Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9 The full moon rippled on the surface of the lake while clouds billowed on the horizon, gray against the blue-black sky. Hollypaw shivered as she trekked around the shore to the Gathering. A cold wind was ruffling her pelt the wrong way, tugging at her downy fur. She ducked between Squirrelflight and Brackenfur to hide from the chill. "It'll be warmer on the island," Squirrelflight promised, flattening her ears against the breeze. Spiderleg and Mousepaw padded ahead, Dustpelt, Brambleclaw, and Squirrelflight beside them, while Thornclaw kept pace with Whitewing, brushing close against her as though shielding her from the wind. Firestar and Sandstorm headed the party while Lionpaw trailed behind with Ashfur and Leafpool. As they followed the edge of the lake, small waves slapped the shore and farther out, foamy crests glowed in the moonlight. "Get off there!" Brambleclaw's impatient

第九章 满月在湖面漾起波纹，天边云浪翻涌，灰云衬着墨蓝色的天空 冬青爪浑身发着抖，沿着湖岸跋涉前往森林大会 冷风逆着吹乱了她的皮毛，拉扯着她柔软的绒毛 她钻到松鼠飞和蕨毛中间，躲开刺骨的寒气 "到岛上就暖和了。" 松鼠飞一边承诺，一边贴紧耳朵挡住风 蜘蛛腿和鼠爪走在前面，尘皮、黑莓掌和松鼠飞跟在他们身侧，荆棘爪和白翅并排走，紧紧挨着她，仿佛替她挡风 火星和沙风走在队伍最前头，狮爪跟在队尾，身边跟着蜡毛和叶池 他们沿着湖岸前进，小浪拍打着岸边，远处泛着泡沫的浪峰在月光下闪闪发亮 "滚开！" 黑莓掌不耐烦的

command rose above the wind. Hollypaw slipped out from her sheltered spot to see who he was yowling at. Berrypaw was padding along a log lying in the shallows. A gust of wind whipped in from the lake, flattening Hollypaw's whiskers against her face. Through narrowed eyes she watched as Berrypaw lost his balance and fell with a splash into the water. He fought his way to his paws and, shaking the water from his creamy pelt, raced back up the shore to join his Clanmates. Brambleclaw cuffed him around the ears. "That was a mouse-brained thing to do!" Berrypaw sneezed. "And don't think you're missing any training if you've caught a cold!" The sour smell of the horseplace tainted the breeze as the cats neared the end of WindClan territory. The pebbly shore was narrow here, and the wind was blowing spray over it. Firestar led the party up onto the soft grass, skirting the fence. Beyond it the horses were whinnying in their field. Hollypaw felt a shiver of unease as she gazed at the great dark shapes shifting beyond the fence.

喝止声盖过了风声 冬青爪从避风处钻出来，想看看他在冲谁吼叫 莓爪正沿着浅滩里的一根圆木往前走 一阵狂风从湖面猛刮过来，把冬青爪的胡须都贴在了脸上 她眯起眼睛，看见莓爪失去平衡，扑通一声掉进了水里 他挣扎着站稳，抖掉奶油色皮毛上的水，飞快跑回岸边找族猫 黑莓掌抬手打了他的耳朵一下 "你干的这是什么蠢事儿！" 莓爪打了个喷嚏 "你别以为着凉了就能逃过训练！" 猫群走到风族领地尽头时，马场的酸臭味混在了风中 这里的卵石岸很狭窄，风把水花吹到了岸上 火星带领队伍走上柔软的草地，沿着围栏边缘绕行 围栏另一边，马儿在草场里嘶鸣 冬青爪望着围栏那头移动的巨大黑影，不安地打了个寒颤

Perhaps they don't like the weather either. The squally wind promised rain, and plenty of it. Thud! A horse stamped its foot close to the fence. Whitewing yowled in surprise, leaping sideways in alarm. She careered into Mousepaw, sending him tumbling down onto the pebbly shore. "Watch out!" he spat, scrambling to his paws. Whitewing stared down at him, appalled. "I'm sorry." Why is everyone so jumpy and cross? Hollypaw gazed around at her Clanmates. Few words had passed between them since they had left the camp. Their fur was spiked against the wind, their tails flicking. She felt uneasy herself. Ever since WindClan had been discovered hunting squirrels, there had been rumors of prey-stealing and revenge and worries about invasion. Hollypaw wasn't convinced that WindClan's strange behavior had to end in battle. The warrior code didn't say what Clans could and couldn't hunt. But she hated the tense atmosphere. And she was still worried about RiverClan. There had been no news since Jaypaw's dream

说不定它们也不喜欢这天气 狂风呼啸，眼看就要下一场大雨 咚！ 一匹马在围栏边重重跺了一脚 白翅惊讶地叫出声，惊慌地往旁边一跳 她一头撞到鼠爪身上，把他撞得滚落到卵石岸上 "当心！" 他啐了一声，连滚带爬地站起来 白翅惊愕地低头看着他 "对不起。" 为什么大家都这么神经质，脾气还这么差 冬青爪环顾着自己的族猫 自从离开营地后，他们几乎没说过几句话 他们的皮毛被风吹得炸起，尾巴不停甩动 她自己也感觉很不安 自从发现风族捕猎松鼠后，族里就满是偷猎、复仇的传言，大家还担心会被入侵 冬青爪不觉得风族的奇怪行为一定会发展成战争 武士守则也没规定哪个族能捕猎什么、不能捕猎什么 可她讨厌这种紧张的气氛 而且她一直放心不下河族 自从松鸦爪做了那个梦之后，就没有任何消息

at half-moon. She was desperate to speak to Willowpaw tonight, but her paws pricked with anxiety. What if things were so bad RiverClan didn't come at all? Lionpaw brushed against her as she followed Brambleclaw down the sandy bank, back onto the shore. "I wish I'd stayed in camp with Jaypaw," he mewed. She glanced at him. That didn't sound like Lionpaw. He looked sleepy. "Are you okay?" Didn't he even want to see if Heatherpaw was going to be there? "Just tired," he mewed. "Ashfur's been training me hard." Part of her was relieved by his lack of interest in the WindClan apprentice. He must have put his friendship with her behind him at last. But still, it was strange that he'd rather be stuck in camp than going to a Gathering. Dustpelt halted in front of them, ears pricked. "WindClan!" he warned. Hollypaw saw a swarm of dark shapes moving against the heather, heading down to the shore. "Do you think Firestar will mention the squirrel

