Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14 Leafpool curled up in her nest of moss and bracken, but she shifted around for a long time before she slept, feeling as though ants were crawling through her pelt. How could she get in touch with Willowpaw to tell her about StarClan? When at last she drifted into unconsciousness, she opened her eyes and found herself at the top of a slope overlooking the lake, not far from the place where Brambleclaw had sat, staring across the water. There was no sign of the tabby warrior tonight. Instead, as she brushed through the long grasses, each blade outlined in silver, there was a different cat waiting for her by the lake. The frosty glimmer of StarClan shone in its fur as it gazed out over the water. Spottedleaf? Leafpool quickened her pace until she was racing through the undergrowth to the water's edge. But when she reached the shore and saw the StarClan cat more clearly, she realized it was Feathertail, Stormfur's sister, who had died in the mountains on the way back from

第十四章 叶池蜷在苔藓和蕨叶铺成的窝里，翻来覆去很久才睡着，只觉得浑身好像爬满了蚂蚁，痒得难受。 她该怎么联系柳爪，告诉她星族的事呢？ 等她终于沉沉睡去，再睁开眼时，发现自己站在山坡顶上俯瞰着湖泊，离黑莓掌之前坐着眺望湖水的地方不远。 今晚那只虎斑武士不在这里。 她拨开长长的野草往前走，每片草叶都泛着银光，另有一只猫正等在湖边。 星族的冰寒微光映在它的皮毛上，它正眺望着湖面。 斑叶？ 叶池加快脚步，穿过灌木丛冲到了湖边。 可当她抵达岸边，看清这只星族猫后，才认出她是暴毛的妹妹羽尾，她在从那里返程途经群山时就已经去世了

the sun-drown-place. The beautiful silver-furred tabby let out a welcoming purr. "I hoped you would come, Leafpool," she mewed. "We have a task tonight, you and I." "What's that?" Leafpool asked, her pelt prickling with excitement. "StarClan wants me to help you visit Willowpaw in her dreams," Feathertail explained. Leafpool stared in astonishment at the StarClan warrior. Each medicine cat dreamed his or her own dreams of StarClan—they never appeared in each other's. She had assumed that the only way she could meet Willowpaw was in the waking world. "Can that be done?" "Yes, but very rarely, and only in times of greatest need. Follow me." Rising, she brushed her muzzle lightly against Leafpool's, then bounded away along the lakeshore. Leafpool raced after her. Moonlight shone all around her and she felt as though her paws were lighter than the wind. She skimmed across the stream that marked the WindClan border without even feeling the water touch her

太阳沉没之地。 这只漂亮的银毛虎斑猫发出了友好的呼噜声。 “我就知道你会来，叶池，”她轻声喵道。 “今晚你我有任务要完成，你和我。”“是什么任务？” 叶池问道，浑身因为兴奋泛起一阵刺痒。 “星族派我帮你进入柳爪的梦境见她，”羽尾解释道。 叶池惊讶地望着这位星族武士。 每位巫医都只拥有自己的星族梦——星族猫从来不会出现在别的巫医的梦里。 她原本以为，只能在清醒的时候和柳爪碰面。 “这真的能做到吗？” 可以，但这种情况极少，只有在最危急的时候才可以。 跟我来。 羽尾站起身，用鼻尖轻轻碰了碰叶池的鼻尖，接着沿着湖岸跑远了。 叶池跟在她身后追了上去。 月光洒在她四周，她感觉自己的爪子比风还要轻盈。 她掠过风族边界的小溪，甚至都没感觉到溪水碰到自己的

paws. Was this what it felt like to be a warrior of StarClan, she wondered—as though she could run forever, leap into the sky, and toss the moon like a shining leaf? The whole journey might have lasted for several seasons, or no more than a heartbeat. The horseplace flickered past, and Feathertail slowed down as the two cats drew closer to the RiverClan camp. They crossed the stream and padded silently up the bank on the other side; Leafpool set her paws down as delicately as if she were stalking a mouse, even though she knew this was only a dream and she couldn't wake the sleeping RiverClan warriors. Mothwing's den was in a cave hollowed out by the stream on the far side of the camp. As Feathertail led the way toward it, Leafpool spotted the small gray shape of Willowpaw curled up in a nest of moss just outside. Feathertail flicked her ear gently with the tip of her tail. "Willowpaw," she breathed. "Willowpaw, we need to speak to you." The small gray cat's ears twitched and she curled up more tightly. Feathertail nudged her

爪子。 她忍不住好奇，成为星族武士就是这种感觉吗？仿佛能永远奔跑，能跳上天空，还能把月亮像亮叶一样抛玩？ 整段旅程好像走了好几个季节，又好像只不过是一次心跳的功夫。 马场一闪而过，两只猫靠近河族营地时，羽尾放慢了脚步。 她们跨过小溪，静悄悄地走上对岸的堤岸； 叶池放爪轻得就像在捕猎老鼠，哪怕她知道这只是梦，不会吵醒熟睡的河族武士。 蛾翅的巢穴在营地另一头，是溪流冲刷出来的石洞。 羽尾带路往洞穴走，叶池看见柳爪小小的灰色身影蜷在洞外的苔藓窝里。 羽尾用尾尖轻轻碰了碰柳爪的耳朵。 “柳爪，”她轻声唤道。 “柳爪，我们有话要对你说。” 这只灰色小猫的耳朵动了动，身体蜷得更紧了。 羽尾轻轻推了推她

with one paw, softly repeating her name. This time Willowpaw blinked and looked up. "Do you mind?" she mewed crossly. "I was chasing this huge fat mouse and I was just going to sink my claws in it when—" She broke off, gazing from Leafpool to Feathertail and back again. "I'm still dreaming, aren't I?" Her eyes stretched very wide. "You're Leafpool from ThunderClan, and you must be a warrior from StarClan." Looking dismayed, she slapped the tip of her tail over her mouth. "I'm so sorry I snapped at you," she mumbled through her fur. Feathertail's blue eyes glimmered with amusement. "Don't worry, dear one. You'll soon get used to visits in your dreams, now that you're a medicine cat apprentice." Willowpaw scrambled to her paws. "Welcome to RiverClan," she meowed formally. A puzzled look crept over her face. "You have RiverClan scent," she mewed to Feathertail, "but I don't know you." "My name is Feathertail," the silvery she-cat replied. "You weren't even born when I left on the journey to the sun-drown-place."

