Graystripe's Vow/Epilogue

"I don't want to be the center of attention. That's one reason why I would never want to be leader. [...] And for the rest of my life, until I travel to StarClan, I'll do my best to protect my Clan."

— Graystripe silently vowing to himself to protect his Clan in Graystripe's Vow, page 434

Graystripe's Vow
Chapter number:	Epilogue (of 31)
Page numbers:	429-434
Point of View:	Graystripe
Chronology

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

Chapter Number: Epilogue (of 31)

Page Numbers: 429-434

Chapter description

It is full moon, time for the Gathering. Graystripe follows Firestar and is relieved that he no longer has to stand on the Great Rock. Firestar stops his Clan with a signal at the edge of the hollow. The mass of cats stare, and Leopardstar, Tallstar, and Blackstar stand rigid. Firestar asks under his breath if they have ever seen a cat before, and Graystripe holds in his amusement.

A cat calls out Firestar's name, and the hollow erupts in yowls of surprise and welcome. Graystripe guesses that some other Clan cats had believed that Firestar had left to become a kittypet. The chants of Firestar's name eventually die away, and the ThunderClan cats stream down the slope. Graystripe is too eager to get to the Gathering to notice the raindrops that soak his pelt.

Firestar leaps up onto the Great Rock, and Graystripe joins the deputies at the bottom. Tallstar welcomes Firestar back, and Leopardstar, with some sarcasm, states that they've all been worried about him. Blackstar adds that they had thought he was never going to come back. Firestar points out that he is here now, and admits he never thought it would take him so long to recover and states he is well. Firestar and Sandstorm had came back from their quest tired, but they look healthy now.

Two of the leaders exchange looks, suspecting a hidden factor that is being kept secret. Firestar first tells the mass that he is lucky to have an excellent deputy, then tells them about BloodClan, and how Fury and her cats had tried to take over the forest again. He continues, saying that they had supposed that with their leader out of action, ThunderClan would be weaker. Sootpaw contradicts this, and Firestar purrs that ThunderClan had a brave and quick-witted deputy that showed BloodClan how big of a mistake they were making.

Graystripe tells Sandstorm that Firestar didn't have to make a big fuss about it. Firestar continues, asking if BloodClan would have stopped at ThunderClan territory. The orange tom says BloodClan would've eventually driven all the Clans out of their homes. He states that against all odds, the Clans were safe in their homes, and that they owed that to ThunderClan and Graystripe's leadership. Tallstar approves, though Blackstar and Leopardstar look as though they've bit into crow-food.

Graystripe thinks that the two leaders can't argue with it, since it is true. He adds to himself that ThunderClan stopped BloodClan, not him. No cat would ever know how much he struggled to decide on whether to bring Gremlin into ThunderClan or not. One wrong move and ThunderClan might've been doomed. As Firestar finishes talking, the cats in the hollow chant Graystripe's name and his Clans' name. Sandstorm tells him that he deserves it, and he should shut up and enjoy it.

However, Graystripe does not enjoy it, and thinks that he doesn't like being the center of attention. He knows that that is one of the reasons he doesn't want to be a leader. Graystripe is happy with being Firestar's deputy and a loyal Clan cat. He silently vows that for the rest of his life, until he dies, he will protect his Clan.

Characters

Major

• Graystripe

Minor

• Firestar
• Leopardstar
• Blackstar
• Tallstar
• Sandstorm
• Sootpaw

Mentioned

• Fury
• Cinderpelt
• Gremlin