The last rays of sunlight poke through the trees, as a cool breeze, symbolising the end of the day blows through the camp. It ruffles my fur, sending a chill down my spine. The moon is almost already visible—its thin, white presence barely able to light up the world without the sun's help.
I take in a deep breath and let it out. The end of the day is such a peaceful time. The sky lights up with the colours of a thousand fires, giving us a show, before fading to let our warrior ancestors watch over us during the night. Warriors and their apprentices often walk back into camp, their mouths filled with prey, and their eyes sparkling with pride, after they've perfected a move, or earned a rare compliment, no doubt.
With a lazy flick of my ear, I watch as my own apprentice bounces into camp. Even though her peers have returned with new knowledge and skills, she doesn't see the moss under her chin as a punishment or burden—she sees it as another challenge. I've always admired that about her, and I know she'll make a fine warrior, one day. We lock gazes, and I flash her a smile. Her body straightens and her chest puffs out with pride as she sends one back.
She comes over to me.
"That looks like it will make a wonderfully soft nest," I remark.
With the moss bundled under her chin, it's difficult for her to reply, but that doesn't stop her. "Sootpaw gave me some feathers from the sparrow he caught," she smiles, while making sure that she won't drop a single strand. "I'm going to weave them into Dapplewing and Sandpelt's nests—do you think they'll like that?"
"I think they'll love that."
Her green eyes shine with delight, and she bounds over to the elder's den, where two very respected she-cats lay waiting with a story. My gaze follows her until her almost-white pelt disappears through the ferns.
"Cinderstar certainly knew what she was doing when she apprenticed Dewpaw to you," a voice chimes.
I turn my head back around to see my brother. His blue eyes are the first thing I notice—the subject of many petty arguments we had as kits, when I wished my yellow ones were as magnificent as his.
"I remember the old Smokefur who almost fainted when he heard that he would be mentoring an apprentice," he continues to laugh. "She's really brought out the best in you."
I, too, chuckle at the memory of Dewpaw's apprentice ceremony. I remember that I sat alone at the very back of the group, watching and cheering politely as Spiderfrost—a tom who is now a close friend of mine— touched noses with Sootpaw. As Cinderstar continued with the ceremony, I remember hoping that she would call out Stormfrost's name—my brother had voiced his desires for an apprentice the morning before— but suddenly, my own name escaped from her lips. I had frozen as the eyes of every cat stared at me, expectantly—their judgemental stares piercing through my skin. I remember my heart racing, and the awful feeling of not being able to swallow in enough air as my breathing quickened and my lungs tightened. I could almost feel the colour draining from my dark fur, and the only thought racing through my mind was "run".
Before I had a chance, Stormfrost had pushed through the crowd and pulled me up onto my feet. He walked with me, whispering words of reassurance.
"I don't think I'm ready," I had whispered back. "I think she's made a mistake!"
It was too late for him to answer, as I had reached my destination. I stepped up to Dewpaw, as Cinderstar continued with her spiel, and the image that still comforts me to this day, was the innocent smile Dewpaw sent me. There was no judgment, no scorn or dismissal in her eyes, and I knew, from that moment on, that I was wrong: Cinderstar didn't make mistakes.
As the memory fades, I nod my head. "She has brought out the best in me."
We both sit down, and give each other updates on our lives since our last scheduled conversation, a quarter-moon ago. He tells me all about his kits, Greykit and Honeykit— Honeykit had opened her eyes two sunrises ago, and has already gotten into more trouble than her brother. In return, I give him details on my lessons with Dewpaw.
We talk until the orange in the sky fades to black and the stars struggle to shine light on us, without the assistance of the thin claw-moon. I feel a sense of calmness wash over me. Sure, dusk is peaceful, but nothing can beat the serenity that night brings with it. I am almost lulled to sleep by the sound of Stormfrost's voice, but something catches my eye, and I know that the serenity is not going to last.
Firestep, a young warrior, darts around the camp, looking so nervous that a mouse could walk past and he would jump in fright. He sneaks into the apprentice den, disappearing for a few minutes. My sense of curiosity tingles with delight. When he comes back out, he looks even more anxious.
