Murder in the Woods: A Warrior Cat Mafia

Round 11, Part 5

As Rootwatcher cast her vote, staring down her mate's brother with an intense dislike, Ibissong merely smiled.

This smile was not like the normal, sweet grins that graced the black tom's face. No, it seemed he was about to burst out laughing. "Oh, Rootwatcher," Ibissong purred, "I'm afraid that was a... deadly... mistake." At the end of his sentence, he burst out laughing, but his claws unsheathed and speared the dirt.

The cats around him recoiled, Grassfall stepping protectively in front of Palmpaw, while Swampbrook and Alligatorpelt shielded both Vinepaw and Spottedpaw from the murderer respectively. Pantherheart, who was truly Pantherstar, padded out to face his brother, a snarl rumbling off his lips.

Rootwatcher frantically called out to her mate, "Pantherstar! Kill him before he kills you!" But Pantherstar dismissed her with a flick of his tail. "I want to know why." The leader hissed, staring down his brother with ferocity in his eyes. "Why my own brother would betray me."

"Oh, I'm not the only one who's betrayed you." Ibissong meowed cheerfully, flicking his tail to Rootwatcher. "You want to know why I did this? Well, I'll tell you why."

"No, don't listen to him! He'll kill you!" Rootwatcher meowed desperately, but once again Pantherstar silenced her. "I have plenty of lives to spare. Now, talk." He ordered his brother, his best friend, the cat he told everything.

"Well, Pantherstar, here's the short version. Back when you first became leader, your new duties caused you to spend more and more time away from your loyal, wonderful mate." Ibissong meowed, casting a sharp glance in Rootwatcher's direction. "She needed some comfort, and I was happy to oblige. Then, Shadowkit and Cypresskit were born. See where this is going?" The murderer asked, with a cheerful grin. "Ready for your world to crash down, the same way it did for me when she refused to tell you, out of the fear of her reputation and your reaction? She cut me off from my own kits, and would never let me spend time with them." The tom began to gain a crazed look in his eyes, as he kept rambling on, "So you see, I had to kill everyone! I had to ruin their families, so they would feel the same pain I've gone through ever since I've slept with that StarClan-forsaken she-cat!" And with that, Pantherstar knocked his brother to the ground, slamming his head onto the ground. Ibissong's eyes rolled back into his head.

The entire Clan was silent. Most of them were glaring at Rootwatcher, who was quailing underneath the group's collective gazes.

Finally, Grassfall, the Clan's loyal deputy and the one who had sensed something was wrong with Ibissong the entire time, stepped up. He had no intention of gloating about this to the Clan, it would only cause more anger to ripple through the ranks. "Is he dead?" The tom meowed softly, to which Pantherstar shook his head. "I have a much more suitable death in mind for him." The black tom meowed, his voice shaking with rage.

Pantherstar sent Heronfeather, Shadowwhisper, Rootwatcher, and the remaining apprentices up the tree, leaving the last older warriors gathered around Ibissong's unconscious body. However, before Pantherstar could explain his idea, Alligatorpelt interrupted him. The normally sleepy tom had a fire of determination, akin to his late mate's. "Let me kill him, Pantherstar. Let me kill him the same way he killed Eveningmist." The tom demanded, to which Pantherstar shook his head. "Like I said, I have a much more suitable death in mind for him. Let's go."

Swampbrook, Alligatorpelt, Grassfall, and Pantherstar brought Ibissong to a place called the Alligator Pond. As the tom was beginning to stir to consciousness, all four cats seized some part of his body, and tossed him off into the water below. His shrieks echoed through the trees as the four cats returned home, to rebuild their lives.

-

Grassstar looked down proudly at his Clan, a few seasons after the deaths of his daughter and Ibissong. The apprentices had all grown up, being respectively named Palmblaze, Spottedleap, Vinemist, and Hazelthorn, and the two exiled cats had returned without much fuss, other than Hazelthorn briefly trying to start her own Clan.

Palmblaze had tried to pursue Hazelthorn, but the medicine cat refused to engage in forbidden love. Coonfoot swooped in soon after, and Palmblaze fell for him fairly quickly. They now had a litter of she-kits, named Wildkit and Hibiscuskit.

Meanwhile, Spottedleap and Shadowwhisper had also became mates. Spottedleap's bouncy and gregarious nature caused Shadowwhisper to feel secure and safe, so the pair were a match made in StarClan. The pair of them had found a litter of abandoned toms, who were named Cypresskit and Marshkit.

Vinemist had also found someone to love, a strong, fierce former kittypet, now named Kingfisherclaw. The brown tabby was perfectly alright with her mate's wish to be a permanent queen, or as the Clan now called him, the den dad. They didn't have kits yet, but were planning on them in the future.

Pantherstar had stepped down from his position as leader, due to several panic attacks about the other cats betraying him occurring in the moon's after Ibissong's death, and Rootwatcher's infidelity. He was now an elder, with Rootwatcher at his side. She hoped to rebuild his trust one day, though at the moment, the now named Pantherheart had no interest in the cat he considered his former mate.

Heronfeather took up healing, joining Hazelthorn in the medicine den. The she-cat was grateful to have some assistance, and she trained the older tom well.

Alligatorpelt leaped up to Grassstar's side. "It's almost time for the apprentice ceremony." The deputy meowed to his leader, his posture, as always, alert and ready. After Eveningmist's death, the tom had lost his sleepy nature. He made a strong and capable deputy.

"We're just waiting on Swampbrook." Grassstar meowed, feeling a pang of love rush through his chest. After the whole fiasco, the pair of them had fell for each other. Swampbrook made it clear to Grassstar that she would always take care of her sister's kits, and try to be a good mother to them. Grassstar, knowing how protective and determined the cat could be, of course agreed. But now, the pair of them had their own family, and Grassstar couldn't wait to start teaching them all about BanyanClan.

Swampbrook led her litter of three out of the nursery, raising her head to meet Grassstar's proud gaze with a slight grin. The three kits- two toms, and one she-kit, nervously stepped their way forward to face their father, though Grassstar could tell that they were buzzing with excitement as well.

Eveningkit was apprenticed to Coonfoot. The young tom padded up to his new mentor with a grin, but Coonfoot didn't seem too amused. Grassstar knew he would make a strong mentor for the young tom.

Flamingokit was apprenticed to Spottedleap. The two bouncy toms cheered at this announcement, and Grassstar smiled, knowing that the energetic cats would be able to get a lot of work done together.

Finally, that led him to his daughter. There had been some controversy over her name, but Grassstar fiercely defended his choice. The drama had died down, but she was still insecure. His daughter would need a strong, but kind mentor.

"Mangrovekit, from this day forward until you get your warrior name, your name will be Mangrovepaw. Your mentor will be Alligatorpelt. May he pass on his hunting skills and determination to you."

The cats cheered, "Eveningpaw! Flamingopaw! Mangrovepaw! Coonfoot! Spottedleap! Alligatorpelt!"

The tale of the murderers never left BanyanClan, and were used as an example to young kits to always treat your fellows kindly. Future generations grew closer together, their goal to have everyone in the Clan feel loved.