GrayXMillie: Why you should re-think hating it! by Sparktooth

Sparktooth defends Graystripe and Millie.

Hey bloggers! Sparktooth here! This is my first article and I’m going to be discussing, analysing, defending, and sharing my opinion on one of the most unpopular ships (but one of my favorites): Graystripe and Millie! I kept wondering why people hated this ship and Millie herself. Let’s see if you judge GrayXMillie or even Millie as harshly after reading this.

I’ll start where it all began, when the two cats met. If you remember at this time, Graystripe had recently been captured by Twolegs, and taken away from his home in Thunderclan. In the manga, it does a brilliant job of showing how lost and confused he feels. He dreams of being back in the forest, while he’s trapped in an unfamiliar Twoleg nest, alone and all his exits blocked. When he finally gets out to explore and was beaten by Duke, Graystripe was depressed and thought he was losing his warrior instincts.
Then Millie came along, the first kittypet who had been nice to him. She shows him a forest that brings back memories of Thunderclan, and seemed eager to learn more about clan life. The two become inseparable training out there everyday. Remember, it was Millie’s suggestion that influenced Graystripe to find Thunderclan. Silverstream even visited him in a dream saying she approved of the two of them. Millie gave up the life she knew to be with him. In my opinion, that alone showed more devotion and love for Graystripe than Silverstream showed.

Some people get mad because Graystripe chose a former kittypet as a new mate; and some people get mad because he chose a new mate in the first place. People (or in this case, cats), have different ways of moving on. Graystripe was practically torn apart when Silverstream died, and he needed someone to show him love again. Plus, former kittypets aren’t bad; like Stormcloud or Firestar, who happens to be Graystripe’s best friend. Just think about that.

One thing that really bothers me about people who complain about them, is they get mad at Millie for not choosing a warrior name. Names don’t show loyalty or courage. I honestly admired Millie for the independence she had to ask to keep her old name. She even vowed she would remain loyal to Thunderclan until the day she joined Starclan, but was always known as Millie and wanted to keep it that way. Plus, Boulder did this same exact thing years before Millie, and I don’t hear many people complaining about him! Both of them helped their clans, and fought for them, isn’t that what matters?

Now to one of the major reasons, people claiming Millie ‘neglects Bumblestripe and Blossomfall.’ Let’s look at it in her view. When Firestar got his nine lives, the life Brindleface gave him was to protect his clan like a mother protects her kits. Firestar expected it to be soft and sweet, but it was like burning fire, ready to fight to the death to protect anyone of his clanmates. Now, when Millie and Graystripe had kits, Millie just wanted to protect them like any caring mother. So imagine how frantic she felt when Briarlight’s legs were crushed under the tree. It made her blind to everything else. All a mother wants is for her kits to be safe.
This also comes into play when Millie yells at Blossomfall when she and Ivypool almost die in the tunnels. Already one her Millie’s kits almost died, so having another so close to death must’ve been like horror. Another example to add is when Millie snaps at Bramblestar saying if Briarlight isn’t saved in time, she would never forgive him. C’mon people, don’t act like you’ve never gotten angry and snapped at someone, saying things you didn’t mean. Keep in mind one of her kit’s lives was in danger at the moment. I’m pretty sure if Briarlight had died, Millie would’ve been devastated, but eventually she would’ve forgiven Bramblestar. She’s just a protective mother, even if it’s a little more ‘tough love’ than we see some of the other queens treat their kits.

One last thing before I conclude. I just feel like GrayXMillie was a lot more planned and thought-out than GrayXSilver. Here’s how: Millie and Graystripe’s relationship developed over the course of several books (like Firestar and Sandstorm). Where Silverstream and Graystripe met, fell in love, and had kits in two books. It was too rushed and unrealistically fast. Plus, it’s no secret Graystripe has the same feelings for Millie. He fell in love with Silverstream as a young warrior. Even though I’m sure he still cares for her, that doesn’t mean he’s still in love after years. People in real life get remarried all the time, and Graystripe has Millie now. I have nothing against GrayXSilver or Silverstream herself; I just feel like Millie’s a more interesting character all around. She’s a great member to the clan, and completes Graystripe well; and that’s how I’ll always think of her.