Petunia's Twoleg

**Petunia's Twoleg** is an elderly Twoleg woman.

#### *Graystripe's Vow*

"*My Twoleg rescued me from a place where they kill cats who have no home. She saved my life. I know what she's become, but in spite of that, I still love her, and I could never do anything to harm her.*"
―Petunia to Graystripe *Graystripe's Vow*, page 330

Graystripe meets Fang who tells him that he had escaped a Twoleg den little over a moon ago and is in need of help. Fang explains to Graystripe and the cats of WarriorClan how Gremlin, his mother, had sought out the care of a Twoleg to give birth to her kits safely. When the queen had arrived, she was taken in and lived with the Twoleg's other cat, Petunia. Fang and his two littermates were born, and Fang remained with his mother and Petunia under the female Twoleg's care. He notes at first life was good, but as the Twoleg grew older she began forgetting to care for the three of them. She also began bringing in other cats until the Twoleg den became full of them. Fang recalls that his mother, Gremlin, fell ill and Graystripe questions what the young tom did. Fang explains that he attempted to ask the Twoleg for help, but to little success as she couldn't understand him. He also tells Graystripe that she could barely look after herself, Fang noting that her own belongings were just as dirty as how every cat's nests were. The conditions are downright terrible as Fang continues to explain that the stench was vile and that Gremlin kept growing weaker before succumbing to her illness. After listening to his story, Graystripe agrees to help Fang rescue the trapped cats under the Twoleg's care.
Fang leads Graystripe to the Twoleg's den, located past old RiverClan territory. The place's scent alerts the toms before they see it as Graystripe is taken aback by the stench. As they close in, the elder notices the tired and unkept appearance of the den and a small Thunderpath nearby. He remains overwhelmed by the stench and shudders at the thought of what the den's inside must be like. Fang leads him to a window and they peer inside to see a mass of cats. Fang explains more of the situation, noting an escape route but that most cats won't leave as they're scared to. He tells Graystripe they need a cat with authority to make them leave. The pair attempt to enter the den, managing to find their way in through a window. Inside, Graystripe overhears the Twoleg, walking around and calling out. As the old tom attempts to open the pane of glass Fang had told him, the Twoleg shuts the window on him, trapping him in the den.
While trying to find a different way out, an old she-cat watches Graystripe's attempts where Fang had instructed him to try. The two of them introduce themselves and the old she-cat's name is Petunia. Graystripe asks if she had known Gremlin, and the gray she-cat explains that she did and it had been hard watching her get sick. While the two cats talk, Graystripe notices the Twoleg appear, carrying bowls and that she seemed just as skinny and sick as some of her own cats. He prepares himself incase she spots him, but she walks by without so much a care, confusing the old tom. Instead, he watches as she places the bowls down and addresses all the cats as "Petunia" with a soft voice. Graystripe watches as cats appear to feed, as well as Petunia who grabs scraps but takes them to Fang's mate, Daffodil instead of eating them herself. After the cats finish eating, they notice Graystripe and ask who he is. He explains he is helping Honeysuckle, or Fang as he knows the tom, to help them escape. With some agreement, he gets the cats to start thinking of ways to escape. One cat suggests attacking the Twoleg, but Petunia snaps that they will not. Shocked, Graystripe asks why and Petunia tells him that the Twoleg had originally rescued her from a place where they kill cats that have no home. The tom sympathsizes with her, but points out that every cat deserves to live better than they currently are. Petunia points out a possible way to escape, but that she would remain with the Twoleg regardless of what happens, which has several cats cry out against the notion.
Graystripe, with the help of the trapped cats, Fang, and WarriorClan, manage to find a way out of the Twoleg's den. Petunia helps cats leaves, but remains firm that she will stay with her Twoleg. She tells the tom that leaving would break the Twoleg's heart and that she had no ill intentions by keeping cats, instead she saw the cats as her friends. Graystripe accepts her reasoning and bids her farewell. After Graystripe and the others manage to escape, a different Twoleg appears and enters Petunia's Twoleg's den. They quickly leave, running back to the direction they came from. As they do, the mass of cats rest before they leave the area. Before they do, Twolegs in black-and-white pelts ambush them and Graystripe recognizes them as ones that take cats away. He and the cats prepare to flee, as the older and sick cats remain so that the Twolegs can care for them. Graystripe notices the elderly Twoleg being taking by other Twolegs to a loud monster. Lily explains that the monster and Twolegs mean well and that she will be treated for her sickness. Behind the Twoleg, Petunia chases after her, meowing to her owner but is ignored and gently pushed away by the other Twolegs as they enter the monster and leave back to the Thunderpath. Graystripe attempts to comfort the old she-cat but to little success. He does, however, manage to get her to escape with the other cats, telling her that she can always seek out her Twoleg after they're all safe.
The following day, Petunia remains the same way, hoping to be reunited with her Twoleg, but decides to stay with WarriorClan in the meantime. She tells Graystripe this as he suggests she becomes their medicine cat. The old she-cat mentions that the Twoleg den would have some herbs growing in the garden that would prove useful. She promises to check next time she visits the den to see if the elderly Twoleg has returned. Graystripe later catches up with Barley before leaving the old territories. He tells the black-and-white tom about the Twoleg, earning some thoughts from the barn cat. The gray elder explains that the Twoleg was sick and that nothing she did was intentially bad, but a result of what ailed her. Graystripe also tells his tale to Stormfur, his son, when he reaches the mountains on his return journey to the lake. In the moon following, Petunia continues to visit her Twoleg's former den, hoping for her return. Monkeystar and Lily venture to the old den and confront the old she-cat gently. They manage to convince Petunia that WarriorClan needs her and that it is best to move on, but the leader takes it a step further and suggests the she-cat goes to the Moonstone for further guidance. There, Petunia speaks with Gremlin who alludes to the Twoleg's passing but also reassures her that her Twoleg is happy and no longer suffering. The news comes as a relief and a push for Petunia as she excitedly shares the dream with her leader.

