Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3 Leafpool opened her eyes, sticky with sleep, and blinked. She was crouched in the middle of the stone hollow beside Cinderpelt's body. Next to her, Firestar lay with his nose pushed deep into his friend's gray fur, his eyes narrowed to slits as if he were lost in memories of the cat who had once been his apprentice. Above the hollow, the sky was milky pale with the first light of dawn. Opening her jaws, Leafpool tried to draw in the last of her beloved mentor's scent, but all she could taste was death. She had come to sit vigil with Cinderpelt after all the injured cats had been treated. But exhaustion had overwhelmed her and she had fallen asleep. I couldn't even stay awake for you, she thought despairingly. She would never forget the dream she had had on her journey with Crowfeather, in which she had heard Cinderpelt's terrible cry of pain as the badger struck its killing blow. I should have stayed here, she told herself, guilt tearing at her sharper than a badger's claws. But even though she had come back to her

第三章 叶池睁开沾着睡意的双眼，眨了眨 她蜷伏在石坑中央，紧挨着炭毛的遗体 旁边的火星伏在地上，鼻子深深埋进这位老友的灰色皮毛里，眼睛眯成两条细缝，仿佛沉在了对这只曾是他学徒的猫的回忆里 石坑上方，黎明的第一缕微光把天空染成了奶白色 叶池张开嘴，想再留住亲爱的导师最后一缕气息，可她尝到的只有死亡的味道 给所有受伤的族猫处理完伤口后，她来这里为炭毛守夜 可疲惫彻底压垮了她，她居然睡着了 我连陪你守夜都没能醒着，她绝望地想 她永远不会忘记和鸦羽旅途中做的那个梦，梦里她听见獾打出致命一击时，炭毛痛苦的惨叫 我本该留在这里的，她暗暗自责，愧疚比獾的爪子还要锋利，刮得她心口生疼 可哪怕她已经回到了

Clan, her thoughts were still haunted by Crowfeather. The glow in his amber eyes when he told her how much he loved her. The pain in his voice when he realized that her heart lay here, as ThunderClan's medicine cat, and not with him. Leafpool had been faced with a terrible choice, but in the end she knew her place was here, in the stone hollow. She had given up Crowfeather, and had lost Cinderpelt too. All that remained was her duty to her Clan. As she sat up, stretching cramped limbs, careful not to disturb her father at his vigil, she saw Stormfur keeping watch just outside the warriors" den. Brook guarded the camp with him, sitting closer to the entrance. Other cats were beginning to stir now; Brackenfur put his head out of the nursery, then vanished back inside. A moment later, Brambleclaw and Dustpelt emerged from the warriors" den and stood tasting the air. Soon it would be time for the elders to carry the bodies of Cinderpelt and Sootfur out of the camp for burial. Leafpool bent her head over Cinderpelt, touching her muzzle to her mentor's

族群，鸦羽的影子依旧萦绕在她心头 他诉说爱意时，琥珀色眼睛里跳动的光 当他明白，叶池的心属于这里——她要做雷族的巫医，不能跟他走时，声音里裹着的痛苦 叶池曾被迫做出残酷的选择，可最终她清楚，自己的归属在这里，在这个石坑里 她放弃了鸦羽，却还是失去了炭毛 如今只剩下她对族群的责任 她坐起身，舒展发麻的四肢，小心不打扰守夜的父亲，这时她看见暴毛在武士巢穴外放哨 溪儿和他一起守卫营地，坐在更靠近营地入口的位置 其他族猫也渐渐开始醒过来活动了; 蕨毛从育婴室探出头，接着又缩了回去 片刻之后，黑莓掌和尘毛从武士巢穴走出来，站着嗅闻空气中的气味 很快长老们就要把炭毛和烟毛的遗体抬出营地安葬了 叶池低下头俯向炭毛，将口鼻贴在导师的

shoulder and brushing against her soft gray fur. She closed her eyes to try to sense Cinderpelt's spirit, but above her the warriors of StarClan were disappearing as the sky grew brighter. Cinderpelt? Tell me you're still with me! Leafpool tried to imagine herself padding through the stars with silvery pelts brushing against her on either side, but she couldn't smell any trace of Cinderpelt's familiar scent. Had Cinderpelt rejected her because she left ThunderClan with Crowfeather? Would she never hear her mentor's voice again, not even in dreams? Cinderpelt, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! she cried. Don't leave me alone like this. "I can manage. I don't need to be able to see to carry my Clanmates." Longtail's voice interrupted Leafpool's desperate prayer. She opened her eyes to see the three elders approaching, Mousefur in the lead and Goldenflower guiding Longtail. "Of course you don't," Mousefur agreed. "We'll carry them together, don't worry." Firestar rose from Cinderpelt's side, his

肩上，轻轻蹭了蹭她柔软的灰色皮毛 她闭上眼睛，想感知炭毛的灵魂，可随着天空越来越亮，头顶星族武士的身影正在渐渐消散 炭毛？ 告诉我你还在我身边！ 叶池试着想象自己走在群星之间，两旁银色皮毛的星族猫轻轻擦过她的身体，可她完全闻不到炭毛那熟悉的气息 炭毛是不是因为她跟着鸦羽离开了雷族，所以不愿认她了？ 她是不是再也听不到导师的声音了，哪怕在梦里都听不到？ 炭毛，对不起，对不起！ 她哭喊着 别就这样把我一个人留下 “我能行 我就算看不见，也能抬得动我的族猫。” 长尾的声音打断了叶池绝望的祈祷 她睁开眼睛，看见三位长老走了过来，鼠毛走在最前面，金花扶着长尾 “那当然，”鼠毛应道 “我们一起抬，别担心。” 火星从炭毛身边站起身，他的

