"Take out the border patrol," Ashstar meowed to Squirrelflight. He turned away from her and padded to the rocks that led up to his den along with High Ledge. He climbed up the rocks and padded up on High Ledge. He scanned his Clan, seeing that Rust and Flower were by the fresh-kill pile, their tails entwined together. Ashstar growled inwardly. Were they secretly going to become mates? "All cats old enough to hunt join beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!" His voice rung around the camp.

His whole Clan had gathered and they were staring expectantly at Ashstar, their eyes dull.

"Rust, Flower, Ebonyfur, Sappaw, Pinepaw, Tigerheart, Dawnpelt, and Littlecloud, come to my den," He meowed. He watched as all the cats gathered and climbed up the rocks to come to his den. Ashstar turned and walked into his den, sitting down on the moss. 

"What is it?" Rust asked.

"About building RiverClan and ShadowClan," Ashstar told the tom. For a quick second, he almost thought he saw relief in the tom's eyes. 

"So should I take them to the MoonCave?" Littecloud asked.  

"Yes, Rust and Flower should go," Ashstar meowed. "And I'll also go," He told them. 

"What about us?" Tigerheart asked. 

"Wait until we get back," Ashstar answered. He turned his tail on them and took the lead of the group as Littlecloud, Rust, and Flower followed him. They reached the camp entrance and waited for a moment. "Are you ready?" He asked the patrol.

The cats nodded, yet there was a look of fear in Rust's eyes. Flower leaned against him, and the fear faded. The group headed out.

Ashstar was crossing through the paths and cutting through the thick undergrowth. He could hear the river rushing past on the far side of the territory. His whiskers twitched with suspicion as he caught the scent of rogue. It seemed fresh. He halted and swished his tail for the patrol to stop. He closed his eyes and focused on the smells around him. Ashstar couldn't smell it  anymore. Maybe he had just imagined it...

Closer to the Mountain Trail, the wind blew strongly, carrying with it the scents of Twoleg Place and rogues. Rocks fell from the steep trail and Ashstar realized that they should've come here at night when he looked up to see the sun. His ear twitched as he heard rustling behind him. He thought it was some cat in his patrol, but every cat that had come here was right behind him. His muscles tensed and he turned to pad a bit toward the moving bush.

"What's wrong?" Rust asked.

"I think someone's following us," Ashstar growled, his tail bushing up. 

Rust flattened his ears. "Well once we get up the mountain, they'll have nothing to hide in, that is, if some cat is following us," He pointed out.

"I guess you're right," Ashstar sighed after a moment of silence. He turned. "Let's go," He mewed. 

As they started climbing the trail, a hiss came from behind them.

"Darn right some cat followed you!" A voice hissed.

Ginger fur caught Ashstar's eye as he turned, then was quickly able to make out the figure of Kindle. "Kindle?!" He hissed. 

"Yes, it's me!" Kindle growled. She flicked her tail and more figures stepped from the bushes. Ashstar was able to recognize Flame and Vally. They leaped to Kindle's side. Two more figures stepped from the bushes: A brown tom with amber eyes and a gray she-cat. 

"Scar, Brindle," Kindle meowed. "Be prepared."

The brown tom nodded. "You can count on us," He meowed.

"I knew I could, Scar," Kindle meowed.

Ashstar turned to his group. "Littlecloud, go and get help!" He meowed to the medicine cat. 

"I don't think so!" A hiss behind him made him turn around, and a black and white tom grabbed Littlecloud and pinned him down. 

"How did you even know we'd be here?" Ashstar hissed.

"Well, little did you know, I got Vally to spy for me!" Kindle hissed. "And we will get rid of you for once and for all! There won't be any Clans left once we take our revenge! You killed our leader Silk, and you must pay!" She hissed. Without warning, she leaped at Ashstar, her claws extended. 

Ashstar's heart sank with terror as he realized they were outnumbered, but it was lucky enough that they had two trained warriors with them. Claws sank into Ashstar's shoulders, and Kindle pinned him down, her teeth bared. She thrust him away from her all of a sudden, and Ashstar's paws slipped on the ground. He almost went over the edge, but he caught himself.

Kindle raced over to him. "Just give up!" She hissed and sank her claws into Ashstar's paws. They were pretty high up on the trail, and if Ashstar fell from this height, he'd lose a life. He bared his teeth at Kindle. "Never!"

Kindle's grip tightened. "Then you can die!" She hissed.

A calico figure flashed through the air. It was Flower! She shoved Kindle to the ground and slashed at her ears and muzzle. With a scratch on her muzzle and a nick in her ear, Kindle backed off to go and help Brindle with Rust. Flower turned to Ashstar. She grabbed his scruff and helped him get up.

"Thanks!" Ashstar gasped.

