Forest of Secrets (Warriors)

Infobox Book
name = Forest of Secrets
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = First edition cover
author = Erin Hunter (Pen name of Cherith Baldry and Kate Cary)
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = Warriors (novel series)
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Avon
release_date = October 2003
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 336 pp
isbn = ISBN 978-0060525590
preceded_by = Fire and Ice
followed_by = Rising Storm "Forest of Secrets" is the third book in the "Warriors" series, written by Cherith Baldry and Kate Cary under the pen name of Erin Hunter. This individual book was written by Cherith Baldry.

The plot is centered around Fireheart, a cat who gave up his life as a kittypet (a house cat) to join ThunderClan, one of the four Clans of feral cats living in the wild. It takes up where the previous book left off and presents the events taking place between late leafbare (winter) and late newleaf (spring).

Plot summary

Fireheart is determined to uncover the truth about Tigerclaw, the power-hungry deputy of ThunderClan who he suspects had killed the former deputy, Redtail, and also tried murdering the current leader, Bluestar. Fireheart secretly travels to speak with cats of enemy Clans and with a former member of his own Clan named Ravenpaw about the battle at Sunningrocks, in which Redtail died, and his suspicions are confirmed. Oakheart, the previous RiverClan deputy, had been killed in an accident in the battle because of a rockfall, instead of being killed by Redtail. However, Bluestar does not believe him when he tells her his story. In his quest, he learns other secrets as well, for instance about the identity of Bluestar's kits, which were said to have been lost long ago. Along the way, he befriends Mistyfoot, a RiverClan cat and Silverstream's friend, who becomes very important in the later stories. He also takes a new apprentice: Cloudkit, his sister Princess's firstborn, who becomes Cloudpaw.

Soon the forest cats are faced with another menace - the river swelled after the thaw, threatening especially RiverClan, whose camp was destroyed by the flood. Fireheart and his best friend Graystripe save some RiverClan kits (kittens) from drowning and also offer the RiverClan cats to help them with hunting when they see the trouble and damage the flood has put them through.

Meanwhile, Graystripe goes through a tragic love story with the beautiful tabby she-cat Silverstream, daughter of the RiverClan leader Crookedstar. Silverstream becomes pregnant and dies while giving birth to two kits. Cinderpaw, who is now apprenticed to the ThunderClan medicine cat, Yellowfang, becomes terribly upset when Silverstream dies, as she was called upon by Fireheart to help with the kitting. It seems like she will never forgive herself. Graystripe is frowned upon by his Clan mates for taking a mate from another Clan, and in the end he decides to join RiverClan, along with his and Silverstream's kits.

The book reaches its climax when Tigerclaw himself, revealing his true colors as a traitor, leads a group of rogue cats to attack the ThunderClan camp and tries to kill Bluestar in an attempt to become leader. The attack is repelled, Tigerclaw's true intentions are revealed and he is exiled and Fireheart becomes the new deputy. However, many of the elders (retired warriors) doubt Fireheart's position as deputy because Bluestar, in forgetting to appoint a new deputy before moonhigh (midnight), inadvertantly broke the warrior code.

Critical reception

"Forest of Secrets" often received praise in reviews. For example, a review by Children's Literature praised the rich and detailed world. A BookLoons reviewer said the series was getting better with every book.cite web|url=http://www.bookloons.com/cgi-bin/Review.ASP?bookid=2692|title=Forest of Secrets: Warriors #3 by Erin Hunter|work=BookLoons|accessdate=2008-01-03] In another review, the following was said by Booklist:cite web|url=http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780060525613-0|title=Warriors Series: Forest of Secrets (Warriors #03)|work=Powell's Books|accessdate=2008-01-03]

"Hunter adds to the mix a devastating flood, shifting alliances between clans, treachery within and without ThunderClan, and attempted murder — a combination that makes for another dynamic episode sure to please series fans."

School Library Journal compared the story to Greek drama for the violence that happened in the book.

The cat on the cover may be Fireheart.

Footnotes