Jayhaven Chronicles
Rot-Hearted

It was the first day of the next week that the students got their grades. The school was abuzz with every noise from crestfallen complaints to victorious yowls. Rapid passed by a particularly loud group of students and turned to Peak. “When do we get ours back?”

Peak shrugged. “Hawk said that his friends told him they got theirs around first period. Don’t know how accurate those sources are, though. Cough His hoodlums, cough.”

Rapid gave a chuckle. “Don’t remind me of the sap incident.” Hawk’s burly friends, or rather, gang, had taken a jar of maple sap and dumped it on Rapid’s head once, and Rapid would prefer to forget it.

As the two took their seats in class, Crisp rapped the front board with her claw. “Now, listen up!” She snapped. “Four days until your guild test and you had better be studying!” She whipped her tail against the wall and the test leaves fell from above, landing in the paws of the corresponding student.

Rapid checked his grade. Stone, it read. It wasn’t Gem, but it wasn’t Ground either. Alright, Rapid thought.

He snuck a glance at Peak, who had a Half Gem. Rapid felt a surge of satisfaction when he noticed Sedge had only a Three-Fourth Ground.

The rest of the day they spent learning mainly about how to catch flying squirrel versus sugar-glider, which Rapid almost dozed off during. When are we going to actually practice battle moves?

The next day, they worked on medicine. Though Rapid struggled to keep his eyes open, it seemed like Hawk had actually fallen asleep. But Peak was taking in every herb, making notes like medicine was the most fascinating thing in the world. Well it is, to him.

It seemed like Sedge was back to her normal mischievous self, trying to pour a large quantity of mud onto some poor calico tom. Nothing that eventful happened, until Claw gave his annual guild speech at the end of the day. As Rapid, Peak, and Hawk all settled next to each other in the main lobby, Claw entered the room from the left and bunched up his muscles to leap onto his wall-ledge. But as he kicked off, the golden tom fumbled the jump and banged awkwardly into the ledge instead of his usual elegant leap.

Murmurs of concern broke out amongst teachers and students alike. Peak’s eyes widened and Rapid gave a gasp of shock. “Is he okay?” Rapid hissed. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Find_Nøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Peak shook his head. “I don’t know. He hit pretty hard.”

Several cats rushed over to Claw to help him, but the headmaster shooed them away with a wave of his tail. “I’m so sorry,” He wheezed. “Yes, Blue, I’m fine, now let me talk.”

Claw seemed to have decided the ground was just as good of a place to talk, as he began to speak. “Sorry once again for that...that incident. But let’s get to the point. You will pick your guild in a matter of days, and you have to realize something. You might not get the position you want. Yes, there is a chance of failure.”

Rapid was tempted to roll his eyes. A kit knows that! But he was still a little disturbed by Claw’s episode.

Claw continued. “But there is one thing you have to keep in mind; you only truly fail if you stop trying. Thank you, and good day.”

As the crowd began to break, Hawk snorted. “He’s speaking in riddles if you ask me.”

An annoyed voice sounded behind them. “Our headmaster just almost killed himself, and that is where your mind goes?

Rapid turned around, and there was Sedge, her green eyes blazing with agitation.

Rapid blinked. “Well you seem tense.” He mewed sarcastically.

Sedge lashed her tail. “Well you don’t. I expected more from toms your age. But then again, I shouldn’t reach for the impossible.”

Rapid noticed Hawk tense and unsheathe his claws, looking like his temper had finally snapped. “Go play with your little friends, rot-heart.”

Rapid noticed the cats around them suddenly stopped talking. He said it! He actually said it! Rot-heart was the worst insult a cat could give, and Hawk had just used it as if he had been saying hello.

Sedge took a step back, tears glistening in her eyes. “Why can’t I catch a break?” She murmured as she turned away and bounded off.

Immediately a teacher rushed over and hustled Hawk away. As the beige tom reluctantly followed, Rapid could hear him say, “It’s what she is!”

Rapid turned to Peak, who seemed much less shocked. “She got what was coming to her.” Peak shrugged.

Rapid shook his head forcefully. Am I the only one who feels sorry for her? He realized that Peak was somewhat right. “Maybe she’ll stay away from us now.”

But as Sedge’s silver pelt vanished from view, Rapid couldn’t help the burning of guilt in his skin.

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