"Let everyone gather here to listen to my words!" Graystar yowled.
She was standing at the top of the Highrock, looking down at her assembling clan. Her amber eyes were narrowed with an uncharacteristic fierceness as she scanned the gathering cats. The clan's number was so much smaller than it had been only a quarter moon ago -- they had lost fifteen cats to the traitor's claws and the traitor's hearts. Graystar was filled with the determination to avenge not just Honeyrose, the most recently killed, but everyone else who had been unfairly murdered at the paws of their own clanmates.
Graystar let her gaze sweep one more time over the camp before she began. Smallcloud was sitting with Rosepool and Echoleaf near the medicine den, and Dawnpetal was seated nearby, her tail curled around her paws. Basilwisp was on that side of the clearing too -- but Leafsky was completely opposite, grouped up with Rainsong and Icespark. Leafsky was very definitely not looking over at Basilwisp. Runningstream was at the back, keeping to the shadows, and Tinypaw was sitting alone too, staring up at Graystar with emotionless eyes, while the other three remaining apprentices were clustered in the middle. Featherpath kept peering from the corners of her eyes at the cats on either side of her (Lightdream and Kestrelberry) as though half-expecting them jump on her and kill her right there in front of everyone. Iriswhisper was sitting right behind her, and kept rolling her eyes at Featherpath's paranoia. Smokeflash, Smokefern, Featherwing, and Echolight were dispersed among the others, looking upset at yet another death.
Front and center were Morningrose, Tigersplash, and Snowstrike.
Graystar straightened up and lifted her chin, deciding to cut right to the chase. "Snowstrike," she meowed when everyone was seated and quiet, "you are being exiled for Honeyrose's murder."
Stunned disbelief flooded Snowstrike's mismatched eyes, quickly replaced by furious disdain. "On what grounds?" the small white she-cat demanded.
"Because Redpaw and Blackpaw's deaths weren't for nothing," Graystar answered. "They had a plan to expose the traitors -- and you were one of them."
Viperpaw looked up with wide eyes at these words, and Dewpaw and Echopaw exchanged glances. Graystar guessed that they were probably surprised that the leader had listened to them when they told her their suspicions.
Snowstrike looked uncertain for a heartbeat, but then narrowed her eyes. "You're banishing me from the clan based on the words of an apprentice?"
"They've proven to be more trustworthy than you, Snowstrike," Graystar retorted.
Snowstrike hissed under her breath, letting her claws dig into the earth, but then she recomposed herself, sitting straight and lifting her head in a regal manner. "You know what? You're right," Snowstrike said. "I am a traitor."
There was a collective hissed intake of breath from the cats around her.
"But I didn't kill Honeyrose," Snowstrike continued. "In fact, I haven't killed anyone in days. So really, I'm not the cat you should be banishing." The snow-white warrior began pacing. "Really, compared to the SOMEONE who went and KILLED MY APPRENTICE, I'm basically a saint." She paused to glare at the back of the crowd, then returned her gaze to Graystar. She gave the leader a cheeky smile. "I would tell you who, but your suffering is fun to me."
Graystar stiffened, feeling her claws scrape against the rock below her. "Are you just going to waste our time with empty words, then?"
"I think you'll miss the sound of my voice, when I'm gone and it's someone else's claws at your throat in the end," Snowstrike purred silkily. "I'm just making sure you enjoy it while it lasts. And it's fun to see you so worked up."
"Get out," Graystar hissed.
Snowstrike flipped her tail dismissively. "If you say so, oh great and powerful leader," she drawled with pure sarcasm. "I'll go for now -- but when the last loyal warriors are dead around you, I'll be back to watch the helplessness in your eyes before you die."
With that, Snowstrike turned and scampered out of camp.
Snowstrike was a traitor.
3 traitors left.
Thank you to everyone who voted last chapter! Day 9 will be coming out soon!