Jayhaven Chronicles
A Welcome Visitor

Rapid woke up eager to pick up training again, before his short-term memory rudely reminded him of the spat he had with his friends. Fighting the twinges of remorse once again, he quickly raced to find an excuse to stay in his room, and grabbed a random book from his shelf. After pretending to read for quite some time while his stomach churned, he heard his door creak open. Rapid didn’t dare look up.

“Hey,” Sunbeam mewed. If frowning was a sound, Sunbeam must have made it. “Panther’s away for a day to deal with this whole owl junk. But you have a visitor.”

A shadow fell on his face, and Rapid reluctantly raised his head. “Peak, I’m so sorry-”

His cry was met with a very confused green gaze. “Huh?” Sedge gave a startled laugh. Do I look like him? Man, I told my mom I didn’t want to diet!”

Rapid didn’t think he could ever be more happy to see her. “Oh my gosh, I have to tell you so much!” He jumped off the bed and started rambling. “I didn’t get to tell you before I left, but I had this weird dream, and Panther’s nice, and the castle’s absolutely amazing, Sunbeam’s a square though and did you know that there’s a sunst-” He cut himself off when he noticed Sedge’s amused but overwhelmed face. “Sorry.” He took a step back. “Um… How are you?”

“Fine.” Sedge sat and wrapped her tail neatly around her paws. It was comical that Rapid’s long winded exclamation could produce such a short answer. “My parents don’t know I’m here though.” She gave him a sly grin. “I’m skipping school.”

Rapid was surprised by her sudden rebellious decision. Lately, Sedge had been more of a goody two feet than anything. He was almost proud of her. “Nice.” He raised his paw, and she gave it an awkward little slap.

“To be honest, it’s not much of a loss.” Sedge sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically. “Battler training’s really gone downhill. Since Onyx took over completely, we’ve pretty much done nothing but sit around and contemplate life.”

Making a face, Rapid jumped back on his bed and grabbed the random book he’d been “reading.” “That really doesn’t surprise me.” He replied. “Onyx has been kind of an emotional wreck since the battle.” Thinking back on the hurtful words he had hissed to the black tom the night before the battle, Rapid suddenly felt sheepish. “Which was partially my fault.”

“Just forget all that.” Sedge peered at the massive book Rapid gripped in his jaws. “Ooh. What are you learning in that thing?”

Rapid opened it again, and the illustrations depicted strategies against exotic animals like apes and komodo dragons. “Woah.” He breathed, fascinated by the creatures he had only ever heard stories about. “Why is Panther teaching us about the element of surprise when he can be showing us this!”

Sedge seemed more grossed out by the beasts than anything. “What even is that thing?” She gingerly pointed to a massive animal with short hair all over its body, except for it’s tail and neck. Horse, the caption read.

Rapid closed the book gently. “I haven’t actually seen much of the castle.” He admitted. “So we can do some exploring, if you’d like.”

Her eyes lighting up, Sedge leapt to her feet. “Of course!” She almost emanated excitement. Sedge bounded out the door, with Rapid right at her heels.

They flew down the stone hallways, Sedge’s head whipping from wall to wall, her eyes round with wonder. Portraits of famous cats hung from thin hooks, some looking decades old. Sedge’s jaw dropped every one of them.

After a while the hallways did get a little boring, pretty as they were, so Rapid and Sedge exited the castle and roamed the grounds. The landscape, Rapid noticed, was made up of subtle rolling hills, their blades of grass gently dancing in the wind. The two breathed in the scents of Earth and possible rain, and sprawled out in the grass, surprisingly exhausted from all the running in the castle.

They sat there for a while in silence before it was shattered by Sedge. “Wow, I was really acting crazy back there.” She mused. “Sorry about that. It’s just so exciting, having a best friend who’s been offered this big of a privilege.” She winked. “And it gives me an excuse to come visit a castle, so that’s a plus.”

Rapid rolled onto his back, enjoying the tickle of sweetgrass on his fur, and looked to the sky. “This is gonna sound random, but I don’t think I ever asked you,” he began pensively. “Why did you want to become a Battler?”

Sedge blinked thoughtfully. “You know, I never really thought about it.” She laughed, and it was a very nice laugh, too, Rapid thought. Clear and pleasant. “I wish I had some deep, philosophical reason for it, but honestly, all the other guilds just looked boring.”

“Really?” Rapid sat up on his haunches. “Why so?”

Sedge shrugged and laughed her nice laugh again. “Medicine’s a snore, I hate killing things so Provider wouldn’t work, Who cares if there’s a mouse or a shrew in the area, so Scout sounds pointless, and guess what you’re left with?”

Rapid sighed. “Well, not everything has to be complicated.” Even though he was joking, he was also reassuring himself. Right then, it seemed that almost everything was complicated.

“Hey, this may sound clingy or something,” Rapid began carefully. “But could you come by a little more often? I… kinda had a fight with Peak.”

Sedge nodded, but didn’t look too concerned. “Eh. Toms forgive each other so fast you can barely blink before everything’s well and good. But if you want me here.” She grinned mischievously. “I won’t rule out playing hookie a couple more times.”

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