The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest: Chapters 15–21

by Aubrey Hartman
Clare the fox helps other animals find their rightful place in the Afterlife — until Gingersnipes the badger enters his life. They survive a dangerous journey that leads Clare to a life-changing experience.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–10, Chapters 11–14, Chapters 15–21, Chapters 22–Gingersnipes
15 words 7 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. gnarled
    old and twisted and covered in lines
    Even in the moon-dappled darkness, he knew every inch of these woods: each gnarled root and sighing bough, each gentle slope of mossy earth, each bend of the cold, rushing river that carved through it all.
  2. opaque
    not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy
    He touched the smooth, foggy glass—still perfectly opaque.
  3. knoll
    a small natural mound
    When they crested the knoll, Clare bounded ahead to unlatch the garden gate, gesturing Gingersnipes inside.
  4. ultimate
    being the last or concluding element of a series
    “If you find peace in progress, then peace was your ultimate goal, and that’s where you belong.”
  5. precarious
    fraught with danger
    He was treading in precarious territory, he felt.
  6. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    “It’s him.” Clare braced for the ominous him.
  7. meticulously
    in a manner marked by extreme care of details
    His claws were meticulously groomed.
  8. abhorrence
    hate coupled with disgust
    Gingersnipes seethed. She spat a word with such disdain, such loathing, such complete abhorrence, that, dear reader, even I flinched: “Greg.”
  9. mull
    reflect deeply on a subject
    “So that’s the fellow everyone hates…” Clare mulled aloud.
  10. noxious
    injurious to physical or mental health
    The fungi were a stunning blue, the color of a bitter-cold sky, but that lovely exterior hid a deadly poison. So noxious that it leached into the soil.
  11. mundane
    found in the ordinary course of events
    So if what Gingersnipes said was true—if caring for the mundane things in his world was, in itself, an act of love—did that make him a good soul after all?
  12. wreak
    cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
    Humans, of course, had no idea they had such influence. Which was so typical: the bumbling mammals wreaking havoc, even when no havoc was intended.
  13. havoc
    violent and needless disturbance
    Humans, of course, had no idea they had such influence. Which was so typical: the bumbling mammals wreaking havoc, even when no havoc was intended.
  14. competence
    the quality of being adequately or well qualified
    But perhaps this was exactly why the Afterlife had chosen Gingersnipes to be the next Usher. Not for wit or competence or any of the reasons for which Clare had been chosen, but for her kindness.
  15. trepidation
    a feeling of alarm or dread
    Gingersnipes matched his trepidation, crouching at the window, her tiny ears flickering to pick up the distant noise.
Created on Mon Feb 23 16:29:29 EST 2026 (updated Wed Mar 18 19:22:44 EDT 2026)

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