Battle against BloodClan (GV)

"I trust [Gremlin]. BloodClan is out there. They're coming. And ThunderClan will be ready."

— Graystripe in Graystripe's Vow, page 335

Battle against BloodClan
General information
Book:	Graystripe's Vow (Then)
Place:	ThunderClan camp
Outcome:	ThunderClan victory
Combatants
ThunderClan
BloodClan
Leaders
Graystripe
Fury
Strength
Graystripe Ashfur Mousefur Brackenfur Brambleclaw Cloudtail Thornclaw Dustpelt Rainpaw Sootpaw Sorrelpaw Frostfur Goldenflower
Fury Scraps Multiple BloodClan cats Brick Snipe Snake Ice Unnamed BloodClan toms
Death and losses
Scraps
Chronology
Preceded by:	Journey to rebuild SkyClan
Followed by:	Battle for the farm

The battle against BloodClan was a battle involving ThunderClan and BloodClan that took place in Graystripe's Vow. Following Scourge's defeat, BloodClan's ranks have once again come together, however, this time under the leadership of Fury. She remains adamant that the forest is BloodClan's to take, and that they will have it. She finds a chance when Firestar departs the forest, and she decides to launch an attack on the weakened ThunderClan, led by Graystripe.

Summary

Premise

Following BloodClan's defeat by the united forces of the forest Clans, they remain in Twolegplace under their previous circumstances. However, after gaining Fury as their leader, she decides it is time for BloodClan to take what is rightfully theirs due to promises made to Scourge, moons earlier. Fury bides her time, however, an opportunity is given to her when her spies, Gremlin and Snake, bring word of ThunderClan's leader, Firestar, leaving the forest with his mate.

Overview

Fury sends spies into ThunderClan territory, and after learning of Firestar's departure from the forest, decides BloodClan's time to strike is now. She rallies the support of BloodClan, save for a pregnant she-cat named Gremlin. Unbeknownst to the leader, at first, Gremlin aides the forest cats in preparing for the impending attack. BloodClan attacks ThunderClan as the sun clears the tops of the trees surrounding their camp. Due to Gremlin's shared secrets, the Clan are ready and call the attack before Fury can. Fury soon catches onto Gremlin's betrayal, and in a twist of events, Gremlin's brother, Scraps, is killed for defending her. Following this, Graystripe notices Fury's injuries and manages to convince her to surrender in order to save her own life. With her surrender, Fury promises to leave the Clans alone, and to possibly leave the territories altogether as a personal choice.

Description

A weakened Clan

"So ThunderClan is vulnerable, we must choose the right time to strike — but believe me, strike we will!"

―Fury rallying BloodClan ^{Graystripe's Vow, page 4}

With Firestar leaving the Clan territories, two BloodClan spies - Gremlin and Snake, report back to their leader, Fury. Fury is the Twolegplace Clan's latest leader, following a string of other cats that had stepped up following the death of their founder. The news of ThunderClan's leader leaving has her plotting an attack on the forest Clan, thinking it wise to take advantage while their leader is gone. As she rallies the support of her cats, in the following moons BloodClan make their presence known to the Clans once again.

News of BloodClan cats first arise in ShadowClan, and is shared to ThunderClan by Russetfur and Rowanclaw. A ThunderClan patrol is ambushed by a BloodClan patrol and Graystripe is almost left for dead by the Twolegplace rogues. However, he notices a heavily pregnant cat amongst their ranks and finds the notion strange. As he escapes from their attack and dogs, Graystripe watches with curiosity as the patchy she-cat allows him to escape the ordeal without further harm.

Following the ambush, Graystripe recovers and begins taking preemptive measures to protect ThunderClan. He takes to warning both WindClan and RiverClan of BloodClan's resurgence, and is thanked for his forthought by the other leaders. At the following Gathering, the Clans discuss the matter of BloodClan and point out that only ThunderClan have encountered them since the ambush. The leaders agree to discuss the issue again at the following Gathering, if the problem spreads to the other territories.

