Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 Brambleclaw felt as if every drop of his blood had turned to ice. It was bad enough that any warrior should have gone to join StarClan tonight, but losing the Clan's medicine cat was a cruel blow. He suddenly realized why Leafpool had asked Brightheart to help her treat the injured warriors. Mousefur let out a shocked yowl. "She was only a young cat! She had her whole life ahead of her." Squirrelflight padded up and brushed her muzzle against Leafpool's shoulder. "We won't forget her," she murmured. Brambleclaw nodded, too shocked to speak. Leafpool stood with head bowed for a heartbeat, then nudged Thornclaw to his paws. "Come to my den." Her voice sounded thin, as if she was keeping it tightly under control. "I have more cobwebs there." She padded away, glancing back just once to be sure Thornclaw was following. Movement in the darkness at the edge of the hollow caught Brambleclaw's eye, and he turned to see Spiderleg and Whitepaw heading slowly

第二章 黑莓掌感觉自己浑身的血液都冻成了冰 任何一名武士今晚去往星族都已经够让人难过，可失去族群的巫医更是残酷的打击 他忽然明白叶池为什么请亮心帮她救治受伤的武士了 鼠毛震惊地嘶吼一声 “她明明还那么年轻！ 她的整个人生都还在前方等着她啊。” 松鼠飞缓步走来，用嘴蹭了蹭叶池的肩膀 “我们不会忘记她的。”她轻声说道 黑莓掌点了点头，震惊得说不出话来 叶池垂着头站了片刻，接着拱得荆爪站起身来 “到我的巢穴来。” 她的声音细弱，听得出她在极力克制情绪 “我那里还有更多的蛛网。” 她缓步走开，只回头看一眼，确认荆爪跟在身后 凹地边缘黑暗里的动静吸引了黑莓掌的注意，他转头看见蜘蛛腿和白爪正慢慢

toward them. Spiderleg beckoned with his tail; Brambleclaw had to force his numbed legs into action. "What is it?" he asked. "Come and see." Spiderleg led the way to the wall of the hollow, near the escape route where Daisy and her kits had climbed to safety. A limp bundle of gray-black fur lay in the shadows. "It's Sootfur," Whitepaw whispered. "I think he's dead." Brambleclaw's belly twisted. Even though he was afraid that Whitepaw was right, he nosed the young warrior's body in the faint hope of rousing him. Sootfur didn't move, and his glazed eyes stared at nothing. "May StarClan light his path," Brambleclaw murmured. Sootfur's sister, Sorreltail, had only just given birth; how would she cope with the loss of her brother? Both the younger cats were staring at Brambleclaw as if they were waiting for him to tell them what to do. With a massive effort he forced himself to think. "Carry him into the center of the camp, so we

朝他们走来 蜘蛛腿甩尾巴示意黑莓掌过去；黑莓掌不得不强迫自己发麻的四肢动起来 “出什么事了？”他问道 “过来看看吧。” 蜘蛛腿带路走到凹地崖壁边，就在黛西和她幼崽逃生的出口附近 一团瘫软的灰黑色毛团躺在阴影里 “是烟足。”白爪轻声说 “我觉得他已经死了。” 黑莓掌的肚子猛地揪紧了 哪怕他知道白爪说的没错，还是凑过去探了探这名年轻武士的身体，抱着一丝希望想叫醒他 烟足一动不动，浑浊的眼睛空洞地望着前方 “愿星族照亮他的道路。”黑莓掌轻声说 烟足的妹妹蕨叶刚刚才生下幼崽； 失去哥哥，她该怎么撑过去啊？ 这两只年轻猫都盯着黑莓掌，仿佛在等他吩咐接下来该怎么做 他拼尽全力强迫自己冷静思考 “把他抬到营地中央去，这样我们就能

can have a vigil," he meowed. "I'll go and look for Rainwhisker." Sootfur's brother would have to be told; perhaps he could help their sister, Sorreltail. Brambleclaw waited until Spiderleg and Whitepaw had lifted Sootfur's body, then began to search. He couldn't remember seeing Rainwhisker since the end of the battle. Anxiety sank sharp claws into him; surely Rainwhisker couldn't be dead too? Then he spotted the gray warrior half buried under the torn-up thorn branches that had once sheltered the warriors" den. He lay without moving, but as Brambleclaw dragged a branch off him he managed to lift his head. "The badgers—have they gone?" he asked hoarsely. "It's all over," Brambleclaw replied. "But I'm afraid there's sad news. Can you get up?" With a grunt, Rainwhisker brought his paws under him and scrabbled at the prickly twigs until he had hauled himself upright. He balanced precariously on three legs; the fourth hung at an awkward angle, and Brambleclaw was afraid it had been broken. Giving Rainwhisker his

为他守夜了。”他说道 “我去找雨须。” 必须通知烟足的哥哥，说不定他能帮到他们的妹妹蕨叶 黑莓掌等蜘蛛腿和白爪抬起烟足的遗体后，便开始寻找 战斗结束之后，他就再也没见过雨须 焦虑像利爪一般扎进他的心头；难道雨须也已经死了吗？ 接着他发现了那名灰色武士，半个身子埋在破碎荆枝下，这些荆枝原本是武士巢穴的屏障 他躺着一动不动，可当黑莓掌挪开压在他身上的树枝，他勉强抬起了头 “獾群——它们走了吗？” 他沙哑地问道 “一切都结束了。”黑莓掌回答 “不过我有个坏消息。 你能站起来吗？” 雨须哼了一声，把爪子撑到身下，扒开扎人的细枝，好不容易站起身来 他靠三条腿摇摇晃晃地站着； 第四条腿别扭地耷拉着，黑莓掌担心它已经断了 他让雨须靠在自己

