?” Cinderheart whispered.
Jayfeather nodded. “StarClan chose that you should be a warrior this time.”
“Who else knows?” Cinderheart asked.
“Only Leafpool,” Jayfeather told her. “No other cats need to know. You are not an echo of Cinderpelt, you are your own cat now. Your Clanmates know you and love you as Cinderheart, which is al the truth they need.”
Cinderheart sighed and gazed around at the nursery; it was stil and silent now, as if it were drawing away to a great distance. Slowly she padded over to Cinderpelt’s body, and licked the dead medicine cat’s ears. “I wil never forget who I was before,” she murmured. “Thank you for living my first life.”
Jayfeather moved to her side and touched his tail-tip to her shoulder. “Come,” he meowed. “It’s time to go home.”
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Lionblaze brushed through the barrier of thorns and headed into the forest, his ears pricked for the sound of intruders. Hazeltail and Rosepetal fol owed him, and Cinderheart brought up the rear. As he led the way down toward the shore where the WindClan border stream flowed into the lake, Lionblaze heard muttered conversation behind him.
“Who’d have thought that Hollyleaf kil ed Ashfur?” Hazeltail whispered. “Isn’t it awful? How did she ever keep it a secret?”
“Wel , she left soon after,” Foxleap pointed out.
“Do you think she was brave or a coward to run away like that?”
There was a heartbeat’s pause before Hazeltail replied. “She must have been brave, because she came back . . .”
Her voice trailed off as Lionblaze swung around and fixed his two Clanmates with a glare. Hazeltail exchanged a quick glance with Foxleap before giving her chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks.
So you’ve just remembered that Hollyleaf is my sister, Lionblaze thought, but he said nothing.
By the time they reached the WindClan border and headed upstream, both Hazeltail and Foxleap were ful y alert, their ears swiveling, their gaze flicking back and forth along the undergrowth, and their jaws parted to pick up the tiniest trace of WindClan scent on ThunderClan territory. Watching them with approval, Lionblaze couldn’t help noticing how distracted Cinderheart was, drifting along as if she weren’t seeing or scenting anything in the forest.
When he warned the others about a bramble stretching across their path, and heard Foxleap passing the message back, Cinderheart stil managed to get tangled in it.
“Are you okay?” Lionblaze asked her.
“Fine!” she snapped, pul ing herself free and leaving tufts of fur behind.
Lionblaze blinked at her uncharacteristical y sharp tone. For a heartbeat he wished he had been put on a different patrol, or even ordered to fetch bedding for the elders. But then his concern for Cinderheart overwhelmed his brief annoyance. If she was behaving like this, there must be something wrong.
A few fox-lengths farther upstream, Lionblaze noticed that Cinderheart had wandered away from the border and was standing bel y-deep in long grass, her eyes wide and unfocused. He let the others go ahead and padded through the grass toward her.
“WindClan patrol ahead!” he hissed.
Instantly Cinderheart was alert, her neck fur fluffing up as she gazed around. “Where?”
“Nowhere,” Lionblaze meowed. “I was just testing to see if you were awake.”
Cinderheart’s fur bristled even more. “You’re not my mentor,” she growled. “You don’t have to keep checking on me.”
Lionblaze opened his jaws to ask her what was wrong, but the anger in her eyes told him to keep quiet. Instead he walked on, noticing that at least Cinderheart seemed to be concentrating now.
By the time they reached the stretch of territory where the hidden tunnels emerged, there had been no sign of WindClan or Sol. Without warning the others, Lionblaze slipped away briefly to check the tunnel entrances. No need to tell every cat where they are. Some of them might be mouse-brained enough to mount an attack on WindClan from our side.
As he sniffed at the tunnel openings, he thought of Heathertail, and wondered if she knew about Sol’s plotting. Would she use her knowledge of the tunnels to help in her Clan’s attack? Did Heathertail have any trace of loyalty to Lionblaze, or would she take delight in hurting his Clan because the friendship they once shared had turned to dust?
Returning to his patrol, Lionblaze looked at Cinderheart and sighed. Why do relationships have to be so complicated?
Sunhigh was approaching as the patrol returned to camp, with nothing to report. As they came in sight of the hol ow, Lionblaze heard shrieks and wailing coming from the clearing.
“Something’s wrong!” he yowled.
With his patrol hard on his paws he raced for the entrance. Are WindClan warriors attacking? Now, when the patrols are out and the camp is almost empty?
But when he burst out of the thorns, there were no WindClan cats to be seen. The few ThunderClan cats who were not on duty were gathered in a ragged circle in the center of the clearing; Lionblaze thrust his way between Daisy and Ferncloud to see what was going on. In the middle of the circle, Mousewhisker and Cherrypaw were lying on the ground, writhing in pain, their legs flailing and their tails curled up in agony. There was foam on the lips of both cats, and their eyes were glazed with pain.
“What happened?” he demanded.
“I don’t know,” Poppyfrost replied, her eyes wide and scared. “They came back a few moments ago and col apsed like this.”
“My kit!” Daisy whispered, blinking anxiously at Mousewhisker. Ferncloud comforted her with the touch of her tail on Daisy’s shoulder.
“Had . . . bel yache,” Mousewhisker gasped.
“Think the mouse we shared last night was . . . going off a bit.”
“It hurts!” Cherrypaw wailed. Helplessly she stretched out a paw toward Poppyfrost, as if she were begging her mother for help.
“Where’s Jayfeather?” Lionblaze snapped.
“Out in the forest somewhere,” Molepaw meowed, gazing at his littermate with horrified eyes. “He and Brightheart went to check on the herbs he’s growing.”
“Go and find him,” Lionblaze ordered. “Try the old Twoleg nest first.”
Molepaw nodded and raced off, looking relieved to have something to do. Lionblaze hesitated, uncertain what more he could do, then staggered as Leafpool shoved past him.
“What have you eaten?” she demanded, bending over Cherrypaw
“Mousewhisker said they shared a rotting mouse last night,” Lionblaze explained.
Leafpool flashed him a glance from her amber eyes. “A mouse shouldn’t cause this.” She was tense, but in control, her medicine cat skil s surging back to meet the emergency.
“Didn’t want to bother Jayfeather. We ate some parsley . . . cure the bel yache.” Mousewhisker forced the words out between his teeth.
“Parsley?” Leafpool bent to sniff the foam around Cherrypaw’s lips. “That wasn’t parsley, it was water hemlock.”
“Is that bad?” Lionblaze asked, already knowing the answer.
“There’s nothing more poisonous in the whole forest, except for deathberries,” Leafpool replied. “I need herbs to make them vomit.”
But she didn’t head for Jayfeather’s den. Instead, she braced her paws on Cherrypaw’s legs, trying to stop her from thrashing around.
“What are you doing?” Poppyfrost hissed.
“They have to keep stil ,” Leafpool told her. “If they flail around like this they could choke on their tongues.”
Instantly understanding the danger, Lionblaze rushed across to Mousewhisker and tried to hold the young warrior down; Mousewhisker’s legs were jerking in agony and he raked his claws across Lionblaze’s shoulder. Leafpool wasn’t finding it any easier to control Cherrypaw; though her movements were strong and confident, her eyes were terrified.
“Foxleap, give us some help over here!” As Lionblaze cal ed to his Clanmate he noticed that Cinderheart had appeared at the entrance to the camp. She was staring at the sick cats in horror, as if she couldn’t bear to watch but couldn’t tear her gaze away.
Suddenly she leaped forward, whisking past Lionblaze. “I’l get the herbs,” she mewed, racing for Jayfeather’s den.
Leafpool looked up. “We need—”
“I know,” Cinderheart interrupted, casting a glance back as she vanished behind the bramble screen.
Foxleap went to help Leafpool with Cherrypaw, while Hazeltail bounded across to Lionblaze and joined him in holding Mousewhisker down. Her littermate’s thrashing legs knocked her off her paws, but she scrambled up and grabbed at him again.
Within a few heartbeats Cinderheart was back with a bundle of yarrow in her jaws. Dropping the bunch beside Leafpool, she turned back to Lionblaze. “Hold his head,” she mewed crisply. “No, not like that—your paw’s in the way of his mouth. I need you to hold him so that I can get some yarrow between his jaws.”
Lionblaze stared at her. “Where did you learn al this stuff?”
“We don’t have time for this!” Cinderheart snapped as she slapped his paws into position.
“Just do as I say.” She chewed up a mouthful of the herbs and forced the pulp between Mousewhisker’s jaws. Then she began to massage his bel y, kneading it strongly as if she were a kit trying to get milk from her mother. Beside her, Leafpool was doing exactly the same for Cherrypaw.
Cinderheart glanced across to check on her.
“More pressure a bit higher up,” she instructed.
To Lionblaze’s surprise, Leafpool nodded. Her eyes were a little wider than usual, but she didn’t pause to ask why Cinderheart was suddenly tel ing her what to do.
What in the name of StarClan is going on?
Lionblaze wondered. Has Cinderheart been secretly training to be a medicine cat? Why would she do that?
Heartbeats later, both sick cats vomited up mouthfuls of evil-smel ing slime.
“That’s very good,” Cinderheart soothed Mousewhisker, stroking his shoulder as he choked wretchedly. “You’l feel better soon.” A tail-length away Leafpool was comforting Cherrypaw; the young apprentice looked worn out and utterly miserable.
“Are you sure she’l be okay?” Poppyfrost fretted, bending over her kit.
“She’l be fine,” Leafpool assured her.
“Thank StarClan!” Daisy exclaimed.
As every cat relaxed, realizing that the crisis was over, Lionblaze studied Cinderheart more closely.
She seemed to have changed her expression into something he didn’t recognize at al . Her color and shape and size were stil the same, but her eyes were not the eyes of the cat he knew and loved.
Leaving Cherrypaw with her mother, Leafpool padded over to check on Mousewhisker.
“Have you been training Cinderheart?” Lionblaze whispered to her.
“No, not at al ,” Leafpool whispered back, her eyes clouded with something unreadable.
“Then how does she know al this stuff?” Lionblaze demanded, raising his voice. “I don’t understand!”
“I don’t care,” Hazeltail meowed. “Just as long as she saves Mousewhisker’s life.”
Cinderheart looked up at Leafpool, a world of sadness in her gaze.
“You know, then?” Leafpool murmured.
Cinderheart nodded. “Yes, I know.” Lionblaze heard paw steps behind him and turned to see Jayfeather striding across the clearing with Brightheart at his side. Both cats carried bunches of herbs in their jaws.
“What’s going on?” Jayfeather cal ed, his voice muffled by his mouthful of leaves.
As briefly as he could, Lionblaze told Jayfeather how Mousewhisker and Cherrypaw had poisoned themselves with water hemlock. “Leafpool—”
“This is what comes from Firestar’s idea of teaching the Clan about herbs,” Jayfeather interrupted, rapidly checking Cherrypaw and then Mousewhisker. “If they hadn’t thought that they knew what to do, this would never have happened. They’l be okay,” he added grudgingly. “Foxleap, Hazeltail, help them both into my den.”
“Cinderheart knew exactly what to do,” Leafpool mewed as the sick cats moved off shakily, leaning on Foxleap and Hazeltail.
Jayfeather’s head whipped around, his eyes wide with shock. “What?”
Cinderheart faced him steadily. “How could I stand by and do nothing, knowing what I know now?”
“What have you done?” Leafpool hissed at Jayfeather. “I thought we agreed she should be al owed to live in peace?”
“She deserved to know the truth,” Jayfeather snapped back at her. “And to know that StarClan chose a new destiny for her.”
Lionblaze felt the ground tilt under his paws.
Cinderheart’s destiny? What are they talking about?
“I’m stil here, you know,” Cinderheart pointed out, narrowing her eyes at Leafpool and Jayfeather.
“Then I’m sorry you had to find out,” Leafpool told her, glaring at Jayfeather. “I thought we had agreed to keep it from you.”
A flame of anger flared in Cinderheart’s blue eyes.
“And let me live in ignorance of who I truly am? You had no right to decide that!”
“But this changes everything,” Leafpool mewed, her tail drooping. “And nothing was wrong before.”
“Everything was a lie before!” Cinderheart lifted her voice in a wail. “If I was truly given a second chance, StarClan should have kept those memories away. But I can’t forget now, I can’t stop memories pouring into my head.”
“Cinderheart, I—” Leafpool began.
Cinderheart’s fur bristled. “I know every path in the old forest!” she flashed back. “I know Snakerocks and Sunningrocks. I remember Gatherings at Fourtrees. I remember delivering kits when I was Yel owfang’s apprentice, but not being able to save their mother. Do you have any idea how that feels? I remember deceiving my Clan, when I was trying to save sick ShadowClan cats. I remember—” Her voice broke. “I remember everything.” Leafpool rested her tail-tip on Cinderheart’s shoulder, and for a moment the gray she-cat didn’t move away
“I never meant for you to feel like this,” Jayfeather whispered. “I just wanted you to know what StarClan did for you.”
“But I can’t help feeling like this,” Cinderheart retorted. “I can’t just forget about my former life, when I was Cinderpelt.”
As he listened Lionblaze had felt like a kit struggling in a flooding stream, with nothing solid to hold on to. Now it was as if his paws had slammed against the bottom, leaving him stunned.
Cinderheart used to be Cinderpelt? How is that possible?
“I don’t know who I am anymore,” Cinderheart went on, her voice throbbing with sorrow. “Al this time, have I been just the echo of a dead cat?”
“No.” Leafpool spoke gently, but her voice was ful of conviction. “No, you are so much more than that.” Cinderheart sprang away from her, whirling to face her, crouching as if she were about to pounce on prey. “I don’t believe you!” she hissed. Without giving Leafpool the chance to reply, she sprang forward and bounded across the clearing, disappearing into the gap in the barrier.
“I’l go after her,” Lionblaze meowed.
Jayfeather nodded. “I’l come with you.”
“No.” Lionblaze glared at his brother, rage wel ing up inside him. You knew all along, and you never told me! “I’m going alone.”
“Okay, keep your fur on,” Jayfeather muttered. “Tel me what happens.”
“Be kind to her!” Leafpool cal ed after Lionblaze as he bounded away.
Out in the forest, Lionblaze fol owed Cinderheart’s scent trail. She seemed to have dashed blindly away from the hol ow, breaking through the undergrowth, leaving tufts of gray fur on brambles that trailed across her path. He found her at last crouched under a leaf-laden hazel bush, shredding a twig to pieces with her claws.
“You’l need medicine cat skil s to put that back together,” Lionblaze joked as he slid underneath the hazel boughs and crouched beside her.
“Real y?” Cinderheart looked up at him, her blue gaze savage with misery. “Aren’t I lucky, then, that I have so many?”
Lionblaze realized that he had said the wrong thing. “I’m sorry,” he mewed. “I hate this, too, for both our sakes.”
The rage faded from Cinderheart’s eyes. “I don’t know who I am anymore.”
“You’re Cinderheart,” Lionblaze assured her, touching her ear with his nose. “You always have been.”
“No, not always,” Cinderheart replied, blinking unhappily. “Once I was Cinderpelt. And I’ve walked this path before, every step of it.”
“What do you mean?” Lionblaze asked, confused.
“You’re a warrior now, not a medicine cat.”
“I don’t know what I am.” Cinderheart gave a last scratch at the remains of the twig. “But what I meant was . . . I’ve been in love before with a cat that I couldn’t have.” Her eyes clouded. “Poor Cinderpelt,” she whispered. “There was so much that was taken away from her . . .”
Lionblaze flinched. I can’t take any more of this.
“We’l talk later,” he murmured to Cinderheart, then scrambled out from underneath the hazel bush and headed for the lake.
When he reached the water’s edge he sat down and stared out over the tossing gray water. They’re so lucky, he thought moodily, picturing the life of the Clans going on al around the lake. They’re not tangled up in some dumb prophecy, or another cat coming back to life!
“I don’t know what to do,” he whispered.
Lionblaze wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting beside the lake when he heard paw steps approaching behind him. Hoping that Cinderheart had come to find him, he turned, and spotted Squirrelflight padding down the shore toward him.
“Hi,” she mewed, sitting beside him. “Do you want to talk?”
Squirrelflight was the last cat Lionblaze would have chosen to confide in, but his churning emotions wouldn’t let him stay silent.
“It’s so unfair!” he burst out. “Not just for me, but for Cinderheart, too. She wanted to be a warrior, but now she’s convinced she has to be a medicine cat because some other cat was before.” Squirrelflight nodded. “Al cats deserve to find happiness as a mate, and as a mother. I wouldn’t have changed anything about my life.” Lionblaze tensed, digging his claws into the ground. He knew what he wanted to say, but the words seemed stuck in his throat like a hard piece of fresh-kil , and were just as difficult to dislodge.
“You were a good mother,” he admitted at last, thinking longingly of the time when he had been young, when he and his littermates had believed that Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw were real y their parents. The tension in his shoulders relaxed as he let go of the long-held grudge. “You should have kits with Brambleclaw.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Squirrelflight sighed.
More briskly she added, “And perhaps it’s for the best that it never did. But I loved you and Jayfeather and Hol yleaf just as much as if I’d given birth to you myself, and it breaks my heart to see you unhappy.” Lionblaze turned his head to meet her bril iant green gaze. “I think Cinderheart is unhappier than any of us,” he meowed. 第十七章
 
Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Ivypool opened her eyes in the Dark Forest to the sound of flying paw steps. She flinched backward to avoid a col ision and found herself staring into Breezepelt’s amber eyes.
“Get out of my way, mange-pelt,” he snarled, and ran on.
Recovering her footing, Ivypool realized that she was surrounded by cats, al streaming past her, brushing through the undergrowth in the pale, sickly light. She recognized cats from al four Clans, seasoned warriors and young apprentices, as far as she could see through the dingy trees.
A cal rang out in Brokentail’s rasping voice. “Let al cats old enough to kil their own enemies gather here!”
Ivypool gulped. That was a far more dreadful summons than she was used to hearing from a Clan leader. At the same moment Hol owflight rushed up to her.
“Come on!” the young warrior gasped.
“Something’s happening!”
He dashed on through the trees with Ivypool hard on his paws, joining the mass of cats. They were al intent on reaching the same place, al running in silence with somber expressions.
Great StarClan! Ivypool thought. There are so many of us!
At last she burst out into the clearing with the heap of fal en trees where she had once fought Antpelt.
The crowd of cats massed around the tree trunks; Brokenstar stood on the topmost trunk, with Mapleshade and Tigerstar and two or three other cats unknown to Ivypool, even fainter shadows than Mapleshade. She shivered at the hungry glitter in their eyes.
Hawkfrost was pacing at the foot of the heap, in the place a Clan deputy would take. Ivypool spotted Darkstripe, too, crawling up on his bel y and gazing up at the leaders with adoration in his eyes.
Striding across to him, Hawkfrost thrust his muzzle into Darkstripe’s face. “Stay back with the others!” he hissed.
Darkstripe crept away, dragging his tail.
Ivypool looked around the clearing. She recognized Redwil ow and Tigerheart from ShadowClan, and dropped her eyes quickly before Tigerheart noticed her watching him. Breezepelt had joined his Clanmate Sunstrike, and Hol owflight was pushing his way through the cats toward Icewing and Beetlewhisker.
Ivypool’s bel y lurched when she saw Birchfal and Blossomfal standing at the edge of the crowd; they hadn’t spotted her. It stil made her sick to think of her own father visiting the Dark Forest.
How can he stand here? And Blossomfall? she wondered. They aren’t evil! They must know what’s going to happen!
Brokenstar stepped forward and the murmur of voices in the clearing faded to silence. “You have trained wel ,” he told the gathered cats. “And now it is nearly time!”
Ivypool’s pelt tingled. He’s going to tell us exactly what he intends to do to the lake Clans! Once every cat finds out the truth, I bet they’ll rebel! Or at least not come back to the Dark Forest. She knew that most of the living cats there didn’t hate their Clans.
They wouldn’t want to hurt their Clanmates. Will Brokenstar really tell the truth? Then the power of the Dark Forest will be destroyed. . . .
“Soon you wil have a chance to prove your skil , strength, and loyalty,” Brokenstar went on, his gaze raking the cats like claws. “Your Clanmates here wil honor you, and so wil your Clanmates beside the lake. You wil prove yourselves to be the greatest warriors ever.”
Ivypool saw that the listening cats were nodding, their expressions proud and eager. She wanted to yowl, “No! Can’t you see? He’l make you attack your own kin!”
But she knew that would be a big mistake.
Brokenstar wouldn’t let me survive another two heartbeats. And then all these visits, all the information I have learned, would be for nothing.
She spotted Breezepelt, whose eyes were gleaming; she guessed that he knew exactly what was going on. He was digging his claws into the marshy ground, as if he were imagining ThunderClan cats beneath his paws. Ivypool’s tail-tip twitched in frustration as she realized that none of the cats around her were going to question Brokenstar. He hadn’t given them any real instructions, just vague promises of glory. Even the Dark Forest cats seemed wil ing just to wait for further orders.
“He’s not even tel ing us when this wil be,” she muttered to herself.
Too late she realized that some of the cats nearby had heard her murmur, and were turning shocked gazes on her.
“You shouldn’t doubt Brokenstar’s decisions,” a white she-cat mewed. “Don’t you trust him?” Ivypool dipped her head, her fur hot with annoyance that she had made such a mouse-brained error. “Yeah, sorry.”
“Go back to your training,” Brokenstar continued from the pile of tree trunks, “and be ready for the final signal. It wil come soon.”
He and the other leaders jumped down from the fal en trees and the ranks of cats began to file into the shadows. Ivypool wriggled through the crowd, craning her neck to look for Hawkfrost. Final y she spotted him; he had seen her, too, and was beckoning to her with his tail. Shouldering her way through the crush of bodies, Ivypool reached his side.
“I want to speak to Brokenstar,” she announced.
“He’s busy,” Hawkfrost replied, angling his ears to where Brokenstar and the other leaders were talking quietly together at the foot of the pile of tree trunks.
“But this is important,” Ivypool insisted.
Hawkfrost twitched his whiskers. “Do you have information we should know about?”
“No,” Ivypool answered, thinking fast. “I-I just want to know what I have to do to be treated like a warrior.
I don’t want to fight at the back, where cowards hide.
I want to be at the head of the attack, doing the most that I can to help my Dark Forest Clanmates.” Hawkfrost blinked, looking impressed. “I knew you were special,” he meowed. “I’m glad I chose you.
Come with me.” He turned and led the way toward the senior warriors. “Excuse me, Brokenstar,” he murmured. “My apprentice wants a word with you.” Mapleshade let out a furious hiss at the interruption, her amber eyes glaring at Ivypool. But to Ivypool’s surprise Tigerstar beckoned her forward with a jerk of his massive head. “You can say what you have to say in front of al of us,” he mewed.
As she took a deep breath, Ivypool felt Brokenstar’s piercing stare burn her pelt. She tried not to flinch. He challenged my loyalty when Flametail wandered into the Dark Forest, she remembered. Oh, StarClan, let him believe me now!
She was aware, too, of other cats around her, hanging back from those who were filing into the trees. They were gazing at her in awe that a mere apprentice should dare to address the most senior cats in the Dark Forest.
This is the most important thing I will ever do for ThunderClan.
“Make me a warrior,” she meowed to Brokenstar.
“I wil do whatever it takes to earn your trust. I want to help you defeat the Clans as much as any cat here, if not more. Use me however you wish.” The oldest of the leaders, little more than a faint shadow against the slimy trunk behind him, loomed threateningly over her. “Big words for one so smal ,” he growled.
Ivypool forced herself not to shy away from his stinky breath and his baleful eyes as he inspected her al over.
Brokenstar shoved him away. “Leave her alone, Maggottail.” Glancing around, he flicked his tail to summon another cat. “Come here, Antpelt.” When the brown tom was standing beside them, he addressed Ivypool. “You fought once before, and Antpelt lost. Can you beat him again?” Ivypool swal owed hard. She knew exactly what Brokenstar meant. There can only be one survivor this time. She glanced at Antpelt, whose neck fur was bristling in anticipation of a fight. He’s dead already. He’s dead already, she reminded herself desperately. If I kill him here, it’s not like killing him for real. And maybe Antpelt would be better off out of this terrible place before the final battle. He was a good cat when I first knew him. How will he feel if he has to attack his former Clanmates?
For the sake of ThunderClan, for the sake of al the Clans by the lake, Ivypool knew she had to win this fight. She took a deep breath. StarClan help me!
Summoning al her strength, al the battle moves she had ever learned, and the last reserves of her courage, Ivypool sprang at Antpelt. He reared up to meet her; as she slammed into his bel y he grasped her shoulders with his forepaws, raking his claws through her fur. The hot scent of her own blood hit Ivypool in the throat. Letting herself fal backward, she battered at Antpelt’s bel y with her hind claws, and felt savage satisfaction when she gouged out tufts of brown fur.
Antpelt screeched and rol ed away from her but as Ivypool scrambled to her paws he crashed into her side, carrying her to the ground again and slashing his claws down her flank.
He’s much stronger than before! Ivypool thought, fighting down panic. He must have done nothing but train since he died. What if I can’t beat him?
In the midst of Antpelt’s whirling claws, Ivypool grabbed his waving tail and bit down hard on it.
Antpelt let out a yowl of pain and his attack wavered as he tried to tug himself free. Ivypool jumped free and crouched, panting, a fox-length away. Antpelt lay on the ground in front of her, his paws twitching as he tried to get up. He looked beaten. Bracing herself, Ivypool leaped in to deal the final blow, and in an instant he slid from underneath her and landed on her back, half squashing her. His teeth and eyes gleamed as he pushed his face close to hers.
“I can’t believe you fel for that old trick, mange-breath,” he hissed.
For a moment Ivypool lay stil , unable to muster any more strength. Her wounds were screaming with pain and blood was trickling into her eyes. But then she felt the senior warriors watching her, curious but not concerned, as if they didn’t real y care which cat won, and Ivypool remembered how much depended on her victory. She made a wild, bee-brained promise to herself: If I win this fight now, then the Clans will win the final battle.
Ivypool pictured Dovewing, Firestar, and al her Clanmates, and the images gave her a surge of strength, right to the end of her claws. She heaved herself up, throwing Antpelt off. Before he could find his feet, she landed hard on top of him, slamming him to the ground. Then she lifted one paw, ready to rip his bel y open from throat to tail.
Fear flashed into Antpelt’s eyes, but Ivypool looked away. It was too late for her to back down—
and too late to save Antpelt from the final battle any other way. Ivypool’s paw sliced down, and she felt warm blood wel ing between her pads. Antpelt spasmed once, then lay very stil . His outline wavered, as if Ivypool were seeing him underwater.
Then she realized that she could see the withered grass beneath him, and a pool of dark scarlet spreading wider and wider. Antpelt grew paler and paler, his fur turning transparent until he was hardly a shadow on the floor of the clearing. Ivypool blinked, and he was gone. Only his blood remained, staining the cold damp earth, but even that was fading now.
Did I do the right thing? she wondered, numb with horror.
Brokentail padded over to her. “Oh, you’re a Dark Forest warrior, no doubt about that,” he rasped in her ear.
Ivypool had to stiffen every muscle to stop herself shrinking away from him. That’s the worst thing that any cat could say to me!
“So you’l tel me when the final battle wil be?” Ivypool mewed, trying to sound eager. “And let me fight alongside you?”
Brokenstar blinked slowly. “Maybe.”
“But I just proved my loyalty to you!” Ivypool protested.
Brokenstar turned away. As he padded off, he glanced over his shoulder and growled, “You should have been loyal already.”
As Ivypool stared after him, Hawkfrost appeared at her side. “Wel fought,” he meowed. He sounded impressed, and Ivypool thought she saw a flicker of fear in his ice-blue eyes. “You’ve earned your place among the warriors,” Hawkfrost continued. “If you want to know anything, just ask me. I can see how much this means to you.” Flicking his tail toward the edge of the clearing, he added, “Now go train some of the apprentices.”
Ivypool watched him go, then began wiping her paw on the grass to clean off Antpelt’s blood. The stain on the ground had already vanished. Ivypool wondered if she would ever get the reek of his death out of her fur.
A heartbeat later she was aware of another cat approaching, and looked up to see Breezepelt. The WindClan warrior was staring at her in horror. “What happened to Antpelt?” he whispered. “Did . . . did you kil him again?”
Ivypool wanted to tel him that she had been forced to kil Antpelt, that she only did it for the sake of the Clans. And I’ve saved him from something worse.
But she knew that she was stil being watched by the leaders of the Dark Forest; she could feel the prickle of their intent gaze in her fur.
“It was necessary,” she replied with a shrug. “In the end, my loyalty was greater than his.” Breezepelt took a pace forward and loomed over her. “We may be in the same Clan here, but I am not your Clanmate,” he snarled. “You wil be punished for this. Wait and see.”
A cold stone of dread weighed in Ivypool’s bel y.
She knew that Breezepelt meant every word of what he said. But it was too late to bring Antpelt back.
And too late for Ivypool to hide from what she had done. She had broken the warrior code by kil ing another cat—and she had to believe that it was the right thing to do.
Every sacrifice I make is for the good of my Clan
—and for the other Clans around the lake. Even if that means sacrificing myself.
