Birchfall

Birchfall is a light brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

Midnight

 * Birchkit is first seen as a newborn kit. He and his siblings, Larchkit and Hollykit, are born to Dustpelt and Ferncloud as their second litter. Out of his siblings, he seems to be the most daring and adventurous. When Ferncloud tells her kits about Ravenpaw and that he lives at the farm, Birchkit asks if they could go there. His mother says that they can go there later since it's good to wait until he's older. He is later seen playing with his siblings, rolling around and play-fighting.

Moonrise

 * His sister, Larchkit, dies of starvation because of the Twoleg monsters tearing up ThunderClan's territory. When Ferncloud seems to give up on eating, Dustpelt says that Birchkit and Hollykit still need her and that she must keep strong.

Dawn

 * Birchkit's remaining sister, Hollykit, dies of starvation and coldness. He is now the only remaining kit of his litter. Ferncloud is seen in wailing in grief, and Birchkit is seen next to his mother, too shocked and cold to mew. Firestar promises Birchkit's mother, Ferncloud, that ThunderClan will make sure Birchkit survives. Ferncloud hisses that Birchkit must survive. As Cinderpelt looks after Ferncloud and Birchkit, she comments to Firestar that Birchkit was always the strongest of the three kits in the litter. Cinderpelt also says that there will be more milk for Birchkit now. After Hollykit's death, Cody helps care for Birchkit by washing him and feeding him. As Birchkit is washed, he is seen giving tiny mewls of complaint.


 * One day, the nursery is flooded with rain, and Cody puts Birchkit in the warrior's den beneath the overhang. Cody looks at Ferncloud who is distraught with grief and sickness and says that Birchkit is hungry and crying for food. She says that Birchkit will be able to manage if she chews up food and feeds it to him. Birchkit helps Cody to check the ShadowClan kits for cuts and splinters by distracting them while she looks. Birchkit happily helps her.


 * When Leafpaw gives him a half a dose of traveling herbs to prepare for the journey to the Clans' new home, he spits them out and complains to Ferncloud that they taste like crow-food. Ferncloud tells him he has never eaten crow-food before, and Birchkit finally eats the herbs.


 * When the Great Journey begins, Cody leaves, much to Birchkit's dismay. He is sad and shocked, wondering why Cody can't come. He is the only kit in ThunderClan going on the Great Journey.


 * During the Great Journey, before the Clans meet the dogs, he complains that there is mud in his eye, but is silenced by Ferncloud. When Birchkit shivers with cold, Ferncloud betrays her fear that Birchkit will not survive leaf-bare either. Birchkit makes it known that he misses Cody, asking why she had to leave. When the Clans reach the Tribe, he is seen playing with Tallpoppy's kits, and a Tribe kit pads over to them and asks them to join the other Tribe kits. He and Tallpoppy's kits waste no time in rushing over.

Starlight

 * Birchkit first appeared alongside three ShadowClan kits, Toadkit, Applekit, and Marshkit, with whom he was friends. When the Clans go to their new territories, Ferncloud says that Birchkit should be geting sleep as they have to move in to their Territories soon. Birchkit bounds over, asking if Toadkit, Applekit, and Marshkit can come too. Tallpoppy gently explains that they are ShadowClan and they have their own territory now. Birchkit says it's not fair and that if his friends don't come, he doesn't want to go. He complains that there aren't any ThunderClan kits for him to play with. Ferncloud tells him that that's the warrior code, and Birchkit later has to leave and sadly says goodbye.


 * As they go on to their territory, Birchkit is seen waking up and getting under every cat's paws. His mother gently scolds him for it. When they find the camp, Ferncloud asks Branbleclaw is there is a sheltered place for Birchkit. She worries that he might come down with whitecough if he doesn't have a warm place to sleep. As Squirrelflight is dragging brambles into the nursery, Birchkit is seen pouncing on the end. Ferncloud comes over, and Birchkit immediately stops and walks over to his mother. Dustpelt starts helping, too, and Birchkit hurls himself at the end of the bramble. Dustpelt complains that he's more trouble than a fox in a fit, but Ferncloud says it's great he feels well enough to play.


