Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21 "They're doing fine," Leafpool meowed, stepping back from Sorreltail's kits. "You must be very proud." Sorreltail swallowed a bite of the thrush Leafpool had brought for her. "I am, but I'm sure they'll be into all kinds of mischief when they're a little bigger. Worse than Daisy's, even." Her amber eyes gleamed with amusement. "Cinderkit needs watching already." Leafpool looked down at the kits, where they lay in a purring, drowsy heap. Warmth flooded over her as she remembered what Spottedleaf had shown her. How long would it be before the Clan realized the truth about Cinderkit? Leafpool longed to share the joy of her knowledge with them, but she knew that time had not come yet. "You'll need to get all the rest you can, then," she mewed to Sorreltail. "And keep your strength up. Four kits at once are a big responsibility." "I know. I'm really glad you're here, Leafpool." Leafpool shut her eyes for a moment, trying

第二十一章 “它们都很健康，” 叶池说完，从栗尾的幼崽身边退开。 “你一定非常骄傲吧。” 栗尾咽下一口叶池给她带来的鸫肉。 “我确实很骄傲，但我敢肯定，它们再长大一点肯定会调皮捣蛋。 说不定比黛西的幼崽还能闹呢。” 她琥珀色的眼睛闪烁着笑意。 “现在就已经得看好炭崽了。” 叶池低头看着挤成一团的幼崽们，它们昏昏欲睡，舒服地呼噜着。 暖流漫过她的全身，她想起了斑叶告诉她的事。 还要过多久，族群才会发现炭崽的真相呢？ 叶池渴望和大家分享这份知晓秘密的喜悦，但她知道时机还未到。 “那你可要好好休息，” 她对栗尾说。 “还要养好体力。 一下子养四个幼崽，可是很重的担子呀。” “我知道。 叶池，有你在这里我真的太开心了。” 叶池闭上眼歇了一小会儿，努力

to remember the feelings that had made her consider abandoning her Clan. It was like a shadow inside her, just out of reach. But now it swelled, filling her mind; she tried to shake it off, but the dark feelings seemed to build and build inside her, the guilt changing into a vision of blood and roaring, drowning the soft sounds of Sorreltail's kits and the warm, milky scents of the nursery. Something terrible is happening—oh, StarClan, what can it be? She stumbled blindly out into the clearing, ignoring Sorreltail's startled exclamation behind her. Once in the open, she realized that everything was peaceful. The clearing was almost deserted, with most cats out on patrol. Bright sunlight shone down from a blue sky streaked with a few fine wisps of cloud. But Leafpool knew that something was horribly wrong—if not here, then out in the forest. She raced across the clearing, ignoring the puzzled looks from Cloudtail and Brightheart at the fresh-kill pile. Bursting out of the thorn tunnel, she almost crashed into Squirrelflight.

回忆那种曾经让她想要离开族群的心情。 那感觉就像她心底的一道阴影，触不可及。 可现在它不断膨胀，塞满了她的整个脑海； 她试着甩开它，可黑暗的情绪在她心底不停堆积，愧疚渐渐化作满是鲜血和咆哮的幻象，盖过了栗尾幼崽的轻柔声响，还有育儿室里暖暖的奶香味。 有可怕的事要发生——哦，星族啊，这到底是什么事？ 她跌跌撞撞盲目地冲往空地，完全没理会身后栗尾惊讶的呼喊。 跑到空地上，她才发现一切都平静如常。 空地几乎没什么猫，大部分猫都出去巡逻了。 明亮的阳光从蓝天洒落，天上只飘着几缕细细的云丝。 可叶池清楚肯定有大事不对——就算这里没事，那森林里一定出问题了。 她飞快跑过空地，没理会新鲜猎物堆旁云尾和亮心困惑的目光。 她冲出荆棘通道，差点一头撞到松鼠飞身上。

"Hey!" her sister exclaimed. "Take it easy. What's the matter?" "Something dreadful," Leafpool panted. "Badgers—Twolegs—I don't know. Have you seen anything?" "No." Squirrelflight rested her tail on her sister's shoulder to calm her. "Everything's fine. I've just been looking for Brambleclaw. The annoying furball went off without me. I tried to follow his scent, but I lost it." "No, everything's not fine." The certainty of her terror rippled through Leafpool's pelt and struck cold into her bones. "ThunderClan is in great danger. Will you come with me?" "Of course, but where are we going?" "I don't know!" Leafpool's voice rose. "Oh, StarClan, show us the way!" She had hardly finished speaking before she heard the sound of a cat blundering through the undergrowth. Fronds of bracken waved wildly as Ashfur dashed into the open. His fur stood on end and his blue eyes were wild with fear. "Leafpool!" he gasped. "It's Firestar... he's caught in a fox trap."

“嘿！” 她的姐姐喊道。 “慢点跑。 出什么事了？” “出大事了，” 叶池喘着气说。 “是獾——还是两脚兽——我不知道。 你看到什么不对劲的地方了吗？” “没有。” 松鼠飞把尾巴搭在姐姐的肩膀上，帮她冷静下来。 “一切都好好的。 我刚刚一直在找黑莓掌。 那个讨厌的家伙居然丢下我自己跑了。 我试着跟着他的气味追，结果跟丢了。” “不对，一切都不对劲。” 这份确定的恐惧让叶池浑身战栗，寒气直透骨髓。 “雷族正面临巨大的危险。 你愿意跟我一起去吗？” “当然愿意，可我们要去哪里？” “我不知道啊！” 叶池的声音都变高了。 “哦，星族啊，给我们指条路吧！” 她话音刚落，就听到一只猫在灌木丛里乱闯的声音。 蕨叶疯狂晃动，蜡毛冲到了空地上。 他浑身的毛都炸了起来，蓝色的眼睛因为恐惧满是慌乱。 “叶池！” 他喘着气说。 “是火星…… 他被捕狐夹夹住了。”

"Where? Why didn't you get him out?" Squirrelflight demanded, her green eyes blazing. "Because he's... Brambleclaw is there too." Ashfur was gasping for air as if he'd just dragged himself out of deep water. "And Hawkfrost is with him—a RiverClan cat on our territory. I couldn't take on both of them at once. I had to come for help." He pointed with his tail toward the lake. "That way. Hurry!"

“在哪里？ 你怎么不把他救出来？” 松鼠飞逼问道，绿色的眼睛冒着怒火。 “因为他…… 黑莓掌也在那里。” 蜡毛大口喘着气，就好像刚从深水里挣扎着爬出来一样。 “还有鹰霜跟他在一起——一只河族猫闯进了我们的领地。 我没办法同时对付他们两个。 我只能回来求助。” 他用尾巴指向湖泊的方向。 “往那边。 快点！”