Criminal Claws [UnitedWarriors]

Day 1

Graystar stood balancing on top of the Highrock, gazing down at the assembled cats below. Nearly everyone knew about Mallowheart's murder by now, but it was the leader's job to announce it anyways - and to react properly.

"As most of you know," Graystar began in a loud voice that she had to concentrate on keeping steady, "Mallowheart's body was found earlier today in the north woods. She was brutally murdered -- and by a cat." Graystar paused to blink away tears. The death of her grandmother was a hard blow, even though Mallowheart had been an elder. "Our investigations found no strange scents, meaning that Mallowheart was killed by one of our clanmates."

Murmurs of shock and protest arose from the gathered felines as the leader's words sunk in. She could see some cats already glancing fearfully around at their neighbours, suspicious of who among them was a traitor.

"What's more," Graystar meowed loudly, as the cats were not quieting down, "the fact that we could not find conclusive evidence about the attacker's identity leads me to believe that there may be more than one of them. I hope I am wrong."

More outbursts sounded from the warriors and apprentices, but Graystar cut them off quickly. "Mallowheart's death will not go unpunished. The traitor will be found and banished from our clan, never to return. I ask any cat who may have seen anything even a little bit suspicious to come speak to me." The fluffy gray she-cat leapt down from her perch, signalling the end of the meeting, as chatter broke out all around her.

Warriors and apprentices alike immediately broke away from the main clearing, clumping in smaller groups near the edges of camp to discuss the recent events. When no one came right up to Graystar - either to relay their suspicions or to confess their own actions - she decided to make her way around camp, watching and listening.

Laurelgaze and Palefern were sitting together, but they weren't talking to each other; Laurelgaze was watching the camp, her intelligent golden eyes flicking from cat to cat as she studied her clanmates reactions. Palefern, meanwhile, was staring at the ground, looking grumpy. Graystar nodded to both of them, then moved on, but as she padded away she heard Palefern mutter, "great, now the leader's going to be riding everyone's tails until she finds out who killed Mallowheart."

Graystar flicked her ears, but said nothing, and just kept walking.

Cascadefall was boasting in front of Whisperdrizzle and Smallcloud, evidently trying to reassure them. "Don't worry, I'll find those fox-hearted traitors, and then everyone will be safe," he meowed bravely. Whisperdrizzle was quiet, his white tail-tip flicking, but the look in his eyes gave the impression that he was already trying to devise a strategy to discover the killers even as he listened to Cascadefall. Smallcloud was looking up at the bigger tom with timid blue eyes, and Graystar wondered idly if the clingy warrior would ever leave Cascadefall's side again.

A loud call drew Graystar's attention from that group, and she looked over to see Echoleaf standing at the camp entrance, looking ready for action. "I'm leading a patrol to go see if we can find any more clues," the blue-gray she-cat announced to the clan. "Who's coming with me?"

"I'll go," Honeyrose volunteered, stepping up.

"So will I," Tigersplash rumbled. His copper eyes gleamed as he joined the patrol, and knowing his ambitious personality, Graystar figured that he probably wanted to be the one to discover the traitors.

Crowtail slipped into the group without saying anything, and then without any further ado the four warriors turned and made their way out of camp, heading into the forest.

Basilwisp and Leafsky were in a remote corner of the camp, sitting together with their tails twined, murmuring quietly to each other. Graystar's ears perked, but she couldn't hear what the two mates were saying, so she padded closer.