A burly, long-haired, blue-gray tom with vibrant blue eyes.

While not the biggest in the valley, Jay is a large cat. With wide shoulders and impressive height, few are willing to challenge him to a mock fight, let alone a real one. However, Jay’s expression is often kept light and his body language is typically relaxed, so many quickly realize he’s not as intimidating as he looks.

There’s no denying Jay is a handsome cat. His solid blue-gray fur is thick and lengthy, and is especially long around his neck, similar to a lion’s mane. Jay’s pelt isn’t exactly unique, but his eyes are. They’re a brilliant light blue, clear as the sky on a nice day.

[ 0 MOONS - 5 MOONS ] Jaykit was born in RidgeClan to Lionheart and Sageblossom alongside three littermates, Willowkit, Pansykit, and Heatherkit. Willowkit was born first, followed by Jaykit and then Pansykit, and finally, Heatherkit. Out of the four littermates, Jaykit was probably the most difficult, the most likely to find trouble, but he wasn’t defiant or combative and never failed to apologize to his dads if he frightened them with his larks. However, he seemed to struggle with learning from his mistakes and continued his mischievous ways. Sometimes, he’d give his parents a break and play less unruly games with his siblings, like mossball or hide-and-seek, but Jaykit just loved nothing more than the feeling of adrenaline when he pulled or prank or went on an adventure.

Lionheart was the fun dad, the playful one, and Jaykit couldn’t get enough of the games his father came up with. But his dad also knew when his children needed support instead of entertainment, and he always knew what to do whenever arguments or problems came up. He wasn’t perfect, though, and could be overwhelming, resulting in his kids responding with exasperated groans. As for Sageblossom, he was a little more equable and stern, but Jaykit learned pretty early on that if he looked at his papa with wide, innocent eyes, he could get away with almost anything. But what he loved even more than how easy it was to avoid punishments, Jaykit loved when his papa would tell fables about their ancestors. As restless as Jaykit was, even he would sit and listen to the stories his papa would share with them.

Mousekit was a denmate who Jaykit quickly formed a brother-like bond with. He had big dreams, like becoming RidgeClan’s leader one day, and he said Jaykit would be his deputy. There was also Goosekit and Duck-kit, a pair of siblings who were Mousekit’s friends first, but were beyond thrilled to have made another friend in Jaykit. Goosekit was frivolous to a dangerous extent, the one who always had a joke to tell, even when it wasn’t appropriate. Duck-kit was more serious and responsible than their brother, and while their dignified manner could be intimidating to those who didn’t know them well, their friends knew their heart of gold was unrivaled. Mousekit was their leader and led them into trouble often, but Goosekit always took the groups’ antics too far. Jaykit was usually just happy to be there and Duck-kit typically wished they weren’t there at all.

There were also three sisters in the nursery - Poppykit, Daisykit, and Hollykit- and they occasionally played with Jaykit’s friend group. Hollykit ws kind and sweet, Poppykit was a bundle of anxiety, and Daisykit was a spitfire. The sisters’ parents were quite strict, however, and expected perfection from the daughters. This meant no troublesome behavior, so they weren’t very fond of Jaykit and his friends, who were constantly finding things to do that they didn’t approve of. They did their best to keep their daughters away from Jaykit, Mousekit, Goosekit, and Duck-kit, but sometimes, when their parents were too busy to keep an eye on them, Hollykit, Poppykit, and Daisykit would join the four other kits on their adventures.

[ 6 MOONS - 14 MOONS ] Jaypaw grew rapidly and before he’d even left the nursery, he found himself towering over all his friends. Believing he would make a good guardian, mostly due to his size, RidgeClan’s leader assigned him to Ripplestrike, an older, no-nonsense guardian who was especially skilled at combat. Unfortunately, Jaypaw proved to be an awful fighter and it took him longer than most to just become decent at it. Eventually, with lots of practice and maximum effort, he improved. He was decent at hunting small prey, but he was expected to take down hawks and eagles and owls, which didn’t come easy to him, either. With Ripplestrike’s guidance, Jaypaw soon learned where his attacks would do the most damage. Ripplestrike wasn’t the kindest mentor, forthright and tactless, but Jaypaw knew the old tom was harmless, so he’d usually just ignore his rude comments.

