Chapter Twenty One - A Shocking Find
The three she cats raced towards the noise - Hazelpaw realising it came from the prey store den. Beanpaw hung back, shaking her head in fear, and the grey she cat realised that with Daisypaw gone, she'd have to be the one giving the orders.
"Come on, we'll be okay Beans," said Hazelpaw to the black she cat, trying to be encouraging. She forced her own fur to lie flat. "We have to see what it is."
They went into the prey store den, and Hazelpaw was met with a terrified looking Beeflight, staring stock still and opened mouthed at another small den attached to the side of the wall. It was slightly open and what looked like prey remains spilled out - and two large snakes.
The grey she cat gasped and took a step back.
One snake was wriggling violently around while the other lay limp and didn't look particularly healthy, but Hazelpaw knew you couldn't be too careful around the venomous reptiles. The grey she cat noticed red stains on their fangs which only made them look more menacing.
What in Silver Pelt….? What's wrong with them?
"Oh what's wrong? Why is it wriggling like that?" Whispered Beanpaw, echoing Hazelpaw's thoughts.
Lilypaw wrinkled her pink nose, "Is that prey remains in there? Urgh, it smells like crowfood!"
Just then, Mintpelt burst into the den, pelt bristling with alarm. "What's going on? Is someone hurt?" The black and white medicine cat's eyes widened at the sight of the snakes near a terrified Beeflight.
"Beeflight! What's happened? Did a snake get you?" Mintpelt asked urgently, checking the yellow she cat over. "Apprentices, stay right back. Oh, I knew I should have talked to Sparrowfeather about this! It's not safe in this nest with snakes about - and even less safe to be trying to bait them!" The black and white she cat's tail flicked to and fro as she fluttered nervously around checking everyone for bites.
"I..I'm..I'm okay Mintpelt. Please don't worry. I didn't get bitten, I just...I just got a fright." Beeflight spoke up at last, voice quivering.
"What happened?" Asked Hazelpaw.
"It's…." The yellow warrior took a deep breath. "I was going to go hunting, but first I wanted to check the meal den for any more snakes. I saw a small tail peeking out and decided to open up that den. I got a fright and jumped when those two snakes fell out, but the biggest fright was from seeing those prey remains in there - that's when I shrieked."
Hazlepaw narrowed her eyes and took a closer look at the prey remains. They were mostly bone now - the grey she cat shuddered at what looked like the skull of a small animal - but small bits of flesh still remained and Hazelpaw noticed a red shade across some parts.
Looking back at the snakes, Hazelpaw noticed the first one was now completely still, beady eyes glazed over. The other one gave one last wiggle and twitch, before also lying limp - dead. Their red stained fangs gleamed in the weak sunlight - not prey blood like Hazelpaw originally thought.
No….No it can't be…
"The reason I got such a fright, was because I didn't put any baited prey in there." Continued Beeflight, confirming Hazelpaw's thoughts. "I was thinking about doing more but decided against it when I released my deathberry stash in the stair den had run out. I...I was also thinking more about the strange and horrible incident last sun-up and maybe Rosethorn's wild claims are getting to me or something...I don't know."
Beeflight sighed, a sheepish smile appearing on her face. "I probably just forgot I had put another baited prey in there. Sorry about all the fuss."
Hazelpaw gave her a weak grin - her thoughts racing.
I'm sure Beeflight can't remember doing it because she never put the baited prey in there in the first place. The prey remains are really Spiderstreak's shrewremains!
They must have been put there at some point by the murderer, when Beeflight was out, in an effort to hide the evidence. It almost worked too - by dusk it would have been an unrecognisable pile of bones.
Mintpelt, who had completely froze at the sight of the deathberry stained prey remains (is she having flashbacks to her conversation with Falconflight? Does she realise there's more going on here? Wondered Hazelpaw), blinked before giving the yellow warrior a comforting lick between the ears.
"It doesn't matter now," she said, her usual jolliness creeping back into her voice. "The snakes are now disposed of and no one is hurt. I'm just off outside now to look for herbs, would you like to come with me and do your hunting?"
Beeflight let out a purr, her previous fright forgotten. "And protect you from randomly yowling rogues?" She teased, amber eyes gleaming. "Sure!"
