Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21 Firestar woke to see the den floor washed by the pale light of sunrise. Beside him, Sandstorm still slept, the moss stirred by her breathing. Careful not to wake her, Firestar rose, stretched, and padded out into the chilly morning. The clearing was deserted, but almost at once Whitestorm appeared from the warriors' den. "I've sent out the dawn patrol," he reported. "Brackenfur, Mousefur, and Graystripe. I told them to do a quick sweep up the ShadowClan border and report back to us." "Good," mewed Firestar. "It would be just like Tigerstar to arrange a meeting at Fourtrees and then mount a raid somewhere else. That's why I'm leaving you in charge of the camp, with as many warriors as I can spare." "Take all the strength you need," Whitestorm meowed. "We'll be fine. Young Brightheart is shaping up to be a really useful fighter ever since she started training with Cloudtail. And the elders can still raise a few claws, if they're pushed." "They'll be pushed, before all this is over," Firestar predicted. "Thanks, Whitestorm. I know I

第二十一章火星醒来，看见洞穴的地板被日出的苍白的光线冲刷着。 在他身旁，沙暴还在沉睡，她的呼吸搅动着苔藓。 火星小心翼翼地不吵醒她，站起身来，伸伸懒腰，蹑手蹑脚地走进寒冷的早晨。 这片空地空无一人，但“白风暴”几乎立刻从战士们的洞穴里出现了。 “我已经派出了黎明巡逻队，”他报告说。 “蕨毛、鼠毛和灰条。 我让他们迅速扫荡影族边界，然后向我们报告。” “很好，”火星说。“这就像虎星在四树安排一次会面，然后在其他地方发动突袭一样。 所以我派你率领我所能调集的勇士，掌管军营。” “带上所有你需要的力量，”怀特斯托姆叫道。 “我们会没事的。自从开始和云尾巴一起训练以来，小亮心正在成长为一名非常有用的战士。 如果被逼着，长老们还是可以伸出爪子的。” “在这一切结束之前，他们会被逼的，”火星预测道。 “谢谢,Whitestorm。我知道我

can rely on you." The white warrior nodded and disappeared into the den again. Firestar watched him go, then padded across the clearing to the fern tunnel that led to Cinderpelt's den. When he reached the medicine cat's den, he could hear her voice coming from the cleft in the rock. "Juniper berries, marigold leaves, poppy seeds…" Looking inside, Firestar saw the small gray she- cat checking the heaps of healing herbs and berries ranged alongside the wall of the den. "Hi, Cinderpelt," he mewed. "Everything in order?" The medicine cat turned to him with a grave look in her blue eyes. "As much as it'll ever be." "You think there will definitely be a battle?" Firestar asked her. "Have StarClan spoken to you?" Cinderpelt came to join him at the mouth of the den. "No, not a word," she replied. "But common sense says there'll be a battle, Firestar. I don't need an omen from StarClan to tell me

我可以信赖你。”白衣武士点点头，又消失在洞穴里。 火星看着他走了，然后蹑手蹑脚地穿过空地，来到通往灰姑娘巢穴的蕨类植物隧道。 当他走到药猫的洞穴时，他能听到她的声音从岩石的裂缝里传来。 “杜松子、金盏花叶、罂粟籽……”火星往里看，看见那只灰色的小猫在检查窝墙边堆放的一堆堆治疗用的草药和浆果。 “嗨，灰姑娘，”他叫道。 “一切都安排妥当了吗？”那只医猫转向他，蓝眼睛里流露出严肃的神情。 “永远不会再有了。” “你认为一定会有一场战斗吗？”火星问她。 “StarClan和你说过话吗？”灰姑娘来到洞口和他在一起。 “没有，一个字也没有，”她回答。 “但常识告诉我们会有一场战斗，火星。 我不需要星际部落的预兆来告诉我

that." She was right, Firestar knew, and yet her words chilled him. With such a momentous meeting ahead, why had there been no sign from StarClan? Had their warrior ancestors abandoned them in their time of greatest need? Too late, Firestar wondered if he should have traveled to Highstones to share tongues with StarClan. "Do you know why StarClan are silent?" he asked Cinderpelt out loud. The medicine cat shook her head. "But I do know something," she meowed, as if she had read his thoughts. "StarClan haven't forgotten us. They decreed long ago that there should be four Clans in the forest, and they won't stand by and let Tigerstar change that forever." As Firestar thanked her and turned away to muster his warriors, he wished he shared her faith. A stiff breeze was blowing as Firestar led his warriors up the slope to Fourtrees, rippling the grass and carrying the scent of many cats. Each gust brought a sting of rain from the gray clouds that pushed each other across the sky.

这一点。”火星知道她说得对，但她的话却让他心寒。 面对如此重要的会议，为什么没有来自StarClan的信号？ 难道他们的勇士祖先在他们最需要的时候抛弃了他们？ 但为时已晚的是，Firestar想知道他是否应该前往Highstones与StarClan分享语言。 “你知道星族为什么沉默吗？”他大声问灰姑娘。 药猫摇了摇头。 “但我确实知道一些事情，”她喵喵地叫着，好像她读懂了他的想法。 “StarClan并没有忘记我们。 他们很久以前就规定森林里应该有四个氏族，他们不会袖手旁观，让虎星永远改变这一点。” 当火星谢过她，转身去召集他的战士时，他希望自己能分享她的信仰。 火星带领他的战士们爬上山坡，来到四树镇，狂风大作，草地荡起涟漪，还带着许多猫的气味。 每一阵阵风都从互相推着穿过天空的灰色云层中带来一阵阵雨。