第十五章
第十五章
狮焰在武士巢穴的窝里睁开了双眼。灰白的晨曦洒落在枝条上，微风从缝隙间透进来，像冰冷的利爪，拂动着他的苔藓铺盖。狮焰打了个哈欠，眨眨眼想要驱散睡意。突然他一下子坐了起来，因为云尾撞了他一下。
“嘿！”他喊道。
“看你把尾巴放哪儿了。”白色武士厉声说道，然后便从狮焰身边挤过，去外面了。
狮焰站起身。这里太拥挤了，他想，我们在一起总是相互绊到。
他小心绕过快要醒来的松鼠飞，朝空地走去。黑莓掌正站在营地中央安排早上的巡逻，武士们都聚集在他身边。火星则站在旁边不远处看着他们。
“沙风，你能带队沿风族边界巡逻吗？”狮焰走过去时黑莓掌正说道，“带上刺掌和藤池。云尾，你和亮心也去风族边界，不过你们从另一边开始，带上梅花落，一定要保证气味标记的新鲜和浓烈。”
“另外，还要明确一下我们这一边的溪流有没有风族的气味。”火星补充道，“如果有，马上回来报告。”
“狩猎队，”黑莓掌扫视了一下族猫，继续说道，“远离风族边界。我们可不想给风族留下任何口舌。”
“什么？”蛛足的颈毛竖了起来，“你是在告诉我，因为那些吃兔子的跳蚤皮，我们连在自己的领地上狩猎都不行了吗？”
“就是。”刺掌抖抖尾尖附和道，“我们又没有做错什么，为什么要像老鼠那样偷偷摸摸的？”
黑莓掌没有回答这个问题，只是继续分配着狩猎队伍。虽然副族长对其他族猫什么也没说，但狮焰猜测，应该是火星提醒过他有关日神和风族的事情。
“火星在想什么？”鸽翅走到狮焰身边，悄声说道，蓝色的眸子里满是困惑，“他难道不应该告诉族群我们有危险吗？”
狮焰耸耸肩。“我不知道。”他坦白地说道，“我猜，是因为在什么事情都没发生之前，没必要引起恐慌吧。”
“我发现日神还没回营地。”鸽翅抖了抖胡须说。
狮焰冷哼了一声，感觉自己的颈毛开始立了起来。“有什么可惊讶的？他肯定是知道自己昨晚被看到了，所以藏起来了呗。”他想起很久以前自己帮助日神从营地逃脱的事情，愧疚如一块巨石压在他的腹内。我帮了他，结果他背叛了我们！我决不能把我做的这件事告诉任何一只猫。
族猫们散开了，各自走到自己的队伍里。狮焰注意到米莉正一脸迷茫地四处寻找着什么。“我没看见日神。”她对尘毛说道，“你说他会去了哪里呢？”
“我不知道也不关心。”尘毛吼叫道，“要我说，走了才好。”
“我也这样认为。”刺掌附和道，“不过，我还是想知道这个疥癣皮现在在哪里。”
“可日神并没有伤害我们。”莓鼻争辩道。
一阵争吵声响起，黑莓掌不得不抬高嗓门大喊道：“够了！能不能安静一会儿？”
狮焰从副族长的语气里听出了焦虑。看到他正慢慢抽动着尾巴，狮焰同情地想：他那么沮丧，我不会怪他。
“米莉，”争吵声平息下来，黑莓掌继续轻声说道，“你带一支狩猎队，带上蟾步、鼠须和冬青叶。”
黑莓掌刚一宣布名字，狮焰就听见几声惊讶的吸气声，抗议声像一阵冷风，在族群中蔓延开来。蟾步跟狐跃在低声嘀咕着什么。
“怎么了，蟾步？”黑莓掌冷冷地问道。
蟾步犹豫片刻，接着便高昂起头。“我不想跟冬青叶一队。”他说道，“我不了解她！队员之间应当都是彼此信赖值得托付生命的，可我们对冬青叶消失以后做了些什么一无所知。”
狮焰有些错愕地盯着年轻的武士。这真的是他说的话吗？更多的议论声在他周围响起，他意识到，对冬青叶有所怀疑的不止蟾步一个。
“她有可能去过任何地方。”冰云小声说道。
“就是，我们怎么知道，她有没有去过其他族群呢？”榛尾附和道。
“我无意冒犯你，冬青叶。”鼠须走上前来，面对着黑色母猫，“我知道我们以前是朋友，可这么久以来你究竟去了哪里，你却只字未提。现在，日神刚一出现你就回来了——这之间，有什么关联吗？”
冬青叶看上去有点儿怔住了。
“大家不要这样。”没等其他猫说什么，黑莓掌插话道，“过去的已经过去了，你们这是在小题大做，根本就没意义。”
“真是这样吗，黑莓掌？真的没意义吗？”桦落走到副族长跟前，琥珀色的眸子满是凝重，“那为什么冬青叶不告诉我们，她究竟去了哪里呢？她当初又为什么要离开呢？”
狮焰深吸了一口气，心里十分愤怒，想要抗议，但最终什么都没说。或许，冬青叶如果想要在族群留下来，就必须要回答这些问题吧。
“就是，你为什么要离开呢？”刺掌的语气听上去要比其他族猫更不友好。
亮心将尾巴轻轻搭在虎斑武士的肩上。“别那么冲动，刺掌。”她说道，接着又对冬青叶柔声说道，“不管发生了什么，只要你告诉我们，我们都会理解的。是不是有猫或有什么事情伤害了你？我们有必要了解一下。”
冬青叶依然沉默不语。
刺掌甩开亮心的尾巴。“蜡毛被杀之后不久，你就离开了。”他说得很慢，似乎在斟酌每一个字，“冬青叶，你离开跟那件事有没有关系？”
狮焰感觉自己的心都要停止跳动了。空地上一片沉寂，仿佛每只猫都化成了冰块。
接着，罂粟霜大喊道：“不，当然没有！如果冬青叶知道是谁杀死了蜡毛，她那时早就告诉我们了。”
刺掌眨了眨眼：“我没问她是否看到其他猫杀死了蜡毛。”
这一次，狮焰觉着周围永远陷入了沉寂。莓鼻转向刺掌，他的声音不大，可听起来却像是困兽的尖叫一样，响彻整个空地。“你认为冬青叶是凶手？”
罂粟霜瞪大了眼睛：“不可能是她！”
“我不信！”炭心大声说道。
“我也不信。”藤池说道，“嗯，冬青叶……”她的声音渐渐低了下去。
桦落注视着冬青叶。“我也不愿意相信，”他粗声粗气地说道，“可这听上去有些道理。”
更多的议论声响起，冬青叶站在空地中央，弓着身子，看上去是那么的小。狮焰绝望地盯着族猫们，不知道自己能说些什么。他感觉喉咙里似乎卡了一块猎物，让他说不出话来。他看向火星求助，可族长却静静地站在那里，眼睛微眯盯着冬青叶。狮焰猜不透他在想什么。
“冬青叶，你得为自己说句话。”灰条大声说道。
“对啊，让我们听听发生了什么。”刺掌逼问道。他亮出利爪，凶狠地看着冬青叶。
狮焰走上前去，用身子挡在姐姐和虎斑武士中间。“别问了！”他咆哮道，“这太荒谬了！冬青叶对蜡毛的死因绝对一无所知。”
冬青叶朝狮焰迈了一步，他们皮毛相擦，紧紧地靠在一起。她绿色的眸子里写满了痛苦，独行猫的艰辛生活让她变得十分憔悴，可狮焰却能从她的每一根皮毛中读出一种决心。
“不，狮焰。”她轻声说道，“我知道你只是想帮忙，但你得让我自己来说，我也觉得是时候说出真相了。”
狮焰听到猫群的后面传来了一声呜咽。不用回头，他也知道那是松鼠飞的声音。其他的族猫终于安静下来，在冬青叶周围围成圈，一双双眼睛盯着她。
冬青叶抬起头，一字一句清晰地对族猫说道：“刺掌说得没错，蜡毛死的时候我就在现场，他的死是我的错。”
她的坦诚引起猫群一阵惊呼，像是得了命令一样，他们齐齐往后一退，包围圈顿时变大了。狮焰看见狐跃迅速把樱桃爪揽到身后。而第一次带小百合和小种子来空地的栗尾，则尾巴一扫将她们拢到了自己身边。
冬青叶看上去很惊恐，她环顾空地，就好像有谁会跳到她身上，扯断她的喉咙。狮焰突然希望她从来就没回来过，只要能保证她的安全，哪怕她去了山区也行。鸽翅和藤池自己会找到隧道出口的，他暗想，恐惧和愤怒使他腹部剧烈起伏，她本可以不去帮她们的！
“我当时在场……”冬青叶又开始断断续续地说道，“我在溪边看见了蜡毛。他威胁说要杀死我和我的同窝手足。你们大多都知道，蜡毛非常想让松鼠飞成为他的伴侣。他以为我们是松鼠飞和黑莓掌的孩子，所以他痛恨我们。即便他后来知道自己错了，他还是恨我们。所以……”
狮焰惊恐地盯着姐姐，他知道她接下来要说什么，他想拦住她不去说那些话。她不能承认杀死了蜡毛！千万不要！
可正当冬青叶鼓足勇气就要说出来时，黑莓掌推开前面的猫群，站在了她旁边。
“那天在小溪边，我也在场。”他宣布道。冬青叶刚要张口反驳，他看了她一眼，接着说道：“你当时没看见我，可我看见了你，还有蜡毛。”他顿了一下，目光扫过族群。“蜡毛看见冬青叶独自在小溪边，”他继续说道，“他便朝她扑去。他打定主意要伤害松鼠飞最爱的三只猫，哪一只都行，以此来惩罚她不爱他。冬青叶勇敢还击，可还没等我去帮她，蜡毛在溪边滑了一跤跌进了水里。落水时他还活着，可冬青叶也救不了他。整个过程她只是自卫。”
虎斑武士刚一说完，空地上就炸开了锅。
“那你当时为什么不告诉我们？”刺掌质问道。
“就是，害得我们当时好几个月都在互相猜疑。”莓鼻吼道，“火星，他们那时没说实情都应该受到惩罚。”
“不！”叶池抗议道，琥珀色的眸子里满是痛苦。
狮焰走向前，怒视着莓鼻。“或许应该让你知道，是冬青叶救了你的孩子，而不是日神。”他咆哮道，“要求惩罚他们之前，你先自己好好想想吧。”
莓鼻不敢相信地盯着他：“是冬青叶？”
“那我们必须让她回到族群！”罂粟霜说道，“她冒着生命危险救了我的孩子！”
“而且，蜡毛是罪有应得。”尘毛大声说道，“他企图杀死自己的族猫！如果要问我的意见，我认为冬青叶是在帮我们。”
火星走到族猫中间，抬起尾巴示意大家安静。他竖起浑身的毛，抖了抖尾巴。“那件事是个不幸的意外。”等周围安静下来，族长开口说道，“我也认为冬青叶当时应该说出实情。”他绿色的眸子严厉地盯着冬青叶。“她应该相信我们会信任她，并公正地对待她。不过，她远离族群独自生活了那么久，也算是受到了应有的惩罚。”火星转头看向族猫们，“她不会再受到惩罚，黑莓掌也不会。对他们俩而言，保守秘密也算是一种负担，现在他们终于轻松了。”他长长地叹了口气，又补充说道：“该发生的已经发生了。就让我们的祖先去评判蜡毛吧。”
狮焰终于松了一口气，不过他看得出来，并不是所有的猫都对这个结果感到满意。冬青叶仍看上去像是巴不得地上有道缝将她吞没。
火星摆摆尾巴示意她。“你当时真应该说出真相。”他轻声说道，狮焰赶紧竖起耳朵仔细听着，“现在对你来说会比较艰难，你明白吗？”
冬青叶神色凄苦地点点头：“我就不应该还想着再回来——”
“永远不要那么说。”火星打断了她，“你已经回来了，我也不会再做其他决定。既然真相已经大白，那族群也会安定下来的。”他停了一下，可冬青叶并没有说话。“今天我不给你安排任何巡逻。”火星飞快地说道，“去长老巢穴吧，看看你能为他们做些什么。”
“他们也会知道的，对吗？”冬青叶瞥了一眼快速散去的族猫问道。
火星点点头说：“在这里，消息会传得很快，这你是知道的。但现在的你已经足够强大，应该能应对。别再去想这些了，冬青叶。族群需要你。”
冬青叶低下了头。“谢谢你。”她小声说道。
狮焰看着姐姐走向长老巢穴。他看到炭心来到了自己身边。“可怜的冬青叶！”她喃喃道，大大的眼睛里既震惊又激动，“谁能想到会是这样子呢？”
她不知道我早就知晓这一切了。狮焰暗想。
“我为她感到难过。”炭心继续说道，“她离开的日子里，肯定感到非常糟糕。我也从没想到蜡毛会对松鼠飞有那种想法。”
“我们没出生前他就有了。”狮焰简单回答道。他不想再谈论这件事，好在炭心似乎也理解他的想法。
“黑莓掌想让你带一支狩猎队，”她说道，“狐跃、玫瑰瓣，还有他们的学徒会过来。”
“好的。”狮焰咕哝了一声。用爪子抓猎物能缓解紧张情绪，应该会觉得好一些。他转向荆棘通道，看见狩猎队里的其他猫都已经等在那里。樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪正在老师前方上蹿下跳地玩耍。
“怎么会发生那样的事？”鼹鼠爪睁大眼睛，激动地问道，“你们发现蜡毛死了的时候，都做了些什么呢？”
“冬青叶是凶手！”樱桃爪脱口而出。
玫瑰瓣站在她跟前，咧嘴冲她大吼了一声。“要是再让我听到你俩谁说这样的话，那你们就会一整个月只能看见鼠毛的屁股和跳蚤！火星说了，过去的事就不要再提了。我不想听你们嚼舌根，也不想听见任何的谣言，更不想听见任何的指责。听清楚了吗？”
两位学徒乖乖地点了点头。“对不起，玫瑰瓣。”樱桃爪嗫嚅着说。
狮焰很感激玫瑰瓣维护冬青叶，但他看得出来，母猫也对冬青叶说出的真相感到很震惊。
“等着看吧，他们都会平静下来的。”炭心在他耳边悄声说道。
虽不能确定炭心说得是否正确，狮焰还是点了点头。我的族猫们会习惯冬青叶重回山谷吗？
第十六章
第十六章
鸽翅一动不动地站在空地上，在她周围，族猫们各自分成了不同的队伍。她的脑子仍在不停地运转着。
怪不得冬青叶不是预言的一部分，她想道，原因是因为她杀了一只猫！
藤池走了过来。她的毛激动得立了起来，深蓝色的眸子里闪动着跟鸽翅一样的困惑。“真是难以置信！”她喃喃道。
“藤池，”鸽翅犹豫着问道，“你在黑森林见过蜡毛吗？”她紧张地等待着姐妹的回答。她知道，藤池很抗拒其他猫问她有关无星之地的问题。
但藤池似乎只是在思索着。“即便见过他，我也不认识。”她坦承道，“不过我觉得应该没见过。至少，没有猫跟我提起过他。”
“他死前居然那样敌视松鼠飞。”鸽翅思索道，“不过或许就是因为他死得太惨，所以才去了星族吧。”
还没等她说完，便看见黑莓掌靠了过来俯视着她，琥珀色的眸子里流露出一丝怒意。
“不要再嚼舌根了。”他命令道，“藤池，我想我告诉过你去沙风的边界巡逻队。鸽翅，你应该和我一起参加训练课，但火星想先见你一下。他在自己的巢穴中。”
藤池急忙跑开了，鸽翅则转身朝高石台奔去。攀过落石堆，她快速想了下火星找她究竟有什么事。答案其实不难猜。风族！
鸽翅爬上高石台，朝族长巢穴入口走去。“火星？”她一边喊一边往里瞧。
巢穴深处的阴影里，火星正坐在铺满苔藓和蕨叶的窝里。他绿色的眸子微微一闪，抬起尾巴示意鸽翅：“进来。”
等鸽翅坐到他旁边，火星继续说道：“我让你来是因为你的特殊力量。”他开口说道，“我想你已经猜到为什么了吧。”
鸽翅点点头：“你想让我告诉你风族目前的情形。”
“没错，”火星点头说道，“如果你能做到的话。”
一股自豪感在鸽翅身体里涌动。她释放出感知，前掌放在胸口坐下来凝神倾听。我这不是偷偷摸摸，她想道，我是在用自己的力量来保护我的族群。她的感知穿过边界溪流，越过荒原，直到锁定风族营地。一星正站在地上的一片浅洼中，几位年长的武士正围着他。
“我能看见他们的营地。一星正和鸦羽、莎草须在一起。”她向火星汇报道，“灰脚刚刚也过来了，还有几只猫我不认识。”
“一星说话了吗？”火星问道，“你能听到什么吗？”
鸽翅点点头，努力凝神聆听。风族族长的声音很模糊，就好像是从很远的地方传来似的。
“……跟雷族之间的麻烦，”一星说道，“边界巡逻队需要格外警惕。一旦我们这边的溪流发现了他们的气味，一定要立即汇报给我。”
“一定会的，你放心。”鸦羽将爪子插进土里，大喊道。
鸽翅将听到的话重复给火星听，火星惊讶地抖了抖一边的耳朵。
“跟我在雷族说的话简直是一模一样。”他喃喃道，“一星有没有提到日神？”
鸽翅继续往下听，但风族族长已经开始安排灰脚负责狩猎巡逻的事宜。
“没有提。”她如实汇报给火星。
“那要么是他不知道日神的计划，”火星说道，“要么就是他言语谨慎。不管怎样，听上去他们不会那么快就发起进攻。你能看见日神吗？”他又问道。
鸽翅再次释放出感知，仔细搜索着风族营地。接着，她又将搜索范围扩大到整个风族领地乃至马场。在搜索回雷族边界时，她遇上一处隧道入口。她试图探入隧道里面，可刚探进几狐狸身长的地方，便被厚重的石头和沙土阻挡住了。
鸽翅的感知重新回到火星的巢穴中，那感觉就像是沉入深水很久，又重新浮出了水面一样。
“没发现踪影。”她告诉火星，“他似乎不在风族，除非他是藏到某处隧道里去了。我的感知没法深入到隧道里面。”
火星若有所思地点点头，没有作声。
“我在想，期盼他已经离开是不是有点儿太奢望了？”过了一会儿，鸽翅提醒道。
“不，他还在这里。”火星肯定地说道，“他有笔账要跟族群清算——我只是不知道究竟是因为什么。”
离开火星的巢穴，鸽翅轻快地跑下落石堆，发现黄蜂条正在下面等着她。
“黑莓掌和其他猫先走了。”年轻的武士解释道，“他让我等你，然后带你去我们训练的地方。”
“好的，谢谢。”鸽翅说道。跟黄蜂条肩并肩穿过空地的感觉很好。
“火星找你做什么？”淡灰色公猫问道，“你有麻烦了吗？”
“不是，只是……有点儿事。”不管她有多么喜欢黄蜂条，她都不可能把火星要求她做的事情告诉他。那得花一整个月才能解释得清楚！
“火星从没请我去过他的巢穴。”黄蜂条说道，语气里透着一丝妒忌。
鸽翅耸耸肩：“又不是什么大事！”
她率先穿过荆棘通道。她发现自己跟黄蜂条在一起时，总是想把自己的超力量抛之脑后，她只想做一只普通的猫。比起跟虎心在一起时，现在这个变化太好了！那时候我总是不得不仔细听着周围，以防其他猫发现我们。
黑莓掌带着其他猫来到了雷族领地边的一处小空地上，离那棵枯树不远。洼地边缘长满了冬青和接骨木丛，洼地里面长满了长长的草叶和蕨丛。
鸽翅和黄蜂条到达时，黑莓掌正坐在洼地一侧，观看蟾步和梅花落对抗对方。梅花落出其不意地扑了上去，熟练地从蟾步身下抓住他的双腿，顺势在他后臀上一击，接着便跳出对方的攻击范围。
“做得不错。”黑莓掌夸赞道，“那个动作做得非常完美，梅花落。”
蟾步狼狈地站起身，抖了抖身上的蕨叶，说道：“她确实做得很好！”
“好，这个动作你已经掌握了。现在，我要教你个新动作。”说话间，黑莓掌抬头看见鸽翅和黄蜂条从斜坡上下来，来到了他们跟前。
“太好啦！”梅花落欢呼一声，一下子蹦到黄蜂条跟前，“快来，”她催促道，“我们一起练习。”
黄蜂条看上去有点儿尴尬：“呃……对不起，我打算跟鸽翅一组。”
梅花落的耳朵惊愕地竖了起来，“什么？谁是你的手足啊？”她嘟囔着，“至少也该表现一下对手足的忠诚吧。”
鸽翅对梅花落的敌意有点儿吃惊。有那么夸张吗？“我不介意你跟梅花落一组。”她告诉黄蜂条。
“不，是梅花落太可笑了，”黄蜂条反对道，“和你一组不代表我不忠诚。”
“打扰一下行吗？”黑莓掌起身走过来，强壮的肩膀将蕨丛挤到两侧，“别再像八哥一样叽叽喳喳个不停了，我们继续训练。”
梅花落转身竖起尾巴，大步穿过空地，朝蟾步走去。
“我先给你们展示一下这个动作，然后你们自己试一下。”黑莓掌说道，“鸽翅，假装你是风族猫，过来袭击我。”
鸽翅立刻大吼一声，扑向了副族长。黑莓掌后掌发力跳起来，缩起尖爪张开前掌，鸽翅刚想避开他的防守，抓向他暴露出来的腹部，黑莓掌往后一跳，躲开了她。鸽翅一下子失去了平衡。可还没等她稳住身子，黑莓掌便一跃而起朝她扑来，用前爪紧紧地抓住了她的腹部。
“就像这样。”他咕噜一声，跳开让她站起来。
鸽翅打了个滚跳了起来。她看见副族长正看着她，琥珀色的眸子里闪过一丝骄傲。
“这个动作太妙了！”她喘息道，“我们试试。”
黑莓掌先让他们练习向后跳，直到他们都学会并能稳稳落地。等他满意了，开始让他们分组练习时，鸽翅这才惊异地发现，黄蜂条是如此强壮和敏捷。
已经很久没跟他一起训练了，像这样一对一的。他块头太大了，我希望他能慢一点儿……
黄蜂条漂亮地往后一跃，躲开了她的攻击。鸽翅脚掌下一滑歪倒在地。她正要挣扎着起身，黄蜂条扑向她，伸出一只前掌轻轻碰了碰她。
“我想我赢了。”他眼睛微眯含笑说道，“脚掌应该属于地面，而不是空中。”
哼！鸽翅身上一痛，心里说道。等黄蜂条再次袭来，她往后一跃，落在了对面，出其不意地抓住了他。淡灰色公猫失去了平衡，重重摔在了蕨丛中，脚掌不停地扑腾着。
“这次脚掌在地上了吗？”鸽翅扑向他时，打趣道。
“我们为什么不互相观摩一下呢？”四只猫练习了几遍这个动作后，梅花落提议道，“那样我们或许能找到一些有用的窍门。”
黑莓掌点点头：“好，你和蟾步先来。”
通过观察另一组，鸽翅发现，无论是进攻，还是新动作，梅花落真的已经做得非常好了。她已经掌握了如何保持平衡，并能在蟾步往后一跳稳住脚跟之前，用身体的重量撞击他。
“梅花落，你做得真是太棒了！”鸽翅告诉族猫，“蟾步，你得动作快一点儿。”
蟾步点点头：“我正在努力。”
等轮到黄蜂条和鸽翅展示，鸽翅感觉他们俩做得都不错，可却惊讶地发现，梅花落正一脸不屑地看着她。
“黄蜂条不错，但鸽翅，你还需要多加练习。”她说道，“你的脚步太乱。另外，你似乎忘了自己还有条尾巴，那是用来保持平衡的。”
鸽翅胡乱地咕哝了两声，感觉十分尴尬，浑身的皮毛都火烧火燎的。“如果你没选我做搭档，梅花落就不会说那些话了。”她悄声对黄蜂条说道。先把自己受的伤害搁在一边，她又补充说道：“很抱歉让你们之间出现了嫌隙。”
黄蜂条放松地将尾巴搭在鸽翅肩上。“别担心，问题不在你。”他怒视着空地上的姐妹说道。
“我想这次训练可以了。”黑莓掌宣布道，“大家都回营地，去猎物堆选吃的吧。你们今天都很努力。”
“你现在应该跟梅花落一起走。”大家一起离开时，鸽翅轻声说道，“同窝手足比友谊更重要。”
黄蜂条停下来，久久地注视着她。“我有点儿希望我们之间不只是友谊。”最后，他说道。
鸽翅看着他，不知道该说些什么。让她舒心的是，黄蜂条并没再继续逼她。他只是低下头，快速跑开，追上了梅花落，并用鼻子碰了碰她的耳朵。
鸽翅继续往前走，过了一会儿，蟾步跑到她身边。
“你跟黄蜂条怎么样啊？”他开玩笑地问。
鸽翅感觉自己的颈毛就要竖起来了，她强压着才伏了下去。“黄蜂条很棒。”她平静地回答道。
说话间，虎心的身影跳进了她的脑海：他从一簇蕨丛中探出深棕色的虎斑脑袋，琥珀色眸子闪动着。她毅然抛开脑中的思绪。他们不一样，我不能再想虎心了。她暗下决心，虎心不可能成为我生命中的一部分……但黄蜂条可以。
第十七章
第十七章
日高时分过后，松鸦羽挤过荆棘通道走进营地。清晨的寒风已经停止，他从月亮池赶回来时，温暖的阳光正照耀着空地。石头山谷空荡荡的。松鸦羽意识到，所有的武士和学徒都出去巡逻了。他往自己的巢穴走去。这时，他听见了鼠毛的声音。
“松鸦羽！到这儿来一下。”
松鸦羽走过去，发现长老正独自蹲伏在巢穴外面。“波弟去哪里了？”他问道。
“冬青叶带他去森林里散步了。”鼠毛回答道，“我不想去，我的腿太疼了。”
“这个好办。”松鸦羽向她保证道，“我去取些雏菊叶子来。”
“我叫你过来，不是为了那个。”鼠毛厉声对他说道，“是关于冬青叶的。”
鼠毛将那天早上营地里发生的情形描述了一遍，松鸦羽震惊得僵在了那里。“然后黑莓掌告诉大家说，他目睹了发生的一切。”她说道，“蜡毛攻击冬青叶，结果却意外落水。我当时就坐在这儿，听得清清楚楚。”
说完她停下来，松鸦羽感觉到她正盯着自己。他的思绪纷乱。这意味着什么？现在既然大家都知道了真相，那以后会发生什么呢？如果真相大白于天下，那将会怎样呢？
“自始至终你都知道实情，对吗？”老猫尖锐地问道。
松鸦羽点了点头。
“但你什么都没说。”
“说了有什么用？冬青叶当时已经离开，蜡毛的威胁让形势变得愈加复杂。你要知道，他也威胁过我。”
鼠毛轻蔑地说道：“所以他死了正合你意。”
“整个族群都应该高兴。”松鸦羽反驳道，他不想被长老直截了当的话语弄得惶恐不安，“蜡毛当时已经打定主意，要找大家的麻烦。”
“我并不是说没造成任何伤害。”鼠毛咕哝道，“因为伤害已经发生了，对蜡毛、冬青叶、黑莓掌，还有你。现在族群必须照常运转，这就是你想要的？”
松鸦羽舔了舔一只脚掌，并抬起来摸了摸耳朵，好让自己有时间思考一下再回答。“我认为，与其纠结一只很久之前就已死掉的猫，倒不如多想想眼下更大的事。”
鼠毛哼了一声，陷入了沉默。松鸦羽正打算离开，老猫又说话了：“黑暗就要到来了，对吗？”
松鸦羽感觉身上的每根毛都竖了起来。“你都知道什么？”他粗声粗气地问道。鼠毛会是预言里的第四只猫吗？一位长老？
“我不知道有什么能帮助大家，”鼠毛承认道，声音听起来有些凄凉，“但我被梦境困扰很久了。”她疲惫地叹了口气：“我从没想过有生之年会看到族群的末日。”
松鸦羽靠近她。“族群不会灭亡。”他说道，“只要我还有一口气，族群就是安全的。”
他守候在鼠毛身旁，直到老猫喃喃自语渐入梦乡，身子还时不时地抽动两下。她太老了，他想，她真的知道自己在说什么吗？他起身回自己的巢穴时，想起鼠毛指责他对冬青叶和蜡毛的事情保持缄默，皮毛不禁竖了起来。
但族群必须继续往前走，他暗自心想，没时间浪费在那些不能改变的事情上了。
还没到巫医巢穴，松鸦羽便听见荆棘屏障那里有猫钻了进来，那是波弟的声音。
“我那个直行兽花园里，曾有一只狐狸进来过。嗯，我从来没见过那样的狐狸，所以你猜我做了些什么？”
“想不出来，波弟。”冬青叶心不在焉地回答着，“嘿，小心那簇荆棘！”
“我看见了。”波弟嘟囔道。“我虽然没你年轻，可我也长着眼睛啊。不管怎样，”他继续说道，“我藏在冬青树丛里，明白吗，就在直行兽篱笆旁，然后——”
松鸦羽走过来打断了他：“冬青叶，我需要跟你谈一谈。”
“我们俩还没说完。”没等冬青叶回答，波弟就严厉地驳斥道，“他们没教你们这些年轻猫要有礼貌吗？”他厌恶地哼了一声：“等你们聊完了，到巢穴找我吧，冬青叶，我把剩下的故事给你讲完。”
松鸦羽听见波弟迈开大步离开了。“到这儿来。”他对冬青叶说道。姐姐跟着他走到悬崖下，在一处接骨木丛下坐了下来。
“你知道了，是吗？”冬青叶坐到他旁边猜测道，“今早发生的事？”
“是鼠毛告诉我的。”松鸦羽回答道。他犹豫片刻，又继续说道：“冬青叶，你明白黑莓掌为你所做的这一切吗？”
松鸦羽知道，副族长肯定倾尽了一切，才能说出那些话。对他来说，认识到这背后所代表的含义非常困难。不得不说，黑莓掌——还有松鼠飞，过去是如此地爱他和他的手足。或许现在依旧爱着我们。想到这儿，他很不舒服，就像无数只蚂蚁在他的皮毛里做窝一样。
“他们现在全都知道了。”冬青叶沮丧地低语道，“他们知道我杀了一只猫。”
松鸦羽伸出脚掌放在她肩上：“那只是个意外，你要记住这一点。”
他能感觉到冬青叶正注视着他，目光灼灼如火焰一般。“可那不是。”她小声说道。
松鸦羽耳朵里响起了鼠毛的话，告诉他那一刻最终造成了多少伤害。他赶紧摇摇头，就好像能把她的声音像嗡嗡作响的虫子一样给赶跑。
“够了。”他坚持道，“无论过去发生过什么，我们都必须带着它们继续生活下去。很高兴你能回来，我很想念你。”
“我也想念你。”冬青叶喃喃道。松鸦羽感觉到她用鼻子轻轻碰了下他的耳朵，不过只是一小下。“我希望回来是个正确的选择。不过，或许让你们都忘了我会更好吧。”
“我们永远都不会忘记你。”松鸦羽告诉她，他靠近她，感受着她的气息，“永远都不会。”
静谧之中，松鸦羽听到头顶上方，微风拂过树枝沙沙作响，远处传来了猫儿们返回营地的声音。等那些猫走近些了，他听到了学徒们兴奋的说话声。
“我抓住了两只老鼠！”
“我抓住了一只松鼠！它可大了！”
狩猎队从荆棘通道里钻了出来，樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪冲在前面，狮焰和炭心跟在他们身后，玫瑰瓣和狐跃断后。
“嘿，别那么激动。”炭心提醒两位学徒，“你们会让大家以为有獾入侵了呢。”她语气轻柔地揶揄他们。“不过你们今天的狩猎成果丰硕。”她继续说道，“鼹鼠爪，为什么不把你的老鼠给鼠毛和波弟送去？那些老鼠又嫩又肥，我敢保证他们会胃口大开的。”
松鸦羽听见鼹鼠爪匆忙离开了，而樱桃爪则在拖着她的松鼠往猎物堆走去。
炭心是位天生的好老师，他想，即便这些都不是她的学徒，她依旧表现出色。雷族再也没有比她更忠诚的武士了。给她第二次生命，是星族做出的无比正确的决定。
突然，强烈的悲痛像荆棘一样刺向松鸦羽，让他感觉像是跌进了荆棘丛。他心下一紧，发现这悲痛来自狮焰。
“怎么了？”他问。
“你不会明白的，”狮焰猛地说道，“你只想着那个愚蠢的预言。”
松鸦羽强忍着没去反驳他。他意识到哥哥的悲痛来自对炭心的纠葛。“跟我说说吧。”他提议道。
几个心跳的时间里，狮焰并没有作声。“我知道炭心也想跟我在一起。”最后，他终于不情不愿地说道，“可她认为自己不可以，因为我有我的使命。她觉得我太重要了！”挤出最后几个字，不等松鸦羽回答，他就大步离开了。
一团怒火在松鸦羽心里燃烧，有那么一刻，他真想对着天空大喊出他的痛苦。半月……雷族没有谁知道他爱着那只很久以前的猫，她已消失在无数秋冬岁月之中。如果能让她再次回到他身边，他愿意付出一切。想到她，松鸦羽便理解了哥哥的痛楚和沮丧。
“她以为重要的猫只有狮焰一个吗？”他自言自语道，“或许，是时候让谁告诉她，她错得有多离谱了。”
那天晚上，松鸦羽蜷缩在窝里，入睡之前深吸了一口气。他很清楚自己想去哪里。
不管怎样，我们必须得一劳永逸地解决掉这个问题。既不是为了狮焰，也不是为了族群，而是为了炭心。我必须得让她明白，她是一只多么了不起的猫。
松鸦羽睁开了眼睛，发现自己正处在阳光明媚的森林里。头顶茂盛的枝叶沙沙作响，地上灌木丛中到处都是猎物的窸窣声。松鸦羽穿过蕨丛，享受着脚下草地的清凉和透过苍穹洒下来的温暖阳光。他全神贯注地寻找着那只特别的猫。
很快，他听到一阵脚步声和跳跃声，接着便是一声失望的嘶吼：“老鼠屎！让它跑了！”
松鸦羽朝着声音传来的方向走去，绕过一截树桩，冲进一片阳光斑驳的空地。炭心正站在一棵树下，一脸不悦地抬头张望着。她头顶上方的树枝上，一只松鼠正在凶巴巴地叫着。
“你运气真不好。”松鸦羽说道。
炭心吓了一跳。“哇！松鸦羽——没想到会在这里见到你。”她眼中闪过一丝惊恐，“我是在做梦，对吗？我不是在星族吧？”
“别担心，”松鸦羽安慰她，“这里不是星族。一切都很好，对，你是在做梦。我有些事情要告诉你。”
炭心警惕地看着他：“什么事？”
松鸦羽站在那里沉默了一会儿，不知该从何说起。快点儿说！他暗自催促自己，是你挑起话头的，所以你最好把它完成。“我还是带你去看一下更简单。”他大声说道，“跟我来。”
他和炭心并肩前行。松鸦羽脑海中浮现出雷族营地曾经的样子，过去的猫儿们每天忙忙碌碌地生活着。等他们穿过树林，旧雷族营地便出现在了他们的眼前。先是出现了一条溪流，在拱形的蕨丛下潺潺流动着。接着，一只松鸦从橡树树枝间飞了出来。松鸦羽听到炭心倒吸了一口气，她意识到自己已经脱离梦境，来到了一个陌生的地方。
几狐狸身长外，一支巡逻队从灌木丛中一闪而过。松鸦羽认出了还很年轻的火星、灰条和沙风。他转身跟上去，发现他们在一棵树下停了下来，一只灰色母猫正在采摘白屈菜。
“又在摘花啊？”沙风打趣道。
年轻母猫摇摇尾巴。“是花和叶子。”她毫不在意地回答道，蓝色眸子快乐地闪动着，“你对此有什么意见吗，沙风？如果有，最好去找黄牙说。”
沙风退后一步，摇了摇脑袋。“不敢不敢！”她佯装惊慌地大喊道。
“对啊，她可不想耳朵被扯掉。”灰条说道。
“我们为什么不继续狩猎呢？”火星提议，“或许，我们还能抓到点儿肥嫩好吃的猎物给黄牙，好让她也高兴高兴。你做得不错。”他对灰色母猫说完，便带着巡逻队离开了。
“抓只松鼠回来！”母猫在后面大喊道，“黄牙现在最喜欢那个！”
松鸦羽意识到，身边的炭心正惊恐地盯着这一幕，她浑身的皮毛竖了起来。“那……那是我。”她结结巴巴地说道，“我是说，那不是我，可看起来很像我。”
“是的，那不是你。”松鸦羽回答道，“至少，那时候还不是。”
炭心困惑不解地看了他一眼，没有说话。
等采够了白屈菜，炭毛用嘴叼起一捆，步履艰难地走了。松鸦羽和炭心跟着她。巫医学徒自信地在灌木丛中穿梭着，直到来到通往营地的一片山头上。
“她知道我们跟着她吗？”炭心悄声问道。
松鸦羽摇了摇头：“她看不见我们，我们并不是真的在这里。”
炭毛走下山坡，消失在长满金雀花的通道里。松鸦羽和炭心跟上去，很快便来到了旧雷族营地。松鸦羽扫视了一圈空地，看到了巢穴、猎物堆，以及族长巢穴所在的高岩。不是火星，他提醒自己道，他那时还不是族长。
“这太奇怪了……”炭心喃喃道。
他们跟在炭毛后面，看着她叼着一捆草药，穿过蕨丛，来到了巫医巢穴。黄牙坐在较小的那块空地上，看上去很瘦，皮毛很乱，跟他在星族遇上时的一样。
“这捆不错，”黄牙凑到白屈菜前闻了闻，粗声粗气地表扬自己的学徒，“不过有些叶子有点儿蔫了。”
“我们可以先用这些打蔫的。”炭毛指出。
黄牙“嗯”了一声：“没错。把它们先放到一边，然后再过来。”
炭毛把白屈菜放在巢穴后面的那个岩缝里。黄牙则走到几尾远处的一簇蕨丛前。松鸦羽这才看见，一只体形巨大的白色公猫正坐在里面，皮毛皱巴巴的，眼中满是痛苦。
“白风跟黑莓丛过不去。”炭毛回来时，黄牙用粗哑的嗓门说道，“他脚掌里有根刺，你觉得我们应该怎么治疗他？”
“建议他远离黑莓丛。”炭毛说道，惹得白色公猫一阵笑，“不过现在，我们需要先把刺弄出来，告诉他好好舔舔伤口，并用金盏花按摩揉擦，以确保伤口不会感染。”
“非常正确。”黄牙满意地点了点头。
“那是因为我有个好老师！”炭毛回答道，蓝色眸子里充满了暖意。
黄牙慈爱地推了推她，却只说了句：“那就继续努力，争取做得更好。”
“不管她是谁，她都是只了不起的巫医。”看到炭毛低下头，用牙齿把尖刺从白风的脚掌中拔了出来，炭心评价道。
“是的，她确实是。”松鸦羽赞同道。
“你认识她吗？”炭心好奇地问道，依然目不转睛地看着灰色母猫。
“不认识，这是雷族还没来湖区之前的时候。”
炭心转身看着他，眼睛瞪得像月亮那么大：“所以，这里是过去的雷族？所以火星和其他猫看上去都那么年轻？可是怎么……为什么……”
“你不用担心那个，”松鸦羽安慰她，“只要看着就好。那位巫医名字叫炭毛。”他感觉到炭心身子一震，因为她听到母猫连名字都跟她的很像，不过她没有打断他。“她和你一样，都想成为一位武士。”松鸦羽继续说道，“但她还没完成学徒训练就受了伤。你注意到她的四肢了吗？她的腿永远不可能痊愈了。她知道自己再也不能跟上巡逻队的速度，所以就成了一位巫医。你知道的，她是叶池的老师。”
“哇……”炭心感叹道，“我听说过她。她是为救我母亲而死的吗？”
“她的死没那么简单。”松鸦羽回答道，但他没有继续解释下去。她很快就能明白的。
他们说话的时候，蕨丛中飘起一团白雾，萦绕在他们周围，直到完全把巫医巢穴遮挡起来。
“发生什么事情了？”炭心低声问道。
“没事，”松鸦羽回答道，“耐心等着就行。”
几个心跳过后，迷雾散去，两只猫站在了山坡上。山坡上粗糙的荒原草丛一直向上延伸，最后变成了灰色石头形成的高大山峰。一支很长的猫队正艰难地从中穿过，大风呼呼吹在他们身上。来自四个族群的猫——长腿的风族猫、宽肩的雷族猫、皮毛光滑的河族猫、瘦削的影族猫——全都肩并肩静静地走着。
“是大迁徙！”炭心惊呼道，“他们正往山区进发。松鸦羽，你为什么要让我看这个？”
“你会明白的。”松鸦羽向她保证，“看，那里也有炭毛，她现在是雷族唯一的巫医。”
走近一些，松鸦羽看见了鼠毛——那时她更年轻，也更强壮，还没退居长老巢穴——她正在跟炭毛说话。
“我的脚掌疼，”她抱怨道，“都是被这些尖石头硌的。这不是猫该走的路。”
“我相信一会儿大家就能休息了。”炭毛同情地回答道，“等休息的时候，我给你一些羊蹄叶敷在脚掌上。你会觉得好受点儿。”
鼠毛冲她粗鲁地甩了下头，一瘸一拐地继续往前走着。过了一会儿，一个毛色斑驳的棕色幼崽跑到炭毛跟前，喊道：“我身上有虱子！”
那肯定是苹果毛。松鸦羽想道，认出了影族武士小时候的样子。
“哦，是小苹果呀！”炭毛佯装惊讶地喊道，“我刚才差点儿就以为是一只大跳蚤在追我呢。没关系，等会儿停下来的时候，我来帮你把它们清理出来。不过在那之前，走路看着脚掌下哦。”
“谢谢你！”小苹果快速跑上去追她的手足。
她根本就不看路。松鸦羽毫不意外地想道。
炭毛歪着脑袋，看着幼崽离开，蓝色眸子里闪烁着愉悦的神情，接着继续朝山坡上跋涉。快到崖顶时，几片雪花飘落下来。起风了，很快，他们便冒雪前行。松鸦羽看不见其他猫，也几乎看不到顶风前行的炭毛了。
“到这里来！”松鸦羽听出这是火星的声音，“所有猫都躲到崖下来！”
松鸦羽和炭心紧靠在一起，躲在灰色岩石后避风，族猫们就在旁边。整个世界似乎到处都是飞舞的白色雪花，呼啸的狂风把猫儿们的声音都吞没了。
突然，一切又归于平静。风雪消寂无影，似乎融入了大地，连空气也陡然变得温暖起来。松鸦羽环顾四周，发现他和炭心又回到了石头山谷，在荆棘屏障跟前蜷伏着。
“啊！”炭心失望地叹了口气，“我们又回家了吗？”
“不完全是。”松鸦羽提示道。
他话音刚落，空地便陷入了一片黑暗之中。松鸦羽听见树丛里传来越来越近的狂吼声，伴随而来的还有纷乱的脚步声，像是重重的脚掌踩断了树枝。
“那是什么？”炭心屏息问道。
还没等松鸦羽来得及回答，旁边的荆棘丛便被分开了，一群獾冲进了营地。武士们从巢穴里涌出来迎战它们：松鸦羽看见松鼠飞扑向领头的一只獾，黑莓掌和云尾则紧跟在她后面。火星发出一声愤怒的长啸，和尘毛、沙风还有刺掌，一起投入了战斗。蛛足和蜡毛正在合力对抗一只大獾，他们从两侧夹击它，让它应接不暇。
炭心害怕得尖叫起来：“松鸦羽！这是怎么了？”
“没事，”松鸦羽把她拢到一侧，安慰道，“它们伤害不到我们。”至少，我希望它们不会。
一声恐惧的尖叫声从育婴室传来，盖过了战斗中猫群的喧闹声。
“对不起，”松鸦羽低声向炭心说道，“还有一件事你必须得看一看。跟我来。”
他带着她走过空地，经过那些在黑暗中激战并时隐时现的身影，朝着育婴室走去。松鼠飞躺在入口处大口喘息着，她身受重伤却依然保卫着育婴室。松鸦羽和炭心径直从她身边走过，没有去惊动她。
育婴室里很拥挤。远处，栗尾躺在铺满苔藓的窝里，腹部一起一伏，正在努力生产。炭毛蹲伏在她身边，用一只前掌轻柔地拍打着她的腹部。可是一只獾突然冲到了她们面前，张开大嘴，发出可怕的号叫声。它刚想抬起脚掌拍向栗尾，炭毛转身就扑向了它。獾的利爪划过她的侧腹，鲜血顿时涌了出来，炭毛倒了下去。
“啊，不……不！”炭心低呼道。
松鸦羽隐约看见叶池和鸦羽冲进育婴室，围攻那只獾，最终把它赶到了空地上。他全部的注意力都集中在了炭毛身上：鲜血从她侧腹汩汩流出，她费力地呼吸着。等叶池回来时，她艰难地吐出几个字，然后便合上眼睛，一动不动了。
她身后的窝里，一只小小的幼崽发出了第一声微弱的啼哭。
炭心惊恐地睁大双眼。“她不能死。”她低语道，“松鸦羽，告诉我她不会有事的。”
“看看那只幼崽。”松鸦羽只回答了这几个字。
栗尾正用舌头用力地舔舐着新生的幼崽，她灰色的皮毛支棱着。她那精巧的鼻子、脑袋的形状，还有粗短的尾巴，每一样都能看出松鸦羽身旁这只猫的影子。
“那是我，”炭心惊奇地喃喃道，“我就是这样出生的。”
“是的。”松鸦羽说道。
炭心满脸震惊地看着他：“所以，炭毛为了救我，牺牲了自己的生命。”
“也不全是。”松鸦羽心下一紧。
炭心困惑地眨眨眼：“可你说她死了！”
“只是那一刻死了，”松鸦羽回答道，“可她接着又被赋予了一个全新的生命。”
炭心紧紧地盯着他。那一刻，松鸦羽看到她眼中闪过一丝理解。她用几乎听不到的声音说道：“那个生命就是……我。”
松鸦羽点点头。情感的旋涡一下子涌到了炭心的眼前：恐惧、震惊、骄傲，还有一波波回忆，像层层落叶一般，全都涌了出来。
“我是一位学徒……火心是我的老师……他非常了不起！”炭心的语速很快，松鸦羽几乎都来不及听清。炭心的身体抖动着，深藏的回忆像奔涌的洪水一样全都涌向了她：“狩猎很好玩……还有格斗……我想成为族群最优秀的武士！”
紧接着，她又发出一声痛苦的惊叫。“怪物……不……啊，我的腿受伤了……我永远当不成武士了。可我会学很多草药知识……金盏花防感染，紫草叶退烧，杜松子缓解腹痛，猫薄荷治白咳症和绿咳症……旅行草药有哪些？酸模叶、雏菊、甘菊……啊，还有地榆！一定不能弄错……”她的语气染上了一层深深的哀伤，“黄牙死了！现在我是唯一的巫医……月亮石这里太冷了，火心一动不动……他也许是死了吧。星族会赐给他九条命吗？”
炭心开始剧烈地喘息起来，似乎像是在陡峭的斜坡上攀爬。接着，她又发出一声惊叹：“大湖……真是太美了！啊，星族，谢谢你把我们带到了这里。”可她说完又陷入了悲伤，语气里还夹杂着一丝恐惧，“这真的是我的命运吗？叶池想要离开我们……我的族群会变成什么样子呢？”
最后，炭心终于不再说话，她的呼吸变得急促起来。她站在育婴室的废墟跟前，盯着松鸦羽。“我是谁？”她哀号道，“我到底是谁？”
松鸦羽走上前，低头望着她那疑惑的蓝色眼睛。“你是炭心，”他坚定地说道，“这就是你的命运。星族选择让你死而复生，为的就是让你可以循着从前的方向，作为巫医照顾族群，然后成为一位优秀的武士，并且拥有自己的伴侣和幼崽，从而继续为族群战斗和狩猎。”他深吸了一口气。“你应该赞颂星族做出的决定，”他继续说道，“也为你在两次生命中所取得的所有成就感到自豪。这就是你的命运，炭心。”
“你确定吗？”炭心轻声问道。
松鸦羽点点头：“这一次，星族选择让你成为一位武士。”
“还有谁知道？”炭心问道。
“只有叶池知道，”松鸦羽告诉她，“其他猫没必要知道。你不是炭毛的复制品，现在的你就是你自己。你的族猫们了解和热爱的是炭心，这才是他们需要了解的全部真相。”
炭心叹了口气，凝望着育婴室周围：此刻，这里一片沉寂，就仿佛要被带到远方。她慢慢走近炭毛的尸体，舔了舔逝去巫医的耳朵。“我永远不会忘记过去的自己。”她喃喃道，“感谢前世是你。”
松鸦羽走近她，用尾尖轻触她的肩膀。“走吧，”他说道，“该回家了。”
Chapter 20
Chapter 20
“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!” At the sound of Firestar’s voice Dovewing sprang up from the fresh-kil pile and gazed up at the Highledge. Firestar was sitting there with Brambleclaw beside him.
