Mapleshade: What does she Deserve? by Floofpaw

Floofpaw takes a look at Mapleshade’s actions.

Hello fellow Blogclanners! Tis Floofpaw/ybear with another article. As the title suggests, I will be analyzing Mapleshade’s character and attempting to determine what she deserves. To do this I will be rereading Mapleshade’s Vengeance and finding all the evidence that defends her. I will then find counterpoints to the ones that I can and conduct a final analysis!
WARNING: Major Spoilers for Mapleshade’s Vengeance as well as minor spoilers for OotS, AVoS, and DotC!

“‘I’m going to be a father,’ [Appledusk] purred. ‘Incredible.’ He tipped his head to one side. ‘But these kits will be half-clan. Half Riverclan. How will your clanmates feel about that?’
‘They won’t know,’ Mapleshade answered. She noticed Appledusk flinch. ‘At least, not at first,’ She went on. ‘I will raise them as Thunderclan until they have been fully accepted. Then every cat will be able to cope with the truth. Why should it matter that their father lives in a different clan?’”
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Pages 12-13, Quote #1

Mapleshade’s intentions were good. She was handed a difficult situation and she tried her best to make it work; it can’t be considered entirely her fault that things went wrong. Of course this can’t exactly justify murdering anyone, but we at least know her heart was in the right place to begin with.
Counterpoint: Her intentions don’t really matter. Three cats are still dead and good intentions don’t change that.

“The air in the warriors’ den was suddenly so thick that Mapleshade couldn’t catch her breath. Is Starclan offering me a way for my kits to be accepted by their clanmates? I can’t lie, not if I want them to know the truth later. She stared at Frecklewish, unable to speak.”
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Page 16, Quote #2

Mapleshade never directly lied to her clanmates. She was planning to tell them the truth later, and she thought that Starclan might be helping her make her kits be accepted. She had no way of knowing things would get so out of hand. Really, this is Starclan’s fault for not providing a little clarification. Like y’know maybe bop into her dreams quickly and tell her ‘No, we do NOT approve of you lying to all of your clanmates like this,’ Instead of suddenly throwing Mapleshade under the bus by sending a sign to Ravenwing.
Counterpoint: She is letting Frecklewish believe Birchface is the father with the hopes that she will spread it around. This is essentially lying, is nearly as bad, and still results in her being exiled and her kits dying. By not contradicting these rumors, she is basically lying.

“Oakstar was starting to back out of the nursery. ‘Right now, the most important thing is that Mapleshade’s kits are safe and well,’ he meowed. There was a grim note to his voice that made Mapleshade’s fur stand up. ‘We will raise them to be great warriors like their father,’ Oakstar vowed. ‘And let them avenge his death when they are ready.’”
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Pages 23-24, Quote #3

Oakstar is clearly not thinking in line with the warrior code. He is thinking about what Mapleshade’s kits can do for Thunderclan, not what Thunderclan can do for her kits. Of course they will grow up to be great warriors, but right now this isn’t what Oakstar should be thinking about. Plus, killing is against the warrior code anyways. I think this is showing that although Oakstar is of course upset over Birchface, it’s possible that if he believed that Mapleshade and her kits’ loyalties didn’t lie entirely with Thunderclan because of Appledusk he might have exiled them anyways, which is, again, breaking the warrior code. For someone who exiles a cat for breaking the code, he sure doesn’t seem too against it himself.
-No counterpoint, Oakstar sucks.-

“‘Please don’t say anything!’ Mapleshade begged. ‘These are Thunderclan’s kits!’
‘They are half Riverclan,’ Ravenwing corrected, his voice as hard as ice. ‘Our clanmates deserve to know. I’m sorry, Mapleshade. Sorry for you, but even sorrier for these kits. They will end up suffering for the lies that you have told.’ He whirled around and vanished into the bracken.
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Pages 36-37, Quote #4

