Chapter Eighteen - Clan Guard Competition

That sun-up break, everyone was still visibly distraught by the news of Mousestripe and gossiping about it like starlings.

The most popular theory was that of him being ambushed in the middle of the night when going to the dirt place. However, Daisypaw soon found out the real cause after talking with Leopardpaw.

"What's wrong?" Hazelpaw asked when her friend came storming up to her furiously.

"Poppy seeds. Overdose. "The cream she cat snapped. "According to Leopardpaw, Mintpelt gave some to Mousestripe ages ago to help him sleep."

"Okay. So what's wrong?"

Daisypaw paced angrily around Hazelpaw, tail flicking. "Would you believe it? Some cat's alerted the Clan Guard! They're going to come here and investigate!"

Hazelpaw blinked in surprise. "Really! Do you know who could have alerted the Guard?" She asked.

"Not a clue! Leopardpaw doesn't even know." Replied Daisypaw still furious. She twitched an ear. "All I know is that it must have been early this sun-up, right after Ashstar's announcement."

The cream she cat let out a frustrated growl.

"They won't even interview us. Only the warriors because they don't think we're important!"

"But we aren't important."

Daisypaw abruptly stopped pacing, narrowed her eyes and fixed Hazelpaw with an icy blue glare. "I am important!" She said. "I'm the only one who's been investigating this murder from the start - apart from you too, Hazelpaw. Sorry. Well they'll see! This is our clan and no one has any right to go about killing warriors off in it!"

Hazelpaw was unconvinced.

"But what if the Clan Guard solve the murders before we do?"

"They won't." Said Daisypaw. "They don't even know that they're murders, or that there have been two of them! The Guard just think they're investigating a suicide, but we know that Whistlesong and Mousestripe were murdered and who the suspects are. Which means we're still the only two cats who can solve the crimes."

Hazelpaw had to admit, Daisypaw's logic made sense. And under the circumstances, the Detective Society never seemed so important.

…

Later that night, the two detectives held a whispered Detective Society meeting on their nests after their den mates had gone to sleep.

"I declare this meeting of the Flower and Leaf Detective Society to order in light of recent events of the Case of the Murder of Whistlesong." Began Daisypaw in a hushed voice.

"All right. Hazelpaw what new facts do we know?" Asked the cream she cat.

"One: Mousestripe was murdered by a large dose of poppy seeds, therefore the killer must be someone who knows he took poppy seeds to help him sleep. Mothfur fits that perfectly and possibly Rabbithop. Less so The Flame because they didn't know each other as well.

Two: Mousestripe must have been murdered by his accomplice because he was going to tell the Clan Guard about the crime. Do all three have a motive to work with Mousestripe? Mothfur is an easy yes. She could have combined forces with Mousestripe to knock out the holder of the deputy position. Then she'd be doubly eager to get rid of Mousestripe afterwards."

"Right," agreed Daisypaw with a twitch of her whiskers. "And Rabbithop and The Flame - you said it Hazelpaw. They could have killed Whistlesong because she found out their secret and then dragged in Mousestripe to frame him."

This time Hazelpaw nodded.

"And, you know," the grey she cat began, laying her tail on her friend's shoulder, "even though you were wrong about Mousestripe killing Whistlesong on her own, I think you were right about how the murderer - or murderers - did it and when they did it."

If Daisypaw can admit I had been right about somethings, then I can do the same for her.

"We only have to work out who was behind it!"

Daisypaw purred, blue eyes glowing in the darkness. "Absolutely correct. Let the Clan Guard do their worst!" The she cat whisper shouted. "We have the most wonderful head start. Tomorrow we follow our suspects and learn the truth, and I absolutely promise not to jump to any conclusions unless you agree with me."

Hazelpaw gently head butted her friend in acknowledgement, purring, before retiring to her nest. Her thoughts ran with elation at their progress.

We have narrowed our suspects to three cats and have a huge head start on the Clan Guard. If we haven't caught the murderer in the next few sun-ups, then we're hardly detectives at all.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter everyone. Yeet! We are getting close! The only questions remain; who dun it? (obvs) how are the detectives gonna find out, and will they catch the murderer before the guard? Tune in Mon/Sun to find out. Also from Mon, the story is only going to be updated weekly cuz the chapters get quite long. :.) Thanks everyone for reading and until next time!

-Fastbreeze37

Russetmoth – I'm glad you think robin's accent is fun! I can confirm that, yes, there will indeed be a sequel. (yay!) However I can neither confirm nor deny whether Hazelpaw survives though. (Let's just say the odds are in her favour, lol).