A Guest For Mr. Spider

(OOC: Edit to say that I looked for The Thunderpath board earlier, couldn't find it in my tired state of mind, and decided it must not have existed then. Well, I just found it, so whoops. As a fan of law and order myself, I apologize if this chaotic mistake distresses anyone).

Webpaw had risen with the sun that morning. He didn't have training until later that day; it seemed like his mentor had been assigned some warrior task or another that required her to delay his training until sunhigh. Some of the other apprentices would have either grumbled about the delay or delighted at the chance to sleep in, but not Webpaw. He was wide awake and alert that morning, aware of how free he was to get lost in his thoughts. While he was proud of himself for his role in taking care of the clan, it was becoming obvious to him that at the end of the day, his apprentice duties were just responsibilities to fulfill. Responsibilities that restricted the amount of time he could indulge in his true life passion - thinking.

Maybe Webpaw shouldn't have left camp alone that morning, but how could he not when there was the opportunity to meander around the territory, taking all of the time he wanted to stop and stare and observe and think?! Besides, he could hunt on the way back. For some reason that he found quite ridiculous, whether or not he walked back into camp with fresh-kill in his mouth was the deciding factor on whether his excursion was coded as "productive" or "non-productive" in the minds of his clanmates. So he would simply walk in with fresh-kill, which would mask his current pursuits as justifiable.

Today it was the creatures of the forest that entranced his mind. However, there was a slight issue. He didn't want to observe any prey creatures, as that risked scaring them off before anyone with real intentions to hunt came along. Predator creatures were also off-limits because his life was one of the few things he valued more than his curiosity. It was a few moments before he came up with a solution to this problem. The monsters on the Thunderpath! They never left, instead keeping to their odd pattern of driving in straight lines as if they were unable to move in any other direction. If he stayed off the hard black surface and in the bushes a few fox-lengths away, he would be perfectly safe to observe the curious creatures! With that plan in mind, Webpaw headed towards the Thunderpath.

Once arriving, it wasn't long before something else caught his eye. Close to the edge of the Thunderpath, there was a silky, dew-covered web glinting in the early morning light. The beautiful example of his namesake drew him in, and Webpaw decided that pondering about the web and the mysteries it contained was worth more than pondering the mysteries of the Thunderpath monsters. Besides, it seemed like there weren't too many of them awake at this hour anyway. He seated himself comfortably in front of the web, not too far away from the edge of the Thunderpath. He didn't bother trying to hide himself at all because from what he had heard and observed so far, most creatures had a dislike for the noisy, dangerous Thunderpath and stayed away when they could. Plus, he was on his own territory so he didn't pose any threat to Shadowclan, especially compared to the threat of the Thunderpath between them. And so he sat next to the glimmering web, completely visible as a small white blob to anyone on the other side.

A small black spider moved across the web, and Webpaw stared in awe at the tiny creature that had made the work of art before him.  Was the entire process geniusly premeditated, every thread-crossing anticipated and accounted for before the first thread was even made? Or was it instinctual? Beauty by accident, the same way how sometimes his body just knew what to do when prey suddenly appeared out of nowhere, racing away without giving him the time to come up with a plan?

While the rest of his Clan was returning from the last of their patrols and retiring to their nests for the day, Webpaw found it impossible to will himself to sleep. He crawled into the comfortable darkness of the apprentice's den, settling into his nest with the promise of a full day's rest pulling at his tired body. But the longer he lay there, the more he found he was doing a lot of fitful tossing and turning, screwing his eyes shut just to open them again and find something uninteresting to stare at, and... not a lot of sleeping. Committed as he had been to the idea, his mind couldn't seem to agree with him. With a huff, he got back to his paws, picking his way over the bodies and tails that lay around him until he emerged into the heart of camp.

Rarely was he awake at this time of day, and he found there was a great deal to appreciate about it. The sky was a warm, dusty orange, a brighter color than it was at sunset, and it seemed the world around him had fallen silent. Except for the distant croak of a bird, the soft snores of his Clanmates from their dens, everything was just... quiet. He pulled in a deep breath, content to sit under the morning sun until he decided he really was tired this time and he could crawl back inside and rest.

