Warriors is a series of novels published by HarperCollins; it is written by authors Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, Tui Sutherland, with the plot developed by editor Victoria Holmes, who collectively use the pseudonym Erin Hunter. The series follows the adventures of four Clans of wild catsâ€"ThunderClan, ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan â€"in their forest and lake homes, who look up to StarClan, their warriors ancestors, and spirits in the stars, who guide the four clans. SkyClan, the long-forgotten fifth Clan of the forest, is later introduced in the stand-alone novel Firestar's Quest. It receives additional focus in the novel SkyClan's Destiny, the manga trilogy SkyClan and the Stranger, and the 2013 novella Cloudstar's Journey. In a later series, "A Vision of Shadows (2016-)" , in one book of the series, SkyClan is then later accepted as the fifth clan, but, challenges also still face them, as well as challenges in all the other 4 clans.
There are currently six sub-series, each containing six books. The first, Warriors (later re-titled as Warriors: The Prophecies Begin), was published from 2003 to 2004. Warriors: The New Prophecy, published from 2005 to 2006, follows the first sub-series, chronicling the Clans as they move to a new home. The third story arc, Warriors: Power of Three, was published from 2007 to 2009. The fourth sub-series, Warriors: Omen of the Stars, was published from 2009 to 2012 and continued where the third story arc left off. The fifth sub-series Warriors: Dawn of the Clans, was published from 2013 to 2015. The sub-series acts as a prequel series, detailing the formation of the Clans. The sixth and most recent sub-series, Warriors: A Vision of Shadows, is still on its fourth book and halfway finished. The first book of the sixth series, The Apprentice's Quest, was released on March 15, 2016, and the second book, Thunder and Shadow, was released on September 6, 2016. Warriors: A Vision of Shadows follows Warriors: Omen of the Stars, and Bramblestar's Storm.
Other books have been released in addition to the main series, including ten lengthier stand-alone "Super Edition" novels entitled Firestar's Quest, Bluestar's Prophecy, SkyClan's Destiny, Crookedstar's Promise, Yellowfang's Secret, Tallstar's Revenge, Bramblestar's Storm, Moth Flight's Vision, Hawkwing's Journey, and the latest one, Tigerheart's Shadow. There are also a few other books that were published as e-book novellas: Hollyleaf's Story, Mistystar's Omen, Cloudstar's Journey, Tigerclaw's Fury, Leafpool's Wish, Dovewing's Silence, Mapleshade's Vengeance, Goosefeather's Curse, Ravenpaw's Farewell, Pinestar's Choice, Thunderstar's Echo, and Spottedleaf's Heart. These e-book novels have also been published in four print compilations, with three stories each: Warriors: Tales from the Clans, Warriors: The Untold Stories, Warriors: Shadows of the Clans, and Warriors: Legends of the Clans. Six guides and several volumes of original English-language manga, produced as a collaboration between HarperCollins and TOKYOPOP, have been published as well. Manga published after TOKYOPOP's shutdown is published by HarperCollins on its own. In addition to the books, the authors have also written several short stories and two plays. The Warriors series, with the exception of the manga, has been released in e-book format for popular e-readers such as the Barnes & Noble Nook and Amazon Kindle. The series has also been translated into several languages. In addition, the series has a website featuring games, promotional videos, quizzes, and news. The official message boards closed on August 12, 2016.
Major themes in the series deal with adventure, forbidden love, the concept of nature vs. nurture, the reactions of different faiths meeting each other, and characters being a mix of good and bad. The authors draw inspiration from several natural locations and other authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien, J. K. Rowling, and William Shakespeare.
Warriors has received mostly positive reviews, but it has also been criticised for being confusing due to its large number of characters. Critics have compared it to the Redwall series, though one reviewer commented that the series is less elegantly written. Although nominated for several awards, Warriors has yet to receive any major literary prizes. The series has reached the New York Times Bestseller List and has found popularity in many countries, including Trinidad, Germany and China.
On October 20, 2016, Vicky Holmes and Kate Cary, two of the Erin Hunters, announced that Alibaba Pictures had acquired the film rights to the series. The release date is undetermined as recent financial troubles with Alibaba may cause the film to be delayed.
Setting
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In the Warriors universe, a large group of feral cats has settled into a forest, and claimed it for their own. The cats are split into four smaller Clans: ThunderClan lives in woodland areas, WindClan reside on the moors, RiverClan by the lake and ShadowClan within and around the swamps. A fifth Clan, SkyClan, also used to be a part of this system, but was forced to flee when their territory was destroyed to make human houses. Each Clan has adapted to their own terrain; RiverClan, for example, will swim in the river to catch fish, whilst the majority of cats from the other Clans fear and avoid bodies of water.
Although they all share the forest, relationships between different Clans are tense. They often come into conflict with one another, becoming aggressive if a cat from a neighboring Clan accidentally crosses a border. This rivalry can increase in times of deprivation, such as if one Clan is suffering from a shortage of prey but another is thriving. An attempt for one Clan to steal all of or part of another Clan's territory is not unusual. To prepare for this, cats in all Clans are taught battle moves in order to protect their territory. Each Clan has signature battle moves that are taught to them from an early age (6 months/moons old). Border fights are the most common source of battle (a cat intentionally or unwittingly steps into another Clan's territory), and are often short-lived and cause no real damage to either side. However, bigger and more brutal battles can occur; at this point, casualties are to be expected. Despite this rivalry, the Clans can also show concern for another's well being; the idea of one Clan being destroyed causes deep distress, and will prompt urgent action on behalf of all four Clans. On the night of every full moon, the Clans will meet at a designated spot in order to share stories and news in peace. This is known as a 'Gathering', and is the only time in which fighting is prohibited.
Cats who live outside of the Clans are split into three groups. Housecats, known as 'kittypets', are often sneered at by the Clan cats for their cozy and lazy life. Occasionally a curious kittypet will wander into the forest to explore; at this point, they are chased away, but will rarely come to harm. As a result, kittypets often warn each other not to enter the forest. 'Loners' are cats who walk outside of the Clans, usually by themselves. Although regarded by the Clans with suspicion, they do not cause the forest cats any trouble, and so are free to wander outside of the borders in peace. Similar to loners are 'rogues', who differ only because they intentionally try to cause the Clans harm. It is not unusual for a rogue to be a former Clan cat looking for revenge. For a kittypet, loner or rogue to join a Clan is rare, but not unheard of. Often, these newcomers have to prove themselves in order to be regarded with trust by the rest of the community.
Beyond the Clans' territories lies a mountain range, inhabited by the Tribe of Rushing Water. The Tribe is shown to be similar to the Clans, yet follows a different set of ancestors: the Tribe of Endless Hunting. The Tribe has a Healer, cave-guards, and prey-hunters, who each serve a different function in the Tribe. The Healer leads the Tribe, heals the ill and wounded, and communicates with the Tribe of Endless Hunting; the cave-guards defend the Tribe, and the prey-hunters hunt.The Tribe was formed by the Ancients when they left the lake to live in the mountains. In turn, cats from the Tribe moved to the forest of the original series and formed the Clans.
StarClan is a group of the Clans' deceased ancestors who give guidance to the Clans. After death, most Clan cats join StarClan. StarClan is said to be represented by Silverpelt, and each individual star represents the spirit of a single dead warrior. Upon joining StarClan, the cats' spirits take the form in which they were most happy while living (i.e. blindness and deafness can be cured). StarClan Warriors, elders, deputies, queens, and kits keep watch over the Clans, usually watching the Clan they lived in while alive. They provide guidance to the Clans, often through dreams and other signs like omens. Often, this occurs when medicine cats go to the Moonstone, a large piece of quartz in an abandoned mine, which is used in the forest territory to communicate with the medicine and leader cats' ancestors every half-moon. This is later replaced by the Moonpool, a small body of water from which cats can drink from in order to communicate with StarClan. In an author chat, Hunter said that StarClan can "just get glimpses of" the future, which they occasionally pass on, although these visions tend to be convoluted and difficult to understand. StarClan cats are often described as being transparent and silver in color, with stars sparkling around their paws. In the manga, their eyes are portrayed as blank and empty. On very rare occasions, a StarClan cat will interact with the world of the living, mainly to take a recently deceased cat to their place of resting. When a StarClan cat is forgotten by all living memory, or is killed in battle, they will fade away-it is unknown what happens to them after this.
In addition to StarClan, there exists the Dark Forest, also known as The Place of No Stars. The spirits of cats who cause great pain and suffering to others during their lives reside there in order to pay for their sins. As the name suggests, it takes the form of a never-ending forest, forcing its residents to forever walk alone. Although cats of the Dark Forest are meant to be isolated as punishment, they later learn how to walk in the dreams of living cats. Like StarClan cats, Dark Forest residents will fade away if they are forgotten, or killed in battle. A unique aspect is that if a living cat dies whilst visiting the Dark Forest in their dreams, they will automatically become a spirit of the Dark Forest themselves. In addition, it is possible for StarClan cats to become lost within the forest if they stay there for too long, hence why the majority avoid it.
The Clans
Hierarchy
Each Clan has an identical hierarchical system. From birth, newborn kittens are known as ‘kits’, as evidenced by the '-kit’ suffix at the end of their name. Parents of the kits choose the names; often, a name is related to their appearance (‘Graykit’), an element of nature (‘Sandkit’), or in regards to how the parent felt when the kit was born (‘Brokenkit’). Mothers, known as ‘queens’, then look after their kits for their first six months of life. Kits are expected to stay in camp at all times, and sleep in a designated and comfortable area known as the ‘nursery’.
Once a kit has reached six moons old, they become ‘apprentices’. As a mark of this, each kit is now given the suffix ‘paw’. For example, ‘Graykit’ would become ‘Graypaw’. An apprentice is then assigned to a ‘mentor’. Mentors are often carefully chosen in order to fulfill an apprentice’s full potential; for example, a rather highly-strung apprentice would be given to a calmer mentor, whilst a more timid apprentice would be given to a mentor known for their bravery. It is the job of a mentor to train their apprentice for any given situation, teaching them to hunt, fight, and patrol borders. Apprentices move out of the nursery and sleep in their own separate den. In addition to training, apprentices are also tasked with keeping the camp clean.
After a varying amount of training (at least a few months), apprentices are eventually made warriors. Another naming ceremony is held, this time to mark the cat as being a full member of the Clan. Warriors are given their own unique suffix that often marks their personality or appearance; for example, ‘Graystripe’ would be named after the gray stripe running down his back, ‘Brokentail’ after the kink in his tail, and ‘Sandstorm’ after her fiery personality. It is extremely rare for warriors to meet another cat with the exact same name, but often a warrior will meet another cat with the same first part of their name, and very often will a warrior meet another cat with the same last part of their name (such as fur, tail, or heart). Once named, warriors hold a vigil at night to protect the clan, while the rest of the clan is sleeping. After the vigil, warriors are free to move into the warrior’s den, where the majority of the Clan sleeps. The duty of a warrior is to protect and uphold their Clan at all costs. They are able to hunt by themselves, and are generally skilled at defending themselves in battle. Warriors can take a mate, and females can give birth to new kits; if this occurs, the expecting mother, known as a 'queen', will avoid warrior duties for six months before returning to them once her kits are made apprentices. The vast majority of warriors are also chosen to later be mentors to new apprentices. Warriors will remain in this position for the remainder of their life, or until they are old enough to retire.
