Graystripe

Graystripe is one of the deuteragonists of Erin Hunter's Warriors book franchise. 
He is the best friend of Firestar and the first Clan cat the orange tom ever meets, almost always staying by his side and temporarily serving as his deputy. He also was once kidnapped by Twolegs and became a kittypet until fellow housecat Millie helped him escape and return to the Clans.
== Appearance ==
Graystripe is a large, fluffy gray tom with bright yellow eyes. As his name suggests, he has a broad stripe of dark gray fur running from his head to his tail, and he also has a torn left ear.
==Biography==
===The Prophecies Begin===
====Into the Wild====
On his first night out as an apprentice, Graypaw spots an orange kittypet on ThunderClan territory and gives chase. To his surprise, the kittypet suddenly stops running and turns around to fight back. Graypaw is briefly stunned, but instead of continuing the fight, he stops to wash himself while complimenting the kittypet on his fighting skills. He then introduces himself, and it turn the housecat tells him that his name is Rusty. When Rusty asks him why he lives out in the forest instead of finding a twoleg to take care of him, Graypaw scoffs at the idea of living such a sheltered life, preferring to live out where it's wild and free. Rusty asks what he means, and the young gray tom tells him about life in ThunderClan, fascinating the housecat.
Graypaw suddenly freezes, scenting his patrol coming and urging Rusty to leave. Before the orange kittypet can react however, Graypaw's mentor Lionheart along with the ThunderClan leader Bluestar arrive. Lionheart compliments how his student handled seeing an intruder, and impressed by Rusty's courage and fighting skills, Bluestar invites him to join ThunderClan. Rusty doesn't answer immediately, so the Clan cats agree to come back in the morning to hear his answer.
The next day, Rusty takes up Bluestar's offer on joining the Clan and is escorted to camp, where Longtail challenges him. After he wins the fight and is renamed Firepaw, Graypaw congratulates his new friend. Upon Ravenpaw passing out from shock following the announcement of the Clan deputy Redtail's death, Graypaw and Firepaw visit him in the medicine den. After checking up on the skittish black tom, Graypaw shows Firepaw around the camp before the two of them go into the apprentice's den to sleep. The next day, Firepaw is given a tour of ThunderClan's territory, with Graypaw and Ravenpaw tagging along, the former explaining ThunderClan's duties and customs to him.
Two moons later, Firepaw bumps into his friend during a hunting assessment, who is tasked with delivering a message from Bluestar to a patrol near the WindClan border. After the two hunt together for a bit, he then continues on his mission to deliver the message. Later, when Firepaw is caught feeding a rouge named Yellowfang, Graypaw tries to ease his friend's nervousness by telling him that he's sure Bluestar won't give him an unfair punishment. He's in awe when Bluestar decides to be Firepaw's mentor, stating that leaders rarely take on apprentices themselves. 
Soon after attending their first Gathering, Graypaw, Ravenpaw and Firepaw all go with Bluestar and Tigerclaw to the Moonstone so that the leader may seek guidance from StarClan on what to do about the threat of Brokenstar. As they arrive, Bluestar tells the gray and black apprentices to stand guard outside the cave containing the Moonstone while the other three go in. The next morning, Bluestar urges them all to get back to camp as quickly as possible. On the way back, the group is attacked by a large horde of rats, but are then rescued by a loner named Barley who lives on a nearby farm.
Once they get back to camp, they find that Brokenstar is leading a raid against them. Graypaw joins in the fight, and after the ShadowClan warriors are driven off, Firepaw hears him screeching in grief and horror when he finds out that Lionheart had been killed in battle. He sits vigil for his mentor that night, mourning him heavily. A little while later, Ravenpaw confides in his friends about how Tigerclaw had killed Redtail to become the next deputy, which both Graypaw and Firepaw are in shock about.
A few days later, Frostfur's kits go missing and Spottedleaf is found dead, with everyone assuming Yellowfang was behind it. At Bluestar's request, Firepaw sneaks out to find Yellowfang and learn the truth, with Graypaw and Ravenpaw tagging along. After saying goodbye to Ravenpaw as he leaves for the farm due to ThunderClan no longer being safe for him, the remaining two apprentices continue into ShadowClan territory where they find Yellowfang and discover that she's innocent and is trying to steal back the kits. Graypaw participates in a raid against ShadowClan to save the kittens, and with the help of the banished ShadowClan elders and a ThunderClan patrol, the kits are rescued and Brokenstar is driven out.
After returning to camp, Bluestar commends the two warriors for what they did and makes them into warriors, giving them the names Fireheart and Graystripe. The two sit vigil that night as is custom for newly-made warriors, with Fireheart swearing that whatever Tigerclaw is plotting, he and Graystripe will be ready for it.
==== Fire and Ice====
After finishing their vigil, Fireheart and Graystripe go to sleep in the warrior's den for the first time. They later attend the Gathering, where they're congratulated on becoming warriors. They witness Bluestar's argument with the other two leaders about the now vacant WindClan territory, with the blue she-cat insisting that the driven out Clan must return. The day after, Bluestar sends the two on a mission to find WindClan and bring them home, which they accept.
Fireheart and Graystripe visit the now abandoned WindClan camp, where they find old scents of its former inhabitants and follow it to a desolate place where thunderpaths stretch across the sky, deciding to stop and rest for the night. The next day, they enter a tunnel into a sewer system where they find the cats of WindClan have taken refuge. After delivering the news of Brokenstar's exile, the lost Clan agrees to return to the moorlands with them. Along the way they pass by the farm and are greeted by Ravenpaw, who allows them to stay in the barn for the night. The next day, the WindClan cats finally return home, with two of their warriors by the names of Deadfoot and Onewisker being sent to escort the two ThunderClan toms home.
Along the way, Fireheart suggests taking a shortcut back to ThunderClan by passing through the gorge in RiverClan territory. The four of them are quickly spotted by a RiverClan patrol who accuses them of trying to steal prey, and despite their attempts at reasoning a fight ensues anyways. The four toms seem outnumbered until a ThunderClan patrol joins the fight, evening the odds. While they battle, the RiverClan warrior Whiteclaw and Graystripe near the edge of the gorge, where the former pins the latter down. Kicking him off with his hind legs, Graystripe accidentally pushes Whiteclaw over the edge, where he hangs on for his life to the cliffside. Graystripe's attempt to save him fails, and he watches helplessly as Whiteclaw falls to his death. Leopardfur, the leader of the RiverClan patrol, is horrified at her Clanmate's death and blames the grief-stricken Graystripe for it, calling for her patrol to retreat. Even after the two of them return home, Graystripe is extremally shaken and guilt-ridden about accidentally causing an innocent cat's death, even as his Clanmates try to assure him that it wasn't his fault.
A day later, Bluestar rewards Fireheart and Graystripe for bringing WindClan home by entrusting them with their first apprentices: Cinderpaw for Fireheart and Brackenpaw for Graystripe. While taking their apprentices out to go hunting one day, Graystripe sees a water vole on the frozen river and tries to catch it. However, the ice breaks and he falls into the freezing water, quickly getting swept away by the current. Fireheart is helpless to save him, but a RiverClan tabby by the name of Silverstream dives in and rescues him. She then scolds him for being so close to her Clan's territory, telling him to go find somewhere else to drown. Graystripe teasingly asks who will save him then, thanking Silverstream for her help and finding himself mesmerized by her.
Graystripe quickly catches a cold form the icy water, with Yellowfang confining him to camp until he recovers and Runningwind training Brackenpaw for him in the meantime. Despite his illness, Fireheart notices his friend sneaking out multiple times. On one such occasion, Fireheart follows him and finds him visiting Silverstream at the RiverClan border. When he confronts Graystripe about it, he says goodbye to Silverstream as she departs. Fireheart demands that they stop seeing each other, but the fluffy gray tom refuses, revealing that they've fallen in love to the orange tom's shock. The two argue about Graystripe's loyalty before heading back to camp, still bitter about the event.
After finding out that the river is frozen, Bluestar and several of her warriors start planning an attack on their neighboring Clan, as the two had been accusing each other of stealing prey after finding Graystripe's and Silverstream's scents on their territories. Knowing about RiverClan's famine from Silverstream, Fireheart tries to protect the weakened river cats by saying that the ice may have thawed since then and it would be too dangerous to cross. Tigerclaw and Darkstripe confront him, accusing him of being afraid to fight. Afterwards, Fireheart notes that Graystripe seems embarrassed. ThunderClan decides to go on the raid anyways to the gray tom's terror, so to prevent him from potentially having to fight Silverstream Fireheart joins the battle patrol in his place. To his relief, once the patrol arrives at the river, the ice has thawed and the water flows freely, not allowing them to cross. When returning to camp, Graystripe attacks Fireheart, hissing that he knew his friend didn't trust him. Fireheart argues that he was just trying to prevent him from having to fight Silverstream, and Graystripe argues back that he can handle his own problems.
