"Let's rest here.We should reach the camp by tomorrow night if we don't have any interruptions."Ripplestrike sat down under the shelter of a over hanging rock-cliff.

"We can't stop now!"Birchpaw frowned, staring into the distance. "What if we keep going, then we'll make it to camp by tomorrow midday."

"But then we'll be walking in the dark,"Deerspots argued. "And that's dangerous."

"More dangerous then walking in the open?"Argyle snorted. "I vote we keep going."

"There's nothing to vote on,"Dewmelody snapped. "Ripplestrike, our deputy, said we stop here."

"You're not thinking!"Birchpaw snarled, unsheathing her claws. "Think about all the wasted time if we sleep here!"

"Think about the dangers of the night!"Deerspots growled.

Spiderpaw shifted nervously, Bubble whimpering beside him.Brookstorm leaned down and whispered something in the kit's ear, but Spiderpaw didn't quite catch it.

Ravenpaw watched this from Spiderpaw's other side, face unreadable and tail wrapped around her paws.

"Guys, let's talk about this calmly,"Primrose murmured, stepping between Ripplestrike and Birchpaw, who were having a glare-off. "please?"

"Primrose is right,"Ravenpaw stood up, sliding over to the she-cat. "We shouldn't be snarling and going on, we should be discussing things properly.Ripplestrike is the deputy, let her decided with the second in charge: Dewmelody and Deerspots.They're Warriors, they know what they're doing."

That shushed everyone up.

Finally Ripplestrike blinked, straightening her posture. "Yes.We will sleep here and head out early in the morning.Thank you, Ravenpaw."she dipped her head, and Birchpaw and Argyle grumbled crossly.

"Come here, Bubble, let's get you tucked in for the night."Brookstorm sighed, carrying the weak kit to a make-shift nest of leaves.

Bubble had gotten noticeably worse in the past couple days, not even being able to walk for more than two minutes.She kept complaining about being too hot, when all the others were cold, and telling Spiderpaw she wasn't feeling well.

Her shoulder had grown worse, more puffy and inflamed, with a light yellowish hue to the wound.

The sour smell had also gotten stronger, and it hurt Spiderpaw to look at her.

She might not make it...

But whenever any-cat looked at her with those knowing eyes, Brookstorm would shoo them away, muttering a quick, "you'll be fine" to the kitten.

Bubble hadn't questioned where her littermates were, and Spiderpaw started to think she'd seen them in the tree, but he wasn't too sure about that.

Spiderpaw curled up beside Ravenpaw, closing his eyes tight.He heard Primrose shuffle into the nest next to him, and squeezed them shut tighter till he saw white splotches.

He didn't know how long he'd stayed away for, but everyone else was asleep. He could hear soft snoring, Bubble's occasional whimpers and a tail swishing in its nest.

He was getting close to sleep, when he heard a sharp snap from outside, lifting his head quickly.

"Who's there?"he whispered, Ravenpaw fidgeting beside him.He held his breath until she went still.

Then he climbed gingerly around her and hurried out from the shelter, staring all around.

"Who's out here?"Spiderpaw hissed. "and what do you want?"

'Nothing...'

Something whispered, sending shivers down Spiderpaw's back.

'I want nothing..'

"N-No! Everyone always wants something!"he growled, sinking his claws into the spongy ground.

'No....I merely exist contently..'

"I'm sure that's a lie."Spiderpaw gazed all around, wind whistling in his ears.

'It's really not...My, you are stubborn..'

"Who or what are you?!"Spiderpaw bristled, grass tickling his stomach.

'I'm no one...'

"You have to be someone!"

'You can't see me...'

"Why not!?"

'Because I'm not real...You're imagining me...'

"B-But why!?"Spiderpaw stumbled backwards.That didn't explain the snap sound he'd heard before!

'Because you're scared. Scared to admit you're wrong.Scared to admit you're scared.And now you're stressed....'

"You're lying to me!"Spiderpaw slipped, falling on his stomach.

'No, you're lying to yourself.'

Spiderpaw turned swiftly, racing back toward the shelter, eyes wide.

'You can't run from me, Spiderpaw..'

'I'm you, and you're me...'

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"So, how was everyone's sleep?"Ripplestrike asked, smiling widely.Dawn light flooded the shelter as everyone got up.

Spiderpaw blinked sleepily, stifling a yawn as he sat up groggily.

He'd had a terrible sleep after the events of last night.

"Fine."Argyle mewed stiffly from beside Birchpaw, tension clear in the air.

"Well I had a good sleep."Primrose smiled, stretching each limb.

"So did I."Ravenpaw mumbled, eyes fixed on Bubble's sleeping form.She was nestled between Brookstorm and the cave wall.

Brookstorm gazed at Ravenpaw with bored eyes, seeming to say, 'Take her, please...I beg of you..'

"Let's get moving then!"Dewmelody stood up. "We still have some hunting to do.Once we reach RavenClan territory it will be a no-hunting zone."

"Surely they won't mind,"Argyle scoffed. "They've got so much of it."

"That's not how the Clans work."Ravenpaw explained softly, Argyle shooting her a glare, causing the black she-cat to flinch.

"Ooookay then, let's move."Deerspots chuckled dryly, starting forward, only for Ripplestrike to trot in front of him and take the lead, Dewmelody trailing right behind.

Spiderpaw staggered after them, Ravenpaw padding along in the back, head lowered.

At this pace it'll take all day, and then some!

Bubble coughed, and Spiderpaw glanced sideways at her.She was clinging weakly to Brookstorm's back, bumping up and down as he walked.Her tongue was sticking slightly out of her mouth, and her eyes were glazed over in pain.

Spiderpaw forced himself to look away, sadness overtaking him.She looked so vulnerable and pathetic.

Speeding up a bit, Spiderpaw walked beside Deerspots, who looked like he was barely there, a thoughtful look on his face.

I really am scared. he admitted.

He was scared of what would happen to Bubble; the Clans and himself.

Shakenpaw and The Shadow Paws must be nearly to the Clan territories already, and he didn't think they'd stay and wait for them to catch up.

They're going to kill everyone, and we won't even be there to stop them...

Let alone protect anyone...

Spiderpaw shook his head, holding his chin high.

No, we can do this.

We can save them!

It's not too late.

Word count: 1030