Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4 Soft paws padded through Fireheart's dreams that night. A tortoiseshell she-cat emerged from the forest beside him, her amber eyes glowing. Fireheart gazed at Spottedleaf and felt the familiar ache in his heart. The pain of the medicine cat's death, so many moons ago, was as raw as ever. He waited eagerly for her gentle greeting, but this time Spottedleaf didn't press her nose to his cheek as she usually did. Instead she turned from him and walked away. Surprised Fireheart began to follow, breaking into a run to chase the dappled cat through the woods. He called out to her, but even though her pace hadn't seemed to quicken, she stayed ahead of him, deaf to his cries. Without warning, a dark gray shape loomed out from behind a tree. It was Bluestar, and the eyes of the ThunderClan leader were wide with fear. Fireheart swerved to avoid her, desperately trying to keep Spottedleaf in sight, but then Cloudpaw leaped at him from the ferns that lined the other side of the path, knocking him over. Lying winded for a moment, Fireheart could feel Whitestorm's eyes burning through his fur as the

第四章那天晚上，柔软的爪子在火心的梦中摸索着。 一只玳瑁母猫出现在他身边的森林里，琥珀色的眼睛闪闪发光。 火心凝视着点点树叶，心里又感到了那种熟悉的疼痛。 许多个月以前，药猫之死带来的痛苦，一如既往地历历在目。 他急切地等待着她温柔的问候，但这一次点点树叶没有像往常那样把鼻子贴在他的脸颊上。 相反，她转身离开了他。 惊讶的火心也跟着跑了起来，在树林里追赶那只斑纹猫。 他喊她，但尽管她的脚步似乎没有加快，她还是走在他前面，对他的呼喊充耳不闻。 毫无征兆地，一个深灰色的东西从一棵树后面若隐若现地出现了。 那是蓝星，雷霆氏族首领的眼睛因恐惧而睁得大大的。 火心转过身来避开她，拼命想让斑点叶不被看见，但这时云爪从小路另一边的蕨类植物上向他扑了过来，把他撞倒了。 火心喘着气躺了一会儿，感觉到白风暴的眼睛在他的皮毛里燃烧

white warrior watched him from the branches of a tree. Fireheart scrambled to his paws and raced after Spottedleaf once more. She was still several fox- lengths ahead, padding steadily on without even turning to see who called her. Now the rest of ThunderClan had gathered along Fireheart's path. As he dodged and weaved through them, they called out to him—he couldn't make out their words, but their voices formed a deafening chorus of mews, questioning, criticizing, begging for help. The meows grew louder and louder until they drowned out his own cry so that even if she were listening, Spottedleaf could not have heard. "Fireheart!" One voice sounded above the others. It was Whitestorm. "Mousefur and Longtail are waiting to leave. Wake up, Fireheart!" Half-dreaming, clouded with sleep, Fireheart pulled himself to his paws. "W-what?" he meowed groggily. Early morning light was streaming into the warriors' den. Whitestorm stood beside him in the empty nest where Graystripe used to sleep. "The patrol is waiting," he repeated. "And Bluestar

白衣武士站在树枝上看着他。 火心爬起爪子，又一次追上点点树叶。 她仍然领先狐狸好几个身位，甚至都没有回头看看是谁在叫她。 现在，其余的雷霆氏族都聚集在火心的必经之路上。 当他在树丛中躲闪和穿梭时，它们向他喊了一声——他听不清它们在说什么，但它们的声音形成了震耳欲聋的叫声，质疑、批评、乞求帮助。 喵喵的声音越来越大，最后盖过了他自己的叫声，所以即使她在听，点点树叶也听不见。 “Fireheart !”一个声音盖过了其他的声音。 这是“白风暴”。鼠毛和长尾巴正等着离开。 醒醒吧，火心！”火心半梦半醒，迷迷糊糊地站了起来。 “什么——什么？”他昏昏沉沉地叫道。 清晨的阳光照进了战士们的洞穴。 白风暴站在他身边，坐在灰条纹曾经睡过的空巢里。 “巡逻队在等着，”他重复道。 ”和蓝星

