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This article is not a part of the Warriors universe and is from the real world.

The first Erin Hunter Chat was on December 11th, 2005.[1] During the chat, Warriors fans could ask Erin Hunter questions about the series. At the time, there were only 2 authors and 1 editor of the Warriors series. Instead of lasting the scheduled half hour, Cherith Baldry stayed on for two and a half hours to answer questions about the series.[1] It was put together by Sheila Ruth.[2]

Information revealed[]

On the characters[]

ThunderClan[]

Question: When Firestar got his nine lives, why were Patchpelt and Halftail not there?
Answer: CherithBaldry: They might have been there; there were lots of StarClan warriors, and we couldn't name them all. The nine most important cats in his life at that time each gave him a life. (Cats that had gone to hunt with StarClan, that is.)


Question: Will Cloudtail ever believe in StarClan?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I doubt it.


Question: Was Whitestorm related to Bluestar in any way?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Not as far as I know.
Outcome: Bluestar is Whitestorm's aunt, Snowfur being her sister.[3]
Question: Did Bluestar trust Whitestorm in the last three books of the first series?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes, he was about the only cat she did trust all the time.


Question: [If Bluestar trusted Whitestorm], then why didn't she allow his apprentice to become a warrior?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I think because she didn't trust any of the apprentices, except for Firestar's. She wasn't being rational, so don't expect all her actions to be logical.
Outcome: Most likely true.
Question: Are Dustpelt and Sandstorm related? [...] I thought they were brother and sister!?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Not as far as I know. [...] No. That's why Dustpelt got a bit snarky with Firestar, because he liked Sandstorm but she liked Firestar best.


Question: Will Cloudtail ever believe in StarClan?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I doubt it.


Question: Will Cloudtail get an apprentice?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes, I expect so.
Outcome: Rainwhisker, Toadstep, and Hollytuft
Question: Are all the cats fictional or were some characters derived from real ones?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Most of the cats are fictional, though I think Firestar may have been based on a cat Kate knows. Brambleclaw and Sorreltail were based on my cats.


Question: What was the very first warrior name you or Kate came up with?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I don't know about Kate. The first one I invented myself was Thistleclaw, who never actually appears as a character. He was the cat who would have become deputy of ThunderClan if Bluefur (as she was then) had kept her kits.
Outcome: Thistleclaw hadn't appeared at the time, however, he appeared in the future in The Rise of Scourge, Bluestar's Prophecy, Crookedstar's Promise, Spottedleaf's Heart, Redtail's Debt, Night Whispers, Sign of the Moon, The Forgotten Warrior, and The Last Hope.
Question: Ferncloud loses so much family in Moonrise and Dawn. Why?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I see. I'm not sure there's a specific reason; it's not because we hate her! She is the only cat with young kits at this time, and very young and old cats are most at risk in hard times.


Question: Which character represents you in any series? What about Kate?
Answer: CherithBaldry: don't know about Kate. I feel a bit like Yellowfang, because I get irritable easily, and a bit like Leafpaw, because I think about things a lot.


Question: Throughout the first series, Fire__'s love for Spottedleaf is discussed. However when Spottedleaf was alive, I never actually saw any evidence of that!
Answer: CherithBaldry: He didn't have that much time with her, and he was an apprentice new to the Clan, while she was the medicine cat. If she had lived, I'm sure there would have been more, but remember that medicine cats can't have a mate.


Question: Will Graystripe fall in love again after losing Silverstream?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Who can say?
Outcome: Graystripe takes Millie as a mate.[4]
Question: Will there be a love-triangle between Brambleclaw, Squirrelpaw, and Stormfur?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No. That's not to say there might not be one with some other cat...
Outcome: Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, and Ashfur
Question: Does Spottedleaf continue to send dreams to Firestar in The New Prophecy?
Answer: CherithBaldry: We don't have Firestar's viewpoint, so we don't know for certain. But I'd be surprised if she didn't.


Question: How did you choose Brambleclaw for The New Prophecy?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Well, about the time I was writing Book 3 I got this kitten. He looked exactly like a miniature Tigerstar, but I couldn't think that this furry little scrap was evil! So I came up with the idea that he was Tigerstar's son, and we had a wonderful time working out what this would mean to him and his Clan.


