I recently completed my RADIANCE trilogy, so I'll give you all five seconds to guess what that means.

...

Yup! That means that the updates for this story will be much more frequent. I'll attempt to get in perhaps two a week if all is well and homework doesn't get too stressful, so look out for updates, my lovelies!

Nightstorm: This chapter is from that little brat, Tigerkit's POV. Oh my Sky Warriors, Destiny, why did you never ask them which sibling they hated more? Oh, well, she doesn't own Warriors.

Chapter Three

Thump!

The hollow sound of small paws on the ground sliced through Tigerkit's dreams. The dull thud was unfitting with the images of calm forests that played through his mind.

Thump!

It played again, this time arousing Tigerkit from his sleep all together. The first thing he noticed was that he was leaning out of the nest, and his face was pressed up against the dirt. He pushed himself upright quickly, and shook, his head, trying to rid his fur of dust.

Pale morning light seeped through the nursery entrance, brightening the den and allowing Tigerkit to see what was around him. Morninglight still lay asleep beside him, her chest, rising and falling and a soft snore emitting from her. In her other side, was Firekit, who fidgeted continuously, warning Tigerkit that she would awaken soon.

Thump!

His head swung around over his shoulder, following the noise that repeatedly struck his ear drums, although his time it was softer as a result of his ears no longer being pressed up against the ground. Behind him, Mintkit and Rowankit were swatting at each other, their paws hitting the floor, and causing the sounds Tigerkit had been hearing. Nearby, Talonkit lashed his tail, positioned in a crouch, and it looked to Tigerkit that he was soon going to join the wrestle that took place before him.

Before Talonkit could make a move on his sister, Tigerkit jumped in between them. Mintkit stumbled forward into Rowankit, and Talonkit blinked in surprise, but soon that surprise morphed into happiness.

"Tigerkit!" he exclaimed. "Hi!"

"Did we wake you?" Mintkit asked him, voice light.

"A little bit," he mumbled. "What do you have going on here, a little fighting match?"

Rowankit answered. "Yeah, and I'm sure I could take on both of these mouse-brains and beat them. I'll be an awesome warrior!"

"So, will we!" Mintkit put in, flicking her tail to Talonkit. "And I doubt you can beat us."

In response to her remark, Rowankit flung himself from where he stood steadily on the ground, and bowled his sister over. She shrieked and flailed her forelegs before they were pinned underneath her. Tigerkit stepped back in surprise.

"What did I tell you?" Rowankit mocked, standing proud on top of Mintkit. "I'll be an awesome warrior, way better than you."

Tigerkit was expecting a snarky reply from the gray and white she-kit. Roawnkit's sudden attack had thrown him off guard, but what came off more astonishing was when Mintkit actually began to laugh.

"Okay," she said, gasping for air. "Okay, you got me good this time." After Rowankit let her up, she playfully nudged him in the shoulder, a broad smile on her face. "But next time, I'll be ready for you."

Talonkit jumped in. "Don't forget about me." He lashed out at his brother lightly, as of to tease him, and they both began to laugh like Mintkit had.

"What's going on?"

All four of this kits turned their heads to Blossompetal, one of the Queens in the nursery. She was expecting kits, and usually got a little cranky whenever someone distrubed her resting. Tigerkit held his breath.

"Oh, sorry," Talonkit apologized the the ginger Queen. "We were just having a little fun. Sorry we woke you." Rowankit and Mintkit murmured their agreement.

Blossompetal blinked a few times, trying to get used to the light of morning. Then she grunted. "I don't know how your mother's are able to sleep through this. Do kits really make you this tired?" She rolled her shoulders and closed her eyes again, showing them that she would still appreciate some peace and quiet.

The three siblings quietly giggled amongst each other.

Tigerkit watched them, awed. It seemed just so weird that his denmates were so close to each other. He looked over his shoulder at Morninglight, still asleep, and the flame-colored kit that fidgeted beside her. Seeing her, made him remember all the times she was being such a pain. Maybe they fought with each other a lot, but Firekit's annoying nature was certainly no excuse.

"Hey, Tigerkit," Talonkit said, catching his attention. "Why don't you show us, what you've got?"

Tigerkit blinked. "Really?" When the dark brown kit nodded, he strode forward toward them, feeling a sudden burst of confidence. "Alright then. You know, the apprentices sometimes teach me a few if their basic moves, but they are effective. I'm gonna need the kit who's closest to my size."

That was Talonkit, and he stepped up with the excitement showing in his eyes. Mintkit and Rowankit each sat back, each looking intrigued to see what their older denmate was going to show them.

"Talonkit," he said, "I want you to come at me. Give me the best you've got."

He didn't hesitate. With a quick push of his hind legs, Talonkit was hurling forward towards Tigerkit. Tigerkit side stepped just a little so he wouldn't have to take so much impact, and then lashed out at Talonkit as he landed, preventing the younger tom from successfully catching his balance. Before Talonkit could even fall on his side, Tigerkit lashed out again, this time with more force, shoving the younger kit to the ground.

