Blood Shadows || A Warrior Cats Mafia

R2 - Scene Two

Sorry this scene is quite long, if you don't want to read all of it then skip to the end/important parts I guess.

Hazelstar's form slowly relaxed and she looked down at the two cats as Goldengaze informed her of the votes.

"Alright then. You've both been voted innocent," she replied in relief to her two friends below her. The Clan quickly calmed down and the cold looks at Sagefire and Nightsoul stopped. "Clan dismissed."

"But we still need to find the murderer!" Honeypaw protested. A few cats made murmurs of agreement as the young apprentice spoke, but her mentor, Goldengaze, quickly silenced her. "We will," he said kindly, "but now is not the time. Hazelstar and I will speak about this." He nodded at the leader, and they disappeared into the hollow tree's entrance.

Cloverwish quickly ran over to her sister. "I'm so glad you were voted innocent! I can't believe anyone would accuse you," she exclaimed. Sagefire looked sadly at her sister. "Perhaps if I was kinder they wouldn't have," the she-cat mumbled, dropping her eyes to the floor. Cloverwish stared at her in sympathy. 

"You are kind, and you don't have to change for anyone!" Sagefire smiled at the comment, pressing into her sister and bringing their heads together. The Clan cats looked at the sisters fondly, but a scowling face was hidden in the crowd.

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The night was closing in, stars dotted across the sky and warriors slowly began to turn into their dens, exhausted from the chaos of the day. Cloverwish and Sagefire lay close together, but Sagefire couldn't sleep, blue eyes wide open.

"What's wrong?" her sister whispered. "I just can't believe they would think it was me, am I really bad enough to seem like a killer?" Sagefire whimpered, confidence dissipating by the minute. "No you're not, you're innocent and they knew that. Look, I'll go and get some poppy seeds from Tansymouse, alright?" Sagefire nodded, too tired to argue. 

The she-cat slipped out of the warrior's den, taking a deep breath as a pleasant breeze met her fur. She took a look at the stars, thoughts drifting to Cedarleap and Lilyspring. Their kits had been forced to stay with Rushflower, who was now fiercely protecting them like they were her own. Which cat could be so cold-hearted to kill a mother and a father?

Cloverwish began to make her way to Tansymouse's den, until half way through she heard a voice. "Help me!" it whispered.

She turned slightly, green eyes looking around in confusion. "Help me, please!" it whispered again, quieter this time.

"Oh darling, don't worry I can help you," she replied kindly. "Where are you?"

"The trees! Please help!" the voice begged.

She smiled, and began padding towards the trees. "I'm coming don't worry." She walked closer, before leaping up into the nearest tree easily. The dark green leaves and the lack of light made it difficult to see, twigs intruding into her field of view. She bristled slightly, attempting to push through.

"Please," the voice cried. She smiled again. "Where are you?" she pushed through the leaves successfully.

Claws unsheathed. Her smile fell, blood running cold.

With a sharp swipe, she was dead. Never to smile again.

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Sagefire began to look around in confusion, leaping up to her paws. Other warriors stirred around her. 

"Hey, where are you going?" Icywhisper grumbled, tail switching places to cover her eyes. "Cloverwish said she was going to get me poppy seeds but its been ages..." she murmured in concern. "You know what Tansymouse is like, she never stops talking with the cats she likes," Nightsoul replied. "Ha! She never speaks to me," Icywhisper shot back. "I wonder why?" Sunnytuft mumbled sarcastically. 

Now the whole warriors den was awake with the cats' bickering, and the clan started to stir. Onefeather looked at Sagefire sympathetically. "Behave! Clearly something is wrong," the cat replied uncharacteristically and they all stared at her. "I'll go with you to look for her." Sagefire nodded gratefully. "I will too," Nightsoul and Blossomsnow said together, and they all followed her out of the den.

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The cats reached Tansymouse's den, and to their surprise she was still asleep.

"Tansymouse?" Nightsoul prodded her. "What are you disturbing me for?" the she-cat hissed, eyes cracking open slightly. "Has Cloverwish been here?"

The she-cat's face brightened a little at the mention of the liked warrior. "No, sorry..." she replied, a little more gently this time. The cats all looked at each other in concern, and Blossomsnow called from outside the den. 

"Look, these tracks match her small paws," the she-cat commented. The paw marks were leading to the darkened forest. The warriors ran into it, staying close together. 

Blood was dripping from the tree to the left of Sagefire, and she gasped in horror. She leapt into it with skill similar to her sister, and then a wail was heard. Her sister's body lay there, torn up and mangled, eyes open and lifeless. Sagefire began screaming.

"Tansymouse!"

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Tansymouse looked at Sagefire miserably. "I'm so sorry... she's too far gone."

Sagefire's legs buckled and she collapsed to the floor in grief.

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Goldengaze was taking a nightly walk in an attempt to clear his troubled mind. He and Hazelstar had been unable to find any evidence as to who the mysterious cats could be, and the tom was frustrated.

He was walking by the stream where Cedarleap had perished, and the awful image of his body flashed before his eyes. The tom nearly vomited at the thought, sitting down and staring at his reflection in the water. He stared down at himself.

"I'm the deputy. Why can't I solve this?" he growled in frustration. There was something itchy underneath him and he groaned, getting up, before staring down in shock. They were tufts of fur that didn't belong to Cedarleap, and they were of a very light colour.

He stiffened, before smiling at his discovery. "I must take this evidence back to Hazelstar immediately!"

"In your dreams," a voice replied. A figure leapt upon him and raked their claws down his stomach, before meeting his throat.

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Hazelstar found him the next day, lying on top of the evidence. She screeched in terror, and some cats ran to help her.

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Hazelstar stared at her clan once more, feeling numb. Her friend was dead. Her deputy was dead. Everything was falling apart before her eyes.

"There has been another murder, in two different places, in one night. C-Cloverwish and G-Goldengaze were the victims," she choked out.

The warriors were silent, heads dipped as they already knew the news. Honeypaw began sobbing at her mentor and crush's death, Featherpaw and Ashpaw trying to comfort her. All five kits buried themselves in Rushflower's fur, who tried desperately to cover every single one from the watching clan's sight. Elmpaw stared at the ground, gaze contemplative and unhappy, while Gingerdawn got up from her paws and walked back to her den, emotionless.

"We must find these cats before they can do anymore harm," Hazelstar muttered, voice still quiet.

A voice then cried out, loud and clear. "I accuse..."

NOTE: The evidence Goldengaze found is only for one of the murderers, there is no clue as to what the other may look like.