Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16 "Squirrelflight, take Cloudtail, Cinderpaw, Thornclaw, and Poppypaw and bring back as much fresh-kill as you can." Jaypaw lay on the halfrock and listened as Firestar gave the order. "Our warriors will be hungry tonight." Jaypaw dangled his tired paws over the edge of the halfrock, feeling the cold stone soothe his aching body. The battle had left him battered and scratched, but he could tend to his own wounds. Leafpool left a trail of marigold scent in her wake as she went to apply a salve to the scratches on Stormfur's shoulder. Hollypaw was busy treating Millie, though Jaypaw was confused when he detected revulsion rather than concern pulsing through his sister's paws as she applied the pungent horsetail balm. Something was upsetting her, but he was too busy with his own thoughts to probe Hollypaw's much further. He kept wondering if he could have beaten Owlpaw without Lionpaw's help. Stubbornly he told himself that he could. He'd been able to

第十六章 “松鼠飞，你带上云尾、炭爪、棘爪和罂粟爪，尽可能多叼些新鲜猎物回来。” 松鸦爪趴在半石上，听着火星下达命令 “今晚我们的武士都会饿肚子。” 松鸦爪把疲惫的爪子搭在半石边缘，冰凉的石头缓解了他酸痛的身体 这场战斗让他遍体鳞伤，但他可以自己处理伤口 叶池前去给暴毛肩膀的抓伤涂药膏，身后留下一路金盏花的香气 冬青爪正忙着给米莉处理伤口，松鸦爪察觉到，她涂刺鼻的木贼药膏时，爪子里透出的不是关心，而是反感，这让他很不解 有件事让她心烦，可松鸦爪满脑子都是自己的心事，没再多深究冬青爪的异样 他一直在想，如果没有狮爪帮忙，他能不能打赢枭爪 他固执地告诉自己，他可以 他本来已经能

pinpoint the ShadowClan's apprentice by scent and sound. But a nagging doubt gnawed at his belly. The battle had been so fast, he just hadn't been able to keep up. The sound of Owlpaw's breath in one ear had not warned him of the fierce jab that had raked the other. The thud of the ShadowClan apprentice's paws on the leaves had been drowned by the cries of the other warriors, and Jaypaw had twisted and spun, only to find Owlpaw had darted around him already and was clawing him from behind. He would never be a warrior. It was the one thing he wanted above all. But he had to accept that he couldn't fight alone. Fury raged inside him like a badger cornered in its set. I don't know of any medicine cat with visions as powerful as that. Leafpool's words echoed in his head. I think that you were destined to be a medicine cat. All his life he had imagined growing up to be a warrior. Why would he feel that way if StarClan had planned another destiny for him? "Brambleclaw!" Firestar welcomed his deputy back into camp. Jaypaw had been so lost in his

靠气味和声音锁定影族学徒的位置 可一个挥之不去的疑问啃噬着他的心 这场战斗太快了，他根本跟不上节奏 枭爪的呼吸飘进他一只耳朵，还没等他反应，对方就狠狠扑来，抓伤了他另一侧身体 影族学徒踩落叶的脚步声被其他武士的呐喊淹没，松鸦爪不停扭身躲闪，却发现枭爪已经绕到他身后，从背后抓向他 他永远成不了武士 这是他最渴望的东西 可他不得不接受，他没法独自战斗 愤怒在他体内翻涌，就像被堵在兽穴里的獾 我从没见过哪个巫医拥有这么强大的预视力 叶池的话在他脑海里回荡 我觉得你注定要成为一名巫医 他这辈子一直都幻想长大后成为一名武士 如果星族给他安排了别的命运，他为什么会这么渴望当武士呢 “黑莓掌！” 火星欢迎他的副族长回到营地 松鸦爪刚才满脑子都是自己的

own thoughts that he hadn't noticed his father's return. "We've remarked the trees and covered the stench of ShadowClan," Brambleclaw reported. Something was bothering him; Jaypaw could sense hesitation tripping his father's tongue. "Oakfur claimed ShadowClan had a right to our territory because ThunderClan has so many cats who are not..." Brambleclaw paused awkwardly. "Who are not Clanborn." "So ShadowClan still believes a cat must be Clanborn to become a warrior," Firestar growled. "I told him that every cat in ThunderClan is a warrior," Brambleclaw meowed. "Good." Firestar raised his voice so that every cat in the clearing could hear him. "There is not a single cat in ThunderClan who does not deserve to be here!" Anxiety flashed from Dustpelt. "But there is truth in what ShadowClan says." The tabby warrior's words cracked the air like a stone hitting ice. "ThunderClan has taken in more cats than any other. That alone leaves us open to criticism from other Clans."

心事，根本没注意到父亲已经回来了 “我们重新标记了边界的树木，盖住了影族的气味，”黑莓掌报告说 有件事让黑莓掌心神不宁，松鸦爪能感觉到父亲说话时吞吞吐吐，满是犹豫 “橡毛说影族有权占领我们的领地，因为雷族有太多猫不是……” 黑莓掌尴尬地停住了 “不是族群出身的猫。” “所以影族还是认为，猫必须生在族群才能当武士，”火星低吼道 “我告诉过他，雷族每一只猫都是合格的武士，”黑莓掌说 “说得好。” 火星抬高声音，让营地里每一只猫都能听到他的话 “雷族没有哪一只猫不配待在这里！” 尘毛露出了焦虑的情绪 “但影族说的也不无道理。” 这只虎斑武士的话像石块砸破冰面，划破了营地的空气 “雷族接纳的外来猫比任何族群都多 仅凭这一点，就足以让其他族群指责我们了。”