wants to see you before you go." Fireheart shook his head to clear his mind. The dream had frightened him. Spottedleaf had always been closer to him in dreams than she had been even in life. Her behavior last night stung like the bite of an adder. Was the gentle medicine cat abandoning him? Fireheart leaned back to stretch, his legs trembling beneath him. "Tell Mousefur and Longtail I'll be as quick as I can." He slipped quickly past the slumbering bodies of the other warriors. Brindleface was sleeping near the wall of the den with Frostfur curled beside her; both she- cats had returned to their lives as warriors now that their kits had left the nursery. Fireheart pushed his way out into the clearing. It was already warm even though the sun had not yet risen over the treetops, and the woods looked green and inviting at the top of the ravine. As he sniffed the familiar scents of the forest, the pain of Fireheart's dream began to fade, and he felt his fur relax on his shoulders. Longtail and Mousefur were waiting at the camp entrance. Fireheart nodded to them as he

他想在你走之前见你一面。” 火心摇了摇头，让自己清醒一下。 那个梦把他吓坏了。 斑点叶在梦中总是比在现实生活中离他更近。 她昨晚的行为像被毒蛇咬了一样刺痛。 那只温柔的药猫抛弃了他吗？ 火心向后靠了靠，伸伸懒腰，双腿在颤抖。 “告诉鼠毛和长尾巴，我会尽快赶到的。” 他飞快地从其他战士熟睡的尸体旁滑过。 斑脸睡在洞穴的墙边，霜毛蜷缩在她身边。两只母猫都回到了它们的战士生活，因为它们的幼崽已经离开了育婴室。 火心挤进了空地。 虽然太阳还没有从树梢上升起，但天气已经很暖和了，峡谷顶上的树林显得翠绿诱人。 当他闻到森林里熟悉的气味时，火心梦的痛苦开始消退，他感到肩上的毛放松了。 长尾巴和鼠毛在营地门口等着。 火心朝他们点了点头

headed toward Bluestar's den. What could the ThunderClan leader want so early in the day? Did she have a special mission for him? Fireheart couldn't help feeling it was a sign that Bluestar was feeling more like her old self, and he called a cheerful greeting through the lichen. "Come in!" The Clan leader sounded excited, and Fireheart's hopes soared. Inside, Bluestar was pacing up and down the sandy floor. She didn't stop when Fireheart entered, and he had to press himself against the wall to keep out of her way. "Fireheart," she began without looking at him. "I need to share dreams with StarClan. I must travel to the Moonstone." The Moonstone was a glittering rock that lay deep underground beyond WindClan territory, where the sun set. "You want to go to Highstones?" Fireheart exclaimed, surprised. "Do you know of another Moonstone?" retorted Bluestar impatiently. She was still pacing, her paws echoing in the den. "But it's such a long way; are you sure you're up to it?" Fireheart stammered. "I must speak with StarClan!" Bluestar insisted.

朝蓝星的巢穴走去。 雷霆氏族首领一大早要干什么？ 她给他安排了什么特殊任务吗？ 火心忍不住觉得这是蓝星感觉自己更像以前的自己的迹象，他透过地衣发出欢快的问候。 “进来!”氏族首领听起来很兴奋，火心的希望大增。 里面，蓝星在沙质地板上踱来踱去。 火心进来的时候，她没有停下来，他不得不靠在墙上，以免挡住她的路。 “火心。”她没看他就开口了。 “我需要与StarClan分享梦想。 我必须到月光石那里去。” 月光石是一块闪闪发光的岩石，位于风氏族领地之外的地下深处，太阳落山的地方。 “你想去海斯通吗？”火心惊讶地叫道。 “你知道还有别的月光石吗？”蓝星不耐烦地反问。 她仍在踱步，爪子在洞里回响。 “可是路太远了；你确定你能胜任吗？”Fireheart结结巴巴地说。 “我必须和StarClan谈谈！”蓝星坚持道。

