The birds were just starting to wake as Spiderpaw slipped out of the apprentice den, fluffing out his fur.

It was decently warm, but there was a cool breeze that blew often.

He made his way toward the exit, trying to be as quiet as possible, avoiding sticks and clattery rocks.

He heard snoring coming from the warriors den.Probably Ripplestrike.

He stopped outside the camp, sniffing the air.The scent of cat flooded his nose, and he jumped as he heard a voice say, "What are you doing up this early?"

It was Brookstorm.

The blueish gray furred tom was keeping watch outside the camp. Of course.Spiderpaw should've known there'd be someone there.

"Oh, uh....I'm going hunting early? To get more prey as it's sleepy?"

"Most of it's probably sleeping,"Brookstorm snorted. "But alright.I'll come with you."

"No thanks,"Spiderpaw shook his head hastily. "I'm good."

Then an idea struck him. He needed someone to watch, so that they could tell the Clan he made it across a thunderpath.

"Fine,"Spiderpaw huffed. "You can come."

"I was going to anyway,"Brookstorm shrugged. "But okay, lead the way."

Spiderpaw headed toward the nearest thunderpath, which was near a small Two-leg village.

"Why are we going here? There won't be much prey here."Brookstorm mumbled, confused.

"I'm not actually hunting,"Spiderpaw admitted. "I'm crossing a thunderpath, and I want you to be my witness."

Brookstorm's eyes widened. "Why? That's very mouse-brained of you."

"Because it's cool! Don't you want to be cool? You could run across, too! It's so early in the morning, no monsters will be out."Spiderpaw shrugged, picking up his pace.

Brookstorm followed him slowly, seeming unconvinced. "I don't know...We could get hurt.."

"But we might not.Don't you want to have fun? To adventure? We'll be fine, I promise."

"I don't know,"Brookstorm sighed. "I'm not ready to die."

"You won't.Or are you a scaredy mouse?"Spiderpaw taunted, hoping this tactic would work.

"No I'm not! I'll do it!"Brookstorm snorted, racing ahead of Spiderpaw.

"Wait up!"Spiderpaw called, racing after him.

Spiderpaw watched the tom speed for the thunderpath.He looks irritated.

"You have to make sure no monsters are coming first!"Spiderpaw yelled, the wind seeming to steal his words and fly off with them.

He wasn't sure Brookstorm had heard what he said.

The blue-grey tom looked both ways, then started across the path.

Spiderpaw skidded to a stop beside the path and looked both ways as well, starting to cross it. "Calm down! Be more careful!"

Ugh, I feel like a queen with a kit, he thought with a scoff.

The ground rumbled under his paws, gravel and rocks clattering around. "Monster!"Spiderpaw shrieked, watching the huge metal lump rolling towards him.Brookstorm glanced back, seeing Spiderpaw frozen in horror.

He groaned, turning and grabbing onto Spiderpaw's scruff.He yanked him onto the safety of the grass, just as the monster drove by, right where Spiderpaw had been standing a second before.

"T-thank you!"Spiderpaw gasped, shaking his fur out.His eyes were wide in shock. I nearly died. For the second time in a few days...

"I'm sorry,"Brookstorm grumbled, glaring at the thunderpath. "It's my fault."

"Yeah."Spiderpaw agreed, licking his sore paw pads.They were bleeding and cracked.

Brookstorm shot him an incredulous look. "You're supposed to say, 'Oh, it's not your fault, it's mine!'. Or something like that."

"Why would I? I don't want the blame."Spiderpaw titled his head, then leaned it down to lick his paw fur smooth.

"Whatever,"Brookstorm growled. "We still have to make it back across."

"Easy."Spiderpaw shrugged, glancing both ways a couple times.

"Easy?"Brookstorm chuckled. "You nearly died!"

"So? I didn't."Spiderpaw took off, hearing no sounds of monsters.

His legs raced, the hard gravel tearing away at his already raw pads.

He heaved himself onto the other side, relief washing over him as soon as his body touched soft grass.I did it! I'm

cool now!

He gazed back across to see Brookstorm staring uneasily at the path in front of him.He scuffed his paw on the ground once, then slowly made his way onto the thunderpath.

"Hurry!"Spiderpaw hissed. "If you want to make it, you have to go faster!"

A loud roar sounded as a small monster hurtled nearer and nearer to Brookstorm.The tom hissed in fright, staring in pure terror at it as it drew closer and closer.Only a matter of seconds before machine collided with cat flesh.

"Run!"Spiderpaw snarled, panic lacing his meow.He didn't want this to be his fault, although he knew it was.

If Brookstorm died, he might be kicked out of the Clan for taking him along!

He said he was coming, despite my protest.So, in a way, this is all his fault and he might even deserve this...

A horrified shriek bursted from the tom as the car collided with him, sending him flying a few feet.The car kept on driving, not even caring it hit something.Spiderpaw went cold with fear as he gazed at the lump on the thunderpath.

It was limp and unmoving.

"Wait,"He whispered. "Is he breathing?"

The tom's side was ever so slowly rising and falling.

"Brookstorm! Can you come over here, please?"Spiderpaw begged, feeling the ground start to rumble again.

Sighing, the black apprentice started onto the path, crouching beside the hurt tom.

He gagged, grasping Brookstorm's bloody, matted scruff.He pulled and pulled, dragging him to safety.

Once on the grass, he let go, panting.

Brookstorm was too weak to walk home, that was for sure.

Taking a closer look, Spiderpaw realized he wasn't as hurt as he had thought he was.

His front seemed to take most of the damage.His front left leg was bent and looked broken for sure, his chest was thick with blood, and his right paw had a deep scratch across it, most likely where something on the monster had scraped it.

His face was in better shape, but still looked pretty bad.His eyes were closed and swollen, and some of his teeth were missing.

"It's his fault he was facing that flea-bitten monster instead of running for his life."Spiderpaw grunted, although he was fearful that the tom would die.

"I have to get help..."He glanced around.The nearest place was the HawkClan camp.Would they welcome him? Surely they would, he had a hurt cat with him!

"I guess I have to try."He mumbled, grabbing hold of Brookstorm's scruff again.

^ Small Time Skip^

Spiderpaw panted, dropping Brookstorm in the middle of the HawkClan camp.

This would be his first time in their camp.

He watched as Brookstar padded over to him, Spiderpaw finding her tallness slightly intimidating. "Hello? How may I help you?"Her gaze flickered down to Brookstorm, and she nodded, turning her head toward a den. "Gingerheart! Bring cobwebs, and lots of them!"

A ginger tom-cat emerged from the den a few moments later, a huge wad of cobweb in his jaw.His eyes widened as he spotted Brookstorm, and he dropped the webs. "What in StarClan's name happened here!?"

"Monster."Spiderpaw replied flatly.

That was all he needed to hear, starting to apply the cobwebs as soon as Spiderpaw said that.

Brookstar guided Spiderpaw over to a secluded spot in the camp. "How are you feeling? Did you get hurt as well?"She laid her tail on his back, trying her best to calm him.

"No, I'm alright.I just feel...guilty."Spiderpaw lowered his head.

"Makes sense,"Brookstar mewed gently. "You may stay here for a few days, till you and Brookstorm are ready to travel back to your home.I'll send Gingerheart to explain what happened."

"Thank you."Spiderpaw whispered, watching as Gingerheart helped Brookstorm to his feet, leading him to the med-den.

Brookstar hurried to follow them, her tail swishing.She seemed slightly nervous.

But I am, too, Spiderpaw thought, laying down.

I just hope he survives.

(Word count: 1,322)