stormpaw crouched in the shifting grains of grasses, his muscles tensed. the racy smell of saltwater filled his nostrils. it burned with every swallow. the crash of waves against the sand was a little soothing, and rhythmic, but it did little to sooth his raging nerves. tidewhisker circled him, a patient gaze on his face. but stormpaw couldn't help feeling he was disappointing his mentor, yet again.

❝ lower your tail, stormpaw, ❞ tidewhisker instructed, though his voice was relaxed, his tone firm yet not too harsh. ❝ you're leaving yourself exposed, ❞

stormpaw flicked his tail irritably but did as he was told, lowering it so it gently teased the surface of the sand. he clenched his jaw, frustration simmering. the week had been gruelling, and every day had been a reminder that he didn't belong here. the warrior code was a jumble of rude and traditions that made little sense to him, and every new skill his mentor tried to teach him — whether hunting or navigating the paths and cliffs nearby — seemed to end in failure.

stormpaw was tired of it, tired of this gnawing feeling that he wasn't good enough. that he'd never be good enough.

what he feared the most however, what truly haunted him, was the water. each time he was asked to swim through the surf, to feel the pull of the current against his pelt, his heart pounded in terror. the memory of the storm, its dark waters swallowing him whole found a way to claw back to the surface of his mind, leaving him panicked and gasping for breath, drowning in a fear he just couldn't explain.

and the clan had noticed.

the other apprentices whispered behind his back. even when tidewhisker sided by him, stormpaw felt like he was one pawstep away from falling into oblivion.

❝ c'mon stormpaw, ❞ a voice needed from behind the tom—cat, cutting his thoughts aside like a thorn. ❝ if you move that slow, you'll never win a battle, ❞

gullpaw.

stormpaw stiffened and his claws flexed into the sand as he turned to the grey—and—white tom, who's eyes glistened with amusement. gullpaw was stood beside sunnywave, who watched her apprentice with a bored expression as the younger tom lazily swiped at the air.

the two apprentices had been training side by side for the past hour now, focusing on techniques, but it had quickly devolved into gullpaw showing off every chance he got.

❝ you heard tidewhisker — tail down,❞ gullpaw added with a wide smirk, flicking his own tail down to mock stormpaw. ❝ maybe if you focused on training and less on dragging yourself through the surf like a fish out of water, you'd actually stand a chance in a fight, ❞

stormpaw felt his ears burn with embarrassment, his pelt hot beneath the sun. he glared at gullpaw but bit back the retort that rose to his throat. he had learned quickly that arguing only made things worse. besides, what could he say? gullpaw wasn't wrong. every fight they had practiced so far, stormpaw had been slower, clumsier, and constantly off balance. the sandy terrain felt foreign under his paws, the way the ground shifted beneath him making it hard to move with the fluidity the others seemed to master so easily. and it didn't help that gullpaw took every opportunity to highlight his failures.

tidewhisker stepped in between them. ❝ gullpaw, focus on your own training. every cat learns at their own pace, ❞

gullpaw just flicked an ear dismissively. ❝ sure, sure. but it's hard to focus when stormpaw keeps tripping over his own paws, ❞ drawled the young cat.

stormpaw's heart fluttered.

no matter how hard he tried, no matter how many times tidewhisker reassured him, the whispers, the mockery, it all reminded him that he was different. an outsider. he wasn't born into this life, didn't grow up with the warrior code shaping every decision, every instinct. and the others knew it. they could smell it on him, like the seaweed that sometimes washed ashore after a storm — unwanted and out of place.

❝ let's see what you got, ❞ gullpaw challenged, and he bounced on his paws as he moved into a battle stance. his tail jerked left and right. ❝ come on, show me what you've got, ❞

stormpaw's fur bristled. be wanted to prove gullpaw wrong, to show him that he could fight, that he could belong. his gaze flicked to tidewhisker, who gave him a small nod of encouragement.

with a low growl, stormpaw leaped at gullpaw, aiming for his shoulders — just like tidewhisker had taught him. gullpaw dodged with ease, darting out of the way and swiping at stormpaw's flank. the blow knocked stormpaw off balance, sending him sprawling into the sand.

❝ too slow! ❞ gullpaw crowed, circling back with a laugh.

stormpaw scrambled quickly to his paws, growling in frustration. he tried again, this time aiming high, but planning to strike low.

gullpaw seemed ready, again, sidestepping, tripping stormpaw with a swift flick of his paw. and once again, stormpaw found himself face—down in the sand. 

