Bored Birdie Balderdash

Finchpaw

Finchpaw was bored and a bored finch was a bad finch. Bad for everyone else that is. He sat, still as a statue, waiting, just waiting. He hadn't been out to train since he'd almost been run over by the stupid monster, and he was antsy. ready to go and do something useful. He supposed he could go check on the elder's and offer to clean their nests, but what fun was that. He wanted something exciting. He shifted his weight from one paw to the other ever so slightly it might not even be noticed. He blinked his eyes staring at the warriors den as if willing Smokestripe to come out.Finally after what seemed like an eternity but was likely only a few heartbeats he lashed his tail and gave up on his mentor for a bad job and began to plot. He needed a good joke to life his spirits. Being stuck in camp this long was torture to a tom like him. He glanced at the elders den, knowing Thrushstripe was in there. He was always fun to annoy. He rose to his paws and padded to the Freshkill pile and nosed his way through it to find a scrawny lizard. He pulled it out and stared at it. For the life of him he could think of no joke to play with such a creature. The scrawniness of it was surprising. New leaf would be here soon and he expected the prey to be plumper. He sighed and picked it up padding toward the elders den to offer it to Thurshstripe.

Just as soon as Finchpaw started to head towards the elder's den, the old tom himself began walking out with a heavy, grumpy sigh. No matter how long he stayed in that den, it just felt too... weird. Maybe part of it was the fact that it no longer belonged to him and that he had to share it with Mottleclaw, or maybe it was the fact that no matter how hard Thrushstripe tried, he couldn't get the smell of stale moss and half-eaten fresh kill out of the den. He couldn't really figure it out, but nonetheless, he needed to get out.

As soon as he stepped out, though, his eyes trained onto the apprentice with a small lizard in his mouth. Blinking a couple of times, he could only think of what Finchpaw was up to as already the apprentice was getting quite a record with the former leader. "Finchpaw," he said as an unenthusiastic greeting. "What... are you up to today?" The question was innocent, but there was a hint of suspicion in the elder's voice.

Finchpaw

The young tom flicked his ears forward as Thurshstripe exited the elder's den. He blinked in surprise and dropped the Lizard he was carrying and dipped his head to the formeer leader. Actually, I was doing my duty and taking it to YOU. You old tom." He said noting the suspicion in the elders voice. He had every right to be suspicious. Finchpaw had made him look like a mousebrain, skidding across the clearing on a rotting frog. The image brought a smile to his face and it took all of his will power not to let a mrrow of laughter escape his lips. He was TRYING to walk the right path. He did want to be a warrior some day. Not like he can keep me from becoming one now though he thought barely holding back an amused snort. His tail tip twitched and he turned his attention back to the lizard. "If you want to eat this out here, I'll change your moss for you. Newleaf will be here soon and maybe that will help air out the den a little. I'd guess Mottleclaw is a rank cat to live with." He said raising a would be eye-brow. Again he noted their similarity in looks, but yet again he filed the information away. His pranking brain was on the fritz today. Or Maybe he was just growing up.

The former leader's eyes narrowed as if he were trying to find some hint of mischievousness, but currently he couldn't find any.. either that or Finchpaw was getting better at hiding it. Either way, Thrushstripe hadn't realized how hungry he had grown until his stomach growled at the sight of the lizard. Maybe it was a good idea to take Finchpaw's suggestion on this one... With a small shrug, the elder gave in. "Fine. I'll let you do.. what you're supposed to," he said, his voice no more enthusiastic than it was before. In fact, he sounded even less so. Either way, he picked up the lizard and moved out of the way, giving the apprentice space to move in and change out the moss, ignoring the apprentice's jab at Mottleclaw.

However, as he moved to lay down in the clearing and begin eating the lizard, something felt... off. Should he have really let Finchpaw do that for him? Not that he didn't trust the apprentice, but the elder was certain that he could do it himself. He didn't need apprentices looking after him. but he had already made the decision. Too late to change his mind now. So instead, his mood quickly soured as he continued to eat the lizard, waiting for Finchpaw to be finished.

Finchpaw

The young tom padded into the elders den and gagged on the strong musty smell, of stale moss, and half eaten fresh-kill. He backed out of the den glanced at Thrushstripe and took a deep breath of fresh air. He held it as he slipped quickly back into the den and gathered the moss from the former leaders nest. He pulled it outside and let out his breath in a big huff. He turned toward Thrushstripe and flicked his tail "How can you stand it in there?" He asked with little regard for how rude it could sound. He pulled the moss into a ball and deposited it out behind the camp in the dirt place. He slipped back into the camp and then the elders den holding his breath again. He gathered up every piece of moss he could find before his breath ran out. He coughed nad spluttered slipping back out of the den. "I mean I really don't know how you stand it Thrushstar-er-stripe" He said stumbling over the name.

When he was done eating, the old tom licked his lips as he watched Finchpaw move in and out of the den, nearly suffocating on the smell of it as he changed out the moss. A grunt escaped the elder's throat when the apprentice first asked how he could tolerate such a place. The funny part was that Thrushstripe couldn't. He hated it in there, but it was nice to live a less stressful life. That was the only upside. The rest of it... oh Starclan, it was awful. There was a reason he barely spent any time in that old den. It was almost a wonder that Dawnflower and Shimmereart were able to live in there so long.

Once the apprentice had finally cleared everything out and made mention of not being able to stay in there, Thrushstripe nodded. "There is a reason I don't... spend much time in there," he said hoarsely. "I don't understand how it can smell so... awful when it is only two of us in there."

