Warriors, The Next Chapter; Spiderpaw's Journey

Chapter 2

Spiderpaw jolted awake, sitting up in his den while water pooled at his paws. He peered out of the brambles, Blossomwing and Lakeshimmer were helping Tawnyflower get her kits onto the twisted root.

Sparrowkit, Wrenkit, and Lionkit were already up on the twisted root and we're helping Oatkit not lose his balance. Dappledstar and Needleshadow were helping Raccoonleap and Plumflower out of their den and up a high ledge over Heatherpool's den.

The MoonClan medicine cat was tossing her herbs onto the ledge with the elders with the help of Hootstep.

Nettlepath appeared at the mouth of the apprentice's den, "Come on, we're evacuating camp and heading up the High Slope by the edge of the woods."

Spiderpaw fur was ruffled from lack of grooming as he made his way out to find his mother. Mothwood was talking with her mate and Spiderpaw's father Springpuddle, her silver-gray fur spiked with fear.

Sparkpaw emerged from the apprentices den and the two of them rushed over to their parents.

"Are you excited to go to the High Slope?" Springpuddle asked his kits.

Sparkpaw nodded but Spiderpaw sighed, "I've never been there."

"All the better then, you'll experience it with your family," Mothwood purred and licked the top of his head gently.

"We'll all go out from the-" Dappledstar yowled but before she could finish a tree fell and blocked the slope out of camp, "Gather at the ledge above the medicine den!"

All the clan made their way over to the ledge. "Blossomwing will go up first, Blossomwing please carry Sparrowkit," Dappledstar mewed and the expecting she-cat grabbed Lakeshimmer's kit and made her way up the cliff.

"Hootstep you next, take Lionkit please."

The little tom-kit squirmed as Hootstep picked him up and followed Blossomwing. "You next Plumflower, can you carry Wrenkit?"

The old she-cat nodded and took Wrenkit up with her. "Now you Raccoonleap."

The gray tom clung to the cliff and began to climb and made it up the last tail length with Hootstep's help.

Ratskip and Flowertooth plunged by. Ratskip had Tinykit in his jaws and Flowertooth was carrying Stumpykit. Lakeshimmer brushed by with Oatkit and Tawnyflower was hard on her paws with Leapkit.

Primrosepaw and Rockypaw went next followed closely by Heatherpool. Sagepaw and Petalpaw clambered after then with Shrewpaw close behind.

Mothwood and Springpuddle moved up next, "Come on Spiderpaw, Sparkpaw, let's go!"

The four of them rushed up the cliff. Before long the entire clan was gathered at the top of the cliff. Dappledstar and Needleshadow took the lead. Wrenkit and Lionkit followed them while Sparrowkit chased her brothers' tails.

They quickly reached the High Slope and most of the clan had already made their way onto solid, dry ground.

Snowleaves' white fur brushed against Spiderpaw and he looked up at his mentor, he realized they were walking in the back of the clan. A large wave of water came rushing toward them, Spiderpaw was washed off his paws and he went underwater. His paws thrashed for his head to resurface. He could faintly hear Mothwood wailing his name before he was tossed back into the water.

He could see Snowleaves on the low branch of a nearby oak, his sopping wet paw stretched out to Spiderpaw. He thrashed to reach his mentor but he was swept on past the branch and away into unknown territory to MoonClan warriors.