Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10 Hollyleaf leaped, sinking her claws into the vole and dispatching it with a quick nip to the neck. Straightening up with her prey in her jaws, she spotted Lionblaze approaching through the bracken, dragging the limp body of a rabbit. "Hey, great catch!" she mumbled around the vole. Twilight had fallen, and deep shadows lay on the forest floor. Hollyleaf and Lionblaze had stopped near the dead tree to hunt on their way back to camp, while Jaypaw looked for fresh herbs. "Let's get back," he meowed, padding up with a bunch of tansy. "I'm worried about the sick cats. Leafpool can't do everything, and if I'm any later she'll have my pelt for bedding." "Okay." Hollyleaf retrieved the mouse she had killed earlier and led the way back to camp, carrying her prey. Every hair on her pelt was tingling with relief that they had been able to save ShadowClan. Only one problem remained: What were they

第十章 冬青叶一跃而起，爪子深深扎进田鼠体内，一口咬穿它的脖子结束了它的性命。 她叼着猎物直起身，看见狮焰穿过蕨丛走来，身后拖着一只软瘫的兔子。 “嘿，好棒的猎物！” 她叼着田鼠，含糊地说道。 暮色已经降临，森林地面笼罩着深深的阴影。 回营地的路上，冬青叶和狮焰在枯树附近停下打猎，松鸦羽则去寻找新鲜药草。 “咱们回去吧，”他叼着一束艾菊走过来开口说道。 “我放心不下生病的族猫。 叶池一个人忙不过来，我再晚回去，她就要扒了我的皮当窝垫了。” “好。” 冬青叶叼起她早前杀死的老鼠，带着猎物率先往营地走去。 成功救下影族，她每根毛发都因为放下心来阵阵发麻。 只剩一个问题还没解决：他们该

going to tell Tawnypelt? Lionblaze pushed through the thorn tunnel ahead of her, the hind legs of his rabbit leaving faint scars in the dust. As she emerged into the camp, Hollyleaf could see that the clearing was almost empty. Many cats would already be in their dens. She spotted Sandstorm and Squirrelflight sharing a thrush beside the fresh-kill pile, while Poppyfrost was padding toward the dirtplace tunnel. "Hey, Poppyfrost!" Lionblaze bounded forward, letting his rabbit fall. "Have you seen Tawnypelt?" Poppyfrost nodded. "She's in Firestar's den with Brambleclaw." "Hang on," Hollyleaf meowed to her brother as he padded back to her. "We haven't decided what to tell her yet." "We can't talk now," Jaypaw stated. "I have to check in with Leafpool. I'll find you later." Without waiting for a reply he bounded over to the medicine cats" den and disappeared behind the brambles. Lionblaze yawned and arched his back in a

怎么跟褐皮说？ 狮焰抢在她前面挤出荆藤隧道，兔子的后腿在尘土上留下了淡淡的痕迹。 冬青叶走进营地，发现空地上几乎没什么猫。 大多数猫都已经回窝了。 她看见沙风和松鼠飞在新鲜猎物堆旁分吃一只画眉，罂粟霜正朝溺便隧道走去。 “嘿，罂粟霜！” 狮焰跳上前，把兔子放在地上。 “你见过褐皮吗？” 罂粟霜点了点头。 “她和黑莓掌在火星的窝里。” “等一下，”狮焰走回她身边时，冬青叶对他说道。 “我们还没想好该跟她说什么。” “现在没法谈，”松鸦羽开口道。 “我得去找叶池。 我待会儿再来找你们。” 他没等回应，就奔向巫医巢穴，消失在了荆藤后方。 狮焰打了个哈欠，拱起背，做了个

long stretch. "I'm worn out. Let's drop off this prey and go to our den for a rest. We don't need to worry about Tawnypelt right now; she's busy." "Okay." The two young warriors picked up their prey and carried it over to the fresh-kill pile. "You've been hunting," Squirrelflight mewed approvingly. "Well done." "How did you get that mud all over you?" Sandstorm narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Were you hunting for frogs?" "It's just a bit wet out there," Lionblaze mumbled, not looking at the older she-cat. Amusement glimmered in Sandstorm's green eyes; she opened her mouth to reply, only to be distracted by the sound of cats pushing their way through the barrier. Birchfall emerged; Hollyleaf's fur tingled with surprise when she saw that Littlecloud was following him, with Whitewing and Icepaw bringing up the rear. Sandstorm leaped to her paws. "What's this?" She bounded across the clearing to confront the ShadowClan medicine cat. Squirrelflight rose more slowly. "I'd better let

大大的伸懒腰。 “我累死了。 咱们把猎物放好，回窝休息吧。 现在不用管褐皮，她正忙着呢。” “好。” 两个年轻武士叼起猎物，把它们放到了新鲜猎物堆上。 “你们去打猎了呀，”松鼠飞赞许地说道。 “干得好。” “你们身上怎么沾了这么多泥？” 沙风狐疑地眯起了眼睛。 “你们是去捕青蛙了吗？” “外面就是有点湿而已，”狮焰咕哝着，不敢看这只年长母猫。 沙风绿色的眼眸里闪着好笑的光； 她刚开口要回应，就被钻过边界屏障的动静吸引了注意力。 桦落走了出来； 冬青叶惊讶得浑身毛发发紧，她看到小云跟在桦落身后，白翅和冰爪走在最后。 沙风一下子跳起身。 “这是怎么回事？” 她奔过空地，拦住这位影族巫医。 松鼠飞慢腾腾地站起身。 “我最好去通知

