The Age Old Question: Spottedleaf or Sandstorm? by Mintkit

Mintkit wonders who would have been better for Firestar, Spottedleaf or Sandstorm?

It’s a question that’s tormented fans for ages. Whether people love SpottedxFire because it came first, or SandxFire because well, you snooze you lose.
Just kidding, RIP Spottedleaf. x2.

Let’s break it down, so we can either A, get to know the other ship or B, make some decisions. We’ll go over the pros and cons of both characters and ships, Firestar’s preference hints, and lastly, a final decision. By the way, I’m completely undecided, so let’s have some fun.

Spottedleaf
(Pros)
First off, Spottedleaf obviously cared about Firestar very deeply. We know she watched over Firestar during her time in Starclan. Secondly, Spottedleaf is very kind. I know that’s so cliche, like, “Oh but everybody’s kind if you think about it.” Okay well, don’t think about it. Just remember that not only did she not feel bitter about Firestar’s relationship, she literally saved Sandstorm’s life. This was her last gift to Firestar. Spottedleaf was a patient and loyal Thunderclan Medicine Cat.
(Cons)
Let’s get the two obvious ones out of the way. Spottedleaf was a MEDICINE CAT. Whenever Medicine Cats take mates, things turn out bad. Ahem *Leafpool, Yellowfang* Ahem. In order to remain loyal to the Warrior Code, she never could have been more than clanmates with Firestar. It’s not fair to live half a love life! Also, Spottedleaf is dead. Not just dead, like gone. Sandstorm died and went to Starclan, Spottedleaf cannot. Okay, time to dive deeper. Spottedleaf was a bit gullible. I mean in Spottedleaf’s Heart she got manipulated by Thistleclaw. Honestly, this the only fault I could find that was not related to obvious reasons.

Sandstorm
(Pros)
Sandstorm was a loyal mate to Firestar and loved him with all of her heart. Did she not travel all the way to who knows where and help piece together Skyclan, only for Firestar? She was a wonderful mother and a great mentor. Sandstorm was always understanding, but she advised Firestar wisely. I feel like if Firestar didn’t have her when Graystripe was taken, he wouldn’t have had the strength to move his clan to the lake. Let’s just take a minute to appreciate the backbone of Firestar’s life. Thank you.
(Cons)
Let’s all be honest. Sandstorm’s biggest flaw is her TEMPER! But then again, this could be a Pro… But her temper is what clouds her judgment. We also cannot forget she torment Firestar when he was just a ‘paw. This was because Sandstorm was jealous of the attention that Firestar was given. We see more jealousness in Firestar’s Quest when Spottedleaf gives Firestar advice. Cutos to Spottedleaf for not starting a fight, because you know Sandstorm would be into that.

Firestar’s Preferences:
I’m sure I am not the only person who noticed that even though Spottedleaf was dead in the first book, she gets mentioned at least twice in every other book. Firestar even tells Leafpool that he wishes she could meet Spottedleaf. It’s easy to see that Firestar loved her once. Back when Firestar was Firepaw, he was always finding ways to spend time with Spottedleaf. But, the way Firestar speaks to Sandstorm gives us all the clues we need. But some of us need some more clues, so I’ll dig deeper. Firestar asks Sandstorm to sleep in the leader’s den. Not many (you see many, I mean any) of the leaders have steady mates. Sometimes I look back to the first series and compare how Sandstorm acts with Spottedleaf. It’s no secret that Sandstorm is a bit snappier than Spottedleaf, but Firestar loves her for it. I think that Sandstorm’s stubbornness may have been what intrigued Firestar in the first place.

Final Decision:

So after some hard thinking, I’ve decided to ship…
*drumroll please*

SandxFire!

I chose this ship because I feel like Sandstorm is a better match for Firestar, in a way. I think that a cat like Spottedleaf is the obvious choice for Firestar. Sandstorm is the wildcard, and I love a wildcard. Honestly, it kind of felt like the right thing to do. Also, we never got to see what SpottedxFire would end up like. SandxFire turned out wonderful, almost every cat in Thunderclan has their blood.