Quiet time (anyone)

[*-*Winterfrost*-*]

The sun shined weakly into the central clearing of the ThunderClan camp. Two apprentices, both young and with no experience whatsoever, sat in one of the few patches of sunlight near their new den. The tom, who had been grooming himself and getting rid of a few stray scraps of moss, looked around him and said softly, "Gosh, it's quiet. Have you noticed, Wingkit... I mean, Wingpaw?"

His sister nodded, staring around with slightly wide eyes. "Yeah, I noticed, Bronzepaw. I wonder if anycat's up yet." She stretched her small frame and flicked her ears. "Oh, well. It's kind of nice with no cat around. Not so noisy."[/center][/color][/size]

[~All I Need]

[shadow=orange,left,200]φϋМφЌϊŇφĄŴ

[/color][/shadow]

ThunderClan Apprentice[/center]

.all your twisted thoughts free flow.
.to everlasting memories.
.show soul.
.kiss the stars with me.
.and dread the wait for.
.stupid calls returning us to life.

Pumpkinpaw had come back not so long ago from his walk with Redpaw. The she-cat's rejection to the ways of human life insulted him and depressed him to the brink of pain. None believed him. They all thought he was mad. Maybe he was? Could it possibly be true as to make everyone against him? The dark orange tom thought the pretty she-cat would agree, also. Since they had so much in common... Not... Obviously.
"Gosh, it's quiet. Have you noticed, Wingkit... I mean, Wingpaw?"
"Yeah, I noticed, Bronzepaw. I wonder if anycat's up yet... Oh, well. It's kind of nice with no cat around. Not so noisy."[/i][/color]
At the sound of Bronzepaw and Wingpaw's voices, Pumpkinpaw's round head jerked up. His ears swiveled insistently, as if he were in deep, annoying concentration that needed no attention. After a moment of staring at the other apprentices, he sighed and plodded to the middle of the clearing, his tail dragging and a look of bewildered upset on his face.
"O! How they treat me so..." he mumbled in sadness. But a touch of scorn and mockery was to it. So such that none would be able to tell what he truly meant by such mumblings.

.we say to those who are in love.
.it can't be true 'cause we're too young.
.i know that's true because.
.so long i was.
.so in love with you.
.so I thought.



{{Lyrics from So I Thought by Flyleaf}}[/size]

[*-*Winterfrost*-*]

Wingpaw heard the padding of paws before her brother did. She looked around, the amger-green eyes catching sight of Pumpkinpaw. The creamy-brown she-cat watched in concern as the other apprentice walked, his tail leaving a line in the dirt where it dragged. Being fairly compassionate, if not always understanding, Wingpaw waved at Pumpkinpaw with her tail. She was somewhat hesitant at the idea of speaking to the cat, but he looked dejected enough that she felt she should. "Um, hello, Pumpkinpaw. Er, how... how are you?"

Bronzepaw glanced at his sister with angst in his expression. He didn't know Pumpkinpaw very well, and, even though he was younger than Wingpaw, he'd always been protective of her. The idea of her just up and talking to someone they weren't very familiar with made him nervous. But... Pumpkinpaw was a Clanmate. So the brown tabby tried not to worry about it too much. To try and be friendly, the tom gave Pumpkinpaw a nervous smile, but still said nothing.

[~*R.i.v.e.r.p.e.l.t*~]

Riverpelt got out of her den and stretched. She spotted the apprentices talking but didn't really pay any attention to it. She rose from her stretch and just sat by the warriors den, watching the apprentices and the world around her.

[~All I Need]

[shadow=orange,left,200]φϋМφЌϊŇφĄŴ[/shadow]

ThunderClan Apprentice


.all your twisted thoughts free flow.
.to everlasting memories.
.show soul.
.kiss the stars with me.
.and dread the wait for.
.stupid calls returning us to life.



"Um, hello, Pumpkinpaw. Er, how... how are you?"

[/color]
At the sound of Wingpaw's voice, Pumpkinpaw's head jerked up. His dark green eyes focused and rested upon the two other apprentices sitting outside the den. Why do they bother? he thought glumly. I'm weird. And that's that.
The orange tom paid no attention to Riverpelt, who was watching the threesome. "Fine... I guess..." he replied sadly.