Firestar know," she murmured, and headed for the tumbled rocks that led to the Highledge. Hollyleaf and Lionblaze followed Sandstorm across the clearing. More cats were appearing from the warriors" den, Cloudtail loudly proclaiming that he would know ShadowClan scent anywhere. He and Brightheart joined the group around Littlecloud, followed by Berrynose, Hazeltail, and Mousewhisker. Mousefur poked her head out of the elders" den but stayed where she was, her whiskers twitching in disapproval. "What's another ShadowClan cat doing in our camp?" Berrynose demanded. No cat answered him, though his littermate Hazeltail gave him a sharp nudge with her shoulder, nearly knocking him off his paws. "Greetings." Sandstorm gave Littlecloud a curt nod. "Birchfall, what's going on here?" Hollyleaf thought that Birchfall seemed embarrassed. "We were patrolling the ShadowClan border," he began. "I spotted Littlecloud," Icepaw broke in. "Birchfall and Whitewing were too busy gossiping."

火星知道，”她小声说着，朝通往高岩的乱石堆走去。 冬青叶和狮焰跟着沙风穿过了空地。 更多猫从武士巢穴走出来，云尾大声说他不管在哪都能认出影族的气味。 他和亮心加入了围住小云的猫群，身后跟着莓鼻、榛尾和鼠须。 鼠毛从长老巢穴探出头，但没有挪步，她的胡须不赞同地抽动着。 “又有影族猫来我们营地做什么？” 莓鼻质问道。 没有猫回答他，不过他同窝的榛尾用肩膀狠狠撞了他一下，差点把他撞翻在地。 “你好。” 沙风对着小云生硬地点了点头。 “桦落，这到底是怎么回事？” 冬青叶看得出桦落一副尴尬的样子。 “我们当时在影族边界巡逻，”他开口说道。 “是我发现小云的，”冰爪插嘴道。 “桦落和白翅光顾着闲聊了。”

"That's enough." Whitewing scolded her apprentice; she looked flustered. "Littlecloud says he needs to talk to Tawnypelt." Littlecloud dipped his head respectfully to Sandstorm. "With Firestar's permission. Things have happened in ShadowClan that she needs to know." Before Sandstorm could reply, Hollyleaf saw Firestar, Brambleclaw, and Tawnypelt appearing on the Highledge, with Squirrelflight just behind. Sandstorm waved her tail, inviting Littlecloud to follow her; she led him across the clearing to stand at the foot of the stones. Hollyleaf and Lionblaze padded after them with the rest of the ThunderClan cats; more were emerging from their dens and gathering around to listen. Rosekit and Toadkit frisked across the clearing from the nursery, their ears pricked curiously, while Daisy followed more slowly. "Greetings, Littlecloud," Firestar meowed. "Welcome to our camp. How can we help you?" "Thank you, Firestar," the medicine cat replied. "It's Tawnypelt I need to speak to." The tortoiseshell warrior's ears flicked up in

“够了。” 白翅训斥了她的学徒，她看起来慌慌张张的。 “小云说他有事要找褐皮谈谈。” 小云恭恭敬敬地向沙风低下了头。 “征得火星的同意后， 影族出了些事，她必须知道。” 沙风还没来得及回答，冬青叶就看见火星、黑莓掌和褐皮出现在高岩上，松鼠飞跟在他们身后。 沙风摆了摆尾巴，示意小云跟着她； 她带着他穿过营地空地，站到了高岩脚下。 冬青叶和狮焰跟着他们，身后跟着雷族其他猫； 更多猫从巢穴里出来，聚到周围聆听。 小玫瑰和小蟾蜍从育婴室蹦蹦跳跳跑过空地，好奇地竖起耳朵，黛西慢悠悠跟在后面。 “你好啊，小云。”开口的是火星。 欢迎来到我们营地。 我们能帮你什么吗？” “谢谢你，火星。”巫医回答道。 “我要找的是褐皮。” 这只玳瑁武士的耳朵唰地竖了起来，

surprise. "I've nothing to say to ShadowClan anymore." There was the hint of a snarl in her voice. "They are not my Clan." "I'm sorry you feel like that." Littlecloud blinked sympathetically. "But I think you might change your mind when you hear what I've come to tell you." "Go on, then." Tawnypelt still sounded hostile. "Blackstar wants you to come back," the medicine cat went on. "Your three kits have already returned—" "What!" Tawnypelt's jaws gaped wide in shock. Hollyleaf could see she wanted to spill out a whole cascade of questions, but her gaze flickered around the listening ThunderClan cats, and she clamped her jaws shut again. "Blackstar wants me to tell you that no cat will blame you for leaving." Littlecloud gazed up at his Clanmate. "ShadowClan is returning to the warrior code, and to their faith in their warrior ancestors." Tawnypelt drew in a long breath. "If that's true... what about Sol?"

惊讶。 “我和影族早就没什么好说的了。” 她的声音里带着一丝低吼。 “他们不再是我的族群。” “很遗憾你会这么想。” 小云同情地眨了眨眼。 “不过等你听完我要说的事，说不定会改变想法。” “那你说吧。” 褐皮的语气依旧充满敌意。 “黑星希望你回去。”巫医继续说道。 “你的三个幼崽已经回去了——”“什么！” 褐皮震惊地张大了嘴巴。 冬青叶看得出来，她有一肚子问题想问，但她扫了一圈旁听的雷族猫，又紧紧闭上了嘴。 “黑星让我转告你，没人会怪你当初离开。” 小云抬头看着他的这位族伴。 “影族重新回归武士守则，重新信仰武士祖先了。” 褐皮长长吸了一口气。 “如果这是真的……那日神呢？”