When the now rouge Brokenstar and his followers attack ThunderClan camp in revenge, Clawface pins Fireheart down and is about to kill him. Graystripe pulls Clawface off and kills him instead, with Fireheart surprised that he would still save him even after their fight, and the gray warrior replies that he'd give his life for Fireheart. He then feels guilt about killing Clawface, but his orange friend comforts him, reminding him that Clawface was the one who killed Spottedleaf and stole Frostfur's kittens. The next day, Fireheart offers to go hunting with him, but Graystripe refuses. The green-eyed tom tells him that Bluestar told them to go, and Graystripe replies that he always does whatever Bluestar says, but reluctantly goes hunting with him anyways.
When ShadowClan and RiverClan team up to drive out WindClan once more so that they may use the moorland to hunt, Onewhisker is sent to get ThunderClan's help. During the battle, Fireheart notices Graystripe only fighting ShadowClan's warriors, avoiding any RiverClan attackers. Suddenly, Silverstream tackles Fireheart and pins him down, unable to recognize him due to the blood leaking into her eyes. Fireheart fights back and pins down the silver tabby, but lets her go once he sees Graystripe's pleading gaze from across the battlefield. After the battle, Graystripe thanks Fireheart for sparing Silverstream and keeping their secret, to which Fireheart accepts the two's relationship and tells his friend that no matter what he does, he'll always have his support, and the two at last make up.
==== Forest of Secrets====
As a Gathering comes to a close, Fireheart and Graystripe sneak off to the farm to ask Ravenpaw what happened the day of Redtail's death, finding out that Oakheart was not killed by Tigerclaw, rather he was crushed in a rockslide. They also learn that during the fight, Oakheart had intervened when Redtail had Stonefur pinned down, stating that "no ThunderClan cat is to harm Stonefur", though Ravenpaw doesn't know why he said that. Graystripe later asks Silverstream about it, but she doesn't know either, so she to ask her friend Mistyfoot, who knows about the two's secret relationship. Mistyfoot says she doesn't know as well, so she asks her mother Graypool, who then requests some time alone with Fireheart to reveal to him that Mistyfoot and Stonefur are the children of Oakheart and the ThunderClan leader Bluestar.
Days later, Graystripe becomes worried for Silverstream when the melting ice and snow of leafbare causes the river to overflow, insisting on checking up on her. Fireheart goes with him, and the duo rescue two kits caught in the flooding river on the way there. Upon bringing them to where RiverClan is sheltering due to their camp being flooded, it's revealed that the two kits are Mistyfoot's. Crookedstar begrudgingly thanks the two ThunderClan warriors, refusing to accept any more help from them despite their flooded home and a shortage of food due to the river being polluted by twolegs. Graypool however allows the two of them to hunt for her Clanmates, though points out that it will be a challenge to hide from their own Clan.
The next day, Silverstream tells Graystripe that she's expecting their kittens. Both are exited about this, but Fireheart thinks that having half-Clan kits could be a bad thing. The two mates deny this, stating that having kits will only tie them together more. On the way back home, Graystripe and Fireheart are caught by Tigerclaw, who reports them to Bluestar and gets them to do apprentice duties as punishment for hunting for another Clan before their own. Some time later, WindClan and ShadowClan attack and attempt to kill Brokentail, with Graystripe missing the whole thing due to being busy with Silverstream.
The day after his apprentice Brackenpaw becomes a warrior and earns the name Brackenfur, Graystripe goes to meet with his mate near the Sunningrocks only to find out that she's gone into labor early. Cinderpaw and Fireheart help with the kitting, and the silver tabby gives birth to a silver she-kit and a dark gray tom. However, due to going into labor early, Silverstream's kitting goes wrong and she starts to bleed out excessively. Despite Cinderpaw's best efforts, the RiverClan warrior dies of bloodloss, naming the two kits Featherkit and Stormkit and telling Graystripe to take care of their kits for her right before she passes. Graystripe is utterly devastated, and stays behind to grieve for her while the kits are taken back to ThunderClan to be cared for.
After burying his mate by the river, Graystripe returns to camp and requests that her kits be buried next to her. Fireheart informs him that the kittens are still alive, and are being fostered by Goldenflower. Graystripe is shocked and thrilled to hear this, and since then spends almost all his time in the nursery with them, to the annoyance of the queens. Later, RiverClan demands to have the kits as their own, reasoning that half-Clan kits almost always go to their mother's Clan. Not wanting to cause a war between the two Clans and feeling outcasted by his Clanmates for his relationship with Silverstream, Graystripe relents and goes with his children to raise them in RiverClan. He and Fireheart have a somber goodbye, reflecting on their time spent together and mourning the fact that it's coming to a close.
====Rising Storm====
Fireheart misses his best friend dearly, constantly thinking about him and looking for him whenever he goes near the RiverClan border. At the next Gathering, the orange tom asks Leopardfur how Graystripe is adjusting to his new life, and she tells him that he and his kits are doing fine, and that he's still getting used to the water.
Meanwhile, Graystripe takes good care of his children, all the while trying his best to settle in to being a RiverClan cat, though knows deep down that he still has loyalty to ThunderClan. When a forest fire causes ThunderClan to seek shelter in RiverClan's camp, the gray tom is overjoyed to see Fireheart again, showing him is children and telling him how proud he is of them. When Fireheart must return to ThunderClan camp to assess the damage and try to find Halftail and Yellowfang, who he was forced to leave behind while escaping, Crookedstar allows Graystripe to accompany him, stating that he'll need the comfort of an old friend.
Graystripe hints to Bluestar that he'd like to help ThunderClan with repairing their camp, but she angrily denies him, leaving him disappointed. He is noted to have a sad look on his face when it's time for him and Fireheart to part ways once more.
====A Dangerous Path ====
At the next Gathering, Fireheart talks to Mistyfoot about Graystripe, who reports that he and his kids are doing fine, but that Leopardfur was furious with how close he was with his old friend after the fire in ThunderClan, hence why he isn't attending the Gathering.
Later, while Fireheart and Sandstorm are talking near the river, Graystripe surprises his friend and teases him to watch out for the beige she-cat if he doesn't want her to claw his ears off. When Fireheart tells him he startled him, the gray warrior replies that he saw Fireheart from across the river, adding that he never thought he'd see the orange tom hunting prey for Sandstorm. He asks if she's special to Fireheart, who replies that they're just friends, and Graystripe replies that if he says so, telling him that he's lucky to be with an impressive cat such as her. Fireheart then asks how everything is going in RiverClan, to which Graystripe says that everyone's been talking about Tigerstar since he became the leader of ShadowClan. The green-eyed tom suggests that Tigerstar could be different now that he's a leader, but Graystripe replies that a cat like him can't be trusted, and that the warrior code won't change him when he just ignored it in the past. When his friend tells him of the ShadowClan medicine cat Runningnose saying that Tigerstar was chosen by StarClan, Graystripe doubts this, saying he'll believe it when hedgehogs fly.
Graystripe advises that Fireheart and his Clanmates keep an eye on their borders before Sandstorm appears and asks him how his kids are doing. He reports that they're getting along well, and are almost ready to start their warrior training. When Fireheart asks if he's going to be the mentor of one of them, he answers that he's not certain, as Leopardfur is still bitter at him for accidentally causing Whiteclaw's death. Knowing that ThunderClan doesn't have much prey due to the wild fire, he catches a fish for Fireheart before he leaves.
Some time later, Graystripe warns Fireheart that Leopardfur - now Leopardstar - is planning on invading Sunningrocks soon. Later, Leopardstar demands that ThunderClan let them have Sunningrocks to repay them for sheltering them during the fire, a battle ensuing when they refuse. Graystripe is unable to bring himself to harm his former Clanmates and warns Fireheart when Leopardstar attacks him. The RiverClan leader demands that he attack his old friend, threatening him when he refuses. ThunderClan reinforcements arrive shortly after, causing RiverClan to retreat, but not before Leopardstar exiles Graystripe for refusing to fight. The gray warrior is invited to return to ThunderClan, but to his dismay most of the Clan doesn't accept or trust him.
When Fireheart chooses Brackenfur to be Tawnykit's mentor instead of Sandstorm, the beige she-cat is angry at this and starts hanging out with Graystripe instead of him, pointing this out as often as possible to spite him. After Fireheart decides to be the mentor of Bramblekit to keep an eye on him, Graystripe says that he only wants to do so because he's afraid of Bramblekit becoming like his father Tigerstar. Some time later, as Fireheart, Mistyfoot and Stonefur say goodbye to the dying Bluestar after she had saved her Clan from the dog pack, Graystripe holds off Tigerstar to allow them to do so. After Bluestar dies, Graystripe drives off Tigerstar and goes to comfort his friend.
====The Darkest Hour====
Fireheart orders Graystripe to scout out the area and make sure there aren't any dogs left, and he returns to tell him that everything is fine. He's then told to go to camp and tell the Clan that Bluestar is dead, but nothing more. After Firestar returns from the Moonstone with his nine lives and new name, Graystripe visits him in the leader's den and tells him that he knows he wants to make him deputy, but he doesn't have to, understanding that the Clan doesn't fully trust him again yet. 
