Treehollow (also known as Treepaw) is the older brother of Hollowpaw. He grew up with his parents Tallpoppy and Shinelight, living as loners on the outskirts of the forest — never part of any group, way after The Cloudchasers death.
Until the Roots found them. They brought Tree and his family into their barn, their faith, their rituals. Treepaw grew up careful to not to get older cats mad. He did, eventually, start trusting them. Believed they were safe.
Then came the ritual. The chosen one — young, healthy, male. The one who would feed the willow. It was supposed to be peaceful.He didn't know what went wrong, but his brother, chosen for the ceremony, never returned. Hollowpaw disappeared into the night, broken in ways that had nothing to do with Thunderpaths. Treepaw stayed — because where else could he go? The Roots took him in, renamed him Treehollow, and told him it was for the best. That Hollowpaw was gone. That he should move on.
Hollowpaw
Treepaw was supposed to protect him. That was his job, his purpose, the only thing that mattered. When the ritual went wrong, when Hollowpaw just... Disappeared, Treepaw felt confused. He doesn't know if Hollowpaw is alive — he only knows he has to believe it, because the alternative is unbearable.
Tallpoppy & Shinelight
They don't talk about Hollowpaw, especially after Shinelight's death. Not since that night. It's as if he never existed. Treepaw doesn't understand how they can just... move on. He avoids them now. Their silence feels like betrayal.
Lambthroat
Lambthroat leads the Roots. He preaches about salvation, about the willow, about doing what's necessary. Treepaw wants to believe him — needs to believe that Hollowpaw's suffering meant something. But some nights, he looks at Lambthroat and sees only the cat who let it happen.