Once Spiderpaw, Mildewpaw and Brookstorm returned home, they saw that Ripplestrike had already got her collar off and buried it.

"Good job,"Wonderstar dipped their head. "You did good."

"We wouldn't of been able to do it without Red."Spiderpaw shrugged.

"Red?"Wonderstar looked confused.

"Snowdropfall didn't tell you about Red?"Spiderpaw blinked.

"No."

"He's a cat we found in an abandoned shack.We rescued him and he helped us find Ripplestrike."Spiderpaw explained.

"Ah, I see,"They mewed. "Where is he now?"

"Living with the Two-legs."

"Spiderpaw,"Spiritflight hurried out of her den. "I must talk to you.Alone."

"Can I come, please? I hurt my paw on the trip."Mildewpaw asked softly, showing the medicine cat her light red paw.

"Oh, alright.Come now."She led them into her den, soft sunlight flickering in through the roof.

Vines dangled down in front of the entrance, blocking cats outside from being able to see in.

"Sit."Spiritflight told Mildewpaw, who obeyed silently.

The snowy cat walked over to her shelves, sticking a paw in to fish out some cobwebs. She then got chervil root and sat down facing the apprentice.

"Hold out your paw.Spiderpaw, chew this into pulp."She pushed him over the chervil root, and he began chewing it.

"Milkypaw!"Spiritflight called over to her apprentice, who was nosing some shrivelled herbs into a small pile.

His brown head snapped up. "Yeah?"

"Come over here and lick her paw clean."The medicine cat ordered.

Milkypaw trotted over, taking Mildewpaw's paw gently in his and licking her wound.

She winced in pain, clenching her teeth as she watched him fearfully.

"Careful."Spiritflight observed, then switched her gaze to Spiderpaw. "Good.

Now spit the pulp onto her paw pad and massage it gently.Then we'll finish off by wrapping it in cobweb."

Spiderpaw did so, massaging the sticky pulp into her paw. He then took the cobweb from Milkypaw and wrapped it securely around her wound.

I'm glad I don't have to be a medicine cat, it's hard work!

"Now, be careful with it,"Spiritflight mewed. "You don't want it to get worse, or infected."

"Thank you."Mildewpaw dipped her head, limping out of the den.

"Milkypaw, we need more borage, if you'd gather some, please."Spiritflight flicked her tail.

"But we have-"

"Now."She snapped.

"Yes, Spiritflight!"Milkypaw squeaked, hurrying out of the den as quickly as he could.

Spiritflight's face was serious as she turned to look at Spiderpaw.

"Come."

He followed her deep into the den, out through the back and into a small, grassy area.Daisies, tulips and dandelions sprouted up from the ground, weeds grew all around and vines draped down. It was very spaceless and ingrown.

"What is this place?"

Spiderpaw didn't know the medicine den had this right behind it.

"This is the flower patch.Only I know about this.Well, Wonderstar does, too.

It's where we come to relax sometimes, or talk about important things."

Spiritflight explained, sitting down and squashing a poor group of tulips.

Spiderpaw shuffled his paws, sitting down uncomfortably in some weeds.

"What did you have to tell me?"

She let out a long sigh. "I-I have a message from StarClan.Well, my friend did,"She closed her eyes.

"E-Echoscream gave me this message before she-"

Her voice cracked and she went silent.

"Died?"Spiderpaw blinked.

"Yes...Echoscream told me this before she... passed on."Spiritflight nodded.

"How'd she die?"Spiderpaw leaned forward.

"Shadow Paws."

"Oooh...Cool..."Spiderpaw grinned.

Is it bad this is so interesting?

"She told me the Spider will rebuild the Clans; strengthen them; save them.

I think that Spider is you.

Your name does start with Spider, after all."

"You think I am special? How?"Spiderpaw was doubtful.

He wasn't really capable of doing anything good or useful.

"I don't know,"She admitted. "But StarClan chose you for a reason, and they're never wrong."

"That's not t-"

"Never mind that!"Spiritflight interrupted. "Just, keep watch for any signs StarClan might be sending you, okay?"

"Alright.."He said slowly, still not believing that he was part of a prophecy.

"Why didn't you save Echoscream from the Shadow Paws?"Spiderpaw asked curiously.

"She told me to go; to protect you,"The snowy cat shrugged. "What could I do? They were too strong."

"Plus, Echoscream was dying."Spiritflight lowered his head.

"But, if I had been able to heal her, or fix her, I would have.But I couldn't."

Spiderpaw gazed at her sympathetically.

"I'm sorry.."

"Don't be.It's not your fault.Echoscream lived a sad life, mabye it was for the better."

She glanced up at the sky.

"She was always so excited, though.

Always wanted to be the leader of her Clan.Fiercely loyal."

"Was she your littermate?"Spiderpaw was confused as to why Spiritflight was so sad she died.

"No, but she was always there for me.

She supported me when no one else would.I might not have gotten to be a medicine cat if it wasn't for her."

"Oh.."Spiderpaw's mew faded into silence, and both cats gazed at each other.

Then a rustling in the bushes to the left alerted Spiritflight, and she glanced quickly over. "Shadow Paws!"She hissed quietly.

"Huh? Who!?"Spiderpaw snapped his head over to see.

He spotted a black tail disappearing amongst the ferns.

"Either Shatteredfur or Maplestar."

Both cats meowed in unison.

"Follow them."Spiritflight got up, slinking over to the ferns.

Spiderpaw tagged along as they crept through the woods, following the rancid smell of Shadow Paws.

"This way!"Spiritflight took a sharp right, leaping into a berry bush.

Spiderpaw followed her in, thorns scraping his pelt. He squinted as one pricked his cheek.

Inching forward, they peered through the leaves.

A calico she-cat was pacing in a clearing, her fur bristling.

"Great! Now the small, irritating black one knows about the prophecy!"

"It's not that bad, is it? He was bound to find out soon."Slatescar hissed back, flattening her tufty ears.

"Yes, it's bad, rat-brain!"Maplestar snarled, facing the dark gray she-cat with her sharp, yellow teeth drawn back.

"Don't you dare call me that you ungrateful monster!"Slatescar snapped, stepping closer so the growling she-cats were mere inches apart.

"I am your leader, I can call you whatever I want!"Maplestar huffed, backing up.

Slatescar relaxed slightly. "What should we do then?"

Wolfscar, who was observing from beside a shady tree, stepped forward.

"Simple,"He mewed with an evil grin

"Kill him."

(Word count: 1,075)