Question: I always pictured Graystripe getting very emotional when he learns about [Feathertail's death], but he hardly seems to react at all in Dawn.
Answer: CherithBaldry: I think by then he had just had all he could take. I think he felt deeply, but just hadn't got the energy to show it.


Question: Can you give me a summary of ThunderClan camp? because my image of it keeps changing!
Answer: CherithBaldry: Well, there are the dens - the warriors under the thorn bush, the apprentices under the ferns and the elders by the fallen tree. Cinderpelt's den is in a cleft in the rock, separated by ferns from the rest of the camp. Then there's the nursery in a bramble thicket. In the middle is the highrock.


RiverClan[]

Question: Will the blood relationship between Hawkfrost, Brambleclaw, Mothwing and Tawnypelt play a large part in the rest of the series?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes, it will, but I'm not going to tell you how!


Question: What happened to Mistyfoot's kits?
Answer: CherithBaldry: They grew up to be warriors.
Outcome: False. Only Reedwhisker lived to become a warrior, her other three kits died before that time, as seen in Mistystar's Omen.

WindClan[]

Question: I managed to get an advance copy of Dawn, good choice of a warrior name for Crowpaw!
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes, we felt quite smug about that!


Question: In Dawn, there was this one cat listed in the [WindClan] listings called Robinwing, and she wasn't mentioned in any chapter or in any previous books, not even as an apprentice.
Answer: CherithBaldry: The Cat That Never Was!


Question: There were also two other cats, called Owlpaw (WindClan) and Gorsetail (I can't remember which Clan) that were in the story but not in the listings! Two more that never were!
Answer: CherithBaldry: It just goes to show that when you do something like this with a huge sweep and a large number of characters, some of them do go missing!


ShadowClan[]

Question: Did Nightstar really die of the sickness or did Tigerstar kill him? Or if Nightstar did die from the sickness, did Tigerstar bring the sickness somehow?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No, Nightstar just died from the sickness. Very sad, but no villainy involved.


Question: Erin, will you consider making a series in Tigerstar's point of view?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I don't think it would carry a whole series. But it might be interesting to use his point of view for a short while.


BloodClan[]

Question: [...] Why is Scourge not called Scourgestar?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Because BloodClan don't believe in/know about StarClan, so Scourge isn't a nine-lifed leader like Firestar.


Cats outside of the Clans[]

Question: Will Ravenpaw ever return to ThunderClan?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Hmmm...maybe.
Outcome: False.
Question: What's the deal with loners? Do they believe in StarClan?
Answer: CherithBaldry: It would depend on the individual. Ravenpaw does, for example, because he was a Clan cat.


Question: Will any of the other kittypets become important?
Answer: CherithBaldry: There's an important kittypet character in Dawn, and later on some sort-of kittypets come into the story.
Outcome: True. Cody appeared in Dawn, while Susan and Jacques played a role in Twilight. Daisy gained an important role in ThunderClan, while Millie joined them in The Sight.
Question: What happens to Fireheart's first kittypet friends from book one? They are barely mentioned again.
Answer: CherithBaldry: They stay happily with their Twolegs.
Outcome: True. In Graystripe's Vow, Smudge is seen still living as a kittypet in the old territories.
Question: Does Barley believe in StarClan? How does he know Bluestar?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I don't know about his beliefs. He met Bluestar when she traveled past the farm to get to Highstones.


Other information[]

The books[]

Question: How long did it take you to write the first Warriors book?
Answer: CherithBaldry: About three months, I think, but it's a while now so I don't remember too well!


Question: Will there be any more books after [The New Prophecy] is over?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes, there will be a new series of six, and also a 'one off' special edition.
Outcome: True, there was a third series and another super edition. Furthermore, many other books were written after the Power of Three arc and Firestar's Quest.
Question: What were some of the reasons the point of view was changed from Firestar to the others in The New Prophecy?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Well, we thought we'd really told Firestar's story, and so we wanted to get a fresh viewpoint. Another reason was to use alternating viewpoints, which we do a lot in NP. If you've read Moonrise, you'll know that we use viewpoints of cats who aren't in ThunderClan.


