Murderers in Riverclan V.3 [welcome back!]

[breezey]

((roles pm me please?))

[flightoftheowl]

Votes
Firefeather- ||||

Votes are now closed. Stand by for the exile.
(Also, sorry I'm late! ;-;)

[flightoftheowl]

ＲＩＶＥＲＣＬＡＮ

It was a terrible, terrible sight. Their newest deputy, laid low, lying limp in a pool of his own dried vomit, staring blankly at the sky- in the middle of camp, no less! The killer must have grown bolder, and indeed this left the clan with only 5 cats. If they couldn't catch the killer soon...

This was the thought on the minds of all cats, as Blastclaws was carefully lifted, taken out of camp, and buried by the warriors. At least they could show this much respect him... No one wanted to imagine the limp form of Jadestar's body, still in the gorge. Everyone took their turn to say something kind about the deputy- including the killer, who was careful to look and act as convincingly upset as they could. And with everyone buried in their own fears, doubts, and grief, no one noticed that their emotions didn't go any deeper than the surface.

Once that was taken care of, everyone, greatly subdued, came back to camp, hanging around anxiously, no longer talking with anyone they didn't trust, eyeing those cats with nervous glances. Twistedblaze came to the front of the group, and sat down. He hadn't been his usual self, at the previous meeting- likely due to grief and nerves. But despite the ever-growing fear among Riverclan, he tried to be less authoritarian, tried to comfort his clanmates. "Everyone... I know no one needs to be told what happened to Blastclaws. We all saw it. And I know that we're all grieving for the loss of a beloved friend. Well... all of us, except the murderer. But because there haven't been any patrols this morning, I propose that, as a clan, we go on a patrol. That way, no one will be left alone, and we can all ensure that Cinderpaw hasn't returned." Not every cat looked happy with the idea, but there was a general murmur of agreement. After all, that way, if any of the other clans encountered the patrol, they wouldn't realize how Riverclan had diminished- and what was there at camp to guard, if everyone was coming? And so it was done. (In the process, the clan discovered that Jadestar's body had finally been carried away by the river and away from the clans.) The whole territory was gone over with utmost care, but no one found a trace of the apprentice's scent, or that of her sister. Finally, after this was done, Twistedblaze called for a return to camp, and everyone followed him back, paws dragging, tails brushing the ground.

Twistedblaze retook his place at the front of the clan. "Well, everyone..." He hesitated, trying to look calm and collected, but he apparently couldn't shake the expression of sorrow. "I suppose that it's possible that the cat who murdered Blastclaws with deathberries was, in fact, Cinderpaw. But there was no sign of her anywhere, or of her sister. It... seems unlikely... that, if they had done so, they left no signs of their passage at all. And for that reason, I believe we should hold another vote." A few cats murmured to one another at this, but no one was surprised. They'd all thought the same thing, when they found no traces of Cinderpaw and Breezefire. Their hearts had sunk even further to realize- they really had exiled not one, but two innocent cats! "This time, we will find the right one," Twistedblaze said, voice determined. "We must. So choose who you think it is with all due care, please."

The vote didn't take nearly as much time as it had before. Nightwatcher, who was the only one not related to the remaining cats, stood away from the group, apparently sunk deep into melancholy, sorrowful thoughts, and quiet Firefeather stayed at the edge of his family group, but Twistedblaze, Sunnypaw, and Pumpkinmask all stood nearby one another to thoughtfully confer. And slowly, the opinion turned against Firefeather. After all, surely Nightwatcher would never have murdered his only family remaining! So it couldn't be him, right? And Firefeather... He was never around, was he? He was hardly ever showing his face these days, and though he was usually quiet, being quiet in the face of two murders...? It was just downright suspicious. Nightwatcher seemed to have come to the same conclusions on his own, and turned his dull stare in the direction of Firefeather with a deepening suspicion. But all throughout the gathering hostility, the orange and gray tabby sat silent, looking at his clanmates- who were mostly his family!- with sorrow.