shoulder for support, he guided him toward the center of the camp where Sootfur now lay. Firestar, Squirrelflight, and several other cats stood around him, their heads bowed. Rainwhisker let out a yowl of dismay at the sight of his brother's body. Limping forward, he bent his head to thrust his nose into the gray- black fur. He stayed still for a few heartbeats, then looked up, his eyes filled with grief. "I should tell Sorreltail," he meowed. Firestar twitched his tail to stop him. "Your leg needs to be seen to first. Some other cat—" "No," Rainwhisker interrupted stubbornly. "Let me do it. Sootfur was our brother. She will want to hear this from me." The Clan leader hesitated, then nodded. "Okay, but go to see Cinderpelt as soon as you can." "Firestar, you mean Leafpool," Sandstorm gently corrected him. Firestar blinked, stupefied by shock and exhaustion. "Sorry," he murmured. "I still can't believe Cinderpelt's dead." Brambleclaw gazed at him sympathetically.

肩膀上借力，领着他往营地中心走去，烟足的遗体已经安放在那里了 火星、松鼠飞和其他几只猫围站在遗体旁，全都低着头 看到弟弟的遗体，雨须悲痛地嘶吼起来 他一瘸一拐走上前，低下头把鼻子贴在了那灰黑色的皮毛上 他静静地待了一会儿，接着抬起头，眼睛里盛满了悲伤 “该由我去告诉蕨叶。”他说道 火星甩了甩尾巴叫住他 “你的腿得先处理一下。 让别的猫去——” “不，”雨须固执地打断了他 “让我去说吧。 烟足是我们共同的哥哥。 她肯定想从我这里听到这个消息。” 族群族长犹豫了一下，随后点了点头 “好吧，但你完事之后尽快去找炭毛处理伤口。” “火星，你说的是叶池吧。”沙风温柔地纠正了他 火星眨了眨眼，震惊和疲惫让他脑子发懵 “对不起。”他轻声说 “我还是没法相信炭毛已经死了。” 黑莓掌同情地望着他

The ThunderClan leader had been very close to Cinderpelt. He was sure to be badly shaken by her death. He's going to need my help. Brambleclaw braced himself. Touching Squirrelflight on her shoulder with his tail, he murmured, "Let's go and bring Cinderpelt's body into the clearing." "Right," Squirrelflight mewed. "Rainwhisker, come with us if you want to speak to Sorreltail." The three cats made their way to the nursery. The bramble thicket, growing close to the wall of the hollow, was the least damaged part of the camp. Squirrelflight, Ashfur, and Brackenfur had stayed there throughout the battle, defending the entrance while Sorreltail's kits were born. Only part of it had been trampled down where the badger that killed Cinderpelt had swatted Brackenfur aside to break in. Daisy and her kits were standing outside the entrance. Cloudtail and Ferncloud were with them, and Birchpaw, who lay splayed out on the ground beside his mother. For a dreadful instant Brambleclaw thought that the apprentice had died of his wounds, until he saw the rapid rise

雷族族长一直和炭毛非常亲近。 她的死肯定会让他大受打击。 他肯定需要我的帮助。 黑莓掌做好了心理准备。 他用尾巴碰了碰松鼠飞的肩膀，低声说：“我们去把炭毛的遗体抬到空地上吧。” “好的，”松鼠飞轻声应道。 “雨须，如果你想找栗尾说话，就跟我们来吧。” 三只猫动身往育婴室走去。 长在山谷岩壁边的黑荆棘丛，是营地里受损最轻的地方。 栗尾生产时，松鼠飞、蜡毛和蕨毛一直守在这里，保卫着入口。 只有害死炭毛的獾撞开蕨毛闯进来的那块地方被踩塌了。 黛西和她的幼崽们站在入口外。 云尾和香薇云也在这儿，还有桦爪，他四仰八叉摊在妈妈身旁的地上。 那可怕的一瞬，黑莓掌以为这名学徒已经伤重死去，直到他看见那急促的起

and fall of his chest. Ferncloud crouched over him, gently licking his shoulder. Leafpool and Brightheart approached at the same time. Leafpool was carrying a wrap of herbs in her jaws, which she set down as Brambleclaw came up. "Thank StarClan, Cinderpelt's den was too small for the badgers to get in," she meowed. "All her herbs and berries are still intact." Her voice shook as she added, "Please can we move her body, so the Clan can sit in vigil for her?" "We've come to do that," Brambleclaw told her. Leafpool blinked gratefully. "Thank you. Brightheart," she went on, "please fetch some marigold for Birchpaw. Then tell all the cats who are able to walk to go to my den. It'll be easier to treat them there. And let me know if there's any cat who can't manage it. I'll need to see them first." Brightheart gave a brisk nod and left. Leafpool led the way into the nursery, followed closely by Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, and Rainwhisker. Hardly any moonlight

伏，在他的胸膛。 香薇云伏在他身边，轻轻舔着他的肩膀。 叶池和亮心同时走了过来。 叶池叼着一包草药，黑莓掌走近时，她把草药放了下来。 “感谢星族，炭毛的巢穴太小了，獾进不去，”她说道。 “她所有的草药和浆果都完好无损。” 她声音发颤，补充道：“请让我们移走她的遗体吧，这样全族才能为她守夜。” “我们就是来做这件事的，”黑莓掌对她说。 叶池感激地眨了眨眼睛。 “谢谢你。 亮心，”她接着说，“请去采些金盏花给桦爪。 之后告诉所有能走动的猫，到我的巢穴来。 在那里给他们治伤会更方便。 如果有猫走不动，就过来告诉我。 我得先去给他们治伤。” 亮心干脆地点点头，离开了。 叶池带头走进育婴室，黑莓掌、松鼠飞和雨须紧紧跟在后面。 几乎没有月光