NOTE: I know that we started this mafia back in December, and it has probably been in progress for long enough. Therefore, depending on the results of Voting 7, if there has to be an 8th vote then that voting chapter will be a decider. However, don't worry about that for now, if we get there I will explain the rules.

Rootstar watched as the Clan finished casting their votes, Snowpetal quickly telling her the outcome.

"Foxdawn has been voted innocent, she will remain in TundraClan," she meowed, glancing around as her Clanmates nodded in agreement, having heard the majority of the votes to be innocent.

"Great... another innocent vote, that's really going to help us find the killer..." Deershade complained, Lynxstorm nodding in agreement.

"Silence! I'm tired of these votes being questioned every single time. Nearly the entire Clan voted innocent, and therefore the vote is final. Foxdawn stays," Rootstar growled, beginning to lose her temper.

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Rootstar paced the clearing, a low growl rumbling in her throat. She glanced up as the brambles to the apprentices den trembled, only to sigh as it was Breezepaw that walked out. The she-cat had her head lowered, and her tail was trailing across the ground, Darkwind's death obviously still weighing on her mind.

The young apprentice lifted her gaze as Rootstar padded up to her. "Is your brother still in there?" the leader asked, nodding towards the den behind the orange she-cat.

Breezepaw shook her head, "No, his nest was cold, I thought he left for the dawn patrol," she replied, glancing around camp quickly.

"He wasn't. I asked Snowpetal to leave the morning open so we could go out for training, but now he's vanished," Rootstar grumbled.

"Rootstar! Cedarcloud has finally woken up!" the medicine cat came rushing up to them. Rootstar dipped her head to Breezepaw, then followed the healer.

On the way there they passed by the elders den, Rootstar stopping for a quick glance inside to see if Flypaw was taking care of Dawngaze. She instead saw her father curled up in his nest, Fernpaw pressed close next to him.

The old tom opened his eyes, blinking a few times before glancing to his side. He looked up at Rootstar, and the she-cat realised she was blocking the light from the entrance, which was probably how the tom had woken up. He blinked at her gently, then curled his tail around his granddaughter and laid his head back down on his paws.

'Oh Silverfeather, I wish you could see this. We miss you so desperately,' she thought, turning back to the medicine cat with her tail swishing behind her.

The black tom was crouching in his nest, his eyes darting from side to side. As soon as Rootstar entered the den, he glared at her, his tail flicking. Then, his eyes cleared and he let out a long breath, turning into a cough.

"W-what happened?" he rasped, glancing around the den again.

"That's what I'd like to ask you," Rootstar started gently, "do you remember anything?"

"The only thing I remember is being haunted by a feminine voice in my dreams... Maybe it was from a memory... I can't remember anything that happened before that," Cedarcloud replied, his fur gradually settling. He groaned as he tried to stand, shifting onto his side instead as he noticed a throbbing pain in his head.

"Shh, don't hurt yourself," the medicine cat whispered, rushing to his side. They turned to Rootstar. "You heard him, a feminine voice. Perhaps this could be another trait of our killer. Send one of the toms over here to tell him what happened, I have to check up in the nursery too."

The orange she-cat nodded, then dipped her head to Cedarcloud. "Thank you," she meowed, then turned and left the den.

She glanced around camp, spotting Owlstride and Foxdawn sitting side-by-side near the warriors den. Rootstar trotted up to them, the mates looking at her curiously.

"Cedarcloud has awoken, but he needs someone to tell him everything that happened before and after he was attacked, to see if he can recover his memory," she told them as she reached them.

"I'll go," Owlstride offered, getting to his paws. Rootstar held him back with her tail as he turned to go to the medicine den.

"Has one of you seen Flypaw this morning? I can't find him anywhere in camp and we were supposed to go training today," she meowed, once more sending a quick look through camp. She saw Icewatcher and Breezepaw talking near the camp entrance. The young white tom looked up to meet Rootstar's gaze, then turned back to his apprentice.

"No... I don't think I've seen him since last night," Foxdawn whispered, a look of worry in her eyes.

"Neither have I," her mate added, beginning to stride up and down, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

"Owlstride, see if you can help Cedarcloud." Rootstar ordered, turning to the calico she-cat next to him. "Foxdawn, please stay in camp. I know," she added as Foxdawn began to protest, "that you want to go look for Flypaw on your own, and you're one of our best trackers, and that's exactly why I can't allow you to go. We can't lose you, Breezepaw can't lose you. Someone needs to be here and on the lookout, able to send someone for me if he gets home safely."

"Send someone for you?" Foxdawn asked softly, her eyes glittering in worry.

"Yes. It would seem we have a wayward apprentice while there's a killer on the loose. I have nine lives, I'll be fine. We can't lose any more of our warriors," the leader replied, a glint of determination in her eyes.