Although it was the height of greenleaf, the sky was covered with clouds. A chil , restless breeze rustled the trees above the stone hol ow and ruffled Firestar’s flame-colored pelt. To Dovewing the murmuring of the leaves seemed to echo the murmuring within ThunderClan. She hardly needed her special senses to pick up the gossip.
“Did you hear that Cinderheart used to be Cinderpelt?”
“Yeah, and Leafpool and Jayfeather knew al along!”
“I can’t believe that Sorreltail didn’t realize. She and Cinderpelt were good friends, right?”
“They do look a bit alike. But how weird that Cinderheart knows al about that medicine cat stuff!” Dovewing closed down her senses and blocked out the whispering. “This meeting must be about WindClan,” she meowed to Ivypool, her heart beginning to pound with anticipation.
Her sister swal owed her last mouthful of blackbird, then led the way closer to the Highledge.
She was moving awkwardly; Dovewing guessed that she had been injured in the Dark Forest, but as usual Ivypool was refusing to talk about it. Foxleap, Molepaw, Rosepetal, and Hazeltail came to sit beside them, while Dustpelt, Graystripe, and Mil ie settled a couple of tail-lengths away. Mousewhisker and Cherrypaw emerged from the medicine cat’s den and joined the crowd on shaky legs, flopping down to listen beside Poppyfrost and Berrynose.
Jayfeather and Briarlight remained beside the bramble screen.
“Everything is so strange right now,” Dovewing muttered as yet more cats appeared from the warriors’ den. “Hol yleaf coming back, Cinderheart being a cat that everyone thought was dead—”
“And a medicine cat, at that,” Ivypool added. “With al Cinderpelt’s memories and skil s.” Hazeltail leaned closer. “So does that mean we have two medicine cats now?” she whispered.
“I guess we do,” Mousewhisker agreed.
Ivypool shook her head. “Like you said, it’s strange. She was my mentor!”
“Surely we need warriors more than another medicine cat?” Foxleap mewed.
“That’s enough,” came a gruff voice behind them.
Dovewing had been so intent on what her Clanmates were saying that she hadn’t noticed Brackenfur had joined them. He flicked Foxleap’s ear with his tail.
“Firestar is waiting to speak.”
While the last scraps of conversation died away, Dove-wing spotted Hol yleaf by herself at the edge of the crowd. She looked awkward and self-conscious.
There’s been a lot of gossip about her, too, Dovewing thought. It’s only dying down now because there’s something else to talk about.
When Hol yleaf had first returned, Dovewing had tried to avoid her, nervous of getting too close to a cat who had kil ed a Clanmate, even if it had been an accident. But now she felt a stab of sympathy for the black she-cat.
Maybe Firestar’s right, and she’s been punished more than enough for not speaking up at the time.
After all, no cat is blaming Brambleclaw, and he saw it happen!
Dovewing was about to go and sit beside Hol yleaf to give her support, when she saw another cat slip out of the warriors’ den: Cinderheart. The gray she-cat padded across to Hol yleaf; without speaking she inclined her head toward Hol yleaf’s until their ears touched.
“I see the odd ones are sticking together,” Foxleap commented.
“That’s enough!” Mil ie hissed. “Don’t speak like that about your Clanmates.”
Foxleap ducked his head, embarrassed.
“Cinderheart was Hol yleaf’s best friend before she . . . went away,” Mil ie continued. “And now they have something in common, a big secret revealed.
They should be treated with kindness, nothing else.”
“Wel , Mil ie, you should know what it’s like to be the odd one out. Having been a kittypet and al .” Dovewing’s head whipped around as she tried to find the source of the whisper, but she couldn’t spot which cat had spoken. So many rumors and secrets, she thought with a shiver, wondering what else might be revealed. Her gaze fel once more on Ivypool, who was flexing one foreleg as if she were testing its strength. Definitely a Dark Forest injury, Dovewing decided. That’s one secret that must be kept whatever happens.
Firestar rose to his paws. “I have grave news,” he began, “and I’ve decided to share it with the Clan after discussing it with Brambleclaw and the senior warriors. I know you’re al curious about the extra patrols, and the fact that I’ve forbidden you to hunt along the WindClan border. It seems that Sol has betrayed us; he’s planning an attack with cats from WindClan.”
“What?” Mousefur screeched, shakily struggling to her paws from where she was sitting at the entrance to the elders’ den, with Purdy beside her. “Didn’t I tel you that cat was trouble?”
Several cats had jumped to their feet along with Mousefur, letting out caterwauls of shock and defiance. Dovewing glanced around at the cats she had overheard plotting with Sol, and noticed that Hazeltail and Rosepetal were exchanging horrified glances, while Blossomfal ’s jaws were gaping in utter shock. Mousewhisker was on his paws with the rest. “Traitor! Mange-pelt!” he yowled.
Dovewing narrowed her eyes. Maybe you’re just as furious as you seem, she thought. And maybe you’re not. But you’d better not put a paw wrong now, because I’ll be watching.
“Mouse-brains!” Ivypool muttered with an icy glare.
“They’re lucky we never told Firestar what you heard.”
“Thank StarClan Sol left, and they never got pul ed deeper in,” Dovewing responded in a whisper.
Firestar waited until the worst of the noise had died down.
“I can’t say I’m surprised to hear what Sol is up to,” he went on. “It explains why he hasn’t shown himself here in the hol ow for the last few sunrises.”
“He’d better stay away if he knows what’s good for him,” Thornclaw growled.
“We have to attack WindClan now!” Cloudtail’s neck fur fluffed up as he spoke, and several other warriors caterwauled in agreement.
Dovewing half expected her Clan to stream out through the thorn barrier and race for the WindClan border without any more discussion. Even though she knew what a bad idea that would be, her paws itched to be on the move.
But Firestar raised his tail for silence. Gradual y the tumult died away and the cats sat down again, but their neck fur was stil fluffed up; their eyes glared with hostility and their claws scratched at the bare earth.
“We are not at war with WindClan yet,” the Clan leader meowed. “We have no way of knowing whether Onestar is aware of this, or whether Sol is making plans with a few cats he has befriended. And we’re not going to approach Onestar about it, because we don’t want to give him the idea of attacking.”
“Then what are we going to do?” Dustpelt chal enged. “We can’t just sit here and wait.”
“Of course not,” Firestar replied. “We’l plan for a battle with the whole of WindClan, but it might not come to that. We’l wait for WindClan to come to us, because we’re strongest in our own territory. We al know that WindClan doesn’t like fighting among trees.”
“That’s right!” Birchfal cal ed out. “We can climb trees and drop on their heads, like we did when we fought ShadowClan.”
“And ambush them from the undergrowth,” Sandstorm added. “WindClan cats are used to being able to see a long way in al directions.”
“Good suggestions,” Firestar responded, dipping his head.
“I can’t believe this!” Dovewing heard Poppyfrost murmur to Berrynose a couple of tail-lengths away.
“That fleapelt even lied about saving our kits!” Berrynose nodded, flexing his claws. “How dare he betray us! I’l claw his fur off the next time I see him.”
“I knew we shouldn’t have trusted him again,” Graystripe meowed, overhearing them. He had an expression of grim satisfaction on his face. “He’s treacherous through and through.”
While they were speaking, Brambleclaw had risen to his paws and stepped forward to the edge of the Highledge. “We need extra border patrols,” he announced. “Sandstorm, wil you lead one with Cloudtail and Hazeltail? Graystripe, you lead the other; Spiderleg and Bumblestripe, go with him. And al the hunting patrols stil need to stay away from the WindClan border. We don’t want to look for trouble, so no more washing your paws in the stream!”
“As if we would!” Dovewing exclaimed indignantly, while Ivypool hunched her shoulders and gave her chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks.
“Dustpelt and Brackenfur,” Brambleclaw went on,
“I want you to work out a way to block off the entrances to the tunnels nearest the camp. We have to stop WindClan from attacking us in the heart of our territory.”
Hol yleaf sprang up. “Don’t block al of them!” There were a few gasps of shock, as if some cats couldn’t believe that the newly returned warrior would dare to interrupt the Clan deputy. Brambleclaw looked startled, his neck fur fluffing up as he turned his gaze on the black she-cat.
“Why not?” he queried.
“It’s better that we keep the WindClan cats contained in a smal area when they do attack,” Hol yleaf explained. Her voice was quiet, and she dipped her head respectful y to the deputy. “There are tunnels at the edge of our territory that we should block off first, to stop the WindClan cats from surrounding us.”
Brambleclaw blinked thoughtful y, recovering from his surprise, his neck fur flattening again. “So, which tunnels should we block?”
“Come down here, and I’l show you.” While Firestar and Brambleclaw ran down the tumbled rocks, Hol yleaf used her tail to clear fal en leaves from a patch of earth. She began to sketch a plan with her claws; Dovewing wriggled in frustration that she was too far away to see.
“These are the farthest tunnels,” Hol yleaf mewed, slicing her claws at the ground. “They should be blocked first.”
Dustpelt and Brackenfur shouldered their way through their Clanmates so they could watch.
“There’s sense in that,” Dustpelt admitted.
“What’s the best way to block the openings?” Brackenfur asked.
“Use stones to shut out the light.” Dovewing was surprised at how confident Hol yleaf sounded. She’s thought all this out! “Sticks wil let light through, and so cats wil try to get out that way. If you use stones, they’l just think it’s a dead end.” Remembering her own time in the tunnels, Dovewing winced at the thought of meeting darkness at every turn. She had to remind herself that WindClan was the enemy. No cat asked them to attack. I shouldn’t feel a mousetail of sympathy for them!
“Hol yleaf,” Brambleclaw meowed, “wil you train us in fighting skil s that are suitable for the tunnels, in case we have to take the battle underground?”
“Of course I wil ,” Hol yleaf replied. “I—”
“What?” Spiderleg interrupted, thrusting himself forward. “Is she coming straight back as a warrior, then?”
Brambleclaw gave him a steady glance. “Why not?”
“Wel . . .” Spiderleg scuffled his forepaws in the dust. “She’s been away for so long. What if she’s forgotten everything?”
Hol yleaf looked up from her plan, her neck fur bristling and her green eyes sparking with annoyance. “You think I didn’t have to catch my own food while I was away?” she hissed. “Or fight off rogues and foxes without help? I promise you, Spiderleg, my skil s are as sharp as they ever were.”
“Just like your tongue,” Berrynose muttered.
There were no more interruptions while Brambleclaw organized the hunting patrols, and named warriors for battle training sessions with Hol yleaf and to help Dustpelt and Brackenfur block up the farthest tunnels. He paused when he came to Dovewing and Ivypool, looking them up and down as he flicked the tip of his tail.
“Since you’ve already been underground,” he mewed, “you’d better learn to look after yourselves properly. You can go into Hol yleaf’s training group.” Dovewing and Ivypool crossed the clearing to where Hol yleaf was waiting. Brackenfur, Brightheart, Thornclaw, and Toadstep were clustered around her.
“Okay, let’s go,” she meowed. “Listen to everything I tel you, because it could save your life.”
第十八章
第十八章
藤池睁开眼睛时，已出现在黑森林中，随后就听到了飞驰而来的脚步声。她赶紧往后一退免得撞上对方，却发现自己恰好对上风皮那琥珀色的眼睛。
“别挡我的路，疥癣皮。”风皮咆哮一声，跑了过去。
藤池站稳脚跟，发现周围全是猫。昏暗苍白的光线中，他们都穿过灌木丛，从她身边疾驰而去。晦暗的树影中，她认出来这些猫全部来自四大族群，有年长的武士，也有年轻的学徒。
断星尖厉的吼声响起：“所有能杀敌的成年猫，都到这里集合！”
藤池咽了一下口水。这比她以前听到的族长召集可怕得多。与此同时，空飞冲到了她面前。
“快来！”年轻的武士大口喘息着，“出大事了！”
说完他便穿过树林冲了过去。藤池紧跟在他后面，也加入到了庞大的猫群之中。他们全都表情严肃、一言不发地往同一个地方进发。
伟大的星族啊！藤池暗想道，黑森林竟然有那么多猫！
最后，她终于冲到堆满枯树的那块空地上，她曾在这里跟蚁皮格斗过。所有的猫都聚集在树干周围。断星站在最高的那根树干上，旁边还有枫荫和虎星以及三两只藤池不认识的猫。他们的身影比枫荫还要淡，但他们那饥渴发亮的眼神，却让藤池战栗不已。
鹰霜在枯树堆下走来走去，那应该是副族长的位置。藤池还看见了黑条，他蜷伏在地上，正用崇拜的眼神仰望着族长们。
鹰霜大步走近他，猛地将口鼻凑到他面前。“退回去，和其他猫待在一起！”他嘶吼道。
黑条赶紧拖着尾巴，灰溜溜地跑开了。
藤池打量着空地周围。她认出了影族的红柳和虎心，不过不等虎心注意到她，她便快速转移了视线。风皮和他的族猫日击在一起，空飞则挤进猫群，去找冰翅和甲虫须。
看到桦落和梅花落也站在猫群边上，藤池腹中一紧。他们没有看她。可一想到自己的父亲也来了黑森林，她就浑身不舒服。
他怎么会在这里呢？梅花落怎么也来了？她猜想着，他们不是坏猫！他们一定是知道了什么！
断星向前迈了一步，空地上的低语声渐渐平息了下来。“你们都经过了严格的训练，”他对聚集的众猫说道，“现在差不多是时候了！”
藤池皮毛一阵刺痛。他终于要告诉我们要对湖边族群做的事情了！一旦大家发现真相，我敢打赌他们会反抗的！或者至少，他们不会再回黑森林。她很清楚，这里大多数活着的猫并不憎恨自己的族群，他们也不想伤害自己的族群。断星真的会说实话吗？那样，黑森林的力量就会被毁灭……
“很快，你们就会有机会来验证你们的技巧、力量和忠诚了。”断星继续说道，他的目光像利爪一样扫过每一只猫，“你们这里的族猫会以你们为荣，你们湖区的族猫也同样会。你们将会证明你们是有史以来最优秀的武士。”
藤池看见下面聆听的猫们全都在点头，脸上充满了骄傲急切的神情。她真想大喊一声：不！你们还不明白吗？他是要让你们去攻打你们自己的至亲！
但她知道，那样做会铸成大错。那样的话，断星绝不会让我多活一刻，那么我所有的黑森林之行，还有我所掌握的所有信息，将变得毫无意义。
她看到风皮两眼放光，她猜他应该是知道接下来会发生什么了。风皮的爪子插进湿软的土里，仿佛在想象脚下踩的是雷族猫。藤池发现，周围的猫谁也没有去质疑断星，这让她沮丧地甩了甩尾尖。他根本就没给他们任何明确的说明，只是含糊其词地空许着荣耀。就连黑森林的猫，似乎也都心甘情愿地等待着下一步指令。
“他甚至连何时发起进攻都没说。”她小声地自言自语道。
等她意识到，周围有猫听见了她的自言自语时，已经太晚了。他们转头震惊地盯着她。
“你不应该质疑断星的决定。”一只白色母猫说道，“难道你不信任他吗？”
藤池赶紧点点头。她浑身一热，气自己怎么会犯那么鼠脑子的错误：“对不起，我当然信任他。”
“都回去训练，”断星站在树堆上继续说道，“随时做好准备，等待最后的指令，它很快就会到来。”
他和其他族长跳下树堆，成排的猫群开始逐一走入阴影处。藤池在猫群中穿梭，伸长脖子寻找着鹰霜。最后，她终于找到了他，鹰霜也看见了她，正摇着尾巴向她示意。藤池从乌泱泱的猫群中挤过去，走到了他身旁。
“我想和断星谈一谈。”她大声说道。
“他很忙。”鹰霜回答道，侧着耳朵指了指树堆下，断星正在那里跟其他几只黑森林猫密谈着什么。
“但是这很重要。”藤池坚持道。
鹰霜抖了抖胡须：“你有什么消息是我们必须要知道的吗？”
“没有，”藤池脑子飞快思考着，回答道，“我……我只是想知道，怎么做你们才能以武士的地位来待我。我不想躲在后面战斗，那是胆小鬼该躲的地方。我想冲在进攻的前列，尽我所能来帮助黑森林的族猫们。”
鹰霜眨眨眼，看上去很受触动。“我知道你很特别，”他说道，“我很高兴选择了你。跟我来吧。”他转身带路，朝着年长的武士们走去。“打扰了，断星，”他低声道，“我的学徒有话想跟你说。”
枫荫嘶吼了一声，很生气被打断了谈话，她那琥珀色的双眼怒视着藤池。可让藤池惊讶的是，虎星那巨大的脑袋转了过来，示意她上前来：“你可以当着我们大家的面，把想说的说出来。”
藤池深吸了一口气，她感觉断星那锐利的目光能刺伤她的皮毛。她努力不去害怕。焰尾闯入黑森林时，他曾质疑过我的忠诚。她突然想道，啊，星族啊，让他现在相信我吧！
她发现周围还有一些其他猫，他们刚要进入森林又折返了回来。他们惊讶地盯着她，猜想着一个小学徒，怎么胆敢跟黑森林里最有资历的猫讲话。
这将是我为雷族做的最重要的一件事。
“让我成为武士，”她对断星说道，“我会不惜一切赢得你的信任。我和这里的每只猫一样，想要帮你打败族群，甚至我比他们还要迫切。请随意调遣我吧。”
最年长的那只猫的身形映衬在泥泞的树干上，仅剩下一点儿模糊的影子。他凶狠地逼向藤池，咆哮道：“小小学徒竟敢大放厥词。”
他从头到脚审视着藤池，藤池则努力逼迫自己，不被他那难闻的口气和恶狠狠的目光吓退。
断星推开了他。“别碰她，蛆尾。”他看了下周围，抖了抖尾巴叫来另一只猫，“过来，蚁皮。”等棕色公猫站在他们身旁，他又对藤池说道：“你们俩打过一次，蚁皮输了。你能再打败他一次吗？”
藤池艰难地咽了下口水。她很清楚断星的意思。这次只能有一个幸存者。她瞥了一眼蚁皮，后者已经竖起颈毛跃跃欲试了。他已经死了，他已经死了。她绝望地提醒自己，我在这里杀他，跟在现实中杀他不一样。或许对蚁皮来说，在最后决战之前脱离这个可怕的地方反而更好。我刚认识他的时候，他是只不错的猫。如果要他攻击自己以前的族猫，他会怎么想呢？
藤池知道，为了雷族，为了湖区所有的族群，这一战她必须赢。她深吸一口气。星族啊，帮帮我吧！
积蓄起全部的力量和她毕生所学的所有动作，以及她仅存的全部勇气，藤池朝蚁皮扑了过去。蚁皮也跳起来迎战她。她向蚁皮的腹部猛拍过去，而蚁皮则用前掌一把抓住她的肩膀，利爪划过她的皮毛。热血的气味冲进藤池的喉咙，她往后一仰，随即抬起后脚掌猛击蚁皮的腹部，扯下来几撮棕色的皮毛。尽管她感到有些残忍，但也有一种满足感。
蚁皮尖叫一声，打了个滚儿躲开了她。可当藤池爬起来时，蚁皮又冲到她的身侧，再次将她撞在地上，并用爪子猛抓她的腹部。
他比以前强壮多了！藤池想道，强压下心头的恐慌，他肯定是死后什么都没干，只是在训练。如果我打不败他怎么办？
趁蚁皮利爪飞舞的间隙，藤池抓住他那晃来晃去的尾巴，并狠狠地一口咬了下去。蚁皮疼得发出一声惨叫，想把尾巴拽出来，可他的攻击力也随之弱了下来。藤池赶紧跳出他的束缚，在一狐狸身长的地方蹲伏下来，大口喘息着。蚁皮躺在她面前的地上，扑腾着脚掌想要站起来。他看上去似乎已经筋疲力尽。藤池打起精神，重新扑上去，想要给他最后一击。可就在那一刻，只见他从她身下钻过去，落在了她的后背上，将她半压在了身下。他把脸凑过来，牙齿和眼睛闪烁着寒光。
“真不敢相信，你会栽在这种老伎俩上，蠢货。”他嘶吼道。
有那么一刻，藤池躺在那里没有动，再也使不出任何的力气。她的伤口很疼，鲜血流进了她的眼睛。她看到那些年长的猫都在盯着她，好奇但却漠然，似乎并不在乎到底谁赢。藤池想到自己的胜利是何等的重要，她暗自做了个疯狂而又蜜蜂脑子的承诺：如果我赢了这场战斗，那族群必将赢得最后的决战。
藤池想起了鸽翅、火星，还有她所有的族猫，这些身影赋予她的巨大力量，全都聚集在了她的爪尖。她奋力起身，将蚁皮甩了出去。然后不等他站稳，便重重地落在他身上，将他撞翻在地。接着，她又抬起一只脚掌，准备从喉到尾将他的肚子划开。
蚁皮眼中闪过恐惧，但藤池没去看他。现在她决不能再心软了——也没办法将蚁皮从这场殊死决战中救出去了。藤池的爪子划了下去，她感觉到热血在她脚掌间喷涌而出。蚁皮抽搐一下，接着便不动了。他的身形开始变得摇曳模糊起来，就好像浸入水中一样。紧接着，藤池发现他身下的草叶枯萎了，一摊猩红的鲜血逐渐晕染开来。蚁皮的身形变得越来越模糊，皮毛几近透明，最终变成了空地上的一个暗影。藤池眨了眨眼。他死了，只剩下血迹还在，将冰冷潮湿的地面染成了红色。现在，连这片血迹也渐渐在消失。
我做得对吗？藤池惊恐得大脑一片空白。
断星走近她，在她耳边粗声说道：“嗯，你现在是黑森林的武士了，这一点毋庸置疑。”
藤池绷紧浑身的肌肉，不让自己在他面前畏惧退缩。这是我听到的最糟糕的一件事情！
“那你能告诉我最终的决战会在什么时候吗？”藤池装出迫切的样子问道，“能让我与你并肩战斗吗？”
断星缓缓眨了下眼睛：“也许吧。”
“可我刚刚向你证明了我的忠诚！”她抗议道。
断星转身离去。不过他又回头瞥了她一眼，吼道：“你早就该忠诚。”
藤池凝望着他远去的背影，鹰霜走到她的身边。“打得漂亮。”他说道。他的语气听起来很受打动，可藤池感觉在他冰蓝色眸子里，看到了一丝恐惧。“你为自己在武士中赢得了一席之地。”鹰霜继续说道，“如果你想知道什么，可以直接来问我。我看得出来，这对你很重要。”他摇了摇尾巴指了指空地边缘，又补充了一句：“现在，去训练几个学徒吧。”
藤池目送他离开，接着便开始在草地上清理脚掌上蚁皮的血迹。地上的血渍已经消失了。藤池不知道能否把蚁皮死亡的气息，从自己的皮毛上清除掉。
一个心跳过后，她感觉有猫在靠近她。她抬头看见了风皮。风族武士正惊恐地看着她。“蚁皮怎么了？”他轻声问道，“你……你又一次杀死了他吗？”
藤池很想告诉他，她是不得已才杀死了蚁皮，她是为了族群才这么做的。我帮他摆脱了某种更糟糕的事情。但她知道，此时黑森林的族长们仍然监视着她。她能感觉到，他们的目光如针刺一般，落在了她身上。
“这是必经之路。”她耸耸肩，回答道，“事实证明，我要比他更忠诚。”
风皮向前迈了一步逼视着她。“在这里，我们或许属于同一个族群，可我并不是你的族猫。”他咆哮道，“你会为此受到惩罚的。等着瞧。”
恐惧像冰冷的石头一样，压在了藤池的肚中。她知道，风皮说得没错。可现在已经太迟了，蚁皮不可能再回来。而她也无法掩盖刚刚发生的事实。她违背了武士守则，杀死了另外一只猫——她必须得相信自己做得没错。
我所做的每一次牺牲，都是为了族群——为了湖区周围所有的族群，即便这意味着要牺牲我自己。
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Hollyleaf led the way out of the camp and up the steep path that brought the group to the top of the hol ow. Pushing through the undergrowth, she halted beside an outcrop of stones.
“This is near the place where I found those marigold plants in water up a tree,” Ivypool told Dovewing. With a gasp she swung around and faced Hol yleaf. “Wait—was that you?”
Hol yleaf nodded.
“And the yarrow?” Brightheart asked.
Dovewing could tel that Hol yleaf was uncomfortable with the attention of al the cats fixed on her. “I trained as a medicine cat first, remember,” she muttered. “I knew that I could help, so I did.”
“So you were watching us al the time?” Brightheart murmured
Hol yleaf stiffened. “It wasn’t like that! I wasn’t spying!”
“I wasn’t accusing you of spying.” Brightheart reached out with her tail to rest it on Hol yleaf’s shoulder. “It’s just good to know that you didn’t forget about us.”
“I would never do that,” Hol yleaf mewed. Giving her pelt a shake, she ducked behind the stones.
Fol owing her, Dovewing saw the gaping hole in the ground where she and Ivypool had ventured before, fol owing Sol into the tunnels.
“You mean we’re going down there?” Thornclaw asked, his whiskers twitching nervously. “It’s not natural. We’re not moles or foxes! Cats shouldn’t be trapped down a hole!”
Toadstep shoved him to one side. “We won’t be trapped, mouse-brain! Let’s go!”
Before he could plunge into the darkness, Brackenfur stopped him with his tail across the entrance. “Hold on a moment. You can’t just go rushing into danger.” He sniffed warily at the stones that surrounded the hole. “These might fal and block us in.”
“You’re right, Brackenfur,” Hol yleaf agreed, “but if they did, it wouldn’t be a disaster. There are plenty of other ways out. Don’t forget that I know these tunnels.” Stepping back, she gestured with her tail.
“Al of you, have a good sniff. We’re not going anywhere until every cat is ready.” While the other cats crowded around the hole, Toadstep glanced at Dovewing and Ivypool. “You two aren’t saying much,” he remarked.
He doesn’t know we’ve already been down there, Dovewing thought. And he’d better not find out. If Firestar knew we entered the tunnels on our own, we would be back on apprentice duties before you could say mouse.
Aloud she mewed, “We’re just looking forward to learning how to move through the tunnels.” Ivypool nodded. “Right.”
“Right,” Hol yleaf went on when every cat had taken a good look at the entrance. “We’l go in now.
Fol ow me, and don’t even think about trying to explore on your own.” She gave Toadstep a hard look.
“Okay,” he muttered.
Hol yleaf led the way into the tunnels fol owed by Brackenfur and then Brightheart. Dovewing hung back to take the last place, guessing that she might be able to use her senses to guard their rear, in case any WindClan warriors were lurking in the tunnels. Thornclaw was hanging back, too; Dovewing could see how reluctant he was to go down into the darkness.
“It’l be fine,” she mewed as he hesitated at the entrance.
Thornclaw shot her a glare and plunged into the tunnel; Dovewing could guess how much he must hate being reassured by a much younger Clanmate, especial y when he didn’t know that she had experience of being underground.
The light from the tunnel entrance soon died away behind them. Dovewing padded along in darkness, adjusting her senses to the unfamiliar surroundings and remembering how freaked out she had been when she first fol owed this path with Ivypool. Now the damp earth beneath her paws and the sensation of her fur brushing the wal s of the tunnel didn’t bother her nearly so much. It was better because they had a confident leader in Hol yleaf. Now and again her voice would echo back along the tunnel.
“Watch your paws here; the ground is uneven.”
“It’s a tight squeeze just here, but it doesn’t last long.”
As the floor began to slant more steeply downward, Dovewing became aware of Thornclaw in front of her; he was breathing hard and once or twice his tail lashed across her face.
He’s getting scared. I know how he feels.
In the next heartbeat she col ided with Thornclaw’s hindquarters and realized he was trying to back away. “I’ve got to get out of here,” he muttered.
“No—you can’t!”
The tunnel was so narrow that Dovewing was blocking Thornclaw’s retreat. Panting, he started to claw at her. “Let me out!” he gasped.
“Hol yleaf!” Dovewing cal ed. “Thornclaw needs help.”
“Okay, I’m coming!”
In the blackness Dovewing couldn’t see a thing, but she could hear grunts and hisses from the other cats as Hol yleaf squeezed her way past them until she reached Thornclaw.
“There’s nothing to be scared of,” she told Thornclaw calmly. “The dark can’t hurt you, just because you can’t see. And you have other senses, remember?”
Her words seemed to soothe Thornclaw; at least, he stopped struggling, though Dovewing was close enough to feel him trembling. “I’l walk with you,” Hol yleaf went on. “I’ve lived for moons down here, and nothing bad has happened to me.” Thornclaw took a deep breath. “Okay,” he whispered. “Sorry.”
“Brackenfur!” Hol yleaf raised her voice. “Wil you take the lead? Just keep on going straight, and ignore any side turns.”
“Right.” Brackenfur’s voice echoed back.
Thornclaw’s brief panic had unsettled Dovewing, and she began to feel uncomfortable, acutely aware of the contrast between bright, warm daylight and this cold blackness. She managed to slide forward past the others until she could pad between Brackenfur and Ivypool, feeling reassured by their closeness. Brackenfur especial y was a solid and calm presence, apparently too curious about the tunnels to feel any fear.
“What keeps the roof up?” he asked, sounding impressed. “And what made the tunnels in the first place?”
“Water,” Hol yleaf replied from farther back.
“There’s a river, and when it floods the tunnels fil .”
“Wil they fil now?” Thornclaw fretted.
“Not a chance,” Hol yleaf told him. “There has to be real y heavy rain for a long time before that happens.
Run your paw along the stone,” she added, “and you can feel ridges like ripples in a windblown lake.
That’s from when the tunnels were first worn away by water.”
Reaching out to feel the tiny furrows, Dovewing felt strangely comforted. Hollyleaf is really at home down here, she thought. She knows every mouse-length of these tunnels!
“I thought we were down here to learn about fighting?” Toadstep remarked as they padded on.
