Graystripe's Vow/Chapter 15

"It looked very different now, with the oak trees cut down and the Great Rock crushed to rubble. Graystripe had been told what had happened, but it knocked all the breath out of him to see it in real life. This was Fourtrees."

— Graystripe's thoughts in Graystripe's Vow, page 216

Graystripe's Vow
Chapter number:	15 (of 31)
Page numbers:	204-216
Point of View:	Graystripe
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter fifteen of Graystripe's Vow. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 15 (of 31)

Page Numbers: 204-216

Chapter description

Graystripe shoves the young she-cat off with one paw, standing up. Six young cats surround him, who smell like kittypets. His attacker steps forward, accuses him of trespassing on their territory, and tells him they are fierce warrior cats. Graystripe glances around, and it is obvious they are kittypets, not warriors. The she-cat tells him they are WarriorClan, and says he must submit to their authority or face their wrath.

Graystripe asks what they do. A black-and-white cat yowls that they fight, and an orange kittypet explains that they hunt and fight during the day, then go back to their housefolk at night. The tortoiseshell states that she is Monkeystar, and also Clan leader. The cats introduce themselves as Bugeater, Fireface, Bigteeth, Clawwhistle and Chester. Graystripe notes that they are a bit like daylight warriors in SkyClan. Monkeystar confirms that they are kittypets as well as warriors.

The tortoiseshell informs Graystripe about Smudge, and he asks what had happened to the Clan cats who had lived in the forest. Bugeater replies that Smudge doesn't know, and that the Clan cats had suddenly left their territory. Graystripe tells the WarriorClan cats that he is one of those Clan cats. He is met by excitement, and Chester exclaims that he must be old. Graystripe explains that Twolegs had taken their territory, and that they couldn't fight Twolegs. Graystripe says he was the former deputy and best friend of Firestar, but sorrowfully informs WarriorClan of Firestar's death. Monkeystar challenges Graystripe to a fight to prove he is a true warrior.

Monkeystar hurls herself at Graystripe and he dodges the blow. Carefully keeping his claws sheathed, Graystripe aims a blow at her flank and makes her stagger. The kittypet leaps onto him from behind, and he lets her get a few good blows until he rolls over, using their momentum to pin Monkeystar down. Graystripe growls if he is a true warrior now, and Monkeystar reluctantly agrees that he is.

The WarriorClan cats crowd around him, amazed. Graystripe tells Monkeystar she fought well for a young cat. The WarriorClan leader meows how she wishes he could train them, and Graystripe responds that he doesn't have the time, since he is going to carry out an important task. Monkeystar and Clawwhistle want to go with him, but Graystripe refuses, and while he wants to go ahead to Highstones, he can't stand their disappointment. Graystripe agrees to stay for the morning. The kittypets let out eager yowls, and Graystripe ruefully thinks they will scare all the prey away. He begins by showing them the hunter’s crouch.

Time quickly passes, and Graystripe is asking the WarriorClan cats what steps they should take to catch an imaginary mouse under a holly bush. Clawwhistle states they would check the wind, and Monkeystar adds that the wind is blowing toward them, so the mouse wouldn’t smell them and they would catch it. Graystripe agrees, and reminds them that mice are sensitive to vibrations. He asks them to show him their hunters crouch, then stalk the imaginary mouse. Graystripe notes that the kittypets are working hard, and is reminded of his days as a warrior. He is stunned to find a whole day had slipped away, and informs WarriorClan that he will have to go now.

The kittypets come over to him, and ask why he has to go now. Graystripe tells them that he is going to the Moonstone. Monkeystar says that was where warriors talked to StarClan, and Chester adds that it was a stone underground, and StarClan cats made it light up. Monkeystar states they appeared in the stone, and Graystripe admits to himself that he himself doesn't know much about it. Monkeystar offers to come with him, but Graystripe sternly says no. The WarriorClan warriors thank him for training them. Graystripe states that he thinks he might come back, and leaves after they say their good-byes.

Graystripe chooses a path that skirts around the Twolegplace, but the old territory looks nothing like it had before, with evidence of Twolegs everywhere. Graystripe halts at a edge of a wide path made of hard stuff. It surrounds the top of a hollow, and a mass of stone lies at the bottom. With the oak trees and the Great Rock crushed to nothing, the area looks different. Graystripe isn't prepared for the fact that Fourtrees is no longer a huge rock and four oak trees; now it is nothing.

Characters

Major

• Graystripe

Minor

• Monkeystar
• Clawwhistle
• Bugeater
• Bigteeth
• Chester

Mentioned

• Smudge
• Firestar
• Brackenfur
• Stormfur
• Bramblestar
• Squirrelflight