Sandstorm/History

This page contains the detailed history for Sandstorm.

History

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In The Prophecies Begin arc

Into the Wild

Sandpaw is one of the older apprentices in ThunderClan, along with Dustpaw and Ravenpaw. Her mentor is Whitestorm.

When Firepaw meets the elders, they allow as much prey as he wants, explaining that Sandpaw and Dustpaw have grown into fine hunters. Sandpaw first meets Firepaw as he is exploring the apprentices' den. She states he can sleep anywhere as long as it's not near her, because of his kittypet stench. In the morning, Graypaw wakes Firepaw up for training, noting that Sandpaw and Dustpaw were already on hunting duty.

After Firepaw and Graypaw return to camp, Sandpaw sneers at them, doubting Firepaw's ability to catch prey. She brags about how she and Dustpaw are attending the Gathering that night, mockingly telling them to have a quiet evening.

On a hunting patrol, Graypaw encourages Firepaw to taste some prey, guessing that Sandpaw and Dustpaw must've done the same before. When Firepaw sees a ShadowClan warrior across the Thunderpath, he thinks about how he'll tell Sandpaw and Dustpaw about it later.

During a Clan meeting when Bluestar announces that, due to the threat posed by ShadowClan, the training of the apprentices will be accelerated, Sandpaw and Dustpaw exchange thrilled glances. She and Dustpaw mock Firepaw when Bluestar assigns him to take care of Yellowfang, the ShadowClan prisoner.

The next morning, Sandpaw and Dustpaw stir in their nests, and when Sandpaw awakes, she comments that Bluestar must think a kittypet like Firepaw is more suited to taking care of the sick. Firepaw ignores her and asks her what Whitestorm is teaching her today. She replies proudly that Whitestorm will be teaching her how a real warrior fights. After Ravenpaw, Graypaw, and Firepaw return from hunting, Ravenpaw questions where Sandpaw and Dustpaw are, and Firepaw suggests they may be on patrol. When the three are told that Tigerclaw will be assessing them, Firepaw asks about Sandpaw and Dustpaw, and Graypaw tells him that Tigerclaw will asses them later, as they are patrolling with their mentors.

After Ravenpaw catches an adder, Graypaw suggests that they put it on a tree stump next to the apprentices' den so Sandpaw and Dustpaw could see it later. Firepaw wonders if Bluestar would choose them to go to the Gathering, and Graypaw notes that Sandpaw and Dustpaw have gone twice already. Firepaw argues that they are older, but Bluestar later tells them that Sandpaw and Dustpaw will be guarding the camp. Graypaw tells Firepaw with amusement that Sandpaw spat when he told her about the Bluestar's decision.

After the Gathering, Sandpaw and Dustpaw listen to the news report. They are disappointed when Bluestar chooses Firepaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw to accompany her to the Moonstone, and Whitestorm reassures them, saying that they will go next time. Sandpaw tells Firepaw that he had better see Spottedleaf for traveling herbs, and Firepaw is surprised to hear no sourness in her voice. As Firepaw pads towards the fresh-kill pile, he notices that it's empty, and Sandpaw tells him that she and Dustpaw ate the last two mice. When Graypaw is talking to Firepaw, Sandpaw tells them to shut up because she and Dustpaw are trying to sleep.

Dustpaw and Sandpaw search the elders' den when Frostfur's kits go missing. They are later seen huddling in their nests during the storm, looking tense and scared.

Fire and Ice

After Fireheart and Graystripe become warriors, she bullies them with Dustpaw, though both apprentices are secretly jealous. Her mentor, Whitestorm, scolds her and takes her out for training. Graystripe says he hopes Whitestorm has them catching blue squirrels, and Fireheart, confused, tells him that those don't exist, and Graystripe tells him that's the point.

When ThunderClan is discussing a potential alliance between ShadowClan and RiverClan, Sandpaw questions why they're so desperate to claim WindClan's territory. Fireheart and Graystripe run into her, Whitestorm, and Runningwind, who are heading out on the dawn patrol. Sandpaw asks if they're off to catch voles when Whitestorm mentions that they're on a mission, and she is informed by Runningwind of the details, her eyes growing with curiosity.

Sandpaw joins Tigerclaw, Willowpelt, and Whitestorm on a patrol to help Fireheart, Graystripe, and their WindClan escorts in a border skirmish against RiverClan. Locked in a tussle with another warrior, she almost falls into the gorge, but is saved by Fireheart, though she does not initially understand that she was in danger, telling Fireheart that she can fight her own battles. However, when she sees Whiteclaw fall off the edge, she realizes that Fireheart had saved her.

When Dustpaw mocks Fireheart about his future apprentice having a kittypet mentor, Sandpaw looks at Fireheart with an uncomfortable glance. Later, Fireheart sees her being summoned by Whitestorm for the dawn patrol. After returning to camp, he catches Sandpaw's eye, but she looks away. Later, Dustpaw reveals that she's patrolling at Sunningrocks.

When ShadowClan scent is found seeping into ThunderClan territory, Whitestorm asks Fireheart to take Sandpaw with him to investigate. Fireheart feels uncomfortable about the prospect of being alone with the hostile she-cat, but informs her anyway, and is surprised when she doesn't complain. In the morning, they greet each other awkwardly, and when Whitestorm's night patrol returns, the white warrior asks them to check the RiverClan border. The patrol starts towards Fourtrees, and Fireheart attempts to test Sandpaw's memory of the way there, but the ginger she-cat teases him. She playfully hits him from behind, prompting a play fight.

As they near the RiverClan border, Sandpaw catches a rabbit which they share. Finding that the river is frozen, Sandpaw proposes that ThunderClan cross it to raid RiverClan's territory. Bluestar agrees and plans a raid, but the river thaws by the time the raiding party reaches the shore.

Fireheart sits beside Sandpaw as Tigerclaw addresses the Clan, and the two are assigned by Longtail to join Mousefur on a hunting patrol. When Fireheart brings Cloudkit to join ThunderClan, Dustpaw attempts unsuccessfully to get Sandpaw to jeer at the Fireheart with him.

Later on, Sandpaw and Fireheart share tongues before going to the Gathering– Fireheart is surprised and pleased by her friendliness and sees Dustpaw staring in amazement and envy. Fireheart tries to reassure her about how long it's taking for her to receive her warrior name, saying that Bluestar is busy and is probably waiting for the right time. She, in turn, comforts him about Cloudkit, saying that he'd get healthier and that all kits get fevers, and mentions how he'd be great at leaf-bare hunting with his thick, white pelt.

Sandpaw greets Fireheart as they leave for a patrol, and when ShadowClan scent is found at Snakerocks, Sandpaw is astonished. After Tigerclaw announces that he'll arrange a patrol to attack ShadowClan, Sandpaw asks to join, but Whitestorm disallows her. When the patrol leaves, Fireheart asks Sandpaw to check if Dustpaw is in camp. Yellowfang reveals that the scents are not from ShadowClan warriors, but Brokentail's rogues, and Sandpaw volunteers to tell Tigerclaw's patrol, but Fireheart ultimately assigns the task to Brackenpaw.

Sandpaw fights in the battle against Brokentail and his rogues. She has one rogue pinned to the ground and ends up clawing his belly so badly he squeals and she lets him go, so that he runs from the camp, still wailing. She helps Swiftpaw bury Clawface, and Fireheart informs Bluestar that Sandpaw and Dustpaw were instrumental in winning the battle. Sandpaw claims that it was Fireheart who really saved the Clan, but Bluestar decides to make the apprentices warriors. Sandpaw is named Sandstorm, and Fireheart offers to share prey with her. Sandstorm keeps her vigil with Dustpaw, now named Dustpelt.

When Cloudkit and Brindleface's kits go missing, Sandstorm accompanies Fireheart to help find them. They follow a scent for a while, but finally realize that with the bad weather, they need more cats to help search. They start to head back to camp, but hear a squeak and find the kits. They ask what they were doing, and Cloudkit replies that they were hunting, proudly showing his catch. They then take the kits safely back to camp.

In the battle against ShadowClan and RiverClan, Sandstorm defeats a RiverClan warrior.

Forest of Secrets

Bluestar announces Sandstorm and Dustpelt as new warriors at the Gathering. Afterwards, She catches Fireheart and Graystripe leaving the Gathering towards WindClan territory. Fireheart asks her to tell Bluestar that they are hunting, though they are actually going to see Ravenpaw. Sandstorm agrees to tell Bluestar, and is seen dozing next to Dustpelt when Fireheart returns. She tells him that she told Tigerclaw his story, but that he didn't believe it. She then sleeps next to Fireheart, receiving a glare and snort of disapproval from Dustpelt.

On a hunting patrol, Sandstorm teases Graystripe for his noisiness, and runs ahead to hunt solo. When Fireheart returns from RiverClan territory having rolled in fox dung to disguise the scent, Sandstorm teases him for his stench. Some time later, Sandstorm greets Fireheart in the morning, and noting the dwindling fresh-kill file, recommends they hunt. She joins Fireheart and Brackenpaw on a hunt, but find Cloudkit being attacked by a badger. They fight it off, and Sandstorm offers to resume the hunt alone when all is settled.

Sandstorm comes along when Fireheart is ordered to lead a patrol to the RiverClan border, and gasps at the flooding river. Later, when Tigerclaw, Longtail, and Fireheart come back from the patrol, Tigerclaw explains about Fireheart's attempt to cross the river, which impresses Sandstorm. Sandstorm says that when he's done getting checked in the medicine den, he can join her in the warriors' den to eat.

Fireheart informs her and Graystripe that they've been chosen for the Gathering, to which Sandstorm questions their ability to even get there given the floods. When they attempt to pass through ShadowClan territory to get there, Sandstorm is prepared to fight when they meet a ShadowClan patrol. Fireheart discusses with her why Nightstar said he wanted ThunderClan at the Gathering, and Sandstorm mutters that whatever it is, he doesn't have good intentions. When Nightstar announces that ThunderClan is sheltering Brokentail, Sandstorm and Fireheart stay close when the other Clans become hostile towards ThunderClan. When ShadowClan and WindClan attack the ThunderClan camp, Sandstorm guards the nursery, and congratulates Brackenfur when he earns his warrior name.

Later on, she runs into Fireheart and Graystripe when they are on their way to visit Graystripe's kits. Fireheart asks if he will see her in the den later which she replies with saying she'd see him, but to keep Graystripe away from her.

She is sent out on a hunting patrol by Tigerclaw to Snakerocks but is fetched by Cloudpaw once he and Fireheart discover that rogues are going to attack the Clan. However, her patrol returns shortly after the fight is over, and Fireheart asks her to fetch Tigerclaw out of Bluestar's den, the ThunderClan deputy having just attempted to kill his leader. After Tigerclaw is exiled, Sandstorm tells Fireheart that Bluestar had failed to appoint a new deputy before moonhigh and won't set paw out of her den. Sandstorm is among the first and few cats to congratulate Fireheart for becoming deputy.

When Leopardfur, Stonefur, and Mistyfoot come to retrieve Silverstream and Graystripe's kits, Leopardfur says that they belong to RiverClan and Sandstorm is extremely unhappy, wondering who the RiverClan deputy thinks she is. She attempts to comfort Fireheart when Graystripe decides to join his kits in RiverClan.