Question: [...] What is the fifth book [of The New Prophecy] called and when is it coming out?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Book 5 is called Twilight; I'm not sure when it's coming out.


Question: Did you or Kate write the first book?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Kate wrote Into the Wild, Fire and Ice, and Rising Storm, and I wrote Forest of Secrets, A Dangerous Path, and The Darkest Hour.


Question: Do your readers/editors ever bug you about writing style differences (between you and Kate)?
Answer: CherithBaldry: The readers don't, or haven't until now. It's the editor's job to make sure the styles match.


Question: How long does it take to write each book?
Answer: CherithBaldry: It varies, depending on when the deadline is. Roughly three months, though I did do one in a month, and that was *hard* work!


Question: Have you considered making a fourth series?
Answer: CherithBaldry: It's a bit early for that.
Outcome: Omen of the Stars
Question: What are the working names for books 4, 5, and 6?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Eeek - these 'time' names confuse me. Let's see...it's Starlight, Twilight, and Sunset, I think.


Question: Where is the Warriors series set geographically (city/town, road, etc.)? / Where does the entire series take place? Where is the forest located? Any specific area?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Nowhere specific - see the answer to the other question a minute ago. / When we started, it was based on the New Forest in the south of England, but as we developed the ideas it became more of a fantasy place, so it isn't really located anywhere specific now.


Question: Where, roughly, is the four Clan's home in the UK? The map makes reference to the Druids, any significance?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No, no real significance. The setting started out based on the New Forest, but it's developed away from that now. It isn't any real place.


Question: If I look up the New Forest in England I can get a rough ariel picture of the series setting?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Very rough, because we've really developed it beyond that now.


Question: Erin, are you going to make any warrior movies?
Answer: CherithBaldry: There aren't any plans at the moment, but I'd be delighted if it happened!
Outcome: Warriors movie
Question: Will the books ever be in Firestar's point of view again (I miss it so bad)?
Answer: CherithBaldry: The special edition may be, but I'm not promising, because we haven't worked out what will happen in that one yet.


Question: Are that cats featured in a larger painting on the covers of the books usually the cat that the book is most about?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes.


Question: The main character in each of series (Firestar and Brambleclaw) both have StarClan mentors, will this continue in the third series?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I can't say at the moment, the third arc is still very much in the melting pot.
Outcome: True, as Jayfeather received regular visions from StarClan in his dreams.
Question: What happened to the rest of the pack in book 5? The leader and two others fell in but it was never explained what happened to the rest.
Answer: CherithBaldry: The dogs were terrified and ran off.


Question: Which covers came first, the UK covers or the US covers?
Answer: CherithBaldry: The US ones.


Question: Is the Warriors series considered popular compared to other children's books?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I don't think we'll ever outsell Harry Potter! But it's doing very well otherwise. As you probably know, Midnight and Moonrise both made the New York Times bestseller list.


Question: If the cats move to another area in Dawn how will they access Highstones?
Answer: CherithBaldry: That's a problem the cats tackle in Book 4.


Question: [...] Will there ever be an updated map showing [BloodClan's] territory?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No, I don't think so.


Question: Will any other animals besides cats and dogs be introduced?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes, there's one important other animal who comes into NP.
Outcome: Midnight (character)
Question: Will there be any future inter-species (other animal) friendships?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes.


Question: Will there ever be a short that fills in the blank between Darkest Hour and Book 1 from the NP?
Answer: CherithBaldry: That might be what we do for the special edition, but again I can't say for certain because we haven't worked out that story yet.
Outcome: Firestar's Quest, Graystripe's Vow, A Shadow in RiverClan
Question: Who was the silver tabby on the cover of Moonrise?
Answer: CherithBaldryFeathertail.


Question: Are that cats featured in a larger painting on the covers of the books usually the cat that the book is most about?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes.


Question: Has Dawn already been written and is just waiting to come out or are you still writing it?
Answer: CherithBaldryDawn comes out just after Christmas - it's Kate's book, not mine. At present I'm writing book 6.