... Again, though, body and mind disagreed.

He didn't have long to enjoy the morning before the thought came to him that he should go for a run. Nowhere so far as his exploration to Fourtrees. He would just make a quick trip to one of the borders, maybe catch something on his way home. He was older now, bigger, and he could nearly taste his warrior ceremony. No one could fault him for protecting and serving his Clan, even if it was just an easy guise for his wandering heart.

With plenty of day left to spare, Webpaw took his time poking his nose at the thorns circling the camp until some of them gave way, allowing him to slip through unnoticed by the day guards. He set his pace at an easy trot, in no hurry to get where he was going. Which... he wasn't even sure of himself. Maybe he would check the Thunderpath today– it scared him, sure, but he found it was something to marvel at, too. With his course set, he let his paws carry him there.

The sharp scent reached him before he saw it, but soon enough, the black strip of land came into view. The grass was soft here, and dry except for the last drops of dew that were just starting to burn away with the rising sun. For a while, he sat a decent foxlength away, hoping a monster would come roaring by soon. He had never seen one himself, only heard the stories, but he was curious to see how the hulking, colorful beasts looked up close. He would've waited there forever, still and silent as a tree, but something on the other side of the border caught his eye: a little sparkle, lit up by the sun.

With his attention refocused quickly, the tabby got to his paws, doing a quick cautionary double take of the path before bounding over to the other side. So caught up in finding out what had gotten his attention, he failed to notice the other cat that had come to appreciate the world as well until he nearly collided with him.

Halting just as quickly as he'd started moving, he looked over the other tom through narrow, appraising eyes. He looked to be about the same age, and the reek of the Thunderpath did little to bury the stench of ThunderClan. Though, that was only fair, because he did cross the border to look at... What had caught his attention, anyhow?

Turning away from the tom to examine the thing up close, he could see it was a spider's web. Nothing grand, but beautiful nonetheless. "Hi," Webpaw mewed simply, not looking back at his new companion as he spoke. "This is really pretty." His voice carried on in that same simple manner as he stretched forward to give the spider a careful sniff as she crawled to the other side of her home.

Webpaw's head jerked up in response to the other tom's voice. He turned to look at his new companion, yellow eyes still wide and alert. When did this cat get here? Did Webpaw know him? He was almost positive he had never seen this cat in Thunderclan before. It was then that his nose started functioning. The gray tabby in front of him definitely wasn't Thunderclan. He was Shadowclan!

Thoughts whirred through his mind in a dizzying blur, making connections and formulating ideas too quickly for him to consciously keep up. He's not supposed to be here. Threat? My clan, warrior code. Bigger than me. More experienced? Battle, I'd lose. Still fight. He looks friendly. Not a single hostile hair in his pelt. Understands, similar? TRAP! Not necessarily. Assess? Yes, plan! It was mildly frustrating, still trying to comprehend the previous thought while his mind was already halfway through the next. But the end result was worth it. The exhilaration of it all coming together in a flash, with the same force of running face-first into a rock.

The white apprentice turned back towards the web while still making sure to pay attention to the tom out of the corner of his eye. "It really is," he said, his tone much calmer than the chaos that had taken over his mind moments before."It makes me wonder how it was made. How much thought goes into it. Did the spider spend days planning it out ahead of time? Or did it just know, the same way we know to chase a mouse when one suddenly runs in front of us?"

Webpaw paused for a moment, reformulating his next words once more. When he spoke, he forced his words to come out clear and confident despite the faint buzz of nervousness coursing through him. "That being said, I should mention that I'll have to chase you out should you try to hunt or anything like that. Well, I'd have to try[ at least." He spoke this last part with a bashful flick of his ears. Even though the two toms were relatively of similar age, Webpaw knew that he was young and inexperienced, and that his strengths lied outside the realm of physical prowess.

"But if you just want to appreciate this spider web, I'm--" The warrior code. Was he really okay with breaking the code, especially so soon after being made an apprentice? Would he get another chance to find someone who was possibly just as fascinated by "mundane" things as him? "I'm ok with that. You'll have to leave if anyone else shows up, and I'll pretend to chase you out in that scenario, but otherwise I'm ok with you being here. As long as you don't cause any trouble, that is. I'm Webpaw, by the way."

