[Fate of Five Staff]

A body has been found.

The body of an enormous mottled cat looks like a pile of leaves floating on the water's surface. The black-and-tan-and-gray fur is plastered to the muscular build of a tom, well over his prime but not yet retirement age. His eyes are closed, muzzle left ajar as if he had died in surprise. Bloody teeth marks on the back of his neck are the only indication that there is foul play.

What did it? The river has washed away any other scent but the victim's. It's hard to say if he tried to escape into the river, or if he was put there on purpose.

A RainClan cat, he deserves a warrior's burial. There are questions on every cat's mind as they pull the body—heavy with dead weight and water in the long, thick fur—up onto the banks.

Who did this? And more importantly, why?

The Clues

A single bite to the back of the cat's neck.

Teeth marks indicate that it was a cat, though only a medicine cat would properly be able to tell.

The cat appears to have been surprised, suggesting an ambush. There is dirt under the victim's claws, but this tells little.

What Now?

RainClan is arguably shocked by the victim's death, and family members have to be alerted. Can you identify the victim? (hint: check the RainClan ranks page and see if the description matches!) Will your cat be the one to break the news to them?

Can your cat figure out what happened?

A max of 3 cats can discover the victim, then bring the body back to camp. After this is done, anyone can join in and post their character's reactions. Feel free to start multiple threads discussing this.

The poll will go up 24 hours from now. You will be tagged.

The first three cats to discover the body and bring it back to camp are Jaycry, Rushwhisker, Russethawk, who left camp together to go fishing.
@jem , @zen , Fawn

[Deleted]

I look ahead to all the plans that we made and the dreams that we had.
I'm in a world that tries to take them away, but I'm taking them back.

---

A dead body was not what Rushwhisker had been expecting to find when he left camp with Russethawk and Jaycry on a fishing patrol. As the three had approached, none of them had even noticed at first just WHAT they were approaching. Lots of odd bundles of plants and the occasional water bloated animal washed up on the banks of the river. Rushwhisker hadn't even paid it any mind until they had gotten closer and he had realized how... large it was. He had reasoned that it WAS leaf-fall... it looked reasonably like a pile of dead leaves, but the illusion quickly disappated the closer the three got.

Rushwhisker broke into a run as he realized it was a cat laying on the shore. Who was it? Were they all right? He had splashed to halt and without a second thought tugged the body up farther onto the shore before the current could drag it back it out. But when he finally turned to look at the cat, he flinched back, “No.” He knew very well who this cat was, and it was very clear that he was NOT all right. Vultureback was dead. Bitternwing's father was dead. How?

“R-Russethawk!” He peered back toward his mentor in horror, his gaze flicking between the him and the gray tom that accompanied them, “Jaycry... it's Vultureback. He....” Rushwhisker couldn't bring himself to say it. He could hardly believe it and he was standing there staring right at him. A shiver of unease ran down his spine at the strange look frozen upon the senior warrior's face as he searched it with the smallest sliver of hope that he was wrong. He wasn't. Vultureback was cold and still, his fur sopping and making him look half the warrior he really was.

He closed his eyes tightly, already feeling for Bitternwing. He swallowed his shock and moved back toward Vultureback's body, stiff legged. How had this happened? Vultureback was a RainClan warrior with moons of experience, he had NOT just drowned. There had to be some other explanation, and Rushwhisker wanted to have as much of one as possible before he had to bring this news back to Bitternwing. It wouldn't change the fact that her father was dead, but he was sure she would at least want to know WHY he was dead. He leaned down, searching the tom for any signs that would tell him what had happened. With Vultureback's normally fluffy fur weighed down with water, it was easy to spot the wound on the back of his neck, and the fur along Rushwhisker's spine prickled as he cast a quick glance around.

“Something killed him,” he stated quickly, taking a step back and scenting the air for danger. But what? It was such a clean kill. His ears flicked back uneasily. Foxes and badgers didn't kill like that. They didn't just leave a neat bite wound and go on their way. But if not one them, then what? A beaver? Rushwhisker had no experience with beavers, he wasn't sure how they killed, only knew that they could and had in the past. But beavers were usually close to their water nests, and there were no beaver nests in the river right now. The only other logical explanation was that another cat had killed him and Rushwhisker didn't even want to entertain that thought.

