The plot begins right where Shattered Peace left off, with Ravenpaw and Barley sleeping on the Moonstone at Highstones. Ravenpaw awakens, but Barley is still asleep. Ravenpaw notices that Barley is dreaming, and hopes Barley isn't having a recurring nightmare.
Barley's dream is then shown. Barley is preparing to make his escape from BloodClan with his sister Violet, and he brings some food to the log where they are staying. Violet asks Barley if he's been followed, but Barley says that he hasn't. The dream cuts to Barley staring at Scourge. Scourge has captured Violet, and Barley's two brothers, Snake and Ice, are holding Violet down. Barley begs Scourge not to hurt Violet, but Scourge replies that Barley's punishment will be watching his sister die. Scourge raises his claw to kill her, and Barley screams.
Barley awakens from his nightmare and finds Ravenpaw reassuring him. Ravenpaw tells Barley that it's time to go to the forest and meet ThunderClan, who can help them defeat Willie's rogues. Barley tries to offer an alternative, but Ravenpaw is unrelenting is his desire to reclaim their home. Barley gives in, and Ravenpaw and Barley head towards ThunderClan territory. The route takes them past their old barn, where the rogues have moved in. Soon, they reach the forest, where they are surrounded by a WindClan patrol. The patrol is hostile, but then Mudclaw recognizes Ravenpaw. He explains to Ravenpaw that a kit named Crowkit has gone missing, and Ravenpaw promises to keep and eye out for him.
Ravenpaw decides to visit Fourtrees, and when they arrive, they find Crowkit there. Ravenpaw convinces Crowkit to go back to WindClan, and they head for the border. When they get there, they find Mudclaw and Dustpelt are in a fight over the fate of Crowkit. Ravenpaw breaks up the fight by returning Crowkit, but Dustpelt thinks that Ravenpaw has turned into a WindClan spy, but Ravenpaw convinces him otherwise. They go to ThunderClan camp, where he sees the cats of ThunderClan. Brightheart runs off to tell Firestar about them, while Sandstorm introduces Ravenpaw and Barley to her kits, Leafkit and Squirrelkit.
Firestar shows up and begins talking with Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw explains that the rogues have taken over his barn, so Firestar says that he'll try to find a way to help. Ravenpaw and Barley go to a den to rest, and a cat appears, declaring that there has been, "another ambush." Firestar explains that BloodClan has returned as Neo BloodClan, and that it's cats have been attacking hunting patrols and stealing fresh-kill. Ravenpaw realizes that ThunderClan can't spare a patrol to help him, and Firestar agrees, ashamed.
The next day, Ravenpaw and Barley go on a hunting patrol with Cloudtail and Graystripe. They get lots of prey, but on the way back, they are ambushed by Neo BloodClan cats. The patrol's leader, a cat with a torn ear, seems to recognize Barley, but before any questions can be asked, a ThunderClan patrol shows up to help and the Neo BloodClan cats flee. On the way back to the camp, Graystripe asks Barley about the cat with the torn ear, but Barley denies all knowledge of the cat. Ravenpaw tries to ask him later, and Firestar and Graystripe show up to talk to him. Barley loses his temper and says that he wants to forget about BloodClan.
Meanwhile, Sandstorm's kits complain about their hunger, and Sandstorm apologizes for the lack of food. The next day, Rainpaw and Sorrelpaw tell Sandstorm that they will find some food for her kits, and they leave to hunt. Ravenpaw naps for a few hours, but is interrupted by a distraught Rainpaw running into the camp. Rainpaw says that Sorrelpaw is hurt, and he needs help. Ravenpaw and Barley rush to the rescue, and Sorrelpaw is brought back to camp. Barley finally decides to help with the BloodClan problem.
Firestar calls a council and Barley explains what he knows. The cats who attacked them were some of Scourge's closest advisers, and the leader with the torn ear was Snipe. Ravenpaw says that Violet may help them, so Barley takes Ravenpaw to Twolegplace to find her. They sneak by a BloodClan patrol and manage to find Violet's nest. Violet is thrilled that Barley is coming to visit, and Barley introduces her to Ravenpaw. Barley then explains the situation with Neo BloodClan, so Violet takes them to her friend Mitzi. Mitzi explains that Neo BloodClan kidnapped her son, and then she leads them to Neo BloodClan's supposed hideout. Barley recognizes Snipe, confirming that Neo BloodClan is there. The cats head back to ThunderClan to share their discovery.
Back at the camp, Firestar explains that the cats of ThunderClan will attack Neo BloodClan's hideout and defeat whoever is leading them. Violet comes too, despite Barley's protests. The cats sneak into the hideout, where they find Snake and Ice giving a speech to the Neo BloodClan cats. Violet sneaks forward and tries to reason with them, but they ignore her. The other Neo BloodClan cats try to take Violet to do something with her that sounds suspiciously like rape. Luckily, Barley bursts forward and attacks them, saving Violet. A huge brawl breaks out between Neo BloodClan and ThunderClan, with ThunderClan easily emerging victorious.
Snake and Ice advance towards Barley, who attacks them. Snake and Ice try to talk their way out of the situation, but Barley continues to attack them. As a last resort, Snake and Ice try to pin the blame for everything on Neo BloodClan. Neo BloodClan isn't happy with this announcement, so they run Snake and Ice out of Twolegplace. With Neo BloodClan defeated, Mitzi's captured son Fritz appears, and Violet leaves to take him home. Back in ThunderClan camp, Firestar says that with the defeat of Neo BloodClan, he'll be able to spare a patrol to help Ravenpaw and Barley recover their barn. As Ravenpaw and Barley prepare to rest, Barley says that he's been worrying that Ravenpaw wanted to stay in ThunderClan. Ravenpaw reassures his friend that the barn is his home. He then declares that the time has come to take it back, and the book ends with a shot of the barn.
Tropes appearing in this volume:
- Alertness Blink: Happens a couple times. Snipe gets an exclamation point above his head when recognizing Barley during battle, and a ThunderClan cat has one when the battered patrol returns from the border fight.
- Circling Birdies: A BloodClan cat that Firestar is fighting has stars circling around his head when Firestar's got him pinned.
- Colorization: Ravenpaw's Path was originally drawn and released in black-and-white, in three different volumes. James Barry later colorized it and it was re-released as a single volume.
- Confused Question Mark: A few cats get these: a BloodClan cat during a border skirmish when he notices Barley fighting, and a member of ThunderClan after the patrol returns from the fight.
- A Day in the Limelight: The manga trilogy is Ravenpaw's, aside from the novella Ravenpaw's Farewell.
- A Dog Named "Cat": One of Barley's brothers has renamed himself Snake.
- Filler Villain: The re-formed BloodClan whose whole existence is to give the trilogy villains. They are beaten easily, never mentioned again, and have zero impact on the main plot. They don't even make sense in the overall canon. They're just... there.
- One-Liner, Name... One-Liner: Barley says to Jumper and Hoot: "Go away, brothers. Just go away."