…Admittedly this scene doesn’t happen quiiiiiite the way I remembered it before rereading Mapleshade’s Vengeance. But rereading the book I now have a much less pro-Raven view of this conversation. Ravenwing knows there will be repercussions for the kits, yet he is going to tell the clan anyway. From what we’ve seen of Oakstar in the above quotes we can tell that he is extremely likely to resort to exile, and I believe Ravenwing is smart enough to figure this out. I understand that he is a young medicine cat trying to find his place in the clan, but this isn’t the way to do it. Although we can’t place the blame entirely on him. He’s new to his job and probably believes that he has to do this as a medicine cat. It’s not fair of Starclan to put him in this position. However, he needs to have the guts to make the right choice and keep this a secret, which he evidently does not.
Counterpoint: Back then, the warriors were much more devoted to Starclan and had absolute faith in them, which Mapleshade demonstrates throughout the book with her internal dialogue. Defying Starclan is no small thing, especially for an inexperienced medicine cat. If Mapleshade can justify murder with her faith, I say Ravenwing can justify telling the clan with his. Also: ‘I have told you nothing,’ Mapleshade mewed through clenched jaws.
‘You have told me plenty,’ Ravenwing responded, sadness in his sky colored eyes. ‘The truth must come out.’
Ravenwing is sad about this. He doesn’t want to report Mapleshade, but he feels he must because it is the will of Starclan. He’s not an evil cat. Is he brave? Certainly not. Does he deserve to die for his mistake? No, of course not. If every coward who made mistakes went to DF, I have a feeling it would be a lot more crowded. (Shadowclan cats who initially sided with Scourge, Shadowclan cats who initially sided with Darktail, um, MISTYSTAR, if you’ve seen her awful performance in AVoS, Onestar for sure, again for awful performance in AVoS, BLACKSTAR, every cat in DoTC who didn’t stand up to One Eye, need I go on?)

“Frecklewish shook off the warriors and glared at Mapleshade. ‘You have betrayed my brother’s name!’ she spat. ‘You have betrayed us all with your lies and your disloyalty. You don’t deserve to be called a warrior and nor do those… those half-clan creatures.’ She curled her lip toward the three kits, who cowered beneath the ferns. ‘Their father killed Birchface and Flowerpaw! Get them out of here!’”

“Oakstar bounded down from the highrock and stood in front of her. His yellow eyes gleamed with hatred and he thrust his head forward until his breath blew hotly on Mapleshade’s muzzle. ‘Have you forgotten that Appledusk murdered my son and Flowerpaw? Of all cats, why did you have to choose him? You cannot possibly expect my forgiveness.’ He stepped back and raised his head. ‘You have betrayed the warrior code and lied to your clanmates. We will not raise these kits within the walls of our camp, nor the boundaries of our territory. Take them and leave. You are no longer a warrior of Thunderclan.’”
-Quotes from Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Pages 40-41, Quotes #5-6

Frecklewish has done a complete turnaround of her opinion on Mapleshade and her kits. She used to adore them, but now she hates them just because she knows who their father is. She has every right to be furious with Mapleshade, but the kits are the same cats she thought they were. They haven’t lied to her or done anything to deserve this, and she needs to leave them out of it. And Oakstar is being completely irrational. He rants about Mapleshade breaking the code when he is doing it himself in a quite frankly much worse manner. He doesn’t even stop to consider that he might be letting his emotions make his decisions for him or to stop and ask his deputy, Beetail. Do you know what I want to know? WHO EVEN IS BEETAIL RWKBGKHGLK? Does the clan deputy not have ANY sort of opinion on this? He says literally nothing throughout this entire scene and I believe an objective opinion on this matter is required. Again, Oakstar also has the right to be furious with Mapleshade. However, he can’t neglect kits and has no reason to. And by this logic of the warrior code he technically can’t, or at least shouldn’t, exile Mapleshade either given that she is the kits’ mother. Technically, because his orders break the warrior code, by the code’s own decree nobody has to listen to him. However, most of the clan seems to be on board with it anyway even though the kits have done absolutely nothing to deserve this.
Counterpoint: If Mapleshade hadn’t indirectly lied, none of this would have happened, although this isn’t a particularly strong counterpoint because she may have been exiled anyway. However, if she had told the truth all along her clanmates would probably be less angry. Also, Mapleshade leaves camp near the top of page 42. It starts to rain about halfway down page 42 after a short time skip, and it is not mentioned that it is pouring and the river is flooded until page 43 after more time has passed. The storm didn’t start until after Mapleshade left camp, so Oakstar had no way of knowing the kits would drown. Even when it started he probably suspected that Mapleshade would use the bridge like a normal person, which she did not. He hates Mapleshade and never wants to see her again, but he had no way of knowing he was endangering her kits.

