Ashstar was thrown into the shrieks of battle. Hisses broke out around him, and he saw Squirrelflight limping toward a ginger she-cat, then he saw Silk. The rogues had come.... Alderheart was right... 

Ashstar saw Silk pinning Jaywing down to the ground. Jaywing's face had a look of horror and Silk raised a paw, claws outstretched. 

Ashstar raced towards them, leaping through the air. His claws sunk into Silk's back and he drug him off his daughter. He bared his fangs at the large tom, and as they stood a tail length away from each other, Ashstar realized that Silk was a bit larger than him. As he stared into the tom's amber eyes, claws sunk into his back and that's when Silk sprang at him, his claws extended. 

Jaywing scrambled to her paws and launched herself at Silk. She dug her claws into his forehead and blood trickled from the small scratches. 

Ashstar sprang up and saw that Kindle was behind him. 

"Don't you dare lay a claw on Silk!" She hissed. She charged at Jaywing, her claws extended. 

Ashstar lashed out and raked his claws down her side. Blood sprang into the air, spattering the ground. 

Kindle turned to glare at him, then realized she was outnumbered as Ivypool sprang over to help Ashstar. Kindle sprang away when she realized that Silk had run to fight another cat. 

Jaywing stumbled to Ashstar's side. "I don't know how long I can go on," She rasped. 

"See Alderheart," Ashstar meowed. He remembered that Stoneheart had died, and he didn't want to lose Jaywing as well. He stayed by her side as she padded to the medicine den, making sure that no cat would lay a claw on her. 

A  ginger she-cat sprang towards them, her amber eyes shining.

Ashstar unsheathed his claws and bared his teeth at her. He glared at her. 

The ginger she-cat sprang at him, and Ashstar fell back, rolling on his paws. He felt her teeth sink into his scruff. 

"The name's Flame!" She meowed, yet it was muffled. 

Ashstar growled and twisted around, slashing at her eyes. Blood sprayed his face and she dropped him on the ground. As she turned to run, Jaywing leaped towards her and raked her claws down her side. The she-cat ran off, leaving behind a trail of dark blood. 

Jaywing limped to the medicine den, the brambles swishing behind her. 

Kindle leaped after her, her tail streaming behind her. 

Ashstar yowled and flung himself at her. They tumbled and rolled on the grass, a ball of fur and claws. Kindle's claws raked down the side of his face, and she sunk her fangs in his shoulder. Blood stained Ashstar's gray fur and he sunk his fangs into Kindle's throat and pushed with hind paws against her belly. She sunk her claws into his leg and raked them down, then tore away from him.

Ashstar spat fur and blood from his mouth and stumbled away from the medicine den. He saw Squirrelflight slashing at Flame. He ran towards her and jumped on Flame, sinking his claws in her shoulders. She realized she was outnumbered and then fled. 

"Squirrelflight, I need you to guard the medicine den," Ashstar meowed. 

Firepaw and Fluffypaw were across the clearing fighting Vally, lashing out at him. They were trying their hardest. Ashstar was about to help, but he heard a yowl. 

"Look out!" Some cat screeched.

Ashstar turned to see Silk and his eyes widened. Silk raised his paws and slashed. Ashstar was ready to lose a life, ready for the pain that would come. Then, dark ginger fur rushed towards him. Alderheart!

Alderheart unsheathed his claws and hissed at Silk, but it was too late for Alderheart to defend himself, and Silk's claws slashed his throat. 

Ashstar gasped in horror as blood sprayed Silk's white coat and face. His amber eyes shone and he sprang away to Squirrelflight. 

Alderheart slumped over and blood pooled around him.

"No! No!" Twistedpaw cried. "No! Alderheart!" He yowled. 

Ashstar crouched down, horror bubbling in his throat. He felt sick. Why would Alderheart risk his life to save him? After all I've done to him, and he saves me? 

Twistedpaw threw his face in his mentor's fur, whining and whimpering like a lost kit. 

The battling around Ashstar stopped and cats stared in horror at the medicine cat. Squirrelflight dealt another blow to Flame's face and sprang toward Alderheart, her eyes widened in horror. "No! Alderheart!" She cried. She buried her face in her son's shoulder. 

Alderheart's eyes flicked open. He wheezed when he breathed. "It's ok," He rasped. "It was my time to join StarClan."

"No!" Twistedpaw cried. He turned around and raced to the medicine den. He returned with a huge wad of cobwebs. He pressed them on the gash in Alderheart's throat. But the cobwebs didn't work and they were quickly soaked with blood. Blood still gushed from Alderheart's throat. Blood trickled down his mouth and chin.

"There's nothing you can do to save me," Alderheart rasped. "I'm going to die no matter what you do."

Twistedpaw's eyes widened. "No!" He cried. "No you aren't!" 

Mothstripe ran from the medicine den, Jaywing limping after her. 

Ashstar realized that all of his Clan were gathering around him. Mossheart stared sadly at the medicine cat's body. Sootwing sat beside her sister and mother. 

Ashstar got to his paws and saw Silk. Vally, Kindle, Flame, and other strange rogues were behind him. He glared at them. 

"Silk, it is time for your cats to leave," He growled. 

"So you admit defeat?" Silk hissed. "Then we shall be taking your territory!" He spat. He unsheathed his bloody claws and crouched, ready to spring at Ashstar. 

Alderheart's eyes dulled and he closed his eyes. 

The cats wailed in terror and distress. 

"No, we don't admit defeat!" Ashstar growled. "Just leave our territory! Enough blood has been shed," He meowed, looking at Alderheart in a pool of his blood. "You've killed Alderheart, and I won't let you kill any other cat!"

Squirrelflight shot up, unsheathing her claws. She turned to glare at Silk. "How dare you kill my son!" She yowled. She leaped over her Clanmates and leaped on top of Silk, raking her claws across his throat. Silk yowled in terror. Squirrelflight sunk her teeth into the back of his neck and wouldn't let go; she crunched harder. 

Silk then slumped over, blood pooling around him. He thrashed for a few heartbeats, then fell limp. The other rogues stared in terror, then they turned and ran. 

"Get out of here, mange-pelts! Don't ever show your cursed-selves here again!" Squirrelflight yowled. 

"There was no need to kill him," Ashstar pointed out. 

"There was a reason! He killed my son, a medicine cat!" She hissed with rage. She calmed down a bit and ran over to her dead son. 

Twistedpaw lifted his face from Alderheart's fur. He whimpered and turned to Mothstripe. "Is this a dream?"

That question made Ashstar's heart break in half. He waited for Mothstripe's reply. 

She sadly shook her head. "I'm so sorry Twistedpaw, but it's not a dream," She sighed.

Twistedpaw then whimpered and got to his paws, running out of the camp entrance. 

"No! Twistedpaw! Don't go! Rogues could be out there!" Mothstripe yowled. She got to her paws, about to follow.

"No, don't go out there! You're a medicine cat, you'd need a warrior with you," Ashstar meowed. 

Mothstripe's eyes dulled. "Just.... let him go," She sighed. 

They all sat in a ragged circle around Alderheart's dead body. 

Ashstar wondered deeply in his thoughts. What would they do without Alderheart? Mothstripe's kits still needed one more moon to go, and Twistedpaw wasn't a full medicine cat. He closed his eyes. Oh StarClan, he thought, what will we do?