Twistedblaze came back to the front of the group, looking deeply thoughtful. "I believe the vote has been decided. Who do you all wish to exile?" "Firefeather!" rang across the camp, three voices in angry harmony. They were grieving. They were scared. All they wanted was to be safe. All they wanted... was someone to blame. Twistedblaze nodded his agreement for the vote. "Very well. That is my vote, as well. And I was considering you to be the next deputy, too... Firefeather?" The warrior raised his head slowly, deep sorrow etched on his face. The leader continued, "Do you confess to the crime of murdering Jadestar and Blastclaws?" But Firefeather slowly shook his head, looking even more sorrowful. "The murderer is not me," he murmured. "I don't know who... But it is one of you. Not me." And before anyone could say anything more, the red and gray tom turned and left camp with both dignity and sorrow clear in his posture.

Firefeather knew that, if any other clan knew he'd been exiled and why, he would never be accepted. As much as it pained him to realize it, the clans were not his home anymore. And, well... the sisters had been together, but he was all alone. His tail drooped to think of his sister and his niece both turning against him- believing he was the murderer- but he could hardly blame them. What he most feared was the death of his family, of those he cared about, to the claws of the murderer! His own survival was another pressing concern, though, and he considered his options for a long while before deciding.

Finally, he set out, crossing the territory, swimming across the river, and leaping up and over the fence separating Riverclan territory from the Treecut Place. It was quiet today, with no monsters coming and going, but he still crossed it warily, soon ending up in the Twolegplace. And there, he fended for himself for awhile, as a rogue, though he had a hard time of it- until a Twoleg spotted a pitiful, sad, half-starved feral cat lurking about in the allies, and took him in. Firefeather submitted willingly, hungry and lonely as he was. He soon took on the simple name Stripes, given to him by his Twoleg, and lived a surprisingly happy life as a kittypet, despite his deep initial misgivings about the strange, two-legged creature. But he was always a clan cat at heart. He never stopped dreaming of his clan, of swimming the river, of hunting the fish, of all his clanmates, living and dead, all laughing and happy and he with them; he never stopped longing to return, though he was happy where he was; nor did he ever stop praying to Starclan that Riverclan survived it all, that his family survived it all. And, since we leave his story here, who knows? Perhaps he rejoined the clans, someday...

Your numbers are dropping dangerously low, Riverclan; another innocent cat has been exiled! Is Riverclan doomed, or is there still hope...?

After the exile, Pumpkinmask is appointed as deputy, and Sunnypaw officially becomes Sunnybreeze.

Leader --
↳ Jadestar // she-cat // _Pockii
↳ Twistedblaze // tomcat // derpiness

Deputy --
↳ Blastclaws // tomcat // Tainted~Wings
↳ Firefeather // tomcat // 22tabby
↳ Pumpkinmask // she-cat // moyashi.

Medicine Cats --
↳ Breezefire // she-cat // b r e e z e

Warriors -
↳ Nightwatcher // tomcat // shimmerstream
↳ Sunnybreeze // tomcat // kitty_cat_meow_face

Apprentices --
↳ Cinderpaw // she-cat // honeystorm.wishes
none

Queens --
↳ none

Kits --
↳ none

Elders --
↳ none

----

round info: here
chatzy: here

toms: 03
she-cats: 01
total: 04

----

families + relationships:
-Jadestar + ?
xx↳ Pumpkinmask, Firefeather
-Twistedblaze + Pumpkinmask
xx↳ Sunnybreeze
-? + ?
xx↳ Nightwatcher, Blastclaws
-Nightwatcher + ?
xx↳ Breezefire, Cinderpaw

[flightoftheowl]

ＲＩＶＥＲＣＬＡＮ

It was a quiet day, after the ceremonies for Pumpkinmask and Sunnypaw (now Sunnybreeze) ended. Every cat could feel the absence of their clanmates, and though no one dared to say it aloud, everyone worried- what if Firefeather, too, had been innocent? What if the killer was still lurking among them?

Well, everyone worried except the killer, of course. The killer was already surveying their clanmates, only too ready to strike again. And after a bit of thought, they decided. Oh yes... it would be them. They should be only too easy a target.

