Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24 Hollypaw twitched her nose. Something was different. The air smelled damp and warm. Happily, she stretched in her nest, pushing against Hazelpaw's back with her hind paws. "Get off!" Hazelpaw complained. "Can't you smell it?" Hazelpaw yawned. "Smell what?" "It's warmer!" Hollypaw jumped out of her nest. She ducked out of the den and screwed up her eyes against the light. The frost had gone. The clearing was damp where the ice had melted, the bushes dripping, and sunshine was already filling the camp with pale yellow. At the top of the cliffs, the trees seemed wrapped in a green haze. Newleaf had arrived at last. Firestar was grooming Sandstorm below Highledge. His bones looked sharp beneath his pelt as he crouched to lick Sandstorm's ears, but his tail flicked happily. Icekit and Foxkit squealed with delight as Birchfall and Berrypaw chased

第二十四章 冬青爪抽了抽鼻子。 有点不对劲。 空气闻着又潮又暖。 她开心地在窝里伸懒腰，后爪顶到了榛爪的后背。 “走开！” 榛爪抱怨道。 “你闻不到吗？” 榛爪打了个哈欠。 “闻什么啊？” “天气变暖和啦！” 冬青爪跳出了窝。 她钻出巢穴，眯起眼睛适应光亮。 霜已经化了。 冰融化后，空地变得湿乎乎的，灌木丛滴着水珠，淡金色阳光已经洒满了营地。 悬崖顶上的树木仿佛笼着一层淡淡的绿雾。 新叶季终于来了。 火星在高岩下给沙风梳理毛发。 他蹲下来舔沙风耳朵的时候，皮毛下的骨头轮廓分明，尾巴却开心地甩动着。 冰爪和狐爪兴奋地尖叫，桦落和莓爪正追

them in circles outside the nursery. Ferncloud rested beside Daisy at the den entrance, clearly enjoying the morning's warmth. Her eyes were clear, and only a little crust around her nose betrayed that she had been so ill. Poppypaw was on the mend too, recovering in the elders" nest with Mousefur, though she wouldn't be well enough to go to the Gathering tonight. Hollypaw heard paws pounding through the thorn barrier, and Thornclaw charged into camp at the head of a patrol. A mouse dangled from his jaws. Whitewing followed him, carrying a small chaffinch, and Ashfur and Lionpaw came in last, each carrying a vole. Hollypaw's eyes grew round. She hadn't seen so much fresh-kill in ages. As Thornclaw dropped his catch onto the patch of earth that had been empty for too long, Firestar got to his paws to greet the returning patrol. "It looks like the prey's running richer already!" Lionpaw padded excitedly around Ashfur. "There were primroses on the ShadowClan border and buds on the Sky Oak!"

它们，在育婴室外绕着圈跑。 蕨云和黛西一起靠在巢穴门口休息，显然很享受清晨的暖意。 她的眼睛十分清亮，只有鼻子周围一点干痂能看出她之前病得很重。 罂粟爪也在好转，她和鼠毛一起在长老巢穴休养，不过她还没好透，没法参加今晚的集会。 冬青爪听见荆棘屏障外传来重重的脚步声，棘爪带着巡逻队冲进了营地。 一只老鼠挂在他的嘴边。 白翅跟在他身后，叼着一只小苍头燕雀，梣毛和狮爪走在最后，各叼着一只田鼠。 冬青爪的眼睛一下子圆了。 她好久没见过这么多新鲜猎物了。 棘爪把猎物放到那块空了太久的泥地上时，火星起身迎接归来的巡逻队。 “看起来猎物已经变多啦！” 狮爪兴奋地绕着梣毛转圈圈。 “影族边界长了报春花，天橡树都发芽了！”

"And prey seemed to be moving in every burrow," Whitewing added. Firestar scanned the clearing. "Brambleclaw?" The deputy came hurrying out of the warriors" den, Squirrelflight behind him. "The prey's running again." Firestar flicked his tail toward the fresh-kill pile. "Lead another patrol out toward the WindClan border and see what you can catch." Brambleclaw's eyes lit up with excitement. "Berrypaw!" he called to his apprentice. "We're going hunting." Berrypaw stopped chasing the kits. "Can we come too?" Foxkit begged. Icekit swiped her brother playfully around the ears. "We're only kits," she mewed. "They'll never let us go with them." "But watch this hunting move!" Foxkit crouched down, sticking his tail in the air and wiggling his haunches. He lunged forward and landed on a leaf, pinning it to the ground. Icekit's short whiskers quivered with amusement. "Next time we need leaves, I'm sure Brambleclaw will ask you to help!"

“而且每个洞里都有猎物在活动，”白翅补充道。 火星扫视着整个营地。 “黑莓掌？” 副族长从武士巢穴匆匆走出来，松鼠飞跟在他身后。 “猎物又多起来了。” 火星朝猎物堆甩了甩尾巴。 “再带一队巡逻去风族边界，看看能捉到多少猎物。” 黑莓掌的眼睛亮起了兴奋的光。 “莓爪！” 他呼唤自己的学徒。 “我们去打猎。” 莓爪停下了追小奶猫的动作。 “我们也能一起去吗？” 狐爪央求道。 冰爪闹着拍了哥哥的耳朵一下。 “我们还只是小奶猫呀，”她喵喵叫着。 “他们才不会带我们去呢。” “那你看看我这个狩猎动作！” 狐爪蹲伏下来，尾巴翘得老高，屁股轻轻晃了晃。 他往前一扑，扑中一片叶子，把叶子按在了地上。 冰爪短短的胡须因为笑意抖个不停。 “下次我们需要叶子，我敢肯定黑莓掌一定会找你帮忙的！”

