Patchkit (MV)

Patchkit is a tiny, pale, patched ginger-and-white tom with green eyes, fluffy, glossy fur, a tiny bit of black fur, and a stubby tail.

Crookedstar's Promise

 * Mapleshade mentions Patchkit, Larchkit, and Petalkit to Crookedstar, although not by name. She says that they had drowned while she was trying to get them across the river to RiverClan territory, yet they were swept away by the river.

The Ultimate Guide

 * Patchkit, Petalkit, and Larchkit are first mentioned, though not by name, when the ThunderClan medicine cat saw their father in the way they held their heads and tails. Mapleshade and her kits were banished from ThunderClan, and in desperation, they tried to cross the river. However, the river was overflowed from the rain, and although Mapleshade almost died trying to save them, the three siblings got washed away down the river.

Mapleshade's Vengeance

 * Patchkit, Larchkit, and Petalkit are born to Mapleshade of ThunderClan and Appledusk of RiverClan, although everyone soon comes to think that their father is the deceased Birchface. Three sunrises after they are born, the ThunderClan leader Oakstar visits him and his family in the nursery. Although their eyes are not yet opened, the kits cannot resist the smell of a strange cat and squirm towards the leader before he nudges them back towards their mother. When Frecklewish says she can clearly see Birchface in each of them, Mapleshade looks down at her kits, noting that they were not the same shade of brown that Birchface had been, but with the exception of Patchkit, who is ginger and white like his mother.


 * Not too long after, Patchkit is lying in the curve of Mapleshade's belly outside of the nursery as they watch Petalkit and Larchkit playing with a bundle of dry moss. Mapleshade asks Patchkit if he wants to join in with his siblings, but he shakes his head and says that he is fine where he is. Snuggling in closer, Patchkit tells his mother that he needs to keep her warm, blinking up at his mother with anxious green eyes. Having to stifle a purr of laughter, Mapleshade assures her son that he is doing a great job at doing so, and she might have to share him with the elders to keep them warm. Eyes wide in alarm, Patchkit protests that he wants to stay with her forever and ever, even when he is an apprentice. Nuzzling the top of his head Mapleshade reminds him that he won't be an apprentice for another four moons and by then he'll be so big and strong he'll be glad to start his apprentice training. Burying his face in her chest fur, Patchkit mutters that he won't and he never wants to leave her.


 * Soon enough his brother and sister end up destroying the dry moss, Larchkit prodding the pile of brown with his paw. Rabbitfur wanders over to the kits, sniffing that they've killed it and asks if they want to play a different game. While he teaches them the jumping game, Patchkit squeaks that Rabbitfur is really bossy, and rolls over with a squawk when Mapleshade jumps up to intervene. She hisses at Rabbitfur that she will not have any cat judge her kits before they are even warriors, calling Patchkit to her, and he scampers over quickly. Saying she thinks they need to stretch their legs outside of the camp, Patchkit's eyes become huge as he remembers that kits are not supposed to leave the camp. Mapleshade reassures him they will be perfectly safe, because she is with them. Following her, Larchkit boasts that he will catch a badger while Petalkit retorts that she will watch the badger eat him first. Patchkit runs at Mapleshade's heels, whimpering to his mother to not let a badger eat him. She pauses to lick his ears, promising she will never let anything bad happen to him before ushering them into the branches.


 * The kits burst out of the tunnel and stop dead, staring around. Mapleshade continues nudging them towards the path that led up to the trees. The kits scramble up the slope together, looking even tinier among the tree trunks. They want to stop and sniff every leaf and every mark on the ground but Mapleshade keeps them going. The undergrowth begins to thin out as splashing noises are heard. After rescuing Larchkit from a trip, she thinks she can’t deny that these kits are clumsier than their ThunderClan kin. Patchkit goes ahead, and he gives a squeak of surprise as he exclaims there is water everywhere. His littermates stand beside him at the edge of the bracken as they look out at the dazzling river. Patchkit, usually timid and happy for his siblings to try things first, tottered to the stones at the edge of the water, and Mapleshade warns him to be careful. He turns to her, his eyes shining and droplets of water glinting on his whiskers. He mews it’s okay, and tells Mapleshade to watch. He launches forward and slips into the water, reappearing as his face bobs to the surface. He squeals look at him, and his siblings follows. Mapleshade feels a burst of love, and thinks they are half RiverClan for sure.