Stormfur got to his paws. "Do we care what the other Clans think?" he snarled. "I was raised in RiverClan, but does any cat here doubt my loyalty to ThunderClan?" "Your father was a ThunderClan warrior," Dustpelt pointed out. "You have ThunderClan blood." "And what about those of us who don't?" Hazelpaw protested, her soft gray-and-white pelt bristling. "I was born in the horseplace with Berrypaw and Mousepaw. Does any cat think we are not worthy to train as warriors?" "Of course not!" Graystripe called. "Belonging has nothing to do with blood! I was born pure ThunderClan, yet I am more of a stranger here now than any cat. Millie was a kittypet only moons ago, but she fought as hard as Firestar to drive off ShadowClan today—and so did Brook!" His eyes flashed toward the Tribe cat, who blinked her thanks. Sorreltail mewed loudly in agreement. "Loyalty is proved by what we do, not where we came from!" Jaypaw jerked his head up. He could sense

暴毛站起身 “我们在乎其他族群怎么想吗？”他低吼道 “我在河族长大，可这里有谁怀疑我对雷族的忠心吗？” “你父亲是雷族的武士，”尘毛指出 “你身上流着雷族的血。” “那我们这些没有雷族血统的呢？” 榛爪抗议道，她柔软的灰白皮毛炸了起来 “我和莓爪、鼠爪都出生在马场 有谁觉得我们不配训练当武士吗？” “当然不会！” 灰条喊道 “归属和血统一点关系都没有！ 我生来就是纯雷族猫，可我现在在这里，反而比任何猫都像个外人 米莉几个月前还是只宠物猫，可今天她拼尽全力和我们一起打退影族——溪儿也是！” 他的目光投向那只部落来的猫，她眨眨眼表示感谢 斑尾大声叫着表示同意 “忠心要看我们做了什么，不是看我们来自哪里！” 松鸦爪猛地抬起头 他能感觉到

doubt pulsing from Hollypaw, horsetail balm still fragrant on her paws. "But the warrior code tells us we should drive strangers from our territory," she mewed uncertainly. "We have taken in any cat who has asked us for help," Firestar meowed. "Does the warrior code condemn us for showing mercy?" "N-no," murmured Hollypaw. "And every cat we have taken in has helped make ThunderClan stronger!" Firestar went on. Mews of agreement rose from the other cats. "But," Firestar added, "Brambleclaw is right to tell me what ShadowClan has said." "When have we let the other Clans tell us what to do?" Graystripe challenged. "Never. At the next Gathering I will make it clear that ThunderClan's business is its own," Firestar promised. "We will defend our borders as we have always done and let no Clan interfere in our decisions." A ripple of approval passed around the hollow, but Jaypaw still sensed tension. He knew from furtive worried whispers that he was not the only cat who wondered how ThunderClan's mixed

冬青爪满心不安，她爪子上的马尾草药膏还散发着清香。 “可是武士守则说，我们得把陌生猫赶出我们的领地呀，”她不确定地喵道。 “任何向我们求助的猫，我们都收留了，”火星说道。 “武士守则会因为我们心怀仁慈就责怪我们吗？” “没……没有，”冬青爪喃喃道。 “而且我们收留的每一只猫，都帮雷族变得更强大了！” 火星接着说道。 其他猫都发出了赞同的喵喵声。 “不过，”火星补充道，“黑莓掌把影族的话告诉我，做得没错。” “我们什么时候轮得到其他族群对我们指手画脚了？” 灰条质问道。 “从来没有。 下次集会我会把话说清楚，雷族的事本就该自己做主，”火星承诺道。 “我们会一如既往守护边界，绝不允许任何族群干涉我们的决定。” 山谷里泛起一阵赞同的声浪，但松鸦爪还是感觉到了紧张。 他从那些偷偷的担忧低语里明白，不止他一只猫在疑惑，雷族混杂的

blood might change the way the other Clans saw them, or even the way StarClan thought of them. The other apprentices were asleep, the air sighing with their gentle breathing. But Jaypaw was wide awake. Leafpool's words still haunted him. He kept trying to persuade himself that he could learn how to be a warrior, that his fighting skills would improve. But every time he thought it, the hope became hollower. He would go to the Moonpool. Perhaps there would be an answer for him there. Quietly he slipped out of the den. An icy wind stirred the bare branches of the trees; he would need to move very quietly, because every sound would travel far. Brackenfur was guarding the camp entrance. Jaypaw could smell his scent. If the warrior turned him back then he would find another way out of the camp. "You're out late," Brackenfur observed. "I can't sleep." "It can be like that after a battle," Brackenfur meowed.

血统会怎样改变其他族群对他们的看法，甚至星族对他们的看法。 其他学徒都睡着了，空气里飘着他们轻柔的呼吸声。 可松鸦爪完全清醒着。 叶池的话还一直萦绕在他心头。 他一直试着说服自己，他能学会做一名武士，他的格斗技巧一定会进步。 可每次这么想，这份希望都变得更加空洞。 他要去月池。 或许那里能给他想要的答案。 他悄无声息地溜出了学徒窝。 冰冷的寒风刮动着树木光秃秃的枝条； 他必须走得非常轻，因为每一点声音都会传得很远。 蕨毛正在把守营地入口。 松鸦爪闻到了他的气味。 如果这名武士拦他，他就找别的路出营地。 “你出来得挺晚呀，”蕨毛说道。 “我睡不着。” “打完仗之后就是会这样，”蕨毛喵道。