Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7 Brambleclaw emerged warily from the undergrowth at the edge of the trees above the riverbank, tasting the air for the scent of cats. The traces of ThunderClan were all stale, though fresher RiverClan scents drifted across from the other side of the river. Hoping that no cat from either Clan would see him, Brambleclaw slipped swiftly down the bank to the water's edge. Brown water churned along past his paws. More rain had fallen during the day, though the clouds were thinning now to let pale sunshine through, so that the forest steamed. The river was swollen, half submerging the stepping-stones, and Brambleclaw had to brace himself before he dared leap out onto the first of them. He was on his way to visit Feathertail and Stormfur. All day he had been thinking about the second dream, becoming more and more convinced that they had to travel to the sun- drown-place before they could learn what StarClan had to tell them. The dream had been too real to ignore—he could still taste salt in his

第七章 荆爪警惕地从河岸上方林边的灌丛中走出，嗅着空气中是否有其他猫的气味 雷族的痕迹都已经散尽，新鲜的河族气味正从河对岸飘过来 荆爪盼着两个族群都不会发现他，飞快地溜下堤岸来到水边 浑浊的褐色河水打着旋从他爪边流过 白天又下了一场雨，这会儿云层渐渐散开，淡阳光穿透下来，森林里腾起了蒙蒙水汽 河水涨高了，垫脚石被淹了一半，荆爪站稳脚跟，才敢跳上第一块石头 他此行是要去找羽尾和暴毛 整整一天他都在琢磨那个第二个梦，越发确定他们必须先前往太阳沉没之地，才能知晓星族要说的话 那个梦太过真实无法忽视——他现在仿佛还能尝到嘴里的

mouth, and he flinched as droplets splashed against his nose from the stepping-stone, expecting the same sharp tang. And they ought to leave at once; his fur prickled with a strange sense of urgency, warning him that there was no time to wait until the next Gathering. If the other chosen cats had also had the dream, they shouldn't be hard to persuade. He still had not told Squirrelpaw about the second dream. Although he felt guilty that he was not keeping his promise, he was well aware that if she knew about the journey he was planning she would want to come too. And what would Firestar think if Brambleclaw dragged his daughter off into the unknown? Water lapped cold around his paws as Brambleclaw landed on the first stone and crouched, ready for his leap to the next. Before he pushed off, he scanned the far bank again. Although there was friendship now between ThunderClan and RiverClan, he was not sure of his welcome if he trespassed uninvited on their territory. He would prefer to find Feathertail and Stormfur before any other cats knew he was

咸味，垫脚石溅出的水珠落到他鼻尖，他猛地缩了一下，还以为会尝到那股冲鼻子的咸味 而且他们必须立刻出发 一股奇怪的紧迫感让他汗毛倒竖，提醒他根本没时间等到下一次森林大会 如果其他被选中的猫也做了这个梦，说服他们应该不难 他还没把第二个梦告诉松鼠爪 没能遵守承诺让他满心愧疚，但他清楚，如果松鼠爪知道他计划的旅程，肯定也非要跟着来 要是荆爪把他的女儿带往未知的地方，火星会怎么想呢 荆爪落到第一块石头上蹲好，准备跳去下一块，冰冷的河水拍打着他的爪子 起跳之前，他又仔细扫视了一遍对岸 如今雷族和河族虽然交好，但他不确定自己不请自来闯入领地，会不会受到欢迎 他最好能在其他猫发现他在这里之前，先找到羽尾和暴毛

there. He managed to reach the next stone, and the one after that, shivering as cold water splashed up onto his fur. The next stepping-stone had vanished completely, with only a ripple of water flowing over it to tell him where it was. Keeping his gaze fixed on the spot, he leaped, but as he landed his paws slipped off the edge, and he found himself splashing into the river. He let out a yowl of alarm as his head went under. Terror surged over him as he was plunged into bottomless, blue-green waves like those of his dream. Clawing his way upward, he surfaced to see reeds instead of sand-colored cliffs, and gray-brown water running in ripples, not waves. The current was carrying him close to the opposite bank, and Brambleclaw struck out, kicking strongly across the flow of water. To his relief, his paws scraped on pebbles; a heartbeat later he managed to stand and flounder into the shallows. Panting, he hauled himself onto the bank and shook himself vigorously. Suddenly fresh RiverClan scent wafted into his nostrils; he dived into a clump of bracken and

在这里 他好不容易跳到一块又一块石头，冷水溅到他的皮毛上，冻得他瑟瑟发抖 再下一块垫脚石完全被淹没了，只有水面一道涟漪能告诉他石头的位置 他盯着那个位置跳了过去，可落地时爪子一滑，整个人栽进了河里 他的头没入水中，惊恐地大叫一声 恐惧将他吞没，他就像掉进了梦里那片深不见底的蓝绿色巨浪中 他拼命扒拉着浮上水面，看见周围只有芦苇，没有土黄色悬崖，灰棕色河水泛着涟漪，不是巨浪 水流将他冲到对岸附近，荆爪用力划水，奋力朝岸边游去 让他松了口气的是，他的爪子蹭到了鹅卵石 转瞬之间他就站稳身子，挣扎着走到了浅水区 他喘着粗气爬上岸，用力抖掉身上的水 忽然一股新鲜的河族气味飘进鼻腔，他赶紧一头扎进一丛蕨类里，

peered out between the fronds. A moment later he murmured thanks to StarClan as Feathertail and Stormfur—the two cats he wanted to see— appeared farther along the riverbank. Brambleclaw plunged out of the bracken and stood shivering in front of them. "Hi," he mewed. "Great StarClan!" Stormfur looked him up and down. "Have you been for a swim?" "I fell off the stepping-stones. Feathertail, can I have a word with you?" "Of course. Are you sure you're all right?" "Yes, I'm fine. Feathertail, have you had another dream?" The gray she-cat looked puzzled. "No. Why, have you?" "Yes." Settling into the grass so they could talk more comfortably, Brambleclaw told them quickly about the sun-drown-place and the cave with teeth, feeling his fur bristle with fear again. "I spoke to Ravenpaw this morning—you know, the loner who lives near Highstones? He says the sun-drown-place is real. And he told me that StarClan's prophecies are always vague. We need the faith and courage of warriors to understand

