~~OBSSESION~~ {BOOK 1} (Shadow Milk Cookie x reader)

Chapter 1

Without drawing attention, they sidled up to Wizard Cookie. 'Something's off about her,' they murmured. 'Have you ever seen her before?'

Wizard Cookie frowned slightly. 'No. And I don't like how quickly she offered her help. But we don't have proof she's lying.'

For now, they could only remain cautious, keeping their suspicions between them. Even as they rode toward uncertainty, even as they reached an inn for the night, the weight of the journey had settled upon them all. As they entered the inn, the warmth of flickering lanterns and the scent of spiced cider greeted them. The establishment buzzed with quiet conversation, an adventurer's haven where weary travelers exchanged stories of distant lands and dangers overcome. Snowflakes clung to cloaks and boots, melting into puddles by the hearth, and for a moment, the outside world felt far away.

The group settled at a long wooden table, welcomed by friendly smiles and steaming mugs placed before them. Despite the anticipation of their journey, there was something comforting about this brief respite—the feeling of community, of Cookies who had faced peril before and still found time to laugh.

Yet even as their companions found comfort in reassurances and quiet confidence, Reader Cookie could not shake the dread curling in their chest. Something was wrong.

And soon, they feared, they would all find out exactly what.

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The door to the inn creaked open, and with it came a strange presence—an old fortune teller who silently approached the table. Without a word, the fortune teller sat down next to them, his cloak hiding  important features from sight. He placed a small, weathered deck of cards onto the table, the sound of them gently shifting filling the space. There was a quiet moment of tension.

The group exchanged uncertain glances, but each of them felt an inexplicable pull toward the cards. They selected their  3 cards, the air growing heavier with anticipation. The fortune teller watched them closely, his face unreadable as he began to lay the cards down on the table.

Pure Vanilla Cookie, ever the one to take charge, picked up the first card and turned it over. His voice was calm as he read the message aloud, though it carried a weight that was hard to ignore.

"The despair follows in your footsteps. A river lies on your path. Cross it, and you shall face unfathomable dread. Turn back."

There was a tense silence that followed. The words hung in the air like a storm cloud, threatening to break. The fortune teller's voice echoed in the inn.

"Turn back before it's too late. Turn back before the cold flames of doubt consume you whole."

Reader Cookie felt a chill run down their spine, their heart racing as their unease grew. It was as if the very walls of the inn had shifted, the warmth from the fire unable to reach them now. The fortune teller didn't speak, only watched them intently as if he had known this moment would come.

Wizard Cookie, adjusting his candy staff and visibly shaken by the words, spoke first.

"'Deeply unsettling' would be an understatement of the century."

Reader Cookie looked to him, their expression reflecting the same fear. Wizard Cookie's voice was steady, but his eyes betrayed the same unease.

GingerBrave, however, was quick to shake off the chill. His usual optimism flared, and he grinned, trying to brush the tension away.

"That's just a challenge! We've faced worse, and we'll handle this too. Nothing can stop us, right?" He clapped his hands together, the warmth of his spirit trying to light the way forward.