.we say to those who are in love.
.it can't be true 'cause we're too young.
.i know that's true because.
.so long i was.
.so in love with you.
.so I thought.



{{Lyrics from So I Thought by Flyleaf}}[/size][/center]

[*-*Winterfrost*-*]

Wingpaw noted that Pumpkinpaw's words didn't really match up with his demeanor. Her ears pricked forward with an odd sense of concern. "Oh. Uh, okay. It's just... well, you looked a little down, so..." She cleared her throat awkwardly, getting the feeling that Pumpkinpaw may not really want to talk to them. But she wanted to try anyway. "Uh, Bronzepaw and I were going to get something to eat. Would you like to join us?"

Bronzepaw looked at his sister with soome astonishment. He knew that if he felt how Pumpkinpaw was looking, he would just want the world to buzz of for a while. Just let the cat have some alone time, for crying out loud! he thought. But it would be rude to contradict his sister's offer, so he nodded his head along with her statement.

[~All I Need]

Pumpkinpaw
ThunderClan Apprentice

Pumpkinpaw's face contorted into a mask of indecision as he listened to Wingpaw's invitation. The orange tom could tell that the she-cat's brother didn't want his prescence around, but Bronzepaw would just have to suck it up. With a nod of his broad, rounded head, Pumpkinpaw picked up a thrush from the fresh-kill pile and padded over to the siblings.
"Thanks, Wingpaw," he mewed. "Bronzepaw," he muttered.
After a moments hesitation, he pulled the thrush closer to him and took a bite. He thought as he silently chewed his meal. Why was Wingpaw being so nice to him? Why did Bronzepaw want him to leave them alone?

[~*R.i.v.e.r.p.e.l.t*~]

Riverpelt went over to the fresh kill pile and picked out a shrew. She sat down by the warriors den and watched the apprentices while she ate, as there was nothing else to do.

[*-*Winterfrost*-*]

Wingpaw smiled a small smile and padded over to the fresh-kill pile. She selected a mouse for her meal and sat across from the orange tom, taking a few bites of the dead rodent, before asking, again hesitantly, "So, um... how has your day been, Pumpkinpaw?" Right away, the she-cat sensed that maybe that hadn't been a wise question to ask. Mousedung, she thought. Erg, ummm... gotta say something quick! She really didn't know why she had invited the morose-looking apprentice over, except that she knew that she liked to talk to someone when she was feeling down. But, then again, that was just her. Wingpaw opened her mouth to try and cover up for her possible mistake.

But Bronzepaw gave her a look. "I mean, it's okay if you don't want to tell us, Pumpkinpaw," he said a little brusquely. Then, softening a little bit, he added, "We just aren't very... ah, familiar with many of the other apprentices. And Wingpaw's not a very good socializer." He sort of sympathized with the orange apprentice. Not that he knew why Pumpkinpaw looked glum, but he knew that he wouldn't want anycat butting into his business when he was... well, upset.

"Hey! I am too a good socializer!" Wingpaw said, glaring at her brother. "I just want to get to know Pumpkinpaw." Then she looked at the other tom, a little apologetically. "But, for once, Bronzepaw's right. If you'd rather not talk about anything.... it's fine." StarClan, I'm just sounding stupider by the heartbeat, she added mentally.

[~All I Need]

ThunderClan Apprentice[/b][/size]

.shadows fill an empty heart.
.as love is fading.
.from all the things that we are.
.but are not saying.
.can we see beyond the scars.
.and make it to the dawn.[/color][/size]

Though Pumpkinpaw usually was a jovial character, he could sometimes be mighty tortured. After all, he had quite the unusual and dramatic past. His mother's sister wanted a child that she could not have and kidnapped Pumpkinpaw when he was only two moons old. Unfortunately, his aunt killed both of his parents and was unable to take care of Pumpkinpaw because he hadn't been weened yet and she had no milk to give him. Grudgingly, his aunt laid him outside the ThunderClan camp and walked away. In her own, sick way, Pumpkinpaw's aunt loved him and wanted the best for him. That's what shaped his actions, his ideas about humans. Just like his family, they had logical reasons behind their actions. So the tom had found it in his heart to forgive his aunt. One day, he will find a way to tell her.
"So, um... how has your day been, Pumpkinpaw?"
"I mean, it's okay if you don't want to tell us, Pumpkinpaw... We just aren't very... ah, familiar with many of the other apprentices. And Wingpaw's not a very good socializer."
"Hey! I am too a good socializer! I just want to get to know Pumpkinpaw. But, for once, Bronzepaw's right. If you'd rather not talk about anything.... it's fine."