Question: Is there any way we can see the family trees?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No, they're all on scruffy bits of paper in a folder on my desk!


Question: Have you ever wished that one of the books you wrote ended differently?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I was very sad at the end of Moonrise. If you've read it you'll know why. But it was a good ending.


Question: Do you have an ending point in sight for the warriors books?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No, though we wouldn't want to go on so long that they got boring and repetitive.


Question: Do you have a sense of control over your books, or did they run away?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Mostly control, because the storylines are discussed in detail before I start writing, but occasionally something comes up that we didn't expect, and then we run with it!


Question: Dogs don't seem very smart in your books. Are they?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No, but remember that you're not seeing my view of dogs, or Kate's. You're seeing the *cats'* view.


Question: Is there a list somewhere that keeps track of all medicine cat herbal remedies?
Answer: CherithBaldry: On another of my scruffy bits of paper! I do my research from a book by a man called Nicholas Culpeper, who was an apothecary (like a modern pharmacist) in the sixteenth century. So they are real remedies, but never, *never* try them yourselves. Take your cat to the vet if it is sick!


Question: Why is the paperback cover to Rising Storm different than the hardcover?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No idea. That would be the art department.


Clan life[]

Question: In the end of book three, Cinderpaw was still called Cinderpaw. However in the allegiances for book 3 it said Cinderpelt. Then she was called Cinderpelt in the beginning of book 4. Why is this?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Medicine cats have a special way of getting their full name, and you'll find out about that in this current arc - Book 4, I think it is.
Outcome: Cherith's statement is true, though not an answer to the actual question; Cinderpelt's name was simply listed too soon by error.
Question: Will the cats ever fully understand cars and the Thunderpath?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No, I don't think they're able to do that, and they can't get very close to observe them because it's too dangerous.


Question: Can a cat have their kit be their apprentice?
Answer: CherithBaldry: It's not usual.
Outcome: Petalnose and Sagepaw, Rabbitleap and Wrenpaw
Question: Will apprentice names always end with paw? How about kits?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Because that's the way it is. Kits' names end with 'kit'.
Outcome: False, Egg was an apprentice, but his name didn't end with paw.[5]
Question: Can StarClan reject a leader?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Ooh, good question! Yes, in theory I'm sure they can, but I don't know what would make them do it. They didn't reject Tigerstar or Brokentail, after all. They rejected Nightstar, who if you remember never got his nine lives, but that was because Brokentail was still alive.
Outcome: See A Starless Clan
Question: In real life, what is the Moonstone?
Answer: CherithBaldry: A large piece of quartz, I imagine.


Question: Will StarClan ever actually cause misfortune on a Clan or fight with a Clan?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Again, no plans at present. I think StarClan's normal way of working isn't to interfere directly with Clan life, but to guide through dreams and signs.
Outcome: False.
Question: Carrionplace is a dump right? Does Fourtrees really exist?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Right. No, Fourtrees doesn't exist in quite that form.


Question: Erin, do you think you could ever use the name Phantom__(something) in one of your books?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I don't think that the cats have the idea of ghosts in that way.
Outcome: Ghost
Question: In our human life, what is Highstones?
Answer: CherithBaldry: A hill with caves under it.


Question: Is there a Highrock in every Clan camp?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No, but there would be a suitable place for the Clan leader to address the Clan.


Question: Are there certain defined starts and ends for warrior names, and you just choose one of each, or do you sometimes come up with entirely new starts and ends for names.
Answer: CherithBaldry: There are a lot of obvious ones, but sometimes we come up with quite new ones. I find it very confusing if there are cats with names that are too similar - Mudclaw and Mudfur, for example, and there's also Ashfur and Ashfoot.


The authors[]

Question: How did you come up with the idea [for the Warriors series]?
Answer: CherithBaldry: It started with Vicky, the editor at Working Partners in the UK. She brought Kate and me together to be writing partners.


Question: Erin, Is it easy to make the Warriors books?
Answer: CherithBaldry: It varies. Some bits are really easy to write and some are harder. But it's always a great joy to do, because there's so much in them.


