Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17 Leafpool picked her way through the undergrowth, ears pricked for the sound of pursuit. Ever since she had returned from meeting Crowfeather to find her sister waiting for her, she had been terrified of being followed. Her belly clenched with pangs as sharp as hunger when she imagined the rest of her Clan finding out what she was doing. They'll find out sooner or later, a voice inside her mewed. The quarrel with Squirrelflight still haunted her. Without the closeness she had shared with her sister since they were kits, Leafpool felt utterly alone in her Clan. But she couldn't tell Squirrelflight the truth, and she couldn't give up her meetings with Crowfeather. He was the only cat she could talk to now. She'd tried to work up enough courage to tell Cinderpelt, but the medicine cat seemed obsessed with restocking her supplies, hunting through the territory for the tiniest signs of new growth. Besides, Leafpool was afraid Cinderpelt had already guessed her secret and was showing

第十七章 叶池小心地穿过下层灌丛，耳朵竖起，留意着追踪的动静 自从她见完鸦羽回来撞见妹妹等她，就一直害怕被人跟踪 一想到族群里其他猫发现她的所作所为，她的肚子就揪紧，疼得和饿极了的时候一样 “他们迟早会发现的，”她心底有个声音轻轻说道 和松鼠飞的争吵一直萦绕在她心头 失去了从幼崽时期就和姐姐共享的亲密，叶池在族群里倍感孤独 可她既不能对松鼠飞说出真相，也没法停止和鸦羽见面 如今他是唯一能听她倾诉的猫 她原本鼓起勇气想告诉炭毛，可这位巫医似乎一门心思都在补充药草储备，在领地里四处搜寻哪怕一丁点新芽的踪迹 另外，叶池担心炭毛已经猜出了她的秘密，正通过

her disapproval in an uncharacteristic quickness of temper. She missed the afternoons they had spent talking back in the forest, when their paws had been busy sorting berries and leaves. Now her mentor seemed distant and more judgmental, less of a friend than she had always been. In desperation, Leafpool had considered telling her mother, approaching her one evening by the fresh-kill pile. But Sandstorm had been discussing the best hunting grounds with Dustpelt, only giving her daughter a friendly nod before returning to the debate. And as for Sorreltail, Leafpool's friend was so close to having her kits that she spent all her time with Daisy and Ferncloud in the nursery. Apart from when Cinderpelt asked her to take strength-building herbs to the queens, Leafpool kept away. She paused when she heard a twig snap, freezing with one paw in midair. But it was only a squirrel, jumping down from an oak tree and racing in the opposite direction. Leafpool took a deep breath and carried on. A little earlier, at sunset, heavy rain had fallen from thundery black clouds. The skies were clearer now, but every

反常的暴躁脾气来表达她的反对 她怀念从前在森林里，她们一边忙着整理浆果和叶子一边聊天的午后 如今她的导师显得疏远又挑剔，远不如从前那样像个朋友 走投无路的叶池想过告诉母亲，一天傍晚她走到新鲜猎物堆旁的母亲身边 可沙风正和尘毛讨论最佳捕猎地点，只是友好地朝女儿点了点头，就转回去继续聊天了 至于蕨叶尾，叶池的这位好友马上就要生幼崽，整天都和黛西、蕨云待在育婴室里 除了炭毛吩咐她给猫后送强身药草，叶池一直避开那里 她听到树枝折断的声响，立刻停住，一只爪子抬在半空僵住不动 可那只是一只松鼠，从橡树上跳下来，朝着反方向跑走了 叶池深吸一口气，继续往前走 稍早日落时分，黑压压的雷雨云降下了倾盆大雨 如今天空已经放晴，可每

fern and grass stem was loaded with drops of water, reflecting the pale glow of moonlight. Leafpool's pelt had soaked through long ago, the cold seeping into her skin. Stopping to shake herself, she gazed up at the waning moon. It would have to wax again before her next visit to the Moonpool, yet she longed to lie down beside the water and share tongues with StarClan in her dreams. But what if StarClan refused to speak to her again? "Oh, Spottedleaf," she whispered, "I wish you'd tell me what to do." Leafpool's head spun with weariness. She had been meeting up with Crowfeather every few nights, leaving her short of sleep and restless whenever she was away from him. During the day she had to pretend to Cinderpelt and the rest of the Clan that she was as committed as ever to being a medicine cat, that the only important thing was where to find juniper berries or easing the stiffness from the elders" leaf-bare-damp joints. You can't go on like this, the small voice warned her.

一棵蕨草、每根草茎上都挂满水珠，映着淡淡的月光 叶池的毛发早就完全湿透，寒气一点点渗进她的皮肤 她停下脚步抖了抖身子，抬头望着渐渐亏缺的月亮 下一次去月亮池还要等月亮再次变圆，可她多么渴望能躺在水边，在梦里和星族倾诉 可要是星族再也不愿意理她怎么办 “哦，斑叶，”她轻声说，“真希望你能告诉我该怎么做” 疲惫让叶池头晕目眩 每隔几晚她就会和鸦羽见面，这让她睡眠不足，只要不在他身边就坐立难安 白天她还要对着炭毛和全族假装，自己依旧全心投入巫医的工作，最要紧的事不过是寻找杜松浆果，或是缓解长老们秃叶季受潮僵硬的关节 “你不能再这样下去了，”那个细小的声音警告她

Crowfeather had said the same thing: "We can't go on like this, Leafpool. We'll never be together unless we leave our Clans." Leafpool had stared at him in horror. Through all their difficulties, her fear and guilt warring with her love, she had never really imagined that they would have to leave their Clans. "Crowfeather, we can't!" Crowfeather shook his head. "It's the only way. Will you think about it, please?" Reluctantly, Leafpool had nodded. "All right. I will." But how could she give up her life as a medicine cat, give up her Clan, her family, her friends? Whatever decision she made, she was afraid she would not survive the loss. Close to the border stream, she tasted the air for the first traces of Crowfeather's scent; every hair on her pelt prickled with excitement as she detected it, and a heartbeat later she made out the lean gray-black warrior waiting for her in the shadow of a bush on the WindClan side of the stream. "Crowfeather!" she called, bounding forward.

