Whittle Longtreader

Whittle wielding a pickaxe, as pictured in Ember Rising.

**W****hittle Longtreader** is the husband of Sween Longtreader, the father of Heather, Picket, and Jacks, and the brother of Wilfred and Garten. He served King Jupiter preceding Garten's betrayal and the king's downfall.

## Biography

### Early life

Whittle was born one of at least three children of the Longtreader family, with his siblings including oldest brother Garten and brother Wilfred. The family lived east of Nick Hollow, presumably in First Warren, and Whittle greatly regarded his father. Whittle would pursue the path of an academic as he grew older and joined his brothers as members of the Council of Seven Ambassadors, serving as a lieutenant to Garten alongside Wilfred. Whittle's highest loyalty, however, was to King Jupiter the Great, whom he greatly loved and admired.

Eventually, Whittle became romantically involved with Sween, a doe from Nick Hollow. The pair would eventually marry, only for Garten—who also had feelings for Sween—to become embittered at what he perceived as Sween's rejection. Garten later chose to betray King Jupiter and their kingdom to Morbin Blackhawk and the Lords of Prey. As a result, members of Garten's family-particularly Whittle and Garten-came to be regarded with suspicion in the belief that they must have been aware of Garten's plans and assisted him.

Feeling at least partly to blame for Garten's treachery, Garten took his wife and young daughter, Heather, away from their home in First Warren back to Sween's in Nick Hollow. This would result in him not seeing Wilfred for a number of years. Whittle hollowed out an elm tree to create a home for his family, which was eventually joined by sons Picket and Jacket. Whittle was an adoring father, enjoying telling his children stories of their ancestral heroes and playing games, some of which-like Tower Wars-he invented.

However, Whittle and Sween never told their children their family name, why they had come to Nick Hollow, or any specifics about the state of affiars in Natalia. During Whittle's time in Nick Hollow, he and Sween received a number of visitors, with the number increasing after the birth of Jacks. The maturing Heather also began to recognize signs of sorrow in her father, though she was uncertain whether Whittle had grown more sorrowful or whether she had simply learned to see what had always been there.

### *The Green Ember*

During a particularly fierce thunderstorm, which Whittle went out into to find Heather and Picket only to find Heather too grown up for him to carry home, Whittle decided that the family needed a story after their soaking. He invited Heather to do so, and encouraged her in her reluctance, noting that his greatest regrets in life came from giving in to fear. Relenting, and with approval from Sween, Whittle began to tell his children *The Rise and Fall of King Jupiter the Great*. He became greatly emotional during the telling and eventually broke down in tears, prompting Sween to comfort him before sending the children off to bed.

The next morning, Whittle and Sween were visited by Lady Glen, and they discussed the possibility of her being pursued and Morbin's ongoing search for the Green Ember. Heather and Picket joined the trio for breakfast but were then sent off to Gladeberry. Unfortunately, after Lady Glen departed, a force of wolves led by Redeye Garlackson arrived at the Longtreaders' home. Whittle desperately attempted to fight them off but was outnumbered and overmatched. The wolves set the elm tree on fire and took Whittle, Sween, and Jacks away as prisoners.

Heather and Picket managed to elude the wolves with help from Wilfred, who had arrived too late to aid his brother, and Smalden Joveson, King Jupiter's son and heir. The two travelers assured Whittle's children that they would do all they could for him, Sween, and Jacks, but warned that there was little hope for their rescue. While at Cloud Mountain, the pair learned of Garten and his treachery, and briefly believed that he and Whittle were the same rabbit before Wilfred clarified matters. Picket began training as a soldier in determination to rescue Whittle and the rest of his family.

Following the Battle for Cloud Mountain, the Cause received intelligence indicating that Whittle was a prisoner at a slave mining camp.

### *Ember Falls*

Whittle had, in fact, been taken to Akolan with his wife and youngest son; unaware of this, however, Picket and Smalls led a force to liberate the camp where he was thought to have been imprisoned. Later, reports indicated that Whittle and Jacks might be imprisoned at a camp in the Shade Hills, and Picket begged Smalls to attack and liberate it on his way to Kingston. Unfortunately, the camp proved to be overrun with birds of prey, who killed or carried off most of the party, including Smalls himself.