He turned back to his companions, having scented nothing that should post any danger to them, looking to Russethawk in particular, “What... what do we do? We have to get him back to camp, I know, but.... Should I go ahead? I want to tell Bitternwing... and Gullswoop and Crowblaze, before they see him.... I want them to be prepared.” Whatever had happened to him, Rushwhisker was confident he wasn't going to be able to figure it out standing out here. And they needed to get Vultureback's body safely back to camp before he attracted predators and carrion eaters, so he could have a proper vigil and burial, and his family could mourn him.

---

Cause all of this time I've just been too blind to understand what should matter to me.
My friends this life we live, it’s not what we have, it’s what we believe in.

Fawn
@jem

[Fawn]

42 Moons | RainClan | Tom | Senior Warrior

Shock and sadness struggled for control of Russethawk as he stared, open-jawed, at the deceased warrior Rushwhisker had pulled from the river. Without thought, he had helped him heave the bulky, mottled tom onto the grass, and felt his entire body go numb as he recognized who it was immediately.
Vultureback! In an instant, Russethawk's heart went out to Vultureback's four kits—Bitternwing, Gullswoop, Crowblaze and Heronstrike—emerald gaze full of anguish as he looked in all directions as if he might find the cat or creature responsible. "Y-Yes, go back to camp and tell Bluewave, then Bitternwing." He trusted Rushwhisker not to cause a fuss in the camp until he and Jaycry could carry Vultureback's body to the camp. The stream surrounding RainClan's camp was full again, so it would take both warriors with a firm grip on the senior warrior's scruff to bring him safely home.

Russethawk's whiskers shook as he let out an uneasy breath. As the senior-most warrior present, he straightened up, taking command of a situation that called for outrage, horror and a slew of other emotions not at all beneficial to Vultureback anymore. Who killed you? StarClan once I find out who did it... Russethawk glanced to his former apprentice, heart squeezing painfully tight in his chest.
"Break it to them as gently... as gently as you can." With an incoherent murmur to the dead warrior, Russethawk gestured for Jaycry to step closer, speaking in a voice that sounded fatigued with sadness. "Let's get him home. We'll look for clues later." Let's just get him home.

Who knew how long Vultureback had been floating in the river like this? Straining his memory to the earliest part of today, Russethawk could recall that Vultureback had left on the dawn patrol, but the dawn patrol had returned to camp without him. Does that mean someone on the patrol could've—no, of course not. That probably meant Vultureback had gone down to the river to get some fishing done... and then some cat had...

Russethawk saw the wound on the back of the senior warrior's neck, and his own teeth gritted, wishing he could punish whoever was responsible. This was wrong. If it was a rogue, then that rogue would feel the full weight of RainClan's fury crash down upon them like a wave. If it was a Clanmate—there were things Russethawk could forgive, but murder wasn't one of them.

If it was who he thought it was, then Swanfeather's supporters had crossed an unforgivable line.

Word Count: 405 Words Tags: @jem @zen

Notes: After Jem posts, everyone else can join in!

[Deleted]

Jaycry

warrior of rainclan

It seemed that it would be on this day that the storm would finally break. The uneasy silence between the two groups would finally crack as someone took action. It seemed to happen in the worst way possible. Jaycry had left camp on patrol with Russethawk and Rushwhisker, not expecting anything different from the last number of times cats had gone out and came back reporting nothing suspicious or out of the ordinary from their rivals. It was expected that they would get a similar result and Jaycry had noticed that cats seemed much more at ease in the territory again. But it only had to be a matter of time didn't it?

He'd been padding alongside the group, lost in thought as his mind kept bringing up his meetings with Lotuswhisker and Willowbreeze and as usual he was trying to think of any possible way to make things somewhat better. It was distressing how unsuccessful he'd been, was RainClan really this screwed? What happened next answered that question well enough.