“You are,” Hol yleaf countered. “But you wouldn’t be able to fight a beetle in these narrow tunnels.
When it comes to a battle, we’l have to confront our enemies in larger spaces. The tunnels are useful to flee or pursue, but not for combat. If you try, you’re more likely to hit the wal s than your opponent.”
“Sorry I asked,” Toadstep muttered.
As the tunnel grew slightly wider Hol yleaf took the lead again and headed along a twisting side passage. At last Dove-wing realized that she could see, very dimly, the shapes of the cats in front of her.
The sound of running water came from up ahead; her pelt prickled at the thought of a flood rising to engulf them.
Moments later the cats emerged into an underground cave. A crack in the roof, high above their heads, gave them enough light to see one another. A river ran across the center of the cavern; Hol yleaf flicked her tail at it.
“See? It’s greenleaf now, so the water level is very low. Nothing at al to worry about.” She seemed hesitant as the cats gathered around her. “I wonder what’s best . . .” she murmured, half to herself.
“Attack or defense?”
“Don’t you even know that?” Thornclaw snapped.
“What did you get us down here for?” Toadstep shot Thornclaw a sharp look, though he said nothing.
“I didn’t spend my time down here fighting,” Hol yleaf retorted. “I had no enemies because I saw no other cats.”
That must have been so lonely, Dovewing thought, with a sympathetic glance at the black she-cat.
“But you know more than any of us about moving around in darkness and confined spaces,” Brackenfur meowed. “That’s what wil be helpful.
What should we do if a patrol of WindClan cats ambushes us here?”
Hol yleaf gave him a brief nod. “Right,” she began.
“You need to remember that the space is smal , so you have to change your fighting moves. Keep your blows short and tight, otherwise you risk knocking your paws against the wal s.”
Toadstep reared up on his hindpaws, keeping his forelegs tucked into his body while extending his claws against an imaginary enemy. “Like this?”
“Very good,” Hol yleaf mewed. “But don’t rear up unless you know there’s enough space above your head. Braining yourself on the tunnel roof would be a bad idea.”
Dovewing stifled a mrrow of amusement. “Is it better to fight in the light or the dark?” she asked.
Hol yleaf paused for a moment. “It depends,” she replied. “If you think you can beat your opponent, lead them away from the light so you can take advantage of the darkness. But if not, keep them close to the light so you can aim your blows accurately.”
Dovewing glanced around the cavern, suppressing a shiver as she imagined it ful of clawing, screeching cats. The advice Hol yleaf was giving suddenly made the coming battle seem closer.
“Right,” Hol yleaf mewed briskly. “Let’s practice.
Toadstep, you seem keen, so you can be a ThunderClan warrior. Dove-wing, you be the WindClan warrior that’s attacking him.”
“Great!” Toadstep crouched down, lashing his tail.
“Come and get me, WindClan scum!”
“Scum yourself!” Dovewing retorted.
She leaped at Toadstep, but forgot what Hol yleaf had said about keeping moves smal and tight. As Toadstep dodged aside, her leap took her too far, and she narrowly missed charging into the cave wal .
Her paws skidded, while Toadstep took the chance to deliver a couple of hard blows to her hindquarters.
“Wel done!” Hol yleaf cal ed.
Dovewing gritted her teeth. Turning tightly, she reared up as Toadstep came in for the attack, and used the backflip she had learned in the training session with Bumblestripe. Toadstep saw the move coming, but too late, and lost his balance. Dovewing leaped on top of him, battering at him with her forepaws.
But as Toadstep rol ed over, wriggling to free himself, one of Dovewing’s flailing paws hit the wal .
She let out a yowl of pain. Taking advantage of her brief distraction, Toadstep threw her off and wrapped his forepaws around her neck. However hard she struggled, Dovewing couldn’t dislodge him.
Their fight had taken them right up against the cave wal . Heaving Toadstep around, Dovewing managed to trap him in a corner. Though he was stil clinging to her neck, he had no way of escaping when she raked at his bel y with her hindpaws.
“That’l do.” Hol yleaf came to separate them.
“Very good, both of you. Dovewing, that was a good move, to keep him pressed up against the wal like that. Do you know what you could have done?” she asked Toadstep.
“Not much. I’l have bruises for a moon,” Toadstep muttered
“I’l show you. Brackenfur, come over here and shove me into the corner.”
As the ginger warrior charged at her, Hol yleaf sprang up against the wal and pushed off in an enormous leap that carried her right over Brackenfur’s head. She landed lightly and spun around, ready to attack.
“Bril iant!” Dovewing exclaimed.
There was a murmur of appreciation from the other cats.
“You need space, of course,” Hol yleaf meowed, dipping her head. “And you have to be careful not to scrape your pads. The wal s aren’t always smooth.
Why don’t you al pair up and practice that?” she suggested.
Within a few heartbeats the cave was ful of leaping cats. Dovewing took Ivypool as her partner. It took a few tries before either of them could do the move effectively.
“This is hard!” Ivypool panted. “But it might come in handy you-know-where,” she added in a lower voice.
“Think of it as stalking and pouncing on prey,” Dovewing mewed. “I’ve found that helps.”
“Okay,” Hol yleaf cal ed. “Now I want to try something else. Brightheart, you’ve developed new fighting moves to take advantage of your blind side.
Is there anything you can tel us that would help us here?”
Brightheart dipped her head, clearly pleased at being invited to contribute. “I’m used to darkness on one side,” she began, “so the darkness down here doesn’t bother me al that much. You need to make sure you’re using your whiskers and your tail-tip.
They’l help you judge how far away you are from the tunnel wal s.”
Hol yleaf nodded. “Let’s try a practice round to show us how that works. Ivypool, come and fight with her.”
Ivypool leaped forward and tried to trap Brightheart against the cave wal . But Brightheart seemed to know exactly where she was without needing to look behind her. She slid to one side and raked her paw down Ivypool’s flank.
“Great!” Ivypool wheezed, struggling to get her breath back. “If your claws were out, I’d be crow-food.”
Brightheart repeated the sequence, but this time slowed down her moves so that every cat could see how she used her tail and whiskers. “Don’t forget you can’t always see your enemy down here,” she added. “You’l need to use hearing and scent much more than you do when you’re fighting out in the open.”
“Good point,” Hol yleaf meowed. “We’l do an exercise now to practice that. I’m going to take you into the tunnels one by one, and leave you there. You have to find your way back to us by listening and smel ing.”
“What if we can’t?” Thornclaw asked with a twitch of his tail-tip.
“Then I’l come and get you, mouse-brain,” Hol yleaf retorted. “Come on, you can be first.
Meanwhile, the rest of you can practice Brightheart’s moves.”
She disappeared into a nearby tunnel, with Thornclaw trailing reluctantly after her. Dovewing was surprised when the tabby warrior returned soon after Hol yleaf, giving himself a couple of complacent licks as he emerged into the cave again.
“Good,” Hol yleaf mewed. “Now you, Dovewing.” Hol yleaf led the way down a series of tunnels that twisted and branched so that Dovewing knew she would never have found the way out again without something to guide her.
“Al right, this’l do,” Hol yleaf told her as they reached a dead end. “Wait for as long as it takes to eat a mouse, and then fol ow me back.” Dovewing waited much longer than that. Thanks to her special senses she could pick up the sounds of the cats in the cavern and knew exactly where she had to go. She didn’t want to give her powers away, so she tried to judge how long she should have taken before she rejoined them. From the moderate praise Hol yleaf gave her, Dovewing guessed her calculations had been right.
Toadstep was the last cat to go. Growing tired, the rest of the cats had stopped practicing and waited in the cave as the moments dragged out and he didn’t reappear.
“Hol yleaf, do you think—” Brightheart began.
A panic-stricken yowl interrupted her, seeming to come from right inside the wal s of the cave. “I’m lost!
I can’t get out!”
“It’s okay!” Hol yleaf cal ed back. “We can hear you. You can’t be far away.”
“But I can’t find the right tunnel!”
“Just keep calm,” Hol yleaf instructed him. “Let your senses go stil before you try again. Now taste the air for scent. Is it stronger in one direction?” There was a pause before Toadstep answered,
“I . . . I think so.”
“Okay, try that.”
A few heartbeats’ silence passed before Toadstep popped out of the tunnel entrance again.
“Thank StarClan!” he exclaimed.
“If you get lost down here,” Hol yleaf addressed the whole group of cats, “it’s vital not to panic. There’s always something that wil tel you the right way. Pay attention to the direction of the airflow. And if the air feels damp and heavy, that means the tunnel wil go deeper.”
“And head for the light, right?” Ivypool added.
Hol yleaf hesitated. “Mostly . . . but don’t forget that some cracks reach far, far down into the rock. They don’t necessarily offer a way out. Like that one,” she added, gesturing with her tail toward the gap in the cave roof.
“What next?” Toadstep asked.
“Next we go back to camp,” Hol yleaf replied. “It’s been a real y good session, but we’re al tired now.”
“We’ve learned a lot,” Dovewing meowed.
“Thanks, Hol yleaf.”
Murmurs of agreement came from the other cats as Hol yleaf led them back through the tunnels. The sun was setting by the time they emerged, and shadows lay thick under the trees as they padded back through the twilit forest.
“Hol yleaf’s training wil be real y useful for night fighting, too,” Brackenfur remarked.
“Yeah, we could practice that,” Toadstep agreed eagerly. “I’ve got another idea, too. Down in the tunnels, we could think of ways of getting our enemies lost.”
Ivypool nodded. “Maybe work out a system of signs so that we know where we are but the WindClan cats don’t?”
“Or we could work on ways of luring them into an ambush,” Dovewing added, her pads tingling with excitement. “WindClan won’t know what hit them!” As the entrance to the hol ow came into sight, Toadstep halted and gazed through the shadowy trees toward the WindClan border. “Let them come!” he yowled, his neck fur bristling and his tail lashing.
“We are ready!”
第十九章
第十九章
狮焰穿过荆棘屏障，朝森林走去。他竖起耳朵，倾听着入侵者的动静。榛尾和玫瑰瓣跟在他后面，炭心断后。他带队朝风族边界溪流和湖泊交汇的地方走去，这时，他听见身后传来了窃窃私语声。
“谁能想到冬青叶会杀了蜡毛呢？”榛尾悄声说道，“你不觉得很可怕吗？她是怎么保守住这个秘密的？”
“怎么说呢，她之后很快便离开了。”狐跃说道，“你认为她那样逃走，是勇敢还是怯懦呢？”
停顿了一个心跳的时间，榛尾回道：“应该是勇敢吧，因为她回来了……”
狮焰猛然转身，怒视着两只族猫。榛尾的声音顿时小了下去，她和狐跃飞快地交换了个眼神，然后尴尬地舔了舔自己胸口的皮毛。
你们终于想起冬青叶是我姐姐了。狮焰心想道，不过他什么也没说。
到达风族边界后，他们朝溪流的上游走去。榛尾和狐跃都高度警惕，转动着耳朵，来回扫视着雷族领地里的灌木丛，还张开嘴巴捕捉着哪怕是最微弱的风族气息。狮焰满意地看着他们，却发现炭心根本就心不在焉。她那漫无目的的样子，就好像在森林里什么也看不见，什么也闻不见似的。他提醒其他猫路中有荆棘，然后便听到狐跃的回应声，可炭心还是被缠在里面了。
“你没事吧？”狮焰问她。
“我没事！”她厉声回答道，然后便一下子把自己拽出来，留了几撮毛在上面。
狮焰眨眨眼，察觉出她语气里的冷漠，不像她平时的作风。那一刻，他多么希望自己能被分到另一支巡逻队伍里去，或者被派去给长老们准备铺垫。可紧接着，对炭心的关心胜过了他那一闪而过的恼怒。她这么反常，肯定是出什么问题了。
朝上游又走了几狐狸身长的距离，狮焰注意到炭心偏离了边界，站到了没到肚子的草丛中，眼睛瞪得大大的，眼神迷离恍惚。他让其他猫先走，然后穿过草丛走近她。
“前面有风族巡逻队！”他嘶吼道。
炭心立刻警觉起来，竖起颈毛环顾四周：“在哪里？”
“哪里也没有，”狮焰说道，“我只是想看看你是否清醒着。”
炭心的毛立得更直了。“你不是我的老师，”她咆哮道，“你不用总是来检查我。”
狮焰张开嘴巴，想要问她怎么了。可她眼中的怒气告诉他，还是保持安静的好。于是，他走开了。至少，他注意到，炭心现在似乎能够集中精力了。
他们到达领地里有隧道的那片区域，也没有发现风族或是日神的迹象。狮焰没有惊动其他猫，快速钻进了隧道入口。不需要告诉每只猫隧道口在哪里，因为有些鼠脑子的，可能会从雷族这边的隧道去攻击风族。
他在隧道口嗅来嗅去，突然想起了石楠尾。不知道她是否了解日神的阴谋。她会利用自己熟悉隧道的优势，来帮助自己的族猫进攻吗？石楠尾对狮焰还有些许的忠诚吗？又或者，她会不会以伤害他的族猫为乐，因为他们之间曾经的友谊早已化作了尘土？
返回巡逻队后，狮焰又看了看炭心。他叹了一口气：为什么我们之间的关系那么复杂呢？
巡逻队返回营地时已是日高时分，他们没发现什么可汇报的。石头山谷刚映入眼帘，狮焰便听见空地那边传来了尖叫和哀号声。
“出事了！”他大吼道。
巡逻队紧跟在他身后，冲向荆棘通道入口。风族武士进攻了吗？趁此时巡逻队全都外出，营地几乎空了的时候？
不过等他钻出荆棘丛，并没有看到风族猫。几只没有任务的雷族猫，在空地中央围起了个歪七扭八的圆圈。狮焰从黛西和香薇云中间挤过去，想看看他们在干什么。空地中央，鼠须和樱桃爪正躺在地上，疼痛难忍地扭动着。他们不停地蹬腿，尾巴也痛苦地蜷缩着。两只猫口吐白沫，眼睛因为疼痛变得有些呆滞。
“发生了什么事？”狮焰急忙问道。
“我不知道。”罂粟霜瞪大眼睛，惶恐地回答道，“他们刚回来不一会儿，然后就倒下变成了这样。”
“我的孩子们！”黛西低呼道，眨着眼睛焦急地看着鼠须。香薇云用尾巴轻拍她的肩膀，安慰着她。
“肚子……肚子疼。”鼠须上气不接下气地说道，“可能是昨晚我俩吃的那只老鼠……有点儿变质了。”
“好疼！”樱桃爪哀号着。她无助地朝罂粟霜伸出一只脚掌，像是在哀求母亲帮她。
“松鸦羽在哪里？”狮焰大声问道。
“去森林里什么地方了。”鼹鼠爪两眼惊恐地盯着妹妹说道，“他和亮心去查看他种植的那些草药了。”
“快去把他找回来。”狮焰命令道，“先去废弃的两脚兽巢穴那边找找。”
鼹鼠爪点头迅速离开了。他看起来松了口气，因为终于可以做些什么了。狮焰有些犹豫，不太确定自己还能做些什么。这时，叶池从他身边挤了过去，他差点儿没站住。
“你们吃什么了？”她弯下腰，一边查看樱桃爪，一边盘问道。
“鼠须说他俩昨晚吃了只变质的老鼠。”狮焰解释道。
叶池琥珀色的眸子飞快地瞥了他一眼。“一只老鼠还不至于这样。”她很紧张，但还努力保持着镇定。紧急时刻，巫医的本领又显露了出来。
“我们不想麻烦松鸦羽，就吃了些香芹……治腹痛。”鼠须咬着牙挤出了几个字。
“香芹？”叶池低头嗅了嗅樱桃爪嘴边的白沫，“那不是香芹，是毒芹。”
“那东西有毒吗？”狮焰问道，其实他心里已经有了答案。
“在整个森林，除了死亡浆果，没什么比毒芹毒性更大了。”叶池回答道，“我需要些草药让他们把毒物吐出来。”
不过她没去松鸦羽的巢穴，相反，她紧紧按住樱桃爪的脚掌，想要阻止她剧烈挣扎。
“你要做什么？”罂粟霜嘶吼道。
“他们需要保持不动。”叶池告诉她，“如果他们像这样使劲蹬腿，很可能会被自己的舌头给噎住窒息而死。”
狮焰立刻意识到危险，冲到鼠须身旁，想要按住年轻的武士。鼠须的四肢痛苦地抽搐着，爪子划伤了狮焰的肩膀。叶池也无法控制住樱桃爪，尽管她的动作有力，充满自信，但眼中却流露着恐惧。
“狐跃，过来给我们帮忙！”狮焰大声喊着族猫。这时，他注意到炭心出现在营地入口处。她正惊恐地盯着患病的猫，似乎不忍看下去，却又挪不开眼睛。
突然，她跳上前，从狮焰旁边飞奔而过。“我去拿些草药。”她说道。说完便向松鸦羽的巢穴冲去。
叶池抬起头来：“我们需要——”
“我知道。”炭心打断了她，回头瞥了一眼，便消失在了黑莓屏风后。
狐跃过来帮叶池按住樱桃爪，榛尾则跑过来帮狮焰压着鼠须。她的哥哥不停地蹬着腿，将她踢倒在地，可她赶紧爬起来，重新按住了他。
几个心跳后，炭心叼着一捆蓍草回来了。她把草药放在叶池旁边，转向狮焰。“按住他的头，”她清楚地说道，“不，不是那样——你将脚掌放进他的嘴中，我需要你按住他，才能往他嘴里塞蓍草。”
狮焰盯着她：“你从哪儿学到这些的？”
“现在没时间说这些！”炭心将狮焰的脚掌放在正确的位置，厉声说道，“按我说的做就好。”她咀嚼了一些草药，然后将草浆塞进鼠须的嘴里。接着，她开始按摩他的腹部，使劲地揉搓着，就好像是幼崽想要从母亲那里获取奶水一样。在她一旁，叶池也对樱桃爪做着同样的动作。
炭心侧头看了看她。“再往上一点儿，用点儿力。”她指导道。
让狮焰惊奇的是，叶池居然点了点头。她的眼睛比平时瞪得更大，但却并没有停下来问炭心，为什么会突然指导她该怎么做。
星族啊，这究竟是怎么回事？狮焰很是纳闷，炭心曾受过巫医的秘密训练吗？不然她怎么会做这些？
几个心跳过后，两只病猫全都吐出来几口恶臭的黏稠物。
“很好。”炭心安抚着鼠须。鼠须可怜地哽噎着，于是她轻拍着他的肩膀说：“你很快会好起来的。”
一尾远外，叶池正在安抚樱桃爪，年轻学徒看起来又累又难受。
“你确定她没事吗？”罂粟霜凑到幼崽身旁，焦虑地问道。
“她没事了。”叶池向她保证。
“感谢星族！”黛西欢呼道。
大家都放松了下来，危机已经过去了。狮焰更加仔细地打量着炭心，她似乎换了副他从没见过的表情。她的毛色、身形，还有个头，还跟原来一样，只是她的眼睛，不再是他熟知和深爱的那只猫的眼睛了。
叶池将樱桃爪交给她的母亲，走过来查看鼠须的情况。
“你训练过炭心吗？”狮焰悄声问她。
“不，从来没有。”叶池也小声答道，眼中充满了某种晦涩难懂的神情。
“那她怎么会这些呢？”狮焰抬高嗓门，追问道，“我不明白！”
“管它呢，”榛尾说道，“只要她救了鼠须的命就行。”
炭心抬头看了看叶池，目光中满含着悲伤。
“这么说，你都知道了？”叶池低语道。
炭心点点头：“是的，我都知道了。”
狮焰听到身后有脚步声，转身看见松鸦羽和亮心正肩并肩大步走过来。两只猫嘴里都叼着成捆的草药。
“发生什么事了？”松鸦羽喊道，因为满嘴都是草药，声音听上去闷闷的。
狮焰简洁地跟松鸦羽讲述了鼠须和樱桃爪是如何误食了毒芹，如何中了毒。“叶池——”
“都是火星建议教给族群一些草药知识，”松鸦羽打断了他，并快速检查了樱桃爪和鼠须的情况，“如果他们不觉得他们知道该怎么做，这一切就都不会发生。不过他们都会没事的。”说完，他又补充了一句：“狐跃、榛尾，帮忙把他俩扶进巫医巢穴。”
病猫们斜靠在狐跃和榛尾身上，颤颤巍巍地离开了。“炭心很清楚该怎么处理。”叶池说道。
松鸦羽猛地转过头，震惊地瞪大了眼睛：“什么？”
炭心平静地看着他：“知道了这一切，我怎么可能还袖手旁观，什么都不做呢？”
“你做了什么？”叶池冲松鸦羽嘶吼道，“我想我们早就商量过了，让她平静地生活下去。”
“她应该知道真相，”松鸦羽厉声对她说道，“知道星族为她选择了一个新的宿命。”
狮焰感觉脚下的地面都要坍塌了。炭心的宿命？他们在说什么？
“我还在这里，你们知道吧。”炭心说道。她眯起眼睛，看着叶池和松鸦羽。
“很抱歉让你发现了真相。”叶池怒视着松鸦羽，对她说道，“我以为我和松鸦羽已经达成了一致，向你隐瞒实情来着。”
炭心蓝色的眸子里升起一团怒火：“然后让我生活在无知之中，不知道自己究竟是谁？你们没权利做这样的决定！”
“可说出真相会改变一切。”叶池耷拉着尾巴说道，“之前的一切都很顺利。”
“过去的一切只是个谎言！”炭心抬高嗓门哀号道，“如果我真的被赋予了第二次生命，那星族就该把那些记忆抹去。可我现在根本就忘不掉，根本就不能阻止那些记忆涌入我的脑海。”
“炭心，我——”叶池刚要开口。
炭心的毛竖了起来。“我记得旧森林里的每一条路！”她回想道，“我认识蛇岩和太阳石，记得四棵树那里的森林大会，记得自己是黄牙的学徒，还接生过幼崽，可我没能救下他们的母亲。你知道那是什么感受吗？我记得自己瞒着族群，去救治生病的影族猫。我还记得……”她泣不成声地说道：“我记得所有的一切。”
叶池将尾尖搭在炭心的肩上，灰色母猫没有避开。
“我从来没想到你有这样的感受。”松鸦羽轻声说道，“我只是想让你知道星族为你做的一切。”
“可我总忍不住这样想。”炭心反驳道，“我忘不了自己的前世，忘不了自己是炭毛。”
狮焰在一旁听着，感觉自己就像只幼崽，在湍急的洪流中奋力挣扎着，却没有任何可以抓住的东西。现在，他的脚掌仿佛终于落在了地面上，却让他震惊不已。
炭心过去是炭毛？这怎么可能？
“我也不知道自己是谁了。”炭心继续说道，痛苦的声音里还透着一丝哀伤，“一直以来，我难道只是一只死猫的影子吗？”
“不，”叶池轻声说道，声音里充满了笃定，“不，你才不是，你对族群意义重大。”
炭心从叶池身旁跃开，然后转身面朝她蹲伏了下来，像是要扑到猎物身上似的。“我不相信你！”她嘶吼道。说完，不等叶池回答，她便向前冲过空地，消失在荆棘屏障的缝隙里。
“我去追她。”狮焰说道。
松鸦羽点点头：“我跟你一起去。”
“不用。”狮焰怒火中烧，瞪着弟弟。你一直都知道，可你却从没告诉我！“我自己去！”
“好，小心一点儿。”松鸦羽轻声说道，“回来告诉我情况。”
“对她温柔一点儿！”叶池冲跑出去的狮焰喊道。
狮焰循着炭心的气味，找到了外面的森林里。炭心似乎是漫无目的地冲出了山谷，然后穿过了灌木丛，还被路上长出来的黑莓丛给扯下了几撮灰色的毛。最后，他在一处枝叶繁茂的榛树丛下找到了她，她正蜷缩在那里，用爪子撕扯着一根树枝。
“你得用巫医的本领才能将树枝还原回去。”狮焰钻进榛树丛，蹲伏在她身旁，开玩笑地跟她说道。
“真的吗？”炭心抬起头看着他，蓝色眸子里满是痛苦，“那我是不是很幸运，能拥有那么多本领？”
狮焰意识到自己说错了话。“对不起，”他说道，“我也很痛恨这件事情，这对我们俩都不是什么好事。”
炭心眼中的愤怒渐渐消退了：“我不知道自己是谁了。”
“你是炭心，”狮焰安慰她道，用鼻子轻触她的耳朵，“你一直都是。”
“不，不是一直。”炭心郁闷地眨眨眼睛，回答道，“我曾经是炭毛，这条路我以前走过，每一步都走过。”
“什么意思？”狮焰不解地问道，“你现在是武士，不是巫医。”
“我不知道自己是什么，”炭心终于将树枝撕碎，“我是说……我以前爱过一只不该爱的猫。”她眼中一片阴郁。“可怜的炭毛，”她低声说道，“她被夺走了那么多……”
狮焰退缩了。我再也受不了这些了。“我们过会儿再聊。”他低声对炭心说道，紧接着便钻出榛树丛，朝湖边跑去。
他来到湖边坐下，看着波涛起伏的湖水，想起了湖区各族群的生活。他郁闷地想：他们多么幸运啊，不会被某个无形的预言所纠缠，或是为某只重生的猫所困扰！
“我不知道该怎么做。”他低声说道。
狮焰不清楚自己在湖边坐了多久，他听见身后有脚步声传来。他满怀希冀地以为是炭心来找他，转身却看见松鼠飞正沿岸边向他走来。
“嘿，”松鼠飞说道，坐在了他身边，“想聊一聊吗？”
松鼠飞是狮焰最不想吐露心声的猫，可眼下他心绪不宁，无法再保持沉默。
“这不公平！”他脱口喊道，“不仅是对我，对炭心也是。她想成为武士，可现在，她却不得不相信自己必须成为巫医，就因为以前的某只猫是巫医。”
松鼠飞点了点头：“所有的猫都有权寻求自己的幸福，成为伴侣或是母亲。就这一点，我这一生中没什么可遗憾的。”
狮焰心里一紧，爪子插入地面。他知道自己想说什么，可话到嘴边，却像一块坚硬的猎物堵住了喉咙，怎么也说不出来。
“你是位好母亲。”最后，他坦诚地说道。他无比眷恋地想起自己小的时候，那时他和姐姐弟弟都相信，松鼠飞和黑莓掌就是他们的亲生父母。卸下长久以来的怨恨，他感觉自己肩上轻松了很多：“你和黑莓掌也该有自己的孩子了。”
“那不可能。”松鼠飞叹了口气，接着又语气轻松地说了一句，“或许不生孩子才好。我爱你、松鸦羽，还有冬青叶，你们就像我亲生的一样。看到你们不开心，我的心里也很难过。”
狮焰转过头，迎着她那明亮的绿色眸子，说道：“我想，炭心比我们任何一位都要难过。”
Chapter 22
Chapter 22
“Hi, Dovewing, Ivypool!” Foxleap called as they emerged from the thorns at the rear of Hol yleaf’s training patrol.
The last streaks of scarlet were fading from the sky and half the stone hol ow lay in deep shadow.
Most of the other patrols seemed to have returned, too, and almost the whole Clan was settling down to eat. Ivypool looked across the camp to see Foxleap sitting beside Bumblestripe near the fresh-kil pile.
“Come and share our squirrel!” Foxleap added.
Ivypool raced across the clearing with Dovewing at her shoulder. She noticed the welcoming purr that Bumblestripe gave her sister, and how he made room for her to sit next to him and eat.
“How was the training?” Foxleap prompted.
Every muscle in Ivypool’s body was aching as she flopped down and bit into the prey. “We learned loads,” she mumbled around the mouthful of freshkil .
“Yes, al about how to fight underground,” Dovewing put in. “You have to keep your moves smal , and not bang your paws against the wal s.”
“And Hol yleaf taught us to push off the tunnel wal and leap over our enemies,” Ivypool mewed, swal owing the squirrel. “That’s so you don’t get trapped.”
“Wow, it sounds tough!” Foxleap commented.
“It is,” Dovewing admitted, “but it’s kind of logical, too. You’l see, when it’s your turn.”
“This is a great squirrel,” Ivypool meowed, taking another huge bite. “Who caught it?”
“Actual y, it was me,” Bumblestripe confessed, giving his shoulder an embarrassed lick. “I was lucky to get it.”
“No, it was a bril iant catch,” Foxleap insisted.
“Especial y since you were on your own. Cinderheart was supposed to be in our hunting patrol,” he explained, “but she said she wanted to stay here in the hol ow and help Jayfeather.”
Dovewing’s whiskers twitched in surprise. “What did Brambleclaw say?”
Bumblestripe shrugged. “Not much. What could he say? He would never chal enge a medicine cat, would he?”
“But is Cinderheart a medicine cat?” Foxleap asked.
Ivypool felt a pang of sympathy for Cinderheart; she knew very wel what it was like to have a paw in two worlds. But when the gray she-cat emerged a moment later from Jayfeather’s den and padded over to eat with Hol yleaf, she seemed contented enough.
Maybe she’s found her destiny after all, Ivypool thought.
A few moments later, Jayfeather emerged from the den and bounded across to the fresh-kil pile, where he chose a mouse for himself.
Cinderheart looked up from the vole she was sharing with Hol yleaf. “Jayfeather, should I sleep in your den from now on?”
Ivypool realized that the gray she-cat wasn’t contented at al . She was trying to put a brave face on her situation, but underneath it she seemed confused and unhappy.
“We wanted to talk to you about that,” Brackenfur mewed, padding up to Jayfeather with Sorreltail beside him. “About everything, real y.”
“Yes,” Sorreltail joined in. “What does it al mean, that Cinderheart used to be Cinderpelt? Why has StarClan done this to her?”
Jayfeather shook his head. “I don’t know. It was their decision.”
Sorreltail padded up to her daughter and pressed her muzzle comfortingly against Cinderheart’s shoulder. “I love you for who you are,” she murmured.
“And that is Cinderheart.”
Cinderheart looked up at her with pain in her blue eyes. “But I don’t know if I am Cinderheart anymore.
Jayfeather, should I sleep in your den or not?” Jayfeather hesitated. “You don’t have to, but—” Mil ie interrupted by springing to her paws and stalking forward, her tail-tip twitching. “What about Briarlight?” she demanded. “I don’t want her moved out of the den just to make room for Cinderheart.
What if she stops breathing in the night?”
“I don’t think that’s likely,” Jayfeather responded.
He raised his tail to stop Mil ie as she drew breath for another protest. “But I don’t want Briarlight moved either,” he added. “She’s real y useful where she is.” Briarlight, who was sharing a sparrow with Graystripe, blinked. “I’m fine,” she mewed. “I don’t mind where I am.”
“But there isn’t room for three cats in there,” Brightheart pointed out, joining the discussion.
“You’d al be real y squashed.”
“And what if you need space for sick cats?” Leafpool added.
Ivypool felt her head start to spin as more cats joined in to add their opinions, and she couldn’t fol ow the argument anymore. A flash of flame caught her eye and she spotted Firestar bounding down from the Highledge.
“Brackenfur, Dustpelt,” the Clan leader meowed as he approached the fresh-kil pile, flicking his tail to summon the two toms. “Do you think that we could make more space in the medicine cat’s den, along with the warriors’ den?”
Dustpelt and Brackenfur turned to eye the fal en tree.
“It might work,” Dustpelt murmured, tilting his head to one side. “What do you think, Brackenfur? If we could move that branch there, and pack the space with brambles . . .”
Ivypool was distracted from the warriors’ plans when Hol yleaf padded across to her and Dovewing.
“Are you stil okay with me sharing your den?” she meowed.
“Of course,” Ivypool replied at once. Now that she was over the shock of Hol yleaf’s reappearance, she thought that the black warrior was one of the most intriguing cats she had ever met. She wanted to know her better. “You can stay as long as you want.”
“What was it like, living in the tunnels for such a long time?” Dovewing asked curiously; Ivypool thought that she looked more confident around Hol yleaf since their training session underground.
Hol yleaf shrugged. “Dark. Cold.”
“Did you real y not see any other cats?” Dovewing persisted
“And what did you do al day?” Bumblestripe added; he was stil sitting close beside Dovewing and the remains of the squirrel.
“No, I didn’t see any others,” Hol yleaf meowed.
“As for what I did . . . stalked prey, explored the woods just outside the territory . . .” Ivypool could tel that she real y didn’t want to talk about her exile from the Clan. She must have been so lonely . . . and felt so guilty about Ashfur, without any other cat to talk to. . . .
Suddenly Hol yleaf let out a smal mrrow of amusement. “Did Lionblaze ever tel you about the time he and I went hunting mice on the way to the mountains? We were only apprentices.”
“No—tel us!” Ivypool urged her.
“We were passing a farm,” Hol yleaf went on, tucking her paws under her chest. “The scent of mouse was so strong, and we were so hungry! So we sneaked away while the others were having a rest. Breezepelt was with us, too.”
“Breezepelt!” Ivypool exclaimed, feeling her neck fur begin to fluff up.
“Yes, he was there on the journey,” Hol yleaf told her. “Even though he is a pain in the tail, we had to let him come.”
“What happened?” Dovewing prompted.
“We got trapped in a barn by some dogs. I was scared out of my fur! Breezepelt nearly lost his tail, they got so close.”
Ivypool leaned in. “How did you escape?”
“Purdy rescued us,” Hol yleaf meowed.
“Purdy!” Dovewing’s eyes stretched wide. “Purdy was there?”
“Yes, we met him on the way.”
“ThunderClan has good reason to be grateful to Purdy,” Squirrelflight purred, padding over to listen.
“That wasn’t the first time he helped us. And it was more than you mouse-brains deserved.”
“True,” Hol yleaf agreed. “We would have been crow-food without him.”
“You almost were crow-food, once we found out what you’d done,” Squirrelflight added. “Walking straight into danger like that!”
“And we never even got a taste of mouse!” Hol yleaf finished.
“Maybe you should tel them about some of the mischief you got into when you were kits,” Sandstorm put in; she had been grooming herself on the edge of the group while Hol yleaf told her story. “I never thought the three of you would survive to be apprentices!”
Hol yleaf glanced at the orange she-cat, then gave her chest fur a couple of licks. “That was a long time ago,” she murmured. Memories flickered in Hol yleaf’s eyes like minnows in a stream, but she said nothing more, to Ivypool’s disappointment.
The discussion about Cinderheart was stil going on around the fresh-kil pile. Ivypool glanced across as Firestar rose to his paws.
“That’s settled then,” the Clan leader meowed.
“Cinderheart wil sleep in the warriors’ den for now, but she wil be relieved of al warrior duties. That is what you want, Cinderheart?”
The gray she-cat nodded. “Yes, that’s what I want, Firestar.”
Ivypool thought that Firestar looked surprised and disappointed to hear the certainty in Cinderheart’s voice, but he didn’t argue with her.
The Clan is losing a valuable warrior, Ivypool thought sadly. I know it’s useful to have another medicine cat, but . . . She shook her head. This is too weird.
Murmurs of agreement had greeted Firestar’s announcement, although Ivypool noticed that Lionblaze was gazing forlornly at Cinderheart.
Why would he be upset that she’s not a warrior anymore? Ivypool wondered. Oh . . . maybe he wanted to be her mate. Wow, that’s really bad luck.
Cinderheart’s decision was causing ripples right across the Clan, like a stone thrown into the lake.
Did StarClan realize what would happen when they decided to give her a second life?
Ivypool slid softly through the undergrowth on the way to the ShadowClan border. The sky was clear and sunlight slanted down through the branches, but a brisk wind was fluttering the leaves and rustling the cats’ fur.
Ivypool was pleased to have been chosen for Hol yleaf’s patrol, padding close behind her with Brackenfur and Berrynose bringing up the rear. As sunrise fol owed sunrise since Hol yleaf’s return, she had gained more and more respect for the black she-cat’s courage and her occasional sharp tongue.
She knows how tough life can be, and she still keeps going.
“Hol yleaf is doing everything she can to fit into the Clan again.” Ivypool’s ears swiveled back to pick up Brackenfur’s low-voiced remark.
“Yeah, she even takes on the worst chores to help the apprentices,” Berrynose murmured.
