Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 Every hair on Dawnpaw's pelt was quivering. "This is like being sent on a real warrior mission!" Hollyleaf could sympathize; she remembered very well how it felt to be a new apprentice, doing something to help her Clan. "Do you think we'll get to be warriors, after it's all over?" Tigerpaw mewed. "Because we saved our Clan?" "No," Hollyleaf replied gently. "Don't forget, no cat must know we're doing this. Besides, you're too young to be warriors yet. You still have a lot to learn." The six cats were heading toward the far end of ThunderClan territory, following the same route Hollyleaf and her littermates had taken when they went to find Sol. Already the ShadowClan scent marks were fading along the border, and there was no sign of cats from either Clan. The only sounds were the drip of water from leaves and the rustle of ferns and grasses as the cats brushed through them. All three of the apprentices were bouncing

第八章 黎明爪的每根毛发都在不住颤抖 “这就像执行真正的武士任务啊！” 冬青叶很能体会这种心情； 她清楚记得自己刚当学徒时，帮族群办事是什么感受 “你说事情结束后，我们能当上武士吗？” 虎爪轻声喵道 “就因为我们救了自己的族群？” “不行哦，”冬青叶温柔地回答 “别忘了，绝对不能有别的猫知道我们在做这件事 而且你们年纪太小，还当不了武士 你们还有好多东西要学呢。” 六只猫正朝着雷族领地的尽头进发，走的路线和当初冬青叶和同窝手足去找索尔的路线一模一样 边界上影族的气味标记已经渐渐淡去，两边都看不到任何猫的踪迹 只有水珠从树叶滴落的声响，还有猫群穿过时擦过蕨草的沙沙声 三个学徒都兴奋得蹦蹦跳跳

with excitement, rushing off into the undergrowth or dabbing at one another in the beginnings of a play fight. "That's enough," Lionblaze ordered, rounding up Flamepaw with his tail and nudging him forward. "Do you think warriors chase each other around like that?" The young ShadowClan cats settled down and padded along quietly, but Hollyleaf could see that their paws were still itching. They were acting as if Blackfoot had already seen the sign and decided that his Clan would return to StarClan and the warrior code. But it's not as easy as that. Hollyleaf's belly churned as she wondered what would happen if they failed. They would only get one chance. If Blackfoot realized he was being tricked, he would be twice as careful afterward. ShadowClan would be lost forever. Even worse, Blackfoot might decide to invade ThunderClan, to punish them for interfering. What if cats die because of what we're doing? "Jaypaw, have you decided what—" Her brother flicked his ears irritably. "I can't

兴奋不已，一会儿冲进矮树丛，一会儿互相扑闹，眼看就要玩起打闹了 “够了，”狮焰下令，用尾巴把焰掌圈回来推着他往前走 “你见过武士像这样到处追跑打闹吗？” 这群年轻的影族猫安静下来，放轻脚步往前走，但冬青叶能看出他们的爪子还是按捺不住 他们表现得就好像黑脚已经看到征兆，决定让族群回归星族和武士守则了一样 可哪有这么简单 冬青叶的肚子揪得紧紧的，她忍不住想，如果失败了会怎么样 他们只有一次机会 如果黑脚发现自己被骗了，之后一定会加倍小心 影族就永远找不回来了 更糟的是，黑脚说不定会入侵雷族，惩罚他们多管闲事 会不会有猫因为我们做的这件事死掉啊 “松鸦爪，你想好要——”她弟弟不耐烦地甩了甩耳朵 我没办法

decide anything until we get to where we're going. Now keep your tail over your jaws and let me think." "This is where we should cross the border," Tigerpaw announced, stopping and looking around. "The marshy place is only a few fox- lengths away." Even though she could hardly taste the ShadowClan scent marks, Hollyleaf still felt guilty as she crossed into the rival Clan's territory. I don't know why. If they cared about their border, they would mark it. They couldn't care less about the warrior code. But we do, she answered herself. Going into another Clan's territory is wrong. Tigerpaw led them through some trees where brambles snagged their fur, then into a more open patch of ground. "Here we are," he declared. Water welled up around Hollyleaf's paws as she gazed at the marsh ahead. Long-stemmed clusters of reeds grew around pools covered with bright green pondweed. Between them were

在到达目的地之前，我什么都决定不了 现在闭上嘴别说话，让我好好想想。” “我们应该从这里越界，”虎爪停下脚步环顾四周，开口说道 “那块沼泽离这里只有几个狐狸身长远了” 哪怕影族的气味标记已经淡得几乎闻不到，跨进对手领地的时候，冬青叶还是满心愧疚 我不知道为什么会这样 如果他们在意自己的边界，就会做标记了 他们根本不在乎武士守则 可我们在乎呀，她对自己说 闯进别的族群的领地本身就是错的 虎爪领着大家穿过一片树林，荆棘勾住了他们的皮毛，接着走到了一块更开阔的空地上 “我们到了，”他大声说 冬青叶的爪子周围渗出水来，她凝望着前方的沼泽 长满亮绿色水草的池塘边，长着一丛丛长茎芦苇 芦苇之间是

tussocks of brittle grass and sedge, and a few spindly saplings grew with their roots in the water. There was a dank, musty scent, and the air was heavy with silence. "What can you see?" Jaypaw mewed as the cats drew to a halt. "Marshy ground and water," Lionblaze replied. "Any cover?" "Yes, reeds and long grass. And a few trees." "What are the trees like? How big are they?" Jaypaw was beginning to sound excited. "What are their roots like?" "Small trees," Hollyleaf replied, wondering what was going through her brother's mind. "Their roots look quite long and shallow, at least as far as I can see." Jaypaw fell silent, motionless except for his whiskers quivering. "I don't see what we can do here," Hollyleaf mewed anxiously, wondering if they should have chosen somewhere else. "There's nothing to—" "Shut up, I'm thinking," Jaypaw snapped. Hollyleaf exchanged a glance with Lionblaze.

