Chapter one: Pride wounded, heart broken
Sandpaw glared at the newcomer.
What a fat, lazy thing, she hissed scornfully. The bell on his collar jingled with every pawstep. He'll never survive out here.
"Never has Thunderclan had so few apprentices in training before. Because of this, I have decided we will take in an outsider to train as a warrior," Bluestar called from the Highrock.
"What Clan is he from?" One-eye asked.
"He smells of no Clan I know of," Darkstripe hissed.
"Thunderclan wants loyal warriors!" Dustpaw snarled beside Sandpaw.
"Look at his collar!" The pale ginger apprentice jeered. "He's a kittypet! Once a kittypet, always a kittypet! Thunderclan needs hunters, not more mouths to feed! His kittypet stench will drive away all the prey, if his noisy collar doesn't first! He'll bring enemy warriors right to our camp!"
"Kittypet!" Longtail spat.
"He'll never be one of us!" Sandpaw snarled, prowling to the front of the crowd. He glared at the young orange cat. "He's a fat twoleg pet! He wouldn't be fast enough to chase a three-legged, blind mouse!"
She saw Lionheart murmur something into the kittypet's ear, though she was unable to make out what he said. The kittypet gained a spark in his emerald eyes, and the fur along his spine began to bristle. He dropped into an instinctive, yet poor, attack crouch. Sandpaw crouched down as well, hissing quiet taunts. The gathered cats began to back away to give them space to fight.
The kittypet flung himself at Sandpaw, who ducked and rolled away. The kittypet landed, dazed, on the hard, dusty ground. Sandpaw leaped onto his back and tore at his shoulders with her claws, though she was careful not to leave deep wounds. She wanted to humiliate this fool, and Bluestar would be sure to stop the fight if she became too concerned for the safety of either young cat.
Sandpaw leaped off of the kittypet and circled him.
"That's all you got, kitty?" She taunted. "I've seen kits fight better than you!" Not replying with words, the tom leaped at her again. Sandpaw bounded over his head, and he skidded to a stop behind her, confused. Grinning, Sandpaw nipped his tail sharply. He whirled around, claws flashing, and sliced her nose. Sandpaw snarled as blood dripped down her muzzle, and she swiped in retaliation, only for her claws to get snagged on his stupid collar. Going with it, Sandpaw yanked him to the ground, fastened her teeth around the collar, and began to choke him.
To her surprise, the kittypet rolled beneath her, causing her balance to fumble, and raked her belly with sharp hind claws. Sandpaw reared back, gasping with pain. Bluestar's eyes narrowed on top of the Highrock, and she began to open her mouth.
No! Sandpaw thought. Don't end the fight now! I can't lose! She lunged at the kittypet quicker than a rabbit and pinned him again. The crowd gasped as she swiped at his throat, her powerful paw tearing the bell from the cobalt colored fabric around his neck. The kittypet's green eyes flashed with fear and defiance, and he whipped his head around to snap at her paw. Sandpaw danced away from him teasingly, flicking her tail triumphantly. Her triumph turned to fury as the kittypet bit down on her tail, his teeth scraping against the bone. Sandpaw screeched and turned around, preparing to shred him.
"That's enough!" Bluestar ordered, leaping down from her perch. Whitestorm grasped his apprentice's scruff in his jaws, holding her back from attacking the kittypet again. Sandpaw whipped her tail from the kittypet's mouth, biting her tongue to not cry out in pain. The kittypet smirked at her as the Clan gave him their praises.
"This newcomer has won his place in this Clan in a battle for honor," Bluestar announced. "In honor of his flame-colored coat, he will be called Firepaw." She leaned forward and delicately sliced through the blue fabric on his neck with a single claw, and it fell to the ground. Firepaw turned and kicked dirt over it, as though burying dung.
I'd bury you if I could, Sandpaw thought. Because one day, you'll be crowfood at my claws.
"Go to your nest," Whitestorm ordered quietly, his yellow eyes cold as he glared at his apprentice. "You should be ashamed of yourself, being beaten by a kittypet."
Sandpaw didn't want to argue with her mentor, though her fury was so strong she wondered if it would boil over. He didn't win the fight. Bluestar just stopped it because she knew I could win. Her battered tail trailing in the dust, Sandpaw went to the apprentices' den, her head bowed with shame. None of her clanmates looked at her, their eyes were all on the kittypet, the new star of the clan.
Sandpaw sat down heavily in her nest, and began to clean the blood off her muzzle, before arching her neck and licking her bleeding belly. She wasn't going to ask Spottedleaf for herbs, her pride was wounded enough. When she had finished with her belly, she began to groom her tail with long strokes of her tongue.
