Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3 Jayfeather sat still while the rest of the Clan swirled around him, buzzing with tension and excitement. "I'm scared." Jayfeather recognized Bumblekit's voice close by. "What if Sol comes into the camp and gets us?" Jayfeather heard the rasp of a tongue, and pictured Millie giving her son a comforting lick. "Sol is far away, little one," she murmured. "And there are big, strong warriors here to guard us," Daisy added. "Do you think that your father would let any cat lay a claw on you?" Bumblekit's tone brightened. "No! Graystripe is the best!" Jayfeather wished he could be reassured as easily as the kit. He knew bad times were coming. Fear, suspicion, and accusation crashed over him from all sides, as if his Clanmates were hurling rocks at him. He felt sick and dizzy, and the ground under his paws didn't seem solid anymore. Beside him, he heard Mousefur heaving herself

第三章 整个族群都在松鸦羽身旁穿梭涌动，处处弥漫着紧张兴奋的躁动，松鸦羽只是静坐着一动不动 “我好害怕。” 松鸦羽听出这是身旁黄蜂崽的声音 “要是日神闯进营地抓我们怎么办？” 松鸦羽听到舔毛的沙沙声，脑海里浮现出米莉正舔着儿子安抚他的样子 “日神离这儿远着呢，小宝贝，” 她轻声说 “而且这儿有强壮的大武士保护我们呀，” 黛西补充道 “你觉得你们的爸爸会允许别的猫碰你们一根毫毛吗？” 黄蜂崽的语气一下子明亮起来 “才不会呢！灰条是最棒的！” 松鸦羽真希望自己也能像这只幼崽一样，轻易就安下心来 他清楚糟糕的日子就要来了 恐惧、猜疑和指责从四面八方涌向他，就像族猫朝他扔石头一样 他觉得恶心头晕，爪子下的地面都好像不再结实平稳 他听到身旁的鼠毛正费力撑起身子

to her paws with a gusty sigh. "If Ashfur's killer meant to stir up trouble, mission accomplished. That cat has stuck a nose into a nest of bees by taking one of our warriors." And that cat will get stung. But Jayfeather didn't want to think about what might happen to Ashfur's murderer. He picked out Lionblaze from the mingled scents of ThunderClan cats, but his brother didn't slow down as he padded past. "So you're going to find Sol," Jayfeather called to him. Lionblaze halted. "Yes." Jayfeather was desperate to talk to his brother as they always did: easily, with nothing left unspoken. But the secret they had shared since the night of the storm made it impossible. The awkward silence was broken by Hollyleaf padding up to them. "You never told us you'd seen Sol," Jayfeather meowed. He could imagine his sister's shrug. "It didn't matter then." "Even so, you should have said something."

站起身，重重地叹了口气 “如果杀烬毛的凶手本意就是要挑起事端，那他已经得逞了 那家伙杀了我们的武士，就等于把鼻子伸进了马蜂窝” 那家伙迟早会被蛰的 可松鸦羽根本不想去想烬毛的凶手会落得什么下场 他在雷族猫混杂的气味里分辨出狮焰的气味，可哥哥走过他身边时，半刻都没有放慢脚步 “所以你要去找日神，对不对？”松鸦羽对着他喊 狮焰停住了脚步 “对。” 松鸦羽迫切想像从前那样和哥哥好好聊聊：轻轻松松，没有任何隐瞒 可自从那个暴风雨之夜后，他们共同保守的秘密让这一切都不可能了 冬青叶走到他们身边，打破了尴尬的沉默 “你从来没告诉过我们你见过日神，”松鸦羽说 他都能想象出妹妹耸肩的样子 “那时候这事根本不重要。” “就算不重要，你也该说一声的。”

Lionblaze sounded upset. "You know Sol was supposed to help us with the prophecy." "What prophecy?" Hollyleaf snapped. "There isn't a prophecy, as far as we're concerned." "You didn't know that when you saw Sol." Jayfeather winced as he listened to them bicker. There was no point to their argument, except that it stopped them from discussing the only thing that mattered: whether any of them believed that Sol had killed Ashfur. I'm glad I'm not going, he told himself. I don't want to listen to them all the way to the sun- drown-place and back! Leafpool's voice cut across his thoughts. "Jayfeather, there you are! I want you to come help me prepare herbs for the patrol." "Okay, coming." He rose to his paws and followed his mentor back to the medicine cats" den, leaving Hollyleaf and Lionblaze to their squabbling. As soon as he brushed past the bramble screen, his mouth filled with the scent of the traveling herbs. "I've laid everything out," Leafpool told him. "We just have to make them into leaf wraps."

狮焰听起来很不高兴 “你明明知道日神本来要帮我们完成预言的” “什么预言？” 冬青叶厉声说 “在我们看来，根本就没有什么预言” “你见到日神的时候，你还不知道这个” 听着他们争吵，松鸦羽只觉得浑身不舒服 这场争吵毫无意义，不过是为了避开唯一真正重要的事：他们到底有没有人相信日神杀了烬毛 还好我不用去，他暗自想道 我可不想一路听他们吵到太阳沉落之地再吵回来！ 叶池的声音打断了他的思绪 “松鸦羽，你在这儿啊！ 我要你过来帮我准备给巡逻队的药草。” “好，我这就来。” 他站起身，跟着导师走回巫医巢穴，留下冬青叶和狮焰继续争吵 他刚蹭过荆条屏障走进去，嘴里就满是旅途药草的气味 “我已经把所有东西摆好了，”叶池对他说 “我们只需要把它们包成叶包就好了。”