 * Later on, a hunting patrol starts to leave when Birchkit says he wants to come, too. Dustpelt sharply says that only apprentices can go hunting, but Birchkit says he's good at hunting and that he can catch a bird that is nearby. Before anyone can stop him, he wriggles his haunches and jumps at a robin at the edge of the hollow. Brambleclaw and Dustpelt lunge for him, and Brambleclaw catches him first. Dustpelt scolds the shivering kit, asking if he's completely mousebrained. Birchkit murmurs that he's sorry, and Dustpelt asks if he's thanked Brambleclaw yet. He mumbles his thanks, and Brambleclaw says it was no problem. Dustpelt gives him fierce licks, obviously angry because he'd almost lost the last of his litter. He sends him to Ferncloud, and says that there'll be none of that anymore.


 * When Spiderleg becomes a warrior, Birchkit is seen bouncing around his paws in joy completely recovered from his scare that morning.

Twilight

 * When someone needs to clear the moss, Whitepaw is the only apprentice. Firestar suggests that someone else ought to do it, and Birchkit squeals that he can, claiming he's old enough to be an apprentice. Ferncloud tells him he won't me an apprentice for another moon. When Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight are fighting about Hawkfrost, Birchkit loses his balance while chasing his tail and lands in between Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight. He sees the two glaring at each other with bristled fur, squeals sorry and runs away.


 * Birchkit becomes the first kit to become an apprentice in ThunderClan's new territory beside the lake. Firestar calls him up and Birchkit stumbles up, shaking. Firestar performs the ceremony and names him Birchpaw. Birchpaw nods enthusiastically, and Ashfur is chosen as his mentor. The two touch noses, and Birchpaw is seen being very enthusiastic. Whitepaw is now happy that she isn't the only apprentice, and the two keep asking their mentors to work together. They both seem to be getting quite close to each other. Later, Birchpaw survives the badger attack, though, one of his eyes was swollen and closed. He and Whitepaw look after Daisy and her kits during the aftermath.

Sunset

 * After the badger attack, he survives, but has quite a few infected wounds. He has to spend time in the nursery before going back to apprentice duties. Leafpool is seen very worried about him. Ferncloud asks wheteher he's ok, and Leafpool reassuringly says he'll be fine.


 * After Birchpaw is able to come out of the nursery, he is seen bouncing with excitement. He had missed a lot of training while he was hurt, and he was seen itching to get back. Birchpaw is sent out on an patrol by Ashfur, his mentor. During the patrol, they recognize ShadowClan's scent markers on their side of the line. Squirrelflight tells Birchpaw to rush back to camp and tell Firestar. The patrol meets up with a ShadowClan patrol, and there starts to be a border skirmish. Birchpaw runs back to camp. Later, Ashfur sends Birchpaw on a hunting assessment, and they see Firestar in a fox trap, Brambleclaw, and Hawkfrost. He sends Birchpaw back to camp with him, and they call for help. Later, when help arrives, Hawkfrost is dead, and Firestar had lost one of his lives.

The Sight

 * Now a newly appointed warrior, Birchfall had gotten whitecough along with one of the Clan's senior warriors, Brackenfur. They quickly recover and go back to warrior duties. When Hollypaw, Jaypaw and Lionpaw are being made apprentices, Brambleclaw sits next to Birchfall. Hollypaw wonders if this is because Birchfall will be one of her or her siblings' mentors, but it turns out that he isn't.


 * When ShadowClan moves the border, Birchfall calls for help from the Clan, and he brings them to the scent markers. There is a border skirmish that quickly turns into a fight. Birchfall fights well, and after the battle, he comments that Hollypaw fought like a true warrior. Later, some dogs threaten the WindClan camp, and Birchfall is on the patrol that chases them out. The patrol succeeds, and Birchfall comes back to camp with minor injuries. Afterwards, he and Berrypaw are seen playing with Foxkit and Icekit.

Dark River

 * Being one of the more skillfull builders in the camp, he goes with a patrol to check if the old fox den is still there and standing. Afterwards, when Millie is about to become a warrior, Birchfall comments that she has the heart of a warrior. After Millie becomes a warrior, Birchfall starts the cheer for her.