The apprentice listened carefully to what Thrushstripe said and nodded slowly. HIs eyes narrowed and he turned back to the den. His ears flattened against his head and he took a deep breath before slipping inside again. He moved forward and pulled out the bedding from Mottleclaw's nest. The moss was rank but it was nothing to the stink coming from inside the den. He flicked his tail and looked back at Thrushstripe. "I'll figure out what it is Thrushstripe. No cat should have to live like that. especially not a former leader." With that Finchpaw dipped his head slightly embarrassed. He must be growing up, his respect for Thrushstripe was outweighing his desire to prank him. "Has it always smelled like that?" He asked tilting his head to the side.

As Finchpaw continued to clean out the den, Thrushstripe blinked at the tom. It was unusual for Finchpaw to be so sincere, and it was throwing the elder off. However, that wouldn't stop him from being as grumpy as he was. "For the few... days I have been there, yes. Otherwise, it's been far too long since my days as... an apprentice to remember." Thrushstripe figured that he would have remembered that kind of stink from so long ago, but maybe not. Either way, he was ready to be out of it. "Oh, don't worry about trying to clean out that old... thing," he mumbled. "It's not like I spend my time in it anyway. I'll... get used to it eventually."

Finchpaw

The young tom listened to the elder calmly but then shook his head. "No way. I'm going to figure it out." He smirked and flicked his tail toward the former leader. "You sure you're not hiding a meddlesome kit in there?" He asked flicking his ears forward thinking of his first real encounter with Thrushstripe, then Thrushstar. A small laugh escaped him before he turned and slipped back into the elders den. He gathered his nerves and parted his jaws taking the disgusting scent over his tongue. He could smell death, and rotting flesh. He knew that smell...crowfood. He padded forward following the strength of the scent until he found the source. He almost gagged but didn't, thank starclan. He backed up grabbed the remained of the two nests and bundled the unrecognizable slimy rotting flesh into it. holding his breath yet again he carried to bundle out of the den and added it to his pile of dirty moss. He quickly padded away from the pile and dry heaved twice. He shook his head and looked up at Thrushstripe his almost mirror image. His sea green eyes dancing with laughter. "I'm pretty sure I owe you an apology Thrushstripe!" He said his eyes flicking between the pile and the elder.

The joke about the kit almost amused the elder as he flicked his ear and bounced his tail, watching the apprentice thoughtfully. "I'll admit it. I've... been snatching the bad kits and apprentices in their sleep," he said, however his humor didn't come across well. Funnily enough, Thrushstripe hadn't noticed. As Finchpaw continued to look, Thrushstripe was appalled when the apprentice finally emerged out of the den, pulling out with him a piece of crowfood that had probably been in there since the dawn of time. How in Starclan had he not noticed that sooner? Was he getting that old and his nose that bad? Annoyance settled in the old tom's chest for a minute but he was snapped out of it when Finchpaw mentioned something about an apology. "Hmph," he huffed, not denying the fact but not showing too much in his face.

Finchpaw

A purr rumbled for a mometn in his throat and he looked at the elder his eyes shinning with respect and amusement, just for a heartbeat. "I knew it! I knew you were snatching the bad ones. How did I stay out of there?" He asked smirking at the tom. He shook his head slowly and sighed regretfully. "Remember after your ceremony? I offered to make your nest?" He asked flicking his tail so it fell around his paws as he sat down. He thought back to that day, the disappointment he'd felt and sadness at seeing Thrushstar give up his position.

OOC: So I'm thinking that either Thrush could have told him to get lost so Finch put it in there to get back at him OOOOOORRRRRRR he told him he could and so Finch put it there to be nice, but it somehow got burried in the nest. Whatever you want. =)

OOC: the former is probably the most like Thrush so we'll go with that one cx

The old tom simply rolled his eyes at the apprentice's amusement. "I'm not entirely sure. I guess... I just showed mercy on you. You're yet a warrior, though. I still have... time," he meowed with a bit of a harsh tone, but Thrushstripe stopped suddenly and narrowed his eyes as Finchpaw asked about him making the elder's nest. Immediately, several thoughts rushed into the elder's mind. "When I told you... that I could take care of it?"

Finchpaw

The apprentice flicked her ears forward as Thrushstripe threatened him. He smirked and rolled his eyes. "You'd have to catch me first old tom." He mewed and then dipped his head low to the elder an apologetic look in his eye. "I may have...er...left this as a pay back for blowing me off." He swallowed flicking his tail tip and keeping his head bowed. He shook his head slowly and sighed. "I'm really sorry about that...I er...Sometimes I don't know when enough is too much..."

A bout of irritation flowed through the old tom, making his skin hot until he thought it through. After a moment, his frustration cooled into a small laugh. Well, as much of a laugh as the elder could muster with a broken voice. "You know what, this... is my payback then. You had to clean up your own mess. I'd say that's even... enough," he meowed. "You've gotta stop all this messing around if you really want... to become a warrior, Finchpaw. It's going to... bite you in the tail one of these days."

Finchpaw

The young tom dipped his head sighed. "I know Thrushstripe. I really am trying.
I think my essing around is why I'm still an apprentice." He paused taking a deep breath and looking up at the elder showing some genuine worry in his eyes. "I'm afraid Smokestripe doesn't think I'm cut out to be a warrior." He swallowed and wrapped his tail around his paws before dropping his head and giving his chest fur a few embarassed licks. "Sorry. I know it's not really something you need to worry about." He mewed.