Ivypool thought how unusual it was to hear Berrynose praising another cat, then remembered that it was Hol yleaf who had saved his kits from the fox.
Brackenfur let out a faint mrrow of amusement.
“Yes, to go on this patrol Brambleclaw had to drag her away from searching for the elders’ ticks!” Hol yleaf glanced back. “Less noise,” she ordered.
“We’re getting close to the border.” Tasting the air, Ivypool picked up the reek of the ShadowClan scent markers, mingled with the scent of Twolegs. Emerging from the trees at the edge of the clearing, she saw that it was ful of Twoleg pelt-dens, with Twolegs sitting or lying on the grass, or jumping up and down tossing brightly colored objects at one another.
“What in StarClan’s name are they doing?” she muttered.
Hol yleaf shrugged. “Maybe it’s a training exercise.”
From farther downstream, Ivypool could hear the happy yowling of Twoleg kits as they splashed around at the edge of the lake. I wonder if they’re fishing, or just cooling their paws. They’ll scare all the fish away with that racket!
Silently, swiftly, the four cats slipped across the clearing, avoiding the Twolegs. Ivypool wondered if Hol yleaf was tempted to set the markers at the ThunderClan side of the clearing, and leave the open grass to ShadowClan.
“I can’t believe ShadowClan fought so hard to keep this useless bit of territory,” Brackenfur muttered.
I can’t believe we fought so hard to win it, Ivypool thought. A sharp pang of guilt pierced her as she remembered how it had been her fault that ThunderClan had gone into battle. But now that it’s ours, we’re stuck with it. We have to set these wretched markers every day.
Al her fur stood up as she dodged around the pelt-dens; she hated being in the open like this, so close to Twolegs. And she couldn’t relax when they reached the opposite side, because now the scent of ShadowClan was al around them.
“Okay,” Hol yleaf meowed as they reached the border. “Let’s split up. Brackenfur, you and Berrynose go upstream and renew our markers there. Ivypool, you and I wil go downstream.” Brackenfur gave her a brisk nod and headed off with Berrynose beside him. “Go straight back to camp when you’ve finished,” Hol yleaf cal ed after them.
Hol yleaf set the first marker; by the time she had finished the two toms were out of sight. Ivypool padded at her shoulder as she turned toward the lake. Pausing to set another marker, Ivypool picked up more ShadowClan scent, strong and fresh.
“A patrol!” she whispered.
As she spoke the ferns on the other side of the border were thrust aside and three cats emerged into the open. Dawnpelt was in the lead; with her were Redwil ow and Scorchfur.
Dawnpelt drew her lips back in a snarl as she spotted the ThunderClan cats. Ivypool felt her neck fur beginning to rise at the naked hostility in the cream-furred she-cat’s gaze.
“Set one paw across—” Dawnpelt began, then broke off as she noticed Hol yleaf. “You!” she exclaimed. “I thought you’d left the Clans.” Hol yleaf shrugged. “I came back.” For a few heartbeats Dawnpelt’s hostility faded, to be replaced by a look of interest. But Ivypool hoped that she wouldn’t want to stand around and chat. I’ve got nothing to say to that flea-pelt. I don’t trust her one bit. Before we know it, she’ll be accusing Hollyleaf of murdering Flametail, too.
“We’re not doing any harm,” Ivypool meowed.
“Just setting markers.”
Dawnpelt snorted disbelievingly. “I’d better check where you’re putting them,” she hissed, padding forward and craning her neck to sniff the marker Ivypool had just placed. “I’l tel Blackstar if any of them are a leaf’s depth out of place.”
“Feel free,” Hol yleaf retorted. “If you can find anything wrong, I’l tel Blackstar myself.” Dawnpelt’s only reply was a snarl. Ivypool knew that she was spoiling for a fight and didn’t much care how she provoked one. Does she think she can make two Clans go into battle just because she wants to? Ivypool remembered Tigerheart’s warning to Dovewing at the Gathering, but she found it hard to take Dawnpelt’s threats seriously. Tigerheart probably just wanted an excuse to talk to Dovewing.
“Dawnpelt, stop fussing,” Redwil ow meowed, stepping forward. “The ThunderClan scent marks are fine.”
Ivypool was reassured by the brown-and-ginger tom’s brisk tone, but her bel y churned a moment later when she caught Redwil ow’s eye and he gave her a nod.
He’s on my side because we’re Dark Forest Clanmates, Ivypool thought, wincing. No! I’m loyal to my own Clan. And he should be loyal to his!
“Come on, Hol yleaf,” she urged. “Let’s keep moving.”
Hol yleaf nodded, leading the way along the border, past the ShadowClan patrol. Dawnpelt let out a loud yowl behind them, as if she’d won some kind of victory.
“Great StarClan!” Hol yleaf meowed when they were out of earshot. “Who made dirt in Dawnpelt’s fresh-kil ? Or has she got a furbal stuck somewhere?”
“She’s a pain in the tail,” Ivypool agreed.
“And what’s the deal with Redwil ow?” Hol yleaf went on, glancing at Ivypool with narrowed eyes. “He seemed to know you better than I’d expect from a ShadowClan cat.”
She has eyes like a hawk! Ivypool thought, startled. “It’s nothing,” she mumbled aloud. “We’ve talked once or twice at Gatherings, that’s al .” Hol yleaf paused, fixing Ivypool with an intense look. “Becoming too close to a cat from another Clan is the worst act of disloyalty,” she mewed. “No cat is
—”
“But I’m not!” Ivypool interrupted, horrified at where Hol yleaf’s suspicions were heading.
Hol yleaf ignored her protest. “No cat is worth breaking the warrior code for in that way,” she insisted. “It only leads to unhappiness.” Without waiting for Ivypool’s reply she strode on down the border, disapproval quivering in every hair on her pelt.
“I don’t know what got into her,” Ivypool meowed to Dovewing when the sisters met beside the fresh-kil pile later that day. “You don’t think she suspects I’m in the Dark Forest with Redwil ow, do you?” Dovewing rol ed her eyes. “Oh, please! It’s hard when my only sister is such a mouse-brain. The Dark Forest is the last thing Hol yleaf would be worried about. Just think of who her parents are! She’s half-Clan, remember?”
“Oh.” Embarrassment flooded over Ivypool. “I hadn’t thought of that. Wel , she needn’t be afraid that I’l take up with Redwil ow, or any cat from another Clan.”
And it looks as if Dovewing’s sights are set on Bumblestripe now, she told herself with satisfaction.
That’s much better than mangy Tigerheart!
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Thunder crashed overhead as Jayfeather raced back along the shore. His mind was whirling so much that he kept stumbling, blinder than usual.
Somewhere in the chaos he had lost Lionblaze, and the pelting rain smothered his senses. He wasn’t even sure where he was
Through his confusion he realized that another cat was bounding at his side, matching him stride for stride. Squirrelflight’s voice spoke in his ear. “Here, lean on me. Let me guide you.”
Jayfeather’s instinct was to hiss at her to leave him alone. But her pressure on his side was too comforting, supporting him through the tumult of his thoughts.
How could Dawnpelt think I killed Flametail? I nearly drowned myself—I would have died if it hadn’t been for Rock, forcing me to let Flametail sink into the depths. He shuddered, and almost tripped over a boulder.
“Steady,” Squirrelflight warned. “Come farther this way.” After a moment she murmured into his ear,
“Don’t worry, no cat believes Dawnpelt. She’s been driven mad by grief, that’s al .”
Jayfeather wasn’t convinced. Then why did they want me to give up being a medicine cat? The Clans are too eager to believe the worst of one another just now.
Back in the stone hol ow, Jayfeather headed for his den. Though the torrential rain had eased off, his pelt was drenched and he was utterly miserable, each paw step a massive effort. But before he reached the screen of brambles, he heard Firestar splashing up to him through the puddles that had formed on the floor of the hol ow.
“Get some rest,” his Clan leader ordered. “We’l discuss this in the morning. But don’t doubt the loyalty of any of your Clanmates. We’l defend you whatever happens.”
Firestar’s voice was bone-weary, and Jayfeather wondered if he was tired of his cats being accused of murder. He gave Firestar a brief nod and brushed past the brambles into his den.
“Hi,” Briarlight greeted him, raising herself in her nest. “How was the Gathering? Did any cat mention Sol? What did the other Clans think about Hol yleaf coming back?”
“Disastrous, no, and not impressed,” Jayfeather listed, making for his nest and col apsing into it.
“Okay.” Briarlight sounded puzzled rather than offended. Jayfeather heard her dragging herself across to him, and tensed at the feeling of her tongue licking his sodden fur. “It’s obvious that something’s wrong. Let me look after you for once,” she mewed.
Jayfeather was too exhausted to protest; he was already sliding into sleep. He opened his eyes to find himself in a sunny clearing, the air warm and fil ed with delicious prey-scent. A ruffled gray she-cat was sitting on a fal en tree trunk, waiting for him.
“Oh, no!” Jayfeather groaned. “Not you again!”
“Show a bit of respect,” Yel owfang snapped, jumping down from the tree trunk and padding across to him. “It’s al happening now,” she continued. “But don’t worry. No cat in StarClan thinks you murdered Flametail.”
Oh, great! Jayfeather thought. I’m so glad. It’s a pity that doesn’t help me much, isn’t it? He wondered if any of the StarClan warriors had seen Rock with him in the lake when Flametail died, but before he could ask, Yel owfang turned on him with a lash of her tail.
“What were you thinking, letting Cinderheart give up her warrior duties to become a second medicine cat? That’s not what StarClan wanted!”
“Hey, hang on!” Jayfeather leaped out of range of her claws. “It was you who told me to walk in Cinderheart’s dreams and show her that she used to be Cinderpelt. You said ThunderClan needed a second medicine cat. Don’t start blaming me now because I did what you wanted.”
“Yes . . . wel . . .” Jayfeather’s eyes stretched wide in amazement as he realized that Yel owfang was embarrassed. “I . . . er . . . might have got that wrong,” she admitted, not meeting his gaze. “I was thinking too much about ThunderClan’s needs.
Cinderheart’s destiny is to be a warrior.” Some StarClan cats must have told her off about this, Jayfeather realized, suppressing a purr of laughter. Wow, I wish I’d been a bird on a branch when that conversation was going on!
“Cinderheart is confused,” he meowed. “She doesn’t know who she is.”
“Then you must show her that she is a warrior, nothing else,” Yel owfang told him.
“It might be useful to have a second medicine cat when the final battle comes,” Jayfeather mused. “But I guess Cinderheart can stil use her knowledge of herbs and medicine, even if she is a warrior. Like Leafpool does.”
Yel owfang let out a hiss, her embarrassment completely gone. “What did I tel you about Leafpool? She is not al owed to use her medicine cat skil s anymore, and neither can Cinderheart, if she chooses to be a warrior.”
Jayfeather’s irritation spil ed over. “If you don’t mind my saying so,” he snapped, “that’s just a load of badger droppings. Leafpool helped Cherrypaw and Mousewhisker when they accidental y ate hemlock, and nothing bad happened because of it.
Okay, no cat expects StarClan to send her messages for the Clan in her dreams anymore, but why should she forget what she knows? There’s nothing secret about using marigold to fight infection or juniper berries for bel yache! Most of the cats in the Clan know that.”
Yel owfang’s tangled gray fur had begun to bristle.
“Who are you to tel StarClan what a medicine cat may or may not do?”
“I am a cat who cares for his Clan!” Jayfeather hissed back. “I’m not going to tel Cinderheart or Leafpool to ignore what they know when they might be able to save lives.”
Yel owfang’s shoulders sagged suddenly; she looked weary and discouraged. “Perhaps StarClan underestimated the strength of Cinderpelt’s spirit to survive,” she admitted, “and carry on her loyalty to her medicine cat duties. Cinderheart wil have to make her own choice, medicine cat or warrior. She has the right to choose her destiny.”
“What, and I don’t?” Jayfeather muttered.
“Because of the prophecy?” Yel owfang retorted, her momentary weakness vanishing. “That’s different. It has nothing to do with StarClan. It was decided long ago, by cats who have been forgotten more moons back than you can possibly imagine.
We have waited a long time for this moment, Jayfeather. And now the moment has nearly come.” Jayfeather stil felt exhausted when he woke, depressed by his memories of the Gathering: the accusation, the turmoil, and the storm. He let out a long sigh, trying to summon up the energy to climb out of his nest.
“Here.” Briarlight dropped a mouse in front of his nose. “Eat!” she prompted when Jayfeather did no more than sniff it
He thought of protesting that he wasn’t hungry, but he knew that Briarlight would nag him until he had finished every scrap of the fresh-kil . “Thanks,” he mumbled, taking a bite. His jaws watered at the taste of the juices, and he realized how hungry he was.
“I heard what happened at the Gathering,” Briarlight went on. “I’m real y sorry. Surely no cat wil believe what Dawnpelt said?”
“I don’t know,” Jayfeather replied between mouthfuls. “Strange things are happening in al the Clans, so why shouldn’t one medicine cat murder another?”
“Because that would never happen,” Briarlight insisted. “Especial y not you.”
Jayfeather was touched by her loyalty. “Go and visit the nursery,” he told her, running his tongue over his whiskers to capture the last scraps of mouse.
“See how Sorreltail’s kits are doing.”
“Okay.” Jayfeather could tel Briarlight was pleased to be given the task. “But what about Cinderheart?” She sounded baffled and uncertain.
“I need to talk to her today,” Jayfeather meowed.
“You go to the nursery.”
As soon as Jayfeather headed out of his den, he located Cinderheart padding toward him. Her pawsteps were weary, dragging on the ground.
Behind her, the first patrols were leaving the clearing. Hol yleaf was leading another underground training group.
“We’ve had to wait so long to go into the tunnels!” Molepaw meowed, bubbling over with excitement. “I don’t care how dark and scary the others say it is.
I’m not scared.”
“Neither am I.” Cherrypaw was bouncing on her paws. “I’m going to be the best underground fighter in ThunderClan.”
“You are not! I am!” her brother insisted, and the two apprentices rol ed over in a scuffle.
“That’s enough,” Foxleap growled. “Or Hol yleaf won’t take you down there at al .” Molepaw and Cherrypaw instantly sprang to their paws; Jayfeather could picture them with head and tail erect as they fol owed Hol yleaf and their mentors out of the camp.
“Don’t tel me I should be going out with the patrols,” Cinderheart sighed as Jayfeather padded up to her.
How many cats have been telling you that you shouldn’t be a medicine cat? Jayfeather wondered, picking up her defensiveness, but he didn’t ask the question aloud. Instead, he mewed, “I’m not going to tel you what to do. Come for a walk with me.” Branches rustled gently over their heads as Jayfeather and Cinderheart headed for the lake. As the end of greenleaf approached, the leaves smel ed tired, sap-heavy, and dusty. Some of Jayfeather’s weariness faded as he sat beside the lake, enjoying the fresh breeze that blew off the water.
“Try to think of it this way,” he began. “You should feel very lucky. StarClan has given you the chance to choose your own destiny: to be a warrior, a mate, a mother—al the things that you were denied as Cinderpelt.”
“But is it a real choice?” Cinderheart asked miserably. “What about my duty to my Clan?”
“There are many ways to fulfil your duty,” Jayfeather murmured.
Cinderheart turned to him; he could feel the force of her gaze. “It’s true, I’m lucky to be here at al !” she burst out. “I know what a debt I owe to my ancestors.
But I’m so confused. . . . I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
“What do you want?” Jayfeather asked quietly.
He felt a smal start of surprise from Cinderheart, as if no cat had ever asked her that before.
“I wanted Lionblaze,” she whispered. “But I can’t have him.”
“Oh? Real y?” Great StarClan, mouse-brain, he’s been padding after you for moons! “Why not?”
“Because of his destiny,” Cinderheart replied.
Jayfeather gave an awkward wriggle; he wasn’t comfortable discussing another cat’s relationship problems. But he remembered Half Moon, and felt again the piercing pain he had suffered when he realized that he couldn’t stay with her in her long-ago Tribe.
“You have a destiny, too,” he mewed gently. “But that isn’t the whole of who you are. You can stil shape your own life.”
Cinderheart was silent for a long time; Jayfeather could sense a tiny seed of hope stirring inside her.
“You have a chance to be happy,” he prompted,
“and to make Lionblaze happy, too. Don’t throw that away because you spent too long trying to figure out the right thing to do.”
“Thank you, Jayfeather,” Cinderheart responded with a long sigh.
Together they sat on the bank overlooking the lake; Jayfeather could hear the soft lapping of the water on the pebbly shore. For a few moments he and Cinderheart seemed to be wrapped in a cocoon of peace.
It can’t last, Jayfeather thought. Not in these turbulent times. But I’m glad of it now, that’s for sure.
Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Lionblaze pushed his way between the branches of the warriors’ den and bounded across the clearing to join the cats clustered around Firestar. The ful moon floated high in a clear sky, the warriors of StarClan glittering around it. Lionblaze’s paws tingled with anticipation of the Gathering.
“I’m not going to mention Onestar’s threats,” Firestar was meowing as Lionblaze reached his side. “There’s no point in drawing the other Clans’
attention to what could just be a minor dispute.” He twitched his whiskers at the murmurs of uncertainty that came from his Clanmates. “Besides,” he went on, “we haven’t seen Sol in ThunderClan territory for a half-moon. Onestar has no reason to attack us now.”
Lionblaze agreed, though part of him wished that Onestar could be cal ed to account for his outburst of hostility toward ThunderClan. It’s none of his business that we let Sol stay in our camp!
Jayfeather and Cinderheart emerged from the medicine cat’s den and padded over to the group of warriors.
“I want you to stay here,” Jayfeather told the gray she-cat. “Lilykit has a fever, and I’d be happier if you kept an eye on her.”
Cinderheart looked briefly disappointed, then dipped her head and padded off toward the nursery.
I bet Sorreltail’s kit would be fine without a medicine cat hovering over her, Lionblaze thought as he joined his brother on the edge of the group.
“You don’t want to make awkward explanations about why Cinderheart has suddenly changed to being a medicine cat,” he murmured in Jayfeather’s ear.
Jayfeather’s tail lashed irritably. “She’s not the first cat to switch roles!” he growled.
“No, but she’s the first cat to be another cat first.
Kind of . . .” Lionblaze responded.
Jayfeather opened his jaws to reply, but in the same heartbeat Firestar raised his tail and beckoned. He headed out through the thorn tunnel with the rest of the cats streaming behind him.
As they made their way down to the lakeshore, Lionblaze found himself walking beside Graystripe and Mil ie. “What did you think of the session this morning?” he asked. Al three of them had gone with Birchfal and Hazeltail for underground battle training with Hol yleaf. “I have to admit that I don’t like fighting in the dark. I’d rather see my enemy and know where I can strike without risking my paws on hard stone.” Mil ie twitched her shoulders. “I wasn’t comfortable in the tunnels at al ,” she confessed. “I couldn’t stop thinking about the amount of rock above my head!”
“But you were bril iant,” Graystripe meowed, resting his tail on his mate’s shoulder. “I think we al felt the same. Fighting underground isn’t natural, but neither is Sol. What kind of cat would keep trying to befriend a Clan, only to betray them?” The gray warrior ducked under a hawthorn bough, and went on, “Sol did it with Blackstar and ShadowClan, and now he’s turning WindClan against ThunderClan. If he has a reason, I’d like to know what it is.” Whitewing caught up in time to hear the gray warrior’s last few words. “Sol knew that the sun was going to vanish,” she pointed out, suppressing a shiver. “That suggests he has more power than any of us.”
Lionblaze snorted. No cat has the power to challenge me when it comes to a battle! His paws itched to take on Sol in single combat. He made me help him to escape from ThunderClan all those moons ago. The memory surged up inside Lionblaze, making him feel as if flames were scorching his pelt. I’d like to punish him for that. And for bringing more trouble to the Clans now, when we should be thinking about the Dark Forest.
A sudden thought struck Lionblaze, briefly freezing his paws to the ground. Was Sol sent by the Dark Forest cats to stir up trouble? Is this the beginning of the end?
Forcing himself to move on, he spotted Jayfeather a couple of tail-lengths away, slipping unerringly through the undergrowth. “I just had a horrible idea,” Lionblaze hissed. “Do you think Sol is helping the Dark Forest?”
Jayfeather paused, then shrugged. “I don’t know.
But I wouldn’t be surprised.”
In the clearing around the Great Oak, the air was fil ed with tension, as if a greenleaf storm was about to break. Lionblaze noticed that the medicine cats especial y seemed hostile, sitting loosely in a group underneath a pine tree, but not acknowledging one another. Every Clan is going it alone, he thought, twitching his whiskers apprehensively. It’s really bad when even the medicine cats are enemies.
Only Mothwing was speaking to her fel ow medicine cats, but they barely replied. Lionblaze saw her flex her claws in exasperation and final y give up, sitting down beside her apprentice, Wil owshine.
The rest of the cats settled down within their own Clans, without any of the mingling and gossiping that used to be part of a Gathering. Lionblaze watched careful y for any signs that cats knew one another in the Dark Forest. Once alerted, he spotted plenty of indications: Redwil ow exchanging a glance with Breezepelt; Icewing of RiverClan nodding to Ivypool; the twitch of a tail as Tigerheart’s gaze met Hol owflight’s.
They know each other, Lionblaze thought, chil ed.
Better than any warrior should know a cat from another Clan. Then he gave his pelt a shake. Don’t get carried away, he told himself. Not every cat is being trained by unseen enemies.
He was distracted from thoughts of the Dark Forest when he noticed Crowfeather among the WindClan cats. The gray-black warrior had just spotted Hol yleaf, and he was staring as if his eyes were about to leap out of his head. Beside him, his mate, Nightcloud, fol owed his gaze and drew back her lips in a snarl.
Lionblaze realized that Hol yleaf had seen them, but she turned her back on them, staying close to her own Clanmates. Surprised murmurs spread around the clearing as more cats realized that she was there. One or two younger cats sprang to their paws to get a better view of her.
“This feels kind of weird,” Hol yleaf muttered, picking her way over to sit beside Lionblaze.
Lionblaze touched her ear with his nose. “You must have known it wouldn’t be easy.”
“It’s what kept me away for so long,” Hol yleaf admitted. “I can’t bear the whispers, the gossip . . .” The compassion Lionblaze felt faded into a flash of annoyance. Jayfeather and I have had to put up with whispers and gossip for a very long time. But he realized that Hol yleaf felt genuinely uncomfortable, and pushed aside his resentment.
Wrapping his tail around her shoulders, he stared straight ahead, ignoring the whispers.
The atmosphere seemed to be growing more and more hostile. Lionblaze was relieved when Mistystar rose to her paws on her branch of the Great Oak and announced that the Gathering would begin.
“We have had a few problems with Twolegs,” she reported. “As always in greenleaf, they come to fish in the lake and the streams around our camp. But we have managed to stay out of their way, and they didn’t catch enough fish to threaten our stocks of fresh-kil .”
“Huh!” Mistystar’s deputy, Reedwhisker, exclaimed. “Twolegs couldn’t catch a fish if it leaped out of the water and begged them.” Mistystar gave her deputy an amused glance from glimmering blue eyes, and sat down again.
Firestar rose in his turn and advanced along his branch, careful y avoiding a cluster of oak leaves. “I have good news to report from ThunderClan,” he began, gazing down into the clearing. “Our warrior Hol yleaf has returned, after we believed she was dead for so many moons.”
Murmurs and gasps rose from the other Clans.
“Where has she been?” some cat cal ed out loudly.
Beside him, Lionblaze felt Hol yleaf grow tense.
Firestar ignored the question. “We welcome her back,” he continued, turning his warm green gaze onto Hol yleaf. “We are glad to have her in ThunderClan once again, and I look forward to patrol ing alongside her for many future moons.” Lionblaze was relieved that Firestar had kept to his earlier intention of saying nothing about Sol or WindClan. But now he braced himself for cats from the other Clans to mention Ashfur and the time that Hol yleaf had disappeared, just after she revealed the terrible truth about Leafpool and Crowfeather at a Gathering.
But no cat asked the crucial questions, only murmured comments as they reacted to Firestar’s announcement.
“I’m surprised she showed her face after what she told us!”
“I bet Crowfeather isn’t pleased to see her.” Nightcloud rose and lashed her tail, raking Hol yleaf with an icy gaze. “Does she think she’s welcome?” she snarled.
Firestar stil refused to react to any of the comments; he dipped his head to Hol yleaf and retreated to sit down again farther back on his branch. Immediately Onestar took his place.
“This is surprising news, Firestar,” he mewed smoothly. “But I’m sure that any Clan leader would welcome back a trained and loyal warrior.” Is he suggesting that Hollyleaf isn’t loyal?
Lionblaze wondered, beginning to bristle.
“My patrols are as vigilant as ever,” Onestar continued. “We wil do anything to defend our territory from rogues and strays.” Lionblaze’s bel y churned. Now he’s insulting all of us! He’s suggesting that ThunderClan is a bunch of rogues and strays! Glancing up at Firestar, half-hidden by the leaves of the Great Oak, Lionblaze could see that his Clan leader was struggling to keep his fur flat and his mouth closed.
With a triumphant glance at Firestar, Onestar sat down again. When Blackstar stood up, Lionblaze could see that he looked puzzled by the hostility between ThunderClan and WindClan, but after a moment’s hesitation he gave a tiny shrug and began to speak.
“Like RiverClan, we have had problems with Twolegs by the lake,” he began. “The warm weather brings them out like earthworms after rain. But they haven’t come into the forest far enough to bother us close to our camp.”
When he had finished he was about to sit down again, only to check as a voice rose up from among the cats in the clearing. “Blackstar, may I speak?” Lionblaze glanced across to where the ShadowClan cats were sitting, and saw that Dawnpelt had risen to her paws, her cream-colored fur luminous in the moonlight. Blackstar blinked in surprise, then dipped his head. Instantly Dawnpelt leaped up onto a tree stump. Her neck fur was bristling and her tail fluffed up to twice its size.
“There is a murderer among us!” she yowled.
Silence crashed down on the clearing. Lionblaze tensed, and wrapped his tail more firmly around his sister’s shoulders. Oh, Great StarClan! How could she have found out about Hollyleaf?
But Dawnpelt raised a paw and pointed toward the pine tree where the medicine cats were sitting.
“Jayfeather kil ed Flametail!”
The cats in the clearing exploded into yowls and screeches of horror. At first Lionblaze couldn’t make sense of what any of them were saying. Then Brambleclaw rose to his paws on the root of the Great Oak and made his voice heard above the clamor.
“We al know about Flametail’s death, and we grieve for him, too. But how was Jayfeather involved?”
“And why speak up now?” Graystripe added.
Dawnpelt turned her gaze onto the ThunderClan cats; her eyes were fil ed with hatred. “Jayfeather was there when Flametail drowned,” she hissed.
“We al saw him struggling in the water beside him.
Why do we believe his story that he was trying to save Flametail?”
“Why not believe him?” Brambleclaw chal enged her.
“Since when has Jayfeather shown compassion for cats in other Clans?” Dawnpelt snarled. “I believe that he deliberately drowned Flametail in front of al of us!”
Firestar sprang to his paws, thrusting his way out of the leaves. “That’s ridiculous! It goes against the warrior code and the medicine cat code. Jayfeather would never murder Flametail!”
Lionblaze, too, had risen to his paws, his fur bristling. He wanted nothing more than to rake his claws across Dawnpelt’s accusing face. Feeling a nudge from Hol yleaf, he glanced down at her.
“Sit down,” she murmured. “Don’t give Dawnpelt the satisfaction of provoking a fight.” Lionblaze flexed his claws, then realized the sense of what his littermate was saying, and forced himself to sit down. This is a Gathering, he reminded himself. ShadowClan would be delighted if ThunderClan broke the truce.
“I met Dawnpelt on border patrol,” Hol yleaf continued quietly. “She was doing her best to pick a fight then, too.”
“What’s her quarrel with ThunderClan?” Lionblaze asked, bewildered.
Hol yleaf gave him a long look. “Her brother drowned and Jayfeather was there,” she mewed.
“That’s enough.”
The clearing had descended into turmoil again, with no cat able to make themselves heard.
Lionblaze spotted Dovewing and Ivypool weaving their way among their Clanmates until they reached his side.
“I knew Dawnpelt was planning something,” Ivypool whispered. “But I didn’t know this was it.” Lionblaze wondered if Ivypool had heard something in the Dark Forest, perhaps from Dawnpelt herself. But he didn’t want to ask where other cats might overhear.
“It’s ridiculous!” Dovewing exclaimed. “I . . . I heard Flame-tail drown. I know Jayfeather was trying to save him.”
But there’s no way we can tell that to Dawnpelt and get her to believe it, Lionblaze thought. Gazing across the clearing at the medicine cats, he saw that his brother had risen to his paws. He looked icy calm, though Lionblaze could guess at the emotions that must be surging through him. Jayfeather waited, not even trying to speak, until the noise in the clearing died down.
“Dawnpelt, I was there when your brother died,” he began. There was an edge to his voice, tel ing Lionblaze of his resentment that he had to defend himself in public over such an absurd accusation.
“But I was trying to save him. That I failed is a tragedy for al of us.” His voice shook on the last few words and he paused until he could go on steadily. “I had no reason to want him dead. And the water would have kil ed him on its own; he didn’t need me as wel .”
Muttering rose from the ShadowClan cats around Dawnpelt. “Are you sure you weren’t just helping the water kil him?” Ratscar cal ed out.
“The medicine cats have been very separate recently,” Rowanclaw, the ShadowClan deputy, added more thoughtful y. “Is their code changing?
Are they even stil al ied across Clan borders?” He stared straight at Jayfeather. “Perhaps Flametail knew too much about you?”
Lionblaze stiffened. Do any other cats know about the prophecy? I never thought of that!
“Enough!” Firestar ordered from his place in the Great Oak. “This accusation is groundless!
Jayfeather could have drowned in that water just as easily as Flametail. He risked his own life by going to help him. Surely no cat takes this accusation seriously?” Firestar gazed around at Mistystar, Blackstar, and Onestar. Al three Clan leaders were looking uncomfortable.
“I find it hard to believe that any cat would do something like this,” Mistystar mewed.
Onestar nodded. “I’m sure Jayfeather could have found an easier way to eliminate an enemy.” Blackstar said nothing at al .
That’s hardly the best defense they could come up with! Lionblaze thought angrily. But when he looked back at Dawnpelt, he saw that she had begun to look smal and uncomfortable, as if the force of her accusation was ebbing like floodwaters after the rain is over.
While Firestar stil waited, as if he were hoping that Blackstar would speak, Tigerheart rose to his paws from the clearing below.
“I believe what my sister says,” he announced.
“Jayfeather murdered our littermate, and he must be punished.”
Beside Lionblaze, Dovewing drew in her breath in a gasp of horror.
“I wil punish no cat for a crime that cannot be proved,” Firestar answered coldly.
“It’s not a case of not being proved,” Dovewing hissed. “Jayfeather didn’t do it!”
“But it’s hard to ignore the accusation,” Onestar meowed in response to Firestar. To do the WindClan leader justice, Lionblaze thought, he sounded reluctant, as if his respect for Jayfeather as a medicine cat outweighed his hostility toward ThunderClan. “Firestar, perhaps you should suspend Jayfeather from medicine cat duties until he has proven his innocence.”
Mistystar dipped her head in agreement. “That would be sensible. With StarClan’s help, it might not take long.”
Lionblaze noticed that the other medicine cats had suddenly started to talk among themselves, their heads close together as quick meows passed from one to another. Then Littlecloud, the ShadowClan medicine cat, rose to his paws.
“We agree to this, too,” he announced, his voice regretful as he looked at Jayfeather. “Without determining the truth, this accusation could poison the Clans for seasons, like an infected wound.”
“Then how do you propose finding out what happened?” Brambleclaw chal enged him. “It’s impossible, unless Flame-tail returns to tel us himself. Have any of you seen him in dreams?” The medicine cats conferred together quickly, then Littlecloud shook his head.
“I’ve seen Flametail,” Ivypool confessed, leaning closer to Dovewing to murmur into her ear. Lionblaze could just pick up her quiet words. “But he’s in StarClan, not the Dark Forest.”
“Did you ask him if Jayfeather kil ed him?” Dovewing whispered back.
“No!” Ivypool’s eyes stretched wide in astonishment. “Why would I ask him a thing like that?”
Al the other medicine cats turned toward Jayfeather; Lionblaze could see that his brother was trying not to flinch. Though Jayfeather couldn’t see them, he would be able to feel the force of their attention, al focused on him.
“Surrendering your duties is the only honorable thing to do,” Littlecloud meowed. He sounded helpless; Dovewing guessed that he was torn between his dismay at the accusation and the horror he felt that it might be true.
Jayfeather’s head jerked up. “But we walk alone now, don’t we?” His voice was clear and steady. “I know you’ve al had visits from your ancestors, tel ing you that each Clan must look to its own future. You have no right to tel me what to do! I shal remain as ThunderClan’s medicine cat!”
There were gasps from the clearing as Jayfeather defied his fel ow medicine cats. Dawnpelt looked furious. Her jaws were open to protest when lightning crackled down from the sky, splitting the night. Its pale light outlined the pine trees and the bushes that surrounded the clearing, and rimmed the leaves of the great oak with a line of silver.
Lionblaze shuddered as the lightning was fol owed by a massive crash of thunder, so loud that it sounded as if the ground beneath his pads were cracking apart. A sharp wind rose, thrashing through the leaves and flattening the cats’ fur to their sides.
Clouds blotted out the moon.
In the darkness one of the cats wailed, “StarClan is angry!”
Then rain poured out of the sky, an icy curtain sweeping across the clearing. Lionblaze’s fur was soaked within the first heartbeats. The cats let out wails of shock and terror as they began to flee for cover.
From the Great Oak Lionblaze heard Firestar’s voice ring out. “Home, quickly!”
The Gathering broke up in chaos as cats fled through the bushes, heading for the tree-bridge.
Lionblaze sprang across the clearing, making for the spot where he had last seen his brother.
“Jayfeather!” he yowled. “Over here!” To his relief lightning flashed out again; by its light he spotted Jayfeather struggling toward him around a knot of terrified WindClan cats. He looked skinnier than ever, his tabby fur plastered to his body.
“Let’s get out of here,” Lionblaze muttered, thrusting through the crowd of cats to his brother’s side.
As they turned toward the bushes Dawnpelt bounded past them, halting for a heartbeat to hiss at Jayfeather. “This is not over!”
Trying to force a way out of the clearing, Lionblaze realized that the cats had divided along battle lines as suddenly as the lightning had struck. Clan snarled at Clan, their claws extended and their lips drawn back to reveal sharp teeth. Their leaders yowled for control, but between fear and anger their warriors ignored them.
Lionblaze halted for a heartbeat to look up at the veiled moon. Great StarClan! The Clans are turning on one another, just when we need to stand side by side against a greater enemy than anything we have ever faced before!