Rising Storm

When Fireheart is struggling to organize patrols, Sandstorm offers to hunt with Mousefur and Brackenfur. Later, he mentions Sandstorm when consulting with Yellowfang about who should mentor Brindleface's kits. Yellowfang dissuades Fireheart from assigning an apprentice to Sandstorm, explaining that it's a bad idea to choose two inexperienced warriors.

Later, Sandstorm is assigned to the dawn patrol. On the way to the Gathering, she discusses Bluestar with Fireheart, noting that while their leader seems to be doing better, she's changed. Fireheart says that she's still shaken from what happened with Tigerclaw, reassuring her that Bluestar is still the same cat she has always been.

A day later Sandstorm wakes Fireheart, excitedly telling him that they'd captured two ShadowClan warriors: Littlecloud and Whitethroat. When she goes with Fireheart to escort them back to ShadowClan territory, they discover a tunnel under the Thunderpath, and head back to camp to tell Bluestar. Fireheart informs his leader of the route, but Bluestar is apathetic towards the news, ordering him to keep it a secret. Sandstorm and Fireheart are both disappointed with this reaction.

Sandstorm offers to accompany Cloudpaw and Fireheart on a hunt, and points out Cloudpaw's plump stature, assuming he must be a good hunter. Fireheart declines her offer, and Sandstorm asks him to let her know when they can hunt together again in the future. When Fireheart discovers that Cloudpaw is eating kittypet food, he confides in Sandstorm. She advises Fireheart to tell Cloudpaw that he saw him, and that Cloudpaw needs to decide where he belongs. She comforts Fireheart when he blames his apprentice's behavior on himself.

Sandstorm announces the birth of Willowpelt's kits, and tells Fireheart that Darkstripe sent Cloudpaw to clean the elders' bedding. She asks Fireheart if he spoke with Cloudpaw, which he confirms, though when Fireheart frets that Cloudpaw doesn't think he's done anything wrong, Sandstorm retorts that Cloudpaw is young. When Dustpelt taunts Fireheart for his apprentice's failure, Sandstorm tells him to leave Fireheart alone, surprising Dustpelt. Sandstorm suggests they see the new kits, and Fireheart is reminded of Graystripe's kits, inwardly lamenting that while Sandstorm's friendship had helped, she could not replace Graystripe.

After Fireheart finds Cinderpelt caring for Littlecloud and Whitethroat, he runs into Sandstorm, telling her that he was looking for Graystripe. Sandstorm reveals that Cloudpaw is missing, and offers to go look for him together. As they progress towards Twolegplace, Sandstorm becomes more and more anxious. They find Cloudpaw being taken away in a monster, and Sandstorm yells for Fireheart to wait and come back when he rushes after it. She asks if he is okay, noting that his pads are bleeding, and begins to lick them clean. Sandstorm says that Cloudpaw will find his way home if he wants to, suggesting that he'll be happier with the Twolegs.

Fireheart lashes out at Sandstorm, telling her that he now has no one in the Clan he's close to, hurting Sandstorm. She spits that their friendship apparently doesn't mean anything to him. Back at camp, Fireheart apologizes for what he said, and their friendship is mended. When Darkstripe learns the news of Cloudpaw's abandonment, Sandstorm questions why Fireheart doesn't want to stop him from telling the Clan, though he dejectedly explains that it's all true. When Fireheart talks with Cinderpelt about Spottedleaf, she points out that Sandstorm is very fond of him, and all the Clan is aware of it.

She and Brackenfur are assigned by Fireheart to escort the elders to the river to drink, but they are chased by Twolegs before reaching it. When Mousefur's patrol is attacked by rogues, Fireheart orders Sandstorm and Dustpelt to guard the camp. Later, Fireheart asks Sandstorm to join him and Brightpaw for hunting. They catch a rabbit together, and Sandstorm, seeing Fireheart's fatigue, recommends he rest, though he protests. Sandstorm offers to help him with his duties, mentioning that she doesn't have an apprentice, and Fireheart apologizes for not assigning her one.

They discuss the threat posed by Tigerclaw after Sandstorm suggests cutting patrols. Near Fourtrees, they find Ravenpaw, who reveals to the group that he's spotted Cloudpaw in the Twolegplace near Barley's farm. Sandstorm argues with Fireheart about whether Cloudpaw needs rescuing, but despite disagreeing with him, Sandstorm joins the mission to bring Cloudpaw back. They are chased by two dogs, but manage to climb a tree and successfully save Cloudpaw. On their return journey, they are stopped by the WindClan warriors Mudclaw, Deadfoot, and Mudclaw's apprentice, Webpaw; Sandstorm and Cloudpaw work together to drive away Mudclaw.

When the forest catches fire, Sandstorm tries to dissuade Fireheart from going back to rescue Halftail, Patchpelt, and Bramblekit. She offers to go back in, along with Cinderpelt and Yellowfang. After rebuilding the camp, Sandstorm and Fireheart argue about Bluestar's leadership ability. Fireheart tries to make up for their quarrel, and they eventually rekindle their friendship.

A Dangerous Path

When Tigerstar is revealed at a Gathering to have taken over leadership of ShadowClan, Sandstorm anxiously speaks with Fireheart, telling him that ShadowClan should know about the former deputy's treachery. After returning to the scorched ThunderClan territory, Sandstorm wonders if it will ever be the same, and Fireheart comforts her.

A while later, Fireheart asks Sandstorm to hunt with him, and they head out with Longtail and Swiftpaw. Fireheart is found by Graystripe, who remarks that he's surprised to find him hunting for Sandstorm, and goes on to question their relationship. Sandstorm appears having caught a rabbit, and asks Graystripe about his kits. They discuss their potential mentors, and Sandstorm guesses that Leopardfur will want them to be trained as loyal RiverClan cats. She warns Graystripe to stay on the RiverClan deputy's good side. Graystripe offers them a fish, and Sandstorm again doubts the wisdom in hunting for a rival Clan. Back at camp, Sandstorm and Fireheart share prey.

Sandstorm defends Fireheart to Dustpelt when he starts yowling in his sleep from a vision. She asks if Fireheart is all right, and Fireheart confirms it, suggesting they hunt. They run into Princess, and Sandstorm is hostile towards the kittypet, unsettled that Fireheart is still in contact with his sister. A monster appears, and three blue-pelted Twolegs hop out, seemingly searching for something. Sandstorm is relieved when the Twolegs leave, and when Fireheart is suspicious of their intentions, Sandstorm insists that the Twolegs are just weird.

They continue their hunt near Sunningrocks and find Graystripe, who Sandstorm criticizes for invading ThunderClan territory. He tells them about Tigerstar's visit with Crookedstar the day before, and when Mistyfoot arrives, Sandstorm questions if all of RiverClan is going to show up. Fireheart orders Sandstorm to return to camp and spread news of Graypool's disappearance.

After Snowkit's death, Sandstorm comforts Speckletail. When ThunderClan discusses the possibility of dogs being loose in the forest, Sandstorm suggests its one of the dogs from the Twolegplace beyond Barley's farm. They return to comforting Speckletail, and Sandstorm mews that the elders will welcome her in their den. Fireheart and Cinderpelt discuss Bluestar's declaration of war on StarClan, and Fireheart senses a tension between Sandstorm and the medicine cat, though they remain polite.

Later, Sandstorm asks Fireheart to hunt with her, though Fireheart insists that he's too busy, suggesting she lead a patrol. In the middle of the night, Fireheart wakes Sandstorm for a meeting where he reveals his plan to make peace with WindClan, who Bluestar falsely believes to be stealing prey. Sanstorm criticizes his choice to go behind their leader's back, asking Dustpelt if he agrees that their deputy is mouse-brained. Sandstorm eventually agrees to go to Fourtrees with the patrol, although she feels very bad about lying to Bluestar, and she watches the meeting hesitantly.

Sandstorm questions if Bluestar has exiled Fireheart when he returns from the leader's den, and is relieved when Fireheart reveals she hasn't punished him. Sandstorm says that Bluestar will be all right, though Fireheart doubts it. She later returns from hunting with Cloudpaw and Brindleface, and Fireheart asks if she's seen Bluestar. Cloudpaw says that they'll go back to look for her, and Sandstorm follows him. Cinderpelt consoles Fireheart about his struggling friendship with the pale ginger warrior, stating that they won't always see things the same way.

During a battle between ThunderClan and RiverClan, Sandstorm is among the cats who arrives on a patrol for backup. She questions what happened to Fireheart, who reveals that Graystripe had saved his life. Sandstorm questions what Graystripe will do having betrayed RiverClan, concerned for her old friend, and defends his rejoining ThunderClan. Once back in camp, she informs Fireheart that she and Mousefur are going to hunt, and questions why he's unhappy after their victory and Graystripe's return, but Fireheart lashes out at her when she attempts to comfort him.

She joins the patrol to search for Brightpaw and Swiftpaw, and is distraught at finding their bodies mauled by dogs. She and Graystripe lift Swiftpaw's body, and she is ordered by Fireheart to fetch Cinderpelt when Brightpaw is revealed to be alive. She is present when Bluestar names Brightpaw Lostface, and encourages Cinderpelt that she can save her sister.

Fireheart chooses Brackenfur to mentor Tawnypaw instead of Sandstorm because he wants to keep Sandstorm safe, fearing that since Tawnypaw is the daughter of Tigerstar, her mentor would be a target. His decision infuriates Sandstorm, who refuses to speak to him. She asks Graystripe if he's disappointed at not having an apprentice, and the gray warrior responds that half the Clan hasn't accepted him yet, and Sandstorm retorts that they are mouse-brains. The following days, she ignores Fireheart, cementing the deputy's guilt.

On the morning before the dog patrol, Fireheart approaches Sandstorm and asks her to come with him, explaining that they need her speed and bravery. She admits that she knew he was right in going behind Bluestar's back before, and understands that as deputy he had to think of the Clan first. However, she explains that she felt torn between loyalty to him and to the warrior code. Fireheart insists that he never meant to hurt her, and reveals that he loves her. Sandstorm reciprocates, and she goes on the patrol with him.

They find the trail of dead rabbits Tigerstar had laid for the dogs, and Brindleface's body at the end of it. She and Cloudtail carry the body back to camp, and Fireheart explains to her his plan of driving the pack into the gorge. He assigns her to be part of the runners, charged with leading the dogs straight to the gorge, and Sandstorm affirms that she can be trusted.

The Darkest Hour

After the plan to defeat the dogs succeeds, Fireheart is anxious to see that Sandstorm is okay. They reunite, and Sandstorm admits how worried she was about him. She is surprised that Mistyfoot and Stonefur are in the ThunderClan camp, and is astonished at the news that they are Bluestar's children.

When Darkstripe refuses to accept Fireheart as leader, Sandstorm attempts to defend Fireheart, but is cut off by Whitestorm. She and Graystripe are tasked with carrying Bluestar's body into the clearing, and Sandstorm is soon assigned to lead a hunting patrol. Before Fireheart leaves for his leadership ceremony, he tells Sandstorm and Graystripe that he will never stop needing them, to which Sandstorm replies they will always need him too.

