Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Final Chapter

Ch. 17 - Lonely Together

"Don't make me tell you again, Shadow. Alcohol doesn't help with the healing process, and getting drunk makes it just that much worse. Nor is it good for the baby." Shade scolded me as he tried to feed me cereal. "Fuu- um, fudge off, Shade. You sound like your mother, and I shifted whilst I was drunk, so I didn't feel the excruciating pain." I grumbled bitterly, pausing at the beginning when Fleur shot me a glare, gesturing to my sleeping cubs (I was already getting fur over her furniture). Shade bopped me on the head with the spoon and stuffed some crunchy flakes into my mouth.

That shut me up.

Are Shadow Claw's even meant to eat cereal?

I doubted it.

Actually, considering James was laying in the corner of the room, still in baby Grim form, scoffing his mouth with another brand of cereal, and he seemed fine. So, perhaps, I wasn't going to die ten times over because I was allergic to shaped food.

"I haven't seen her in a while, thinking about it. My mother, that is." Shade sighed gently, playing with my fur. I pressed my head to his chest after swallowing my mouthful, "We can see them when we get back, right?" I nuzzled his hand up to my belly, and he faintly smiled, rubbing slow circles along the new baby inside me. He set the cereal bowl down on the small table beside the sofa and cupped my face, smiling wider now. "Yeah. I'll call them over, and they can meet your parents too." He chuckled lowly, and I nudged his face. "That'll be interesting." He mused in amusement.

"Oh, get a room you two." Jenny grumbled as she walked in, rubbing her face from the early morning start. I rolled my eyes but hissed at her when she tried to stroke my babies. "Don't hiss at me!" She protested.

I deadpanned, "Jenny. Guess what?"

"What?" She gritted out.

I hissed at her again.

* * *

The days still ticked by, and though some were slow, some were fast, I could not prevent the guilt from crawling through my skin and veins day by day. It had started at my extremities - toes and fingertips - but it had crept upwards, towards my heart, and left imaginary dark, carved, writing of my sins along my flesh, for all the world to see.

However, one morning was very much different to the rest.

I woke up alone - Shade was gone, and so were my kittens. Harry, Ron and Hermione were also nowhere to be seen, along with Griphook, which had Jenny worried beyond belief.

She had been clutching Draco's wand.

She never parted with it, not even for a second. She slept with it under her pillow.

I sat up carefully, rubbing my eyes, my face already falling into a melancholy expression. My body ached profusely, but there was a note from my mate that had been left for me on the side-table.

My beloved Shadow,

By the time you read this, my love, I will be back at our Clan with the kittens. Bill convinced me there is no place for a kitten on a battlefield, and  I have heard word that the Clan requires my attention: the borders of the territory have been breached several times, and I can spend no more time away. Unfortunately, you are unfit to care for Snowy and Tobias, due to the wound you received from Salem. You like to think it doesn't hurt or affect you, but I'd beg to differ.

I will be hunting him down. Personally.

This is also the reason why you could not come with me.

 did not want to leave, but I had to. I love you very much, Shadow, and I know that you know that. I hope that you understand.

Nova likely sends her condolences, as does Hawthorne and their kittens.

Take it easy. I'll know if you've opened that wound again - I don't want you moving about, but maybe you can attempt a shift, it should at least be healed enough for that - but no flying. Be careful.

I love you.

Your one true love, Shade.

There was a small indent in the page as if Shade had kissed it before leaving. My heart fluttered as I re-read the paper, over and over, before tucking it neatly into my pocket and slowly standing from my resting place. "And where do you think you're going?" Bill asked as he entered the room, placing a few things down and carrying other bits and bob up and out the way.

I laid a hand over my side gently and took a few shaky steps, "Down to the beach. I don't need permission, do I?" I asked sarcastically, my lips curving into a smirk. The man chuckled and shook his head, ruffling his own hair, "I won't stop you. At least take Jenny and James with you, though." I nodded thoughtfully, and carefully staggered through the kitchen, towards the backdoor. "Jenny- James?" I called.

James was instantly at my side, bouncing on his heels with big eyes. Jenny appeared within five minutes, looking tired and worn out.

"Come on. We're off to be lonely together." I grinned.

"WOO!" James screeched as soon as the door opened, and he was out on the beach, no lie, within a second, waving his arms in the air and screaming like- well, like he just didn't care. I clutched at my side, shaking my free hand, "Don't make me laugh- James! Don't make me laugh!" I laughed painfully, wheezing breaths between giggles.

Jenny ran after him, and I spotted their two forms tackle one another on the sand. I ambled down, and kicked James' side to break them up. "Cheeky buggers, give me some love." I slowly shifted and half-sat, half-collapsed onto the warm sand, my two friends sidling up to me and peering out into the horizon, where the sun barely touched the edge of the world, its milky sunlight casting a reddish glow upon my fur.

The dawn set shimmering rays over the docile ocean, bestowing a golden path from the shore to wherever it wished to go. I blinked towards the sun that brought a day I was never promised, yet was glad to see. We let the moment sink in, soothing us from our skin right into to where the nascent rays touched our hearts - it came with a musical silence, the soul hearing melody that even a Claw's ears could not.

A new day had dawned, new possibilities, a fresh page yet to be written, and that meant hope.