Possible last update before EXAMS. Well, wish me luck! Oh, and thank you to all of my reviewers! Your reviews make me happy.

Um, here's the chapter.

"Foxdrift! Foxdrift! Wait up! I can't run that fast yet!" Spring galloped through the forest, chasing after Foxdrift. He had been given her as an "apprentice", though Spring could tell he didn't like it. And she didn't want to be mean to him... but the medicine cat said it had to be him to teach her, so here she was. And man, did her paws hurt! She had been chasing him, since he said that she needed to learn how to run better and be able to scent things more.

"You'll never learn if I go easy on you!" Foxdrift called back to her. She knew that he didn't like it. She could hear it in his voice as he talked to her. But, he would just have to put up with her until they either let her into the clan or they kicked her out.

"I'm coming," Spring muttered. She leaped into the air- catching a good breeze as she almost flew through the air. Well, not really. But it seemed like it since she could leap so well. It was her namesake- spring, as in leap. And that's what she did. She jumped better than any cat around her, and she made sure of that.

Spring saw the ginger tail of her "mentor" bobbing in the breeze as he ran, which gave her more energy as a smile spread across her face. She put all of her energy into her legs and dashed at him. Suddenly, she knew how she could stop him, and in turn get to rest her sore paws. She sprung. She sprung into the air, and landed right on top of Foxdrift.

"Oomph!" Foxdrift cried as he was crushed to the ground with Spring, laughing, on top of him. "Get off me, you chubby fur ball! You're crushing me!"

Spring, purring, got off of him and laid down. Her paws ached so bad that she didn't even want to get back up. "I got you there, fuzzy," She muttered, glaring at him playfully. "You weren't expecting that, were you?"

"No," Foxdrift reluctantly agreed. "I wasn't expecting a cat to fall from the sky right on top of me. I was thinking that you might try to catch up to me, or even try to pass me. It's a very... unique... thing that you did." His eyes weren't as cold glaring at her- but they defiantly weren't soft. Spring could tell that he was in love, she just didn't know with who. Maybe Blizzardfeather? She seems to have every tom falling for her. But another glance at Foxdrift told her no, it wasn't Blizzardfeather. Who is it?

"Well, not that I'm half run over," Foxdrift half purred. "Let's head back to camp. And catch some prey on the way, sure?"

"Yes," Spring nodded. "The clan could use some prey. I bet Redflower's kits would want a couple mice or shrews. Maybe even voles. They're lovely kits- and since they just started eating prey, we're going to have to get some more hunters out here!"

Foxdrift looked surprised that she had already met- and gotten to know- Redflower's kit, Whiskerkit, Rosekit, Fawnkit and Cinderkit. I had a lot of free time while I was healing. Those kits are fun to play with and be around. Sometime, I'll have my own kits. That would be nice, StarClan willing. That's when Spring noticed that she had already begun to think StarClan, instead of... whatever she had been using. Now that she thought of it- she hadn't been thanking anyone. What a waste...

"Okay, take those mice to the queens. And those shrews and voles, too. And take my thrush to Palesky, she'll need it. Her kits are very young, and she'll need all of the strength she can get. Okay?" Foxdrift asked. Spring had caught some mice, shrew and voles. He had caught a thrush, a rabbit and two doves.

"Yep!" Spring meowed brightly, grabbing the prey and running off to the nursery. Rosekit, Cinderkit, Fawnkit and Whiskerkit met her at the entrance. They were all excited and took a few mice and voles from her, making her purr.

Spring continued into the nursery, nodding to Palesky and Reflower. Iceshadow looked at Spring and turned her head. Her eyes closed as she fell asleep again. Her kittens were young, but not as young as Palesky's kits. Spring gave the thrush to Palesky, who graciously thanked her. Two mice were given to Redflower, and the two shrews and two voles were left for Iceshadow and her kits. Spring left them next to their nest before leaving.

"Did you finish that, Spring?" Foxdrift asked. He didn't sound angry right now, so Spring was glad that she would get his grumpy side.

"Yes Foxdrift," Spring meowed. After a moment, she asked, "Do you think I'll ever become a true apprentice? I really like this clan, and I wouldn't mind training for longer than the rest of the apprentices. I just feel like... like I fit in here."

"Yeah..." Foxdrift meowed, looking away. Spring looked down. When she looked back at Foxdrift, she was surprised to see him smiling. "Yeah, I think this might just be the place where you're fitting in. You didn't seem to fit in with the other group that you were with." Both were quiet for a moment. Foxdrift broke the silence. "Why were you with that other group, if you don't mind me asking?"

Spring sighed, remembering painful memories. Before Foxdrift could say "nevermind", Spring started explaining. "I grew up as what you would call a rogue. I was lost, not knowing what to do with my life, not knowing where I belonged. I wandered alone for a long time, staying away from other cats, being invisible. But soon I fell ill, and was unable to care for myself. I would've died. But they found me. I owe them my life- or I did before. I saved them from a dog not soon after I joined them. The big brute was about to kill Stark- our leader. I saved him, and got my life back. From then on, I was myself- caring for myself, but never getting close enough to death to even worry. Yes, we raided cats. But they always gave up before anyone could get really hurt. That's when we heard of the clans..."

Spring's eyes lowered. "Our group had been... starving... for quite a while. We needed food. So we did what we always used to do- stole it from others. It seems like a very bad thing, until you see Sky's kitten, their smiles as they're able to eat something. A lot of cats didn't like me, since I wasn't originally with them and since I wasn't a good fighter. So many shunned me. I always got put with those who would leave me if they ever got a chance. And this time, they got their chance. That... that's why I'm here." Spring shifted her paws. "It's not that long of a story, and not one I'm completely proud of. But if I could go back, I wouldn't change a thing." Spring looked proudly into Foxdrift's eyes. "I wouldn't even change getting left behind. I think... I think it's a new chapter on this journey called life. I go where fate takes me. And that is the real reason why I'm here."

Foxdrift nodded. He looked a little... shocked... at Spring's story, but he didn't say much. There was only one thing that he did say. "Go get some prey and head to bed. We've got some rough training tomorrow." He didn't even look back.

Hey, I have a question for you all. Who do you like better, Foxdrift or Meltdawn? I, being me, personally like Meltdawn more. I don't know why the author should take sides, but it will... affect the story later on. Don't let my choice influence you! I want to hear your opinions. Please review?