Spiderpaw padded into the HawkClan camp, his tail lowered and dragging in the dirt.His ear twitched as a fly landed on it.

Stupid flies, he thought with a grunt.

He heard muffled voices coming from the medicine den, and decided to head in and see what was going on.

I hope Brookstorm is feeling better. I did manage to find him a thrush yesterday.Wonder if he ate it.

Entering the den he spotted Gingerheart and Brookstar leaned over Brookstorm's body in the corner of the den.

"How is he?"Spiderpaw knelt down beside the tom.

"Not good,"Gingerheart sighed. "His breathing keeps getting slower and some of his wounds have started bleeding again."

Brookstorm coughed, his whole body shaking. "Am I...okay?"His voice was raspy, sounding sore.

Gingerheart closed his eyes. "I don't know.Rest and we'll see what happens."

Brookstar flicked her tail, leading Gingerheart to the exit. "We'll leave you alone now.Come, Spiderpaw."

"Just a moment."Spiderpaw dipped his head, then gazed at Brookstorm.

The blue-grey tom's breathing was coming in small gasps, his chest heaving.His eyes bulged. "Can't- breath....Head dizzy..."He let out a pained whimper, sending Spiderpaw a panicked look. "Help...me..."

His mouth started foaming, and he coughed up blood.

Spiderpaw stood up swiftly. "What do I do!? Get Gingerheart?"

Brookstorm groaned, wriggling in his nest. "All...I feel is....pain....ugh..."

Spiderpaw was frozen to the ground.

I have to do something!

Brookstorm's eyes glazed over and he grunted, head dropping to the ground, silence following.

He was dead.

"No, no, no..."Spiderpaw backed up, his tail touching the wall, making him flinch. "No...."

"He can't be dead,"Spiderpaw gazed in horror at the limp body, looking so similar to when he was laying on the thunderpath. "He can't be.."

His own breathing stopped in his throat for a second, but he calmed down a bit and was able to breathe again.

Suddenly Spiderpaw felt a sharp poking in his side and awoke to see Gorgepaw nudging his side with a claw. "You were having a bad dream."She said, a slight accent to her voice.

Her sand coloured fur fluffed out as she watched him, her eyes twinkling.

Spiderpaw shook his head, mesmerized by her beauty.She really was a pretty young cat. I don't have time for love, especially with a cat from another Clan.

"Hello? Are you being possessed?"Gorgepaw nudged him again, her nose wrinkling in excitement.

"Wha- no."Spiderpaw shook his head, getting to his paws. "Is Brookstorm okay!?"

"Yes,"Gorgepaw looked at him weirdly

"He's sitting outside the medicine den.Why?"

"No reason."Spiderpaw shrugged, heading out into the clearing.He blinked, adjusting his eyes to the light.

Gorgepaw followed him, pushing past him.Electricity seemed to spark between them as their fur brushed.

"See? He's over there."She pointed her nose to where Brookstorm lay, sprawled out in the sun.

Spiderpaw winced at the tom, looking so bored and in pain.He approached him, keeping a distance between them, as if the wounded cat might suddenly lunge at him.

"How are you feeling?"Spiderpaw muttered, feeling awkwardness in the air around them.

Brookstorm grunted. "Why should you care?"

Okay, I probably deserve that, Spiderpaw thought.

"Uh, because I nearly got you killed by a monster?"Spiderpaw replied with a snap.

Calm down, stay calm....

"You told me that was my own fault."Brookstorm chuckled bitterly. "Why should you care now? I bet you're happy it was me and not you."

"Hey! That's not fair-"

"Would you have leapt in and taken the blow for me?"He interrupted Spiderpaw's protest.

Spiderpaw remained silent.

Would I? He wasn't sure. Was that a bad thing, though?

"I thought so,"Brookstorm scoffed. "You should just go home, you're able to walk."He glanced down at his crooked leg. "I won't be able to walk on it again."