While out talking with Firestar one day, Graystripe suddenly rushes over and tackles Darkstripe, who he had seen feeding deathberries to Sorrelkit nearby, yowling for the leader to fetch Cinderpelt as quickly as possible to save the poisoned kit. Darkstripe tries to claim that he was trying to stop Sorrelkit from eating the deathberries, but no one believes him. Sorrelkit is able to recover, telling the Clan that she had seen the black tabby meeting with the TigerClan warrior Blackfoot, and once he had seen her he decided to "reward" her for her stealth by showing her a bush full of berries he claimed were delicious. Darkstripe admits to trying to kill her as well as conspiring with TigerClan, stating that he refuses to be lead by a kittypet and that Tigerstar is the only cat in the forest worth following, and is promptly exiled from ThunderClan. 
At the next Gathering, Graystripe asks Mistyfoot how the newly-apprenticed Featherpaw and Stormpaw are doing, and she tells him that her apprentice Featherpaw is becoming a real fighter. He becomes extremally worried about them due to Tigerstar taking over RiverClan, sneaking into TigerClan camp alongside Firestar and Ravenpaw, horrified to find that they, along with Mistyfoot and Stonefur, are being held prisoner for being half-Clan. Tigerstar brings them out into the clearing, ordering Stonefur to kill the two apprentices to prove his loyalty. When the blue tom refuses, Darkstripe and Blackfoot are ordered to kill him, after which the rest of the prisoners are escorted back into the abandoned fox den they're being held in. With Ravenpaw distracting the guard, Firestar and Graystripe are able to save Mistyfoot, Featherpaw and Stormpaw, bringing them to ThunderClan for their safety.
During the battle against BloodClan, Darkstripe attacks Firestar, intending to kill him to avenge Tigerstar. Graystripe quickly intervenes, cutting open his half-brother's throat, killing him while remarking that there's now one less traitor in the forest. After the BloodClan deputy Bone fatally wounds Firestar's deputy Whitestorm, with his last breaths the white tom says that StarClan has chosen Graystripe to be ThunderClan's deputy before he dies of his wounds. In the midst of battle, Firestar holds a quick deputy ceremony promoting his friend. Graystripe asks if he's sure, and Firestar replies that he couldn't be more certain. After the battle, he says his goodbyes to Featherpaw and Stormpaw, who have decided to stay in RiverClan.
===Graystripe's Vow ===
Firestar and Sandstorm make the journey to the gorge to restore the fallen SkyClan, telling only Graystripe and Cinderpelt of their quest and leaving the former in charge of ThunderClan in the meantime. A little while later, Graystripe grieves the loss of his mother Willowpelt, who was killed by a badger while defending his half-brother Sootpaw. Graystripe continues watching over the Clan in his best friend's absence, with things going on as normal for the most part, though overhears Ferncloud mentioning that Firestar's scent has disappeared and Dustpelt beginning to think that their leader's absence isn't temporary. The fluffy gray warrior is shocked to hear this, and begins to doubt his capabilities as a leader.
As he returns form a hunting patrol with Cloudtail and Mousefur, Ashfur comments that Firestar and Sandstorm may have abandoned ThunderClan to go live as kittypets. The two gray toms get into an argument, with Graystripe defending his friend by stating that he and his mate had been chosen on a special journey by StarClan and that as deputy he's leading the Clan while they're gone, not specifying what that special journey is to keep his promise to not tell anyone. Mousefur replies that not everyone is happy with the decision to make him the deputy, due to his previous divided loyalties between ThunderClan and RiverClan, and Cinderpelt comes to his defense. Ashfur continues to argue, claiming that his former mentor Dustpelt should have been deputy instead, and even after Cinderpelt breaks up the conflict, tension is still held by their Clanmates.
Soon after, a patrol races into camp with the news that WindClan is hunting on ThunderClan's territory. Graystripe is hesitant to do something, deciding to send additional border patrols and discuss it with the Clan should the trespassing continue, with his Clanmates going along with his decision despite their discontent. That night, Brightheart goes into labor, and Graystripe stresses about it, remembering Silverstream's death. The kitting goes well however, and a relieved Graystripe congratulates Brightheart and Cloudtail on their new daughter Whitekit. The next day, WindClan has been reported trespassing again, so Graystripe call a Clan meeting to discuss the matter. He doubts that the WindClan leader Tallstar would purposely cause trouble, as the two Clans have a history of friendship. Ashfur once again suggests that Dustpelt should be deputy instead, starting another argument with his Clanmates before Mousefur and her patrol return, the brown she-cat interrupting by announcing that the ShadowClan cats Russetfur and Rowanclaw wish to speak with Firestar.
Shortly after, Mousefur escorts the two ShadowClan warriors to camp, where Graystripe covers up Firestar's absence by telling them that the leader is out of camp at the moment. Rowanclaw and Russetfur insist that it's important information that he needs to hear, and the gray warrior replies that he's the deputy, so they can tell him instead. The two dark ginger warriors report scenting BloodClan near the thunderpath. When the deputy takes Ashfur and Brambleclaw along to go investigate, the three of them get ambushed by BloodClan, stating that they know that Firestar is gone and ThunderClan is weakened by his absence. As they fight, Graystripe tells Brambleclaw to go get reinforcements. After said reinforcements come, Graystripe is knocked over while trying to help Dustpelt, sustaining several attacks. The BloodClan cats then drag him off to a twolegplace to let a dog there have him, but the ThunderClan tom is able to escape due to the dog not being able to reach him. While fleeing, he runs into a BloodClan she-cat named Gremlin who lets him go to his confusion.
While heading back to camp, he encounters Ashfur, Cloudtail and Thornclaw, who Dustpelt sent to save him. He then asks Dustpelt if he wants to be deputy, trying to find out if the brown tabby tom is influencing the Clan into getting him the position. Dustpelt is confused, and Graystripe figures out that Ashfur was behind the rumors, not him. The next day, Graystripe tells his Clanmates what happened and that BloodClan must be dealt with. He sends out two patrols to search for any scent of them, but neither are successful due to the heavy rain washing away any scents. After the patrols return, Brackenfur reports that there was no sign of WindClan other than their border marks, with Graystripe realizing that it was BloodClan who had been stealing their prey, not the moor cats. He then leads a patrol to warn WindClan and RiverClan of BloodClan, and while speaking to Leopardstar, she becomes suspicious when he lies abut Firestar's condition after she asks.
After announcing Whitekit's birth at the next Gathering, he asks the other Clan leaders if they've gotten any sign of BloodClan in their territories, but none of them report that they have. After the Gathering, he greets his two children and says that they're always welcome in ThunderClan, but Feathertail declines his offer, saying that she and Stormfur belong in RiverClan. A little while after, Graystripe runs into Gremlin again while hunting, noting that she's now pregnant. She requests joining ThunderClan along with her brother Scraps so that she'll have a safe place to raise her kits when they're born. The gray deputy considers her request before Brackenfur happens upon them, overhearing their conversation and denying the BloodClan she-cat a place in the forest Clan. 
Unsure of what to do, Graystripe goes to Cinderpelt for advice, who agrees to go to the Moonstone to consult StarClan. She receives the prophecy of "Like a three-headed snake, many paths split off into the forest. Graystripe must walk his own path... but he must beware the snake's bite", which she interprets as the deputy needing to make his own choice. While the medicine cat was at the Moonstone, he sends a message to Gremlin through Smudge, who's garden she had been staying in. While meeting her in the twolegplace, the new leader of BloodClan, Fury, suddenly appears and confronts Gremlin as to why she was there. Gremlin lies that she was trying to recruit Smudge into BloodClan, and Fury tells her to be at a Clan meeting later before she leaves. Graystripe ultimately decides to let Gremlin and Scraps join his Clan, though his peers protest this decision. Cinderpelt calms them and is able to reason them into considering their deputy's choice. Dustpelt suggests letting them stay until Firestar returns, and then letting him decide what to do with them after that.
The next day, Graystripe returns to Smudge's garden to tell Gremlin that she and her brother may stay at least until Firestar comes back, warning her that when he does, it will be his choice whether or not to let them stay any longer, not Graystripe's. The she-cat worries that she and Scraps will be back in danger if they're kicked out, as Fury will want revenge on them for betraying BloodClan, but accepts nonetheless. When the fluffy gray tom asks, she warns that in two days, BloodClan will attack ThunderClan again in revenge for Firestar killing their former leader Scourge. She specifies that they'll attack at sunhigh, as that's usually when the most patrols are out, leaving mainly just kits and elders in camp. Graystripe reassures her that he won't send out any patrols at that time so that the Clan may be as protected as possible, and Gremlin retorts that Fury will wait until they do, since without patrols they won't be able to hunt and will slowly starve. She adds that if ThunderClan's routine suddenly changes, Fury will realize that someone has warned them beforehand, and will quickly find out that it's her and her brother. Gremlin then asks Graystripe if he trusts her, and he reassures her that he does.
