Spiderpaw opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings. He wanted to be shocked to find out where he was - he wanted to find out something was different.
But he knew exactly where he was. His eyes didn't even have to adjust to the lack of light for him to know he was there again.
Carefully, he picked himself up, gently dropping each paw on the ground and sneaking up. His ears were filled with the sound of leaves rustling on the tops of trees, and the static, dreamy glare that told him he wasn't in a place he wanted to be in.
The dim red glow that lurked around the marshy grass made his back shiver so uncomfortably that he had to focus to keep himself together. Although his sight was clear and the wet scent of the forest filled his nostrils, he struggled to find his senses. He fought the urge that told him he had to go back to the rockpile, to go safely back into his camp where nobody could leap out behind him. Besides, he wasn't entirely sure how to leave, anyway.
Despite how lonesome he felt, he knew he wasn't on his own. Heronkit had to be around him somewhere, and he knew that he had to start searching. But he couldn't call out her name. He wouldn't risk such a careless action.
Once he was sure his feet were on the ground, as misty and foggy as they felt, he began to take a few steps forward. He dragged out his front paw and gasped when he hit a rock and nearly tripped himself over. He knew he was overreacting, but he couldn't help himself.
His mind seemed to race - which he didn't understand. As he continued to walk forwards cautiously, he couldn't help himself but wonder how Vinetail had managed to find his way here. He was angry enough that the cat had been on his territory and he hadn't been able to scent him, but he was even angrier that he wouldn't be able to report him to Echostar. He knew the risks weren't worthwhile.
His ears flicked as a new sound rushed into his ears like a blur. Flicking himself around in the direction of where he thought the sound was coming from, he narrowed his eyes and tried to focus. A voice was calling - yes, but the sound was too blurred. The muffle seemed to come from so far away that Spiderpaw nearly lost interest.
But something about the tone in the voice worried him. The voice sounded so far, yet so near. His mind spinning, he began to question whether the voice was actually far away at all - or whether his mind was playing tricks on him. Allowing himself to focus intensely, he peered around himself. He wasn't in a clearing, but the trees seemed to be delicately spread out from one another. He could see quite far into the darkness, although the trees went on for so long that his vision had blurred into the never ending red.
He couldn't see any shadow that could have been making the noise. But the sound was almost omnidirectional.
Spiderpaw wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or terrified when he saw a shadow leap in front of him. A second passed from when heard the cat land - and he ducked himself beneath a rock.
He knew he had got lucky running into Ashpaw last time. But he feared that if there were more cats here - just as he had assumed - they wouldn't be as friendly as the young CedarClan cat was.
He listened out for the scuffling, gently picking up the sounds of the cat. They wrapped around Spiderpaw's ears, much nearer than the fading voice he could hear up ahead.
He couldn't smell anything familiar. Every direction smelt damp - but not the sort of damp he would find in the forest. In fact, he wished he was treading in wet mud - but he wasn't convinced.
Spiderpaw didn't want to stay still for too long. He was still attached to the floor, ears tilted back and gazing up at the trees - as far as he could see.
A grey and red cloud of fog covered the horizon. Spiderpaw couldn't see the tops of any of the trees, and he wondered what - if anything was above.
He continued to walk forward, quite pleased to have finally convinced himself to get up. He noticed the sound of the scuffling had subsided and he hoped that there was nothing further to worry about.
But - the voice.
That voice.
He could still hear that faded call.
Spiderpaw pauses a moment to ensure he wouldn't be disrupted by his paw prints in the ground. He raised himself and his ears - and for a second, just a split second, he noticed the sound flowing from just ahead of him.
Spiderpaw wasn't sure whether he was meant to go forwards or backwards. He didn't want anyone to know he was here - but if the calling was Heronkit, he would have to find her.
He tried to press his head to his chest for a second to think the situation through. He noticed the sound had crawled nearer and nearer over time - he just wished he wasn't dreaming.
The voice was static to him. He could tell someone was calling, but he wasn't quite sure who. He squinted his eyes and pressed on forwards to the right hand side of the sound. Hopefully, he thought, he would be able to stalk the sound to find out who was calling - before they found him. If he didn't at least try, he was prey, and he knew that was a fact.
Dipping beneath the undergrowth, he extended his claws and narrowed his eyes like a hawk. He didn't know how Heronkit or Briartail could go to this kind of place on their own accord. He knew terrified wasn't the right word, he was too alert to let his panic get to him properly. But he felt caged, like each branch of each tree wrapped around him and pinned him to the muddy ground.
His ears pricked again as he heard the voice again. Nearer.
He gently pushed himself forwards.
But then he felt a force on his tail.
Spiderpaw felt his whole body pumping. He inhaled fiercely and whipped around, leaping backwards and pointing out his claws as he recognised the shadow.
"Spiderpaw!" she exclaimed. "Great StarClan, calm down! I'm here!"
Spiderpaw's neck slammed up in relief. "Don't panic me like that," he whispered. "How did you find me?"
Heronkit stepped forwards. "Not only is the scent of fear polluting the forest, but you're the only figure I've seen that was cowering to the ground!"
Spiderpaw blinked.
"If you want to look normal here, you can't look like a vole in a snowstorm!"
Spiderpaw huffed. He trusted Heronkit - even if only with these things. He gently lifted himself up again and watched her as she pushed forwards, her voice faint as she spoke again.
"We have to move away from the fear scent, or we're both done for."
Spiderpaw wanted to roll his eyes, or to humour himself. But he wasn't so convinced now that he couldn't be hurt here - in his dreams.
He watched as Heronkit bounded up the rocks to get past a wad of undergrowth. He was confused at to how a cat so young could be so fearless of this place.
"Have you seen Briartail?" Spiderpaw murmured no louder than a whisper as he gained beside Heronkit, slowly pacing when he had finally caught up at her side.
"No," she meowed. "But they've got to be here soon."
Spiderpaw tilted his head. "Did you hear the calling?"
To the cat's surprise, Heronkit took little interest. "Cats yell out here all the time," she explained. "That's none of my business. They're crazy."
Spiderpaw huffed. He had no doubt that Heronkit was right. The only sane cat he was sure about here was little Ashpaw. He was so happy now. The hope that Ashpaw had been able to find Redshade wrapped around him like a coating of long fur.