Why Mapleshade Was NOT Justified by Hollypaw

Hollypaw shares their thoughts on Mapleshade.

Hi, I’m back with another article, about my feelings on Mapleshade, so let’s get started!

First things first, I don’t like her. I see her as a bloodthirsty, evil villain who deserved the Dark Forest, and I feel her victims did not deserve death. Here’s why.

So, let’s go through Mapleshade’s life. Mapleshade had kits with her forbidden mate, a RiverClan warrior named Appledusk. She lets her Clanmates believe they were Birchface’s, a foolish decision, due to Birchface having died recently, and even worse, at the accidental claws of Appledusk. Poor Frecklewish is so excited that the blood of her brother, Birchface, lives on, completely believing Mapleshade’s lies.

Soon Ravenwing discovers the truth, that Appledusk was Mapleshade’s mate and the father of her kits. Of course, Frecklewish is hurt and upset. Mapleshade had lied about Frecklewish’s brother being the father of her kits. She attacks Mapleshade, and I completely understand that. Of course she’s angry! How would you feel if someone pretended your sibling was their partner and the parent of their children, but it was actually your brother’s killer?

Oakstar banishes Mapleshade and her kits, Larchkit, Petalkit, and Patchkit. Now, banishing Mapleshade, I understand more, but banishing the kits? They were innocent, and I think that was a huge mistake of Oakstar’s. Mapleshade attempts to bring her kits across the dangerous river to RiverClan, and they get swept away, and die. I fully blame Mapleshade for their deaths. Sure, other cats could have saved the kits, but it was Mapleshade’s incredibly stupid decision to try to take them across in the first place.

Very understandably, Appledusk is furious, and rejects Mapleshade. Hey, I completely understand this! How would you feel if your children had died due to a stupid decision by your partner? I’d be really, really mad at them!
Appledusk instead became mates with Reedshine, and Darkstar rejected Mapleshade once again from RiverClan, while Appledusk got to stay. Maybe Appledusk cheated on Mapleshade with Reedshine, but the thing is, we don’t know. People are hating Appledusk for something they don’t even have any evidence for, something that is a guess! And I’m pretty sure the authors implied Appledusk only mated with Reedshine after rejecting Mapleshade. I don’t understand the hate coming toward him at all.

Now, let’s move on to the worst of Mapleshade’s crimes, and what makes me truly hate her. For some strange reason, she blames Ravenwing for the deaths of her kits, and followed him to the Moonstone one half-moon. She killed the poor innocent medicine cat there, and left his body for the hawks to eat. Ravenwing was just doing his duty and trying to follow the warrior code! He never meant for any kits to die. Poor Ravenwing. She doesn’t even let the medicine cat get buried properly, and leaves him for the hawks.

Next she blames Frecklewish, who Nettlepaw told Mapleshade was watching as her kits died. Now, again, we don’t know what Frecklewish was thinking. We don’t know if she truly believed RiverClan would help, or she still had bitter feelings towards the kits and Mapleshade, and refused to help. Either one is understandable, though I think she should have tried to help the poor kits. It was against the warrior code to leave kits in danger. But it was completely wrong that Mapleshade did what she did next. She lured poor Frecklewish to Snakerocks and attacked her there, and Frecklewish is understandably incredibly furious. But she gets bitten by an adder, and loses her eyesight, eventually dying.

Now, still the bloodthirsty savage that is Mapleshade isn’t satisfied, and enters RiverClan territory to kill Appledusk. He is training his apprentice, Perchpaw, and soon Reedshine comes and tells Appledusk she is carrying his kits. For some reason people think this is a sign of Appledusk cheating on Mapleshade, but it is implied by the authors that he only got together with Reedshine after rejecting Mapleshade. But of course Mapleshade gets super furious and is even more determined to kill Appledusk.

Mapleshade falls asleep, and when she wakes up, Perchpaw is there alone. She attacks him and holds him down, forcing the poor apprentice to stay quiet. When Appledusk arrives, looking for Perchpaw, Mapleshade emerges and spits that it’s Appledusk’s fault their kits are dead. Appledusk replies that it’s Mapleshade’s fault for making them cross the river. I completely agree with that.

She challenges him to a fight, but Appledusk refuses to fight his former mate. Reedshine appears, and Mapleshade leaps at her, wanting to murder the innocent queen, carrying innocent kits. Appledusk jumps in front of Reedshine, and Mapleshade kills him instead. Perchpaw jumps onto Mapleshade and wounds her in the neck. Mapleshade flees and soon dies and goes to the Dark Forest.

In my opinion, Mapleshade fully deserves the Place Of No Stars. She murdered three innocent cats due to her grief. Many people think Mapleshade’s grief and the wrongdoings of others justified everything, but many other cats went through similar things and didn’t kill anyone, and two, nothing justifies murder of innocent cats. I don’t get Mapleshade’s popularity, and how so many people love a completely evil and murderous cat. She truly deserves the Dark Forest, and will always be a villain to me.

Now, I think that’s the end of my article. Please remember that I’m not insulting your opinion, just telling you mine. Bye, and may StarClan light your path.