Sorry for the long delay with this chapter, had been struggling to find the motivation to write recently. Also I know we keep doing time skips but we were worried about the ratio of potential mentors to apprentices so Icepaw and Lynxpaw are now warriors and Foxdawn's kits are now apprentices. - Dusk

Rootfrost whisked her tail as she counted the votes. Most of them were guilty, and Fogwhisper looked around anxiously, not even finding support from her sisters, both of them having voted guilty.

"Fogwhisper, you have been voted guilty. Leave the camp now, or face the consequences," the orange deputy, soon to be leader, meowed. "I'm sorry, I can't help you," she added kindly as Fogwhisper passed. "It's okay. I see I'm no longer wanted here," she snapped.

Fogwhisper has been exiled, she was INNOCENT. One killer remains.

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Cedarcloud padded around camp, his head low. Two moons had passed since his mate died, but he'd never fully get over losing her. He sat down next to the warriors den to observe camp.

Rootstar padded out of her den, Snowpetal following. The brown she-cat's eyes had nearly fully healed, and even though the medicine cat had said her eyes would never be what they were, Rootstar had found her the best option for deputy.

"Did you see that?" A high pitched voice drew Cedarcloud's attention towards the entrance of the camp. A patrol was entering, led by Darkwind. His apprentice Breezepaw followed him, accompanied by her brother Flypaw. The she-cat was the one who had spoken, and Darkwind nodded. "It was a good pounce, too bad you landed just a bit short," the black tom meowed.

Flypaw bounced up to his mentor, Rootstar. "Darkwind said I did really well during training, right Darkwind?" He asked, to which Darkwind nodded amusedly. The tom dismissed his apprentice and trotted towards the prey pile, only to lose his balance and tumble straight into it. Cedarcloud had to do his best not to purr, watching Darkwind get up, acting like nothing happened. Everyone in the Clan had gotten used to his clumsiness, but it was still fun to see the antics that happened whenever he was around.

Continuing his observation of camp, Cedarcloud's eyes were drawn to the nursery as the Clan's newest warriors pushed out, after, he assumed, checking in on their mother's newest litter. "They're so cute," Icewatcher purred, watching his brother roll his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, at least we became warriors in time to be able to protect them," Lynxstorm replied.

"Do you think Fogwhisper was guilty?" Cedarcloud looked up as he saw Foxdawn and Icewatcher sit down next to him. The tortoiseshell she-cat had gone back to her warrior duties after her kits became apprentices, and had quickly proved that her hunting skills were still as good as before her kitting.

"I don't know to be honest, nothing bad has happened for the past two moons," Cedarcloud answered the tom. "But that doesn't mean we're safe," he continued. "Oh come on, cheer up," Foxdawn teased him, glancing up as she saw two cats pass.

"I can't believe Rootstar made her deputy," Shiverhawk was grumbling. "She's not even close to being good enough, almost any other warrior would've done a far better job, especially someone like me" she continued, glancing at Owlstride. The tom nodded, a disappointed look on his face. "I thought Rootstar was going to choose me when she glanced at me for a long moment during the ceremony," he replied.

"Ha, as if she'd ever choose you, you're nowhere near good enough," the white-and-grey she-cat declared with a mean glance at Owlstride, to which the tom rolled his eyes and parted ways with her.

Icewatcher blinked rapidly next to Cedarcloud. "Alrrright then," he meowed. "That was interesting. Who knew Owlstride wanted to be deputy that badly?" As Cedarcloud was about to reply, an out of breath Thistlehaze raced up to him. "Gustpaw ran off," he wheezed. "I'm sorry, I tried to stop him but he got upset with me, I must've said something wrong."

Cedarcloud got up instantly. "It's hasn't been that long since his mother died and mentor got exiled, he's young, I can't blame him for his emotions. I'll find him, don't worry Thistlehaze," he meowed, trotting towards the camp entrance.

—-----------------------------------

An anxious Cedarcloud padded swiftly through the forest, desperately trying to find trace of Gustpaw's scent as he walked, occasionally calling out for the young tom as he searched through the trees.

'StarClan, how could he be so reckless? I already lost his mother, I can't lose my son too... I'll be glad when we know we're safe again, this family has been through so much these past few moons.'

Within the trees, the black and white tom spotted a flash of movement, and Cedarcloud frowned, pausing as he meowed, "Gustpaw, is that you? Thistlehaze told me what happened, I just want to help," he murmured, stepping forward to try and peer between the leaves.

