Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13 As the sun sank into the forest, Fireheart waited beside the pine tree where Cinderpaw had buried her first lot of fresh-kill. He heard pawsteps and turned to see Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw padding toward him. Prey dangled from their mouths. Brackenpaw could barely hold his catch, it was so big. Fireheart felt a surge of relief. Even Tigerclaw couldn't criticize the apprentices' efforts. "I'll help carry this lot back," Fireheart offered, flicking away the covering of pine needles from Cinderpaw's stash. He dug it up, grasped the fresh-kill between his teeth, and set off back to the camp. When they arrived in the camp clearing, some of the Clan cats were already taking their share of fresh-kill from the pile. Tigerclaw must have been looking out for their return, because he padded over to them as they dropped their catch near the rest. "They caught all this themselves?" he asked, nudging the pile with a massive paw. "Oh, yes," Fireheart replied.

第十三章太阳落在森林里的时候，火心在松树旁等着，煤灰爪在那里埋了她第一批新鲜的猎物。 他听到了脚步声，转过身来，看见灰姑娘和爪子朝他走来。 猎物在它们的嘴里晃来晃去。 它太大了，爪子几乎抓不住它的猎物。 火心感到如释重负。 就连虎爪也无法批评徒弟们的努力。 “我来帮你把这些东西搬回去。”火心说着，拂开了灰猴藏起来的松针。 他把它挖了出来，用牙齿咬住了这只新鲜的猎物，然后动身返回营地。 当他们到达营地空地时，一些氏族的猫已经在从一堆新鲜的猎物中分食了。 虎爪一定是在等着他们回来，因为当他们把抓来的东西丢在其他人旁边的时候，虎爪蹑手蹑脚地走了过去。 “这些都是他们自己抓的吗？”他问，用一只巨大的爪子轻轻地碰了碰那堆东西。 “哦，是的。”火心回答。

"Good," meowed Tigerclaw. "Come and join me and Bluestar. Bring some fresh-kill for yourself; we're already eating." Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw looked at Fireheart with admiring stares—it was a privilege to eat with the Clan leader and deputy. Fireheart didn't share their excitement. He'd hoped that he would report to Bluestar alone. The last cat he wanted to share his meal with was Tigerclaw. "By the way, have you seen Graystripe?" asked Tigerclaw. Fireheart felt a pang of concern as Tigerclaw continued: "He's supposed to stay in camp while he has this cold, but I haven't seen him since sunhigh." Fireheart shifted his paws. Had Graystripe gone off looking for peace and quiet again? "No," he admitted. "Perhaps he's with Yellowfang?" "Perhaps," echoed Tigerclaw, and padded away to where Bluestar was gnawing a fat pigeon. Fireheart followed, trying to push away his growing worry about Graystripe's disappearances. He selected a small chaffinch from the pile of fresh-kill as he passed, then wished he'd chosen a vole. How was he going to give his report with a

“很好。”虎爪叫道。“来加入我和蓝星吧。 给自己带些新鲜的猎物；我们已经在吃饭了。” Cinderpaw和Brackenpaw用羡慕的目光看着火心——和氏族首领和副手一起吃饭是一种荣幸。 火心没有分享他们的兴奋。 他希望自己能独自向蓝星汇报。 他最不想和虎爪一起吃饭的猫。 “顺便问一下，你看见灰条了吗？”虎爪问。 虎爪接着说：“他感冒的时候应该呆在营地里，可是从太阳出来以后我就没见过他。”火心感到一阵担忧。 火心动了动爪子。 灰条纹又去寻找平静了吗？ “不，”他承认。“也许他和黄牙在一起？”“也许吧。”虎爪附和着，蹑手蹑脚地走到蓝星正在啃一只肥鸽子的地方。 火心跟在后面，试图消除他对格雷斯特里特失踪的日益增长的担忧。 当他经过时，他从一堆刚宰杀的猎物中挑了一只小苍头燕雀，然后后悔自己选了一只田鼠。 他要怎么写报告呢