第二十章
第二十章
“所有能独自狩猎的猫，都到高石台下集合，参加族群会议！”
听到火星的声音，鸽翅从猎物堆里一跃而起，抬头看向高石台。火星就坐在那里，黑莓掌坐在他旁边。
尽管正值绿叶季，天空却布满了阴云。冷风不停地吹动着石头山谷上方的树林，吹乱了火星那火焰色的皮毛。对鸽翅来说，雷族猫们的低语声就像是树叶的窸窣声，不用费力使用异能，就能听到各种八卦。
“你听说了吗，炭心以前是炭毛？”
“是啊，叶池和松鸦羽一直都知道！”
“我不相信栗尾没看出来。她和炭毛以前不是好朋友吗？”
“她们看起来是有点儿像。不过炭心知晓所有巫医的知识，这也太奇怪了！”
鸽翅收回感知，阻隔住所有的议论声。“这次会议肯定是关于风族的。”她对藤池说道，心里已经开始有些期待了。
藤池吞下最后一口乌鸫，率先往高石台靠近。她步履有些蹒跚，鸽翅猜她应该是在黑森林里受了伤。可跟往常一样，藤池拒绝谈论这个。狐跃、鼹鼠爪、玫瑰瓣，还有榛尾，全都走过来坐在她们旁边。而尘毛、灰条和米莉则坐在几尾远处。鼠须和樱桃爪从巫医巢穴出来，摇摇晃晃地走入猫群，然后扑通一声趴在罂粟霜和莓鼻身旁聆听着。松鸦羽和荆棘光还是留在了黑莓屏风跟前。
“现在的一切都那么奇怪。”鸽翅喃喃道，她看到更多的族猫从武士巢穴走了出来，“冬青叶回来了，炭心成了一只大家都认为是死了的猫……”
“还是一位巫医，”藤池补充道，“拥有炭毛所有的记忆和本领。”
榛尾靠近她们。“那是不是代表我们现在有两位巫医了？”她悄声说道。
“我猜是吧。”鼠须附和道。
藤池摇了摇头：“像你所说的，这太奇怪了。她曾经还是我的老师！”
“我们肯定更需要武士而不是另一位巫医吧？”狐跃说道。
“够了！”身后传来一个粗哑的声音。鸽翅一直在全神贯注地听族猫们讲话，没注意到蕨毛也坐到了他们身边。他用尾巴轻拂了一下狐跃的耳朵：“火星在等着讲话呢。”
最后一些议论声落下，鸽翅看见冬青叶独自坐在猫群边上，看上去很不自在，也很难为情。
关于她的谣言也有很多。鸽翅想道，现在平息了下去，是因为又有新的话题可谈了。
冬青叶刚回来时，鸽翅曾躲着她，害怕和一只曾杀过族猫的猫走得太近，尽管那只是个意外。但现在，她很同情这只黑色母猫。
或许火星是对的。她那时没说出真相，受的惩罚已经够多了。毕竟，虽然黑莓掌目睹了一切，可没有谁会谴责他！
鸽翅正想要过去坐到冬青叶身边，给她一些支持，这时，她看见另一只猫从武士巢穴里钻了出来，是炭心。灰色母猫走到冬青叶身旁，一言不发地将头凑向冬青叶，直到她们的耳朵碰在一起。
“我看见那两只怪猫凑到一起了。”狐跃评论道。
“够了！”米莉嘶吼道，“不要那样说自己的族猫！”
狐跃尴尬地低下头。
“在冬青叶……离开之前，炭心曾是她最好的朋友。”米莉继续说道，“现在，一个天大的秘密被揭开了，她们俩也算同病相怜。我们应该友善对待她们，而不是用其他的态度。”
“嗯，米莉，你应该知道被当成怪猫的感受吧，比如曾经当过宠物猫之类的。”
鸽翅猛然转头想要找出这声音的来源，可没能发现到底是谁在讲话。那么多的流言和秘密。想到这里她忍不住打了个冷战，不知道还会有什么其他的秘密在等着被揭晓。她的目光再次落到藤池身上，姐妹正伸缩着一只前肢，像是在检验它的力量。那肯定是在黑森林受的伤。鸽翅断定，那也是个无论如何都要保守住的秘密吧。
火星站起身。“我有个重要消息，”他开口说道，“我跟黑莓掌，以及几位年长武士商量了一下，决定向大家公布出来。我知道，大家都对额外的巡逻任务，以及我不让大家去风族边界狩猎，感到很好奇。现在看起来，日神背叛了我们，他跟风族猫正密谋着攻打我们。”
“什么？”和波弟坐在长老巢穴入口处的鼠毛尖叫了起来。她颤颤巍巍挣扎着站起来：“我不是告诉过你，那只猫是个大麻烦吗？”
还有几只猫跟鼠毛同时跳了起来，难以置信地发出愤怒的吼叫。鸽翅打量了一下曾被她听到跟日神密谋的那些猫，注意到榛尾和玫瑰瓣惊恐地交换着眼神，而梅花落惊得张大了嘴巴，鼠须则和其他猫一起站起来。“叛徒！疥癣皮！”他吼道。
鸽翅眯起了眼睛。或许你们跟表面上看起来一样，是真的愤怒吧。她暗自心想，又或许不是。不过你们现在最好不要有什么不当举动，因为我会盯着你们的。
“鼠脑子！”藤池冷冷地怒视着他们，低声咒道，“他们应该庆幸我们没告诉火星听到的内容。”
“感谢星族，日神终于离开了，不然他们会陷得更深。”鸽翅悄声回答道。
火星一直等着，直到喧嚣声落下。
“听到日神的企图，我得说我并不惊讶。”他继续说道，“这也解释了他这几天为什么没在山谷出现。”
“他要是识相的话，最好躲得远远的。”刺掌咆哮道。
“我们现在就去攻打风族！”说话间云尾的颈毛竖起，其他几只猫也都大喊着附和他。
鸽翅也有点儿希望族群不用再讨论下去，而是穿过荆棘屏障，直接冲向风族边界。尽管她知道，这个想法很糟糕，可她还是脚掌痒痒，有些跃跃欲试。
最后，火星竖起尾巴，示意大家安静。骚动渐渐安静了下来，族猫们重新坐了回去，可他们的颈毛却依然竖着，眼中仍迸发着敌意，爪子在光秃秃的地面上抓挠着。
“现在还没到跟风族发生战斗的时候。”族长说道，“我们不清楚一星是否知道实情，又或日神只是和几只相熟的猫密谋而已。我们不会去找一星质问这件事情，因为我们不想让他以为我们要去攻打他们。”
“那我们要怎么做？”尘毛质问道，“总不能光坐在这里等着吧。”
“当然不是。”火星回答道，“我们会部署一下跟风族的作战计划，但也许到不了那一步。我们会等风族找上门来，因为在我们自己的领地里，我们是最强大的。大家都知道，风族不喜欢在树林里作战。”
“没错！”桦落大喊道，“我们可以爬上树，再跳到他们头上，就像我们以前跟影族作战时那样。”
“还可以在灌木丛里伏击他们。”沙风补充道，“风族猫习惯四面八方视野开阔的地方。”
“好主意。”火星点头表示赞成。
“我真的无法相信！”鸽翅听见几尾远处，罂粟霜对莓鼻低语道，“那只跳蚤皮居然还撒谎说救了我们的孩子！”
莓鼻点点头，伸缩着爪子：“他竟敢背叛我们！下次见到他，我非把他的皮给扒下来不可。”
“我早就知道不该再相信他了。”听到他们的对话，灰条吼道，脸上带着一丝冷酷的自得，“他就是个彻头彻尾的大叛徒！”
说话间，黑莓掌起身走到高石台边上。“我们需要加强边界巡逻。”他宣布道，“沙风，你能带领云尾和榛尾组成一队吗？灰条，你带另一队，蛛足和黄蜂条跟着你。所有的狩猎队还是要远离风族边界，我们不想主动找碴儿，所以不要再在溪水里洗脚掌！”
“好像我们会去洗似的！”鸽翅生气地大喊道，藤池则耸耸肩膀，不好意思地舔了舔胸口的皮毛。
“尘毛和蕨毛，”黑莓掌继续说道，“我想让你们俩研究个方案，将营地附近的隧道入口全部堵死。我们必须防止风族从领地内部来攻打我们。”
冬青叶跳了起来：“不要全部堵死！”
猫群中传来几声难以置信的吸气声，就好像不相信这只刚重返家园的武士，会斗胆打断副族长的话。黑莓掌看上去也有点儿惊讶。他竖起颈毛，转头看向黑色母猫。
“为什么不？”他问道。
“我们最好在风族猫进攻时，将他们全部集中到一个小范围内。”冬青叶解释道，她声音轻柔，低下头恭敬地对副族长说道，“领地边上有些隧道应该先堵起来，以防风族猫对我们形成包围。”
黑莓掌若有所思地眨眨眼。他从惊讶中缓过神来，颈毛变得平顺了很多：“所以，我们应该先堵住哪些呢？”
“请下来，我指给你们看。”
火星和黑莓掌跑下落石堆，冬青叶用尾巴扫了一下落叶，清理出一块空地来。她开始用爪子描画着她的方案，鸽翅离得太远看不清，只能沮丧地在那里扭来扭去。
“这些就是最远的隧道，”冬青叶用爪子在地上边勾画边说道，“它们应该先被堵起来。”
尘毛和蕨毛从族猫中间挤了过去，这样就能看得清楚些。
“说得有道理。”尘毛承认道。
“堵住隧道口的最好办法是什么？”蕨毛问道。
“用石头挡住光线。”鸽翅对冬青叶语气里的自信感到很惊讶。她居然早就都想到了！“用树枝堵还是会透光，所以风族猫会想办法从有光的地方出来。但如果用石头，他们便会以为那里没有出口。”
想起自己在隧道里的时候，每次转弯都只是无尽的黑暗，鸽翅不由得一阵心寒。她不得不提醒自己，风族是敌人。谁也没让他们来攻击，我不应该对他们有丝毫的怜悯！
“冬青叶，”黑莓掌说道，“你能教我们一些适合在隧道里使用的格斗技巧吗？以防我们不得不在地下决战。”
“当然可以，”冬青叶回答道，“我——”
“什么？”蛛足冲上前，打断了她，“这么说她一回来就直接成为武士了？”
黑莓掌平静地看了他一眼：“为什么不能？”
“嗯……”蛛足用前掌挠着地上的尘土，“她离开了那么久，万一把学的东西都忘了怎么办？”
冬青叶抬起头，颈毛竖起，绿色眸子里闪过一丝恼怒。“你以为我离开的日子里，不需要自己找吃的吗？”她嘶吼道，“或者在没有帮助的情况下，不需要打跑泼皮猫和狐狸吗？我告诉你，蛛足，我的本领还跟以前一样厉害。”
“说得好听！”莓鼻嘟囔道。
黑莓掌开始安排狩猎队，谁也没再打断他。他点了几位武士跟冬青叶进行战斗训练，还有些去帮尘毛和蕨毛堵住最远的隧道。然后，他走到鸽翅和藤池跟前停了下来，摇着尾尖上下打量着她们。
“既然你们已经去过地下了，”他说道，“那你们最好去学点儿保护自己的本领。你们去冬青叶的训练队吧。”
鸽翅和藤池穿过空地，走到正在等待的冬青叶身旁。蕨毛、亮心、刺掌，还有蟾步已经聚集在她身边了。
“好，我们出发。”她说道，“听好我告诉你们的每一句话，因为它能救你们的命。”
第二十一章
第二十一章
冬青叶带领队伍离开营地，沿陡峭的小道爬上谷顶。拨开灌木丛，她在一堆突出的岩石旁停了下来。
“我就是在这附近发现了树上的水洼里长着金盏花。”藤池告诉鸽翅。她突然倒吸一口气，猛然转身看向冬青叶：“等等——是你吗？”
冬青叶点点头。
“还有那些蓍草？”亮心问道。
鸽翅看得出来，在大家的注视下，冬青叶显得很不自在。“我最初本来要受训成为巫医的，记得吗？”她轻声说道，“我知道自己能帮上些忙，所以就这么去做了。”
“所以你一直在关注着我们？”亮心轻声问道。
冬青叶一愣：“不是那样的！我没有监视你们！”
“我不是指责你监视我们。”亮心伸出尾巴，搭在冬青叶的肩上，“知道你没忘记我们的感觉真好。”
“我永远都不会忘记的。”冬青叶说道。她抖了抖皮毛，低头钻到了岩石后面。鸽翅跟着她，看见了当初跟踪日神时，她和藤池曾经冒险闯入的那个隧道口。
“你的意思是，我们要从这里下去吗？”刺掌紧张地抖了抖胡须，问道，“这很奇怪啊，我们又不是鼹鼠或者狐狸！猫不应该被困在洞里！”
蟾步将他挤到一边：“我们不会被困住的，鼠脑子！快走！”
还没等他冲进黑暗之中，蕨毛用尾巴横在入口处，拦住了他。“等一下，你不能就这样贸然闯入危险之中。”他警觉地嗅了嗅洞口周围的石头，“这些石头可能会掉下来，把我们堵在里面。”
“你说得没错，蕨毛。”冬青叶赞同道，“不过就算是掉下来，也不会是灾难。这里面还有很多其他出口。别忘了我很熟悉这些隧道。”说完，她往后一退，用尾巴示意大家：“大家都好好闻闻，在所有猫没准备好之前，我们哪儿也不去。”
等所有猫都聚集在隧道口，蟾步瞥了一眼鸽翅和藤池。“你们俩今天话很少。”他说道。
他不知道我们已经来过这里了，鸽翅想道，他还是不要知道的好。如果火星知道我们擅自进入隧道，不用等我们辩解就会被惩罚去做学徒的任务了。
于是她大声说道：“我们只是很期待能学会如何在隧道中行动。”
藤池点头道：“对。”
“好了，”等所有猫都仔细观察了入口，冬青叶继续说道，“我们现在进去。跟紧我，不要想着独自去探险。”她严厉地瞪了一眼蟾步。
“好的。”他嘟囔道。
冬青叶率先进了隧道，后面跟着蕨毛，然后是亮心。鸽翅在最后，她想着如果有风族武士埋伏在隧道里，她可以利用自己的感知力来断后。刺掌也拖到后面，鸽翅看得出来，他很不情愿进入黑暗里。
“不会有事的。”看他在入口处犹豫，鸽翅说道。
刺掌瞪了她一眼，然后便冲进了隧道。鸽翅猜，他一定很痛恨被一只年轻猫安慰吧，毕竟他不知道这只猫其实早就有在隧道里的经验了。
隧道入口的光线很快就消失在了他们身后。鸽翅在黑暗中前进着，调整自己的感知来适应陌生的环境。她想起第一次跟藤池走这条路时，她都快要疯了。而此刻，脚掌下潮湿的泥土和隧道岩壁擦过皮毛的感觉，再也不会如此困扰她了。这种改变是因为他们有位充满自信的领队——冬青叶。她的声音不时地回荡在隧道中。
“注意脚掌下，这里地面不平。”
“这段路很挤，不过很快就好了。”
等地面开始向下延伸变陡时，鸽翅发现刺掌跑到了她前面。他呼吸急促，有一两次尾巴还甩在了她脸上。
他肯定是吓坏了。我明白他的感受。
下一个心跳，她一头撞上了刺掌的后臀，这才发现他正企图后退。“我得从这儿出去。”他喃喃道。
“不——你不能！”
隧道里很窄，鸽翅堵住了刺掌的退路。他喘着粗气，开始用爪子抓向她。“让我出去！”他大口喘息着。
“冬青叶！”鸽翅喊道，“刺掌需要帮忙。”
“好的，我就来！”
黑暗中，鸽翅什么也看不见，但她能听到冬青叶从其他猫身边挤过来时，大家发出的呻吟声和嘶吼声。冬青叶走到刺掌身边。
“没什么害怕的。”她平静地告诉刺掌，“黑暗不会因为你看不见，就会伤害到你。你还有其他的感知能力，记得吗？”
她的话似乎安抚住了刺掌。他不再挣扎，不过鸽翅靠在他身边，还是能感觉到他在发抖。“我会跟你一起走。”冬青叶继续说道，“我在这里生活了很久，什么意外都没遇上过。”
刺掌深吸了一口气。“好吧，”他低语道，“对不起。”
“蕨毛！”冬青叶抬高了嗓门，“你能走在最前面吗？一直往前走，不要管任何岔道。”
“好的。”蕨毛的声音传了回来。
刺掌刚才的恐慌也影响了鸽翅，她开始感到有些不舒服，也明显感受到了明亮温暖的日光和这里冰冷的黑暗所形成的强烈反差。她从其他猫身边钻过去，直到来到了蕨毛和藤池的身边。靠近他们，她感觉心安了不少。尤其是蕨毛，他是只沉稳而又冷静的猫。很显然，他对隧道充满了好奇，所以一点儿也不害怕。
“是什么支撑着隧道顶部呢？”他惊异地问道，“最初这些隧道是怎么形成的？”
“水。”冬青叶在后面回答道，“这里有一条河，涨潮时，隧道就会被填满。”
“现在还会被填满吗？”刺掌焦虑地问道。
“不太可能了。”冬青叶告诉他。“必须下很长时间大雨，才会发生那种情况。用你的爪子划一下石头，”她又说道，“你会感觉石头表面就像微风拂过湖面泛起的涟漪一样。这是隧道最初被水冲刷后形成的。”
鸽翅伸出脚掌感觉着那些细小的纹路，心里有种奇怪的放松感。这里真的是冬青叶的家，她想，她对隧道里的一切都了如指掌！
“我想我们下来是练习格斗技巧的吧？”蟾步边走边评论道。
“没错，”冬青叶回应道，“可在这些狭窄的隧道里，你连一只虫子都打不过。真正战斗的时候，我们必须在宽敞一点儿的地方抗击敌猫。这些隧道有利于逃跑或是追击，但不适合格斗。如果你那样做，很有可能就会撞到岩壁上，而不是打倒你的对手。”
“抱歉问了个这么蠢的问题。”蟾步小声说道。
等隧道宽敞一点儿，冬青叶又走到了前面，沿一条蜿蜒曲折的岔路走着。鸽翅发现自己终于能看见东西了，只是还非常模糊，仅能辨认出前方几只猫的身影。头顶上方传来了流水的声音，一想到洪水涨潮可能会吞没他们，她浑身就不寒而栗。
过了一会儿，族猫们进入了一个地下洞穴。头顶上方的高岩上有一道裂缝，透进来的光线足以让大家看见彼此。河流流经洞穴中央，冬青叶甩甩尾巴指着它。
“看见了吗？现在是绿叶季，水位很低，所以不用担心。”大家聚拢在她周围，似乎有些犹豫。“不知道练习哪个最好呢……”她喃喃自语道，“进攻还是防守呢？”
“你不会连这个都不知道吧？”刺掌厉声说道，“那你带我们下来这里做什么？”
蟾步瞪了刺掌一眼，不过没说什么。
“我在这里没有战斗过。”冬青叶说道，“我没遇上敌猫，因为我根本就没看到过其他猫。”
那肯定很寂寞。鸽翅想道，同情地瞥了一眼黑色母猫。
“但你比我们任何一只猫都了解如何在黑暗和封闭的空间里行动，”蕨毛说道，“那会很有帮助。如果有一队风族猫埋伏在这里，我们该怎么做呢？”
冬青叶冲他微微点点头。“好。”她开口说道，“你需要记住的是，空间很小，所以你必须改变格斗动作，让进攻变得短促紧凑，否则的话，你很有可能就会踢到岩壁上。”
蟾步后脚一蹬，将前腿收拢在身体周围，伸出爪子扑向假想敌：“像这样吗？”
“非常好。”冬青叶说道，“但是不要跳起来，除非你知道头顶上方有足够的空间。用头撞击隧道顶部是个很糟糕的主意。”
鸽翅强忍住笑意。“在亮处战斗好，还是在黑暗中好？”她问道。
冬青叶顿了一会儿。“得看具体情况。”她回答道，“如果你认为能打败对手，那就把他们从亮处带到暗处，因为那样你可以利用黑暗之便。但如果不能，那就让他们待在亮处，这样你就可以准确锁定攻击目标。”
鸽翅环顾洞穴周围，想象着这里全是族猫们尖叫厮打的场景，不由心头一颤。冬青叶的建议突然让即将来临的战斗愈加逼近了。
“好了，”冬青叶轻快地说道，“现在开始练习。蟾步，你看着很急切，那你就当雷族武士。鸽翅，你来当进攻他的风族武士。”
“好极了！”蟾步蹲伏下身体，甩了甩尾巴，“来抓我呀，风族败类！”
“你才是败类！”鸽翅反驳道。
她一跃而起扑向蟾步，却忘了冬青叶说过，动作要短促紧凑。结果蟾步闪到一边，而她因为跳得太远，差点儿撞到洞穴岩壁上。她脚掌下一滑，蟾步抓住机会，朝她的后臀上猛击了几下。
“做得好！”冬青叶喊道。
鸽翅气得直咬牙。她赶紧转身，在蟾步冲上来时，猛然一跳，用和黄蜂条训练时学会的那招，往后一踢。蟾步看到了她的动作，可是为时已晚，身体一下子失去了平衡。鸽翅扑到他身上，用前掌猛击他。
只是当蟾步打了个滚儿，挣扎着想要挣脱时，鸽翅的一只脚掌踢到了岩壁上。她疼得叫了起来。蟾步利用她分神的瞬间甩开了她，并用前掌扣住了她的脖子。不管鸽翅怎么奋力挣扎，都无法将他摆脱。最后，他们俩径直纠缠到岩壁附近，鸽翅设法将蟾步挤在角落里，尽管他还紧紧抓着她的脖子，却被她的后掌划伤了腹部，根本就没办法逃脱。
“可以了。”冬青叶过来分开他们，“你们俩做得都非常好。鸽翅，你刚才那样将蟾步顶在岩壁上，是个很好的动作。你知道还可以怎么做吗？”她又问蟾步。
“不太明白，只知道我身上的瘀伤得一个月才能好。”蟾步咕哝道。
“我做给你看。蕨毛，过来把我逼到角落里。”
金棕色武士逼近她，冬青叶跃向岩壁，然后猛地一蹬，利用反弹力量飞离岩壁，从蕨毛头上径直掠了出去，然后轻轻落地，转身准备进攻。
“太棒了！”鸽翅欢呼道。
其他猫也发出一阵惊叹。
“当然，这需要空间，”冬青叶点点头，说道，“而且你得小心，不要划伤掌垫，因为岩壁并不总是那么光滑。你们何不两两分组，一起来练习一下？”她提议道。
“太难了！”藤池喘息道。“不过可能会派上用场。”她低声补充道。
“把这想成是围捕猎物，”鸽翅说道，“我发现很有用。”
“好了，”冬青叶喊道，“现在我想试点儿别的。亮心，你研究出了利用视线盲区进行格斗的新技巧，有什么可以在这里用上的吗？”
亮心点点头，显然很高兴能受邀帮忙。“我习惯了身体一侧的黑暗，”她开口说道，“所以这里的黑暗并没给我带来困扰。你只需要利用你的胡须和尾尖就好。它们能帮你丈量你和岩壁之间的距离。”
冬青叶点点头：“我们来试一次，看是否管用。藤池，你来跟她战斗。”
藤池跳上前，想要将亮心逼到岩壁上。可亮心连头都不用回，就能准确地知道自己在哪里。她闪到一边，用脚掌划向藤池的侧腹。
“很精彩！”藤池呼哧呼哧地喘息道，“如果你的爪子是伸出的，那我就变成一堆鸦食了。”
亮心又重复了一遍步骤，这次她放慢动作，好让大家都能看清她是如何利用尾巴和胡须的。“别忘了，在这里你并不总能看见敌猫。”她补充道，“比起野外开阔的地方，在这里战斗，你还需要利用听觉和嗅觉。”
“说得很对。”冬青叶说道，“我们现在练习一下，我打算把你们一个一个带进隧道，然后把你们留在那里。你们必须利用听觉和嗅觉，找到回来的路。”
“那如果我们找不回来怎么办？”刺掌竖起尾尖问道。
“那我就去把你们带回来，鼠脑子。”冬青叶说道，“来吧，你可以先来。与此同时，其他猫可以练习亮心的动作。”
她消失在附近的一条隧道里，刺掌很不情愿地跟在她后面。让鸽翅惊奇的是，冬青叶回来不久，虎斑武士很快也回来了。再次回到洞穴，刺掌满意地舔了舔自己。
“很好。”冬青叶说道，“现在该你了，鸽翅。”
冬青叶带鸽翅走过一连串蜿蜒曲折、支岔旁生的隧道。鸽翅知道，如果没有指引，她将再也找不到回来的路。
“好了，这样就可以了。”冬青叶带她来到一条死路，说道，“等差不多吃完一只老鼠的时间，然后跟踪我返回。”
鸽翅多等了一会儿。多亏了她的特殊力量，让她可以捕捉到洞穴里族猫们的声音，并准确知晓自己该去哪里。她不想暴露自己的力量，所以她估算着自己应该花费的时间，最后找到了他们。冬青叶给了她中肯的表扬，所以鸽翅猜自己的估算是正确的。
蟾步是最后一只出去的猫。其他猫则有点儿累了，所以就停止了练习，在洞穴里等着。时间一点点过去了，可是蟾步却没有出现。
“冬青叶，你认为——”亮心开口说道。
一声惊恐的喊叫声打断了她，似乎是从洞穴的岩壁内传来的：“我迷路了！出不去了！”
“没事！”冬青叶回应着他，“我们能听见你，你离我们不远。”
“可是我找不到正确的隧道！”
“保持冷静，”冬青叶指导着他，“先让自己平静下来，然后再试试。现在，品尝一下空气中的气味，是不是有个方向气味更浓一些？”
等了一会儿，蟾步回答道：“我……我想是的。”
“好的，试一下那个方向。”
一阵沉寂后，蟾步的脑袋又从隧道入口处探了出来。“感谢星族！”他欢呼道。
“如果在这下面迷路了，”冬青叶对全体族猫说道，“一定不要慌张。总有些办法可以让你找到正确的方向。集中精力注意气流，如果空气比较潮湿低沉，那就说明隧道变得更深了。”
“那应该朝着空气清爽的地方走，对吗？”藤池问道。
冬青叶犹豫了起来。“大部分时候是这样的……但是不要忘了，有些岩缝很深，一直延伸到岩石深处，所以不一定能有出口，比如那一条。”她摆了摆尾巴，指向洞穴顶部的那道岩缝。
“接下来我们做什么？”蟾步问道。
“回营地。”冬青叶回答道，“这次的训练很好，但我们大家都累了。”
“我们学到了很多。”鸽翅说道，“谢谢你，冬青叶。”
其他猫也都随声附和起来。冬青叶带大家穿过隧道往回走。等他们从隧道里出来，太阳已经开始落山了。树林里暗影重重，他们在昏暗的林子里穿行着。
“冬青叶的训练也适合于夜间战斗。”蕨毛评论道。
“对啊，我们可以练习一下。”蟾步热切地赞同道，“我还有个主意。我们可以想办法让敌猫们在隧道里迷失方向。”
藤池点点头：“或许还可以研究出一套标记，让我们知道自己在哪里，而风族却不知道。”
“我们也可以想办法设下埋伏诱敌深入。”鸽翅补充道，兴奋得脚掌直痒痒，“风族都不知道是谁袭击了他们！”
山谷入口处终于映入眼帘，蟾步停下来，透过林荫树影凝望着风族边界。“让他们尽管来吧！”他大吼道，竖起颈毛，抽动着尾巴，“我们准备好了！”
第二十二章
第二十二章
“嘿，鸽翅，藤池！”她们跟在冬青叶的训练队伍后，刚从荆棘通道钻出来，就听见了狐跃的喊声。
天空中的最后一抹绯红渐渐淡去，石头山谷有一半被笼罩在阴影之中。大部分的巡逻队似乎都已经回来，整个族群差不多都安定下来开始吃东西了。藤池朝营地望去，看见狐跃正和黄蜂条并排坐在猎物堆旁。
“过来和我们一起吃松鼠啊！”狐跃又喊了一句。
藤池和鸽翅并肩快速穿过营地。她注意到，黄蜂条冲鸽翅咕噜一声表示欢迎，然后给她腾出地方，让她坐在自己旁边吃东西。
“训练怎么样？”狐跃追问道。
藤池一屁股坐下开始啃猎物，她感觉浑身的每一寸肌肉都在酸痛。“我们学了很多。”她嘴里塞满食物咕哝道。
“对，全是关于如何在地下战斗的。”鸽翅插话道，“比如，动作幅度要小，脚掌不要‘砰’地踹在岩壁上，等等。”
“冬青叶还教给我们如何利用隧道岩壁反弹出去，然后从敌猫头上飞过去。”藤池咽下嘴里的松鼠肉，说道，“这样才不会被对手困住。”
“哇，听上去很难啊！”狐跃感叹道。
“确实是，”鸽翅承认道，“但也是有窍门的。等轮到你时，你就明白了。”
“松鼠真好吃。”藤池又咬了一大口，说道，“是谁抓到的？”
“是我。”黄蜂条不好意思地舔舔肩膀，“我只是碰巧抓到了它。”
“才不是，你的这次狩猎很完美。”狐跃坚持道。“况且这还是你凭一己之力抓到的。炭心本来应该在我们狩猎队的，”他解释道，“可她说，她想留在山谷里帮松鸦羽。”
鸽翅惊奇地抖了抖胡须：“那黑莓掌怎么说？”
黄蜂条耸了耸肩：“没说什么。他还能说什么？他永远不会去质问巫医的，不是吗？”
“可炭心是巫医吗？”狐跃问道。
藤池突然很同情炭心。她知道一只脚掌踏入两个世界的感受是什么样子。过了一会儿，灰色母猫从松鸦羽的巢穴里出来，走到冬青叶旁边开始吃东西，她看上去似乎很满足。
或许她已经找到了自己的宿命吧。藤池想。
又过了一会儿，松鸦羽也从巢穴出来，走到猎物堆旁，给自己挑了只老鼠。
炭心正和冬青叶分食一只田鼠。她抬起头问道：“松鸦羽，从现在开始，我是不是应该睡在巫医巢穴里？”
藤池这才意识到，灰色母猫并没有真正地心满意足。面对新的形势，她努力做出一副勇敢的样子，可骨子里，她似乎还是很困惑，很不开心。
“我们也想跟你谈谈这件事情呢。”蕨毛说道。他和栗尾一起走到松鸦羽跟前：“谈谈所有的事。”
“是啊，”栗尾也插话道，“炭心过去曾是炭毛，这意味着什么呢？星族为什么要为她做这些？”
松鸦羽摇了摇头：“我也不知道，这是他们的决定。”
栗尾走到女儿身旁，将口鼻贴在炭心的肩上安慰她。“不管你是谁，我都爱你。”她轻声道，“对我来说，你就是炭心。”
炭心抬头看着她，蓝色眸子里满含着痛苦：“可我不知道，我还是不是炭心。松鸦羽，我到底应不应该睡在巫医巢穴里？”
松鸦羽有些犹豫：“你不用非得搬过来，不过——”
米莉一跃而起，尾尖颤抖着大步走上前，打断了他们。“那荆棘光怎么办？”她责问道，“我可不希望为了给炭心腾地方，就让荆棘光搬出巫医巢穴。她夜里要是停止了呼吸怎么办？”
“我想那不太可能。”松鸦羽回答道。米莉歇口气刚要继续反驳，松鸦羽抬起尾巴阻止了她。“我也不想让荆棘光搬走。”他补充说道，“她在那里的确能帮很多忙。”
荆棘光正和灰条分食一只麻雀。她眨了眨眼睛说道：“我没事，在哪儿都行。”
“可巫医巢穴容不下三只猫，”亮心也加入了讨论，说道，“那样你们都会感到很挤的。”
“而且万一还要给生病的猫腾地方呢？”藤池也插了一句。
越来越多的族猫加入了讨论，纷纷发表着自己的意见。藤池感觉自己开始头晕目眩，再也跟不上大家的讨论了。一团火焰在她眼前闪现，她看见火星从高石台上跳了下来。
“蕨毛、尘毛，”族长召唤着两只公猫，他摇了摇尾巴，走近猎物堆，问道，“你们觉得，我们还能在巫医巢穴和武士巢穴扩建出更多的空间来吗？”
尘毛和蕨毛转头看向倒下的那棵树。
“说不定能行。”尘毛歪着脑袋，喃喃道，“你觉得呢，蕨毛？如果我们把那棵树挪开，用黑莓丛围出个空间来……”
藤池不再关注武士们的计划，因为她看见冬青叶正朝她和鸽翅走过来。“你们还愿意让我住在你们的巢穴里吗？”她问道。
“当然。”藤池立刻回答道。她现在已经不再对冬青叶的归来感到震惊，相反地，她认为黑色武士是她遇见的最有意思的猫之一。她想更多地了解她。“你可以随便住，多久都行。”
“住在隧道里那么久，是一种什么感觉呢？”鸽翅好奇地问道。藤池感觉，自从隧道训练课之后，姐妹在冬青叶面前变得大胆多了。
冬青叶耸了耸肩：“黑暗，寒冷。”
“你真的一只猫都没见过吗？”鸽翅追问道。
“那你每天都做什么？”黄蜂条也问了一句。他仍然坐在鸽翅身旁，面前放着剩余的松鼠肉。
“没有，没有见到过其他猫。”冬青叶说道，“至于说做什么……我跟踪猎物，到领地外面的树林里探险……”
藤池看得出来，冬青叶并不太想谈论自己那段远离族群的流浪生活。她肯定很孤单……而且对蜡毛的死心怀愧疚，又没有猫跟她讲话……
突然，冬青叶小声地笑了出来：“狮焰有没有跟你们讲过，我跟他在去山区的路上一起抓老鼠的事情？那时我们还都是学徒。”
“没有——快告诉我们！”藤池催促她。
“我们当时经过一个农场，”冬青叶将脚掌收到胸下，继续说道，“老鼠的气味非常浓，我们当时饿极了！所以我们趁大家休息的时候，偷偷溜了出去。风皮也和我们一起去了。”
“风皮！”藤池惊呼道，感觉自己的颈毛都竖了起来。
“没错，他也参加了那次旅程。”冬青叶说道，“虽然他有时很讨厌，但我们还是让他一起去了。”
“后来发生了什么？”鸽翅催促道。
“我们被几只狗困在了一个谷仓中。我吓得皮毛都飞了！狗紧追不舍，风皮差点儿丢了尾巴。”
藤池凑过来，问道：“那你们是怎么逃脱的？”
“波弟救了我们。”冬青叶回答道。
“波弟！”鸽翅的眼睛睁得大大的，“波弟也在？”
“对，我们在路上碰见了他。”
“雷族应该好好感激波弟。”松鼠飞咕噜一声，也凑过来听着，“这不是他第一次帮我们了。你们这些鼠脑子不值得他这么帮。”
“是啊。”冬青叶附和道，“没有他，我们早就成了鸦食了。”
“从我们发现你们行踪的那一刻，你们就已经快成鸦食了。”松鼠飞又插了一句，“居然敢那样直入险境！”
“而且我们连一口老鼠肉也没吃到！”冬青叶最后讲道。
“或许你应该给他们讲讲小时候的顽皮经历。”沙风也插了进来，冬青叶讲故事的时候，她一直在边上梳理皮毛，“我一直以为你们三个活不到成为学徒的时候呢！”
冬青叶瞥了一眼姜黄色母猫，然后舔了舔胸口的皮毛。“那是很久以前的事了。”她喃喃说道。回忆仿佛溪水里的小鱼，在冬青叶的眼前一一闪过，但让藤池失望的是，她什么都没再说。
猎物堆旁，有关炭心的讨论还在继续。藤池瞥见火星站了起来。
“那就这么定了。”族长说道，“炭心目前暂时住在武士巢穴里，但她不承担任何武士职责。这是你想要的吗，炭心？”
灰色母猫点了点头：“是的，是我想要的，火星。”
藤池感觉火星对炭心的肯定回答有些惊讶和失望，但他没再说什么。
族群失去了一位宝贵的武士。藤池难过地想道。我知道再有一位巫医也很有用，可是……她摇了摇头，这一切都太奇怪了。
大家纷纷赞同火星的决定，但藤池注意到，狮焰正凄凉地望着炭心。
她不再是武士，他为什么那么伤心呢？藤池很纳闷，啊……或许是他想成为她的伴侣吧。哇，这可真够倒霉的。有关炭心的决定，在族群里引发了热烈的讨论，就像一颗石子投入湖中，激起了阵阵涟漪。星族决定赋予她第二次生命时，有没有预料到将来会发生什么事呢？
藤池轻轻钻过灌木丛，前往影族边界。头顶上的天空十分晴朗，阳光透过树枝斜照下来。但一阵疾风吹得树叶哗哗作响，也吹拂着猫儿们身上的皮毛。
藤池很高兴能被选入冬青叶的队伍。她紧跟在她身后往前走，蕨毛和莓鼻断后。冬青叶回来已经有些时日了，她的勇气和偶尔的犀利言语为她赢得了越来越多的尊重。她知道生活有多么艰辛，但她依然选择勇敢前行。
“冬青叶正在竭尽全力重新融入族群。”藤池转动耳朵，听见蕨毛低声评论道。
“是啊，她甚至不辞劳苦去帮助学徒们。”莓鼻轻声说道。
藤池觉着，能听见莓鼻夸另外一只猫，实在是太难得了。接着，她想起冬青叶曾经从狐狸嘴里救过他的幼崽。
蕨毛忍不出笑出声来：“嗯，为了这次巡逻，黑莓掌不得不把正在给长老们抓虱子的她给拖了出来。”
冬青叶回头看了一眼。“小点儿声。”她命令道，“我们快到边界了。”
藤池从空气中捕捉到影族气味标记的臭味，其中还混杂着两脚兽的气味。她钻出树林，来到空地边缘，看见这里到处都是两脚兽皮毛巢穴。两脚兽们或坐或躺在草地上，跳来跳去相互投掷着一个色彩明亮的东西。
“星族啊，它们这是在干什么？”她轻声道。
冬青叶耸了耸肩：“或许是某种训练吧。”
在远处小溪的下游，藤池听见两脚兽幼崽发出的阵阵欢声笑语，它们正在湖边玩水。不知道它们是在抓鱼呢，还是仅仅在水里凉快凉快脚掌。它们那样吵闹，会把鱼都吓跑的！
四只猫悄无声息地快速穿过空地，避开两脚兽。藤池不知道，冬青叶是否想在空地这边雷族的一侧留下气味标记，然后把开阔的草地留给影族。
“我无法相信，影族为了保住这一小块没用的领地，居然会那么拼命。”蕨毛低语道。
我也无法相信，我们为了得到它，会战斗得那么激烈。藤池想道。想起全是因为她的错误，让雷族卷入了那样一场战斗，一阵强烈的愧疚刺痛着她的心。但是现在，这里是我们的了，我们永远拥有了它，所以必须每天都来这里设置这些讨厌的气味标记。
她竖起皮毛，避开周围的两脚兽皮毛巢穴。她讨厌待在这种开阔的地方，而且还离两脚兽皮毛巢穴那么近。即便是到达了对面，她也还是无法放松下来，因为此时，四周全是影族的气味。
“好了，”在大家都到达边界后，冬青叶说道，“现在我们分开。蕨毛，你和莓鼻去上游更新气味标记。藤池，你和我去下游。”
蕨毛冲她微微点点头，然后和莓鼻并肩离开了。“结束之后直接回营地。”冬青叶在他们身后喊道。
接着，冬青叶开始设置第一处气味标记。等她做完，两只公猫已然消失在视线之外。她转身朝湖边走去，藤池则跟在她身旁。她们停下来刚要设置另一处气味标记，藤池闻见了影族的气味，浓烈而新鲜。
“有巡逻队！”她悄声道。
说话间，边界另一侧的蕨丛被分开了，三只猫出现在空地上。领头的是曙皮，旁边跟着红柳和焦毛。
曙皮看到了雷族猫，龇牙咧嘴地咆哮起来。面对奶油色母猫眼中那赤裸裸的敌意，藤池感觉自己的颈毛开始竖了起来。
“你们胆敢踏进一爪子……”曙皮刚要开口说话，却看见了冬青叶，她猛地打住了话头。“是你！”她惊呼道，“我还以为你离开族群了呢！”
冬青叶耸了耸肩：“我回来了。”
不过几个心跳的工夫，曙皮的敌意消失了，取而代之的是好奇。但藤池可不希望和她站在那里闲聊天。我跟那只跳蚤皮无话可说。我一点儿也不相信她。很快，她就会指责冬青叶杀死了焰尾。
“我们没做任何对你们不利的事情，”藤池说道，“只是在设置气味标记而已。”
曙皮不相信地哼了一声。“我得检查一下，你们把标记设在了哪里。”她嘶吼着走上前，伸长脖子嗅了嗅藤池刚刚设置的气味标记，“如果有任何的越界，我会告诉黑星。”