"You okay?" Longtail asked, poking his dark-striped head into the den.
"I'm fine," Sandpaw snapped. "Why do you care? I thought the kittypet was way more important than any clanborn cat."
"That kittypet can go to the Place of No Stars, for all I care," the pale tabby scoffed. "But I thought you… you might want to hear Tigerclaw's news."
"He's back?" Sandpaw asked. The large tabby, the deputy, and the young black apprentice had left for Sunningrocks that morning to reclaim their land. She hadn't been allowed to go with. "Did they win?"
"Er, yes… but you might want to see something," Longtail muttered, leaving without another word, beckoning to her with a flick of his tail. Sandpaw got to her tired paws and followed.
In the clearing, Ravenpaw lay unconscious at Spottedleaf's paws, blood streaming from a wound on his shoulder. Tigerclaw had a torn ear, a deep scratch on his muzzle, a limp, and a few shallow scratches. At his paws, a little battered and bloody, was the Clan deputy.
"Redtail!" Sandpaw screeched. She rushed to the body, tears forming in her pale green eyes.
"Oh Sandpaw," Whitestorm murmured, giving her ear a comforting lick. "I'm sorry about your father."
As the sun set, Sandpaw remained frozen by the deputy's brother as the Clan gave their last farewells. She hardly paid attention as Lionheart was made deputy.
"Sandpaw, you should get some rest," Whitestorm murmured at dusk.
"I owe it to him," Sandpaw said huskily. "I owe him everything."
That night, as her vigil went on, her mind went back in time, to when her father was still with her.
Sandpaw looked up to see the sun peaking over the treetops. The light illuminated Redtail's vibrant tail for the last time.
I'm glad I was able to call you my father, she thought sadly she watched the elders carry away his body. I'll make you proud as you watch from the stars.
"Sandpaw, you should get some rest," Whitestorm murmured.
"No, I can train," Sandpaw protested, holding back a yawn.
"And hedgehogs fly. You stayed up all night, and you haven't gotten your wounds from yesterday treated. If you go and see Spottedleaf, I'll consider giving you a short hunting lesson," Whitestorm relented. Sandpaw nodded. She was sure she'd be unable to sleep. Hunting would be a nice distraction from her grief. With this, she trailed over to Spottedleaf's den.
"What can I do for you?" Spottedleaf asked, her eyes dull with grief for her brother, as well as her own lack of sleep from the vigil.
"Whitestorm made me get my wounds treated," Sandpaw muttered.
"You fought well against Firepaw," Spottedleaf comforted her, going into her den before returning with herbs. She told Sandpaw to lay down before smearing a poultice on the scratches on her belly. When she'd finished with all of Sandpaw's wounds, she looked up at the sky, her eyes misty with grief.
"I'd suggest some rest," Spottedleaf murmured distractedly. "If you must train today, try not to stretch your belly too much or you might reopen it." Sandpaw nodded and left the den, joining her mentor in the Sandy Hollow.
"Goldenflower might appreciate that vole, and your company," Whitestorm said when they arrived back at camp. Sandpaw nodded gloomily. She'd thought she'd needed a distraction. Her trip into the forest had just reminded her of her father, and all the patrols they went on togetheer, or simply walking through the forest, enjoying themselves.
"Mother?" Sandpaw asked, blinking rapidly to adjust her eyes to the darkness of the nursery.
"Sandpaw?" Goldenflower croaked. The beautiful pale ginger tabby was lying in her nest, her tail curled around her swollen belly.
"I was wondering if you wanted this vole," Sandpaw dropped it in front of her mother's muzzle and sat down next to her, grooming her neck gently. Goldenflower nibbled at the prey, and then quickly finished it in a few bites, as though remembering she was hungry.
"I'm sorry about Redtail," Sandpaw murmured.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Goldenflower whispered huskily. "It's no one's fault but Oakheart's, and he's paid for that." Her eyes shown with admiration for a moment. "Tigerclaw avenged his death, and for that, I'm glad."
"At least Redtail gained back Sunningrocks… for a heavy price," Sandpaw muttered bitterly.
"It's the job of a warrior, we vow to protect our Clan, even at the cost of our lives," Goldenflower reminded her. "The greatest warriors will do whatever it takes to protect their clan without hesitation."
I will become a great warrior, Sandpaw thought. I've lost my father, and I've lost the respect of my clanmates. But I'll show them. I'll show them all.