#longfiresand

[sketches-by-scarletwind]

LongFireSand - The Power Throuple of ThunderClan

A couple of design thoughts and hcs below the cut

I love the idea that Sandstorm looks very lion-like, but Lion as a prefix, historically, has been considered a very masculine name. She might've had two dads, (Redtail is a trans!icon in my book) but the idea of her getting a Tom's name was out of the question at the time. She's equal parts slinky and buff - still the best hunter in the clan, but can also kick your ass in the sandy hollow too

The SSS warrior cats' design of Longtail is absolutely iconic, but I saw @bowiestarzzz's design of color point tabby Longtail and haven't been able to go back. I also love the touches of white on his toes to make him look a touch cutesy to match his massive tsundere crush on a certain ginger ex-kittypet

Firestar gets to keep a relatively generic protag look, but i love the idea that his semi-fluffy tail streaming out behind him looks somewhat flame-like to tie into his name

In my mind, both Sandstorm and Longtail are mates with Firestar in the canon/fanon-accepted ways, but Longtail and Sandstorm aren't necessarily mates with each other. Not that I don't think they'd get along, but I also think they'd do really well as friends in a sort of qpr situation. The two like to gang up on Firestar together and tease him about his goody-goody nature and would often hunt together in the old forest. Longtail, while he was adjusting to his life as an elder, would take shifts in the Nursery with baby leaf and squilf so Sandstorm could get a break

[omenofthestars]

pt 1 of my genetic headcanon fire/long/sand family tree

(read disclaimers before commenting on the genetics)

cats listed, their phenotypes, and their genotypes:

Sandstorm, a short hair cream ticked tabby (trans) molly, with pale green eyes, and no white (Oy, L/l, d/d, A/-, Mc/mc, Ta/ta, Wb0 (-), W/W)

Fireheart/star, a long ginger classic tabby (trans) tom, with green eyes, and a low white spotting (OO, l/l, D/-, A/-, mc/mc, ta/ta, Wb0 (-), S/W)

Longtail, a short hair rusty-golden mackerel tabby tom, with no white, and pale yellow-green eyes (oy, L/-, D/-, A/-, Mc/Mc, ta/ta, Wb2 (wb+), W/W)

Squirrelflight/star, a long hair ginger classic tabby molly, with low white spotting, and bright green eyes (sandfire's kit, OO, l/l, D/d, A/-, mc/mc, ta/ta, Wb0 (-), S/W)

Leafpool, a short hair mackerel tortoiseshell molly that's slightly golden, with low white spotting and hazel-gold eyes (longfire's kit, Oo, L/l, D/-, A/-, Mc/mc, ta/ta, Wb1 (wb), S/W)

disclaimers:

wideband gene theory from messybeast. using this because it's the easiest for my tiny brain to comprehend. is it accurate? who fucking knowwwss

the S/W-S/S-W/W white system is outdated. i know. i find this version easier or fake cats

i screwed up leaf's design a little. it's because i forgot she'd have widebanding until i'd already colored her and i didn't want to redraw her

extra accurate leafpool would have a tarnished-rusty golden color for all her non-striped fur, with her stripes being full colored (black and ginger). the patches would also likely bleed into the rest of the fur with a sorta fuzzy look

to make leaf look the way she does in the photo, longtail would have to be different (likely a fawn tabby)

OR you'd have to make squilf trans (see below) but i only realized that too late and didnt want to make a whole ass new drawing. so.

i will probably fix/swap to trans squilf once i continue

trans squilf. you agree? you love? i also love but im burn out. if you desperately want this, here's what i'd do (phenotypically):

swap the sisters (squilf is longfire, leaf is firesand),

make squilf Trans (and therefore can only be orange. she would be golden-orange and would have dark-er red stripes with a paler gold-orange body),

make sandstorm a black-based fawn tabby (allowing cis female leaf to be a tortie. or make her intersex if you want. or trans if you like black-base only leaf)

[bramblewhisker]

I was always iffy about GrayFireSand as a throuple because while I feel like Firestar and Sandstorm both could use another tom in there, I just can't vibe with GraySand. Sandstorm seems like she would NOT be down for Graystripe's goofy attitude in the nest (he seems like a guy who cracks jokes during sex, which totally works with Firestar, but Sandstorm would claw his ears off).

LongFireSand though... it feels like it works so well. LongFire is, of course, peak, and LongSand feels so cute?? They're both very serious types with good natures underneath. Longtail and Sandstorm gradually opening up to and being vulnerable with each other is just precious, I love that for them.

Never thought about this before reblogging the art with them a little bit ago and now I am turning LongFireSand around in my head.

[quiverpaw]

Are hypokits open? if yes- longtail x sandstorm x firestar?

two brothers who are always together- a lot like leaf and squirrel, actually

[cheesycafe]

I admit defeat, I'm sold in, LongFireSand is now canon in my au.

[quiverpaw]

FUCK i have like 60 different ships i live for ummmmmmm

longtail x firestar x sandstorm mayhaps

KEEP SENDING ASKS SKOTTY!!! I DO NOT CARE HOW MANY!!

uhhh 6/10 i don’t really… care? about firestar ships but it’s fine