### *Ember Rising*

Whittle finds Heather unconscious outside the walls of the Sixth District of Akolan subsequent to her interrogation by The Commandant. He then takes her to the place he, Sween, and Jacks live in the Fourth District, where they care for her and catch up (as the last time they had seen each other was before Garlackson had captured them years ago). Then, during the night, he leads Heather to the secret Seventh District, where inhabitants of Akolan are secretly plotting against the Lords of Prey. He was so convinced that the inhabitants of the Seventh District needed Heather, and would see that they did, that he enabled a policy for her to enter within a day, instead of months or years—but if they decided not to take her, she would die. This scared Heather, but Whittle was right, and the council voted for Heather to live and join their community. Whittle then told Heather how glad he was that Heather was part of this cause, and that he felt that this was a big blow against the birds of prey. He later prevents Heather from telling Jacks where she has been, and begged Jacks not to inform on him for being out after curfew. However, Jacks did inform on his family, and Heather and Sween were captured. However, the Longtreader Command could not find Whittle.

Just before Captain Vitton was about to torture Heather, the Commandant arrived with five other slaves, and instructed Vitton to do what he liked with them. Just as Vitton was about to kill Heather, he stopped, seeing the former prisoners, freed from their bonds, rushing at him. Heather saw that one had a bow, and then realizes that one of them is her father. Whittle was wielding an ancient pickaxe, with which he fought Vitton and eventually killed the evil captain. While he fought Vitton, he revealed that he had become the Tunneler. He then embraced Heather and inquired of her health. Heather told him that while she was fine, Sween needed to be taken somewhere safe. He handed the pickaxe to one of the other former prisoners and picked up Sween, whose leg had been injured by Vitton, in his arms. He then told Heather that the Commandant had been with the Seventh District all along. Whittle then continued organizing the rebellion for Victory Day. He directs Stitcher to send the flaming arrows, which set fire to the Akolanian banners. He sent the Commandant to tell Garten that the younglings, who had been destined to be eaten, had been infected by the lepers. Whittle asked Heather if she could carry Sween to the Seventh District while he gets Jacks, but Heather cannot carry her mother that far. Heather tells her father to take Sween and lead the rabbits to freedom, and there are tears in Whittle's eyes as he tells her that he cannot lose her again. Kissing him, Heather told him that he would always have her, and that he was both strong enough to carry Sween and to begin freeing the slaves, while she went for Jacks.

### *Ember's End*

**Whittle**: We'll do it together.

—*Ember's End*, pg. 102

Whittle, newly named Tunneler of the Seventh District, led many of the Seventh District's inhabitants in throwing stones into Akolan homes. The stones were imprinted with a message, imploring the house's inhabitants to come to the Seventh District. He speaks with Sween, beside him with her hood also up, of her position as a slave spying on Morbin in his lair, then decides that they definitely must warn the inwallers. Dote expresses displeasure at this, wanting justice for 'Morbin's pets', but Whittle told Dote that they are still rabbits and must be offered forgiveness should they decide to turn back to the Cause. They continue to the Sixth District. On the way, they are joined by Jacks, who engages in banter with his father about who can throw the stone the farthest. They then arrived at the entrance to District Six, where their way was barred by Captain Tram and other Wrongtreaders. Whittle told Tram that Morbin wanted them all dead, and invited Tram and his Wrongtreaders to join them in freedom in District Seven. Tram called Whittle a liar, but those with him said that he was the Tunneler and the Truth, and all stamped their feet. Tram ordered the archers to prepare to fire on Whittle and his band, but the Commandant arrived and ordered Tram to let Whittle enter, and invited him to the Seventh District just as Whittle had. However, Tram attempted to bar Whittle. Whittle apologized to Tram before hitting him over the head with the sack of stones he carried. Whittle and his band all marched through the gate.

The Seventh District fleet escaped Akolan toward First Warren, where they arrived in time to help out in the battle. On the way, he somehow knew that there were rabbits trapped under Forbidden Island, and lowered a rope to Heather and Smalls. Both were lifted safely into a boat as the Tomb of Lander's Dragons collapsed. Smalls and Whittle talked to each other in the ship's prow, and Heather commented on the two, the Tunneler and the heir of Whitson, who were sailing in on First Warren's darkest day.

When Heather saw Picket flying over First Warren, her parents came to stand beside her as she watched her brother and the R.F.A. fly. Then, realizing that they were flying at Morbin Blackhawk, Whittle called for all ships to converge on his. A raptor knocked out their rudder, and Dote attempted to abandon ship. Whittle grabbed him, however, and told him that if he went over he would go into the whirlpool of Brute's Gorge, from which there was no return. Whittle reached for a rope and began to tie it around his waist, instructing them to tie the other end to the ship's mizzenmast, and he would attempt to repair the ship's rudder. Heather tied it securely, and Whittle began testing the tension while looking over the stern rail. A raptor then arrived, bearing Whittle's traitor brother Garten on its back, and as Heather called a warning the raptor struck out at Whittle with its talons. Whittle dodged sideways, but hit the rail so hard that he fell over it.

