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"I cannot let you lie to our Clanmates! And now that I know the truth, I cannot lie either."
— Ravenwing to Mapleshade in Mapleshade's Vengeance, chapter 3


Ravenwing is a small, thick-furred black tom[1] with dark blue eyes.[3]

Ravenwing was a ThunderClan medicine cat under the leadership of Oakstar. His mentor, Oatspeckle, died when he was still young, leaving him struggling with all of his responsibilities. When Mapleshade gave birth to three kits, the Clan assumed their father to be Birchface. However, Ravenwing soon discovered their true father was Appledusk, a RiverClan warrior. Ravenwing reported it to Oakstar and consequently, Mapleshade and her kits were exiled. Mapleshade's kits drowned while attempting to cross the flooded river. Blaming Ravenwing for exposing the truth, Mapleshade murdered him at the Moonstone during the half-moon meeting. She then uncovered his body for a hawk after Ravenwing's fellow medicine cats buried him.

History

In the Novellas

Mapleshade's Vengeance

"Even if they knew the kits were half-Clan? We deserve to know the truth, Mapleshade. Appledusk is their father, isn't he?"
―Ravenwing accusing Mapleshade Mapleshade's Vengeance, chapter 4
Ravenwing helps Mapleshade to give birth to her kits. Mapleshade writhes in agony and Ravenwing tells her to calm down. Soon the kits are born, and Mapleshade regards the medicine cat with pity, as his mentor, Oatspeckle died just a few moons ago, leaving Ravenwing in charge as the sole medicine cat of ThunderClan.
When Mapleshade returns from the walk out in the forest with her kits, she is stopped by Ravenwing. The dark tom asks her what her kits were doing in the river, and Mapleshade feels dreadful, asking him if he had seen them. Ravenwing nods and tells her he had seen everything, asking her what was going on with the kits. Larchkit and Patchkit run over, telling him about their adventure, with Appledusk praising their bravery and swimming skills. Ravenwing, interested, pries the kits for more information. Mapleshade panics, telling the kits that they were going home, but Ravenwing stops her again. He tells her that he had received an omen, and asks if Mapleshade knew anything about it. When Mapleshade replies that she is no medicine cat, he tells her a tiny stream swept in three reed pieces into ThunderClan territory. Ravenwing openly accuses her of lying about the kits' father, and deduces that their father is Appledusk, judging by their pale fur color and the way the RiverClan warrior just praised them. He says he can tell by seeing the kits' abilities to swim like fish, and therefore Mapleshade couldn't deny what the medicine cat just said, but she tells him that ThunderClan is blessed to have these kits, and that it wasn't her fault everyone assumed Birchface was the father. Ravenwing is furious, and he tells her that now he knows the truth, he will tell their Clanmates. Ignoring Mapleshade's pleading, he runs away.
When Oakstar calls a meeting, Ravenwing sits below him, glaring at Mapleshade icily. During the meeting, Ravenwing reveals that Appledusk is the father of Mapleshade's kits, and all four cats are cast out of the Clan.
Mapleshade thinks of Ravenwing as the murderer of her kits during her exile. She is outraged with the ThunderClan medicine cat, and vows to seek her revenge. When Mapleshade sees Ravenwing travelling to the Moonstone, she follows him, remembering the path she took to the Moonstone as an apprentice. Mapleshade is prepared to pounce on him then hesitates, eventually deciding that it would be better to ambush him at the Moonstone, where his precious omens lay.
Mapleshade stalks him all the way to the Moonstone without him noticing. In the tunnel to the Moonstone, Mapleshade tries to be as quiet as possible, but Ravenwing turns around, obviously hearing something from her, but then turns away. When Ravenwing reaches the stone, Mapleshade leaps out at him, pinning him down. Ravenwing is shocked, and asks her what she was doing. Mapleshade accuses him of the murder of her kits, and tells him that she would kill him three times over if she could.
Without another word, she sinks her claws in his throat and Ravenwing dies. Mapleshade runs behind the Moonstone as Larkwing and Sloefur approach. Larkwing and Sloefur are shocked by the black cat's death, and they drag him away in order to bury him. Waiting until the medicine cats drag away Ravenwing's body, Mapleshade then waits until dawn light filters through the hole in the roof of the cave, creeping out the entrance of Mothermouth. She notices the mound that hadn't been there before, recognising it as Ravenwing's grave when she sees a tuft of black fur poking through. The she-cat strikes at his grave, uncovering the cat's body and exposing him to the dawn light. Noticing a hawk circling above, Mapleshade leaves it for the hawk to eat, satisfied as she bounds away for the hawk to enjoy its grisly meal. Mapleshade silently hopes that the medicine cat goes to walk in the Dark Forest, and never sees her kits in StarClan.
Mapleshade lures Frecklewish to Snakerocks, where Frecklewish is bitten by an adder. As Frecklewish's screams of agony attract the rest of her patrol, she asks them if she is going to die, as ThunderClan lacks a medicine cat due to Ravenwing's death.

