"Palepaw? You look upset," Sandkit meowed. Palepaw nodded.

"It's nothing Sandkit," Palepaw sighed, her long tail brushing against the dirt. It was hard to keep up with her and her strides with her long limbs as Sandkit was much smaller. He was the smallest kit in the nursery in fact, and Palepaw was the tallest.

"Y-you should go with Flailfoot! I think he's setting up a patrol! You'll get to see the borders!"

"Then I might fall into the river and drown, or get attacked by a fox. Honeycloud told me being underground was much better, and I believe her."

"I'm sorry, Palepaw."

"Just leave me alone," she spat, turning into the apprentice's den.

Oh, she sleeps here now, he thought. Wind started to chill his fur and with a meow Sandgorse started to head back to the nursery.

Once inside, he felt warmed from his ear tips to his claw tips. Daisyfang was so good at weaving the nursery together so the wind wouldn't get in. Sandkit found his sisters play-fighting, battering each other with swift paw strikes. If their claws were sheathed, it would be a much bloodier fight, and that's what bothered Sandkit about it.

"Hey! I want to play!" Sandkit tried to roar like a lion.

Duskkit and Dawnkit looked at each other, and they stuck their tongues out at him. "We don't wanna play with you!" Duskkit sneered.

"Yeah! Toms are stupid!" Dawnkit agreed. Sandkit pouted.

"Daisyfang!" he cried out, running into his mother's soft fur.

"O-oh, they're just teasing, Sandkit," Daisyfang tried to comfort him, "H-hey you two, don't say things like that," her voice wasn't stern enough to make them apologize. Sandkit felt a twinge of annoyance at his mother's lack of sternness. Dawnkit and Duskkit didn't seem to care.

"Daisyfang, what's it like being a moor runner?" he asked. \

She blinked, and then she smiled, "it's very, nice. The breeze against your fur as you glide by in the waves of heather. Prey tastes better with the scent of heather, in my opinion," she explained with a sigh. She missed being on the moor.

"Do you think I'll be a moor runner?"

"I-I don't know, love. Your father is a tunneler, he could sway you if he wants to."

"Palepaw wanted to be a tunneler, and I think Basilkit wanted to be a moor runner."

Daisyfang looked away, "Harestar is getting old, love. I don't think he can determine who should be what anymore."

"You're certainly right!" Honeycloud shouted angrily as she walked into the nursery, "I asked him to switch around their roles but he wouldn't listen!"

"W-well he's been leader for a long time."

"But he's also my mate! He should listen to me!"

"M-m-maybe they'll find that they'll be happier as what they are?" Daisyfang was shaking with anxiety, Sandkit could tell she wanted Honeycloud to go away.

"I doubt it," Honeycloud pushed her way back to her nest and curled up in sleep, whiskers twitching.

"Palepaw and Basilpaw should be focused on being the best warriors they can be, no matter what role they play," Dawnkit mumbled.

"Yeah, but I'm gonna be the best moor runner ever!" Duskkit cheered.

"Nuh-uh! I'm gonna be the best moor runner!"

Sandkit didn't know what he wanted to be, if anything at all.

"Well you'll have to wait four more moons for the day," Ashstripe padded into the nursery, pressing nose on Duskkit's head.

"That's forever from now!" the grey tabby kit whined.

"But by then you two will be fine apprentices, and then you'll be strong warriors."

"What about me, Ashstripe?" Sandkit asked.

"Oh! Um, you too, Sandkit," Ashstripe didn't look him in the eye. What did he do wrong?

"Hey, Dawnkit, Duskkit, you two should follow me, I want to show you something," Ashstripe flicked his tail to the exit. The two kits scrambled after their father, and Sandkit stayed behind. He bet Ashstripe was showing them the tunnels and teaching them how to dig. He looked at Daisyfang, who had fallen asleep, probably before Ashstripe showed up. The tiny kit was hurt by his father's exclusion of him.

"He probably wouldn't like it if I didn't become an apprentice either." Sandkit nodded, then I'll be the best apprentice ever! And I'll be a tunneler too!" he whispered excitedly.