Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6 Fireheart pressed his body warningly against Graystripe, who had padded out to join him. They had to show no threat if they were to survive. The WindClan warriors stood their ground without moving a muscle. They're waiting for a signal from their leader! Fireheart realized. They still follow the warrior code, even though they have to live like this. From behind the line of warriors, a black-and- white tom weaved his way to the front. With a jolt, Fireheart recognized the long-tailed cat from his dream. This must be Tallstar, leader of WindClan. Tallstar sniffed the air, but Fireheart and Graystripe were downwind, their scents carried away by the steady breeze. As the black-and- white cat walked toward them, Fireheart breathed in the rank odor of crowfood that hung on his coat. Like Graystripe, he remained perfectly still, his eyes down, as Tallstar circled them, sniffing their fur closely. Finally Tallstar returned to his warriors.

第六章火心把自己的身体紧紧地贴在已经走出来和他会合的灰条纹身上，发出警告。 如果他们想活下去，就不能表现出任何威胁。 风氏族的战士们纹丝不动地站在原地。 他们在等首领的信号！Fireheart实现。 他们仍然遵循着战士的准则，即使他们不得不这样生活。 从战士队伍的后面，一只黑白相间的汤姆蜿蜒地走到前面。 火心猛地一惊，认出了梦中出现的那只长尾猫。 这一定是塔斯特，风氏族的首领。 高星嗅了嗅空气，但火心和灰条在下风，他们的气味被稳定的微风吹走了。 当那只黑白相间的猫向他们走来时，火心闻到了挂在外套上的乌鸦食的臭味。 和灰条一样，他一动不动，低着眼睛，而高斯塔围着他们转，仔细嗅着他们的皮毛。 最后，高星回到了他的战士们身边。

Fireheart heard him murmur, "ThunderClan." The warriors flattened their fur, but remained in a defensive line, shielding the rest of the cats. Tallstar turned to face his visitors and sat down, curling his tail carefully around his paws. "I was expecting ShadowClan," he growled. His eyes burned with hostility. "Why are you here?" "We came to find you," Fireheart meowed, feeling his voice crack with tension. "Bluestar and the other Clan leaders want you to return to your home." The WindClan leader's voice was still wary. "That land is not safe for my Clan anymore," he meowed. There was a hunted look in Tallstar's eye that sent a pang of sorrow through Fireheart. "ShadowClan has driven out Brokenstar," he meowed. "He is no longer a threat." The warriors behind Tallstar turned and looked at one another. Murmurs of surprise rippled back through the Clan. "You must return as soon as possible," Fireheart urged. "ShadowClan and RiverClan are starting to hunt in the uplands. We saw a RiverClan hunting patrol near the old badger set

火心听见他低声说：“雷族。” 战士们把自己的皮毛压平，但仍保持着防线，保护着其他的猫科动物。 高星转过身来面对他的客人，坐了下来，小心地把尾巴卷在爪子周围。 “我还以为是影族呢。”他咆哮道。 他的眼睛里充满敌意。 “你为什么在这里？”“我们是来找你的。”火心叫道，感觉自己的声音因紧张而嘶哑。 “蓝星和其他氏族首领想让你回家。” 风氏族首领的声音仍然很谨慎。 “那片土地对我的部落来说不再安全了。”他喵喵地说。 高星的眼睛里有一种被追捕的眼神，火心顿时感到一阵悲痛。 “暗影氏族赶走了失恋之星。”他叫道。 “他不再是一个威胁。” 高星身后的战士们转过身来，面面相觑。 惊讶的低语在氏族中回荡。 “你必须尽快回来。”火心催促道。 “暗影氏族和河流氏族开始在高地狩猎。 我们在老獾群附近看到一支河族狩猎巡逻队

while we were on our way here." Tallstar bristled angrily. "But they are poor rabbit hunters," Graystripe added. "I think they went home with empty bellies." Tallstar and his warriors purred with satisfaction. Their good spirits encouraged Fireheart, but he could see how weak they were. This Clan would find the journey back to the uplands long and hard. "May we travel with you?" he suggested respectfully. Tallstar's eyes flashed. He knew the question was a tactful offer of help. He looked steadily at Fireheart. "Yes," he replied at last. "Thank you." Fireheart realized he hadn't introduced himself. "This is Graystripe," he meowed, dipping his head. "And I am Fireheart. We are warriors of ThunderClan." "Fireheart," repeated Tallstar thoughtfully. Sunlight was flooding through the gap in the roof now, making Fireheart's orange pelt glow in the dim tunnel. "The name suits you." Another monster roared overhead. Fireheart and Graystripe flinched. Tallstar watched them

在我们来这里的路上。” 高斯塔尔怒不可遏。 “但他们是可怜的猎兔人，”格雷斯特补充说。 “我想他们是空着肚子回家的。” 塔尔斯特和他的战士们满意地发出呼噜声。 他们的好心情鼓舞了火心，但他看得出他们是多么的软弱。 这个部落会发现返回高地的旅程漫长而艰难。 “我们可以和你一起去吗？”他恭敬地建议道。 塔尔斯塔的眼睛闪着光。他知道这个问题是一种委婉的提供帮助。 他目不转睛地看着火心。 “是的，”他最后回答。 “谢谢你。”火心意识到他还没有自我介绍。 “这是灰条。”他低着头叫道。 “我就是火心。我们是雷霆氏族的战士。” “火心。”高斯塔若有所思地重复道。 阳光正从屋顶的缝隙里照进来，火心的橙色皮毛在昏暗的隧道里闪闪发光。 “这个名字很适合你。”另一个怪物在头顶咆哮。 火心和灰条退缩了。 高斯塔尔看着他们

