Into the Wild

Into the Wild is the first book in the Original Arc. The cat on the cover is Firepaw.

Blurb: 

 Fire Alone Can Save Our Clan...

For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by their warrior ancestors. But the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger, and the sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying - and some deaths are more mysterious than others.

In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary house cat named Rusty... who may turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.  

Dedication: 

For Billy—who left our Twoleg home to become a Warrior. 
We still miss him very much.
And for Benjamin—his brother
who is with him now in StarClan


Special thanks to Kate Cary 

The Praise:

"The author has created an intriguing world with an intricate structure and mythology, and an engaging young hero. The supporting cast of players is large and a little confusing, but there are standouts who give dimension to the tale. The difficult life of a feral cat is described in some detail, and a fair amount of violence is included. The ending is left ambiguous-there is definitely more to come. This is not as elegantly written as Brian Jacques's "Redwall" series (Philomel), but it's another option for fans of animal adventure / fantasy stories."

 -Mara Alpert, School Library Journal

"In this first spine-tingling episode in the planned Warriors series, Firepaw learns the ways of the wild life, facing many dangers and treachery both within and without his new clan. Intelligence notwithstanding, the cat characters are true to their feline nature, making this sure to appeal to fans of Clare Bell's long-popular Ratha's Creature (1983) and its sequels and also to followers of Brian Jacques' ongoing Redwall series.

 -Sally Estes, Booklist

"Action-packed adventure. Certain to please any reader who has ever wondered what dreams of grandeur may haunt the family cat."

-Publishers Weekly

"A suspenseful animal adventure that will leave readers eying Puss a bit nervously."

-Kirkus Reviews

General Information

Author- Kate Cary

Cover Artist- Wayne McLoughlin

Jacket Designer- Karin Paprocki

Publish Date- January 21, 2003