 * Patchkit reaches for a branch sticking out of the water and hauls himself on it. Water streams from his pelt, leaving it as glossy as crow’s feathers. He looks no bigger than a mouse with his fur plastered to his sides, and he heaves as he catches his breath. Concerned, Mapleshade calls if he is okay. Patchkit nods, panting too hard to speak. Mapleshade wants to get Patchkit, but hates the idea of putting her paws in the water, so orders his siblings to go help him. Suddenly, a RiverClan patrol appears, and Spiketail asks what Patchkit is doing. Milkfur asks if ThunderClan is sending their youngest kits to invade them. Appledusk is the third cat, and he meows he thinks one kit is hardly a threat to their territory. He wades into the water and goes up to Patchkit. He mews something to Patchkit before Patchkit slithers into the water. Appledusk steadies him with his paw and propels him towards ThunderClan shore. Appledusk sets down the kit on the stones, nudging him to his feet. He comments he thinks this one’s worn out from all that swimming, and tells Mapleshade she took a big risk bringing them close to the boundary. Mapleshade meows she wanted to show them a river.


 * Appledusk breaths they are wonderful. They are strong and brave, and are confident as any RiverClan cat in water. He straightens up and says he doesn’t want to see her or the kits near the river again. Mapleshade thanks him for bringing Patchkit back. Appledusk glances once more at the kits before leaving. Milkfur calls from across the river what Mapleshade is thinking, bringing the kits, they could have drowned. Mapleshade herds the kits back into the bracken. They are bouncing on their paws, even Patchkit whose fur is fluffing up as it dries. Ravenwing suddenly appears, and asks what they are doing at the river, revealing he saw everything. The kits tumble over themselves to tell about their adventure. Larchkit tells a RiverClan warrior had to save Patchkit, but Patchkit interrupts that he wasn’t rescued, he was just resting. Patchkit squeaks the RiverClan warrior was really nice, he said he was very brave, and a really good swimmer. Mapleshade tries to stop them talking, but Ravenwing reveals he had a omen, and thinks it’s about the kits, that the kits do not belong in ThunderClan. He figures out Birchface is not the father of these kits, and reveals Rabbitfur told him of their poor stalking and pouncing. He figures that Appledusk is their father by the color of their fur and the way he spoke to her when he brought Patchkit back. Mapleshade hisses ThunderClan is blessed to have three strong kits, that the truth will be revealed at the right time, and that its not her fault everyone assumed Birchface is the father. Ravenwing insists the truth must come out, and that their Clanmates deserve to know. Ravenwing says he is sorry for her kits, since they will end up suffering for the lies she has told. Mapleshade almost considers taking her kits and hiding them deep in the forest. She looks at Petalkit balancing an acorn on her head while her brothers try to knock it off. Mapleshade thinks ThunderClan will accept these kits and won’t hurt them.


 * By the time the kits reach the path to the ravine, they are stumbling over their paws and Mapleshade encourages them on, hoping that she can settle them into the nursery before talking to Ravenwing. Patchkit stumbles on the pebble slope so Mapleshade let him lean on her shoulder, even though he is too small to do so. They push through the gorse tunnel, ducking their heads to keep the sharp twigs out of their eyes. Mapleshade follows while nudging Patchkit in front of her. They enter camp to see the Clan gathered and waiting for them. Patchkit whimpers what’s going on, and Mapleshade tells him nothing to worry about. She points her tail to a clump of bracken at the edge of the clearing, and orders them to stand over there. They totter over in silence and huddle together. Ravenwing reveals to the Clan their father is in fact Appledusk. Frecklewish, Birchface’s sister is furious, and thinks Mapleshade and the kits don’t deserve to be called warriors. She calls the kits half-clan creatures, causing the kits to cower beneath the ferns. She says their father killed Birchface and Flowerpaw, and orders for them to get out. Mapleshade protests she has given the Clan three fine kits, and StarClan knows they need more warriors, and there they are.


 * Oakstar tells Mapleshade they will not raise these kits within the walls of the camp, or within the territory. He orders her to take them and leave. Mapleshade protests that these kits belong to ThunderClan, and they have to let them stay. Oakstar shakes his head and growls no he does not. He reminds Mapleshade of the omen, and says these kits will bring nothing but danger. Frecklewish screeches to get rid of them and drive them out. Bloomheart growls they don’t belong here. Filled with anger, Mapleshade hisses they have betrayed her and her kits, and will live to regret this day forever. She stalks over to her kits, and sweeps her tail around them. She tells them this is no longer their home, and to come. She prods them back through the gorse tunnel and up the path. Patchkit whimpers why don’t they like them anymore as they headed into the trees. Patchkit also asks what they were saying of their father, and if they don’t like Birchface either. Mapleshade promises to tell everything later, but first they need to get across the river. Patchkit chirps they’re going swimming again, but remembers the RiverClan cat said to stay away from the river. Mapleshade murmurs everything is different now.


