Top 10 Best Real Warrior Cats Friendships

Friendships in the Warrior Cats series are some of the most emotional and memorable parts of the books. You see cats face impossible challenges, heartbreaking choices, and fierce battles, but through it all, certain bonds stand out. These aren't just casual acquaintances. They're connections that change the lives of the cats involved, giving them comfort, strength, and sometimes even a reason to keep going when everything else seems lost.

What makes these friendships special is how different they can look. Some are steady and supportive, built on years of trust and loyalty. Others are bittersweet, filled with longing or cut short by tragedy, yet still powerful enough to stay in your memory. There are friendships that blossom into something deeper, and ones that never needed romance to feel just as meaningful. No matter the type, each one shows you how much relationships matter in a world where survival often comes first.

This list is your chance to celebrate the best real friendships from the Warrior Cats series. You get to decide which ones meant the most, whether it's because they helped a character grow, gave you one of your favorite storylines, or simply made you smile in an otherwise tense moment.

The Top Ten

Jayfeather and Half Moon

What? This is friendship, not love. Are you kidding me? If it's not love, read Sign of the Moon. Oh, what did she say? Excuse me, but since when could it not be love if she literally asks to have kits with him? This makes no sense to me.
Either way, I hate how Rock went against anything further happening. I got ultra-interested in this ship because the Ancients are epic. Why couldn't he just do it Narnia style? Like stay 10 years, and when you go back to the other world, it's as if no time had passed. I'm not against this ship, even though I was pissed with Graystripe and Leafpool. I didn't understand why this couldn't be a couple because, man, it's a time travel thing, although it could badly affect him if you think about it.
I too wish he could visit Half Moon more. It is a great relationship, although it's nice to know that he can see Half Moon again (until the next Dark Forest attack) when he joins StarClan. It's nice to think about it a lot. Who's with me?!
-Ghostheart
Hollyleaf and Fallen Leaves

Poor Fallen Leaves. He must have been so sad to see Hollyleaf go. I wish she hadn't died. If she had lived, she might have been able to visit him.
He was her only friend for a long time.

He healed her in the tunnels, and she really just needed a friend, and Fallen Leaves was. He always made her happy and respected her decisions.

Hollyleaf is one of my favorite characters, always and forever. I felt sympathy when she ran away, but I can't really blame Leafpool. I loved the moment Fallen Leaves and Hollyleaf met. Soon they started becoming closer and closer until Fallen Leaves' untimely death. I could tell Hollyleaf missed Fallen Leaves. This is a true story of friendship.
-Rainflower, Medicine Cat of RiverClan
Feathertail and Crowfeather

Poor Crowfeather after Feathertail died. Feathertail was so sweet. Feathertail brought the good out of Crowpaw and always kept him company. Until Feathertail died, sacrificing her life for Crowpaw, Squirrelpaw, Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, and the tribe. What a noble cat!
Maybe Crowfeather and Feathertail would have been really close friends if she survived or they might have been mates but broke up because they are in different clans. I don't know. I just like them together.
-Ripplestream

Not in a couple way. I see them talking, laughing, and smiling. In no way was Feathertail going to have Crowfeather as a mate, even if she survived.
Leafpool and Crowfeather

Leafpool and Crowfeather is more of a love story than a friendship, but at first, they grew attached to one another. I could tell. I was so sad when Leafpool broke up with Crowfeather. I think this is one of the strongest relationships in my opinion.
-Rainflower, Medicine Cat of RiverClan
Bluestar and Oakheart

I like this one because they truly love each other, even though they are from different clans. I wish Mosskit had lived. Blue x Oak forever.

I love this ship, even though I haven't read Bluestar's Prophecy. Oakheart was generally kind, like Bluestar.

BlueXTrash the terrible! Snobby little Trashpelt was a warrior when she was a kit! I hate Oakheart, but he and Bluestar are so good together. Go die, Trashpelt, no one likes you, creep!
Cinderpelt and Firestar

Cinderpelt was one of my favorite characters. Her sacrifice made me cry in my room for so long. Firestar probably felt the death as well because Cinderpelt was one of his first apprentices, and he grew very close to her. I think Cinderpelt and Firestar were very close.
-Rainflower, Medicine Cat of RiverClan

I wrote a fanfic with Cinderpelt as the main character, and she became a warrior. She is one of my favorite characters in the series, and I felt like she was left out because she wanted to become a warrior but decided to train as a medicine cat. I LOVE the FirexSand ship, and they are perfect, but I also like CinderxFire. In my fanfiction, they become mates.
-Ripplestream
Bluestar and Thrushpelt

Thrushpelt was a wonderful friend to her.

Thrushpelt had a crush (a Thrush Crush haha!) on Bluefur. Then, he was cool that she didn't return his feelings! They became besties, and he was a father figure to her kits! She grieved when he died, and they are definitely StarClan besties!
Graystripe and Silverstream

Silverstream is a bit overrated, but I still love them together. Such a shame she died. Graystripe was so distraught, and I saw pure love when he was near her.

I love Graystripe x Silverstream.
Fireheart: I like Silverstream but don't give them ideas.
Me: Why?
Silverstream: (Dies)
Me: Noo!
Fireheart: Sorry Graystripe.
Me: Wait a second... Did Cinderpaw just give that kit to Tigerclaw?
"Here. Lick!"
Tigerclaw: Errr...
Sorry, I love this ship and most of the moments it caused.

