𝚂𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 || 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜 #1

Chapter Ten

(content warning: the first 200 words or so of this chapter contain moderate gore, reader discretion advised)

Breathing fast and hard, Hailwatcher creeps away from Willowstar's convulsing figure.

A jagged split exposes the inside of his body, the sickly gleam of bleeding flesh and exposed entrails consuming the small gray tom's senses.

Blood pours out from around the ShadowClan leader, more than Hailwatcher has ever seen, as Willowstar seizes there on the ground.

Slightclaw looks on, seeming rather proud of himself, and uses the dissipating rain to wash blood from his pelt.

Indescribably horrified at this grisly scene, Hailwatcher recalls the vision of the ground splitting open; that ominous red glow, the gasping abyss- was this what it meant?

Either way, the fact that Slightclaw is perfectly calm adds to the horror of what he sees.

"...Slightclaw..you- you-" Hailwatcher stammers, flinching away from Willowstar's still-twitching body.

"What?" the silver tabby replies callously, flicking reddened water from his paw and rising from his haunches.

"Do you wish to join him in StarClan? I'd gladly oblige."

Slightclaw creeps closer, that look of thrill and bloodlust shining in his eyes.

Backing up with a whimper, Hailwatcher rapidly shakes his head.

"No thank you," he replies weakly, getting choked up by the sob threatening to burst from his throat.

Feeling awful for failing to warn Willowstar and overcome by grief, Hailwatcher collapses.

Crouching down and covering his scratched-up face with bloodied paws, Hailwatcher lets out a quiet sob into the small but dark space he had created for himself.

Slightclaw slams a paw down on his neck, and he sputters, paws jerking away from his face.

The silver tabby pushes him onto his side and spreads a paw over his throat, and the young medicine cat glances fearfully up at Slightclaw.

"Quit your pathetic sniveling," he hisses, pressing down lightly on Hailwatcher's throat.

The small gray tom struggles against the ShadowClan deputy's grip, unsure of whether Slightclaw plans on killing him and aware that fighting back will net him another world of hurt.

"Though.." Slightclaw adds, tightening his grip with a smirk, "-I would be being untruthful if I were to say that this wasn't...entertaining."

'Oh, and don't even think about telling anyone about this, either."

"I-"

"Especially since I was so gracious as to let you attend our little trip..."

Stammering incoherently out of pure fear, the small gray tom squeezes his eyes shut and prays to StarClan for the best.

A horrifying realization strikes him- Slightclaw had asked for him to come.

After a pause, Slightclaw lets out a hum and releases Hailwatcher, though not without a swift kick to the ribs.

The young medicine cat breaks into a coughing fit, tucking his limbs in to form an unfurled ball on the ground; he clenches the slippery grass with his paws to distract from both the physical and emotional pain.

Hesitantly glancing up, Hailwatcher finds that Slightclaw has grabbed Willowstar's scruff and is pulling him toward the river.

"W-what are you doing?' the small gray tom mews quickly, stretching out a paw toward his leader's limp body.