[/i]
Pumpkinpaw smiled a sweet, sad smile. He wished he had a sibling. Someone who wouldn't judge him for his beliefs or philosophies. Someone who would listen and talk to him. In his own, calm way...Pumpkinpaw really envied Wingpaw and Bronzepaw for their close relationship.
"No, no, no. You're not intruding. It's just that..." he sighed and looked the way Redpaw and run off without him. Did he love the she-cat? Was that why he was so pained at her rejection to humans...? Or was it possibly a rejection to him?
"I went out on a border patrol with Redpaw earlier today and showed her what it was like to be a human. Twolegs as you call them. I told her of the logic behind their actions... But she wouldn't listen... She's very intelligent... But I guess you can't shake off what you've been raised on, eh? It's a shame. We could learn so much if we were more open-minded."[/center][/size]

.change the colors of the sky.
.and open up to.
.the ways you made me feel alive.
.the ways I loved you.
.for all the things that never died.
.to make it through the night.
.love will find you.[/size]

[*-*Winterfrost*-*]

Wingpaw's ears pricked up. Her nose wrinkled in a half-disgusted, half-curious way, the way a kit looked when it found a slug. "Twolegs? Hmm.... I've never actually seen one before. But I've heard all sorts of things about them. It wasn't very pleasant stuff, of course, but... well..." The creamy-brown she-cat shifted her paws a little nervously. "I dunno. I guess I've always been curious about them. I mean... you know. It's just so hard to imagine them, 'cause they're nothing like us." Wingpaw looked into Pumpkinpaw's eyes. "Do you know a lot about them, Pumpkinpaw?" Her green eyes were alight with interest. She'd never met a cat before who knew anything much about Twolegs, but meeting one who did stirred another interest inside her. What sort of cat has the courange to get near those things? she wondered.

Bronzepaw's whiskers were sticking out like twigs on a tree branch, and his eyes betrayed the surprise he felt at his sister's confession. She never told be she was interested in humans! he thought. I always assumed that she didn't care about them! His eyes dart between his sister and the other tom, trying to read both of their emotions. He knew Wingpaw virtually frontways, backways, and upside down, and could tell that she was genuinely curious. But he wasn't sure if she was curious about what information Pumpkinpaw had on Twolegs, or how Pumkinpaw knew that information. As for the red tom himself.... Bronzepaw wasn't really sure what to make of him right now. He decided to just watch and listen carfully, and hope that this conversation would stay on relatively safe ground.

[~All I Need]

ThunderClan Apprentice[/b][/size]

.shadows fill an empty heart.
.as love is fading.
.from all the things that we are.
.but are not saying.
.can we see beyond the scars.
.and make it to the dawn.[/color][/size]

Pumpkinpaw wasn't sure what the siblings would think of the tom's massive interest in humans. He had never before met a cat--not even Redpaw--who would actually be open-minded about the whole situation. At first, the pretty red she-cat looked fascinated, but then when she realized how easily humans were affected by darkness, Redpaw rejected the whole idea like it was crowfood.
"Twolegs? Hmm.... I've never actually seen one before. But I've heard all sorts of things about them. It wasn't very pleasant stuff, of course, but... well... I dunno. I guess I've always been curious about them. I mean... you know. It's just so hard to imagine them, 'cause they're nothing like us. Do you know a lot about them, Pumpkinpaw?"

