We're both a little rusty (ha-) so we're still trying to do our best in getting back into mafia writing, so if chapters take a little longer to come out, that's probably why.

Also note: We have decided to go back to the format of just having the deputy be the accuser, this way we don't have to keep choosing a new one if the accusers keep dying :') 
If you're really confused about the context for this chapter, please see R2 - Scene 6.

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It was an early morning in the SolarClan camp, and the hill that usually would have had cats in many different places doing their different duties was oddly empty, with a large group of cats instead choosing to sit in the center of their camp. Loud chatter could be heard coming from the group as they argued amongst themselves.

"I don't understand, there were a lot of TundraClan cats missing, how could we have been defeated in battle? This is unacceptable!" Dawnshadow growled, as a brown tabby next to her nodded, tilting her head in thought.

"I wonder what happened to them... I admit the battle was a painful defeat, but it is odd for their full force of warriors not to be present to defend their camp. The same thing seemed to have happened to HailClan when we saw them at the gathering, and both clans were without their previous leaders," Pinerunner murmured.

A small white tom between them frowned.

"I hope nothing bad happened..." Peachpaw whispered, before jumping as he noticed Sunnystar growling behind him.

"Is that sympathy for another Clan I hear from you Peachpaw?" the leader asked, hissing in annoyance. "Your mentor is a bad influence on you. SolarClan is strong, and if the other clans are too weak to face us, then that is their problem. Your loyalty is to SolarClan, and no one else!"

Peachpaw shrank in on himself, nodding as he dipped his head.

"Right, I-I'm sorry," he mumbled, as Dawnshadow rolled her eyes beside him.

The ginger tom gave the group one last glare before storming off toward the warriors den, where other warriors were also sitting around and talking. Fury built up in the leader's chest as he realised they were also discussing the TundraClan battle, and he stalked over to Cloudeater, who was quietly listening to his clanmates.

"Cloudeater! I want you to choose some cats for a border patrol, now. There will be no more talk of this battle, these warriors need to make themselves useful," he snapped. The white and black tom stared at Sunnystar in confusion.

"But Sunnystar, we checked the borders yesterday, and the day before. Surely a hunting patrol would be a better choice," he tried, before Sunnystar cut him off.

"I didn't choose you to be deputy to question my every decision," the leader spat, struggling to shake the anger in his chest as he glared at Cloudeater. "Send a patrol to the North Hill border, I don't want to hear about any more TundraClan cats hunting on our territory."

The deputy sighed at Sunnystar's antics, before nodding hesitantly.

"Maplefeather, could you please join the patrol, and tell Adderspark to join and bring Chestnutpaw as well?" the deputy asked the ginger she-cat beside him. "I'll go as well, and I'll find Eclipselight, he hasn't done anything in a while..." the tom muttered to himself, as the cats dispersed to prepare for the patrol.

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Maplefeather padded behind Cloudeater as they headed for the North Hill border, angling her ears back to catch the conversation between Adderspark and Eclipselight.

"They were both missing their leaders as well as quite a few warriors, it is so odd that the same thing could happen in two Clans," Eclipselight was meowing.

"At least it would mean my kit and mate are safe from attacks," Adderspark replied, "though we have to keep an eye on JaggedClan, I don't trust them one bit."

Maplefeather snarled in frustration and whipped around to face them. "Didn't you hear what my father said? No more talk of the other Clans, we should make ourselves useful."

Eclipselight glared at her for a moment, then opened his mouth in a yawn. "Whatever, let's just get this patrol over with, I want to take a nap."

Maplefeather looked at him in shock for a moment, before turning away from him in disgust. "You're all useless... I'm going to hunt instead, before another TundraClan cat wanders onto our territory and steals our prey again," she muttered as she stormed off.

"Maplefeather, come back!" Cloudeater called after her, but she didn't even spare him a glance.

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Maplefeather kept her nose close to the ground as she tracked the hare through the long grass, never losing its trail. Within moments she spotted the long ears bobbing up and down as the hare hopped around looking for food. She crouched low and began to creep up on it, making sure to stay downwind and put her paws down softly.

By the time it noticed her it was too late, she pounced and cut of its shriek of terror quickly, not wanting to make it suffer for longer than needed. Then, she smelled another cat coming up to her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as they came in earshot.

"Hunting, like you," they replied. "Except, I'm hunting something else," they continued, dropping down into a crouch before they finished speaking.

"What-?"

Then, without warning, they jumped at her, claws tearing into her throat before she could move to defend herself or cry out for help. "W-Why?" she asked, struggling to get the words out.

"I can't stand the state of our Clan anymore," they replied, before sprinting away from her and leaving the she-cat to die.

Maplefeather stared at her clanmate with an expression of confusion and betrayal as she bled into the grass, but eventually her eyes glazed over, and she fell limp.

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A small cry was heard as Chestnutpaw ran up the hill looking for Maplefeather. She called the other members of their patrol, and they milled around Maplefeather's body, staring down in shock.

"What could've caused this...?" Adderspark asked.

Cloudeater lowered his head to sniff at the wound, then raised his head. "It's hard to distinguish... but I think I can smell another cat's scent. It doesn't smell like a rogue either, I'm afraid this has been done by one of our own."

Eclipselight looked down at his enemy in sorrow. "I may not have liked her, but she didn't deserve this... At least she managed to provide for her Clan one last time, I'm sure that's what she would've wanted."

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The SolarClan cats all gathered around Maplefeather's body as soon as the other cats on patrol brought her body back to their camp, their heads hung in mourning for the leader's daughter. Dawnshadow was silent, filled with grief as she refused to look at her mate, preparing for the outburst of rage that she knew was coming.

Sunnystar was pacing back and forth, shaking his head.

"I knew it, I knew there were disloyal warriors in our Clan. Showing sympathy for the weaknesses of others? Allowing ourselves to be corrupted by outsiders and kittypets?" he hissed, shooting a hateful look at Romeo before he stopped his pacing and turned to face his clanmates.

"I swear to StarClan, I will find out which one of you killed Maplefeather, and end this Clan's corruption here and now."

Cloudeater walked up to his leader's side, and quietly murmured, "I know you're upset, but maybe I should handle this. Maplefeather deserves justice, and I promise I can figure this out, but we need to be careful who we accuse."

Sunnystar considered his point for a moment, and then gave him a curt nod, falling silent as he allowed his deputy to speak.

Cloudeater paused, allowing himself to think for a while before he made a decision.

"I accuse..."

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Attacked: Maplefeather

Healed: Cypressberry (incorrect)

Accused: Cloudeater, please check PMs and send an accusation.

Note for first time players: Do not vote on this chapter, I will wait for an accusation and then post a voting chapter after.

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