Acquaintance (short story)
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Toadjump managed to pull through long enough for any worry that he would fade to diminish significantly. His bandages still needed to be changed frequently, though not as often as Birchspark would have liked, given their lack of resources. It was with luck that Toadjump’s companion, who Birchspark now knew was named Eaglefluff, was able to collect what he could while Birchspark and Doebur, the she-cat, stayed with his patient.
Now, after four days of unconsciousness followed by brief moments of wake, Toadjump stirred, and Birchspark was immensely relieved and uncomfortable.
Doebur, lying with him, shot up. “Is he waking?” Before Birchspark could answer, she spoke to Toadjump. “Toad, Toad, can you hear me? Wake up, dear.”
Toadjump groaned, blinking. His focusing eyes told them that he wouldn’t fall asleep again.
Eaglefluff, with perfect timing, padded into the den with a clump of waterlogged moss. “I got some–” he dropped it to the floor and rushed to Toadjump’s side. “Is he waking?”
“I’m waking,” Toadjump confirmed in a sore voice. Slowly, he lifted his head. “Where am I?” He turned his head to look around him, freezing when he saw Birchspark. A range of emotions flashed in his eyes–shock, fear, joy–Joy, why joy? Why was he still so happy to see him? Why did that pain Birchspark more than the fear?
“Hi, Birchspark!...” Toadjump gave a weak smile. He opened his mouth to say something else, but evidently could not think of anything.
Birchspark couldn’t, either.
Doebur stared at the two of them. “You know each other?”
Eaglefluff tilted his head. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Are you friends?” Doebur asked.
No, Birchspark wanted to answer immediately, but something held it back. “Give us some space,” he said instead. “We need to talk alone.”
The two of them looked at him, then to Toadjump. “Go, I’ll be okay,” he reassured them.
Slowly and hesitantly, the two left the den, rubbernecking as they went. “We’ll be right outside,” Eaglefluff told them. Birchspark heard the secret message there–If he tries something, we’re right here. As if he didn't just spend almost a week saving him. He knew some part of him was bothered that he was thought of as a potential threat to Toadjump--physically or, more likely, emotionally, but he didn't dwell on it.
Then the two cats were gone, and suddenly the den was overflowing with tangible tension. Neither cat wanted to speak first, neither could find the right words. What was there to say? He gave his pelt a shake. Just talk to him like a patient.
“You were unconscious for four days, plus a half including today. You were badly injured: your leg is broken and your body is badly torn. You’ll need your bandages replaced often and each time you do, keep an eye out for infection. Nothing has set in yet, but we can never be too careful.”
Toadjump scanned his body. “There was a cat…” He trailed off. Likely, he was thinking of whoever had done this to him. “No, it was…two?...I can’t remember…”
“By the looks of you, I’d say two or three. Then again–” He cut himself off. Then again, a newly-named apprentice with their eyes closed and ears stuffed with moss could best you in any activity you can name, unless you want to count pastimes such as ‘annoying your former mentor,’ ‘wasting my herbs,’ or ‘who can talk the longest?’
He hadn’t spoken to Toadjump like that since before he found Toadjump poisoning moss. It was how he bantered, how he showed love. Now was not the time for it. He shouldn’t be wanting to talk like that anyway, given the fact that he hates Toadjump.
He does hate him.
Doesn’t he?
“Thanks for saving my–uhm–afterlife.” Toadjump was looking at his paws.
“Your mate did all the work.” Birchspark shrugged. “She and your friend are the ones who carried your sorry tail to my den, got you water and medicine, cleaned your fur.”
“You were just here for the entertainment, then?” Toadjump cracked a smile. Birchspark smiled too, before realizing what he was doing and pulling it back. “Uhm, what mate?”
Birchspark blinked. “Doebur, the brown she-cat.”
Toadjump shuffled, changing into a more comfortable position. “Oh! She’s just a friend.”
“Could have had me fooled. She never left your side.”
“Four days straight?”
“Four days straight.”
“Eaglefluff got the medicine, then?”
“He was in to drop off whatever he collected, then out again collecting more.”
“That was nice of them.” Toadjump frowned. “That doesn’t sound like a good response. It’s too shallow. They–Four days? Of just staying with me or constantly moving, just for me?”
Birchspark nodded.
“Stars, how will I ever make it up to them?”
“By the sounds of it, they were settling a debt owed to you. Said you helped them.”
“There’s no payment needed, I just did what I’m meant to do.”
There it is. That rage, that sorrow, bubbling up. But it was smaller than before, as if the emotions, too, were tired of this.
“And I have to, right? To make up for what I did. I don’t regret killing those cats, I mean I don’t think I do. It’s…It’s hard to tell. Life feels so much different when you’re dead. Dying doesn’t seem so much of a big deal anymore. Not to say it’s not a big deal! But–just–It doesn’t eat at me. It should, shouldn’t it? Killing eight cats, even terrible ones…But it just…I don’t not feel guilty, but I…I don’t know.” He paused for several long moments that seemed to stretch an eternity each. Birchspark waited, hardly moving. “My mindset now is so different from then. I remember what I thought, the conclusions I came to, the suspicions, the justification. But other than that it’s…like a different cat.”
A blip, Birchspark thought. Hoped. “Who am I talking to, then?” Birchspark asked, millions of questions in one sentence.
Toadjump looked uncertain, his eyes flicking back and forth as if looking for something. Then he gave Birchspark a hopeful smile. “A friend?”
“Acquaintance.”
“A surrogate son?”
Birchspark flattened his ears and made a face. “Acquaintance.”
“A former apprentice you’re proud to have trained?”
“You’re about to become an enemy.”
Toadjump waved a paw. “Okay, okay! Acquaintance.”
The two of them smiled again, and this time it held. For the first time in years, there was some semblance of peace between them. The icy claws of grief and the fiery burn of anger faded to a dull, hardly noticeable hum. For the first time in a long time, Birchspark didn’t feel so cold.
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--I'll admit I don't like how this feels rushed considering the previous stories were Birch and Toad first meeting again and, well, you saw how bad things were. But this was written more to see Toad and his relationship with Doe and Eagle, so it is far in the future from the last time we saw Birch and Toad. Many seasons have passed since then. We'll see more of the inbetween at some point, and it's not smooth sailing from here.
--I imagine Eaglefluff and Doebur secretly listening in (at least Doebur, Eagle might have wanted to give them their space but Doebur is the need-to-know-the-drama type of gal). So they, or at least Doebur, heard what Birchspark said.
--Not sure yet if Doebur and Eaglefluff know about what Toadjump did, maybe he told them back when Eagle was ill because they wanted to know what his deal was before they let him help (or they didn't have a choice, here's a medicine cat and you need one right now sort of situation). If not, well then Doebur is sure curious about some more things she heard.
--Birchspark assumed Doebur was Toad's mate and not both Doe AND Eagle or Eagle because he's still used to the Clan's way of living, where only toms get with she-cats in monogamous relationships (because having kits is important and secures the Clan's future and all that). Also because of Doebur's usage of "dear," but she just talks like that.
When Eagle and Doe both become Toad's mate, he'd be like "oh okay cool." Actually no he'd say damn two cats want you? Have you been giving them herbs that make them lose their common sense, eyesight, and smell?
--Birchspark waiting to be told their names instead of just asking, because he's like that.
@elementaldeityoffood