 * Birchfall gets a gets a thorn in his pad, and is treated by Jaypaw. Jaypaw tries to pull it out when Birchfall pulls his paw back, complaining about how much it hurts. Jaypaw says he has to take it out or it will get infected. He also says it isn't that big. Birchfall retorts that most of the thorn is hidden in his paw. Jaypaw spits the thorn out, and Birchfall triumphantly mews that it was huge and that it's amazing he even got back to camp at all. Jaypaw says it isn't very deadly, and Birchfall says he's not a very sympathetic medicine cat. Jaypaw retorts that if he wants sympathy he can go to the nursery.


 * Birchfall is seen on guard duty when Lionpaw and Jaypaw go to look at an unusual stick by the lake. He calls out, wondering who's there, and Jaypaw and Lionpaw say they're going somewhere. Birchfall purrs, and says that they're going on a nighttime adventure. He says it reminds him of his apprentice days, and he sounds wistful as if it were a long time back. Jaypaw thinks that he loves to pretend wise and all-knowing. Birchfall tells them to watch out for foxes and then lets them go.

Outcast

 * He is mostly seen spending time with the newly-named Berrynose. After Whitewing is named Icepaw's mentor, everyone cheers except for Berrynose and Birchfall. Birchfall sulks, loudly wondering why Firestar picked Whitewing, as he'd be just as good for the job. Sandstorm walks by, saying that Firestar picks the best cat for the job and Whitewing is older. She also tells him not to forget that she Whitewing could have been a warrior much sooner, but she put it off so Birchfall wouldn't have been the only apprentice. Birchfall keeps muttering, but Sandstorm says that he'll get an apprentice soon, for the Clan has plenty of kits. Birchfall doesn't complain anymore, but he still looks discontented. Berrynose whispers something in his ear, and the two walk away. Hollypaw wonders what got into him. He was made a warrior soon, so he still remembers what it's like to be an apprentice. But now, he's being as much of a pain as Berrynose.


 * Soon afterwards, Firestar and his patrol find Birchfall and Berrynose in a fight with ShadowClan. Hollypaw tries to run over and help, but Firestar bars her way, saying that's ShadowClan territory. Firestar yells at the cats to stop, and the cats spring apart. Firestar demands to know what's going on, and Russetfur asks why two ThunderClan cats are on ShadowClan territory. Oakfur says that ThunderClan cats have never cared about boundaries. Firestar furiously looks over at Berrynose and Birchfall. Berrynose says that they didn't know it was ShadowClan territory and that he should tell them to renew their scent markers. Firestar bristles with rage and says he doesn't tell warriors of another clan to do anything. He also says that if they checked carefully, they would have been able to tell. Berrynose looks furious, but Birchfall hangs his head saying that he's very sorry. Rowanclaw adds that they were stealing prey. Birchfall nods, truly ashamed. Berrynose argues, and Firestar reprimands him, apologizing to the ShadowClan warriors. Berrynose stalks away, but Birchfall dips his head respectfully to Blackstar, muttering his apologies. Firestar tells the pair to go wait beneath the Highledge for them. He is later seen back on apprentice duties as a punishment.


 * When talking about the Great Journey, Birchfall mentions his ShadowClan friends, Applekit, Toadkit and Marshkit, and wistfully wonders what happened to them. Berrynose replies, saying that they can't be friends with ShadowClan cats. Lionpaw thought that he could see jealousy in Berrynose's eyes. Berrynose says that ShadowClan nearly ripped Birchfall's fur off during the border skirmish, and Birchfall droops, once again ashamed. Then, when Lionpaw and Brambleclaw]go to the ShadowClan camp to ask Tawnypelt if she would go to help the Tribe of Rushing Water Lionpaw sees Toadfoot and asks him if remembered Birchfall. For a heartbeat, there's a glint of sadness in his eyes, but then he says that they are not friends anymore and he is a ShadowClan warrior now.

Eclipse

 * Birchfall is first sharing prey with Whitewing. Later, WindClan have crossed the border, and Birchfall and a patrol runs back to ThunderClan telling Firestar. Graystripe asks if they're in ThunderClan territory now, and Birchfall, who is pacing agitatedly, says they've remarked the borders immediately. When Jaypaw is frustrated at Leafpool's spoiling Cinderheart, he runs outside the camp. Birchfall asks if he wants someone to go with him, and Jaypaw yells no before heading into the woods. Birchfall later goes on the dawn patrol. When the rest of the Clan wakes up, they see the dawn patrol hasn't come back yet. After moments of anxiety, Poppyfrost and Birchfall walk in, Birchfall's pawsteps hesitant. They bring Sol into the camp.


