Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11 "Great StarClan!" breathed Sandstorm. The other two cats grunted in agreement, but Fireheart was speechless with horror. He had instantly recognized the shining expanse of water, and now he recalled Spottedleaf's ominous words: "Water can quench fire." Fear chilled him as he struggled to understand how this flood could threaten his Clan, so that he was hardly aware of Graystripe trying to attract his attention until the big gray cat pressed up close to his side. Panic flared in Graystripe's amber eyes, and Fireheart didn't need to ask why. His friend was afraid for Silverstream. The land was lower on the RiverClan bank, so the floodwaters could spread much farther. As for the camp on the island… Fireheart wondered how much of that was underwater. He had grown to like Silverstream in spite of his concerns, and he felt a grudging respect for Mistyfoot and Graypool, too. He didn't want to imagine them driven out of their camp, or worse, drowned. Runningwind had padded right to the water's edge and was gazing out across the river.

第十一章“伟大的星族！”沙暴轻声说道。 其他两只猫哼了一声表示同意，但火心吓得说不出话来。 他立刻认出了那片闪闪发光的水域，这时他想起了点点树叶那句不祥的话：“水可以灭火。” 恐惧使他浑身发冷，他竭力想弄明白这场洪水是如何威胁到他的部落的，所以他几乎没有意识到灰条试图引起他的注意，直到那只大灰猫靠近他的身边。 灰条纹琥珀色的眼睛里闪现出恐慌，火心无需问为什么。 他的朋友很担心银溪。 这片土地在河族河岸上地势较低，所以洪水可以蔓延得更远。 至于岛上的营地，火心想知道有多少是在水下。 尽管有顾虑，他还是渐渐喜欢上了银溪，他也勉强对迷雾脚和格雷普产生了敬意。 他不愿想象他们被赶出营地，或者更糟，淹死。 流风已经爬到水边，凝视着河对面。

"RiverClan isn't going to like this," he remarked. "And a good thing, too. It'll keep them off our territory." Fireheart felt Graystripe tense at the note of satisfaction in Runningwind's voice. He shot his friend a warning glance. "Well, we can't patrol the border now," he pointed out. "We'd better get back to camp and report this. Come on, Graystripe," he added firmly, seeing the warrior look once more with anguish across the swollen river. As soon as Bluestar heard the news she leaped to the top of the Highrock and gave the familiar call: "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." At once cats began to pour out of their dens and into the clearing. Fireheart took his place at the front of the crowd, noticing with a prickle of annoyance that Cloudkit had come bouncing along after Brindleface, although he was too young to attend the meeting. He saw Yellowfang and Cinderpaw listening from the mouth of the

“河族不会喜欢这样的，”他说。 “这也是一件好事。这样他们就不会进入我们的领土了。” 火心听到奔风的声音里流露出满意的神情，感到灰条纹紧张起来。 他警告地瞥了他的朋友一眼。 “好吧，我们现在不能在边境巡逻了，”他指出。 “我们最好回营地报告一下。 来吧，灰条。”他看到勇士又一次痛苦地望着涨水的河水，坚定地加了一句。 蓝星一听到这个消息，就跳上海岩崖顶，发出熟悉的叫声：“让所有能自己抓猎物的猫到海岩崖下面集合，开部落会议。” 猫们立刻开始从洞穴里涌出来，来到空地上。 火心站在人群的最前面，他注意到云kit在布林德尔脸后面蹦蹦跳跳地走着，虽然他太年轻了，不能参加会议。 他看见黄牙牙和灰爪在洞口偷听

fern tunnel. Even Brokentail emerged from his den, nudged along by Mousefur. The bright morning was coming to an end. Clouds were massing to cover the face of the sun, and the gentle breeze had strengthened until a stiff wind blew across the clearing, flattening the fur of the cats who crouched around the Highrock. Fireheart shivered, and didn't know whether it was from cold or apprehension. "Cats of ThunderClan," meowed Bluestar. "Our camp may be in danger. The snow has gone, but the river has burst its banks. Part of our territory is already flooded." A chorus of dismay rose from the Clan, but Bluestar raised her voice above the yowls. "Fireheart, tell the Clan what you have seen." Fireheart stood up and described how the river had overflowed near the Sunningrocks. "It doesn't sound that dangerous to us," meowed Darkstripe when he had finished. "We have plenty of territory left for prey. Let RiverClan worry about the floods." A murmur of approval broke out, although Fireheart noticed that Tigerclaw stayed silent. He

蕨类植物隧道。就连布罗肯泰尔也从他的窝里钻了出来，被鼠毛推着往前走。 明亮的早晨即将结束。 乌云密布，遮住了太阳的脸，微风也越来越强，最后刮过空地，刮平了蹲在海岩附近的猫的皮毛。 火心哆嗦了一下，不知道是冷还是害怕。 “雷霆家族的猫，”蓝星叫道。 “我们的营地可能有危险。 雪已经退了，但河水已经决堤了。 我们的部分领土已经被淹没了。” 氏族中响起了一片沮丧的合唱，但蓝星的声音盖过了哀嚎。 “火心，告诉氏族你看到了什么。” 火心站起来，描述了河是如何在桑宁岩附近泛滥的。 “对我们来说，这听起来并不那么危险。” “我们有足够的领土留给猎物。 让河族去操心洪水吧。” 一阵赞许的低语爆发出来，但火心注意到虎爪没有说话。 他

sat at the base of the Highrock, motionless except for the twitching tip of his tail. "Silence!" spat Bluestar. "The water could spread here before we know it. Something like this is bigger than Clan rivalry. I don't want to hear that any RiverClan cats have died from these floods." Fireheart noticed a hot glow in her eyes as she spoke, as if her words meant more than she had said. Puzzled, he remembered how angry Bluestar had been with him for speaking to RiverClan warriors; yet now her strength of feeling suggested a current of sympathy running deep within her. Patchpelt spoke up from among the elders. "I remember the last time the river overflowed, many moons ago. Cats from all Clans drowned. Prey drowned, too, and we went hungry even though our paws stayed dry. This is not just RiverClan's problem." "Well said, Patchpelt," meowed Bluestar. "I remember those days, too, and I hoped I would never have to see such times again. But since it has happened, these are my orders: No cat is to go out alone. Kits and apprentices must not leave the

