C Programming - Issues with return

Hello. So i am writing this function for my hangman game, this function is to randomly select a word from a text and return the word so it can be used in my other functions for the program. But it wont run for the following errors appear:
In function `Get_Word':
warning: return makes integer from pointer without a cast
warning: function returns address of local variable

I would greatly appreciate any help fixing the problem;

insert

Code:

---

int Get_Word(){
    //gets random number using the WordCount function and then goes into the dictionary
    //text file and pulls out the word that corresponds to the random number
   
        int N_Num = WordCount();
        int i, number;
        char SecretWord[15];
   
    //Random number generator
    srand(time(NULL));
        number = rand() % N_Num;
   
    //opens file
    FILE*dict = fopen("dictionary.txt", "r");
   
    //gets the ord from the dictionary file using the random number picked
    for(i=0;  i <= number; i++){
        fgets(SecretWord, 15, dict);
        }
    fclose(dict);//closes file
   
   
return SecretWord;
}

---

Code:

---

int Get_Word(){
........//gets random number using the WordCount function and then goes into the dictionary
........//text file and pulls out the word that corresponds to the random number
..........
................int N_Num = WordCount();
................int i, number;
................char SecretWord[15];
..........
........//Random number generator
........srand(time(NULL));
................number = rand() % N_Num;
..........
........//opens file
........FILE*dict = fopen("dictionary.txt", "r");
..........
........//gets the ord from the dictionary file using the random number picked
........for(i=0;.. i <= number; i++){
................fgets(SecretWord, 15, dict);
................}
........fclose(dict);//closes file
..........
..........
return SecretWord;
}

---

you declare that the function return an integer, yet you return the pointer to a char array. Btw, don't do that either, you 're creating char inside that function, once return, it will go out of scope ( hence the warning regarding local variable). It's better if you pass in a char pointer and return nothing. Example:

Code:

---

void GetWord(char * SecredWord)

---

Also srand() should only be called once, usually it is better to call this early in main().

Jim

Btw, forgot one thing. If you pass in an array, or pointer to a char, remember to add in the size as well, otherwise you'll be blind to how long that array is.

Code:

---

void GetWord(char * SecretWord, int size_of_secret_word)

---