Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6 Hollypaw yawned and stretched in the den entrance. The early morning sun felt warm on her paws. She looked over her shoulder. Lionpaw was still asleep in his nest. Cinderpaw was already at the fresh-kill pile. "Anything there?" Hollypaw called to her friend. "Only a mouse." Cinderpaw pawed it uncertainly. "A bit stale, but not too bad." Hollypaw padded toward her. "Perhaps we should see if Daisy wants it for the kits first." "No, thank you!" Daisy was sunning herself outside the nursery while Ferncloud's kits tumbled around her. "They can wait for the dawn patrol to return and have something warm and fresh." "I don't mind eating a stale mouse!" Foxkit offered. "No," Daisy mewed, "you've got a cold. Only warm food for you." "But I'm hungry!"

第六章 冬青爪在巢穴洞口打哈欠、伸懒腰 清晨的阳光暖暖地晒在她的爪子上 她转过头向后望去 狮爪还在自己的窝里呼呼大睡 炭爪已经待在新鲜猎物堆那儿了 “那儿有什么吃的吗？” 冬青爪朝她的朋友喊道 “只有一只老鼠。” 炭爪有些犹豫地扒了扒它 “有点不新鲜了，但还能吃。” 冬青爪抬脚朝她走去 “说不定我们先问问黛西，要不要拿给幼崽们吃。” “不用啦，谢谢！” 黛西正在育婴室外晒太阳，云蕨的幼崽在她身边滚来滚去 “他们可以等黎明巡逻队回来，吃新鲜温热的猎物。” “我不介意吃不新鲜的老鼠呀！” 小狐主动开口说道 “不行哦，”黛西轻声说，“你感冒了， “只能吃温热的食物。” “可是我饿呀！”

"Greedy, more like!" Icekit teased. The fluffy white kit cuffed her brother around his ear. He turned on her at once and pounced. She squealed and pummeled him with her hind legs. Daisy moved her tail out of the way as they rolled past her. "It'll be a relief when they move into the apprentices" den," she mewed. Hollypaw knew that she didn't mean it. Ferncloud would move back to the warriors" den, and Daisy would be alone in the empty nursery. She'd always made it clear she wasn't cut out to be a warrior but, without kits to nurse, what would she be? Hopefully newleaf would bring a new litter. "Hollypaw! Cinderpaw!" Leafpool was looking out from the elders" den. "Come and clean out the bedding in here." "Okay!" Cinderpaw bounded over to her, abandoning the mouse. "I'll get fresh moss!" Hollypaw knew that Leafpool kept a fresh stock beside the medicine den. She raced to grab a wad of it, then carried it to the elders" den. The honeysuckle that trailed over the elder bush where Longtail and Mousefur slept was

“我看你就是嘴馋！” 小冰调侃道 这只蓬松的白色小幼猫拍了哥哥的耳朵一下 他立刻转头扑向了妹妹 她尖叫着用后爪使劲捶打哥哥 他们滚过黛西身边时，黛西把尾巴挪到了一边 “等他们搬进学徒窝我就能松口气了，”她说道 冬青爪知道她并不是真心这么想 云蕨会搬回武士窝，黛西就要一个人待在空育婴室了 她一直都说自己不是做武士的料，可不用照顾幼崽的话，她能干什么呢？ 希望新叶能带来新的一窝幼崽 “冬青爪！炭爪！” 叶池从长老巢穴洞口探出头喊她们 “过来把这儿的窝垫清理干净。” “好嘞！” 炭爪丢下老鼠，蹦蹦跳跳地跑了过去 “我去拿新鲜苔藓！” 冬青爪知道叶池在巫医巢穴旁存了不少新鲜苔藓 她飞快跑去抱了一大团，再带回长老巢穴 蔓延在长尾和鼠毛歇息的长老灌木丛上的忍冬藤，正

bright with new leaf. Fresh tendrils swayed in the light breeze. Buds were forming that would flower come greenleaf and fill the hollow with a wonderful smell. Hollypaw ducked inside and dropped the moss. Cinderpaw was already busy scrabbling through the bedding, bundling out stale bits. Leafpool looked up from where she was crouched at Longtail's side. "Longtail has an infected tick bite." The tangy aroma of herbs filled the den. "I'm putting a poultice on it, but I want the bedding freshened up so he doesn't get another one." "Okay." Hollypaw nodded. Mousefur sat up stiffly. "Good to see newleaf again." Longtail winced as Leafpool washed more herbs into his wound. "The forest smells good," he meowed. "I've been thinking about going out." Hollypaw blinked in surprise. Since he had lost his sight, Longtail rarely left camp. "Only if I can come with you," Mousefur croaked. "You'll need someone to keep an eye out for foxes."

长满了鲜亮的新叶。 柔嫩的新枝在微风中轻轻摇晃。 花芽已经长出来了，等到绿叶季就会开花，让整个山谷都充满香甜的气息。 冬青爪低头钻进去，放下了怀里的苔藓。 炭爪已经忙着清理窝垫，把不新鲜的旧垫料捆成一团拖出去。 蹲在长尾身边的叶池抬起了头。 “长尾被蜱虫咬的伤口发炎了。” 草药的刺鼻气味充满了整个巢穴。 “我已经给他敷了药糊，得把窝垫换新鲜，免得他再被蜱虫咬。” “好的。” 冬青爪点了点头。 鼠毛僵硬地坐起身子。 “真高兴又迎来新叶了。” 叶池把草药敷到伤口上时，长尾疼得缩了一下。 “森林闻着真好闻，”他说道。 “我一直想着出去走走。” 冬青爪惊讶地眨了眨眼睛。 自从失明之后，长尾就很少离开营地了。 “要去也得带我一起，”鼠麻着嗓子说。 “你得有人帮你盯着狐狸呀。”