[/color]
Pumpkinpaw's round, dark green eyes widened at Wingpaw's confession. Really? Really?! Maybe she'll understand! Maybe someone will finally understand--
The tom tried his best to keep his voice quite still as he answered Wingpaw. "I know almost everything about them. From their language to their cultures to their written language." Pumpkinpaw knew that the other apprentices would be curious as to what a written language was, so he answered in what he thought would be the easiest way to understand.
"You see, a written language is where a human puts words into something they can understand visually. They use vowels and grammar to put what they want to say onto paper or dirt or even stone. It's how they communicate without even needing to see each other. Most humans that are separated for a while write to each other. Their system is complex and hard to understand, but I've come to decipher it and read their stories they put in books. It's amazing what they have accomplished."[/size][/center]

.change the colors of the sky.
.and open up to.
.the ways you made me feel alive.
.the ways I loved you.
.for all the things that never died.
.to make it through the night.
.love will find you. [/color]

{{Lyrics from What About Now}}[/size]

[*-*Winterfrost*-*]

Wingpaw's amber-green eyes widened until they looked like they would pop out of her head. "They make markings on stuff and they can understand what it means? Like, they put their words onto rocks and stuff? Whoa... that's kinda cool!" She looked at Bronzepaw, about to ask him if he thought it was cool. But his expression of curiosity mixed with a healthy dose of fear stopped her, and instead she turned back to Pumpkinpaw, burning to know more. This is so cool! she thought happily. Pumpkinpaw's, like, an expert on them. Maybe if we all learned more about them, we wouldn't worry about them so much. "So, like, what happens if two Twolegs... er, humans live in separate nests that are, like, a really really long way aways from each other?" she asked, gazing at the red tom. "I mean, they can't carry rocks with their... What was it called? Writing?... They can't carry big rocks with writing on it all that distance. So what to they do?"

Bronzepaw couldn't help it. How in the name of StarClan does he know all this?! he thought wildly. No cat could know that stuff unless they've... I dunno, actually lived with Twolegs! Despite his attempts to stay open-minded, the brown tabby tom couldn't help feeling curious and afraid of Pumpkinpaw. Did he live among Twolegs at one point? Why would anycat want to do that? What sort of cat could do that? Nevertheless, Bronzepaw tried to hide his feelings. He could not, would not, be rude and hostile. He wouldn't. He wouldn't. And so he sat, listening to his sister and the other apprentice talk, trying to remain calm and repress the strange feelings of nervous fear that were rearing their ugly heads inside him.

[~All I Need]

ThunderClan Apprentice[/b][/size]

.shadows fill an empty heart.
.as love is fading.
.from all the things that we are.
.but are not saying.
.can we see beyond the scars.
.and make it to the dawn.[/color][/size]

Pumpkinpaw felt a purr rumble deep within his chest at the sight of Wingpaw's expression. The dark-orange tom couldn't help but feel a soaring joy at the fact that the she-cat was so curious and ecstatic at his intelligence. But Bronzepaw... The tom looked at the other apprentice and felt a slight ease of discomfort settle in the pit of his stomach. The fear and anxiety that was etched onto Bronzepaw's face was evident. If he talks Wingpaw out of this... I'll lose all chances of teaching these cats that there's more to humans than we think... So I'll have to make her believe!

[/color]
"They make markings on stuff and they can understand what it means? Like, they put their words onto rocks and stuff? Whoa... that's kinda cool! So, like, what happens if two Twolegs... er, humans live in separate nests that are, like, a really really long way aways from each other? I mean, they can't carry rocks with their... What was it called? Writing?... They can't carry big rocks with writing on it all that distance. So what do they do?"
Excited that Wingpaw was delving deeper into the human world, Pumpkinpaw smiled at the she-cat and chuckled at her questions. "They don't write everything on rocks. Just the writing they want to survive forever. Most of the things they write are put on paper, which is a thin piece of a tree. Now I know it sounds impossible, but humans have technology that is far beyond our reach of understanding. But paper isn't stiff like a tree, it's flexible. But how do they send messages to each other from long distances, you ask? Well, you know monsters? Those are actually cars. Humans control them, they are inanimate objects with no minds of their own. Cars are one of their many incredulous technologies that have been structured by their ingenius minds. That's one of the ways they transport their writing. Also, they have something they call the Internet..."[/color] (LOL! That's how we are communicating right now!) "That runs on lightning, or electricity. The Internet helps them send instantaneous messages to each other. It's much more complex than that, but that's as much as I can understand. The human world has many secrets, and if we were to inspect it... Why, we can possibly live in harmony with them!"[/color][/size][/center]

.change the colors of the sky.
.and open up to.
.the ways you made me feel alive.
.the ways I loved you.
.for all the things that never died.
.to make it through the night.
.love will find you.[/size]

{{Lyrics from What About Now}}[/size]

[*-*Winterfrost*-*]