If a cat so chooses, they can take a different calling in life as that of a medicine cat. Medicine cats, unlike warriors, serve for their clan not through bloodshed, but through peace. They are trained to heal their Clanmates by using the natural resources as medicines; for example, cobwebs can be used to stitch deep wounds, whilst poppy seeds are used to lull a distressed cat into sleep. They sleep separately, surrounded by the herbs and resources they need to keep their Clan safe and healthy. Medicine cat apprentices go through a longer period of training than warriors, due to the vast amount of knowledge they must remember. Medicine cats are also not allowed to take any mates or have any kits. This is because they must care for each member of their Clan equally; if they were to form a loving relationship with any one individual, they may unfairly place that cat’s life over that of the Clan. A Clan tends to have only one or two, and occasionally three, medicine cats at any given time.
When a warrior is so old, or sustains an injury that means they can no longer serve their Clan, they retire to become elders. Elders live out the remainder of their life in general peace, using it as a time of rest and relaxation. They sleep in their own separate den, which is looked after by the apprentices. Elders are not expected to hunt or fight for their Clan, but are able to do so if the mood takes them. Their only expected duty is to carry the body of a deceased Clanmate to their grave. Every cat of the Clan respects and appreciates the elders, thanking them for the time they have spent upholding their roles as a warrior. Sadly, it is rare for a Clan to have more than three or four elders, as many warriors die before they can retire.
The most important role in the Clan is that of the leader. The Clan leader overlooks all duties of Clan life, and will make all the important decisions, such as whether or not to engage in battle. Each Clan leader is given nine lives by StarClan, in order to sacrifice their lives nine times over to protect their Clan, and to serve their clans for many more moons to come. This means that Clan leaders can often live longer than that of a normal cat. To mark their new status, Clan leaders are given the suffix â€" star (e.g. Bluestar, Tallstar, and Brokenstar). Generally, Clan leaders sleep alone, although male leaders are allowed to take a mate. Female leaders are inhibited from taking a mate or having kits, which has led to discussions of sexism among many fans of the series.
Another crucial role in the Clan is that of the deputy. When a new Clan leader is appointed, or the old deputy dies or retires, a new cat will be chosen to fulfill this role. The deputy of a Clan is generally in charge of less urgent, but still important duties, such as deciding which cats will go on a hunting patrol and which will check the borders. Although the Clan deputy still sleeps in the warriors den, they are respected by other members of the Clan. Often, a cat will come to the deputy first when asking for advice. When a Clan leader dies, the current deputy will take on the new role of leader, and receive their nine lives from StarClan.
Terminology
Unlike other animal stories that uses words humans use, the feline characters of the Warriors series use different words for certain concepts and objects in the natural world. The most common terms found within the books are 'Twolegs' (humans), 'kittypets' (house cats), 'monsters' (cars), 'the Thunderpath' (a road) or 'the horseplace' (a stable). The cats also have their own terms for time and measurement, such as sundown or moonhigh representing different times of day according to the positions of the moon, sun, and stars overhead. The seasons are given names according to the trees and foliage in the forest, with 'newleaf' meaning spring, 'greenleaf' meaning summer, 'leaf-fall' meaning autumn, and 'leaf-bare' meaning winter.
The Warrior Code
The Warrior Cat world consists of a series of laws that the warriors call "The Warrior Code." All Warriors must follow this code, and will be punished if a warrior strays too far from the code. An example of this is when Firestar (then Firepaw) helped to feed a cat outside of his clan. As punishment, he had to care for the captured ex-ShadowClan rogue, Yellowfang. The guide book Code of the Clans explains how each law of the code originated. ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, ShadowClan, and StarClan all took part of building and revising the code. Kits are taught the Warrior code as early as possible. The official code is as follows:
- Defend your clan, even with your life. You may have friendships with cats from other clans, but your loyalties must remain to your Clan, as one day you may meet them in battle.
- Do not hunt or trespass on another Clan's territory
- Elders, queens, and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors. Unless they have permission, apprentices may not eat until they have hunted to feed the elders. If any warrior or apprentice is sick or injured, they may eat while the elders, queens, and kits are eating.
- Prey is only to be eaten. Give thanks to StarClan for its life.
- A kit must be at least 6 moons old to become an apprentice.
- Newly appointed warriors will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their warrior name.
- A cat cannot be made deputy without having mentored at least one apprentice.
- The deputy will become Clan leader when the leader dies, retires or is exiled.
- After the death or retirement of the deputy, the new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh.
- A Gathering of all four Clans is held at the full moon during a truce that lasts for the night. There shall be no fighting among Clans at this time.
- Boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats.
- No warrior can neglect a kit in pain or danger, even if the kit is from a different Clan.
- The word of the Clan leader is the warrior code.
- An honorable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win their battles, unless they are outside the warrior code or if it is necessary for self-defense.
- A warrior rejects the soft life of a kittypet.
- Each Clan has the right to be proud and independent, but in times of trouble they must forget their boundaries and fight side by side to protect the four. Each Clan must help the others so that no Clan will fall.
Apart from the official code, another rule states that Medicine Cats can not have mates or kits. Leafpool, a ThunderClan medicine cat breaks this rule when she goes off with Crowfeather, a WindClan warrior.
Warriors: The Prophecies Begin
The original Warriors series, later re-titled Warriors: The Prophecies Begin, was released from 2003 to 2004 and consists of six books: Into the Wild (January 21, 2003), Fire and Ice (May 27, 2003), Forest of Secrets (October 14, 2003), Rising Storm (January 6, 2004), A Dangerous Path (June 1, 2004), and The Darkest Hour (5 October 2004). The series was subtitled The Prophecies Begin for its planned re-release in paperback with new covers in 2015.
The series details the experiences of a housecat named Rusty who ventures into the forest and is invited to join ThunderClan, one of four groups of wild cats in the forest. He accepts the invitation and receives the apprentice name Firepaw whilst he trains to become a warrior. Firepaw begins to settle into his new life, making a close friendship with two other cats named Graypaw and Ravenpaw, whilst managing to earn the respect of the ThunderClan leader Bluestar. However, early into his apprenticeship, he becomes wary of an esteemed warrior named Tigerclaw, whom Firepaw suspects of murdering the previous deputy, Redtail. As Firepaw receives his warrior name of Fireheart, he slowly begins to realize that Tigerclaw’s ambition to become Clan leader may place many cats in grave danger. One night Tigerclaw attempts to murder Bluestar, fails, and is subsequently banished from the Clan. Fireheart is appointed ThunderClan deputy, but is left shouldering the responsibility of the Clan largely on his own as Bluestar becomes incredibly ill. Traumatized by the attempt on her life, she isolates herself and turns her back on StarClan, which leads to unforeseen consequences for her Clan. Whilst attending a Gathering one night, Fireheart is horrified to find that Tigerclaw (now named Tigerstar) has now become the leader of ShadowClan. Seeking revenge upon his former Clan, Tigerstar lures a pack of dogs into the ThunderClan camp, hoping to eliminate them all. Bluestar dies sacrificing her last life to protect the Clan from the dogs, and Fireheart succeeds her as leader, receiving nine lives from StarClan. The newly-named Firestar continues to protect and uphold his Clan, but worries about the looming threat of Tigerstar. His fears are confirmed when Tigerstar attempts to take over all four Clans, by allying himself with a group of rogues known as ‘BloodClan’. Tigerstar initially uses his new allies to threaten the Clans into submitting to him, but BloodClan’s leader, Scourge, betrays and murders him. Scourge then decides to take over the forest for himself, leaving all four Clans to join together and fight for their survival. Firestar loses the first of his nine lives in battle against Scourge, but kills Scourge when he returns to life, defeating BloodClan and saving the forest.
Warriors: The New Prophecy
The second series, Warriors: The New Prophecy, was released from 2005 to 2006, and consists of six books: Midnight (May 10, 2005), Moonrise (August 1, 2005), Dawn (December 27, 2005), Starlight (April 4, 2006), Twilight (August 22, 2006), and Sunset (December 26, 2006).
In this series, the Clan’s survival is put at risk as humans begin to destroy the forest with machinery. To combat this, one cat from all four Clan’s is chosen to journey and find a new home for the cats to live. These cats are Tawnypelt of ShadowClan, Crowpaw of WindClan, Feathertail of RiverClan, and Brambleclaw of ThunderClan, the latter of whom also struggles with his heritage as the late Tigerstar’s son. Feathertail’s brother Stormfur and the ThunderClan apprentice Squirrelpaw also accompany them. After a long journey, the group discover a badger named Midnight, who informs them that all the Clans must leave the forest or be killed by the humans, and additionally informs them of a sign that will show them where to go to find their new home. Whilst journeying back to report their finding to the Clans, the travelling cats meet a new community called The Tribe of Rushing Water, who are being terrorized by a mountain lion. Feathertail sacrifices her life to kill the mountain lion and save the Tribe. The remaining cats return to their Clans and relay the message. Together, the four Clans travel to their new territory, although many cats perish along the way. During this journey, the boundaries between the Clans begin to blur. Crowfeather (formerly Crowpaw) falls in love with the ThunderClan medicine cat Leafpool; however, as they are from different Clans, they are forbidden from being together. Additionally, Leafpool’s status as a medicine cat dictates she can never have a mate or give birth to kits. They decide to secretly run away together, but return when the ThunderClan camp is attacked by badgers. Leafpool’s mentor, Cinderpelt, dies in the battle, and Leafpool decides that she must remain with her Clan. Meanwhile, Brambleclaw is torn between his loyalty to his Clan and his loyalty to his dead father. He dreams of one day becoming Clan deputy, an ambition that is heightened when he discovers that his father, Tigerstar, can visit him in his dreams. Furthermore, Brambleclaw learns that he has a RiverClan half-brother named Hawkfrost. The two grow close, much to the disdain of Squirrelflight (formerly Squirrelpaw). However, Hawkfrost’s bloodthirsty nature is revealed when he traps the ThunderClan leader Firestar, and orders Brambleclaw to murder him. Brambleclaw instead kills Hawkfrost. In return, Firestar accepts the young warrior for who he is, and Brambleclaw is appointed the new deputy of ThunderClan. He later begins a relationship with Squirrelflight.
Warriors: Power of Three
The third series, Warriors: Power of Three, was released from 2007 to 2009 and consists of six books: The Sight (April 24, 2007), Dark River (December 26, 2007), Outcast (April 22, 2008), Eclipse (September 2, 2008), Long Shadows (November 25, 2008), and Sunrise (April 21, 2009). The plot is centered on the prophecy, "There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws", which was given to Firestar in Firestar's Quest by Skywatcher.
