Defending Mapleshade by Adderkit

Adderkit defends Mapleshade.

Hi! This is Adderkit, with an article: Defending Mapleshade! I have seven reasons why Mapleshade isn’t really that evil.

1) About killing Appledusk: He was cruel to her. Imagine if you had a friend. You were really close to that friend and trusted them. And then one day you found that friend with another friend, ignored you, and was really mean to you! Getting revenge doesn’t justify things, but at least she had reasons behind it.
2) Frecklewish. The adder killed her. Some people argue Mapleshade directed the adder towards her. And yes, it’s true. But Mapleshade was likely intending the adder to simply bite her or to scare her away. Maybe she’d bribe Frecklewish or force her to leave. It’s also kind of Frecklewish’s fault, because she didn’t even think to close her eyes or move away. Some people think Frecklewish didn’t know Appledusk already had a mate, and I respect that. But she just stood by while Mapleshade’s kits drowned. If she’d helped, the kits might’ve survived and Mapleshade might even be grateful towards her. But no. She let them die.
3) Ravenwing could have at least had a heart. He probably knew Oakstar was going to banish Mapleshade; why not? But he didn’t even recognize the kits would have to go with Mapleshade, or that the kits might not survive. And Mapleshade was just an innocent she-cat. Yes, he was being loyal. But several cats killed other cats or went evil because they were being “loyal.”
4) About training Dark Forest cats. If you were a battle general, you’d train your soldiers to fight for your side, right? You wouldn’t teach the soldiers to fight one another, or to sit around waiting while soldiers from the other side attacked and hurt you. Mapleshade was just doing what she thought was right. Also, here’s something to consider. To the Dark Forest cats, StarClan might seem evil. Normal/good cats might seem evil. It all depends on perspective.
5) StarClan. WHY, STARCLAN!? Ashfur tried to kill THREE KITS and also Firestar! He got into StarClan at first, no? Hollyleaf killed Ashfur and got into StarClan, and she was even seen as a good cat (yes, Hollyleaf is good, but she has many flaws). Thistleclaw originally went to StarClan (though Bluestar drove him out, which is very unfair towards Thistleclaw)! So technically, Ashfur tried to kill more cats than Mapleshade did kill. She might have been at peace with StarClan, maybe even made amends. She would’ve been reunited with her kits, and all the good cats might rub off on her. One day she might’ve approached Appledusk with a friendly smile. One day she might’ve hunted prey with Frecklewish. One day Ravenwing might’ve apologized to her, and she’d say, “Don’t be sorry. It’s okay.” People say she wouldn’t have been at peace with StarClan. Why not? We can never know what might have happened.
6) Also, StarClan. If she’d gotten into it, maybe Ravenwing would have apologized. Maybe Appledusk and Frecklewish would have been forgiven, and maybe they’d forgive Mapleshade too. Ravenwing, being in StarClan, couldn’t just walk to the Dark Forest and say sorry. Appledusk and Frecklewish couldn’t have forgiven Mapleshade. So I believe the StarClanners made a horrible decision.
7) At the beginning, Mapleshade was innocent. Darktail was innocent. Tigerstar was innocent (in one book it showed him as a grateful, happy kit). Brokenstar was innocent (well, kind of). It’s the CHOICES the cats make, not the cats themselves, that are evil or good.

Thank you so much for listening to my opinion! I respect yours, and thanks a bunch for listening in! Stay tuned, and goodbye!