Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17 Jaypaw plucked at the moss in the bottom of his nest, softening it before he curled up for a good night's sleep. Cinderpaw was already snoring, worn out by her game with Hollypaw. She would be moving back to the apprentices" den before long, and the medicine den would be quiet again. Good. Outside, the thorn barrier rustled. The last patrol was returning, their unhurried paw steps a signal that everything was fine. Jaypaw heard water sloshing. Leafpool was soaking a wad of moss in the pool to leave beside Cinderpaw's nest in case the apprentice woke thirsty in the night. "I think we should take a look at the catmint by the old Twoleg nest tomorrow," she meowed. "I want to see if there's much new growth." "Are we going to pick any?" "Not yet." Leafpool's paws scuffed across the ground as she carried the dripping moss to Cinderpaw's nest. "But I want to know whether there'll be a good harvest this year."

第十七章 松鸦爪拨弄着窝底的苔藓，把它压松软，准备蜷起来睡个好觉 炭爪已经打起呼噜了，刚才和冬青爪玩游戏累坏了 用不了多久她就能搬回学徒巢穴，药巢又会重归安静 挺好的 外面，荆棘屏障沙沙作响 最后一队巡逻队回来了，不紧不慢的脚步声说明一切平安 松鸦爪听到了水晃荡的声音 叶池正把一大团苔藓泡在水池里，放在炭爪窝边，怕这学徒半夜醒来口渴 “我觉得我们明天得去看看旧两脚兽窝旁边的猫薄荷，”她说道 “我想看看长出多少新苗了。” “我们要摘一些吗？” “还不用。” 叶池爪子蹭着地面，把滴着水的苔藓送到炭爪的窝边 “但我得知道今年能不能有个好收成。”

"There's been enough rain." Jaypaw tucked his nose between his paws and closed his eyes. "Good night." "Sleep well." Leafpool's nest crunched as she climbed into it and started washing. The gentle lapping of her tongue began to lull Jaypaw to sleep. "Leafpool?" Firestar's mew woke him with a start. The ThunderClan leader was pushing his way through the bramble entrance. Jaypaw lifted his head, instantly alert and trying to sense what pulsed beneath their visitor's pelt. Unease. Leafpool jumped out of her nest. "What is it?" "This concerns both of you," Firestar meowed. Jaypaw got up too, not bothering to pretend he hadn't been listening. "Is something wrong?" Leafpool whispered anxiously. Firestar shifted his paws. "I want you both to travel to the WindClan camp tomorrow." "The WindClan camp?" Leafpool echoed. "Do you want us to speak to Barkface?"

“雨水已经够充足了。” 松鸦爪把鼻子埋进爪子中间，闭上了眼睛 “晚安。” “睡个好觉。” 叶池钻进窝时，干苔藓发出沙沙声，接着她开始舔毛清洁 舌头轻柔的舔舐声慢慢催松鸦爪入睡了 “叶池？” 火星的叫声猛地惊醒了他 这位雷族族长正从荆棘入口挤进来 松鸦爪抬起头，立刻警觉起来，试着感知这位访客皮毛下藏着的情绪 是不安 叶池一下子跳出了窝 “出什么事了？” “这件事和你们俩都有关，”火星说道 松鸦爪也站起身，懒得假装自己没在偷听 “出什么事了吗？” 叶池焦急地轻声问道 火星换了换爪子的站姿 “我希望你们俩明天去一趟风族营地。” “风族营地？” 叶池重复道 “你想让我们去找巴克脸谈谈吗？”

"No." Firestar was choosing his words carefully. "Onestar." "Why us?" "Only you can make the journey. If I send warriors, they'll be seen as a threat." "What do you want us to say to him?" Leafpool sounded puzzled. "I need you to find out what's going on in WindClan." A spying mission! Jaypaw felt a surge of excitement. He wants us to find out their weaknesses. But something wasn't right. He could detect no scheming in Firestar's mind. Only honest anxiety. "I've just been speaking with Mousefur," Firestar explained. "She seems to think Hollypaw is right and that all this talk of battle has grown out of gossip and guesswork. I need you to find out whether RiverClan has actually invaded WindClan territory." Jaypaw blinked. "What difference does that make?" "If there's going to be a battle with WindClan, I want it to be for a good reason," Firestar replied.

“不用找他。” 火星斟酌着开口说道 “我要找一星。” “为什么要我们去？” 只有你们能完成这趟行程 如果我派武士去，会被当成挑衅的。" “你想让我们对他说什么？” 叶池听起来满是困惑 “我需要你们去摸清风族到底出了什么事。” 这是刺探任务啊！ 松鸦爪心里涌起一阵兴奋 他想让我们找出他们的弱点 但哪里有点不对 他探测不到火星心里有任何阴谋 只有实实在在的焦虑 “我刚刚和鼠毛谈过了，”火星解释道 “她觉得冬青爪说得对，那些打仗的传言都只是流言和猜测 我要你们确认河族是不是真的入侵了风族领地。" 松鸦爪眨了眨眼 “这有什么区别吗？” “如果要和风族开战，我得确定师出有名，”火星回答道

