Warriors, The Next Chapter; Spiderpaw's Journey

Chapter 3

Spiderpaw shuddered as he felt a rough tongue over his ears, he looked up, expecting to see Mothwood's silver-gray fur but he was surprised to see a brown she-cat standing over him. A lean orange tabby tom with black stripes was standing beside the she-cat.

"Come on Tree, he's not one of us," The tom spat.

"You don't expect me to leave this poor scrap of fur here all alone do you?" The she-cat mewed in defiance.

The striped tom hesitated, "Fine but Ivy and Charcoal probably won't be very happy."

Spiderpaw coughed up more water and turned to the cats, "Who are you? Where is Mothwood and Springpuddle!"

"I'm Tree," The she-cat mewed.

"And I'm Tiger," The tom added,"What's your name kid?"

Spiderpaw stood up, "I'm Spiderpaw."

"Odd name kid, where do you come from?" Tiger mewed.

"I'm a MoonClan apprentice," Spiderpaw mewed proudly despite his mud coated, ruffled pelt, "Where am I?"

Tree exchanged a worried glance with Tiger, "MoonClan, are those forest cats right?" Spiderpaw nodded. "Oh sweetheart, how did you get here?"

"I was swept away in a current, why?" Spiderpaw mewed, growing scared.

"Your at the barn kid, it's at least a moon long journey by foot back to your forest," Tiger mewed flatly.

Spiderpaw unsheathed his claws to hold him to the ground, afraid he'd faint, "Your telling me I'm a moon's journey away from my clan and my kin?"

"Afraid so," Tiger replied.

Tree swept her tail around Spiderpaw warmly, "Come dear, let's take you back to the barn and get you something to eat."

Spiderpaw nodded, too shocked to speak, and followed Tree as she led him to a large red barn with a lot of the paint on the front chipping away to reveal sturdy oak behind it. The big red and white doors were closed on the front of the building when the three cats reached it. Tree turned to the right and guided him to a tiny little hole in the wall, she sucked in her breath and squeezed in, Tiger followed her with Spiderpaw on his heels.

When Spiderpaw slipped into the barn he saw a light brown tabby she-cat laying on some hay, her belly round with kits. A black tom was jumping down a ladder, his yellow eyes glowing.

Tree stepped up in front of them, "This is Spiderpaw, he was washed away in the storm from his Clan and will be staying here for a little while to get back on his paws."

The she-cat got up, "My name is Ivy."

"I'm Charcoal," The tom mewed as he reached Tree and Tiger.

"Are you hungry dear?" Tree asked as she settled Spiderpaw in a hay nest beside Ivy.

He nodded, "Yes."

Tree got up and looked at Tiger and Charcoal, they seemed to understand and rushed out the gap.

Spiderpaw began to groom his matted, muddy fur. "You said you were a- MoonClan apprentice, right?" Tree asked him.

"Yep," Spiderpaw mewed as he worked out another knot.

"Does MoonClan live by the lake with the other clans?" Ivy asked.

Spiderpaw titled his head, "What other clans."

"I think it was- ThunderClan- RiverClan- WindClan- ShadowClan- and uhh SkyClan," Tree mewed.

"No, MoonClan lives alone it's forest with StarClan guiding us," Spiderpaw told the she-cats.

Tree noticed he was confused and changed the topic, "So, MoonClan has a leader right?" Spiderpaw nodded. "Who is your leader now?"

Spiderpaw wondered if Dappledstar had survived or if Needleshadow had become leader, "When I left, Dappledstar was our leader but I'm unsure if she survived."

"Well we have something in common with you then! Our leader is Tiger and he protects us from the two-leg dogs and nasty kittypets," Ivy purred as she struck blows at the air.

Spiderpaw smiled, "In MoonClan, our warriors defend us from foxes, badgers, dogs, rogues, and kittypets and then mentors train their apprentices to hunt and fight."

"What about the kits? Who takes care of them?" Ivy questioned.

"The queens take care of the kits and the warriors defend the camp, when a kit becomes six moons old they become an apprentice," Spiderpaw explained, "I wonder how Tawnyflower's kits are after the flood."

Tree stretched and turned to him, "Who are Tawnyflower's kits?"

"Tinykit, Leapkit, Stumpykit, and Oatkit," He told her, "They're one moon old right now. I wonder if Blossomwing has had her kits yet!"

"Who is your mother Spiderpaw?" Ivy asked gently.

"Mothwood, and my father is Springpuddle," He mewed.

Tiger and Charcoal slipped back into the barn, Charcoal was carrying two mice by the tails and Tiger had a fat squirrel and a slimy toad between his jaws.

Charcoal walked over and dropped one mouse beside Ivy and the other in front of Spiderpaw. Tiger settled beside Tree with the squirrel and Charcoal took the toad.

Spiderpaw tucked into his meal quickly, surprised at how hungry he was. Once the others were done with their meals they ran off to their nests. Spiderpaw curled up quickly, thankful for these rogues who helped him.