"And what herb is this, Jaypaw?"

The sounds of plant sliding against stone reached Jaypaw's sharp ears and he leaned down to get a whiff of the plant. Jaypaw huffed as almost sweet, weedy smell entered his nose. Only one plant he knew of smelled like that. Turning to Leafpool, he stated in a monotone voice, "It's horsetail, isn't it?"

He could hear his aunt's slight chuckle of amusement. She replied, "Very good, Jaypaw, you are dismissed for the day."

Jaypaw breathed a sigh of relief. Finally out of the stupid medicine den! It alway felt so stuffy and hot in there, the plant scent strong enough to choke a horse! He swiveled his ears to take in the sounds as he made his way out of the burrow. He could hear the ever-constant chatter of a hundred voices, mingled and undisguisable. Well, except for a few.

"Mmm, Brambly... wanna go to our nest?" He heard his father's boyfriend, Crowfeather, purr seductively.

"Not now, you horny fuck, we have to eat." Brambleclaw replied gruffly, the sound of him swatting the tom's ears reaching Jaypaw. Crowfeather huffed loudly.

"Pft. Killjoy."

"Shut up."

"Make me, asshole!"

"Are we seriously fighting here?"

"C'mon, you know you these dinners are boring as shit!"

"... What was that?!"

Jaypaw sighed as he recognized the tell-tale sound of their bickering. He didn't understand why his dad insisted on eating together, even though his wife and kit hated his guts and his boyfriend clearly thought they were boring. He understood even less as to why he and Crowfeather always argued. Weren't they in love?

Brambleclaw had once told Jaypaw that love was the most beautiful thing in the world. He went on and on about how he'll find a soulmate one day that will just click with him.

Well, if love was anything like Crowfeather and Brambleclaw's relationship, he didn't want any part of it.

Using his nose, he followed his family's scent and sat down beside his mother, Squirrelflight. She sighed loudly as her ex-husband and his boyfriend's arguing continued the sound of mouse bone crunching between her teeth reaching his ears. Oh- it must be mice tonight. Jaypaw felt around and found a small, thinly furred body next to him. Licking his chops, he hooked the mouse in his claws and dragged it towards him. His incisor teeth cut the skin delicately before he dug into the savory meat inside.

"Jay, honey, how was training today?" Squirrelflight asked, draping her tail along his shoulder. Jaypaw paused in his rapid devouring of his meal, thinking over the day. He snorted in disdain, recalling how boring it was.

"Fine." He grunted. Squirrelflight hummed thoughtfully, clearly not satisfied with the answer.

"Are you sure?" She inquired.

"Yes. I'm sure." Jaypaw replied sharply between a mouthful of mouse meat. He heard his mother sigh in exasperation. She must have turned her head to look at Crofeather and Brambleclaw, because a low growl suddenly emitted from her, probably because they were only getting louder and louder in their bickering.

"I don't know what you two are arguing over this time, but you better shut up before you draw all the attention over to us." She suddenly yelled, probably catching the two toms off guard.

There was a pause of silence and awkward shuffling, before the two toms muttered apologies and dug into their meals. Squirrelflight seemed satisfied by this, as she went back to eating.

There was a long pause between conversation. For a while, there was almost amicable peace between the cats. Jaypaw knew this wouldn't last; it never did. But he might as well enjoy it while it lasted.

Soon enough, the mice were gone, judging by the sound of the adult cats lapping any remaining meat off of the bones. Crowfeather must have said something to Brambleclaw, as his next words were, "Sure. Sounds fine to me."

Squirrelflight asked rather crossly right after those words were spoken, "Brambleclaw, did you forget that you were supposed to help Jaypaw gather herbs in the twolegplace this evening?"

Jaypaw hid his face in his paws, groaning in embarrassment. He could get the herbs himself! "Mother!" He cried, feeling his face grow flushed as Brambleclaw snorted.

"Take him yourself, Squirrel." He grunted, "I'm going on a walk with Crowfeather this evening."

"But-" His mother attempted to protest, but was cut off with a scoff.

"If the little bugger won't even look me in the eye, then why should I have to watch him?" He snapped, the sound of his getting to his paws reaching Jaypaw. He sighed sadly, thinking over him and his father's past interactions. Was he really that bad of a son? Brambleclaw could hardly stand to be around Jaypaw, but was that really Jaypaw's fault? Especially when what he did to his mother left such a bitter taste in his mouth.

Squirrelflight growled lowly at such dismissive words. She quickly stood up and padded over to where the two lovebirds must have been. Judging by the loud yowl that came from his father afterwards, she must have stepped on his tail. Jaypaw rose to his paws and buried the leftover bones from the family meal, listening to the warriors' conversations.

"You promised him, Brambleclaw!" Squirrelflight snarled, "You promised you would take him to the twolegplace, and you lied. Again!"

Brambleclaw didn't seem to cower from the molly's scolding, instead letting out a hiss himself and snapping back, "He can go with you for all I care! I promised Crowfeather that we'd take a walk down by the lake!"

"Oh, so Crowfeather is more important than your own son?!" The molly shouted, scandal in her voice. Jaypaw felt his ears heat up as they both argued. He wondered if the other apprentices were looking at him in amusement, finding it oh so hilarious that blind Jaypaw has such a messy family.

He suddenly felt a skinny tom brush by him, helping him pick up the bones.

"Sorry about those two, kid." Crowfeather snorted, "I dunno what their deal is."

"Me neither." Jaypaw grunted, ears flattened and tail lashing in irritation. "They're just- I just wish they wouldn't fight so much! Don't they know everyone's making fun of me! I just wish I had a normal family!"

He felt a rough tongue lick him behind the ears, a faint chuckle coming from Crowfeather's mouth. "Me too, kid, me too." He said simply. Jaypaw then felt a paw pull him close to the tom's deep chest, and Crowfeather whispered, "And just between you and me, next time they make fun of you, bring up their embarrassing moments with their parents. I heard Berrypaw only likes his mom to groom his fur."

Jaypaw couldn't help but snicker at such a thought of the oldest apprentice, a lofty, reckless tom whining to his mom, Daisy, about his fur. "Thanks Corwfeather!" He giggled, "Y'know, somedays I wish you were my dad!"

Before he could respond, however, the sound of Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw's arguing intensified, causing them both to wince. Corwfeather stood, making Jaypaw stumble off of him. Jaypaw righted himself just as Crowfeather said, "...A-alright, let's stop those two before they kill each other."

Jaypaw didn't know why Crowfeather stuttered, but quickly forgot it as he caught up with the ex-WindClan tom.