Sandpaw was enjoying the fact the she was finally out of camp. Snowpaw and herself had been stuck mainly in the elders den for two days after they were caught by the dawn patrol.

"Honestly Sandpaw did you even here what I said?" her mentors voice brought her back to reality.

"Um…err…what did you say? Not that I didn't hear I um… just want to confirm what I heard, right Snowpaw?" She gave him a little nudge.

"Yes... of course… sure." Sandpaw rolled her eyes in exasperation. Sometimes Snowpaw can be so thick! Lunarlight scowled and proceeded to sunning-rocks. Midnightstar said he and his dawn patrol had scented sky clan their earlier.

What did I do to deserve this! Why am stuck with these to apprentices? Snowpaw… he is fine… but Sandpaw, she is just a.… She withdrew herself as her apprentices peppy voice came into play.

"So what are we going to do today!" Sandpaw said in her usual peppy voice.

"First we are going on a patrol to sunning rocks, then we will work on some fighting skills in the training hollow and then…"

"The training hollow! We get to go there! Now we can learn how to fight. Cool huh Snowpaw…" he absentmindedly nodded his head in agreement. "Hey Lunarlight! Can we learn how to hunt to and maybe we can…." She was silenced by a stern look from her mentor.

"Yes Sandpaw, we will eventually do all those things but for now only fighting. Besides…can't you stay quiet for a minute" Sandpaw stood there eying her mentor with disgust and looked highly offended.

"Aren't you my mentor! Aren't you supposed to make me… and Snow paw into the best warriors this clan has ever seen. Aren't you... aren't you…. um… supposed to push us, on not just cut my…our… hopes!" Lunarlight stopped as if going over every word the younger cat had just said.

"Do you want to take back anything you just said?"

"No... No I don't" Sandpaw replied somewhat firmly

Well in that case, you can spend the day back at the camp doing apprentice chores. You must learn when to put a mouse in it." Sandpaw proceeded to stare gaping at her mentor.

She began to murmur things like 'encouragement', 'gathering',' chores', and 'hollow' then she finally turned tail and bounded back through the bushes.

"Well Snowpaw, do you want to proceed with your training, or do you want to go and help your friend do some chores?"

"Errrr… lets go to the training hollow. He stammered quickly not wanting to upset his mentor.

"Yes but first to sunning rocks, then to the training hollow, and maybe on the way back we can practice hunting."

"Sure Lunarlight." He stammered.

Back at Iceclan camp

Sand paw waited patiently for Snowpaw at the mouth of the fern tunnel. Where is he? She thought he should be here by now. She waited for what seemed life a leaf-bare and then sighed inwardly. She reluctantly turned tail and padded toward the elders den. By Starclan I hate elders' ticks almost as much as mouse bile.

(Later)

She padded by through the fern tunnel. She had gone to wash her paws, and mouth, in the river. She had experimented with mouse bile. She went over to the fresh kill pile. Her mother smiled softly at her across the clearing and went back to sharing tongues with her father. She caught the word 'kits' and smiled to herself.

She padded to the elders den. At least the elders can tell decent stories. She came over and sat down beside Bluepaw, a slightly older apprentice. "Did he start yet?" Sandpaw whispered to Bluepaw

"No not yet" Bluepaw answered back in a soft voice. Sandpaw glanced around to see Ruggedpaw, Moonpaw, Ragingpaw, Articpaw, Sunpaw, and Clearpaw sitting around her.

"Ahhhh yes… you wanted to hear about one of the ancient clans today... Am I right?" All of the apprentices looked up eagerly at that elder, Frozenfoot. "Well which clan will it be?"

Moonpaw spoke up meekly. "Could you tell us about Lionclan?"

"Ahhhh yes… Lionclan the clan of the brave and the noble. Did I tell you how the brave Lionclan leader Blazingstar killed the evil Tigerclan leader by himself, and he only had two lives left. The story started when Blackstar the evil Tigerclan leader led an attack…."

"Wow that story was so cool." Said Clearpaw. All the apprentices were sitting in the clearing Talking about the story Frozenfoot had just told them.

"My favorite part was when Blazingstar sliced Blackstar's stomach open… he lost all of his nine lives at once." Said rugged paw. "Hey, I bet I'm a descendant of Blazing star!" Said Ruggedpaw in a Pompous voice.

"No it's me." Said Bluepaw almost automatically.

"No me!" Moonpaw said in a dangerous voice

"No it can't be you 'cause it's me!" Said Sandpaw in a matter -o- factly type of way.

"Well Ruggedpaw is my brother so it has to be both of us." Said Clearpaw in a calm but defiant voice.

"No way... it's me… I'm and amazing fighter" Articpaw piped up.

"Well It would be me, I'm the best at everything" Said Ragingpaw triumphantly.

"Yea…the best at being the worst." Retorted Sandpaw. They all snickered

Ragingpaw launched himself at Sandpaw who accident hit Articpaw in the nose… and…well… it went on from there. It eventually turned into an all out brawl.

"APPRENTICES... WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" The fighting ceased to exist immediately as all the young cats looked up sorrowfully at their leader. None of then dared to answer.

"Fighting amongst your own clan! This is outrageous. I'm especially disappointed in you Ragingpaw… my own apprentice." Ragingpaw dipped his head sorrowfully. "Extra chores for all of you. I will be informing every one of you mentors and let them apply further punishment. I will expect to see five very content elders by sundown."

All of the cats looked around at each other. The only cat that managed to get out unscathed was Moonpaw, while Sandpaw had a deep gash running across her muzzle and Ragingpaw with a severe gash along the length of his stomach. All of the apprentices padded (hobbled) over to Burningcold.

"Oh my… what do we have here? Well we best get to work. Those of you with deep cuts over here those of you with scratches over there."

All the cats had been treated and left… except for Sandpaw. " I'll have to go fetch some more cobwebs. Try to find someone to lick it for you, it should ease the bleeding.

As if the answer to her silent prayer to Starclan, Snowpaw chose that second to walk into the den. He began to chuckle at the sight of Sandpaw trying to lick her own nose. "Let me help." He sat down next to her and gently began cleaning her bloodstained muzzle. She decided to question him later. Finally feeling content She drifted off into a soundless sleep.

Awww…Finally that's done. it took me over a week.

Till next time

Bladenfang