"We can win against these mange-pelts!" Flower hissed. She sprang over to help Rust. Ashstar followed.

Ashstar leaped on Vally. He pinned the large tom to the ground and sank his teeth in his shoulder. 

Vally fought back, kicking Ashstar in the belly with his hind legs. Blood sprayed Vally's belly fur.

Ashstar was shoved backward, but he quickly got back on his paws. With terror, he realized that the rogues were winning. Kindle had Flower pinned to the ground, a paw on her throat. Scar and Brindle had Rust pinned to the ground. 

Vally ran to Littlecloud and pinned him down. The black and white tom slipped from his spot and helped Kindle pin down Flower, then Kindle took the chance to race over to Ashstar. She knocked him back, digging her claws in his shoulder. 

Ashstar sprang up and raced in a circle around Kindle, remembering what Russetstar did. He darted in quickly, raking her legs with his claws. Kindle stayed still, yet crouched, and her eyes flitted towards him. Then, she leaped in front of Ashstar's face and lashed at his throat and muzzle. Ashstar sprang back quickly, but her claws caught the fur on his throat and muzzle. 

A hiss behind Kindle made Ashstar shiver, and Kindle leaped on Ashstar's back, pinning him down. "Give up!" She hissed.

Ashstar struggled under her grip. "No! Never!" He growled. 

"Fine, then if you don't give up your territory," She placed a paw on his throat and flicked her tail. Vally padded over to them, dragging Littlecloud by the scruff. "Littlecloud and you shall die!" She growled, her green eyes shining. 

Ashstar's heart stopped. He could remember this happening, a long time ago. Stoneheart was held back by Wolfpaw, and Crow forced Ashstar to give up his territory or else he would kill Stoneheart. Now what could he do? Give up his territory again? He was about to speak when a hiss broke out. 

"Hey! What are you doing?" A yowl came from below. 

A tawny cat raced up the trail, her claws unsheathed. It was Tawnypelt! Doveclaw and Kestrelflight accompanied her side. "What are you doing?" Tawnypelt  demanded.

Kindle glared at her. "If you want to stop us, then that means that Littlecloud will be sacrificed!" She hissed.

While she was distracted by the WindClan cats, Ashstar lifted his paw and slashed Kindle's throat. Blood leaped out on Ashstar, and he flinched. He saw all the rogues' eyes widen, and Vally let Littlecloud go. Kindle was still on her paws and blood trickled from her mouth. Blood dripped from the gash in her throat. "Don't think you have won!" Kindle hissed. "I have more cats than you can imagine!"

Ashstar lashed his tail. He sank his claws in her head and pushed her to the ground. "You've lost this battle!" He hissed.

Kindle thrashed and kicked out with her paws, then her shriek was cut off as she fell limp.

"Kindle!" Vally shrieked out. "We shall avenge your death!" He hissed. He bared his fangs at Ashstar. "Coward, you won this battle because your friends showed up!" He spat.

"And do you admit defeat?" Ashstar growled. "Are you sure you still want to battle? You're outnumbered now, and I'd easily kill you," Ashstar growled.

Scar and Brindle got up, their paws scraping the rock, then they fled down the trail, pushing past Tawnypelt and Doveclaw. 

Flame, Vally, and the black and white tom were left. "Smudge, go with the others and go back to base," Vally meowed. The black and white tom nodded, then padded down the trail. 

Flower and Rust got to their paws, looking at Vally and Flame.

"We shall be back," Vally hissed. He turned to Flame. "I shall be the new leader of these rogues, and you will be my deputy," He told her, licking her on the top of the head. "Lets go," He meowed. As he padded down the trail, and padded past Ashstar, he gave him a glare, but Ashstar glared back, his stare filled with hatred. As Vally and Flame were out of sight, Ashstar turned to Tawnypelt. 

"Thank Starclan you got here!" Ashstar meowed. 

"We were about to go to the MoonCave with Kestrelflight.  He heard that the rogues sometimes liked to hang around here, so we came with Kestrelflight to make sure he was safe. We saw you and went to help," Tawnypelt explained.

"We were heading to the MoonCave too," Ashstar meowed. 

"Trying to see if Rust and Flower could be leaders?" Tawnypelt asked.

"Yes, but looks like we need to get back to camp and get our wounds treated," Ashstar sighed. He flicked his tail and Rust and Flower padded over to stand by his side. Littlecloud came over as well.

"These rogues are just as vicious as the last ones," Tawnypelt pointed out. "Lets hope we don't have to move again," She meowed, then headed up the trail. 

The sun was already down by the time the patrol had made it back to camp. Rust was limping and Flower let him lean on her shoulder. 

Ashstar wondered why these rogues were being so vicious. He was glad they hadn't tried attacking the camp. But what if they had to move away from this place? Ashstar realized that they would have to get rid of these rogues, for once and for all.