Firestar confronts Sandstorm when she acts distant after he receives his new name. Sandstorm admits that now that he's Clan leader, everything about their relationship has changed, noting that he'll be closer to Cinderpelt than any other cat from now on. Firestar assures her that he still cares about her as much as before, and the pale ginger warrior cheers up.

Sandstorm is assigned to watch over Sorrelkit after she is fed deathberries by Darkstripe, and she insists that something must be done about him. She questions what the dark warrior was doing meeting the ShadowClan deputy on ThunderClan territory, and believes he won't be able to stay in ThunderClan.

She is attends the next Gathering when Tigerstar demands the other Clans merge with TigerClan, his alliance between ShadowClan and RiverClan. Sandstorm yowls to Firestar that they could never do it. On the way home, Sandstorm exclaims that their only choice is to fight.

While rescuing Stormpaw, Featherpaw, and Mistyfoot, Sandstorm helps fight off their ShadowClan pursuers. Firestar explains what Tigerstar had done to his half-Clan prisoners, much to Sandstorm's horror.

She is part of the patrol to search for Tawnypaw, but they are unsuccessful, and Sandstorm notes that it seems like she was heading for Fourtrees. When Goldenflower is distraught at the loss of her daughter, Sandstorm comforts her. She defends the RiverClan refugees when Mousefur demands they leave, and Firestar assigns her to help Mistyfoot train Featherpaw.

Sandstorm joins a patrol into WindClan territory to meet with Tallstar, and she comforts Firestar in the time before their planned meeting with Tigerstar at Fourtrees. They predict a battle, and Sandstorm assures Firestar that she loves him, and that he'll get ThunderClan through this. Before the battle with BloodClan, Firestar and Sandstorm discuss the potential aftermath of fighting. Firestar invites her to sleep in his den with him, not wanting to be alone, to which she agrees.

Sandstorm trains Sorrelkit, Sootkit, and Rainkit in case of an attack on the camp, and the three all argue about who will get Sandstorm as their mentor. Sandstorm quietly suggests to Firestar that she wouldn't say no if he gave her Sorrelkit to train, to which Firestar promises.

Sandstorm fights with LionClan in the Battle against BloodClan. She yowls in approval with Dustpelt after Graystripe is made deputy after Whitestorm's death, and Firestar runs towards her after the battle is won, thanking StarClan that she is safe. Sandstorm supports him on his way to see Cinderpelt, saying he's lost blood, and Firestar protests that he's just tired. She remarks that in the end, Bluestar was right, and fire really did save their Clan.

In The New Prophecy arc

Midnight

When her daughter, Squirrelpaw, bickers with Brambleclaw, Sandstorm scolds her for bothering the older warrior. However, she also criticizes Brambleclaw for letting the young apprentice get under his fur, and asks Squirrelpaw to join her patrol instead of hunting with Brambleclaw.

At her Sorrelpaw's warrior ceremony, Sandstorm looks on proudly at her apprentice, and Brambleclaw thinks to himself how both had suffered when Sorrelpaw had been injured on the Thunderpath. When Firestar asks if Sorrelpaw is ready to be a warrior, Sandstorm affirms it.

After Squirrelpaw wanders off by herself and joins Thornclaw's patrol, she is attacked by a badger, and Sandstorm is furious with her daughter. At the Gathering, Sandstorm happily witnesses Sorreltail's new name being announced. Later, Ravenpaw visits ThunderClan with news of Twoleg activity, and Sandstorm joins the patrol to walk him home.

Sandstorm criticizes Firestar's handling of Squirrelpaw, after the two quarrel, explaining that ordering Squirrelpaw about only makes her more stubborn. When Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw go missing, she remarks that its not surprising that they'd want to get away for a while after how Firestar had yelled at them. Firestar worries that they really have gone away, and Sandstorm reminds her mate of how she recommends handling Squirrelpaw. She goes on to say that he has given ThunderClan many moons of peace, and if trouble comes it won't be his fault. She further mentions the fire-and-tiger omen, pointing out that the while it mentions fire, tiger, and trouble, may not cause the trouble, but stop the trouble. She offers to go on the patrol to search for Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw, and tells Leafpaw not tell anyone about the omen.

When it is clear that the two aren't returning, Sandstorm follows Firestar sadly into the leader's den. Later, when a monster runs off the Thunderpath and takes down a tree, Sandstorm and Leafpaw shelter in a gully.

Moonrise

Sandstorm, Graystripe, and Cinderpelt are called to a dawn meeting with Firestar, causing suspicion to rise among the Clan. Firestar addresses the Clan about the threat of Twolegs destroying the forest, seeking support from Sandstorm as he speaks.

When Firestar decides to speak with Tallstar about the his cats hunting on ThunderClan territory, Sandstorm is anxious when several cats criticize her mate for being too willing to cross borders. Sandstorm is chosen to join his patrol, and she identifies Mudclaw and Tornear as the WindClan cats seen hunting at Fourtrees.

Upon the news that rabbits have been poisoned, Firestar worries that they will all starve, and Sandstorm points out that no ThunderClan cats have died yet, and offers to lead a hunting patrol. When Cloudtail and Brightheart go missing, Graystripe asserts that if anyone can find them, Sandstorm can, and they leave on a patrol to find them.

Dawn

On the way to Fourtrees, Sandstorm asks Firestar if he believes their daughters will find them when they come home, Leafpaw having been captured by Twolegs. Firestar says they can only pray, and uncertain, Sandstorm glances at Graystripe, asking how they will know where to look for ThunderClan after they left their camp. When Firestar wishes he had sent another patrol to look for Leafpaw, Sandstorm tells Graystripe that putting the Clan before his daughter was the hardest decision he's ever made. She goes on to lament how many Clanmates they had lost in the past moons.

After Firestar suggests the other Clans may be willing to help each other, Sandstorm remarks that things are worse than ever before when Dustpelt protests that the Clans are too proud to admit weakness. A terrible noise is heard, and Sandstorm questions what it is; they find Fourtrees being demolished by Twoleg monsters. Sandstorm laments that the forest is dead, and there is no hope left.

Sandstorm is relieved when Squirrelpaw returns from her journey, mentioning that she doubted she would ever see her daughter again. She listens to Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw explain what they had been told by Midnight, questioning the possibility of a new home. When Leafpaw returns, she races towards her daughter, asking if she had been hurt.

When Graystripe is captured by Twolegs, Sandstorm comforts Firestar, and tries to distract him from his pain by mentioning the return of both of their kits. Firestar says he would have sacrificed himself for them both, and Sandstorm adds that that's why he'll always be a good friend. She and Brackenfur are assigned to take care of Graystripe's deputy duties.

Sandstorm is assigned to lead a patrol to rescue ShadowClan when their camp is destroyed, and her patrol is ordered to get the queens and kits to safety. As they prepare for the Great Journey in Barley's farm, Sandstorm and Firestar rest together, and she comforts her mate when he says goodbye to Ravenpaw for the last time. Leafpaw asks Sandstorm if her father will be okay, and Firestar replies that he will be fine. When Stormfur chooses to join the tribe, Sandstorm remarks that Graystripe's kit wouldn't make a decision so lightly.

Starlight

Before Squirrelpaw's warrior ceremony, Sandstorm pridefully grooms her daughter's fur. When Firestar is summoned by Tallstar, Sandstorm questions if Barkface needs help. After splitting from the other Clans, Firestar orders her and Sorreltail to watch the back of their patrol to make sure no cat falls behind.

As they prepare to build their camp, Sandstorm enthusiastically mews to Squirrelflight that it will be easy to defend. She later suggests scouting out the new territory for foxes and badgers, and offers to lead a hunting patrol. When Brambleclaw brings news of an abandoned Twoleg nest on their territory, Sandstorm mentions that it could be a good place to shelter. When the Moonpool is discovered, Sandstorm is assigned on a patrol to spread the news to the other Clans.

When Mistyfoot brings news of trouble to Firestar, Sandstorm is curious, and questions what she did when she saw Hawkfrost meeting with Mudclaw. Mistyfoot reports that RiverClan's dawn patrol, consisting of Hawkfrost and his closest allies, has yet to return despite it being nearly dusk, and Sandstorm suggests that it's not suspicious that a warrior would choose his friends to join him. She agrees with Dustpelt when the tabby warrior rejects the idea of meeting with Onewhisker. Sandstorm takes part in the battle of Mudclaw's rebellion, fighting with Mistyfoot against two RiverClan warriors.

Twilight

Sandstorm returns from a dawn patrol, and is asked by Firestar to organize hunting patrols, as ThunderClan still has no deputy. She agrees to, but brings up the issue of ThunderClan having only one apprentice, adding that with the lack of training, their battle skills are waning. She insists that every warrior takes their turn doing apprentice duties.

She attends the first Gathering on the island, and when Squirrelflight accidentally crosses the border into ShadowClan territory, Sandstorm is surprised when Ashfur defends Squirrelflight from Brambleclaw's scolding, telling the gray warrior that she can answer for herself. Sandstorm questions the stale border markings, and shuts down the quarreling among Brambleclaw, Ashfur, and Squirrelflight. Sandstorm stares harshly at her daughter before Birchkit's apprentice ceremony, later telling her not to let her own problems get in the way of the Clan.

When Squirrelflight seeks Firestar's permission to help ShadowClan with their kittypet problem, Sandstorm agrees that they should at least try to, as an apprentice was killed, and she asks Dustpelt how he would feel if it had been Birchpaw.

Leafpool attempts to approach Sandstorm when she is troubled with her relationship with Crowfeather, but finds Sandstorm deep in conversation with Dustpelt, and she gives her daughter only a friendly nod. After the medicine cat's disappearance, Sandstorm asks if Squirrelflight had been able to find her sister, and Sandstorm laments that they've lost her after the report that Leafpool and Crowfeather have left Clan territory.

When Brambleclaw leads a patrol to the WindClan border, Sandstorm asks him to be kind towards Leafpool if they spot her. Sandstorm advises Squirrelflight not to blame herself for what happened. She fights beside Firestar, Dustpelt, and Thornclaw in the battle against the badgers.

Sunset

Realizing that Leafpool has returned, Sandstorm questions what has happened. When Firestar tells Rainwhisker to see Cinderpelt, Sandstorm reminds her mate that she is dead. She bids farewell to Midnight, and works on repairing the thorn barrier, later helping to refill the fresh-kill pile.

When Squirrelflight displays how to trigger a fox trap, Sandstorm is impressed by her daughter. She is ordered to arrange the patrols, and Firestar says that he'll go with her. Sandstorm argues that he needs to rest, but admits that she can't stop him.

Sandstorm listens to Dustpelt's on the lake activity, and when Daisy reveals that Twolegs swim for fun, Sandstorm is shocked. She later goes on patrol which encounters ShadowClan expanding their territory. She questions Russetfur about her knowledge of the badger attack. The patrols clash, and Sandstorm tussles with Oakfur.

She later returns from a dawn patrol, revealing that she saw Daisy and her kits leaving the camp. Brambleclaw suggests Sandstorm add Stormfur and Brook to the patrols, prompting an argument with Dustpelt. When Mousefur declares that there are too many non-ThunderClan cats in the Clan, Sandstorm argues that they need more cats with so many foxes and badgers around.