从蕨叶的缝隙里往外张望 没过多久，他就暗暗向星族道谢——正是他要找的羽尾和暴毛，出现在了不远处的河岸上 荆爪从蕨丛里冲出来，浑身发抖地站在他俩面前 “嗨”，他开口打招呼 “伟大的星族啊！” 暴毛上下打量着他 “你是去游泳了吗？” “我从垫脚石上摔下来了 羽尾，我能和你说句话吗？” “当然可以 你确定你没事吗？” “我没事，好得很 羽尾，你又做了那个梦了吗？” 这只灰色母猫一脸困惑 “没有 怎么了，你做了？” “对” 荆爪在草地上趴好方便聊天，飞快地给他俩讲了太阳沉没之地和长牙洞穴的事，说着说着又吓得汗毛直立 “我今天早上见过乌爪了——就是那个住在高石峰附近的独行猫，你们知道吧？ 他说太阳沉没之地真的存在 他还告诉我，星族的预言总是模糊不清 我们需要武士的信念和勇气，才能读懂

them, and to trust that what StarClan wants us to do is right." "Which is what?" Stormfur queried. "I... I think we should go to the sun-drown" place Brambleclaw replied, his belly churning with tension. "That's where StarClan will tell us what we need to know." Feathertail had listened in silence, her blue gaze fixed on his face. When he stopped speaking, she nodded slowly. "I think you're right." "What?" Stormfur sprang to his paws. "Are you mad? You don't even know where this place is." Feathertail flicked him with her tail. "No, but StarClan will guide us." Brambleclaw waited tensely. If Stormfur refused to agree, he might tell Leopardstar what was going on, and the Clan could stop Feathertail from leaving with him. The gray warrior paced along the bank and back again, his tail fluffed up in agitation. "Faith and courage—we'd certainly need those if we went to this place," he muttered. "I'm still not

而且要相信星族要我们做的事一定是对的。” “那到底是什么事？” 暴毛问道。 “我…… 我觉得我们应该去太阳沉没之地”，黑莓掌回答说，肚子因为紧张翻腾不止。 “星族会在那里告诉我们需要知道的一切。” 羽尾一直静静听着，蓝色的眼睛牢牢盯着他的脸。 他说完后，她慢慢点了点头。 “我觉得你是对的。” “什么？”暴毛一下子跳起身。 “你疯了吗？ 你连这个地方在哪都不知道啊。” 羽尾用尾巴轻轻扫了他一下。 “我是不知道，但星族会指引我们。” 黑莓掌紧张地等待着。 如果暴毛不同意，他说不定会把这事告诉豹星，族里就会阻止羽尾跟他走。 这只灰色武士在河岸上来回踱步，尾巴因为焦躁蓬了起来。 “信念和勇气——我们要去那个地方，肯定少不了这些”，他喃喃道。 “我还是不

convinced that you're right, mind you," he added wryly to Brambleclaw. "But if you're not, maybe StarClan will send another sign to turn us back." Feathertail's blue eyes glowed. "Does that mean you'll come with us?" "Try to stop me," her brother meowed grimly. He swung around to face Brambleclaw. "I know I've not had any dreams, but an extra warrior could be useful." "You're right." Brambleclaw was so relieved to have won their agreement that he did not try to argue. "Thanks, both of you." "So when do we leave?" Stormfur mewed. "I thought the day before half-moon," Brambleclaw suggested. "That should give us enough time to talk to the others." Rising to his paws, he padded down to the water's edge. The sun was going down, red behind bars of dark cloud. A breeze ruffled his drying fur and he shivered again, less from cold than from the thought of the path they had to travel. "I know Tawnypelt will come if I ask her," he meowed, "but what about Crowpaw? He'd rather

相信你是对的，我先讲清楚”，他对黑莓掌苦笑补充道。 “不过就算你错了，星族说不定也会再发征兆让我们回头。” 羽尾的蓝眼睛亮了起来。 “这么说你愿意跟我们一起去了？” “你想拦也拦不住我”，她哥哥沉声道。 他转过身面向黑莓掌。 “我知道我没做过那些梦，但多一个武士总是有用的。” “你说得对。” 能得到他们的同意，黑莓掌大松一口气，根本不想争论什么。 “谢谢你们俩。” “那我们什么时候出发？” 暴毛问道。 “我打算半月的前一天出发”，黑莓掌提议。 “这样我们就有足够的时间和其他猫沟通。” 他站起身，缓步走到水边。 太阳正在下沉，暗红的光嵌在层层乌云之间。 微风吹拂他快干的毛发，他又打了个寒颤，这不只是因为冷，更多是想到他们要走的漫漫长路。 “我知道只要我开口，褐皮一定会来”，他说，“那鸦爪怎么办？他宁愿 他宁愿