Question: Have you and/or Kate come up with the titles for The New Prophecy?
Answer: CherithBaldry: As far as I know, Vicky thought of all the titles. I'm very bad at thinking of titles!


Question: Have there been large parts of the books taken out during editing that you would have like to stay in?
Answer: CherithBaldry: No, hardly anything at all. Usually when Vicky sees my first draft she thinks of extra things we might put in.


Question: Erin, how did you come up with the name 'Erin Hunter'?
Answer: CherithBaldry: That was Vicky. She's brilliant at names and titles!


Question: How did you first meet Kate and start writing Warriors?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Believe it or not, we have never met! We were brought together as writing partners by Vicky, who is wonderful!


Question: When did the idea first come to you?
Answer: CherithBaldry: About three years ago now. It started with a phone call from Vicky. I never imagined what it would lead to! (By the way, I have Sorreltail on my lap right now).


Question: When Kate writes one of the books, do you read it as she writes? Or do you have to wait?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I have to wait until she has written a draft; then I see the final draft - which can be quite different - when she is ready. If I'm writing the next book, it can be quite difficult, because of continuity.


Question: Do you or Kate write any other books? Do you have official websites?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes, we both write other books. I don't have a website and I don't know if Kate does. Try googling on our names - you'll see a number of my other books if you look up Cherith Baldry on, say, Amazon.


Question: Is writing books what you have always wanted to do?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes, one of my earliest memories is of sitting on my grandfather's knee and reading him a story I had written.


Question: Do you frequent any online forums or web sites?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Not really.


Question: Do you make a timeline or something to keep track of everything going on and the ages of the cats in each book?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Not really.


Question: Which covers do you like better, the US or UK ones?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I like both, but I prefer the US ones.


Question: Is it hard to make the warriors names?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Not really, though it can be hard to come up with the exact right name. We discussed for a long time what Squirrelpaw's warrior name would be.


Question: Do you have difficulty writing the deaths?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Not really. They are usually dramatic and emotional, and I find that kind of thing quite easy to write. I do get quite worked up, though!


Question: Is it kind of weird to be able to determine every character's fate?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes!


Question: What is your most favourite part in the first 6 books?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Two really. I think my absolute favourite is when Firestar gets his nine lives, but I also like the scene where he accuses Tigerstar to the Clan at the end of Book 3.


Question: What is your favourite name?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I like most of them: Firestar is one, and I like Leafpaw's name (but I'm not going to tell you what it is!)


Question: Do you have a favorite out of all of the books?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Yes, I like Book 6 of the first series, because so many threads come together in it.


Question: Looking back, what has been the best part of writing the books?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Getting to know so many fabulous cat characters.


Question: What is your favourite food?
Answer: CherithBaldry: Chocolate!


Question: I looked in the front of Moonrise and it says it's under copyright of Working Partners Limited. What is that company?
Answer: CherithBaldry: It is the book packager in the UK. They came up with the original idea, got HarperCollins interested, then developed it with me and Kate. They do a lot of this kind of work; it's a successful company.


Other[]

Question: Is there an official site for Warriors fans to discuss about the series?
Answer: CherithBaldry: The official site at present is warriorcats.com, but I don't think there's a discussion facility.
Outcome: False, was true at the time though[6]
Question: Will there be any tours in the US/Canada promoting the books?
Answer: CherithBaldry: There was a tour last May - I had a terrific time! It's possible there'll be another next year, but nothing is fixed yet.


Question: Do you enjoy being famous?
Answer: CherithBaldry: I'm not that famous, because most people don't know that I'm part of Erin Hunter, and anyway Warriors isn't as big over here as it is in the US. I wouldn't like to be really famous so I got recognised in the street.


All questions answered by Cherith Baldry.

External links[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Revealed on the chat transcript at Wands and Worlds, first paragraph
  2. Revealed throughout the chat transcript at Wands and Worlds
  3. Revealed in Bluestar's Prophecy, page 8
  4. Revealed in Warrior's Return, page 87
  5. Revealed in SkyClan's Destiny, page 311
  6. The Warriors forums are the discussion facility to the website, where Warriors fans can discuss the series
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