No one noticed, of course, as caught up as they were in their own grief and worries. The clan- if you could call a group of merely four cats that, anymore- was listless and dejected. Maybe they had ousted the killer, though Firefeather certainly hadn't reacted like a thwarted murderer... but even if they had, so what? What kind of future did they have, with no medicine cat and one single she-cat? If nothing else, they'd have to recruit rogues and loners, and most likely they'd have to beg the aid of the other clans if they wanted to survive. The other clans might drive them completely out, tell them they had to join up with one clan or another, or take large chunks of their territory. How could they know?

Pumpkinmask, as the new deputy, managed to get one patrol out, but no one's heart was in it. The three family members mostly milled about anxiously in camp, talking in low voices; Nightwatcher just laid in the sun with only his own thoughts, alternatively dozing or staring into the distance, unresponsive to any worried inquiries. He was all alone now, after all, the others thought, and eventually left him alone. The day seemed to last forever, with nothing to do but discuss the future and fret; but night, eventually, finally, and mercifully fell. And as the sun began to set, the four all went to their own dens to try and sleep.

It was a calm, still night, quite warm. The crickets sang, frogs croaked by the river, and fireflies softly lit the night with their flashing tails. Though everyone had quite a bit on their mind, they were worn down from constant worry, and all they wanted to do was sleep, and hope tomorrow was a better day. One without death.

Well, two cats slept, at least (and very deeply, too). But two others merely pretended to sleep, neither knowing that the other was awake, neither knowing of the other's plan.

Eventually, when the fattening moon had reached its highest point in the sky and bathed the clearing with silver, the killer made their move. They carefully rose to their paws, and, moving in almost complete silence, stepped outside of their den. They wanted to see Silverpelt's span across the sky, before they killed their victim. The mysterious place, to which all dead cats supposedly went... Did they believe in it? When they really thought about things, when they really searched their angry, hateful, hardened heart, they knew they didn't. The multiple lives of leaders was nothing more than one great lie! Jadestar had been going in and out of consciousness, not losing lives. Blastclaws, with his eyes fixed hopefully on the stars, had expired in the dust. All cats left behind after death was anger, grief, and a cold corpse. And oh, they knew it was true. They knew it better than anyone. After all, who better to judge on matters of death than a killer?

They curled their lip and sneered at the stars. "Starclan," they snarled under their breath. "What a joke." But then they remembered- they weren't up just to laugh at the idiocy of the clans. They had... business... with them. Of the deadly kind. And, focused once more on the task at hand, they turned to enter their victim's den and made their way in, pawsteps softer than the breeze.

It was dark within, after the silvery light of the waxing moon. But their eyes soon adjusted, and they were able to make out their dim shape, apparently fast asleep. A slow smirk crossed their face. This would be like catching trout in a tiny pond- too easy. They unsheathed their claws, a soft but distinctive noise, and crossing to the victim's side, raised their paw to slice open their throat and end their life-

Until, that is, the intended victim's eyes snapped open, they rolled out of the way, and they leapt to his paws, their own claws already sliding out of their beds. "You chose the wrong victim tonight, you fish-for-brains traitor," they hissed, fury dancing in their eyes. But the killer, although practically frightened out of their pelt by this completely unexpected resistance, was no fool. If the two of them fought, the whole clan- well, what was left of it- would wake for sure, and then it'd be the killer's word against theirs, a dangerous situation indeed to be in. Not to mention that the intended victim hadn't yet realized who they were- if they got out of here now, it would stay that way! In an instant, they whipped around and sprinted at top speed out of their victim's den, a quick, grim smile flashing onto their face when they saw that a cloud had passed over the moon, leaving the clearing in shadow for a moment. If there is a Starclan, it seems they're on my side.

The guard was surprised, too, to see that their attacker had so suddenly retreated. They considered giving chase, but... if they really thought about it, it could all to easily be a tactic to lure them away and kill them. As much as it pained them to do so, the smartest thing to do would be to let the killer go, and to keep watch for their return- or, if they didn't return, then the guard could tell the whole clan who it was, once and for all! And so the intended victim returned to their nest, but kept a sharp eye out.

