Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21 "Dog attack! Dog attack!" Whitewing's yowl jerked Lionpaw from his nest. Instantly awake, he scrambled to the entrance of the den. Berrypaw and Mousepaw had already shot outside. Hollypaw pressed behind him—her tail was bushed out, her ears flattened— ready to defend her Clan. "Can you see them?" she gasped. "Are they near the nursery?" Hazelpaw called. Lionpaw blinked against the rain. A steady drizzle drenched the camp, and the morning sky was gray with clouds. There was no sign of dogs. Only cats filled the clearing, staring wildly around, their claws unsheathed. Spiderleg and Birchfall came streaking from the warriors" den. Graystripe and Millie skidded after them as Whitewing paced urgently below Highledge. "Where are they?" Ferncloud's terrified mew sounded from the nursery. She crouched at the entrance, shielding Foxkit and Icekit, her eyes round with terror.

第二十一章 “狗狗袭击！ 狗狗袭击！” 白翅的嚎叫把狮爪从窝里惊了起来。 他瞬间清醒，连滚带爬冲到巢穴入口。 莓爪和鼠爪早就冲出去了。 冬青爪挤在他身后——尾巴蓬起来，耳朵紧紧贴住——随时准备保卫族群。 “你能看见它们吗？” 她喘着气问。 “它们在育婴室附近吗？” 榛爪喊道。 狮爪在雨里费力眨了眨眼。 蒙蒙小雨淋湿了营地，清晨的天空布满灰云。 完全没看到狗狗的影子。 只有族猫挤满空地，全都爪子出鞘，慌张地四处张望。 蜘蛛足和桦落从武士巢穴飞奔而来。 灰条和米莉紧跟着滑步赶来，白翅在高岩下焦急踱步。 “它们在哪里？” 蕨云恐惧的叫声从育婴室传来。 她蹲在入口挡着小狐和小冰，眼睛里满是恐惧。

"It's just like the badger attack!" wailed Daisy, cowering beside her. Firestar leaped down from Highledge in one bound, Sandstorm on his heels. "Where are the dogs?" Whitewing's words came in gasps as she fought to get her breath back. "They're not on ThunderClan territory," she panted. "Where are they, then?" Firestar demanded. "On WindClan territory," Whitewing reported. "I was patrolling with Thornclaw and Cloudtail near the border, and we heard dogs barking and cats shrieking from the moor." "Where are Thornclaw and Cloudtail now?" "They went to investigate." "StarClan protect them!" Ferncloud whimpered. Lionpaw's heart was still pounding like a woodpecker on oak. "I hope Heatherpaw's okay!" Hazelpaw's whiskers grazed his cheek. "Is Firestar going to send a patrol?" "He must!" Hollypaw's eyes were round. "WindClan could be wiped out." Leafpool rushed out of the medicine den. "Any

“这和上次獾群袭击一模一样！” 黛西哀嚎着，缩在她身边发抖。 火星一步从高岩跳下来，沙风紧随其后。 “狗狗在哪里？” 白翅喘得说不出话，好不容易才平复呼吸。 “它们不在雷族领地上，”她喘着气说。 “那它们在哪里？” 火星追问道。 “在风族领地上，”白翅报告说。 “我和荆爪、云尾在边境巡逻，听到荒原那边传来狗叫声和猫的惨叫。” “荆爪和云尾现在在哪里？” “他们过去查看了。” “星族保佑他们！” 蕨云呜咽道。 狮爪的心还像啄木鸟啄橡树一样砰砰狂跳。 “我希望石楠爪没事！” 榛爪的胡须扫过他的脸颊。 “火星会派巡逻队过去吗？” “他必须去！” 冬青爪的眼睛瞪得圆圆的。 “风族可能会被彻底消灭的。” 叶池从巫医巢穴冲了出来。 “有没有

injuries?" Whitewing shook her head. "We didn't see WindClan; w-we just heard them screeching, and the dogs..." Her ears twitched. "They were howling for blood." Jaypaw flashed a look of triumph at Firestar. "Do you believe me now?" he mewed, flicking his tail. Lionpaw stared at his brother in surprise. Did he know this was going to happen? Firestar glared at the blind apprentice. "This is not about you proving a point. Cats might die today!" Lionpaw glanced questioningly at Hollypaw, but she looked as puzzled as he was. "We must send a patrol to help WindClan," Firestar decided. Spiderleg blinked. "Have you forgotten the last time we fought dogs?" "We lost warriors that day," Sandstorm remembered grimly. "It's up to WindClan to look after themselves," Jaypaw growled. Firestar glanced at Brightheart. She had lost

伤员？” 白翅摇了摇头。 “我们没看到风族猫；我、我们只听到它们尖叫，还有狗狗……” 她的耳朵抽动了一下。 “它们正嚎叫着要杀人呢。 松鸦爪得意地瞥了火星一眼。 “现在你相信我了吧？” 他喵呜一声，甩了甩尾巴。 狮爪惊讶地盯着弟弟。 他早就知道会发生这件事吗？ 火星怒视着这只盲学徒。 “这不是你证明自己对不对的时候。 今天可能会有猫死掉！” 狮爪疑惑地看向冬青爪，可她也和自己一样满脸困惑。 “我们必须派巡逻队去帮风族，”火星决定道。 蜘蛛足眨了眨眼。 “你忘了我们上次和狗狗打仗的事了吗？” “那次我们失去了好多武士，”沙风沉痛地回忆道。 “风族该自己照顾自己，”松鸦爪低吼道。 火星看向亮心。 她失去了

half her face when she'd confronted a pack of vicious dogs many moons ago. "What do you think?" he asked gently. "We nearly lost everything when the dogs attacked us." She held her head high, but Lionpaw could see she was trembling. "We can't let the same thing happen to WindClan." "But if we go, we risk leading them here," Dustpelt pointed out. "They might find their way here anyway," Firestar meowed. Brambleclaw nodded. "WindClan territory is too close to our own to ignore this," he agreed. "Exactly." Firestar gazed at each of his warriors. "You will be risking your lives to save WindClan, but you will also be defending ThunderClan from a deadly enemy." "We must help them!" Birchfall called. Spiderleg paced in an agitated circle. "We have to drive the dogs away!" Lionpaw clawed at the ground. I hope I get to go! "Ashfur! Graystripe!" Brambleclaw called. "You've fought dogs before. I'll need your