Guilt weighed down his heart. "I truly am sorry."Spiderpaw lowered his head. "You looked so broken, lying there on the thunderpath.."

Turning,he headed for the leader's den, although he thought he heard Brookstorm mumble, "I bet I still looked handsome."

He entered the den without asking, sitting down and avoiding eye contact with the calico she-cat. "I'm ready to go home now, Brookstar."

Every time he said her name it reminded him of Brookstorm.

"Are you sure?"The she-cat sounded surprised. "Is Brookstorm ready?"

"I'm going without him,"Spiderpaw sighed, gazing into the leader's eyes. "He doesn't want me here."

"Really? So you're going to prove him right?"Brookstar's mew was soft.

"What do you mean?"Spiderpaw scuffed the ground with a paw, confused.

"Brookstorm said you should just go, correct?"Brookstar leaned closer to him, her eyes sparkling.

"Yes.."Spiderpaw said slowly, thinking deeply.

"So, leaving would just prove him right: you don't care about him, or that he's hurt."She leaned back, her face showing no emotion.

"How are you so smart?"Spiderpaw huffed, glancing at the young she-cat.

"I don't know.But that's not important.You have to show your friend that you care about him."She nudged him out of the den. "But, be careful.At the end of the day, if you decide you want to leave, I'll take you back to your home."

"Thank you, Brookstar."Spiderpaw dipped his head, hurrying back over to where the crippled tom lay, his breath shallow with sleep.

"Wake up!"Spiderpaw set a paw gently on Brookstorm's face, making him flinch heavily.

"What in StarClan's name do you want!?"Brookstorm groaned, blinking open his eyes.

"I'm staying."Spiderpaw mewed firmly.

"Why?"Brookstorm sounded surprised.

"Because, I want to show you I do care about you, and your wounds.Is there anything I can do for you?"

Something flashed across Brookstorm's face, but was gone to quickly to notice what it was. "You could get me some prey.I'm in the mood for blackbird, but without any feathers."

Spiderpaw immediately regretted this, but trudged over to the prey-pile.He sighed in relief as he spotted an old, scrawny blackbird at the bottom.

He yanked out feather after feather, till all were gone, dropping it in front of Brookstorm's muzzle.

"Here,"He nosed it closer to the tom's mouth. "Eat."

"I can't,"Brookstorm grumbled angrily, trying and failing to chew it. "Gingerheart told me I lost at least five teeth.It's hard to chew!"

Spiderpaw used his paw to grind the bird into pulp, then pushed it back toward the complaining cat. "This is literally so gross."Spiderpaw gagged, staring at the thick, red, crunchy pulp.

Brookstorm licked it up, swallowing it hastily. "Much easier to eat it, though."

"Anything else I can do for you, Brookstorm?"Spiderpaw scowled, licking his paw clean of bird guts.

"Hmmm, mabye go out and collect some soft bedding for me."He mewed with a grin, shifting ever-so-slightly in his spot.

"Fine,"Spiderpaw growled, forcing a smile on his face. "I mean, of course!"

He headed out into the forest, walking in a random direction.

I don't know where anything is!

How am I supposed to get anywhere? I'll probably get lost...

Although, to some people, that would probably be a reward. (Cough cough, Ztar101 , cough cough)

Gorgepaw had promised to show him around, although he wasn't sure how long he'd be there, or if Brookstar would want him to know her territory.

Glancing to his left, he spotted dry moss clung to a tree. "Perfect!"

He padded over and ripped it off easily, grabbing a clump of feathers he found beside it as well.

He thought he heard a noise in the tree above him, and glanced up.

Was that a cat?

He saw a pair of dark turquoise eyes watching him, but they disappeared as soon as he looked up.

An uneasy feeling crept into his pelt, and Spiderpaw suddenly felt more alone and scared than ever before.

He knew something, he was being watched.

And it was by a Shadow Paw.

(Word count: 1,324)