Graystripe's Vow/Chapter 25

"But some of them won't live long enough to get used to it. There are sick cats here, some who are starving, some who are expecting kits, and you all need more care than the Twoleg can give you. It isn't fair for them to be treated this way."

— Graystripe to Petunia in Graystripe's Vow, page 331

Graystripe's Vow
Chapter number:	25 (of 31)
Page numbers:	325-334
Point of View:	Graystripe
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: 25 (of 31)

Page Numbers: 325-334

Chapter description

Graystripe calms Fang down, and Fang suggests that he try the hole close to another door. Despite his doubts, Graystripe makes his way to the other door, followed by an old she-cat. The hole is too small, but Graystripe tries to paw at the edges, and some of it breaks loose. The old she-cat tells him that his efforts are useless since there is hard rock that will not break. Graystripe hears Fang attempting to work on the hole, but he realizes that the she-cat is right and tells Fang to stop. He continues speaking with the she-cat, whose name is Petunia, and she says that he will be happier if he simply accepts that he cannot escape. She tells him about Gremlin and how she took care of the cats when the Twoleg no longer could. At that moment, the Twoleg appears with food in two bowls, and Graystripe realizes how bad her condition is. She sets the bowls down, not recognizing Graystripe to be unfamiliar, and the kittypets rush to eat while Graystripe observes that there is not enough food. Petunia manages to snatch some scraps for Daffodil, then finishes off what the ill she-cat cannot eat.

Once the Twoleg leaves, Graystripe leaps onto a window ledge and asks the kittypets if they wish to escape, to which they agree. Lily says that there is no way to do so, though the cats seem encouraged when Graystripe says that there must be a way. A lean tom suggests that they attack the Twoleg, and Petunia argues fiercely against this, saying that her Twoleg rescued her and needs her. Graystripe sympathizes, but points out that the cats cannot thrive in such an unhealthy environment. Petunia proposes an idea: they can prop open the door whenever the Twoleg opens it and escape. She, however, will not leave. Lily finds a Twoleg pelt to use, and Graystripe informs Fang of the plan. The cats settle down and wait until the Twoleg opens the door to step outside of the nest, at which point, Graystripe grabs the pelt, but he is too late. The next time the Twoleg opens the door, he manages to put the pelt in place, but it is too light and the door closes again. Graystripe despairingly wonders if he will be able to escape.

Characters

Major

• Graystripe

Minor

• Fang
• Petunia
• Petunia's Twoleg
• Daffodil
• Black-and-white tom
• Lily
• Buttercup (Unnamed)

Mentioned

• Gremlin
• Scraps (Unnamed)
• Gremlin's kits

Important events

• Graystripe fails in his attempt to escape the Twoleg nest.