Murder in the Woods: A Warrior Cat Mafia

Round 4, Part 5

Cloudpaw led Sootpetal out of the camp, and to the cliffside path that led to the cave. With a quick glance to make sure that no one was watching, he pushed aside the sagebrush that hid the path.

"Where are you taking me, Cloudpaw? Where does this lead?" Sootpetal asked. Cloudpaw stepped onto the path, and looked back at her.

"You'll see. Just follow me," he told her. Sootpetal reluctantly stepped onto the path, and followed him down the cliffside. They reached the tunnel into the cave, and made their way through it, only to see Nightrunner, Emberstrike, and Gullpaw having a conversation in the cave.

"Sootpetal, you were exiled too?" Nightrunner greeted, standing up off of the cave floor. Sootpetal nodded, and went over to greet her friend.

"Supposedly, I murdered my daughter and brother," Sootpetal told the she-cat bitterly. Nightrunner nodded sympathetically, understanding the she-cat's situation.

"Well, I should be getting back," Cloudpaw told them. Without waiting for a response, he headed back up the cliffside. When he got to the top, he pushed the bush back into place, then sat down on the edge to look out over the edge.

All of a sudden, Cloudpaw felt a push from behind. He went flying, down, down, down, onto the rocky shore below. He never stood a chance.

Back at camp, the other cats were splitting up into patrols. Reedsplash and Beetlestream were assigned to go fishing, while Lionfrost, Paleflight, and Shellpaw went on a border patrol. Rushstripe was told to go find Cloudpaw and bring him back, so the two of them could go join the fishing patrol. However, before any of the patrols even left, Rushstripe disappeared from camp. Figuring that she had just left early, the patrols split up. No one noticed the bloody body hidden behind the warriors' den.

Reedsplash and Beetlestream made their way down to the beach, where they planned to start fishing. But when they reached the bottom, they saw Cloudpaw's broken body lying on the rocky shore, his head at an unnatural angle.

"Oh StarClan, not Cloudpaw," Reedsplash murmured. He turned to Beetlestream, about to tell him to go retrieve the patrol, but the black tom moved to the side and vomited into the ocean. Reedsplash grimaced, then stepped back onto the trail. "Stay here, Beetlestream. I'm going to go get the patrol". Reedsplash darted up the cliffside, leaving Beetlestream to vomit into the water.

Reedsplash eventually skidded to a stop in front of the patrol, breathing heavily. Paleflight looked at him with worry, as he motioned frantically to the beach.

"Cloudpaw, he's, he was, he was thrown off the cliff," he forced out. Paleflight and Shellpaw let out wails and cries, then huddled together in the forest. Lionfrost pushed them towards the camp, muttered something to Paleflight, then followed Reedsplash back down to the beach. Together, with the help of Beetlestream, they managed to get Cloudpaw's body back to camp. When they arrived, Dawnshine, Redfoot, Paleflight, and Shellpaw were huddled around Rushstripe's body.

"No, Rushstripe!" Reedsplash cried, immediately running over to his sister and burying his face into her fur. Beetlestream looked away, trying to stop himself from vomiting again.

"I found the body while everyone was out on patrol," Redfoot told them gently. Paleflight and Shellpaw moved over to Cloudpaw, so that the only cats not mourning were Lionfrost, Dawnshine, and Redfoot.

"Cloudpaw was murdered too?" Dawnshine asked. She muttered something to herself, then stood up straight and raised her voice. "I think it was Lionfrost and Reedsplash! Cloudpaw accused them yesterday, and now he just turns up dead? They're covering their tracks!"

"I don't care, let's just get this vote over with," Beetlestream replied miserably. He slumped down, and laid his head on his paws. No one opposed Dawnshine's suggestions.

"Wait. Before we do this, I would like to say something. I was Thornstar's deputy, and with his death, I have become the leader," Paleflight announced. "I don't have my nine lives yet, but I will get them once this murder situation is dealt with". The rest of the clan murmured their acceptance of the fact, and the vote proceeded.

Murdered: Cloudpaw, Rushstripe
Healed: No one
Accused: Lionfrost, Reedsplash
Revealed: No one
Revived: No one
Murderers Left: 2