Top five reasons Sandstorm is awesome
BY THE EDITOR
When young Firepaw first joined ThunderClan, he was greeted with the curled lip and snide remarks of a sharp-tongued young she-cat named Sandpaw. But while Sandpaw was originally one of Firepaw’s strongest detractors, jeering at his efforts to fit into Clan life and scorning his kittypet roots, she grew throughout the series to be a loyal friend and fiercely respected warrior. Today, we are covering some of the best things about Sandstorm that make her a truly awesome warrior!
5 – She speaks her mind
You never have to wonder where you stand with Sandstorm. Not only is she remarkably straight-forward, but also has no qualms about letting you know how foolish she thinks a plan is or how wrong-headed you’re being about something. To some cats, this can come off as needlessly blunt, but her honesty and determination to speak up for what she believes in can’t help but earn the respect of those around her. She is a valued advisor to Fireheart, who knows his own judgment isn’t foolproof and that sometimes he needs a sharp reminder of perspectives other than his own.
4 – She’s a skilled hunter
Sandstorm’s hunting skills are legendary in ThunderClan, and have been from as early as her apprentice days. During those early moons of training, Sandpaw felt the pressure of her growing reputation as a skilled hunter, and ended up stealing prey from another warrior’s kill to pass off as her own, only to feel so guilty that she confessed what she’d done and worked hard to catch enough to make up for the stolen prey. From that day on, she worked to earn her reputation fairly, and was revered in the Clans for her skill in the hunt. More than one ThunderClan cat had her to thank for their full belly on a hard hunting day!
3 – She can admit when she’s wrong
For a cat with such strong opinions and such a sharp tongue against those she disagrees with, Sandstorm is perfectly willing to admit when she’s been wrong. She mocked Firepaw for his kittypet roots when they were apprentices, but when he later saved her from falling into the gorge during a battle, she realized how wrong she’d been about him and worked to mend the rift between them and befriend him. Such self-accountability is certainly admirable, and a large part of the reason she is such a trusted advisor of Fireheart’s.
2 – She’s incredibly brave
Sandstorm’s sharp tongue and strong stances are backed up by a fierce courage that well matches anything Fireheart has ever shown. She rushed into every battle full of fervor to defend her Clan, she met every threat with her head held high. When even Fireheart’s faith in overcoming the latest challenge to the Clan wavered, it was Sandstorm who pushed him onward, because she refused to imagine backing down from anything or anyone who threatened the ones she loved most.
1 – She’s compassionate
With all of Sandstorm’s sharp edges that we’ve covered in this article, one might get the impression that she’s all heated arguments and fierce battles. But all of that sharpness exists to protect the values Sandstorm holds dear, and the reason Sandstorm is willing to fight so hard to protect those values is because she cares. She shows so much love and compassion, both for her own Clanmates, and for every Clan in the forest. It took Fireheart some time to see the caring heart that lied under her initially-prickly exterior, but once he saw it, he knew just what a special cat Sandstorm was, and how lucky he was to have her in his life.