The cat stayed quiet, before appearing from behind the greenery, slowly making their way down the tree as their paws met firm ground, stalking up to him with their eyes narrowed.

"Cedarcloud... How strange to see you, of all cats breaking the rules, imagine what your Clan would say..." the cat murmured, a strange glint in their eyes as Cedarcloud swallowed, unnerved by the cat's tone.

"I could say the same about you. And I'm not breaking the rules of going out alone if I'm looking for my son, I'm a senior warrior, not an apprentice. Thistlehaze said that Gustpaw ran off during training, have you seen him anywhere?"

The cat nodded.

"Perhaps, I did see someone by the frozen river earlier, it is strange that cats always seem to run to that river for refuge," they meowed. Cedarcloud nodded turning his back, as he began to walk away, feeling the cats eyes on him as he turned around.

They grinned, taking advantage of his position and unsheathing their claws, leaping on him from behind as they forced him to the ground, claws tearing at his sides as they pushed down with all their strength.

"What is the meaning of this? We're clanmates for StarClan's sake," he began, before he paused in realisation. "Wait, you're the-" Cedarcloud started, struggling beneath them as he tried to pick himself up, his back pinned down.

The attacker cut him off.

"Come now, Cedarcloud, don't struggle so much. You know, I always saw such potential in your ambition, you and I are not so different. You worked your way up through the Clan, impressed Glacierstar with your skills, don't tell me you didn't think about what you could do with that influence," they growled, slashing their claws against the side of the tom's neck as he groaned, trying to push up again.

"I would never, I'm nothing like you," he spat. "Sometimes, there are more important things than power, like family, and loyalty, nothing a murderer like you would ever understand." With his anger growing, he forced the cat off of him, snarling as he unsheathed his own claws, swiping at the killer's shoulders as he flung himself against them, scratching wildly.

"How disappointing," they growled, ducking under his paw and slashing down on his head, "Such wasted potential." Cedarcloud ignored their taunts, his worry for Gustpaw a distraction in the back of his mind. He landed another strike on their leg, desperate to end their assault, but the cat quickly darted out of sight again, leaping at him from the side as they sunk their teeth into his fur.

Detecting a scent close behind them, the cat hissed, checking their surroundings for something and backing off slightly as Cedarcloud stared at them in confusion, before they raced forward with all their strength, the black and white tom stumbling backwards against a sharp rock in the grass as he tried to resist, before the cats claws raked down his head, pushing against him one more time as the tom fell and hit his head. His world went black as blood dripped down the stone, the killer racing away from his limp body.

Moments later, the shivering form of Gustpaw emerged, his eyes miserable until they widened in shock at the sight of his father lying unconscious on the floor.

"Oh StarClan... N-Not you too, father. Right, I need the medicine c-cat," he stammered, racing toward the Clan's entrance as panic filled his chest.

'Please hold on...'

[yes I know what a conveniently placed rock, I couldn't think of anything else lol-]

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Gustpaw and Sleetpaw stared as the medicine cat worked, observing their father with wide, fearful eyes. At last, the cat finished, turning to address the anxious siblings.

"I think he should be fine, you found him early, so the bleeding wasn't too severe. All we can do now is wait for him to wake up," they meowed, as the two sighed in relief, Gustpaw burying his face in his sister's fur.

"This is all my fault, he must've been looking for me," Gustpaw whispered quietly, Sleetpaw shaking her head, giving him a comforting lick.

"Gustpaw, you were just upset, it isn't your fault, and you managed to get the medicine cat to him just in time. Don't worry, at least he's alright now," she murmured.

—-----------------------------------

While Cedarcloud was healing in the medicine den, Rootstar had gathered the Clan, meows of worry and frustration among them.

"Does this mean Fogwhisper wasn't the killer after all?" "Is Cedarcloud going to live?"

Rootstar swallowed, shaking her head.

"I do not know if Fogwhisper was indeed the killer, for all we know she could've had assistance. Cedarcloud has been healed by our medicine cat, but remains unconscious as of now. What is clear is that there is still a murderer within our camp, and therefore another vote must take place," she announced.

As discussion began to break out, a voice called out from within the crowd.

"I accuse...!"

—-----------------------------------

Attacked: Cedarcloud

Healed: Cedarcloud (correct!)

Accused: ...? (Accuser, check PMs)

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