一团团干枯的草和莎草，还有几棵细细的小树苗，树根都泡在水里 这里弥漫着潮湿发霉的气味，空气沉重又安静 “你能看到什么？” 猫群停下脚步后，松鸦爪开口问道 “沼泽地和水，”狮焰回答 “有能藏身的地方吗？” “有，芦苇和长草 还有几棵树。” “树是什么样的 多大了？” 松鸦爪的声音听起来渐渐兴奋起来 “树根是什么样的？”“是小树，”冬青叶回答，好奇弟弟心里在想什么 “就我能看到的，树根很长，扎得很浅。” 松鸦爪陷入沉默，一动不动，只有胡须在微微颤抖 “我看不出我们在这里能做什么，”冬青叶焦急地说道，心里怀疑他们是不是该选别的地方 “这里什么都——”“闭嘴，我在思考，”松鸦爪厉声打断她 冬青叶和狮焰对视了一眼

"Leave him alone," her brother whispered. "If any cat can work this out, he can." Hollyleaf hoped he was right. Trying to push down her impatience, she kept an eye on the three apprentices, who were stalking around the edge of the marshy ground, looking for prey. "Nothing but pond flies!" Dawnpaw exclaimed indignantly. "These trees." Jaypaw broke his silence at last. "Do any of them look as if they could be knocked over?" What? Has he gone completely mouse- brained? Hollyleaf flexed her claws and forced herself not to speak. "I'll check," Lionblaze mewed. "There might be a few." He splashed off into the marsh with water brushing his belly fur and pondweed sticking to his golden pelt. The three apprentices left their hunt to watch, and Hollyleaf waited anxiously while Lionblaze circled several of the trees, giving their trunks a good sniff, then came splashing back. "I think we could do it," he reported. "I could

‘别管他，’她哥哥轻声说。 ‘要是有哪只猫能搞定这事，肯定就是他。’ 冬青叶真希望他是对的。 她按捺住心底的不耐烦，盯着三个学徒——他们正沿着沼泽边缘缓步搜寻猎物。 ‘除了池塘飞虫什么都没有！’ 曙爪愤愤地嚷道。 ‘就是那些树。’ 松鸦爪终于打破了沉默。 ‘你们看哪棵树看起来能被推倒？’ 什么？ 他是不是彻底变鼠脑袋了？ 冬青叶绷紧爪子，强迫自己没有开口。 ‘我去看看，’狮焰轻声说。 ‘说不定能找到几棵。’ 他溅着水冲进沼泽，泥水没过他的腹毛，水草挂在他金色的皮毛上。 三个学徒停下狩猎观望，冬青叶焦急地等待着，狮焰绕着几棵树走了一圈，仔细嗅过树干，才溅着水走了回来。 ‘我觉得我们能推倒，’他汇报道。 我能

feel roots under my paws, so we should be able to dig them up." "But why?" Hollyleaf only just stopped herself from wailing like a frustrated kit. Jaypaw's sightless blue eyes gleamed. "We're going to make it look as if ShadowClan's territory is falling down around them." Hollyleaf's heart thumped harder. Only Jaypaw would have thought of digging up trees as a message from StarClan. If it worked, it should really convince Blackfoot that following Sol was wrong. Under Jaypaw's direction, Hollyleaf and Lionblaze chose two saplings, not too far from each other. "I want them still upright, but ready to fall. And when I give the word, I want them to fall toward each other, so their branches are joined together," Jaypaw explained. "Okay, get digging." Hollyleaf waded out into the marsh, flinching as cold mud and water soaked into her fur. Dawnpaw joined her at one of the trees, while Lionblaze and Tigerpaw tackled the other. As Lionblaze had said, Hollyleaf found that

在我爪子底下能摸到树根，所以我们肯定能把它们挖倒。’ ‘可为什么要这么做？’冬青叶差点就像受挫的幼崽一样哭出来。 松鸦爪失明的蓝眼睛闪闪发亮。 ‘我们要弄出假象，就好像影族的领地要在他们脚下塌掉一样。’ 冬青叶的心跳猛地变快了。 也就只有松鸦爪，能想出挖树冒充星族预兆这招。 如果成功了，肯定能让黑脚明白追随日神是错的。 在松鸦爪的指挥下，冬青叶和狮焰选了两棵距离不远的小树苗。 ‘我要它们保持直立，但做好随时倒下的准备。 等我下令，就让它们往对方的方向倒，这样树枝就能交叠在一起，’松鸦爪解释道。 ‘好了，开始挖吧。’ 冬青叶蹚进沼泽，冰冷的泥水浸透皮毛，她不由得瑟缩了一下。 曙爪过来帮她对付这一棵树，狮焰和虎爪对付另一棵。 正如狮焰所说，冬青叶发现