 * Afterwards, WindClan sneaks into the camp and attacks ThunderClan. After a small fight, they leave. Firestar wants to make sure they've left, so he sends Birchfall with a patrol to check. They try to see where WindClan has left, but they can't see how they entered. Birchfall guess they must have crossed the moorland border. He then says that they should get back to the camp, as WindClan is still on their land. However, WindClan has plans of their own, and they attack ThunderClan once more. Birchfall participates in the battle until the sun goes out. In fear, every clan scatters back to their own clan, and Leafpool starts treating injuries. Birchfall has a swollen forepaw from the fight. Later, Birchfall comments that WindClan may be fast, but they're small. Once you have hold of them, it's easy to knock them off.


 * At the next Gathering, ShadowClan announces that they will no longer attend Gatherings, and Poppyfrost questions their doings on the way back to the camp, asking if they're not warriors anymore. Birchfall replies that it's for StarClan to decide.


 * Birchfall and Whitewing are spending more time together and sharing tongues often, Cinderpaw observes while gossiping with Hollypaw. They seem to be developing strong feelings for each other.

Long Shadows

 * Birchfall is first seen calling for Hollyleaf on her first day as a warrior. Hollyleaf quickly scampers up, and Hazeltail says that he's bossy with the new warriors, but she'll get used to it. They leave and Birchfall wonders if they'll see any ShadowClan cats. He also says that he wonders if they've turned their backs on StarClan to follow Sol. Hazeltail says that Sol's not such a weirdo because he knew the sun was going to go out. Birchfall shrugs, and says that the sun came back so it wasn't a big deal. Brambleclaw says that they're not going to pay a friendly visit to ShadowClan anyway, but Birchfall argues, saying that ShadowClan fought beside them and that they didn't have to turn enemies so quickly. On that same patrol, they meet ShadowClan who accuse them of prey-stealing when Hazeltail almost crosses the border. He gets in an arguement with a ShadowClan patrol consisting of Ivytail, Snaketail and Scorchpaw. Birchfall accuses them of listening to a cat that no one's ever met before, and he says they're crazier than a fox in a fit. Snaketail spits out a barbed insult at the ThunderClan patrol, and Birchfall leaps on him and wrestles with him. Scorchpaw then jumps on Birchfall and Hazeltail drags the apprentice away. Brambleclaw scolds Birchfall for not controlling himself and Birchfall apologizes.


 * When he gets back to the camp, he has to go to the medicine den because of his clawed shoulder from the fight. Leafpool accuses him of picking a fight with ShadowClan cats, but Birchfall protests that they picked the fight with them.


 * Whitewing was noted to be getting plump, with Birchfall circling around her proudly, indicating that Whitewing was pregnant with his kits. He comforts her after the death of Ashfur, reminding her of the kits she would bear soon.

Sunrise

 * Birchfall is chosen to go on the journey to find Sol, a loner who might have murdered Ashfur. On the way, he is worried about never seeing Whitewing and his unborn kits ever again. The idea of passing through hedges makes Birchfall dismayed. He says that they will be ripped to pieces. He seems to be against anything dangerous, such as crossing Thunderpaths.


 * When the traveling cats stop to rest for the night, Birchfall comes back dragging a rabbit. He stumbles into a hazel bush, causing snow to cover him. Later that night, he is seen sleeping beside Lionblaze and Brackenfur. They finally arrive at the sun-drown-place, and he complains about the wind in his fur. Then, on their way into Midnight's den, Birchfall loses hold on the rocks and crashes into Hazeltail, but Brackenfur stops them from going too far.


 * A giant wave crashes over Birchfall, leaving him struggling to get away. Brambleclaw goes in after him; Lionblaze and Hollyleaf use a branch to get them both out. Birchfall has a hard time grabbing the branch, but he eventually arrives on land. Later, Birchfall is seen sprawled out below a fence after barely making it across a Thunderpath. He remarks that he's got all the warriors in StarClan inside his head.


