Oh lord, I'm sorry that I've been gone forever. Blame two things - a random obsession with Romeo and Juliet, and NaNoWriMo.

For those of you who don't know what that is, it's basically where you write a 50,000 word novel in a month, November. I managed to finish mine early, with it ending up at 54,300 words. I don't think it's too bad, considering I started two days late, it's my first year, and I'm fourteen. xP Anyway, I'm pretty happy with the finished product.

Also, because of sheer lack of stories to recommend, I'm going to start putting down ACTUAL books, like, published ones that you should/need to read.

Frostbreeze of RiverClan: Ahh… I'm sorry it's been so long. X3 Read above explanation.

dragonFELL: Darnit. *facepalm* Anyway, flashbacks. I think maybe. I love flashbacks. Though, in anime, sometimes they get long. Especially if they're in the middle of a fight. BUT, anyway, yeah. Daypaw is win.

AsTheDarknessFalls: Yeah, I do feel kind of bad about killing Iciclepaw. Especially because it was mainly a spur-of-the-moment decision in the original.

Recommended Reading:

The Farsala Trilogy by Hilari Bell

Blizzardpaw stretched, yawning. Oops, she'd slept in again! That was probably an issue. Of course, Strikeheart had said that today something special was happening today, so maybe there wouldn't be an issue… right? Maybe she wouldn't get in trouble for oversleeping?

Surely she wasn't the only one that had overslept, right? Blizzardpaw cast her eyes around the den, sighing as she saw that she was the last one to wake up. Mousedung.

Blizzardpaw groomed herself hastily. Even if she was late, she still had to look good, didn't she? Even if it was for a tom that she was pretty sure hated her. But… Nightpaw had an air of mystery about him that she loved. And it was so adorable when he got lost in thought and accidentally shouted something random out. Like, 'shut up!'

She padded out of the apprentice's den. Strikeheart was waiting by the fresh-kill pile. At least he hadn't left her. It wouldn't be the first time that she'd have to track him down. New training exercise, he called it. Well, it was kind of annoying. Especially when he started going through rivers, or jumping through trees. That was annoying. Why did she have to have such an efficient mentor?

He smiled as she walked closer. She readied an apology. "I'm sorry, I lost-"

"It's all right, Blizzardpaw," he said softly. "There's a ceremony today. Finchkit and Branchkit are to be made apprentices."

Blizzardpaw gasped. "Really? Oh my StarClan, that's so awesome! We're going to have more apprentices! IceClan's doing great, isn't it? Despite the whole Icestar disappearing incident…"

Strikeheart nodded, looking around at the rogues that were scattered around camp. "But you can't doubt that IceClan is still quite strong. I'm going to try everything I can to keep this Clan strong while I serve as deputy. Even though the leader is an insane fool, I will still take my duties as deputy seriously."

Blizzardpaw nodded, eyes wide. Why didn't this amazing tom have a mate? Well, he had had a mate, and Kestrelpaw and Fawnpaw were his kits, but still! It's amazing how he was able to stay single. Maybe it was Icestar's presence. Blizzardpaw used to like him. And it's not like there had been an insane age difference, because he was only like, six moons older than her. That was an okay age difference.

Anyway, back to the day. Strikeheart had moved away to order some patrols, talking to a dark tabby. Blizzardpaw sighed. Where was Stormpaw? Or any of the other apprentices, surely they couldn't all be training! At least a few of them had to be… had to be lying around or something!

Couragestar padded out of Icestar's den slowly, jumping on top of it quickly. "Cats of… cats of IceClan!" he said, glancing at Strikeheart, who nodded. "I am going to appoint two new apprentices! Nightkit and Quietkit, come forward!"

"Finchkit and Branchkit," Strikeheart hissed. None too quietly, either. Wait a minute, hadn't Nightpaw's sister been named Quietpaw? Yeah, the deaf one! Awk-ward!

"Yeah, Finchkit and Branchkit…" Couragestar meowed, shaking his head quickly. "Anyway, Finchkit, you'll be Finchpaw and your mentor will be Apollo. Branchkit, you're now going to be known as Branchpaw and your mentor will be… um… Sha-"

Strikeheart cut in. "Sootsplash. Hooray, hooray, the ceremony's over!"

Blizzardpaw blinked. That was even more awkward.

"We're gonna be headin' back now," the black cat said, grinning. The cat seemed strangely familiar… oh well, Courageflame was sure he was of no importance!

"Yeah, sure," Courageflame said, rolling his eyes. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Pineapple! God, I've told ya that 'bout a hundr'd times now!"

Hunting. There was nothing she hated more. Sure, she was good at it, but once Strikeheart had learned how good she was at hunting, he'd taken advantage of it and sent her hunting every single day! It was a little annoying, to say the least.

But at least there was a rabbit up there somewhere. And another cat. By the sharp, slightly tangy scent, Blizzardpaw could tell that it was Nightpaw. Ooh, maybe she could sneak up on him! Hee hee!

She crept around the scent of where the rabbit probably was and toward Nightpaw's. One… two… three! She leaped, landing on his shoulders. He yelped and shook her off.

"What the… Blizzardpaw…" he said, panting. Aww, he looked so cute with his fur all ruffled! She just wanted to do inappropriate things to him then and there!

"Oh, sorry!" she said, adopting that stupid act she'd used so many times. She added a giggle, just for effect. "I thought you were the rabbit I've been stalking!"

Nightpaw nodded. He had gotten himself under control now, but oh well. He was cute when he was flustered, but Blizzardpaw thought that if he was flustered all the time, it would be a little annoying. But that would probably be a sure-fire way of telling if he liked her!

But since he wasn't flustered, he probably didn't like her.

"So, have you been hunting?" Blizzardpaw asked. She didn't know why she still pressed conversation with him, but she tried.

"No."

He just left it at that. "What have you been doing?" she asked. Oh no! Her fake smile was slipping! Ahhh! "I've got to go!"

I'm… actually not quite sure what just happened… well… review! :D

And you have no idea how many smileys I wanted to insert during Blizzardpaw's part.