## Trivia

### Interesting facts

* It can be reasoned that Petunia's Twoleg suffers from a form of dementia due to symptoms presented and mentioned during *Graystripe's Vow*.

## Quotes

**Fang**: "*The female Twoleg was good to [Gremlin]. She had one other kittypet, a she-cat called Petunia, and then Gremlin had her litter―three kits, including me. The Twoleg gave my two littermates to other Twolegs, though I used to them sometimes in their Twolegs' gardens. After that, the three of us lived with her happily for many seasons.*"

**Graystripe**: "*So what went wrong?*"

**Fang**: "*I don't know. The Twoleg got older, and I think she got sick. She started forgetting to feed us, sometimes for whole days. And instead of letting us go outside, she kept us shut in her den. Then she brought in another cat, and another―toms and she-cats. Some of the she-cats had kits, until the den was full of them.*"

—Fang explaining to Graystripe the situation with the Twoleg *Graystripe's Vow*, pages 301-302
"*Graystripe turned back to the den and saw the old Twoleg, warapped up in a huge pelt, being guided by some other Twolegs into the big wailing monster. [...] Then he noticed that Petunia had followed the old Twoleg out of the den and padded along in her paw steps until the medicine Twolegs helped her into the monster. Petunia was wailing almost as loudly as the monster itself had. She tried to follow her Twoleg into the monster, but one of the Twolegs gently pushed her away and closed up the monster, leaving Petunia outside.*"
―Narrator as Petunia's Twoleg is taken away *Graystripe's Vow*, pages 386-387

**Petunia**: "*They took my Twoleg away, and they wouldn't let me go with her. What should I do now? She needs me!*"

**Graystripe**: "*They'll take care of her, she's ill, and they'll make her better.*"

**Petunia**: "*She needs me! And I need her.*"

**Graystripe**: "*You don't need her anymore, you can come with us.*"
**Petunia**: "*With you? I'm not going anywhere with you. That's what I keep telling you. I'm staying right here until my Twoleg comes back.*"

—Petunia's loyalty to her Twoleg *Graystripe's Vow*, page 387
**Monkeystar**: "*Petunia! Are you okay? You had us really worried. Not to mention the Clan is really missing its medicine cat.*"

**Petunia**: "*I'm sorry, Monkeystar. It's just... I can't... I can't just turn my back on this place. If I do, I―If I don't, that means admitting that my Twoleg isn't coming back. Ever.*"

**Lily**: "*We all know you're sad, Petunia. But like Monkeystar said, we need you. I need you. We've both got to leave this place behind now. WarriorClan can be our home. All the time.*"

**Petunia**: "*You're right. I know you're right.*"

—Monkeystar and Lily finding and comforting Petunia at her Twoleg's den *Graystripe's Vow*, page comic