Here is the next chapter! I am so happy for all the reviews that came in! A million thank yous to all of you!

Sandypaw lay down in the apprentice den, with Duskpaw beside her. It had been four days since Duskpaw and Deeppaw had become apprentices, and Sandypaw had noticed a few things during that time. "You know, Duskpaw," she meowed aloud. "I noticed that Snowyfeather was staring at me again today."

"And she always is, isn't she?" Duskpaw meowed. "Maybe she wants to eat you." Sandypaw cuffed her over the ear. "This isn't time for jokes! You don't know Snowyfeather as much as I do."

"Oh yes, I do!" Duskpaw meowed indignantly. "She's mean to you, she's Flamefur's mate, and she hates you!"

"Ok, maybe you do know her," Sandypaw said thoughtfully. "But I just have this funny feeling..." She stared thoughtfully at the top of the den. Ever since Duskpaw's ceremony, Sandypaw had noticed Snowyfeather staring at her almost all the time. Sandypaw wished she could see in Snowyfeather's mind.

Sandypaw crawled out of the den and ran towards her mentor. "Glaciercloud," she panted. "Can I go out and check the territory? Alone?" Glaciercloud looked surprised. "Why? What is it?"

"Nothing," Sandypaw mewed quickly. "I just want to be on my own for a while, that's all." Glaciercloud at her closely. "All right, I see no harm in that. Just be careful!"

"I will!" Sandypaw called out, running through the bramble thicket. She came to a stop at a huge tree, known as the OwlPine, which harbored an old tawny owl. Sandypaw looked around and sat down on the ground. She thought about the days recent events.

Snowyfeather had been staring at her. Again. Why? And what about the dream she had had? What was that about? Should she tell Webclaw?

Sandypaw heard a rustle in the bushes. She turned, bristling. "Who's there?" she asked. No one answered. Sandypaw looked about nervously. A bush moved slightly. Sandypaw kept her gaze fixed on it. Her heart was thumping wildly. What was this creature?

Sandypaw saw a black shape slip in and out of view. A low growl came from behind the bush. Sandypaw shivered. "Who's there?" she asked again. A black paw emerged from the bush. Sandypaw stared as a huge black badger stomped out of the bushes. It's white-streaked muzzle was raised in the air, sniffing. It's gaze turned to her, and it roared loudly.

Sandypaw tried to move, but she was frozen to the ground. Move, you mousebrain! she told herself frantically. Finally, she managed to slide away from the badger, breaking into a run. The badger roared again and followed her. Sandypaw ran faster, searching for a spot that the creature couldn't reach.

Wait, what am I doing?! she suddenly thought. Am I a FireClan apprentice or not? I shall NOT run away from a mousebrained badger!

Sandypaw turned in the other direction and leaped on the badger. It snarled and swiped a paw at her, but she hung onto it's thick coat. It shook itself. Sandypaw fell off, but got up again and flung herself onto the badger's leg. The black animal shook his leg in the air. Sandypaw sank her claws in the badger's fur and climbed up its back. Once on top, she bit down through its skin.

The badger roared in anger and flung his paws upward, his blunt claws scraping at Sandypaw's fur. Sandypaw felt the badger shake itself. Sandypaw grasped the thick coat of fur and edged toward the creature's neck. If she could just give it the killing bite, maybe...

But before she could reach her destination, the badger's claws sank into her back. Sandypaw's grip on the badger loosened, and she was shaken off. She fell to the ground with a loud Thump! Sandypaw looked up at the badger with narrowed eyes. She could feel the strength draining from her as the badger raised his paw to strike. StarClan, help me! Sandypaw thought desperately before she blacked out.

Sandypaw blinked and groaned. She tried to get up, but found that she couldn't. Opening her eyes to a slit, she saw a white face peering down at her. "What happened?" she moaned. "You're alive!" someone called out. Sandypaw felt a furry body jump onto her. "Calm down, Duskpaw!" another cat meowed sternly. "You're going to choke her."

Sandypaw opened her eyes fully. She was lying down in the medicine den. Beside her were Webclaw, Duskpaw, Glaciercloud, Bloodpaw, Graypaw, and Swipepaw. Sandypaw got up from the hard ground. "What happened?" she repeated.

"You were fighting a badger!" Duskpaw meowed, her eyes wide. "You were almost killed!"

