Sandpaw was the quickest apprentice in ThunderClan, and she liked everyone to know it. Then a new apprentice came: Firepaw. "Beat you!" said Sandpaw, the very first day.
She beat him at stalking. She beat him at climbing. When he caught one mouse, she caught two. "Beat you!"
"Race you to Sunningrocks at dawn," said Sandpaw. "Loser fetches moss for the elders for a whole moon." Firepaw's whiskers twitched. "You're on."
At dawn the sky was pink. "Go!" They shot through the ferns, over the stream, up the hill. Sandpaw was ahead. "Beat you!" she called back.
Then Sandpaw heard a tiny squeak from the rocks. A kit was stuck on a high ledge, clinging on with all four paws. It was Swiftkit, who had sneaked out of camp.
Sandpaw looked at the finishing rock, so close. She looked at Swiftkit. Then she turned and called back down the hill. "Firepaw! I need you!"
Firepaw stood on the rock below. Sandpaw climbed onto his back and stretched up as far as she could. She caught Swiftkit by the scruff, very gently.
Down they came, all three of them, in a heap. Swiftkit squeaked and squeaked. He was not hurt at all, only dusty.
They carried Swiftkit home between them, side by side and very slowly. Nobody won the race at all.
That evening they fetched moss for the elders, together. "Beat you!" said Firepaw, with the bigger bundle. Sandpaw purred and bumped his shoulder. "Next time."
