Warriors: Defenders- the rising flame

CHAPTER NINE

Twilightleaf tipped her gaze up to the sky, where clouds streaked the horizon. Wind stirred the air as the dawn patrol was leaving. Things were getting more complicated in the camp. She wondered what on earth is StarClan up to? Did they abandoned them? No! StarClan won't ever do that!
"All cats old enough to fight like the blazing flames, gather beneath the Redrock for a clan meeting!" Spiderstar yowled.
"What does Spiderstar want this time? I thought she was a bit injured to take charge and start a whole meeting! It'd be nice for her to admit something that had happened, for the sake of StarClan!" Raventail complained.
Twilightleaf gave an annoying look at Raventail, before joining Frostwing and Swanflight at the front of the clan. Everybody was whispering as they all stared in shock and disbelief, and a little hatred at the front, where Shadowsong was sitting. Of course, they didn't know Spiderstar's secret kin. But now, they did, and Spiderstar didn't look all that comfortable about that. Even Skyfeather was furiously surprised. "How dare you keep such a secret?" she'd roared at Spiderstar and nearly ripped her fur off if Spiderstar wasn't as fast as she was now, Spiderstar had darted around and cuffed Skyfeather over the head. "Come to your senses!" she'd snapped.
Twilightleaf gazed up, wondering if the same thing would repeat to the whole clan.
"As all of you cats have known, that this...Shadowsong has come back. But there are" A voice interrupted Spiderstar, it was Leopardheart.
"Aren't you going to punish Shadowsong for faking her death!" Leopardheart shouted lashing her tail front and forth. Mutterings of agreements crowded the air. Spiderstar raised her tail to silence the clan.
"I was going to come up to that, only if you stop interrupting my talk Leopardheart!" Spiderstar gave a hard stare before returning to speak, smoothing her fur.
"But there are hard times ahead of us, we do need Shadowsong for some help. But I need everyone of you to keep on high alert of BerryClan dangers and treacheries! As for you Shadowsong, I won't punish you yet" she said, a small flicker of longing in her pale silvery blue-green eyes. A few yowls of protest rose from the crowd, then silenced under Spiderstar's stern glare.
"Since we need your full strength and your... Optimism for BerryClan" she said. Shadowsong looked up, and for a moment, the two she-cats stood silent, staring at each other with hatred, regret, anger, sadness and longing all at the same time. Most of the fury flashing from Spiderstar like an aura of fire. She growled fiercely and turned away from Shadowsong, who moved closer to the darkest shade of the Great Willow hastily, looking hollow and distraught. And also hungry.
"Clan dismissed" Spiderstar meowed, darting off the Redrock and inside her den. Twilightleaf padded to the fresh-kill pile and picked out a plump lark and dragged it with her to Shadowsong. The young midnight warrior seemed to be starving. Twilightleaf dropped the lark in front of her. She looked up with her surprised sky-blue eyes. "Eat" said Twilightleaf a little roughly, nosing the piece of prey towards Shadowsong, who dipped her blinked her thanks and began gulping down the lark, leaving no remains, and swiped her tongue over her whiskers to be sure that she left no trace of prey-meat behind. "Thanks" she meowed gratefully at Twilightleaf. "No problem" Twilightleaf responded, and she padded out, seeing the stars rise from the mountains ahead, she flicked her tail and began gathering moss for her nest. She glanced back at Shadowsong, who had propped herself next to Spiderstar. Ivyfern and Blossombreeze sat with their sister, Swanflight, all of them gazing curiously at Shadowsong as she began reciting her tales in the wild. Even Spiderstar had a small spark of unusual interest. Twilightleaf stared at the lagoon waters swirling around her, and at the great silver moon reflected in it. It was time for the gathering. Twilightleaf nudged Spiderstar and she got up, meowing orders to paw-picked warriors to come with her to the gathering.
"I'll take Twilightleaf, Ivyfern, Nightfall, Webwhisker, Maplecloud and Ryefoot" she mewed, and she leaped forward towards the Highrocks.
...
"BerryClan is stealing prey and attacking NightClan!" Eveningstar yowled furiously, bristling at Gladestar, eyeing the deep and vicious bloody gash he bore from ridged long-length Spiderstar's claws. Spiderstar nodded in agreement. "BerryClan attacked BlazeClan!" she accused, her pale sky-blue eyes flashing under the silver moonlight.
"Never! What nonsense!" Gladestar snorted. He glared at Spiderstar and covered his gaping wounds with his tail. Saplingstar looked sceptical. "Spiderstar and Eveningstar wouldn't lie" he protested.
"Neither do I" Gladestar huffed. Saplingstar gave him a quelling glance. "It's not that I think you lie, but I trust Spiderstar and Eveningstar over you, especially since we found BerryClan scent on Birdfeather's dead body. Gladestar snarled in outrage. "I don't care what dead clanmate there is!" he growled quietly. Saplingstar gave him an injured look.
"We have had a lost warrior return to us" said Spiderstar, her cold voice breaking the crisp night tension.
Gladestar perked his ears. "Oh?" he meowed in an almost challenging tone. "Which disloyal-blooded cat has come crawling back to you now?" he asked mockingly. Spiderstar straightened and met his gaze evenly with the equal amount of burning blue fire in her eyes of challenge. "Shadowsong" she said curtly. "I announce the return of my once-thought-dead daughter"
Twilightleaf thought she saw Gladestar flinch back in surprise.
"Your daughter? The one StarClan went crazy about?"
"That's not her. StarClan wasn't talking about her." Spiderstar hissed, her fiery blue eyes said everything. I know it's you we have to beware. She seems to be saying. Gladestar growled. "How lovely, then I'll get to destroy her too"
"I am not cowed by your fake act of power" retorted Spiderstar, "you have too much pride, and that's your weakness. I will fight. BlazeClan is not terrified and will never be." she snarled, a triumphant light in her eyes. Gladestar rolled his eyes. "Then we will come and fight again, and this time I'll make sure you lose" his eyes flashed. "BlazeClan is not terrified and never will be" Spiderstar repeated.
Saplingstar waved his tail. "That's it, gathering's over" he meowed, pointing to the rising sun. Twilightleaf shot one last glare at Gladestar. When BerryClan comes... Will we be ready? She couldn't help but worry. She couldn't shake off that uneasy feeling of fear.