DEEP DIVES

It started out like any other day. They usually do, the days that change your life. Throughout the years, when Cam looked back at this time, they would try to remember if there were warning signs. Any clues that hinted at the events that were about to unfold. But there was nothing out of the ordinary.
这天的早晨跟平常别无二致，但改变生活轨迹的日子往往都是这样的。这么多年来，每当卡姆回首这段往事，都会绞尽脑汁地忆记当时有没有什么预警征兆，有没有什么即将发生的事情的蛛丝马迹。但是一点都没有，一切都平平无奇。

The sun rose, just like it always did. Cam got out of bed, grabbed a loaf of bread, and went outside to eat breakfast by the water. As they settled down into the sand, Cam let the calm of the lapping waves wash over them. Cam preferred their own company to that of others, but even the most solitary creature can feel lonely at times. But when they looked out over the water, that feeling almost went away.
太阳如常升起。卡姆从床上爬起来，抓起一条面包，准备走出门外，去海边吃早餐。他坐到沙子上，让水波轻轻拍打着双腿。比起跟其他人待在一起，卡姆更享受独自一人的时光。再离群索居的生物，有时也难免心生孤寂之感，但随着卡姆抬起头来，望向海的远方，什么忧郁都一扫而空了。

Cam finished the last of the bread and stood up. Right before they turned to walk back to their cottage, something caught their eye. Cam squinted at the horizon. Violent bubbles were erupting, and it looked like something was moving beneath the surface. Curiosity got the best of Cam, so they jumped into their boat set sail for the suspicious spot. As they got closer, an uneasy feeling started to creep in under Cam’s skin. A little preparation couldn’t have hurt. There wasn’t much in Cam’s inventory, just some tools, a bucket, and a few stacks of dirt blocks they had been meaning to clean out for ages.
卡姆咽下最后一口面包，站起身来。正准备打道回府呢，就有一些东西吸引了他的注意，于是眯起眼，朝远端地平线望去。他看到那里正猛烈地冒着水泡，仿佛有什么东西正潜在水面下移动。好奇心驱使卡姆跳进小船，向那个奇怪的地方划去。小船越划越近，卡姆心里突然有些惶惑。“还是做点准备吧，总不会错的”。卡姆背包里其实也没有多少东西，不过是一些工具、一个桶，还有几组早就打算扔了的泥土。

It was too late to turn back now. The water was getting choppier, waves crashing into the side of the little boat. Suddenly, the boat stopped moving forward and started to shake violently instead. Cam flew into one side, and then the other before the entire boat sank straight down. Cam swam away from the bubble column, looking around for a patch of land but they were too far out.

现在掉头是来不及了。这时波涛越来越汹涌，海浪从船舷拍进小船。忽然，小船划不动了，还剧烈地摇晃起来。卡姆从小船的这头翻滚到那头，没过多久，小船便直直地沉了下去。卡姆一面奋力游离那些气泡柱，一面搜寻渺茫的陆地，但无奈离得实在太远了。


As Cam bobbed on the waves, filling their lungs with air, they considered their options. The boat had sunk, and it was too far to swim all the way back to shore. Cam dove down since they were already out here, might as well continue the investigation.
卡姆干脆深吸一口气浮在水面上，任自己随波漂流，脑子里想着接下来该怎么办。既然船也沉了，岸又太远，那就随遇而安，到水下去看看有没有什么发现吧。

As soon as Cam was under water again, the source of the skirmish revealed itself. A school of elder guardians were circling a herd of drowned that slowly marched towards the beach where Cam resided. The underwater army hadn’t noticed Cam yet, but it was only a matter of time. Especially if they were going to try to stop the mobs from reaching their destination. There were so many of them, Cam had never tried to take on a battle of this size before. They liked their peaceful, solitary life by the beach. But if they were going to keep it that way, this herd had to be dealt with.
卡姆再一次潜入水里。这下，这片异动的始作俑者便一清二楚了。那是一群远古守卫者，正拥着一群溺尸，向卡姆居住的海岸边缓缓进发。这支水下大军还没注意到卡姆，但迟早是会发现的。要是现在上前阻挡，必然立刻暴露自己。它们规模实在是太庞大了，卡姆从来没有跟这种规模的敌人交过战。卡姆十分享受孤独却安乐的海滨生活。他很清楚，如果将来还想继续这样的生活，那么这场仗不得不打。

Cam took a deep breath, filling their lungs with water and entire body with regret since they had forgotten to resurface first. Once their head was safely in the fresh air, they coughed out the water and tried to replace it with courage and oxygen. It was now or never. Cam dove back down and came face to face with a drowned. Unsheathing their sword, Cam whacked at the drowned, who was joined by its friends. Cam spun around and around in the water, jabbing blindly in the hopes that the sword would connect with any of the enemies.
卡姆已经憋不住气了，呛了一大口咸水入肺，心生满腔悔恨，恨自己为什么不先上水面换口气。他拼命游回到水面上。在冲出水面，暴露在新鲜空气中的那一刹那，他就竭力咳出肺里积的水，饱吸空气与勇气。此刻不搏，更待何时！卡姆再次潜到水下，这次与一只溺尸撞了个正着。他拔出利剑，猛然向对方刺去。此时前来增援的敌人越来越多，卡姆在水里覆去翻来，举着剑胡捅乱刺，只盼能把剑尖刺入随便哪个敌人的躯壳里。