Throughout their apprenticeships, Jaypaw and his friends gradually came into their own. Jaypaw stopped being so foolhardy. Mousepaw started being responsible. Goosepaw quit making a joke out of everything. Duckpaw learned to laugh every now and then. Hollypaw opened up and became less reserved. Poppypaw gained confidence and Daisypaw discovered how to control her temper. They matured not only with the teachings of their mentors, but the support of one another. Although they changed over time, growing into dependable young cats, Hollypaw, Daisypaw, and Poppypaw’s parents still occasionally got in the way. However, they had less control over their daughters now that they were apprentices, so they weren’t always able to separate their friend group. There were obstacles along the way, but the bond between Jaypaw and his friends remained strong.

A few moons after becoming apprentices, it became clear to Jaypaw that Daisypaw had a crush on him. Well, Jaypaw didn’t really figure it out himself - Goosepaw told him. Why Goosepaw knew, well, Jaypaw couldn’t be sure, but he trusted his friend enough to believe him. He started noticing signs that Daisypaw liked him, such as the certain way she’d smile at some of the things he said or how she’d excessively compliment him specifically. Jaypaw didn’t feel the same way about Daisypaw and knowing she had a crush on him resulted in him feeling uncomfortable around her. He liked her sister, Hollypaw, which only made things even more awkward. Just as he was considering being straightforward with Daisypaw, she approached him one day and revealed Hollypaw had a crush on him, but was too shy to act on it. After that, Jaypaw and Hollypaw started spending more time together, and Daisypaw backed off.

Some of Jaypaw’s friends had their warrior naming ceremonies before him. First was Duckpaw, alongside Hollypaw and Poppypaw. They became Duckfeather, Hollyflower, and Poppyfern. Jaypaw probably cheered Hollyflower’s name the loudest, but he was happy for all three of them. Goosepaw was next. His ceremony had been delayed a moon, because he’d failed to pass his assessment. He didn’t seem very upset about being held back, but he did stop goofing off so much and worked harder that extra moon of his apprenticeship. He was named Goosefur. Mousepaw and Daisypaw were training to become guardians, just like Jaypaw, so all three of them had a few more moons left of training.

When they were all thirteen moons old, Poppyfern announced she was expecting. She revealed the name of the father and their friend group were beyond shocked when she named Goosefur. Poppyfern and Goosefur had never been very close, but everyone was quick to congratulate the two of them once they’d recovered from their surprise. Poppyfern said they weren’t mates and hadn’t planned on having kits, but she was looking forward to becoming a mother anyway. The smile plastered on Goosefur’s face seemed forced, but Jaypaw thought that maybe his mind was just playing tricks on him. While they were quite young to be having kits, this was still a joyous occasion. Surely Goosefur was excited to become a father, right?

[ 15 MOONS ] Once Jaybelly, Mouseflame, and Daisythorn’s naming ceremony was over, Hollyflower was the first to congratulate him. The proud look on her face sent warmth rushing through him. The very next night, he asked Hollyflower to go on a walk with him, gave her a feather he’d plucked from a hawk that he’d taken down earlier that day, and asked her to be his mate. She squealed and even hopped a couple times, unable to contain her excitement, before finally saying yes. That’s when a patrol erupted from the undergrowth, having been startled by Hollyflower’s squeal, but once their racing hearts calmed, they congratulated the new couple. Jaybelly and Hollyflower’s friends were happy for them, and even though Mouseflame said he was overjoyed, he looked like he was lost in a sad thought. Jaybelly went to ask what was wrong, but became distracted, quickly forgetting about the look in Mouseflame’s eyes. As for Hollyflower’s parents, they weren’t pleased, but there was nothing they could do. In a futile attempt to earn their trust, Jaybelly promised them he’d be a true and loving mate.