 * Mapleshade snaps at her kits, telling them to forgot about ThunderClan and the nursery. They approach the river, and Mapleshade tells them they don’t need to swim all the way, since they can use the stepping-stones partway. Patchkit squeaks then they’ll be in RiverClan, and remembers they’re not supposed to be there. Mapleshade mews that it’s all right, and their father will be pleased to see them. She reveals that Appledusk, RiverClan cat that helped Patchkit before is their father. She tells they're half-RiverClan, that’s why they like water so much. The three kits’ eyes stretched wider until they are like moons. Petalkit asks if that is why ThunderClan are mad at them, and Mapleshade mews yes, but they are wrong. She reveals her plan to live in RiverClan until ThunderClan changes their minds. All kits are nervous to cross the river, and Patchkit asks if she promises they’ll be okay. Mapleshade promises, so Patchkit steps bravely into the waves. Almost at once water washed over his head, but he fights his way up. They bob to the first stepping-stone and scramble up. They stand in belly-deep water, shivering. There is a sudden roar from upstream and a wall of water appears. Mapleshade screeches for them to hold on as the wave crashes over their heads.


 * The kits are swept downstream and Mapleshade launches herself after them. She manages to hook one claw into Patchkit’s sodden fur, but his eyes are closed. Mapleshade screeches for him to wake up, and he has to swim. She tries to boost him out of the water, but he is too heavy and slips out of her grasp. Mapleshade is rescued by Appledusk, and he asks where the kits are. Mapleshade begs for them to save her kits, and Appledusk realizes they are in the river. Eeltail calls that if there are kits in there, then they are in big trouble. Appledusk promises to find them, and races away. Mapleshade prays for StarClan to save her kits, and that none of this is their fault. She says to take her if they have to, but spare them. Appledusk returns and Mapleshade asks if he found them. Appledusk says he did, and Mapleshade asks where they are. Appledusk leads Mapleshade to their kits, where Eeltail says they couldn’t save them. Mapleshade lies beside them and desperately licks each one. She urges them to wake up, saying they crossed the river, and they’re safe now. The bodies were limp under her grooming though, and all eyes stayed closed. Patchkit’s voice echoes in Mapleshade’s head, that she promised to never leave her and she would keep them safe. Mapleshade wails that she is sorry, and she was trying to find them a new home, she didn’t know where else to go. She explains to Appledusk that ThunderClan threw them out, and they had nowhere else to go.


 * Eeltail meows they need to take these kits to Darkstar as she needs to know about this. Appledusk tells they’ll take one kit each to camp. The RiverClan warriors gently pick each kit up and carry them slowly towards shore. Mapleshade waits for Appledusk to send the warriors ahead so they can mourn their kits together, but he doesn’t, not even asking what she named them. At camp, Appledusk explains to the Clan and Darkstar that three kits have drowned in the river. He looks at his paws and stammers he is their father. Darkstar asks if he knew about theses kits, and Appledusk nods, meowing Mapleshade told him she would raise them in ThunderClan. He says he knew he had made a mistake so said nothing. He meows that he can only beg for forgiveness. Darkstar queries what brought these kits tonight. Appledusk tells that Mapleshade’s Clanmates learned the truth and she had to leave. The kits were too young and the river is flooded, so they drowned. Darkstar mews that the loss of any kits is a loss to everyone. Darkstar decides that Appledusk has been punished enough by the death of his kits so doesn’t banish him. Mapleshade asks to stay with her kits but is refused. Appledusk blames Mapleshade for their deaths, and tells her to go away. Mapleshade pleads that she cannot leave them because they are everything to her. Appledusk growls that they are dead, and repeats for her to get out. In anger, Mapleshade hisses that she went through the agony of bearing kits for him, and now he treats her like prey. She runs away from the territory and collapses, dreaming of her kits spiralling away as they screech for help.


 * Mapleshade wakes up, remembering the previous events and screaming in her mind for her kits. In her grieving state, she sees her dead kits hovering in her vision, wailing for help. Mapleshade whispers she can’t, and she is sorry. She remembers when she had to let go of Patchkit, and she thinks the water was too strong; it was not her fault her kits died. At the ThunderClan border, she remembers Ravenwing, and blames him for their deaths. She concludes that every breath Ravenwing took is a breath he denied the kits. She decides to take revenge for her kits and kill Ravenwing. In ThunderClan territory, she meets Nettlepaw, who asks where the kits are. Mapleshade explains they drowned in the river. Nettlepaw is horrified, explaining he is sorry about the kits. He reveals Frecklewish saw what happened but hoped she made it to the other side. She saw them fall off the stepping-stones. Mapleshade is shocked, rasping those kits were helpless and she did nothing. After escaping, Mapleshade settles down for the night, missing her kits and hoping their somewhere warm. In the morning, Mapleshade heads to the Moonstone thinking her life as a warrior is over and she will dedicate every beat of her heart to avenging her kits.