Two days later, Graystripe warns his Clan of BloodClan's imminent attack, telling them to pretend that it's just a normal day to not raise Fury's suspicions. He also tells them not to get into a fight with any BloodClan warriors they encounter if they can help it, giving tasks for them to do. Brackenfur alerts him that BloodClan is coming, and the battle begins soon after. During the fight, Fury catches Gremlin attempting to flee with Cinderpelt, ordering Snake and Ice to bring her over. Scraps tries to interfere, but Snake quickly kills him with a slash to the throat. Graystripe pins Snake down before realizing that Fury is holding Gremlin hostage, threatening to kill her if the gray warrior kills Snake as the battle around them halts. Ashfur insists to keep fighting, but unable to kill Snake at the cost of Gremlin's life, Graystripe tries to reason with Fury by pointing out that BloodClan is outnumbered and many of its members will be killed if she makes them keep fighting. Fury argues that it's in BloodClan's best interest to take over ThunderClan's territory and that she'll keep fighting even if all her supporters are dead.
Graystripe then takes notice of a large wound on the she-cat's side, and when he points it out she insists that it'll heal on its own, but both he and Cinderpelt tell her that it will most likely become infected and cause her serious pain, possibly killing her. They offer to treat the injured BloodClan cats only on the condition that they leave the forest alone, and while Fury tries to protest, she realizes that she's lost when none of her warriors support her. Once the BloodClan cats are treated and begrudgingly retreat, Graystripe's Clanmates praise him for how he dealt with the attack. The next day, he asks Cinderpelt what she thinks the message from StarClan meant, and she answers that it was for him to make his own choice instead of StarClan choosing for him. He then realizes that the "beware of the snake's bite" part was talking about the BloodClan cat Snake, as if he had been killed, then Gremlin would have been killed in turn and not only would her kits never be born then, but the battle would have continued and claimed many more lives. After the fight and the death of her brother, Gremlin admits that she doesn't feel safe in ThunderClan, deciding to go live as a kittypet instead. Cinderpelt tries to get her to stay until her kits are born, but she says that their birth will go fine anyways, as twolegs have very good medicine. Sad to see their new friend go, Graystripe and Cinderpelt say goodbye to her as she departs to find a new home.
After a while, things in ThunderClan begin to go back to normal. One day, Graystripe sees Ashfur running across the clearing, and when speaking to him, the younger gray tom reveals that Firestar and Sandstorm are back at last. The two enter camp soon after, with Firestar announcing that they'll rest for a while after their long journey. He then asks his deputy what's happened while they were gone, and Graystripe informs him of everything that's occurred, especially with BloodClan. He then says that after the experience, he doesn't wish to be leader after Firestar and asks him to appoint another deputy. However, his friend replies that he still has many years ahead of him and hopes that he'll change his mind before the leader loses his final life. At the next Gathering, after telling the other leaders that he feels well now, Firestar informs the Clans of BloodClan's new leader Fury and her attack, thinking that ThunderClan would be easy to defeat without him, but that Graystripe was able to handle it. Graystripe thinks about how happy he is to be Firestar's deputy and a warrior of ThunderClan.
===The New Prophecy ===
====Midnight ====
Graystripe knows about the fire and tiger prophecy about Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw that Cinderpelt had received, and while Firestar is anxious about it due to his history with Tigerstar, he's ok with the knowledge. He later asks Brambleclaw what the brown tabby tom was yowling about in his sleep, commenting that he was worried the prey would all be scared to Fourtrees. During Sorreltail's warrior ceremony, Graystripe is sitting proudly for his half-sister at the base of the highrock, enjoying watching the progress of his younger Clanmates.
At the next Gathering, Leafpaw sees him talking to and pressing his muzzle against two RiverClan warriors, and Mistyfoot asks her if she's ever met Feathertail or Stormfur before, with the gray warrior proudly introducing them to her as his children. He then asks Mistyfoot if there's any trouble in RiverClan, and she replies that he'll see soon enough. When Tallstar reports that WindClan is going through a drought, Leopardstar tells him that they may drink from her Clan's river for the time being and that they'll discuss it at the next Gathering. Hearing this, Graystripe snarkily remarks that Leopardstar will probably try to find a way to make WindClan pay for the water. He gives Mistyfoot a questioning glance when the RiverClan leader then announces that three loners (later revealed to be Hawk, Moth and Sasha) have joined the Clan, but the blue she-cat just gives him a shrug in response.
Later, while Firestar and Graystripe talk about sending a patrol to the ShadowClan border, Brambleclaw argues with this idea, and the deputy retorts that ShadowClan has been oddly quiet for a while and are probably about to cause trouble. Firestar ends up siding with Brambleclaw, sending only one patrol lead by Graystripe to the border, with the gray tom saying that he'll go find more cats to join him. After Brambleclaw frees Squirrelpaw from a bramble bush, Firestar tells them not to be around each other, paranoid about the fire and tiger prophecy meaning that the two of them will destroy the Clan. Graystripe defends them, stating that neither of them have done any harm.
Later, while the forest is being destroyed by twolegs, Feathertail and Stormfur go to the sun-drown place along with Squirrelpaw, Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt and Crowpaw to find out what to do. Only Leafpaw knows of their mission though, causing Graystripe great stress over where his kids have gone. While out on a patrol with Firestar and Cloudtail, the orange tom mentions to them that the smell of twoleg monsters is getting worse. The group then witnesses in horror as a huge monster leaves the thunderpath and begins rampaging though the forest and tearing down trees.
====Moonrise====
Along with Sandstorm and Cinderpelt, Graystripe is called into the leader's den to talk about the forest's destruction with Firestar. The leader then tells the Clan of seeing a large monster invading and destroying part of their territory, with Graystripe backing up his story when Mousefur states her doubt. Later, Firestar brings him, Cinderpelt, Leafpaw and Brackenfur to go speak to ShadowClan about the twoleg's invasion. Firestar reminds them that they're only going to talk, but Graystripe comments that ShadowClan will probably try to tear their fur out once they're spotted. Along the way, the patrol sees fallen trees and torn up ground, catching the scent of twolegs hanging heavy in the air. The deputy suggests that perhaps the twolegs have finished with whatever they were trying to accomplish, but Firestar doubts it. When they arrive and request to speak with Blackstar, Russetfur accuses them of trespassing and a short fight breaks out before Firestar orders them to stop.
Later, while hunting, Graystripe crosses paths with Leafpaw and laments to her that he can't get Stormfur or Feathertail off his mind, wishing he knew where they, Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw are, concluding that their disappearances have something to do with the twoleg invasion. Leafpaw then asks if he's ever heard of a she-cat named Sasha, and he reveals that he's seen her once at a Gathering. The medicine cat apprentice asks him what she was like, and he says that she was quiet and friendly, but that being around a lot of cats made her nervous. She then asks if he knows who the father of Sasha's kits Mothwing and Hawkfrost is, and he replies that he doesn't, but just assumes that it was another loner or rogue.
When calling a meeting to discuss WindClan stealing prey, Firestar sends Graystripe, Dustpelt, Sandstorm, Ashfur, Cinderpelt and Thornclaw to go talk to Tallstar. The two Clans then get into an argument about the issue, escalating when Graystripe and Mudclaw get into a fight, Firestar breaking them up and scolding his deputy for disobeying his orders not to attack. 
==== Dawn ====
Worrying about the missing cats that went to the sun-drown place, Sandstorm asks Graystripe if he thinks Leafpaw knows where they've gone, and he reassures her that they'll be found. Firestar wonders if he should send out another search party, but his deputy argues that doing so would just put more cat's lives at risk. Sandstorm tells him that it's the hardest decision her mate has ever had to make, and he tells her that Firestar has to put the Clan first. After hearing a loud roaring sound, Sandstorm asks what it was, and the deputy says that it came from Fourtrees.
At last, the journeying cats return one member short, and Stormfur requests to speak to his father. Brackenfur is suspicious, but Cinderpelt welcomes him and takes him to Sunningrocks, which is where ThunderClan is sheltering after their camp was destroyed. There, Stormfur informs Graystripe that Feathertail had died sacrificing herself to save a group of cats living in the mountains known as the Tribe of Rushing Water from a mountain lion named Sharptooth. Overwhelmed by grief and rage, Graystripe blames Brambleclaw for taking her away, but Squirrelpaw defends him by stating that it wasn't his fault StarClan had chosen her to go on the journey. Graystripe apologizes, saying that it's unfair for her to die so young, and that she was so similar to her mother that it felt like losing Silverstream all over again.
After several Clan cats as well as a few rogues are captured by twolegs and put into cages in the back of a van, Graystripe leads a patrol to rescue them. After all the trapped cats are freed however, the van's doors close with Graystripe still inside, and it drives off with him. Firestar tries chasing after the van until his paws bleed and Sandstorm has to make him stop, and for the rest of the arc he mourns the absence of his friend, refusing to name a new deputy while insisting that he's alive and will come back, unable to accept that he may be dead. Eventually Firestar is forced to accept that even if his friend was alive, it was unlikely he'd escape the twolegs and find the Clan's new home by the lake, solemnly naming Brambleclaw the new deputy in his stead.