mouthful of feathers? "Welcome, Fireheart," meowed Bluestar as Fireheart sat down in front of her. He placed the chaffinch on the ground, but decided not to start eating. "Tigerclaw tells me your apprentices caught plenty of prey." Bluestar's gaze was friendly. Tigerclaw, sitting up beside her, glared at him more critically, making Fireheart's tail twitch. "Yes. They've never hunted in the mist before, but it didn't seem to put either of them off," Fireheart meowed. "I watched Brackenpaw catch a wood mouse. His stalking was excellent." "And what about Cinderpaw?" asked Bluestar. Fireheart noticed a steely glint appear in her eyes. Was she worried about Cinderpaw's abilities? Fireheart replied, "Her hunting skills are developing well. She has lots of enthusiasm, that's for sure, and she doesn't seem to be scared of anything." "Aren't you worried that might make her reckless?" asked Bluestar. "She's quick and inquisitive, which makes her a good learner. I think that will make up for

满嘴的羽毛？“欢迎你，火心。”当火心在蓝星面前坐下时，蓝星叫道。 他把苍头燕雀放在地上，但决定不吃。 “虎爪告诉我，你的徒弟抓了很多猎物。” 蓝星的目光很友好。 虎爪坐在她身边，更加挑剔地瞪着他，弄得火心的尾巴抽动起来。 “是的。它们以前从来没有在雾中捕猎过，但这似乎并没有把它们吓跑。”火心叫道。 “我看着爪子抓了一只木鼠。 他的跟踪技术非常出色。” “那灰姑娘呢？”蓝星问。 火心注意到她的眼睛里闪现出钢铁般的光芒。 她担心灰姑娘的能力吗？ 火心回答说：“她的狩猎技术进步很快。 她有很多热情，这是肯定的，她似乎什么都不怕。” “你不担心这会让她变得鲁莽吗？”蓝星问道。 “她反应很快，很好奇，这使她成为一个很好的学习者。 我想这能弥补

her"—Fireheart searched anxiously for the right word—"eagerness." Bluestar flicked her tail. "Her eagerness, as you say, worries me," she meowed, flashing a glance at Tigerclaw. "She will need careful guidance in her training." Fireheart's spirits plummeted. Was Bluestar unhappy with his mentoring? Bluestar's eyes softened. "She was always going to be a challenge. But she is clearly turning into a fine hunter. You have done good work with her, Fireheart. With both of them, in fact." Fireheart brightened immediately, and Bluestar went on. "I've noticed how you've taken over Brackenpaw's training without being asked, and I want you to carry on mentoring them both for the time being." Tigerclaw turned his gaze away, but Fireheart didn't miss the anger that flashed in his eyes. "Thank you, Bluestar," he meowed. "I see your missing friend has returned," Tigerclaw growled without turning his head. Fireheart spun around to see Graystripe appearing from behind the nursery. "He was probably just getting some peace and quiet," he suggested. "He's still feverish, and it can't be easy

她的——火心急切地寻找合适的词——“急切”。 蓝星摇了摇尾巴。 “就像你说的，她的急切让我担心。”她喵喵地叫道，朝虎爪瞥了一眼。 “她在训练中需要仔细的指导。” 火心的情绪骤然低落。 蓝星对他的指导不满意吗？ 蓝星的眼神软化了。“她总是一个挑战。 但她显然正在变成一名优秀的猎人。 你和她相处得很好，火心。 事实上，他们两个都是。” 火心立刻高兴起来，蓝星继续说下去。 哈利说，“我注意到你是怎么未经请求就接手了布拉爪的训练，我希望你暂时继续指导他们俩。” 虎爪把目光移开，但火心没有错过他眼中闪现的愤怒。 “谢谢你，蓝星。”他喵喵地叫道。 “我看你失踪的朋友回来了。”虎爪头也不回地咆哮道。 火心转过身来，看见灰条从育儿室后面出现了。 “他可能只是想获得一些平静和安宁，”他暗示道。 “他还在发烧，这可不容易