The series revolves around the lives of Jaypaw, Lionpaw and Hollypaw, kits of Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight and grandchildren of the ThunderClan leader Firestar. The three slowly come to terms with their unique paths in life; Lionpaw worries about his thirst for blood on the battlefield, Hollypaw considers what it means to be truly loyal to her Clan, and Jaypaw is bitter that he was born blind. One day, Jaypaw unintentionally discovers a prophecy that he believes refers to him and his siblings. The three attempt to understand their new destinies, and realize that Lionpaw has the power to never be harmed in battle, whilst Jaypaw can walk in the dreams and read the minds of other cats. Hollypaw, on the other hand, struggles to determine what her unique power is. Hollypaw and Lionpaw are made warriors, becoming Hollyleaf and Lionblaze respectively, whilst Jaypaw becomes a medicine cat and is later given the name Jayfeather. They seek the advice of a mysterious loner named Sol, who promises to give them the answers to their destinies; however, they eventually realize him to be a deceptive liar, and he is banished from the forest. Although uncertain of their powers, the three cats are always secure in the knowledge that they are deeply loved by their parents. This safe haven is shattered when they are forced into a fire by Ashfur, another ThunderClan warrior. Ashfur wishes to murder the three cats in order to punish their mother, Squirrelflight, for rejecting his love years earlier. However, Squirrelflight admits that the three cats are not her offspring, and Ashfur lets them go. The siblings are deeply distressed by this confession, and attempt to discover who their true parents are. They eventually learn that their mother is Leafpool, the ThunderClan medicine cat, and their father is Crowfeather, a WindClan warrior. Hollyleaf is devastated by this, and murders Ashfur in revenge. Unsatisfied, she then publicly announces to the rest of the Clans the true story of her heritage. When the Clans do not praise her for her honesty, but rather react with shock and confusion, Hollyleaf runs away into a series of collapsing tunnels. Presuming her to be dead, and numb with grief for their sister, Lionblaze and Jayfeather realize that Hollyleaf never had a power in the first place. They instead turn their eyes to two kits newly born in the Clan, one of whom could fulfill the third role in the prophecy.
Warriors: Omen of the Stars
The fourth series, Warriors: Omen of the Stars, was released from 2009 to 2012 and consists of six books: The Fourth Apprentice (November 24, 2009), Fading Echoes (March 23, 2010), Night Whispers (November 23, 2010), Sign of the Moon (April 5, 2011), The Forgotten Warrior (November 22, 2011), and The Last Hope (April 3, 2012). It is a direct continuation of Warriors: Power of Three.
Warriors: Dawn of the Clans
The fifth series, Warriors: Dawn of the Clans, was released from March 5, 2013 to September 1, 2015 and consists of six books: The Sun Trail (March 5, 2013), Thunder Rising (November 5, 2013), The First Battle (April 8, 2014), The Blazing Star (November 4, 2014), A Forest Divided (April 7, 2015), and Path of Stars (September 1, 2015). Warriors: Dawn of the Clans May also be known as the "Prequel Series", due to it being about how the five clans (ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, ShadowClan, and SkyClan) were created.
In The Sun Trail, prey is scarce in the mountain home of the Tribe of Pointed Stones, so a cat named Gray Wing and his companions must leave to find more food and a better home. Once they reach their new forest home Gray Wing falls in love with a rogue cat there named Storm. The Tribe cats start to live in the forest and take in rogue cats. When Gray Wing sees Storm again, he invites her to visit Clear Sky, another former Tribe cat and Gray Wing's brother. Once she meets Clear Sky, however, she falls in love with him. Gray Wing discovers that Storm is pregnant by Clear Sky and that she is going to live with him, breaking Gray Wing's heart. When Turtle Tail, another one of the Tribe cats, who becomes a kittypet later in The Sun Trail tells Gray Wing that Storm is in trouble, Gray Wing does not believe her. When he finds Storm, she is dead along with two of her three kits. Storm had left Clear Sky after he banished his own brother Jagged Peak who was barely an adult because he had fallen out of a tree and broken his leg. Clear Sky banished all cats who couldn't look after themselves. Gray Wing, Tall Shadow, and the Tribe cats who live on the moor name the surviving kit Thunder. When Gray Wing shows Thunder his father, Clear Sky rejects Thunder. Sad and angry with his brother, Gray Wing adopts Thunder as his own kin.
The second book, Thunder Rising, takes place a couple of months after The Sun Trail. Turtle Tail returns to Gray Wing's group pregnant by an aggressive kittypet tomcat named Tom, and becomes Gray Wing's mate. A fire breaks out in the forest, forcing Clear Sky's group to take shelter with Gray Wing. While taking shelter with Gray Wing, Clear Sky realizes that he was wrong about Thunder and invites him to join his group. Thunder quickly accepts the offer, but soon realizes that his father is too power-hungry and concentrated on the needs of the group over the individual and leaves.
In the third book, The First Battle, Clear Sky declares war upon Gray Wing's group. Gray Wing tries to make peace, but Clear Sky is ambitious and wants more territory. Tom arrives to look for Bumble (another housecat) and Turtle Tail. He steals Turtle Tail's kits and brings them to live with him. Cats from Gray Wing's group go to look for and bring them back, but they find Turtle Tail dead by a road. The cats manage to rescue the kittens from Tom, who swears revenge. At the end, Gray Wing's cats fight Clear Sky's. Many cats die, such as the following: Rainswept Flower, Jackdaws Cry and Hawk Swoop. The battle ends in a stalemate. The ghosts of the fallen cats known as 'spirit cats' return to tell the fighting cats to "unite or die". Clear Sky is struck with guilt and grief.
In the fourth book, The Blazing Star, rogues (non-Clan cats) join the groups and One Eye, a rogue tries to take control of the forest. The groups meet again at the full moon, where they are greeted again by the fallen cats. This time, they bring a new message: "To tame the Claw that blights the forest, grow and spread like the Blazing Star". No cat can understand what it means; however, during the meeting, Thunder meets a she-cat named Star Flower. Then to realise she is One Eye's daughter. After the meeting, the cats notice that a strange sickness is starting to infect the prey, giving them sores and bloated bellies. One of Wind Runner's kits Morning Whisker, fell ill with the disease and eventually died. Struck by sadness, Wind Runner, Gorse Fur, and their remaining kits, Dust Muzzle and Moth Flight, leave the hollow to live on their own up in the moor.
Warriors: A Vision of Shadows
Warriors: A Vision of Shadows is the sixth sub-series. The series was originally titled, Warriors: StarClan's Promise. The first book, The Apprentice's Quest, which takes place approximately eight months after Bramblestar's Storm, was released on March 15, 2016. The books' main characters are Sparkpaw and Alderpaw who are Bramblestar's and Squirrelflight's children.
The first book, The Apprentice's Quest, starts with each Clan's medicine cats receiving a prophecy from StarClan together, telling them to "Embrace what you find in the shadows, for only they can clear the sky". This is the titular prophecy of the series (A Vision of Shadows). When receiving this prophecy, Jayfeather sees Alderkit (Alderpaw's former name) in his dream, as well as the other medicine cats. Later, he, Leafpool, and Bramblestar decide that Alderpaw should become a medicine cat apprentice. Further into the book, Alderpaw has a vision of the far-off SkyClan. After deciding that Alderpaw's vision relates to the prophecy, Bramblestar sends Alderpaw on a quest to help SkyClan along with his ex-mentor, Molewhisker, Sandstorm, his sister Sparkpaw, and her mentor Cherryfall. While on the quest, they're joined by ShadowClan apprentice Needlepaw. Sandstorm dies along the way. When they reach the gorge where SkyClan lives, they find that they have been run out of their territory by a group of rogues. They decide that they arrived too late to help SkyClan and return back to the lake. On the way back Alderpaw and Needlepaw find two female kits (Twigkit and Violetkit) who lost their mother. Needlepaw suggests that the kits could be "what you find in the shadows". They then take the kits back to the lake and at a full moon Gathering, the clan leaders decide that ShadowClan should take one kit and ThunderClan should take the other. ThunderClan takes Twigkit and ShadowClan takes Violetkit.
The second book, Thunder and Shadow, was released on September 6, 2016. It follows Twigkit and Violetkit's lives in ThunderClan and ShadowClan. The two kits struggle to find their place in their respective clans, and feel lonely. However, Alderpaw and Needlepaw befriend the kits, and even arrange for them to meet in secret between the two clans' borders. The Clan cats discover that the rogues from A Vision of Shadows followed the quest cats to the lake, and have made camp near ShadowClan. Meanwhile, the ShadowClan apprentices start to lose faith in the warrior code, and many of them eventually join the rogues, including Needlepaw, who brings Violetkit with her.
The third book, Shattered Sky, was released on April 11, 2017. It Details the war that ensues between the Clans and Darktail's so called Kin after his annexation of Shadowclan. It heavily focuses on the sisters Twigpaw and Violetpaw as they find themselves on two different sides of a very brutal conflict that will determine the fate of the clans. Battles will be fought, loyalties will be tested, prophecies will be interpreted and as always, cats will die before the clans know peace again. .
The fourth book, Darkest Night, was released on November 7, 2017.
The fifth book, River of Fire, is scheduled to be released on April 10, 2018.
Other books
Super Editions
Super Editions are stand alone books in the Warriors series that are approximately double the length of a normal Warriors book. There are ten Super Editions as of September 2017: Firestar's Quest, Bluestar's Prophecy, SkyClan's Destiny, Crookedstar's Promise, Yellowfang's Secret, Tallstar's Revenge, Bramblestar's Storm, Moth Flight's Vision, Hawkwing's Journey, and Tigerheart's Shadow. Each Super Edition Novel also includes an exclusive manga except for Firestar's Quest.
Firestar's Quest
Firestar's Quest, the first Warriors Super Edition, was released on 25 August 2007. It is set between The Darkest Hour and Midnight and details Firestar and his mate Sandstorm's journey to restore SkyClan, the fifth Clan of the forest that is driven out when a town or twolegplace is built, and scattered when it is attacked by rats in its new home. Firestar and Sandstorm find rogues and house cats, some of whom are descendants of the former SkyClan and teach them how to hunt, fight, and follow the warrior code. When a house cat named Echo dreams of starry cats, Firestar realizes that the dream was sent by StarClan, indicating that Echo should be SkyClan's medicine cat. Echo is taught all that Sandstorm was taught before leaving ThunderClan with Firestar on their quest. She is named Echosong. While SkyClan is rebuilding its ranks, rats attack as they did when SkyClan first came to the gorge. SkyClan defeats them by joining together under the direction of Firestar, Leafdapple (later Leafstar), and Sharpclaw, her deputy later on. Firestar manages to kill the leader of the rats, after which the rats leave. During the rat attack, Firestar loses a life, leaving him with only seven, and a warrior called Rainfur is killed. Towards the end, Echosong dreams of dappled leaves, indicating that Leafdapple should be the new leader. She is named Leafstar and receives her nine lives, meeting Starclan. The former leaders that drove the ancient Skyclan out apologize in Starclan. Cherrypaw and Sparrowpaw are then made warriors (Cherrytail and Sparrowpelt) and Bouncekit, Tinykit, and Rockkit become apprentices (Bouncepaw, Tinypaw, and Rockpaw). The epilogue describes the birth of Squirrelkit and Leafkit, Firestar and Sandstorm's only kits.
