75 THE COAST

CHAPTER 75 THE COAST As the fleet of robots sailed away, the animals came out from their hiding places. Slowly, cautiously, the curious creatures crept toward the coast to see if the poison tide was really gone. Swooper the owl flew down from the hills. With his sharp vision, he searched for any last traces of the poison tide. Specks of shimmering dust could still be found in some cracks and crevices, but the rest had been removed. Animals smiled as the owl glided over, hooting, "Don't be afraid! A little caution is all you need!" Brightbill's family fluttered onto the shore and started exploring. The goslings had never been so close to the ocean. They were fascinated by the motion of the waves, and they giggled at the sounds of the sloshing water.

第七十五章海岸随着机器人舰队的航行，动物们从它们的藏身之处走了出来。 这些好奇的动物慢慢地、小心翼翼地向海岸爬去，想看看毒潮是否真的消失了。 猫头鹰突然从山上飞了下来。 他用敏锐的目光搜寻着毒潮的最后痕迹。 在一些裂缝和缝隙中仍然可以找到闪闪发光的灰尘，但其余的已经被清除了。 当猫头鹰飞过时，动物们都笑了，并喊道：“不要害怕！你只要小心一点就行了！”布莱特比尔的家人飞上海岸，开始探索。 小鹅们从未如此接近过海洋。 他们被海浪的运动迷住了，听到水声咯咯地笑。

Bloop! Spish! Plunk! Tears rolled down Glimmer's cheeks and she cried out, "Oh, Brightbill, can you believe the poison tide has finally ended?" Brightbill shed a few tears as well. Sniffling, he said, "I knew my mother would find a way!" But as the family of geese peered into the shallows, they were reminded of the painful truth. All the sea life was missing. What had once been a healthy reef, bustling with activity, was now nothing more than water and rocks and sand. The goslings had questions. "Will fish ever live here again?" "What if the seaweed doesn't grow back?" "Is the water safe to touch?" That last question troubled Brightbill and Glimmer. The ocean seemed to be safe, but they didn't want their

杂音!Spish !砰砰作响!泪水顺着格里姆的脸颊滚落，她喊道：“哦，布莱特比尔，你能相信毒潮终于结束了吗？”亮比尔也掉了几滴眼泪。 他抽着鼻子说：“我就知道妈妈会有办法的！”但当鹅一家凝视着浅滩时，他们想起了痛苦的真相。 所有的海洋生物都不见了。 这里曾经是一片生机勃勃的健康礁石，现在只剩下水、岩石和沙子。 小鹅们有疑问。 “鱼还会在这里生活吗？”“如果海藻长不回来怎么办？”“这水碰起来安全吗？”最后一个问题困扰着布莱特比尔和格里默。 海洋似乎很安全，但他们不想要他们的

goslings testing the water. Everybody was glancing around, wondering who would be the first to go in, when they heard a stampede of footsteps. Sea otters were charging over the rocks. A little caution would have been wise, but they couldn't wait another second. Otter after otter dove into the shallows, and when they popped up, they were grinning. "The water is fine!" squeaked Shelly. The otters linked arms to form a raft of furry bodies that undulated with the gently rolling waves. It was such a relief to be back where they belonged. Across the island, the animals were feeling a mixture of emotions. Joy that the poison tide was gone. Sadness about all that had been lost. Worry for Roz, who had given so much and who was still somewhere in the ocean. Roz hadn't been seen in nearly a month. It was impossible to know when she would return—or if she would return at all. A hush fell over the island as the animals gave quiet thanks to the wild robot. Even the young goslings were quiet at first. Soon, though, the goslings began squawking and hopping up and down and pointing excitedly at the ocean. Something was out there, moving through the water, and it was coming to shore.

小鹅试水。 大家都四下张望，不知道谁会第一个进去，这时他们听到一阵急促的脚步声。 海獭正从岩石上冲过去。 谨慎一点是明智的，但他们一秒钟也等不了了。 水獭一只接一只地跳入浅滩，当它们跳出水面时，都在咧着嘴笑。 “水很好！”雪莉尖声说。 水獭手挽着手，组成一排毛茸茸的身体，随着轻轻翻滚的海浪起伏。 回到属于他们的地方真是一种解脱。 在整个岛上，动物们都有一种复杂的情绪。 庆幸毒潮已经退去。 为失去的一切而悲伤。 为罗兹担心，她付出了那么多，却还在大海的某个地方。 罗兹已经近一个月没露面了。 不可能知道她什么时候会回来，或者她是否会回来。 岛上一片寂静，动物们都安静下来，感谢这个狂野的机器人。 一开始，即使是小鹅也很安静。 不过，很快，小鹅们就开始叫了起来，跳上跳下，兴奋地指着大海。 外面有个东西在水里游来游去，正朝岸边游来。