Murder in the Woods: A Warrior Cat Mafia

Round 1, Scene 7

Flamestar slowly approached Dovecloud, hackles raised. "Guilty. Get out, Dovecloud. We won't stoop down to the same level as you. But if you're ever seen on our territory again, we won't show any more mercy". Dovecloud shook her head dramatically, eyes wide.
"No! Please, you're making a mistake! You have to know this!" she exclaimed, backing up. She looked frantically at Antpaw, pleading. "Antpaw, you have to understand! I did this all for you! I figured once Sorrelpaw was gone, she wouldn't be holding you back anymore. But then Brindlebreeze brought her back, so I killed her too. Then Duskfern accused you, so I got rid of her. She wasn't a good mother for you! I had to kill Sorrelpaw again, obviously. That was where I was going to stop. But then I realized, I was already so close to getting rid of the entire clan! It could just be me and you!" Dovecloud's eyes were growing more manic now, focused on the small ginger tom. "So when I saw how scared everyone was, I voted for Patchpelt to be exiled. It was too easy. He was relatively new to the clan, after all. Same with Finchwing. She was all alone, and didn't ever consider that it could have been me! But then Flamestar brought Patchpelt back and revealed his identity! It ruined everything!" Antpaw started shuddering, hiding behind his father. Flamestar wrapped his tail around the apprentice, glaring at Dovecloud.
"You're sick! This is all sick!" Antpaw exclaimed, terrified. Dovecloud continued, as though she hadn't heard him.
"If only I'd attacked Flamestar instead of Brambleshade. Then you would have exiled him, and we could have been together forever! But you can still come with me, Antpaw. I'll be a better mother than Duskfern ever was!" Flamestar suddenly broke away from his son, swiping at Dovecloud.
"Get out! You horrible beast, get out!" Dovecloud looked to Antpaw, as if to ask if he would come with her. Antpaw went over to the injured Brambleshade, burying his face in the brown tom's fur. Finally, she fled, never to be seen again.

"Is that really true, Antleaf?" Finchkit asked, eyes wide. The medicine cat nodded, then passed the tom-kit a few herbs.
"Here, take those. It should help you with your cough. Anyways, yes. It is a true story. Your father named you after his sister, and Duskkit after my mother. That's how Patchpelt made his way to PineClan, and how your father became deputy," Antleaf replied. He nosed the kit out the door after he had eaten the herbs, towards his waiting parents. Then he returned to sorting the herbs, as Finchkit ran off to his family.

Brambleshade watched Finchkit and Duskkit wrestle in the dirt, standing next to Hazelbee, his mate. After the Dovecloud incident, Flamestar had recruited multiple loners and kittypets into the clan. Hazelbee had been one of the loners, and one of the first cats who joined. Along with Toadnose, Gingerhawk, and Boulderfoot, she was one of the most trusted cats of the clan.
"Brambleshade, I think Brindlepaw is looking for you. She probably wants to go hunting again," Hazelbee told him, lightly nudging him. The deputy tore his gaze away from his kits, and headed over to his apprentice. Brindlepaw and her sister Sorrelpaw were the first kits born after the crisis. Unlike her namesake, Brindlepaw was training to be a warrior. She was also the only apprentice Brambleshade had ever had, after Antleaf. As he talked with Brindlepaw, Hazelbee watched him with a small smile.

Flamestar, now with a grey muzzle, watched over his clan from his perch in a tree. Antleaf leapt up beside him, taking a seat on one of the branches.
"He'll be leader soon. I can feel it," the tom told his son, focusing on Brambleshade. Antleaf sighed, nodding.
"I know. He'll make a good leader," the medicine cat replied. "He doesn't think he's ready, you know".
"You'll just have to remind him that he isn't alone. He never has been," Flamestar told him. Antleaf looked down at Brambleshade with a knowing glint in his eyes.
"You don't have to worry about him. They watch over us, you know. Brindlebreeze visits me in my dreams quite often," he confessed. Flamestar looked at his son proudly, eyes clouded with emotion.
"I'll be with them soon. I'll finally get to see Duskfern again. Your sisters, too. They would be so proud of you". Then he slowly climbed down from the tree, leaving Antleaf where it had all started. The spirit of Sorrelpaw settled beside him, and let out a purr only she could hear.

End of Round