Bluestar's Prophecy
Bluestar's Prophecy was released on the 28th of July 2009. It covers Bluestar's life from her early kit hood, or childhood, to the beginning of Into the Wild. The novel begins on the day of Bluestar's death as she saves Fireheart and ThunderClan from the dog pack, a scene from A Dangerous Path. The novel then returns to when Bluestar was still a kit, Bluekit. Bluekit is apprenticed to Stonepelt as Bluepaw, and proves to be an excellent hunter, catching a squirrel almost as big as herself on her first day of hunting. The next day, Goosefeather sees a sign in the vole Snowpaw (Bluepaw's sister) brings back to camp and proclaims that ThunderClan must attack WindClan. Later, he tells them that they must destroy WindClan's medicine supply in order to keep them at bay during winter. Pinestar is reluctant but agrees to attack at dawn. Bluepaw and Snowpaw are ordered to stay out of the fight, but they help Featherwhisker, the medicine cat apprentice, tend to the wounded. During the battle, Bluepaw's mother, Moonflower, gets close to destroying WindClan's medicine supplies, but is killed by Hawkheart, the WindClan medicine cat who had originally been a warrior. Bluepaw enters a state of grief which lasts until Sunfall, the deputy and her new mentor since Stonepelt was injured during the WindClan battle and never healed, talks her out of it, telling her that she must honor Moonflower by doing well. She attends the Gathering that night, where she meets and becomes friendly with Crookedpaw and Oakheart of RiverClan.
A while later, Bluepaw receives her warrior name, Bluefur. She finds out that a Clanmate, Thrushpelt, is in love with her, but she dismisses it, deciding that she is too young to have a mate. However, Snowfur wants a Clanmate named Thistlepaw, who is still an apprentice, as a mate. A few moons later, Pinestar announces that he wants no more of the warrior life and goes off to live his last life as a housecat, or kittypet. Sunfall becomes Sunstar and Tawnyspots becomes the new deputy. On a patrol to RiverClan, Bluefur is pulled aside by Oakheart, who tells her to meet him that night at Fourtrees. She does, and the two warriors spend the night together, having fallen in love. About a month later, Tawnyspots falls ill with an incurable illness, so he is unable to be deputy for much longer. Thistlepaw, now Thistleclaw, wishes to become deputy in his place. Bluefur discovers that she is pregnant with Oakheart's kits. ThunderClan believes her kits are with Thrushpelt and are overjoyed. After Goosefeather convinces her that she must become deputy, and not Thistleclaw due to his violence and ambition, Bluefur reluctantly brings her three kits (Mosskit, Mistykit, and Stonekit), to meet their father, Oakheart, to live as RiverClan cats. Mosskit freezes to death along the way. Bluefur then convinces ThunderClan that a fox took her kits. Once Featherwhisker deems Tawnyspots incurable and unfit for the rank of deputy, Sunstar appoints Bluefur as the new deputy. After Sunstar dies, Bluefur becomes Bluestar and receives nine lives. Thistleclaw is outraged by this and continues to be bitter towards Bluestar until he was killed later on.
Many months later, she is seen sitting with Spottedleaf, the medicine cat, and hears the "Fire alone will save our Clan" prophecy. The manga at the end of the novel depicts Bluestar's decision to accept Rusty (later Firestar) to the Clan.
SkyClan's Destiny
SkyClan's Destiny was released on 3 August 2010. The book follows Leafstar and her struggle to rebuild the once-lost Clan. The book takes place several months after Firestar's Quest. The Clan's members are split over whether or not "daylight-warriors", housecats who join the Clan in the day and return to their owners at night, should be allowed to be part of the Clan. Leafstar struggles with the decision, as she wants to take Billystorm, one of the daylight-warriors, as a mate, but wants what is best for the Clan. SkyClan then faces a series of challenges caused by visiting rogues.
Crookedstar's Promise
Crookedstar's Promise was released on 5 July 2011. It takes place at the same time as Bluestar's Prophecy and details the life of Crookedstar, initially Stormkit. As a kit, Stormkit falls into the river after he sneaks out of camp and attempts to chase ThunderClan medicine cat Goosefeather away from Sunningrocks, a part of RiverClan territory (at the time). This leads him to break his jaw on a rock. Rainflower, Stormkit's mother, rejects Stormkit due to his disfigured appearance and demands that RiverClan leader Hailstar perform a renaming ceremony to change Stormkit's name to Crookedkit. Hurt ( by this, Crookedkit is visited in a dream by Mapleshade, a Dark Forest she-cat who allows Crookedkit to believe that she is from StarClan. She tells him that she can give him anything he wants as long as he is faithful to his Clan and puts all other things aside. Crookedkit quickly accepts this promise, believing it not to be a difficult promise, as he was already loyal to his Clan, and believes that Mapleshade can help him become leader. Mapleshade then uses Crookedkit's promise to seemingly bring about the deaths of Crookedkit's loved ones. When Crookedjaw is chasing away a dog, the dog knocks his mother, Rainflower, into a river, and she hits her head on rocks. Mapleshade urges Crookedjaw to focus on the dog instead of bringing his mother to the medicine cat, and she dies. Crookedjaw then becomes deputy upon his father Shellheart's retirement; shortly after, Shellheart dies of a lump in his stomach. Not long after, Hailstar loses his last life while fighting rats in a barn: although Mapleshade urges him to not protect Hailstar so he can become leader, Crookedjaw ignores her, having discovered that she is actually from the Dark Forest. Nonetheless, Hailstar is killed. Despite his insistence that she stay away from him, Mapleshade continues to haunt Crookedstar: his mate, Willowbreeze, dies of a respiratory infection days after giving birth to his three kits, and two of the kits die as well. When Crookedstar confronts Mapleshade, she reveals that she had once been the mate of Crookedstar's great-grandfather. Mapleshade had been a ThunderClan cat, while her mate had been from RiverClan: Mapleshade was cast out by her Clan for taking a forbidden mate, then lost her kits in the river when she attempted to bring them to RiverClan. Her mate blamed her for the kits' deaths, and RiverClan, too, rejected Mapleshade. As a result, Mapleshade vowed revenge on her former mate's descendants, one of whom is Crookedstar. When Crookedstar finally reveals his promise and his belief that it caused the deaths of his loved ones, to his medicine cat Brambleberry, she argues that the deaths were not in fact Mapleshade's fault. Following the conclusion of the novel, Oakheart is killed, then in the manga feature, Silverstream, Crookedstar's only remaining kit, dies after giving birth to Graystripe of ThunderClan's kits. Mapleshade asserts that these deaths were her doing as well, but Crookedstar tells Mapleshade that she has failed to punish him, as his loved ones live on in StarClan, while she has no one. Finally, Crookedstar dies as well. A sad ending, but it has to fit in with the rest of the series.
Yellowfang's Secret
Yellowfang's Secret was released on 9 October 2012. It is a Super Edition about the former medicine cat of ThunderClan, Yellowfang and her life in ShadowClan. It follows Yellowfang as she first trains to be a warrior, then a medicine cat, as Sagewhisker tells her that her paws are not meant for shedding blood. She decides to switch to the role of medicine cat instead because she can feel the injuries of all the other cats in ShadowClan. A few moons later she breaks the code of medicine cats when she gives birth to kits; as a result, she and her whole Clan are punished for her disloyalty to the code, as her only surviving kit, Brokenkit proves to be vicious, bloodthirsty, and driven only by ambition, qualities that his own father, Raggedstar, ignores. In the end, Yellowfang herself is cast out of ShadowClan to live as a rogue by her own kit, now having gone on to follow in his father's footsteps and become Brokenstar for a crime she did not commit.
Tallstar's Revenge
Tallstar's Revenge was released on 2 July 2013. It tells the story of Tallstar, whose father dies when he is an apprentice during a tunnel collapse. As a result, he attempts to avenge his father Sandgorse's death by killing the cat (a rogue named Sparrow) whom he believes did not help his father escape the tunnel and is therefore responsible. Tallstar leaves his Clan to track down Sparrow and briefly travels with a house cat named Jake, who is later revealed to be the father of Firestar (the main protagonist of the original six books). When he meets up with Sparrow, Tallstar discovers that his father actually sacrificed himself to allow the other cat to escape and does not carry through with his intended vengeance, instead saving Sparrow's life when Sparrow slides down a cliff and near a road.
Bramblestar's Storm
Bramblestar's Storm, the seventh volume in the Super Edition arc, features Bramblestar, the leader of ThunderClan. The book takes place after the Clans' victory over the Dark Forest cats. This book was released on 26 August 2014. All Clans are struggling due to the lake flooding; however, ThunderClan and ShadowClan appear to be suffering most. Deaths of Clanmates leads to tension and grief between those in ThunderClan as they simultaneously also try to survive outside of their usual territory, having been displaced by the flooding. On a border patrol, Bramblestar encounters some housecats that are taken into the Clan until they can return home. Bramblestar becomes close to one of the housecats, Jessy, which upsets Bramblestar's deputy (and former mate) Squirrelflight causing many quarrels between them. Ultimately, two of the housecats, Minty and Jessy, decide to leave, leaving only Frankie (later named Stormpaw) with ThunderClan. Jessy leaves because she feels that it would be better if Bramblestar and herself do not become mates because Bramblestar’s heart belongs with Squirrelflight. In the short manga chapter included at the book's end, it is revealed that Squirrelflight is pregnant with Bramblestar's kits.
Moth Flight's Vision
Moth Flight's Vision is the 8th Super Edition novel that was released on November 3, 2015. It features a cat named Moth Flight, who becomes WindClan's first medicine cat. Moth Flight was also the one who discovered the Moonstone, and that all leaders shall be granted nine lives. It takes place a few moons after the last book in the Dawn of the Clans series. In this book, Moth Flight, an easily distractable she-cat, kit of Wind Runner (later Windstar), leaves her Clan, following a unexpected guide, and meets an unexpected friend, who is vital to her journey. She finds an object, and is told something important. She goes home, and reveals the secret information. Her friend stays with her, and she gives birth to four kits after his death. She lives happily for moons after, until she dies a peaceful death.