Wingpaw's eyes were as big as they could possibly get without actually popping out of her head. All this... Twolegs can do all this? Suddenly, the creamy-brown she-cat felt insignificant and tiny in the world. But at the same time, she felt a growing respect for Pumpkinpaw. He's spent time with Twolegs, she thought. He had the courage and curiosity to stay around them and learn about them and from them. What kind of strength does that take? "Wow," she said out loud. "I never knew any of that... Hey, Pumpkinpaw?" Wingpaw's ears were forward, and her eyes were shining with curiosity. "Why is it that the Two... uh, humans can be, I dunno, kind of mean to us? I mean, if they can do all this cool stuff, surely they can't all be bad. But it seems to me like all the other forest cats ever say about them is how evil they are. But they aren't all bad, right?"

[~All I Need]

{{ WHO SAYS YOU CAN GIVE IN }}
{{ TO THE CORRUPTION AROUND YOU }}

"Wow... I never knew any of that... Hey, Pumpkinpaw? Why is it that the Two... uh, humans can be, I dunno, kind of mean to us? I mean, if they can do all this cool stuff, surely they can't all be bad. But it seems to me like all the other forest cats ever say about them is how evil they are. But they aren't all bad, right?"

[/color]
A deep, rumbling purr shook Pumpkinpaw's lungs as he watched the many emotions flit across Wingpaw's face. The subtle appearance of smugness settled in the contours of his face, making him seem kind of ignorant. But he was just happy that for once, someone respected him and believed him because of his intelligence and different ways of life. His outlook was so much more different than that of the Clans', he was wondering why he hadn't been banished as a rogue before.
But then it all came crashing down to that one question...
Were humans bad...? ...Evil?
The stout tom bit his bottom lip, frantically thinking of what the appropriate answer would be. "I think why the humans are so...mean to us is because they don't know what we are thinking. Much like how we think of them. Most of us don't understand them, so put yourself in their..."[/color] What? Paws? Feet? ...Shoes? "...in their perspective. Another reason why other forest cats think their evil is because they are so close minded because of tradition and religious ways. We are born and raised to loathe and disrespect humans, so we can't see the good in them. Humans are like us cats, they are good...and they are evil. Not everything is black and white, it all comes in shades of colors."[/color][/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

{{ I'LL TAKE THIS PIECE OF YOU

[/color] }}
{{ AND HOLD FOR ALL ETERNITY[/color] }}[/center]

[*-*Winterfrost*-*]

Wingpaw listened, thinking it all over carefully. It made sense. If cats could be good and bad, then surely everything else in this world could be good and bad. Humans included. She opened her mouth to ask another question...

...but Bronzepaw cut her off. He had been listening the whole time, and had come to the conclusion that Pumpkinpaw sure knew a lot about this stuff, but hadn't really explain how. "Pumpkinpaw, can I ask a question?" he said, a tiny bit of a challenge in his voice. "You know a lot about Twolegs, or humans, or whatever. How do you know all this? Have you spent time with them? I mean, like actually lived with them?" The brown apprentice's mind raced at the idea. If the ginger tom had actually lived among Twolegs, like a kittypet, what was Bronzepaw to think? Was his Clan just magically accepting any and everycat into its ranks?!

((OOC: Sorry about the wait. IRL stuff got a bit much to handle all at once. But I'm back!))

[~All I Need]

{ EXPLAIN TO ME THIS CONSPIRACY AGAINST ME }
{ AND TELL ME HOW I'VE LOST THIS POWER

[/color] }[/center]

The tom felt a surge of anger against Bronzepaw as he interrupted his sister. How dare this apprentice sit there this whole time without participating and then dare to challenge Pumpkinpaw?!
" Pumpkinpaw, can I ask a question? "
Pumpkinpaw sneered and replied, " After you, my fellow apprentice. "
" You know a lot about Twolegs, or humans, or whatever. How do you know all this? Have you spent time with them? I mean, like actually lived with them? "
The orange cat nodded slightly. So this was what Bronzepaw wanted to know all along. Whether or not he was a kittypet!!! Well, two could play at this game. " Well, Bronzepaw, rules have to be broken to be fixed, don't they? Are you accusing me of trying to fix our way of life that is wrong? "

[/blockquote][/blockquote]