Trading secrets for safety

"I'm not lying, I promise! It's up to you to decide whether to trust me or not. But remember, if you choose wrong, I won't be the cat who dies. I've fought many battles and seen many deaths. And with Fury leading us, and your leader gone...I know that BloodClan is strong enough to take ThunderClan's territory."

―Gremlin to Graystripe and Brackenfur ^{Graystripe's Vow, page 224}

Afterwards, while hunting, Graystripe meets the pregnant BloodClan queen that had let him escape. She introduces herself as Gremlin, and reveals to the acting leader her desire to leave BloodClan. She asks about Clan life, and asks to join, promising that she can provide for them all. The queen adds that BloodClan's new leader, Fury, is worse than Scourge and will stop at nothing to defeat ThunderClan for their territory. Gremlin continues to explain her situation, including her brother and how she fears how he will fare the longer he stays with the Twolegplace rogues. As Graystripe tells her he will think about her offer, Brackenfur interrupts him and is shocked he is conversing with the enemy. The golden warrior states that she might be lying to gain their trust, but Gremlin tries to prove she's not trying to deceive them. The queen tells Graystripe to talk to Smudge, and they will go from there. As she leaves, the gray deputy finds himself at odds due to Brackenfur's feelings about the predicament as he understands his former apprentice's point of view. However, Graystripe seeks out Cinderpelt's advice on the issue at hand and the two journey to the Moonstone to seek further guidance from StarClan.

After gaining some insight from StarClan in the form of a prophecy, Cinderpelt offers Graystripe the support he needs. The pair decide to meet with Gremlin after speaking with Smudge. The four cats meet in Smudge's garden, and while Gremlin offers her inside knowledge of BloodClan, Fury appears. Graystripe hides and listens in while the leader informs the patchy she-cat of a meeting that will be BloodClan planning their notion to attack. The tabby leader also double backs, obviously doubting Gremlin's intentions of visiting the kittypet. After Fury leaves, Gremlin asks Graystripe again about joining ThunderClan. He tells her that the choice will be put up to his Clanmates, as that's all he can do. The pair agree to meet again at sunhigh. Graystripe and Cinderpelt return to ThunderClan with the proposition, and are met with an obvious disagreement at first. However, after considering Ashfur's proposal of asking the other Clan's for help, the idea of trusting Gremlin soon takes priority. Still, some hesitance remains about trusting Gremlin, due to her status as a BloodClan cat, but Cinderpelt helps steer ThunderClan to agreement with the plan.

With the Clan on his side, Graystripe returns to Smudge's garden and finds the place heavily scented with BloodClan. However, he soon finds Gremlin and the two discuss where their agreement is at. Graystripe tells her that he cannot guarantee her and Scraps a place in ThunderClan, as that is Firestar's call. However, they will be allowed to stay in the meantime. While she is initially set back that she doesn't have his final word, Gremlin accepts the offer and proceeds to inform Graystripe that BloodClan intends to attack in two sunrises as the sun clears the treetops. She adds that they will wait for the patrols to leave the camp unguarded, but if Graystripe were to keep the patrols in they will not attack and Fury will know that she has leaked the information. After some internal debate, Graystripe decides to fully trust her information and listens carefully as the she-cat details some of BloodClan's members and their weaknesses.

BloodClan invades

"Come out, come out, ThunderClan! Or are you all hiding like scardy-mice?"

―Fury to ThunderClan ^{Graystripe's Vow, page 343}

The morning of the attack has Graystripe beginning to organize the Clan to be ready for battle. He has them carry out duties as usual so that BloodClan suspects nothing. Graystripe reappoints Frostfur and Goldenflower as warriors temporarily, to help out during the fight. He has Brackenfur and Brambleclaw lead a hunting patrol close to camp, and the apprentices to train with their mentors at the sandy hollow. As the two groups of cats leave, Graystripe has the rest of ThunderClan remain in camp and to be prepared from there. He orders Ashfur and Mousefur to stand watch outside of camp so that they can alert them to BloodClan's arrival. As he finishes assigning cats to duties, Cinderpelt stands beside Graystripe as he prepares himself as well.

