Sealshadow has always been different from her clanmates. She's quiet, and is terrible with social interaction. Even with all of her wonderful qualities; her clanmates can't see past her flaws and avoid her. All she can do is stick to the shadows, an...
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Camp was mostly quiet, a serene breeze whispering through the cove. Many warriors were gathered around sharing tongues. Callashine animatedly recalled a time he survived a two-leg attack, while Sealshadow sat to the side with Piperwhisker grooming his pelt the color of sun-warmed sand. The undersized BluffClan deputy had been debating with himself on whether or not he should ask Stonestar for an apprentice.
"I've never had one, so it would be good experience. ...But, I don't want to seem needy or anything by asking Stonestar for an apprentice...," the golden-brown tabby sighed, looking to Sealshadow for advice.
"The elders told me once that in the old Clans, deputies had to have trained an apprentice to be a deputy," she offered, her eyes tracing Piperwhisker's white paws. He softened, purring.
"Maybe I should just ask him them." They were quiet for a moment, Sealshadow's tail flicking back and forth as she usually did. Piperwhisker's gaze had risen to rest on Callashine in the distance. "Does Callashine seem... off at all? To you?" Sealshadow shook her head.
"No, he's good." Piperwhisker nodded.
"Okay. I just... I get worried about you, y'know? I just think about what happened when we were apprentices in the ocean... I don't want you to get hurt." She let her gaze rise to meet his for a heartbeat before turning away. The ocean... the blood.... She could remember it. The memories crashed down on her like the salty waves did from that night. Cats were yelling at the shore, trying to call her back.
"Sealpaw! Sealpaw, come back! He's already gone, it already got him!" She couldn't stop though. Kelppaw could still be out here. He could still--. Another wave washed over her, pulling her under the water. She choked for air, but only bubbles streamed out and disappeared into the depths. Instead of air, she received a mouthful of shocking salt water just covering the irony taste of blood present. She fought to the surface, her head breaking through the choppy waters. She coughed violently, water spitting out of her mouth. She couldn't find him anywhere. It got him. The... barracuda. It got him. He's gone. I can't even find his body... just blood. Another wave tumbled down, though instead of pulling her deep under, it gave her a hearty push back toward shore. She felt jaws on her scruff, and in the half-light of the moon's rays, she made out the determined look of Piperpaw.
The ocean back then... it had been the time where they had all shown their true colors. Piperpaw, the tiny tom who seemed incapable, fought the current to retrieve her. Dolphinpaw and Raypaw who had dared Kelppaw to go out had been too scared to leave shore.
Sealshadow stood up, looking out of camp's entrance. Sunlight poured in, stronger than before. It's sunhigh! It's time for me
"I won't get hurt. It's sunhigh, I hunt at sunhigh," she meowed simply. The deputy looked up at her with a soft look and nodded.
"Good hunting, Sealshadow. Oh! It's supposed to rain later, I can feel it," he noted, and she dipped her head with thanks before setting out.
The warrior made her way up the slope out of the camp's narrow entrance, padding out into the loose, sandy terrain. The air was humid and an uncomfortable heat had settled in the air. I should hunt quickly so I don't have to be in this heat too long. I want to go back to camp where it's nice and cool.... The clouds were thickly rolling across the horizon, separating where the bright blue sky met the deep hues of the ocean. The water were choppier than usual, so she decided against trying to hunt for anything in the waters. She pad along the bluffs around the ocean's shore, her eyes falling on the tall beachgrass that marked a possible hunting spot. She cracked open her jaws slightly checked the air, and the scent of sandpiper filled her mouth. She dropped down to the ground, but flicked her ears back as she heard the the shuffling of paws racing through the sand.
