warrior's return

Everywhere Graystripe looks he sees destruction and memories of what it once looked like. They rest in the old medicine cat den, the only place not destroyed. Graystripe is unsure what to do next, but Millie is ready to leave. At first Graystripe thinks she means leave for her twoleg home, but she tells him they will find his clan. Graystripe decides they will head west and hope to find the sun drown place. As they travel through the destroyed territories he feels both upset and glad that the cats have gone.

He takes Millie to Barley's barn where they see Ravenpaw and Barley. Ravenpaw is happy to see Graystripe, and tells him how Firestar and the clans passed through their land. They spend the night with Ravenpaw and Barley. The next day the Ravenpaw and Barley escort them as far as Highstones. Graystripe had asked Ravenpaw to come with them, but Ravenpaw said no, that his home was with Barley. Ravenpaw is sad as he watches his friend leave him for good. They travel through the thunder paths that he and Firestar once took to find WindClan. Hungry, Graystripe and Millie argue about accepting food from Twolegs. Graystripe insists they cannot if they are truly warriors. Millie does not see the harm in it. Graystripe wins the argument but Millie is not happy. That night Graystripe dreams of the clans making their journey and he wonders if where they are sleeping is where the clans once slept. Graystripe and Millie reach a farm. Graystripe wants to cut through the pasture to reach the other side whereas Millie wants to take the twoleg path, causing yet another fight between them. There are sheep in the field, and as they cut through sheepdogs come along to round up the sheep. Caught in the middle of the stampeding sheep, Graystripe and Millie run for it. She sees this as proof that Graystripe is being ridiculous when it comes down to Twolegs, causing them to fight even more.

Graystripe feels he cannot budge on this - not if he wants to be a true warrior. They reach a Twoleg nest that is a truck stop. They cannot find any mice to hunt so Millie sneaks into the house to eat cat food. Graystripe refuses to go. Millie comes back, full from her meal, and Graystripe goes in to eat since he no longer feels like fighting with Millie over this. But the Twoleg catches him and attacks him with a broom, and he races out. Millie apologizes, telling him she had no clue the twoleg would attack him. Hungry, he gets angry at Millie, telling her she is no warrior and is a kittypet. Walking away, he tells her he doesn't know why she is with him when she belongs with Twolegs. Millie is upset, telling Graystripe he doesn't mean what he is saying. He turns back to respond that he does when a car hits him. Diesel, the cat who lives there, helps Millie care for Graystripe as he gets better. When Graystripe wakes up Diesel tells him he doesn't know about the clan cats, but tells him to follow the thunder path to find the sun drown place. As Graystripe recovers he is miserable. He is upset that Millie has to care for him and he is upset with how close Millie and Diesel seem to be. Realizing that he could lose Millie, Graystripe realizes he is in love with her - but every time he tries to tell her something happens to prevent it. When he finally thinks he had the opportunity to tell her she blindsides him by telling him she wants them to travel in a monster to the sun drown place. She feels it will be faster and easier - especially since he is still healing from getting hit by a car. Graystripe is upset but tells Millie he will at least think on it.

The next day he agrees and Diesel picks out a truck for them to sneak a ride in. They get in, Millie enjoying the ride and Graystripe hating it. The truck stops for the night and they get out to hunt and sleep. Some rogues attack them. They try to explain that they are just passing through but the rogues are uninterested. Graystripe worries about them fighting since they are outnumbered and he is hurt but he and Millie win, though he does rehurt his shoulder. Suddenly the monster they are riding in starts to leave. They jump in in time but Graystripe hurts his paw. They reach the sun drown place and Graystripe sees a patch of trees in the distance. They head there and find a cat hunting. They find out from him that a large group of cats just moved into the area. The cat warns them against the group but Graystripe realizes it is the clans. They head that way and Graystripe sees everyone heading toward an island. Millie is ready to go to the island but Graystripe stops her, telling her that he loves her. She feels the same and together they go forward. When they reach the island Firestar rushes forward to greet his long lost friend, and Graystripe introduces Millie to everyone.

So I am going to come right out and say Graystripe acted like a bit of a jerk during this story. Millie left her entire life behind for him. I get that there needs to be a break from their kittypet lives but refusing to follow a path is just absurd. At least he finally admitted to her that he was in love with her.

I am glad that Graystripe got to say goodbye to Ravenpaw, but I am also sad that Ravenpaw could not go on the journey with him. I know that Ravenpaw is no longer a clan cat, but it must have been sad to make that final break with his old life. Even though he has not lived with the clans for years, they were always right there by him. It must be sad for that part of his life to be completely over.