半张脸，那是许多月前她对抗一群恶狗时落下的伤。 “你怎么看？” 他温柔地问道。 “狗狗袭击我们的时候，我们差点失去了一切。” 她高高昂起头，但狮爪能看出她在发抖。 “我们不能让同样的事发生在风族身上。” “但如果我们过去，可能会把它们引到这里来，”尘毛指出。 “反正它们说不定也会找到这里，”火星说。 黑莓掌点了点头。 “风族领地离我们太近，不能坐视不管，”他赞同道。 “没错。” 火星望向每一位武士。 “你们去救风族要冒生命危险，但也是帮雷族挡住这个致命敌人。” “我们必须帮他们！” 桦落喊道。 蜘蛛足烦躁地踱着圈。 “我们必须把狗狗赶走！” 狮爪用爪子刨着地面。 真希望我能一起去！ “蜡毛！灰条！” 黑莓掌喊道。 “你们以前和狗狗打过仗。 我需要你们的

experience. Birchfall and Spiderleg! You come too." Lionpaw lifted his muzzle. "What about me?" Brambleclaw glanced at Ashfur. "Is he ready?" Ashfur gave a quick nod. "Okay," Brambleclaw meowed. "Millie!" He swung his head toward the kittypet. "You know about dogs from when you lived in the Twolegplace, don't you?" Millie nodded. "They don't scare me," she meowed. "And I know how easy they are to trick." "Good." Brambleclaw nodded. "Come with us, then." He turned to his apprentice. "You too, Berrypaw." Berrypaw unsheathed his claws, his eyes shining. "Shall I come too?" Whitewing meowed. "Yes. We'll need you to show us which way Thornclaw and Cloudtail went," the deputy told her. "What about me?" Hollypaw was staring hopefully up at her father. He shook his head, and Lionpaw saw disappointment cloud his sister's gaze. "I need you

经验。 桦落和蜘蛛足！ 你们也一起来。” 狮爪抬起了脑袋。 “那我呢？” 黑莓掌看向蜡毛。 “他准备好了吗？” 蜡毛快速点了点头。 “好吧，”黑莓掌说。 “米莉！” 他转头看向这只宠物猫。 “你以前住在两脚兽地盘，了解狗狗对不对？” 米莉点了点头。 “它们吓不到我，”她说。 “而且我知道它们很好骗。” “很好。” 黑莓掌点了点头。 “那你跟我们一起来。” 他转向自己的学徒。 “你也来，莓爪。” 莓爪拔出爪子，眼睛闪闪发光。 “我也可以去吗？” 白翅问道。 可以。 我们需要你带路，找荆爪和云尾走的方向，”副族长对她说。 “那我呢？” 冬青爪满怀希望地抬头看着父亲。 他摇了摇头，狮爪看到妹妹的眼神蒙上了失望。 “我需要你

to stay here and help Brackenfur guard the camp," Brambleclaw explained. "Someone will have to patrol the entrance and make sure no dogs get in if we can't stop them at the border." Hollypaw flicked her tail. "Yes, Brambleclaw." The deputy glanced at Firestar. "Will Onestar accept our help?" "I think so. Onestar's proud, but he's no fool," Firestar meowed. "Ashfur?" Ferncloud had left the nursery and was padding toward her brother. Lionpaw knew that their mother, Brindleface, had been killed by Tigerstar to give a different dog pack a taste for cats" blood. Ferncloud would have only the worst memories of dogs. "Be careful." The she-cat rubbed her cheek along Ashfur's. "Don't forget I've outrun a dog pack before," he meowed. "You had me at your side then," she reminded him. "And now I have you and your kits to protect." He licked her between the ears. "I won't let you down." Brambleclaw was racing toward the entrance.

"留下来帮蕨毛看守营地，" 黑莓掌解释道。 "如果我们没法在边界拦住狗，总得有人在入口巡逻，保证没有狗闯进来。" 冬青爪甩了甩尾巴。 "好的，黑莓掌。" 副族长瞥了一眼火星。 "一星会接受我们的帮助吗？" "我觉得会。 "一星确实骄傲，但他不傻，" 火星喵声道。 "蜡毛？" 蕨云已经离开了育婴室，正迈步走向她的哥哥。 狮爪知道，他们的母亲纹脸被虎星杀死，就是为了让另一群狗尝到猫血的滋味。 蕨云对狗只留下了最糟糕的回忆。 "一定要小心。" 这只母猫把脸颊蹭在了蜡毛脸上。 "别忘了我之前从狗群里逃出来过，" 他说道。 "那时候我就在你身边呀，" 她提醒他。 "而现在我还要保护你和你的幼崽。" 他舔了舔她两耳之间。 "我不会让你失望的。" 黑莓掌已经朝着入口奔去了。