Mouseflame confided in Jaybelly just days after he’d become mates with Hollyflower, revealing he had fallen in love with a PrairieClan molly. Jaybelly told him not to let borders keep them apart, but Mouseflame wasn’t so sure. Falling in love with a PrairieClan cat hadn’t been part of his plans. He was supposed to be a loyal RidgeClan cat and one day, RidgeClan’s leader. They spent all night talking and something Jaybelly said must’ve convinced his friend, because a couple days later, Mouseflame was gone. At the next Gathering, Jaybelly learned a PrairieClan she-cat was missing, too, and, putting the pieces together, Jaybelly could only hope that wherever he was, Mouseflame was happy. To ease his friends’ concerns about Mouseflame, Jaybelly told them the truth, but only after they promised to keep it secret. For a bunch of clan cats, they were surprisingly understanding.

In this eventful moon, Poppyfern’s kits were born, too. She had a tom named Gorsekit and a she-kit named Cloverkit. She named them herself, because Goosefur hadn’t been present for the birth even though Poppyfern said she’d like him to be there. He didn’t show himself until later that day, claiming he’d accidentally fallen asleep by the river. Everyone tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. In the first moon of Gorsekit and Cloverkit’s lives, Goosefur proved to everyone he wouldn’t be the most involved father. Poppyfern was incredibly upset by his absence and there were many arguments about how he needed to step up. At least the pair let Jaybelly, Hollyflower, Duckfeather, and Daisythorn stay out of their drama. Although the four of them never picked sides, Goosefur started spending less time with their friend group anyway - and they let him. Even Duckfeather’s relationship with their brother worsened.

[ 16 MOONS - 20 MOONS ] Jaybelly and Hollyflower helped Poppyfern take care of Gorsekit and Cloverkit the most. Daisythorn helped sometimes, but she wasn’t a big fan of kits, so she didn’t visit the nursery very often. She’d say that rogues usually raised their children by themselves, so three cats should be more than enough to take care of two kits. Duckfeather was terrified they’d say or do the wrong thing around the kits, so they’d really only be around them if Jaybelly, Hollyflower, or Poppyfern were there, too. Still, they were much more helpful than Daisythorn. Cloverkit adored Duckfeather, but since they weren’t around so much, she usually stayed close to Poppyfern. Gorsekit practically attached himself to Jaybelly. They wrestled a lot - Jaybelly was gentle, though - and sometimes, he’d look over at Hollyflower and see an odd expression on her face as she watched them play - something close to fondness, maybe? It wasn’t long before she started bringing up having kits themselves and Jaybelly liked the sound of that, so they started trying.

[ 21 MOONS - 26 MOONS ] Gorsepaw and Cloverpaw were apprenticed alongside a denmate, Fawnpaw, who Jaybelly was given to train. He couldn’t deny that he was slightly disappointed he hadn’t been assigned Gorsepaw or Cloverpaw, but he understood why he hadn’t been. Mentors who were related to their apprentices sometimes were too easy on them, and although they weren’t related by blood, he considered them family. Jaybelly would probably be too soft on Cloverpaw or Gorsepaw, but he swiftly found out he’d be soft on Fawnpaw, too. She was a skittish little thing and for the first couple of moons, Jaybelly worked hard to earn her trust. He was patient with her, compassionate and friendly, and by the time she was halfway through her apprenticeship, he’d made great progress with her.

[ 27 MOONS ] Although tensions between the clans rose steadily over the moons, the last thing Jaybelly expected was war. He participated in the battle, as did many of his family and friends, but it wasn’t very long before he became separated from his loved ones in the fray. Fawnpaw had been chosen to fight, too, and somehow, in all the confusion, she managed to stay by Jaybelly’s side. He’d been locked in combat with a MistClan cat even larger than he was and, distracted, he didn’t see Fawnpaw take on an older, more experienced apprentice behind him. Only once he’d chased off his opponent and turned to find Fawnpaw did he see her on the ground, her form unmoving. As Jaybelly crouched by her side and checked for signs of life, he repeatedly called her name and asked her to wake up, but she never did. How had he failed his apprentice so badly?

