𝚂𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 || 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜 #1

Bonus Chapter #4: Epilogue

A skinny tortoiseshell slips past a crooked tree, its figure blending into the crimson-tinted shadows.

Slimy grass squelches underpaw as the cat stalks further into the forest; a crescent moon hovers overhead, casting blood-red light down into the forest.

The trees' twisted limbs stretch out toward one another, interlocking to form a vast network of connected branches.

The cat peeks out from behind a mass of tangled, thorny vines, amber eyes narrowed in focus.

The stench of carrion and death lingers in the air; murmurings of the forest's spectral inhabitants echo through the trees.

Maggots crawl over a lump of unclear organic material that the tortoiseshell steps over, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

The tortoiseshell comes upon a clearing, where a silver tabby waits with an angular ear pricked.

"You're late, Meadownose," he mews curtly, shaking a slimy leaf from his paw with a grimace.

"Or maybe you're just early," retorts Meadownose smugly, stepping closer and seating herself opposite the silver tabby.

She almost feels as if being here is doing her Clan a disservice, but she's in needon a plan; something palpable, unlike Starlingclaw's insistence on begging StarClan to help them.

"It's been a while, Slighty," she adds teasingly, flicking her tail back and forth.

Meadownose's companion narrows his eyes in a facetiously irritated manner, though it comes off more threatening than lighthearted.

"It's Slightstar," he corrects, twitching an ear.

"Right, right, O Cunning One," Meadownose mews mockingly, licking her chest fut.

"Congratulations, you won," she adds with a flick of her tail.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," Slightstar replies innocently, a smirk toying with his features.

At this remark, a wry cackle echoes through the air.

"Don't play dumb, Slighty!" the same voice calls; the tortoiseshell smirks at her companion, whose expression has turned from smug to mortified.

A calico-furred she-cat drops from a tree behind the tortoiseshell she-cat and pads bouncily up to her and the ShadowClan leader.

A grisly, unhealed death scar crosses her throat, haphazardly stitched with red stars that gives off minimal light.

"If it isn't my favorite apprentices," she purrs, eliciting a scowl from Slightstar.

"Gorsefrost! Lovely to see you," Meadownose replies sweetly, all too aware of Slightstar's annoyance and feeling a mischievous urge to exacerbate it.

"Lovely to see you too, darling," Gorsefrost replies, bouncing on the tips of her paws and making her way over to Slightstar.

The silver tabby neglects to reply, instead cleaning off his fur.

"You're not going to say hello to me, Slighty?" the calico-she-cat pouts, slipping behind Slightstar and frowning at him.

"Perhaps I would, if you used my name," Slightstar replies blankly, narrowing his eyes.

Gorsefrost jabs the ShadowClan leader with a paw, watching mischievously for his reaction.

"You're so uptight! Loosen up."

"Anyways, dear Meadownose was talking about that bet or something you all made ages ago on who would become leader first. I suppose you're good enough, Slighty, even though you're not-"