"And you would have died," Webclaw meowed, pressing cobwebs onto her back, "if Flamefur hadn't saved you."

"Flamefur?" Sandypaw asked. "Yes," Graypaw mewed. "The badger was just about to kill you, and then Flamefur came and saved you! He carrired you back to camp and brought you here! Oh, I'm so glad your alive!" she cried.

"And I thought you said you were going to be careful!" Glaciercloud meowed. "I was!" Sandypaw meowed. It was all coming back to her now. "I was just going to the OwlPine, and that badger came and..." Sandypaw stopped, not wanting to say anymore. "Now everyone leave!" Webclaw said, seeming to sense this. "Sandypaw needs some rest. Graypaw, you stay here and keep pressing the cobwebs on Sandypaw's wound. I need to go talk to Oakstar."

He left the den with everyone else. Graypaw stayed behind and wrappd the cobwebs around Sandypaw's back. "Look on the bright side, Sandypaw," Graypaw meowed. "You've proved your loyalty now!"

"No I haven't," Sandypaw mewed glumly. "The others are just going to think that I was just trying to save myself, not the Clan. Really, it's no use," Sandypaw said before Graypaw could open her mouth. "I'll probably always be treated like this. No one believes in me."

Graypaw was silent. "I believe in you," she mewed quietly. Sandypaw looked up at her. "I believe in you," Graypaw repeated. "I always have. And so does Bloodpaw, Swipepaw, Duskpaw, and your family. The only thing you need to do is believe in yourself. If you don't, you probably won't be able to do anything."

Sandypaw stared at her. "You're right. I'm sorry I said that. I was being foolish," she mewed slowly. "Hey, how'd you get so smart?" she asked, unable to keep the admiration out of her voice. Graypaw shrugged. "No idea. Maybe it was luck. Or maybe it's a sign that I'm going to have to change my name to Smartpaw!"

Sandypaw laughed and closed her eyes. She felt much better now. Graypaw was right. She had to believe.

After a while, Sandypaw's wound had been successfully healed. She had been right about one thing, though. Not all the Clan believed that her fighting a badger was an act of loyalty. They only thought that she had been trying to save herself. Thankfully, that didn't make the teasing any worse.

Sandypaw had just gone into the apprentice den when Oakstar called out, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join under the HighBoulder for a Clan meeting."

Sandypaw groaned. Behind her, Swipepaw meowed, "You don't have to go. Just stay here and rest."

"No, no, I'll go," Sandypaw said. Swipepaw looked ready to protest, so she added, "Really, I'm perfectly fine!" Swipepaw shrugged and didn't answer. Sandypaw took that as the 'ok' signal, and she left the den.

Outside, the whole Clan had already gathered beneath the HighBoulder. Sandypaw had to squeeze between Lightningfur and Talltooth to get to the front of the boulder.

"As you all know," Oakstar began. "Flamefur chased out a badger, with the help of one our apprentices." He gave Sandypaw a small nod. Sandypaw returned the it, ignoring the renewed mutterings around her. "We will have to be on the lookout for this badger," Oakstar meowed loudly, and the mutterings stopped. "I want the patrols to check for any signs of it on our territory. That goes for anything else that has intruded."

He turned back to the Clan. "Also, Sorrelwing has given birth to a new litter of kits." Happy murmers rose from the Clan. Oakstar called for silence. "Sorrelwing has asked me to give you their names now. They shall be known as Forestkit, Grasskit, Flowerkit, and Leopardkit." He paused so that the Clan could take in what he had said. Sandypaw noticed that Thrushpelt puffed his chest out at these words. He must be the father, Sandypaw thought.

"If you wish to see the kits, you will ask permission from Flamefur," Oakstar went on. "And there will be a Gathering tomorrow night, as you all know. Flamefur will tell you if you are going or not."

"Why are we doing this a day early?" Lightningfur asked. Oakstar sighed. "I will not say," he mewed quietly, his eyes closed. The mutters rose again. When Oakstar didn't explain anything, that always meant something bad. Sandypaw looked over her shoulder at the other cats. They looked just as confused as she felt.

"Silence!" Oakstar yowled. It became quiet. "You will ask Flamefur if you're going to the Gathering. No questions." He jumped off the boulder and walked into his den. Immediately, the talking increased.

