Criminal Claws [UnitedWarriors]

Ninth Exile

"Let all those old enough to catch their own prey, gather here for a clan meeting!" Graystar yowled.

Echolight was killed last night, on watch... meaning that whoever killed her had to get past the other guards. Or was one of the other guards.

Graystar's gaze sought out Iriswhisper. The warrior, sitting at the back of the gathering crowd, met her gaze boldly, almost fiercely. There was a glimmer in Iriswhisper's bright blue eyes that dared Graystar to do what she was about to do.

The pale grey she-cat had been on watch along with Echolight last night. And Iriswhisper had been suspicious ever since her fight with Laurelgaze. Morningrose had agreed emphatically with her when Graystar brought it up, saying that she'd suspected the female warrior the whole time. That was enough to convince Graystar who to exile for Echolight's death.

The leader closed her eyes and took a deep breath, shaking off the haunting thoughts of Echolight's glazed dead eyes and bloodied forehead where the rock had struck her while the clan gathered. Soon enough, all cats had taken a seat and settled down, and Graystar finally faced her clan. Many pairs of upturned eyes sought out Graystar's gaze.

"We lost yet another treasured warrior last night," Graystar began. "Echolight was swift and kind, and she will be missed greatly."

Icespark and Rosepool exchanged disheartened glances, and Tinypaw looked down at her paws.

"But this time, we know for certain who killed her," the leader continued. "This is why Iriswhisper will --" she broke off suddenly, her amber eyes landing on the place where, only minutes ago, a spotted she-cat had been sitting.

Iriswhisper was gone.

Featherpath screamed.

"Search the dens!" roared Tigersplash, springing to his paws. "Don't let her get out of camp!" Warriors leapt to follow his orders, milling frantically about the clearing.

"Wha- where did she go?" Kestrelberry asked, glancing around in confusion.

"Wait!"

Almost everyone's eyes turned to where Smallcloud was standing. The little munchkin tom had one ear flattened back, and looked extremely uncomfortable. "She... Iriswhisper's gone," he mewed. "She went past me through the dirtplace exit before the meeting started, I didn't think it was a problem!"

Tigersplash let out a wordless yowl of exasperated anger. "You let her go?" he snarled after, glaring down at the much shorter tom.

Featherpath, standing at the base of the Highrock, began to sob. "The traitors are gonna get us all!" she wailed.

"Well-- I didn't know she was about to get exiled!" Smallcloud squeaked in an attempt to defend himself to Tigersplash. "I thought she just really needed to use the dirtplace before the meeting started!"

Morningrose stepped in then, her tail flicking quickly. "It's okay, Smallcloud. There's no way you should have known," she reassured him. "But we should send a patrol after her, just in case she thinks she can hide on the territory without being exiled. Tigersplash, Lightdream, and Smokefern, you come with me," she ordered.

Tigersplash eagerly moved to follow her, then paused and turned back to look at the leader. "And if we do find her, Graystar... Do we have permission to kill her?"

Graystar stared back at him dully. Iriswhisper's disappearance proved that she was a traitor. Surely she deserved to be killed, after taking so many lives herself?

"When you catch her, tell her that she's exiled. If she agrees to leave, you are not to harm her," Graystar decided. "But if she fights back... then you can kill her."

Tigersplash grinned his agreement, then, following Morningrose's lead, he turned and sprinted into the forest. Smokefern, Honeyrose, and Lightdream ran after them. 

"I don't want to die," Featherpath was insisting to the nearest sympathetic ear, which happened to be Rainsong. Rainsong rested her tail on the  paranoid she-cat's shoulder, but Featherpath wouldn't be calmed.

Runningstream was gazing towards the camp entrance, seeming uneasy.

Dewpaw and Echopaw had their heads together, talking in excited voices about what had just happened.

A cold breeze twined around the clearing, and Graystar shivered, both from the chill and the slowly building dread that they would never win against the traitors.

Leaf-bare was coming. But Graystar didn't know if her clan would live to see it.

Iriswhisper was a traitor.

Also, a turnpelt changed allegiance this chapter. One innocent cat has become a traitor.

3 traitors left.

Thank you to everyone who voted last chapter! Day 8 will be coming out soon!