 * Mapleshade imagines Ravenwing’s body, he would bleed a river of blood, every drop spilled for her helpless kits. Mapleshade started to hesitate in the tunnel, but the echoing screeches of her kits pushes her on. At the Moonstone, while pinned down, Ravenwing asks what Mapleshade is doing there. Mapleshade snarls she is avenging the death of her kits, if she could kill him three times over she would, as three kits died. Mapleshade knows she has nothing to say to him, as nothing would bring back her kits. She bites down into his throat and kills him. Two other medicine cats arrive and bury him outside, but Mapleshade wonders what memorial there is for her kits. She sees it as cold wet dirt inside RiverClan’s territory. She digs up Ravenwing’s body for a hawk to eat. She thinks she has avenged her kits, and wonders if they were watching. She has killed him for them, and hopes they don’t see Ravenwing in StarClan. Suddenly too tired to walk, Mapleshade closes her eyes to see Patchkit’s and Petalkit’s drenched faces with eyes huge and pleading, mouths open as they wail for help. Mapleshade screeches their names and tries to reach them but she only thuds on cold earth. The voices echo again, and she wonders if she has only avenged one kit, and remembers Frecklewish had seen the kits struggling but has done nothing. She thinks Frecklewish needs to pay for the lost kits, and decides to take revenge for her kits on her too.


 * At ThunderClan territory, Mapleshade feels a pang of longing, but then remembers what her Clanmates did to her and her kits, and her fury returns. She catches Frecklewish alone, and jumps at her snarling that she let her kits die. Frecklewish stiffens, and rasps she thought the kits would be saved, she never meant for them to die. Mapleshade calls her a liar, and claims she bets Frecklewish is glad they’re dead. The she-cats fight, but an adder appears and bites Frecklewish. She begs for help, but Mapleshade growls and refuses. After fleeing, Mapleshade only hears Patchkit’s voice screeching for help in her ears now. Mapleshade pictures the final cat that has to suffer for the death of her kits. She vows to Patchkit not long now, and he will soon be free. She soon reveals it is Appledusk. She thinks he never wanted his kits, so he let them drown. He could have saved them, and is sure he could have. She goes to RiverClan territory, and notes the river is slower and shallower than when she crossed before with the kits.


 * She hides up a tree and while up there, she feels a cold wet figure pressing against her, screeching for help. She tries to curl her tail around Patchkit, but there was nothing but empty air. She realizes how tired and starved she is, but thinks she’ll wait for the rest of her life so she can finally silence Patchkit’s wails. Finally, she confronts Appledusk, blaming him for killing her kits, saying he must pay. Appledusk bares his teeth and blames her for killing their kits, making them cross the river. Reedshine, Appledusk’s new mate arrives and Mapleshade tries to kill her, but Appledusk jumps in the way and is killed instead. Patchkit stirs beside Appledusk’s body and shrills she killed him. He holds his little tail in triumph and meows they are free now. He starts to fade, and Mapleshade stumbles to him, begging for him not to leave. Mapleshade runs away after, collapsing. She waits to see her kits’ faces to appear and thank her for everything she has done. Nothing comes though, and she calls out, asking where her kits are. Patchkit’s face appears and she tries to reach out, but it is just Myler. Myler sighs she should have left the Clans behind while she had the chance. Mapleshade thinks she could never leave; she swore to avenge the deaths of her kits.

Goosefeather's Curse

 * Goosefeather receives a vision of Frecklewish being bitten by an adder. She begs for help from Mapleshade, but Mapleshade asks sarcastically like she helped her kits so refuses to help.

Pinestar's Choice

 * Though not mentioned by name, Nettlebreeze tells some apprentices Mapleshade's story. He mentions that she wanted revenge for the death of her kits, and decided to torture every cat she blamed for their deaths.

Interesting Facts

 * Patchkit has RiverClan blood through Appledusk.
 * He is mentioned to have ginger and white fur that matches his mother, however, he has some black fur and his mother is confirmed to be tortoiseshell.
 * Vicky has mentioned that he has "little tiny bit of black - enough to look like his tortie mum without being genetically impossible," as tortoiseshell coloring is found almost exclusively in she-cats.
 * Patchkit has the same green eyes as Appledusk.
 * Vicky thinks that the appearances of Patchkit and his siblings after their deaths were Mapleshade's hallucinations.

Mistakes

 * He is mentioned to have leaned on Mapleshade’s shoulder, however, he is too small to do so.

Members
Father:
 * Appledusk:

Mother:
 * Mapleshade:

Sister:
 * Petalkit:

Brother:
 * Larchkit:

Half-Siblings:
 * Applefrost:
 * Shyheart:
 * Willownose:

References and Citations
Пятнышко Patchkit (MV) Patchkit Patchkit Łatek (MV)