I actually don't hate Appledusk. I have my reasons (I've recently read Mapleshade's little story so I have some examples).

I dislike how people seem Appledusk as horrible. Yes, he cheated on Mapleshade, but it was clear that he didn't hate her. He didn't fight for her to stay in RiverClan not only because their kits died, but because he did not want to seem like a traitor to his Clan.

When Mapleshade was first dragged out of the river, and said that her kits were in as well, Appledusk reacted kindly and worriedly. He assured her that they would find them.

He got angry after hearing Mapleshade explain. Keep in mind that this was during a storm. To be honest, Mapleshade was kinda the reason for their deaths. If she had just found somewhere to stay the night and go in the morning, they might have been taken in more willingly.

Now, let's go ahead to the famous scene where Mapleshade attacks him.

Mapleshade says that she wanted to fight him, she practically demanded it. But Appledusk said, with softening eyes, that he did not want to fight her. It shows that, even though their kits were dead and that she was a loner, he still cared about her. Loved her? No, but she had been his lover for a long while.

Mapleshade wasn't the only one suffering due to the death of her kits. Even though they were half-Clan, Appledusk clearly was unhappy. In the scene with Mapleshade and Appledusk's mate, he's happy, but because it has been a few days and he has new kits on the way.

Mapleshade deserves to be in the Dark Forest, as depressing as her story is and the tortures she went through. Yes, her mind was plagued with her kits, but she sought for vengeance and murder. She refused the help of a cat and instead killed those she thought needed to die.

She killed the medicine cat at Moon Stone, which is basically the most holy place in the Clans (except for Moon Pool, but that's later on). She then dug up his grave for the birds to eat.

She blinded Frecklewish, though aimed for murder, all because Frecklewish had been watching her kits. I believe that Frecklewish truly thought the kits were alright, and that if she had known she would have helped.

She tried to kill Appledusk's mate, but ended up killing him. There's a moment in the book where she is slightly shocked at his death, though feels satisfaction.

When she is laying in the barn, dying, she refuses the help of the same cat. The only reason she had gone on was the avenge her kits, whom she would never see again.

Though she had gone a bit mad, there isn't an excuse for her actions. I believe that Mapleshade could have had a happy life, if she just had waited to bring her kits to the river.

Either way, I like both of these characters. Appledusk is actually a good dude, and he loved Mapleshade's kits despite how it broke the code.

I don't know why I wrote this, I was just thinking of Appledusk, gah.