#witheredflame

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

ohhhhhh the idea of them spinning over and over again, breaking down each time, and yet still the hearts remain. yet still Withered reaches out to Echo. yet still Echo answers without hesitation.

I love them so fucking much. teetering between unhealthy codependency and honestly rather reasonable codependency considering what they've been through

Even back on the Teaching Island, where death hung over their heads like an oncoming storm, they couldn't be parted, so why should death draw the line between them?

dude that last paragraph could be a poem I'm not even sure if you wrote it yourself or took it from the song

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

I am wondering about throwing the Withered/Echo/Golden trio into the LostClan territory bc not all of my OCs have to end up in the Found Family Clan

but also. found family :3

idk something about Spotgrowl finding out about these traumatized children and vowing to keep them safe makes me feel happy. Daysoul and Goldenstar being able to provide a example of a good leader. Spiritstring & Stardust teaching Goldenrose every they know AND helping Witheredflame find more ways to communicate. Marigoldsnake and Echoflare talking about snakes and revenge. Magpieleap and Raceglint taking one look at Witheredflame and introducing their (now grown) kits, who love meeting anyone. Springsoul helping keep guard against anyone who might be looking for them. Wardenshade trying their damnest to show them the good things in (after)life.

something about LostClan being the embodiment of 'it takes a village' and being a welcoming place for everybody who needs shelter just feels like it's the perfect place for the trio to settle down.

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Hayloft 2 by Mother Mother is weirdly Witheredflame and Echoflare coded. like it ain't perfect but it really captures the energy and vibe of their revenge arc.

I JUST relistened to that song last night!

I can definitely see it fitting for them!

[red-winter-is-coming]

Did Witheredflame go directly to the Dark Forest, or was it only after they killed as a ghost?

I think they went after killing his parents! If they hadn't be so overcome with rage, they could've ended up in StarClan, but the Island changed him in many ways. They do probably stick around looking to Echoflare for comfort for a moon or two after the two killed Withered's parents.

That being said I don't think they stayed as a ghost for Echoflare's entire life. It's just a bit too long imo. (say Echo was 14 moons when they killed Withered's parents. that means that there's a 24 moon difference between the murders and Echo dying.)

So I've been thinking over the idea that he would've spent roughly 20 moons alone in the Dark Forest. key word being 'would've' because Goldenrose finds him within that time :D

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Goldenrose!!!! My beloved <33333

trust bloom did nothing wrong ever. all groomers should be violently murdered. I think bloom likes to visit Ruefeather's dreams just to be near her again

Anyways I think he'd react very strongly to Witheredflame's injuries. With his healing knowledge he'd try to help him but not much could be done so instead they both work on a new sign language!

Every thing I learn about bloom just makes me like him more!

(and you're right, they should be)

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

gonna be honest I forgot some of the smaller details within Withered and Echo's story...

I. may have made myself tear up at my own OCs. knowing how it'll end. oops-

and I'm super glad you like the idea of the Teaching Island!! I wasn't sure how it'd be received tbh

I absolutely love it when you create a character that you end up loving so much, it's great!

And the Teaching Island is such a neat idea! Take out the Warrior aspect of it to avoid legal issues and you could 100% write a novel. Like. A book about a fictional island where misfit children are sent to for not being Perfect or Wanted, where they have to fight each other to survive, the whole time facing trauma, past and current abuse, and struggle to trust and find love again (amongst other characters with their own issues and struggles)?

And then if you keep Withered's ending where he returns to his parents, the thing everyone thinks of as the best thing because the island is so awful, and it turns out to be a negative ending because returning to his abusers and those he loved but who didn't love him is actually bad, and the island that was so terrible at the start ended up being his safe place because that's where his true family was??

Basically a story with found family VS blood family, characters that face queerphobia, abuse, PTSD, abuse recovery, codependency due to trauma and the need to survive the island, and where which characters either become mean and aggressive as a result of their past and life on the island or become better as a result of the same things? A story where a character might lose themself to the island and their past but who find others who care for them and love them in a way they have never been loved before, resulting in them finding true happiness in what should have been their hell?

Truly please write this actually I want it so bad

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Of Matches and Rust / Apollo Kepler - YouTube

Witheredflame coded song tbh. and slightly Echoflare but mostly Witheredflame

shout out to 'Ain't it funny, you can't bear the same sort of agony you forced me to emulate', banger lyric. only slightly relatable (lying. way too relatable)

I am loving all these song recommendations, this is great!!

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

I apparently took one look at Withered and decided that he gets all the anxiety :3

also I’m making him a friend <3

what I’ve got so far is that his name is Goldenrose, he died at around 13 moons, he uses he/bloom (with a preference towards he/him unless among close friends), and he killed a older healer in his clan bc they were being flirtatious towards a younger apprentice <3

Idk I just think we should let more cats kill shitty clan members and not get punished <3 (sorry I’m in a playfully violent mood rn lol)

also also!! This was originally more of a light hearted suggestion bc idk how many fit in the category, but have we considered having a category of refsheet for those who only killed abusers? I think they should have a little friend group and meet up for snacks <3

Love being in a playfully violent mood!

Also yesss friend! And a good friend! Kill his ass, Goldenrose!

--

Maybe I could call that category "justified killers" perhaps?