Warriors, The Next Chapter; Spiderpaw's Journey

Chapter 17

Spiderpaw padded through the forest, his patrol had left the barn before the barn cats had woke, too afraid that Emberlight would want to see Pouncepaw and Petalpaw.

As they walked into the woods, Spiderpaw could feel a tug in his paws leading him toward his camp. Mintnose, who had been walking a few paces ahead of Spiderpaw, suddenly disappeared with a shriek.

"I'm down here!" The she-cat cried.

Spiderpaw looked at some broken away leaves and looked down, Mintnose was standing at the bottom of a very deep mole hole. Spiderpaw remembered when Sparkpaw had fallen down a similar mole hole.

The patrol cats were all clustered around the hole by the time Spiderpaw looked up, "Someone find me a vine!"

Scurrypaw disappeared into the trees and reappeared moments later with two long ivy tendrils dragging behind her. "I also need two reeds," He mewed.

Sweetpaw and Fishthorn ran off. Spiderpaw took the first vine and laid it on top of the second, then he took the end of the second and laid it over the first, he repeated the process til he reached the end of the vine. Fishthorn dropped two, long reeds at his paws and Spiderpaw used them to secure the ends.

Nuttail was bent over the hole, "We'll get you out Mintnose!"

Spiderpaw dropped the ivy down the hole, "Sink your claws in it!"

"Alright," Mintnose obeyed, positioning herself on the vine, "What now?"

"Form a line behind me," He told the others.

He gave the vine a tug and Mintnose moves a mouse length off the ground. Jaywhisker took the end of the vine in his jaw and pulled, moving Mintnose a bit more.

Yarrowfur and Appledusk positioned themselves between Spiderpaw and Jaywhisker and helped lift the she-cat out of the hole a bit farther. Scurrypaw and Sweetpaw took up their own spots and Fishthorn slid into a small gap. Nuttail, Whitepounce, and Shamblecreek took the end of the vine. 

Spiderpaw let go and let the other cats hold, "When I say 'go', you pull!"

The cats nodded.

"Go!"

They gave the vine a strong tug and Spiderpaw could see the tip of Mintnose's ear over the hole.

"Go!"

The she-cat rose more, now revealing the top of her head. They began to see their progress and strengthened their grip on the vine.

"Go!"

Mintnose's entire head became visible and Spiderpaw rushed over, Fishthorn released his grip and helped Spiderpaw get the she-cat out of the hole. Mintnose was shaking but laid down on the dirt, "Thank you."

"I didn't even realize that it's already night," Shamblecreek mewed.

Spiderpaw looked up at the sky, realizing that the tom was right, "Let's sleep here tonight then. Fishthorn will you stand guard?"

"I will," Appledusk offered.

As the rest of the cats sat down and began to sleep, Appledusk positioned herself for a long night of watch.

***

Spiderpaw woke the next morning to the strong scent of prey. Yarrowfur, Whitepounce, Nuttail, and Sweetpaw pranced into the makeshift camp, carrying prey. Yarrowfur nudged Appledusk awake from where she slept by the tree and the two cats settled down to share a vole. Nuttail roused Mintnose and Jaywhisker, laying down to share a mouse with them. Whitepounce settled down with Fishthorn and Shamblecreek to share the squirrel she had caught and Sweetpaw and Scurrypaw were laid out in the shade of the tree, enjoying a fat squirrel.