Just then, Hazelpaw heard the sounds of heavy paw steps, and Sparrowfeather padded into the den. "What's this, what's all going on?"
Beanpaw flinched and stepped back into Lilypaw. Hazelpaw felt a low growl rumble in her throat. Thankfully no one noticed.
I can't help feeling angry with the brown tom. If he really is the murderer, all his jolly goodness suddenly seems like a lie.
"Is everything alright?"
"Just some more snakes, Sparrowfeather." Explained Beeflight. "Sorry about the yowl, I got a fright. They're disposed of now."
"Very good, well, just try not to scare me out of my fur again, okay?" Said Sparrowfeather with a slight chuckle. "Or else I will have no more fur left!"
"I'll try." Promised Beeflight with a dip of her head.
The brown tom withdrew and the three apprentices let out a collective breath.
Beeflight turned back to the young she cats. "Hey, where's Daisypaw? It's not like her to miss a bit of excitement."
"Um, she's not feeling well," Hazelpaw said awkwardly. "I'll go….go and see her."
The grey she cat exited the den and headed up the stairs knowing Lilypaw and Beanpaw would be safe with Beeflight and Mintpelt for the time being.
Some talks are just for best friends only.
…..
Hazelpaw climbed the Secret Stairs to the den - she was used to using them now. Her paws felt made of stone and she had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Will Daisypaw even want to see me? What if she never talks to me ever again?
For a brief moment the grey she cat wondered if they should give up hunting the murderer.
After all, no one apart from Rosethorn was upset about Spiderstreak, and she would get over it in time. I feel guilty for thinking it, but it's still there.
Hazelpaw decided to tell Daisypaw that they could pretend this never happened.
We don't even have to pay attention to the prey remains. The Clan Guard could look at it if they wanted to when they arrived.
Hazelpaw padded cautiously into the den to see a small cream ball curled up on one of the moss nests. The grey she cat carefully padded over to it and gently prodded it with her paw. "Daisypaw, can we talk?" She whispered.
There was a pause, and then the ball uncurled and Daisypaw turned to face her. Her bright blue eyes were dimmed, her fur ruffled and there were wet trails running down the side of her face. At that moment, Hazelpaw thought she didn't look like her Daisypaw at all.
"Go away." Said the cream she cat.
"I won't," whispered Hazelpaw gently. "Don't try and make me."
"What happened down stairs just now?" Daisypaw asked, head tilting curiously. "No, I don't care!" The cream she cat laid her chin on her paws, her face in a frown. "You can solve that rotten case on your own. Since you're such a good detective, you won't be needing me anyway."
"But, you're a good detective too!" Said Hazelpaw.
"Honestly, Hazelpaw, don't be so nice." Said Daisypaw with a flick of her tail. She screwed her eyes shut tight. "Why can't everything just be neat and simple and right?" Said the cream she cat bitterly.
"I don't know,' said Hazelpaw. "It might not be him, you know."
"Hazelpaw, I need to wake up and face the facts."
The cream she cat gave a half snarl. "Oh, I could just kill Spiderstreak all over again for upsetting us all like this!" Daisypaw flicked her tail idly. "What was that yowl by the way?"
"The missing shrew remains - Beeflight found it in the wall den in the prey store den. There were still deathberry remains in it and it killed two snakes. Beeflight got a fright because she didn't remember putting any bait in."
"What?" Said Daisypaw, sitting up straight with a jolt. "The shrew remains, are back?"
"Yes. I'm sorry Daisypaw but they're pretty much stripped to the bone. I don't think we'll be able to use it as evidence."
Hazelpaw noticed that her friend didn't look that bothered though. Suddenly she was all fizzing again, her blue eyes bright and Daisypaw-ishness back with a vengeance.
"But Hazelpaw!" She cried. "Don't you see? This changes everything! If the prey remains was put in a snake infected den to destroy the evidence, then Sparrowfeather simply didn't do the murder!"
Hazelpaw didn't follow. "But Daisypaw, he would have had plenty of opportunities to put the remains in there."
