A gentle wind billowed at Sealshadow's pelt, bringing with it the heavy scents of salt and sand. Seagulls called overhead, their caws drowning in the crashing waters. Waves tumbled and sprayed in the stretch of sand before her, washing up on shore before retreating back, leaving darker, coagulated, wet sand. She relished in days like this: days where the sun warmed the sand but the cool ocean breezes kept everyone cool. The warrior blinked open her icy green eyes, looking out across the endless emerald blue waves crowned with white.

"Come on, Sealshadow!" A call sounded. She picked her head up, blinking away the image before her to pay attention to the cat who had called her. Standing at the top of an outcrop of rocks leading away from the beach's edge was Dolphincloud. The gray tom's sleek pelt was highlighted with the white sunlight. His paws were dark with wet sand, and a plump, large, brown mottled bird sat at his paws. The snipe had taken both to catch, though Sealshadow was vaguely aware the tom would take most of the credit for the great catch. That's fine. At least I know I helped my clan out. She began picking her way up the rocky coast to Dolphincloud. He looked down on her, and she kept her eyes down at his paws. 

"Sorry...," she murmured, "It's just so beautiful."

"You've lived here your whole life; it's not some new experience...," then, under his breathe and barely audible, "sand-head." Picking up the snipe to continue walking, Dolphincloud led the way down the sandy-colored rocks. Tall oat grass poked up in alongside the rocks, waving in the breeze and camouflaging the cats. While the cats' camp was hard for larger predators and animals to enter, they always thought it best to try their best to keep the way to camp a secret.

Many caverns lined the shores of BluffClan's territory, but the cavern which they chose as their home had only one entrance and one exit. The exit was only to be used in emergencies, but the entrance was a small burrowed hole at the bottom of a sand dune. Dolphincloud led the way in, turning his head awkwardly to fit the bird in as well.

"Ah, I see the rest of the hunting patrol is back. Nice catch!" Immediately they were greeted by Piperwhisker, the deputy. The pale golden-brown tabby tom purred was lounging under the Speaking Ledge, long white belly fur like a cloud under his small body. The two trod down the small tumble of rocks that paved the way down into the camp, which had stone floor and stone walls.

"Thanks, I managed to catch it without a problem!" Dolphincloud purred cheerfully, dropping the great bird on a pile of fish, birds, and a few mice. The cavern was fairly small, but the ceiling stretched higher than any cat could jump. Light poured in from the enterance as well as from a small gap in the top, and just barely scratched through the emergency exit. The exit had been covered seasons and seasons ago with vines, grass, and brush to keep any twolegs from finding the home. It was a much broader opening sitting at the top of a rock cave-in, and it was certainly big enough for a two-leg. Just below the opening was the ocean, though, and the waves echoed through the cavern.

"I'm sure you did," Piperwhisker murmured, amused. "Sealshadow, nice weather?" He asked as she passed. She pricked her ears and glanced over. 

"Ahm— uh, yeah. It was pretty nice," she flicked her tail as she spoke, averting his gaze. He gave her a nod. Piperwhisker was one of the few cats in the clan who would hold conversation with her.

"I was out on dawn patrol this morning and it was a bit brisk, but I bet by now it's beautiful. We actually scented a few loners, so we might get some more Company." Sealshadow's eyes lit up.

"Really?" He nodded. "I should go back out and hunt some more? They'll probably be hungry." He gave a purr and stood.

"You just got back, why don't you rest? I'll go ahead and hunt; make myself a bit useful." The dark spotted tabby she-cat blinked.

"You're one of the most useful cats in the clan, though!" She meowed in disbelief. The deputy chuffed a laugh.

"Thank you, Sealshadow. Go get some rest, the sun can suck all of your energy." She gave a firm nod and padded further into camp. Dens were made against overhangs and dips, made by paws using palm branches, grasses, vines, brush, and various things throughout the territory. The warriors den was the largest, and as the dark tabby she-cat neared, she knew today would not be her day to lounge outside of it. While the cheerful traveler Tuna and fellow warrior Oysternose were laying outside, there was also Vinesplash. Vinesplash really doesn't like me. He always hisses at me. I don't like him that much either, though; he's always so irritable. So, I guess, my best option is somewhere else.

Looking throughout the camp, though, she found most of the other cats sharing tongues were cats who preferred to share tongues without her. That's alright. They all just want to gossip and whatnot, I'd rather not lay with them anyway. She made her way to the edge of camp, settling down in a pile of spare palm branches. The shadows welcomed her, as they always did, and she began to clean her fur to rid the salt and sand that had dirtied it on the hunt. She let her tail swish back and forth calmly as she worked at her pelt, thinking to herself.

