Heather was lying down in the sun, her paws over her ears. A million thoughts were zipping through her head. She drew her paws over her eyes and whimpered. A paw poked her on the side. She lifted a paw to see Blossom looking at her with concern.

"Heather, is something wrong?" The group's leader asked, tipping her head and watching her.

Heather sighed. "I just…..I'm just tired…."

Blossom narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, but nodded. "Alright. But you can tell me if something's wrong." She flicked her tail, then padded away.

Heather watched her go, then sighed again, putting her paws on the ground. Thorn walked into camp, returning with Dawn and Swift from a hunting patrol. Each cat managed to catch three pieces of prey, and they added the contribution to the growing prey pile. Thorn looked around the camp, and sat down to wash himself.

"Boo!" River jumped on her back.

"Ouf!" Heather cried out. "River…..you're…..squishing….me…."

"Heh heh." River snickered playfully, getting off. "So, what's up with you?"

She pushed herself up. "Not you anymore, thankfully." She grumbled, flattening her fur.

River snorted. "Hah! Good one. Got to remember that one." He stretched. Heather found herself staring, and quickly looked away. "So…. Is anything else up?"

Heather shook her head. "I just want to be alone right now."

River tipped his head. "Alright.. But you can tell me if something's wrong." He went off toward his brother, stalking him as if he was a mouse.

Grass padded up behind her. "Hey."

Heather glanced over. "Hey… I don't get how you're so calm about this! We find something out that changes our lives for the rest of time, and you're so calm! How do you do it?!"

Her brother shrugged. "It's our destiny. We can't change it, might as well accept it."

Heather was going to respond when the branches to the camp entrance rustled. She turned her head toward them in time to spot a black tom with green eyes padding into camp. Her ears and tail pricked up, excited. "Hey Grass! Look, it's Pine! Let's go say hi to him!" She jumped up and ran over to him. Grass followed his sister, keeping his gaze on the ground. "Hi Pine!" Heather mewed, standing on her back legs, trying to nuzzle his cheek.

Pine looked down. "Oh, hello there Heather! How's my she-kit doing today?"

Heather purred. "Great!"

Grass cleared his throat. "Ahem."

Pine glanced over. "Oh. And hello to Grass too, I suppose." Pine then re-focused his attention to his daughter. "So, have you been practicing your battle moves?"

Heather nodded. "Watch this!" She turned to a leaf, and crouched, watching it with narrowed eyes. Suddenly she pounced, landing squarely on top of the leaf. She turned back to her father, triumphant.

Pine shook his head. "That was a hunting move, not a fighting move. But, good work!"

Grass flattened his ears. "I-I can do that too!" He focused on a leaf, then pounced on it, also tearing it up with his claws. "See?"

Pine rolled his eyes. "You would have just destroyed a perfectly good piece of prey. What good would that be?"

Grass looked down, his tail drooping. Heather didn't notice, busy gnawing a stick.

Daisy walked out of the Nursery. She scanned the camp, resting her gaze on her kits. She walked over. "Hello Grass, Heather, and…. Oh. Hello Pine." She spoke her mate's name icely.

Pine gazed at her with calm eyes. "Daisy."

Daisy narrowed her eyes. "Kits, go back to the Nursery. Me and your father have to talk about something."

"Okay!" Heather meowed cheerfully, getting up and following Grass to the Nursery. Grass stopped just as they were about to enter the Nursery. He glanced around, then ran over to the apprentice's den, hiding in the leaves. Heather tipped her head, but followed him. "What are we doing here?" She whispered.

Grass just nodded toward Daisy and Pine. "I want to hear this."

"Why are you so unfair to Grass?" Daisy spat at Pine.

He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Oh Starclan. This argument again. I've told you, I never wanted a son! Since I have one, my solution is to not accept him. Simple."

Daisy arched her back. "Want him or not, he is your son! He doesn't deserve to be treated like you treat him! And if you can't treat him as he should be, then maybe you shouldn't be his father."

Pine looked taken aback. "What...what do you mean?"

She looked down. "I'm not going to be your mate anymore."

Pine flattened his ears, and took a step back. His expression quickly changed from shock to anger. "FINE!" He spat. "Fine! From this point on, we are not mates! Grass is not my son, and Heather is not my daughter! I don't care about them, nor you!" With that he snarled, turned, and walked off, seething with anger.

Heather turned her shocked gaze to her brother. He was equally shocked, staring at her. "W-We should go b-back to the Nursery….." She stammered, forcing herself to move.

She and her brother quickly trudged back to the Nursery, and laid down. Daisy came in a few moments later. She gave her kits a tired smile, and curled up around them. The family went to sleep.