𝚂𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 || 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜 #1

Chapter Seventeen

Hailwatcher crouches down opposite Featherstar and the SkyClan medicine cats, slowly breathing in and out; he trembles while trying to figure out what to say.

"Whenever you're ready, kiddo," Beechfoot mews gently, expression dark- Mossyspots nods vigorously in agreement, thumping her short tail on the ground.

The little gray tom tightly grips the ground with his paws, jaw clenched as he rocks back and forth and wills himself to talk.

"Everything started about...a moon ago, maybe," he murmurs, not looking up to meet anyone's gaze.

"..I was out in the territory, going on an herb-gathering patrol...and I saw Slightstar-"

"Sorry to interrupt," Featherstar cuts in, "-but you said Slightstar, correct? Meaning he's now the leader of ShadowClan?"

"..Y-yes," Hailwatcher replies, fur bristling.

"I'll..get to that."

Beechfoot shares a concerned look with his leader, almost as if they already know something is up.

"I saw Slightstar and..another warrior, Birchstorm, arguing. And then the arguing turned to a fight, and-"

The little gray tom freezes, forcing out a breath.

"Slightstar killed him. He tore his throat.."

Mossyspots' expression flares with rage and she, too, joins in the look the SkyClan cats are now all giving each other.

Hailwatcher again hears the garbled screech Birchstorm made ringing in his ears and looks down at his trembling paws.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that, kiddo," Beechfoot murmurs, curling his fluffy tail around his paws.

Hailwatcher nods, breathing in and out yet again to try and calm his racing heart.

"..After that, Slightstar sent the cats with him to look around, and they found me.."

Featherstar keeps her heather-blue gaze trained on Hailwatcher, unclear emotion flickering behind her eyes.

"..Slightstar threatened me. He had his claws at my neck, and I wanted to tell someone, I really did, but- I couldn't.. He said he'd kill me and I knew he meant it."

Featherstar sighs quietly to herself, shaking her head.

"That would be extortion," she murmurs, seeming to be making mental notes.

"Keep going, kiddo," Beechfoot mews softly, casting a sidelong glance at his leader.

"Please."

The senior medicine cat's voice shakes like he's trying to hold something back, though whether it's anger, tears, or a mixture of both is unclear.

Hailwatcher curls his tail tightly around his flanks with a shudder.

"..Okay."

"After I agreed to not say anything, Slightstar sent cats to watch me in the medicine den, all the time. No one else really came to check on me all that much.."

Looking downright livid now, Mossyspots starts shifting her paws in the dirt.

"The whole time everyone thought Birchstorm was missing, and they still do, I think. Rosebush, the queen I came with, she was Slightstar's mate..those are his kits, and she was Birchstorm's little sister."

Featherstar raises a brow, appearing taken aback, and continues to murmur to herself.

Beechfoot lets out a whistling noise that sounds a bit like a sigh.