Mosspaw awoke to the a tail poking him. He opened his eyes, seeing a calico apprentice look over him. "Wake up!" she said. "You're about to miss patrols!"

            Mosspaw quickly got up, still not sure what the name of the she-cat was. He padded outside fast, waiting for patrols with the rest of the apprentices and their mentors.

            "Oh, Mosspaw," a voice came.

            Mosspaw turned, seeing Smokestar padding towards him. "You're not going on patrols today," Smokestar explained. "We have to go over the basic training techniques of an apprentice. Come," he said, pulling Mosspaw away from the group of apprentices waiting patiently.

            Mosspaw sighed. He had been woken up for nothing. He slowly followed Smokestar, nervousness clenching his stomach. What if he wasn't good enough to be an apprentice? He wished Snakekit was here with him.

            "Have you learned all the names of the other cats yet?" Smokestar asked.

            Mosspaw shook his head. "N-no, Smokestar. Just a few..."

            Smokestar nodded. "It's important you know all the names of your clanmates."

            "I-I'll try my best to learn," Mosspaw said.

            "Good," Smokestar said, continuing to lead him farther into the dense forest.

            Mosspaw looked around, breathing in the SnowClan scent and looking around. "Wow, it's beautiful in here," Mosspaw said.

            Smokestar nodded. "I'll be showing you a tour of the clan's territory. It'll help you with your training and battle strategies," he said.

            "Wow, you sure sound wise," Mosspaw laughed.

            "Oh, I'm not," he said.

            "But surely you are if you were assigned as deputy," Mosspaw pointed out.

            "Maybe," Smokestar said. "I became leader when I had just become a warrior. The leader before me had been given a sign from StarClan showing me as the leader. I'm proud she chose me, but I still wonder if I made the right choice."

            Mosspaw didn't reply, but continued walking. This was training! Not a trip to the elders' den.

            Suddenly Smokestar stopped, almost causing Mosspaw to walk into him. Mosspaw turned his head, seeing patrols of cats go by.

            "FoxClan," Smokestar said. "CloudClan is near death. Their clan is falling apart. A clan named NightClan did move into the forest though."

            "What are the other clans like?" Mosspaw asked. "Who are their leaders?"

            "Maybe you'll find out at the gathering," Smokestar said.

            "You mean I can go?" Mosspaw gasped, bouncing up and down.

            Smokestar nodded. "You need all the information you can get. Now, come on, let's look around the territory."

            Smokestar showed Mosspaw around, showing him the best places to catch prey, where to find water, where the best battle fields were. He showed him the best climbing trees and best moss, taking up a lot of time.

            "Now, we're going to learn how to properly give moss to the elders," Smokestar said.

            Mosspaw nodded, watching Smokestar.

            Smokestar grabbed a small piece of moss, lightly biting down on it, causing the water to spill out onto the forest floor. After he had done that a few times, he began to stomp on the moss, causing more water to come out. Then he repeated the two actions again and again until no more water spilled out.

            "Now feel it," Smokestar instructed.

            Mosspaw felt the moss, gasping at its softness and dryness. "I've never felt moss that dry and soft before!" he gasped.

            Smokestar nodded. "A little trick," he smiled. "You are to provide a nest for Newfeather. She likes her nests nice and comfy, so do a good job. You must also pick ticks off of her when the time comes."

            "Newfeather," Mosspaw said. "Is she that old calico she-cat?"

            Smokestar nodded.

            "I met her yesterday!" he gasped.

            "Good," Smokestar said. "You'll know who she is. Now, show me how to gather moss and do it well."

            Mosspaw nodded, pulling a large bunch of moss off of the tree and biting down into it, tasting the foul moss in his mouth. He spat it out, hacking.

            "Lightly!" Smokestar said. "Chew it lightly!"

            Mosspaw nodded, steadily beginning to lightly chew on it, water from the moss beginning to drip down his chin. After he got bored of chewing, he put it on the ground, jumping up and down on the moss.

            "Stop!" Smokestar yowled. "You're going to have flat moss. Lightly step on it."

            Mosspaw nodded, trying to fluff the moss back up. The good news was, the bouncing had gotten some of the water to come out. The bad news was that the moss didn't seem like it would make a good nest.

            Mosspaw kept trying to make the moss dry and soft, but it was a failure. He winced as Smokestar felt the moss. "Soggy. Honestly, Mosspaw. Did you listen to a word I said? Come on, it's getting late. I guess Newfeather will have to deal with that."

