Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 Fireheart shivered. His flame-colored fur was still greenleaf-light; it would be a few moons before it was thick enough to keep out cold like this. He shuffled his forepaws on the hard earth. The sky was finally growing light as dawn crept slowly in. But even though his paws were cold, Fireheart could not suppress a glow of pride. After many moons as an apprentice, he was a warrior at last. In his mind, he replayed yesterday's victory at the ShadowClan camp: Brokenstar's glittering eyes as the ShadowClan leader backed away, hissing threats, before fleeing into the trees after his traitorous companions. The remaining ShadowClan cats had been grateful to ThunderClan for helping them to get rid of their cruel leader, and for the peace ThunderClan had promised them while they recovered. Brokenstar had not just brought chaos to his own Clan—he had driven the whole of WindClan from their camp, right out of Clan territory. He had been a dark shadow in the forest since before Fireheart had left his kittypet life to join ThunderClan.

第一章 火心打了个寒颤。 他那火焰色的皮毛还留着绿叶季的轻盈； 还要再过几个月亮，皮毛才能长厚到足够挡住这样的严寒。 他在硬邦邦的泥土上挪了挪前爪。 黎明缓缓降临，天空终于渐渐亮了起来。 可就算爪子冻得冰凉，火心也压不住心底满满的骄傲。 做了好几个月的学徒，他终于成为真正的武士了。 他在脑中一遍遍回想昨天在影族营地的胜利：影族族长断星双眼闪着冷光，连连后退，嘶声放出狠话，随后跟着他那群叛徒同伙逃进了树林。 剩下的影族猫都很感激雷族帮他们赶走了残暴的族长，也感激雷族承诺在他们重整家园时给予和平。 断星不仅搅乱了自己的族群，还把整个风族都赶出了营地，赶出了他们的领地。 早在火心离开宠物猫生活、加入雷族之前，他就一直是森林里挥之不去的黑影。

But for Fireheart, there was another shadow troubling his mind: Tigerclaw, ThunderClan's deputy. Fireheart shivered as he thought of the great ThunderClan warrior who had terrorized his apprentice, Ravenpaw. In the end, Fireheart and his best friend, Graystripe, had helped the frightened apprentice to escape into the Twoleg territory beyond the uplands. Afterward, Fireheart had told the Clan that Ravenpaw had been killed by ShadowClan. If what Ravenpaw said about Tigerclaw was true, it was best if the ThunderClan deputy believed his apprentice had died, for he knew a secret Tigerclaw would do anything to conceal. Ravenpaw had told Fireheart that the mighty tabby warrior had murdered Redtail, the old ThunderClan deputy, in the hope that he would become the new deputy…which, eventually, he had. Fireheart shook his head to clear it of these dark thoughts and turned to glance at Graystripe sitting beside him. Graystripe's thick gray fur was ruffled up against the cold. Fireheart guessed he was looking forward to the first rays of sunshine

但对火心来说，还有另一团阴影困扰着他：那就是雷族的副族长虎掌。 一想到这位强大的雷族武士一直恐吓自己的学徒乌爪，火心不由得又打了个寒颤。 最后，火心和他最好的朋友灰条一起，帮助这只受惊的学徒逃到了高地外的两脚兽领地。 之后，火心告诉全族，乌爪已经被影族杀害了。 如果乌爪对虎掌的说法是真的，那最好让这位雷族副族长相信他的学徒已经死了，因为乌爪知道一个虎掌不惜一切也要掩盖的秘密。 乌爪告诉火心，这只强壮的斑毛武士杀害了雷族前任副族长红尾，就是为了坐上副族长的位置……而最后，他确实成功了。 火心晃了晃脑袋，甩开这些黑暗的念头，转头看向坐在自己身边的灰条。 灰条厚实的灰色皮毛蓬起来抵御寒气。 火心猜，他也在盼着第一缕阳光降临。

too, but he didn't say this out loud. Clan tradition demanded silence on this night. This was their vigil—the night when a new warrior guarded the Clan and reflected on his new name and status. Until last night, Fireheart had been known by his apprentice name of Firepaw. Halftail was one of the first cats to wake. Fireheart could see the old cat moving among the shadows in the elders" den. He glanced toward the warriors" den at the other side of the clearing. Through the branches that sheltered the den, he recognized the broad shoulders of Tigerclaw as he slept. At the foot of Highrock, the lichen that draped the entrance to Bluestar's den twitched, and Fireheart saw his Clan leader push her way out. She stopped and lifted her head to sniff the air. Then she padded silently out of Highrock's shadow, her long fur glowing blue-gray in the dawn light. I must warn her about Tigerclaw, thought Fireheart. Bluestar had mourned Redtail's death with the rest of the Clan, believing him to have been killed in battle by Oakheart, the deputy of RiverClan. Fireheart had hesitated before,

他也同样盼着日出，但没有把这句话说出口。 族群传统要求今夜必须保持沉默。 这是他们的守夜仪式——新武士要在这一夜守卫族群，思考自己的新名字和新身份。 直到昨夜，火心还一直用着他的学徒名火爪。 半尾是最早醒过来的猫之一。 火心能看见这只老猫在长老巢穴的阴影里走动。 他朝空地另一侧的武士巢穴望去。 透过遮蔽巢穴的树枝，他认出熟睡中的虎掌那宽厚的肩膀。 高岩脚下，盖住蓝星巢穴入口的地衣动了动，火心看见他们的族长从里面走了出来。 她停下脚步，抬起头嗅了嗅空气。 接着她静悄悄地走出高岩的阴影，修长的毛发在晨光里泛着蓝灰色的光泽。 我必须提醒她虎掌的事，火心想。 蓝星和全族一起哀悼红尾的死，一直以为红尾是在战斗中被河族副族长橡心杀死的。 在此之前，火心一直犹豫不决，

