Warrior's Return

"Yes, your home's gone. But that doesn't mean your Clan is! The Warrior Code is still out there. Still alive."

— Millie comforting Graystripe in Warrior's Return, page 14

Warrior's Return
General
Author:	Dan Jolley
Cover artist:	James L. Barry
Details
Publish date:	22 April 2008
Identification:	ISBN 978-0061252334
Editions:	Paperback
Summary
Graystripe and Millie return to the forest, only to find that Twolegs have destroyed it and the Clans have left. Millie encourages Graystripe to go looking for ThunderClan. An old friend tells the two cats where the Clans left moons ago, but Graystripe is still worried that he and Millie are making an impossible journey.
Resources
Chapter subpages
Chronology
Preceded by:	Leafpool's Wish
Followed by:	The Sight

Warrior's Return is the third and final book in The Lost Warrior arc.

The Blurb

Graystripe and Millie have finally found ThunderClan's old territory, but Twoleg monsters have devastated the forest and Graystripe fears that all of his Clanmates have been killed or captured by Twolegs. Millie insists that they keep looking, and an old friend helps point the two cats on the path that the Clans followed many moons ago. But danger still lurks around every turn, and Graystripe worries that he and Millie are lost on an impossible journey.

The Praise

"The simple yet expressive black-and-white artwork brings this adventurous tale to vivid life. Highly recommended, especially for cat fanciers of all ages."

-Midwest Book Review

Detailed Plot Summary

Graystripe and Millie have found the ThunderClan camp, only to find it destroyed. Graystripe starts to give up hope, but Millie keeps him going. They venture to Ravenpaw and Barley's barn. Barley and Ravenpaw welcome them warmly, although Barley is a little apprehensive about Millie's kittypet status.They say that all of the four Clans passed here a while ago. Barley and Ravenpaw agree to accompany Graystripe and Millie to Highstones. Later, Barley notices that Ravenpaw is upset and asks him why. He replies, "It's just...he was my last connection to the forest."

Graystripe and Millie cross many Thunderpaths, and they get into a small fight about Twoleg food. They arrive at a place called Mac's Truckstop, where Millie finds food.  She goes in to eat it via a cat flap. When Graystripe tries to get some, he is attacked by a Twoleg. He gets mad and yells at Millie. He then tries to leave, but he gets hit by a monster and hurts his shoulder. A cat at the truckstop named Diesel helps bring him in, and takes care of him. Everytime Graystripe tries to tell Millie how he feels about her, Diesel interrupts him, or Millie tells Graystripe to rest his shoulder. Graystripe thinks about trying again to confess his love for Millie, but before he can, she tells him that they should ride a monster to Sun-Drown-Place. Graystripe originally doesn't want to, but does it anyway.

The monster stops for the night at a Twoleg den, and Graystripe and Millie try to go hunting, but they fare poorly and the water is terrible. They get attacked by mean kittypets, and one of them hits Graystripe's injured shoulder. He gets very mad and bangs the cat's head on a pole. The kittypets are eventually driven away after that.

While this is happening, the monster starts to move, and they have to run after it to catch it. It makes a chuka-chuka sound in the book. They make it at the last second. Graystripe doesn't tell Millie how he feels because he hurt his paw, but then says that his paw might just be an excuse. They ride the monster all the way to the sea, and then start heading towards a forest, where the two meet a rogue catching a mouse. They ask about a large group of cats, and the rogue says he's seen them. On a hill, they spot cats moving on the island. Graystripe confesses his love for Millie, and Millie says she loved him also, by saying, "That's what I've wanted since I first laid eyes on you". Silently they walk down to the Gathering, and Graystripe meets all his old friends. The book ends when Graystripe is introducing Millie to the Clans by saying, "Firestar...everyone...I haven't come alone. There's someone that I want all of you to meet." This ending is not the same in the actual book. 

Trivia

• Ravenpaw is shown as a solid black cat.
• At the end, the four leaders on the tree are thought to be Firestar, Leopardstar, Blackstar and Tallstar; however, Tallstar was dead by then.
• It is strongly suggested that Graystripe and Millie are the cats depicted in the center of the cover.
• It should be noted that while this book is referred to as 'manga', it is not, as it did not originate in Japan and was not drawn by Japanese mangaka.

Publication List

• Warrior's Return (EN), HarperCollins (paperback), 22 April 2008
• 戰士的返回 (ZH), OEL Manga (unknown binding), 1 June 2010
• Die Rückkehr Des Kriegers (DE), Tokyopop (Unknown binding), 12 February 2009
• Válečníkův návrat (CZ),Zonerpress (paperback), 2008
• Возвращение воителя (RU), Tokyopop (paperback), 14 October 2010

See Also

• Chapter-by-Chapter Notes
• Character List
• Book Cover Gallery
• HarperCollins Browse Inside

References and Citations

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