Just as Gremlin had told them, as the sun clears the tops of the trees, BloodClan appears led by Fury. Graystripe calls for the attack before she can and the fighting ensues. He goes in search of Fury, as she disappears as the battle begins and he sees his ThunderClan cats quickly become overwhelmed by the invading rogues. The gray tom fights with Brick and Snipe, two cats Gremlin had warned him about. With the help of Brambleclaw, he manages to evade them and does so in time to see Gremlin be outed as a traitor by Fury. The BloodClan leader sends Snake and Ice after her, and before Graystripe can reach her, Scraps does so instead. He tries to defend his sister, but is killed by the two other toms. Graystripe almost kills Snake but hesitates as Fury threatens to kill Gremlin as well.

In order to save Gremlin, he lets go of Snake, much to the shock of his Clanmates. However, as he does Fury begins challenging him further about claiming the territories for BloodClan. Graystripe notices a large gash in her side, noting that it appears as though she hasn't felt it yet. The two leaders converse as Graystripe uses her injury as an advantage to get her to surrender. After he points it out, Fury almost passes out from said injury and hesitantly, after much defiance, surrenders to the ThunderClan cats.

Aftermath

"You've proven yourself a worthy deputy, and I think I speak for every cat when I say that when Firestar joins StarClan― and let's hope that day is far off― ThunderClan will be in safe paws with you as its new leader."

―Speckletail offering her praise to Graystripe ^{Graystripe's Vow, chapter 27}

As the sun falls below the treetops, ThunderClan camp has returned to some semblance of normality. Fury rests in the medicine den, accepting Cinderpelt's herbs. Soon after, the BloodClan leader departs promising to uphold her side of the bargain with Graystripe and as she leaves the camp, the ThunderClan cats send her baleful glares. Cinderpelt and the gray tom debrief each other, as Graystripe realizes StarClan's earlier prophecy had been fulfilled. Thankful that he hadn't gone through with killing Snake, knowing that the battle might have ended differently if he had. Around the pair, ThunderClan camp recovers and Graystripe is hailed for his leadership through the battle by one of the Clan's elders, Speckletail. Ultimately, Gremlin decides to leave ThunderClan and become a kittypet, due to the death of her brother, much to both Graystripe's and Cinderpelt's surprise. The pair bid the pregnant she-cat farewell, and the deputy offers her the help of ThunderClan if she ever needs it.

Firestar and Sandstorm later return to ThunderClan, unaware of what had happened until Graystripe explains to his friend. Firestar is partly shocked by the events that had happened while he was gone, but praises Graystripe for his leadership skills and the handling of the situation. However, ThunderClan's peace from BloodClan doesn't remain, as the remnants later take to harassing and stealing prey from hunting patrols.

Characters

Graystripe

«You can lurk and spy on us all you want. But I won't let you take ThunderClan...»

—Graystripe ^{Graystripe's Vow, page 150}

Graystripe is ThunderClan's acting leader in Firestar's absence, and is forced to lead his Clan through the battle.

Graystripe is left as ThunderClan's acting leader, following Firestar and Sandstorm's departure to complete a mission from StarClan. He initially struggles with his newfound role due to ThunderClan's warriors believing their true leader had returned to his kittypet roots. Graystripe manages as issues begin to arise as at first, ThunderClan believe WindClan are causing trouble. However, after reports from ShadowClan about BloodClan scent being found, he deduces that the trouble is instead the Twolegplace rogues once again. The tom finds this out first hand after being ambushed by a BloodClan patrol, and being left for dead.

ThunderClan's trust in him falters after he decides to trust Gremlin, a BloodClan cat, and allow her and her brother to seek shelter with them. However, his Clanmates come to trust him with Cinderpelt's help. Graystripe leads them through the battle, but his hesitation to continue fighting when Gremlin is cornered by Ice shocks his Clanmates briefly. But, the acting leader manages to instead continue with violence, ending the fighting by talking Fury down after gaining the upper hand by noticing a nasty wound on her side. Following the fight, ThunderClan praise the tom for his leadership over them, but Graystripe ends up parting ways with Gremlin after she decides to return to being a kittypet. He graciously offers her ThunderClan's help if she ever needs, and she thanks him for it.

