SeaClan: Low Tide

Chapter Two

Saltblaze watched his apprentice disappear into her new den, unable to keep a small smile from his face. Memories of being excited for his apprenticeship flooded his mind, interrupted suddenly when Coralspray bumped his shoulder. Her striking blue eyes made him shudder from nose to tail tip, but he knew she was off-limits; Wavestar had claimed her as a mate moons ago. Still, he often wondered what his life would be like if he'd gone ahead and told her how he'd felt all those seasons ago, when they'd just become warriors and his siblings were urging him on. "What is it?"

"Wavestar wants you for Council," she meowed politely. "She thinks it'll be better if it's held while most of the apprentices are sleeping." Saltblaze snorted, flicking his bushy, brown-tipped tail. Of course he was wanted for Council.

"When's the session, then?" he asked nonchalantly. Her lack of response made him blink. "Now? Right after a meeting?"

"She thinks it's best," Coralspray repeated, shifting on her paws. Any cat could tell she thought differently, and Saltblaze pressed against her, feeling the shiver go through her spine. As if she were starved for touch, she leaned into the bulky tom, and his grey eyes widened. Was Wavestar not giving Coralspray what she wanted in their relationship?

"You're her deputy, you know," he meowed, hesitantly touching his nose to hers in a swift, nervous motion. "You have input, too. What do you think is best, Coralspray?" Saltblaze watched the storm of conflict swirl in her eyes, her lips twitching as she mentally debated her thoughts on the matter. Soon, though, she backed away, shaking her head and letting her ears droop against her skull.

"It doesn't matter what I think," she mewed, tail lashing, "Wavestar's the leader of SeaClan, not me. Not yet," she added, softer, as she lowered her head. "She has final say. She'll call for you in a little bit to go to the Court. Eat something while you wait."

"You want to share a bass with me?" he offered. The she-cat blinked, as if the concept was foreign to her. Considering her rogue roots, where the idea of sharing meant the other making off with more food than you, Saltblaze realized that the concept probably was unheard of to her. "It's—I—" he spluttered, suddenly feeling nervous for even asking, "You don't...You don't have to, Coralspray. It was just an offer."

"I shouldn't," she said, hushed. "Oh, Wavestar'll get irritated if I'm not back soon...enjoy it, though!" she called as she scampered off to talk to Baldface. Saltblaze trudged off to take his pick of the fresh-kill pile, plucking out a large bass and managing to cajole Pearbelly into sharing with him. Pearbelly was a nice cat, and he knew she'd liked him as an apprentice. If all else failed, who was to say Saltblaze wouldn't settle down with her? He nearing the age that made him a senior warrior; he wanted kits to carry on his genes.

Just as they were sharing tongues in the aftermath of the meal, Wavestar called for the Council to meet her at the small tunnel that led out of camp. Saltblaze noticed Coralspray looking a bit jumpy around her mate, flinching when Wavestar rose her voice higher than a meow and training her gaze to the ground in her presence. The tom tried not to think of it so much, instead falling in step with Baystorm as he passed him. Baldface was already waiting for them, his best friend Yewburr sitting closely to the small tom.

"Baldface," he greeted, nodding his head, "Congratulations on your new apprentice; I'm sure you'll make Splashpaw a good warrior." Baldface softly echoed him, his dull blue eye staring right through Saltblaze. He'd always been a calm character, and his name had been changed from Whitepaw just before Wavestar—then Waveskip—had been chosen for the deputy position. Why, he wasn't sure, but he knew that Yewburr had looked incredibly pleased with him, his newly-scarred tail waving happily behind him as the one-eyed apprentice received his new name.