Shadekit wrestled Flowerkit to the soft, mossy ground of the nursery. Flowerkit squealed as her brother toppled over her and yowled in success. Flowerkit used her hind legs to push Shadekit's soft abdomen and throw him off her. Flowerkit bounded up to her paws and ran around the nursery, with Shadekit on her tail.

"You won't catch me! I'm the fastest Nightclan warrior, no rogue can beat me!" Flowerkit squealed in excitement, but that victory soon came to an end. Flowerkit squeaked as she tripped over a large paw, rolling off her back and onto her paws. She yowled as Shadekit came crashing on top of her, but the tom slowly rolled off. Palestream groaned as she opened her eyes to see 2 small kittens in front of her.

"Don't you have others to bother?" The queen grumbled, closing her eyes for a moment. "Tornflower says I need the most rest I can get, so how about you to go outside and play, and leave me some peace and quiet?"

The kits smiled and bounded out of the nursery as fast as their tiny paws could carry them. "Thanks, Palestream!" Both kits shouted as the dashed out into the middle of camp.

The sun shone brightly on the camp, the soft, Newleaf grass had just started to grow and most of the snow was melting. Many warriors were talking, some were sharing-tongues. The kits looked around, bored for a moment until they saw their father padding by. The kits darted towards the tom and leaped at his large paws, stopping him in his tracks. The large tom chuckles and nosed his kits.

"You two are lively this morning," Shadowtail meowed with a smile on his face. "What are you out here for?" He asked with the flick of his tail.

"Palestream said we were bothering her, so she let us come outside and play!" Shadekit mewed to his father, his blue eyes twinkling.

Shadowtail chuckled, nuzzling his kits. "I would think so; you two will be the most energetic warriors Nightclan will ever see! But now, I have to talk with Badgerstar. I'll play with you as soon as I get out."

The kits frowned for a moment as they watched their father walk off into Badgerstar's den, but then padded off to do something else. As they wondered what to do, they overheard two warriors talking.

"I don't understand why Badgerstar didn't pick Shadowtail as his deputy. Clearly Badgerstar trusts him the most."

"Come on, Skyeyes, even you know Badgerstar likes Ashenheart, that's why he chose her," a cat replied.

Skyeyes rolled his eyes and grumbled. "Crushes are for apprentices, Morningbreeze, I think Badgerstar's made a bad decision."

Morningbreeze chuckled a bit and padded past him, her tail flicking as Skyeyes got to his paws and trotted off towards the clearing. Shadekit and Flowerkit looked at each other, confused.

"Did you hear that? Dad was going to be the deputy!" Shadekit squealed happily, but Flowerkit frowned.

"But he isn't, you heard Skyeyes, Badgerstar made a bad decision!" Flowerkit exclaimed. Shadekit nosed her, a smile on his face.

"He'll be deputy one day! Maybe even leader!" Shadekit mewed excitedly. "Let's go play."

Flowerkit rolled her eyes and followed Shadekit into the clearing, where Tornflower was gathering some flower looking plants, and Ebonysplash was teaching Pebblepaw how to hunt birds. As the kits scampered across the clearing, all the cats turned their eyes on them.

"Shadekit and Flowerkit!" A sharp hiss made the kits wince and turn, seeing Ashenheart behind them. "You know you shouldn't be out this far from the nursery!"

The kits froze and gulped and they scampered back to camp just in time to avoid another one of Ashenheart's scoldings. The kits ran to the nursery and toppled on one another, continuing to play until Skyfleck made them go to sleep.