Mossheart's kits were a moon now, and for a moon he had played with them, becoming a great father towards them. He was proud of Fernbranch and his kits, and there was nothing more exciting than being a father.

            As he returned from a patrol, he heard the sound of wails, a very familiar wail. He suddenly pricked his ears, realizing it was Fernbranch. "No, oh no," he gasped, wondering if one of the kits had picked up greencough. It had been spreading lately, and Smokestar had even lost a life from it.

            Mossheart rushed into the den, Tawnyheart appearing moments later. "What happened?" she asked.

            Mossheart turned, seeing Fernbranch with Jaykit and Patchkit. They were wailing, and Mossheart turned, seeing Tinykit lay on the moss. She was coughing up foul-smelling mucus.

            Mossheart ran to his mate and kits. "Fernbranch what..." His voice trailed off. "Tawnyheart, you must treat her!" Mossheart spat.

            Tawnyheart ran to Tinykit's side, sitting down next to the sick she-cat. "Tinykit, what happened?" Tawnyheart asked.

            Mossheart watched as Tinykit's eyes fluttered open. "Yucky...black...smelly...water," she coughed.

            Mossheart gasped, turning to Tawnyheart. "She must have drank poisonous water! Tawnyheart, you have to save her!" he pleaded, trying to ignore the wails from his mate and two healthy kits.

            Mossheart watched as the calico she-cat bit her lip. She gave Tinykit a bit of yarrow, and the she-cat coughed up more foul-smelling liquid. Mossheart saw the fear in his daughter's eyes she looked at her family, frightened.

            "Alright," Tawnyheart said, looking at the small kit. "Have one juniper berry, and you can rest," Tawnyheart told Tinykit. Mossheart felt a bit more relieved as she ate the berry then fell asleep, her constant vomiting stopping.

            "Will she recover?" Mossheart asked once he knew she was asleep. "She's my only daughter. I don't want anything to happen to her..."

            He watched as Tawnyheart's eyes flicked with uncertainty. "I'm not sure. We'll just have to wait and see," she said.

            "Please take good care of her," Mossheart said, turning to Fernbranch and the kits in hopes to comfort them. Their cries continued on, and he shushed them, hoping for some peace.

            Tinykit opened her eyes a bit later once Fernbranch and the kits had stopped crying. Her eyes turned from Mossheart's to Fernbranch. "I'm sorry, Mommy," she whispered. "I saw a puddle of black water, and I was thirsty, so I drank it," she mewed.

            Mossheart turned to his daugher. "Tinykit, you never drink black water. You only drink water from rivers, streams, or lakes. You shouldn't be out in the forest alone."

            "It was near the river," she mewed quietly. "I'm sorry, Daddy, very sorry." She sighed and rested her head, barely moving. Mossheart's eyes widened. Was she dead? Fernbranch gasped, about to scream. Tawnyheart spoke before she could though.

            "She's still alive, but she's tired. I think the poison is out of her system," Tawnyheart told them. Mossheart turned, seeing Tinykit scratch her eyes every few seconds.

            "Well, next time, don't drink black water," Mossheart said. He watched as she continued to scratch her eyes. "Tawnyheart, why is she scratching her eyes like that?"

            He watched her bite her lip. "I don't know," she said. She nudged Tinykit, the she-cat opening her eyes slowly. Mossheart gagged. They were puffy and red, black liquid dripping down from them.

            "The poison," he heard Tawnyheart whisper.

            He saw her hold up three claws, looking at Tinykit. "How many claws am I holding up?" she asked.

            Mossheart watched in grief as his daughter squinted. "Four," she guessed.

            "Her sight!" Mossheart gasped. He turned to Tawnyheart. "She won't go blind, will she?"

            "I'm not sure," Tawnyheart said. She exited the den, coming back with a deathberry and some catmint. She held them out in front of Tinykit. "What color are they?"

            Mossheart watched as his daughter squinted again. "They're both red!" she exclaimed.

            Mossheart felt his stomach churn, and Tawnyheart turned to him. "She's colorblind, Mossheart. The poison has caused this. I'm not sure if it's permanent yet or if it will turn into complete blindness."

            "My baby is blind!" Mossheart wailed in pain and grief. Soon enough, Fernbranch and the kits began to do the same, following after their father.

            "Colorblind," she told him, emphasizing on "color".

            "What does it matter?" Mossheart spat. "She's losing her sight!"

            Tawnyheart sighed again. "I already told you that I'm not sure if it's permanent or not. She may just be colorblind."

            Mossheart continued to wail, Fernbranch sobbing into his pelt. He watched Tinykit as she looked around, frantically trying to stop her family from crying.

            "SHUT UP, MOSSHEART!" Tawnyheart spat. "You're making your daughter nervous!"

