Warriors, The Next Chapter; Spiderpaw's Journey

Chapter 7

Sparkpaw groaned as she laid in her nest. Since Ratskip's patrol had mentioned finding fox prints and a fresh scent mark last sunrise, the whole clan had been on edge.

Lakeshimmer had shut her kits up inside of the nursery but keeping three, five moon old kits cooped up in a den wasn't easy. Sparkpaw woke to the annoyed hiss of Lionkit as he and Sparrowkit fought their way out of the den. Needleshadow was standing in the clearing and let out a soft laugh.

Sparkpaw got up, walking into the clearing.

"Morning," Needleshadow mewed.

She smiled, "Morning."

"Warriors of MoonClan! Gather for patrols!" The deputy yowled.

Cats shoved their way out the makeshift warriors den to enter the clearing, Primrosepaw slammed Shrewpaw to the ground to reach Needleshadow and her mentor, Honeyshine.

Sparkpaw spotted Springpuddle guiding Mothwood from the den toward Dappledstar's little burrow, "Come on, she won't know to let you retire unless you tell her!"

"I know, but your coming with me right?" Mothwood rasped.

"Of course!" Springpuddle purred and the two cats disappeared as Snowleaves and Blackleaf came into the clearing.

Needleshadow surveyed the cats, "Cherryspirit, a word after I assign patrols?"

Sparkpaw's mentor nodded and the deputy went on. "Snowleaves, lead the border patrol- take Pricklestep, Quailspeckle, and Rockypaw. Ratskip lead a hunting patrol near the sycamore-." She tuned out the MoonClan deputy, scared by her mentor being called aside by the deputy.

"Move out of the way Sparkpaw," Foxsnap growled as he led Buzzardswoop and Shrewpaw past her.

Sparkpaw looked around, Sagepaw was trying to speak to Heatherpool. The medicine cat had been shattered since the flood and struggled to keep on her paws with worry.

"I'll take the tansy to Oatkit?" Sagepaw offered, the young tom nosed at Heatherpool's fur to get her attention.

"What- oh- you found tansy, go ahead and take it to Oatkit," She mumbled, staring off at the sky.

Sparkpaw didn't even see Needleshadow and Cherryspirit's conversation and the dark brown tom was walking toward her.

"Sparkpaw, would you like to join me and Loudmuzzle for a hunt?" Needleshadow asked.

She looked to Cherryspirit but the she-cat turned away, walking over to share tongues with Flowertooth. Sparkpaw looked up at Needleshadow, realizing her mentor wasn't coming with her, "Sure- I guess."

Needleshadow flicked his tail and Loudmuzzle rose to his paws. The old tom ran toward the deputy, "I'll try not to slow you down but no promises."

"Watch your paws then, the terrain here isn't as flat as the old forest," Needleshadow warned.

The patrol rushed out of the camp, their paws soaring gently over the grass. Sparkpaw sighed, confused of why Cherryspirit wasn't coming to hunt with them. She rushed after Needleshadow, her thoughts spinning.

***

"May the cats of MoonClan gather for a clan meeting!" Dappledstar yowled as she stepped up onto the rock at the center of the clearing.

Sparkpaw bounded forward. Snowleaves came and sat next to her while Halfwhisker and Rainyflight sat down nearby. Shrewpaw, Primrosepaw, and Rockypaw were sitting near the base of the tallest tree in the clearing. Sagepaw brushed by her, stopping for a moment, "Hey, want to come sit with us?"

"Sure!" She mewed and followed him over to the other apprentices. Petalpaw rushed over to sit next to her sister and Sparkpaw sat down next to Sagepaw.

Lionkit, Sparrowkit, and Wrenkit fought their way through the crowd with Shimmerpelt.

"Lionkit, Sparrowkit, Wrenkit, you have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this moment onward until you become a warrior, you will be known as Lionpaw, Sparrowpaw, and Wrenpaw," Dappledstar mewed.

"Lionpaw! Sparrowpaw! Wrenpaw!" The clan cheered.

Dappledstar faced Lionpaw, "Lionpaw, your mentor will be Volescramble. I hope he passes all he learned from Raccoonleap onto you." The two toms went to touch noses while Dappledstar turned to Wrenpaw. "Wrenpaw, your mentor will be Foxsnap, I hope he passes all he learned from Silentdawn onto you." The two cats ran toward each other. "Sparrowpaw, your mentor will be Newtflight, I hope he passes on all he learned from Ambershade onto you."

Shimmerpelt beamed proudly at her kits.

"Shimmerpelt- now that your kits are apprentices you will return to-," Dappledstar went on.

The former queen got to her paws, "Actually Dappledstar, I'd like to stay in the nursery and help Blossomwing and Tawnyflower raise their kits."

Dappledstar seemed confused but dipped her head, "Very well then. And, last for tonight, Mothwood and Springpuddle, is it your wish to retire and spend your final moons among the elders?"

Mothwood nodded, "It is."

Springpuddle glanced at Mothwood before turning to Dappledstar, "Yes but in times of crisis, I will fight for my clan like any other warrior."

"Then you two may join the elders for moons of rest after your great service to your clan," Dappledstar mewed.

Loudmuzzle snorted from where he sat by Rookwing, "I'm older and I still haven't given up- they're warriors, they should help their clan for more moons, whether it's more prey or more kits."

Plumflower, who was sitting beside him, snorted a laugh. "We don't need them for more kits just yet," The old she-cat pointed her tail to Cherryspirit and Flowertooth. Sparkpaw's mentor was leaning her head softly on the tom's shoulder as Dappledstar dismissed the cats.

Newtflight hurried over to greet Sparrowpaw. The warrior touched noses with the little she-cat before turning to the deputy as Needleshadow began to speak, "Ratskip and Blackleaf, you two take hunting patrols, Ratskip take Volescramble and Lionpaw, Blackleaf take Foxsnap and Wrenpaw. I'll take the border patrol with Newtflight, Sparrowpaw, Snowleaves, and Sparkpaw."

Sparkpaw shared a glance with Needleshadow. The deputy seemed to say, keep an eye on Sparrowpaw can you? She nodded, determined not to let the deputy down.

"I think there is enough cats for another hunting patrol or two," Dappledstar mewed, "Rainyflight take Honeyshine, Birdflutter, and Primrosepaw. Halfwhisker will take Pricklestep, Rookwing, and Hootstep." The leader looked at the nearly empty pile from last night, "Nettlepath, take Petalpaw, Quailspeckle, and Rockypaw and try near the stones. I'll also take Rainyflight and Cloudytuft with me, Sagepaw can stay and help Heatherpool for now though."

Sparkpaw smiled, knowing that the leader had made the right choice sending out so many patrols, with more cats ready to hunt then normal, they would feast well tonight. She guessed that the leader was trying to get all the cats out of not only so they wouldn't grow stiff but also in hope of finding Spiderpaw.