Jaybelly fled MistClan territory alongside his clanmates, but before leaving, he begged a peer to help him carry Fawnpaw home. With some aid, Jaybelly brought Fawnpaw home, allowing her family to bury her body in RidgeClan’s graveyard. As Fawnpaw’s family crowded around her body, Jaybelly started searching for his own kin. He learned his older brother, Berryfur, had died in the war. While he’d never been particularly close to his older siblings, mostly due to the large age gap between them, Jaybelly had made some happy memories with Berryfur. To realize they’d never made any more joyous memories together was shattering. He also learned his dad, Lionheart, perished in the war. The first thing Jaybelly did was make sure his papa wasn’t grieving alone and only once he saw Sageblossom had company did he allow himself to feel absolutely devastated. He wept for those he’d lost, for those who had deserved better than to die in a fruitless war. Wolfstar had been wrong.

He smelled Hollyflower’s comforting scent and then felt her warm body press against his side before he actually saw her. She didn’t say anything, but simply stayed with him until he was too tired to cry anymore. She reassured him their friends were okay, that they were with their families. Over the next moon, their friend group didn’t really spend much time together, instead busying themselves with their duties and making sure their kin were alright. They eventually found each other again. They even started seeing Goosefur more and he hadn’t interacted with any of them for many moons beyond a brief greeting. Poppyfern was hostile toward him at first, but once he’d convinced her he wanted to be involved in their kits’ lives, she softened. Gorsepaw wasn’t very pleased about Goosefur trying to form a connection with him and Cloverpaw, who’d always been shy around strangers, couldn’t even look him in the eyes, but he continued to make an effort.

[ 28 MOONS - 31 MOONS ] When Gorsepaw and Cloverpaw became Gorseclaw and Cloverfern, the celebration that took place after the ceremony was so loud that everyone was asked to quiet down. Jaybelly, Hollyflower, Poppyfern, Goosefur, Duckfeather, and Daisythorn couldn’t have been any happier for the two newly-named warriors. Gorseclaw and Cloverfern even received several gifts from everyone. Hollyflower and Jaybelly gave them osprey feathers, Poppyfern and Goosefur caught their favorite prey to eat after the ceremony, and Duckfeather and Daisythorn collected shells by the river for them. And as Gorseclaw and Cloverfern sat vigil, everyone else helped prepare their new nests in the warriors’ den so they could rest as soon as they were finished guarding the camp.

When Jaybelly told Hollyflower he thought they should take a break from trying for kits, tears welled up in her eyes, but she agreed. She desperately wanted to have kits, like it was the ultimate goal in life. Now that Jaybelly wanted to stop trying, she feared he’d given up completely. He promptly explained to her that he didn’t think he was in the right mindset to become a parent, not when he’d just lost his apprentice, brother, and dad on the same day, but that he’d like to attempt becoming parents again in the future. Jaybelly could see why she was disappointed, but Hollyflower was also understanding. About a moon later, Hollyflower came to him and excitedly revealed the medicine cat had confirmed she was expecting. Jaybelly was shocked at first and then, despite his earlier concerns, became equally as excited as his mate. Perhaps he was more ready to become a father than he’d thought.

[ 32 MOONS ] Brightkit was perfect. She rapidly became the most important thing in Jaybelly’s life. He’d visit the nursery frequently, several times throughout the day. Sometimes, he was so focused on his daughter that he’d forget to eat. Being away from her was just so painful, so he limited their time apart as much as possible. If he or Hollyflower weren’t with Brightkit, one of their friends were, so she never had to feel alone. Unfortunately, not everything could be so wonderful. Hollyflower wasn’t nearly as happy as Jaybelly was. She seemed distant - until one day, just a week or two after Brightkit was born. Jaybelly had asked her for the millionth time if she was okay and she just… snapped. Hollyflower yelled at him, cursed at him, and then stormed off. He stayed with Brightkit until she returned, which took hours, and once she did, he decided to give her some space, so he went for a walk by the river.

