Fireheart and Sandstorm were out on hunting patrol together for the first time. She was an excellent skilled Warrior. Fast runner, sly, quiet, and calm. He liked that about her. Firestar spotted a vole on the edge of the river. As he quietly approached it, Sandstorm pounced on it from out of no where. Fireheart stood motionless, jaw wide open. "Wow! That was a really good pounce Sandstorm!"
She smiled and said her thanks. As soon as she dropped the vole to talk an owl swooped down causing her to fall backwards into the river. "FIREHEART!" she cried.
He ran to the river and jumped in after her. He would do anything to keep her safe.
He swam as fast as he could and caught up with her. Fireheart took her by the scruff and pulled her out of the river. She sat up on land and coughed. "Thank you Fireheart. You saved my life," she said.
"I had to go in after you. I don't know what I would've done if you drowned…" he trailed off.
The pale ginger she-cat smiled and walked over to him and licked his cheek. "I don't think any other cat would've been so brave."
"How was I brave?" he asked.
"Well, you risked your life to save mine, and you jumped into a deep river."
He licked her cheek and intertwined his tail gently with hers, "I'll do anything to protect you, anything so you'll be safe, and anything to prove I love you."
Sandstorm's heart skipped a beat when he said that, "You…love me?"
He nodded. She purred and rubbed her head against his neck, "I love you too, Fireheart."
Time froze between them. They each had feelings for each other, and they each confessed to each other. Fireheart licked her forehead and she giggled. "We still have to hunt you know," she pointed out.
"Okay, more time together," he said making her blush.
They hunted for several hours and headed back to the camp. Their tails intertwined, walking side by side. As they came into the camp all eyes wide and on them. Every cat knew that when Fireheart had first come to the camp, Sandstorm had teased him about it. The two placed their kill down in the pile and walked over to the warrior's den where Dustpelt approached them. "What are you doing?" he asked.
Sandstorm licked Fireheart's cheek and then replied, "Living a happy life with Fireheart."
"Why do you like him?"
"I don't. I love him. And he loves me too, so get out of our business because who I fall in love with is none of your business, and I never liked you that way," she snapped.
Dustpelt was taken aback and walked away angry. "What was that about?" asked Fireheart.
"He's madly in love with me. But I don't like him. He's mean and annoying," she replied.
"I can understand why he's in love with you."
"Fireheart?"
"Yeah?"
"When did you first realize that you were in love with me?" she asked.
"When I first met your gaze," replied the orange tom.
"What about Spottedleaf? Didn't you love her?"
"I did, but she was the medicine cat. But she's gone now, forever. But I have you here, and I won't let anything happen to you that I can't fix."
She giggled and said, "I don't know, I'm pretty klutzy!"
He laughed, "Yes you are! A breeze from a flying owl made you fall backwards!"
She nuzzled him, "Thank you again, Fireheart. For saving my life."
"Fireheart!" called Graystripe, "Bluestar wants to talk with you!"
"Love you," said Fireheart licking her cheek.
"Love you too," replied Sandstorm. And he padded off to the leader's den.
"So, Fireheart finally confessed to you?" asked Graystripe.
"Well, yeah. He saved my life," she replied.
"Is that why you love him? Because he saved your life?"
Sandstorm looked shocked, "No! I've loved Fireheart for a long time Graystripe."
Graystripe shrugged, "I just thought because you picked on him so much, that maybe you only loved him for that!"
"So do you only love Silverstream because she saved you?" she snapped.
"Okay! I get your point Sandstorm!" he said padding off. Sandstorm felt a pang of guilt rush through her as she ran after Graystripe. "I'm Sorry Graystripe!" she said.
"It's fine."
"No. What if Fireheart thinks the same way you do? You two are like twins!" she asked worriedly.
"Don't worry; just show him all your love. You have years worth of the stuff all packed away in your heart. Just prove it to him."
She nodded and padded back to the den. She sighed and waited patiently for Fireheart. Soon the Warrior came out of the den and padded over to her. "She just needed me to arrange the evening and dawn patrols, and she said that I can do something tonight."
"Do what?" She asked.
"Oh, you'll see soon enough," he smiled. When the evening patrol set out Fireheart and Sandstorm headed out to the Sunningrocks, but she had no clue that's where they were heading. "Fireheart, where are we going?" she asked.
"To the Sunningrocks, to you know, just be together," he replied.
She smiled and they were quiet the rest of the way there. When they got there they just lay side by side watching the moon rise. Fireheart looked over at her and noticed how her pelt shone in the light of the moon.
"Your pelt looks beautiful in the light," he said as she looked over to him, "And so do your eyes." Her fur ruffled with embarrassment. "Thank you."
"So when did you start liking me?" he asked remembering her asking him the same question.
"What? Oh. Umm… I guess when I first saw your eyes."