Leafpool swished her tail over the ground. "But if they cross our border, isn't that reason enough?" "Yes," growled Firestar, "but we might be able to stop them from crossing the border from now on." "They've already done it once and gotten away with it," Jaypaw pointed out. He ignored Leafpool's hiss of warning; apprentices weren't meant to speak to the Clan leader in that way. "That could have just been a mistake." Jaypaw felt Firestar's green gaze warm his pelt. "Their apprentices would not be the first to stray onto another Clan's territory." He means Hollypaw! Firestar went on. "It makes sense for WindClan to invade us if RiverClan has taken their territory. But what if Onestar leads an attack just because he's afraid that RiverClan might take his territory? Blood would be shed for no reason." "I don't understand what you think we can do." Leafpool plucked at the ground. "If we find out that RiverClan hasn't invaded, do you want us to ask Onestar not to fight? Won't that make us

叶池甩了甩尾巴，扫过地面 “可如果他们越过边境，这不就是足够的理由了吗？” “没错，”火星低吼道，“但我们说不定能从现在起就阻止他们越界。" “他们已经越界一次还没事了，”松鸦爪指出 他没理会叶池发出的警告嘶声 学徒本来不该这么对族长说话 “那说不定只是个意外。” 松鸦爪感觉到火星绿色的目光落在自己身上 “又不是第一次有学徒走错，误入别的族群领地了。” 他说的是冬青爪！火星接着说道 “如果河族占了风族的领地，风族入侵我们确实说得通 可如果一星只是害怕河族占他的领地，就发起进攻呢？ 那就是白白流血了。" “我不明白你觉得我们能做什么。” 叶池扒了扒地面 “如果我们查到河族根本没入侵，你要我们让一星别开战吗？ 那难道不会让我们

look weak?" Firestar stiffened. "You must make it clear that we are ready to fight if we have to," he meowed. "I'd just rather fight a battle driven by real need, not empty fears." "But still, you want us to persuade Onestar not to attack us unless he has no other option?" Leafpool pressed. "Won't we look like cowards?" Anger flashed from Firestar's pelt. "We're not cowards," he snapped, "but why should we fight pointless battles to prove it?" Dawn was bright but cold. A pale sun peeped over the forest at the top of the hollow but Jaypaw could smell rain on the wind. He waited at the camp entrance while Firestar gave his final orders to their escort. Brambleclaw and Dustpelt were going to accompany them to the WindClan border and wait for their return. Leafpool pressed against him. Jaypaw could still sense doubt darkening his mentor's thoughts. "Are you ready?" she asked. "Yes." Jaypaw's tail twitched with excitement. There was more to being a medicine cat than picking herbs and looking after sick cats after all.

看起来很弱小？" 火星浑身一僵。 "必须说清楚，如果逼不得已，我们随时准备开战，"他喵声道。 "我只想打真正有必要的仗，不会为无谓的恐惧开战。" "可即便如此，你是要我们劝一星，除非走投无路，否则不要进攻我们对吗？" 叶池追问道。 "那我们不就成胆小鬼了吗？" 火星的毛发间透出阵阵怒火。 "我们不是胆小鬼，"他厉声喝到，"可为什么要打毫无意义的仗来证明这一点？" 黎明天色清亮，却带着寒意。 淡淡的太阳从山谷顶端的森林后探出头，松鸦爪却从风中闻出了雨的气息。 他在营地入口等候，火星给护卫队下达最后的指令。 黑莓掌和尘毛会陪他们到风族边境，等候他们返回。 叶池紧挨着松鸦爪。 松鸦爪仍能感觉到，疑虑正笼罩着导师的心头。 "你准备好了吗？" 她问道。 "好了。" 松鸦爪的尾巴激动得轻轻颤动。 毕竟，当巫医可不只是采草药、照顾病猫那么简单。

The future of the Clan could depend on what he and Leafpool found out. There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws. "Come on, then." Brambleclaw padded through the thorn tunnel. Leafpool headed after him and Jaypaw followed, leaving Dustpelt to fall in behind. He could feel the warrior's dark pelt bristling with uncertainty. Dustpelt thought that Firestar was being hasty, that it was too soon to let WindClan know they would rather avoid a battle. Brambleclaw's thoughts were harder to read, his mind clouded by doubt one moment, brightened by hope the next. The patrol padded wordlessly over the ridge and down into the open moorland, which stretched into WindClan territory. Dustpelt was the first to voice his disquiet as they reached the border. "Are we just going to sit and wait for a WindClan patrol to ask us if we need help?" His mew was scathing. "Yes," Brambleclaw growled. Dustpelt paced up and down, re-marking the bushes, irritation flashing from him so fiercely

整个族群的未来，说不定就系在他和叶池此行的发现上。 将有三只猫，你血亲的血亲，掌握群星之力于爪中。 "那咱们走吧。" 黑莓掌缓步穿过荆藤隧道。 叶池跟在他身后，松鸦爪跟在叶池后面，尘毛走在队伍最后。 他能感觉到这名武士深色的皮毛因为不安根根竖起。 尘毛觉得火星太草率，现在就让风族知道我们不想开战还为时过早。 黑莓掌的心思更难捉摸，他一会儿被疑虑笼罩，一会儿又燃起希望。 巡逻队默不作声地走山脊，下到开阔荒原，荒原一直延伸进风族领地。 他们刚到边境，尘毛第一个说出了心中的不安。 "难道我们就干坐着等风族巡逻队来问我们需不需要帮忙吗？" 他的话音满是尖刻的嘲讽。 "没错，"黑莓掌低吼道。 尘毛来来回回踱步，重新在灌木丛上标记气味，他身上的怒意浓烈得几乎要溢出来