===Graystripe's Adventure ===
====The Lost Warrior====
Graystripe has a dream of the night he and Rusty first met long ago before waking up in a twoleg family's house. He still hasn't forgotten ThunderClan and is determined to escape and return home, noticing himself getting softer one day when he catches himself chasing butterflies like a kitten. Afterwards, he ends up fighting with an aggressive kittypet named Duke - a fight which he ends up losing. 
He meets a kittypet she-cat named Millie soon after, who tells him that no one ever wins a fight against Duke before leading him back to his twolegs. A few days later, Millie takes notice of how much Graystripe misses life in the woods and shows him a nearby forest to try and cheer him up. They go in to the forest together, where the gray tom teaches her how to hunt and fight. Duke sees them, teasing them before ensuing another fight, this time with two of his friends at his side. As Millie fights off Duke's lackeys, Graystripe battles the black-and-white tom himself and ends up winning.
Graystripe starts to thinks that he isn't a Clan cat anymore until the spirit of Silverstream appears to him in his dreams and urges him to escape and return to ThunderClan, which motivates him to flee from the twolegplace and seek out his home, with Millie choosing to stay behind and wishing him well. Ten days later, Graystripe is utterly lost and begins to wander in circles from exhaustion while he slowly starves. Millie, changing her mind and deciding to follow him, catches up with the gray warrior, who is hallucinating his Clanmates until she's able to snap him out of it. 
While travelling together, Graystripe brings up Silverstream and Millie asks who he's talking about. He explains that Silverstream was his mate many moons ago, but she died while giving birth to their kits. He says that he never stopped loving her, but ever since meeting Millie he hasn't felt so lonely anymore, and the light gray she-cat assures him that she would be there to help him through anything.
==== Warrior's Refuge====
As Graystripe and Millie continue on their journey to ThunderClan, they climb up a brick wall and look out over a large thunderpath that the yellow-eyed tom says they'll have to cross. Millie gets scared and asks if there's another route, and he tells her that he'll help her get across and to stay by his side while they run across. As he goes out onto the thunderpath however, he stops halfway to see Millie still hasn't moved, saying that it's too loud and smells awful. He tells her that it's not safe to stay there, and together the both of them get across.
While going through a cornfeild, he and Millie run from a combine and end up separated. While searching for her, Graystripe ends up in a barn nearby where he meets a she-cat named Moss, her brother Splash, her mate Husker, and her children Raindrop, Birdy, Pad and Little Mew, who all used to live in a house until their owners moved and the twolegs that moved in kicked them out. He convinces them to help him search for Millie, which they succeed in doing.
Some time later, while sheltering in the barn, the two travelling cats see a twoleg child about to fall into a pond while chasing a frog. Knowing that the child's parents aren't watching and she could drown in the pond, Graystripe acts as cute as possible to get her attention and lead her away from it. The twolegs, very grateful for him saving their daughter, befriend him quickly, and he gets the idea to bring them to the barn so that they may give Moss and her family a new home. He gets Moss to bring her kittens downstairs so that the twolegs can see them, and while at first their father Husker mad that he got them noticed by twolegs, he calms down when he sees how nicely the kits are being treated. With the family in good hands, Graystripe and Millie depart and continue their travels. They eventually find where the Clan territories where, and Graystripe is devastated to see his forest home reduced to a field of stumps.
====Warrior's Return====
With the medicine den being the only thing left of ThunderClan's old camp, Millie and Graystripe spend the night in there. The gray warrior comments that he's already lost Silverstream and Feathertail, and now he's lost everything else as well. The two then go to the farm to visit Ravenpaw and Barley, who allow them to stay as night falls. The next morning, the two farm cats inform the travelers of what happened to the forest and where the Clans went, accompanying them to Highstones before returning home. 
As they journey to the Clan's new home at the lake, the duo stop in a twolegplace, where Millie then gets food from a nearby twoleg house. She suggests Graystripe go inside to get some food for himself, but he only gets chased away instead. Angry at Millie for letting him go in, he storms off and ends up getting run over by a monster, surviving but being badly wounded.
The two then stay at a truck stop while Graystripe heals, and he contemplates how he should tell Millie that he has feelings for her. He becomes jealous of a tom named Diesel who lives at the truck stop for becoming close friends with her, later revealing her feelings towards her and finding out that she reciprocates. After the gray tom's injuries heal, the two of them ride on top of a monster heading towards the sun-drown place. 
After arriving to the sun-drown place, they meet a rogue who tells them that he saw Clan cats passing through a while ago. At last, Graystripe and Millie arrive at the lake, seeing the Clans heading towards an island in the middle for a Gathering. Before they go to the island, Graystripe asks Millie to be his mate, and she happily accepts. The two then enter the in-progress Gathering, where Graystripe is warmly welcomed by his ecstatic Clanmates - especially Firestar - before introducing them to his new mate.
===The Power of Three===
====The Sight====
A Gathering is suddenly interrupted when Graystripe and Millie enter the island after the former had been missing for moons. No one recognizes Graystripe at first and are about to attack the two when Firestar yowls for them to stop before running up to greet his best friend. Cats from all four Clans then begin bombarding them with questions, but Firestar notices how hurt the gray tom looks that he and the rest of the Clans left for the lake without him. The ThunderClan leader tells him that he had to leave him behind to save the Clans, and that if it was just his life that was in danger, he would have waited for Graystripe's return. The yellow-eyed tom then introduces Millie, and Squirrelflight is impressed that a former kittypet went and made the journey with him, and he says that without his new mate he wouldn't have survived the long travel.
Lionpaw and Hollypaw are both surprised that the other three Clans are so welcoming of Graystripe and Millie, as it will mean that ThunderClan now has two additional warriors, and some of their Clanmates wonder if Graystripe will resume his role as deputy. Brambleclaw asks him if he found the Clans by following their scent trail, but the gray tom replies that he and Millie had found their way with Ravenpaw's and Barley's assistance, and once they arrived at the lake, they saw the silhouettes of cats on the island. Hollypaw wonders why StarClan had approved of making Brambleclaw the deputy while Graystripe was still alive, guessing that it was because of the uncertainty of whether or not he would make it back to ThunderClan. Seeing how exhausted, starved and unkempt the two are, Firestar quickly brings them back to camp to eat and rest. 
Once they get to ThunderClan's new camp, the rest of the Clan are shocked and relieved to see their former deputy still alive. Mousefur asks if it's really him, and the gray warrior confirms that it is before introducing everyone to his new mate Millie. Once again the two of them are flooded with questions, though this time Graystripe is too tired to answer them, pressing up against a nervous Millie to try and calm her. The Clan begins to make them nests and treat their wounds as the two eat, with Hollypaw wanting to get Graystripe's nest nice and cozy as she believes that he's the rightful deputy. The young black she-cat then discusses the deputyship dilemma with her mentor Leafpool, who replies that it's Firestar's problem unless StarClan wishes for it to be their problem as well.
While speaking to Hollypaw, Graystripe admits that he was hurt that his Clanmates left without him, but understands their tough situation and reason for doing so. He adds that he wasn't sure he'd be able to find the Clans and Ravenpaw told him to follow the setting sun, thanking StarClan for watching over him and Millie during their travels. He tells the medicine cat apprentice that Cinderpelt would be proud of her. Later, during a Clan meeting about ShadowClan's trespassing, Firestar agrees with Graystripe that they shouldn't be ignored and will keep pressing their borders unless something is done about it. Meanwhile, the orange tom is worried about whether or not he should re-appoint Graystripe as ThunderClan's deputy. He consults Leafpool about it, who tells her father that StarClan wants him to make his own decision, and he ends up letting Brambleclaw keep the position. A few of his Clanmates are shocked about and protest the decision, but Graystripe states that Brambleclaw would probably be a better deputy anyways, since he knows the lake's territory better.
Later, the fluffy gray tom participates in a battle against ShadowClan, aiding Hollypaw and telling the patrol to drive the opponents into the brambles, with Firestar backing up his order. After the ThunderClan cats win, Graystripe says that they won't be driven out, and the ShadowClan warrior Oakfur argues that they deserve to be, as several of their warriors aren't forest-born. Graystripe retorts that their origins have nothing to do with belonging, pointing out that the former kittypet Millie and the Tribe cat Brook both fought as well as any Clan-born warrior. He then asks his leader when they'll let another Clan tell them what to do, and Firestar promises to make it clear at the next Gathering.
Some time after, Graystripe helps to fight off some dogs invading WindClan. Brambleclaw then tells him and his mate to watch out for any more dogs and to help anyone in need that they come across. While talking about who to send on the patrols, Millie tells her Clanmates that she isn't affected by most diseases as she was vaccinated by the vet, which Graystripe clarifies is the Cutter. Firestar doesn't want to send his friend, as he's still weak from the journey and he doesn't want to lose him again, and Graystripe agrees to stay behind. A little while later, while on on a patrol with Millie, he asks her if she made the right choice in leaving her kittypet life behind to go with him, and she assures him that she's be by his side wherever his place may be.
