Jayhaven Chronicles

Rapid dragged the jagged stones from the rocky meadow to the city’s main entrance, east of the Academy. The bag that he held over his shoulder was terribly heavy, but he kept trudging them towards Peak and Hawk, who were setting up their small defensive wall. They had spent hours out in the cold, under the stars.

“It’s almost done!” Peak said happily. The wall was lopsided and looked like it could fall over at any second, but that was precisely the point. When the dogs broke through, the sharp stones would pummel them and stun them.

“Alright, now for the hole trap.” Rapid took a few large leaves from the satchel and used them to cover up the deep pits the three cats had dug. They were spread around randomly, the night wind blowing loose dust from them into Rapid’s face.

If everything went according to plan, the dogs would fall in and be pummeled by the Battlers who would come to their senses and realize that this threat was real. Rapid hissed quietly once more in apprehension towards them. We’ll show them!

Hawk tore at the ground. “Now what do we do, barricade everyone in their home?”

Peak shook his head. “We wait. When the dogs come, we yell as loud as we can to wake the Battlers.” Though the dogs should stink so bad they’ll wake up the whole city.

The trio waited and waited. The sun’s faint light began to seep over the horizon, but the air never turned foul, the wall never broke.

Just a little longer! Rapid thought. But he had to accept reality.

Finally, Rapid whipped his tail and snarled towards the wall. “This is pointless. I guess the Battlers were right.” And I was wrong. How could he have been so naive? Kiirion was untrustworthy after all. I could have put Peak in danger!

He sensed the others’ stares on him, expecting him to instruct them on what to do. “Go home!” He yowled, not turning to face them. “I was wrong. This was all just a prank the owls pulled. Get out of here now. I’ll take responsibility.”

He felt a skinny tail touch his shoulder. “We’re not going anywhere.” Peak mewed softly.

Rapid whipped around and wailed hopelessly. “This was my chance to prove I’m not just some orphaned kit with crazy ideas riddling his scattered brain! Now I look ridiculous and more like a kitten than ever!”

Peak seemed unfazed by the reality of it all. Hawk was beside him with the same blank expression, sitting with his tail wrapped neatly around his paws.

“It was my chance to prove I’m not a useless cripple.” Peak mewed calmly.

“And mine to show I’m better than the brat who called Sedge an r-heart.” Hawk added.

Peak tilted his head. “But none of that matters, really. Sure, it stinks that we might be imprisoned for this, but you know why we did this?” Peak continued before Rapid could answer. “For Jayhaven. For the greater good. Not for ourselves, not for any one cat at all. And if any one thinks differently,” Peak gave a wink. “Then let them face my wrath!”

Rapid gave a sad smile and sank to the earth in defeat. He wanted to rest now, he didn’t notice how exhausted he was until he realized that everything they had done had been for nothing. The sun’s lazy haze swept over him, and Peak’s words rolled over and over in his head. We did this for Jayhaven. While his friend had done well to comfort him, Rapid wondered if that was true. They had wanted to save cats and owls alike, not just preserve the City’s reputation. Rapid hadn’t thought of any kind of ‘greater good’.

For a while Rapid was lost in his own thoughts, just waiting for everyone to wake up and for them to be discovered. But he was calm, and almost felt like sleeping.

Then a thundering crash and a horrid scent brought Rapid to his senses. He turned around, thoughts of terror replacing ones of peace, and saw them.

“The dogs are here!” Hawk’s terrified howl rang out.