            Mosspaw nodded, feeling ashamed. He hadn't meant to destroy the moss completely. He had just wanted to make it right. He sighed as he padded back into camp, going to the elders' den immediately.

            "Oh, are you bringing me my nest?" Newfeather rasped.

            Mosspaw nodded, dropping the flat and soggy nest at her feet.

            Newfeather touched it. "What is this? You call this a piece of moss?!"

            "Pipe down, Newfeather," Darkwhisper grumbled. "He's just started to learn. Let me feel it. It can't be as bad as it looks."

            Mosspaw groaned as Darkwhisper felt it and shuddered. "Wow, it really is. Congratulations tom. You've gathered the worst moss ever. Just go dump it outside. Newfeather's old nest will have to do."

            Mosspaw sighed, throwing the worn and soggy moss into the forest. He turned around, only to see Fernpaw staring at him.

            "What's up?" she asked, her tortoiseshell ears pricking.

            "Nothing really," Mosspaw sighed. "Darkwhisper just told me that I gathered the worst moss ever."

            "Oh, don't take it too hard," Fernpaw said. "Darkwhisper's a pain in the tail. That's all he does. Complain. You'll get better at it soon enough."

            "I hope," Mosspaw sighed. "Smokestar thought I didn't listen to him."

            "Who cares what Smokestar thinks? He's only your mentor."

            "And leader," Mosspaw pointed out.

            "Leader, mentor, it's the same. Just do better next time," Fernpaw said.

            "Thanks," Mosspaw sighed. He padded off, only to be interrupted by Cottonnose's scream.

            "SNOWTAIL'S KITS ARE COMING!" he yowled.

            Cats rushed to the nursery while Mosspaw hesitatedly padded forward, unable to see anything over the big crowd.

            Mosspaw turned, seeing a gray and white she-cat standing next to him, smiling at him. "Are you Snowtail's sister?"

            The she-cat shook her head.

            "Who are you then?" Mosspaw asked.

            The she-cat did not speak and Mosspaw tilted his head. "Um hello? I asked you a question!"

            A white she-cat with black spots spoke. "Oh don't mind Ivygaze. She was born mute. She can't speak."

            "Oh," Mosspaw said. "Who are you?"

            "Mousestripe," the she-cat said. "Smokestar's daughter."

            "So you're Snowtail's sister?"

            "Oh, StarClan, no! I'm Lilywhisker's daughter. Not that bird-brain's kit. My sister is Dawnpool. None of us were happy when we heard Wavestorm was having a second litter," Mousestripe said.

            "Oh," Mosspaw said. "I'm so sorry."

            "Don't be," Mousestripe said. "My father is a mouse-brain at times."

            A yowl came from the nursery. "IT'S A TOM!"

            Mosspaw stood, waiting to hear if any more kits would be born. Cats had begun to leave, thinking that was the only kit. Then another sound came. "A SHE-CAT!"

            Mosspaw stood, waiting to see the brand new kits born to Snowtail and Cottonnose. Mosspaw turned to Mousestripe again. "Say, who is Ivygaze related to?"

            "She's Cottonnose, Riverstream, and Blazeheart's sister. Daughter to Petalnose and Longtail," Mousestripe said.

            Mosspaw froze. "D-did you say P-petalnose?"

            "Yeah, why are you making such a big deal out of it?" Mousestripe asked.

            "N-no reason," Mosspaw said.

            He couldn't believe it! He had just found out who the four kits that Skycloud had raised were! Cottonnose, the father of Snowtail's kits, was Petalnose's son. Riverstream, he had never met her. Blazeheart, that tom who had yowled at him prior to his arrival. And Ivygaze. Four kits. Wow, Skycloud must've been brave to watch all those kits Mosspaw thought.

            He neared the nursery, seeing Snowtail's two kits. He smiled, seeing a furry white tom with a black tail and a white she-cat with black paws.

            "What are their names?" Mosspaw asked.

            "The tom is Fuzzykit. The she-cat is Marshmallowkit," Snowtail said, purring at the kits.

            Cottonnose nodded.

            "Cottonnose, are you Petalnose's son?"

            Cottonnose paused for a moment. "Yes...why does that interest you?"

            "Because I heard my mother raised you and your siblings. I wanted to hear about it," Mosspaw said.

            "Well, I'm sort of busy right now," Cottonnose laughed. "But you can stop by the warrior's den tomorrow and hear a story."

            "Alright," Mosspaw smiled, padding off to the apprentice den.

            Finally! Some of the truth would be unveiled!