"You'll make a great warrior," Berrypaw told him. "And I promise to bring something tasty back for you." Hollypaw darted forward. "Can I go with them?" she asked Brambleclaw. "You're going to the Gathering tonight," he meowed. "I want you to save your energy for that." "But I've been asleep half the morning," she protested. "You're half-starved, like the rest of the Clan," Brambleclaw told her. "Rest and eat today. You can hunt tomorrow." "But Lionpaw's been hunting!" Hollypaw answered hotly. "It's not fair." "Life isn't fair. Stay in camp." He nodded to Squirrelflight and together they led Berrypaw out into the forest. Furious, Hollypaw turned and stomped across the clearing. Her Clan was starving and they wouldn't let her hunt! For a moment she wondered whether to sneak out of camp and hunt by herself. But if she got caught Firestar probably wouldn't let her go to the Gathering or hunting

“你一定会成为很棒的武士，”莓爪对他说。 “我保证给你带好吃的回来。” 冬青爪一下子冲上前。 “我能跟你们一起去吗？” 她问黑莓掌。 “你今晚要去参加集会，”他喵喵说道。 “我要你留足力气。” “可是我半个上午都在睡觉呀，”她抗议道。 “你和族里其他猫一样，都饿坏了，”黑莓掌对她说。 “今天好好休息，好好吃东西。 你明天再去打猎。” “可是狮爪都去打猎了！” 冬青爪激动地反驳。 “这不公平。” “生活本来就不公平。 留在营地里。” 他冲松鼠飞点了点头，他俩一起带着莓爪走进了森林。 冬青爪气冲冲地转身，噔噔噔穿过空地。 她的族猫都在挨饿，他们居然不让她打猎！ 有那么一会儿，她都在想要不要偷偷溜出营地自己打猎。 可要是被抓住，火星肯定不会让她去集会，也不让她明天打猎

tomorrow. It wasn't worth it. Overhead, the great white moon made the hollow glow with silver light. Hollypaw sniffed the air. Clear skies. A good sign. Graystripe and Millie waited in the clearing with Ashfur and Stormfur. Brackenfur sat beside them, tugging with his teeth at the fur between his claws. Squirrelflight washed her ears as Brambleclaw stood next to her and glanced up at Highledge. They would leave for the Gathering as soon as Firestar appeared. The apprentices were fidgeting beside the thorn barrier. "Do you think Blackstar will mention the battle?" Cinderpaw mewed. Honeypaw paced in front of the camp entrance. "I bet ShadowClan never talks about its defeats." "What do you think, Hollypaw?" Lionpaw asked. But Hollypaw hardly heard. Jaypaw was staring at the patrol as it prepared to leave camp. His clear blue gaze gave nothing away, but she

了。 这不值得。 头顶，大大的满月把山谷照得泛着银色微光。 冬青爪嗅了嗅空气。 天气晴朗。 是个好兆头。 灰条和米莉跟梣毛、暴毛一起在空地里等着。 蕨毛坐在他们旁边，用牙齿扯着爪缝间的毛。 松鼠飞在清洁耳朵，黑莓掌站在她身边，抬眼望向高岩。 只要火星出来，他们就出发去集会。 学徒们在荆棘屏障边上坐立不安。 “你觉得黑星会提到那场战斗吗？” 炭爪喵喵问道。 蜜爪在营地入口前走来走去。 “我打赌影族才不会提他们吃败仗的事。” “你怎么想，冬青爪？” 狮爪问道。 可冬青爪几乎没听见他说话。 松鸦爪正盯着准备出发的巡逻队。 他清澈的蓝眼睛没透露半分情绪，可她

knew how disappointed he must be. She padded over to him. "I'll tell you about it as soon as I get back," she promised. Jaypaw didn't reply. She pressed her flank against his. "You'll go to the next Gathering, I'm sure," she comforted him. "Poppypaw and Mousefur will be better by then." "I know." Only the smallest twitch of his tail betrayed his frustration. "Hollypaw!" Brackenfur's call made her jump. Firestar had leaped down from Highledge, Sandstorm behind him. "I've got to go," she mewed. "Hurry up!" Lionpaw called as she hurried to join the others. Hollypaw glanced over her shoulder at Jaypaw. He had gotten to his paws and was padding slowly toward the elders" den. "Jaypaw will be fine," Cinderpaw reassured her. Hollypaw stiffened her shoulders. Jaypaw was taking care of his Clan. Besides, she didn't want to worry about her brother right now. This was her first Gathering as a warrior apprentice, and her

她知道他肯定失望极了。 她放轻步子走到他身边。 “我一回来就给你讲集会的事，”她保证道。 松鸦爪没有回答。 她把身子贴在了他身侧。 “你肯定能去下次集会的，我确定，”她安慰他。 “到那时候罂粟爪和鼠毛都会好起来的。” “我知道。” 只有尾巴微微一颤，泄露出他的沮丧。 “冬青爪！”桦落的呼唤吓了她一跳。 火星从高岩上跃下，沙风跟在他身后。 “我得走了，”她轻声说。 “快点呀！” 冬青爪赶去和大部队汇合时，狮爪喊道。 冬青爪回头瞥了松鸦爪一眼。 他已经站起身，正慢慢往长老巢穴走去。 “松鸦爪会没事的，”炭爪安慰她道。 冬青爪绷紧了肩膀。 松鸦爪会照顾好族群的。 而且，她现在也不想为弟弟烦心。 这是她成为武士学徒后的第一次集会，她的