Warriors: Defenders- the rising flame

CHAPTER 14

The night sky shone with speckled stars like a net of silver lining cast down from the darkness to illuminate the sky. The full moon signalled the gathering's day as it shone, reflecting StarClan's wisdom in many words that will never be understood. Spiderstar sat on the redrock as she was ready to call for a clan meeting.

"All cats old enough to fight like the blazing flames gather beneath the redrock for a clan meeting!" she yowled, halfway from leaping up the rock.

She watched as the cats grouped below her, and narrowed her eyes when she saw Shadowsong and Frostwing talking to each other. Spiderstar thought they were talking about her. She gave an anxious twitch of her tail.

"Today is the gathering, I will be taking Twilightleaf, Jaguarheart, Rowanflame, Leopardheart, Ivyfern, Blossombreeze, Eaglestorm, Webwhisker, Nightfall, Cinderpaw, Willowpaw and Lightpaw " she meowed. The Callen cats stepped forward, puffing their chests in pride. Spiderstar drew a paw over her ear. "Clan dismissed," she said, leaping down from the redrock.

Will Frostwing get mad that I didn't choose her for the gathering? Does she think I am disloyal? Oh, of course, she does! Oh no, things getting worse!

She glanced at Shadowsong. How can I blame my own daughter? It is her fault though... No! What is wrong with me? Spiderstar shook herself and beckoned for her cats to follow her to the gathering.

The leaves rustle and clatter as the breeze stirred the air. Her clan followed her as she padded along the stepping stones from the river to the gathering island. As soon as they got to the gathering, Spiderstar could already see BerryClan, NightClan and CaveClan there. She scowled at the sight of Gladestar, sitting with his head held high and his tail-tip resting over Coco's shoulder. The kittypet, too, looked confident in every stride, yet there was still something shrivelled and dark about the two cats that made Spiderstar shudder. As Spiderstar made her way up to the other leaders. She shot a dark look at Gladestar, who was perched on the rock, and Coco, who she'd scorned for moons. Saplingstar took a step forward, to start the gathering. The leader of CaveClan looked down upon the gathered cats.

"The gathering is starting! Let all cats begin!" he yowled.

A few cats from CaveClan muttered something that Spiderstar didn't hear. Anyways, it's probably not important, so Spiderstar flicked her tail dismissively, glared at the CaveClan cats and turned her attention back to the clan leaders.

"CaveClan has just made a new warrior, as many of you know Applepaw, our apprentice is now Applesnow." Everybody turned around to look at Applesnow, some congratulated her and some flicked back their gaze to Saplingstar.

"Prey is running well in CaveClan" there was a long pause as Saplingstar gave a dark look at Gladestar.

"As long as no other clans cross our border markers!" Saplingstar snapped and stepped back to show that he finished. So Spiderstar thought that she would take her turn.

"BlazeClan has small to report, our prey is running well. And one of our warriors has yellowcough but she is recovering well." and with that, Spiderstar stepped back.

"There are times when all four clans have trouble" Gladestar begins. Spiderstar scowled at him and edged further away from him. "Yeah right," she muttered under her breath, cautious that Gladestar did not hear.

"Trouble? CaveClan has no trouble!" spat Saplingstar. "Neither does NightClan" Eveningstar put in, with a troubled expression.

"Haven't you noticed the darkening skies?" Gladestar meowed smoothly. "Haven't you noticed the predators stalking our hunting grounds? Haven't you noticed the clouds that cover our skies and block us from the vision of StarClan?"