When Brambleclaw tells Firestar that he needs to get a new deputy, Sandstorm mentions that StarClan can't see everywhere, and may not know if Graystripe is alive. She reminds her mate that Graystripe was her friend too, but they need to move on. Firestar questions if she would be so quick to lose hope for him, but Sandstorm eventually persuades him to choose a new deputy. She is present at Graystripe's vigil, praising his determination to keep ThunderClan safe. After Brambleclaw is chosen as deputy, Sandstorm reassures him that he doesn't need to worry about being bossy.

In the Power of Three arc

The Sight

Sandstorm trains a new apprentice, Honeypaw. She is drowsing with Firestar when Spiderleg brings news of a fox on their territory. Firestar declares he'll take Sandstorm with him to check near the old Thunderpath and abandoned Twoleg nest.

When Mothwing and Willowpaw visit the ThunderClan camp, Sandstorm is alerted by Honeypaw's hiss. She comforts her apprentice when Honeypaw apologizes, and Sandstorm reminds her it's better to scare off a mouse than welcome a badger. She fetches Leafpool for the RiverClan medicine cats, and later appears for Jaykit, Lionkit, and Hollykit's apprentice ceremony.

As Jaypaw sneaks out of camp, he smells Sandstorm returning from a patrol. She pauses for a moment, and Jaypaw worries he's been caught, but the pale ginger warrior moves along. She attends the next Gathering when Graystripe arrives with his new mate, Millie, and Sandstorm recommends they get them back to camp as soon as possible. She guides Millie to ThunderClan territory, and hushes the fuss that arises after the Clan realizes Graystripe is back.

After ShadowClan invades ThunderClan territory, Sandstorm is among the cats Firestar orders for the battle patrol. She twists her paw in the battle, but insists it's only a sprain. She is consulted by Firestar when Hollypaw and Jaypaw decide to switch apprenticeships. When Jaypaw reveals he's had a dream from StarClan about WindClan being attacked by dogs, Sandstorm questions if StarClan wanted them to use his dream to act against WindClan. Later, she offers to help Jaypaw with his duties, and takes a mouse to the nursery.

Dark River

Sandstorm is with Firestar when Leafpool and Jaypaw bring back news from the Moonpool about RiverClan being in trouble, and Jaypaw is annoyed by the way Sandstorm softly addresses him, as if he were still a kit.

She takes Honeypaw hunting, and suggests checking the WindClan border. They witness several WindClan cats hunting squirrels, and Sandstorm says that they won't cross the border on purpose. She is surprised when Harepaw reveals that WindClan apprentices are being given forest training, and prompts the patrols to separate, recommending Dustpelt, Hazelpaw, Honeypaw, and Lionpaw continue hunting. When they bring the news of WindClan to Firestar, Sandstorm notes that they haven't crossed the border, and is frustrated that the rest of the Clan is making such a big deal about it.

When RiverClan is revealed to have moved to the island, Sandstorm believes they can only give them time to return to their camp until the next gathering. She continues training Honeypaw, and the pair are joined by Ashfur and Lionpaw.

She and Firestar are later confronted by Hollypaw, who is worried about a potential battle with WindClan. Hollypaw declares that RiverClan would never hunt on the moorland, and Sandstorm replies that Clan cats can adapt to anything, reminding her of the WindClan cats hunting in the forest.

Outcast

She is seen on a patrol with Brackenfur, Dustpelt, and Hollypaw when she smells strange scents that later are revealed to be mountain cats from the Tribe of Rushing Water. Sandstorm is slightly annoyed when her apprentice, Honeypaw, rambles on and on about Berrynose.

Eclipse

When a ThunderClan patrol scents WindClan on their territory, Firestar suggests they go talk to Onestar. Sandstorm disagrees and wants to fight instead. When Squirrelflight gets injured, she is deeply worried. When Firestar says she should eat and rest, Sandstorm refuses, saying that Squirrelflight is her kit, and she isn't leaving her.

Sandstorm, Brambleclaw, Hollypaw, and Brackenfur go to find out why WindClan is stealing food from ThunderClan territory. They meet Harespring, Owlwhisker, and Ashfoot, the WindClan deputy. Harespring attacks Brambleclaw, and with one swipe, Brambleclaw pins him to the ground in turn. Ashfoot begs Brambleclaw to let him go, and to go back to their own territory, saying that Onestar had nothing to say to them, thus shows how desperate WindClan was.

Her apprentice Honeypaw becomes a warrior, now known as Honeyfern.

Long Shadows

She appears in this book quite often. She is on the border patrol when Birchfall gets into a quarrel with Snaketail, a ShadowClan warrior. She chastises him, starting the fight. Later, she tells Hollyleaf that Firestar is very proud of her and that she shouldn't worry so much.

She was seen very worried about Firestar when he loses a life to greencough, and Brambleclaw comforts her.

Sandstorm continues to be a temporary mentor to Foxpaw, while Squirrelflight recovers from her injuries.

Sunrise

She takes a walk with Jayfeather because she is concerned about her daughter Leafpool's touchy, nervous persona, and wants to discuss her concerns with him.

When Sol is taken into ThunderClan for questioning about Ashfur's death, Firestar tells his mate to secure the brambles on his den, and she dips her head in response.

As ThunderClan heads towards the Gathering island, Sandstorm mentions how she misses Fourtrees. Firestar comments on how she sounds just like an elder. Playfully, Sandstorm says that she'll be the crankiest elder the Clan has ever seen, and Mousefur will look nice and sweet compared to her. Graystripe, who had overheard, has doubts about her being that cranky, saying that Mousefur can have a tongue as sharp as a thorn when she wants to.

Sandstorm is disappointed in Hollyleaf when she announces to the rest of the Clans that Squirrelflight is actually not their mother, but Leafpool, her other daughter, is. She is also seen staring at Hollyleaf with sorrow and disappointment.

In the Omen of the Stars arc

The Fourth Apprentice

Jayfeather finds Sandstorm and Graystripe crouched over Firestar after he is attacked by a fox. She exclaims thankfully when the medicine cat arrives, telling Firestar to hold on. She observes that he is losing a life, and after he recovers, Sandstorm follows him warily back to camp.

When Rainstorm, a RiverClan warrior, is rescued from sinking in the lake mud, Sandstorm mews that he doesn't look like he'll be wandering for a while, and she asks Firestar what he will do with him.

She is later on a water patrol with Leafpool, Briarpaw, and Bumblepaw when she catches Lionblaze dragging a clump of battered wood onto some pebbles as a test to see how well Dovepaw can hear. Sandstorm asks what he is doing and Lionblaze replies that he was trying an experiment. After Lionblaze and Dovepaw return from the journey to the beaver dam, Sandstorm is the first to greet them.

Fading Echoes

When ThunderClan is discussing signs of ShadowClan trespassing, Sandstorm asks Graystripe if he knew which warrior was crossing the border. She asks Firestar if he will mention it at that night's Gathering, and Firestar responds that he may if necessary.

During the Gathering, she hushes Dovepaw and Blossompaw when they whisper as the leaders talk. When Firestar brings up the ShadowClan scents, Sandstorm attempts to control her Clanmates as they lash out in anger. She scolds Dovepaw for staring at Tigerheart, saying that she looks like an owl. As the apprentices continue to argue, Sandstorm threatens to send them home. Whitewing begins looking for her daughter as the Gathering wraps up, and Sandstorm points Dovepaw out to her. Dovepaw asks why the Clans aren't sharing tongues anymore, and Sandstorm replies that more arguments about borders came up.

When Jayfeather and Lionblaze meet to discuss the prophecy, they hear Sandstorm's patrol in the forest. She later joins another hunting patrol, and when Lionblaze suggests they split up, Sandstorm agrees to. She and Icecloud hunt by the lakeshore and catch a pheasant.

When Firestar calls a Clan meeting to discuss Ivypaw's dream of ShadowClan invading, Sandstorm suggests that it may be best to nip any trouble in the bud. At the battle of the border, Sandstorm watches in horror as Firestar loses a life to Russetfur.

Night Whispers

Right after ThunderClan returns from the battle with ShadowClan, Jayfeather notes that Sandstorm is watching over Firestar in his den as he recovers from losing a life. The medicine cat asks Sandstorm how he is doing, to which the ginger she-cat replies that he's tired, and complaining about being confined to his nest. She announces the return of Brambleclaw and Dustpelt's border-marking patrol.

She is assigned by Brambleclaw to join Dustpelt in checking if ShadowClan has marked their borders, and later goes hunting near the WindClan border. After a fox gets into the camp, Sandstorm goes to the nursery to comfort Ferncloud.

When Sandstorm cleans out the elders' den, she starts coughing. Firestar asks her what is wrong, and Sandstorm claims that she only swallowed a snowflake. A few days later, Jayfeather and Firestar notice her coughing and wheezing again. She insists it was just snowflakes that she was swallowing, but Brightheart tells her that everyone was swallowing snowflakes, but only she was coughing. When she catches whitecough, Jayfeather sends her to his den. However, whitecough begins spreading throughout the camp.

Later, Dovepaw tells Tigerheart that Jayfeather grows his herbs at the abandoned Twoleg den. This results in ShadowClan demanding the herbs from ThunderClan in return for Ivypaw who was captured by Tigerheart and a few other ShadowClan cats. Dovepaw then worries that Sandstorm and the other sick cats may die because of her disloyalty to ThunderClan.

Sign of the Moon

It is mentioned by Jayfeather that she is recovering from sickness, but she still has a cough. When he asks to speak with Firestar, she is in his den with him. Seeing that Jayfeather would like to talk to Firestar alone, she says she will go check on Poppyfrost's kits.

When a patrol is announced to be journeying to the tribe, Sandstorm exclaims how lucky Lionblaze is to be going, but he informs her that he isn't. Later, she leads a patrol to the abandoned Twoleg nest. She investigates Jayfeather's herb garden, noting that the catmint has started to sprout. However, she notes that they would have more were they not forced to give some to ShadowClan. Sandstorm asks Ivypool to check for squirrels on the other side of the Thunderpath while the other cats check the nest for mice.

When Ivypool and Blossomfall return from being lost in the tunnels, Sandstorm asks what happened to them.

The Forgotten Warrior

Sandstorm is seen once Sorreltail had arrived from a patrol near the WindClan border, claiming that Birchfall and Ivypool were arguing with Heathertail, Breezepelt, Furzepaw, and Boulderpaw because Birchfall and Ivypool were washing their paws in the stream, in which WindClan claims it's their territory. After Firestar scolds them, Sandstorm asks why the two couldn't use the lake to wash their paws.

Later on, Graystripe assigns Blossomfall and Bumblestripe to find some feathers for Purdy's nest. Blossomfall and Bumblestripe complain about always getting stuck with the apprentice tasks. Graystripe replies when they learn how to not talk back to a senior warrior, which makes Sandstorm approach Graystripe and poke him in his side. Sandstorm calms him down saying that they do get stuck with the apprentice tasks often and she offers to go with them. And with Sandstorm's words, Firestar agrees and appoints new apprentices.

