The tall cliffs were hazy, the air moving in visible waves. Underfoot, the sand grew hot as coals, lapping waves doing little to cool it.

And still, the grey she-cat danced, sand flying around her and nearly obscuring her cream opponent. He blended into his surroundings too easily and she had to keep the most diligent tabs on his movements to avoid being hit.

She feinted to the right, then struck out to his left. Her claws were sheathed but her aim deadly. She felt the water come up around her paws and she used it to her advantage, flicking droplets into her opponent's eyes. He gave a shout of surprise, the salt stinging his eyes temporarily.

She chose that moment to pounce.

"I know I said use the terrain to your advantage, but I didn't mean you should blind me," the cream tom said, playfully pushing her off of him.

"You know I always take your words to heart, Dunerunner," the she-cat replied slyly.

"That I do," Dunerunner said, getting to his paws. "I will never forget the time you nearly killed me with a boulder during training. You'll be a great warrior someday, Skypaw."

The apprentice puffed out her chest proudly, stifling a purr at the memories of their past training sessions. Though there had been some close calls, SeaClan cats were not the type to back down from a challenge. Training was conducted as close to reality as possible, minus claws and fangs.

"Why don't we hunt on the way back?" Dunerunner suggested. "I think Pigeonfang's kits would appreciate some gull."

Skypaw nodded. The ravenous kits really liked their seabirds, and were only a moon away from being able to catch some themselves. It would be nice to have other apprentices in the den with her.

She made her way over the beach, sand slowly slipping into pebbles and pebbles soon becoming rocks and boulders. The cliffs along the seaside that made up much of SeaClan's territory rose above her, old and grey. There were portions that had slid down the steep face, coming to a rest on the rocky beach below, the water slowly taking the shale out to where the sun set.

Skypaw stopped suddenly, nose in the air. "I smell a nest." Her mouth watered at the thought.

The sound of crying gulls grew louder as she picked her way across the rocks, Dunerunner following. One rock up ahead stood higher than the others. Climbing it, she saw the beach slope away beneath her to an outcropping above the sea, where white and grey birds circled circular nests.

"Divide and conquer?" Dunerunner suggested, coming to stand beside his apprentice.

"Divide and conquer," Skypaw said with a grin, meeting her mentor's eyes.

The racket was astounding, but Skypaw paid little mind. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dunerunner racing across the outcropping on the side closest to the cliff face; she, meanwhile, took up her position with her back to the water.

"Get ready!" he cried, running straight towards her. Before him, gulls rose up in a flurry of feathers, trying desperately to get away from their attacker.

Skypaw unsheathed her claws, rising up on strong hind legs and tearing through the wings of gulls as they sailed by. One she caught by the flight feathers, knocking it down to the rock. Another got its feet tangled in her claws, and yet another came down as she sliced open its chest.

The duo returned to camp with four gulls, the sun setting at their backs.

Spitting feathers out of her mouth, Skypaw bowed her head appreciatively to the murmurs spreading through the cave in which SeaClan made their camp. From atop the Speaking Rock, a giant boulder which stood in the middle of the cave, she saw Gannetstar and Beetlefang eyeing the birds hungrily. Dutifully, she picked one up and offered it to the leader and his mate.

"Thank you, Skypaw," Gannetstar said. "You're proving to be quite the hunter."

"And fighter," Beetlefang added, gently nudging her mate with her tail. "Just yesterday, I was telling you some of Dunerunner's stories about training." The black she-cat's amber eyes sparked with laughter and Skypaw felt an immense surge of accomplishment. If she could be like anyone in the Clan, it would be Beetlefang: strong, respected, and extremely versatile.

"I'll be off to finish my duties," Skypaw said politely, bowing her head to them as she took her leave. Picking another one of the gulls off the freshkill pile, she took it to the nursery.

The nursery, like all of SeaClan's dens, was a narrow tunnel that split off from the main cave and slowly opened up into another. The smell of salt hung heavy in the air but, after four moons of living here, Skypaw found she was getting used to it – and the crystals of dew and salt she licked from her fur most mornings.

"Kits, look what Skypaw's brought you today," Pigeonfang called to her litter, who were busy pawing around a couple of shells and generally making too much noise for the small cave. The queen shot Skypaw a grateful look.

"A gull!" Birchkit cried with excitement.

"I know they're your favourite," Skypaw said. "But careful not to get the feathers stuck in your teeth."

"Like this?" Flykit said through a mouthful, displaying white and grey feather stuck to his muzzle. They obscured most of his little face, leaving only his beady eyes peeking out.

"I want more this time, you ate nearly all of it last time we had any," Windkit complained, nudging Birchkit and Flykit aside.

"Specklekit, make sure you leave some for your brothers," Pigeonfang reprimanded gently. Skypaw saw the tortoiseshell kit freeze where she had sneakily been dragging the gull off to a corner.

"Once you're apprentices, you'll be able to hunt them down yourselves, and then there won't be any need for you to fight over them," Skypaw told them.

Suddenly, she found herself the centre of attention, the gull lying forgotten.

"Tell us more about being an apprentice!" Specklekit pleaded.

"What's the territory like? Is it really as dangerous as Pigeonfang says?" Birchkit asked.

"Who's the strongest warrior? I want to train with them!" Windkit said.

"Is the sea going to wash us away if we're not careful?" Flykit's eyes were wide with the prospective dangers of the world outside of the camp walls.

His littermates purred with amusement and Skypaw twitched her whiskers at Flykit's quirkiness. "No, I don't think so. It hasn't managed to drag me away, and I was training very close to it today."

"Now, come eat before I take this gull all to myself," Pigeonfang said, having taken a few bites while Skypaw distracted the kits. Like a wave, the foursome crashed down onto their dinner. The apprentice took the chance to slip out of the den.

Though her paws ached from the hot sand and her jaw from carrying the two gulls to camp, Skypaw knew her day was not yet over. Her warm, feather-lined nest was calling to her, but she was still expected to join the dusk patrol tonight. At least she would get to sleep in tomorrow.

She picked a small mouse from the freshkill pile for her own meal. Seeing Pearlfur, her mother, waving her fluffy white tail at her, she decided to join her.

"I heard all about your training," the she-cat said by way of greeting. Her tone was slightly disapproving.

"You mean you overheard all about my training," Skypaw corrected her, taking a bite of her mouse. Not far from them, Dunerunner was regaling his mate, Russetheart, his littermate, Tawnybreeze, and her mate, Flamestrike, with exaggerated tales of today's training. He caught his apprentice's eye briefly, winking.

"You know I worry about you," Pearlfur said with a sigh. "You'll always be my little Periwinkle."

Skypaw stiffened at the name she'd carried when she still lived in Twolegplace. "I'm Skypaw now. And, besides, Dunerunner exaggerates everything anyway."

She rolled her eyes as Pearlfur fixed her with an unconvinced expression. "I'm being safe, don't you worry." As safe as a cat in SeaClan can be if they want to be one of the strongest and most respected members. Skypaw's eyes fell on Beetlefang and she again felt that surge of longing.

Past the Speaking Rock, she saw Shardtooth beginning to gather the dusk patrol. Scarfing down the rest of the mouse, Skypaw rose to her paws.

"Don't get into trouble!" Pearlfur called after her.

"You know I won't," Skypaw replied, leaving her overbearing mother behind with a flick of her tail.

// I'm actually not sure who I like writing more... Shademask or Skypaw? Only one more character exposition to go before we can talk about whose POV and story line you're looking forward to most!