Traitor // A Warriors Mafia Minigame

Round Three, Scene Five (Finale)

The warrior camp was unusually silent. Dusk had just fallen over the sky, the sun only just poking over the horizon. Normally, the warriors would be sharing tongues and chatting, but tonight they all watched their leader and waited silently for her announcement.

Quietstar stood on her den for a while, her gaze locked on the sky. Her face was turned upwards so that none of her warriors could see her expression. When she finally looked back down, she said, "Snakefang, you've been voted guilty." Quietstar's meow revealed no emotion as she condemned the brown tom.

"W-What?" Snakefang took a step back. "But I've made sure not to leave an-" He stopped himself, but it was too late.

"Leave any evidence?" Ferretdusk hissed. "So it was you all along!"

Snakefang'eyes flashed, and he bolted out of the camp.

"Heathercloud, Emberstripe, after him!" Quietstar's yowl rang through the air, and the two she-cats raced away on Smakefang's tail. "Don't let him get away!"

***

"Do you know where he went?" Emberstripe asked curtly. The two she-cats had followed Snakefang into the forest, but the undergrowth made it impossible to track him with sight alone. Heathercloud had her head raised and jaws opened, tasting the air.

"This way!" Heathercloud dashed away under a clump of ferns, and Emberstripe followed. Beyond there, Emberstripe could just see the tip of a cat's twitching tail- Snakefang. "We're close, we have to hurry!" she gasped.

A thorny tendril suddenly shoved itself into Emberstripe's face. She reeled back, startled, but Heathercloud didn't stop, ducking blindly under it into a narrow bramble tunnel. Then Emberstripe heard Heathercloud yowl in outrage. "I'm stuck!"

"Heathercloud!" Emberstripe turned to the white and ginger she-cat, tugging at the thorns that had now fastened themselves in her pelt, but Heathercloud stopped her. "No, just go around this bramble patch. You have to follow Snakefang! Hurry up, I'll be fine."

"But..." Emberstripe wanted to argue, but she knew Heathercloud was right; she had to catch and kill Snakefang. Reluctantly, she picked her way around the thicket and ran off.

"Ah- good luck, Emberstripe," Heathercloud called out.

Emberstripe didn't stop. "Hopefully, I won't need it."

The ginger tabby she-cat dashed straight into a sandy clearing. There sat Snakefang, casually grooming himself, as if he were waiting for her arrival.

"Ah, Emberstripe." The traitor slurred. "Now that it's actually a fair fight, with Heathercloud gone, I can finally take your life as well." Snakefang looked up, his gaze narrowed with some emotion akin to amusement. "It's funny, really how you can call yourselves warriors, but not even allow the opponent a fair fight!"

Emberstripe growled and crouched, ready to launch herself at the other cat. "Not against a traitor, we won't! You don't deserve a fair fight, or justice."

"There you go again, hiding behind lies and excuses," Snakefang sneered. "I'll relish the moment I take you down."

"You can try!" Emberstripe spat. She threw herself at Snakefang, and the two locked themselves in a battle of life and death.

***

Heathercloud freed herself from the last of the brambles. She'd had to remind herself over and over not to rush herself, but it was hard. She wanted to be by Emberstripe's side, fighting off the traitor, instead of being stuck in a thicket.

As if on cue, the moment she pulled out the last tendril, a scream of pain sounded from just beyond where Heathercloud was, followed by a growl of satisfaction.

Emberstripe!

Heart pounding, she made her way around the brambles, only to be greeted with a horrifying sight.

Emberstripe's body lay on the ground, writhing in pain. A huge gash on her stomach spilled out fresh blood. Looming over her was Snakefang, his fangs bared in a malicious grin. He was swiping at her, his movements never stopping, and though Emberstripe was blocking his blows pretty well, Heathercloud knew he was just toying with her. She couldn't let him continue this.

Racing over towards Snakefang, Heathercloud's paws almost floated over the ground. She leapt and knocked the traitor over, and giving him no chance to defend himself, she bit down hard on his neck. Snakefang's body went limp. Heathercloud's stared at the body, panting hard. The killer was finally dead... and she had killed him.

"H- Heather... cloud..."

A wave of worry rose in Heathercloud's chest as she turned back to Emberstripe. She was now practically unmoving, and she didn't move except for the rapid rising and falling of her flanks. Her amber eyes were half closed with exhaustion.

"Emberstripe..." Heathercloud's meow faltered. She knew that there was no use in comforting Emberstripe. She had lost so much blood, and Heathercloud had no medicine cat skills. By the time she took her back to camp, she would already be dead.

"W-We did it... Heathercloud..." Emberstripe mumbled softly.

"But at what cost?" Heathercloud's worry gave way to a torrent of anger and shock. "Another victim-"

"And the l-last one," Emberstripe interrupted her, "to suffer... because of the killer..." Emberstripe's eyes fluttered closed, then opened partway again. "D-Don't dishonor me... by regretting my death... Heathercloud. Now I can see the others who h-have died. I can see Mothblaze..."

"I..." Heathercloud's anger melted away. The true depth of the situation sank in: her Clanmate was dying before her eyes. Guilt and sorrow shot through her, and she couldn't bring herself to argue.

"Promise me," Emberstripe continued. "Me and the others... must be remembered... as more than victims of the killer. Please... honor us... and our deaths."

"I... I..." Heathercloud's eyes stung. "I shouldn't have argued against you. I promise, you will all be remembered as true warriors." She stretched out her muzzle, and Emberstripe raised her head with the little strength she had left. The two she-cats muzzled each other wordlessly. It was an act of friendship, of love. Then Emberstripe's head fell away from Heathercloud's.

"Goodbye... Heathercloud." Emberstripe closed her eyes for the last time, and her flanks lay still.

Heathercloud choked down a sob. Carefully, she lifted Emberstripe's body upon her own shoulders. She turned her head upwards to the sky, where Silverpelt now glittered proudly. Emberstripe...

Heathercloud took a shuddering breath. We will honor you all, I promise... The ginger and white she-cat's gaze focused on a star that seemed to shine brighter than the rest... Then, Heathercloud started the journey home.

The Clan wins.

Thanks for playing Traitor!

Traitor: Snakefang

Deputy: Sparrowfall

Medicine Cat: Deerleaf