Nooo, Silverstream, why did you have to die? It is so sad. BRB, I have to go cry...
Okay, "sniff," I'm back. I was happy for this ship, but it's so sad.
Graystripe and Firestar

This is the original friendship! Here are my favorite sentences when they first met:
"Hi there, kittypet!" meowed the gray tom cheerily. "You put up quite a fight for a tame kitty!"
"And they'd feed me pellets that look like rabbit droppings and soft slop!" Graypaw interrupted. "No way! I can't think of anything worse than being a kittypet! They're nothing but Twoleg toys! Eating stuff that doesn't look like food, making dirt in a box of gravel, sticking their noses outside only when the Twolegs allow them? That's no life! Out here it's wild, and it's free. We come and go as we please." He finished his speech with a proud spit, then meowed mischievously, "Until you've tasted a fresh-killed mouse, you haven't lived. Have you ever tasted mouse?"
I can't be bothered to write more sentences, but those are the two I like.
-Ripplestream
Leafpool and Squirrelflight

They always helped each other! Leafpool saved Squirrelflight (more like Tawnypelt but thought she was saving Squirrelflight), and Squirrelflight raised Leafpool's kits! SPOILER!

Oms! This is another amazing friendship. I mean, they had visions of each other, VISIONS! They should be number ONE.

I vote for this since they seem to be very close, and Leafpaw was worried as heck when her sister was going on the journey.

The Newcomers

?
Badgerfang and Flintfang
?
Bluestar and Crookedstar

The Contenders

Raggedstar and Yellowfang
Barley and Ravenpaw

This is a cute ship! Both really trust each other. I'm pretty sure the Erins confirmed that they loved each other and spent time together. I DEFINITELY think Ravenpaw has a crush on Barley, but Barley might just like him a lot as a friend.
-Ripplestream

Yes, the Erins said Ravenpaw is homosexual, but I just like them as friends. They both support each other and have true trust in each other.

Barley: *friend zones Ravenpaw* Ravenpaw: *doesn't care and is a BFF*
Hollyleaf and Cinderheart

They are best friends! I love seeing them together.
Jake and Tallstar

I realize one of the Erin Hunters said she saw Jake and Tallstar as mates in her mind, but to me, I think of them as the strongest friendship in Warriors.
Firestar and Sandstorm

Sandpaw tried to hide her feelings but couldn't. They are overrated until you read Rising Storm and you're like WOW. I love their ship as if it were my own.
Whitestorm and Lionheart

They were once said to be such good friends they'd have died for each other. When Tigerclaw betrayed them, it was heartbreaking for them, and I'm sure he missed his friends deep down. It seems just right, since only Lionheart had a sibling to depend on. Tigerclaw had kits with her, and she's a girl, so Lionheart wasn't as close with her as a brother would be. In this case, Tigerclaw and Whitestorm were those brothers.
Brightheart and Cloudtail

Friends that fell in love! He trained her, she felt beautiful again, and what else is there to say?

Cloudtail was so supportive and understanding in helping Brightheart recover. He made her feel beautiful and strong again. That's what a true mate would do!

You don't have to have a beautiful face to have a family and be happy. You just need love.
Yellowfang and Cinderpelt

A bit more than the normal mentor and apprentice thing, they had true friendship. After Silverstream's death, Cinderpelt lost all hope, and Yellowfang helped her push through it. Yellowfang gave her the best advice, and Cinderpelt always remembered her.

THE BEST. More than just a mentor and apprentice, they were best friends. After Silverstream's death, Cinderpelt doubted herself so much, and Yellowfang helped her overcome that.
Tawnypelt and Feathertail

Feathertail and Tawnypelt became BFFs on the journey to Midnight. They helped each other multiple times, and Feathertail, Tawnypelt, and Squirrelpaw made a friend group!
Yellowfang and Firestar

This is not a ship. Yellowfang was an elder when Firestar was Fireheart. But I do love them as friends. Both of them disliked each other and made everything difficult. But the more times Firepaw went and talked to her, the closer they got. It was so sad when Yellowfang died. She was one of my favorite characters.
"I wish you'd been my son, but I could not have borne a cat like you."
"I only regret that I will miss watching you become what StarClan has destined you to be."
I'm CRYING! Yellowfang is a grumpy medicine cat, but she really is sweet and understanding.
-Ripplestream

At first, neither liked each other. Then, they both noticed the kindness of the other. Then Yellowfang wished he was her son!
Best friends with real development!
Spottedleaf and Firestar

I like this one because Spottedleaf welcomed him into ThunderClan warmly, unlike some cats I know.
Starts staring at Sandpaw

I like them as friends, not in love. Spottedleaf would never break the code and love Firestar, but she really sees him as kind, handsome, smart, and fair. She always supported him, and they were both distraught at each other's deaths.

Okay, I would absolutely LOVE FireSpotted if it wasn't a romantic ship. I see them more as a mother-son relationship (you can't stop me) and honestly hate this pairing when it's romantic.
But platonic is completely fine. It's amazing, even.
-Sweethoney of ThunderClan (He/they)
Bramblestar and Squirrelflight
Leafpool and Mothwing

I agree, they are not lesbian. They just have a very strong bond. And it would be even worse because they are both medicine cats, and Leafpool was with Crowfeather for a while. Although it would be kinda cute, no. Just friends.
-Ripplestream

Some people call them lesbians, but no. Mothwing can't love, and Leafpool has Crowfeather (secretly). They are really best friends, though.
Brightheart and Swiftpaw
Tigerstar and Darkstripe

I don't know if Tigerstar likes Darkstripe. Clearly, he was trying to use him. Though, I'm wondering why Darkstripe thought Tigerstar respected him.

Tigerstar didn't trust many other people, but he trusted Longtail and Darkstripe. But after Longtail kind of betrayed him and became good, Darkstripe was his only friend. Darkstripe basically worshipped Tigerstar. I can see Darkstripe having a tiny crush on Tigerstar, but Tigerstar only cares about himself.
-Ripplestream

I know that Tigerstar didn't really trust anyone, but he did trust Darkstripe.