![[Appledusk and a tearful Mapleshade are arranged revolving around each other]](https://blogclan.katecary.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/mapleshade_and_appledusk_by_senely-d843vlw.png)
Fan Articles
Lunaheart analyzes Mapleshade and Appledusk.
This isn’t another article defending one of these two historic cats. I’m going to be reviewing who should have gone to the dark forest, Mapleshade or Appledusk. Let’s take a look at appledusk. He was a good warrior, chose his clan in the end, and some fans say that taking reedshines death blow is brave and honorable. However, he also had kits with another clan, and betrayed his mate. So because I’m trying to be fair, appledusk might win starclan. Mapleshade will be harder to summarize because she had more POVs and discussions tend to take her side. She was a good warrior, and she probably would have become thunderclan leader if they hadn’t found out. But she killed three cats, and presumed to have killed off much of Crookedstars family and more in the dark forest. But taking Mapleshades side, it was confirmed that it wasn’t Mapleshades fault Crookedstars family died, she knew it would happen anyway and claimed it was a curse. And Mapleshade was having nightmares of her kits unable to reach starclan without killing appledusk, ravenwing, And frecklewish. This leaves the debate on if the kit visions were only the product of her imagination, or were they really true? Appledusk also desperately needs a POV, as we see only what other people think of him, and not his actual thoughts. It would be nice to get a novella containing oakstar, frecklewish, ravenwing, And appledusk POV. But there will always be team Mapleshade and team appledusk, so if appledusk is sent to the dark forest, appledusk fans will complain, and because Mapleshade was sent to the dark forest, Mapleshade fans complain. This is my same argument with why was brightflower sent to the dark forest, because I believe that Brokenstar corrupted her, and it wouldn’t make sense to pit her with him. Anyway, I think there are so many Mapleshade fans because people pity her, and her opinions are expressed a lot more then appledusk ones are. So I actually pity the Erins, because they have to choose one or the other, because it wouldn’t make sense for them to both be in the dark forest or in starclan. And whichever one they pick, warrior fans will complain.
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🌻🌸🌸🌺🌸🌷🌸🌷Birchbreeze🦋🐔🦋🐌Call me Birchy!🔥🌏🌷🌷🌷🌟TOUR TONITE🌏✨🌏💐I'll never walk Cornelia Street again...🌟💐🌏
🩵🦅 Eagleflight (Aquila)🍃🎶![[a shadowed headshot of Mapleshade with narrowed eyes]](https://blogclan.katecary.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mapleshade____warriors_fanart_by_mythic_flame-dbpz706.png.jpg)
![[full-body designs of the medicine cats from The Prophecies Begin]](https://blogclan.katecary.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/medicine_cats_of_the_first_arc_by_acacion-d56k8qs.png)
![[Bluestar crouching during a snowstorm with Mosskit between her legs and Stonekit and Mistykit beside her]](https://blogclan.katecary.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/bluestar_s_prophecy_by_magic_pistachio_ddxi6b4-fullview-80x60.jpg)
![[Firestar sits on the high rock as sunlight streams through the trees]](https://blogclan.katecary.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/warrior_cats___firestar_by_feyscat_d926zjl-pre-80x60.png)
This is so true lol. Either way fans will complain. I think Mapleshade is an awesome villain, and although I pity her, I’m not outraged she is in the Dark Forest. As for Appledusk, I think he was a good cat and his heart was good so I don’t believe he should be in the Dark Forest. He wasn’t evil and only cared about his family (I think I can argue that he did care about Mapleshade because we was angry with her that she risked THEIR kits as well as her own life). But once again he isn’t completely justified. Both cats were in the wrong in one way or another. However I think both characters are great and deserve sympathy on both sides. There’s a lot of area that can be discussed and debated (as many fans have done) but I do think that Mapleshade is just fine as a villain with a tragic backstory and Appledusk is a good warrior who only wanted to do what was right.
Honestly, I think Appledusk should be in StarClan and Mapleshade in the DF. He sure didn’t murder innocent cats, and didn’t take his kits across the raging river while it was flooded. That was all Mapleshade. Hallucinations and grief have their limits, and Mapleshade clearly knew what she was doing when she killed Frecklewish, Ravenwing, and Appledusk (albeit it was an accident, however she almost killed Reedshine and her unborn kits too). Then she also kidnapped Appledusk’s apprentice as bait, just so she could eventually murder Reedshine. Appledusk has broken the code, but if he goes to the DF for seeing another cat outside of his Clan, then shouldn’t Silverstream, Oakheart, Bluestar, Graystripe, Leafpool, Crowfeather, Lionblaze, Heathertail, and Hollyleaf (she technically broke the code when she went to see Willowpaw as an apprentice to see what was wrong with RiverClan in Dark River) be in the DF too?
…So yeah, I’m on Team Appledusk instead. But good article, nothenless.
I think Appledusk deserved to be in the Dark Forest for many reasons. One of them being the fact that he broke the warrior code by being mates with Mapleshade AND cheated on her AND made her go through all sorts of trauma. I don’t think he was really deserving of any place in StarClan. Heck, I think he deserves to be in the Dark Forest much more than Thistleclaw, but that’s a topic for another day.
Also since Mapleshade was somewhat delusional, she was very much under the impression that her kits’ spirits were asking her to avenge them, and that is why she went on a murder spree. If she was doing that she was doing the will of “StarClan” (well, just her dead kits, whom she’d have maybe thought were in StarClan).
Sure, she broke the code a couple of times. But let’s not forget that the whole killing spree wouldn’t have happened if cats had helped her in her grief.
Except unlike Mapleshade, Appledusk actually acknowledged his crimes, admitted to them, and apologised for them and swore loyalty to the Warrior Code. Yes he cheated, however even in the Warriors universe, it’s not entirely uncommon for a cat to take more than one mate at a time, especially if the so-called cheater is a forbidden mate- Bluestar, Dovewing, Crowfeather, ect.
This is because forbidden mates have the best reason to take on more than one mate, as they a covering up the fact they have forbidden families. This is also backed up by how Appledusk was also shown to be a lot smarter than Mapleshade when it came to the safety of the kits, such as constantly warning Mapleshade to refrain from visiting him again.
And how was what happened to Mapleshade Appledusk’s fault? She brought everything upon herself. At first, Appledusk and Mapleshade were both as bad as each other when they broke the Warrior Code, but then Mapleshade stooped to a new low when she let poor distraught Frecklewish believe her dead brother was the father of the kits, and then not even attempting to keep her crimes hidden, such as when she brought the kits to the border and let them swim around in the river, putting their RiverClan traits on display, or when she mentioned Appledusk very clearly in ThunderClan camp. After all her suspicious behaviour led to her exile, she thought it was a good idea to force tired, weak kits across the visibly flooding river unaided.
How was any of this Appledusk’s fault?
Also, ‘if cats had helped her
Rip I didn’t finish the sentence
She rejected Myler’s help, was what I tried to say.
I shipped Maple x Myler….😛
oof-
I think Mapleshade deserves the Dark Forest more, but I dislike Appledusk strongly. For one thing, like you said, he betrayed his mate and his three dead kits! But Mapleshade murdered cats, so she deserves it more.
Okay, at least Appledusk felt bad about it and just because he betrays Mapleshade, it doesn’t mean he deserves the DF. Look at Crowfeather, for example. He betrayed his mate when it was revealed Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather were his kits, but he doesn’t deserve the DF for that, hmm? Dovewing, she was pulling the strings with Bumblestripe when they were mates, leading him to believe she loved him when she didn’t, and her never speaking up at all, eventually betraying Bumblestripe and going off with Tigerheart. Even if Bumblestripe was somewhat of a jerk to her, you can’t deny that Dovewing played her part in it too.
Appledusk had no control over the kits either. Mapleshade took the kits to the FLOODED RIVER (grief has its limits; Mapleshade was being stupid here) and it was HER FAULT THAT THEY DIED. Appledusk may have betrayed Mapleshade, but the thing is that Mapleshade was an illegal and illicit mate, and he knew he shouldn’t have done it in the first place. But Appledusk did not betray their kits, as he had nothing to do with their deaths. Him having another family is betraying them? Appledusk can move on if he wants to, and it made sense for him to have a RiverClan family to protect his ThunderClan one.
That’s all I’m going to say. I’m neutral on Appledusk, but man do I hate Mapleshade because she was not in the right at all. A good 75% of the situation was on her.
That actually makes sense! Thanks.
Well everyone knows that Mapleshade should have gone to the mental hospital 😛
True even though appledusk is like “Imma cheat on my mates AND have kits that ended up dying ANYWAYS”
appledusk and reedshine should’ve gone to dark forest
APPLEDUSK TOTALLY DESERVES THE DARK FOREST!!!!!!!!!! Sorry I don’t like Appledusk. I love his name tho. He betrayed his mate!!!!! HE broke the warrior code Well so did Mapleshade. Also Mapleshade does not deserve the DF, Appledusk does! But it was really cute when like in a fact warrior cat fact video, Mapleshade visits her kits at the border of the DF and StarClan. :3 Sure she shouldn’t have made her KITS SWIM IN A FLOODED RIVER?! Also Mapleshade killed Appledusk, Frecklewish and Ravenwing – and that is murder…………..but i don’t like the cats also Oakstar 😛 he let kits drown!! That’s against the Warrior code (maybe it wasn’t made then like that part) but like Frecklewish and Oakstar……. Oakstar is above there Frecklewish let kits die!!!! same as oakstar here that’s all please note this is my opinion you don’t have to agree with me. So ya that’s all hopefully no one sends in hate comments so your comments all made me see that “hmmm…..maybe like oh yeah……..” In my head so meow always and peace out!!!!
I agree. I mean, to be fair, whoever the current leader of RiverClan was should’ve punished Appledusk in the same way as Mapleshade had been punished. That or let her join the Clan.
In all technicality, though, the whole of ThunderClan AND RiverClan broke the warrior code by turning their back on a queen and her helpless kits.
Have you read Mapleshade’s Vengeance within recent memory?
I think you’re semi-right. I don’t think Appledusk deserved the Dark Forest but he definitely should’ve been punished the same way Mapleshade was. And he does have an amazing name! (his name is so pretty omg!)
Think about it this way:
If Appledusk should get the DF because he broke the code then shouldn’t Bluestar? And Oakheart? Silverstream and Graystripe? Tigerheart and Dovewing?
No, because those are all good cats who never REALLY did anything wrong other than fall in love. The same with Appledusk, even though I hate him whole-heartedly. He isn’t really BAD. Sure, he is a terrible cat but he’s not EVIL. He betrayed Mapleshade, sure, but only because he fell in love with Reedshine AND wanted to be a loyal cat now.
“Appledusk should of been given the same punishment as Mapleshade” – That’s not how it works. Put it into a real-life context of two people being sentenced for the same crime in different countries – Just because one society gave an unethical punishment, doesn’t mean the other is obligated to break their usual mortals and stroop to the first’s level for the sake of “giving the same punishment”. In fact, it should be the opposite, that the more ethical society (In this case, Riverclan) takes the moral higher ground and giving a more reasonable punishment, proving they’re better.
Also when Appledusk and Mapleshade were being exiled, it was under different circumstances. Mapleshade was merely exiled, but still had her kits by her side. However when Appledusk was exposed, all his kits were dead and in his mind, his mate caused it. (Which is reasonable if you ask me) Wouldn’t exile Appledusk after he’s lost so much be going overboard? Appledusk clearly didn’t want to be mates with Mapleshade anymore. And he shouldn’t force himself to live with her, that’s an incredibly unhealthy relationship. So Appledusk would have just been some wondering rogue, living alone. He’s much more useful as a Riverclan warrior, especially since he’s a mentor and father of unborn kits.
And like many established already, having multiple mates, especially when involving forbidden couples, are commonplace. Like Mapleshade with Birchface and her “in-laws” (Frecklewish and Oakstar) . Mapleshade could of easily gotten another mate and a 2nd litter (If her first weren’t exposed until later) and no fan or character would bat an eye.
Yes you could argue it’s unfair Mapleshade for not to join Riverclan, however, Tough- she’s not theirs. It’s not Riverclan’s reasonability how Thunderclan chooses to punish cats and deal with all their exiles. It’s not like Clans have to invite in every struggling loner or rouge that comes stumbling over their borders. The Clans have finite resources themselves, barely surviving each leafbare and high kit death rates.
All Mapleshade did was love. She loved Appledusk and he acted like he loved her to. The warrior code was also not that strict back then. There was no rule against what they were doing at the time. Yes I do know she lied, but only because she knew they would never be accepted because their father accidentally killed two thunderclan cats. When the truth was discovered Thunderclan turned on her and her kits. She tried to take them to their father hoping his clan would accept them, but before she even got to Riverclan the river she was crossing floods (Doesn’t starclan have some control over that. If so why did the kill three kits because of who their father was) and the kits all drown. As if this isn’t enough punishment Appledusk blames her for taking the kits out of camp. This makes her feel horrible. She tries to at least find a new place to live with riverclan, and is denied. She is then driven insane with guilt and grief. She kills multiple cats and then she finds out that not only does Appledusk blame her, but he was cheating on her with another Riverclan she-cat. She kills him and is then wounded and dies of those wounds. When she wakes up she is in the dark forest. She feels like if the cats there had to endure what she did then they would understand and help her get revenge on all those who wronged her. (This includes starclan) I feel that the entireity of starclan deserves to be in the dark forest as well as Appledusk and Freckelwish. The medicine cat (I can’t remember his name at the moment) was only doing what he was trained to do so he does not have to be punished.
Although I love Mapleshade, she deserves to go to the DF, and Appledusk to StarClan. Although she was insane that her kits died that she was having nightmares of them that could only be solved by killing the cats that “killed them”, it was still murder. However, she had to get them across the river, since Oakstar said if they were found on ThunderClan territory, they would be killed. So she tried o get to RiverClan territory, where she thought Appledusk would let the kits stay, but they got swept away and died.
Appledusk did have a forbidden mate, but that’s common now. And he admitted he did it, and vowed he wouldn’t do it again. Having another mate is not banned, so he did not really cheat. The only real bad thing he and Darkstalker did was not even let Mapleshade stay the night at their camp, after being exiled and seeing her kits drown.
Although this, I still hate Appledusk and love Mapleshade
I love this.
I always seem to have a hard time seeing villains as bad.
For example, Voldemort from Harry Potter. Minus all the “pure bloods should rule, muggles are the worst” He is just a guy who’s afraid of death.
He also tortured and killed a bunch of people so he could be super powerful, and he emotionally and physically tortured the Malfoys and threatened to kill them (even though he doesn’t understand love?). But basically, he’s a pretty terrible person who only really cared about himself and just used others to get his own way… 😛
I always have a hard time TOO! Tigerstar and Mapleshade are my favorites! So is Brokenstar, now that I think of it ;3
I mean, if we’re going by the whole “Mapleshade killed cats” thing, just remember:
Graystripe killed three cats. Sure it was in battle, but he killed them.
Blackstar killed Stonefur. (NOT in battle)
There’s a massive difference what Mapleshade did to any of Greystripe’s killings. Greystripe was killings in battle, 2 accidental, while Mapleshade was full-out cold-blooded murder.
In battle, the blame goes far further than just the “direct murderer”. For example, the cats who ordered the attacks in the first place and the victims themselves for attacking their “murderer” beforehand. Whitethroat attacked Greystripe, fell off the cliff, accidental. Clawface, an invading exile who murdered Spottedleaf, even his death was accidental. Darkstripe, an exile who was actively trying to murder Firestar, before Greystripe had to save him. Darkstripe’s death was completely on himself.
Mapleshade wasn’t under any orders and wasn’t being actively being attacked. She went out the way to: plan out her murders and track her targets down first, including trespassing to do so. Mapleshade killed a defenceless Medicine cat in the most Clan’s most sacred place, for crying out loud. She even kidnapped an apprentice as bait and tried to kill a pregnant Queen.
See, there’s a difference: Mapleshade was intent on murdering those three cats, and never showed regret or remorse for it. She was also happy to be in the Dark Forest. There is a big difference from Blackstar and Graystripe, at least they redeemed themselves and in Graystripe’s case, Whiteclaw was an accident, Darkstripe was a traitor, and I don’t even recall him killing a third cat.
So yes. Mapleshade still deserves the Dark Forest.
If you look at the comments above, this is what I’m talking about. Mapleshade has more fans because they pity her and she has way more POVs. If she went to starclan, appledusk fans will complain, if they both went to DF or starclan, everyone would complain. So I think they should be either be stuck in limbo (aka the white fog border between starclan and DF, or they should be in limbo forever fighting. Kate, I don’t think you should do anymore love/hate things like this, because of the infinite web pages of arguments (BTW I actually am a Mapleshade fan, but since I have a lot of appledusk fan friends, I’m not really out there about it because I try to be fair and see appledusks side to the story)
Also, in Crookedstars promise, Mapleshade did actually say she never regretted coming to the DF, and she was happy she earned her place/reputation in the DF)
But that’s true for literally really character is existence. No matter what you do for them, someone is going to unpleased and complain. It’s impossible to please everyone.
It’s also fun to write characters that people have dissagreeing opinions on and can argue about. More like debating than arguing. And yes, it can sometimes get out of hand and turn into hate, but when that happens, it’s on the fans, not the authors. We should still have plenty of debatable characters and people debating about them. The only thing that really needs to change, is that fans need to not hate each other for their opinions, but that’s not really something anyone can control, other than themselves. 😛
Mapleshade DF and Appledusk StarClan
I think both Mapleshade and Appledusk should be in the DF.
First of all, although not most importantly, there are too few cats in DF. Only the most horrible characters can be there, and those “less horrible” lead a wonderful life in their little paradise (cough, cough, Ashfur, Rainflower). Starclan is just a place where 93% of the dead go.
Appledusk killed two cats and showed no remorse, he played proud. He also tried to kill two birds with one stone – if he told one of his partners the truth and started life again, I would understand, but he pathetically lied to both cats and gave up only because he was forced to. He didn’t understand his mistake at all, he lied to his clan as much as he did to his former clan, and to top it all off, he pushed all the blame for death on his former lover (what if the cat was forced to cross the river, otherwise she could have been attacked or caught by her own clan). We would really need his novel to better understand his thoughts, even though his actions were sincerely terrible.
Mapleshade has many more culpabilities to her credit. One of them is her naivety and idiotism – she couldn’t take care from Frecklewish and Oakstar, she rejected anyone who tried to help her and she was looking at her lover like a god. She took advantage of Birchface’s death (which she didn’t really care about anyway), but that’s not such a bad thing (especially looking at Bluestar, who had a billion other options, but forced her partner to lie to his own clan and caused the death of Mosskit). And instead of analyzing her own situation, she blamed everyone else, only not herself.
But Starclan didn’t behave well either, sending such a sign to the medic. Heck, ordinary dead cats can send dreams, come to Earth in material form, control the weather, but instead decide to send some trickle of water on such a sensitive issue? And after the death of the kittens, instead of trying to fix everything, they sit and stare at everything from above, pushing popcorn into their mouths.
I think this she-cat may have either had schizophrenia or her dreams were sent from DF, because I doubt StarClan would have ruined the situation even more. All in all, it’s schizophrenia or bipolarism that describes Mapleshade well, which she thought was better than others.
Patchkit, Larchkit and Petalkit could be raised by Birchface (that would be very charming, especially since in Warrior Cats adoption is treated very cold, Hollyleaf, despite being raised by Squirrelflight prefers attention to the biological mother, which is very detrimental to adopted children and illogical) or reincarnated, because the idea of kittens becoming kittens forever is very brutal.
I’m sorry for all the errors in my speech, I don’t speak English very well, but I hope you understand what I meant. I invite you to discuss if anyone is still alive in this post~
I agree completely!
I’m confused about why Mapleshade fans act like she should have gone to the dark forest, I love her but she did deserve to go to the dark forest, but so did Onestar and Appledusk. Onestar sent out kits that had done nothing wrong knowing it was flood season and there was nowhere else for them to go since shadowclan would kill them on the spot and the kittypets would be angry for a clan cat to come onto their territory seeing as they were being attacked by them. I understand sending away Mapleshade, but very young kits with nowhere to go but Riverclan, knowing it was flood season? Its messed up and if we think Ashfur deserves the place of no stars, then so does Onestar. Now for appledusk, he’s actually one of my favorite characters, but having kits with someone from another clan and claiming to love them unconditionally but saying that he never loved them when faced with his own clan knowing? That’s selfish and inconsiderate. He cheated on his mate without telling either of them and keeping it all a secret. He blames Mapleshade for there kits deaths even though he saw what happened and didn’t save them, left them to drowned, and he knew that they had nowhere else to go. Frecklewish went to Starclan and i’m fine with that, she was loving and was shattered with grief and confusion which lead to her not saying Mapleshade and her kits. If you remember Frecklewish even states that she feels absolutely horrible for not saving Mapleshade and her kits. And Ravenwing, I hate him but love him at the same time, he was a jerk and deserved to be killed but he also thought that what he was doing wasn’t going to cause any harm or death. In my opinion they are ally my murder/murdered babies and i understand if you have different opinions :3