The cream she cat bounced on her moss nest, absolutely buzzing with excitement. "No, Hazelpaw, listen! It wouldn't occur to Sparrowfeather to do something as clever and sly as feeding it to the snakes. If he'd taken it he would have done something mousebrainedly obvious like…..like stashing it under his nest or something. This is the evidence I was hoping for. He's innocent!"
Hazelpaw hesitated, unsure of the concreteness of Daisypaw's evidence, but then she thought of Sparrowfeather's goofy and slightly flea brained nature and his forgetfulness.
Daisypaw isn't always logical, but she has a sense about cats, and in this case I think her sense could be right.
"But who else could have done it?"
"Well, Whitefur is tremendously logical and clever and resourceful from what we've seen during training." Said Daisypaw
"Hazelpaw I was wrong! But we can't stop now - Sparrowfeather looks guilty, the recreation proves that, and that's what the Clan Guard will believe when they arrive. The proof of the shrew remains isn't enough for official evidence. The Clan Guard will pounce on him at once, and Sparrowfeather gets ever so nervous - he'll behave like the most guilty tom alive. If we don't help him, he'll be thrown into the Guard Camp before you could say mouse."
"All right." Agreed Hazelpaw. She knew she had to back her friend up - and she did see what she meant about Sparrowfeather. "But what shall we do about it?"
"Well, for the moment, you're just going to have to trust me," replied Daisypaw, smoothing down her fur with a couple of quick licks. "Come on, let's go and find our assistants and tell them this wonderful development. We've ruled out another suspect!"
But as Hazelpaw raced down the stairs after Daisypaw, she couldn't help worrying.
I believe her about the shrew remains, but I don't see how we can prove it. And even if it's not Sparrowfeather, that still leaves five suspects - four from Daisypaw's family. Is this still a case we ought to be solving?
The grey she cat tried to shake away her misgivings. All that mattered was that the Daisypaw in front of her was her Daisypaw again - ridiculous and brilliant and mad - the one she knows and loves was back.
And in this sort of mood, I think Daisypaw could solve anything.
Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed the chapter! And today I present to you some creepy deathberry poisoned snakes, a slightly freaked Beeflight, a dubious Mintpelt and a side of Hazel and Daisy friendship make up and to top it off Sparrowfeather is, for now, off the top of the suspect list thank goodness for Daiypaw. But is he truly out from under suspicion? Is Daisypaw just grasping at straws because she doesn't want to suspect her father? Tune in next time to find out how the investigation progresses and whether new evidence ends up pointing to poor Sparrow or another one of Daisypaw's family members…
-Fastbreeze37
Reviews:
Hissing Mist – What Hazelpaw overhead Whitefur saying to Mudpaw - seemingly asking if he supposedly saw anything – certainly does make her more suspicious. She certainly wasn't being very nice about whatever she was demanding of Mudpaw. (Not mention her always hanging with evil Falcon lol and her own mysterious past).But then Mudpaw seemed to get upset when Hazelpaw asked about the Thunderboom incident. Was he just relieving bad memories? Or was he upset by Hazelpaw's questioning? Hazel does seem very eager to clear him as a suspect, much like Daisy for Sparrow, but is she clearing him too quickly? Anything's possible with this lot at cardinal nest and you certainly have a point if your theory about Mudpaw being the kicked out kit is correct (how is that for some alliteration? ;.) Meanwhile Jupinerbush is a bit of a weird one. Definitely sus but in what way? Is he protecting himself? Someone else? Or like your good theory, maybe he really has another secret to hide which the Detective Society isn't expecting…? And lol unfortunately the shriek wasn't Daisypaw attacking someone…this time anyway. Hope you enjoyed :.)
FrostedShadowx – Welcome back! And no worries, there's no pressure to review but thank you so much for doing so this week :.) And you're completely right, those two things are 100% confirmed and that is exactly how Spiderstreak got the feather as well. Spiderstreak's murderer is also definitely PineClan, however, I can also confirm that the murderer is definitely one of the cats in Cardinal Nest and not someone from outside who snuck in later. (Hazel even talks about this in Chap 13 and why it could only be one of the guests). Though still very good confirmations all round. The only question left is how does it all tie in with the overall mystery though…? And that's also a good theory that Falconflight could know about both incidents and knew what Spiderstreak was planning with the nest and the rogues.