Chapter 2
When Firestar woke up, it was already twilight. The pain vanished and his wounds were healing. I lost a life, he remembered, as he recalled his visit to StarClan. I still have six lives left.
He was wrapped tightly in thick, sticky strands, suspended from the rocky ceiling of the medicine cat's den in a cocoon-like tangle of cobwebs. With a great effort, he tore one paw free, then used his claws to rip enough of the strands to free himself. The cobwebs gave way and Firestar fell to the ground.
As he looked around, he spotted several other hanging cocoons with dead Clanmates inside. I must remember to give them all a proper warrior's funeral, the leader reminded himself. Cinderpelt's lifeless body was lying near the ferns, and he padded up to her to press his muzzle in the fluffy grey fur of his former apprentice. He looked around for Leafpaw, but she was nowhere.
Peeking out into the clearing, Firestar froze with terror as he saw the fur-raising scene of limp, broken bodies scattered through the camp, blood turning the sandy soil of the ravine into mud. The entire Clan is wiped out... oh, StarClan, why did you do this to us? He saw several of the spiders as well, one weaving a web between the High Rock and the bushes, two others standing guard.
I must escape and warn the other Clans, Firestar decided. Silently, he started creeping towards the camp entrance, keeping to the shadows, his eyes almost closed lest their gleam give him away. The creatures did not notice him, and he suspected they did not see well in the dark.
The leader almost reached the gorse tunnel when he spotted Sandstorm's body close by, pale ginger fur tattered and bloody, legs hanging at awkward angles. He carefully padded closer to caress her for the last time. To his surprise and relief, he saw her flank rising and falling in shallow, ragged breaths.
"Sandstorm," Firestar whispered, pressing his muzzle to her neck, then starting to lick her wounds. "Hang on; I will get you out from here. Can you stand up?"
The ginger she-cat slowly opened her green eyes to look at her mate, but she was too weak even to lift her head. "Firestar," she rasped in a barely audible voice. "It's no use... you must save yourself..."
The spiders finally noticed the movement, and started scuttling towards them.
"I'm not leaving you behind, Sandstorm," Firestar replied. He gave a last lick across her cheek, then stepped forward to face the attackers.
A barbed leg lashed out to sweep him away, but Firestar avoided it and raked his claws along the appendage, causing the creature to stagger back. Another spider retreated when the tom reared up on his hind legs to claw at its eyes. His spirits rose, confident that he could defeat the monsters and save what was left from the Clan.
Something moved behind him, and before Firestar could spin around to face it, he was grabbed by huge, powerful mandibles and tossed into the air. He fell to the ground with a sickening thud, and razor-sharp legs tore at his flesh until, one by one, he lost all his lives.