The main part is this short story I wrote for this and I have a drawing to enter too. I don't really like digital art so it's a traditional art sketch The details aren't as good tho and I kinda ruined Phasmo and Thanatos... Credits to StoveOnMid for dta and character designs <----- Sketch Story: “Come on Thanatos!” Xylo exclaimed. “Nobody is gonna die here!” Xylo had a dark blue overcoat and a lighter shade for an undercoat. She was also decorated with little dark blue hearts and had a big yellow one on her chest. Her eyes were all yellow and the tips of her paws and stripes of her tail were a nice orangy red. “Are you coming?” Phasmo asked. Phasmo was a light purple cat who was blotched with darker shades of purple. His tail and the right side of his face was made of cosmic blob. The little brown top hat he wore and the small brown satchel topped off the look. Xylo looked down over the fence at Thanatos. His face was hidden behind a dark cloak. His fur was a tabby coat with black and white stripes over his brown fur. “Fine,” he said as he jumped on the fence. Both cats jumped off the fence down to Phasmo and the three of them walked to the park. Together they played by the creekbank and basked in the sun. All day, the friends played at the park until the sun started to set. “You know what we haven’t checked out, the forest!” Phasmo exclaimed. Xylo’s heart raced faster and she backed up away from everyone. “You know I hate the forest,” She shakily told Phasmo. “I know but we got to the park all the time, why don’t we do something new? It would only be for a little bit, until it gets really dark.” Xylo shook her head no and started to leave. “Xylo!” Thanatos shouted to her. “Can you stay…for me?” He asked. Xylo sighed and went back to her friends. “Fine, but just for a little bit.” Immediately after they entered the forest, Xylo looked behind her and any sign of the park was gone. “Ummmm… guy, I'm scared,” Xylo cried. She lashed the end of her heart shaped tail against the floor in fear. “Where is the park?” Phasmo and Thanatos looked behind Xylo and started backing up. “Guys…” “Xylo,” Thanatos calmly said to Xylo while looking her in the eyes. “Run!” Xylo sped off after Thanatos and Phasmo as they lost themselves in the forest. Xylo looked behind her to see what Thanatos and Phasmo saw. Chasing after her was another cat and a bunny. The cat had two tails which were sparkly and purple while the rest of him was blue. He wore a black cloak and a mask over his eyes, making him extra daunting and scary. The bunny was white and had on a casual suit and top hat. When Xylo looked forward again, Phasmo and Thanatos stopped and backed up. The shiny cat was standing in front of us while the bunny was behind. “So what are we gonna do to them Diamond?” the bunny asked. “You’ll see Unbirthday,” the cat, Diamond replied. Diamond and Unbirthday backed them up against a giant redwood tree. “I think you’ll do nicely,” Diamond said as he grabbed Xylo’s scruff and dragged him near. “Let go of her!” Thanatos screamed. He lunged at Xylo and made Diamond let go of Xylo, but for a cost.
Story continued: Xylo ran to Thanatos’s side. “We're done here Unbirthday,” Diamond said. “But didn't the master say to bring them all back alive?” “Do you think I care? Now let’s go,” “You’re a monster!” Phasmo screamed, trying to hold back tears. “Tell me something I don’t know,” Diamond retorted. Phasmo then let all his tears get to him. He sat by Thanatos’s side while Xylo held him in her arms. “Thanatos, please don’t die,” She cried. “You can’t leave me!” “I always was afraid of dying yet here I am on death's door,” he laughed. “I guess I have to face my fears and just die already,” “Don't say that! We can still help you, well, if we can get out of this forest first. “There’s no use, I'm already gone. But before I do go, Xylo, I always did kinda like you,” and with that, he gave his last breath. “Thanatos, Thanatos no!” Xylo screamed. “I like you too! Don't go please, don't..” Xylo let every tear in her stream out of her eyes. “Xylo, i-it's going to be ok,” Phasmo comforted her. “No it's not! Just leave me alone now!” Phasmo and Xylo stayed by Thanatos’s body till the moon was high up in the night sky. “We need to leave now,” Phasmo said. “We need to get home,” “And what about Thanatos? Are we just going to leave him to rot? Was he even your friend?” Xylo questioned. “Of course he was my friend, it's just that… i’m afraid of ghosts and I don’t want his around,” “Fine, we can go,” Xylo agreed. “I’m scared of forests anyways.” They walked together, back the way they came, hoping to find sanctuary at the park but it wasn’t to be found. The trees seemed to get bigger and more overwhelming while the unearthly presences grew stronger. Xylo started to speed up, desperate to leave the forest and Phasmo chased after her. They both sprinted together, running from their fears, rather than facing them. More tears welled up in Xylo’s eyes and she skidded to a halt screaming and crying, “I can’t!” “What do you mean? We need to leave!” Phasmo urged. “I’m scared Phasmo! This forest has no end and we’ll be trapped here forever” Xylo was bawling now. “I’m scared too, you know! I feel like we’re being watched. I’m freaking out right now but we need to be brave.” Phasmo started to cry too. There was no hope for either of them. “Stay by me, ok” Xylo told Phasmo. They curled up together against a tree in a patch of moss. “If were still alive by morning, we can try to leave then,” “Don’t say that,” Phasmo complained. “We’ll make it,” *** In the morning when Xylo and Phasmo woke up they immediately started walking. Even though morning light bathed the forest, the forest was still something to fear. The friend they had ever lost was there to haunt them. “Hello there,” a haunting voice said behind them. “Xylo…are the ghosts talking?” Phasmo asked. Neither of them dared turn around and face whatever fear they had. In a black mist, the figure appeared in front of them. Half of him was a dark navy blue while the other was a washed out almost white color. His eyes were different too. On the navy side his eye was gold and shaped like a star. On the white side, his eye was rings of blue of all varieties. “Ohhhh no,” Phasmo screeched. “The ghosts really are talking,” He hid behind Xylo and she tried her best not to cower in the presence of this strange cat. Well, it wasn’t like her and Phasmo were also strange for cats too. “I’m not here to harm you, I'm here to help you. Maybe even let you see your friend again,” With the black mist, he conjured up a figure just like Thanatos. Xylo ran to Thanatos, but passed right through him. “Where is he?” She demanded. “Where is Thanatos?” “Xylo, calm down,” Phasmo comforted her. Xylo buried her face in Phasmo’s fur and cried more. “Well then Xylo and…sorry, I never got your name,” “Im Phasmo,” “Yes, and I’m the ringmaster,” The ringmaster said. “Well then Xylo and Phasmo, I can take you to your friend, all you have to do is join me in my circus in the tent of fears,” The ringmaster stretched out his paw to shake. Xylo looked at Phasmo. “Are we doing this?” Phasmo asked. Together they put their paws on top of the ringmaster’s. “I will do anything to get back to Thanatos.”
