The Lost Warrior/Chapter 2

Chapter Summary
Graystripe's PoV
 * It's a new day, and Graystipe decides to try again. He exits the door and goes outside. Graystripe looks around and thinks. He sees a beetle and thinks that it isn't too bad. Graystripe stalks it and pounces on the beetle happliy. At that time, the Twoleg kits come outside, and exclaim that there he is. The beetle is in Graystripe's mouth, and the smaller Twoleg kits say that he got a 'buggy wuggy'. He has a wand with a catnip mouse attached to it, and asks if Graystripe wants a mouse. The older kit says that he is so cute. Graystripe looks at the mouse, confused, then realizes that ehy broug hhim a mouse. He thinks that there is no more of the lousy fake food and drops the beetle from his mouth, trying to bat at the mouse. Both Twoleg kits are amused. Graystripe finally catches the mouse and pins it to the floor, but is doubtful for a moment. He realizes that it is no mouse but is a kittypet toy, and he is no kittypet. Graystripe begins kicking the mouse with his hind legs and clawing and it, and tears it apart in anger. He goes back inside.


 * Later on, when Graystripe is inside, the older Twoleg kit has an arm around the younger kit, who is crying, and Graystripe knows that he upset the kits, and he feels bad about it. But he realizes that he has to stop pretending he could ever live this way, and start exploring.


 * Later on, he is seen walking on a sidewalk, and he wonders if he can find his way back to the forest, or spot a familiar landmark. Graystripe hears a 'wuff' sound, and yowls when a dog barks and sticks its head out of the bush Graystripe was beside. The dog leaps out of the bush barking, and Graystripe meows anxiously, running from it. In his attempt to flee, he is almost hit by a lawn mower, and as he runs, terrified, from the lawnmower, the Twoleg driving it shakes a fist at him. Graystripe warily crosses a street, but before he is across, a cat zooms right past him, almost hitting him. Graystripe runs back to his Twoleg Nest, and thinks about the dogs, little monsters, and big monsters. He enters the nest and crouches down, shivering. One of the Twoleg kits pick him up, and Graystripe fretfully thinks that he will never get out of here.


 * Afterwards, Graystripe wonders how long it has been, as he can't keep track of the days. He walks underneath the windowsill, explaining that the kits think he'll try to run away again if they let him out. Graystripe tries climbing a curtain by the window, excitement on his face, but the female Twoleg orders him to get down from there. Graystripe walks underneath a table and thinks that they need to realize that, scary out there or not, if he stays in here much longer he'll explode. He grits his teeth and scratches a leg of the table, but the female Twoleg is angered by this and hits him with her broom, asking what got into him, and ordering him to stop.


 * Graystripe thinks that he can't take it here anymore, and runs up the stairs, and through a hallway, but gets curious when he sees an open door. He looks through the doorway and sees that in the room, there is an open window. He gets beneath the window, looks outside, and says hello. Graystripe jumps onto the windowsill, and praises StarClan. He says that he will show them, and jumps onto a branch of a tree right outside the window. He leaps down and says that he will show everyone that a ThunderClan warrior will not be held prisoner, but before he can finish the sentence, he gets distracted by a moth and tries to catch it. He is happy when he catches it, but then releases it with a miserable face, wondering what he is doing, as only kits chase after moths. He angrily walks away, thinking that being here turned him into an overgrown infant. He thinks that it is time to go, and walks to the fence, jumping on top of it and triumphantly looking down. he crosses several Twoleg gardens and fences, thinking so far so good. He wonders how many Twoleg gardens there can be. He walks over to a pine tree in the garden he is in now and climbs it. He looks down at the Twolegplace, and thinks that these Twoleg places go on forever. His head starts to buzz and he thinks that it is too much. He jumps down to the ground, thinking that he has to get down, and find someplace to hide and think.


 * As Graystripe begins walking, a voice asks what he thinks he is doing. He truns around and asks excuse me to a black-and-white kittypet. The kittypet replies that that is his territory, and that if anyone comes or goes there, it would be by his permission, which Graystripe doesn't have. Graystripe snarkily apologizes and says that he didn't realize that fat, lazy kittypets ever had territories of their own. The kittypet grows, and jumps on Graystripe, exclaiming that here is fat and lazy. The two fight for a while, but eventually, the kittypet yowls to Graystripe that this fat lazy cat is about to rip your head off, and narrowly misses biting the warrior's neck. Graystripe runs away, and the kittypet calls after him to run with his tail between his legs.


 * Graystripe tells himself to just keep running, but can't believe that he was beaten by a kittypet. He thinks that either that was the toughest kittypet ever born, or he might be losing his skills as a warrior. He licks his paw, and at that point, a kittypet in a tree reassures him not to feel bad, as nobody's ever won a fight against Duke. The kittypet jumps down from the tree and introduces herself as Milie, asking Graystripe what his name is. Graystripe responds, and Millie says that she's seen him around that house with the little boy and girl. She asks if he is new in the neighborhood, and Graystripe responds that hie is. He asks if she lives here and if she's a kittypet. Millie finds the term "kittypet" to be funny, but responds that she lives here. She adds that she hasn't seen him this far from his house before, and asks if he knows the way back. Graystripe hesitates, but before he can respond, Millie offers to shows him the way.


 * The two come to Graystripe's Twoleg nest, and Millie says that it was nice meeting him. Graystripe thanks her, and Milie assumes that she will be seeing him around. Graystripe thinks to himself that he lost a fight with a kittypet, then got too lost to find his way back, and notes that he wants to curl up somewhere and die. However, he thinks that Millie is the first friendly cat he met since the Twolegs redcap him, and hopes to see her again.


 * That night, Graystripe dreams. Part of him know that it is a dream, but he isn't about to wake up, since sometimes in dreams you can meet cats who are no longer with you. He sees a slim, beautiful queen come toward him, and part of him doesn't want to wake up. Silverstream. Graystripe says that it is so good to see her since he missed her so much. Silverstream says that he missed him too, but watches over him every day and night. Graystripe tells Silverstream that he never thought he's get to speak with her again, and asks if she is all right and happy, as well as where she is. Silverstream tells him not to worry, as joining StarClan is nothing to fear. She adds that their kits grew into fine warriors and was so proud of them when they went on the quest to sun-drown place. She also says that she has a companion that she never got to know when alive.


 * Feathertail comes forward, and Graystripe is glad to see his daughter. Feathertail tells her father it is good to see him again, and Graystripe stammers that he head about what happened, and asks if she is at peace. Silverstream tells her mate that her and her daughter are ruineited. Graystripe asks if Stormfur has joined StarClan also, but Feathertail tells him that her brother is alive, but must now leave Graystripe. Graystripe protests that they just got here, and Silverstream and Feathertail nuzzle his face. As they leave, Silverstream turns around and tells Graystripe not to fret, as they will always be with thim, and he will see them here again.

Major

 * Graystripe

Minor
{{mclist|2|
 * Graystripe's Twoleg's kits{{r|tlw|30}}
 * Graystripe's female Twoleg{{r|tlw|37}}
 * Duke{{r|tlw|45}}
 * Millie{{r|tlw|48}}
 * Silverstream{{r|tlw|52}}
 * Feathertail{{r|tlw|53}}

Mentioned

 * Stormfur