Pinestar's Choice

He is mentioned when Nettlebreeze is telling the apprentices about Mapleshade's story. He talks about how they could do nothing to save Frecklewish, since Mapleshade had murdered Ravenwing without an apprentice to take over.

Goosefeather's Curse

Goosekit recalls Cloudberry coming to ThunderClan from RiverClan right after Ravenwing had been murdered.

In the Field Guides

The Ultimate Guide

"None of [Mapleshade's] Clanmates stepped forward as the father of her kits, and the medicine cat recognized the proud, handsome RiverClan warrior instantly in the shape of the tiny heads and the way they held their stubby tails."
―Narrator The Ultimate Guide, page 120
Although he isn't mentioned by name, he appears on Mapleshade's page. It states that Ravenwing recognized the shape of one of RiverClan's warriors, Appledusk, in Mapleshade's kits.

Character pixels

Appearances

Trivia

Mistakes

  • Ravenwing was mistakenly said to have sky-blue eyes.[5]

Author statements

Quotes

«There was a flash of concern in his dark blue eyes, and Mapleshade felt a surge of sympathy toward the young medicine cat. He had been in sole charge of ThunderClan for just two moons since the death of Oatspeckle, and this was one of the first deliveries he'd had to supervise.»
—Mapleshade about Ravenwing Mapleshade's Vengeance, chapter 2


Ravenwing: "A tiny stream appeared in my den, in a place where no stream has run before. It carried with it three pieces of water reed. Water reeds don't grow in ThunderClan territory. It doesn't belong inside our boundaries. Do you understand?"
Mapleshade: "There's been so much rain this leaf-fall, bits and pieces must be washing all over the place."
Ravenwing: "I think this omen means that the river has washed three strange cats into ThunderClan – three cats who don't belong there."
Mapleshade: "What are you trying to say?"
Ravenwing: "Birchface is not the father of these kits, is he? Rabbitfur told me what happened today, how they showed no signs of being able to stalk or pounce like him. And don't tell me that they take after you instead. You tread as lightly as any ThunderClan warrior. I watched your kits swim in that river as if they were fish. I think these kits were fathered by a RiverClan cat. Appledusk, I'd guess, judging by the color of their fur and by the way he spoke to you when he brought Patchkit back."
Mapleshade: "ThunderClan is blessed to have three beautiful, strong kits. The truth will be revealed at the right time. It's not their fault everyone assumed Birchface was their father."
Ravenwing: "I cannot let you lie to our Clanmates! And now that I know the truth, I cannot lie, either."
Mapleshade: "I have told you nothing."
Ravenwing: "You have told me plenty. The truth must come out. [..] They are half RiverClan. 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."
—Ravenwing and Mapleshade about her kits Mapleshade's Vengeance, chapter 3


"Oh StarClan, if ever we needed Ravenwing, it is now! Why did you take him from us?"
―Bloomheart about Ravenwing's death Mapleshade's Vengeance, chapter 7

External links

Fan content

Notes and references


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