用一只爪子，轻声重复着她的名字。 这一次柳爪眨了眨眼，抬起了头。 “有事吗？” 她气呼呼地喵道。 “我刚才在追一只超大肥老鼠，刚要伸爪子抓住它，就被打断了——”她停了下来，看看叶池又看看羽尾，来回打量。 “我还在做梦对不对？” 她的眼睛睁得大大的。 “你是雷族的叶池，那你一定是来自星族的武士。” 她慌了神，用尾尖捂住了自己的嘴。 “对不起我刚才冲你们发脾气了，”她隔着皮毛含糊地说。 羽尾蓝色的眼睛里闪着好笑的光芒。 “别担心，好孩子。 既然你已经是巫医学徒了，很快就会习惯梦里有访客来了。” 柳爪连忙站起身。 “欢迎来到河族，”她一本正经地喵道。 她的脸上慢慢浮起困惑的神情。 “你身上有河族的气味，”她对羽尾说，“可我不认识你。” “我叫羽尾，”这只银色母猫回答道。 “我出发去太阳沉没之地的时候，你还没出生呢。”

Willowpaw's eyes filled with awe. "And you never came back," she whispered. "You gave your life to save your friends and the Tribe in the mountains. I've heard the story. RiverClan will never forget you." Feathertail blinked affectionately and let her tail rest for a moment on Willowpaw's shoulder. "Enough of that, dear one," she mewed. "Tonight we're here to show you something." "Me?" Willowpaw exclaimed. "Are you sure? Do you want me to fetch Mothwing?" Leafpool and Feathertail exchanged a glance. Leafpool wasn't sure how much Willowpaw understood. Did she realize that her mentor had no contact with StarClan? "No, this sign is for you," Feathertail assured her. "You can tell Mothwing about it when you wake up. Now you must come with us." The young apprentice's paws danced in the grass. "Are we going a long way?" she asked. "As far as the sun-drown-place?" "Not this time," Leafpool told her. "Just to the edge of your territory." Remembering what Mudfur had told her

柳爪的眼中满是敬畏。 “你再也没有回来，”她轻声呢喃。 “你牺牲自己救下了朋友和山里的部落。 我听过这个故事。 河族永远不会忘记你。” 羽尾温柔地眨了眨眼，把尾巴搭在柳爪肩上停了片刻。 “好了，孩子，”她轻声说道。 “今晚我们来，是要给你看样东西。” “给我看？”柳爪惊呼道。 你确定吗？ 你要我去叫蛾翅过来吗？” 叶池和羽尾对视了一眼。 叶池不确定柳爪听懂了多少。 她知道自己的导师没法和星族交流吗？ “不用，这个征兆是给你的，”羽尾安慰她道。 你醒了之后可以告诉蛾翅这件事。 现在跟我们走吧。” 年轻学徒的爪子在草地上轻快迈动。 “我们要走很远吗？”她问道。 要走到太阳沉没的地方吗？” “这次不去那儿，”叶池对她说。 只到你们族群领地的边界。” 想起泥毛告诉她的话

about where to find the catmint, she took the lead, crossing the stream and heading across RiverClan territory to the small Thunderpath. Drawing closer to it, she could pick up the reek of Twoleg monsters and more smells from the Twolegs who came to sail their boats on the lake, almost drowning the scent markers of both Clans. Even in a dream, she was cautious as she emerged from the undergrowth on the edge of the Thunderpath, but everything was dark and silent. All the Twolegs must have gone back to their nests when darkness fell. With Willowpaw right behind her and Feathertail bringing up the rear, Leafpool padded along the Thunderpath, away from the lake. When she crossed the border scent markers she still hadn't found the Twoleg nests Mudfur had told her about, but as she followed the Thunderpath around a wide curve, she spotted a light in a hollow not far ahead: a reddish light that didn't come from moon or stars. Her pelt prickled as she thought of fire, but she could not feel any heat or hear the crackle of burning. There was no scent of smoke either, but

关于樟脑草的位置，她走在前面，渡过小溪，穿过河族领地，来到那条小雷路。 越靠近，就越能闻到两脚兽怪兽的臭味，还有来湖上划船的两脚兽的气味，几乎盖过了两个族群的气味标记。 哪怕是在梦里，她从雷路边的灌丛走出来时也十分小心，可四周一片漆黑寂静。 天黑之后，所有两脚兽肯定都回自己的窝了。 柳爪跟在叶池身后，羽尾走在最后，叶池沿着雷路朝远离湖泊的方向走去。 她走过边界的气味标记，还没找到泥毛说的两脚兽窝，可顺着雷路转过一个大弯后，她看到不远处的凹地里有光：一团不是来自月亮或星星的红光。 想到火，她的毛都竖了起来，可她没感觉到热度，也没听到燃烧的噼啪声。 也没有烟的味道，只是