Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4 Brambleclaw emerged from the warriors" den and glanced around the clearing. Another quarter moon had passed, and still there was no rain. Over all the forest, the air was hot and heavy. The streams near the camp had dried up, so the Clan had to travel to the stream that flowed past Fourtrees when they needed water. Luckily it ran deep through the rocky soil, and flowed even in the driest greenleaf. Ever since the Gathering Brambleclaw's sleep had been disturbed, and when he woke each morning he struggled with the foreboding that something terrible had happened to the camp during the night. But everything seemed as peaceful as it had been the day before. This morning, Whitepaw and Shrewpaw were practicing their fighting moves outside the apprentices" den. Mousefur emerged from the gorse tunnel with a squirrel clamped in her jaws, followed by her apprentice, Spiderpaw, and Rainwhisker, who also carried fresh-kill. Firestar and Graystripe were talking together at the base

第四章 棘爪走出武士巢穴，环视了一圈营地空地 又过去了半个月，依旧一滴雨都没下 整座森林里，空气又热又沉闷 营地附近的小溪都干涸了，所以族猫要喝水只能走远路去流经四棵树的那条溪流 幸好这条溪流从深层石地穿过，哪怕最干旱的绿叶季也能保持流淌 自从森林大会之后，棘爪就一直睡不安稳，每天早上醒来，他都满心不安，生怕夜里营地出了什么可怕的事 可一切都和前一天一样平静无事 这天早上，白爪和鼩爪正在学徒巢穴外练习格斗招式 鼠毛叼着一只松鼠走出荆豆隧道，她的学徒蜘蛛爪和雨须跟在身后，两人也都叼着刚捕获的猎物 火星和灰条正坐在高岩脚下聊天

of the Highrock, with Squirrelpaw and Dustpelt listening close by. Firestar beckoned Brambleclaw over with his tail. "Are you up for an extra patrol?" he asked. "I want to check the border with ShadowClan, in case they get the idea of coming across here to find water." "But Blackstar said that his Clan has all the water they need," Brambleclaw reminded him. Firestar's ears twitched. "True. But we don't necessarily believe what Clan leaders say at a Gathering. Besides, I've never trusted Blackstar. If he thinks we have richer prey in our territory, he'll send warriors in to help themselves, for sure." Graystripe growled agreement. "ShadowClan has been quiet for too many moons. If you ask me, it's about time they started making trouble." "I just thought—" Brambleclaw stopped, embarrassed to be seen objecting to his leader's order, and amazed that he could see a possibility Firestar didn't seem to have considered. "Go on," Firestar prompted. Brambleclaw took a deep breath. He couldn't

，松鼠爪和尘爪在一旁认真听着 火星甩动尾巴，招呼棘爪过去 “你要不要额外出一趟巡逻？” 他问道 “我想巡查一下和影族的边界，免得他们打主意过来找水” “可黑星说过，他们影族不缺水呀”，棘爪提醒火星 火星的耳朵动了动 “没错 但我们未必会全信族群首领在森林大会上说的话 再说，我从来就没信任过黑星 要是他觉得我们领地猎物更丰饶，肯定会派武士过来抢夺” 灰条低吼着表示同意 “影族已经安分太多个月了 要我说，他们该出来搞点乱子了” “我只是觉得——”棘爪停住了，他不好意思反对首领的命令，也惊讶自己居然想到了火星没考虑到的可能性 “继续说”，火星鼓励道 棘爪深吸了一口气 他现在已经没法

get out of this now, in spite of the green glare that Squirrelpaw was giving him for daring to disagree with her father. "I just think that if there is trouble, it's more likely to come from WindClan," he ventured. "If their territory is as dry as Tallstar said, then they're bound to be short of prey." "WindClan!" Squirrelpaw burst out. "Brambleclaw, are you completely mouse- brained? RiverClan gave WindClan permission to drink at the river, so if they steal prey from anywhere they'll steal it from RiverClan." "And that strip of RiverClan territory is really narrow between the river and our border," Brambleclaw retorted. "If WindClan does hunt, the prey could easily cross into our territory." "You think you're so clever!" Squirrelpaw sprang to her paws, her fur bristling. "Firestar ordered you to check the ShadowClan border, so you should do what you're told." "Of course, you've never disobeyed a warrior, have you?" Dustpelt put in dryly. Squirrelpaw ignored her mentor. "ShadowClan has always caused trouble," she

退缩了，哪怕松鼠爪正不满地瞪着他，怪他胆敢反对自己的父亲 “我只是觉得，真出乱子的话，麻烦更可能来自风族”，他试探着说 “如果他们的领地真像高星说的那么干旱，那他们肯定会缺猎物” “风族！” 松鼠爪忍不住喊了出来 “棘爪，你是不是彻底傻了？ 河族已经允许风族到河里喝水了，他们要偷猎物也只会偷河族的呀” “而且河族那块夹在河流和我们边界之间的领地本来就很窄”，棘爪反驳道 “就算风族真出来捕猎，猎物也很容易跑到我们领地里来” “你还觉得自己挺聪明呢！” 松鼠爪一下子站起身，浑身的毛都炸了起来 “火星命令你去巡查影族边界，你乖乖听命去做就好了” “可不是嘛，你从来都不会违抗武士的命令，对不对？” 尘爪干巴巴地插了一句话 松鼠爪没理会自己的导师 “影族向来都爱惹麻烦，”她

persisted. "But we're friends with WindClan now." Brambleclaw found himself getting angrier and angrier. Of course he didn't want to question Firestar's authority. Firestar was the hero who had saved the forest from the terrible ambitions of Tigerstar and the rogue cats who followed him. There would never be another cat like him. Yet Brambleclaw really believed that ThunderClan should take a possible threat from WindClan seriously. He would have liked to discuss it properly with Firestar, but that was impossible when Squirrelpaw insisted on arguing with everything he said. "You're the one who thinks she knows it all," he spat, taking a step toward her. "Will you just listen for one moment?" He ducked to avoid her paw as she lashed at him, claws unsheathed, and his last scrap of self- control deserted him. Falling into a crouch, he got ready to spring at her, his tail twitching back and forth. If Squirrelpaw wanted a fight, she could have one! But before either of the young cats could

