Goldthorn turned his head, ears pricked. Without dropping into a crouch, he sprang powerfully, lifting his head moments later with a starling hanging limply from his mouth. His strong front paws tore through the ground and he buried his catch to be fetched later. Goldthorn was leading the dawn patrol along the Twolegplace border with Logflight, Bramblepaw and Volestripe. As the fence of a twoleg nest came into view, Goldthorn halted the patrol.
"We'll split up, mentor with apprentice, to quickly patrol the area. Logflight and Bramblepaw, go that way." Goldthorn flicked his ginger tail to their right, "Meet back here when you're done."
The brown toms padded away, leaving Volestripe alone with Goldthorn. Without a word, Goldthorn stalked off along the wooden fence. They patrolled without incident, marking the border and had turned around to go meet up with Logflight and Bramblepaw when they heard an ear-splitting screech.

Fire and earth raced towards the sound, their paws kicking up dust behind them. Logflight came into sight, bleeding from a deep scratch on his shoulder. Volestripe couldn't see Bramblepaw.
"Volestripe! Come help!" Goldthorn yowled angrily as he leapt into battle. With a start, Volestripe rushed past Logflight. A cream she-cat had Bramblepaw pinned, raking his belly with sharp, unsheathed claws. Goldthorn bit her scruff and dragged her away from Bramblepaw. Logflight took Bramblepaw's scruff and started to move him away from where Goldthorn was locked in battle with the she-cat. Suddenly, a brown tabby she-cat launched herself at Volestripe from the nearby undergrowth, her amber eyes flashing. Or are they yellow? Volestripe thought as the she-cat tackled him to the leaf strewn floor and raked his muzzle. He let out a small gasp as he realized that this she-cat was obviously the same cat who had attacked that FenClan warrior. Volestripe clawed the rouge's face and pushed against the ground, heaving upwards. The weight of the tabby suddenly disappeared and Volestripe took the opportunity to spring to his paws. Logflight was fighting the tabby and Goldthorn the cream. The tabby was the better fighter so Volestripe charged at her, swiping his claws and catching her muscled shoulder, ripping out a chunk of fur.
"Get her back legs! I'll take her front!" growled Logflight as he leaped back to avoid the she-cat's claws. While the she-cat was busy, he knocked her hind legs from under her but, shocking Volestripe, she kicked out with her legs, catching him full in the chest and leaving several scratches. Bramblepaw appeared, limping towards the battle.
"Bramblepaw, stay back, you're too injured to fight!" snarled Logflight to his apprentice. Taking full advantage of his distraction, the she-cat jumped onto his back and dug in her claws. Two screeches, one from Logflight and one from the cream. Logflight flipped the she-cat off of him and was trying to protect Bramblepaw while she advanced, bleeding from several injuries. With a battle cry, Volestripe ran at her, butted her side and got his shoulder pressed to her belly. With a heave, he pushed her over and pinned her. He bit onto her paw and tore at her exposed stomach.
"Fine, you win. Let me up." grumbled the she-cat wearily.
Volestripe turned his head to see Goldthorn had the cream pinned, her amber eyes glowing with malice. Volestripe's eyes widened as he saw the black speckles across her chest. He knew this cat!
"Diva? Is that you?" he questioned warily.
The cream narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Do I know you?"
"It's Rolo." he explained. Diva gasped.
"I thought you were dead! Or in the Cage House! What happened?"
Everyone was exchanging confused looks so Volestripe took it upon himself to explain.
"Diva was one of Sparrownose's friends, we met through him." Looking down at the tabby, he asked, "If I let you up, you won't attack?"
"Yes." grumbled the she-cat, "And my name's Blaze. On second thoughts, that isn't my name. Pretend I never told you."
Volestripe hopped backwards and the tabby, whose name was or wasn't Blaze, climbed to her paws, wincing slightly. Once Goldthorn had released Diva, Volestripe asked her why she was here.
"She can't answer that." growled the feisty tabby. "We need to go."
Without another word, both she-cats raced up the fence of the Twolegplace and disappeared over the edge.

Cats peered at them from across the camp, eyes wide with shock or worry. Rocknose trotted over from his den, carrying a large bundle of herbs and quickly saw that Bramblepaw was the most badly injured.
"Where's Dapplestar?" Goldthorn asked Rocknose.
"Hunting, I think." he answered. "What happened?"
Goldthorn's voice was grim as he answered, "Logflight and Bramblepaw were attacked by rouges. We heard and helped fight them off."
Rocknose nodded. "Alright, all of you go wait by my den and Hazelpaw can go find Dapplestar." he decided briskly, waving his tail at Hazelpaw. The ginger and white she-cat trotted over.
"Hazelpaw," instructed Goldthorn, "go find Dapplestar and bring her back to camp."
Hazelpaw nodded and sped away.
A little while later Rocknose called for Volestripe to have his injuries checked though Volestripe didn't think they needed any treatment. A few scratches weren't going to kill him. Volestripe padded through the ferns at the den's entrance to see Rocknose carrying a bundle of herbs with large orange flowers. The entire den smelled strongly of different herbs, Volestripe identifying chervil from its sweet scent.
"Volestripe, the dock will sting slightly." he warned, setting the bundle down at his paws. "The orange flowers are marigold which stops infection. The dock heals cuts and scratches. You can chew the marigold into a pulp while I chew the dock."
Volestripe bent his head and picked up the marigold, starting to chew. After both herbs had become paste, Rocknose spread them across Volestripe's injuries and stuck cobwebs over them, declaring him fit to leave. Thanking the tom, Volestripe left the den to see Dapplestar and Goldthorn enter the pile of boulders behind the Mossrock that was the leader's den.
"Volestripe! Come here." Goldthorn yowled.
The lithe dark brown tabby crossed the shallow stream and joined the leader and deputy at the den's entrance. Dipping his head to Dapplestar, he followed her in.