====Dark River====
On the way to the Gathering, Graystripe teases his friend that Hollypaw may be trying to take his place as leader already. Some time later, Firestar calls a Clan meeting to give Millie a warrior name. Millie gently interrupts, saying that she's grateful that she left kittypet life behind and that ThunderClan accepted her, and her mate grows worried that she's going to leave and return to twolegplace. She reassures him that she's staying, before stating that she wishes to keep her name. Most of the Clan is shocked, especially Hollypaw who views it as a betrayal to the warrior code, but Graystripe backs up her decision. Daisy and Brook come to her defense as well, and Firestar states that the other Clans shouldn't tell them what to do, letting Millie keep her name.
Later, Graystripe and Millie help to reinforce the nursery, the former warning Hollypaw to watch out as he moves brambles around. He gets sick from eating a spoiled sparrow soon after, and Millie chastises him for eating it, with him replying that it's been a while since there's been a lot of prey and he didn't want to waste food. She lectures him after he receives some watermint for his ailment, and Jaypaw listens in amusement that a former kittypet is giving him a talking-to.
When Poppypaw and Mousepaw run into camp and announce Hollypaw's disappearance, Graystripe immediately gets up and asks how long she's been gone. They tell him that she didn't show up for training earlier, and the Clan begins to panic, with Brightheart worrying that she's been hurt. Sorreltail asks who's hurt, and Graystripe clarifies that Hollypaw isn't hurt, but missing.
==== Outcast====
Millie moves into the nursery for the time being, as she's expecting her and Graystripe's kittens. When Firestar tells Lionpaw that he shouldn't have to go on patrol after how hard he's been working, Graystripe offers to take his place and says he'll make sure the scent markers are refreshed. Before he, Squirrelflight, Sandstorm and Honeypaw all go on patrol however, Berrypaw interrupts and asks about he and his sibling's warrior ceremonies, which Firestar agrees to hold immediately and delay the patrol for. Berrypaw worries that his name is going to be related to his amputated tail, and Graystripe tells him and his littermates to be quiet as the ceremony is about to start.
Later, when two cats from the Tribe of Rushing Water named Night and Talon are spotted in ThunderClan's territory, Graystripe, Whitewing and Birchfall escort them to camp. The gray warrior tells the Tribe cats to state their reason for trespassing, thinking they're a couple of rogues, and they explain that they're from the mountains and that their Tribe needs help. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight offer to go, and when Firestar asks who will be the deputy in the brown tabby tom's place, he suggests Graystripe as he already has experience with being a deputy. 
====Eclipse====
After Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight return from the mountains, the former resumes his position as deputy and Graystripe goes back to being a regular warrior. Later, while Brambleclaw tells Cinderpaw that he was going to have Graystripe lead the sunset patrol, he sees the gray warrior patching up the nursery while asking his pregnant mate if she's ok, to which she reports that she is. After he finishes his repairs, he hurries over to Millie to check on her.
While Jaypaw eats, Graystripe tells him that the two of them are going to be on a patrol with Sorreltail and Mousewhisker, as Leafpool wants him to go with them to gather herbs. Jaypaw is a bit more interested when the yellow-eyed tom says that they'll being going near the lake. As the patrol walks toward the lake, Mousewhisker says that having Cinderpaw, Honeypaw and Poppypaw move into the warrior's den soon will stop the older warriors from having the softest moss, and Graystripe teasingly replies that they need it for their ancient bones. Sorreltail says that they aren't old, and Graystripe will feel younger than ever once his and Millie's kits are born. Once they arrive at the lake, Graystripe asks Jaypaw where a good spot for collecting herbs would be, who replies that he smells mallow nearby. As they return home, the group encounters Thornclaw, Brightheart, Birchfall and Poppypaw, who report WindClan crossing the border. The gray tom asks if any of them are in ThunderClan's territory right now, but Thornclaw says they aren't. After telling the group that the border marking have been refreshed, he then tells them to relay the incident to Firestar right away.
Later on, Graystripe sits outside the nursery anxiously as Millie begins to show signs of kitting, with Jaypaw trying not to let the gray tom's nervousness affect him as well. When Daisy announces that Millie's going into labor, Graystripe tells Jaypaw that if he can only save either her or the kits, to save her. Looking into his memories, the medicine cat apprentice sees Silverstream's death and stops, not wanting to feel the older tom's grief. Millie asks that her mate be kept outside the nursery until the kitting is over, and luckily she and all three of the kits survive. Once he's allowed to, Graystripe rushes in and starts doting over their new children and welcoming them to ThunderClan, the two naming them Briarkit, Blossomkit and Bumblekit. He then announces their birth to his Clanmates, who all congratulate him and his mate.
When Sol is brought into camp, Firestar introduces him to Graystripe, Sandstorm, Brambleclaw, Dustpelt and Thornclaw. During the following battle against WindClan, Graystripe fiercely defends the nursery. Soon after, Graystripe is left to guard the camp as a fight between all four Clans breaks out, watching in wonder and horror as the moon covers the sun and the sky darkens, wondering if StarClan is trying to prevent them from fighting. After ThunderClan returns from the battle, Firestar asks if everyone who stayed in camp is ok, and the gray warrior reports that they're fine.
After Lionpaw tells him that Millie has a cough and may be sick, Graystripe asks him to go check on her in the nursery. After Leafpool reveals that Millie has whitecough, Graystripe becomes even more distressed, reminding him of the day he lost Silverstream.
====Long Shadows====
Graystripe checks on Millie in the medicine den, asking how she's doing. Leafpool tells him that her whitecough has progressed to greencough, and must block him when he tries to run over to his mate. Not letting Millie back into the nursery in her condition, Leafpool tells Graystripe to talk to Daisy about feeding Briarkit, Blossomkit and Bumblekit in their mother's absence. The gray tom says that he'll make sure Daisy gets plenty of fresh-kill, getting some for the sick cats in the medicine den as well. As he leaves, he tells Millie that he loves her and promises to take care of their kits as often as he can. Briarkit falls ill soon after as well, causing her father even more stress.
While visiting StarClan, Jaypaw sees a bunch of spirits discussing the greencough outbreak, recognizing one of them as the silver she-cat he saw in Graystripe's memories, who tells him that Millie is close to joining StarClan and that Graystripe doesn't deserve to have his heart broken all over again. When the aforementioned warrior asks Jaypaw how his mate and daughter are doing, the medicine cat apprentice senses his fear and agony. When he asks who the silver she-cat is, the older tom tells him that her name is Silverstream, and that she's the mother of Feathertail and Stormfur as well as his previous mate many seasons ago. Jaypaw reassures him that there was nothing that could have been done to save her, and that she's watching over him and Millie from StarClan. When Graystripe questions how he saw her, the younger tom reveals that he had seen her in his memories. Feeling slightly better, Graystripe says that it's in Silverstream's nature to care, but that StarClan won't be able to do much to help with the sickness.
As the now-ill Firestar announces that the sick cats will be quarantined in a nearby abandoned twoleg house to stop the ailment from spreading, Graystripe volunteers to help them get there. Brambleclaw informs him he can't help because healthy cats aren't allowed near sick ones. As Millie, Briarkit and the other ill Clanmates are departing, Hollyleaf and Lionblaze have to stop Graystripe from following them as he lashes out in desperation, thinking his mate is dying. Firestar tells his friend that he understands how he feels, but he and Millie must be separated for his and the rest of the Clan's safety. The orange tom then tells him that lashing out isn't going to help, and he'll inform him right away if Millie or Briarkit are dying so that he may say his goodbyes, and the gray tom begins to calm down.
While waiting on Ashfur to show up so that they may go to the Gathering, Graystripe suggests that he went on ahead. On the way there however, Graystripe discovers the dead body of Ashfur floating down the river and yowls to his Clanmates about it. Freeing it from a rock that it got caught on, he brings it back to camp with the help of Lionblaze and Dustpelt. During the vigil, the yellow-eyed tom comments that his deceased Clanmate was very unlucky to have been killed so young.
====Sunrise====
After Millie and Briarkit recover, they both go back to the nursery to Graystripe's relief. Some time later, Firestar asks him to keep and eye on the cats who wish to raid WindClan - namely Thornclaw - as he worries they may attack the neighboring Clan, and his friend says that he'll stick closer to them than the fur on their skin. When the WindClan deputy Ashfoot reports seeing the rogue Sol on the border a weeks ago, most of ThunderClan assumes he was the one to kill Ashfur, but Graystripe reasons that just because he was spotted on Clan territory doesn't mean he was behind their Clanmate's murder, and they should continue investigating what happened the day of his death. While Brambleclaw leads a search party to go find Sol and see if he was the one behind Ashfur's demise, Firestar has Graystripe fill his role as deputy for the time being.