❝ are you even trying? ❞ gullpaw taunted. ❝ at this rate minnowkit or ripplekit could take you down— ❞

❝ that's enough, ❞ tidewhisker barked sharply, halting gullpaw's cackles towards stormpaw. tidewhisker then stepped between them both and he glared down at the grey—and—white apprentice. ❝ you're here to train, not mock your clanmate, ❞

sunnywave growled lowly at her apprentice and she toed over to the tom. she snapped her jaw firmly and continued stalking across the sand. ❝ come, gullpaw. we will train elsewhere, ❞ she drawled, turning to face tidewhisker with an apologetic gaze.

gullpaw snorted and recoiled slightly at the snap. he obediently trotted towards his mentor, shooting one last look over at stormpaw. ❝ good luck surviving your first real fight. you'll need it, ❞

stormpaw watched the pair leave. his claws pushed out into the sand below him, and he flexed his paws, rage and shame bubbling within him. he flopped down in the sand with a sigh.

tidewhisker padded over and sat beside him. his tail slowly shifted across the ground and around stormpaw comfortingly. ❝ i know it's hard, ❞ he quietly said with a small smile, his head turned to him. ❝ but you are learning. you've improved a lot since you came here, even if you can't see it, ❞

❝ it doesn't feel like it... ❞ stormpaw muttered.

tidewhisker was silent, for a moment. ❝ look, you're not like the others. you didn't grow up with the code, or the skills that these cats have trained for all their lives. but that doesn't mean you can't be a great warrior. it just means your path is different, ❞

stormpaw looked at his mentor, searching his eyes for any hint of pity, but found only understanding.

❝ one day, you'll show gullpaw and the rest of them that you belong here, ❞ firmly meowed tidewhisker.

stormpaw nodded, though doubt still lingered in his chest.

❝ let's head back to camp. perhaps coralstar has a new task for us, eh? ❞ tidewhisker mewed and rose to his paws, flicking his tail for stormpaw to follow.

dusk settled over the camp. the air had grown colder, the lingering warmth of the day they had had faded in unison with the setting sun. a chill breeze swept in from the sea, and the whoosh of the oceans waves, soft and constant, as the water gently rolled up the beach. the cries of seabirds grew fainter than they had been hours ago when the shrieks were piercingly loud, and now echoed off the cliffs as the birds returned to their roosts for the coming night.

the sky above was streaked with deep purples and fiery oranges. the camp sat in a dim glow, and the first stars began to flicker into view. spindly shadows stretched long across the sand.

stormpaw sat in the shadows near the edge of camp, slowly chewing on a small fish. it's scales stuck to his tongue and he reeled at the texture. he still hadn't yet mastered the act of plucking every tiny fleck from its body to reveal the flesh. the tom's haze wandered over camp, where the other apprentices had gathered.

saltpaw and mistpaw sat together, prey at their paws, while gullpaw pranced in front of them, boasting about something. his voice was loud, and rather grating, as he blabbered and wailed like a baboon. the tom—cat veered up and swung out a paw, showing off some new move he'd perfected with his mentor.

stormpaw felt a pang of something deep in his chest. it wasn't jealousy, but a quiet ache. he'd been in the clan for a little over a week now, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break through the invisible wall that seemed to separate him from the others. they trained together, shared jokes, and whispered about things only clanborn cats would understand. but stormpaw? he was just the outsider who still stumbled over basic tasks, who wasn't worth the time to include.

just as the weight of his loneliness threatened to settle fully over him, he heard the soft, steady padding of paws approaching. stormpaw glanced up slowly to see sealnose making her way over to him.

❝ mind if i join you? ❞ she asked with a raspy tone.

be nodded, grateful for the company. sealnose lowered herself down with a grunt and settled beside him. ❝ ah, the wind's a bit sharper tonight, isn't it? my old bones are whining already, ❞ she chuckled, curling her tail around her paws.

stormpaw offered the elder a small smile before taking another bite of his prey. sealnose had been one of the few cats who had gone out of her way to speak with him since he arrived. her presence was comforting in a way he hadn't expected. she didn't ask too much of him, didn't demand explanations for his memory loss or question his worth. she just... talked. and listened.

❝ how was your day? ❞ sealnose asked, glancing at him with curious eyes. ❝ tidewhisker working you hard? ❞

stormpaw shrugged, his gaze flicking back to the other apprentices as gullpaw continued to boast loudly. ❝ it was alright. i'm still trying to catch up, ❞

sealnose followed his stats and gave him a knowing nod. ❝ ah, ❞ she mumbled, ❝ that one's... a pawful, to say the least, ❞ she said and nudged the tom beside her lightly. ❝ try your best to ignore him, ❞

stormpaw huffed. ❝ kinda hard when he makes it clear i don't belong, ❞

sealnose's eyes softened. ❝ you are doing better than you think. you survived a storm that would've taken most of us. you're strong, even if the others can't see it yet. ignore him the best you can, dear, ❞

stormpaw looked down at his paws, and doubt washed over him like a darkened stormy waves. ❝ it's just... you, tidewhisker and coralstar. no one else really talks to me. i don't know if they'll ever see me as part of the clan, ❞ the tom uttered, his voice crackling. his eyes softly wavered as he watched the trio of 'paws from his spot across camp.

sealnose's gaze lingered on him for a moment before she let out a soft purr. ❝ you'd be surprised at how quickly things can change. sometimes it just takes time for cats to come around. but in the meantime, know this — you're not alone. not while tidewhisker's watching over you, and not while i'm around to chat your ears off, ❞

stormpaw smiled, despite how felt deep down, feeling a flicker of warmth at her words. he wasn't completely invisible.

for now, that would have to be enough.