#birchspark

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Had to add them (new quotes were added to the generator!)

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would BirchSpark and ToadJump still try to heal in the dark forest?

Toadjump would. Caring and healing is who he is, and dying won’t stop that. Added bonus of trying to prove to his old mentor that he can still be good

Birchspark less likely. He lost a lot of hope and now just sees a lot of the bad around him. But if someone really needs help, he’ll begrudgingly give it—or will give it if the cat in question is innocent or vulnerable (like a lot or expecting mother)

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how does RoseStar feel about BirchSpark after he killed him?

he's pissed

he's even more pissed that Birchspark had the gall to kill him five times, only to die later that same day!

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will birchspark ever forgive toadjump?

Forgive? No.

Will the two ever become close again? Maybe, but some sort of event or development would need to occur for that to happen, because even if Birch does accept what happened and wishes to move on from it, he is too prideful to ever do anything about it (he won’t even admit it to himself, instead internally repeating how much Toad sucks)

Maybe Toadjump is on the verge of dying again and Birch is terrified and it’s enough for him to put the past—and all the pain and suffering from it—in the past. Maybe he almost died because he risked his safety to help someone else, and Birch is reminded of the selfless, caring apprentice he once loved.

In any case, it won’t be easy or smooth, and it definitely won’t be quick.

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Is RoseStar from Toad and Birch's story in the Dark Forest after he sent his Clanmates to die in battle?

Yes, but not for that reason!

(info for those curious, he started a war with ThunderClan, even though Birchspark--the medicine cat--strongly advised against it. Birchspark also practically shouted at him not to send cats with disabilities that would make them vulnerable, but he didn't listen and sent them anyway, leading to their deaths. He never fought in a battle himself, just sent cats to do it for him).

While he's a pos, nothing he did here was against the code. He should listen to his healers, but he doesn't have to follow what they say. He's the leader, his word is law. There's nothing that says he can't start a war, or that he can't send a cat to fight that war while he stays back safe in his den.

What actually sent him to the Dark Forest was something not mentioned in Toadjump and Birchspark's profiles because it was irrelevant: he cheated on his mate with a cat from another Clan for at least half of their relationship (he's old, so a long time). It's possible the cat he was with was from ThunderClan and broke up with him, and in anger, he started the war.

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Birchspark would have a rough time making friends in the Dark Forest, both because he's mean and prickly and, more importantly, because he doesn't trust anyone enough to let them get that close. They're in Hell, for one, so why should he trust anyone here?

Besides, he trusted someone before and he got hurt. Never again.

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Reunion

Toadjump coughed up the blood that had soaked into his tongue–not his, his assailant’s, who had slammed a paw into his throat to make him release his bite, leaving him wheezing for breath.

He was backed into a corner, rocks too tall and too steep to climb on his other side. He could only face his opponent, a silver-tabby tom, and attempt to fight back, a difficult task given his lack of battle-training, so when the assailant leapt, he didn’t know to dodge or to rear back and grapple, and was shoved to the ground.

Toadjump would have opened his mouth to apologize if his face weren’t being pushed into the mud. How was he supposed to know the she-cat he was flirting with had a very-overly-protective mate?

Teeth pressed into his throat. He struggled, kicking vainly and grunting desperately as he tried and failed to stand. With great effort, he cracked his mouth open in an effort to plead. Mud rushed into his jaws and he shook with spluttering coughs. 

The teeth dug deeper. Amidst his fear, Toadjump wondered if the mud flowing down his throat would pour through the punctures made by the silver-tabby.

Then the weight was off and Toadjump could stand. His legs shook and he collapsed back down, sitting. The eye closest to the ground was shut tight, stinging from the slime that had gotten into it, and he hacked, vomiting. His head swung–dizzying him–and he saw a sight he never would have dared hope to see again.

His mentor, his idol, his friend, beating the silver-tabby with such ferociousness, it made the latter look like a half-trained apprentice fighting in their first battle.

Birchspark was saying something–some threats, surely–but Toadjump’s ears were ringing too much to hear. His tense shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment. It would have been nice to hear what Birchspark was saying to defend him, though the fact that Birchspark was here at all was enough to make him leap for joy. Just seeing his mentor again was enough, but a StarClan cat had come here, to the Dark Forest, for him! Had he forgiven him after all? Had StarClan allowed him to join them?

The silver-tabby ran off. Birchspark spit after him, and turned around and–

Oh.

His eyes.

He was not StarClan.

But when did he…?

Toadjump stood again, slowly this time, and cracked a smile. “Birch! Thank you! I thought I was dead and–”

Claws raked his cheek. The mud splashed as he fell, again. 

Birchspark pressed his face close to Toadjump, who quickly realized that his former mentor’s wide-eyed fury was not directed at his apprentice’s attacker. “If anyone gets the pleasure of killing you, it’ll be me,” he promised. “I should rip off your skin for what you’ve done, but that’d be too merciful. You killed eight cats, you should suffer eight deaths, but I suppose since no one would ever choose someone like you as leader–too late now anyway–then I guess toes will have to do. Do you want it done all at once, or day-by-day? Maybe moon-by-moon–no, however long it takes you to recover. Then I’ll come back and do it again. How’s that sound?”