"Foxes!" Hollypaw tucked her tail close to her. Cinderpaw tossed a wad of moss toward the entrance. "Foxes aren't that bad." "Aren't that bad?" Hollypaw gasped. "What about the ones that chased me? They almost had my tail!" "You were only a kit," Cinderpaw pointed out. "They wouldn't seem so scary if you met them now." Hollypaw wasn't convinced. "Foxes are just a nuisance," Cinderpaw went on. "It's badgers you have to watch out for." The gray tabby's eyes grew wide. "They are terrifying." The fur along her spine rippled. "I hope I never meet another one as long as I live." "Another badger?" Hollypaw sat up. "You've never even met one." Cinderpaw tipped her head to one side. Confusion clouded her gaze. "You're right." She reached out and tugged some stale moss from beside Mousefur. "I must have dreamed it." Cinderpaw could be so mouse-brained! As Hollypaw began to reach for fresh moss, she noticed Leafpool staring at Cinderpaw. The

“狐狸呀！” 冬青爪赶紧把尾巴紧紧夹在腿间。 炭爪把一团旧苔藓扔向洞口。 “狐狸也没那么可怕啦。” “没那么可怕？” 冬青爪倒吸一口凉气。 “当初追我的那些狐狸你忘了？ 他们差点咬掉我的尾巴！” “那时候你还只是幼崽呀，”炭爪提醒她。 “你现在再遇见它们，就不会觉得那么吓人啦。” 冬青爪可不相信这话。 “狐狸只不过有点讨人厌，”炭爪接着说。 “真正要小心的是獾才对。” 这只灰斑猫一下子睁圆了眼睛。 “獾可太吓人了。” 她脊背上的毛都竖起来了。 “我这辈子可不想再遇见第二次獾。” “还第二次？” 冬青爪坐直了身子。 “你从来都没见过獾啊。” 炭爪歪着脑袋。 眼神里满是困惑。 “你说得对。” 她伸出爪子，从鼠毛身边扯下一块旧苔藓。 “那肯定是我做梦梦到的。” 炭爪可真是没脑子！ 冬青爪伸手去拿新鲜苔藓时，发现叶池正盯着炭爪看。 她

medicine cat's mouth was open as though frozen mid-lick. What had surprised her so much? It wasn't the first time Cinderpaw had been muddled. Longtail started to fidget. "Have you finished, Leafpool?" "No." Leafpool bent her head quickly. "Hold still, I'm nearly done." Firestar's call sounded from outside the den. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge." "A Clan meeting?" Mousefur narrowed her eyes. "I hope everything's okay." She got slowly to her paws. Hollypaw glanced at Cinderpaw, excitement fluttering in her chest. Had something happened? She darted out of the den ahead of the others and saw Firestar leaping down the tumble of rocks from Highledge. The fresh-kill pile was well stocked. "The dawn patrol's back," Hollypaw whispered to Cinderpaw as her friend caught up. "Perhaps they've brought news." Stormfur and Brook settled at the edge of the clearing. Graystripe and Millie padded out from

巫医张着嘴，仿佛舔到一半就僵住了。 是什么让她这么惊讶？ 这不是炭爪第一次犯迷糊了。 长尾开始坐立不安。 “叶池，你好了吗？” “还没。” 叶池赶紧低下头。 “别动，我马上就好了。” 火星的呼唤从巢穴外传来。 “请所有能独自捕猎的猫，到高岩下集合。” “族群大会？” 鼠毛眯起了眼睛。 “希望一切平安。” 她慢慢站起身来。 冬青爪瞥了炭爪一眼，心里满是兴奋。 出什么事了吗？ 她抢在其他猫前面冲出巢穴，看见火星正从高岩的乱石堆上跳下来。 猎物堆堆得满满的。 “黎明巡逻队回来了，”朋友赶上来时，冬青爪小声对炭爪说。 “说不定他们带来消息了。” 暴毛和溪儿在空地边缘安顿下来。 灰条和米莉走出

behind the warriors" den. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight sat down in the shadow of Highledge while Lionpaw padded after Ashfur and settled beside his mentor. Daisy stayed by the nursery, whisking Icekit and Foxkit back with her tail as they tried to see what was happening. Once the Clan had settled, Firestar sat down in the center of the clearing. He gazed around, his eyes shining. "Doesn't look like anything bad," Hollypaw murmured to Cinderpaw. "There is something I've wanted to do for a while," Firestar began. "And now that newleaf is here it seems like a good time for new beginnings." Hollypaw leaned forward excitedly. "It is time Millie became a ThunderClan warrior!" Hollypaw froze. Millie had been a kittypet when Graystripe had met her. He'd given her some warrior training and she'd helped him on the long journey back to his Clan. But did that make her a warrior? Hollypaw didn't even know if Millie believed in StarClan.

武士巢穴的后方。 黑莓掌和松鼠飞坐在高岩的阴影里，狮爪跟在灰毛身后，在导师身旁坐下。 黛西守在育婴室边，冰崽和狐崽想凑过去看热闹，她用尾巴把他俩扫了回去。 等所有族猫都就坐后，火星走到空地中央坐下。 他环顾四周，眼睛闪闪发亮。 “看起来不像是坏事，”冬青爪小声对炭爪说。 “有件事我想做很久了，”火星开口道。 “现在新叶季已经到来，正好适合开启新的开始。” 冬青爪兴奋地探身向前。 “今天，米莉正式成为雷族武士！” 冬青爪一下子僵住了。 灰条认识米莉的时候，米莉还是一只宠物猫。 灰条给她做了一些武士训练，在回族群的漫长旅途中，米莉也帮了他不少忙。 但这样就能让她成为武士了吗？ 冬青爪甚至不知道米莉到底信不信星族。