being stuck in the camp all day." "Easy or not, he should be concentrating on getting better," meowed Tigerclaw. "Leaf-bare is no time for sickness in the camp. Mousefur was coughing on patrol this morning. I just hope StarClan protects us from greencough this season. We lost five kits to it last year." Bluestar nodded her gray head solemnly. "Let's pray this leaf-bare isn't as long or as hard. It's never an easy time for the Clans." She looked wistful for a moment, then told Fireheart, "Take that chaffinch and share it with Graystripe. He'll want to know how his apprentice did in the assessment." "Yes, Bluestar. Thanks," meowed Fireheart. He picked up the chaffinch and bounded over to the nettle clump where Graystripe had settled himself with a large wood mouse. Graystripe had eaten half of it by the time Fireheart arrived. Perhaps his cold was on the mend. As Fireheart dropped the chaffinch beside his friend, Graystripe sneezed. "Cold no better?" asked Fireheart sympathetically.

整天被困在营地里。” “不管容易不容易，他应该集中精力让自己好起来。”虎爪叫道。 “在营地里，光秃秃的不是生病的时候。 老鼠今天早上在巡逻时咳嗽。 我只希望《星际战队》在这个赛季能保护我们免受绿色的伤害。 去年我们损失了5套球衣。” 蓝星严肃地点点头。 “让我们祈祷这片落叶不会那么长，也不会那么硬。 对于氏族来说，这段时间从来都不容易。” 她若有所思地看了一会儿，然后对火心说：“把那只苍头燕雀拿去和灰条分享。 他会想知道他的学徒在评估中表现如何。” “是的,蓝星。谢谢。”火心叫道。 他捡起苍头燕雀，蹦蹦跳跳地跳到荨麻丛中，灰条纹和一只大木鼠就在那里安顿下来。 火心来时，灰条已经吃掉了一半。 也许他的感冒正在好转。 当火心把苍头燕雀扔到他朋友身边时，灰条纹打了个喷嚏。 “不冷吗？”火心同情地问。

"Nope," replied Graystripe with his mouth full. "I guess I'll have to stay in camp awhile longer." Fireheart thought his friend sounded a lot more cheerful than he had before, but he didn't want to betray his growing suspicion that Graystripe was up to something. "Brackenpaw did really well in his assessment today," he meowed. "Really?" Graystripe took another bite of mouse. "That's good." "Yeah, he's a great hunter." Fireheart started to eat his chaffinch. "Graystripe," he meowed after a long silence, "have you been out of the camp the past few days?" Graystripe stopped chewing. "Why do you ask?" Fireheart's tail twitched uncomfortably. "Well, you weren't here when I got in from last night's patrol, and Tigerclaw said he hadn't seen you since sunhigh today." "Tigerclaw?" Graystripe sounded worried. "I told him you were probably out looking for peace and quiet, or that you might be with

“不，”格雷斯特嘴里塞满了东西。 “我想我还得在营地多待一段时间。” 火心觉得他的朋友听起来比以前高兴多了，但他又不想暴露自己对灰条纹有所企图的怀疑。 “爪子今天的考试考得很好。”他喵喵地说。 “真的吗?”灰条又咬了一口老鼠。 “那就好。”“是的，他是一个伟大的猎人。” 火心开始吃他的苍头燕雀。 “灰条，”沉默了很久之后，他叫道，“这几天你离开营地了吗？”灰条停止了咀嚼。 “你为什么这么问？”火心的尾巴不安地抽搐着。 “嗯，我昨晚巡逻回来的时候你不在这里，虎爪说他从今天太阳出来就没见过你。” “Tigerclaw ?”灰条纹听起来很担心。 “我告诉他你可能出去寻找安宁，或者你可能和他在一起