Graystripe

(image credit: Eastern Blue Bird at Rescreatu)

On Graypaw's first night out as an apprentice, he meets Rusty, a flame-colored kittypet, when he strays out of Twolegplace. He gets into a small fight with him and Graypaw tells him he fought a good fight for a kittypet and tells him about the Clans. He then scents cats from his Clan and tells Rusty to go away. Unfortunately, Rusty didn't take to the warning in time and Bluestar and Lionheart find the two, making Graypaw crouch under their presences. He is then pleased with Bluestar's praise as she tells them that they've been watching them and is glad to see how he reacted bravely towards an intruder. Bluestar asks Rusty to join the Clan, but Rusty says he wishes to give it some thought. The next day, when Rusty arrives at ThunderClan camp, Graypaw watches him fight Longtail. He congratulates him on his victory along with other cats of the Clan. He is interrupted, however, when Ravenpaw arrives back to camp from a battle against RiverClan withoutTigerclaw or Redtail. He is shocked along with the rest of the Clan when Ravenpaw announces Redtail's death by Oakheart. He and Firepaw visit Ravenpaw, who is being treated by Spottedleaf. After talking to Ravenpaw, he and Firepaw are asked to leave the den by Spottedleaf and the two retire to bed in the apprentices' den as cats go to sit vigil for Redtail.

Two moons after Firepaw joined the Clan, Graypaw runs into him, on his way to deliver a message to thepatrol along the WindClan border from Bluestar. Graypaw hunts with Firepaw for a bit, then runs off to deliver the message. When Graypaw meets Firepaw and Yellowfang with the patrol, he was reassured his friend that Bluestar would give him a fair punishment. Later, when Bluestar calls a Clan meeting, he is in awe when Bluestar takes Firepaw on as her apprentice. Once Firepaw's training is started again, Graypaw and his two friends attend the first Gathering since the disappearence of WindClan and meet all sorts of cats. After returning from the Gathering, Graypaw, Firepaw and Ravenpaw accompany Bluestar and Tigerclaw to theMoonstone. While the cats return, they meet Barley. He tells them that the dogs are unleashed at night, and the safest way to get back to ThunderClan is through the fields. They are attacked by rats, when Bluestar looses a life. She says that was her fifth life, and then Tigerclaw accuses Barley of leading them into a trap. They then travel back to camp, then reliaze that the camp is being attacked by ShadowClan. After the battle, Lionheart is seriously injuried, and he dies from blood loss. Graypaw is grief-stricken, but finishes his training with Ravenpaw's mentor, Tigerclaw.

A few days later, Frostfur's kits have disappeared and their kidnapper killed Spottedleaf. In addition to that, Yellowfang has disappeared and is accused of killing Spottedleaf and taking the kits to ShadowClan. Bluestar assigns Firepaw to find her. Firepaw then explains to Graypaw, when they're out of camp, that Tigerclaw had killed Redtail, and Redtail had killed Oakheart, then told him of Tigerclaw gossping about how Ravenpaw 'sneaked away and told ShadowClan that ThunderClan's strongest warriors were away' and how Tigerclaw threatened to kill Ravenpaw. They take Ravenpaw to live with Barley the loner,, and look for Yellowfang afterwards. They find her in ShadowClan territory and find out that Yellowfang didn't steal the kits, and she is trying to save them. Then, a patrol from ThunderClan finds them and agrees to help rescue the kits. The cats attack and manage to drive out Brokenstar and his warriors. When they get back, Graypaw is the one who points out that Spottedleaf was not attacked by Yellowfang, and Whitestorm tells Bluestar of Graypaw and Firepaw's courageous fighting and the two are made warriors. Graypaw recieves the name Graystripe and Firepaw becomes Fireheart.