Hawkwing's Journey
Hawkwing's Journey is the 9th Super Edition novel that was released on 1 November 2016. It follows Hawkwing a apprentice, warrior and eventual deputy of Skyclan. It details the introduction of Darktail, the main antagonist of both Hawkwing's Journey and of the sixth arc A Vision of Shadow. The plot revolves around Darktail's treachery and eventually Skyclan's forced exile from the Gorge territory. Leafstar, the leader of Skyclan decides that the gorge is lost and that the clan's only hope is to find the rest of the Warrior Clans. So Skyclan sets out searching for the Lake territories. The book ends with Skyclan still wandering with many of its cats scattered or dead. Despite all this, the cats that remain still held their faith and continued on, trusting Starclan to lead them to the Lake.
Tigerheart's Shadow
Tigerheart's Shadow is the 10th Super Edition novel in the Warriors series. It was released on September 5, 2017. Tigerheart's Shadow is set just after the end of Shattered Sky during the "A Vision of Shadows" arc. It details the adventure that Dovewing, a warrior of Thunderclan, and Tigerheart, deputy of Shadowclan, depart on as they leave the clans at the behest of strange dreams that warn of dark times to come. They are guided by these dreams far from the clans, to a group of cats living in the basement of a church in the middle of a huge human city. They live and help these cats for several moons, using their warrior skills to assist them at all points. Eventually Dovewing has their kits leading the couple to do their best to raise their kits as warriors despite being far from clan and code. Eventually more dreams of woe draw them back to the lake where danger and destiny await.
Field guides
Six field guides have also been published; The Ultimate Guide, Cats of the Clans, Battles of the Clans, and Code of the Clans. Secrets of the Clans and Enter the Clans are a mix of different guides in one, but they include their own exclusive features. The guides offer extra information, usually in the form of short stories, and are usually about 150 pages long. Secrets of the Clans is the first field guide in the series. It gives more details about the Clans previously unrevealed in the main series. Cats of the Clans, featuring illustrations and descriptions of the cats, was released on 24 June 2008. Code of the Clans, which describes the origins of the cats' code of honor, the warrior code, was released on 9 June 2009. Battles of the Clans, released on 1 June 2010, is about past battles and each Clan's special battle tactics. Enter the Clans is an omnibus field guide released on 26 June 2012. It is a collective work of the field guides Secrets of the Clans and Code of the Clans, although four pages of color artwork and the double foldout map inserts in the middle of Secrets of the Clans, as well as five pieces of color artwork in Code of the Clans, are not included in Enter the Clans. The Ulitimate Guide features a large page or more about a cat that was important in the series, and a detailed painted illustration to go with it. It also includes narritives exclusive towards this book.
Warriors: The Ultimate Guide
On 5 November 2013, a field guide titled Warriors: The Ultimate Guide was released. HarperCollins held a contest in which ten fans would have their names appear on the dedication page.
The guide contains descriptions of forty characters, including Goosefeather, Dovewing, Brairlight, Lionblaze, and Ivypool. It also has various short stories, including the leadership ceremonies of both Tigerstar and Bramblestar, as well as maps of Clan territories. The first printing of the book featured a timeline of the Warriors universe on the reverse of the cover jacket.
The ultimate guide is a continuation of Warriors: Cats of the Clans.
Warriors: Cats of the Clans
In Warriors: Cats of the Clans, Leafpool, the ThunderClan medicine cat is your guide. She tells stories about the biggest and most important cats. They include detailed illustrations of the cats.
Warriors: Battles of the Clans
Onestar, the current WindClan leader, guides the reader and brings the reader to all the clans (And speaks to the reader about SkyClan) to learn about their battle tactics, famous battle stories, and exclusive short stories. It also includes tips on how to fight like a warrior.
Warriors: Code of the Clans
This field guide contains many short stories. The short stories include how the warrior code came to be, and tells stories of cats following and breaking the code.
Original English-language manga
Several series of original English-language manga have been produced by HarperCollins with TOKYOPOP. With the shutdown of TOKYOPOP, subsequent manga volumes have been published under the HarperCollins name alone. Four of the manga series consist of three volumes, though The Rise of Scourge is a standalone book.
Graystripe's trilogy
Graystripe's trilogy is a three-volume series following Graystripe from the time that he was taken by humans in Dawn until he returns to ThunderClan in The Sight. It was published as the first part of a partnership between TOKYOPOP and HarperCollins. These books tell how Graystripe and Millie, a housecat Graystripe meets during his captivity, find their way to ThunderClan from a faraway town. It consists of 3 books: The Lost Warrior (April 24, 2007), Warrior's Refuge (December 26, 2007) and Warrior's Return (April 22, 2008).
The Rise of Scourge
The Rise of Scourge was released on 24 June 2008 and, unlike the other manga which form trilogies, is a standalone volume. The story details the early life of BloodClan leader Scourge, one of the antagonists in The Darkest Hour, who is bullied in his youth for being small. The book chronicles his story up to the point when he kills Tigerstar, who once attacked Scourge when he ventured into the forest as a kitten.
Tigerstar and Sasha
Tigerstar and Sasha is a manga trilogy detailing how Tigerstar and the rogue cat Sasha meet and the events that occur after Sasha leaves Tigerstar and ShadowClan. The books are Into the Woods, Escape from the Forest, and Return to the Clans.
Into the Woods
The book begins with Sasha chasing after her owner's car, which then speeds off, leaving her grief-stricken in the street. She then is filled with memories of her human owners, Ken and Jean, who took care of her. Everything was right until Jean got sick, and despite all they could do, she died. Ken, lamenting over Jean, then went with several other humans and left the house. Sasha, having escaped from an open bathroom window, began chasing after him. Unsuccessful, she wanders into the forest after seeing her friend Shnuky for the last time.
Soon after, she finds an old den made of logs and bedded with leaves, and settles down there. The next day, while hunting prey she encounters a tom named Pine, who engages in conversation with Sasha. He warns her of the Clan cats living in the forest, in the process taking off her collar for her. The next morning, a ShadowClan patrol consisting of Tigerstar, Rowanpaw, and Jaggedtooth comes along, and Sasha takes a particular interest in Tigerstar. After Rowanpaw scents traces of foxes, a frog appears, although he is unsuccessful at catching it. Before it can get away, though, Sasha drops on it and says that it slipped through their paws.
The next night, Sasha realizes that she has feelings for Tigerstar, and misses a rabbit while being caught up in her thoughts. Turning around she sees that Tigerstar had caught it for her, criticizes her hunting technique, and tells her she needs someone to show her how to hunt properly. When Sasha asks who would teach her, he says that he might.
After a time of not seeing Tigerstar, Sasha returns to her den one evening, only to find Tigerstar already waiting for her. Asking him where he was, he comments on how nice her den was, and then stops and asks when she will be seeing her humans again, after seeing her collar hanging around a protruding branch on the logs. Sasha asks him why he was snooping around in her den, and he tells her that he cannot see her any more if she has the collar. She refuses to destroy it, and quarrels with Tigerstar about housecats and how they are not independent. Sad, she reminisces about her perfect life with Jean and Ken.
The next day, Sasha leaves a pigeon at the ShadowClan border to prove to Tigerstar that kittypets can hunt. After catching a rabbit, Sasha is attacked by two foxes. Before she can escape, though, Tigerstar comes and attacks the duo of animals, telling her to run. Scrambling up a tree, Sasha sees that the foxes have an advantage over him, and she jumps down to assist him. After defeating both foxes, Tigerstar stays in her den for the night and lets his wounds heal, and tells Sasha that he came to thank her for the pigeon, and that she is unlike any housecat he has ever known.
One night Sasha brings Tigerstar to her old fence near the town. Upon sitting on it, he loses interest and Sasha takes offence, although he comments that if she wishes to be a rogue she would have to say goodbye to her old life.
Tigerstar shows her around ShadowClan camp the next day, and introduces her to Blackstar, then known as Blackfoot. Sasha is offered to join a patrol, which she accepts. Along the way, she also sees Pine, who has gotten sick because winter is now coming on. Because Sasha does so well on the patrol, Tigerstar invites her to spend the night in the warriors den. Enjoying herself immensely, Sasha accepts.
Racing back to the camp, she looks down on the camp from a tree, suddenly stopped by the voices of Tigerstar and his Clanmates. Soon she becomes frightened after Tigerstar discusses his plans to rule the forest with his Clanmates, including hiring BloodClan and setting a pack of dogs on ThunderClan. Extremely scared and changing her mind, Sasha flees, but before she can get far she is approached by Tigerstar who asks if she will join ShadowClan.
Escape from the Forest
The book opens to Sasha refusing Tigerstar's offer to join ShadowClan. Their conversation turns into an argument, and Sasha insists that Tigerstar's plans go against the warrior code.
Back at her den, Sasha thinks about her heartbreak, and dreams of Ken coming, finding her, and taking her home. She makes her way out of the forest, realizing that she has no place there anymore. She bumps into Pine, and tells him that she is leaving.
Sasha returns to where she used to live with Ken and Jean, and is chased away by the human that is now living there. In a secondhand clothing store, Sasha catches Ken's scent and finds one of his coats. As she roams the town, Sasha encounters two BloodClan warriors and narrowly escapes. Sasha wanders onto a tour boat, where she curls up and goes to sleep.
When Sasha wakes up, the floor is shaking. She runs outside to jump off, only to find that the boat is surrounded by water. She is spotted by the tourists, who believe her to be a ship cat, and the captain shuts her in a cupboard. Let off the boat, she notices that the captain looks lonely and sad. When she sneaks back onto the boat, she begins to attract many customers to the boat service as "Brownie the Famous Ship's Cat," gaining the affection of the captain. One night, she even prevents two saboteurs from burning the boat.
One day when the boat is out, Sasha finds a bag with a very young cat inside it in the water. The captain takes him home and names him Patch. The spring thaw arrives, and the captain ties up the boat and prepares to go elsewhere. Sasha decides not to go with the captain and Patch because she now knows that she is going to have kits, and wants them born in the forest. Patch and the captain are sad, but they understand.
Return to the Clans
Sasha has gone back to the forest to raise her three kits, Hawk, Moth, and Tadpole. While hunting for her kits, she is caught by a ShadowClan patrol. Afraid that they will take her kits, she lies and says they died from the cold. Afterwards, she lets her kits play outside, but when they go back in, she tells them about Ken.
Later, she lets them outside again, but this time, Russetfur walks in on them. Instead of forcing her to give them up to ShadowClan, she instead helps Sasha by giving her some prey, and warns her to leave as soon as possible. Later on, Sasha goes out hunting and the kits go out to find Ken because they want to make their mother happy.
Meanwhile, Sasha has come back to find her kits gone. The kits go into an abandoned house. Sasha, still trying to find the three, gets confronted by BloodClan warriors, but is able to trick them into fear by telling them she is a Clan warrior out looking for revenge of Tigerstar's death, and the BloodClan cats end up pointing out the direction they saw the kits go.
In the basement, a pipe blows and water leaks rapidly from it. Sasha rescues Hawk and Moth, but Tadpole doesn't make it out of the flooding basement. That night, a devastated Sasha dreams of Tigerstar and asks if Tadpole is with him. Tigerstar says no, but confides that he is safe. Sasha later meets with Pine, a loner she had previously met, and he takes her and the kits to a barn where another she-cat lives.
