Warrior Cats: Spider

Chapter Five

Seedscatter started awake, eyes wide and fur bristling. His heart pounded in his chest, sending thrills of adrenaline pumping throughout his body. He was in his nest, that much soon became clear to him. But why was he so unsettled? In an instant, he remembered his dream.

And then there it was again: a fierce, high-pitched yowl. He pelted outside, ignoring the grunts of his clan-mates and leaping deftly over bodies like a hare in flight. As he arrived in the camp clearing, Seedscatter felt his panic fall away to annoyance.

There, right outside the barn, stood five kits, completely oblivious to the looks they were getting and focused solely on... whatever it was they were trying to do. Dustkit and Silkkit sat off to one side, the former watching with an amused smirk and the latter rolling her eyes at an alarming frequency. Brackenkit stood in the thick of it, eyes alight in the center of attention. Petalpatch's kits were older than Goosewing's, almost apprentice-aged, and were already acting as if they were next in line for leadership

"You're doing it wrong!" Maplekit whined, shrieking again as Windkit bowled her over.

Tone chiding, she repeated herself. "You have to keep your body level. That's what Blackpaw said."

"Oh, Blackpaw? I forgot that you were obsessed with him!" Windkit stretched out the older tom's name, laughing. This time, it was him who was knocked on his back.

Just a few sunrises back, his nieces and nephew had been allowed out of the nursery loft. They had luved up to the expectation of every cat in the clan and were managing to get underfoot during every task imaginable. Even eating was hard with them around.

From his perch on the Sycamore tree roots, Seedscatter watched the kits play. Seeing them tussle in the grasses, fighting and laughing in equal amounts, he felt a tingle of... Something. Apprehension? Dismay? Or was it... Envy?

He was snapped out of his thoughts, however, when a squeal rang in his ears. He had no time to duck out of the way before Maplekit had pounced, landing squarely on his back and digging tiny claws into his shoulders. Knowing the consequences that he would face from bucking her off, the deputy was forced to lower himself slowly to the ground and suffer the weight on his back.

"Uncle Seedscatter!" She cried joyfully, resting her chin on his shoulder blade.

Windkit leapt up in an attempt to push his sister off, dark eyes flashing gleefully. He only succeeded in alerting her to his presence, and she batted at his advances with an absent-minded paw.

"Will you teach us some battle moves?" Maplekit pleaded in Seedscatter's ears.

Seedscatter only shook his pelt in response, and Maplekit reluctantly climbed off, her eyes watery with fake desperation. The other three kits had made their way over by now, and, at the mention of some early training, the two twin brothers perked up, though they had been taught a bit more respect for their deputy than Goosewing's kits had.

Seedscatter gave in with a quick "Fine," much to the delight of his gathered admirers. They bounced around him as he led them to a more secluded part of camp - one where they wouldn't be a bother to their clan-mates. Under the shade of a gangly sapling, Seedscatter began the lesson.

"When fighting-"

He was cut off by an excited squeak from Maplekit. She gave an apology, looking down at her paws in a display of what Seedscatter could only guess was supposed to be humility. Windkit cuffed her over the ears playfully. 

"When fighting an opponent of your own size-"

"What if the opponent isn't your own size?" Windkit cut in abruptly, leaning forward as he posed his question. Seedscatter ignored him.