"Icepaw! Foxpaw! Do you remember how to get back to camp from here?" asked Brambleclaw. The two new apprentices nodded.

"Good. Get back there as fast as you can. Tell Firestar that Spiderleg and I scented strange kits on our territory. Go!" exclaimed Brambleclaw. Icepaw and Foxpaw raced back toward camp. Brambleclaw and Spiderleg began creeping toward the kit scent. Soon they could see the nest with five kits in it. They did not see a mother. Suddenly, they heard a hiss, and a she-cat jumped onto Brambleclaw from the tree that Brambleclaw and Spiderleg had been sitting under. The she-cat was a cream-color. She fought well, better than most loners. She was evenly matched against Brambleclaw since she had the element of surprise on her side. Seeing this, Spiderleg leapt to Brambleclaw's aid, and together they managed to pin her down.

"Who are you, and why are you on ThunderClan territory?" demanded Brambleclaw.

"Th-Th-ThunderClan territory?" stuttered the she-cat.

"Yes. ThunderClan territory. I'm the deputy of ThunderClan, and I want you to tell me who you are and why you are here." hissed Brambleclaw impatiently.

"Ok. Just please don't hurt me. My name is Rose. I live on my own usually, but I've always come to the forest when I have kits. I usually live over the hills that way." she meowed, gesturing as best she could under Brambleclaw's weight toward the hills beyond the Moonpool.

"These are all your kits?" asked Brambleclaw, sounding surprised.

"Yes. Sun, Moon, Star, Eagle, and Talon." replied Rose. Seeing their surprised faces she added, "I always have large litters." Suddenly, Firestar arrived with Leafpool, Jaypaw, Icepaw, Foxpaw, and Squirrelflight.

"What happened, Brambleclaw? Who is that she-cat?" asked Firestar.

"I just found out. This is Rose. She's a rogue. Those are all her kits. She says their names are Sun, Moon, Star, Eagle, and Talon. She jumped on me, I'm guessing in an attempt to defend her nest." replied Brambleclaw.

"She fought well?" Firestar asked.

"Yes." answered Brambleclaw.

"We can always use more warriors…. Rose, do you have a place to go?" Firestar meowed.

"Only back to the mountains, but my kits would never survive there. It's hard to find prey for one cat, never mind six. Nowhere with my kits." replied Rose.

"Would you like to join ThunderClan?" asked Firestar.

"Join ThunderClan? Me and my kits? Well…" Rose paused.

"This is a one-time offer. Yes or no. Join ThunderClan, learn the warrior code, and live by it or leave our territory." added Firestar.

"You do seem like nice cats. And I do need a home for my kits. Yes, I'll join." replied Rose.