[a full-body design of Leafpool sitting]

Defending Leafpool by Leaflight

Leaflight defends Leafpool.

Art by VegaLovesCake

Hi, this is Leaflight! This is my second article, where I’ll be defending Leafpool.

Before I start, I just want everyone to know that I respect your opinions, and I don’t mean any offense if Leafpool is a character you dislike. She is one of my favorite characters, and while there are many Leafpool supporters out there, she’s also hated for many reasons. In this article, I’ll state the reasons why she’s my favorite character and why she doesn’t deserve all the hate that gets thrown toward her!

Let’s start with an overview of her life. Leafkit was born to Sandstorm and Firestar during the earlier arcs. She was apprenticed to Cinderpelt and was shown to have a strong connection with her sister, Squirrelpaw. When her sister, along with Brambleclaw, left the clans because of the prophecy, Leafpaw became the only cat at the clans who knew about their journey. Later, at the clans’ new territories, she becomes Leafpool in honor of her finding the Moonpool. Throughout the books, she has several interactions with Crowfeather, which were shown to be mostly unpleasant. Later, Crowfeather saves her from falling off a cliff and confesses his love. Leafpool and Crowfeather interact a few more times (shown in the books), and eventually decide to run away so they can be together. Less than a day later, they return after Midnight’s warning about her kin attacking the clans. Crowfeather lets Leafpool go, as her love for her clan represents following her heart. Leafpool then gives birth to half-clan kits Jaykit, Hollykit, and Lionkit. She gives them to her sister Squirrelflight as medicine cats weren’t allowed to have kits, and having cross-clan relationships broke the code. After the truth comes out, she becomes a warrior, and is shown to be struggling with her new duties. She then becomes a medicine cat again and is shown briefly throughout the next few arcs. In Squirrelflight’s Hope, she dies after being crushed by a rockslide. However, she is still seen in StarClan, and in A Light in the Mist, she reunites with the clan cats.

Ok, sorry for the long summary, but here is the part where I defend Leafpool!

Throughout her life, StarClan is a heavy presence. She was destined to become a medicine cat, and while her decisions were ultimately made by her, StarClan was an influencing factor on them. (running away with Crowfeather, giving her kits to Squirrelflight, for example)

Mainly, I see her being hated for running away from her clan and lying about her kits. While I do agree that she could’ve handled these situations differently, I think she chose to follow her heart and she can’t be blamed for that. She also made the best choice possible (to her) at the moment, and I don’t see any reason to hate her, since everyone makes mistakes and has flaws. (Proof why she isn’t a Mary-Sue)

Let’s start with her running away with Crowfeather. Spottedleaf told Leafpool to follow her heart, and at the time she did, by running away with Crowfeather, whom she loved. However, she returned to her clan, giving up her love with Crowfeather to support her clan. (Who also sacrificed his happiness because he loved Leafpool too much to prevent her from returning to her clan)

Here’s proof of that:
“He loved Leafpool too much to force her to abandon her medicine cat duties. By letting her go, did he lose any hope of happiness for himself?”
―Rock, Cats of the Clans, page 52
(Disclaimer: I’m a Crowpool shipper, so sorry if I get off track to defend Crowpool instead of Leafpool!)

Here, Leafpool says, “Wherever you are, Cinderpelt, if you can hear me, I promise that I will never leave our Clan again. I am their medicine cat now, and I will follow in your pawsteps until it’s my turn to walk with StarClan. But please, if I ever meant anything to you, come to me when you can and tell me you forgive me.”
– Sunset, page 60

Even after running away, Leafpool follows her heart and returns to her clan, which is proof enough why she shouldn’t be hated for running away with Crowfeather.

Another reason why she’s hated is because she lied about her kits. She could have handled the situation better, but she did try her best. Her decision not only affected her kits, Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw/star, Crowfeather, Nightcloud, and Breezepelt, (just to name a few), it also affected her as well.

Even after everything, she still loved her kits and wanted them to have the best lives.
“Leafpool battled the urge to cover up her kits with her body, protect them from snow, rain, hail, badgers, foxes, anything that might harm one hair on their pelts. Then the scent of Feathertail drifted around her, and she knew their path had already been chosen. Whatever she felt, however many regrets in the future held, the only thing that mattered was creating the best life for these three perfect babies.”
– Leafpool’s Wish, chapter 9

Also, as pointed out/realized by Brambleclaw/star, Leafpool did lose many things. She lost her kits’ love, her happiness/love with Crowfeather, and her position as a medicine cat.