“随便。”冬青叶反驳道，“如果你能找出任何问题，我会自己跟黑星说。”
曙皮只是咆哮了一声。藤池知道，她想挑起争端，根本就不在乎因何而起。难道她认为，仅凭她的意愿，就可以让两个族群陷入战斗吗？藤池想起森林大会上虎心对鸽翅的警告。可她也发现，曙皮的威胁根本就不算什么。虎心或许只是想找个借口跟鸽翅说话吧。
“曙皮，不要无事生非。”红柳走上前来说道，“雷族的气味标记没有问题。”
棕色和姜黄色相间的公猫那轻快的语气让藤池感到很安心。可过了一会儿，她跟红柳目光交汇，对方冲她点了点头后，她的腹中又翻腾起来。
他站在我这边，是因为我们在黑森林里是族猫。想到这里，藤池心头一紧，不！我忠于自己的族群，他也应该这样！
“快点儿，冬青叶，”她催促道，“我们走吧。”
冬青叶点了点头，从影族巡逻队身边经过，然后便带头沿边界继续前行。在她们身后，曙皮大吼一声，仿佛取得了胜利一般。
“伟大的星族啊！”等影族猫听不见了，冬青叶说道，“是谁在曙皮的猎物里拉屎了吗？还是她被毛球给堵住了哪里？”
“她肯定是尾巴疼。”藤池赞同道。
“那红柳是怎么回事？”冬青叶眯起眼睛瞥了一眼藤池，然后继续前进，“他对你的了解，似乎比我想象中的影族猫更多一些？”
她有一双鹰一般的眼睛！藤池惊讶地想道。“没什么，”她含糊地大声说道，“我们在森林大会上说过一两次话，仅此而已。”
冬青叶停下来，盯着藤池。“跟外族猫走得太近，是极为不忠诚的行为，”她说道，“没有哪只猫——”
“可我不是！”藤池惊恐地意识到，冬青叶怀疑的是什么。
冬青叶没去理会她的抗议。“没有哪只猫值得你以那种方式来违背武士守则。”她坚持说道，“那只会带来不幸。”没等藤池回答，她便一脸不快地大步朝边界走去。
“真不知道她这是怎么了。”那天晚些时候，藤池在猎物堆旁遇上了姐妹，对她说道，“你觉得她是怀疑我和红柳都在黑森林吗？”
鸽翅翻了她一眼：“啊，拜托！我唯一的姐妹难得像个鼠脑子。冬青叶根本就不关心黑森林，想想她的父母是谁吧！她只有一半雷族的血统，记得吗？”
“哦，”一阵尴尬淹没了藤池，“我没想到那一点。嗯，她不必担心，我不会跟红柳，或是任何一只外族猫交往的。”
好像鸽翅的注意力现在放在了黄蜂条身上，她满意地想道，他可比那个讨厌的虎心好多了！
第二十五章
第二十五章
灰色的光线透进学徒巢穴，鸽翅睁开了眼睛。她身上的皮毛乱糟糟的，冻得冰冷的脚掌探进窝里，她感觉自己仿佛睡在风口一样。自从森林大会之后，天气就日渐转凉，她知道，落叶季就快要来了。
鸽翅往苔藓堆里又缩了缩身子，想要躲避寒冷的气流。接着，她意识到，刚才是有什么东西唤醒了她。她将感知转到风族那里，集中精神仔细听。这时，她捕捉到了一个熟悉的声音。
“跟我来，”日神说道，“那些懒惰的雷族疥癣皮，现在还在窝里打呼噜呢。”
他周围有很多猫在说话。他们大喊着，像是在为战斗进行动员。
鸽翅赶紧从窝里爬出来，冲过空地，攀上落石堆。“火星！”她上气不接下气地冲进了族长巢穴，“风族正在向隧道进发，进攻马上就要开始了！”
火星本来蜷缩在巢穴深处的窝里，听到鸽翅的声音，他抬起头。突然，他一下子清醒过来，从她身边跑过，冲到了高石台上。
“快醒醒！”他大喊道，“所有猫都到空地上来！风族开始进攻了！”
发出警报后，火星又跑下落石堆，冲到了空地上。鸽翅在高石台上停顿片刻，也跟了下来。月亮已经落下，但还有几个微弱的星族武士，依然徘徊在头顶。苍白的天空下勾勒出山谷树丛的轮廓。鸽翅深吸了一口清晨的冷气，然后朝族长跑去。
武士们陆陆续续从巢穴里出来，个个睡眼蒙眬行动迟缓。黛西出现在育婴室入口，接着又退了回去。松鸦羽从巫医巢穴的黑莓屏风后探出脑袋，竖着耳朵倾听着动静。
鸽翅冲回自己的巢穴，看见藤池正摇摇晃晃往外面走去。她浑身的皮毛乱糟糟的，眼中一副痛苦的神情。
“你还好吗？”鸽翅问道，“黑森林里发生什么事了吗？”
“没什么可担心的。”藤池回答道。她摇了摇脑袋，让自己清醒一些。“我现在是黑森林武士了，还得训练别的猫。”她的眼神飘忽不定，目光总是往两边看来看去，就好像感觉有猫跟着她似的。“我没事，”她坚持道，“我还能战斗。”
冬青叶跟着藤池走出了巢穴。她看上去步履轻盈斗志饱满。她跑到空地中央火星和黑莓掌的身边。
“我们将会在隧道里迎战风族猫。”火星对聚集在周围的族猫们宣布道。“我们不会让他们踏足雷族领地半步。据我所知，”他瞥了一眼鸽翅，补充道，“风族没有在隧道里战斗过。”鸽翅朝他飞快地点了点头。“雷族猫很有优势！”
族长的话赢得一阵热烈的欢呼。此刻，所有的猫都清醒了过来，准备为他们的族群而战。鸽翅看见亮心和狐跃正操练新学的格斗动作，而两位学徒则激动得上蹿下跳。
鸽翅还在倾听着风族武士的动静，她听见他们穿过荒原，正向雷族边界靠近。突然，他们的说话声和脚步声都消失了，他们的身影也不见了。鸽翅腹中翻腾起来，她知道这意味着什么。
“我们得快一点儿！”她对火星说道。
另外几只猫都惊讶地看着她，不明白她究竟为何那么急切。当然，他们不知道我能感知到风族领地里的情形。
冬青叶大步走向她。“狮焰说你能听见声音，”她轻声说道，“我是说远处的声音。”
鸽翅点点头。
“是因为那个三力量的预言吗？”冬青叶的声音有些紧张。
鸽翅尴尬地回答道：“是的。”她能猜到，不能和两个弟弟一起成为预言的一部分，冬青叶肯定感到难以接受。她能来跟我谈这个，已经很不容易了。
冬青叶沉默了几个心跳的时间，然后果断地抖了抖耳朵：“好，那我们就好好利用一下它。风族猫现在在做什么？”
“他们已经进了隧道，”鸽翅告诉她，“很难听到他们在地下的动静。”
“全都在一条隧道里吗？”冬青叶追问道。
鸽翅将感知释放到极致，发现自己还是能捕捉到敌猫前进的微弱信号的。“是的，我想他们全在一起。”她轻声道。她集中全身全部的精力，搜索着他们的踪迹：“现在他们进了有河流经的那个洞穴……现在，他们又进了另一条隧道……”
“我想我知道他们在哪里了，”冬青叶嘶吼道，“而且也知道他们要去哪里……”她转向也靠过来听的火星、黑莓掌和狮焰。“我们分成三队，”她继续说道，“第一队进入营地上方的隧道，第二队从废弃的两脚兽巢穴附近的隧道进去，第三队从湖边的隧道进去。我们的目标是把风族猫逼退到有河流的那个洞穴里，那里的空间够大，能打得开。”
黑莓掌赞许地冲她点点头。他跳上一块圆石，开始将武士们分成三队。“我带一队，”他摇着尾巴宣布道，“冬青叶带一队，蕨毛带第三队。冬青叶告诉我说，你的隧道格斗本领最出色。”
蕨毛很高兴，但也有点儿不好意思。他走到自己的队伍跟前站好。
“可我们没在队伍里！”樱桃爪反对道。
“我们也想跟风族战斗！”鼹鼠爪附和道。
“你错了，樱桃爪——你在我的队伍里。”火星告诉她，“我们留在山谷保护长老们和育婴室，以防风族设法突围进来。”
两只学徒猫交换了一下眼神。鸽翅看得出来，他们不太确定是该失望还是该高兴。失望的是，他们不能参加隧道战斗；高兴的是，他们被选中做族长的队员。
“我们也能战斗，如有需要的话。”黛西和香薇云走上前来，说道，“我们来保护栗尾和幼崽们。”
“还有我。”波弟也缓缓从长老巢穴走了过来，插话道，“我虽然老了，但不代表我不能战斗。我抓过的猫，比你们年轻猫吃过的老鼠都要多。从前——”
“谢谢，谢谢大家。”没等波弟开始讲述他那没完没了的故事，火星就打断了他。
三支队伍向营地入口走去。炭心来到巫医巢穴。“我也要战斗。”她走近冬青叶，大声说道。
噢，真的吗？鸽翅想，饶有兴致地竖起耳朵听着。
对于炭心的表态，有几只猫开始议论起来。不过，没有时间质疑这些了。冬青叶开始发力狂奔，带头钻出荆棘通道，进入了森林。
鸽翅、藤池、炭心、沙风、鼠须以及莓鼻，都在冬青叶的队伍里。冬青叶带领他们快速爬上通往谷顶的小路，来到了隧道入口。
“跟我进去。”她悄声对鸽翅说道。“我需要你告诉我风族正在做什么。沙风，”她抬高嗓门补充道，“你来断后，如果后面有问题，马上告诉我。”
“收到。”沙风回答道，她那淡绿色的眸子在愈加明亮的晨曦中熠熠生辉。
鸽翅深吸一口气，跟着冬青叶进入了隧道。风族的动静立刻涌入她的耳中。“他们跑得很快！”她喘息道。
“哪里？”冬青叶简洁地问道。
“不是这儿，还没到。”鸽翅悄声说道，和冬青叶带着队伍率先跑下隧道，“他们去了尘毛和蕨毛堵上的一个洞口……现在他们在掉头……他们朝这里来了！”
不仅是风族猫，鸽翅还听见其他雷族队伍进入隧道的声音。整座山变得喧闹起来，到处都是急速奔跑的生物，就像蚁穴一样。喧嚣声太大，以至于鸽翅都很难区分各个队伍，或是准确辨别他们的方位。
紧接着他们拐了个弯，风族猫的气味突然变得强烈了起来。鸽翅刚喊了一声“他们在这里”，就跟风族武士迎头撞上了。
风族武士毫无防备，他们震惊地大叫起来。刹那间，他们在黑暗中无助地互相推搡着，不知道应该前进还是后退才好。
冬青叶和鸽翅猛冲上去，亮出利爪划向黑暗中看不见的入侵者。起初，他们很容易就将风族猫逼到了隧道深处。但不一会儿，风族猫缓过劲儿来，开始还击。鸽翅尖叫一声，被看不见的爪子划伤了肩膀。她奋力冲向前去，感觉到口鼻顶到了某只猫胸膛上的皮毛。于是她一抬头，用牙咬住了对方的脖子。她的对手连连后退，接着传来一声闷响和尖叫，鸽翅意识到，入侵猫的脑袋撞到了隧道顶部。
“你应该先训练训练！”鸽翅嘶吼道。
“后退！”冬青叶命令道，“让后面的猫进来。”
想起之前冬青叶拟订的计划，鸽翅贴在隧道岩壁上，让炭心和莓鼻钻过去。她有了在队伍后面短暂喘息的机会。而她的族猫们则继续迎战风族武士。鼠须、藤池，还有沙风非常熟练地轮番接替自己的族猫作战，直到入侵猫被逼退到有河流的那个洞穴里。
终于，当光线从洞顶透进隧道里时，鸽翅认出了这些风族猫。带队的是风皮，还有须鼻、鼬毛、兔泉，断后的则是石楠尾和荆豆皮。
风族武士跌跌撞撞退到洞穴里，雷族武士则冲出隧道在后面追赶他们。鸽翅飞快地扫视了一下周围，发现他们是最早到达的。她释放出感知，倾听着其他隧道里的打斗声。
风族猫蜷缩在一起，喘着粗气怒视着他们的对手。他们身上的皮毛乱糟糟的，有几只身上还留下了雷族猫的抓痕。鸽翅猜想他们本来指望着能进入雷族领地，然后袭击毫无防备的营地。
这下可让他们大吃一惊了。她满意地想道。
冬青叶走到队伍前面，看着风族武士。“到此为止吧，”她说道，“你们赢不了。”
“疥癣皮！”风皮咆哮道，“你们虐待日神！”
“我们从来没做过那样的事！”鸽翅嘶吼道，“是我们邀请日神进入我们的营地，是你们的族长想让我们赶他走。”
“松鸦羽杀死了焰尾！”石楠尾走上前来，站在风皮身旁，插了一句，她的双眼中燃烧着仇恨，“你们还越过边界偷我们的猎物！”
“没错！”须鼻也插话道，“你们总认为比我们强，是因为族群刚来湖区的时候，我们需要过你们的帮助。”
“你怎么会知道这些？”沙风质问年轻的武士，“你那会儿都还没出生呢！”
看到连对方最年轻的族猫，都对他们充满了强烈的敌意，鸽翅感到非常震惊。太不公平了！她义愤填膺地想道，我们甚至都不能为自己辩解，因为他们根本就不听！
突然，风皮发出一声凄厉的吼叫，一头向她扑了过来。鸽翅一惊，接着便被撞飞，重重地摔在了地上。不过，不等风皮将她摁倒在地，她便朝旁边一滚，然后一跃而起，在他肩膀上狠狠地击了一下。
“你还得再快点儿！”她奚落道。
风皮不忿地咆哮一声，又向她扑来，想要把她逼退到洞穴岩壁上。鸽翅想起平时的训练，往后一退，让他以为自己就要赢了。然后，她在岩壁上用力一蹬，从他头顶上方掠了过去。风族猫的脸上露出不可思议的神情，让她浑身感到无比的畅快和满足。
此刻，其他猫也都在她周围战斗着。鸽翅刚一落地，就被猫群里翻腾扭打的炭心和石楠尾给撞倒了。鸽翅身体失去了平衡，摸索着地面正想要爬起来，风皮出现在了她的上方。
“你以为自己很聪明吗？”他大吼着，牙齿闪着寒光靠近她的喉咙，“但是还不够。”
鸽翅用后腿连续猛踢他，可还是无法挣脱。她感觉到他的利爪刺进了她的肩膀，鲜血流了出来。
我不能这样死掉！她绝望地想道，不能死在风皮的爪子下！
突然，风皮的重量消失了。鸽翅赶忙爬起来，看到藤池咬住他的后颈，左右猛甩着他的脑袋。过了一会儿，她松开他，趁他东倒西歪的时候，从他身下钩住他的脚掌，冲他腹部最柔软的地方来了两记重击。风皮翻身躲开，挣扎着起来逃跑了。
“谢谢！”鸽翅喘着粗气，“藤池，你战斗起来真厉害！”
“不客气。”藤池说道。说完，她转身又重新投入了战斗。
鸽翅意识到，之前听到的打斗声，现在都聚拢在了她周围。她不需要再使用特殊力量了，因为其他队伍已经冲进了洞穴，里面到处都是猛烈的吼叫和痛苦的尖叫。目光所及之处，全是号叫打斗的猫。
“没看见一星。”藤池又来到鸽翅身边，一边怒目圆睁寻找着下一个敌人，一边喘着粗气说道。
鸽翅点点头。“我也没看见灰脚。来的并不是整个风族，而是那些被日神蛊惑的猫。”感谢星族，我们数量比他们多！她暗自说道。
她跳上前去，边走边战，猛击每一个胆敢对抗她的猫。等她打累了，渐渐忘了动作要短促紧凑的要诀，脚掌重重撞在洞穴岩壁上，疼痛难忍。
我们还能坚持多久？她思索着。
在一堆激战的猫中，她扑到一只棕色虎斑公猫的后背上，一个心跳之后，却惊讶地发现是尘毛。后者正抬头怒视着她。
“看在星族的分上，快点儿下来。”他呵斥着将她甩下来，“风族给我们带来的麻烦还不够吗？”
“对不起。”鸽翅小声说了一句，往后一跳，继续投入了战斗。
喧嚣激战中，冬青叶的声音响起：“把他们逼到隧道里！”
鸽翅竭尽全力将枭须逼到一侧，然后将他推到最近的隧道口。枭须奋力反击，但他的脚掌已然开始踉跄。过了一会儿，他转身一瘸一拐地逃跑了。鸽翅环顾四周，发现其他的风族猫也在往隧道里逃窜。雷族武士追赶着他们，发出胜利的叫声。
可就在这时，一个声音咆哮道：“风族！勇敢战斗！雷族是你们最强大的敌人！”
鸽翅猛然转身，看见日神站在最大的那条隧道的入口处。战败的风族猫们跌跌撞撞地从他身边经过，他企图拦住他们，眼中的怒火在洞内昏暗的光线中熊熊燃烧着。
“叛徒！”冬青叶怒吼一声，从鸽翅身边冲了出去，扑向日神，“骗子！”
日神转身逃进隧道，冬青叶立刻追了上去。
“冬青叶，不要！”鸽翅大喊道。黑色母猫要比日神个头小得多轻得多。“等等！”她又喊了一声，“等等我！”
她拖着疲惫的四肢继续前进，穿过洞穴进入隧道。她很快便追上了两只猫。冬青叶将日神逼进一条旁支的隧道。那是条死路，洞穴外透进来的光线能微微把它照亮。
黑暗中，鸽翅听见日神嘶吼着。他和冬青叶都自信地挪动着身体，试探着攻击对方，准备近身搏斗。鸽翅注意到，日神没有受伤，光滑的皮毛也只是有些凌乱而已，而冬青叶的肩膀和侧腹却全是抓伤，后臀上还被扯掉几撮皮毛。
日神根本就没参加战斗。鸽翅想道，他一直藏匿着，让风族猫给他干肮脏的勾当！
“不要再骚扰族群。”冬青叶咆哮道，“你对我们的伤害已经够大了！”
“休想！”日神反驳道，“除非有一天，我毁掉族群所代表的一切。”他咧着大嘴咆哮道：“很久以前，我认识你们另外一个族群，他们生活在河谷里。他们也嘲笑我，说我不够优秀，没资格成为他们高贵的武士！所以我发誓，要向你们证明武士守则一无是处。最后，你们会为了一些不值一老鼠尾巴的事情，不停地相互残杀下去。”
“不，你错了。”冬青叶低声嘶吼着，蹲伏下来准备跃起，“族群的生活方式永远值得我们为之而战——必要的时候，还会付出生命。”
说完，她怒吼一声扑向日神，用四肢狠狠地攻击他。独行猫也开始还击，想要用身体的重量将她压制住。
他不懂格斗，鸽翅震惊地发现，他根本就不会武士的技能。
她摆好姿势，准备用尖牙利爪来帮助冬青叶，但很快她就意识到，自己根本不必帮忙。冬青叶的动作利落迅速，她记得自己所有的隧道动作，灵巧地躲开了日神的攻击，而日神则很快便在乱影中慌了阵脚。
最后，冬青叶腹部贴地冲了上去，从日神身下将他撞翻在地。在日神倒向一侧之际，冬青叶一只前掌踩住他的腹部，另一只则掐住他的喉咙，将他牢牢地困住。日神抬头看着她，眼神中充满了恐惧和仇恨。
“杀了你我会很高兴，”冬青叶说道，“但武士守则告诉我们，要宽恕战败的对手。如果你发誓永远不再回来找族群的麻烦，那我会永远放过你。”
日神没有说话。冬青叶退后一步让他起来。他逼近她，双眼在黑暗中闪动着寒光。“我不能发誓。”他嘶吼道。
冬青叶没有退缩：“如果你回来威胁到了我的族猫，那我就杀了你。”
“到时我会有所准备的。”日神声音轻柔，但却带着威胁的语气。说完，他从冬青叶身边溜了过去，消失在黑暗之中。
“为什么放他走？”鸽翅浑身颤抖着问道，“他已经毫无反击之力了。”
“我们得牢记武士守则。”冬青叶回答道，声音里透着疲惫，“一位武士的死亡并不意味着胜利。”
鸽翅走上前将口鼻贴在冬青叶的肩上。她释放出感知，听到风族已经退回了他们的营地。而她的族猫们则开始从隧道返回营地，虽然伤痕累累鲜血直流，但是却无比地骄傲和自豪。等以后有时间再去想日神那些古怪的威胁吧，还有那很久以前对他不公的神秘族群。眼下，这场战斗已经胜利了。还有一场更残酷的战斗在等着他们。除非湖区四个族群能够团结起来并肩作战，否则那场战斗将会一败涂地。只要族群还在相互争斗，他们就无力反抗黑森林。他们必须找到办法解决争端，然后联合起来共同对抗他们最大的对手。这是否就是预言的含义所在呢？是说鸽翅、松鸦羽，还有狮焰，有能力将湖区族猫们全部都团结起来吗？
鸽翅感觉自己浑身上下疲惫不堪。虽然跟其他猫相比，她的听觉敏锐，感知力更强，但她并没有被赋予更多的体力。她也需要休息、进食，跟松鸦羽和狮焰讨论日神临走时的威胁，讨论如果族群继续彼此敌视，各自为战，那么将会被黑森林摧毁。星族啊，请照亮我前行的道路吧。
“走吧，”她对冬青叶说道，“我们该回家了。族猫们正等着我们。”
第二十三章
第二十三章
狮焰从武士巢穴树枝中挤了出来，穿过空地，走到正围在火星身旁的族猫中间。一轮满月飘在晴朗的夜空，星族武士们在它周围闪烁着光芒。狮焰脚掌刺痛期待着这次的森林大会。
“我不打算提一星威胁雷族的事情。”狮焰走到火星身边时，听见他说道，“把其他族群的注意力吸引到这上面来，没有任何意义。那只是一个小矛盾而已。”族猫们有些忐忑地议论了起来。火星抖了抖胡须，继续说道：“另外，我们已经有半个月没在雷族领地里见过日神了，所以一星现在没有理由攻击我们。”
狮焰表示赞同，尽管他仍希望，能让一星出来解释一下他为何对雷族有如此大的敌意。我们留日神在营地不关他的事！
松鸦羽和炭心从巫医巢穴钻出来，朝武士们聚集的方向走来。
“我想让你留在营地。”松鸦羽对灰色母猫说道，“小百合正在发烧，如果你能留下照料她，我会更开心。”
炭心看上去有些失望，但还是点了点头，朝育婴室走去。
我敢打赌，没有巫医照料，栗尾的幼崽也不会有事的。狮焰想道。他在猫群边上找到了弟弟。“你是不想费心解释炭心为什么突然变成了巫医吧？”他附在松鸦羽耳边，悄声说道。
松鸦羽不爽地甩了甩尾巴。“她又不是第一只变换角色的猫！”他大吼道。
“确实不是，但她却是第一只成为其他猫的猫。这有一点儿……”狮焰回答道。
松鸦羽刚要张口说话，但这时，火星竖起了尾巴，示意大家出发。他率先穿过荆棘通道，其他猫则跟在他身后鱼贯而出。
他们来到了湖边，狮焰发现旁边走着的是灰条和米莉。“你们觉得今早的训练怎么样？”他问道。他们三个，还有桦落和榛尾，都参加了冬青叶的隧道格斗训练。“我得承认，我不喜欢在黑暗中战斗。我更愿意看到对手，知道往哪里出击，而不是冒险一脚踹在坚硬的岩石上。”
米莉耸耸肩。“我在隧道里很不舒服，”她坦白道，“我总是忍不住去想头顶上的那些岩石！”
“但你表现得很棒！”灰条将尾巴搭在伴侣的肩上，说道，“我想我们大家的感受是一样的。在隧道里打斗很奇怪，但日神也很奇怪。有谁会想着跟某个族群示好，为的就是要背叛他们呢？”灰色武士低头钻过山楂树树枝，然后继续说道：“日神曾对黑星和影族做过这样的事情，现在又利用风族来对付雷族。如果他真有什么隐情，我想知道那到底是什么。”
白翅刚好听到灰色武士的最后几句话。“日神知道太阳会消失，”她强压下心头的恐惧，指出，“那说明他比我们都要强大。”
狮焰十分不屑。战斗时，没有哪只猫能打过我！他脚掌刺痛，很想跟日神单打独斗一番。几个月前，他让我帮他从雷族逃跑过。回忆涌上狮焰心头，让他不由怒火中烧，我得为此惩罚他，还要惩罚他给族群带来的麻烦。这个时候，我们本来更应该去想黑森林的事情。
突然，狮焰脑中冒出来一个想法，让他的脚掌几乎冻在了地面上。日神是黑森林派来制造麻烦的吗？这是族群末日的开始吗？
他逼迫自己继续往前走。这时，他发现松鸦羽就在几尾远的地方，正准确无误地从灌木丛里钻过去。“我刚才突然想到一个可怕的事情。”狮焰低吼道，“你觉得日神会是来帮助黑森林的吗？”
松鸦羽一愣，接着又耸耸肩：“我不知道。就算是，也不意外。”
大橡树四周的空地上，弥漫着紧张的气氛，仿佛一场绿叶季的暴风雨就要降临。狮焰注意到，巫医间的敌意尤其明显，他们零零散散地坐在一棵松树下，彼此并不打招呼。每个族群都是各自为政，他担心地抖了抖胡须，想道，连巫医都成了敌人了，这实在是太糟糕了。
只有蛾翅在跟她的巫医同行们说话，但其他巫医几乎都不怎么作答。狮焰看到她恼火地伸缩着爪子，最终还是放弃了，坐在了她的学徒柳光身边。
其他猫都跟自己的族猫待在一起，不再有过去森林大会上常见的交流和闲聊。狮焰仔细观察着蛛丝马迹，看看哪些猫是在黑森林里彼此相熟的。稍加注意，他就发现了很多迹象：红柳和风皮交换了个眼神，河族的冰翅冲藤池点了点头，虎心跟空飞，彼此抖了抖尾巴。
他们都互相认识。狮焰想着，有点不寒而栗，对武士来说，他们对其他族群的了解，已经超过了必要的程度。接着，他抖了抖身上的皮毛。别激动，他告诫自己，不是所有的猫都在接受潜在敌猫的训练。
他注意到了风族的鸦羽，于是把思绪从黑森林里收回。深黑色武士刚刚看到了冬青叶，眼睛都快要从脑袋里瞪出来了。他旁边的伴侣夜云，也循着他的目光看去，张大嘴巴惊讶得喊出了声。
狮焰知道冬青叶早就看见了他们，但她转身背对他们，紧靠在自己的族猫身旁。越来越多的猫注意到了冬青叶的出现，空地上响起一片惊讶的议论声。还有一两只年轻猫跳了起来，想要把她看得更清楚些。
“这种感觉有点儿怪怪的。”冬青叶低声说道，挤过来坐到狮焰旁边。
狮焰用鼻子蹭了蹭她的耳朵：“你肯定早就知道重新融入族群并不容易。”
“所以我才离开那么久。”冬青叶坦白道，“我受不了议论、流言……”
狮焰对她的同情突然化作一阵恼怒。松鸦羽和我那么久以来，不得不忍受着议论和流言。但他意识到，冬青叶确实是感到不舒服。他赶紧抛开自己的那些怨恨，用尾巴搭着她的肩膀，盯着前方，不去理会那些议论。
空气中的敌意似乎越来越重。终于，雾星从大橡树的树枝上站起身，宣布森林大会开始，狮焰这才舒了一口气。
“我们跟两脚兽之间出了一些问题。”她汇报道，“和以往的绿叶季一样，它们总是在我们营地附近的湖泊和溪流里捕鱼，不过我们想办法避开了它们。另外它们捕的鱼还不足以威胁到我们的猎物需求。”
“哼！”雾星的副族长芦苇须大喊道，“即便鱼儿跳出水面哀求两脚兽，它们也抓不到鱼。”
雾星那蓝色的眸子闪烁着笑意，她瞥了一眼副族长，然后便重新坐了下来。
轮到火星了。他起身沿自己那根树枝走上前，小心谨慎地避开那一簇簇橡树叶。“雷族有好消息汇报，”火星盯着下面的空地，开口说道，“我们的武士冬青叶回来了。我们本以为她很久以前就死了。”
其他族群里传来了议论声和惊呼声。“她去哪儿了？”有些猫大声喊了出来。狮焰感觉身旁的冬青叶变得紧张起来。
火星没理会那个问题。“我们欢迎她回来。”他继续说着，然后用他那温暖的绿色眸子看向冬青叶，“我们很高兴雷族能再次拥有她。我期待着在未来的漫长岁月里，能和她并肩巡逻。”
狮焰如释重负。正如火星之前计划的，他没有提日神或是风族。但此刻，他还是很紧张，生怕有其他族群的猫会问起蜡毛和冬青叶消失的时间。因为在那之前，她刚刚在森林大会上揭露了叶池和鸦羽的真实关系。
但是没有猫问起这些关键问题，只是对火星的汇报小声议论了一番而已。
“我很惊讶，她告诉我们那些真相后，居然还会露面！”
“我猜鸦羽见到她肯定不高兴。”
夜云起身抽动了一下尾巴，冰冷的眸子扫视着冬青叶。“她以为自己很受欢迎吗？”夜云咆哮道。
火星依然没有回应任何的评论。他冲冬青叶点了点头，便坐回到自己的树枝上。紧接着一星站了出来。
“这可真是个意外的消息，火星。”他平静地说道，“不过我相信，所有的族长都会欢迎一位训练有素、忠诚无比的武士回家的。”
他是在暗示冬青叶不忠诚吗？狮焰恼怒地猜想道，身上的皮毛开始竖立起来。
“我的巡逻队还是一如既往地高度警惕。”一星继续说道，“我们会竭尽全力保护领地不受泼皮猫和流浪猫的侵袭。”
狮焰腹部一紧。他现在在侮辱我们所有的猫！他是说，雷族猫是一群泼皮猫和流浪猫！他瞥了一眼火星，族长的身子被大橡树的叶子半遮半掩着。狮焰能够看得出，族长正闭紧嘴巴强忍着不去反驳，并竭力让身上的皮毛平顺下来。
一星得意扬扬地瞥了一眼火星，然后又重新坐了回去。接着黑星站了起来，狮焰看得出来，他对雷族和风族之间的敌对态度感到很困惑，但也只是犹豫了片刻，便耸耸肩开始讲话。
“跟河族一样，我们也跟湖边的两脚兽有些问题。”他开口说道，“天气转暖，两脚兽像雨后的蚯蚓一样全都跑了出来。不过它们并没有进入森林深处，所以没有骚扰到我们的营地。”
说完他正要坐下，空地里的猫群中传来一个声音：“黑星，我能说句话吗？”
狮焰看向影族猫坐着的地方。他看见曙皮站了起来，奶油色的皮毛在月光下泛着亮光。黑星惊讶地眨眨眼，然后点了点头。曙皮立刻跳上一截树桩。她的颈毛直立，尾巴蓬松到平时的两倍大。
“我们中间有一位凶手！”她大喊道。
空地一下子陷入了寂静。狮焰心里一紧，用尾巴紧紧裹住姐姐的肩膀。啊，伟大的星族啊！她是怎么发现冬青叶的事情的？
但是，曙皮却抬起脚掌指向巫医们所在的那棵松树：“松鸦羽杀死了焰尾！”
空地上的猫一下子炸开了锅，发出恐惧的呼喊和尖叫声。起初，狮焰没弄明白他们在说些什么。紧接着，橡树下的黑莓掌站起来，用压过喧嚣的音量大声说道：
“我们都知道焰尾死了，我们也为他感到难过。但这和松鸦羽有什么关系？”
“而且为什么现在才说？”灰条补充道。
曙皮的目光转向雷族猫，眼神中充满了仇恨。“焰尾溺水时，松鸦羽在场。”她嘶吼道，“我们都看见他在焰尾身旁的水中挣扎，可我们凭什么相信他的话，以为他是在救焰尾？”
“为什么不能相信？”黑莓掌质问她。
“从什么时候开始，松鸦羽同情其他族群的猫了？”曙皮咆哮道，“我相信，他是当着我们大家的面，故意溺死了焰尾！”
火星跃起身，从树叶后面冲了出来：“太荒谬了！松鸦羽根本就不会杀焰尾！那是违背武士守则和巫医守则的。”
狮焰也嗖地站起身，他的毛都要气炸了。现在，他只想用爪子撕破曙皮那张横加指责的脸。感觉到冬青叶碰了碰自己，他低头看向她。
“坐下。”她轻声说道，“别让曙皮得逞，她想挑起战斗。”
狮焰伸缩着爪子，意识到姐姐说得有道理，于是便强忍着坐了下来。这是在森林大会。他提醒自己，如果雷族破坏休战协定，那么影族肯定会很高兴的。
“我在边界巡逻的时候，碰上过曙皮。”冬青叶继续悄声说道，“她那个时候，也是极力想挑起事端。”
“她跟雷族有什么过节？”狮焰不解地问道。
冬青叶给了他一个意味深长的眼神。“她的兄弟溺水而死，而松鸦羽当时在场。”她说道，“这一条就够了。”
空地再次陷入了一片混乱，大家谁也听不见谁的声音。狮焰看见鸽翅和藤池在族猫中穿梭，最后来到了他身边。
“我知道曙皮在密谋着什么，”藤池悄声说道，“但我不知道是这个。”
狮焰不知道藤池是不是在黑森林听到了什么，又或者是听曙皮自己亲口说的。不过他现在也不想问，因为其他猫有可能会听到。
“简直太荒谬了！”鸽翅大喊道，“我……我听说过焰尾溺水的事情。我知道松鸦羽当时是想救他的。”
可我们没办法说服曙皮相信那一点。狮焰想道。他朝巫医猫们所在的空地望去，看见弟弟站了起来。松鸦羽看上去神色异常冷静，不过狮焰能猜得到，他内心此时一定如惊涛骇浪一般。松鸦羽一言不发地等待着，空地上的吵闹声渐渐平息了下去。
“曙皮，你兄弟死时我确实在场。”他开口说道，他的声音十分锐利。狮焰明白，面对如此荒谬的指控，还得在公开场合为自己辩解，他的心里是多么地恼怒。“我当时想救他，只是没能成功，这对我们大家来说都是个悲剧。”说到最后，他的声音有些发颤，只好停下来，等声音平稳，才继续说道，“我没有理由想让他死。湖水本身就可以要他的命，根本就不用我再多此一举。”
曙皮身旁的影族猫们开始议论起来。“你确定不是利用水来溺死他吗？”鼠痕大喊道。
“最近巫医之间的裂痕很大，”影族副族长花楸掌，若有所思地插了一句，“他们的巫医守则改变了吗？他们是否依然可以不受族群限制，彼此结盟呢？”他直视着松鸦羽：“或许，焰尾对你的事情知道得太多了？”
狮焰一愣。还有其他猫知道预言的事情吗？我怎么没想到这个！
“够了！”火星在大橡树上严肃地说道，“这个指控毫无根据！松鸦羽原本很有可能像焰尾一样，很容易就会被溺死在水里。他却冒着生命危险去帮他。谁也不会把这样的指控当真吧？”火星扫视着雾星、黑星和一星，看得三位族长很不自在。
“我很难相信哪只猫会做这样的事情。”雾星说道。
一星点点头：“我相信松鸦羽如果想除掉敌人，应该会找个更容易的办法。”
黑星还是一言不发。
他们这样的辩护根本就是糊弄！狮焰生气地想道。不过，他回头看曙皮时，发现她已经开始害怕不安。她的指控就像洪水一般，在雨后迅速地退去。
火星还在等待着，似乎期待着黑星能说句话。这时，虎心从下面的空地上站了起来。
“我相信我姐妹说的话。”他大声说道，“松鸦羽杀死了我们的手足，他必须受到惩罚。”
狮焰身边的鸽翅惊恐地屏住了呼吸。
“没有证据，我不会惩罚任何一只猫。”火星冷冷地回答道。
“根本就不需要证据。”鸽翅嘶吼道，“松鸦羽根本就没杀他！”
“但是想要无视这个指控也很难。”一星回应火星。狮焰想，为了显示风族族长的公正，一星的语气有些迟疑，他对松鸦羽作为巫医的尊敬，似乎超过了他对雷族的敌意。“火星，或许在松鸦羽证明自己的清白之前，你应该暂停他的巫医职务。”
雾星也赞同地点点头：“有道理。相信在星族的帮助下，不会太久的。”
狮焰注意到，其他巫医猫突然开始交谈起来，他们凑在一起飞速地交流着什么。接着，影族巫医小云站了起来。
“我们也同意这么做。”他看了看松鸦羽，有些遗憾地宣布道，“不查清真相，这个指控就会像传染病一样，一直毒害着族群。”
“那你们有什么建议找出真相呢？”黑莓掌质问他，“这根本就不可能，除非焰尾复活并亲口告诉我们。你们谁在梦里见过他吗？”
巫医们又赶紧商议起来，最后，小云摇了摇头。
“我见过焰尾，”藤池凑在鸽翅的耳朵边小声说道，狮焰刚好能听见她的话，“但他在星族，不在黑森林。”
“那你有没有问他，是不是松鸦羽杀死了他？”鸽翅也悄声问她。
“没有！”藤池惊讶地瞪大眼睛，“我为什么要问他那样的事情？”
其他猫全都转向松鸦羽，狮焰看到弟弟做出毫不退缩的样子。尽管松鸦羽看不见，但他却能感觉到，大家的注意力全都在他身上。
“交出你的职务，是唯一体面的解决办法。”小云说道。他听上去很无助，鸽翅猜他的内心也很纠结，一方面对这样的指控感到恐慌，另一方面又害怕这指控是真的。
松鸦羽昂起头。“可我们现在都是各自为政，不是吗？”他的声音清晰而又坚定，“我知道你们都被自己的祖先拜访过，他们要你们只管自己族群的未来。所以你们没有权利告诉我该怎么做！我会继续担任雷族的巫医！”
听到松鸦羽对巫医猫们的反驳，空地上又传来了一阵惊叹声。曙皮看上去很愤怒，她张开嘴刚要抗议，一道闪电在天空裂开，划破了黑夜。亮白的电光映出了空地周围的松树和灌木丛，给大橡树的叶子上镶了一道银边。
一声响雷紧随闪电而来，狮焰吓得一哆嗦。雷声如此之大，听上去就好像脚掌下的地面都要炸开了。一时间狂风大作，摇撼着树叶，族猫们的皮毛也被吹得平贴在身上。乌云遮住了月亮。
黑暗之中，一只猫哀号道：“星族发怒了！”
紧接着，大雨从天空倾盆而下，冰冷的雨水横扫过空地。不一会儿，狮焰的皮毛就全湿透了。众猫发出一声声惊恐的哀号，开始四处逃窜寻找遮挡的地方。
大橡树上传来了火星的声音：“回营地，快！”
众猫逃进灌木丛，朝树桥奔去，森林大会一片混乱。狮焰冲进空地，在他最后一次看见弟弟的位置寻找着。
“松鸦羽！”他吼道，“到这儿来！”
又一道闪电划过，借着电光，他欣慰地发现松鸦羽正挤在一群惊恐的风族猫中间，费力地朝这边靠近。他的虎斑皮毛全粘在了身上，这让他看上去更加瘦削。
“我们离开这里。”狮焰冲过猫群，挤到弟弟身边低声说道。
他们转身朝灌木丛走去，这时曙皮冲了过来，停在他们面前冲松鸦羽嘶吼道：“这件事没完！”
狮焰在空地上奋力冲一条出路。他发现猫群已经像闪电一样，迅速拉开战线。族群彼此对峙，亮出利爪，张开大嘴，露着尖牙。族长们大吼着想要控制场面，但愤怒和恐惧的武士们，根本就不予理会。
狮焰停下来，抬头看着被遮住的月亮。伟大的星族啊！族群间现在怒目相向，可我们此时更需要并肩作战，来对抗有史以来最强大的敌人啊！
Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Gray light was seeping into the apprentices’ den when Dovewing opened her eyes. Her fur felt ruffled; cold claws probed into her nest, as if she were lying in a draft. In the days since the Gathering the weather had turned colder, and she knew leaf-fal was not far away.