Fury

"I never back down in the face of any cat's threats. I'm a strong and powerful leader! I take what I want, when I want."

―Fury about herself ^{Graystripe's Vow, page 353}

Fury is the BloodClan leader. Upon her surrender, she considers fleeing the forest.

Fury is one of many BloodClan cats to assume leadership of BloodClan, following Scourge's death. Her main ambition is for BloodClan to have what is rightfully theirs, a new territory. This goal made her a firm believer of the idea that a new home was promised to BloodClan and that this promise extended past the death of Scourge. However, she realizes that one of her own cats betrays her and isn't above killing her to solve the issue. Throughout the fight, Fury establishes that as long as she survives to see the forest fall under her power she is happy and is willing to make sacrifices along the way. Against her own desires though, the leader puts aside her pride and surrenders the fight in order to save herself from a fatal wound. After receiving treatment, she intends to keep her promise to Graystripe and considers leaving both BloodClan and the forest territories altogether.

Gremlin

«I won't let anything happen to my unborn kits. That means I have to find a way out of participating in this battle. I wish I believed we might win, but the truth is...this fight could be a bloodbath.»

—Gremlin ^{Graystripe's Vow, page 5}

Gremlin seeks shelter in ThunderClan to escape BloodClan in order to provide a safe life for her kits.

Gremlin is a pregnant BloodClan queen that from the start is hesitant to go into battle for BloodClan. She allows Graystripe to escape after he is ambushed by a BloodClan patrol, and she later meets up with in the days following. The queen tells him that she is desperate to escape from BloodClan for her kits' safety, and her brother, Scraps', as well. She tells Graystripe a small amount of what living in BloodClan is like, and he is shocked. Gremlin devises the plan to inform him of the impending BloodClan attack, but in return she wants to be able to join ThunderClan. This becomes a slight point of contention, due to Graystripe's own circumstances for not being the Clan's true leader, but Gremlin becomes satisfied with what he offers her.

In turn, she tells him when and how BloodClan will attack ThunderClan camp, and offers insight to some of BloodClan's members. As the battle begins, she attempts to seek shelter, despite Fury's nsistence that she remain fighting. While trying to hide, Fury spots her and announces her a traitor. Unfortunately for Gremlin, she is saved by her brother who is then killed for doing so. After the battle concludes, Cinderpelt checks her over and the queen announces to both the medicine cat and Graystripe that she will be leaving to find a Twoleg to safely have her kits. She thanks them both for their help as she parts ways.

Quotes

"We'll have our revenge! We'll shred those ThunderClan cats! They will pay for what they did to BloodClan!"

―Scraps's eagerness to fight ^{Graystripe's Vow, page 5}

"Promises were made to us before Scourge was killed, and just because he's dead doesn't mean we've given up wanting your territory."

―Fury to Graystripe ^{Graystripe's Vow, page 102}

"I'm not lying, I promise! It's up to you to decide wether to trust me or not. But remember, if you choose wrong, I won't be the cat who dies. I've fought many battles and seen many deaths. And with Fury leading us, and your leader gone...I know that BloodClan is strong enough to take ThunderClan's territory."

―Gremlin to Graystripe and Brackenfur ^{Graystripe's Vow, page 224}

Scraps: "Leave her alone! She's not a traitor! She just doesn't want to fight—she wants to protect her kits."

Snake: "She knows the rules. She would have to give up her kits once they were born, anyway. The fact that she cares so much for them that she would betray us in battle proves that she is not one of us ... she is not a true BloodClan cat."

^{Graystripe's Vow, page 348}

"Kill Snake and the traitor dies. Is that what you want, ThunderClan leader?"

―Fury challenging Graystripe ^{Graystripe's Vow, page 349}

See also

• Graystripe's Vow
  • Graystripe's Vow/Cliffnotes
• Fury
• Gremlin