Jayhaven Chronicles

The rest of the week dragged on, Rapid, Peak, and Hawk mainly playing board games and trying to stay caught up. Rapid would have Sedge tell him daily what they had practiced at school so he could practice. But finally, finally, it was the first day of the next week.

Rapid was so relieved that he almost forgot to eat before heading out to the academy. The trio bounded excitedly out the door.

“It feels like the first day all over again!” Peak exclaimed. “I hope Onyx won’t still have a chip on his shoulder.”

Rapid wasn’t worried. “He was probably trying to scare us, saying that things wouldn’t be easy when we got back. Oh, Hawk, there’s the rock you tripped on last week. I just saved your life.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Hawk laughed, but for some reason Rapid got a sense he was trying to hide something.

“You never told us what you saw that day.” He mewed questioningly.

Hawk furrowed his brow, but at that moment they found themselves at the academy. “I’ll tell you later.” Hawk murmured.

“Well, here goes.” Rapid began to lead them into the tunnel, but suddenly saw that Onyx was standing in front of it. “Hold on you three.” He blocked their way. “Go around me, it’s fine!” He called to other students passing through.

Rapid fought back a hiss. What now?

Onyx noticed his angry expression and gave him an unreadable one. “Don’t give me that look. Come on, all three of you.”

They begrudgingly followed him not in, but outside the academy to the large field where Crisp had held their execution test. Rapid kept his eyes on his paws, the memories hurting. He noticed Onyx stop, and raised his gaze, half expecting, or rather hoping for Crisp to be standing there, rasping, “Ha, fooled you!”

But who stood there now took their breath away.

It was Panther, king of Jayhaven himself, the sunlight bouncing off his strange, violet glossed black pelt. His eyes pierced them all.

“Hello, Peak, Hawk, Rapid.” He stalked forward, his paws bending the reeds below them. “Those are your names, right?”

Rapid nodded, his eyes wide as an owl’s at dusk.

Panther continued, sitting down and closing his eyes lazily. “I understand you snuck out and tried to stop the dogs, if I am correct. And while it was foolish.” Panther smirked and opened his eyes a sliver. “It’s certainly what I would have done. Heh.”

Onyx gave the king a look that Rapid thought was awfully disrespectful, but what he said next explained it. “You see, Panther here is my brother. Not many know this fact, so I would appreciate it if you didn’t go around proclaiming it for all to hear. But anyways, brother, you may go on.”

“We have agreed that you three may be some of the best in your respective guilds.” He nodded to each of them in turn. “Rapid, your fighting skills are unrivaled by an average adult Battler. Peak, you were able to bring Claw back from a coma and are making excellent grades. And Hawk, well, Snow told me all about you, I hear you were close.”

Rapid glanced at the beige tom, who seemed to shrink inside himself. “Yeah, you could say that.”

Well, he never said anything about it. But Rapid didn’t take much notice. His heart was still swelling from Panther’s praise.

“And that’s why…” Panther grinned and paused dramatically, raising his paw in the air for suspense before swishing it downwards. “We have decided that all three of you shall receive special training under me.”

Rapid felt like his jaw had hit the floor. No. How? His mind was whirling, but he couldn’t comprehend it. The King- just- he did right? He offered to train us?

Panther burst out laughing. “You should see your faces. Yes, it’s true. Tomorrow at this time my assistant Sunbeam will come to lead you to the castle.”

Rapid’s jaw dropped even farther, if that was even possible at this point.“The castle? You mean, your castle?”

Panther casually bat a long reed back and forth. “That is, if you wouldn’t mind living there for a few moons.”

“Would we?” Peak was grinning ear to ear. “Of course!”

Onyx gave a small smile. Not even his disdain for the trio could stifle his happiness at seeing a student’s glee, Rapid assumed. “I’m glad to hear that. Now, since you won’t be getting a normal curriculum, there will be no need to attend the Academy anymore. Now, I don’t know if your parents will take issue with that or not, but it’s really up to you.”

At the word parents, Rapid felt a pang in his chest. If only his parents were here to see him now. They’d be so proud.

Panther waved his paw. “Well, go on now, tell your family! Remember, Sunbeam is a bright orange she cat, and she will be waiting for you by your home.”

All three of them began to fall over themselves saying thank you, so much so that Onyx had to gesture for them to shoo. So the trio turned around in a haze, beginning to meander back home.

“Well, I guess we’re kind of royalty now.” Hawk shook his head in disbelief. “This is incredible!”

Rapid beamed giddily. “I know, right! Who would have possibly guessed?”

It was the kind of mood that everything made them happy and begin to laugh, even something like a funny shaped pebble or an especially fluffy cloud. They all felt like tiny kittens again, playing pretend as if they were Panther’s apprentices.

But now it was real.

They arrived back home chattering like starlings, bursting through the door to tell Dusk and Spider what happened. Pride spread across their faces the moment they heard the news.

“Oh my stars, that’s wonderful!” Dusk exclaimed, her voice filled with glee. “Gosh, I’m getting emotional!” And she began to break into happy tears.

Spider put a paw around her shoulders. “Sons, I couldn’t be more proud of you. You really deserve this.”

Peak and Hawk rushed forward and the whole family embraced each other. All the grief of the terrible days before melted away-

And then Rapid realized with a shock that he hadn’t joined his friends in sharing the moment with Dusk and Spider. He immediately followed when it dawned on him, but suddenly he felt out of place. Spider said “Sons.” I know they consider me one of their own, but I’m really not. He felt bittersweetness sweep over him, and he tried to push the dejection away. Why is that bothering me right now? This should be the happiest day of my life.

Why can’t I just accept that my family is gone?