Millie is not a bad mother. Did she abandon her kits and not bother treating them nicely when they were kits and apprentices? No, she didn't, because she cares about them. She looked after them all her life and almost died when they were just kits. Millie was a very overprotective mother who was close to spoiling her kits so much and only cared for them.

Her kits were almost warriors by the time Briarlight got paralysed. Her own kit was crippled for life. That isn't something that can be easily ignored. Millie does not spend all her time with Briarlight although she would need it anyway. People complain about Millie "neglecting" her kits who can look after theirselves yet they let Graystripe off with it when he doesn't ever interact with any of them!

Millie has the right to worry about her kits; she's never been used to the wild as she's been a kittypet for most of her life. Keep in mind Briarlight has had so many near-death experiences and almost died twice as a kit: from greencough and a snake. Jayfeather barely even reassured her so how was Millie going to be all right after her kit almost died before? She was crippled.

"Millie gasped. "What do you mean? Broken bones mend."

"Not backbones."

"How do you know that?"

"Littlecloud had a warrior with the same injury," he [Jayfeather] told her.

Briarpaw was craning her head to him. "What happened to him?" she mewed.

Jayfeather didn't answer.

"He died, didn't he?" Briarpaw whimpered.

Jayfeather felt Millie barge into his shoulder, shoving him until she had bundled him right out the den. "How could you tell my kit she was going to die?" she hissed. "She can't feel her legs, that's all! You're not fit to be a medicine cat! Do something!" - Fading Echoes, page 174

Jayfeather never really said much to calm Millie down. Wildfur only died in a matter of days after getting his injuries and it's just pure luck Briarlight has lived this long. Hearing a cat dying from the same condition Briarlight has is only just going to make Millie more panicked and stressed. Millie cares. People complain about Rainflower doing the wrong thing but when Millie does the exact opposite, they still whine. Would you want Briarlight to be rejected by her mother just like Crookedstar?

Millie's being hysterical like Bluestar and Dawnpelt were--and she has the right to be! People hate both Dawnpelt and Millie for going hysterical yet Bluestar seems to get more love from it. That doesn't make sense. And for all we know, this could have been Millie's first litter of kits! Mothers always worry about each and every kit. Briarlight could even die at any moment and is lucky she's still alive.

Millie's faith was wavering; her kit almost died three times and she was likely to be losing faith since she probably thought she'd lose her kit, especially when Jayfeather didn't help by telling her not very stubly that Briarlight was never going to walk again, causing her to snap. Millie's actions are full of good intentions. She probably does know Briarlight could die any day since she had more than five near-death experiences. I can see why she'd be very panicky and hysterical.

"Faith?" she [Millie] hissed. "If your warrior ancestors are so powerful, then why don't they cure her [Briarlight]? If this happened in my old home, my housefolk would have fixed her."

"Millie?" Graystripe's shocked whisper sounded from the entrance as he padded into the clearing. "Is that what you really think?"

Millie backed away. "I don't know what to think," she rasped. "I only see my kit, broken and helpless, struggling through each day, with death stalking her like a fox. . . ." Her mew trailed into silence.

"But she's alive." Graystripe blinked. "She's here with us."

Millie drew a deep breath. "She has to watch her littermates living the life of warriors, while she just yowls and coughs and drags herself to and from the fresh-kill pile!" - Night Whispers, page 97.

Briarlight even refused to eat anything at some point. This probably would have worried Millie even more. Blossomfall never really did much help when she wandered into the tunnels for no good enough reason. She did waste an entire time of hunting. People hate Millie for this, when really Millie only snapped at Blossomfall once--and for a good enough reason!

"Where have you been?" Millie snapped. "You've wasted a whole morning when you could have been hunting!" Glancing back at Briarlight, who was struggling to join the group at the fresh-kill pile, she added, "Your sister would give anything to be able to help feed the Clan! It's time you grew up, Blossomfall, and started to behave like a proper warrior." - Sign of the Moon, page 254-255.

Millie was only told Blossomfall got lost. That could mean almost anything since no one was being specific enough. She was stressed and panicked as it was with Briarlight, and hearing that another one of her kits was stupid enough to get lost would make her worse. She doesn't need more of her kits getting theirselves injured and possibly killed. If anything, Blossomfall is being childish, especially trying the guilt trip on her mother and sister by saying they're why she's in the Dark Forest! Blossomfall did deserve that scolding. She went back on her leader's words by going into the tunnels and wasted the day when she could have been hunting.

Millie probably does know about what Briarlight has to miss out on because of her injury. Her view on her daughter's injury is very pessimistic unlike Graystripe and Bumblestripe, who seem to view it more optimistically. Millie probably does know how vulneriable Briarlight really is. She probably wishes she could have protected her so she could be as healthy and strong as her littermates. Jayfeather cannot protect Briarlight--no one can because her injury will kill her if she does not die before. If she keeps living any longer, she'll soon have to suffer a slow and painful death. Briarlight is never going to get better.