Now he would wait and see if the Shadowclan tom continued to behave as the non-threatening, curious cat he had presented himself as thus far, or if it was a facade that would shatter, revealing a storm of teeth and claws. He wanted it to be the former, wanted the tom to be a cat that questioned the world in the same way he did. But he knew that desire made him naive, which meant he could be making a mistake he'd later regret. Especially if it cost him his life.

Sitting down as comfortably and casually as if he was on his own territory, Webpaw curled his tail around his paws, keeping his eyes focused on the spider. She paused, web shaking, and raised two of her little legs, waving them in the air. Considering this a greeting, the tom flicked his ear in response. His company had been quiet so far, and he appreciated that greatly– some cats talked far, far too much. It was much easier to sit and appreciate.

At least, he had been quiet. Webpaw wanted to grimace at him for interrupting his thoughts, but as he listened, he couldn't help but feel warmth spread through his fur. Turning to the smaller tom, he offered him a smile, stating, "You sound like me." His voice carried on in that easy way of his, but there was a note of joy to it now. "No one likes to talk to me about simple things. I like this spider, though. I like taking walks. I like looking at the stars, that's my favorite, I think. I– well, I'm not very experienced in mouse hunting. But, I understand." It was a pleasant and... unfamiliar feeling, being understood, one he felt he only shared with his family– even then, he felt disconnected from them. Othered. But this little ThunderClan cat, this incredibly chance encounter, felt closer to him than the cats that had been in his life since his birth. For this, Webpaw gave him an appreciative nod.

Oh, he was talking again. What had he said? Something something chase you away. The tabby shook his head, looking almost surprised at the idea. "Oh, I'm sorry. I know I'm intruding. But..." He turned back to the web, whiskers twitching. "Well, it was a very pretty web." The white tom had carried on talking, and the apprentice was careful to listen to him in earnest this time. He had come alone? This only warmed his heart further. Maybe the cat shared his love of adventure, of easy strolls through his territory, of seeing worlds far beyond his own borders.

The dark tabby had never been the most social cat, but he would make an exception for this one. He'd like to see him again sometime.

Oh, no. He'd stopped listening again. I really, really have to get better at that. Webpaw thought ruefully as he prodded his passive memory for what the other had said. He'd introduced himself, but what did he say... Name, name, name... Wait–

"Webpaw?" He blinked rapidly, ears twitching as he processed. "That's actually my name, too. That's funny." He ended the sentence with a short laugh, smile returning slightly wider this time. "It really is funny. You get me, and you took my name!" He laughed again, a little warmer this time. Sparing a glance at the spider's silk that had brought them both here, then at Littler Webpaw, he tipped his head to the side. "Though, you actually look like a web– you're so pale!" His words were a warm purr, and his expression carried no traces of the semi-permanent irritation with the harsh world around him; only a warm, gentle smile.

"Are you here alone?" He hummed slowly, straightening himself out to peer into the treeline of ThunderClan's dense forests, searching for a pair of eyes staring at him from the undergrowth. "I am. I have a hard time staying in camp. There's too much to see." His tail had unfurled and was now waving slowly behind him. Webpaw gave his head a couple of shakes, blinking as he regarded Other Webpaw curiously.

A smile spread slowly across Webpaw's face as he heard the tom's first words. This cat understood him! He wasn't even good at mouse-hunting, just like himself! There was someone else like him! But this could all be a trap. It's the perfect trap for me.... It was a small nagging voice in the back of his mind. For once, he wished that his mind didn't try to dismantle every observation into all of its potential explanations. He was being paranoid. He had to be. There was no way this friendly, non-threatening cat had somehow picked up on who he was so quickly. Even if Shadowclan was sneaky, it couldn't be possible! He shoved the nagging voice to the furthest corners of his mind, letting it drown in a sea of optimism.