Toadjump swallowed, pressing himself low and away. “Not ideal.”

Birchspark grimaced with disgust. “You’d be too vulnerable. Just look at you now, weak and pathetic. Eight toes less and you’re surely a goner, and I can’t beat the shit out of that, can I?” Turning, he began to walk away.

“Why are you here?” Toadjump called after him before he could stop himself. “Your eyes, they’re…You killed someone.” When? Why? Birchspark had almost killed Toadjump after he found out his apprentice was a murderer, and he was one also?

“Rosestar,” was the only answer he gave.

“Wait!” Toadjump tried to run after, only to slip and crash into the mud yet again. “Can we talk? Please?”

Birchspark stopped, ears flat. “I trusted you. If you ever breathe a word to me again, I will break your jaw.”

Then he was off, leaving Toadjump to watch after him, the mud soaking into his pelt and feeling colder than ice.

=========================================

--I think that went well.

--Birch's threats, as angry as he is, were empty. He cares about Toad too much to torture him (a huge step above beating. It's too calculated and cruel).

--Please keep in mind that I'm writing a novel at the same time as this, and I'm saving all my best writing for that. These stuff are far more rushed and way more "just write it without worrying about the quality" because if it wasn't, I would always be too self-critical to publish it.

--Thanks again to @starfalcon555 for suggesting the names for Birchspark and Toadjump!

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Im all in tell me how BirchSpark-ToadJump's dynamic changed

Birch:

As mentioned, Birch thought that Toad was a great medic and cat. Toad was dedicated to caring for every cat that came into their den. He had a great heart, and Birch had a lot of trust in him.

When Birch found out what Toad was doing, he was furious.

Obviously, he was enraged at the crimes themself, how he hurt--how he killed their Clanmates, the cats that trusted them with their lives, how they swore to StarClan and to their Clan that they would heal and protect them only for his own apprentice to turn around and betray them, and did so by targeting the cats most vulnerable.

He was also furious at the betrayal against him. Birch trusted him. Birch took him as his apprentice. Birch gave him his name. Birch asked him to his face if he would heal and care for and protect their Clanmates no matter the cost, and he believed it when Toad said yes.

To think it was all happening right under his nose! That's why he's angry at himself, too. For ever allowing Toadjump to become a medic (even though there was no sign anything bad would come of it). For not seeing it when Toad began to change. For not listening to his gut when it told him that something was wrong. For punishing and berating Toadjump because he thought those cats died because Toadjump failed by mistake, and he should have known that it wasn't. He feels guilty he didn't protect them when he was RIGHT THERE EVERY TIME. He's pissed at himself for allowing himself to get so attached. If he wasn't, then it wouldn't hurt him so much.

He's angry at everyone, really. At StarClan for speaking in riddles instead of telling him right-out what was going on. He was even angry at the victims for ever stepping into the medicine den, though he knows that's not fair (Toad went out of his way to make some of them sick anyway).

It was briefly mentioned in the profile post, but Birch beat the hell out of Toadjump when he found out (as to why no one noticed, they likely weren't in camp. Maybe he saw Toad stuff poison in some food?). He beat Toad unconscious and then some, and if he didn't love Toad so much, he would have killed him, or drag him to camp so that Rosestar could do it.

But...even after all he now knew, after all Toad had done, when the red cloud faded and Birch looked at Toad laying on the ground, all he could see was the wide-eyed, heart-bigger-than-his-head apprentice that always wanted to do the right thing. Was it Birch who failed him?

He told himself it was for the Clan. If they knew, they would panic, and they would distrust all medics and let their wounds go unhealed. He wouldn't tell anyone what Toad was doing and kept him under strict watch.

After that, he became exceptionally cold towards Toad. He was never what you would call a comforting mentor, but any warmness he provided even on his worst days were completely gone. He treated Toad exactly like he was--a murderer, a traitor.

Maybe things would have been differently if they had lasted after he killed Rosestar, but the camp was invaded right after, and Birch died in the battle.

Toad:

Things didn't change for Toad all that much. He still admires and looks up to Birch, and it absolutely guts him that his beloved mentor thinks--knows?--that he's horrible and disgusting and worse than the dirt beneath his paws.

He doesn't hold Birch beating him against him. He thanked him for not killing him.

Both hated the tension in their den, the loss of whatever good was between them.

When Birch died, Toad was devastated. He promised him that he would never harm another Clanmate again (not because he believes he shouldn't, but for Birchspark's sake). He would always serve and heal, and he did until that storm.

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Now, as for them in the Dark Forest....I'm not sure just yet. They died at different times and likely different places. They will meet up at some point, but under what circumstances and what happens after is tbd.