The amount of hate Millie gets for "being a Silverstream replacement" is ridiculous. Vicky confirmed that one of her coworkers asked for his cat to be in it who happened to look like Silverstream. She made a promise and there were no intentions of Millie being a so-called "replacement". Just because Graystripe truly loves her, doesn't mean she's immediately a replacement. She never "stole" Graystripe from Silverstream either. How could she when she didn't even know who Silverstream was? Silverstream was long dead and they weren't mates anyway. Graystripe is allowed to move on and just because Silverstream's his first "love", doesn't mean he can't move on with his life. Silverstream even approved of their relationship. If Graystripe truly loved Silverstream, then he wouldn't have chosen Millie. First love doesn't always mean that's your best choice and Graystripe must've been over her if he chose Millie. If Graystripe does ditch Millie for Silverstream, then he is being a complete jerk to her.

Now Silverstream is often immediately the "better mother" even though she never raised any of her kits. Silverstream was spoiled, bratty and irresponsible. I don't think she would have even looked after her own kits because she would have spent most of her time seeing Graystripe. She was also so willing to make them live without knowing who their father was.

Silverstream was used to death unlike Millie. Millie never had cats around her die all the time or have their lives at risk because she's never lived in the Clans her entire life. Silverstream wouldn't even worry about her kits if they got injured because she'd be used to it. You cannot use "Silverstream's the better mother" argument when she hasn't even brought up kits of her own since she was dead.

Millie was the better mate in my opinion. Graystripe didn't have to sneak off to be with her and Millie actually left her home for Graystripe which Silverstream never planned to do. She gave up her easy life for him and go through a lot of hardships she couldn't imagine happening. It takes a lot to give up your life for something completely new. He also didn't have to cause many other cats to suffer because of his foolish actions. He also never neglected any apprentice's training. They left on a journey together for a long time--longer than Graystripe even knew Silverstream. Graystripe barely even knew Silverstream but got to know Millie a whole lot more.

"Question: Is Millie silver with blue eyes (as in the books) or is she tan coloured with yellow eyes (as in the manga)?

Answer: VickyHolmes: She's silver with blue eyes, as she's based on a real cat belonging to one of my co-workers, James. He's a huge fan of Millwall Football Club, which is based in London. So Millie's real name is Millwall!" - Erin Hunter Chat 4

"Question: Why is Millie's description so close to Silverstream's?

Answer: CherithBaldry: There are only so many colours of cats' pelts, etc.

VickyHolmes: Because I promised one of my co-workers, James, that his own cat could feature in the manga. I didn't know that his cat Millie looked exactly like Silverstream, but I had to keep my promise." - Erin Hunter chat 4

If she was a rehash of Silverstream she would behave more like SIlverstream, which she doesn't. Millie isn't diluted by any sort of fantasy that she can protect Graystripe because she is the daughter of the leader of a Clan and she doesn't act like a complete selfish brat. Being the exact same means having the same personality, not the same appearance. If that's logical, then you may as well say Toadstep's a Tallstar replacement, Crowfeather's a Deadfoot replacement, etc. She's her own cat and one of the other reasons why she's so hated: having pride in her own name.

Dark River shows her reasoning of taking her name:

"You can rely on my loyalty until the day I join StarClan, and you must believe that I will live and die to protect ThunderClan. But I don't want to change my name. I have always been Millie, and I see no shame in it." - Dark River, page 86.

Just because a cat doesn't want to take on a warrior name, doesn't mean you should hate them. People hate Daisy and Millie for doing this but usually end up loving Boulder, Purdy, Egg and Brook when they did the same. That's just very hypocritical and shallow. It's like judging someone for not having a name similar to yours. If you're going to hate Millie for this, hate them all otherwise you're just going to be a hypocrite.

"Loyalty is proved by what we do, not where we come from!" - The Sight, page 222. What Sorreltail says is true; loyalty is always proven by actions and not your origins. Bramblestar and Firestar are examples of this (Bramblestar for being Tigerstar's son, Firestar for once being a kittypet).

"Millie spends all her time with Briarlight!" That's not true. Millie is seen doing her warrior duties and spending time with Graystripe:

"Firestar was sitting with Sandstorm, Graystripe and Millie, looking distinctly awkward about the newcomer's presence." - The Forgotten Warrior, page 99.

"Your fur is fine." Millie, who was leading the patrol, glanced over her shoulder. "Concentrate on what we're doing, please."

Hazeltail, who had been scouting ahead a few tail-lengths ahead, suddenly froze. A moment later she came creeping back through the long grass. "I heard a cat walking close to the border," she murmured.

Millie gave her a brisk nod. "Ivypool, head that way," she directed, flicking her tail at a narrow path around a clump of elder bushes. "I'll go this way." - The Forgotten Warrior, page 129.