Sandstorm appears at the entrance of the den with Cherrypaw and Molepaw, the new apprentices. She says they've got some cobwebs for him and the two apprentices bound up to him, Molepaw boasting that Sandstorm lifted up a log for them to grab out the cobwebs. Sandstorm then says that it's not a problem to Jayfeather's thank you, and is then about to depart until Jayfeather asks her to find Sorreltail for him. Sandstorm does so and walks off to find her former apprentice at the medicine cat's request. Later, she is assigned to lead a patrol along the WindClan border.

When Jayfeather is introducing Cinderheart to her past life, Sandstorm is on another patrol with Firestar and Graystripe, Sandstorm teases Cinderheart, then Cinderpelt who was picking out celandine, asking her if she was picking flowers again. Cinderpelt informs her that if she has a problem with that, she had better bring it up with Yellowfang, and Graystripe tells her how she doesn't want to get her ears clawed off.

When WindClan is about to attack ThunderClan from the underground tunnels, Sandstorm is seen in Hollyleaf's patrol. When they are about to enter the tunnels, Hollyleaf orders Sandstorm to take the rear of the patrol in case trouble emerges from behind. Sandstorm obeys, and during the fighting, Sandstorm, Ivypool, and Mousewhisker take their places in the back of the patrol until the attackers are forced back towards the cavern with the river. Afterwards, she is then seen challenging Whiskernose when he claims that ThunderClan always acts better than the rest of the Clans because of the Great Journey and the help WindClan received before. In retort, she asks how he is supposed to know that, since he wasn't even kitted then.

The Last Hope

After Lionblaze gets into a fight with Ratscar, Sandstorm is concerned for her grandson when he arrives greatly injured into camp. Later, when Firestar and Brambleclaw are discussing the scents left by the Dark Forest cats, Sandstorm suggests they're from the other Clans uniting against ThunderClan.

She is mentioned to have gone on the moonhigh patrol with Firestar, Brackenfur, and Lionblaze, and that they had scented cats nearly everywhere. Sandstorm questions how any cat could sleep soundly with so many enemy scents around, and questions if the Clan should know when Firestar hushes her. When Brightheart has her second litter, Sandstorm laments that she and Firestar should have had more, and Firestar responds that it is a dark time to be born.

When ThunderClan is preparing for the clash with the Dark Forest cats, Dovewing informs Jayfeather that Sandstorm, Firestar, and Sorreltail are setting traps throughout the territory. Later, she urges Firestar not to fight, saying that he only has one life left. She asks what the Clan would do without him, and Firestar simply answers that they would fight harder. She then tells him she loves him, and he, in turn, replies that he loves her too.

As the battle begins, Sandstorm is defending the camp alongside Squirrelflight. Squirrelflight calls for backup, and Pebblefoot helps Sandstorm drive the rest of the Dark Forest warriors from the camp. Afterwards, Brambleclaw sends Sandstorm and Squirrelflight to guard the nursery. Several burly warriors manage to rush past Sandstorm, but Brambleclaw, Tigerheart, and Daisy fight them off.

The Dark Forest appearing to retreat, Sandstorm is assigned by Firestar to join Dovewing and Bumblestripe in pursuing them in case it's a trick. She suddenly skids to a halt, noticing a scratch of moonlight, and hopes it's a good sign. However, she is confronted by Mapleshade. The Dark Forest warrior explains that Sandstorm had everything she ever wanted: a mate who loves her, kits who she could watch grow up and have kits of their own, and the respect of her Clanmates. Mapleshade has her jaws on Sandstorm's neck, ready to kill her, but Spottedleaf appears and throws Mapleshade away. Firestar attacks Mapleshade after she destroys Spottedleaf's spirit, and Sandstorm lunges at Mapleshade, driving her away. She presses close to Firestar as he grieves for Spottedleaf.

When Firestar runs out to fight Brokenstar, Sandstorm reminds him that he has only one life left, urging him not to fight. But Firestar is not swayed. He continues to fight, and confronts Tigerstar. Sorreltail pulls Sandstorm back by the scruff when she attempts to intervene, telling her that this is Firestar's fight and that she could not change his destiny.

After Firestar's death after his battle with Tigerstar, Sandstorm instantly rushes up to his side, calling out for him. She crouches down beside his body and presses her nose in his fur, whispering and sobbing that he shouldn't have wasted his final life. Brambleclaw responds that he didn't waste it, and that he died defending his Clan and died a warrior's death. She listens to Jayfeather as he announces which cat gave each life to him, and she sobs when the life Spottedleaf's gave him was mentioned, which was love. Firestar then rises from his body and he touches his muzzle with hers before leaving with the other StarClan cats. She is the first to call out Bramblestar's new name, which the rest of the Clan quickly joins her in doing so.

In the A Vision of Shadows arc

The Apprentice's Quest

Sandstorm is first mentioned as Leafpool and Jayfeather go to the Moonpool for the medicine cat Gathering. Leafpool says that they need catmint, but Jayfeather insists that Sandstorm, Graystripe, Millie, and Purdy are perfectly healthy, and tells his mother that she coddles them too much.

After Alderpaw and Sparkpaw are apprenticed, they are ordered to check the elders for ticks. Sandstorm and Millie look on, patiently waiting their turn, and as Alderpaw works, he looks up to see Sandstorm lovingly gazing at him and his sister. She recalls the time when their mother was an apprentice with Dustpelt as her mentor. Sandstorm exclaims that Squirrelflight made trouble for the stubborn warrior, and Alderpaw inquires what she did, to which Sandstorm asks what she didn't do. She lists that Squirrelflight would slip out of camp to hunt on her own, get stuck in bushes, and fall into streams, and adds that Dustpelt had once said to her that if her kit didn't shape up, he would claw her pelt off and hang it on a bush to frighten the foxes. Sparkpaw stares at Sandstorm, exclaiming that he wouldn't have done that, and Sandstorm explains that Dustpelt had to be tough with her to make her a good warrior.

When Alderpaw becomes a medicine cat apprentice, Jayfeather assigns him to removing the elders' ticks. When he reaches their den, only Sandstorm is there, and his grandmother says she is glad to see him, explaining where the other elders are. Alderpaw removes her stubborn tick, and Sandstorm thanks him. She guesses that something is bothering him, and asks if he wants to tell her. Alderpaw refuses, but Sandstorm mews that there is no shame in being sad, and with a faint mrrow of amusement, adds that he isn't very good at hiding it anyway. The elder's humor comforts Alderpaw, and he continues cleaning Sandstorm's fur as she explains that he is her kin, and should feel comfortable talking to her, adding that she may be able to help. Alderpaw confesses that Jayfeather was furious with him for giving Cherryfall a poultice without consulting him, and Sandstorm exclaims that it was a horrible thing to do, and that Bramblestar will certainly throw him out of the Clan.

Alderpaw briefly misses her sarcasm, and the old she-cat goes on, more seriously, that he shouldn't feel bad for trying to do his best, and that he will know better for next time. She lectures that learning is what being an apprentice is about, saying that he is fortunate to have wise mentors to guide him, though Alderpaw stammers that he doesn't want to disappoint them. Sandstorm asks if Jayfeather seemed upset, not cranky, but upset, and Alderpaw thinks about it before meowing at last that he didn't. She continues that it was because he wants him to learn and he is doing that, and that he shouldn't expect to know everything right away. Sandstorm praises his thoughtfulness and caution, saying it will serve him well as a medicine cat. Alderpaw thinks that she knows him well and is grateful for her advice, and after a moment, Sandstorm asks if there is anything else bothering him.

Alderpaw thinks back to his dream at the Moonpool, and tells Sandstorm about his meeting with Firestar and the unfamiliar Clan he had watched. Sandstorm narrows her eyes, her gaze suddenly intense. She asks him to describe the cats he saw, and Alderpaw begins that the cat he thought was leader was a cream-and-pale brown tabby she-cat; there was a powerful ginger tom and a small silver-gray tabby she-cat. Sandstorm jumps to her paws, pelt bristling with excitement, and exclaims that they are Leafstar, her deputy, Sharpclaw, and their medicine cat, Echosong. Alderpaw wonders why he would dream about cats he has never heard of, but Sandstorm's eyes glow, and she says it was a vision. Alderpaw is surprised and begins to share her excitement, and asks about the cats he saw, to which Sandstorm replies that they are from SkyClan, who may need their help. Alderpaw is surprised that there is a Clan he has never heard of, and he asks why he would see this vision. Sandstorm asks why it couldn't be him, and says that StarClan chose him and he must honor their choice. She says he must tell Leafpool and Jayfeather, and Alderpaw mutters that Jayfeather would claw his ears off, but Sandstorm says that's nonsense.

After the vision is shared with Leafpool, Jayfeather, and Bramblestar, Sandstorm demands to join the mission to find SkyClan with Alderpaw. After some protest, Bramblestar reluctantly allows her to, as she knows the SkyClan cats and the way to the gorge where they live. Squirrelflight is distressed by this, but Sandstorm reassures her daughter. The news of Sandstorm's presence in quest confuses the Clan, but she affirms her right to go. Bramblestar further chooses Sparkpaw, Cherryfall, and Molewhisker to join the patrol, which would leave at dawn. Before they leave, Alderpaw overhears Bramblestar talking to Sandstorm. He hears Bramblestar say that if the secret of SkyClan's existence got out, it could be devastating for the Clan. While Alderpaw worries about his father's words, Sandstorm comforts him when he doubts that Bramblestar trusts him. Sandstorm says that Bramblestar felt guilty for what the Clans let happen to SkyClan long ago, though Alderpaw doesn't understand why why his father would feel guilty about something that happened seasons before he was born. Alderpaw thanks her, expressing how glad he was to have her along on the quest.

Nearing the edge of ThunderClan territory, Sparkpaw suggests they hunt, but Alderpaw disagrees, as they have a lot longer to travel. Sandstorm remarks that Graystripe helped her work out a route so they wouldn't have to cross the mountains, but they would encounter more dangers from Twolegs and monsters. When Sparkpaw says Thunderpaths are no big deal, Sandstorm calls her a mouse-brain, as many cats have died on them. Alderpaw is upset by his sister's behavior, but Sandstorm calms him, reminding him that as it was his quest, the cats must follow his rules. After they near the horseplace, Alderpaw suggests Sandstorm take the lead, being familiar with the territory. As they travel, Sandstorm is reminded of the night the Clans first arrived at the lake.

When the cats come in view of a Thunderpath, Sandstorm orders Sparkpaw not to cross until her signal. Sandstorm orders them to halt as they hear Twolegs approaching. Sparkpaw asks if they could see them, and Sandstorm hesitates, and decides to allow it on the condition they were not here to gawk at them. They see a sleeping monster and several Twolegs eating food. A Twoleg kit spots them and the cats tense to run, but Sandstorm orders them to hide as not to get separated. The Twolegs drive away, and Molewhisker suggests they eat the Twoleg food. Sandstorm agrees reluctantly, and shares bird meat with Sparkpaw.