with amusement and flicked his tail. It must have been a signal, for the line of warriors behind him split up. "We shall leave at once," he announced, standing up. "Are we all fit for the journey?" Tallstar asked as the warriors began to move among the queens and elders. "All except Morningflower's kit," replied a mottled brown warrior. "He is too young." "Then we must take turns carrying him," answered Tallstar. The WindClan cats shuffled forward, their eyes dull with pain and exhaustion. A tortoiseshell queen was holding a tiny kit gently by the scruff of its neck. The little creature's eyes were hardly open. "Ready?" called Tallstar. A black tom with a misshapen paw looked around the Clan and answered for them. "Ready," he meowed. Fireheart and Graystripe turned and made their way back to the tunnel entrance and waited while the WindClan cats emerged blinking into the daylight. Some of the elders blinked so long,

开心地摇了摇尾巴。 这一定是一个信号，因为他身后的一排战士散开了。 “我们马上就走。”他宣布，站了起来。 “我们都能上路吗？”当战士们开始在女王和长老之间移动时，高斯塔尔问道。 “除了晨花的装备，其他的都有。”一个棕色皮肤斑驳的战士回答。 “他太年轻了。”“那么我们必须轮流抬他。”高司达回答。 风氏族的猫们拖着脚步向前走，他们的眼睛因痛苦和疲惫而变得迟钝。 一只玳瑁女王正轻轻地把一个小工具箱放在颈背上。 这个小家伙的眼睛几乎没有睁开。 “准备好了吗？”高星喊道。一只长着畸形爪子的黑汤姆环视了一下氏族，替他们回答。 “准备好了。”他叫道。火心和灰条纹转身回到隧道入口，等着风氏族的猫眨着眼睛出现在日光下。 有些长者眨了很久的眼睛，

their faces screwed up against the weak sun, that Fireheart guessed they had not been outside the tunnel for some time. Tallstar padded out of the tunnel last of all and walked to the head of his Clan. "Shall we take you back the way we came?" Fireheart asked him. "I believe it's a shortcut." "Is it safe?" asked Tallstar. Fireheart saw the hunted look once more in the leader's eyes. "We met no trouble coming here," Graystripe meowed. Tallstar flicked his tail decisively, as though he were brushing away any doubt. "Good," he declared. "You come with me, Graystripe. Show me the way. Fireheart, travel beside the Clan. Tell my deputy if you see trouble." "Which one is he?" asked Fireheart. Tallstar nodded toward the black tom. "Deadfoot," he meowed. The warrior turned at the sound of his name and pricked his ears. Fireheart dipped his head in greeting. He left Graystripe with Tallstar and joined the other cats. As the Clan made their way under the Thunderpath arch, Fireheart could still smell the

在微弱的阳光下，他们皱起了脸，火心猜想他们已经有一段时间没有离开隧道了。 高斯塔尔最后一个走出隧道，走到他部族的首领面前。 “我们原路送你回去好吗？”火心问他。 “我相信这是一条捷径。” “安全吗？”塔尔斯特问。 火心又一次从首领的眼睛里看到了被追捕的神情。 “我们来这里没遇到什么麻烦，”灰条纹喵喵地说。 高个子果断地摇了摇尾巴，好像要打消一切疑虑。 “很好，”他说。“你跟我来，灰条带。 给我指路。火心，跟着氏族走。 如果遇到麻烦就告诉我的副手。” “他是哪一个？”火心问。 高斯特朝黑汤姆点了点头。 “死脚，”他叫道。战士听到自己的名字，转过身来，竖起耳朵。 火心低下头打招呼。 他离开了灰条和高星，加入了其他猫的行列。 氏族在雷霆之路拱门下前行时，火心仍然能闻到

fire, but when they padded out onto the patch of wasteland, the Twolegs were nowhere to be seen. Graystripe headed straight for the tunnel where he and Fireheart had spent the night. Tallstar entered first, while Fireheart waited at the back until all the Clan had disappeared inside. Only Deadfoot remained. "Are you sure it leads to daylight?" the black tom meowed warily. "It just leads under the Thunderpath. Have you never used this tunnel?" Fireheart asked, surprised. "When our warriors cross the Thunderpath, they prefer to see where they're heading," growled Deadfoot. Fireheart nodded, and the deputy added, "You go first." Fireheart padded down into the dark hole. He emerged to find the WindClan cats staring across the field that led to the final Thunderpath. Fireheart saw Tallstar consult briefly with Graystripe before they set off into the long, frost- crisp grass. Fireheart walked with the rest of the Clan, flanking one side while Deadfoot limped steadily on the other.

但当他们走到那块荒地上时，特立格兄弟却不见了踪影。 灰条直奔他和火心过夜的隧道。 高星第一个进去，火心在后面等着，直到所有的氏族都消失在里面。 只剩下死脚了。“你确定这条路通向白昼吗？”黑汤姆警惕地叫着。 “它正好通到雷道下面。 你从来没有走过这条隧道吗？”火心惊讶地问。 “当我们的战士穿越雷霆之路时，他们更愿意看清自己的方向。”死脚咆哮道。 火心点点头，副手补充道：“你先走。” 火心钻进了黑洞。 他出来时发现风氏族的猫正盯着通向最后一条雷霆之路的田野。 火心看见高星和灰条商量了一会儿，然后他们就动身进入那片长长的、结霜的草地。 火心和氏族的其他成员一起走着，走在一边，而死脚则一瘸一拐地走在另一边。