Sandypaw found Duskpaw and they padded silently over to Flamefur. Finally, Duskpaw asked, "I wonder what's wrong with Oakstar? He hasn't been acting the same since we found out that Goldenpelt was meeting a CloudClan cat."

"Well, they were best friends," Sandypaw meowed. This was true. It was known that Goldenpelt and Oakstar had been best of friends since they were kits. "It must be hard for him to know that he might not see Goldenpelt again," Sandypaw finished. "Maybe," Duskpaw said. "But that doesn't explain why he won't go to the nursery anymore. He used to love looking at the kits."

Sandypaw shrugged. She didn't know the answer to that as well as any of the others did, but it didn't really make much difference. Did it?

They neared Flamefur, who was surrounded by cats asking if they were going to the Gathering. Sandypaw and Duskpaw squeezed their way through the crowd and went up to Flamefur. "May we go see my sister's kits?" Sandypaw asked the ginger tom. Flamefur nodded. "And you two are going to the Gathering."

Duskpaw's eyes widened and she jumped up. "My first Gathering!" she mewed excitedly. "Great! Come on, Sandypaw! We'll go see the kits!"

She ran towards the nursery and disappeared inside. Sandypaw turned to follow her, but then remembered something. She looked back at Flamefur. "Oh, and Flamefur?" she mewed. Flamefur looked at her questioningly. "Th-thanks fo saving me from the badger," Saqndypaw said quietly. "You welcome," Flamefur meowed, then turned around to tell Ravenpaw that he wasn't going to the Gathering. Sandypaw enjoyed seeing Ravenpaw's enraged look, then padded into the nursery.

Inside, it was cool and quiet. Sandypaw heard the faint mewling of kits. As her eyes adjusted to the sudden dimness, she saw Sorrelwing laying on the ground, with four furry bodies beside her. Near them was Duskpaw, looking down on the kits with a warm look on her face.

Sandypaw edged close to Sorrelwing and mewed softly, "Congratulations, Sorrelwing." Sorrelwing nodded. "Thank you, Sandypaw." She bent her head to lick one of the kits. Duskpaw meowed suddenly, "Which ones are which?"

"You mean the names?" Sorrelwing asked. Duskpaw nodded. "Well," the tortoiseshell cat mewed. "This one is Forestkit," she licked a dark brown tabby kit. "This is Grasskit," she nuzzled a long haired brown kit. "This is Leopardkit." Sorrelwing flicked her tail at a ginger kit with black spots. "And the last one is Flowerkit," Sorrelwing finished, nodding at the golden brown tabby kit. "They're so cute," Sandypaw meowed. Sorrelwing purred in answer. Sandypaw jerked her head at Duskpaw, and the two left Sorrelwing with her kits.

Once out, Duskpaw looked over at the warriors den. "She's staring at you again!" Sandypaw followed her gaze. At first, all she could see were the warriors filing into the den. But then she noticed that Snowyfeather was lagging behind, looking at Sandypaw with her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Once she noticed that Sandypaw was looking at her, she sneered and stalked into the warriors den.

Sandypaw exchanged a glance with Duskpaw and they moved over to the apprentice den. As they neared, they met up wit Bloodpaw. "Hey, Sandypaw-" he began. "What?" Sandypaw asked. "Never mind," Bloodpaw mewed, looking away. Duskpaw turned to Sandypaw. "Go in, I'll be there."

"What-?" Sandypaw meowed, but Duskpaw shooed her away. As she padded into the apprentice den, she heard Duskpaw telling Bloodpaw, "You've really got it bad, Bloodpaw."

Sandypaw sat in her nest. Got what bad? Sandypaw decided not to tell Duskpaw that she had heard that piece of the conversation. She put her head down on her nest and waited for Duskpaw to come to her side. Finally, as Sandypaw heard the other apprentices come in, sleep came to her, and she closed her eyes shut and dreamed about the upcoming Gathering.

I'm sorry it was shorter than usual! But I'm tired! And then I have school now, too. But I promise you, the next chapter won't be this short! I mean it.

So what's Snowyfeather thinking? Oh, I'll tell you! Something. Yes, that's it. Something. lol. And what's wrong with Oakstar? Yes, there is something wrong with Oakstar! And I hope you like the new kits! Believe me, there's going to be a lot of kits. Anyways...REVIEW!