Ashstar blinked in the misty forest. They had been living here for two moons now, and it still didn't feel right. 

Mothstripe was pacing outside the medicine den, her tail lashing.

Ashstar got to his paws and padded up to her. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"I've been waiting for Alderheart to come back," Mothstripe muttered. "He's in the forest searching for some herb spots," She meowed. "So far, we've only found the place for catmint," She meowed.

All of a sudden, paw steps sounded through the camp entrance, and Alderheart appeared, shaking leaves from his pelt. He some green herbs in his mouth. "I've found horsetail!" He meowed.

Mothstripe turned towards him as he ran towards the two cats. "Nice," She meowed. Her amber eyes glowed. "Well, go put it in the store and we'll both go out together to search for herbs," She meowed.

Rowandust crossed the clearing. He had a nick in his ear that was bleeding. "Can Mothstripe take a look at this?" He asked. 

"I'll be right there!" Alderheart mewed.

"No, I said Mothstripe," Rowandust growled. "Mothstripe can you take a look at my ear, please?" He asked.

"Yes," Mothstripe purred. She lifted her head to examine his ear, and her paw lightly touched his ear tip, where the nick was.

"Just as I'd thought, It's infected," Mothstripe sighed. She winked at him. "Come into my den," She purred.

Ashstar looked at them weirdly. Why were they acting like that? He turned away to go to the nursery and found Jaywing washing herself while her kits tumbled around her, chasing each other's tails. "Jaywing, I'd like for you to go and talk to Mothstripe for a moment," He meowed.

Jaywing's eyes widened. "What? Why?" She asked.

"I just think you should," Ashstar muttered.

Jaywing got to her paws, her tail lashing. "Why? There's something you aren't telling me!" She growled.

"Ok," Ashstar growled. "Mothstripe and Rowandust are acting strange every time they see each other. Mothstripe winked at him, and Rowandust only wanted Mothstripe to treat his wound," He explained.

Jaywing lashed her tail. "What does she think she's doing?" She growled. 

Mothstripe purred as she watched Rowandust. The tom was so handsome.

Paw steps stomped outside the medicine den, and Jaywing, who was bristling, came up to Mothstripe. She had never seen her mother look so mad. "What is it? Is there something you want?" She asked calmly.

"Come with me, Mothstripe," Jaywing meowed in a strange way, as if trying to sound calm.

Mothstripe looked at her mother and got to her paws. As they walked through the camp entrance, Mothstripe turned to her mother. "What's wrong?" She asked.

Jaywing ignored her and continued walking. They stumbled over roots and brambles and pushed past bushes and trees and finally made it to a clearing where a huge tree rested at the center. The tree had huge branches that curled out so far that they touched the other trees' leaves. The sun shone up above, giving warmth to Mothstripe's pelt. The river rushed behind the tree. If only I could sleep here with Rowandust...

Jaywing sat down behind the tree, and Mothstripe went to join her. She looked in the river, seeing her reflection and the tree's reflection. Her reflection was breaking apart as the river sped past.

"Mothstripe," Jaywing sighed. "You don't know how much trouble you're getting yourself into," She meowed, her tail touching, Mothstripe's shoulder. 

Mothstripe was confused at first. 

"I know you know what I'm talking about! You're having a little crush on Rowandust, and you should know that medicine cats can't take mates," She growled.

Mothstripe flinched. "How did you find out?"  She gasped.

"Ashstar saw you," Jaywing growled. "And don't think I haven't seen the way you stare at him,"  She growled.

Mothstripe bristled. "But it's not fair! I want to raise a family! I want to have kits of my own! You have kits! It isn't fair!"  She cried.

Jaywing stared at her desperately. "Mothstripe, it is fair. You're a medicine cat and you know that you'd be breaking the warrior code if you had kits!" She growled. "I don't want you to get in trouble... I'm afraid for you!" She cried.

Mothstripe glared at her mother. "I don't care," She growled. Then she turned away, feeling like crying. "I-I never wanted to be a medicine cat, but I was forced to," She growled. "That wasn't fair."

Jaywing stared at her. "I..."

"You'd never understand," Mothstripe growled. "What's done is done, and I can't go back and change my destiny. I'm already a full medicine cat and I'd suck at warrior training. I'd be no use. So that's why I'm wanting to have kits right now. I'd still be a medicine cat, I'd still be helpful."

"But if you have kits as a medicine cat, you'd be no use!  Your attention would be on your kits all the time, instead of having it on injured cats!" Jaywing growled.

Mothstripe's eyes widened and she flinched. She sniffed. "So? We have Alderheart! He's use!" She flashed back at her mother.

Jaywing took a step closer. "Mothstripe, you don't understand. You can't do that!"

Mothstripe unsheathed her claws. "No, you don't understand!" She yowled. She then leaped on her mother, her claws digging into her shoulder.  She felt the blood well between her claws. 

Jaywing then pushed Mothstripe backward with a strong force that knocked her back towards the river. She tumbled backwards and slid into the river, but she lashed out quickly and held onto the side. 

Jaywing quickly got to her paws and leaped towards her, but the muddy ground made Mothstripe slip and tumble into the river. 

Mothstripe's fur was instantly soaked and her lungs were screaming for air. Bubbles came from her mouth as she gasped and accidently swallowed water. Rocks jutted out beside her, and her head hit the sharp edge of the rock. Blood floated to the surface of the water, forming a red cloud.

A yowl sounded above the surface of the water, but it was muffled. "M..oth...st..tipe!"

Mothstripe unsheathed her claws and tried to climb up and out of the water, but before she could, a big rock came into her path and everything went black.

Jaywing put her paws on Mothstripe's chest, trying to get the water to come from her chest. "Wake up! Mothstripe! Please!" She cried. Her tail swished over the ground. She gasped for air, like she couldn't breathe. She then thought about her kits back at camp, in the nursery. They were hungry. They would starve without food. They still weren't old enough for prey. But Mothstripe was more important right now. I'm not leaving her side.

Mothstripe twitched.

Jaywing gasped. She put her paws on her daughter again and began pumping. 

Mothstripe then coughed up a stream of water and her eyes twitched open. She let her head fall back and hit the grass. She looked at Jaywing. "I'm sorry," She whispered. "I was so stupid," She growled. 

"You weren't stupid," Jaywing sobbed. She curled up around Mothstripe, trying to warm her up. "I just worry for you."

Mothstripe smiled weakly. "Thank you," She whispered.

Jaywing weakly purred. She rested her head on Mothstripe's shoulder. "Don't ever think of having your own kits," She meowed.

"I won't," Mothstripe meowed, even though there was a glint in her amber eyes. She closed them and yawned.

"We can rest here if you want," Jaywing offered.

Mothstripe didn't respond, she just fell into the darkness of sleep, her tail-tip twitching occasionally. 

Jaywing purred and also fell asleep, the sunlight finally getting at the right angle to come and warm her back. Darkness clouded her vision.