Ashstar watched as Squirrelflight arranged the patrols. He had told her to make extra cats go on patrol and to watch out for rogues. 

"Ashstar," A voice called.  Cinderheart stepped into the den, her eyes shining. "Don't you think it's time that our kits got apprenticed?" She asked, a glint in her eyes. 

Ashstar realized he hadn't been paying any attention to his kits. "Well, you're right," He meowed. 

There was a yowl across the camp all of a sudden, and Ashstar got to his paws and raced from the den. Rogue scent hit his throat. Mossheart, Thistlepaw, Ivypool, and Slatepaw were at the camp entrance, two rogues in between them. He saw a sleek black and white tom with yellow eyes and a gray tabby she-cat. 

Ashstar ran down the rocks and raced over to where they were. His ear twitched. Now up close, he could see that it was Crowfrost and Cloverfoot. 

"Ashstar," Crowfrost dipped his head. "We've come to see you. How have you been?" He asked.

"How did you know where to find us?" Ashstar asked, ignoring his question.

"Well, a kittypet-"

"Well, seems like you have the same story that Tigerheart told me," Ashstar growled.

"So, how is ThunderClan? WindClan?" Cloverfoot asked, stepping in.

"Fine. We're beginning to build a new ShadowClan and a new RiverClan," Ashstar explained. 

"We moved here just in time," Crowfrost sighed.

"What even made you come here?" Ashstar asked.

"We left because twolegs were destroying the forest there, and they're going to build more nests," Cloverfoot explained.

Ashstar's heart sank. What if the other rogues moved here? He remembered Russetstar and Crowstar, then he remembered that Tigerheart had told him about Darktail. And what if he became Darkstar? 

"There's more of us," Crowfrost meowed. "Whitetail and Antpelt from WindClan, and Reedwhisker, Duskpelt, Mothwing and Willowshine from RiverClan," He meowed. "And we also found a ThunderClan cat: Ferncloud," He added. 

At the mention of his sister, Ashstar gasped. "Where are they?" He asked.

"We told them to wait by the mountain trail," Crowfrost meowed. "Should we get them?" He asked.

"Yes!" Ashstar gasped. "We need them!" He meowed. "Oh, Harestar will be happy to hear that two of his warriors survived!" He purred. He ran to the rocks and climbed up, standing on High Ledge. "ThunderClan, listen up!" He called. 

Every cat turned towards him, their eyes wide with interest at what Ashstar would do.

"Ivypool, Bramblehawk, I'd like you to go to WindClan and tell them that two ShadowClan warriors have found two WindClan cats. And tell them to come to the mountain trail," Ashstar meowed. 

The two warriors nodded and raced out of camp.

"Jaywing, Firestorm, and Tigerheart,"  Ashstar called. "You're coming with me to the mountain trail." He bounded towards the rocks and climbed down. He walked over to where Crowfrost and Cloverfoot were. He watched as Jaywing, Firestorm, and Tigerheart raced over to them.

Tigerheart touched noses with Crowfrost and Cloverfoot, purring. 

"I'm glad you're alive," Crowfrost meowed to Tigerheart. Cloverfoot purred happily. 

Tigerheart blinked at his Clanmate's warm response. "Dawnpelt and Tawnypelt and Littlecloud are alive as well," He meowed.

"That's good," Cloverfoot meowed, flicking her tail. 

"We should leave now," Ashstar meowed.

"So, we went through the mountains and met the Tribe of Rushing Water. We asked them if they'd seen you walk through the mountains, and they said yes. Unfortunately, Redwillow, Leaftail, and Beetlewhisker died in the mountains," Crowfrost meowed. 

"I  didn't even know that RiverClan survived. I thought they all died," Ashstar admitted. "Back in the lake territory, we didn't find any trace of them," He explained.

"Well, we found some near the twoleg place," Crowfrost meowed. "We found Mintfur and Icewing there, and they said they'd come once the Clans were together again," He meowed. 

"And why were you even living with Russetstar and Crowstar? Didn't you realize how evil they were?" Ashstar asked, his tail flicking. 