However, she still tells Brambleclaw,
“No, I didn’t. I watched my kits grow into fine warriors, and I still serve my Clan with all my heart.”
– The Last Hope, page 200

This shows that Leafpool owns up to her mistakes and tries her best to fix them and make them up to the cats they affected. Lastly, this quote said by Hollyleaf sums up that while Leafpool made many mistakes, she should be forgiven.

“No, they made a mistake. They were just trying to make it better. No one should have died because Leafpool’s heart led her along the wrong path. Doesn’t every cat do that sometime in their life?”
– The Last Hope, page 137

To sum it up, Leafpool is a cat with many flaws. However, she made up for her mistakes and followed her heart, which she can’t be blamed for. This is why I think she doesn’t deserve all the hate that gets thrown at her, and why she’s one of my favorite characters.

Thanks for reading, and put any of your opinions/comments in the comments!

– Leaflight

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14 comments

  • 🎄☃ Christmas Lion who can't wait for our lord and savior to be born ☃🎄 ✝🦁 Lionclaw 🦁✝ (He/Him) says:

    great article I love Leafpool why do people hate her? cuz she ran away? she didn’t that the badgers would attack, Cinderpelt was still young and Tigerheart ran away when he knew that ShadowClan was in danger (first??)

  • Great article! I’m neutral on Leafpool and I used to like LeafXCrow

  • Lilypaw/pelt who can't wait for the new Owl House episodes and Christmas! Happy holidays! (A.K.A. Cricketleap and Brightmoon) says:

    Great article! Leafpool is a supportive and kind character. I don’t see why people don’t like her. Her vigil, in Squirrelflight’s Hope, broke my heart.

  • This is why I dissagree.

    Starlight. Page 307-308.

    So Leafpool and Crowfeather were just fighting two ShadowClan cats near camp. Nothing special, just before the Hawkfrost battle, pretty much just average intruders. Leafpool and Crowfeather back both cats to the end of the gorge. They try to flee, but they make them fall to their deaths.

    “What happened to the ShadowClan cats?” Crowfeather asked.
    “They’re dead. They broke their necks.” Brightheart mewed.
    Leafpool shivered, knowing how easily that could have been her neck, snapped in the plunge at the rocks. Brightheart nudged her mate. “Come on; we must go back to the camp. And let’s hope that we don’t have anymore unexpected visitors.”
    NOW HERES THE PART THAT MAKES ME EXTRA MAD:
    “She had nearly been killed, but she felt as though her paws walked on wind, and her head was full of stars.”

    Lets analyze. This was right after the borders had been kind-of set. They had accidentally crossed the border, and DIED HORRIBLE, PAINFUL DEATHS. Leafpool and Crowfeather: “ok lets move on.” Then Brightheart says: “i hope more dont come and accidentally fall to their deaths wink wink nudge nudge” BUT THEN Leafpool thinks about how painful it would be like for HER to die in that way, for about 2 sentences. What if the tom had kits? What if they had an apprentice? What would happen? BUT THEN… Leafpool says her “head was full of stars.” LEAFPOOL YOU MONSTER-
    *ten minutes of screaming later*
    Please share your opinions on this rant. #ShadowClan Justice.

  • Great article! I’m a moth x leaf shipper! Sorry if this comes off as rude, but I actually haven’t seen anyone legitimately hate leafpool!

  • Love the article! why is ur name Leafflight though? Is it inspired by Squirrel x Leaf (I know it’s weird, their sisters.) or the fact the squilf and leaf are close sisters.

    • My name is Leaf-light! It’s inspired by Leafpool and I’ve always loved the suffix light. It just so happens that it looks like ‘flight’ when put next to an ‘f’. 🙂

  • While this is a good point, I disagree that she doesn’t deserve all the hate she gets. She knew what she was signing up for when she ran away with Crowfeather, and I get she couldn’t predict Cinderpelt’s death, but she gets all whiny in Leafpool’s Wish and has a hissy fit when Squirrelflight wants to name one of the kits SHE has to raise. When Hollyleaf tells her to eat the deathberries, she complains about how bad her life was when she had the option to avoid it, and never not once seems to feel guilty that she ruined her sisters life just so she didn’t have to own up to her mistakes.

  • While this is a good point, I disagree that she doesn’t deserve all the hate she gets. She knew what she was signing up for when she ran away with Crowfeather, and I get she couldn’t predict Cinderpelt’s death, but she gets all whiny in Leafpool’s Wish and has a hissy fit when Squirrelflight wants to name one of the kits SHE has to raise. When Hollyleaf tells her to eat the deathberries, she complains about how bad her life was when she had the option to avoid it, and never not once seems to feel guilty that she ruined her sisters life just so she didn’t have to own up to her mistakes. Great article though !!

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