This was how it had always been. As an apprentice she had had many friends. And then... it happened. She paused in her grooming, remembering it. The blood. The fur. The crying. The screaming. The hissing. More blood. Blood. Blood blood blood bloodbloodbloodbloodblood. Dead. Sealshadow resumed cleaning her fur, feeling her pelt heat up with the sorrowful memory. I need to go get something to eat. It's after my sun high hunting patrol, so it's mealtime.

"Sealshadow, can you come here for a second?" She picked up her head in surprise. Standing before was Crabberry. She narrowed her eyes and stood up, confused.

"What's-."

"Come with me," Immediately the bright ginger tabby was whisking her along. Crabberry, the medicine cat? What does he want with me...?

"What's going on—? Please don't touch me!" She yelped as he pushed her into the medicine den. It had been rebuilt by Sandtail a few moons prior and was much bigger, branches were propped against the stone wall and plastered with mud and palm leaves for the herb storage area, and brush was built around to wall in the patient area. "Please don't touch me," she repeated, and he nodded. 

"Yes, sorry. Alright, sit down."

She sat.

He sat across from her, yellow eyes sharp. Crabberry was a dulling ginger, and probably was much more handsome in his younger days. His muzzle was graying, and silvery hairs mixed in with his aging pelt. Today, his short fur was unkempt and dirty, as if it hadn't been groomed in a Moon.

"Crabberry...? What's going on...?"

"I've been telling Stonestar for moons about this, I know it's coming soon..!" He stood, and began pacing frantically. What in StarClan's name—. "Do you ever feel very connected to StarClan? Have you ever had dreams? Or how about the urge to—."

"I don't want to— sorry, I'm sorry I cut you off— I don't want to be a medicine cat. Albatrossleaf is already a good medicine cat, anyway," her tail flicked back and forth anxiously.

"No. There's a prophecy that's been passed down for over three generations. I can feel it, it's going to come true soon, and I think you might be the key!!!" He shoved his muzzle in her face, and she fell backward onto her back with a squeal.

"Crabberry, stop harassing cats!" Crabberry scowled, and backed away, and, still on her back, Sealshadow tipped her head back to look at who entered. Albatrossleaf. She was one of the prettier cats in the clan, with a delicate face, medium-long, soft, white hair, gray patches, and round leaf-green eyes.

"I wasn't harassing her, this is StarClan's prophecy. I have a duty to the Stars!" He defended himself, his back arched. Albatrossleaf sighed sharply and leaned down to help Sealshadow up. She shrugged off the touch, getting up on her own. The medicine-cat gave an understanding look to the dark tabby.

"Sorry about him. He's been going on about a prophecy that's false."

"Not false! True! Completely true, and we have to find the 'one who walks in darkness,' before it's too late! It's got to be Sealshadow, she's always—."

"Crabberry, could you please go start the cleaning process on the burdock I gathered?" She meowed sharply. She had dropped a pile of dirt-clad roots at the den's opening before cutting in. The senior medicine cat grumbled, but did as she had asked.

"Back when I was an apprentice, I never bossed ol' Blueroot around. My mentor would've had my tail, even if I already had my full name...," he growled bitterly under his breath. The young medic sighed, looking to Sealshadow. The spotted tabby stared at her paws awkwardly.

"He's convinced he can sense that it's going to come true. Stonestar, Piperwhisker, and I all know if it were to come true, it would've come true generations ago when it was first given. That's just how prophecies work. And since he's getting so old...," she thought aloud before laughing gently. Her laugh was sweet, and her eyes closed as she did so. Sealshadow felt her pelt grow hot, and she stood.

"Don't worry about it, I should.. go. Now." She ducked her head and left the den, her dark fur burning. She head to grab a sandpiper from the fresh-kill pile, her stomach eager for it's meal of the day. She settled down in the spot she had been taken from, able to hear the bickering between the medicine cats from the close distance. Even if it is fake, I would want to know what the prophecy is. It sounds cool. Prophecies and StarClan... it's all stuff from the old clans. It's so... cool.

She was so lost in thought, she nearly jumped through the cavern roof in shock as she felt someone prod her shoulder. Even more adrenaline rushed through her as she realized that she didn't know or even recognize the cat.

"GAH! Who are you?!" She yipped, eyes wide with shock. A white tom stood before her. 

"Are you going to eat that...?"

//

pictured above: Sealshadow

Yo dawg I'm probably going to try and update once a week on Wednesdays, but I might make updates closer together if I can keep up with it (I'm currently a few chapters ahead of what I post)