Mushroom

***Spoiler warning:** Plot and/or ending details follow.*Mushroom was a male squirrel and the friend of Robin. He was killed by Violet in *Into the Dark*.

## Personality

Mushroom was revealed to be kind, goofy, and not the smartest squirrel. He had an extreme love for food, especially suet.

## History

### *Into the Dark*

Finch sees Robin with a friend (Mushroom, though unnamed). The two are talking about Robin being far outside the village. When Mushroom sees Finch, he asks why she has a blindfold. Robin dismisses his friend afterwards.

While showing Finch around, Robin mentions that his friend, Mushroom, lives in the top hollow of the tulip tree. When Finch jokes about her believing he didn't get along with anyone, Robin notes that Mushroom is confused and he wishes she could see his face because it's funny.

Later, Robin suggests that they go eat lunch with Mushroom. Finch agrees, and they go down the tree to Mushroom's hollow. Mushroom greets them awkwardly and asks Finch where she is from as he begins to chew nuts loudly. She answers vaguely, and Mushroom continues to eat loudly. Robin begs Mushroom to chew more quietly, and explains that Mushroom is the best food collector and has tasted grapes and cheese before. Mushroom asks what Finch does, and she answers vaguely again. Mushroom wonders if Finch has tasted suet, and she says no. Mushroom tries to get Finch to taste suet, and she reflects that Violet never let her have much choice of food. Mushroom makes an insensitive comment about Finch's "blindness" and Robin remarks that Finch is probably smarter than Mushroom. The rest of the meal is eaten in awkward silence. Robin thanks Mushroom for the meal. Mushroom tells Finch to remember to try suet sometime.

Once they've left the hollow, Finch asks Robin how he can possibly be friends with Mushroom. Robin apologizes for his friend's rudeness. They have a conversation about it, which ends with Robin promising Finch that they will never go to eat lunch with him again.

Finch reflects later that no one would think to look for her in a suet-loving village, and wonders if it is just Mushroom who likes suet.

When Robin suggests they go to the seed place, Finch asks if Mushroom will be there, and Robin says no, he goes later in the day.

Robin mentions that he has gone to a rafting event only by himself or with Mushroom before.

When talking about jobs, Finch mentions that she supposes Mushroom wanted to be a food collector.

When Finch tells Robin that she loves him, she says not to tell Mushroom. When they leave to go home, Robin promises not to tell Mushroom.

Violet visits Mushroom's hollow, and Mushroom says he won't give away any of his cheese. Violet says she isn't interested in it, and forgets his name. Mushroom reminds her of his name. After Mushroom rants about Finch (though unnamed) refusing to try his suet, Violet tells him that she is here for her daughter, not his food, and tells him that her fake name is Finch and her real name is Emerald. Mushroom calls Finch the "suet-refuser" and states that Robin, though unnamed, is "crazy about her," saying that Finch and him are more like acquaintances than friends. Violet asked who the crazy-about-Finch friend is, and Mushroom avoids the question, saying he doesn't think Finch is the squirrel Violet is looking for. Violet asks again, but more cheerfully, who Finch's friend is, and Mushroom informs her that he lives in the hollow above. (See *Mistakes*.) He keeps telling Violet about Robin, including things about his schedule and what he does with Finch. Violet tells him that "that's quite enough" and Mushroom asks if she wants to try his suet. Violet thanks Mushroom in a fake-sweet way. Mushroom says he'll be going, but Violet says no, and begins smiling insanely. She talks to Mushroom a bit more, no longer sweet but evil, and then snaps his neck. She tells him, "Say hello to Amethyst" -- her dead sister -- "for me."

Later, Finch wonders why she didn't tell Robin her secret earlier and wonders if Mushroom will be her friend. She goes up the tree to talk to him and calls for him softly. Entering the tree, she calls again and wonders if he is here. She peeks out of her blindfold and screams as she sees Mushroom's dead body. She realizes that she can smell Violet's scent, and figures out that she must have killed him.

Finch reflects that part of her wants to go back to Finch before Robin knew her secret and when they were doing things including laughing at Mushroom. However, she thinks that because Violet is here and she knows it because of finding Mushroom, that can't happen.

Finch remembers that "Violet love[s] the location of the killing" and that Robin would be killed near the central tree "only feet away from his grieving friends," but then recalls that she is his only friend because Mushroom is dead. She thinks that Mushroom didn't deserve to die.

After Finch saves Robin from Violet, Robin asks about Mushroom and Finch says that they will talk about him later. Afterwards, Robin says he wants to say good-bye to Mushroom, and Finch tells him about his death. Robin is very much saddened. Finch says they must bury Mushroom before they leave.

They bury Mushroom using a blanket with leaves and roots and dig a hole surrounding Mushroom with food, because that was his favorite thing. Finch and Robin say kind words about Mushroom.

## Mistakes

* Mushroom claims that Robin lives in the hollow above his, but earlier Robin said that he lived below Mushroom.*End of spoiler warning*

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Revealed in *Into the Dark*, page 97
2. ↑ Revealed in *Into the Dark*, page 130
3. ↑ Revealed in *Into the Dark*, page 128