Sad Pandas (Open)

[Yellowstar]

Brownpaw

"I hope Dovepaw is having more fun than I am," the young apprentice sighed.

Brownpaw was honestly disappointed. She had never been to a Gathering before, and from what she heard from her Clanmates they sounded fun. And it was her first full moon since being made an apprentice so she was hoping she would be picked to go. But Rainstar had picked her sister instead. And that stung the brown tortoiseshell; that her sister had been picked but not her. Why couldn't they have gone together? Did Rainstar like her sister better than she? Or had her mentor told Rainstar that she wasn't a good apprentice so she shouldn't go? Oh StarClan, she hoped that wasn't it. But whatever the reason, as the Gathering patrol left camp Brownpaw remained in the clearing, brooding over a half-eaten piece of fresh-kill and wishing she could have gone. Tonight would be a lonely night.

((Shortshort, but, I wanted to get this thread up quickly. For anyone who stayed home from the Gathering.))

[Amber]

Really and truthfully it hadn't bothered him too much that he wasn't chosen to go to the Gathering, he had gone the last moon and that seemed to suffice for the black tom. After all, there were plenty others that wanted to go, and deserved to go, he would be complacent with staying. Yes it was an honor, but he didn't deserve such honors, he just deserved to do whatever was planned for him to do.

Rookpaw watched the other cats leave and was sure he would hear all about it when they returned. He still had plenty of time to go to a gathering anyway, why worry about it? No point in dwelling over it. The tom wondered where his brother had gotten off to, but figured that he might aswell be productive in some way. His attention was caught on one of his denmates, whom he actually somewhat felt sorry for. She hadn't been chosen to go, and her sister had.

Sighing to himself, he padded over to the she-cat and blinked at her. "You mind if I sit here?" he asked. He wasn't normally one to start up a conversation, but Brownpaw looked like she needed someone, even if all he would do is sit by her.

[mystic]

Snowpaw
^{If you're not laughing, you're not living}

Snowpaw padded up to his brother. The large white tom had a mild cold, but not enough to have him confined to the medicine cat den. Anyway, his sniffles were somewhat his fault. So was the fact that he wasn't allowed to go to the gathering. He walked over with a larger piece of fresh-kill and sat down next to the two apprentices.

"I'm surprised you didn't get to go either Brownpaw." He mewed, then he paused and grinned a little. "You know, I think everyone else is asleep." he mewed. "And there's no fresh-kill. If we go out hunting and come back before the gathering's over, no one will be the wiser." He grinned, hoping the other two would pick up on his plan. Sure the last time he sneaked out resulted in him getting a cold. However staying in camp was boring. He was pretty sure Rookpaw would fallow along, Rookpaw always went along with his shenanigans. "We could even check out the borders." he grinned. "Anyway, you two wet mice can stay here. I'm going exploring." the white apprentice stood and began walking, a bit slowly, towards the edge of camp.

[Yellowstar]

Brownpaw

Brownpaw's appetite was gone. She had started to eat her dinner earlier and had been halfway through when Rainstar had announced the cats he would be bringing to the Gathering. And once she had heard that she wouldn't be going, there went her desire to finish her meal. She nibbled idly on a piece of the meat; she knew that it was against the warrior code to waste food and she worried that she would be in trouble if she didn't finish this piece of fresh-kill.

She hadn't noticed there was another cat approaching until he was standing right by her. Brownpaw's eyes widened as she was startled and she glanced up to see it was Rookpaw. That was rather strange, and even more so when he asked if he could sit with her. He was a quiet cat much like herself, and Brownpaw didn't know why the older apprentice would wish to sit with her. "Oh, n-no, of course I don't mind." She stuttered, flicking her ears back and curling her tail close to her body to try to subdue her shyness at being startled.

Soon Snowpaw approached them as well, and Brownpaw nodded gratefully at the acknowledgment from the white apprentice. But soon her tiny smiled faltered at the larger tom's next suggestion. He didn't want them to sneak out of camp, did he? They weren't kits, so they were allowed out of camp... but not during the Gathering, and certainly not without the permission of their mentors. A look of alarm on her face, Brownpaw glanced to Rookpaw after Snowpaw started to pad away. "You aren't going to go, are you? We might get in trouble!" Her voice a hushed whisper, she glanced quickly around for any sign of any of their mentors. Oh, this wasn't good...