To his surprise, a paw came from over his shoulder, just hardly missing him. He recognized the golden-brown tabby fur of Rowankit, and whipped around just in time to be slapped in the face with his paw. Tigerkit felt a sharp main spread through his muzzle, but he'd felt worse. He lunged and pinned Rowankit to ground.

He caught movement out of the corner of his eye, and ducked away just in time for Talonkit to swipe the air where he'd been just a heartbeat earlier. The dark brown kit stumbled over his brother and crashed to the ground in front of Mintkit, who squealed in excitement.

"Wow, Tigerkit," she mewed. "You're good."

"Good and noisy," someone said groggily.

Behind them, Morninglight had awakened, and now she sat up, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. Right beside her, Firekit sat glaring, like she was trying to bore holes right through Tigerkit's skull. He glared back, feeling the fur along his spine bristle.

"I'd already warned them once," Blossompetal cut in, her eyes still shut.

Willowcloud also appeared to be waking up. She stretched her jaws in a massive yawn and looked thoughtfully at her kits. "What were you all doing to cause all the ruckus.

Talonkit and Rowankit were standing now, shaking the dust from their pelts. "You missed it. Tigerkit was showing us some of the battle moves he'd learned from the apprentices."

"Was he now?" Morninglight asked. "Well, it's too bad we weren't awake to see it. He must've been very strong."

Mintkit nodded her head vigorously. "Oh, yes definitely!"

Tigerkit felt pleased with the positive attention. If he was doing an impressive job now, he couldn't wait to see what it would be like when he was an actual warrior.

He caught the sight of Firekit's intense green gaze, still fixated on him.

He scowled. Go fall off a tree.

After he and Firekit and said goodbye to Redtooth, Morninglight ordered them to get some rest. Tigerkit wasn't about to argue. He was exhausted after running around all day with Stripepaw and Leafpaw.

Tigerkit slowly climbed into the nest, Firekit doing the same, but trying to lay down as far away from her brother as possible. Facing away from him, he heard her breaths become light and steady.

He closed his eyes just as Morninglight began to talk with the other Queens in the nursery.

"Will you be going to the Gathering, tomorrow night, Willowcloud?" the red she-cat asked.

He heard the white Queen clasp her teeth together. "The only reason that were to happen is if Blossompetal is willing to watch my kits, and I couldn't ask that of you."

The expectant she-cat's voice was heavy with exhaustion. "It shouldn't be too much of a burden." And the sound of those words told Tigerkit otherwise. He rolled over away from the chatting she-cats, trying to get to sleep.

"You look really tired, Blossompetal. I think I'll just stay behind and watch over them," Willowcloud insisted. She took a long pause. Tigerkit assumed she was watching her youngsters sleep beside her. "You should probably go, Morninglight. Redtooth is pretty active in the special patrols. I'm sure you'd like to here the reports on the other Clans about the issue."

This caught Tigerkit's attention. For a brief moment, he opened his eyes, and he was about to sit up to listen, when he remembered how secretive his parents had been when they were talking about the "sick creatures". He remained still, and pretended to be asleep.

"I suppose that's true. I was planning on going anyway. I'm talking to Fernstar about in tomorrow morning." There was a sense of worry in her words. "We still don't even know if it's one badger or many that's lumbering around the lake."

Badgers! Tigerkit thought, excitement starting to make his pelt stand on end. He forced it to lay flat and listened in further.

"It must be many," Blossompetal said, starting to sound more interested in the conversation. "I doubt one badger is willing to circle the lake, day after day for no reason."

Willowcloud agreed. "We'll have to drive them out sometime soon."

"How are we supposed to drive them out when we can hardly find them?" asked Blossompetal. "Morninglight, did Redtooth ever mention them finding a badger set?"

There was a brief moment of silence before Tigerkit's mother replied. "I think he did, but strangely enough the badgers are never there whenever they arrive. I don't know whether to be thanking StarClan or impatient." Her tail scraped against the ground.

"What time of day is the patrol going out?" Willowcloud asked.

"It's usually at sunhigh," Morninglight replied.

"Well, there's the problem!" Blossompetal exclaimed. "Fernstar's sending them out at the exact same time. They all must be hunting or some dung like that."

"I'll talk to Redtooth about it later," Morninglight meowed. "All I'm hoping is that they're taken care of before the kits become apprentices. It would kill me if they were caught out in training by those beady little eyes of those beats." Her voice shook, as if she was already imagining it. "Please, I don't want to talk about it any longer. It's perhaps about time that I get some rest. Especially if I'll be up late tomorrow night."

Tigerkit was almost startled the feeling of her climbing, but he forced himself to remain silent and still as she laid down beside him. He processed all of the information, and then found a smile creeping onto his face.

He'd proven to the nursery he was going to be an amazing warrior, but it was about time he proved it to the rest of the Clan.

All four of them in fact.

This probably isn't going to end well for little Tigerkit. Yeah, it's predictable what will happen. This topic has been done to death in Warriors. But I'm writing it anyway! Yay me! Anywho, I hope you review. Look out for the next chapter.

~Destiny