As she left the two mates to their tasks, she saw Breezepaw padding up to her. "Rootstar... Can I come with you to find Flypaw?" the young she-cat asked, the same worried glitter in her eyes as her mother.

"Have you asked Icewatcher about it?" Rootstar meowed gently, to which the apprentice nodded.

"He said it was okay as long as I listened to everything you told me, and I promise I will!" she meowed sincerely.

Rootstar nodded, then let out a soft sigh. 'Where have you gone Flypaw? What possessed you to run off like that?'

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Oblivious to his mentor's worry, Flypaw was padding through the woods, excited to put his new hunting skills to use.

'I'll bring back the best prey in the Clan, Rootstar will be so proud of me when I get back!' the young tom thought, lifting his nose to try and find the nearest prey scent. As he paused, he heard the flapping of a bird's wings in the distance, and spotted a flash of red and brown in a nearby tree.

'A robin...'

Remembering what Rootstar taught him, the apprentice leant down further into the grass, making sure that the prey couldn't scent him. He slowly moved toward the bird as it sat on a low tree branch, oblivious to the tom below it. Excitement filled his chest as he prepared to leap upwards, until suddenly a cat stepped on a leaf behind him, and the bird flew away in a panic.

Disappointed, the tom turned around, frowning.

"Hey... you scared away my prey," Flypaw mumbled, looking at the cat with a miserable gaze. They scoffed, shaking their head.

"Honestly, you wouldn't have caught it anyway, your stance was all wrong. It's a miracle it didn't fly away sooner," they meowed, as Flypaw's expression became forlorn.

"Oh don't be so pathetic, I can teach you how to hunt properly, unlike that mentor of yours," they continued.

"But Rootstar is the leader-"

"Enough, do you want my help or not?" they spat, as Flypaw nodded anxiously in reply.

"Good. Now, follow my lead. You weren't leaning down enough, you need to move the weight from your legs to the weight of your body, otherwise you're not going to catch anything," they began, the young tom nodding attentively.

Copying the cat's stance, Flypaw leant down into the grass again, trying to move his legs until they were in the right position, looking forward.

"Like this?" he asked.

The cat smirked.

"Perfect."

Flypaw looked around from his low stance in confusion when he realised he'd lost sight of the cat, before shrieking in pain as he felt a cat's weight slam into his back, crying out  as his legs buckled and he fell onto his stomach. He struggled to move without success as the cat raked their claws across his back, moving toward his neck.

"P-Please, please, I haven't done anything wrong," Flypaw sobbed, terror in his eyes as he continued to struggle helplessly.

The cat sighed, refusing to move from their position of pinning him to the ground.

"It pains me to remove such young potential from the world, but I should've done this from the beginning. Don't worry, I'm just freeing your father of an unnecessary burden," they replied, looking down on him coldly. Then, without any further hesitation, they swiped their claws across his neck in a quick motion, and Flypaw's eyes glazed over, his body falling limp.

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Rootstar and Breezepaw walked side by side, padding through the trees as the ginger she-cat attempted to soothe the worried apprentice.

"I'm sure it'll be alright, your brother is becoming a skilled young cat. We'll find him soon," she began, before slowly trailing off at the sight she spotted in the distance.

"Right... Wait, what's wrong?" Breezepaw questioned, pausing as she followed Rootstar's line of sight. The she-cat froze, a pained wail escaping her throat.

"Flypaw!"

The ginger apprentice ran forward with her cry, collapsing beside her sibling as Rootstar checked for any signs of life. She swallowed when she found nothing, leaning down to comfort Breezepaw.

"I'm so sorry..." the leader whispered. "I know this is hard, but I'm going to need your help carrying him back to camp. We can't just leave him here."

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The Clan was silent as they gathered around the small, limp body of Flypaw, horror across their faces as they witnessed the sight of him. At the front of the crowd, Owlstride was trying to comfort the two wailing she-cats beside him, his eyes closed as grief filled his chest. Even Shiverhawk was unusually quiet, and was for once showing her mate some comforting affection.

"He was barely older than a kit," Dawngaze whispered, shaking his head. "This is just... I-"

Rootstar moved to his side, giving her father a comforting lick on his ear before turning to face her Clan.

"We cannot let this despicable act go unpunished. We now know that this killer will stop at nothing to attack us all, both the oldest and the youngest in our Clan," she announced, as Everest flinched at her words, pulling her kits closer.

"We know the killer has some black fur, and Cedarcloud has informed me that his attacker may have been a she-cat," the leader added.

A cat nodded thoughtfully in the crowd.

"I accuse...!"

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second clue revealed - the killer is a she-cat
last chapter's clue - the killer has black tufts

Attacked: Flypaw

Healed: Fernpaw (incorrect)

Accused: ...? Accuser, check PMs

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