knowing how important Tigerclaw was to her, but the danger was too great. Bluestar needed to know that her Clan was harboring a cold-blooded murderer. Tigerclaw emerged from the warriors" den and met Bluestar at the edge of the clearing. He murmured something to her, his tail flicking urgently. Fireheart stifled his instinctive meow of greeting. The sky was growing light, but until he knew for sure that the sun was above the horizon, he dared not break his silence. Impatience fluttered in his chest like a trapped bird. He must speak with Bluestar as soon as he could. But for now, all he could do was nod respectfully at the two cats as they passed him. Beside him, Graystripe nudged Fireheart and pointed upward with his nose. An orange glow was just visible on the horizon. "Glad to see the dawn, you two?" Whitestorm's deep meow took Fireheart by surprise. He had not noticed the white warrior approaching. Fireheart and Graystripe nodded together.

他清楚虎掌对蓝星来说有多重要，但眼下危险已经太大了。 蓝星需要知道，她的族群里藏着一个冷血杀手。 虎掌从武士巢穴走出来，在空地边缘遇上了蓝星。 他低声对她说了些什么，尾巴急切地甩动着。 火心压下了本能想要打招呼的叫声。 天空越来越亮，但在确定太阳升到地平线之上前，他不敢打破沉默。 焦躁就像一只困鸟，在他的胸口扑腾。 他必须尽快和蓝星谈谈。 可现在，他能做的只有在两只猫经过时，恭敬地冲他们点头。 他身边的灰条用鼻子碰了碰火心，朝上方指了指。 地平线上已经能看见一抹橘色的晨光。 "你们俩很高兴看到天亮吧？" 白风低沉的声音吓了火心一跳。 他根本没发现这只白色武士走了过来。 火心和灰条一起点了点头。

"It's all right; you may speak now. Your vigil is over." Whitestorm's voice was kind. Yesterday he had fought side by side with Fireheart and Graystripe in the battle with ShadowClan. There was a new respect in his eyes as he looked at them. "Thank you, Whitestorm," Fireheart meowed gratefully. He stood and stretched his stiff legs one at a time. Graystripe pushed himself up too. "Brrrrr!" he meowed, shaking the chill from his fur. "I thought the sun would never come up!" A scornful voice mewed from outside the apprentices" den. "The great warrior speaks!" It was Sandpaw, her pale orange coat fluffed up with hostility. Dustpaw was sitting beside her. With his dark tabby pelt, he looked like Sandpaw's shadow. He puffed out his chest importantly and mocked, "I'm surprised such heroes even feel the cold!" Sandpaw purred with amusement. Whitestorm shot them a stern look. "Go and find something to eat; then rest," he ordered Fireheart and Graystripe. The older warrior

“没关系了，你们现在可以说话了。 你们的守夜结束了。” 白风的语气很温和。 昨天他刚刚和火心、灰条并肩作战，一起对抗影族。 他看着他俩，眼神里多了几分尊重。 “谢谢你，白风。”火心感激地轻声说。 他站起身，一条接一条地伸了伸僵硬的腿。 灰条也爬了起来。 “呼——好冷啊！” 他边说边抖掉毛上的寒气。 “我还以为太阳永远都不会升起来了！” 学徒巢穴外面传来一声轻蔑的喵叫。 “哟，大武士开口了！” 是沙爪，她浅橘色的毛炸着，满是敌意。 尘爪坐在她旁边。 他长着深虎斑毛，看起来就像沙爪的影子。 他神气地挺起胸口嘲讽道：“这么厉害的英雄居然也会怕冷，我可太惊讶了！” 沙爪被逗得咕噜噜笑了起来。 白风狠狠瞪了他俩一眼。 “去找点东西吃，然后休息。”他吩咐火心和灰条。 这位年长的武士

turned away and padded toward the apprentices" den. "Come on, you two," he meowed to Sandpaw and Dustpaw. "It's time for your training." "I hope he has them chasing blue squirrels all day!" Graystripe hissed to Fireheart as they headed toward the corner where a few pieces of fresh-kill remained from last night. "But there aren't any blue squirrels," Fireheart mewed in confusion. "Precisely!" Graystripe's amber eyes gleamed. "You can't exactly blame them. They did begin their training before us," Fireheart pointed out mildly. "If they'd fought in the battle yesterday, they'd probably have been made warriors too." "I suppose." Graystripe shrugged. "Hey, look!" They'd reached the fresh-kill pile. "One mouse each and a chaffinch to share!" The two friends picked up their meal and looked at each other. Graystripe's eyes suddenly sparkled with delight. "I suppose we take it to the warriors" side of the camp now," he meowed. "I suppose we do," Fireheart purred, padding after his friend to the patch of nettles where they

转身走向学徒巢穴。 “走吧，你俩，”他对沙爪和尘爪说。 “该去训练了。” “我希望他让他俩追一天蓝松鼠！” 他俩走向昨晚剩下几块猎物的角落时，灰条对着火心低声抱怨。 “可是根本就没有蓝松鼠啊。”火心困惑地说。 “就是啊！” 灰条琥珀色的眼睛亮闪闪的。 “你也不能怪他们， 他俩确实比我们早开始训练呀。”火心温和地说道。 “要是他们昨天也参加战斗，说不定也成武士了。” “大概吧。” 灰条耸耸肩。 “嘿，你看！” 他俩已经走到猎物堆这儿了。 “一人一只老鼠，还能分一只苍头燕雀！” 两个好朋友拿起自己的食物，对视了一眼。 灰条的眼睛突然亮起来，满是欣喜。 “我们现在该把食物拿到营地的武士区去了吧？”他说。 “是啊。”火心满足地咕噜着，跟在朋友身后走到那片荨麻地——以前他们