Ravenwing

"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
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.
Affiliations
Last known:	ThunderClan
Biographical information
Cause of death:	Killed by Mapleshade
Names
Medicine cat apprentice:	Unknown
Medicine cat:	Ravenwing
Education
Mentor:	Oatspeckle
Medicine cat position
Preceded by:	Oatspeckle
Succeeded by:	Cloudberry
Book appearances
Living	Mapleshade's Vengeance
Living	Mapleshade's Vengeance

Ravenwing is a small, thick-furred black tom with dark blue eyes.

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 could not deny what the medicine cat just said, but she tells him that ThunderClan is blessed to have these kits, and that it was not 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 had not 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 is not 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

The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation. Medicine Cat Apprentice Version Medicine Cat Version

Appearances

• Mapleshade's Vengeance † (First appearance)
• Pinestar's Choice (Mentioned only)
• Goosefeather's Curse (Mentioned only)
• The Ultimate Guide (Indirect mention only)

Trivia

Mistakes

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

Author statements

• Vicky thinks Ravenwing might reside in StarClan.

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."

^{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

• Best of the Worst on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
• A Mistake That Should Never Be Made? on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
• The forest map: WindClan on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)

Fan content

• Winners of the December 2021 Fan Challenge + New Challenge Announcement on the Warriors official website (backup link)
• Winners of the villain fan challenge on the Warriors official website (backup link)
• Winners of the scary scene fan challenge on the Warriors official website (backup link)