movements stiff from wounds and weariness. Whitepaw crept out of the remains of the apprentices" den, glancing around nervously as if she wanted to make sure no more badgers had appeared. Thornclaw, who had been Sootfur's mentor, padded up to him and pushed his nose one last time into the cold, gray-black fur. "You taught him well," Leafpool mewed softly, sharing his grief for the young warrior. "He died bravely, fighting for his Clanmates." Rainwhisker slid between the cats who were clustering around the bodies. Leafpool saw that he was able to put weight on his injured leg, though it would be a while yet before the torn muscles were fully healed. "Take it easy," she warned him. "You'll be limping permanently if you strain that leg." Rainwhisker nodded and spoke to Mousefur. "I want to help, please. Sootfur was my brother." Mousefur dipped her head. "Very well." She and Rainwhisker took up the body of Sootfur, while Goldenflower and Longtail carried Cinderpelt. With a wrench of grief, Leafpool had to step back and let them take her mentor away.

动作因为伤口和疲惫变得僵硬 白爪从学徒巢穴的废墟里悄悄爬出来，紧张地四下张望，好像要确认再也没有獾闯进来 烟毛的导师棘爪走到遗体旁，最后一次把鼻子贴在他冰冷的灰黑色皮毛上 “你把他教得很好，”叶池轻声说，和他一同哀悼这位年轻武士 “他死得很勇敢，是为保护族猫战死的。” 雨须从围在遗体旁的猫群中间挤了过去 叶池看到他已经能让受伤的腿受力了，不过撕裂的肌肉还要很久才能完全痊愈 “别急着动，”她提醒他 “要是拉伤这条腿，你会一辈子跛脚的。” 雨须点点头，对鼠毛说道 “请让我也来帮忙 烟毛是我的弟弟。” 鼠毛点了点头 “好吧。” 她和雨须抬起烟毛的遗体，金花和长尾抬起了炭毛 叶池心头一阵揪痛，她不得不退开一步，让他们把导师带走

Her sister's scent drifted around her and she felt the warmth of Squirrelflight's pelt against her side. Leafpool leaned against her shoulder, grateful for the comfort of her presence. The rest of their Clan stood with bowed heads as the elders made their way past the shattered thorn barrier and into the trees beyond. Once they had disappeared, Firestar began to organize the patrols. Squirrelflight turned to Brambleclaw and the two cats headed back toward the warriors" den, their flanks brushing. Leafpool's ears pricked. She had thought her sister and Brambleclaw weren't close anymore. She looked around for Ashfur and saw that he was watching too; she was shaken by the look of fury in his eyes. Sudden fear for her sister swept through Leafpool like an icy wave. She recalled the dream where she had found herself wandering in a dark, unfamiliar forest with no sign of StarClan. There she had hidden on the edge of a clearing, watching while Tigerstar trained his sons Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost and urged them to seek power within their Clans. Brambleclaw had

姐姐松鼠飞的气味将她包裹，她感受到身侧对方皮毛传来的暖意 叶池靠在姐姐肩膀上，满心感激她能陪在自己身边 其余族猫都低着头，目送长老们穿过破碎的荆刺屏障，走进远处的树林 等长老们消失在视野后，火星开始安排巡逻队 松鼠飞转身走向黑莓掌，两只猫一同往武士巢穴走去，侧身轻轻相蹭 叶池一下子竖起了耳朵 她原本以为姐姐和黑莓掌已经不再亲近了 她四下张望找灰毛，发现他也正盯着那边看; 灰毛眼里满是暴怒，看得叶池心头一震 对姐姐的担忧突然像冰浪一样席卷了叶池 她想起那个梦：梦里她在漆黑陌生的森林里徘徊，找不到半点星族的踪迹 她躲在一片空地边缘，亲眼看见虎星训练儿子黑莓掌和鹰霜，撺掇他们在族群夺权 黑莓掌曾

a fearful inheritance, and Leafpool was not sure he was strong enough to resist his father's treacherous promptings. Should she tell Squirrelflight about the dream? She took a step toward her sister, then stopped. She had enough to do already, caring for the injured cats, and it was no part of a medicine cat's duties to interfere in the friendships of other cats. Besides, that had not been a dream from StarClan, so she couldn't be sure what it meant, or whether it was a warning about the future. She padded across to Ashfur. "I need to check your wounds," she meowed. "Especially that torn ear." Ashfur's eyes glittered with anger, still staring after Squirrelflight. "Okay." He stood without flinching while Leafpool sniffed the wounds on his flank and foreleg, and gave his ear a careful examination. "They're healing well," she told him. "I'll give you some poppy seed to help you sleep, if you like." Ashfur shook his head. "No, thanks. I'll be fine." With a last glance across the clearing, he padded over to join Dustpelt and Spiderleg, who

背负着让人不安的宿命，叶池不确定他能否顶住父亲狼子野心的挑唆 我该把这个梦告诉松鼠飞吗？ 她朝姐姐迈出一步，随即又停住了 她已经够忙了，要照料所有受伤的族猫，而且巫医本就不该插手其他猫的交情 再说，这个梦又不是星族赐下的，她摸不准它的含义，也不知道这是不是对未来的警告 她轻步走到灰毛身边 “我得检查一下你的伤口，”她开口说 “尤其是你撕裂的耳朵。” 灰毛的眼里仍闪着怒火，目光还停在松鼠飞离去的方向 “好吧。” 他站着一动不动毫不畏缩，任由叶池查看他侧身和前腿的伤口，又仔细检查了耳朵 “伤口恢复得很不错，”她对灰毛说 “如果你需要，我给你拿点罂粟籽助眠。” 灰毛摇了摇头 “不用了，谢谢 我没事的。” 他最后扫了一眼空地，轻步走过去找尘毛和蜘蛛腿，他们正