"Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?" Harestar meowed from Highledge.

"I do," The apprentice replied.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Redpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Redtail. StarClan honors you for your courage and bravery."

"Flamefur! Redtail!" The Clan chanted, their voices echoing through the stone walls of the camp.

Sandpaw felt a new surge of affection for her friends; especially Redtail. They had grown quite close over the last two moons, training, patrolling, hunting, and fighting side by side. She really couldn't wait for her warrior ceremony now. Redtail ran to greet her first.

"Congratulations!" Sandpaw mewed, nuzzling Redtail.

"Thanks!" he replied. "I can't wait for your warrior ceremony!"

"Me either. I'll miss you in the apprentices' den."

"Yeah. And I'll miss you in the warriors' den, too."

"Redtail!" Flamefur called. "Come here!"

Redtail sighed. He turned back to Sandpaw. "I have to go," he whispered, pressing his muzzle against hers one more time before turning to join Flamefur.

"Good luck sitting your vigil!" she called after him. He looked over his shoulder.

"Thanks!" he replied, than followed Flamefur through the camp entrance. Sandpaw sighed. I really will miss him, she thought. I don't know why. I guess I just have a connection with him that I've never had with any other cat. She looked at the spot where Redtail and Flamefur had vanished. Except for Adderpaw, she added, thought she really didn't understand the thought.

"Hey! Sandpaw!" Stonepaw called.

Sandpaw turned to face her brother. She batted at his ears.

"What?" she asked.

"Do you still like that FlameClan flea-brain? Adderpaw?"

Sandpaw sighed. "No, Stonepaw."

At the last Gathering, he had pulled her aside (Redtail wasn't there and she had convinced Flamefur that it would be okay) and told her that he loved her. She told him that she loved him, too, but that it was against the warrior code and that it just wouldn't work. Than Adderpaw had attempted to convince her to meet him at night, but Sandpaw refused, turning away from him and going back to Flamefur.

She did love him, yes, but Sandpaw knew that they couldn't be together. She needed a cat in her own Clan to care about, and she now believed that she had found that in Redtail. She was more excited than ever now for her warrior ceremony.

Sandpaw outstretched a yawn. She wondered into the apprentices' den. She lay down in her nest, but she couldn't get comfortable. She moved to the nest next to hers, and Redtail's scent wreathed around her.

Redtail.

She sighed, taking in his scent, and sleep claimed her.

That night, when Sandpaw slept, she dreamed. Excitement flooded all her senses when she saw her mother, Poppydawn, walking towards her. Sandpaw launched herself forward and nuzzled the white she-cat.

Happiness.

The word wrapped around her. She had been happy for Redtail, but she missed him. She had been happy when her parents, and her grandmother, were alive, but she missed them. She had been happy when she talked to Adderpaw, but she missed him, too. All she had left was Stonepaw. Stonepaw and Snowstorm and Echosong. Once she was a warrior, she would have Redtail. But not now; not while she was an apprentice.

"Poppydawn," she breathed. "Why have you come to me? I am no medicine cat."

"I know, but you are my daughter," Poppydawn replied.

Sandpaw cocked her head to one side, confused. "Surely that is not all," she meowed. Poppydawn purred.

"You are smart. Very smart. I have come with a warning."

"A warning?" Sandpaw was even more confused than before.

"Yes. Beware of blood red snakes."

"Blood red snakes?" Sandpaw repeated. She was completely lost. "But-but what does that mean?"

"I am sorry, Sandpaw," Poppydawn was beginning to fade. "Good-bye, dear, and good luck."

"Wait! Poppydawn, no! Come back!" The ginger apprentice wailed. But it was too late; her mother was gone.

Sandpaw's eyes flew open. She was breathing heavily, and felt like she hadn't slept at all. She scrambled to her paws, racing out of the den. Wrong was in the air. Wrong, wrong, wrong…

Sandpaw stopped. In the middle of the clearing, surrounded by cats, was Harestar's body. Oh, StarClan, no! she thought. Sandpaw ran over to Stonepaw.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice cracking as she looked at the broken body of the OceanClan leader.

"Well," Stonepaw began angrily. "While you were sound asleep in the apprentices' den, I was fighting off FlameClan warriors. Goldenstar pushed Harestar off of Highledge!"

Sandpaw gasped. "That's awful! Why didn't you wake me?"

"I tried! But you seemed to be out cold! It was useless!"

"Oh," Sandpaw said quietly. "I-I'm sorry."

Stonepaw snorted, than left to talk to Echosong. Sandpaw looked around. She saw Thunderheart talking to Flamefur.

"You should really go to Snowbird and get some herbs for that torn ear and wrenched claw," he was saying.

"No, no," Flamefur replied. "It's alright. It doesn't hurt that much."

And than something occurred to her; where's Redtail?

Sandpaw looked around wildly for the black tom's distinctive ginger tail, but she didn't see it.

The medicine cat's den, she thought. He's got to be there!

She raced into Snowbird's den, and there was Redtail, curled up in the moss, his breathing quick and shallow. But he was still alive. Sandpaw crouched by his nest, burying her face in his fur. He groaned, making her jump.

"Redtail?" she squeaked.

"Sandpaw," he rasped, craning his neck to lick her ear.

"What happened?" she asked quietly, leaning down toward him.

"We were ambushed," Redtail replied bitterly. "Flamefur and I. We were sitting vigil, and were attacked by FlameClan warriors. Flamefur was ready, but I was not so lucky."

"Oh."

"Did anyone die?"

"Just one."

"Who?"

"Harestar."

"Harestar?"

"Uh huh."

"So Redcloud's going to the Moonstone tonight?"

"I guess so."

"Why don't you go see if you can help Snowbird give herbs to the injured cats?"

"No. I won't leave you."

"Huh. Since when were you so stubborn?"

"Since I fell in love with you."

"You-you love me?"

Sandpaw looked away. "I guess so. I don't even have to think about it. I just know. I've never felt like this before." That, she knew, was a lie. She has felt that feeling, that feeling that makes her fur tingle, but she didn't want anyone to know.

Adderpaw…

No, she thought sternly. No. You stand with Redtail now, Sandpaw. Not Adderpaw. Redtail, Redtail, Redtail!

"I love you, too," Redtail replied quietly.

Sandpaw felt her felt her heart flutter. The last time she felt this way was…

No! Don't think about Adderpaw! You can't love him! And he can't love you! Think about the warrior code!

"You're going to be okay, right?" Sandpaw asked nervously. She felt her stomach clench. Here she was, finally falling in love with a cat from her own Clan, and going to watch him die.

No, no, no…

"Snowbird said I should be fine," The older cat said. "I just need about two moons of rest."

"Fine. I should be a warrior by then."

"Yeah."

Sandpaw placed her head on Redtail's flank and went to sleep.