Jayhaven Chronicles

The next day Rapid woke up with positivity coursing through him. Alright. Halfway through the week already, we just need to find something to do today.

Rapid had been sleeping over at Hawk and Peak’s, and had used their rather barren guest room. It was devoid of furniture other than a nest and a large, rectangular mirror.

He yawned and stretched, then licked his paw and drew it over his ear. He padded over to the mirror at the back of the room and viewed himself.

He noticed he had a healing gash from the dog battle across his face, and a long scar on his side from the fight with the owls. Welp, nothing wrong with looking tough, I guess. He grimaced.

He pondered possible things to do, people to visit, when it dawned on him. I haven’t seen Sedge or Splash yet!

He practiced battling most of the day, waiting until Sedge would be finished with school, and then that evening he poked his head into Peak’s room. He was talking to himself and playing with his Jayhaven action figures. “Hey, want to go with me to see Splash?”

Peak startled and shook his head, looking a little embarassed that he had been caught playing with toys. “Me and Sedge haven’t even had a formal conversation. I don’t see the point in me going.”

Rapid shrugged, though he figured Peak might still be a little sore at Sedge for all she had done as a part of Loudhaven. “Okay. See you in a bit!”

He ran downstairs, and seeing that Dusk and Spider weren’t home yet from errands, he bolted out the door.

Oh, they must be furious with me. Rapid thought as he tried to remember the directions to her den. Not visiting them for almost two weeks!

He finally found her street, and at the end of it was her giant home. He bounded up and knocked on the door.

After a few moments a sleek silver head peeked out. Sedge’s eyes glistened with relief. “Oh, there you are! I thought you might have run away.” She rushed forward and embraced him, wrapping her paw around his shoulder. Rapid felt his pelt grow warm with embarrassment.

Sedge rushed back, clearing her throat and averting his gaze. “Uh- I mean, where have you been? Splash has wanted to see you so badly.”

Rapid sighed. “I’m sorry. But with the suspension and all, I just completely blanked.”

Sedge gave a chuckle and shook her head. “Well, you’re here now. Splash is waiting.”

Rapid smiled back and walked inside. Immediately a bundle of bright orange and black fur barreled into him. Splash rolled backwards from the impact, then gave a massive grin. “Hi ’Apid!”

Rapid bent down and nuzzled her. “Hi, Splash. How are you?”

The little calico kitten danced a silly little jig. “G’eat! We bought a cool new hou’glass yeste’day for my ’oom, and it’s pink!”

“Yeah.” Sedge called from by the door. “She hardly ever leaves her room now. She’s fascinated by clocks, or anything related to time.

Splash bounced upwards and squealed. “I just ’emembered! I caught a d’agonfly today!”

Rapid felt joy kindle in his heart at Splash’s innocence and glee. “You did?”

Splash nodded excitedly. “Yup! Storm helped me th’ough it. I want to be a P’ovider just like him!”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll be the best one in the city.” Sedge stepped forwards and gave her little sister a light bat on the head. “Splash, how about you get it from upstairs?”

The tiny kit nodded and instantly ran from the living room into a long, cream painted hallway and disappeared.

“Heya, Little Blue!” Came a loud meow. Storm strode in from the candlelit kitchen left of Rapid. “How are you doing?”

Rapid winced as the burly smoky gray tom gave him a hard cuff on the shoulder. “Ow- I mean, I’m doing alright, thanks.”

Storm, Sedge, and Splash’s parents were right behind him. “Oh, hi Rapid!” Their mother Moss mewed warmly. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Rapid nodded apologetically. “Yeah, sorry about that. There’s been a lot of things going on lately.”

“Oh, yeah, I heard you got suspended!” Storm hissed with interest. “What happened?”

“Storm!” Sedge nipped her brother lightly on the ear. “That’s so rude!

“No, it’s fine.” Rapid waved his paw in the air in a gesture of dismissal. “It was for the-um- incident with the wall, and the traps, and yeah.” He looked at the ground.

Sedge shrugged. “Well, you did disobey Onyx. But you ended up being right, so I don’t think you deserve to be punished so severely.” She made a face. “I was honestly pretty mad when he announced it to the class.”

Rapid gave her a look of gratitude. “Thanks, Sedge.” I’m glad she’s not against me.

Splash suddenly came strutting back downstairs, proudly holding a dead green dragonfly in her mouth. “Ith bihg, isthnt ih?” she tried to mumble around the mouthful of bug.

Rapid grinned warmly at her. “Oh yeah, that must’ve put up a fight!”

Sedge walked up to her little sister and gave her a lick on the cheek. “Nothing can escape her claws!”

Singe, their father, began to turn back to the kitchen. “Well, me and Moss will be in the kitchen getting dinner ready. You kiddos all hang out!”

Once they had left, Storm announced that he was going to go practice catching prey for his upcoming provider exam, and of course Splash begged to join him. So Rapid and Sedge were left alone, and suddenly he felt very awkward.

“So, about all the things I said before the battle,” Rapid began, collapsing into a warm cotton nest. “I never really got to apologize.”

Sedge laughed and rolled her eyes. “Rapid, almost dying puts those kind of things in perspective. It’s okay.” She came over and sat down beside him.

Rapid shifted his paws. “But it’s not. I didn’t mean anything I said. I was just so angry, and-“

Sedge interrupted him. “You apologize way too much.” She mewed sarcastically before swiftly changing the subject. “But anyways, what have you been doing to, you know,” her gaze clouded with negative emotions. “Recover.”

Rapid sighed. “Well, the suspension certainly hasn’t helped get our minds off things. But yesterday we-“ he cut himself off. I better not tell her about Kiirion. “Never mind. We’ve just been staying busy.”

Sedge gave him a suspicious look, but thankfully, didn’t investigate further. “You haven’t missed much at school.” She waved her paw in the air. “Since Onyx fully took over, he’s mainly been lecturing us on hypothetical battle scenarios, for some reason.” She sighed. “I really miss Claw.”

Rapid wrapped his tail around her. “So do I.”

She flinched at his gesture, and he quickly moved away, feeling a twinge of hurt. “Oh, sorry.” He muttered.

Sedge cleared her throat. “Oh, no, you just… startled me, that’s all.”

Rapid felt discomfort set in once again, and shook himself. “Well, I guess I should head out.”

“Oh, sure you have to?”

“Yeah, Peak’s mom is probably worried about me.”

“Alright then.” Sedge gave him uncomfortable half smile. “Well, bye.”

Rapid backed towards the exit. “Erm, bye.”

As he closed the door behind him, he felt oddly frustrated. Why do I have such odd feelings around her? And why did she seem the same?

He looked over his shoulder. He felt stupid for being flirty and weird, when he had seen much more serious issues arise just days before. It’s okay. He told himself. Everything’s the same.

Everything’s the same