What if Mapleshade wasn't evil?

Chapter 1 - The Truth is Told

"Mapleshade, who is the true father of your kits?" Oakstar demanded. 

Mapleshade swayed lightly on her paws as Frecklewish stood up, her dark amber eyes flashing with surprise. "Oakstar?" she called. "What do you mean? We all know it's Birchface!"

Oakstar narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "Frecklewish, let Mapleshade speak for herself. I do not believe that a loyal ThunderClan warrior would lie about this," he snapped, as Frecklewish fell back, confusion clouding her gaze as she glanced at Mapleshade, who wouldn't meet her eyes. Oakstar's icy cold gaze rested on Mapleshade. "Tell the truth. Who is their real father?"

Mapleshade hung her head, shame flooding her pelt. "It's Birchface..." she mumbled. "I don't know what you're talking about." 

This is all Ravenwing's fault! If only he had stayed quiet and kept his mouth shut... 

Oakstar half closed his eyes. "You were never close to Birchface," the ThunderClan leader rumbled. "I'm sure he would have told me if he was going to be the father of kits, as well."

Mapleshade glanced upwards. "Birchface wanted to keep it a secret," she whispered. "He wanted to save the news for the clan."

Oakstar narrowed his eyes. "Birchface wouldn't keep a secret from the clan like this."

"For this he would," Mapleshade insisted. "Wouldn't he?" She glanced around the camp. Cats were staring at her uncertainly, while others wouldn't meet her gaze. Isn't any cat going to back me up? Or am I alone... Mapleshade locked gazes with Frecklewish, hoping she could gain her support. But the she cat was glaring at her defiantly with a challenge clear in her eyes, as if telling her to speak the truth. I'm sorry Frecklewish. I wish I could, tell the truth but then my kits would grow up knowing that their clan would never accept them, and that they had half clan blood in them. 

"I'm sure I know my son well enough to know that he wouldn't take on a mate so quickly and be the father of kits without telling me," Oakstar snarled, interrupting Mapleshade from her thoughts.

The orange and white she cat bared her teeth at her leader. "And I'm sure I know my mate well enough that he would keep the news of kits a secret until the last moment," she retorted.  

 Oakstar suddenly let out a ferocious growl. He slammed his paw down onto the rock. "Enough. Just tell us! Who is the real father of these kits?" he snarled, his voice icy cold.

Mapleshade winced, not meeting Oakstar's furious gaze. 

Ravenwing padded forward, his blue eyes brimming with sorrow, though his voice hard as ice as he spoke. "It's Appledusk, isn't it, Mapleshade?"

A gasp rang across the clan. "No! She wouldn't!" A cry came from the cats. "Mapleshade is loyal!"

The truth has been told. I can't hide from it anymore.

Ignoring the gasps from her clan, Mapleshade suddenly lifted her head to face Ravenwing, a deep growl emerging from her throat. "Does it matter who the father is?" she demanded.

"It does matter if the father is from another clan!" Oakstar hissed. Ravenwing stood beside him, murmuring agreement.

Mapleshade shook her head, fury lighting in her gaze as she snarled, "I've kitted 3 strong, healthy kits for ThunderClan, and you should be grateful," the she cat snapped. 

"Grateful?" Oakstar growled. "You think I can be grateful to you after everything you did?" The ThunderClan leader was shaking with fury now, and he struggled to force the words out of his mouth. "You betrayed the warrior code, by becoming mates with Appledusk, the warrior who killed my son, and Petalpaw! How dare you? Of all cats from all the different clans, how could you choose him and do such a thing?"