After Pine leaves, Sasha is attacked by the queen while Hawk and Moth are attacked by the she-cat's kits, but Sasha beats her. She leaves with the kits and decides to take them to RiverClan. In the outskirts of RiverClan territory, Sasha tells the kits who their father is and says that it is their secret. Sasha tells RiverClan that she and her kits wish to become warriors.
When they get back to camp, the kits get their apprentice names, but Sasha refuses to take a warrior name. Not long into their apprenticeships, Hawkpaw and Mothpaw see other kits from the nursery pretending to be Tigerstar and kill everybody. They ask Sasha why they acted like that about him. Sasha tells them the truth about him and makes them promise again that that was their little secret.
Later, Hawkpaw and Mothpaw discover the remnants of the Bonehill, a hill of bones that Tigerstar created in the events of The Darkest Hour. In the end, Sasha decides Clan life is not for her, and she also realizes that her kits are far safer and happier here than with her, so she leaves, but her kits stay.
Ravenpaw's Path
Ravenpaw's Path is another trilogy which is centred around former ThunderClan apprentice Ravenpaw and his life on the farm with the farm cat Barley after the events of The Darkest Hour. Holmes has said that the series takes place in the second half of the year between the original series and The New Prophecy series, soon after Firestar and Sandstorm return to the Clan in Firestar's Quest. The three books are Shattered Peace, A Clan in Need, and The Heart of a Warrior, which were released on 3 August 2010.
SkyClan and the Stranger
SkyClan and the Stranger is a trilogy detailing events experienced by SkyClan after its revival in Firestar's Quest and the events of SkyClan's Destiny. It also details how Sol came to know about the Clans. The trilogy begins with The Rescue, which was released on 5 July 2011. The second book is Beyond the Code and was released 22 November 2011, and the third book is After the Flood and was released 3 April 2012.
Novellas
Originally published only in e-book format, the novellas Hollyleaf's Story, Mistystar's Omen, and Cloudstar's Journey were later published in print by HarperCollins in the anthology volume Warriors: The Untold Stories, which was released on 2 July 2013. Tigerclaw's Fury, Leafpool's Wish, and Dovewing's Silence were published in print in the anthology volume Warriors: Tales from the Clans on 4 November 2014. Mapleshade's Vengeance, Goosefeather's Curse, and Ravenpaw's Farewell were published in print in the anthology volume Warriors: Shadows of the Clans on January 26, 2016.
Hollyleaf's Story
Hollyleaf's Story was released on 3 March 2012. Spoilers*
In the first chapter, she has a flashback; she is crouching during a fire caused by lightning in a storm, beside her littermates, Lionblaze and Jayfeather, in shock and terror. Her foster mother, Squirrelflight, is defending her and her littermates from Ashfur, who is threatening the three littermates, as he holds a grudge against Squirrelflight for taking Brambleclaw as a mate instead of himself. He wants to take away something that means a lot to her in revenge, and decides to take it out on her kits so that she will feel the same pain he did. In order to protect them, Squirrelflight reveals a secret that shocks Hollyleaf and the rest of her littermates: Lionblaze, and Jayfeather, and Hollyleaf are not her kits. However, doesn't reveal who the real mother and father are. Hollyleaf then runs into the tunnels, and when she enters them, they collapse on top of her. Although she doesn't die, she winds up injured and scared. She cries for help, but nobody hears her. She then thinks about how her littermates and Leafpool know that she killed Ashfur, and that they probably think that she was killed in the rock-fall. She contemplates that it is probably the best for all of them. Hollyleaf attempts to escape from the tunnels, but can't figure out which way to go, and realizes that she's lost. She then passes out due to exhaustion and pain from her leg injuries. Hollyleaf wakes up to find that someone is tending to her wounds, although she doesn't know who it is. She tries standing up, but collapses from the pain in her leg. Hollyleaf's rescuer reveals himself to be Fallen Leaves. Eventually, Hollyleaf's leg does get better, and she's able to walk on all four legs again. Fallen Leaves takes this as a sign that Hollyleaf is going to leave him and the tunnels, and asks if he is to show her the way out. Much to his delight, Hollyleaf says she wants to explore his home, not leave. The two cats explore the cave, although when he catches prey for Hollyleaf, Fallen Leaves never takes any for himself. She wonders to herself why, but doesn't ask. The next morning, Fallen Leaves and Hollyleaf check around the tunnels. While Hollyleaf is on her own, she runs into a fox cub being chased by a dog and its Twoleg owner. The cub stays in the tunnels overnight, unsettling Hollyleaf. As a result, she decides to go looking for it. When she finds it, she realizes that it's frightened and startled. She wraps her tail around the cub as it sleeps, and once it wakes up in the morning, she leads it outside, and watches it leave with its mother. As the days pass, Hollyleaf looks around for the fox cub, and Fallen Leaves teases her, asking if she really wants it to come back. Hollyleaf says no, and that it belongs with its family, to which Fallen Leaves asks if that's what Hollyleaf wants. The two get into an argument. Fallen Leaves tells Hollyleaf she doesn't have to stay with him, and she storms off. As she leaves the tunnels, she runs into the fox she helped, although it didn't recognize her, and it starts attacking her. To get away she ran up a tree. Hollyleaf goes back to Fallen Leaves, although once she gets back, she sleeps for two whole days, once again being taken care of by Fallen Leaves. Once she wakes up, the two start talking, and Hollyleaf asks Fallen Leaves to tell her more about his own family. He tells Hollyleaf about his mother, Broken Shadow, and how she was protective of him. Fallen Leaves doesn't speak much more about his family and never tells her that he's dead and that his family is too, and instead tries to get Hollyleaf to speak about hers. She does, and Fallen Leaves suggests that she go and see ThunderClan, to check up on them. Although reluctant, she does, and finds out that things have changed. Fallen Leaves thinks that she's still important to her Clan, though Hollyleaf disagrees, thinking they are better off without her. Hollyleaf visits once more, although not for a while. When she does, she overhears that Jayfeather is low on yarrow to help Cherrykit, who is sick. Hollyleaf fetches some yarrow, and leaves it outside of the camp. Fallen Leaves gets worried that she'll leave to go back to her Clan because she keeps on visiting them. Later on, she comes to find out from Fallen Leaves that two ThunderClan cats, Ivypool and Blossomfall, have found their way into the tunnels. She takes Fallen Leaves' suggestion, and leads them out, although the cats she helped have no idea who she really is. Later on, she does the same thing again, this time saving Cherrypaw and Molepaw, Poppyfrost's two kits. Despite the fact she knew she was risking getting discovered, she knew it was right. She had saved two apprentices from a fox. When she decides she has to go back, Fallen Leaves supports her choice, but is very upset about it and doesn't want her to leave. About a moon later, Sol and a group of WindClan cats are found in the tunnels discussing how they will attack ThunderClan. Hollyleaf then notices two more cats, of ThunderClan heritage. These are Ivypool and Dovewing, and they followed the WindClan cats into the tunnels. She helps Ivypool and Dovewing get out of the tunnels and WindClan hears that they are there, but never finds them and never found out who they were. Although she originally did not want to show herself to any cat, she does, and tells Dovewing and Ivypool who she really is, in order to gain their trust.
Mistystar's Omen
Mistystar's Omen is a novella released on 11 September 2012. When Leopardstar loses her ninth life, her longtime deputy, Mistyfoot, becomes leader, receiving the new name Mistystar. Mistystar discovers a secret about RiverClan and her leadership is plunged into crisis as soon as it begins.
Cloudstar's Journey
Cloudstar's Journey is a novella that was released as an e-book on 29 January 2013. It describes the original SkyClan's experiences as humans destroy their forest home to build a town. When their camp is ruined, Cloudstar, leader of SkyClan, brings his whole Clan to a Gathering and asks the other Clan leaders to help them.
Tigerclaw's Fury
Tigerclaw's Fury is the fourth novella. It was released on 28 January 2014. It describes Tigerclaw's experiences while he is banished from ThunderClan and his acceptance into ShadowClan (including how he helps ShadowClan fight off sickness and how he is appointed as its new leader).