It was a relief to have something to distract him, but the task was soon done, and he emerged into the clearing again with a leaf wrap for Brambleclaw clamped between his jaws. By now the excitement over the patrol was beginning to die down, and the cats were returning to their dens. Distinguishing Brambleclaw's scent from the tang of the herbs he carried was difficult, but Jayfeather finally located him with Squirrelflight near the fresh-kill pile. "I wish you were coming with us," Brambleclaw was mewing to his mate as Jayfeather padded up. "We have so many good memories from that journey." Jayfeather caught the wistful note in his voice. It was as if the Clan deputy was looking back to a good time that was over, and regretting everything that had gone wrong since. I wonder if he knows how wrong? "I wish I was coming, too," Squirrelflight replied, her voice subdued. "But I'm probably not fit enough for a long journey, after the wound I took in the battle." "There's no need to worry about Sol, you

能有事分心让他松了口气，可活很快就做完了，他把给黑莓掌的叶包叼在嘴里，再次走出到空地上 这会儿巡逻队出发前的兴奋已经慢慢退去，猫咪们都陆续回窝了 要在他身上的药草气味里分辨出黑莓掌的气味很难，但松鸦羽最终还是找到了他，他正和松鼠飞待在新鲜猎物堆旁边 松鸦羽走过去的时候，黑莓掌正对着自己的伴侣说：“真希望你能跟我们一起去 “那次旅程我们留下了那么多美好的回忆。” 松鸦羽听出了他语气里的怅惘怀念 就像这位雷族副族长在怀念已经逝去的美好时光，为之后发生的所有错事感到遗憾 不知道他清楚事情错到什么地步呢？ “我也希望我能跟去，”松鼠飞低声回答 “可我上次战斗受伤后，身体大概撑不住这么长的路程了。” “你不用为日神担心，你

know," Brambleclaw reassured her. "I'll keep you safe." "I know." Squirrelflight sighed. Jayfeather's pelt prickled. Squirrelflight had never needed another cat to keep her safe! Once she would have clawed the ears off any cat who suggested it. But now she sounded... broken; waves of guilt and longing were coming from her, so strongly that Jayfeather almost felt sorry for her. He brushed past her and set the wrap of herbs down at Brambleclaw's paws. "Here," he announced. "Traveling herbs. Eat them all, and get plenty of rest before tomorrow." "Thanks, Jayfeather." "Hey, Brambleclaw!" Graystripe's voice came from across the clearing; Jayfeather heard his paw steps as he bounded up. "Firestar wants me to act as deputy while you're away. Can I have a word with you about border patrols?" "Sure." Brambleclaw gulped the herbs down quickly. "What do you want to know?" "Well, I think a few cats are still worried about WindClan..."

“我知道，”黑莓掌安慰她。 “我会保护你平安的。” “我知道。” 松鼠飞叹了口气。 松鸦羽浑身皮毛一阵发紧。 松鼠飞从来都不需要别的猫保护她！ 换作以前，谁敢说这种话，她早就挠掉对方的耳朵了。 可现在她的声音听着…崩溃了； 愧疚和渴望一波波从她身上散出来，强烈得让松鸦羽都差点同情她了。 他擦过她身旁，把包好的草药放到黑莓掌的爪边。 “喏，”他开口说。 “赶路用的草药。 全部吃掉，明天之前好好休息。” “谢谢你，松鸦羽。” “嘿，黑莓掌！” 灰条的声音从空地对面传来；松鸦羽听见他奔过来的脚步声。 “火星让我在你外出时代理副族长。 我能和你谈谈边境巡逻的事吗？” “当然。” 黑莓掌很快把草药吞了下去。 “你想知道什么？” “唉，我觉得还有不少猫担心风族……”

The voices of the two toms faded as they padded across the clearing. Jayfeather had turned back toward his den when Squirrelflight intercepted him. "Jayfeather, I want to talk to you." "There's nothing left to say," Jayfeather snapped. And I don't want to hear anything you might have to tell me. He veered around the cat he had thought was his mother and headed toward his den. He felt hollow, as if a vast emptiness had opened up inside him. For so long he had depended on the prophecy to tell him who he was and what his destiny would be; without it, was he going to be just a medicine cat for the rest of his life? And where's the cat who gave birth to us? What happened to her? Jayfeather hated feeling that he wasn't in control anymore. Unsettled, he blundered into the brambles that screened the medicine cats" den. His paws tangled in a long tendril; thorns raked through his pelt and scratched his nose. He let out a startled yowl. "Jayfeather!" Leafpool was instantly by his side. "Keep still. I'll get you out."

两只公猫缓步穿过空地，声音渐渐远去。 松鸦羽刚转身回自己的巢穴，松鼠飞就拦住了他。 “松鸦羽，我想和你谈谈。” “没什么好说的了，”松鸦羽厉声打断她。 我也不想听你要说的任何话。 他绕开这个他曾以为是自己母亲的猫，朝巢穴走去。 他觉得内心空落落的，好像身体里裂开了一个巨大的洞。 长久以来，他一直靠着预言认清自己、知晓自己的天命； 没有了预言，他余下的猫生就只能做个普通巫医了吗？ 那生下我们的母猫现在在哪里？ 她到底出了什么事？ 松鸦羽讨厌这种再也掌控不了一切的感觉。 他心神不宁，一头撞进了挡住巫医巢穴的荆棘丛里。 他的爪子缠在了长荆条上，刺划破了他的皮毛，划伤了他的鼻子。 他吃惊地号叫了一声。 “松鸦羽！” 叶池立刻就来到了他身边。 “别动。 我帮你出来。”