鸦羽也说过同样的话：“我们不能再这样下去了，叶池 除非我们离开各自的族群，否则我们永远没法在一起” 叶池惊恐地盯着他 在这段难熬的日子里，她的恐惧、愧疚和爱意不停拉扯，可她从来没有真的想过他们不得不离开族群 “鸦羽，我们不能这么做！” 鸦羽摇了摇头 “这是唯一的办法 你能好好考虑一下吗？” 叶池不情愿地点了点头 “好吧 我会考虑的” 可她怎么能放弃巫医的生活，放弃她的族群、家人和朋友呢 不管她做什么决定，她都害怕自己承受不住这些失去 快到边境的小溪时，她嗅了嗅空气，寻找鸦羽的气味 闻到气味后，她每根毛都兴奋得发颤，没过一会儿她就看清了那只精瘦的灰黑武士，正站在小溪风族一侧的灌木丛阴影里等她 “鸦羽！” 她喊道，纵身朝他奔去

"Leafpool!" Crowfeather sprang to his paws and his tail shot straight up as he spotted her. She halted on the brink of the stream. Crowfeather climbed down the bank and splashed through the water as if he hardly realized it was there. Hauling himself out on the ThunderClan side, he padded up to Leafpool, droplets spinning from his pelt as he shook himself. His scent wreathed around her and she shut her eyes blissfully. "I'm so glad you could come," Leafpool purred. "Did you have any trouble getting away from camp?" Crowfeather was about to reply when he froze, ears standing up. At the same moment, Leafpool heard a rustling in the bushes behind her. ThunderClan scent flooded her senses. She spun around. "All right, Squirrelflight, come out!" she snapped. "I know you're there." There was a brief silence. Then the bracken in front of her parted and out stepped not Squirrelflight, but Cinderpelt. "What... what are you doing here?"

“叶池！” 鸦羽看见她，一下子站起身，尾巴直直竖了起来。 她在小溪边停住了脚步。 鸦羽爬下岸，哗啦哗啦蹚着水走过来，好像完全没感觉到水的存在。 爬上雷族这边的岸之后，他走到叶池身边，抖了抖身子，水珠从他皮毛里飞甩出来。 他的气息包裹着她，她幸福地闭上了眼睛。 “真高兴你能来。”叶池轻声咕噜道。 “从营地出来顺利吗？” 鸦羽刚要回答，突然僵住，耳朵刷地竖了起来。 与此同时，叶池听到身后的灌木丛传来沙沙声。 雷族的气味一下子冲进她的鼻子里。 她猛地转过身。 “好了，松鼠飞，出来吧！” 她厉声说。 “我知道你在那儿。” 一阵短暂的沉默。 接着她面前的蕨丛分开了，走出来的不是松鼠飞，是炭心。 “你……你怎么会在这儿？”

Leafpool stammered, casting an anguished glance over her shoulder at Crowfeather. The medicine cat limped forward and faced her calmly. "You know what I'm doing, Leafpool. I'm here to tell you that this has to stop." Leafpool stiffened. "I don't know what you mean." "Don't lie to me, Leafpool. Not with that WindClan warrior standing there, on our territory." There was no anger in her blue eyes, only concern. Her steady gaze pinned Leafpool like a claw, until the younger cat had to look away. "I suppose Squirrelflight told you to follow me," she muttered. "Squirrelflight? No. I was collecting herbs when I picked up your scent, and a WindClan cat's close by. I came to see what was going on. Besides, do you think I didn't suspect you've been sneaking out at night?" Terror flashed through Leafpool. "You've been spying on me!" "I didn't need to," Cinderpelt meowed. "You're obviously so exhausted that you can't do

叶池结巴起来，痛苦地回头瞥了鸦羽一眼。 这位巫医一瘸一拐走上前，平静地看着她。 “你清楚我来做什么，叶池。 我来是要告诉你，这一切必须停止。” 叶池身子僵住了。 “我不知道你在说什么。” “别骗我了，叶池。 那个风族武士都站在我们领地上了，还骗什么。” 她蓝色的眼睛里没有愤怒，只有担忧。 她平静的目光像爪子一样扣住叶池，直到叶池不得不移开视线。 “一定是松鼠飞让你跟着我的对吧。”她小声嘟囔。 “松鼠飞？ 不是。 我采药的时候闻到了你的气味，还有一只风族猫在附近。 我过来看看发生了什么。 再说了，你以为我没猜到你最近夜里偷偷溜出来吗？” 恐惧一下子攫住了叶池。 “你居然监视我！” “我根本没必要这么做。”炭心说。 你明显已经累得没法做好