Murder in the Woods: A Warrior Cat Mafia

Round 7, Part 2

At the sight of the votes, Batwhisker visibly relaxed with a gasp. Blossompaw ran over to Oakpaw, Bluepaw, and Willowpaw, who comforted her. Batwhisker went over to Mottledthorn, Shadeflight, and Ravenfeather, glad he could stay in the clan.

With the voting done, the vigils resumed. Cedarblaze, Berryleaf, Brackentail, and Feathersong stayed by Heathershine the entire night. Ivywing, Bluepaw, and Oakpaw did the same for Pebblefang.

Mottledthorn watched solemnly as the cats sat in the dark. As the medicine cat, she had insisted that Applekit and Twigkit couldn't sit out in the cold for that long. Instead, they were to stay in the medicine cat den with her.

She glanced over at the two slumbering kits, curled up together in a nest meant for sick cats. Too many cats had died in that nest. Bluepaw's parents, her sister, her sister's mate, and many more. Shadeflight had almost been one of them.

With a sigh, Mottledthorn slowly padded over to her nest and settled down. She glanced over at her apprentice's nest, which would remain empty for the rest of the night. Then, she fell asleep.

In the morning, Mottledthorn left the den with her ceremonial herbs. They would be used on the bodies of Pebblefang and Heathershine, before the two she-cats were buried. When she padded into the center of camp, the cats all looked at her solemnly.

She crouched down beside Pebblefang first, and began to rub the leaves over her pelt. A crisp smell filled the air, covering up the stench of death. Once she was done with Pebblefang's body, she did the same to Heathershine's. Unlike Pebblefang, the queen's fur had blood soaked into it. She tried to ignore that.

When she was done, the cats moved in. The she-cats' bodies were picked up by their loved ones, and taken into the forest to be buried.

While they were gone, she helped the remaining cats clean the nursery of blood. It had started to dry, so they tried scrubbing it with wet moss. Willowpaw and Blossompaw changed the nests, which were soaked in blood as well.

Finally, the cats returned. Mottledthorn padded over to the fresh-kill pile, along with a few other cats. She grabbed a shrew. Unlike most of the cats, she liked the taste of the tough meat. Badgerpath always made sure to catch one for her, and all of the other cats knew not to touch it.

She ate the shrew quickly. However, as soon as she finished it, she knew that something was wrong. Her stomach hurt, and she felt the need to vomit, but she couldn't. She began to shake uncontrollably, and realized what was happening. Poison. The murderers had killed her. Then she fell to the ground, and didn't get back up.

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Twigkit woke up in the morning to find Mottledthorn gone. Applekit was still asleep. She looked up, and saw two cats enter the den. Mottledthorn wasn't one of them, and neither was her apprentice.

"I don't think you should be touching those without Mottledthorn," she squeaked nervously, as the first one moved to take something out of the cubbyholes. The second one bared their teeth menacingly, and stepped closer to her.

"You should have stayed asleep, Twigkit," they told her. Suddenly, a paw swept down, and collided with her body. She was brutally thrown against the wall of the den, and a loud crack was heard. Her body hit the dirt floor. She wasn't moving.

"What did you do? I told you that I was just getting the poison for Mottledthorn! You just murdered a kit!" the first one exclaimed, in a hushed whisper. The second one scoffed, and flicked their tail towards the exit.

"Who cares. We'd better leave before anyone notices we're in here," they replied coldly. The cat padded out of the medicine cat den. The first one glanced back at the dead kit once more, then followed.

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As Mottledthorn's body hit the ground, Ravenfeather let out a cry. "Mottledthorn!" she yowled, distraught. Shadeflight, Batwhisker, and Badgerpath rushed out of the nursery, which they had been finishing up on. A chorus of wails and angry cries echoed throughout the camp, as they joined Ravenfeather by Mottledthorn's body.

Cedarblaze and Berryleaf immediately ran into the medicine cat den, worried for Applekit and Twigkit. Two distraught wails joined the cacophony. Cedarblaze came out of the den, carrying Twigkit's limp body in his mouth. Berryleaf brought the sleeping Applekit out of the den, then set his brother on the ground and curled up around him protectively.

"Everyone, calm down! We need to calm down!" Brackentail exclaimed. Batwhisker turned to him angrily, tail lashing.

"Why are you so calm? Two more cats have been murdered! Maybe you're so calm because you're one of the murderers!" he accused. More accusations and yowls went around the camp, spreading like greencough. Blossompaw and Willowpaw tried to get the others to listen to Brackentail, but more cats turned on them. Sedgeheart and Robinclaw were backed into a corner, as they were accused of working together, and supporting Brackentail.

Brackentail leapt up onto a stump, which served as the leader's place for announcements. "Enough! Everyone, stop! Can't you see? The murderers want us to turn on each other!" Bluepaw padded forward, face scrunched up in anger.

"Oh yeah? You're really telling us that you don't have any suspicions whatsoever?" he asked. Oakpaw stepped forward to try to calm the tom down, but Bluepaw batted him away.

Brackentail looked at the gathered cats nervously. "Well, no, I, I think Shadeflight seems a tad suspicious, but -" Feathersong leapt up at that, cutting him off.

"Alright, everyone! Brackentail and Shadeflight have been accused! Let's vote!"

Murdered: Mottledthorn, Twigkit
Accused: Brackentail, Shadeflight
Healed: Oakpaw
Revealed: No one
Revived: No one
Murderers Left: 2