“‘You knew about these kits?’ Darkstar asked. The tip of her tail was twitching.
Appledusk nodded, and Reedshine let out a soft wail.
‘Mapleshade told me that she would raise them in Thunderclan,’ Appledusk meowed. ‘I… I knew I had made a mistake so I said nothing to my clanmates.’
A mistake? Mapleshade almost winced at the pain in Appledusk’s pale green eyes. Almost, but not quite. The ice was spreading through her faster than a leaf-bare frost. Soon I won’t be able to feel anything, She thought.
“I should never have betrayed my clan by meeting with Mapleshade,” Appledusk went on. “I will regret it for the rest of my life, and I can only beg for your forgiveness.”
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Page 50, Quote #7

After everything she has been through, being kicked out of her clan and her kits drowning, for Starclan’s sake, Appledusk is the only cat Mapleshade has left, and he abandons her. He dismisses their relationship and their kits as a mistake and begs for Darkstar’s forgiveness. If he had been more supportive of Mapleshade, and advocated that she have a place in Riverclan, maybe things could have gone differently. I understand that he has a new mate and is trying to put his forbidden romance behind him, but in this case he can’t, not yet. The whole situation is halfway his fault and so he has a responsibility to try and help Mapleshade through this, but does he? Nope, because he’s a coward, and he’s going to pay for it.
Counterpoint: Although Appledusk is very clearly demonstrating that he is a jerk, I would like to clear up a few things. Cheating on Someone < Murder. Saying that Appledusk deserves DF and Mapleshade deserves Starclan is completely backwards. Mapleshade’s crimes are far, FAR worse than his. People also say he didn’t care about his kits. This is not true.
“Mapleshade was only dimly aware of her claws hooking into the branch beside her. She felt herself being dragged through the water, and then strong jaws were in her pelt, hauling her onto the stones. Appledusk loomed over her. ‘What in the name of Starclan are you doing? Where are the kits?’” After rescuing Mapleshade, the kits are the first thing he thinks of. Who can say he doesn’t care about them? Anyway, continuing-
“‘My kits…,’ Mapleshade rasped. ‘Save… my kits…,’
Appledusk’s face appeared before her, his eyes huge with horror. ‘Are you telling me the kits are in the river?’
Mapleshade nodded, too tired to speak. Eeltail was already bounding along the shore.
‘If the kits are in there, they are going to be in big trouble!’ She called over her shoulder. Splashfoot raced after her. Appledusk crouched beside Mapleshade.
‘I will find them, I promise,’ He whispered. Then he raced away from her.”
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Pages 46-47
I’d say that proves he cares about his kits. In case you’re not convinced yet, have another quote.
“‘But night is falling!’ Mapleshade protested. ‘Where will I go? Appledusk, help me!’
The pale brown warrior shook his head. ‘Why should I? It’s your fault these kits are dead. I never want to see you again.’”
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Page 52
Appledusk never wants to see Mapleshade again, because he blames her for the death of his kits, which I believe he is right to. *Grabs megaphone to be heard over outraged screams* Allow me to explain. SHE JUST DROWNED THEIR CHILDREN. AND THERE’S A BRIDGE. People say that Mapleshade is not thinking rationally and therefore cannot be expected to remember the bridge, but, have another quote.
“Mapleshade reached the wooden bridge and raced across, ears flattened and fur spiked. The noise of the river tumbling below dragged her mind back to the moment she had let go of Patchkit. The water was too strong! It was not my fault that my kits died, She reminded herself. She jumped off the bridge onto dry, sandy ground that sloped up towards fourtrees directly in front of her.”
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Page 56
Right now Mapleshade is grieving, exhausted, sleep deprived, sick, hallucinating, hungry, and thirsty. If she can remember to use the bridge after her kits are dead, I say she ought to be able to remember before. Plus, just because she’s upset doesn’t mean she has no parental responsibility here. Who’s supposed to make rational decisions if she can’t? The kits?! This is still her fault.