Just as Garten was about to kill Sween, Whittle managed to pull himself back over the rail. He blocked Garten's stroke with his pickaxe, and the two battled until Whittle's pickaxe broke Garten's sword, he staggered back, and Whittle kicked him. Garten fell over the edge, and clung to the rail to avoid falling into the whirlpool. Whittle offered Garten his hand, but Garten refused to "take pity" from Whittle. Whittle began to implore Garten to take his hand, telling his eldest brother that it was not too late and there was a way back, and Garten seemed to consider a moment before he snarled and said he would do it all again. He then falls to his death in the Brute's Gorge.

The family then looked around and saw that they were very near the whirlpool, and there was no escape. Whittle embraced his father and daughter and told them he loved them, preparing to die. However, another Seventh District ship arrived, and pulled them to safety just as their own ship came apart.

After the Mending, Whittle interviewed Smalls about the end of the war, preparing to create *The Rise and Fall of King Jupiter the Great*.

Whittle watched as Sween sang to her grandchildren, so happy that he cried. Dote asked if he was needed any more, and Whittle sent him home to his wife and child, sending his blessings to Dote's son, who was celebrating his first birthday. Dote ran off after bowing to Whittle and Sween, and then Whittle bowed to Smalls, who had arrived. Smalls addressed Whittle as "Father" and hugged him when he rose. Jacks notes that Whittle has finished writing the history of King Jupiter, and is now making an excellent headmaster for the school that Jacks teaches. Whittle tells Jacks he is proud of him, which makes Jacks very happy.

Heather noted that Whittle's stories had been published the previous year, and told Picket that Whittle had been helping her with interviews. Picket told Heather that he had read all the volumes of Whittle's history, had thought they were excellent, and had enjoyed them.

## Physical appearance

Whittle was a slightly pudgy grey rabbit who sometimes wore spectacles during his life in Nick Hollow. He wore simple clothing, and carried a pickax as a weapon during his time in Akolan and the final days of the War for All Natalia. His time in Akolan also saw him lose a deal of weight, leaving him unhealthily thin. Whittle strongly resembled his brothers Wilfred and Garten in voice and appearance, to the point that Wilfred and several images of Garten were briefly mistaken for him.

## Personality and traits

Whittle often speaks in a prim and proper manner and is teased by his wife for doing so. He enjoys blowing smoke rings with his pipe and telling stories to his children.

## Family tree

 - The Longtreader Family -

Note: Broken lines indicate relation through affinity or adoption or distant relation; unbroken lines indicate relation by blood.
## Relationships

### Sween Longtreader

Whittle and Sween loved each other very much. They would sometimes tease each other, but always good-naturedly. While in Akolan, they made the best of their slavery, protected each other, and were very glad to be together. They agreed on most things and each appreciated the other.

### Heather, Picket, and Jacket Longtreader

Whittle loved Heather very much. He offered Heather advice, and supported and encouraged her. While separated from her father, Heather missed him, and was later delighted to be reunited.

Heather listened to her father and trusted him, and she looked up to him and admired him as well. They shared a love for telling stories. While in Akolan, Heather is very pleased by his membership in the Seventh District and later by his conversion to Tunneler.

Whittle loved Picket and cared for him. Picket missed his father while they were apart. Picket refused to believe that Whittle had ever betrayed the Cause, and was relieved when he found it was actually Garten. When Picket was reunited with his father later, he was so happy that he cried, and this moment was so powerful that Smalls felt this to be when the Mending truly began.

Whittle and Jacks also had a close relationship, and Whittle was sad when he was influenced by the Preylords' propaganda. After he was rescued by Harmony, however, Jacks began to realize the truth. He joined Whittle in an attempt to lead the other Akolanians to freedom, engaging in playful banter with his father about who could throw message stones the furthest. After the Mending, Jacks started a school, something his father had always wanted to do, and after Whittle had finished writing the story of King Jupiter, he became headmaster. Jacks thought he made a good headmaster, and Whittle in turn was proud of his son, something that made Jacks happy.

### Garten and Wilfred Longtreader

Before the turning, Whittle's elder brothers were good friends to him. Whittle and Wilfred served Garten together in the days of King Jupiter. Wilfred saved Heather and Picket and took them under his wing, and clearly loved the two and thus Whittle as well.

Garten and Whittle were presumably good friends, but then Garten fell in love with Sween and Sween chose Whittle instead. Garten then presumably began to hate Whittle, going to Morbin and betraying King Jupiter. Following this, anyone associated with Garten fell into suspicion, causing Whittle to leave the Great Wood with his family. Whittle later tried to save Garten from a watery death in Brute's Gorge, but Garten declined this offer and died.

## Trivia

* The name "Whittle" is of Old English origin.