Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6 Hollypaw watched the dawn sky lighten. Was it too early to visit Cinderpaw? Leafpool had shooed her away the night before; her patient had been sleeping. The thorn barrier rustled. The dawn patrol was returning. Graystripe and Dustpelt padded into the camp, followed by Whitewing and Icepaw. Whitewing was trying to persuade her apprentice to be quiet. "You've been chattering nonstop since we left," she scolded. "We're home now, and your Clanmates are still sleeping." "But I was only asking Graystripe if I could go with him to tell Firestar." It had been Icepaw's first dawn patrol, and the young apprentice was fizzing with energy. "This is serious news." Graystripe flicked Icepaw's ear gently with his tail. "I'm not sure Firestar will want you bouncing around his den while he hears it." Hollypaw pricked her ears. "What news?" She

第六章 冬青爪望着黎明的天空渐渐变亮。 现在去看炭爪会不会太早了？ 昨夜叶池把她赶走了，那时候她的病人正在睡觉。 荆刺屏障沙沙作响。 黎明巡逻队回来了。 灰条和尘毛走回营地，白翅和冰爪跟在他们身后。 白翅正劝自己的学徒安静一点。 “从出发到现在你就没停过嘴，”她责备道。 “我们都到家了，你的族友们还在睡觉呢。” “可我就是想问灰条，能不能带我一起去找火星报信呀。” 这是冰爪第一次参加黎明巡逻，这只年幼的学徒浑身充满了劲儿。 “这可是要紧的消息。” 灰条用尾巴轻轻扫了扫冰爪的耳朵。 “我可不觉得火星听消息的时候，会想让你在他窝边蹦来蹦去。” 冬青爪一下子竖起了耳朵。 “什么消息？” 她

padded forward. "You'll know soon enough," Graystripe called as he followed Dustpelt up the rocks to Highledge. Disappointed, Hollypaw turned away and stared at the medicine cat's den. I'll just peek in and see if anyone's awake. She padded to the cave and nosed her way through the brambles that covered the entrance. Blinking to adjust to the half-light, she saw Leafpool mixing herbs by a cleft in the rock. Hollypaw entered the den. "Is that for Cinderpaw?" she whispered. Leafpool nodded without looking up. "Yes, it is." "I've come to see her," Hollypaw explained. "Is she awake?" A croaking mew sounded from a nest in the shadows. "I've been awake for ages." Cinderpaw sounded in pain. Hollypaw hurried over to her friend's nest. The gray apprentice lay awkwardly on the moss, her injured leg sticking out, her eyes dull. Leafpool padded across the cave and dropped

往前走去。 “你很快就知道了，”灰条边喊边跟着尘毛往高岩走去。 冬青爪失望地转过身，盯着巫医的巢穴。 我就偷偷看一眼，看看有没有人醒着。 她走到洞口，用鼻子拨开挡入口的荆棘钻了进去。 她眨眨眼适应昏暗的光线，看见叶池正在岩缝边搅拌药草。 冬青爪走进了巢穴。 “这是给炭爪准备的吗？” 她轻声问道。 叶池点了点头，没有抬头看她。 “没错，就是给她的。” “我来看她，”冬青爪解释道。 “她醒了吗？” 阴影里的窝中传出一声嘶哑的喵呜。 “我醒了好半天了。” 炭爪的声音带着痛感。 冬青爪连忙走到朋友的窝边。 这只灰色学徒别扭地躺在苔藓上，受伤的腿伸在外面，眼神黯淡。 叶池穿过洞穴，放下

a mouthful of leaves beside the nest. Hollypaw gazed anxiously at the medicine cat. "Is she okay?" "She's wrenched the muscles in her leg." "In that case, she just needs to start using it," Hollypaw mewed brightly. "To build up her strength." "Easy for you to say," Cinderpaw grumbled. "Come on, try stretching it," Hollypaw encouraged. Trembling, Cinderpaw strained to move her leg. "I can't!" Hollypaw's heart lurched. Cinderpaw had never sounded so miserable. "It's bound to be stiff," Leafpool told her. Hollypaw narrowed her eyes. There was sharpness in the medicine cat's voice. Was she frustrated that Cinderpaw was making such a fuss? "Try stretching it again," Leafpool meowed. "Yes," Hollypaw agreed. "The sooner you start moving around, the better." Screwing up her face, Cinderpaw struggled to her feet.

一口药草放在窝边。 冬青爪担忧地望着巫医。 “她没事吧？” “她腿上的肌肉拉伤了。” “要是这样，她只要开始活动腿就好了呀，”冬青爪轻快地喵道。 “这样才能练出力气呀。” “你说得倒轻松，”炭爪抱怨道。 “来吧，试着伸一伸腿，”冬青爪鼓励她。 炭爪浑身发抖，使劲想要挪动腿。 “我动不了！” 冬青爪的心猛地一沉。 炭爪从来没有听起来这么难过过。 “它本来就会僵硬的，”叶池对她说。 冬青爪眯起了眼睛。 巫医的声音里带着尖刻。 她是烦炭爪小题大做吗？ “再试着伸一次，”叶池喵道。 “对呀，”冬青爪附和道。 “你越早开始活动，就好得越快。” 炭爪皱起脸，挣扎着站了起来。

"Try putting a little weight on it," Leafpool suggested. Cinderpaw gingerly pressed her paw to the ground. "Ow!" She flopped back into her nest. "It hurts too much, and I'm too tired." "Eat these herbs." Leafpool nosed the pile of leaves close to Cinderpaw's face. "I'll fetch some more ointment to soothe the swelling." The medicine cat was frowning. Was she worried, or upset? As Leafpool padded to the other side of the cave, Hollypaw decided to try to distract her friend. "Icepaw's been on her first patrol." "Really?" Cinderpaw sounded uninterested. Hollypaw searched for something else to tell her. Should she share what Brambleclaw had told her last night? She's going to find out anyway. "Firestar's giving Poppypaw and Honeypaw their warrior names today." Cinderpaw turned her head away and closed her eyes. "It'll be your turn soon," Hollypaw promised. "I just want to sleep," Cinderpaw muttered, without opening her eyes.