The only problem with this plan, though? The guard had been up all night last night, as well. And though the guard tried their hardest to stay awake, as the night grew later, they found they couldn't keep their eyes open. And soon, without even realizing it, they had slipped off into a deep sleep.

The killer came back to camp very early that morning, before the sun dawned, extremely wary. They were more than a little furious at their intended victim- so close, so close, and then their victim just ripped themselves away! But at least one good thing had come out of this- now they knew exactly who'd been keeping watch for them. And, already making plans for their next victim, they slipped into their nest and went almost instantly to sleep. (They, too, had been keeping odd hours, after all!)

You got lucky this time, Riverclan! The guard defended themselves from the killer's attack. But don't forget that if you choose the wrong cat, you could bring about your own defeat...

(I added a few cats to the relations that were mentioned in the course of play! So if you see any new cats in 'relations', that's why. :0)

Leader --
↳ Jadestar // she-cat // _Pockii
↳ Twistedblaze // tomcat // derpiness

Deputy --
↳ Blastclaws // tomcat // Tainted~Wings
↳ Firefeather // tomcat // 22tabby
↳ Pumpkinmask // she-cat // moyashi.

Medicine Cats --
↳ Breezefire // she-cat // b r e e z e

Warriors -
↳ Nightwatcher // tomcat // shimmerstream
↳ Sunnybreeze // tomcat // kitty_cat_meow_face

Apprentices --
↳ Cinderpaw // she-cat // honeystorm.wishes
none

Queens --
↳ none

Kits --
↳ none

Elders --
↳ none

----

round info: here
chatzy: here

toms: 03
she-cats: 01
total: 04

----

families + relationships:
-Jadestar + ?
xx↳ Pumpkinmask, Firefeather
-Twistedblaze + Pumpkinmask
xx↳ Sunnybreeze, Cali, Pumpkinkit
-? + ?
xx↳ Nightwatcher, Blastclaws
-Nightwatcher + Graystorm
xx↳ Breezefire, Cinderpaw

[22tabby]

((Ah, FireFeathers exile was really well-written and was very to character! Sorry I wasn’t able to rp much, but my real life cat is close to passing and so lots of care going to him.
Murderer PM me though? Good run so far!))

[moya]

pumpkinmask

The newly appointed deputy shivered in the cold.
She glanced around glumly, wondering if anyone was up. Should she oraganize a patrol..?
Maybe later.
Pumpkinmask couldn't help but feel absolutely terrible. She had voted against her brother... her own innocent brother, sending him probably to his death. And what made her feel worse was that he had pretty much been proved innocent, after the situation with the murderer the night before.
Oh, starclan, what will they do?

[web.]

(Murderer pm me? I'm not in the round)

[flightoftheowl]

(Firstly, you may begin voting. Secondly, I think that I should provide a reason that the clan knows the murderer is still here- inside the warrior's den, the clan can find torn-up dirt, claw marks in the soil, and a lingering fear-scent. [Since you're all one role or another, you should have enough info to deduce that the struggle took place there.] In the clearing, there should be faintly imprinted paw-steps from the killer's retreat, if the paw-prints aren't trampled before they're spotted.)

[twistedm0th]

Twistedblaze shifted and turned in his nest in the warriors' den, unable to find a comfortable position. He had decided to remain in the warriors' den even longer, to comfort the few Clanmates that he had left. He sighed, finally heaving himself to his paws. If he couldn't sleep, he would at least make himself useful.

Spotting Pumpkinmask, he rushed up to greet her. "Hello! I... I hope you're alright." Despite his friendly words, he was still tense. Though he wanted to comfort everybody, he couldn't help but cast suspicion on all of the cats around him. The murderer was still among them.

[Voting Sunnybreeze.]

[moya]

pumpkinmask

Pumpkinmask nodded as her mate arrived at her side. She could tell he was worried. but I trust him completely, she though, twistedblaze would never lay a claw on any of us.. Right? she was to convince herself that though the murderer was among them, she had to trust them.
For now.
((I guess I'll go with Sunnybreeze.
I am very sorry if I am wrong!
I had trouble finding evidence that clearly pointed at one cat.))