At dusk, Molewhisker again suggests they hunt, but Sandstorm wishes for them to first cross the Thunderpath. Sparkpaw protests and Sandstorm gives in, admitting her own hunger. The ginger apprentice quickly catches a vole and is praised by her grandmother. Sandstorm herself catches a pigeon, and after the sun goes down, she declares they ought to get a move on if they're to cross the Thunderpath that night. Alderpaw gets the feeling that they are being followed, but decides not to tell Sandstorm. They reach the Thunderpath, which is crawling with monsters, and Sandstorm tells the apprentices they must be brave. She tells the group not to begin until her signal. As they wait for a gap in the monsters, an object flies from a monster towards Molewhisker, and Sandstorm shoves him out of the way. More objects begin to fall, and the cats retreat into the trees. Frustrated, Sandstorm orders them to make camp and cross the Thunderpath in the morning.

The next day, Alderpaw wakes to find Sandstorm in the camp, who says the others are out hunting. As they return, Sandstorm praises their catches, and after eating, the group returns to the edge of the Thunderpath. When the time is right, Sandstorm shouts for them to run, and yells for them to speed up as the monsters gain on them. All of the cats cross unharmed, and Sandstorm agrees with Molewhisker's suggestion to seek cover. After travelling for the rest of the day, Sandstorm orders Alderpaw to collect moss with her for bedding while the others hunt. When Sparkpaw suggests they may find the subject of Alderpaw's vision the next day, Sandstorm replies that they still have a long way to go.

Before falling asleep, Alderpaw hears paw steps in the leaves, and Sandstorm decides to check it out. She is attacked by a fox, which sinks its teeth into her shoulder. Alderpaw throws himself at the fox, releasing Sandstorm from its jaws, and he yells at the elder to run. She reluctantly retreats. Another foxes attacks Cherryfall, Molewhisker, and Sparkpaw, and Needlepaw, a ShadowClan apprentice, appears to help Alderpaw drive off the first fox. Sandstorm berates her for wandering off without her mentor and travelling out of Clan territory without the permission of her leader, emphasizing the danger of such a stunt. Needlepaw declares that she's joining them now, and Sandstorm demands she go back to her own territory, but the ShadowClan apprentice is stubborn. Sandstorm says they will discuss their decision in private.

Alderpaw observes that Sandstorm's wound is still bleeding, and asks to take a look at it, but Sandstorm insists she is ok. Still, she follows his advice to lick the wound clean and allows him to cover it with cobwebs. Sandstorm turns their conversation back to Needlepaw, expressing that she doesn't want the apprentice to come along, but that it would be dangerous for her to travel back to the lake alone. After some arguing, Sandstorm leaves the decision to Alderpaw, who thinks they should let her come. While Molewhisker protests further, Sandstorm makes the final decision to let her come, but agrees with Sparkpaw that they won't tell her the reason for their quest. When they finish discussing, Sandstorm tells Needlepaw their decision.

In the morning, Alderpaw asks again to examine Sandstorm's shoulder wound. He asks Cherryfall and Molewhisker to find comfrey root, and the warriors disappear into the forest. Sandstorm again downplays the seriousness of her injury, but Alderpaw says that it's important for him to treat it. After he applies the poultice, Sandstorm tells Alderpaw that she feels much better. Sandstorm praises Alderpaw after he treats the other cats' wounds. As the hunting patrol returns, Alderpaw and Sandstorm sun themselves beside a pool of water. Sparkpaw tells Sandstorm that Needlepaw caught a squirrel, a pigeon, and a rat, and when Sandstorm asks what happened to the rat, Sparkpaw reveals that the ShadowClan apprentice broke the warrior code by eating it. Sandstorm wearily tells her granddaughter that they should just eat and rest.

When Sparkpaw goes missing, Sandstorm finds her sleeping under a bush, and when Cherryfall asks if they should wake her, Sandstorm says they should all sleep for a while. Alderpaw observes that Sandstorm is particularly exhausted, noting that the journey has taken a lot out of her. After sleeping, Alderpaw awakes from another vision, and declares they need to get going immediately. He uses her wound as an excuse to consult her on the vision, and Sandstorm senses that he is troubled. He shares his vision with her, and Sandstorm affirms his feelings of urgency. Before she turns to rejoin the others, Alderpaw interjects that he did also mean to look at her wound, and Sandstorm reluctantly yields to him.

Alderpaw sees that the wound may be becoming infected, and tells Sandstorm that she shouldn't be travelling, or at the very least, she should be resting more. Sandstorm remarks that Alderpaw has learned a lot, but disagrees with his proposition to gather horsetail, suggesting they take some if they see it while travelling. Alderpaw protests, but Sandstorm asks him to trust her as his elder when she says she is fine.

Sandstorm takes the lead as the group resumes their journey, and when they encounter a large yellow Twoleg structure, Sandstorm says it must be a barn, and advises the others to stay away from it. Their path is blocked by a wire fence, and Sandstorm calls out to Needlepaw to be careful as she climbs it. Sandstorm declares that she will cross last, but when she reaches the top of the fence, she stumbles and falls onto the ground. She insists that she's fine, joking that she only wanted to feel like a bird, and rests for a short while.

As they walk on, Alderpaw notices that Sandstorm's wound has begun to bleed again, and the elder reveals she may have scraped it on one of the fence's spikes. They find a cow, and Sandstorm explains that they usually ignore cats, but warns the group not to frighten them into a stampede. Sparkpaw attempts to hunt a chicken, but Sandstorm tells her to ignore it, as catching one risks injury. They hear what they think is a distant Thunderpath, and Sandstorm remarks that they're going in the right direction. As they pass through some bushes, Alderpaw warns Sandstorm to watch her shoulder.

The noise is revealed to be coming from a huge crop-eating monster, and Sandstorm orders them to run. While they flee, mud gets into Sandstorm's wound, which Alderpaw is sure is infected. He orders her to rest, and Sandstorm protests, but Alderpaw insists, surprising her. She admits he may have a point, but says they should first cross the fence in their way. Without warning, Sandstorm grapples to the top of the fence, but tumbles onto the other side with a screech. Alderpaw finds that she has torn her wound on the fence spike, and orders the group to find him cobwebs. Alderpaw licks the mud from the exhausted elder's wound, and applies the cobweb the others had collected, though the bleeding doesn't stop. Alderpaw doubts that in her weakened state she will be able to fight the injection.

Alderpaw stays with Sandstorm when a hunting patrol is sent out. He makes a nest for her, noting that she has stopped claiming to be fine. He tells her to eat a mouse, to which the elder calls him a bossy furball, and Alderpaw is relieved to see her bleeding has stopped. In the morning, Cherryfall asks how Sandstorm is doing, and Alderpaw sees that her wound, while not bleeding, is swollen and hot. When she awakes, the believes herself to be in the ThunderClan elders' den. She insists that she is ok, but gasps in pain as she sits up. She struggles to stay awake, and when offered a blackbird, declines. Alderpaw announces to the group that Sandstorm is too sick for them to continue travelling that day. Her protests do not convince the other cats, who are eager to help her. He asks them to search for herbs that fight infection.

Sparkpaw arrives with marigold, and Alderpaw asks her to remove the cobweb from Sandstorm's wound. He offers the elder water from the moss Needlepaw had brought, and Sandstorm accepts it. She tells her grandson not to worry, and that they must resume their journey soon, as the other cats, implied to be SkyClan, need them. Her vagueness confuses Sparkpaw, but Alderpaw says its her fever that's making her talk so. Sandstorm drifts into a feverish sleep.

That night, Alderpaw has a dream where he sees a strong cat coated in starlight walking purposefully ahead of him. The cat, who Alerpaw horrifyingly recognizes to be Sandstorm, turns to face him, telling him that its her time to join StarClan. Alderpaw vainly protests, and Sandstorm responds that it was her destiny, and tells him the route to find SkyClan. Alderpaw mutters that he failed her, but Sandstorm says that no cat could have done more to help her, doubting that Leafpool or Jayfeather could have kept her alive as long as he had. Alderpaw laments that she could have lived for more moons in ThunderClan, and Sandstorm retorts that now she will live many moons in StarClan with Firestar and the friends and family she had lost. Alderpaw cries out, trying to convince himself that it is all just a dream; Sandstorm gently tells him that no cat lives forever, and that it was her time.

Alderpaw awakes with a jerk, relieved that it was a dream, but finds in horror that Sandstorm has passed. Sparkpaw worriedly questions what they will do without her, and Alderpaw announces that Sandstorm wouldn't have wanted them to feel lost and defeated, and notes that they will sit vigil and bury her before making any decisions about whether to end the quest. They bury her beside the bushes in view of the stars, and Alderpaw dejectedly mutters that their quest may be doomed, and the group should go home. Needlepaw and Molewhisker argue, and later, Needlepaw convinces Alderpaw to tell the others the truth about SkyClan to reinvigorate their resolve for the journey.

Alderpaw leads the party along the route Sandstorm had instructed, and they eventually reach the gorge where SkyClan was said to live. When they find trouble with Darktail's group, Alderpaw continually wishes Sandstorm were still there to guide him and laments her death.

After falling asleep in a barn on their way back to the Clans, Alderpaw has a dream where he is at the Moonpool, greeted by Sandstorm, who reassures him again that he was at no fault for her death, mentioning that she never wanted to spend her last days as an elder anyway. She asks him to tell her about how his journey went, to which Alderpaw shouts that it was terrible and he hasn't learned anything. He explains what happened with Darktail, and begs his grandmother to tell him what to do. After a pause, Alderpaw sadly states that he's messed everything up, and Sandstorm asks how. Alderpaw lists off multiple things which he says are his fault, and declares that he's failed. Sandstorm calmly asks if he knows what the difference is between him and Sparkpaw. She goes on to state that Sparkpaw thinks she's solved every problem and he thinks he's caused every problem, and advises him to seek a different path to fulfill the quest. Alderpaw questions her, but the dream begins to fade.

He consults his vision with Needlepaw, and they talk about what the different path could be, and their discussion leads them to find a tunnel with two newborn kits: Twigkit and Violetkit. Upon returning to ThunderClan, Alderpaw confides in his father, Bramblestar, about his guilt over Sandstorm's death. At a Gathering, Bramblestar announces that Sandstorm's spirit led Alderpaw to find Twigkit and Violetkit, whom he believes to be the subject of StarClan's prophecy.

Thunder and Shadow

She does not formally appear, but is mentioned several times by Alderheart.

Shattered Sky

Alderheart realizes that Echosong was SkyClan's medicine cat, as Sandstorm had told him.

In the Super Editions

Bluestar's Prophecy

Bluestar and Redtail watch her, Graypaw, and Dustpaw play-fighting in the camp clearing. Redtail purrs and remarks that the apprentices probably called their play training.

Firestar's Quest

She trains Sorrelpaw as an apprentice, as Firestar promised her. Sandstorm accompanied Firestar in his quest to restore SkyClan. She got separated from him in a flood but later found him. Sandstorm and Firestar went to a gorge nearby and found a couple of kittypets, Cherry and Boris. The kittypets appeared quite rude, until Firestar told them to show some respect. They later taught them how to hunt and follow the warrior code. They also told the kittypets that they may be descended from Skyclan, due to their strong haunches and rough pads. They also told them that they may be related to a cat that they teased whom they called 'Moony'. Sandstorm later taught Echosong about basic herbs.

