Warrior Cats/Recap/The Lost Warrior

The book begins with Graystripe leading a daring rescue to save cats captured by Twolegs. The cats are in cages and being placed into the back of a van to be taken to an animal shelter. Graystripe's group manages to save all the cats but Brightheart. The van starts to move, so Graystripe knocks another cat who wanted to stay and save Brightheart out of it. Then he frees Brightheart, but he falls backward and the door slams, and he is trapped in the van.

The story cuts ahead a few days, and Graystripe is dreaming about how he first met Firestar. However, the dream changes into a nightmare of Graystripe in the midst of a raging inferno. He awakens to find himself still inside a Twoleg nest to which he had taken at least a quarter moon earlier. A shot of the van in the driveway, as well as the husband's appearance on the first page, reveal that the van driver took a liking to Graystripe and brought him home to be his kittypet. Graystripe, however, wants nothing of it, and he vows to escape as soon as the rain outside stops. One sunny day, Graystripe gets his chance, but when he runs outside the smells and sounds overwhelm him. He flees back inside, realizing that the Twolegs kept him in their nest too long and now he doesn't know which way is home.

The next day, Graystripe leaves the house again, but is attacked by a dog and a guy with a lawnmower. He runs back to his house, where he is put inside again. Luckily, he escapes through a window and starts to look for a way back to the forest. Unfortunately for him, the Twoleg nests seem to go on forever. While exploring, Graystripe meets Duke, a kittypet with a spiked collar who doesn't appreciate Graystripe's trespassing. Graystripe provokes a fight, but Duke defeats him due to Graystripe's fighting skills being rusty. Graystripe runs away from Duke, wondering if he's grown too soft.

As Graystripe flees, a kittypet in a tree calls out to him. She introduces herself as Millie, and tells him not to worry, because nobody has ever beaten Duke. Millie shows Graystripe back to his house, and he hopes that he gets to see her again. That night, Graystripe dreams that he is in StarClan, visiting his mate Silverstream and their daughter, Feathertail. The dream of them gives Graystripe the determination not to be a kittypet, and he takes advantage of his Twolegs' not having air conditioning by escaping through another window. Graystripe decides to find a guide to his surroundings, but two posh cats tell him that Millie hasn't been seen for a while. Graystripe scares off the posh cats and continues on his way.

A few days later, Millie shows up at Graystripe's house and takes him on a walk through the forest. It turns out she was on vacation, but now she's home. Graystripe talks about the Clans, and she is eager to learn more. In a training montage, Graystripe teaches Millie how to hunt and fight, as well as educating her on Clan lore. She says that the Clans sound amazing, like an adventure every day.

Duke and his cronies interrupt and attack Graystripe and Millie, but the duo use their fighting skills to defeat him. Millie tells Graystripe how amazing he was, and that he should rejoin his Clan. Graystripe says that he doesn't want to talk about that and brushes her off.

That night, Graystripe dreams again of Silverstream, who tells him that he should go and find ThunderClan. Graystripe says that he wishes he could be with Silverstream, but she tells him that he has a traveling companion. Graystripe wakes up and finds Millie, explaining that he is going to rejoin his clan after all. He asks her to come along, but Millie says that she can't her whole life behind. Millie heads home and wonders what to do.

Graystripe leaves and sets out on his journey, but he doesn't manage to find any food and is slowly starving to death. After six days, he collapses in a pipe and falls into a dream. He is surrounded by fire again, and sees the faces of his Clanmates staring at him. Suddenly, Millie wakes him up and brings him water and food. She explains to Graystripe that after he left, she decided to go with him, so she used every one of the skills he taught her. She then asks him who Silverstream is, because Graystripe mentioned her name while delirious. Graystripe tells Millie about Silverstream, and says that now that he's found Millie, he's not lonely anymore.

Millie tells him that she can get them to the edge of Twolegplace, but then it will be up to Graystripe. She asks if he's strong enough to make the journey, and Graystripe says that he thinks he is, but if he needs help he has her. Millie says that she'll always be there for Graystripe and the two head off on their quest.