Rushwhisker had caught sight of something and Jaycry's icy gaze had flicked up to the other tom, following his line of sight to where a mottled heap lay piled by the riverbank. He frowned, gaze narrowing as he tried to make sense of what it was. From the corner of ones eye it would simply pass for a pile of leaves but if you took the time to really focus on it..it looked more like a....no.

Shock froze him in place as Rushwhisker detached himself from the group racing over to the body, yes body. Feeling as if his paws were the heaviest rocks in the forest, Jaycry followed until he stood by the other tom gazing down at the lifeless form of their clanmate. He shook his head, gaze hardening as sudden anger surged through him. The bite mark on the large tom's neck seemed to grin up at them and he felt his neck fur beginning to fluff up slightly. That wasn't a fox or badger bite, it couldn't be. This had the neatness of planned accuracy to it, a cat had done this and he had a very good idea as to where they'd come from. Things had gone too far.

He listened on numbly as Russethawk told Rushwhisker to return to camp and break the news gently. His claws sank into the damp grass as he shook his head, turning to face the older warrior as Rushwhisker departed. "You know what cats have to be responsible for this don't you?" He murmured in a hushed voice, his gaze dropped back down to the former senior warrior lying at his paws. "It's too much of a coincidence for it to be anyone else....I always knew things had grown serious but murder" He flicked his tail uneasily "This is unforgivable"

With that he shook his head and dropped down to push his nose into the damp waterlogged fur of his former Clanmate respectfully before straightening again and turning his saddened gaze back to Russethawk. All he wanted to do now was discuss what actions should take place for what had happened but he knew that first Vultureback needed to be given the farewell he deserved so with a nod to Russethawk he murmured. "You ready to bring him home?" After a moment the silver tom bent down to grab the cat by the scruff. Pain and anger churned away in his stomach as he made a silent promise in his mind. 'I don't care if we didn't know each other too well Vultureback, you're still my Clanmate and I'm not going to let them get away with this...'

I hope you find a way to be yourself someday
In weakness or in strength, change can be amazing

background image | honest | Fawn @zen | 611 | table by phoenix

[Deleted]

I look ahead to all the plans that we made and the dreams that we had.
I'm in a world that tries to take them away, but I'm taking them back.

---

Rushwhisker nodded and paused only briefly to look down at Vultureback's body once more before departing, bounding back to camp so he could arrive with enough time to tell both Bluewave and Bitternwing before Russethawk and Jaycry arrived with the body. He forced himself to a stop as he reached the camp stream. If he burst into camp, every cat there would know something was going on and he had no desire to cause a scene before he could get tell the cats that really needed to know first. He would let know Bluewave know what was coming so he could oversee the Clan and prevent chaos from erupting, and then he would try to break the news to Bitternwing. His heart clenched and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, before wading through the stream and leisurely into camp, so as not to alert any cat to what was going on.

He made a beeline to Timberstar's den, where Bluewave most often stood guard, involving their sick and tired leader in Clan decisions only as much as he dared in her condition. The tom stood as he approach and dipped his head respectfully, casting a careful glance behind him at the rest of camp to ensure no cat would overhear. He gave Bluewave the short story of what had happened before asking that he be allowed to break the news to Vultureback's family before the body arrive. With a curt nod, Bluewave allowed him to go and he sought out Bitternwing immediately. He spotted her sitting with her brother Crowblaze to one side of camp.

Ears flicking back, he made his way over and looked at them both, unsure how to start. He had already unknowingly caused Bitternwing so much pain, and now he came to her with news of her father's death. “I need to tell you both.... Our patrol found Vultureback in the river. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry....” He turned his gaze from Crowblaze to Bitternwing and pressed his nose into her cheek for a moment before forcing himself to confirm what his words insinuated. He glanced back at the camp entrance, sure that Russethawk and Jaycry would be coming through them soon, and looked back to the siblings, “I'm sorry... Vultureback is dead. When we found him, there was nothing we could do. He was already gone.” He wished there was more he could, or do, that would make this news any easier to receive.

---

Cause all of this time I've just been too blind to understand what should matter to me.
My friends this life we live, it’s not what we have, it’s what we believe in.

Fawn
@jem