Chapter 26

CHAPTER 27 It was the time before dawn when the moon had set, but the sun had yet to streak the horizon with milky fingers of light. The night was still and cold, black like frozen water. Firestar padded out of his den. The clearing was empty, but he could hear the faint sounds of warriors waking up. Frost glittered on the ground, while above his head Silverpelt flowed like a river across the sky. Pausing to drink in the night air filled with the scents of so many familiar cats, Firestar felt every hair on his pelt stand up. This could be the last morning he would ever spend in camp. It could be the last morning for any Clan. He felt as if everything were spinning out of his control, but when he looked for strength in the knowledge that StarClan controlled his fate, he found only uncertainty. Firestar sighed and shook himself before walking over to the fern tunnel that led to Cinderpelt's den. The medicine cat was dragging herbs and berries into the clearing, where Fernpaw was making them into bundles ready to

第二十七章黎明前，月亮已经落山了，但太阳还没有在地平线上洒出乳白色的光芒。 夜静而冷，黑得像结冰的水。 火星蹑手蹑脚地走出他的窝。 空地上空无一人，但他能听到战士们醒来的微弱声音。 霜在地上闪闪发光，而在他的头顶上，银皮像一条河一样流过天空。 在充满了许多熟悉的猫的气味的夜空中，停下来喝了一口，火星感到自己的每一根毛都竖起来了。 这可能是他在营地度过的最后一个早晨。 这可能是任何宗族的最后一个早晨。 他觉得一切都脱离了他的控制，但当他知道《星际战队》控制着他的命运时，他却只找到了不确定性。 火星叹了口气，抖了抖身子，然后走向通往灰姑娘洞穴的蕨类植物隧道。 那只药猫正把草药和浆果拖到空地上，Fernpaw正把它们捆成捆，准备去吃

carry. "Is everything ready?" Firestar asked. "I think so." Pain filled Cinderpelt's blue eyes, as if she were already seeing the wounded cats who would soon need her help. "I'll need more cats to carry all this up to Fourtrees. Fernpaw and I can't manage it on our own." "You can have all the apprentices," Firestar meowed. "Fernpaw, will you go and tell them?" The young she-cat dipped her head and hurried off. "Once we get there, the other apprentices will be needed to fight," Firestar went on. "But Fernpaw can stay with you. Find somewhere well out of the way. I think there's a sheltered hollow on the other side of the stream—" Cinderpelt bristled. "Firestar, you don't mean that? What use will I be if I'm not where the fighting is?" "But the cats need you," Firestar insisted. "If you're injured, what happens to the rest of us?" "Fernpaw and I can take care of ourselves. We're not helpless kits, you know." Cinderpelt's tart response reminded Firestar of her mentor,

携带。“一切都准备好了吗？”Firestar问道。 “我想是的。”灰姑娘的蓝眼睛里充满了痛苦，仿佛她已经看到了那些受伤的猫，它们很快就会需要她的帮助。 “我需要更多的猫把这些东西搬到四树村。 我和Fernpaw光靠我们自己是做不到的。” “你可以拥有所有的学徒，”火星喵喵地说。 “Fernpaw，你去告诉他们好吗？”那只年轻的母猫低下头匆匆走开了。 “一旦我们到了那里，就需要其他学徒来战斗，”火星接着说。 “但是芬帕可以和你在一起。 找个僻静的地方。 我想在河的另一边有一个隐蔽的洼地——”灰姑娘怒不可遏。 “火星，你不是这个意思吧？” 如果我不在打仗的地方，我有什么用呢？”“但是猫们需要你，”Firestar坚持说。 “如果你受伤了，我们其他人怎么办？”“Fernpaw和我能照顾好我们自己。 你知道，我们不是无助的孩子。” 灰姑娘尖刻的回答让火星想起了她的导师，

Yellowfang. Sighing, he padded up to the medicine cat and touched noses with her. "Have it your own way," he meowed. "I know I can't say anything to change your mind. But please…be careful." Cinderpelt let out a soft purr. "Don't worry, Firestar. We'll be fine." "Have StarClan spoken to you about the battle?" Firestar forced himself to ask. "No, I've seen no omens at all." The medicine cat raised her eyes to Silverpelt, where it was fading in the predawn sky. "It's not like StarClan to be silent when something so important is going to happen." "I…I had a dream from them, Cinderpelt," Firestar told her hesitantly, "but I'm not sure I understand it, and there isn't time to tell you all of it now. I just hope it means something good for us." There was curiosity in Cinderpelt's blue eyes as he spoke of his dream at Sunningrocks, but she did not question him. Firestar returned through the fern tunnel and crossed the clearing to the elders' den. On the

Yellowfang。他叹了口气，走到药猫跟前，用鼻子碰了碰她。 “随你的便吧。”他叫道。 “我知道我说什么也改变不了你的想法。 但是请……小心点。”灰姑娘发出一声柔和的咕噜声。 “别担心，火星。我们会没事的。” “StarClan和你谈过这场战斗吗？”火星逼着自己问。 “没有，我根本没有看到什么预兆。” 药猫抬起眼睛看着西尔弗佩尔，它在黎明前的天空中渐渐消失了。 “这并不像《星际战队》那样，在如此重要的事情即将发生时保持沉默。” “我……我从他们那里做了一个梦，灰姑娘，”火星犹豫地告诉她，“但我不确定我是否理解它，现在没有时间告诉你全部。 我只希望这对我们有好处。” 当他谈到他在太阳岩的梦时，灰姑娘的蓝眼睛里充满了好奇，但她没有问他。 火星穿过蕨类植物的隧道返回，穿过空地来到长老们的巢穴。 在

way he passed Brackenfur on watch, and waved a greeting with his tail. When he reached the fallen tree, charred by the fire that had swept through the camp last greenleaf, Firestar found all the elders still sleeping except for Speckletail, who sat with her tail curled around her paws. The she-cat rose to her paws as Firestar came toward her. "Is it time?" "Yes," Firestar replied. "We'll be leaving soon…but you're not coming with us, Speckletail." "What?" The fur on Speckletail's shoulders stiffened with annoyance. "Why not? We may be elders, but we're not useless. Do you really think we're going to sit back and—" "Speckletail, listen. This is important. If you're honest, you know that Smallear and One-eye would barely make it to Fourtrees, never mind fight when they got there. And Dappletail's getting very frail. I can't lead them into battle against Scourge." "And what about me?" "I know you're a fighter, Speckletail." Firestar

