"Let all cats old enough catch their own prey and join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"
Bluestar voice rang out across the ThunderClan clearing. I stood nervously inside the nursery, watching my Clan crowd in front of our blue-gray leader on the Highrock.
I felt a nudge beside me. I turned and saw my mother, Speckletail sitting there. "Go on, Sandkit," She mewed gently. "You're going to be made an apprentice." I gave her chest a lick.
I padded nervously out of the nursery. Bluestar beckoned me to go up the Highrock by nodding her head.
"From this day forward," meowed Bluestar, gazing down at me, "Until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Sandpaw." I'm Sandpaw!
"Whitestorm, you are ready for an apprentice. You will begin Sandpaw's training." Bluestar mewed, looking at Whitestorm, a big white tom. Pride swelled in my chest. I touched noses with Whitestorm.
Whitestorm mewed softly in my ear, "Okay, Sandpaw. Get a piece of fresh-kill and rest in the apprentices' den. Meet your new friends." I dipped my head and darted towards the fresh-kill pile and got a magpie. I padded into the apprentices' den.
When I entered the den, I saw three toms. There was a dark brown tabby tom, a long-haired gray tom and a sleek black cat with a white tipped tail. They greeted me gleefully.
"Hi! You must be Sandpaw! I'm Dustpaw," meowed the dark brown tabby tom. "And the gray tom is Graypaw and the black tom is Ravenpaw!" I nodded my head in greeting and they did the same.
During the following two days, I trained with Whitestorm. He was a patient cat who did not scold me when I did something wrong!
When I finished hunting and the Clan had been fed, I was allowed to eat. I picked up a weasel by my teeth when Graypaw came bounding back to camp with Lionheart, his mentor and Bluestar. He padded towards me and told me something he saw just now while hunting.
"He's a handsome ginger tom with a flame-coloured pelt! And Bluestar even asked that kittypet to join ThunderClan! He said he needed time to consider!" Graypaw bounced up and down. I wonder what he's like. He told the story to the rest of the apprentices, too!
"Sandpaw! Dustpaw! Here comes the kittypet!" Graypaw yowled excitedly. I got up from my sleep anxiously and padded out of my den, followed by Dustpelt. Ravenpaw had gone on a patrol with his mentor, Tigerclaw.
To my surprise, the kittypet was really handsome. Bluestar began to explain why she had brought him home.
"He's proved to us that he's worthy of being a ThunderClan cat!" Bluestar declared. Just then, Longtail gave a yowl of protest. "But he's a kittypet! He'll have to prove me wrong then!" He leaped on to the kittypet, and began to tear at his collar. The kittypet choked and spat.
SNAP! The kittypet's collar was broken. He leaped into the air and clawed Longtail's ear. I was amazed by his moves. The kittypet dug a hole in the ground and buried the blue collar.
Bluestar began to speak again. "He's proved you wrong, Longtail. Look at your fur! It looks like blazing fire under the scorching sun! You shall be known as Firepaw!" Graypaw rose to his paws and cheered loudly. I quickly went back to my den.
A while later, Graypaw came into the den with Firepaw. I really like him! He was smaller than Longtail and this tom beat him!
"This is Sandpaw, he is Dustpaw and this cool black cat here is Ravenpaw!" Graypaw introduced. Ravenpaw gave Firepaw's ear a welcoming lick. I pretended to be mean. "Get away from me, you twoleg-stinking fur ball!" Though I liked his scent, I had to pretend.
It was moons since Firepaw arrived. He was now a warrior, Fireheart, also the deputy. I'm also a warrior. I'm Sandstorm and the rest were Dustpelt and Graystripe. Ravenpaw left us when Tigerclaw tried to kill him. That evil cat killed many of us. He even led a pack of vicious dogs to harm us ThunderClan for sending him into exile! Luckily, Fireheart was here to stop his evil ambitions.
Bluestar died while saving Fireheart from the dog pack. She attacked one of the dogs and fell down the rushing river herself. She lost her last life and Fireheart took over. I've written so much, now it's time for the romantic part of our lives…
When we, all four clans joined forces as LionClan to kill BloodClan, we defeated them. It was also Firestar who killed their leader, Scourge. But the fight was the next day. We lay in the same den, pressing our flanks against each other. I pressed my muzzle on his. He was really worried about the fight.
"I love you, Sandstorm. If I don't say it now, I may not be able to say it anymore." Firestar mewed softly. I was overjoyed upon hearing that. I wanted to cry, but I held back my tears. "Of course you will, you stupid fur ball! I love you, too." Deep in my heart, I know that Spottedleaf will always be in his heart. I buried my muzzle into his soft, chest.
"Firestar?" I asked, tears trickling down my eyes. I could hold it back.
"Yes, Sandstorm?"
"Do you love Spottedleaf?" I could feel a gasp from him.
"She'll always be in my heart, Sandstorm. But she's a medicine cat. I love her, but she died."
"What about me, Firestar?" I asked in between tears.
"Don't worry, Sandstorm. I love Spottedleaf, but I love someone else more than her. And it's you. I'll protect you even at the cost of my life!" Firestar exclaimed. I rubbed my body gently against his. He gave me some vigorous licks.
Just then, Dustpelt padded into Firestar's den. "I guess you two are mates. Sandstorm, I've always loved you. If you want to be with him, you have my blessing." He padded out, his head hung low and his tail drooped.
I had Firestar's kits. I named them Squirrelkit and Leafkit, who are now Squirrelflight and Leafpool. If I hadn't fall in love with Firestar, I would have mated Dustpelt. I do LIKE that brown tabby, but I LOVE Firestar. Our relationship won't be forbidden like Graystripe's. Oh how I love Firestar!
THE END