The white tom nodded as the tabby tom indicated that the web was the cause of his intrusion. That had been obvious from the tabby's actions, but hearing his silent conclusion confirmed aloud never failed to fill Webpaw with a glowing feeling of pride, regardless of how obvious they had been. Webpaw gave a slight nod of his head to show he understood. He knew that to his clanmates that functioned differently, it would've been the stupidest reason. Who risked their life crossing the Thunderpath and trespassing just to look at a spider web?!  But they didn't know the beauty. The beauty of simple parts coming together in the intricate formation of a complex whole. One that, on the surface, appeared just as simple as the parts. What would he himself risk for the chance to observe that kind beauty?

By this point, the Shadowclan tom had snagged Webpaw's attention away from the web. He watched the cat unabashedly, soaking in his expressions and words. The tabby appeared to zone out for a moment, coming to a moment later with eyes blinking rapidly in surprise. Webpaw echoed the shock in his own features as the tom revealed that his name was also Webpaw. His mouth gaped open for a moment. This... This can't be real. But he's not messing with me. His surprise was clear. And his joy... It's too real, even if it feels otherwise.

A purr rumbled from the white tom's chest. It wasn't a voluntary choice. Contrarily, he was using every ounce of self-control to keep himself from joyfully kneading the ground beneath his feet like a young kit. That would be embarrassing. Not because a cat from an enemy clan made him that happy--he was too flooded with the warm fuzzy feelings of true companionship to care about pride at this point--but because he didn't want to appear kit-like in front of his new friend.

"I may have the color, but I don't have any threads. Your markings are more web-like than my lack thereof, even if they're the wrong color!" He responded warmly, flicking his tail at the other Webpaw's stripes for emphasis.

"Don't worry," he assured Shadowclan Webpaw as he noticed his friend staring into the Thunderclan forest. "I'm here alone too. Half the clan was still asleep when I left, and the other half appeared to be busy with other tasks. I think the dawn patrol was heading towards the Riverclan border based on the things they were saying."

Thunderclan Webpaw grinned in appreciation at Tabby Webpaw's words. It felt so nice to have someone who viewed the world as he did, and he couldn't help but chuckle at the irony that they were practically the same cat. "I know. Whenever I go out with others, it's always 'What do you smell? How do you catch it? Show me your battle moves!' It was interesting the first time, but it is becoming redundant. There's so much more to experience out here!" His whiskers quivered with passion as he mewed. "And no one seems to notice or care! But you... You care. You're different... Special... I like that."

"Y'know..." he mused, the beginning of a rambling thought coming on, "It's a shame we're not in the same clan. Hey! Do you think there's a Webpaw like us in every clan? Probably not, huh? But if there was..."

This was something Webpaw could definitely come to appreciate. Even as the desire to sleep at starting to creep up on him, he would gladly stay here the remainder of the day just to sit and talk with White Webpaw. Never had he met another cat that saw things he same way he did, so he was willing to lose a bit of rest for the sake of companionship.

Purring as the smaller cat flicked a tail towards his markings, the ShadowClanner twisted to look himself over. "Suppose I do," he rumbled, smile growing. To think, a little spider making a home for herself would have brought them together.

Moments like these were why he much preferred to sit and watch the world. It provided so many opportunities, if one chose to see them.

White Webpaw's declaration of different made the tabby's whiskers twitch, but when it came from his friend... he didn't mind too much. "We're both different," he agreed mildly. Both different, and yet so similar. He wished desperately that Other Webpaw was in the same Clan so they could be proper friends.

The smaller tom's musing made Webpaw laugh, shifting his weight so he wasn't holding himself stiffly. "It would be nice, wouldn't it? A little collection of us." It was a funny thought, and Webpaw would be more than grateful to know even more cats like him, but it seemed... unlikely. So far, he'd only met this one. Chances were slim that there were three more out there. "Maybe they just aren't named Webpaw. Though... I guess that takes the fun away," He offered, not wanting to dash his twin's hopes of meeting more cats like them. "I don't know many cats from other Clans, though. Maybe a little Webkit was just born somewhere and he'll grow up to be just as appreciative of the world as we are." Webpaw yawned, stretching himself out before adjusting to lay down, tucking his paws under his chest.

He looked awfully confortable for a cat on enemy territory, but... as far as he was concerned, there were no enemies present. Ear flicking, he yawned, "What's it like, in ThunderClan? It looks so... dense. It's hard to imagine being comfortable there."