Dovewing wriggled deeper into the moss, trying to escape from the stream of chil y air. Then she realized that something else had woken her. Her senses were always turned toward WindClan, and as she concentrated she picked up a familiar voice.
“Fol ow me,” Sol was meowing. “Those lazy ThunderClan mange-pelts wil stil be snoring in their dens.”
The murmuring voices of many cats surrounded him, growling as they braced themselves for battle.
Scrambling out of her den, Dovewing raced across the clearing and up the tumbled rocks.
“Firestar!” she gasped, bursting into her leader’s den. “WindClan is heading for the tunnels. The attack is happening now!”
Firestar was curled up on his bedding at the back of the den. As Dovewing spoke, he raised his head, instantly alert, and slipped out past her onto the Highledge.
“Wake up!” he yowled. “Every cat, into the clearing! WindClan is attacking!”
Once he had raised the alarm, he ran down the rockfal into the clearing. Dovewing paused for a moment on the Highledge before she fol owed him.
The moon had set, but a few faint warriors of StarClan stil lingered overhead. The trees above the hol ow were outlined against a pale sky. Dovewing took in a deep breath of cold dawn air and bounded after her leader.
Warriors were beginning to emerge from their den, vague and clumsy from sleep. Daisy appeared at the entrance to the nursery, then vanished straight back inside. Jayfeather poked his head out from behind the bramble screen of the medicine cat’s den, his ears pricked to hear what was going on.
Dashing back to her own den, Dovewing met Ivypool as she staggered out into the open. Her fur was ragged and there was a pained look in her eyes.
“Are you okay?” Dovewing asked. “Did something happen in the Dark Forest?”
“It’s nothing to worry about,” Ivypool replied, shaking her head to clear it. “I’m a warrior there now.
I have to train the others.” Her eyes were haunted and her gaze kept flicking from side to side as if she thought some cat was on her tail. “I’l be fine,” she insisted. “I can stil fight.”
Hol yleaf fol owed her out of the den, looking brisk and ready for action. She ran into the middle of the clearing to join Firestar and Brambleclaw.
“We wil meet the WindClan cats in the tunnels,” Firestar announced as his Clan gathered around him. “We won’t let them set a single paw in ThunderClan territory. As far as I know,” he added, with a glance at Dovewing, “WindClan hasn’t trained to fight in the tunnels.” Dovewing gave him a quick nod. “ThunderClan wil have the advantage!” A yowl of enthusiasm greeted the Clan leader’s words. Every cat was awake now, ready to defend their Clan. Dove-wing spotted Brightheart and Foxleap running through the new battle moves, while the two apprentices bounced up and down with excitement.
Dovewing was stil listening to the approaching WindClan warriors as they crossed the moorland and approached the border with ThunderClan.
Suddenly the noise of their voices and paw steps was cut off and their images faded to nothing.
Dovewing’s bel y churned; she knew what that meant.
“We must hurry!” she meowed to Firestar.
Several other cats looked at her in surprise, not understanding the reason for her eagerness. Of course they don’t know that I can sense WindClan as far away as their own territory.
Hol yleaf came striding over to her. “Lionblaze tel s me that you can hear things,” she mewed quietly.
“Far away, I mean.”
Dovewing nodded.
“Because of the prophecy about the Three?” Hol yleaf’s voice was strained.
Feeling awkward, Dovewing replied, “Yes.” She could guess how difficult it must be for Hol yleaf not to have a part in the prophecy with her littermates. It can’t be easy for her to talk to me about it.
Hol yleaf was silent for several heartbeats, then gave her ears a decisive twitch. “Wel , let’s make the most of it. What are the WindClan cats doing now?”
“They’ve entered the tunnels,” Dovewing told her.
“It’s real y hard to hear them underground.”
“Al the same tunnel?” Hol yleaf prompted.
Dovewing stretched her senses to their limits and found that she could stil pick up faint traces of the advancing enemy. “Yes, I think they’re al together,” she muttered, concentrating with every hair on her pelt. “Now they’re entering the cavern with the river running across it . . . now they’re entering another tunnel . . .”
“I think I can work out where they are,” Hol yleaf hissed. “And where they’re likely to head . . .” She turned to Firestar, Brambleclaw, and Lionblaze, who had come over to listen. “We’l split into three,” she went on. “One patrol wil enter the tunnel above the camp, a second wil take the tunnel near the old Twoleg nest, and a third the one by the lake. Our aim is to push the WindClan cats back into the cavern with the river, where there’l be more room to fight.” Brambleclaw gave her an approving nod. He leaped up onto a boulder and began dividing the warriors up into patrols. “I’l lead one,” he announced, gesturing with his tail, “Hol yleaf another, and Brackenfur, you take the third. Hol yleaf tel s me you’re the best at underground fighting.” Looking pleased and a bit embarrassed, Brackenfur moved to stand with his patrol.
“But we’re not in a patrol!” Cherrypaw objected.
“We want to fight WindClan,” Molepaw agreed.
“Wrong, Cherrypaw—you’re in my patrol,” Firestar told her. “We’l stay here in the hol ow to defend the elders and the nursery if WindClan manages to break through.”
The two apprentices exchanged a glance; Dovewing could see they weren’t sure whether to be disappointed not to be fighting underground, or pleased to be chosen for a patrol by their Clan leader.
“We can fight, too, if we have to,” Daisy meowed, padding up with Ferncloud. “We’l guard Sorreltail and the kits.”
“And me,” Purdy added, lumbering across from the elders’ den. “Just because I’m old, don’t mean I can’t fight. I’ve clawed more cats than you young ’uns have eaten mice. There was a time—”
“Thanks, al of you,” Firestar meowed, cutting off Purdy before he could embark on one of his interminable stories.
As the three tunnel patrols set off for the camp entrance, Cinderheart appeared from the medicine cat’s den. “I wil fight, too,” she announced, padding over to join Hol yleaf.
Oh, really? Dovewing thought, pricking her ears with interest
A few cats muttered something in response to Cinderheart’s announcement, but there was no time for questions. Hol yleaf broke into a run, taking the lead as she raced through the thorn tunnel and out into the forest.
Dovewing and Ivypool were in Hol yleaf’s patrol, along with Cinderheart, Sandstorm, Mousewhisker, and Berrynose. Hol yleaf led them in a swift scramble up the path to the top of the hol ow and up to the tunnel entrance.
“Fol ow me in,” she murmured to Dovewing. “I need you to tel me what WindClan is doing.
Sandstorm,” she added, raising her voice, “bring up the rear. Let me know if there’s any trouble behind.”
“Got it,” Sandstorm responded, her pale green eyes gleaming in the strengthening dawn light.
Dovewing took a deep breath and fol owed Hol yleaf into the tunnel. Instantly the sound of WindClan burst into her ears. “They’re running so fast!” she gasped.
“Where?” Hol yleaf’s voice was terse.
“Not here, not yet,” Dovewing whispered as she and Hol yleaf raced down the tunnel at the head of the patrol. “They’ve come up against one of the entrances Dustpelt and Brackenfur blocked off . . .
now they’re turning around . . . they’re coming this way!”
As wel as the WindClan cats, Dovewing could hear the other ThunderClan patrols as they headed down their tunnels. The whole hil was alive with scurrying creatures, like an ants’ nest. The noises were growing so loud that Dovewing could hardly distinguish one patrol from another, or work out exactly where they were.
Then as they rounded a corner, the scent of WindClan suddenly grew stronger. Dovewing barely had time to gasp, “They’re here!” before they col ided head-on with the WindClan warriors.
WindClan had no warning at al . As they charged into the ThunderClan cats, they let out yowls of shock. For a few moments they were helpless, shoving at one another in the dark, not knowing whether to advance or retreat.
Hol yleaf and Dovewing lashed out, raking at their unseen attackers with claws extended. At first it was easy to push the WindClan cats farther down the tunnel, but after a moment they recovered and started to push back. Dovewing screeched as unseen claws slashed at her shoulder. Forcing her way forward, she felt chest fur against her muzzle, and stretched up to sink her teeth into the cat’s throat. Her opponent reared back; there was a dul thump and a shriek, and Dovewing realized her attacker had banged their head on the tunnel roof.
“You should have trained!” she hissed.
“Get back!” Hol yleaf ordered. “Let fresh cats come through.”
Remembering the battle plan Hol yleaf had worked out earlier, Dovewing flattened herself against the tunnel wal to let Cinderheart and Berrynose slip forward. She had a few moments’ respite, gasping for breath at the back of the patrol, while her Clanmates took on the WindClan warriors.
Mousewhisker, Ivypool, and Sandstorm moved smoothly up to take their places, until the attackers were forced backward, toward the cavern with the river.
At last light began to filter into the tunnel from up ahead and Dovewing managed to make out the cats in the WindClan patrol. Breezepelt was leading them, with Whiskernose, Weaselfoot, and Harespring. Heathertail and Furzepelt brought up the rear.
The WindClan cats stumbled backward into the cavern and the ThunderClan warriors sprang out of the tunnel after them. Glancing around swiftly, Dovewing saw that they were the first to arrive; extending her senses she picked up the sounds of fighting in the other tunnels.
The WindClan cats bunched together, panting and glaring at their rivals. Their fur was ragged and several of them showed the marks of ThunderClan claws. Dovewing guessed they had expected to emerge into ThunderClan territory and launch their attack on an unsuspecting camp.
Then they had a nasty surprise, she thought with satisfaction
Hol yleaf pushed her way to the front of her patrol and faced the WindClan warriors. “End this now,” she meowed. “You cannot win.”
“Mange-pelts!” Breezepelt snarled. “You tormented Sol!”
“We did no such thing!” Dovewing hissed. “We invited Sol into our camp. It was your leader who wanted him chased off.”
“And Jayfeather murdered Flametail!” Heathertail added, stepping forward to stand beside Breezepelt. Her eyes were blazing with hatred. “And you’ve been crossing our boundaries and stealing our prey!”
“That’s right!” Whiskernose put in. “You always think you’re better than us, just because we once needed your help before the Clans came to the lake.”
“What do you know about that?” Sandstorm chal enged the young warrior. “You weren’t even kitted then!”
Dovewing was shocked at the strength of hostility directed at them from even the youngest cats. It’s so unfair! she seethed. We can’t even defend ourselves, because they won’t listen!
Suddenly Breezepelt let out a bloodcurdling yowl and hurled himself straight at her. Taken by surprise, Dovewing was swept off her paws and hit the ground with a thump. But before Breezepelt could pin her down, she rol ed to one side and sprang to her paws again in time to catch him a sharp blow on his shoulder.
“You’l have to be faster than that!” she taunted him.
With a snarl of defiance, Breezepelt launched himself at her, trying to force her back against the cavern wal . Remembering her training, Dovewing backed away, letting him think he was winning, then pushed herself off the wal and leaped over his head.
The look of surprise on the WindClan cat’s face made her fur feel hot with satisfaction.
The other cats were battling it out alongside her now, and as Dovewing landed, Cinderheart and Heathertail knocked into her as they rol ed past in a screeching bundle of fur. Dovewing lost her balance and as her paws scrabbled on the cavern floor, Breezepelt was on top of her.
“Think you’re clever?” he growled, his teeth gleaming close to her throat. “But you’re not clever enough.”
Dovewing battered at him with her hindpaws, but she couldn’t dislodge him. She could feel his claws digging into her shoulders and blood starting to flow.
I can’t die like this! she thought despairingly. Not under Breezepelt’s claws!
Suddenly Breezepelt’s weight vanished.
Dovewing scrambled up to see that Ivypool had sunk her teeth in his scruff and was shaking his head from side to side. After a moment she released him, and while he was stil groggy, she hooked his paws out from under him and dealt him a couple of hard blows on the soft part of his bel y. Breezepelt rol ed away from her, struggled to his paws, and fled.
“Thanks!” Dovewing gasped. “Ivypool, you fight real y wel !”
“You’re welcome,” Ivypool mewed, before spinning around and flinging herself back into the battle.
Dovewing realized that the sounds of fighting she had heard in the tunnel were al around her now. She didn’t need her special senses, as the other patrols were pouring into the cavern, fil ing it with fierce caterwauls and shrieks of pain. Everywhere Dovewing looked, she saw a mass of wailing, thrashing cats.
“No sign of Onestar,” Ivypool panted, reappearing beside Dovewing for a brief moment as she glared around to find her next enemy.
Dovewing nodded. “I can’t see Ashfoot either. This isn’t the whole of WindClan, just the cats Sol managed to trick.” And we outnumber them, thank StarClan! she added to herself.
She leaped forward and let the battle sweep her away, lashing out at any cat that dared to face her.
As she grew tired, she kept forgetting to keep her moves smal and tight, and her paws ached from being banged against the cavern wal s.
How long can we keep this up? she wondered.
In a tight knot of battling cats she leaped onto a brown tabby’s back. A heartbeat later she was shocked to see Dustpelt glaring up at her.
“For StarClan’s sake, get down,” he snapped, shrugging her off. “Haven’t we got enough trouble with WindClan?”
“Sorry,” Dovewing muttered, jumping back into the fray.
Hol yleaf’s voice rang out above the sounds of battle. “Force them into the tunnels!” Dovewing did the best she could, charging into the side of Owlwhisker and shoving him toward the nearest tunnel opening. Owlwhisker pushed back, but his paws were unsteady, and after a few heartbeats he turned and limped away. Glancing around, Dovewing realized that the other WindClan cats were on the run, fleeing into the tunnels.
ThunderClan warriors screeched in triumph as they gave chase.
But then another voice was raised in a yowl.
“WindClan! Stand and fight! You have no greater enemy than ThunderClan!”
Dovewing whipped around to see Sol standing in the entrance to the biggest tunnel. Defeated cats were stumbling past him; his eyes brimmed with fury, glowing in the half-light, as he tried to stop them.
“Traitor!” The shriek of rage came from Hol yleaf, who raced past Dovewing and flung herself at Sol.
“Liar!”
Sol turned tail and fled into the tunnel; without a heartbeat’s pause Hol yleaf hurled herself after him.
“Hol yleaf, no!” Dovewing cried out. The black she-cat was so much smal er and lighter than Sol. “Wait!” she added. “Wait for me!”
Forcing her tired paws to move, she pelted across the cavern and into the tunnel. Almost at once she caught up to the two cats; Hol yleaf had trapped Sol in a side tunnel, a dead end stil faintly lit by the light from the cavern.
Dovewing could hear Sol hissing in the darkness.
Both he and Hol yleaf were moving confidently, striking out at each other as they prepared to come together in a close tussle. Dovewing noticed that Sol was unwounded, his sleek fur barely ruffled, while Hol yleaf had scratches over her shoulders and down one side, and tufts of fur missing from her hindquarters.
I don’t think Sol has been fighting at all, Dovewing thought. He’s been hiding, and letting WindClan do his dirty work!
“Leave the Clans alone,” Hol yleaf growled. “You have hurt us enough.”
“Never!” Sol retorted. “Not until I’ve destroyed everything the Clans stand for.” His lips peeled back in a snarl. “Many seasons ago, I knew another of your Clans, far away in a gorge. They scorned me, too; they told me I wasn’t good enough to be one of their precious warriors! So I vowed to prove to al of you that the warrior code means nothing. In the end, you wil kil one another for reasons that aren’t worth so much as a mousetail.”
“No, you’re wrong,” Hol yleaf hissed softly, crouching ready to spring. “The way of the Clans is always worth fighting for—and dying for, if necessary.”
With a screech of fury she leaped on Sol, battering at him with al four paws. The loner fought back, trying to overwhelm her with his greater weight.
He’s no fighter, Dovewing realized, shocked. He doesn’t have warrior skills.
She was poised to come to Hol yleaf’s aid with teeth and claws, but quickly she realized that she wouldn’t be needed. Hol yleaf fought with swift, neat blows, remembering her own tunnel training, while Sol was soon flailing around at random shadows as Hol yleaf slid nimbly away from his blows.
At last Hol yleaf darted in with her bel y brushing the floor, and knocked Sol’s legs out from under him.
As Sol fel on one side she pinned him down with one forepaw on his bel y and the other across his throat. Sol looked up at her with fear and hatred in his eyes.
“I would gladly kil you,” Hol yleaf told him. “But the warrior code tel s us to show mercy to a defeated enemy. I wil let you escape once and for al , if you promise never to come back and trouble the Clans again.”
Sol was silent as Hol yleaf stood back and al owed him to stand up. He stood over her, his eyes gleaming in the darkness. “I cannot make that promise,” he hissed.
Hol yleaf didn’t flinch. “Then I wil kil you, if you return and threaten my Clanmates.”
“I’l be ready.” Sol’s voice was soft and menacing.
Then he slipped past Hol yleaf and was lost in the darkness.
“Why did you let him go?” Dovewing demanded, every hair on her pelt quivering. “He was at your mercy!”
“We have to let the warrior code rule our hearts,” Hol yleaf answered. Her voice was blurred with exhaustion. “The death of a warrior does not mean victory.”
Dovewing took a pace forward and pressed her muzzle into Hol yleaf’s shoulder. Sending out her special senses, she could hear WindClan retreating to their camp, and her own Clanmates heading back through the tunnels, bleeding and battered, but triumphant. Later, there would be time to think about Sol’s strange threat, about this mysterious Clan that had wronged him so long ago. For now, the battle had been won. A much greater battle lay ahead, one that would be lost unless the four Clans by the lake could unite and fight side by side. Every moment that the Clans were at war with one another, they were at the mercy of the Dark Forest. They had to find a way to settle their quarrels, to join together against their greatest enemy. Was that what the prophecy meant, that Dovewing, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze would be able to unite the cats around the lake?
Dovewing felt bone-weary from her ears to the tip of her tail. Just because she had better hearing, sharper senses than any other cat didn’t seem to give her more strength. She needed to rest, eat, talk with Jayfeather and Lionblaze about the chal enge that Sol had left them with, of hostile Clans that would be crushed by the Dark Forest if they tried to fight alone. StarClan, light my path, please.
“Come on,” she meowed to Hol yleaf. “It’s time we went home. Our Clanmates are waiting for us.”
第二十四章
第二十四章
松鸦羽沿着湖边往回跑着，又一声响雷在头顶炸开。他的脑子现在很混乱，以至于一路上跌跌撞撞，不停地被绊倒。混乱之中，他跟狮焰走散了。滂沱大雨让他意识迟钝，甚至都不知道自己身在何处。
迷茫之中，他感觉到有只猫跑到他身边，与他同步跑着。“喂，靠着我，我带着你走。”松鼠飞的声音传进了他的耳朵。
松鸦羽的第一反应是冲她嘶吼，让她不要管自己。但她贴在他身旁，支撑着他从纷乱的思绪中清醒过来，这种感觉太舒服了。
曙皮怎么会认为是我杀了焰尾呢？我自己都差点儿淹死——要不是岩石逼着我放开焰尾，让他沉入水中，我也早就死了。想到这里他打了个寒战，差点儿绊倒在一块圆石上。
“站稳，”松鼠飞提醒他道，“往这边一点儿。”过了一会儿，她凑在他耳边轻声说道：“别担心，没有谁会相信曙皮的。她是悲伤过度，有些发疯了。”
松鸦羽并不相信这些话。那他们为什么想要让我放弃巫医的职务呢？现在族群之间都很乐于相信彼此最坏的一面。
回到石头山谷，松鸦羽朝巫医巢穴走去。尽管大雨已经变小，但他的皮毛湿透了。他浑身非常难受，每走一步都要费很大力气。不过，还没等他走到黑莓屏风，就听见火星蹚过山谷底下地面上的水洼朝他走来。
“好好休息。”族长命令道，“我们明早再讨论这件事。但是不要质疑族猫们的忠诚，不论发生什么，我们都会保护你。”
火星的声音听起来很疲惫。松鸦羽不知道他是不是受够了族猫们总是被指控谋杀。他冲火星微微点点头，然后便钻过黑莓屏风，回到了自己窝里。
“嘿，”荆棘光从窝里撑起身体，跟他打了个招呼，“森林大会怎么样？有没有谁提到日神？冬青叶回来其他猫怎么说？”
“简直就是灾难。不，没有特别的。”松鸦羽吐出几个字，便走到自己的窝旁，一头倒了进去。
“好吧。”荆棘光没有生气，只是听起来有些困惑。松鸦羽听见她拖着身子爬到他旁边，用舌头舔着他那湿漉漉的皮毛，不由得绷紧了身体。“很明显是出事了，让我照顾你一次吧。”她说道。
松鸦羽累得无力反驳，很快便进入了梦乡。等他睁开眼睛时，发现自己来到一块阳光明媚的空地上。温暖的空气中弥漫着猎物的气味。
一只皮毛皱巴巴的灰色母猫正坐在倒下的树干上等着他。
“啊，不！”松鸦羽呻吟道，“怎么又是你！”
“好歹尊重一下我吧。”黄牙训斥道。她跳下树干朝他走来。“现在一切都发生了，”她继续说道，“不过别担心，星族谁也不相信是你杀了焰尾。”
噢，太好了！松鸦羽想道，我太高兴了。只是很遗憾这对我没什么太多帮助，不是吗？他不知道焰尾死时，是否有星族武士看见过岩石和他也在湖里。但还没等他发问，黄牙便甩了下尾巴，批评他。
“你都在想什么，让炭心放弃武士职责，成为第二位巫医？这不是星族所希望的！”
“喂，等等！”松鸦羽跳起来，躲开她的爪子，“是你告诉我走进炭心梦里，让她看到自己以前是炭毛。是你说雷族还需要一位巫医。我可是照你说的去做了，竟然开始责怪我。”
“是……嗯……”松鸦羽的眼睛瞪得大大的，他惊奇地发现黄牙居然表情尴尬起来。“我……嗯……可能犯了个错。”她不敢去看他的眼睛，承认道，“我过于考虑雷族的需要了。炭心的宿命是成为一位武士。”
肯定是某些星族猫因为这事责备过她了。松鸦羽心里想道，强忍着没有笑出声来，哇，真希望他们说这事时，我是枝头上的一只鸟！
“炭心很困惑，”他说道，“她不知道自己是谁。”
“那你应该告诉她，她就是一位武士，不是别的什么。”黄牙说道。
“决战到来时，有第二位巫医或许会有用。”松鸦羽沉思道，“不过，即便炭心是一位武士，她也仍然可以利用自己的草药和医疗知识。就像叶池那样。”
“关于叶池，我是怎么说的？她被禁止使用巫医本领。如果炭心选择成为武士，那她也一样。”黄牙发出一声嘶吼，刚才尴尬的表情已荡然无存。
松鸦羽也怒火中烧。“恕我直言，”他反驳道，“那都是胡说八道。樱桃爪和鼹鼠爪误食了毒芹，叶池帮助了他们，但并没有发生什么不好的事情。好吧，没有谁会期望星族把有关族群的消息托梦给她，可她为什么要忘记自己已知的东西呢？金盏花治传染病，杜松子治腹痛，这些都不是什么秘密！族群里很多猫都知道这个。”
“你以为你是谁！你有什么资格告诉星族巫医到底能干什么不能干什么？”黄牙那乱糟糟的灰色皮毛开始竖了起来。
“我只是一只关心自己族群的猫而已！”松鸦羽也吼了回去，“我不会让炭心或是叶池放弃她们或许可以挽救生命的本领！”
黄牙的肩膀突然软了下来，她看上去又疲惫又沮丧。“或许星族低估了炭毛灵魂求生的力量。”她承认道，“没想到她会把她的忠诚继续带到她的巫医职责里来。到底是巫医，还是武士，炭心将自己选择。她有权选择自己的命运。”
“什么？那我为什么不行？”松鸦羽嘟囔道。
“因为预言？”黄牙那片刻的脆弱消失了，她反驳道，“那不一样。那个跟星族没有关系，那是很久以前，由那些被遗忘很久的猫所决定的。我们等这一刻已经很久了，松鸦羽，现在，这个时刻就要到来了。”
松鸦羽醒过来时，还是感觉很累。森林大会的那些记忆让他感到很沮丧：指控、混乱、暴雨。他长叹一声，想要使劲从窝里爬出去。
“给，”荆棘光把一只老鼠递到他鼻子跟前，“快吃！”看到松鸦羽只是嗅了嗅，她催促道。
他想告诉她自己不饿，但他知道，如果他不把猎物全吃完，荆棘光肯定会一直不停地唠叨。“谢谢。”他咕哝着咬了一口。肉汁的味道让他直流口水，他这才发现自己很饿。
“我听说了森林大会上发生的事情。”荆棘光继续说道，“我真的很难过。肯定没有猫会相信曙皮的话吧？”
“我不知道。”松鸦羽狼吞虎咽地回答道，“所有族群都在发生一些奇奇怪怪的事情，所以，为什么一位巫医就不能杀掉另一只猫呢？”
“因为从未发生过那样的事情，”荆棘光坚持道，“尤其不会发生在你身上。”
松鸦羽被她的信任打动了。“去育婴室看看吧，”他说着，伸出舌头舔了舔胡须，吃掉了最后几块老鼠肉，“去看看栗尾的幼崽怎么样了。”
“好的。”松鸦羽听得出来，荆棘光很高兴接到这个任务，“那炭心干什么？”她听上去有些困惑和不确定。
“我今天需要跟她谈一谈，”松鸦羽说道，“你去育婴室吧。”
松鸦羽刚走出巢穴，就感到炭心朝他这边走来。她的脚掌在地上拖着，脚步沉重，她的身后，第一支巡逻队正要离开空地。冬青叶又带着一支队伍去进行隧道格斗训练了。
“我们等了那么久，终于可以进隧道了！”鼹鼠爪激动不已地说道，“我才不在乎他们说的黑暗恐怖什么的呢，我不怕。”
“我也不怕，”樱桃爪也蹦蹦跳跳地说道，“我要成为雷族最厉害的隧道战士！”
“你不是！我才是！”她的哥哥坚持道，随后两位学徒滚在一起戏耍着。
“够了，”狐跃大吼道，“不然冬青叶不带你们下隧道。”
鼹鼠爪和樱桃爪赶紧从地上跳起来。松鸦羽都能想象得出，他们俩雄赳赳气昂昂跟着冬青叶和老师们走出营地的样子。
“不要告诉我，我也应该去巡逻。”松鸦羽走过来时，炭心叹了口气。
有多少猫跟你说过，你不该成为一位巫医呢？松鸦羽很好奇，但考虑到她现在戒备心很重，他没敢大声说出这个疑问。相反，他只是说：“我不打算告诉你，你应该做什么。跟我去散散步吧。”
松鸦羽和炭心朝湖边走去，枝条轻柔地拂过他们的头顶。绿叶季快要结束了，叶子闻起来干干的，积满了尘土的气息。清新的微风吹过湖面，松鸦羽坐在湖边，感觉十分惬意，身上的疲惫已渐渐消退。
“试试这样想，”他开口说道，“你应该感到很幸运。星族赋予了你选择自己命运的机会：武士、伴侣和母亲——这些都是炭毛无法拥有的。”
“可那是真正的选择吗？”炭心痛苦地问道，“那我对族群的责任怎么办？”
“履行职责有很多种方式。”松鸦羽喃喃道。
炭心转头看着松鸦羽。他能感觉到她注视的目光。“没错，能够重生我很幸运！”她脱口说道，“我知道我欠祖先们太多。可是，我很困惑……我不知道自己该怎么做。”
“那你自己想要什么？”松鸦羽轻声问道。
他感觉炭心有点儿惊讶，因为从来没有猫问过她这样的问题。
“我想和狮焰在一起，”她悄声说道，“但我不能。”
“哦？真的吗？”伟大的星族啊，你可真是鼠脑子，他都喜欢你很久了！“为什么不能？”
“因为他的使命。”炭心回答道。
松鸦羽别扭地动了动身子，他不太习惯讨论另一只猫的感情问题。但他想起了半月。一想到自己无法和她共同生活，他就感到钻心的痛。
“你也有自己的使命，”他温柔地说道，“但那不是你的全部，你还可以创造自己的生活。”
炭心沉默良久，松鸦羽感觉一粒小小的希望种子，开始在她心里生根发芽了。
“你有机会获得幸福，”他又说道，“也让狮焰幸福。不要因为过度执着于弄清楚该做的事而放弃它。”
“谢谢你，松鸦羽。”炭心长叹一声回答道。
他们一起坐在岸边俯视着湖面。松鸦羽能听见湖水轻拍岸边的声音。一时间，他和炭心似乎都陷入了平静之中。
这种平静不会太久的，松鸦羽想道，尤其在这种混乱时期。但毫无疑问，我现在很高兴能体会到它。