Jaybelly was so lost in thought that he wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings. He unintentionally wandered too close to the river, one paw accidentally missed land, and then next thing he knew, he plunged into the water. He’d never been a skilled swimmer, let alone a decent one, so he started sinking like a rock rather quickly. StarClan must’ve been looking out for him, because he didn’t even get to wonder if he was going to die before he felt someone grab him by the scruff and drag him to the surface. It took a moment for Jaybelly to catch his breath and as he did so, he barely noticed his rescuer, but he did hear them scold him. He apologized between pants and only once he could breathe smoothly again did he finally look to see who’d saved him - and she was gorgeous. And a MistClan cat, but he couldn’t find it within him to care about that. He stared for a moment and then, perhaps stupidly, he commented on her beauty - and she returned the compliment! It was paired with an insult, but still. She remained on his mind long after their first meeting.

[ 33 MOONS - 36 MOONS ] Jaybelly discovered his rescuer’s name at the following Gathering. They happened to run into each other and exchanged names. Her name was Ottersplash. Fitting. She was reserved and didn’t give much away, but Jaybelly was determined to get to know her better, so he suggested they start meeting every few days at the spot where he fell into the river. She agreed. For the next few moons, Jaybelly proceeded to meet with Ottersplash. It was easy to do. He and Hollyflower argued often, so she never seemed to care where he went most days. And as his relationship with his mate deteriorated, his friends kept their distance so it was easier to avoid getting involved. Jaybelly’s sole concern was Gorseclaw, who still acted like the kit who had rarely left his side, but he’d find ways to shake the younger tom off. He knew sneaking around to see Ottersplash was wrong, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop. He wasn’t sure why he couldn’t, until the day those three special words accidentally escaped him while he was with Ottersplash. Jaybelly loved her.

[ 37 MOONS ] Juggling Ottersplash, his family, his friends, and his duties became harder and harder. He wasn’t as skilled at hiding his affair as he thought he was. On his walk back home after seeing Ottersplash one night, Hollyflower and then Gorseclaw stepped out of the undergrowth. Hollyflower begged him to tell her he wasn’t seeing a MistClan cat. He stayed silent. A sob escaped her as she lashed out, leaving scratches on Jaybelly’s cheek. He could only stare down at the ground as she walked away and when he finally looked up, Gorseclaw was still there. Neither of them said a word, but the look of betrayal on Gorseclaw’s face before he also walked away left an aching pain in Jaybelly’s heart. When he returned to camp after them, his first stop was the nursery. Hollyflower wasn’t there, but Brightkit slept all alone in her nest. Jaybelly curled around her and hoped Hollyflower and Gorseclaw would just give him one last peaceful night with his daughter before they revealed he was a traitor.

Surprisingly, Hollyflower and Gorseclaw never told their leader what Jaybelly had done, but they must’ve told their friends. Cloverfern couldn’t look him in the eyes anymore and she steered clear of him like he would strike her for even looking at him. Daisythorn and Poppyfern were furious, and they both took turns scolding him before warning him to stay away from their sister. Duckfeather started looking at him with contempt in their eyes and Goosefur would flee before Jaybelly could even get close to him. Jaybelly left Gorseclaw and Hollyflower alone, and after attempting to earn the forgiveness of his friends a couple of times, he left them alone, too. They didn’t want to be friends anymore and losing them hurt, but he had to respect their wishes. The end of those friendships hurt more than any punishment his leader could come up with, but Jaybelly knew he deserved it.