In The Last Hope, she's also doing more warrior duties:

"A gray pelt was moving between the bushes down below. Graystripe. Lionblaze tasted the air. Cloudtail, Squirrelflight, and Millie too. It must be the dawn patrol. Plunging down the slope, he raced to catch up . . .

Millie crunched over the leaves and stood behind him. "The ShadowClan border." - The Last Hope, page 88.

"He hauled it across the entrance and Millie rushed to help him." - The Last Hope, page 258.

Millie also fought in the Great Battle rather than stay with Briarlight:

"Dovewing joined Millie and Squirrelflight to push back another cluster. She reared and dived, sure of her movements, knowing exactly where to aim. She nipped at the tabby's hindlegs while Millie battered his muzzle." - The Last Hope, page 267.

She trained along the journey just so that she could fit in with the other Clan cats, so she wouldn’t be a burden to them. Millie doesn't eat kittypet food or live in twoleg nests, she hunts, fights and patrols with the Clan and the only thing she asked for in return for her loyalty and bravery to her new family was to keep her old name. Her keeping her old name doesn't affect her ability to hunt, fight or be loyal.

Blossomfall never told Millie how she felt about the situation and instead acted stupid enough to train in the Dark Forest when she knew well enough they were actually evil. Millie can't read minds so you can't blame her for not knowing. If she smothered Briarlight, then Briarlight should have said something herself, but she never. Bumblestripe never cared so why is Blossomfall suddenly more special? Yes, Bumblestripe was chasing after Dovewing, but Blossomfall still decided she wanted her mother's attention because she was jealous of her crippled sister. Parents yell at their children all the time and you don't see them joining the wrong crowd (murderers in this case) just because your mother yelled at you just that one time. It's a pathetic reason.

"It's still Millie's fault. Blossomfall had no choice!" Last time I checked, Blossomfall did have a choice. She could have easily refused but she didn't so it's her own fault for training in the Dark Forest in the first place. Blossomfall could have turned on the Clans and killed her own Clanmates. I don't think Millie would have been pleased in the slightest to know her own daughter was training to kill her Clanmates all because she got a little scolding. That's just going to make Millie worse. It wasn't even Millie's own fault Blossomfall was dumb enough to go into the tunnels, it was Blossomfall's:

"Hey, look," she meowed, pushing it farther. "We can see right down into the tunnel! Let's explore!"

A weird feeling crept over Ivypool as she gazed down the hole. She felt strangely reluctant to go near it. "What about hunting?"

"We can hunt later," Blossomfall replied, her eyes sparkling. Fueled by excitement, she seemed to have thrown off her earlier exhaustion. "Let's explore!" - Sign of the Moon, page 216-217.

It's not like Blossomfall was doing any good anyway. If Millie never scolded Blossomfall for doing the wrong thing, then she would not know she was in the wrong. She even risked her's and Ivypool's lives just because she was excited about heading into the tunnels. Nowhere does it say she went in because of Millie. If anything, Blossomfall always pulls the guilt trip on everyone if she doesn't get any attention. Also, Millie never snapped at Bumblestripe because at least he wasn't doing stupid things behind Millie's back.

"Graystripe doesn't even love Millie and Millie doesn't love Graystripe.

"No. My home is with you now, Graystripe. Wherever that may be." - Warrior's Refuge, page 76

Graystripe: "I've been trying to figure out how to say this... or when to say this... for days now. Millie, I... I know I've been hard to deal with. And I know this life can be hard. But I couldn't have made it here without you. You saved my life, but... more than that... you saved my soul. You found me when I was lost, and you brought me back to who I really was. I've already said I want you to join ThunderClan with me, but I need you to know how I feel... And I hope you'll feel the same way. Millie... I want you to stand by my side... as my mate."

Millie: "Graystripe... to be with you... that's what I've wanted since I first laid eyes on you." - Warrior's Return, page 87

Notice it was Graystripe who brought up the offer of being mates, not Millie. He even said that Millie made him happy once again and made him feel like his oldself. Long Shadows also shows that he loves Millie enough to want her to live over three kits that could have given the Clan more warriors. If Graystripe never loved her, then he wouldn't have said that. He was even worried when she was giving birth because he didn't want to lose her so obviously he must've loved her enough to say that:

"Look after Millie." Graystripe's anxious mew made him jump. The warrior was so close their pelts touched. "If you have to choose which life to save, save hers." - Eclipse, page 154.

"Jaypaw would have liked to find a comforting lie, but he knew that Graystripe would never believe it. He nodded, and was almost knocked off his paws by the strength of the agony that surged over him from the gray warrior. Is that love? he wondered. Does Graystripe care about Millie that much? It's as if his own life was in danger!" - Long Shadows, page 149.

"That's part of why I tracked you down. I wanted to be as loyal to you as you are to your Clan. I know I can't exactly miss a life I've never known, Graystripe, but... I think sharing your life and your path...i s the best journey I could possibly imagine." - The Lost Warrior, page 92.