[/blockquote]

[Amber]

The black tom shifted his paws, a bit uneasy that he had approached someone on his own free will. But Brownpaw was similar to himself, which was a relief on his part. Everyone else seemed so keen to chatter about and eager to be on their way. That must be what Brownpaw and himself were for, to even the balance out. When she answered he felt a little bad, he didn't mean to startle her, or to scare her. He hated himself now, why did he have to go and scare a cat? "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." he quickly mewed, shrinking back a bit. "But thank you." he made sure to add before sitting down and staring at Brownpaw, wondering how he could make it up to her.

Rookpaw hadn't been sitting long before his brother approached. Now what could the white apprentice want? He hoped that Snowpaw was fine from their earlier expedition, and that his brother wouldn't be sick for too long. As Snowpaw began to speak to Brownpaw, the black apprentice mind was thinking how much of Snowpaw's accident was his fault. He should have known to prevent it, why couldn't he? Was it because he was too weak? Then as Snowpaw began to suggest going out hunting, it at first seemed like a good idea. Rookpaw was about to agree with his brother, but the next thing Snowpaw said was the ice breaker. Going hunting was one story, going to the borders was another. He loved his brother, but that was a bit risky. He watched his brother start to pad away, and Rookpaw would follow, but this was too much. They had just gotten in trouble for sneaking out earlier, he didn't want to be in trouble again.

"You go on ahead Snowpaw, I think I'm gonna stay here." Rookpaw called after his brother. Yes, once was enough. Looking back to Brownpaw he shook his head. "No, I'm not going. If Snowpaw wants to go and get in trouble he can. I want to go and protect him, but I can't risk getting in trouble again." His ears flattened as he spoke, he hated that he was going against his gut and not going with his brother. He needed to be there to protect Snowpaw, unlike he had done earlier. What if his brother got hurt and he was left without any family? Well...family that cared. His eyes sunk to the ground and he felt horrible.

[mystic]

"Come on you Cold Mice." he mewed. "It will be fun. We'll be out and back before no one notic... A-CHOOO!" He sneezed loudly sending dust flying everywhere and puffing up a little. He was about to say something else when he let out another mighty sneeze. Why was he sneezing, he thought that he was over his cold. This stupid cold was going to prevent him from going on his adventure.

"That one hurt!" he mewed, lifting a paw to rub his nose. Finally the large white tom flopped down, sending pine needles and dust flying everywhere. "It would be no fun on my own." He added. "Or are you both just to scared?" He said, grinning. "There's nothing scary out there, well maybe badgers and foxes. But I can take any wimpy badger!" He boasted. He paused and looked at the half eaten fresh kill and his stomach growled.

"Hey, are you going to eat that?" The perpetually hungry tom asked, eying it. There was no fresh kill in the pile and he was still hungry. That mouse really hadn't hit the bottom, maybe two or three mice would have done it. However there had been only one mouse left.

[Yellowstar]

Brownpaw

A bit of a sad look overcame Brownpaw's face as she heard Rookpaw's response. She supposed it was good that the darker brother decided not to go; it was probably a smarter and safer choice, not that she would ever boast of it. She actually felt a bit guilty, because what if Rookpaw had intended to go with Snowpaw? She didn't want to have changed his mind by her silly worrying. And Snowpaw couldn't go by himself for there were dangerous things out there like badgers! Oh, badgers were bad news. She'd never seen one herself but heard stories.

She cast a concerned look to Snowpaw as the apprentice started sneezing loudly. He'd been to the medicine den with a cold earlier, but it looked like he still wasn't completely healthy. Wouldn't his mentor want him to stay in camp if he wasn't feeling well? Glancing down at the half-eaten piece of prey at her paws, Brownpaw shrugged and pushed it toward him. "I-it's fine, you can have it." She glanced at Rookpaw and then back at Snowpaw. At least he was settled down now, and it didn't look like he was really going to go out to the forest. If he decided to after all, though, she wouldn't know what else to say to try to stop him. She really didn't like being the one to speak up against anything, either.