他从值班的布莱肯弗身边走过，用尾巴向他挥手致意。 当他走到那棵被最后一片绿叶席卷过营地的大火烧焦的倒下的树旁时，火星发现所有的长老都还在睡觉，只有斑点尾巴蜷曲着尾巴坐在那里。 当火星向她走来时，母猫站了起来。 “时间到了吗？”“是的，”火星回答。 “我们马上就要走了……但是你不能和我们一起走，斑点尾巴。” “什么?”小斑点尾巴肩上的毛气得僵住了。 “为什么不呢?我们也许是长辈，但我们并非一无是处。 你真以为我们要袖手旁观——”“小斑点尾巴，听着。 这很重要。如果你是诚实的，你知道小不点和独眼连四棵树都撑不到，更别提他们到那里后会打架了。 小花尾巴也越来越虚弱了。 我不能带领他们与天灾作战。” “那我呢？”“我知道你是个斗士，斑点尾巴。” Firestar

had thought carefully about what he was going to say, but with the elder glaring at him he felt like a raw apprentice again. "That's why I need you here. There'll be the other three elders here, and Willowpelt's kits. They've learned some defensive moves but they're not ready for battle. I'm putting you in charge of the camp while the rest of us are away." "But I—Oh." Speckletail broke off as she understood what Firestar was asking her to do. Slowly the fur on her shoulders lay flat again. "I see. All right, Firestar. You can count on me." "Thank you." Firestar blinked his gratitude at her. "If the battle goes badly, we'll try to fall back here and reinforce you, but we might not make it. If BloodClan comes here, you'll be all that's left of ThunderClan." His eyes met Speckletail's. "You'll need to get the kits and elders away. Try to cross the river, then head for Barley's farm." "Right." Speckletail gave him a brisk nod. "I'll do the best I can." Turning, she looked over to where Brightheart slept in the shelter of the tree trunk. "What about her?" "Brightheart is as strong as any warrior now,"

他已经仔细考虑过要说什么，但在长辈的怒视下，他觉得自己又像个生手了。 “这就是为什么我需要你在这里。 还有其他三位长老，还有威洛佩尔特的幼崽。 它们学会了一些防御动作，但还没有做好战斗的准备。 我们其他人都不在的时候，我让你来管理营地。” “但我哦。”小亮尾巴明白了火星要她做什么，便停住了话头。 她肩上的毛慢慢地又平了下来。 “我明白了。好吧，火星。 你可以相信我。”“谢谢你。” 火星对她眨了眨眼睛表示感激。 “如果战斗不顺利，我们会设法撤退到这里来增援你，但我们可能做不到。 如果血族来了，雷霆族就只剩下你们了。” 他的目光碰到了斑点尾巴。 “你需要把工具包和长老带走。 试着过河，然后去巴利的农场。” “对的。”小花辫轻快地点了点头。 “我会尽我所能。”她转过身来，朝光明心睡在树干上的地方望去。 “她怎么样？”“光明之心现在和任何战士一样强壮了。”

Fireheart meowed, his heart lifting. "She's coming with us." He padded over and nudged the young she-cat with one paw. "Wake up, Brightheart. It's time to go." Brightheart blinked up at him with her good eye, then rose and stretched. "Okay, Firestar. I'm ready." She was heading out into the clearing when Firestar called her back. "Brightheart, if we come through this, you'll be sleeping in the warriors' den from now on." Brightheart's ears pricked and she seemed to stand taller. "Thank you, Firestar!" she meowed, and dashed off, all her drowsiness vanished. Dipping his head in farewell to Speckletail, Firestar followed Brightheart into the clearing. By now the other cats had begun to emerge from their dens. The apprentices, Featherpaw and Stormpaw among them, were clustered around Cinderpelt, each carrying a bundle of herbs. Dustpelt was with them, speaking urgently in a low voice to Fernpaw. Closer to the warriors' den, Brightheart had joined Cloudtail, while Mousefur and Longtail

火心叫了一声，心都抬起来了。 “她和我们一起去。”他蹑手蹑脚地走过去，用一只爪子轻轻地碰了碰那只年轻的母猫。 “醒醒，亮心。该走了。” 亮心用她那只好眼睛朝他眨了眨眼睛，然后站起来伸了个懒腰。 “好的,Firestar。我准备好了。” 火星把她叫回来时，她正要去空地。 “小亮心，如果我们闯过了这关，你以后就得睡在勇士的洞穴里了。” 亮心的耳朵刺痛，她似乎站得更高了。 “谢谢你，火星！”她叫了一声，冲了出去，睡意全消失了。 火星低下头向斑点尾巴告别，跟着亮心走进空地。 这时，其他的猫也开始从洞里钻出来了。 学徒们，包括羽爪和暴风爪，都围着灰姑娘，每人拿着一捆草药。 尘埃粒跟他们在一起，急切地低声对芬爪说。 在靠近战士洞穴的地方，亮心加入了云尾巴，鼠毛和长尾巴也加入了