That was just a dream.
Just a dream.
A dream, Spiderpaw!
Spiderpaw tried to convince himself. He had slammed his paws over his eyes as he struggled to wake himself up. He was breathing quickly and heavily even after his eyes had opened.
His eyes slammed open. His nose was filled with a revolting stench.
Spiderpaw could barely believe his senses.
He smelled blood.
There was no way.
There was no possibility.
Spiderpaw scampered to his paws. Everything around him was dark. He couldn't see a thing.
"Heronkit!" Spiderpaw whispered. When the kit didn't move, Spiderpaw smelled her out from the group and nudged her harshly.
Still, no movement.
He shoved her again. Heronkit didn't move a muscle.
Quickly, he lowered himself and placed his head onto her flank. She was breathing, and Spiderpaw let out a breath of relief. Perhaps when cats were in the Dark Forest, they couldn't be woken.
That didn't mean he wouldn't check up on the other cats. He scanned his way to Briartail, although picking up her scent was hard due to the overflowing scent of cuts in the rockpile. His sister's flank scent was faint, but he remembered that the she-cat was laying right opposite him. He gently moved himself around the rockpile and used his whiskers to locate her. Her scent was a little stronger now, and Spiderpaw lowered his head.
She was breathing.
But her pelt was soaking. Spiderpaw jolted up.
His eyes widened. He felt as if he was stunned. She was really wounded. Not just in his dream.
Spiderpaw clenched his teeth into his gums, checking he wasn't still in a dream. He didn't want to think the same had happened to Vinetail.
He quickly turned towards the cat with the strange scent and rubbed his head against his pelt. The same thick liquid was slanted all across him, and Spiderpaw felt himself hyperventilating.
What could he do?
Honeyflower was at the Moonpool tonight. He was on his own.
He quickly grabbed onto Briartail's scruff and pulled her towards the exit of the rockpile.
He heaved her out, and once he could feel the cold night air on his pelt he lifted her up gently onto his back and bounded out his front paws.
He could feel blood gently dripping onto his pelt as he broke out into a run towards the ThornClan camp.
He knew he had no time to waste. Every paw step he took wasted precious energy from his body, but he couldn't slow down.
His head was racing and he longed for a proper rest. He wouldn't have time to properly treat Briartail when he was back at the camp, but her wounds felt deep above Spiderpaw.
He couldn't risk infection - but Vinetail was still lying helplessly inside the Rockpile. He was glad Heronkit wasn't hurt. He hoped that Redshade was able to calm her down.
He quickly glanced up at the moon as he paced along the green. To his shock, the night wasn't far in and the moon was still high in the sky, and Spiderpaw didn't want to think what could have happened if he hadn't been there to help them.
Nevertheless, he wasn't nearly finished. He just hoped he would be able to get Briartail back in time to treat her. He had no idea what he would do with Vinetail, but even if he was from another Clan, he couldn't leave him there.
Spiderpaw still couldn't come to terms with what was happening. He couldn't believe that Briartail had been injured so recklessly in the fight between her and Vinetail. Spiderpaw didn't even know why they were fighting in the first place - and he didn't want to know why the strange figure above them was urging them to continue when they were both so damaged already, let alone why his own sister was using a move that was so dangerous that no Clan cat was allowed to use such a move.
The cats had been so worn out even before they had started fighting. Briartail had never had such noticeable wounds on her body in the morning before.
Just thinking of his sister in such a condition gave Spiderpaw the energy he needed to continue moving. His legs ached with a pain like a thorn.
The night rushed past him, and Spiderpaw did his best to keep up. But he was being worn out with every second. He knew he couldn't stop.