在半月集会那次 她今晚迫切想和柳爪说话，焦虑得爪子都发僵 要是情况糟到河族根本不来怎么办 她跟着黑莓掌走下沙坡回到岸上时，狮爪蹭了蹭她 "我真该留在营地陪松鸦爪的。" 他说道 冬青爪瞥了他一眼 这话可一点儿都不像狮爪会说的 他看起来困恹恹的 "你没事吧？" 他难道连想都不想看看石楠爪会不会来吗 "就是累了。" 他说道 "蜡毛把我训练得够呛。" 看到他对风族学徒没兴趣，冬青爪不由得松了口气 他肯定已经彻底放下和石楠爪的友情了 可即便这样，他居然宁愿待在营地也不愿意来参加森林大会，实在太奇怪了 尘皮停在他们面前，耳朵竖了起来 "风族！" 他出声提醒大家 冬青爪看见一大群黑影顺着石楠丛往岸边走来 "你觉得火星会提到松鼠

hunting tonight?" Lionpaw shrugged. "Who knows?" The WindClan cats streamed onto the shore a little ahead of ThunderClan, and headed onto the marshy shore of RiverClan territory. Hollypaw wrinkled her nose as muddy water squelched between her claws. Firestar had veered closer to the water, hurrying his Clan forward so that they pulled ahead of WindClan. "Squirrel thieves!" Dustpelt muttered, glancing sideways at the WindClan cats. "Squirrel thieves!" Berrypaw echoed more loudly. The insult rippled through the ThunderClan party until it rang above the blustering wind. Hollypaw tensed. They couldn't fight tonight! She glanced warily at the WindClan cats. Tornear's eyes blazed in the moonlight; Breezepaw curled his lip in a menacing scowl. But Onestar padded calmly on, eyes fixed on the fallen tree ahead. He reached it first but signaled with his tail for his Clan to step back. They watched with glittering eyes as Firestar led ThunderClan past and jumped onto the tree-bridge.

今晚去打猎吗？” 狮掌耸了耸肩。 "谁知道呢？" 风族猫比雷族稍早一点涌到岸边，朝河族领地的湿软河岸走去。 泥水在爪缝间咯吱作响，冬青掌皱起了鼻子。 火星转弯靠近水边，催促族群加快脚步，超过了风族。 "松鼠小偷！" 尘毛斜眼瞟着风族猫，低声咕哝道。 "松鼠小偷！" 莓掌更大声地重复了这句骂话。 骂声传遍了整支雷族队伍，盖过了呼啸的风声。 冬青掌绷紧了身体。 他们今晚不能开战！ 她警惕地扫了一眼风族猫。 托尼尔的眼睛在月光下燃着怒火；风掌皱起鼻翼，露出凶狠的表情。 但一星依旧平静地往前走，双眼紧盯着前方倒下的树。 他第一个到达，却甩尾巴示意自己的族群退后。 他们睁着亮晶晶的眼睛，看着火星带领雷族走过，跳上了树桥。

Firestar gazed down at the WindClan leader. "Thank you, Onestar." Onestar dipped his head. The ThunderClan cats filed across the tree- bridge. When Hollypaw's turn came to scramble up through the tangle of roots, she caught the first scent of RiverClan. It was strong, fresh scents mixed with stale. They're here! Relief washed her pelt. Things couldn't be too bad if they'd made it to the Gathering. She picked her way along the gnarled trunk and leaped down onto the shore. Kneading the sand beneath the pebbles to keep warm, she waited for Ashfur and Leafpool to follow. "Is everyone over?" Firestar meowed. Brambleclaw nodded; Firestar signaled with his tail and plunged into the undergrowth. Hollypaw darted after him into the brambles. I must speak to Willowpaw! A barb stabbed her nose, but she pushed on into the softer ferns and emerged ahead of her Clanmates. The clearing was packed! Gray pelts glowed in the moonlight like stones among tortoiseshell and brown pelts. Striped fur mingled with mottled.

火星低头看着风族族长。 "谢谢你，一星。" 一星点了点头。 雷族猫排成队依次走过树桥。 轮到冬青掌抓着乱根往上爬时，她第一次闻到了河族的气息。 气味很浓烈，新鲜和陈旧的气味混在了一起。 他们到这儿了！ 松了口气的感觉漫遍了她全身。 既然能顺利赶到集会，情况应该不会太糟。 她沿着扭曲的树干小心挪动，跳落到岸边。 她扒着碎石下的沙子取暖，等着灰毛和叶池跟上来。 "大家都过来了吗？" 火星问道。 黑莓掌点了点头；火星甩了甩尾巴，带头钻进了灌木丛。 冬青掌紧跟着他钻进荆棘丛。 我一定要找到柳掌！ 一根刺扎了她的鼻子，但她还是继续往前，走进柔软的蕨丛，抢在族猫前面走了出来。 空地上挤满了猫！ 灰色的皮毛在月光下像石头一样发光，混在玳瑁色和棕色的皮毛之间。 条纹皮毛和杂色斑纹的皮毛交错在一起。