Leafpool's Wish
Leafpool's Wish is the fifth novella, which was published on 22 April 2014. The book begins with Leafpool treating Birchpaw's wounds from the badger attack. She tells him to keep still, or she will have Dustpelt sit on him. Birchpaw protests, saying that it stings, and Leafpool dryly comments whether it hurts more than badger claws. She feels a fresh wave of grief as she remembers the death of her mentor, Cinderpelt. She whispers to herself that she has returned. Brackenfur comes in and asks if she's talking to herself. She tells him she was just remembering something important, then asks if he needs anything. Birchpaw interrupts, asking if he can leave. Leafpool says he can, but he's not allowed out of the hollow. As Birchpaw leaves, Brackenfur says that some cats don't realize just how lucky they are to survive the attack. Leafpool agrees, adding that those who fell will never be forgotten. Brackenfur tells her that the reason he came was because Cinderkit, one of his daughters, had picked up some fleas. Leafpool tells him she'll bring something by sunhigh. Brackenfur says that there's no hurry, and that Leafpool has been looking tired lately. Leafpool says that she's always busy after a battle and a nursery full of kits doesn't help, but every new life in ThunderClan is precious. The two cats leave her den, and Leafpool sees Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw. She wonders briefly if her sister made the right choice. Leafpool soothes the flea bites with a marigold poultice, then retires to her den for the night. She feels lonely without Cinderpelt. When she falls asleep, she meets with three StarClan warriors: Bluestar, Yellowfang, and Lionheart. They lead her to a clearing, where three stars shine brighter than all the rest. Bluestar then tells her that there are cats whom she has yet to meet, cats who will shape her destiny. She will walk a path that no medicine cat has walked before. Lionheart tells her that they have come to give her courage. Bluestar tells her that they will be with her every step of the way, no matter what. Leafpool knows that she made the right choice to stay in ThunderClan. One moon passes, and Firestar has just recovered from losing a life from a Twoleg trap. She is bringing him honey topped with a poppy seed. Firestar protests that he is fine, but he eats it anyway. She goes over the herbs she needs before leaf-bare. Upon seeing Whitepaw, she asks her if she can bring some moss for Firestar. Whitepaw agrees, saying that she can do it before training. Brackenfur asks her if she is stealing his apprentice. Leafpool promises that Whitepaw won't be long, and asks Brackenfur how he felt about Firestar's choice of deputy. Brackenfur says that a Clan without a deputy is vulnerable, and he's glad they have a deputy now. He is also glad Leafpool returned. Berrykit comes rushing out of the nursery and hassles the two, until Daisy comes and tells him to stop bothering Brackenfur. After Daisy takes Berrykit back to the nursery, Brackenfur leaves, telling Ashfur that as soon as Whitepaw returns, they'll take their apprentices hunting. Then Molekit rushes out squealing that he can't be caught. Honeykit says that she can, and runs after him. Then Poppykit and Cinderkit emerge, and Cinderkit asks Leafpool if Firestar is okay. Leafpool tells her that he's fine, and she is relieved, saying that a Clan needs a leader. Leafpool reflects that Cinderkit seems so much older then her one moon sometimes. Sorreltail tells her kits not to bother the warriors, and Honeykit says that they were just practicing racing, and Molekit adds that he is quicker, his legs are longer. Honeykit counters that her legs are faster. Honeykit crashes into Whitepaw, who has returned with moss. Sorreltail wonders how she can manage the four. Leafpool is wracked with a squirming in her belly, she figured out half a moon ago what the stars meant: she's having kits. She tells Sorreltail she ate a tough shrew and hurries to check Brambleclaw's wounds. She sees Brambleclaw licking his paws, and realizes she doesn't trust him anymore, not since she saw him in the Dark Forest. She asks to see his paws. After checking him over, she starts to leave. As she goes, Brambleclaw says that she can trust him now, he knows that she saw him in the Place Of No Stars. Leafpool is still uncertain, and as she goes, the kits inside of her squirm again. As she comes out of the warriors den, she notices Berrykit, Hazelkit, and Mousekit attacking Spiderleg, who snaps at them, discouraging their play. Leafpool thinks that Crowfeather would be glad to play with their kits. In her mind's eye she can see Crowfeather playing with their kits, though she cannot tell whether it's WindClan or ThunderClan camp. Leafpool tells herself that she cannot have her kits and betray ThunderClan again. She decides to go to the Moonpool to consult StarClan. She meets with Spottedleaf, who reprimands her for what she has done. Then Yellowfang interrupts and takes her into the forest, where she tells Leafpool about her own forbidden son, Brokenstar. Leafpool asks if her kits will be a terrible mistake as well. Yellowfang tells her never to say that, as all life is precious. Leafpool still feels unhappy with her choice and says that she still did something wrong. Yellowfang explains that in one code, she did do something wrong. She explains further that there is more than one way to judge the inevitable kits, they are not allowed to have mates and kits was because the ancient cats were worried that they would put their kin ahead of their Clanmates. Leafpool asks if ThunderClan will accept her kits, and Yellowfang says that there is no way to know for certain, but she should stay with ThunderClan no matter what. Then they part, and Leafpool is awake once more. Leafpool decides to confide in Squirrelflight. She tells her sister that she needs to tell her something. As they pass out, Mousefur notes that Leafpool is getting plump, and asks if there were plenty of mice at the Moonpool. Squirrelflight says that this was rude of Mousefur, but acknowledges that Leafpool has gotten larger. She is shocked when Leafpool admits her secret, and asks if Leafpool will have to leave ThunderClan. Leafpool tells her that she will not, she needs to have kits and serve her Clan. Squirrelflight suggests that Brightheart can be medicine cat, but Leafpool does not accept this idea, telling Squirrelflight that ThunderClan needs her, not Brightheart. Squirrelflight says that she doesn't have much choice right now, but everything will be okay. Leafpool doesn't think that anything will be okay again. When Brightheart asks her if there's anything Leafpool needs to tell her, Leafpool thinks she suspects something, but she just wants to know why Leafpool is having her help so much. Leafpool wants to know how she would feel about that. Brightheart likes helping, but she wants to stay a warrior. Three sunrises pass. Whitepaw gets injured attempting to catch a hare, and Leafpool relocates her tail. Brightheart is very distressed over Whitepaw's injury. After Whitepaw is settled in Leafpool's den, her mother, Sandstorm tells Leafpool that she seems distracted, and asks if something is wrong. Leafpool tells her that nothing is wrong. She goes out to gather herbs, and sees Crowfeather with a WindClan she-cat. Crowfeather sees her, and tries to talk to her, but she blows him off, officially ending their relationship. She resolves to see Yellowfang again. The next day, she asks Squirrelflight to come with her. Squirrelflight agrees. She is in awe of the Moonpool, and they fall asleep. Leafpool begs Yellowfang to help her figure something out. Yellowfang wakes up Squirrelflight and introduces herself. She tells Squirrelflight that the only way to save the kits is if Squirrelflight raises them as her own. Squirrelflight is horrified at the thought of lying to her Clanmates, and refuses. Yellowfang tells her that she will never have kits. Squirrelflight and Leafpool are apalled by this news, and Yellowfang continues, saying that Leafpool's kits are her only chance to be a mother. Then she and Leafpool wake up, and Squirrelflight tells Leafpool she can't do that for her, and lie to their Clanmates. Leafpool decides to leave camp to give birth, so she tells her Clanmates that she's leaving to find a specific herb on the territory. At the last moment Squirrelflight decides to join her. They leave at sunhigh. After rejecting an old Twoleg nest as her birthing den, they are forced into a hole in the ground after being caught in the middle of a badger fight. The next day, Leafpool realizes that her kits are due that very day, and the sisters hurry away from the fox den. They find a very old tree to shelter in while Leafpool gives birth. The first kit comes, but the second kit has trouble because it has such broad shoulders. Then, Yellowfang comes to help, and they manage to get the kit out. Then the last kit comes, a gray tabby. Yellowfang advises them to stay in the hollow until the kits' eyes open. Feathertail comes to visit the kits, saying that they are perfect. She bears no grudge against Leafpool. Feathertail says that cats will speak of them from moons to come. They must be raised in ThunderClan, and Squirrelflight must mother the kits. The golden tabby looks like a little lion, so she calls him Lionkit. Leafpool wants to call the black kit Crowkit, but lets Squirrelflight name her Hollykit. When the gray tabby finally opens his eyes, Leafpool calls him Jaykit, for his eyes are as blue as a jay's wing. She adds silently that he will be called Jayfeather, like his father, Crowfeather. Half a moon passes, and Hollykit, Jaykit, and Lionkit are playing. Lionkit exclaims that he can jump the highest. Jaykit says he can too, but lands awkwardly while Hollykit purrs and calls him silly. Then Jaykit falls into a hole. After Leafpool rescues him, she realizes that there is something odd about his eyes. She asks him to fetch him a leaf to clean her up, the biggest one, but when he uses his whiskers instead of his sight, and when he does not choose the largest one, she realizes that he is blind. Squirrelflight wonders what life he'll have, and Leafpool snaps that he'll live just like his Clanmates. They decide to leave the tree. Leafpool is reluctant to go because the kits are so happy there, but if they stay the kits will remember too much. When Squirrelflight tells Lionkit where they are going, he complains that he doesn't want to leave, he likes it at the hollow tree. Squirrelflight says that they're getting too big for the hollow tree. Squirrelflight carries Jaykit. Jaykit complains that just because he can't see doesn't mean that his legs don't work, but Lionkit points out that his legs are shorter than theirs. As they cross the border, Leafpool tells Squirrelflight that the kits must learn that Squirrelflight is their mother, not her. She wishes with all her heart that things could be different. She eats some parsley to dry up her milk, and then heads for camp. Jaykit catches up to her and asks why she isn't walking with them anymore, and she explains that she is ThunderClan's medicine cat. Jaykit asks if that means if she can make him see, and she tells him that she can't. Jaykit takes it in stride. When Squirrelflight enters camp, her Clanmates do not suspect a thing, and they assume that Brambleclaw is the father. Leafpool vows that she will love her kits always. Trivia
Dovewing's Silence
Dovewing's Silence is the sixth novella which was released on 4 November 2014. It takes place just after the battle in The Last Hope and is about Dovewing's trouble after losing her powers.
Mapleshade's Vengeance
Mapleshade's Vengeance is the seventh novella. It was published on April 7, 2015, and details Mapleshade's past. It features the story on Mapleshade, a strong ThunderClan warrior and a forbidden love and vengeance. It also detales on how she felt about the situation, and how cats she murdered ruined her life, which in precro spect, they did.
Ravenpaw's Farewell
Ravenpaw's Farewell is the eighth novella. It was released on January 26, 2016. The story is after the clans left the forest. One of the main plots in this story is for Ravenpaw (and later Barley) to take Barley's sister, Violet's kits to SkyClan as they want to live the Clan life.
Spottedleaf's Heart
Spottedleaf's Heart is the ninth novella. It was released on April 11, 2017. The story takes place when Spottedleaf is an apprentice. The main plot is about Spottedleaf becoming a medicine cat after being a warrior apprentice and being manipulated by ThistleClaw, the main antagonist of Spottedleaf's Heart and Bluestar's Prophecy.
Pinestar's Choice
Pinestar's Choice is the tenth novella. It was released on April 11, 2017. The story takes place shortly after Mapleshade's Vengeance. The main plot is about Pinestar becoming leader and later leaving ThunderClan behind to become a kittypet.
Thunderstar's Echo
Thunderstar's Echo is the eleventh novella. It was released on April 11, 2017. The story takes place shortly after Dawn of the Clans. The main plot is about Thunderstar struggling to be the first leader of ThunderClan and keeping his Clan safe.
Chronological Timeline
The timeline of the "Warriors" series spans from the Dawn of the Clans set to A Vision of Shadows.
Inspiration and origins
The series first began when publisher HarperCollins asked Victoria Holmes to write a fantasy series about feral cats. Initially, Holmes was not very enthusiastic, since she "couldn't imagine coming up with enough ideas". She worked with the concept, however, expanding the storyline with elements of war, politics, revenge, doomed love, and religious conflict. Although the original plan was a stand-alone novel, enough material was created for several books, and the publisher decided on a six-volume series. The first volume, Into the Wild, was written by Kate Cary under the pseudonym "Erin Hunter" and was completed in about three months. Holmes then began to work behind the scenes, editing and supervising details. Cherith Baldry joined the team to write the third book, Forest of Secrets. Later, after she wrote the first Warriors field guide, Tui Sutherland became the fourth Erin Hunter.
The authors have named several other authors as sources of inspiration when writing the novels. In an online author chat, Cherith Baldry listed the authors that inspire her as including Tolkien, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Shakespeare. In the same chat, Victoria Holmes stated that Jacqueline Wilson, Kathy Reichs, and J. K. Rowling are some of the authors that inspire her. According to the official website, other authors who have inspired the writers include Enid Blyton, Lucy Daniels, Ellis Peters, Tess Gerritsen, Kate Ellis, Lisa Gardiner, and Meg Cabot. The authors have also mentioned several other sources of inspiration. The New Forest in southern England was the base for the forest where the original series took place. Other influential locations include Loch Lomond, as well as the Scottish Highlands. Nicholas Culpeper, a physician who used materials occurring in the natural world as medicine, also had an influence on the Warriors series. His book, Culpeper's Herbal, is used as a source by the authors for the herbal remedies that the cats use in the books. In addition, the authors suggested that they may use some fan-created names in future books. Also mentioned as a source of inspiration was the film series Rambo.
