𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧.

•𝐎𝐧𝐞•

Dark clouds scudded lazily over a bright moon, shading the woods from its glow for a only a moment before light spilled onto the trees once more. The leaves were still and the forest was quiet, only the occasional chirp of a cricket causing Shadow's ear to flick.

The ebony hedgehog was on his way home after an excruciating six days away from the city on G.U.N. missions. His bones seemed to shriek with every step he took and every part of his body ached. All he wanted to do was get back home and relax for the night, no disruptions. He ran a single hand through his quills, straightening them out and sighing as he did so. During his excursion, he had hardly slept and food wasn't eaten. He had been so busy that he couldn't afford to lose time with either of those things.

Chaos, I reek, Shadow thought to himself, his muzzle wrinkling when he sniffed his armpit. I need a shower. I should be almost home... The sun is gonna rise soon anyway. He kept his hands held by his sides, gradually making his way through the dark towards the city. If he was being totally honest with himself, this whole place was giving him a sense of uneasiness. Something just felt off, yet he couldn't tell why. It looked like everything was just as it was meant to be...

The bushes rustled viciously in the distance.

Shadow's head shot up, ears twitching about in every direction, trying to listen for any sign of danger. When there were no following sounds, Shadow let a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding to slip out of his lungs. He felt so drained. While he did have his Chaos Emerald on him, he was exhausted of Chaos Energy after his long mission. His only way home was on foot. His air shoes worked, but with this many trees, it would be a hazard to try and zip through them without getting caught on a protruding root.

Another loud rustle was heard, this time causing the hedgehog to stop in his tracks. His red eyes darted to the right, where the sound came from. Hesitantly, he stepped closer to the bushes, knowing that what he would find would most likely be some nocturnal rodent that had just been foraging for its dinner. But he wanted to be sure.

His senses were in overdrive. If it was a wolf or a bear, he would have to be prepared to fight. He was not intent on becoming an animal's prey tonight; Rouge would never let him forget it if he were mauled half to death.

The ebony hedgehog silently made his way towards the source of the sound. The bushes were clear, thankfully, yet something else caught his ruby gaze. On the other side of the growth was a large clearing. The moon's light painted the grass a silver color, illuminating the area for Shadow. Revealing a massive creature hunched on the opposite side of the area, just barely out of the moon's gentle glow.

Shadow inhaled sharply, watching as it pulled his jaws out of a lump of... Something on the ground, a nauseating ripping sound following its actions. The beast had two large hands placed onto the thing, keeping it held still while it chewed loudly before diving back in. This time, it slightly moved what it had been eating into the moonlight, the dark hedgehog's eyes growing wide at what he was met with.

A dead raccoon mobian, its eyes glazed with death and blood coating its tan fur a sickly crimson and deep brown. The animal continued to tear away at its flesh, a guttural growl constantly shaking its chest as it swallowed its meal in large desperate bites. It gulped down the prey with ease, sharp bloodied teeth being shown off each time it slammed its jaws together to chew.

Shadow placed a hand over his muzzle, trying to steady his breathing. He wasn't at all sickened by the sight of the dead, however he was worried about his own safety. He was lacking any kind of energy and would not stand a chance against this being, so a silent escape would be his best option. Despite not being fazed by the sight of death, he did feel a little remorseful for whatever mobian had been foolish enough to wander the woods alone at night.