“试着稍微踩一点力气，”叶池建议道。 炭爪小心翼翼地把爪子按到地上。 “哎哟！” 她一下子倒回窝里。 “太疼了，我也累坏了。” “把这些药草吃了。” 叶池把那堆叶子推到炭爪脸边。 “我去再拿点药膏消消肿。” 巫医皱着眉头。 她是在担心，还是不高兴呢？ 叶池走到洞穴另一边时，冬青爪决定给朋友转移下注意力。 “冰爪第一次出巡逻任务啦。” “真的吗？” 炭爪听得一点兴趣都没有。 冬青爪琢磨着还有什么能说给她听。 要不要把黑莓掌昨晚告诉她的事说出来？ 反正她早晚都会知道的。 “火星今天要给罂粟爪和蜜爪赐武士名了。” 炭爪转过头闭上了眼睛。 “很快就轮到你了，”冬青爪向她保证。 “我就想睡觉，”炭爪咕哝着，眼睛都没睁开。

"Okay." Feeling wretched, Hollypaw padded to the entrance. "Don't forget to eat those herbs!" she called over her shoulder. Cinderpaw merely grunted, and Hollypaw pushed her way out through the brambles. Jaypaw was heading toward the den. Hollypaw greeted him. "You're up early." "I've been checking on Millie." He halted beside her. "Were you visiting Cinderpaw?" "Yes." Hollypaw sighed. "She seems even worse than the last time she hurt her leg." "She'll feel better once the swelling goes down." "Will she be able to walk again?" Hollypaw's ears twitched. She realized with a jolt that she was terrified of the answer. Jaypaw blinked. "Of course she will! She's only wrenched her leg. She should heal quicker this time." Is that true? Hollypaw searched his face. "But Cinderpaw won't even try to move. Last time, we could hardly keep her still." "She's just upset," Jaypaw mewed. "She was so close to making warrior, and now she's got to

“好吧。” 冬青爪满心难受，慢慢走到洞口。 “别忘了吃那些药草！” 她回头喊道。 炭爪只哼了一声，冬青爪钻出荆棘走了出来。 松鸦爪正往巢穴走来。 冬青爪跟他打招呼。 “你起得好早。” “我刚去看过米莉了。” 他停在她身旁。 “你刚来看炭爪吗？” “是啊。” 冬青爪叹了口气。 “她看起来比上次伤腿的时候情况更糟了。” “肿消了之后她就会舒服些的。” “她还能再走路吗？” 冬青爪的耳朵微微一颤。 她猛地反应过来，自己其实特别害怕听到答案。 松鸦爪眨了眨眼。 “她当然可以！ 她只是拉伤了腿而已。 这次她肯定好得更快。” 真的是这样吗？ 冬青爪盯着他的脸打量。 “可是炭爪连试都不肯试着动一动， 上次我们都拦不住她瞎动呢。” “她只是心里不好受，”松鸦爪喵道。 “她差一点就当上武士了，现在却只能

wait." "But Leafpool seemed really worried." "Leafpool!" Jaypaw snorted angrily and padded past her into the den. Surprised, Hollypaw watched him go. Had he fallen out with his mentor? But what have they got to fall out over? "Hollypaw!" Foxpaw's excited mew made her spin around. The young apprentice nearly crashed into her as she skidded to a halt. "Firestar's about to give Poppypaw and Honeypaw their warrior names!" Hollypaw looked up at Highledge and saw Firestar gazing down at the clearing. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather together!" he called. Thornclaw and Sandstorm were already waiting below Highledge with Honeypaw and Poppypaw. The young cats looked sleek and shiny from close grooming, and their eyes sparkled. Hollypaw hurried to join Lionpaw at the edge of the clearing. Her paws were tingling. She was only a moon younger than Poppypaw and Honeypaw. It would be her turn next.

等等。” “可是叶池看起来真的很担心。” “叶池！” 杰爪愤怒地喷了下鼻子，快步从她身边走进巢穴。 冬青爪惊讶地看着他走远。 他和自己的导师闹别扭了吗？ 可是他们究竟是为什么闹别扭呢？ “冬青爪！” 狐爪兴奋的叫声让她猛地转过身。 这个年轻学徒急刹住脚，差点撞到她身上。 “火星马上就要给罂粟爪和蜂蜜爪赐武士名啦！” 冬青爪抬头望向高岩，看见火星正低头凝视着下方的空地。 “所有能独立捕猎的猫，都到这里集合！” 他喊道。 棘爪和沙风已经陪着蜂蜜爪和罂粟爪在高岩下等候了。 两个小家伙认真打理过皮毛，看起来顺滑亮泽，眼睛闪闪发光。 冬青爪赶紧跑到空地边缘，找狮爪去了。 她激动得爪子微微发麻。 她只比罂粟爪和蜂蜜爪小一个月。 下一个就轮到她了。