Warriors: Cobwebs

22. The Tiger Cub

     Webpaw pushed past Patchback as he paced back and forth in front of the den, thanking StarClan that the raspberry leaves made speech impossible, else he would have insulted the soon-to-be father for being in the way. When he entered, Miststep was nudging Ashkit out of the nursery, and Redkit was being a pain to remove from the den as she insisted on watching. Normally, according to Clearwhisker, the kitting would have taken place in the medicine den, but Tinypetal had refused to move from her nest.

     "Drop them there and scram!" Clearwhisker hissed, pointing at a spot on the den floor. Webpaw dropped the leaves and looked at his mentor in confusion, doubt and fear.

     "Shouldn't I be in here so I can learn what to do?" he questioned, but Clearwhisker simply shot him a cold, hateful stare that hit like a swinging tree limb. Webpaw pinned his ears back in frustration, spitting "fine!" at his mentor, and he barged out.

     I need to learn what to do! What's his problem? Webpaw dug his claws into the dying Leaffall grass and lashed his tail as he locked eyes with a very sour Patchback.

     "Shouldn't you be in there helping my mate?" the warrior growled, demanding an answer. Webpaw put on a blank expression, then spoke in a sarcastic tone. "Oh, I am? I totally didn't know that! I totally wasn't kicked out! It's totally my choice to not help her! If she dies, it's Clearwhisker's fault!" he yowled. He was disappointed, as he had hoped and waited anxiously to witness the arrival of the new kits. "I'm out!" he added, stamping towards the medicine den.

          He fell into his nest and shut his eye as tight as he could, rolling on his back and stretching his legs outward. He flexed his claws, secretly wishing he could sharpen them on his mentor's face, and he went limp. What kind of medicine cat denies his apprentice a chance to learn? Clearwhisker had never been that good of a mentor, sure, but this was ridiculous!

     I'm sure he has his reasons. Webpaw did his best to negotiate and persuade hisself that Clearwhisker was doing what he thought best, and that maybe the apprentice wasn't ready yet. But it simply wasn't working. All Webpaw could feel was malcontent for his mentor.

     An eternity passed, or so it seemed, and Webpaw spent the entire time slipping in and out of a dream state. The longest dream, which lasted only a few minutes in the real world, seemed to be the shortest.

     The black cat was there, with his eyes trained on a dark figure in a misty clearing. And he said only a few sentences: "There will be two; the first will mark the beginning of the end, and the second will mark the fiery beginning." And he had looked at Webpaw with a scowl.

     "Tell Fallenstar that I send my condolences."

     Webpaw had awoken with cold bones and jittery paws. And a paw was poking his head: Redkit was attempting to get his attention.

     "What do you want?" he asked groggily, rolling onto his belly and sitting up. He licked his paw two or three times and brushed it over his head, and he twisted his body and licked his fur down on his side, cringing at the moss that touched his rough tongue.

     "Tinypetal had a kit!" Redkit chirped, and she immediately scampered out. Webpaw stretched his jaws in a wide yawn. All of his excitement for the arrival of his new clanmate was gone, expired and eroded after his hopes were crushed by the cat he called his mentor. Of course, he wanted to see the kitten, but it was hardly worth the effort of getting out of his nest, or so it was in his opinion.

     But he got up and stretched, yawning once again and groaning, and he gave his pelt a few rushed licks at the sides. He stepped out into the light and fought a sneeze, just as he had done on his first day outside of the medicine den. He thought of that day, and of how Goldpaw had given him a tour of the camp. He thought of how rudely Sandfoot had acted about his eye, and how Miststep had defended him.

     It felt like it had happened only yesterday.

     As he neared the nursery, a feeling of dread fell over Webpaw. It was like a heavy sheet of snow, and it raked at his brain with eagle talons. He took a deep breath and stepped inside.

     Lying in a nest was Tinypetal, her tail wrapped around a small ball of fluff that was her only kitten. Crouched beside her was Patchback who gently licked her ear with pride and solemn love. Clearwhisker sat in the corner, preparing a new, fresh nest for the new queen. The old cat turned and looked over his shoulder, and he smiled at his apprentice. "Go look."

     Webpaw laid his black ears back and spitefully glowered at his mentor, who turned away, and the apprentice stepped up to the tired she-cat. She was nursing her small kitten, and she moved her cinnamon brown tail so that Webpaw may gaze upon the kit.

     When Webpaw laid eyes upon the baby feline, his heart filled with a loathing feeling, and his mind was overwhelmed by his sudden hatred for the kit. She was a bright orange, like a faded pumpkin, with black tabby stripes and white ears.

     "We named her Tigerkit," Tinypetal said distantly as she laid her head down by her mate's paws.

     Webpaw nodded curtly and stood, backing out of the den without a word.