Critical reception
The first book of the series, Into the Wild, was generally well-received, with reviewers calling it a "spine-tingling," "thoroughly engrossing" and "exciting... action-packed adventure." One reviewer praised the authors for "creating an intriguing world... and an engaging young hero", but another criticised the characters and imagined world as being "neither... consistent nor compelling."
The manga has also earned praise: a reviewer for Children's Bookwatch noted that Into the Woods "ends on a tense cliffhanger, leaving the reader in anxious anticipation for more. Suitable for readers age ten to one hundred and ten, Warriors Tigerstar & Sasha #1: Into the Woods is especially recommended for cat lovers everywhere". Its sequel, Escape from the Forest, was also well reviewed: a reviewer for Publishers Weekly believed that girls would benefit from reading about Sasha leaving the powerful Tigerstar due to his "growing violence". The art was also praised, with the reviewer writing that "Hudson's artwork brings Sasha's emotional journey to life, showing each moment of fear, anxiety, contentment and joy. The cat's-eye perspective of many of the panels, in addition, add [sic] a dramatic, energizing element to the book". The reviewer also wrote that "a twist at the end will leave fans eager for the next installment of Sasha's saga", and that the book would appeal to young adults trying to find their place in the world. Lisa Goldstein for School Library Journal also gave the book a positive review, writing that the plot would attract new fans and appeal to old fans. The reviewer also wrote that "though the cover claims that this is a 'manga,' the straightforward illustrations are drawn in a simple, realistic style".
The large number of characters involved in the series has often been seen as a negative point; though one reviewer compared the "huge cast" to that of a Greek drama, others wrote that it was "hard to follow" and "a little confusing." The characters have also been criticised as being "somewhat flat" and "limited essentially to each individual's function within the clan."
As one reviewer put it, the cats in the series are "true to their feline nature," leading some critics to jokingly comment that the books will "leave readers eyeing Puss a bit nervously" and wondering "what dreams of grandeur may haunt the family cat." However, this realism also means that the series contains a relatively large amount of violence, with one critic stating that it is "not for the faint of heart." Several critics have compared Warriors to Brian Jacques' Redwall series, though one commented that it was "not as elegantly written." The New York Times called the series a "hit with young readers", specifically because of its "sprawling universe", and the series was able to appear on the New York Times Bestseller List for a total of 117 weeks, as of 24 November 2013.
Awards and recognitions
Into the Wild was nominated for the Pacific Northwest Library Association's 2006 Young Reader's Choice Awards but lost to Christopher Paolini's Eragon. It was also listed on Booklist's Top 10 fantasy books for youth in 2003 and was a Book Sense 76 Pick. The Sight was nominated for the best Middle Readers book in Amazon's Best Books of the Year (2007) and placed sixth out of the ten nominees, with six percent of the total votes. It was also nominated for the Children's Choice Book Awards. In 2006, Warriors also received an honorable mention for the best book series for Publisher Weekly's "On the Cuff" awards.
Themes
Themes in the series often revolve around forbidden love, such as those involving Bluestar and Oakheart, Graystripe and Silverstream, Leafpool and Crowfeather, and Dovewing and Tigerheart. These relationships are not allowed for various reasons: some involve medicine cats (such as Leafpool), who cannot have mates, while others develop between cats in different Clans, which is forbidden by the warrior code. Holmes said that another central theme of the series centres on "faith and spirituality" in StarClan. All books in the series feature the influence of StarClan, not just as the cats think of them, but in terms of prophecies delivered by StarClan which inevitably come true. Some scenes take place within StarClan's realm, with no living cats present as point-of-view characters. Thus the existence of an afterlife and the influence of spirits who have passed on and yet retain their earthly identities is integral to all of the plot arcs in the series. Another idea explored in the novels is the reactions of different faiths when meeting each other. For example, the Tribe of Rushing Water, which believes in different spiritual ancestors than the Clans, is introduced in Moonrise. In an author chat, Holmes explained that the books never say that either of the Clans or the Tribe of Rushing Water is right about faith because both are "equally valid." This leads to fear and suspicion between them because they are afraid of things they do not understand. Holmes said that "ignorance is a very scary thing!" Non-belief is also significant in the storylines: Mothwing and Cloudtail do not believe in StarClan.
Another theme is that characters can be a mix of good and evil. Holmes has said she is fascinated by these "shades of gray" in personalities. Her example of this was when Bluestar, a noble and honorable cat, gave up her kits for her own ambitions so an evil cat would not take over. Another example she gave of this is how the antagonist Tigerstar, even with all of his faults, is still courageous and fiercely loyal. Similarly, Holmes has also connected the theme to Brambleclaw and how nobody knew whether he was good or evil. A third major theme, often referred to as nature versus nurture, explores whether a person is born the way he or she will be, or if other things shape that. For example, Brambleclaw's father is the evil Tigerstar, but he eventually demonstrates that despite this, he is not evil himself, despite initial suspicion from Clanmates due to his father's legacy. This theme ties into the "shades of gray" theme.
A reviewer for Publishers Weekly noted that friendship and responsibility are taught to characters in the novels, while booksforyouths.com had a reviewer who pointed out the idea that, just as Clan cats shun house cats for their soft life, people should realize that it is necessary to experience hardship in life. A Storysnoops review noted that one of the themes was that "it doesn't matter where you come from, only who you are inside". In Dawn, the importance of cooperation is explored. The four Clans, normally hostile to each other, are forced to work together in order to find a new home. Other themes that have been pointed out deal with family, loss, honor, bravery, death, loyalty, and following rules.
Holmes has said that one of the good things about writing a book about cats is that "we can tackle difficult human issues such as death, racial intolerance, and religious intolerance [without seeming so heavy]."
Editions
All of the Warriors books except for the manga have been published as hardcovers, and the majority of them have also been published as paperbacks. Starlight, Twilight, and Sunset from The New Prophecy, as well as the first four Omen of the Stars books, are available in an audiobook format. The New Prophecy audiobooks are spoken by Nanette Savard, whose performance has been praised by reviewers. A reviewer for AudioFile wrote: "Nanette Savard brings out the youth of the cats who are struggling to help their clan survive and to protect each other from outside danger." The Omen of the Stars audiobooks are spoken by Kathleen McInerney, a pseudonym of Veronica Taylor. The books in the four main series have also been released in an e-book format.
Foreign editions
The Warriors series was first published in the United States and United Kingdom. The editions published of the first two seriesâ€"Warriors and Warriors: The New Prophecyâ€"in the United Kingdom had slight variations in cover design from their United States counterparts. Warriors is also sold in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. Translations from English into other languages such as Czech, Lithuanian, Finnish, Japanese, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Korean have been published more recently. The first six books have been published in Korea, Italy and Latin America, the first five series in Germany and the first three series in the Netherlands. Fandom also exists in Trinidad and Singapore. The first two books have been published in Poland.
Other media
Website
The Warriors website features Warriors screensavers, along with videos on the process of writing a manga book and a video promoting The Last Hope. There is also a "How To Draw Manga" page. In addition, there are games, including quizzes, the New Prophecy Adventure, and the Warriors Adventure Game. On the Frequently Asked Questions section of the site, Erin Hunter said that they are working on an online game that would be released in late 2010. It finished the first round of testing in summer 2010, but has not been released. Whether it will be a role-playing game is unknown. Erin Hunter has stated on the official Warriors website that there is still no plan for an official video game, but if there was, it would probably be based on a movie version of the Warriors series, which is currently not under consideration. Many fans have also created their own forum-based role-playing games.
Film
On October 20, 2016, Victoria Holmes announced that Alibaba Pictures has bought the production rights for a film with Warner Bros. and is planning to do one with David Heyman set as producer.
Short stories
The first short story written by Erin Hunter is "Spottedleaf's Honest Answer". In it, the spirit of former ThunderClan medicine cat Spottedleaf discusses her love for Firestar. It gives information on what happened in the Warriors series from Into the Wild to Firestar's Quest.
On 20 January 2009, another short story, "The Clans Decide", was released on the Warriors Ultimate Leader Election site, starring Firestar, who won an election through an online fan vote conducted in recognition of President Obama's Inauguration Day. In the story, the four Clans vote for a way to survive a tough winter. Every cat at the meeting votes on whether or not the Clans should work together to survive the winter. The cats vote in favour of working together.
Two short stories, "After Sunset: The Right Choice?" and "The Elders' Concern", are included with the Warriors mobile application. "The Elders' Concern" has been noted to contain timeline errors. Taking place after Bluestar's selection of Fireheart for deputy, it is about the elder Halftail, who is unhappy with the decision, and wakes the other elders to discuss it with them. In "After Sunset: The Right Choice?", After Brambleclaw is forced to kill Hawkfrost, he is worried about what Firestar might do, but Firestar is extremely proud of him.
Plays
Written by Victoria Holmes for a tour, a play titled After Sunset: We Need to Talk was first premiered on 28 April 2007 at the Secret Garden bookstore in Seattle, Washington. It details a meeting between Leafpool of ThunderClan and Crowfeather of WindClan after the events of Sunset. The script was released to the public on the official site for the Warriors series.
During a fundraising event in Russellville, Arkansas, Brightspirit's Mercy was performed by various high school drama students. The second of two plays by Erin Hunter, Brightspirit's Mercy is about Jaypaw, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf. After going to a Gathering, where it is obvious all of the Clans except for ThunderClan are starving, three cats from StarClan appear to them: Brightspirit and her parents, Shiningheart and Braveheart, characters created on Wands and Worlds, a fantasy fiction forum, in memory of a 10-year-old Warriors fan, Emmy Grace Cherry, and her parents, Dana and Jimmy Cherry, who were killed in a tornado in February 2007. They tell the three young cats that they must help feed the other Clans. Jaypaw is easily convinced, but Hollyleaf and Lionblaze are harder to win over. Eventually, they agree and hunt, then wait at the WindClan border for a patrol. Ashfoot, WindClan's deputy, accepts the gift, but Breezepaw, too proud to have help from another Clan, refuses to eat it. Jaypaw, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf then head towards another Clan's territory.
In the Chinese translation of the series, "3-D trading cards" are packaged in each book. The 3-D effect is produced using stereoscopic lenticular printing. These cards feature pictures of the cats on the centre of the bookcover and their Chinese and English names, and biographical information on the back. Current cards feature Firestar, Bluestar, Tallstar, Graystripe, Tigerstar, a collage of the 5 previous cats, Brambleclaw, Feathertail, Leafpool, Onestar, Crowfeather, Hawkfrost, Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Blackstar, Squirrelflight, Breezepelt, Sandstorm, Oakheart, Leafstar, Crookedstar, Yellowfang, Dovewing, Ivypool, Flametail, Stormfur, Tigerheart, and Spottedleaf. Also produced are puzzles and cups with Warriors images.
Mobile application
On 30 June 2011, an official iOS application and Android application was released on the iTunes App Store and Play store. It contains information about the books in the series, profiles of the Clans and major characters (including app-exclusive information such as the name of Firestar's mother), an interactive timeline and maps, two application-exclusive short stories, and a trivia game.