            "YOU'RE MAKING ME NERVOUS!" he hissed, running out of the den. How could this happen? How could StarClan curse his kit like this?

            "OH, WELL SORRY FOR DOING MY JOB AS MEDICINE CAT!" Tawnyheart spat in the center of the camp. "Would you have preferred me to lie to you?! Tinykit is colorblind! Get over it!"

            "Colorblind! I don't care!" Mossheart spat. "My kit is different from everyone else!" he hissed, running into the woods. He ran past trees, snow falling off the branches as he ran.

            He heard footsteps behind him, and he stopped. Tawnyheart caught up with him. He braced himself for another lecture.

            "Is that all you care about? Her being the same?" Tawnyheart asked. "Just accept her for who she is, Mossheart. She gets some colors confused every once in awhile. What's so bad about that?" She stopped, her voice turning into a hush whisper. "I know what it's like, having a kit that's different from others. Accept her for who she is for her own sake, Mossheart."

            "How would you know?!" Mossheart hissed.

            He watched as she began to twitch nervously. "That's not important. What is important is that you start accepting Tinykit for who she is."

            "Tawnyheart, are you alright? You keep twitching," Mossheart said, watching the she-cat twitch nervously every once in awhile.

            Tawnyheart closed her eyes, and suddenly, Mossheart began to see all she was envisioning. He saw her in the woods with Moonstream, her being disguised as Moonstream as she gave birth. She was the mother of Thornfrost's kits...

            "You're the mother of Thornfrost's kits?!" he gasped. "I thought they were Moonstream's! Does Thornfrost know?" Mossheart asked, his mouth spilling endless questions.

            "Please, don't tell!" she begged. "Only Moonstream and I know, and now, you."

            "But you can't be a medicine cat anymore!" Mossheart told her. "And were Moonstream and Thornfrost mates? How did she trick everyone?"

            Tawnyheart stood, nose to nose with Mossheart. Her eyes were red and puffy from lack of sleep, and she had several bald patches from stress. "You will not tell a living soul, or else..." Her eyes seemed to flash red with anger.

            "But—" Mossheart quivered. He turned, rushing back to camp.

            "Oh, no you don't!" she spat, chasing after him. He rushed through the forest, Tawnyheart on his heels. He rushed into Smokestar's den, exhausted. "DON'T YOU DARE!"

            He gasped as she pulled him out of the den into the center of the camp. "You just want to ruin my life, don't you?" she asked. "You've met your worst enemy," she spat, kicking dust into his face as she padded into Smokestar's den.

            "SMOKESTAR!" Mossheart yowled.

            Smokestar rushed out, finding the two. "What is going on?"

            "Tawnyheart's afraid I'll tell her secret," Mossheart spat. Tawnyheart turned to him, an angry expression on her face.

            Smokestar looked at them in confusion.

            "That Thorn—"

            He was cut off by Smokestar. "I didn't ask you, Mossheart. I asked Tawnyheart."

            "I'm the mother of Thornfrost's kits," she spat at Smokestar. "Do whatever you want to me. I don't care anymore!"

            "Well, Tawnyheart," Smokestar sighed. "Let me say I'm disappointed in you. You know what has to be done, don't you? You can no longer be a medicine cat. A shame too. Spottedmask was going to retire soon. Tawnyheart, you will be relieved from your medicine cat duties. I will be making an announcement to the clan," Smokestar said, turning.

            Mossheart watched as she blocked his path. "Please, give me a second chance. I didn't want this to happen. It just happened."

            "I'm sorry, Tawnyheart, but you were born and raised here, and you've broken the law. It must be so. I'll be making an announcement soon," he said, heading up to the rock. Mossheart gasped as Tawnyheart looked at him as if she were to kill him. He hadn't meant to make her lose her position. It just came out somehow...

            "CATS OF SNOWCLAN!" Smokestar yowled. Mossheart turned, seeing Fernbranch peek her head out of the nursery, mouthing to Mossheart what happened.

            Smokestar began to explain of Tawnyheart's betrayal and how she was the true mother of Thornfrost's kits. Mossheart turned, seeing the golden-brown tom gasp in confusion. "She will be a warrior from now on," Smokestar announced. "If anyone is interested in being an apprentice, please let Spottedmask know. She was planning to retire, but now, she cannot."

            Mossheart ran off to Fernbranch and the kits, guilt spreading throughout him.

            "What? How did no one know sooner?" Fernbranch asked, confused.

            "I-It's my fault," Mossheart told her. "She accidentally let it sleep, and I blurted to Smokestar. How's Tinykit?" he asked.

            "Her vision has not declined anymore. I think she's just colorblind for now," Fernbranch told him. "Come rest. You've been through a lot today."

            Mossheart nodded, laying down beside her. He closed his eyes, his mind swimming in several thoughts.