“The image of her three dead kits hovered at the edge of [Mapleshade’s] vision, as if she would be able to see them if only she could turn her head fast enough. Mama, help me! They wailed.
‘I can’t,’ Mapleshade whispered. ‘Oh, my precious ones, I am so sorry.’
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Page 55, Quote #8

Mapleshade is hungry, sleep deprived, hallucinating, sick, (It mentioned on the previous page that she had a fever.) and has lost everything dear to her. Basically at this point we cannot expect her to make rational decisions. Although this doesn’t excuse murder it can at least partially explain it, and again, as stated in my analysis of the previous quote, this might never have happened if Appledusk wasn’t such a jerk.
-No counterpoint, the hallucinations are not her fault.-

-Side Analysis-
On page 58 it is revealed that Frecklewish followed Mapleshade to make sure she left and saw her fall off the stepping stones. According to Nettlepaw, she saw a Riverclan patrol on the far shore and believed that the kits would not drown. Now, although she is technically breaking the warrior code by neglecting kits in danger, does this really make her the evil cat she is made out to be? Well, this depends on a couple factors, unfortunately none of which we know the answer to, although we can make a logical guess.

Can Frecklewish Swim? If Frecklewish is able to swim, then by the warrior code it is her obligation to jump into the river and help. However, as a Thunderclan cat, it is extremely unlikely that she is able to swim. This means that in this case, she would only get in the way and pointlessly kill herself, meaning that this rule of the warrior code would only serve to ensure the kits’ doom. However, in the unlikely event that she can, she should have jumped in and deserves the Dark Forest.

Why didn’t she do anything? Did she not help because, A: She can’t swim, or, B: Out of hatred for Mapleshade and the kits, or, C: A mixture of both? I believe that C is the most likely option out of these options, which would most likely still make her evil and deserving of DF. However, we don’t know what was going through Frecklewish’s mind at the moment. It’s possible she came to her senses while following Mapleshade. It’s possible that she was horrified as she watched the kits drown. In conclusion, I don’t believe we can really be sure whether or not Frecklewish deserves the DF. Perhaps, since she ended up there in any case, Starclan knows more than we do. But Starclan isn’t exactly perfect, so I believe there is no sure answer.
-End of Side Analysis-

“[Mapleshade] reached a hedge of thick soft moss and crawled under the branches. Suddenly she was too tired to walk another step. Ignoring the rumbling in her belly, she closed her eyes.
‘Mama!’
‘Help me!’
Two drenched faces appeared in front of Mapleshade, eyes huge and pleading, mouths open in tiny wails. The sound of the flooded river roared in Mapleshade’s ears.
‘Patchkit! Petalkit!’ She screeched. She thrashed with her front legs, trying to reach them as the water sucked them away, put her paws thudded against cold, hard earth.
Mapleshade opened her eyes. She was lying under the hedge beneath highstones. Why had she dreamed of her kits? Where was Larchkit?
‘Mama! Save us!’ Two voices echoed again.
Mapleshade shook herself and sat up. Ravenwing had died- did that mean only one kit had been avenged?”
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Pages 66-67, Quote #9
-No counterpoint that has not previously been stated.-

