Rufus looked around. He saw Ancel grooming himself. "Hey." He meowed to blue one-eyed cat who caught his presence and ceased his self-cleaning.

"Haven't seen your face in a while." He commented. Rufus nodded his head. "Been with Orto and Kia."

The cat in front of him didn't react, only going back to grooming himself. His one eye flickered to him and he stopped lapping at his foreleg. "There are rumors about Shere-Khan."

The dark gray and white tabby's eyes widened. "Rumors?" He meowed, interested to know if they could be information for he and his friends to use to their advantage.

"Yes. He seems to be on the move again, some of his cats have been traveling further into Twoleg territory, and he seems to not be happy about something." Ancel replied as he looked around to make sure no one saw or heard him.

Rufus had a thoughtful look. Usually his cats stayed in the very bowels of their city home. What made them want to venture further into Twolegplace?

"As one of his most loyal guards, it makes it hard to hear too much, I can only speak what I have heard," the blue tom told his friend. "I have also heard that he is looking for a she-cat, I wasn't close enough to hear who or see it, but he seemed very adamant about it. I admit I haven't seen him this morning. It seems he hasn't left his den in a little while." He was now laying down on his belly, his tail curved perfectly around his body.

The tom nodded. This could be valuable information. "Thanks." He meowed and turned to pad away before looking at his friend over his shoulder. "Be careful."

"Oh come on now Rufus, when am I not?" He asked as Rufus turned around to answer the tom who was not there. A cold breeze swiftly made itself at home on his pelt, making him shiver as he walked away.

Rufus swiftly made his way to his box home. Sitting down in it, he yawned and decided to make himself comfortable. He stared at his father's collar he had found. It had been too long. Too long without his kin by his side. He couldn't remember a time where he felt this way. At least Orto was his friend, but he spoke of Orchid like it was yesterday. Of course he had every right to grieve. Every cat did.

"Hey!" A cat yowled as she sat on one of the fences of the Twoleg nest. "What are you doing?" She asked as she stared at the tom, her white pelt with orange splashes fluffy and her bright green eyes bright with curiosity.

He yowled in alarm and stared up at her. "Sleeping." He replied. Correction, he was trying to sleep really.

"Sorry if I interrupted! I'm Flame!" She mewed while flicking her tail from side to side.

Rufua shrugged. "I wasn't tired anyway, I actually feel more awake than usual." He told the she-cat known as Flame. "The name's Rufus."

"Rufus, nice name." She purred while tilting her head with a smile before her eyes widened. "You aren't one of those gang street cats that hurt other cats are you?" She asked in slight fear.

"No, I'm trying to stop the violence. I've had it with Shere-Khan and his group of mangey rats." The gray tabby growled, looking at the she-cat, he calmed himself down, his eyes gleaming apologetically for his sudden outburst. "Sorry."

"Wow so your like what my younger house folk call a 'hero' or something? That's cool! I want to be like you!" She hopped down the fence with ease. "Show me a move!" She demanded in awe as she swung her paw at the air but fell and landed on her stomach with her tail falling forward onto her face.

Rufus tipped his head in amusement. "First, you need to get a good stance." He meowed and got in a battle stance to demonstrate.

"Oh! Okay!" Flame quickly followed his stance. "Like this?" She asked.

"Good stance!" He meowed in approval. Flame bounced on her toes for a moment. "Wait until I tell my friends I can defend myself and protect them like you!" She beamed with an unbelievable amount of joy Rufus had ever seen on a cat's face in his life.

Rufus nodded his head. Looking around, he saw Orto walking towards him. "Hey Rufus." He meowed. The tabby tom looked at his black and white mottled companion.

Flame quickly jumped behind him in terror. "Get back!" She snapped.

"He's my friend. Orto this is Flame." He meowed and his mottled friend had an amused look on his face and his maw curved into a teasing smile. "Well, aren't you going to save the she-cat from the bad stranger?" He joked. Rufus flared his nostrils. "Good joke." He meowed.

She looked at Rufus then Orto and had a smile, realizing that he was friendly and not an attacker. "My name's Flame! Rufus was teaching me how to be a good fighter." She lifted her head high.

Orto looked at Rufus and said nothing then looked back at Flame. "That's nice of him." He meowed with a happy tone.

"I heard there is a small group of cats helping around this area and thought it was just a rumor or a cruel joke, but now that I'm in front of you it has to be true!" She meowed delightedly.

Rufus and Orto looked at each other then at Flame. Before anycat could reply, a voice joined in saying:"It sure is true." It was Kia who was walking alongside Carla, the orange and tan she-cat from yesterday.

"More friends! I'm Flame! But you can also call me Splash." She flicked her tail at the two she-cats. "I heard that Shere-Khan is making an army, my sister from another litter said so! Is it true?"

Kia blinked slowly, having digest every word she said. "Shere-Khan making an army?" She echoed. Rufus curled his tail. "About that.." he began, though he found it awkward to explain with Carla and Flame with them, he couldn't help but bring up what Ancel told him while they were still on the topic.

"Yeah!" Flame replied before the tom could speak. "She told me and she is never wrong! At first she told me you were evil, but I got interested to meet you. You don't seem evil." She rambled on.

The three cats caster glances at one another. Rufus cleared his throat. "Hey um, I need to talk to my friends. It's hero business." He meowed. The tom had to tell Kia and Orto the information.

"Ooh secret stuff! I better go! It was nice meeting you!" She meowed and quickly ran, jumping onto a trash can, then onto a window sill, and finally jumping again to land on the fence where she sat down before, allowing her tail to hang down as she disappeared on the other side.

Carla shrugged. "I'm hungry anyway. See ya Kia, bye guys." She meowed as she walked away in search of some food.

Rufus looked at his friends. "Ancel told me that Shere-Khan and his cats are traveling further into Twolegplace. He said that was all he knew since he can't hear that much information." He explained.

"That tom sure does have a lot of information. We don't want to risk his neck though." Orto suggested while looking at his friends.

"Shere-Khan is ruthless. He's violent but tempting to new followers. If you're a cat driven by his promises of a glory and to be feared, he'll make sure you're in his gang." Kia meowed.

"I'll see what Ancel knows when I see him again." Rufus decided and his friend nodded their heads in understanding.