Jayhaven Chronicles

Catching up to the teacher, Rapid and Peak found themselves in a single file line of students. There were cats of all shapes and sizes; some resembled skinny spiders while others looked like they had already been training for moons. Rapid searched the line for someone he knew, and soon spotted the Cats of Loudhaven, chattering like starlings. Then he saw a thick furred beige tom a few cats in front of them.

“My brother.” Peak half-heartedly groaned. Rapid had been the only one in his litter, but Peak had one brother, Hawk, who never left him alone. But they were close, and Rapid knew Peak was only pretending to be annoyed.

The line started to move forward, lead by the lithe light brown she-cat who had called them to her. The cats walked down the shimmering hallways and into a small classroom. It was made of stone, with three rows of moss nests for the students to sit on.

“Take a seat now, all of you.” The light brown she-cat said, a bit crabbily. She looked like a character Rapid had seen in one of Peak’s comic books. Ms. Stick, that was it, with her tail high in the air and her lips pursed. He recalled she had the power of strictness. The class instantly felt daunted.

Rapid padded in, and took a seat in the middle row. Peak sat down to the left of him, and on the right-

“Oh no. Sedge!” Rapid hissed to Peak.

“I’ve got Birch on my side.” Peak grumbled. “Can’t they please just leave us in peace?”

Rapid was about to complain some more, but the brown she-cat cleared her throat for their attention.

“Excuse me!” She called out. “Quiet down!”

The class grew silent as the she-cat began to speak.

“Greetings, everyone. I’m Crisp, your first moon-cycle teacher. This moon, you will pick your guild, one of the following.”

Crisp backed up and whipped her tail against a large sheet of bark, their chalkboard. A large leaf fell from the ceiling as soon as she hit it, and she picked it up in her mouth. It read, Scout, Healer, Battler, Provider.

We already know those! Rapid thought. He felt impatience rise in his throat, but he swallowed it quickly. Don’t take this for granted.

“We won’t be choosing until next week, but you can be thinking about which will suit you.” Crisp continued. “Now, get out Tales of a Battlemaster, by The Second Lightning.”

Rapid leaned over to Peak. “You’ll have to put it between us.”

Peak twitched his tail. “That would be a great idea, if it was here.”

Rapid jumped to his feet. “What?” He helped his friend search through the satchel, but the desired textbook was nowhere to be found.

Peak raised his paw high in the air. “Crisp, I don’t think Tales of a Battlemaster was in my supplies list.”

Rapid thought, trying to remember his list. “Not mine either.” He called.

Crisp turned to him. “Yes it was, on the very top of the leaf.” She spun back around to the whiteboard, and mumbled something that sounded like, “Tough luck.”

Rapid suddenly remembered something. “Who gave you your list?” He asked Peak.”

“Hawk, who said he got it from Se-” Peak stopped short. “Oh, great.”

The little shrew-hearts had ripped off the top book on the list! Rapid fought back a loud hiss. I’ll get them for this!

The class spent the rest of the day learning about fighting moves, Rapid’s very favorite thing. But he and Peak were stuck doing a makeup worksheet. He occasionally glanced over at the cats of loudhaven, and noticed them shooting each other content, sly looks. When school was over, Rapid walked home with Peak.

“So, what’s our revenge plan?” Rapid hissed as he avoided the traffic of cats rushing by.

Peak shook his head. “Nothing. We won’t give them the satisfaction of a reaction.”

Rapid opened his mouth to protest, but then realized his friend was right. “Fine.” He muttered. “But if they pull another stunt like this don’t expect me to forget it anytime soon.”

Peak’s mother, Dusk, had taken in Rapid when his parents had gone missing, but he had been allowed his own den, right on the side of his adopted family’s.

When the two arrived home, Peak said a farewell and trotted into his home, where Dusk greeted him joyfully. However, Rapid could tell Peak wasn’t happy when she bombarded him with questions about his day.

Hawk showed up a few minutes later. “Oh, you little mouse are always late!” Dusk mewed to him teasingly.

As Rapid walked away, he wistfully thought of his parents, and how things would be so much better if they were still around. I just need to accept it. Rapid told himself bitterly. But even as he ate the squirrel the Providers had put in his den, he couldn’t help but wish he was sharing it with his family.