Spiderpaw was seated comfortably besides Oceanfur, who was chomping down on the toad he had been caught. Spiderpaw was warmed by the taste of freshly caught bird, letting the blood juices fill his jaws. Spiderpaw's legs had started to ache a while ago, but he felt like he would be ready to be up and walking once he had filled his belly. The morning sun had worn off, and the afternoon wind was trying to sneak through the trees. Jaggedclaw and Muskstar were sharing lizards the limping she-cat had caught, and Spiderpaw felt a wave of sadness that Ashpaw wouldn't have been able to develop the skills she could. He knew that Jaggedclaw would have been very likely to become his mentor, and she would have done a good job.
Spiderpaw took another bite out of his pigeon, tearing off a wing as he listened to Muskstar and Jaggedclaw conversing about the Gathering that would be taking place the following night.
"Are got excited to be back for the Gathering?" Oceanfur asked.
Spiderpaw nodded lightly. "Knowing what's going on is nice, but once I get back to my Clan I feel like I'll need to rest for a moon."
"You'll be fine," he heard Jaggedclaw speak, relieved she had picked up a little enthusiasm. "You'll be welcomed in, and you'll feel better before you're aware."
"That's if you're not homesick from missing CedarClan," Oceanfur teased. Spiderpaw jabbed his flank gently with his elbow, causing the grey tom to pretend to cough on his toad.
"Enough," Muskstar grunted. "Haven't you learned how to act like a medicine cat?"
"Sorry Muskstar," Oceanfur meowed, pulling himself together and away from Spiderpaw.
Muskstar rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry too," she admitted. "Your medicine cat ways of making bonds outside of your Clan is beyond me."
Oceanfur looked at her, tilting his head. "Surely you've had a friend outside of your Clan at some point."
Muskstar threw her head back. "I don't think so. Sure, I had chats at Gatherings with the other apprentices, but nothing like that. If Lichenstar saw me messing around like that, he would throw me into a ravine."
Spiderpaw stifled a interested look. Was that why she was so defensive over the bond of him and Oceanfur? Did she have used to have friends outside of her Clan, too?
After a few more minutes of sharing tongues and eating, all that was left in front of Spiderpaw was a fleshless foot. Muskstar and the other cats seemed to be finished too. Jaggedclaw was chewing on her last lizard arm, picking herself up as she swallowed.
"Remember, we all have to get back," Muskstar meowed. "The sooner we return Spiderpaw, the sooner we can get some shut-eye."
"You're right," Jaggedclaw meowed. He watched as she began to pick herself up and followed in her paw-steps, stretching out his back once he was satisfied that his belly was completely full. "That was a great pigeon," he meowed. "Thanks, Muskstar."
Pleased with her nod of approval, he waited until she turned around and began to lead the group of cats through the forest again.
Time went on, and Spiderpaw could tell that soon, the sun would start to set. Even though the cats had been energised before they left, the CedarClan cats were beginning to look tired. Spiderpaw felt guilty that he would be curled up in his nest when the cats had only begun their travelling back to their Clan, but the reminder of the fact that his sweet-scented nest was not far off gave him the strength he needed to continue on.
"So, do you think you'll be going to the Gathering?" Oceanfur asked, his eyes barely open as he spoke.
"I wouldn't want to miss a Gathering," Spiderpaw insisted. "I'll be fine."
"I'd be exhausted," Oceanfur meowed.
"And you shall be the second we get back," Muskstar added, turning her head to see them as she walked.
"You're speaking as if you don't want me there," Spiderpaw teased.
"That's not what I meant," Oceanfur argued. But he knew the grey-tom was only messing around. "I'm only a asking because I'm going to want to know you're feeling okay once you get back."
"No, I'll have whitecough," Spiderpaw teased, smirking as Oceanfur jabbed him in his flank.
When Oceanfur turned away to focus on walking, Spiderpaw allowed his senses to flick through the trees. A rush of excitement waved through him as collected that the smell of the marshy Clan he had stayed with had completely faded, only to be replaced by a much fresher smell of the green forest Spiderpaw was so much more used to. He closed his eyes as the welcoming scent filled his nostrils, relaxing him for the last push of the journey home.
