Mosspaw awoke bright and early to hear Cottonnose's story. He had to piece the truth together somehow and Cottonnose's story might just help with that.

            He quietly stepped over the apprentices, trying not to disturb them. He padded outside, seeing a few warriors up already on dawn patrol. Mosspaw padded to the warriors den finding Cottonnose sitting outside of it, licking his paw.

            "Cottonnose!" Mosspaw gasped.

            He looked around and then noticed Mosspaw. "Oh, um, Mosspaw, right? Why are you here?"

            "You said that you would tell me the story!" Mosspaw reminded him.

            "Oh, yeah, that's right. I did say that. Well, I guess I could tell you. But come on, let's go outside the camp so we don't disturb the others," Cottonnose said, beginning to walk away.

            Mosspaw nodded and followed after the large white tom until they came to a small spot in the forest.

            "So you want to know about Petalnose?"

            "Anything!" Mosspaw gasped. "Tell me all you know!"

            "Well, okay," Cottonnose said. "See, I was born along with my siblings, Ivygaze, Blazeheart, and Riverstream. Ivygaze was born mute and Petalnose had a fit, but she grew to love the kit. Longtail was my father. He was actually much younger than my mother, but she didn't care."

            "So how did Petalnose die?"

            "I vaguely remember this," Cottonnose said. "But others have greater memories of it. Well, when she was taking care of us, Longtail was leaving to BloodClan. Apparently he was of BloodClan descents or something. The whole clan was in chaos and others were betrayed and stuff. My mother, thinking she would be left again."

            Mosspaw interrupted him. "Left again? What do you mean?"

            "You never heard about Rockclaw and Mintfall?"

            "Who?" Mosspaw asked.

            "Well, Skycloud told us about this, but when Petalnose was an apprentice, she met a rogue named Rockclaw and became mates with him. It was all secretive and it was against the code, but she was doing a good job at hiding it. And then Petalnose found out she was expecting Rockclaw's kits and when she went to tell him, she found him with another she-cat. He said that he was mates with the she-cat now and he left Petalnose alone, her not even able to tell him about the kits. Then Petalnose gave birth to Mintfall. And then after Mintfall's birth she fell in love with Longtail and had her kits when Mintfall was becoming an apprentice."

            "I never knew that!" Mosspaw gasped. "But continue the story."

            "Okay, well Longtail left and Petalnose went after him. Apparently, Thorndapple, she's dead now, trapped her in a badger set and Petalnose was severely injured. Then Thorndapple brought her back into camp and finished her off. Skycloud stood by her side and Petalnose wanted to see Longtail before she died, but he wasn't fast enough and she died without him. Apparently she made Skycloud take care of us. I remember that night when my siblings and I were nestled in Skycloud's fur and she quietly comforted us. Skycloud raised us and told us stories. She was really great at raising us. Longtail never really visited us anymore, so Skycloud was really the only family we had," Cottonnose explained.

            Mosspaw was shocked. He had never known about how Petalnose had betrayed her clan and then had two litters of kits. He hadn't known Skycloud was the only one who cared after her kits. He was amazed.

            "Well, thanks for the story," Mosspaw said. "I understand a little more now."

            Cottonnose dipped his head and Mosspaw went off to find Smokestar to train. He padded into camp, seeing Smokestar looking around for him.

            "I'm here, Smokestar!" Mosspaw said.

            "Thank goodness," Smokestar said. "We'll be training with Fernpaw and her mentor, Waterdrop, today, alright?"

            "Okay," Mosspaw said, padding into the forest with Waterdrop and Fernpaw.

            "How's your apprentice training going so far?" Fernpaw whispered.

            "Okay. You?"

            "Good. I can't wait to be a warrior!" she breathed.

            Waterdrop suddenly halted, Mosspaw bumping into her. Fernpaw stifled a giggle then pretended to act very serious again.

            "We're going to practice tree climbing," Smokestar said.

            Tree climbing. The one thing Mosspaw did not enjoy. He remembered that night he had ran and ran. Climbing trees scared him to death.

            "Um, are you sure about this?" Mosspaw asked nervously.

            "Don't worry. We'll help you out," Smokestar reassured him.

            "Fernpaw, you'll go first," Waterdrop said.

            Fernpaw nodded, beginning to dig her claws into the bark of the tree. She moved up quickly and swiftly, reaching a branch in the matter of seconds. She then arched her back and leapt, digging her claws into the next branch.

            "Very good, Fernpaw," Waterdrop said. "You'll be a warrior in no time!"

            "Now your turn, Mosspaw," Smokestar said.

            Mosspaw gulped and nodded, slowly edging forward. He climbed onto the first branch, then sunk his claws into the bark. He slowly climbed. At one point, his paw slipped.

            "HELP! HELP! HELP!" he screeched. He regained his balance quickly. Embarassed, he didn't say anything else and continued climbing.

            He was near another branch now and he carefully leapt, nearly missing the branch. He sat for a few seconds, breathing heavily.

            "Can I come down now?" he asked.

            "You're barely off the ground, Mosspaw! Keep going!" Smokestar yowled.

            Mosspaw looked down. He was only a few feet up but to him, it looked like he was a few miles up. He gulped and turned away, continuing to climb slowly. He managed to get about halfway up and leapt onto another branch, only digging his claws in. "HELP!" he screeched, his claws digging into the branch and his feet dangling.

            The cats rushed underneath of him.

            "Let go!" Fernpaw called.

            "Are you insane?! No!"

            "Just do it!" Waterdrop hissed.

            Mosspaw gulped. Goodbye, SnowClan he thought then let go, landing safely on Smokestar's back.

            "Phew," Mosspaw said, relieved he was okay.

            "That's enough tree climbing for today," Smokestar said. "Let's practice some hunting instead."

            Relieved that the tree climbing session had ended, Mosspaw followed after Smokestar, making large noises as he bounced by.

            "Walk quietly," Smokestar instructed. "You're going to scare away all the prey in the forest."

            "Sorry," Mosspaw said.

            They continued to search for prey, Waterdrop catching a rabbit while Fernpaw caught a fat squirrel.

            Mosspaw searched around, spotting a mouse. He leapt quickly, the mouse escaping just in time.

            "Mouse-dung!" he spat.

            "Keep trying," Smokestar encouraged him.

            Mosspaw continued to try, only catching a wimpy robin after failing many times. He didn't understand it! He had hunted so well during the journey. Why had he not hunted well now?

            Mosspaw returned to camp with his robin, placing it on the fresh-kill pile and padding away, ashamed of his hunting lesson.

            Not hungry, he padded into the apprentice den, resting his head on his paws. Then a thought suddenly occurred to him. The gathering was tonight and he should get rest! Smokestar promised he could come, right?

            Happy to know he was going to the gathering, Mosspaw closed his eyes and napped, excited for the upcoming events.