Now, they stepped from the undergrowth and set paw on the moor. Dark gray clouds moved slowly in the blue sky. The cats started to pad across the moor, heading towards the mountain trail. Ashstar could see the mountain in the distance, and saw it stretch tall until it reached the clouds and disappeared. He could see a white glow at the top, probably where snow was falling. 

"I'm not sure,  I just couldn't see past their evil ways," Crowfrost finally answered after a moment of silence. "When Darktail came, I had no idea that he'd be so viscous. I was afraid of leaving with Cloverfoot because I thought we'd get killed. Then, the Clan found out that Littlecloud, Tigerheart, and Dawnpelt had left, and Crowstar stated that if any cat ever found them on their territory, they'd be killed instantly," Crowfrost meowed.

"And how did you sneak out?" Ashstar asked.

"Well, the twolegs were starting to remove the trees there, and prey was starting to become scarce. Crowstar told us to not leave unless he decided to leave. But I was able to sneak out at night with Cloverfoot. I'm not sure if the rogues will move here," Crowfrost added. 

Figures were starting to show farther ahead near the bottom of the mountain trail, and some part of ShadowClan territory was visible on the side, with tall trees and thick bushes. 

"There they are," Cloverfoot purred.

All the cats began to walk faster, and the other cats must of saw them because Ashstar could hear cheerful meows.

Finally, they reached the other cats. Whitetail purred happily, and Antpelt's eyes widened.

"You found them!" Antpelt purred.

Mothwing and Willowshine and Duskpelt stared at them in awe. And Ashstar realized that Duskpelt was expecting kits when he saw her rounded belly. He didn't see Ferncloud or Reedwhisker, and was confused. Fear surged through him like rain filling a dip in the earth.

"Where's Reedwhisker and Ferncloud?" Crowfrost asked, worry edging his voice.

"They went to hunt," Antpelt meowed. 

Ashstar's heart sank. "Two cats out to hunt?" He asked. "The rogues could kill them!" He gasped in horror.

"Calm down, Ashstar, the rogues aren't here," Whitetail meowed.

"There are rogues living here," Ashstar growled. "A large group of them invaded half of ShadowClan's territory and are resting there!" He explained. 

"Are they a problem?" Crowfrost asked, turning to him. "You never told me that rogues lived here!" He gasped.

"Maybe I didn't tell you," Ashstar sighed. "And, duh, they're a big problem! They've killed Alderheart!" He hissed.

"They killed a medicine cat?" Mothwing asked. "That's terrible!" 

"Squirrelflight killed Silk in return though, and I've killed Kindle. But every time one of their cats die, it's like another cat joins them!" Ashstar growled. He turned to his cats. "Jaywing, Firestorm, I'd like you to follow me-"

He was cut off as he heard cheerful meows coming from the other side of him. He saw Harestar, Ivypool, Bramblehawk, Tawnypelt, and Gorsetail racing towards them.

"Harespring! Gorsetail!" Whitetail and Antpelt cried. They raced over to greet them. 

Harestar purred with joy. "I'm Harestar now," He meowed. "And Gorsetail is my deputy," He meowed.

Tawnypelt moved forward to touch noses with Crowfrost and Cloverfoot. She purred with delight. "ShadowClan shall recover," She murmured. 

Ashstar was getting worried. Why hadn't Ferncloud and Reedwhisker returned yet?

Harestar and Gorsetail touched noses with Whitetail and Antpelt. 

When all the cats had exchanged friendly greetings, Ivypool and Bramblehawk padded over to Ashstar. "Hey, I thought Crowfrost and Cloverfoot said that Reedwhisker and Ferncloud were here," Ivypool meowed, confused.

"Where are they?  I don't see them,"  Bramblehawk added.

"Whitetail and Antpelt told me that Ferncloud and Reedwhisker had gone hunting," Ashstar meowed. "Ivypool, Bramblehawk," He began. He turned to the rest of his cats. "Firestorm and Jaywing, come with me," He meowed. 

All of them nodded and gathered around him, but before any of them could move, a yowl rang out across the moor.

A black figure raced towards them and leaped in the air, heading towards Harestar.