接着说道 “再说我们现在和风族是朋友呀” 棘爪发觉自己越来越生气 他当然不想质疑火星的权威 火星是从虎星以及追随他的泼皮猫的可怕野心中拯救了森林的英雄 再也不会有第二只像他这样的猫了 可棘爪真的认为雷族应当认真对待风族可能带来的威胁 他本来想和火星好好讨论一下，可松鼠爪非要对着他说的每一句话抬杠，根本没法好好谈 “明明就是你觉得自己什么都懂”，他怒啐一声，朝她走近一步 “你就不能好好听我说一分钟吗？” 她挥爪朝他抓来，爪尖已经露了出来，他低头躲开，最后一点自制力也彻底消失了 他伏下身子，准备朝她扑过去，尾巴来回抽动着 既然松鼠爪想打架，那就给她打！ 可这两只年轻猫还没来得及

attack, Firestar pushed in between them. "That's enough!" he snarled. Brambleclaw froze in dismay. Straightening up, he gave his chest an anxious lick and murmured, "Sorry, Firestar." Squirrelpaw stayed silent, giving him a mutinous glare, until Dustpelt prompted her. "Well?" "Sorry," Squirrelpaw muttered, and instantly spoiled her apology by adding, "But he's still a mouse-brain." "Actually, I think he's got a point, don't you?" Dustpelt meowed to Firestar. "I agree that ShadowClan has always been trouble and always will be, but if WindClan happens to spot a juicy vole or a squirrel on our side of the border, don't you think they might be tempted?" "You could be right," Firestar conceded. "In that case, Brambleclaw, you'd better take a patrol up the RiverClan border as far as Fourtrees. Dustpelt, you and Squirrelpaw can go as well." His eyes narrowed as he glanced from his daughter to Brambleclaw and back again. "And you will get along with each other, or I'll want to

火星猛地挤到了他俩中间。 “够了！” 他怒声吼道。 棘爪惊愕地僵在了原地。 他直起身，不安地舔了舔胸口，低声说：“对不起，火星。” 松鼠爪一言不发，不服气地瞪着他，直到尘毛提醒她开口。 “怎么？” “对不起，”松鼠爪嘟囔道，可马上就补了一句毁了道歉：“但他还是个鼠脑袋。” “其实我觉得她说得有道理，你说呢？” 尘毛对火星说道。 “我也同意影族从来就爱惹麻烦，以后也改不了，但如果风族刚好在我们边界这边发现肥美的田鼠或是松鼠，你说他们能不心动吗？” “你说得可能没错，”火星让步道。 “既然这样，棘爪，你最好带一支巡逻队沿着河族边界走到四棵树。 尘毛，你和松鼠爪也一起去。” 他眯起眼睛，目光从女儿转到棘爪身上，又转了回去。 “你们必须好好相处，不然我就要

know why." "Yes, Firestar," Brambleclaw replied, relieved that he had gotten off so lightly for nearly flattening Squirrelpaw. "That's two patrols, then," Graystripe mewed cheerfully. "I'll find some more cats to go with me up the ShadowClan side." He jumped to his paws and vanished into the warriors" den. Firestar nodded to Dustpelt, giving him authority over the patrol, and padded away to his den on the other side of the Highrock. "Right, let's go," meowed Dustpelt. He set off toward the gorse tunnel, only to glance back at Squirrelpaw, who had not moved. "What's the matter now?" "It's not fair," Squirrelpaw muttered. "I don't want to patrol with him." Brambleclaw rolled his eyes, but had the sense not to start their quarrel again. "Then you shouldn't have said what you did," Dustpelt told his apprentice. Pacing back, he stood over her and gazed sternly down at her. "Squirrelpaw, sooner or later you must learn there are times to speak, and times to be silent."

找你们问话。” “好的，火星，”棘爪答道，刚才差点撞倒松鼠爪，结果处罚这么轻，他松了一口气。 “那就是两支巡逻队了，”灰条欢快地说道。 “我再找几只猫跟我一起去影族那边巡逻。” 他一跃站起身，消失在了武士巢穴里。 火星朝尘毛点头，授权他指挥这支巡逻队，随后缓步走向高岩另一侧自己的巢穴。 “好了，我们出发，”尘毛说道。 他朝金雀花隧道走去，回头发现松鼠爪根本没动地方。 “又怎么了？” “这不公平，”松鼠爪嘟囔道。 “我不想跟他一起巡逻。” 棘爪翻了个白眼，但还算识相，没再跟她吵架。 “那你当初就不该说那些话，”尘毛对自己的学徒说。 他走回来，站在她面前，严厉地低头看着她。 “松鼠爪，你迟早要学会，该说话的时候说，不该说的时候就要保持沉默。”