Hollyflower didn’t return to the nursery. Brightkit was older now, close to becoming an apprentice, but Jaybelly refused to let her sleep in the nursery alone, so he moved in. Jaybelly still had his family, his siblings and papa, but it felt an awful lot like it was just him and Brightkit against the world. He could easily understand why Hollyflower left him, but what he didn’t quite get was why she made Brightkit suffer for what he’d done. Hollyflower hadn’t been a very involved parent, not like Jaybelly, who’d shown an interest in his daughter’s passions and had been there to comfort her whenever she cried and had tried his hardest to give her a happy kithood, but she was still Brightkit’s mother. The entire situation was awful, but what was most upsetting to him was how Hollyflower had turned her back on Brightkit so easily. Jaybelly would even cry to Ottersplash about it all whenever he had free time to see her. He’d never regret meeting with Ottersplash, but he did regret hurting Hollyflower and his friends, and being the reason why Brightkit’s mother abandoned her.

[ 38 MOONS - PRESENT ] Brightpaw’s apprentice ceremony was a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. They’d desperately needed something to lift up their spirits and her ceremony was exactly what they’d been searching for. Hollyflower didn’t attend. Jaybelly’s former friend group did, but they sat in the back and didn’t cheer for the new apprentice. Jaybelly and his kin were there, right in the front of the audience, to support Brightpaw, and as soon as the ceremony was over, they swarmed her to overwhelm her with congratulations. As joyous a day this was, Jaybelly wasn’t oblivious to the disappointment in his daughter’s expression. Anyone else would’ve assumed she was sad her mother hadn’t seen her become an apprentice, but he knew the truth. Brightpaw had always been intrigued by what the medicine cats did and she would’ve loved nothing more than to become a medicine cat apprentice. Unfortunately, in the clans, her dream would likely never become a reality.

When The Kingdom formed, Jaybelly did consider taking Brightpaw and leaving the clans behind so she could live out her dream of healing the sick and wounded, but something held him back. They’d be leaving behind everything to start anew in a group that might not even survive leaf-bare. But then Ottersplash told him she was expecting and suddenly, The Kingdom seemed like the only option. Jaybelly wanted to be there for Ottersplash and their kits, and he couldn’t if they stayed in their birth clans. MistClan might allow Jaybelly to join their ranks, but would they ever accept him? Would he ever feel like he belonged? And RidgeClan would certainly never take in a MistClan cat, so he asked Ottersplash to run away with him to The Kingdom and she promised to think about it.

The next time he saw Ottersplash, she told him she’d join him in The Kingdom, and so they made their plans to leave within the week. He hadn’t forgotten about Brightpaw, but he intended on asking her later. First, he had to make her aware that he was mates with a MistClan cat and that he was the reason why Hollyflower had left them. He wasn’t even halfway back to camp when Brightpaw crossed his path and he didn’t get a chance to ask her why she was wandering around without supervision before she begged him to take her with him to The Kingdom. Jaybelly was too shocked to respond at first. She knew about his plans, but he’d only ever discussed them with Ottersplash, which meant she knew about Ottersplash, too. Had she known all along? He didn’t bother asking and instead, reassured her he’d never leave her behind. When he met Ottersplash less than a week later, Brightpaw was with him and she was buzzing with excitement.

After nearly drowning in the river, Jaybelly thought he’d never step foot in water again. But for Ottersplash, who probably loved water more than she loved him, he agreed to join the Riverwalkers. He’d adjust quickly. He always did. And the Riverwalkers had an experienced medic, Sable, who they’d need if their kits were to be born healthy. Brightpaw seemed happy with the Riverwalkers, too, and Jaybelly wasn’t eager to upset both his mate and his daughter just because he wasn’t fond of water. He even started going by Jay instead of Jaybelly to prove to everyone - not just Kingdom cats, but clan cats, too - that he was commited to the Riverwalkers. He was confident The Kingdom was going to work out for them.

Pre-Plotting: Jay relates best to Dragonfly in [The Kingdom’s Plot Ad]. Not even the war was enough to change his positive opinion of the clans, though he doesn’t regret leaving RidgeClan. Jay was adopted from [joyfully, calmly, frustratingly beyond understanding] as The Heart. He’s also part of Gingerfang's [massive family].

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