At the top of the slope, Firestar paused, crouching in the shelter of the bushes to look down into the clearing. Almost at once Cloudtail appeared at his side. "Why are we standing about?" he demanded. "Let's get on with it." "Not until I know what's going on," Firestar told him. "For all we know, we could be walking into an ambush." Facing his warriors, he raised his voice so that they could all hear him. "You all know why we're here," he began. "Tigerstar wants us to join his Clan, and he won't take no for an answer. I'd like to believe we can get out of this without a fight, but I can't be sure." As he finished speaking, Cloudtail flicked Firestar on the shoulder with his tail and then pointed to the other side of the hollow. Turning, Firestar saw Tallstar approaching from WindClan territory, followed by his warriors. "Good, WindClan are here," he mewed. "Let's go and meet them." Firestar led the way along the lip of the hollow until he came face-to-face with the long-tailed black-and-white tom.

到了坡顶，火星停了下来，蹲在灌木丛的掩体里，俯视着下面的空地。 云尾巴几乎立刻出现在他身边。 “我们为什么站在这儿？”他质问道。 “让我们开始吧。”“等我弄清楚是怎么回事再说，”Firestar告诉他。 “据我们所知，我们可能会遇到埋伏。” 面对他的战士，他提高了声音，使他们都能听到。 “你们都知道我们为什么在这里，”他开始说。 “虎星想让我们加入他的部落，他不会接受拒绝的。 我愿意相信我们可以不战而退，但我不能肯定。” 说完，云尾巴用尾巴轻轻拍了拍火星的肩膀，然后指着洼地的另一边。 转过身来，火星看到高星正从风氏族的领地靠近，后面跟着他的战士。 “太好了，风之家族来了。”他叫道。 “我们去见见他们吧。”火星带路沿着山谷的边缘走，直到他与长尾黑白相间的汤姆面对面。

The WindClan leader dipped his head in greeting. "Well met, Firestar. This is a black day for the forest." "It is indeed," Firestar agreed. "But our Clans will stand for what is right by the warrior code, whatever happens." Firestar was surprised at how many had come with Tallstar. Remembering the wounded and devastated cats in the WindClan camp the day before, he had expected only a small group to come to Fourtrees. Instead practically every warrior must have been there. They still showed the scars of the raid on their camp, but their eyes were bright and determined. Firestar recognized his friend Onewhisker, a long weal showing red along one flank, and Morningflower, her eyes cold with longing to avenge the death of her son. Tigerstar might have a nasty shock, Firestar reflected, to see how many of WindClan's warriors were still ready to fight against him. Taking a deep breath, he meowed, "Let's go." Tallstar dipped his head. "Lead on, Firestar." Startled at being given such an honor by the older and more experienced leader, Firestar waved

风氏族首领低下头打招呼。 “幸会，火星。这是森林黑暗的一天。” “的确如此，”火星表示同意。 “但无论发生什么，我们的氏族都将坚守战士准则的正义。” Firestar惊讶于有这么多人和Tallstar一起来。 想起前一天风氏族营地里受伤的猫，他原以为只有一小群猫会来到四树镇。 实际上每个战士都去过那里。 他们的营地还带着那次袭击留下的伤疤，但他们的眼睛明亮而坚定。 火星认出了他的朋友“一须”和“晨花”，前者的一侧有一条长而红的纹路，后者的眼睛因渴望为她儿子的死报仇而冰冷。 火星想，虎星看到有多少风氏族的战士还准备与他作战，可能会大吃一惊。 他深吸了一口气，喵喵叫道：“我们走吧。” 高个子低下头。“带路吧，火星。” 被更年长更有经验的领导人授予这样的荣誉，火星很吃惊，他挥了挥手

his tail to signal to the two united Clans— LionClan, he thought with a rush of pride. This was his destiny. He stalked down the slope through the bushes, all his senses alert for attack. But he heard nothing except for the rustle of his own warriors following him. The scent of TigerClan was still some way off. As Firestar led his cats into the clearing beneath the great oaks, the bushes on the opposite side parted and Tigerstar stepped out to face him. Blackfoot, Darkstripe, and Leopardstar flanked him like vengeful shadows. The massive tabby's eyes gleamed as he spotted Firestar, and the young ThunderClan leader realized that this war was personal for him too. Tigerstar wanted nothing more than to sink his claws and teeth into Firestar's pelt and rip him to pieces. Instead of making Firestar afraid, the knowledge exhilarated him. Let him try! he thought. "Greetings, Tigerstar," he meowed coolly. "You came, then. Not still looking for those prisoners you lost from RiverClan territory?"

它用尾巴向两个联合的氏族发出信号——狮子氏族，它骄傲地想。 这就是他的命运。他穿过灌木丛，蹑手蹑脚地走下山坡，所有的感官都警觉着，随时准备受到攻击。 但他什么也没听到，只听到跟随他的战士的沙沙声。 虎帮的气味还远着呢。 当火星带着他的猫走进大橡树下的空地时，对面的灌木丛分开了，虎星走出来面对着他。 黑脚、黑条纹和豹星像复仇的影子一样在他的两侧。 巨大的虎斑猫看到了火星，眼睛里闪烁着光芒，年轻的雷霆氏族首领意识到这场战争对他来说也是私人的。 虎星只想用爪子和牙齿咬住火星的皮毛，把他撕成碎片。 这一消息非但没有使火星感到害怕，反而使他兴奋起来。 让他试试！他想。“你好，虎星，”他冷静地喵喵叫道。 “那么，你来了。不是还在寻找你在河族领地丢失的那些囚犯吗？”