Jayhaven Chronicles
Such thing as a victory

Jayhaven was falling.

The dogs were tearing them apart.

The destruction was getting to Rapid, and not just mentally. He was bruised and battered, barely managing to drag himself out of the fray of the battle alive. He crawled towards the medicine station, which had recently been raided by the dogs. They had been running out of herbs anyway.

He scanned it for Peak, but couldn’t find him. No. If he’s dead-

“This is it.” Rapid heard a familiar voice. He turned around, wincing with the movement. Sedge was watching the battle, her bloodied tail around her paws.

“Sedge,” Rapid began, his voice cracking. The whole world was ending, and she didn’t even want to talk to him.

“Don’t.” She responded, not turning around. “It’s okay. That’s the last thing on my mind.”

Rapid dragged himself towards her. He tried to sit upright, but his legs wouldn’t cooperate. With her he watched the group of remaining cats in battle, still howling with rage.

Sedge’s emerald eyes were dull with sadness. “Splash is never going to get to know anything but destruction.” She murmured.

Rapid nodded. But he felt oddly calm. I’ll go out honorably. It’s what my parents would have wanted.

The sun was setting now. The battle had been raging all day. Howl was standing opposite of the fray from Sedge and Rapid, his eyes smug and content.

“I looked into the eyes of one of those dogs.” Rapid mewed hoarsely. “He didn’t want to fight.” Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Find_Nøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Sedge met his eyes. “You know what’s different about you Rapid?” She whispered. “You’re the only cat I know, that no matter what anyone tells you, you always see it differently.” She turned back to the battle.

Rapid continued to look at her. “And it’s a blessing and a curse.” He added.

Sedge shrugged. “Depends on how you look at it.”

Suddenly, they heard a booming, smooth voice ring out. One that Rapid hadn’t heard in moons.

“HOWL!”

Every head in that square turned. And he was there, in the middle of the road. With a stature of great authority, just like The Book of Jay Had stated.

Claw was there.

“And you must be that imbecile Claw.” Howl snarled from across the field. “Leader of the Battlers. Head Academy teacher. Previously dead.”

Rapid stood rigid with shock. He was so confused, but so happy his leader was alive, he didn’t know what to think.

But then he heard a chipper, “I DID IT EVERYONE!” That sounded remarkably like a certain tiny tom. Peak did it, everyone.

Claw boomed again. “I will not die with you terrorizing my city! Leave now, or fight me.”

“Oh, this’ll be easy.” Howl growled. “Dogs, attack him!”

Claw leaped into the air and disappeared into a mass of barking, slobbering dogs. No one could see what happened, but within ten seconds, five dogs were dead.

Then seven.

Claw was like a lion the way he tore through the dogs. When he would fall down, he would flip upwards and slice a dog’s pelt with his hind legs. He would strike two dogs in one thrust, and spun through the air like one of Peak’s paper flyers.

All of Jayhaven cheered, Rapid the loudest of them all. “JAYHAVEN FOREVER!” The cats chanted.

But the cheers died down when they saw that Claw was pinned down. He slashed at the dog’s leg and made it bleed, but the dog held on.

That’s the silver brown dog I was fighting! Rapid seethed. The one who I thought might be different.

“That’s it.” Howl grinned. “Now end him.”

The silvery brown dog holding Claw down looked nervously from his leader, to Claw.

“End him, Bash!

The dog faced Howl. “I. Am. Not. Your. Slave!”

Howl gave his warrior a look of shock, then began to stride forward, a blank expression on his face.

“These cats were defending themselves!” Bash continued, removing his paw from Claw. “I will not be a part of your cult anymore! I-”

Before Bash could say another word, there was a crack! And he was limp on the ground.

The few remaining other dogs gasped, but Howl remained cold and emotionless as he stood above Bash’s corpse. “You were always weak.”

His gaze snapped to Claw, who was back on his feet.

“And you.” Howl whispered so that only Claw could hear him. “You die.”

The animals leaped for each other, each slashing and biting at the other. Claw used Aerial Offence just to reach Howl’s head, and made solid contact. Howl was knocked backwards, but only for a second before attacking again.

The whole of Jayhaven watched as each leader gave everything they had against each other. Howl had a truly vicious glare in his eyes as he slashed and slobbered. Claw tried to flip over his giant paw, but halfway over he was caught. Quick as lightning, both leaders both went in for a kill shot. Neither succeeded.

Come on, Claw! Rapid thought furiously. You’ve won countless battles for Jayhaven! Just one more!

Then finally, the crowd heard a pained whimper. Claw had finally managed to bring Howl to the ground.

“I surrender!” Howl whined, his fur speckled with his own blood.

Claw took a step backwards. “You brought this on yourself. Now leave.”

The golden tom stepped back from Howl’s cowering form and walked away from the battlefield, violet skies behind him. He was bathed in twilight as he approached his people.

But cats and dogs alike gasped as they glimpsed Howl rearing up behind the golden tom. Honorlessly, he whipped his claws across Claw’s back, who yowled in pain before he fell to the ground.

Howl loomed over him, his paw covered with new blood. “Idiot.”

“NO!” Rapid howled, his voice cracking. “You get away from him!”

Howl gave a cold laugh. “You started this, you dumb kitten.” Then he looked back at the limp Claw at his feet “Oh, how I’ve longed for this. For years I’ve built up my city. Cared for them, tolerated them, just for this. Your death will spell doom for Jayhaven.”

Rapid could see Claw’s eyes beginning to droop, his life dwindling. No! I can’t see my city fall today! Rapid thought with panic.

Without thinking, Rapid bounded forward, fury clouding his gaze. He used a sudden burst of strength and leaped for Howl, hissing with rage, “LEAVE MY HOME ALONE!”

Howl whipped to face him. Rapid landed with his paws desperately clinging to Howl’s flank. He scrabbled at the massive dog, digging in his claws as he tried to pull himself up. Rapid could hear someone from the crowd call out, “Go Owlcatcher!”

“Argh!” Howl snapped at Rapid’s left paw, but couldn’t quite reach for a few seconds. But the safety didn’t last long, before Howl was able to get a grip on Rapid’s blue-grey leg.

Rapid was thrown back onto the blood stained road, his foreleg throbbing madly. He lifted his ragged head to see Howl giving him a glare of contempt.

“Jayhaven Never.” Howl mocked. He took a step towards Rapid, who braced himself for cruel teeth and claws tearing at him. But then-

Claw writhed. He stood up ever so slightly, and seemingly with his last bit of life, he launched himself upwards and outwards to deliver a killing bite to Howl’s neck. The horrid dog stood there for a moment, his eyes fixed on his wound, then fell to the ground, his eyes frozen in an expression of pain and shock. “Die a hundred deaths.” Claw murmured.

And then Claw collapsed beside him, Leader next to Leader, as their people watched.

Jayhaven had won.

But was there such thing as a victory?

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