"Looks like we're finally back in ThornClan," Muskstar announced.
The sun had set, and for the first time in for what felt like moons, Spiderpaw could see the moon shining over the sky, without a single leaf blocking the shimmer.
"Let's get a move on, then."
Spiderpaw continued to follow Muskstar through the trees, trying to contain his relief to be back in his own land. He felt overwhelmed by the fresh scent that surrounded him, as if he was being carried by the air without his paws having to do any work.
However, the CedarClan cats looked like they could snooze at any moment. He noticed Jaggedclaw's limpy walk was becoming slower and slower, and even Muskstar's tail was drooping.
"I don't like the idea of you all going back in the dark," Spiderpaw admitted.
"We're CedarClan cats," Muskstar muttered. "We thrive in the dark."
"No cat can thrive in any environment when they're lacked from sleep," Spiderpaw argued. Muskstar seemed too exhausted to argue, and for a second Spiderpaw was sure she was just going to shut her eyes.
When Spiderpaw was sure the other cats wouldn't be able to walk another pawstep, he felt a rush of relief as the leafy tunnel came into view. "We're here!" he meowed.
"Great," Jaggedclaw meowed, making Spiderpaw's excitement fade.
"Just follow me through," he meowed, taking the lead as Muskstar dipped her head. He rushed through the leafy tunnel, the three cats following him, and scanned his eyes around the darkened clearing to see which cats were awake. To his relief, he saw Aspenclaw and Honeyflower seated tiredly by the fresh-kill pile, conversing as they ate a piece of prey each.
"I'm back!"
Both heads turned immediately as Spiderpaw called down the clearing. Aspenclaw raced to his paws to greet his brother whilst Honeyflower made her way behind him.
"I'll get Echostar!"
Aspenclaw dipped his head to her, turning back around to greet him. "I'm glad to see you again."
"I'm glad to see you too," Spiderpaw meowed. He turned around to face the CedarClan cats, who looked as if they felt a little bit awkward with the reunion.
However soon after, Echostar was making her way down the clearing, Cometcloud at her side. Spiderpaw's eyes enlarged as he noticed that Cometcloud now had two gaping scars down the side of his pelt. Although - he noticed they did not look fresh, at all.
"Welcome back," Echostar meowed. Moments after, she raised her head and narrowed her eyes.
"Muskstar," she greeted coldly.
"Echostar."
Spiderpaw felt tensions rising, and he soon knew he had to break the feeling before any conflict could happen. "The CedarClan cats and I have been travelling all day, and they've still got to make their way back." He turned to face Oceanfur.
"I'd feel awful to keep them any longer. They have so far to go."
Cometcloud looked at Muskstar, his face portraying an emotion he could not tell.
"How is Ashpaw? Did he improve?"
There was a little silence before Muskstar spoke. "Ashpaw passed away," she meowed. "There was nothing any cat could do."
Spiderpaw watches as she turned her gaze towards him. "That does not wipe out the fact that Spiderpaw worked very hard."
Muskstar sent her gaze to Honeyflower. "You must have trained him well."
Surprised by her compliment, Spiderpaw watched as Honeyflower beamed half-heartedly, seemingly worried by the events that had occurred because of the CedarClan cats. She wasn't used to them being so nice.
"Where's Briartail?" Spiderpaw asked.
"She's asleep," Echostar meowed. "I'll wake her up now, she'll need to be on guard."
"Isn't Ryepelt on guard now?" Aspenclaw meowed.
"Yes," Echostar meowed. "But we'll need another." She turned her head to the CedarClan cats. "You're staying?"
Muskstar's eyes widened, and she took a step back out of shock. "No, no, I wasn't expecting..."
Echostar interrupted her. "I wouldn't be fair to send the three of you back for such a long journey in the pitch black." she meowed. "You're welcome to stay."
"You're sure?" Jaggedclaw meowed, relief seeming to flood her face.
Echostar nodded. She turned to Cometcloud and muttered a few words to him, nearly inaudibly.
"They'll sleep in the warrior's den, where there's the most cats around them incase they have any plans. Please, sleep with me and the kits."