 * While at the sun-drown place, he nearly drowns, but is saved. On the way back, he finds sheep wool and brings some to camp for Whitewing and his kits. At the end of the book, he has two daughters, Dovekit and Ivykit, both of whom he is immensely proud of.

The Fourth Apprentice

 * After a six moon time lapse, his two kits – Dovekit and Ivykit – are now six moons old and ready to be apprenticed. He brings them out of the nursery over to the waiting Clan for their ceremony. His eyes glow with pride when they are made apprentices. When Lionblaze speaks of how great Dovepaw is doing in hunting, Birchfall purrs in approval and tells her that she is doing well and working hard. Whitewing, who he is sharing tongues with, is also very happy to hear about her daughter.


 * Later, Dovepaw starts talking about big brown animals blocking the river. However, no one believes her, and Birchfall comes to confront her. He tells her to stop making up things for fun, and that she should just say she's sorry. If she's feeling ill, she should go ask Jayfeather for herbs. However, she should stop making up stories to bother warriors who have better things to do than listen to nursery tales. Dovepaw protests that it's true, but Birchfall turns away. He then attends the next Gathering, and is sitting a few tail-lengths away from Leopardstar. He lets out a disdainful sniff and says that Leopardstar couldn't look any weaker even if she were dead.

Fading Echoes

 * When Heathertail and Breezepelt return Ivypaw and Dovepaw to the camp, Birchfall is seen coming out of his den with interest to see what is happening. When the old tree falls into the camp, Birchfall works hard to clear it away.


 * In the warriors' practice battle, he is stopped by his own daughter, Ivypaw, when she uses one of Hawkfrost's techniques. When it is over, he and Dustpelt are still fighting, and seem to enjoy it. Birchfall compliments Ivypaw on her fighting skills, saying that they were good moves for an apprentice. He says that it was a good move, and that he'll be watching for it in the future.

Night Whispers

 * Birchfall is first seen after the battle with ShadowClan helping Spiderleg carry Firestar to the camp. His teeth are buried in Firestar's scruff and he heaves Firestar's body over Spiderleg. Later, Lionblaze is seen trying to sleep when Birchfall, snoring, flops his legs onto Lionblaze's belly for the third time. Lionblaze wishes he could sleep and he heaves Birchfall off him.


 * Later in the book, he is seen digging a hole to put prey in it so the ground will freeze and keep the prey fresh. Millie is seen anxious about Briarlight having to do too many exercises, but Jayfeather says she will be ok, and she should go help Birchfall with the prey-hole. Millie finally goes to help, and they work together. After the hunting patrol arrives, Millie says they have to dig the hole farther, but Birchfall says he wants something to eat first.


 * When Jayfeather has a vision of the Dark Forest cats attacking ThunderClan, Birchfall is seen in battle shrieking with agony as merciless claws tear him open. When Ivypaw is hungry, Birchfall flings up prey from the hole and tells her to eat what she wants; whatever she doesn't eat will be saved for later.


 * He goes on a patrol near the moorland to catch prey. Later, when Lionblaze meets the fox, he is seen pacing around him, ear and tail twitching. When he replies that they met the fox, Birchfall asks where while flattening his ears and scanning the area. Later, he and Toadstep bring in leaves to plug in holes in the dens. He drops a pile at Lionblaze's feet and asks if he needs more. Lionblaze says yes, so Birchfall nods and leads Toadstep out of the camp.


 * When Ivypaw is captured by ShadowClan, Firestar announces it to the camp, and Birchfall yowls that they should leave right away.

Sign of the Moon

 * When Icecloud falls into the hole, Birchfall is one of the cats that come to help. He says that they need something to pull her out with, like a long thick tendril. Ivy won't work, but something like bramble or bindweed would do. Cloudtail finds some ivy, and Birchfall tells him to wrap some around a sapling. Then they can drop the other end to save Icecloud. However, Icecloud is too heavy and can't hold on. Spiderleg offers to throw some more stones and dirt down there so the gap will be smaller, and Birchfall contemplates the idea. He says it might work, but they'd risk burying Icecloud in the process. Lionblaze then offers to go in after her, but Birchfall lashes his tail and says that he shouldn't be mouse-brained, as it's too dangerous. Dovepaw offers to go in as she's the lightest, and Birchfall wraps the tendril around her. They haul Icecloud up, and Icecloud complains that her shoulder really hurts. After Icecloud comes back up, Birchfall gives the vine to Dovepaw and she comes back up too.