"Has anyone seen Fawnpaw?" he cries.
A few warriors stop what they're doing to give him the same answer: no.
I send a curious, yet nervous glance to my brother. Understanding my facial cue, he calls Firestep over.
"What's wrong?" he asks.
The ginger tabby almost breaks down into tears. "It's Fawnpaw—I haven't seen her since last night."
My overly-analytical mind goes straight into overdrive.
"She could just be with someone else," Stormfrost reassures him gently.
"I've asked!" he blubbers. "Owlpaw, Dewpaw and Sootpaw say haven't seen her, she's not with any other mentor— and even if she was, I would have seen her or spoken to her. I'm worried, Stormfrost; I think she's gone missing!"
"Missing?"
Cinderstar's voice rings over the sound of cats beginning to whisper among their friends. The grey tabby leader walks with an air of authority and haste. She comes over to us.
"When was the last time you saw her?" she demands.
"Last night."
Firestep bursts into a fit of sobs, as Cinderstar narrows her eyes. Without another word, she summons a Clan meeting, right on the spot. I feel my pelt go hot as cats circle the four of us. Stormfrost rests his tail on my back to calm me down, and I send him a thankful smile.
"WillowClan!" Cinderstar meows. "One of our Clanmates has gone missing! I want three search patrols looking around each of our borders! I will lead one, Cherryheart will lead the second one, and Firestep will lead the third. Sort yourselves!"
Each warrior and their apprentice move to an area. Stormfrost and I stay with Firestep and we are joined by Dewpaw and Hazelfur—Fawnpaw's mother. Only Browntail—our medicine cat—and Maplegaze—Stormfrost's mate— stay behind.
"Where was the last place you saw her?" Cinderstar asks Firestep, once each group has sorted themselves out.
The tom takes a moment to think. "Apart from camp... we had a hunting lesson near the stream."
"You can look there," she orders. "Cherryheart—you look near the BirchClan border, and we'll look near CedarClan's border."
Everyone runs out of camp, in a large, odd stampede. Our group follows Firestep to the stream, and we call Fawnpaw's name as we go. I cannot help but hear the fear in Hazelfur's voice, and my heart aches for her. I know that if Stormfrost or I went missing, at such as young age, it would have broken our mother's heart.
We reach the stream and fan out. The atmosphere is tense—even the water itself isn't making its usual trickling noise, almost as if it doesn't want us to miss out on hearing Fawnpaw's voice when she will call out to us: "I'm over here!"
I catch a whiff of the apprentice's scent, but it is stale—at least a day old. I'm beginning to lose hope; I can't imagine how Firestep or Hazelfur are feeling. I glance up, and notice Dewpaw. How would I feel if Dewpaw was missing? With new motivation, I put my nose to the ground and look for any sign of the missing apprentice.
After finding nothing, we agree to move further downstream, closer to the BirchClan border. From this area, I can smell Cherryheart's patrol. I catch the glance of Spiderfrost, who looks desperate. Either desperate to find Fawnpaw, or desperate for his warm nest—I don't know which. Their group moves away from us, which I'm glad for, since I keep getting distracted by Spiderfrost.
Everything goes silent. I use the moment of serenity to calm my nerves down. My mind is racing with the worst possible scenarios—maybe she's been taken hostage? Could rogues have taken her? What if she's unconscious and is being kept in BirchClan or CedarClan? What if—?
An ear-piercing scream echoes through our entire territory. My heart stops for a second, as the feminine shriek knocks me out of my anxious thoughts and back into reality.
Without any hesitation, I dash through the forest, following the sounds of other cats with the same idea. I arrive at the scene to see Goldensong in hysterics. Cats are huddled around a thorn bush. Some let out wails of anguish, while others stand away from the crowd, unable to look.
With a gulp, I summon every scrap of courage I have and push through the crowd. What I see will haunt my nightmares forever.
Fawnpaw's body lays motionless in a pool of her own blood. She's covered in scratches, but the most prominent one is the slash down her throat. Blood drips from the wound, staining her once-light brown fur a deep, horrific crimson. One of her vibrant, brown eyes has been ripped out of the socket, while the other is wide open, filled with fear.
As my breathing quickens, I tumble backwards. Shapes become blurs, as my head spins. The screams and cries become mere noise, and I almost want to scream, myself.
What could have happened? My mind runs, but in no logical direction. The only rational thought I can conjure up, is one of realisation.
Fawnpaw hadn't gone missing.
Fawnpaw had been murdered!
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A/N: This is a short series I'd like to write, when I'm procrastinating on Prove Them Wrong. I love a good murder mystery, so I thought that I would try to write one. I don't imagine that this story will be very long—maybe 10 chapters at most, but I hope you all enjoy it.
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Allegiances
WillowClan
Leader:
Cinderstar: a grey tabby she-cat with white tips
.
Deputy:
Cherryheart: a russet coloured she-cat
.
Medicine Cat:
Browntail: a dark brown tom
.
Warriors:
Frogstep: a mottled grey tom
Apprentice: Owlpaw
Lilyfang: a pale brown she-cat
Stormfrost: a blue-grey and white tom with blue eyes
Smokefur: a grey tom with large yellow eyes
Apprentice: Dewpaw
Snowshade: a white she-cat with grey paws
Hazelfur: a brown she-cat with white tips
Spiderfrost: a patchy black and white tom with vitiligo
Apprentice: Sootpaw
Barkfoot: a brown tabby tom
Darkheart: a black tom with piercing yellow eyes
Goldensong: a sandy coloured she-cat
Firestep: a ginger tabby tom with brown eyes
.
Apprentices:
Sootpaw: a dark grey tom
Dewpaw: a light grey, almost white, she-cat
Owlpaw: a light brown tabby she-cat
.
Queens:
Maplegaze: a golden brown she-cat with brown eyes
Kits: Greykit, Honeykit
Mate: Stormfrost
.
Kits:
Greykit: a grey tom
Honeykit: a pale golden brown she-cat
.
Elders:
Dapplewing: a tortoiseshell she-cat
Sandfang: a sandy coloured she-cat
.
BirchClan
Leader:
Lionstar: a golden tabby tom
.
Deputy:
Rainfeather: a blue-grey she-cat
Apprentice: Mistpaw
.
Medicine Cat:
Minnowtail: a silver tabby she-cat
Apprentice: Turtlepaw
.
Warriors:
Lightningfur: a black and silver tabby tom
Seedclaw: a brown and white tom
Iceleaf: a white she-cat with green eyes
Tigerfoot: a ginger tabby tom
Sunfall: a golden she-cat
Apprentice: Oakpaw
Shelldust: a pale grey she-cat with white flecks
Brackenclaw: a brown tabby tom
Apprentice: Stonepaw
Aspenwhisker: a red-brown tabby she-cat
.
Apprentices:
Turtlepaw: a tortoiseshell and white she-cat
Oakpaw: a brown tom
Mistpaw: a grey she-cat with a white stomach
Stonepaw: a grey and white tom
.
Queens:
Splashpelt: a silver she-cat
Kits: Silverkit, Flamekit, Stormkit
Mate: Tigerfoot
.
Kits:
Silverkit: a silver and white she-cat with green eyes
Flamekit: a ginger tom
Stormkit: a silver tabby tom
.
Elders:
Dustpath: a dark brown tom
.
CedarClan
Leader:
Wrenstar: a brown patched she-cat
.
Deputy:
Crowstep: a black tom
.
Medicine Cat:
Ashcloud: a dark grey tom
.
Warriors:
Roseclaw: a red she-cat
Violetfur: a pale blue-grey she-cat
Apprentice: Mintpaw
Thistlefang: a brown tom
Whitehawk: a white tom with brown tabby stripes
.
Apprentices
Mintpaw: a dark brown she-cat with green eyes
.
Have a good day!
~Kat