After Brambleclaw's group finds Sol and brings him back to camp, some of the Clan suggests holding him prisoner. Graystripe says that it isn't a good idea, remembering the time Brokentail planned a coup with Tigerclaw while being held prisoner and stating that Sol can't be trusted. Later, while Graystripe is out hunting and his children play near the sunning area, Briarkit comes too close to a hole and nearly gets bitten by an adder, being pushed out of the way by Honeyfern who gets bitten instead. Honeyfern quickly dies from the snake's venom, and when Graystripe comes back from hunting he's shocked to find out what happened. He raises his tail to quiet his manic Clanmates, telling them to fetch Firestar who's out on patrol before asking Leafpool to inspect his daughter for any injuries. Much later, on the way to the Gathering, he tells Firestar and Sandstorm that he misses their old home in the forest, as it was were they were born, and while glancing at Hollyleaf and Lionblaze adds that their younger Clanmates must feels the same type of fondness for the lake.
===Omen of the Stars ===
====The Fourth Apprentice====
At the Gathering, Graystripe and Lionblaze sit together, the former complaining about the drought. When hearing Lionblaze muttering about Squirrelflight, still bitter that she lied about being his and his sibling's birth mother, Graystripe defends her by stating that she's still their mother just as much as Leafpool is. The Clan is shocked when Firestar chooses Squirrelflight to mentor Rosepaw, and the gray tom tells them that the leader knows what he's doing and trusts his daughter.
While going on a patrol with Sandstorm, Graystripe, Thornclaw and Briarpaw, Firestar is attacked and fatally wounded by a fox. Briarpaw runs back to camp to fetch Jayfeather, and when the blind gray tom arrives, Graystripe and Sandstorm are crouching over the orange tom while Thornclaw is standing guard. After Firestar recovers from losing a life, his friend helps him get back to camp, letting him lean against his shoulder.
==== Fading Echoes====
When Dovepaw warns that a tree is about to fall and crash into camp, everyone is evacuated to avoid it. Mousefur however tries to go back for a half-eaten mouse, and when she won't back down, Longtail runs into the elder's den to retrieve it for her. Briarpaw rushes after him to try and stop him, but suddenly the tree falls, landing on top of both of them. The old tom dies, but Briarpaw survives, though the tree had landed on her back and broken her spine. Lionblaze lifts the tree up long enough for Graystripe to pull his daughter out from underneath it, and she's immediately tended to by Jayfeather and Leafpool.
Graystripe and Millie see Briarpaw's glazed-over eyes and think she's dead, with Ferncloud comforting them by telling them that if anyone can save her, it's Jayfeather and Leafpool. Briarpaw is able to recover, but Jayfeather reveals that due to her spine being broken, her hind legs have become permanently paralyzed, shocking and devastating her parents. Despite this however, Briarpaw becomes a warrior alongside her siblings, earning the names Briarlight, Blossomfall and Bumblestripe, with Graystripe and Millie watching with eyes full of pride. Later, Millie frets over Molekit and Cherrykit playing with Briarlight, worried they may accidentally injure her, and the gray tom tells her that the kittens will be careful and to let them have fun.
====The Last Hope====
As the battle against the Dark Forest approaches, Brambleclaw tells Graystripe to guard the hollow, but Firestar insists that he and his best friend must fight together. During the fight itself, the ThunderClan leader tells him and Lionblaze to go help ShadowClan, as they're being overrun by Dark Forest spirits. On the way there, Graystripe trips over a bramble, and Lionblaze takes note of how old and frail the gray tom is. ShadowClan is being defeated by the Dark Forest until the Ancients show up as well as Midnight the badger, who Graystripe assures everyone is friendly.
In the aftermath of the Great Battle, after what's left of the Dark Forest retreats, Firestar dies from the wounds inflicted by Tigerstar. Graystripe grieves heavily for the loss of his best friend, saying he would have taken his place if Firestar had let him. When the StarClan cats that helped during battle are about to return to the sky, Graystripe sees the spirits of Silverstream and Feathertail, saying goodbye to them as they promise they'll be waiting for each other.
===Bramblestar's Storm===
After the titular Great Storm and Lilyheart's warrior ceremony, Graystripe and Sandstorm announce that they're retiring from being warriors and moving into the elder's den. The two of them reflect on their long lives and their Clanmates wish them many moons of well-earned rest, with Millie promising that she'll join her mate as an elder soon.
===The Broken Code===
====The Silent Thaw====
Graystripe questions how odd "Bramblestar" has been acting ever since he lost a life, and later is among the ThunderClan cats who are shocked and horrified when the leader harshly punishes Lionblaze and Spotfur for accidentally trespassing on WindClan's territory by exiling the former and forbidding anyone from speaking to the latter for a week. When Squirrelflight is banished for arguing with the leader, Graystripe sticks up for her by telling "Bramblestar" that she's Firestar's daughter and he can't just send her into exile.
====Veil of Shadows====
When Sparkpelt is about to be exiled, Graystripe stands up to the ruthlessness of "Bramblestar", comparing his new, crueler attitude to how he was before losing a life as well as Firestar's leadership. In a fit of rage, the brown tabby tom scratches him across the nose, and Graystripe says that he's no longer the same cat he once was, as the former Bramblestar would never wound his own Clanmates like that. The leader tells him that he can just follow Sparkpelt into exile along with anyone else who has a problem with his leadership, and Graystripe spitefully complies. As he and Sparkpelt leave the Clan without a word, their kits Blossomfall, Bumblestripe and Finchpaw go with them, along with Cinderheart and Thriftear.
====Darkness Within====
At the Gathering, Squirrelflight reveals that "Bramblestar's" change in behavior is because after he'd lost a life, her ex-mate Ashfur possessed his body. Bristlefrost recalls hearing about Ashfur from Graystripe, who told of the tom's attempts to kill Firestar, Hollyleaf, Jayfeather and Lionblaze to make Squirrelflight suffer for choosing Brambleclaw over him.
Later, Flipclaw, Snaptooth and Flywhisker decide to go wander outside the lake territories, and to the Clan's shock Graystripe decides to go with them. Squirrelflight, hurt by his departure, asks him about the promise he made to her and Firestar to always stay by her side. Graystripe apologizes for not being able to keep his promise to her, telling her that the ThunderClan he's used to has changed too much and he doesn't know if he belongs anymore, wanting some time to think. Squirrelflight agrees to let him go, and the Clan says their farewells to the travelling group as they leave.
===Graystripe's Vow (cont.)===
Graystripe thinks about his position as an elder, and imagines his deceased mate Millie giving him advice. Later, when Flipclaw, Flywhisker and Snaptooth decide to go travelling outside of Clan territory, Graystripe decides to go with them. While passing through ThunderClan territory on the way out, they narrowly avoid a fight with a SkyClan patrol. Afterwards, Snaptooth reveals that he, Flywhisker and Flipclaw are leaving ThunderClan for good, Thornclaw overhears this and berates him for it. Graystripe then suggests they go hunting, and soon after Flywhisker rejects Flipclaw after he tells her he has feelings for her. Flipclaw then tells Graystripe to rest while the others hunt, and while he pretends to comply, he goes to hunt once the others leave and catches a fat rabbit. Thornclaw sees the large rabbit, which Graystripe takes credit for, noticing that Flywhisker is unable to meet his gaze. After Flipclaw is rejected by Flywhisker once more, Thornclaw decides to leave the rest of the group be and return home to their surprise. The rest of the group is even more surprised when Graystripe tells them of his plans to visit the Tribe of Rushing Water to see Stormfur.
The next day, the group travels to the mountains where they meet two Tribe cats named Thorn and Moon who escort them to the Tribe. Graystripe reunites with his son and finds out that he and his mate Brook have had kits of their own named Lark, Pine, Breeze and Feather. That night, Graystripe speaks to the Tribe's Stoneteller for guidance, and is told that there's a shadow lying in the direction of of the Clans. When the gray Clan cat asks if the Tribe's ancestors - the Tribe of Endless Hunting - have anything to say to him, Stoneteller says that he still has a part to play, advising him to continue on his quest. The next day, Flipclaw and Feather are buried under a rockslide. Once Graystripe shows up to help them, Feather has already dug his way out, as he was buried at the edge. They then find Flipclaw's tail and get him out, thinking that he's dead until he convulses and coughs, with Stoneteller fixing his dislocated hind leg.
Upon getting a sign from StarClan of Feathertail's spirit staring at the Moonstone, Graystripe interprets it as needing to go to the Moonstone in the former forest to communicate with StarClan and find out why they've been cut off from the Moonpool. He travels without Flipclaw, eventually ending up at Highstones where he ends up getting lost. He eventually figures out that he's near WindClan's old territory, but doesn't recognizes it due to it now being filled with twoleg houses and thunderpaths. The day after, he finds the river that once served as the border between ThunderClan and RiverClan, catching and eating a rabbit before getting attacked by a young tortoiseshell kittypet. The she-cat who attacked him introduces herself as Monkeystar, claiming to be the leader of WarriorClan. She and her fellow kittypet Clanmates then explain that they decided to form their own Clan after hearing the stories of the Clans from Firestar's childhood friend Smudge. Graystripe then tells them that he's a warrior from ThunderClan, and when Monkeystar tells him to prove it by defeating her in battle, he easily wins with his claws still sheathed.