 * Birchfall asks what they're going to do about the hole, as they don't want any other cats to fall in. Spiderleg says it's too big to fill in, and they put a boundary around it. When the patrol gets back to camp, Bumblestripe says he heard Icecloud fell into and underground river. Whitewing corrects him, saying that Birchfall told her it was an underground hole.


 * Birchfall goes on a dawn patrol with Graystripe, Squirrelflight and Brightheart. He comes back from another hunting patrol later with Whitewing. They are both carrying mice. When Jayfeather has to go to the mountains, Birchfall wonders why, and he bounds up to Lionblaze asking if he told him. Lionblaze says that he had a sign, and Birchfall wistfully says he wishes he could go. He reminisces about being a kit on the Great Journey and how he'd love to go back now that he's a warrior. Birchfall also remembers that there were cliffs that went down forever, wind that nearly blew his fur off, and the biggest birds he's ever seen. Afterwards, he and Leafpool go hunting by the lake.


 * When Firestar issues an exercise to split into teams and seize control of the Twoleg Nest, Birchfall is on Brackenfur's team along with Thornclaw and Bumblestripe. They end up going in brambles, and his group are all missing tufts of fur. Birchfall even has a scratch on his nose. After they lost, Brackenfur wants to go over what they've learned and Birchfall, in a heartfelt tone, says they should stay out of brambles. He licks his paw and dabs it on his nose.

The Forgotten Warrior

 * Birchfall has started training in the Dark Forest.



Battles of the Clans

 * In the battle against the badgers, Birchpaw is seen by Whitepaw crouching his back to a stone as a male badger pads menacingly towards him. Whitepaw yowls at him to climb, and Birchpaw seems frozen for a second. Then he turns and starts scrabbling at the cliff. Whitepaw tells him to reach higher, and Birchpaw pushes with his hind legs and sinks his claws into a crevice. Whitepaw hisses to climb higher, and miraculously, Birchpaw heaves himself up the wall. Suddenly, his front paw twists, and his claws fall out of the crevice. He starts slithering down to the bottom where the badger is waiting for him. He falls down and the killing blow is almost struck when Birchpaw squeezes himself out of reach. The badger is furious and tries to break his hiding place. Birchpaw squeals for help, and Whitepaw leaps forward to attack the badger. While it is distracted, Birchpaw escapes, and although terribly wounded, manages to get away to a safe place with his mother Ferncloud.

Trivia

 * Birchfall has been mistakenly described as having gray fur when he was a kit and an apprentice.
 * He has also been described as tawny.

Members
Mate:
 * Whitewing:

Daughters:
 * Dovewing:
 * Ivypool:

Father:
 * Dustpelt:

Mother:
 * Ferncloud:

Sisters:
 * Hollykit: Deceased, Verified StarClan member
 * Larchkit: Deceased, Verified StarClan member
 * Icecloud:

Brothers:
 * Foxleap:
 * Shrewpaw: Deceased, Verified StarClan member
 * Spiderleg:

Grandmother:
 * Brindleface: Deceased, Verified StarClan member

Great-Grandmother:
 * Robinwing: Deceased, Suspected StarClan member

Great-Grandfather:
 * Fuzzypelt: Deceased, Suspected StarClan member

Uncles:
 * Ashfur: Deceased, Verified StarClan member
 * Two Unnamed Kits: Deceased, Suspected StarClan members
 * Unidentified Kits: Status Unknown
 * Ravenpaw: Status Unknown

Great-Aunt:
 * Frostfur: Deceased, Suspected StarClan member

Cousins:
 * Cinderpelt: Deceased, Reincarnated as Cinderheart
 * Brackenfur:
 * Brightheart:
 * Thornclaw:
 * Molepaw: Deceased, Suspected StarClan member
 * Honeyfern: Deceased, Verified StarClan member
 * Poppyfrost:
 * Cinderheart:
 * Molekit:
 * Cherrykit:

Niece:
 * Rosepetal:

Nephew:
 * Toadstep: