[a shadowed headshot of Mapleshade with narrowed eyes]

Did Mapleshade deserve to be in the Dark Forest? by Emberfern

Emberfern wonders if Mapleshade really deserved to enter the Dark Forest.

Art by Mythic Flame

Hi! Emberfern here, I’m new to BlogClan so I’ll try to be as modest as possible here, since I’m only a young warrior.
Mapleshade killed cats, yes, but she was driven by grief and fear, which she let get ahold of her. A true warrior is doesn’t let things like sadness cloud their judgement, but to be fair, her three small kits had drowned and Appledusk left her for Reedshine. Her heart was empty and full of anger at Appledusk for lying to her, saying that he loved her and only her when in reality he loved Reedshine more, and anger at Ravenwing, who denied her kits of a safe, secure future in ThunderClan—or a life at all, for that matter— and anger at Frecklewish for standing by and leaving Mapleshade and her three kits Petalkit, Patchkit and Larchkit to drown in the river.
Anyone could say, “oh, I saw RiverClan warriors on the other side of the bank. I thought they’d be okay.”
No. Clearly they were not okay. And the three kits— how could any true warrior stand by and watch a queen and her kits struggle?! Frecklewish broke the warrior code that day, the rule “no warrior must let a kit be in pain or danger, no matter the Clan.” (That’s not the exact wording, but it’s the gist of it.) Mapleshade merely wanted her kits to live a enriched, healthy life. That’s what all good queens want. All good cats in general want. But clearly, Ravenwing didn’t want that. Frecklewish didn’t want that and neither did Appledusk. (According to Mapleshade.)
So the question still remains unanswered: Did Mapleshade REALLY deserve to be sent to the Dark Forest and forgotten?
No. In my opinion, she only wanted to provide the best for her kits and she let grief wash over her one too many times. Any queen would be distraught at her kits dying, while a Clanmate that obviously could have helped merely stood by and didn’t help.

It’s possible that I’m wrong and if I’m missing something, it would be appreciated if somebody could point it out for me! Have a good day Clanmates!

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85 comments

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  • I think we need to remember that Ravenwing and all of Thunderclap are responsible. A medicine cat should protect kits at all costs outside clan rivalries as well. And Thunderclap cast out Mapleshade and her kits?? The kits did nothing wrong and Mapleshade as far as we know what otherwise a faithful Thunderclap queen. If she had been let into Starclan with her kits she may have let go of some of her anger

  • yeah I can see your way of thinking, but its also known that even thou Mapleshade loved her kits she also wanted to use them to cement her relationship with Appledusk…. she also crossed the river with her kits, resulting in there death. She went completely crazy with grief after Appledusk left her, and she kills not only a medic cat, (who was doing his job by telling the leader, it would be much worse if he kept it a secret from his clan) but also a warrior, and she attempts to murder Appledusk’s new mate, who is pregnant with his kits, and Appledusk jumps in front to save her. Honestly, Mapleshades story is really sad but she literally became a psychopath of Warrior cats. (this post sounds very aggressive, I’m only trying to state my thinking, not trying to offend anyone)

  • I agree with you. I feel very bad for Mapleshade especially because she got rejected and lost her kits. She really does just want to defend her kits and I felt bad for her when I read about it. Maplshade has got to be actually one of my favorite warrior cats.

  • Mapleshade does not deserve the dark forest just because she broke the code. Bluestar, Oakheart, Yellowfang, Leafpool, and many other cats did the same thing as her and they didn’t go to the dark forest so why should she? And yes she did kill 3 cats but they did bad things to her and besides she doesn’t deserve that much grief.

    • Frecklewish did something bad to her? No, she didn’t. Instead of Frecklewish, Mapleshade could kill Oakstar cause he exiled her. But not, Frecklewish though is not inocent. Demand exile children is not good at all, but she thought that they would be OK cause there were a Riverclan patrol in the other side of the river. In this or any way, she likes being there so all that I writted here was a time waste but I still don’t care.

  • Before Mapleshade was in the dark forest she didn’t deserve it. But once she went in the dark forest then she deserved it. Also she wants to be in the dark forest so I think she should stay there.

  • I still think that Mapleshade did deserved to go to Dark Forest, since she lied to his clanmates and NEVER take a bit of fault. Anyways, she LIKES being there. Ashfur’s trial is not an excuse. She murdered, he didn’t.

  • Wait isnt mapleshade a untrustworthy narrator and also i think the arguement really is does she derserve to have been exiled because murder is always bad even if you have a reason Mapleshade could have been a good cat IF she wasnt exiled

  • Great article finally someone agrees! See, but ASHFUR was even worse and he went to StarClan bc he’s TC!!! BRUHHH!

  • Mapleshade didn’t deserve going to the dark forest, I mean she did commit murder but so did Hollyleaf for a similar reason. If you think about it she went to starclan and Ashfur was also about to literally let Squirrelflight and “her kits” burn to death, yet he also went to starclan with his only fault having loved too much.

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