Firestar goes to sleep in Smudge's garden to try and dream of the strange cats in his dream-which are revealed later to be SkyClan cats. Sandstorm and Graystripe both think that Firestar is going to tell them that he is going back to live with his Twolegs to become a kittypet once again, and she asks him, devastated, how he can abandon her and his Clan just to go look for other cats. Firestar tells her he would never do that and asks her to travel with him to rebuild SkyClan. Delighted, she agrees, until she remembers her apprentice, Sorrelpaw. Firestar says that Dustpelt can be her temporary mentor until they return.

While traveling during a storm, Sandstorm suggests that they spend the night in an abandoned Twoleg nest. But as Firestar steps inside he becomes frightened from his kittypet origins and insists that they find another place to rest. While they are looking, a flood comes and Sandstorm is swept away by a giant wave. Firestar regrets the argument over his feelings for Spottedleaf that he and Sandstorm had been having moments before she was lost, as well as not staying in the Twoleg nest. He spends the next few chapters of the book desperately searching for his beloved mate. He eventually finds her with the help of some loners and she insists on playing an equal role in the quest of rebuilding SkyClan. Sandstorm does most of the hunting during the book, and even manages to catch a fish, despite not being a RiverClan cat. According to Firestar, she acted like a WindClan cat when she had caught a rabbit and a RiverClan cat when she caught a fish.

Sandstorm takes up the role of a part-time medicine cat for SkyClan when Patchfoot is injured by rats. She gets very upset when Spottedleaf comes to help Sandstorm heal Patchfoot, and Firestar lets it slip that he and Spottedleaf had seen each other before in his dream. Sandstorm insists that Firestar loves Spottedleaf and comments that two had always seemed to belong together when Firestar first joined the Clan. Spottedleaf couldn't choose a mate, even if she desperately wanted to. Firestar also tells Sandstorm he would love her for all the moons to come and she would never be second-best to him. Though Spottedleaf would always be Firestar's first love, he reveals his love for Sandstorm belonged in the life they shared. Sandstorm accepts, although she gets slightly tense when Firestar brings up the name of Spottedleaf again.

In the fight against the rats, Sandstorm refuses to leave Firestar in the barn and later chooses to save him over Rainfur, who dies. Together, Sandstorm and Firestar leave SkyClan and return home to ThunderClan.

In the epilogue, she gives birth to Firestar's kits, Squirrelkit and Leafkit, meaning that she truly accepted Spottedleaf's advice. It is suspected by Firestar that she named Leafkit after Leafstar, or even Spottedleaf. She also mentions that she named Squirrelkit after her large, bushy tail.

SkyClan's Destiny

Although not formally appearing, Sandstorm is mentioned and thought of several times. Leafstar wonders what Sandstorm and Firestar would have done during their times of trouble.

Bramblestar's Storm

In StarClan, Firestar painfully wonders how many moons he will wait until Sandstorm joins him. She is first seen addressing Bramblestar, telling him that he's still a young cat, and reports that she and Daisy are cleaning the nursery. When Bramblestar worries about Sandstorm's ability to labor, Sandstorm asks if he's planning on making her an elder. Her leader considers it, but Sandstorm argues that she still has life in her, and she discards the old bedding from the camp.

After a Gathering where Bramblestar reported signs of ShadowClan trespassing, Sandstorm suggests they enjoy the momentary peace when the scents die down. When Blossomfall falls into the rising lake, Bramblestar helps Sandstorm grab a branch to fish her out. He asks Sandstorm to take her back to camp to be checked by Jayfeather, but Blossomfall insists on staying.

Sandstorm looks in astonishment as the patrol watches WindClan catching seagulls, and when they further discuss the rising lake, Sandstorm notes that it's hard to believe it was ever empty. When Molewhisker catches one of the seagulls and a dispute arises with WindClan, Sandstorm tells Bramblestar that Firestar would have let WindClan have the bird. However, she helps him carry it away, and admits he made the right decision.

When the warriors' den floods, Sandstorm is one of the cats moved to the leader's den. She and Dustpelt help lift Briarlight onto Graystripe's back, and Bramblestar asks Sandstorm to help with Purdy after Briarlight is sorted. When Purdy doubts he can climb the cliff, Sandstorm reassures him. He slips and Sandstorm attempts to pull him up, and succeeds with the help of Bramblestar. Bramblestar asks her to find an ivy stem to lower him back down into the camp. She and Lionblaze get him down, and Sandstorm finds shelter for the rest of the cats under a beech tree.

After the Clan settles into the tunnels, Sandstorm recommends Bramblestar stay rather than join a hunting patrol. When Bramblestar leaves anyway, Sandstorm tells him that Firestar always struggled with allowing his Clanmates, who had only one life each, to put themselves in danger, and advises him to trust them. Back in the tunnels, she helps distribute prey, and gives Bramblestar permission to leave to scout WindClan's territory.

Squirrelflight asks her mother to spend more time with Purdy, who is feeling left out, but Sandstorm recommends that instead of banishing her as an elder, they get Purdy more involved by assigning him to bedding distribution with Daisy. Soon after, Squirrelflight asks her to lead a hunting patrol.

After a kittypet named Minty is rescued from the flood, Sandstorm notes that she doesn't smell like a kittypet. Bramblestar asks for Sandstorm and Cloudtail to lead more hunting patrols. Later, Jayfeather mentions that Sandstorm's begun coughing, and the warrior offers to watch Minty explore the territory, but Bramblestar protests due to her cough. At Seedpaw's vigil, Sandstorm comforts Lilypaw. Bramblestar tells Squirrelflight that Sandstorm and Amberpaw, who is also sick, need to stay off patrols.

Later, Bramblestar finds Sandstorm drying bedding, and notes that while her cough is gone, her breathing is still raspy. He tells her about his meeting with Tawnypelt, asking what Firestar would have done in such a situation. Sandstorm tells her leader that he should be asking what he should do, and Bramblestar further asks her her advice. Sandstorm recommends he use Rowanstar's new status as leader as an excuse to visit ShadowClan and offer ThunderClan assistance. Bramblestar thanks her, and Sandstorm says he's doing a fine job as leader, mentioning that Clan boundaries are often more trouble than they're worth.

When Bramblestar returns from his meeting, he tells Sandstorm that ShadowClan wouldn't accept his help in dealing with the aggressive kittypets. Sandstorm coughs, leading Bramblestar to ask about her health. Sandstorm insists that she is fine, and Jayfeather says that she doesn't have greencough. Bramblestar announces he is going to arrange a patrol to deal with the kittypets, and when Mousewhisker doubts the fighting capability of kittypets, Sandstorm reminds him that kittypets can be dangerous, and that ShadowClan has been weakened by the flood. The battle against the kittypets is won, but not without injury, and Sandstorm offers Bramblestar a mouse for strength.

After Lionblaze is injured, Sandstorm asks Bramblestar to console Cinderheart, and the old warrior praises her leader when his words help the she-cat. Later, Bramblestar finds Sandstorm telling Purdy about the time Firestar met Yellowfang, and he calls her outside for a Clan meeting. At the mention of badgers, Sandstorm recalls the previous time badgers had attacked ThunderClan's camp, and doubts that they can fight them again in their weakened state. She begins spending more time in the tunnels, content to be idle. When Cinderheart reveals she is expecting kits, Sandstorm advises her not to take any risks, and stay confined to camp activities.

Some time later, Bramblestar seeks her out. He finds her arguing with Jayfeather about her health, and tells her about his visit from Firestar in a dream the night before where he revealed the existence of SkyClan. He asks her more about the forgotten Clan, and Sandstorm explains all she knows. Afterwards, Bramblestar laments his guilt about the loss of Dustpelt in the battle against the badgers, and how ShadowClan was angry with them. He mentions how he was trying to be like Firestar, and Sandstorm once again advises him to be his own leader.

Sandstorm and Graystripe ask to become elders. Sandstorm states that she will continue to serve ThunderClan and the warrior code as an elder, mentioning that Firestar is watching over her. Bramblestar thinks he sees Firestar and Dustpelt weaving among the newly-made elders.

As patrols are sent out, Sandstorm and Graystripe look regretful that they can no longer join them. Bramblestar says they must attend the next Gathering, and Sandstorm mutters to Graystripe, wondering how many cats from the other Clans didn't survive the storm.

Hawkwing's Journey

Sandstorm is mentioned several times as the cat who traveled with Firestar to rebuild SkyClan. Waspwhisker comments that she was brave and that perhaps she and Firestar's kin will still be alive in ThunderClan.

In the Novellas

Redtail's Debt

Redtail spots Sandpaw, Dustpaw, and Ravenpaw cleaning the elders' den. One-eye calls for her next to be especially soft and Sandpaw flicks her tail in amusement. When Dustpaw tries to convince his mentor to join him, Tigerclaw and Ravenpaw to Sunningrocks, Redtail explains he wants him to train with Whitestorm and Sandpaw.

Tigerclaw's Fury

During the fire that rages through ThunderClan's territory, Sandstorm yowls at Fireheart that he cannot go back to the camp when it is discovered Halftail, Patchpelt, and Bramblekit are missing. She insists on coming with Fireheart when he is determined to go, but Whitestorm stops her, telling her that they were already short of warriors.

Leafpool's Wish

After Leafpool snaps Whitepaw's dislocated tail into place, Sandstorm walks up to her and congratulates her. Sandstorm tells her how proud she is of her and how she even managed to keep Brightheart calm. Leafpool tells her that no mother likes to see her kit in pain. Sandstorm agrees and says that Leafpool can tell her if anything is wrong, seeming to notice that Leafpool had not been herself in the last few days. Leafpool, trying to avoid the discussion, says she needs to collect yarrow. Sandstorm tells her she will watch Whitepaw until she returns. Leafpool inches away from her mother. Unbeknownst to her, Leafpool is pregnant and does not want her mother, an experienced queen, to notice.

When Leafpool tells Sandstorm and Firestar she has to leave to find a mysterious herb, Sandstorm asks her if she has to go. She looks worried, and Leafpool briefly wonders if Sandstorm found out she is expecting kits.

Dovewing's Silence

After Sorreltail dies, Sandstorm is seen walking up to Squirrelflight, telling her that if she was injured that badly, nothing could have been done for her. She helps Squirrelflight, Millie, and Graystripe carry her to the place where she would be buried. 

When Purdy remarks about the place Mousefur was buried, Sandstorm runs her tail along his spine and tells him it's a lovely idea. 

Dovewing hears Sandstorm coughing and remarks to Bumblestripe that she should see Jayfeather, and Bumblestripe agrees. Dovewing is tired because Sandstorm kept her up all night, for the third time in a row. Poppyfrost walks up to her with water and gives it to her, and Sandstorm is grateful, drinking it.

Berrynose asks Bramblestar if Sandstorm can sleep in the elders' den, because she is keeping them awake and that they can't patrol. Bramblestar asks if she is okay with it and Sandstorm is defiant, telling him that it's just whitecough and that she does not need to be an elder yet. She then tells Bramblestar that she will sleep in the apprentices' den and take some honey. 

