Echosong walked into Leafstar's den without any sort of warning. "Herbs," she mewed simply, and dropped her wrap on the ground.

"Thank you, Echosong," Leafstar mewed absentmindedly, gazing at the back wall of her den.

Echosong left and went back to her den. She began sorting her herbs, almost feverishly, soft fury clouding her brain like it did every time she saw Leafstar.

Why did she do this to herself? To our Clan? To me?

Leafstar had to go and have kits. Not only was that against the warrior code, but it meant Echosong had to be tormented about it every night.

Every time she went to sleep, Echosong had the same dream. StarClan was furious because Leafstar blatantly refused the warrior code in such a way, and she didn't even admit she was wrong. If she had given up her leadership for a while, it would have been fine. But Leafstar hadn't.

Those kits were a mistake.

Even at the time of their birth, StarClan had cursed them. Leafstar had a hard and painful birth, which came far too early. It was a wonder that the kits even survived, being born so early. Leafstar was in labor for days. When the first white tomkit finally came, it came tail-first instead of head-first. Its legs became mangulated in the process, and they never healed properly.

The second ginger kit had seemed normal, but as time progressed, Echosong could tell that there was something not quite right about him. Even at his birth he couldn't seem to comprehend that he had to suckle from his mother. He wasn't deaf, yet he had very slow reaction times, and sometimes couldn't seem to understand what was going on around him.

The third kit looked like Leafstar, and she was perfectly healthy. Leafstar had rejoiced over this one kit of hers that would go on to become a great warrior. Once she opened her eyes, though, and said that the world looked no different, it was obvious that she was blind.

Leafstar's world was shattered. She never quite recovered from her kitting, and seemed much frailer than before. She still had the courage-or possibly she was just mouse-brained-to go on leading her Clan. But nothing seemed right with her.

A leader, to have kits. Especially without relinquishing her duties!

And it wasn't even with a cat she loved.

Leafstar had been caught up in the excitement of the Clan. She had mistaken love for a close friendship. She confided with Echosong about that. That was when Echosong drew the line.

Echosong was a medicine cat. She didn't deal with affairs of the heart.

It was too late to go back now; Sharpclaw was Leafstar's kits' father.

Even if Leafstar now claimed she had feelings for Billystorm, over everything else.

Echosong tried to calm herself down. She never really got angry over anything; this frustrated her more than anything.

She sighed and looked at her herbs.

They were all thrown in one messy pile.