它坐在高岩石的底部，除了尾巴尖在抽动之外，一动不动。 “安静！”蓝星啐道。“水可能会在我们意识到之前蔓延到这里。 这种事比氏族之争更重要。 我可不想听到河族的猫死于洪水。” 火心注意到她说话时眼睛里闪烁着炽热的光芒，似乎她的话比她说的更有意义。 他疑惑不解，想起蓝星曾因为他对河族战士说话而对他大发雷霆；然而现在她强烈的感情表明她内心深处涌动着一股同情之流。 Patchpelt从长老中大声说。 “我记得上次河水泛滥，是在许多个月以前。 所有部落的猫都被淹死了。 猎物也被淹死了，尽管我们的爪子是干的，但我们还是饿了。 这不仅仅是RiverClan的问题。” “说得好，补丁。”蓝星叫道。 “我也记得那些日子，我希望我永远不会再看到这样的时刻。 但既然已经发生了，这就是我的命令：任何猫都不能单独外出。 工具包和学徒不得离开

camp without at least one warrior. Patrols will go out to discover how far the floods reach— Tigerclaw, see to it." "Yes, Bluestar," meowed the deputy. "I'll send out hunting patrols, too. We must build up a stock of prey before the water rises any farther." "Good idea," agreed Bluestar. She raised her voice again to address the whole Clan. "The meeting is over. Go to your duties." She leaped down lightly from the Highrock and padded across to talk with Patchpelt and the other elders. Fireheart was waiting to see if Tigerclaw would choose him for a patrol when he noticed Graystripe edging away from the circle of cats. Fireheart headed after him, and caught up just as he broke for the gorse tunnel. "Where do you think you're going?" he hissed in the gray warrior's ear. "Bluestar just said that no cat should go out alone." Graystripe turned a panicky look on him. "Fireheart, I have to see Silverstream," he protested. "I have to be sure she's okay." Fireheart let out a long sigh of exasperation. He understood how his friend was feeling, but he

营地中至少没有一个战士。 巡逻队会出去看看洪水能涨到多远——虎爪，你去看看。” “是的，蓝星，”警官叫道。 “我也会派出狩猎巡逻队。 我们必须在水位进一步上涨之前储备大量的猎物。” “好主意，”蓝星同意道。 她又提高了嗓门，向整个氏族喊话。 “会议结束了。去做你的本职工作吧。” 她轻盈地从高岩床上跳下来，蹑手蹑脚地走过去，和Patchpelt和其他长老交谈。 火心正等着看虎爪会不会选他去巡逻，这时他注意到灰条慢慢地离开了猫的圈子。 火心朝他追去，就在他冲向金雀花隧道的时候追上了他。 “你以为你要去哪儿？”他在灰衣战士的耳边嘶嘶地说。 “蓝星刚刚说猫不应该单独出门。” 灰条纹惊恐地看着他。 “火心，我得去见银溪。”他抗议道。 “我得确保她没事。” 火心恼怒地长叹一声。 他理解他朋友的感受，但他

could hardly have chosen a worse time to go visiting his mate. "How will you get across the river?" he asked. "I'll manage," Graystripe promised grimly. "It's only water." "Don't be such a mouse-brain!" Fireheart spat, remembering the time Graystripe had fallen through the ice, when Silverstream had rescued him. "You nearly drowned once before. Wasn't that enough for you?" Graystripe didn't answer; he just swung around and made for the tunnel again. Fireheart glanced over his shoulder. The other cats in the clearing were breaking up into small groups under Tigerclaw's direction, ready to go out on patrol. "Stop, Graystripe!" he hissed, halting his friend at the entrance to the tunnel. "Wait there." Once he was sure Graystripe had done as he asked, he bounded across the clearing toward the deputy. "Hey, Tigerclaw," he meowed. "Graystripe and I are ready to go. We'll check the RiverClan boundary downstream of the Sunningrocks, all right?"

现在去拜访他的伴侣真是太糟糕了。 “你怎么过河？”他问。 “我会想办法的。”灰条纹冷酷地保证。 “这只是水。”“别犯傻了！”火心啐了一口，想起了灰条纹掉进冰里的那次，是银溪救了他。 “你以前差点淹死一次。 这对你来说还不够吗？”灰条纹没有回答；他只是转过身，又向隧道走去。 火心回头瞥了一眼。 空地上的其他猫在虎爪的指挥下分头散开，准备出去巡逻。 “站住，格雷斯特！”他嘶嘶地说，把他的朋友拦在隧道入口处。 “等等。”当他确信格雷stripe已经照他说的做了之后，他就越过空地向副警长跑去。 “嘿，虎爪。”他叫道。 “格雷stripe和我已经准备好出发了。 我们去桑宁岩下游查查河族的边界，好吗？”