Now convinced of the gray tom being a real warrior, the makeshift Clan begs him to stay and teach them how to be a real Clan. He tells them that can't stay and needs to get to the Moonstone, denying their offers to help him. As he travels, he suddenly stops when reaching what used to be Fourtrees, feeling like he's being watched. He quickly finds out that the WarriorClan cats have been following him, with Monkeystar saying they wanted to know where the Moonstone was. Graystripe tells them that there's no need to since they won't be able to get into Mothermouth where the Moonstone is located, but eventually gives in and lets them come when they keep insisting. Along the way the group encounters a rogue named Fang, who reveals that he's the son of Gremlin, the ex-BloodClan she-cat Graystripe had befriended long ago. Fang asks the gray warrior for his help as his mate Daffodil has fallen very ill, believing he could do anything despite not being a medicine cat as his mother had told him that Clan cats were clever and honorable.
Soon, with Fang in tow, the group arrives at Mothermouth, with Graystripe ordering the others not to follow as he heads inside. He finds the Moonstone and tries to reach Firestar's spirit through it, getting no reply. He then asks StarClan in general for help, still receiving no answer. Dejected, he turns to leave when suddenly lightning strikes the Moonstone and it explodes, sending him stumbling onto the cavern floor. Looking back, he sees that the Moonstone had been reduced to shards and wonders if Firestar is angry with him, though the more he thinks about it, the more uneasy he feels about imagining his best friend would unleash such rage unto him. He concludes that it was just a random strike of lightning that didn't mean anything, though then worries if that means StarClan no longer cares about the living world.
When he exits Mothermouth, Monkeystar tells him of another cat who knows about the Clans, taking him to the farm where he speaks with Barley. The black-and-white farm cat is now so old he can barely walk, saying that soon he'll get to be reunited with his mate Ravenpaw, who he misses dearly. Graystripe, Fang and WarriorClan then rest in the barn for the night, and the next morning the rouge tom leads the yellow-eyed warrior to a twoleg house where Daffodil is. Monkeystar and Clawwhistle, wanting to help, are assigned to guard Barley in case of a badger attack, and though the former knows that Graystripe is just trying to keep them from interfering, she agrees anyways.
Graystripe and Fang reach the house Daffodil inhabits, and the former gets trapped inside to find dozens of cats with her, as the elderly twoleg women who owns them can't stop bringing in more cats due to her deteriorating mental health. After the rogue goes to get WarriorClan's help, Graystripe and Fang find a loose floorboard that leads outside and helps all the cats escape, but Daffodil says that she's too sick to move, and soon dies. Another she-cat named Petunia also refuses to leave, as she was her owner's first cat before the hoarding started and doesn't want to leave her, but eventually she reluctantly agrees to go. Afterwards, Graystripe comforts Fang over his mate's death and advises him to keep moving forward despite the hardships he may face. The next day, the escaped cats all group up to decide where to go now, and among the many that join WarriorClan, Graystripe names Fang and Petunia as the deputy and medicine cat respectively.
Fang expects Graystripe to stick round and teach the WarriorClan cats how to fight, but the gray warrior declines, saying he needs to return home and entrusting the deputy to train his Clanmates. Fang says he was like a father to him, and Graystripe replies that we would be honored to have him as a son. As he begins the long journey home, he says goodbye to WarriorClan and wishes them well, visiting and giving a farewell to Barley and Stormfur along the way as well. After a few days of travelling, he at last reaches the lake and returns home to ThunderClan
===The Broken Code (cont.)===
====A Light in the Mist====
After Graystripe returns, he becomes the temporary leader of ThunderClan until Squirrelflight and the real Bramblestar return. Later, Shadowsight returns from the Dark Forest to get reinforcements. The five Clans agree to send one member from each of them to the Dark Forest t help fight Ashfur and his forces, with RiverClan choosign Mistystar, WindClan choosing Crowfeather, SkyClan choosing Violetshine, and ShadowClan choosing Lightleap, though the last is later replaced by Shadowsight. Squirrelflight wishes to go as ThunderClan's reinforcement, saying that none of this would have been happening if it wasn't for her, and she needs to go confront Ashfur. Graystripe stops her, telling her that Ashfur's actions aren't her fault. He adds that she doesn't owe Ashfur anything, and that going to face him will just give him what he wants by showing him that he succeeded in making such a huge impact on her life, when she should focus on putting him and the pain he's caused behind her. He then volunteers himself to go into the Dark Forest to face Ashfur and his followers instead, but before he leaves, Squirrelflight gives him a message for Ashfur. When he encounters Firestar's spirit there, he's overjoyed and begins licking him like a kitten. Firestar says that Graystripe was the first Clan cat he'd ever seen and hopes he'll be the last, and that he'll always be his best friend, and Graystripe teases that the orange tom always spoke like a sappy kittypet. They then fight in the Dark Forest together, and Rootspring takes note of their synergy.
During the battle, Graystripe distracts Ashfur by telling him Squirrelflight's message; that she did once love him, but now never will again after all the horrible things he's done. This sends the pale gray tom into a rage, lashing out at Graystripe and fatally wounding him. Still, Graystripe is able to survive long enough to see Bristlefrost sacrifice herself to kill Ashfur and make him fade from existence. Afterwards, the barrier between StarClan and the Dark Forest is destroyed, and the living cats are able to reunite with some of their loved ones for a brief time. Graystripe happily reunites with Millie, Briarlight, Silverstream and Feathertail. When returning to the living world afterwards, Graystripe starts to succumb to his wounds. The medicine cats try to help him, but it's too late. Squirrelflight begs him not to go, but he says that its his time to die. He then passes away, rejoining his lost friends and family in StarClan. A moon later, at the next Gathering, Bramblestar gives Graystripe and all the other living cats who fought against the Dark Forest the titles of "Lights in the Mist.
== Personality ==
Graystripe is a bon vivant with a playful temper. He likes to make jokes and to cheer up other cats, often reassuring apprentices when they are scolded by Firestar or any other figure of authority. He is as loyal as he is protective, and he appears to be rather nostalgic of his youth. He is also a strongly passionate friend, lover and father, feeling very close to the cats he cares for and willing to sacrifice for them.
Graystripe is also stubborn and hot-blooded, feeling insulted pretty easily and never hesitating to get into fights in order to defend his honor or that of his clanmates and friends.
As a warrior, he is very brave and has a strong sense of honor and justice. He never hesitates to stand for the warrior code and for the common good, and he helps any cat who is worth fighting for.
== Gallery ==
File:FireAndIceOG.webp|Graystripe and Fireheart on the original cover of Fire and Ice
File:ForestOfSecretsReprint.webp|Graystripe on the reprinted cover of Forest of Secrets
File:GraystripeAShadowInRiverClan.webp|Graystripe in A Shadow in RiverClan
File:GraystripeRavenpawsPath.webp|Graystripe in Ravenpaw's Path
File:TheLostWarriorCover.webp|Graystripe on the cover of The Lost Warrior
File:WarriorsReturnCover.webp|Graystripe and Millie on the cover of Warrior's Return
File:GraystripeMillieTheUltimateGuide.webp|Graystripe and Millie in The Ultimate Guide (2013)
File:GraystripeFactSheet.webp|Graystripe's fact sheet on the official website
File:GraystripeFamilyTree.webp|Graystripe's icon on the family tree
==Trivia==
*Graystripe is author Kate Cary's all-time favorite character, and she wishes he had stayed deputy and later stepped down instead of being replaced by Brambleclaw.
*He is one of few characters to not have any littermates.
*His kittypet name "Stripes" was not stated in the books themselves; rather it was revealed by author Victoria Holmes.
*He's the only cat to have become leader twice, both times as a substitute.
*Spotfur's son Graykit is named after him.
==External Links==
*
==Navigation==
Category:Warriors (Erin Hunter) Heroes
Category:Book Heroes
Category:Manga Heroes
Category:Animals
Category:Male
Category:Parents
Category:Spouses
Category:In Love
Category:Loyal
Category:Fighters
Category:Deceased
Category:Retired
Category:Damsels
Category:Mentors
Category:Traitor
Category:Warriors
Category:Elderly
Category:Related to Villain
Category:Anthropomorphic
Category:Sidekicks
Category:Right-Hand
Category:Titular
Category:Mischievous
Category:Lethal
Category:Saved Souls
Category:Noncorporeal
Category:Neutral Good
Category:Truth-Seekers
Category:Supporters
Category:Predecessor
Category:Successors
Category:Successful
Category:Localized Protection
Category:Rescuers
Category:Protectors
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Bond Creators
Category:Bond Protectors
Category:Tragic
Category:Comic Relief
Category:Leaders
Category:Posthumous
Category:Rebellion Heroes
Category:Falsely Accused
Category:Siblings
Category:Determinators
Category:Strong-Willed
Category:Misguided
Category:Nurturers
Category:Officials
Category:Good Vs. Good
Category:Hope Bringers
Category:Victims