Mapleshade is, once again, hallucinating. In her currently irrational manner of thinking she believes that she must kill three cats because she had three kits. The hallucinations are not her fault, and without them it is possible she might never have murdered at all, or at least only killed Ravenwing. Now, only killing one cat is still evil and still sends her to DF for sure, but I guess it’s better than killing three? Yeah I’m not sure where I’m going with that train of thought. *Runs train off mental cliff and continues to next quote*

“Only one voice echoed in [Mapleshade’s] ears now: Patchkit, her tiniest, most defenseless kit. ‘Help me, mama!’
Her daughter, Petalkit, had found peace in the attack on Frecklewish. Like Larchkit, her desperate cries had been silenced. For a moment Mapleshade’s breath was crushed beneath a wave of grief for the son and daughter she might never see again. Then she clenched her jaw and pictured the final cat who must pay for the death of her kits.
‘Not long now, Patchkit,’ She vowed. ‘Soon you will be free!’
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Page 75, Quote #10
-No counterpoint that has not previously been stated.-

Due to her hallucinations (Which we have covered are not her fault) Mapleshade believes in a twisted way that her avenging her kits’ deaths is helping them find peace in the afterlife. She has lost everything and has nothing left to lose, so she is willing to do anything it takes to make that happen in a misguided sort of way. Although it was her choice to make the first kill, the hallucinations are making her keep going.

“Something small and ginger and white stirred beside Appledusk’s unmoving body. ‘You killed him, mama!’ Patchkit shrilled. His little tail was held high with triumph. ‘We are all free now!’”
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Page 84, Quote #11
…These hallucinations again. They make Mapleshade believe what she is doing is right, in a twisted sort of way. I find it entirely possible that without them she might have come to her senses and not murdered anyone or at least not so many. (Well except murdering one cat is still evil…)
-No counterpoint that has not previously been stated.-

And now that we have all the facts from Mapleshade’s Vengeance it is time for a…
-FINAL ANALYSIS-
Although Mapleshade alone cannot be blamed for her kits’ deaths, I believe she is the most to blame. She had so many better options besides crossing the river, and although Frecklewish is following her and she has no time to stop and think, it should just be common sense to use the bridge instead. Then, she proceeds to blame everyone but herself and attempt to murder them all, save Oakstar. She even attempts to kill Reedshine, who’s only mistake is falling for the same cat Mapleshade did. Yes, she was handed an extremely difficult situation. But the conflict was escalated by her own choices. Oakstar didn’t decide to cross that river. Frecklewish didn’t decide to cross that river. Appledusk didn’t decide to cross that river. In fact, he did everything he could to SAVE the kits. It’s not really fair to blame him, even if he does suck. Furthermore, even if, let’s say, this doesn’t firmly put her in DF, have one more quote.
“Instead of dread, Mapleshade felt a surge of triumph. If she was here because of what she had endured, then there would be other cats like her, cats who would understand what she had gone through, who knew what it was to stand up to enemies and dole out immeasurable pain.
She would find these cats, whatever that voice had told her, train them to be as strong and fearless as she was, and use them to cause more trouble for the clans than the warriors could imagine in their worst dreams.
Mapleshade had found a place where she truly belonged. From here, she could cause more suffering than when she had been alive, and fight her battles alone. For all eternity, Appledusk’s kin would mourn the day he had destroyed the life of a Thunderclan warrior. Just as she had promised to Reedshine, Mapleshade’s desire for vengeance would never sleep.”
-Mapleshade’s Vengeance, Pages 87-88
Mapleshade is HAPPY to be in DF. All she wants to do is cause more suffering for Appledusk’s descendants. She should know better than anyone it’s unfair to judge someone on who their parents are. I think it’s safe to say she has not learned her lesson and is probably going to build an army to attack the clans during OoTS, because that happened. If Mapleshade truly deserved Starclan, she would not be happy to be in the Dark Forest. So I firmly believe, with all the facts weighed, that Mapleshade deserves the Dark Forest. Byyyyye and I hope you enjoyed reading this! :]