She stopped dead and narrowed her eyes at her deputy. "And I want you to come. Whitestorm can take charge while we're gone." Fireheart's unease was growing rapidly. "Who else is coming with us?" "No one," answered Bluestar grimly. Fireheart shivered. He felt bewildered by the dark intensity in Bluestar's tone; it sounded as if she thought her life depended on making this journey. "But isn't it a bit dangerous to travel by ourselves?" he ventured. Bluestar turned an icy gaze on Fireheart. His mouth turned dry as the she-cat hissed at him, "You want to bring others? Why?" Fireheart tried to keep his voice steady. "What if we're attacked?" "You will protect me," Bluestar rasped in a low whisper. "Won't you?" "With my life!" Fireheart promised solemnly. No matter what he thought about Bluestar's behavior, his loyalty to his leader was unshaken. His words seemed to reassure Bluestar, and she sat down in front of him. "Good." Fireheart tipped his head to one side. "But

她突然停了下来，眯起眼睛看着她的副手。 “我希望你能来。我们不在的时候，‘白风暴’可以接管。” 火心的不安迅速增加。 “还有谁和我们一起去？”“没有人。”蓝星冷酷地回答。 Fireheart颤抖。他对蓝星语气中深沉的阴郁感到困惑；听起来好像她认为她的生命取决于这次旅行。 “但是我们自己旅行不是有点危险吗？”他大胆地说。 蓝星冷冷地盯着火心。 母猫嘶嘶地对他说：“你还想带别人来吗？ 为什么?”火心努力让自己的声音保持稳定。 “如果我们被攻击了怎么办？”“你会保护我的。”蓝星低声说。 “你不会?”“用我的生命！”火心郑重地承诺。 不管他怎么看蓝星的行为，他对领导的忠诚是坚定不移的。 他的话似乎让蓝星放心了，她在他面前坐了下来。 “好”。火心把头歪向一边。 “但

what about the threat from WindClan and ShadowClan?" he meowed hesitantly. "You mentioned it yourself yesterday." Bluestar nodded slowly. Fireheart went on; "We'd have to travel through WindClan's territory to get to Highstones." Bluestar leaped to her paws. "I must speak with StarClan," she spat, the fur on her shoulders bristling. "Why are you trying to dissuade me? Either you come with me or I will go alone!" Fireheart looked back at her. He had no choice. "I'll come," he agreed. "Good." Bluestar nodded again, her voice softening a little. "We'll need traveling herbs to keep our strength up. I'll go and see Yellowfang about them." She swept past Fireheart and pushed her way out of the cave. "Are we going now?" Fireheart called. "Yes," Bluestar replied, without stopping. Fireheart bounded out of the den after her. "But I'm meant to lead the dawn patrol," he protested. "Send them off without you," ordered Bluestar.

那来自风氏族和影氏族的威胁呢？” “你昨天自己也提到了。” 蓝星慢慢地点了点头。火心接着说；“我们必须穿过风氏族的领地才能到达Highstones。” 蓝星跳了起来。 “我必须和星族谈谈。”她吐了口唾沫，肩上的毛竖了起来。 “你为什么要劝阻我？” 要么你跟我去，要么我一个人去！”火心回头看着她。 他别无选择。“我来。”他同意了。 “好”。蓝星又点了点头，她的声音有些柔和了。 “我们需要旅行用的草药来保持体力。 我去找黄牙商量一下。” 她从火心身边走过，冲出了山洞。 “我们现在走吗？”Fireheart调用。 “是的，”蓝星回答，没有停下来。 火心跟着她跳出洞穴。 “但我是来领导黎明巡逻队的，”他抗议道。 “让他们自己走吧。”蓝星命令道。