Squirrelflight says that she will sleep with Sandstorm. Sandstorm begins to protest, but Squirrelflight says that she will no matter what. 

Sandstorm asks if she can share a squirrel with Dovewing, Purdy, and Bumblestripe. Purdy tells her that of course, she could and shifts over for her to take a bite out of it. Purdy starts talking about when all the sick cats had to go to the abandoned Twoleg den and Sandstorm looks sad and says that it cost Firestar a life too. Dovewing asks if they'll do that and again and Sandstorm guesses that they won't and looks sadder. 

Ravenpaw's Farewell

Ravenpaw recalls there was a vision that sent Firestar and Sandstorm on a journey to save SkyClan. The loner tells Silverstream Sandstorm and Firestar went to SkyClan after the battle against BloodClan. He later asks Barley to remember how he told him about the Clan Firestar and Sandstorm found up the river. Ravenpaw decides to go to SkyClan and reassures Sandstorm and her mate safety made the journey so he can too. During the journey, Ravenpaw has a vision, hearing the whispers of Sandstorm and Firestar. He can feel they are nervous and excited, in the same shelter he is in, knowing how close to finished their journey is. Ravenpaw thinks he has finally followed their paw steps to SkyClan.

Ravenpaw meets Leafstar and explains about ThunderClan leaving the forest. Leafstar feels sorry for Sandstorm and Firestar for having to leave their home and hopes wherever they have settled, they are safe. Ravenpaw is certain they are safe as StarClan would have let him know if something happened. Leafstar explains she has tried to get SkyClan to remember Firestar and Sandstorm as they owe them everything. She says that they will always be grateful for what Firestar and Sandstorm have done. During a dream, Skywatcher comes to Ravenpaw, explaining he was the last SkyClan warrior until Firestar and Sandstorm came to save it. Cloudstar is also there, explaining he also made the same journey Firestar and Sandstorm made.

Pebbleshine's Kits

Pebbleshine watches a ginger tom say that Sandstorm didn't mean a literal different path, which makes her excited as she knows Sandstorm is a Clan name.

In the Ravenpaw's Path arc

A Clan in Need

Sandstorm is seen with Leafkit and Squirrelkit. Ravenpaw and his friend, Barley, approach the nursery. When Squirrelkit asks who they are, Sandstorm tells her that they helped ThunderClan in the battle against BloodClan. Ravenpaw compliments the kits and plays with them.

The Heart of a Warrior

Sandstorm is seen trying to stop Squirrelkit and Leafkit from going with the other cats, but they end up waking up all of ThunderClan, despite their mother's warnings to be careful.

In the Graystripe's Adventure arc

The Lost Warrior

Sandstorm is seen during Graystipe's delirium, calling out his name.

In the SkyClan and the Stranger arc

The Rescue

She does not appear, but Leafstar names her daughter Stormkit in honor of her, and Firekit after Firestar.

After the Flood

When Petalnose, Patchfoot, and Fallowfern tell Leafstar about their thoughts on leaving SkyClan, Petalnose reminds Leafstar about the rats that drove the first Clan out, and that she and Patchfoot later fought them again with Firestar and Sandstorm.

In the Field Guides

Secrets of the Clans

Sandstorm gives a tour of ThunderClan's camp in the old forest. She introduces the reader to both her daughters, Leafpaw and Squirrelpaw. She shows them all the dens (warrior, nursery, medicine, etc.), and at the elders' den, she meets Dappletail, who quickly accuses the reader of being spies for ShadowClan.

When Cloudtail speaks about being captured by the Twolegs, he says how grateful he is to Sandstorm for not judging him for his mistakes and welcoming him back into ThunderClan, unlike some of the other cats in ThunderClan.

Cats of the Clans

Rock thinks that Sandstorm should be remembered for more than just being the loyal mate of Firestar and a good mother to Squirrelflight and Leafpool. He says that it was Sandstorm who convinced Firestar to lead ThunderClan into battle with BloodClan and that he was doing the right thing.

Sandstorm knows Firestar better than he realizes, even more so than Spottedleaf. She is not just Firestar's shadow; she matched his courage in the journey to rebuild SkyClan and helped fight off the rats even though she only had one life to lose.

Rock says he holds Sandstorm in higher esteem than almost any other Clan cat, and that she has come a long way from tormenting the kittypet Rusty with Dustpaw.

Code of the Clans

Sandstorm speaks quietly about Firestar and how his kittypet origins may have helped him become one of the greatest warriors in the forest. She asked if a forest-born cat would have gone behind Bluestar's back to do what was best for the Clan, or if Fireheart would have suspected Tigerclaw of treachery if he wasn't a kittypet. She also mentions that Firestar is like other forest-born cats since he rejected his former life as a kittypet.

At the end of "A Change of Heart: Sandstorm Speaks", Sandstorm expresses that she loves Fireheart more than she could imagine loving any other cat, and asks that if Fireheart knew, would he love her as well.

In "Who Goes There?: Whitestorm Teaches Border Tactics", she is one of the apprentices, along with Ravenpaw, Dustpaw, Graypaw, and Firepaw. She and Dustpaw are seen trying to torment Firepaw by putting a fire ant in his fur, but Whitestorm tells her to put the ant down. Also, when Graypaw is drawing a "borderline," she complains the line is wobbly, and Whitestorm responds by telling her borders aren't whisker-straight.

Battles of the Clans

Sandstorm does not make an appearance, but Lionblaze mentions her during Bumblepaw's demonstration of a battle tactic and states that she can track a mouse from the other side of the forest. Tigerstar also mentions how she was part of the chain to lure the dog pack away from the ThunderClan camp when giving the reader a tour of the forest territories. Graystripe mentions how she and Firestar were away on some sort of mission and had left him in charge of ThunderClan.

The Ultimate Guide

First mentioned on Firestar's page, Sandstorm is said to be the cat that Firestar, then Fireheart, grew close to after the death of Spottedleaf during a ShadowClan attack on ThunderClan's camp. Soon after he became Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, Sandstorm gave birth to Leafkit and Squirrelkit, their daughters. She is also mentioned on the next page, on Spottedleaf's page. It is said that Spottedleaf knew that she'd lost Firestar to Sandstorm, and this was made clear when Sandstorm and Firestar left to help rebuild SkyClan. The former medicine cat knew that Sandstorm was a far better choice- being able to match Firestar step after step, bear his kits, and also help with the responsibility that was leading ThunderClan. Spottedleaf also gave her life for Sandstorm, as one last gift to the cat she loved.

On Sandstorm's own page, it is noted that when Firestar first came to ThunderClan, under the name of Rusty, she and a fellow apprentice, Dustpaw, tormented him. The former kittypet soon left a different kind of impression on Sandstorm, and soon enough, she began to truly appreciate him and everything he did for ThunderClan. Firestar soon came to the realization as to how important Sandstorm was to him, and the she-cat's friendship and support were extremely important to the new ThunderClan leader as he prepared to battle against BloodClan. Sandstorm was the cat who gave Firestar that final push to make him believe that he was doing the right thing by going to war with the Twolegplace rogues.

It is said that Sandstorm's courage rivaled that of Firestar himself, and she was a very proud and committed ThunderClan warrior. On the journey to rebuild SkyClan, Sandstorm played the role of medicine cat, using the skills taught to her by Cinderpelt, ThunderClan's medicine cat, and she also matched her mate strike-for-strike when SkyClan was threatened by the rats, even though she could have met a fate that would result in her death. She was also an excellent mother to both her daughters, Squirrelflight and Leafpool, and stood by them when the truth came out about her grandkits: Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather.

Besides his medicine cats and deputies, Sandstorm was the cat whom Firestar called upon before making any decisions regarding ThunderClan. Although quick-tempered, she had a very strong sense of justice, and stood up for cats who resided in ThunderClan that didn't necessarily fit in with ThunderClan's warrior lifestyle; this includes Daisy, who stays in the nursery and helps the nursing queens, instead of hunting or patrolling with the rest of her Clan.

Although Sandstorm never once wished that she could have been able to change how things played out with Firestar and ThunderClan, it is said that she would have loved to have had more kits with Firestar. But, in the end, she shared Firestar's responsibility with all cats in her Clan, and she knew that her mate already had enough demands placed on him by the other members of his Clan.

It is mentioned on Squirrelflight’s page that she demonstrated the quiet determination of her mother. She also appears on SkyClan’s introductory page. Sandstorm went with Firestar, who was sent by Bluestar, to rebuild the Clan, tracking down descendants and inviting cats to hold the warrior code, eventually working together to defeat the rats.

It is mentioned on Cloudstar and Skywatcher's page that Skywatcher was the last descendant of SkyClan living in the gorge when Firestar and Sandstorm arrived. Sandstorm is mentioned twice on Echosong’s page; she was expecting Firestar and Sandstorm when they came looking for new warriors in Twolegplace to join the new SkyClan. Sandstorm’s patient teaching of herbs, among other things, made Echosong the obvious choice as SkyClan’s medicine cat.

In the Short stories and plays

Ultimate Leader Election: Firestar

She puts her stone in for Firestar to lead all the Clans temporarily. Sandstorm has trust in Firestar but she then hesitated because they wouldn't have much more time together if he was voted for this particular role.

Spottedleaf's Honest Answer

She is never seen but is mentioned by Spottedleaf, when she talks about what she thinks of the relationship between her and Firestar. Spottedleaf says that she knows Sandstorm loves Firestar very much and that Firestar loves Sandstorm equally as much in return. She also explains why she and Firestar wouldn't have been able to be together; because while Spottedleaf could only come to Firestar in dreams, Sandstorm would always be by his side no matter what, giving him advice, and bearing him his kits, and while Spottedleaf remained forever young in StarClan, Sandstorm would age alongside Firestar. Spottedleaf also says that Leafpool and Squirrelflight, Sandstorm's kits, are like daughters to her as well, and she will look out for them. She tells the reader that she approves of Firestar and Sandstorm together, but that she will always love the flame-colored leader very much, too.

The Elders' Concern

Smallear says that Fireheart shouldn't have been chosen as deputy since he wasn't the best fighter or hunter in ThunderClan. To prove his point, he contrasts Sandstorm's hunting skills to Fireheart's, saying that Sandstorm could track a beetle in a blizzard.

In the Warriors App

On Sandstorm's trivia page it mentions that feeling pressure to be the best hunter in the Clan, Sandpaw cheated on one of her hunting assessments by taking prey forgotten by another warrior and presenting it as her own catch. Feeling guilty, she later informed Bluestar of her actions. Bluestar sets Sandpaw the task of catching the same amount of fresh-kill as she'd dug up, and Sandpaw completes the task securing her place as the best hunter in the Clan.

She is also mentioned on Squirrelflight's trivia page. Squirrelkit, feeling bitter about her sister, Leafkit's, accomplishments, puts a fire ant in her sister's nest to make her squirm through the night from being bitten. Sandstorm discovers the plan and informs the two kits that they'll be switching nests that night. Squirrelkit refuses to reveal her plot and is ready to spend the night in a nest with the ant. However, Sandstorm reveals to Squirrelkit that she'd found and killed the ant, secretly impressed with her daughter's determination not to get caught.