It wasn’t the most effective technique, especially when the elder guardians caught up. Cam started to lose hope as they felt their health draining. They closed their eyes and prepared themselves for the inevitable when they heard a strange sound.
这套战术并不太管用，在被那些远古守卫者团团围攻时收效更微。卡姆逐渐感到绝望，感到自己的生命正在一点点消逝。他合上双眼，准备迎接宿命。就在这时，他听到了奇怪的声响。

Chirp.
啾。

Chirp.
啾。

CHIRP!
啁啾！

Cam opened their eyes to see that an army of colorful creatures had surrounded the hostile mobs. Yellow, brown, and pink axolotls were fighting them off, giving Cam an opening to escape. As they swam to the surface, they realized that for once their pockets full of dirt would work to their advantage. Cam quickly built an improvised island in the middle of the ocean and lay down on their belly so they could watch the underwater battle.
卡姆睁开眼，看见一群五颜六色的生物组成的浩荡大军包围了敌军。黄色、棕色、粉色的美西螈正与敌军奋战，给了卡姆借机逃离的机会。回到水面后，他忽然想起那满满一口袋的泥土也许可以派上用场，于是就在海中间用泥土迅速造出一座临时小岛，然后趴在岛上。这样一来他就能清楚地观察到水下的战况了。

Cam had never seen anything like it, the creatures were cute on outside but fierce on the inside. The axolotls showed no mercy, defeating the elder guardians before they took on the drowned. Cam spied a blue axolotl that seemed to be losing a fight. It was barely moving and the drowned was closing in. Was Cam brave enough to jump in and save it? Just as they drew a deep breath, the axolotl sprang back to life and defeated the drowned! It was the last of the herd, and Cam jumped up and down with joy on their little island.
卡姆从来没有见过像是这样的生物，简直就是萌系猛兽！它们毫不心慈手软，先是干掉远古守卫者，然后又解决掉溺尸。卡姆瞥见一只美西螈，它像是倒下了，躺在地上几乎一动不动，溺尸正向它逼近。卡姆敢去伸出援手吗？卡姆最终下了决心。他刚深吸一口气，准备跳下去救美西螈时，就忽然发现那美西螈像是死而复生似的弹地而起，三下五除二干掉了溺尸！没多久就仅残余最后一小波溺尸了，卡姆在小岛上欢呼雀跃，庆祝这场胜利。

A trident floated up to the surface. Cam grabbed it and planted it on their island, marking this space as a protected area. Now that the battle was over, Cam dove into the water to thank their new friends. Some of the axolotls swam off, probably to seek out a new battle, but a few stayed behind.
一把三叉戟缓缓浮上水面，卡姆一把抓住，把它插到小岛上，宣布这片区域为保护区。战斗结束了，卡姆潜入水中，向他的新朋友道谢。一些美西螈已经游开，可能是去寻找新的战场了；但还有一些尚留在此处。

The axolotls swam around Cam, who tried to think of a way to thank them. These creatures had saved their life and their home. Feeling at a loss, Cam got out their bucket and grabbed some tropical fish. They offered them to the axolotls, who happily accepted. When they finished, Cam tried to catch another batch but accidentally caught an axolotl in the bucket instead. It chirped happily in Cam’s inventory, and their heart melted at the sight of the most adorable thing they had every laid their eyes on. Bolstered by their new friendship, Cam finally felt strong enough to make it home. They grabbed a tropical fish for their new pal and headed for the beach.
美西螈们围着卡姆打圈转，而卡姆正满心想着如何答谢它们。这些小动物们救了他一命，使房子幸免于难。卡姆一时间想不出该如何报答，只好拿出水桶，捞了一些热带鱼送给美西螈，它们很欢喜地收下了这份礼物。看着它们美美地一扫而光，卡姆还想再去捞一些回来，却错手把一只美西螈捞入桶中。那美西螈在桶中欢快地啁啾啁啾叫。这真是世界上最可爱的小家伙！卡姆看着它们，心都要化了。有这份新收获的友情做铺垫，卡姆于是心安理得地把这位新结识的伙伴带了回家。他还给他的新伙伴多抓了一条热带鱼，接着就一起回岸上了。

When Cam got out of the water, they discovered that several of the axolotls had followed! Cam emptied their bucket into the water and threw in the tropical fish to the playful axolotls who seemed to have made themselves at home. The next day, Cam started to rebuild their home so that it not only connected to the beach, but also the underground cave system below it. There was a lake down there that was the perfect playground for these happy creatures and with a little engineering, Cam managed to create a watery path so the axolotls could come and go as they pleased.
卡姆回到岸上时，惊奇地发现还有几条美西螈也跟在身后！于是卡姆又去把桶倒空，装来热带鱼，送赠活泼可爱的美西螈们，它们看起来可一点都不拘束。翌日，卡姆开始动工把房子搬迁，使之不仅濒临海岸，还靠近地下的洞穴系统。那里还有一座湖泊，简直就是这些活泼小动物的极乐天地。卡姆还打通了一条水道，供美西螈随心游弋，从这头游到那头。这条水道的工程量并不算大。

From that day forward, anytime Cam needed a friend they knew that all they had to do was dive into the water instead of just watching it from afar.
从那以后，每当卡姆需要朋友相伴时，他都只需直接跳入水中与美西螈尽情嬉戏，再也不用远远地望着了。




【橄榄Chan (aka Olvcpr423) 译自官网 2021 年 06 月 02 日发布的 Axolotl Adventures；原作者 Sofia Dankis】
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