The three of them padded back to camp at a slower pace than they started out, after Princess shed her collar.
("Oh, this dumb thing? Hold on, I just have to snag it on a branch.")
Brackenpaw, Brightpaw and Thornpaw instantly surrounded their sister, peppering her with questions about her day and the newcomer. Fireheart led Princess over to Highrock, where Bluestar padded out from her den.
"What is the meaning of this?!" She snapped. "Your first day as a mentor and you bring a kittypet back to camp? A queen at that?!"
"If you would allow me to state my case?" Princess hissed, rising to her paws and shielding her brother from his leader's view.
The apprentices gasped, but Bluestar purred.
"Continue." She insisted.
"I came into the forest looking for a place to stay. An old friend of Rusty's told me that he ran off some time ago, and I wanted to see if I could follow him. My Twolegs have been kind to me, but they have a habit of taking kits from their mothers when they no longer need milk and sending them to different places. I don't want that for my kits, and when Rusty told me about his life in the forest, I asked him to take me with him. He tried to warn me off too, silly tom. All the same, whether you take me in or not, I'm not going back to Twolegs."
Bluestar studied the brown and white queen with an unreadable gaze.
"Goldenflower!" She called after a few heartbeats.
"Yes, Bluestar?" The yellow she-cat hurried over to her leader.
"This newcomer will be staying with us for the foreseeable future, and would like a nest."
"Oh thank StarClan." Fireheart breathed.
"Yes! Fireheart gets to keep his sister!" Cinderpaw screeched happily. Her siblings took up the call and soon, the whole Clan was whispering about the kittypet queen.
"I didn't know you had a sister, Fireheart." Willowpelt padded over to them and dipped her head in a friendly manner.
"It's nice to meet you." Princess murmured shyly. Fireheart recalled that her courage came in spurts. Most of the time she was polite and hid behind their mother, but every once in awhile she would join he and their brothers in a playfight. She was never very good, but he was always happy that she tried.
"We were littermates along with my brother and other sister, but they got taken further than we did." Fireheart explained. "I never really expected to see any of my family again, but if Princess is so against returning to her Twolegs then I'd rather have her with me."
"And what makes you think that's acceptable?" Tigerclaw growled. Fireheart jolted. He came out of nowhere!
"Even you wouldn't hurt a queen, no matter your distaste for kittypets!" Willowpelt snapped. "This queen is brave enough to go against her Twolegs and step into the forest! You want to deny her the chance to keep her family together because she didn't grow up in the same nursery as you?! StarClan willing, your kits will inherit their mother's kindness, you miserable excuse for a tom!"
Tigerclaw blinked, shocked, and turned tail for the Warriors den.
Willowpelt joined Princess in nervous laughter.
"Come now, let's get you set up."
Willowpelt led Princess to Goldenflower and Frostfur, who welcomed her with gentle purrs.
"She'll be more than fine with them." Bluestar assured her former apprentice.
"I've only ever had you guys as family, and that's been enough for me so far… so why does this feel so different?"
"Oftentimes there is a bond between littermates." Bluestar explained. "We think it's got something to do with keeping your bloodline going along with your family."
Fireheart nodded.
"She's no fighter, for sure. She wants to be a medicine cat. I remember that Yellowfang said medicine cats can't take a mate or have kits, but she really likes the idea of working with herbs and talking to StarClan. Do you think… do you think they'd accept her?"
"The rule about medicine cats not having kits was set down long ago, to keep them impartial and able to care for all cats. If your sister can remain impartial, then I see no reason for StarClan to reject her. It's just as well, though. Kits are a good thing for any cat, and we're lucky that she was so dedicated to the idea of leaving. She'll have no motivation to leave us."
Fireheart nodded and Bluestar snorted.
"Go find Sandstorm." She ordered. "Share a meal or something. Your pining is grating my nerves. You're practically mates already. You should just make it official."
"What?! Bluestar, you don't understand, it took moons for her to come around to the idea of liking me the first time around! What makes you think-?"
"I've been around for quite a while, Fireheart. An old cat knows young love when they see it." Bluestar purred. "Go on, Fireheart, find your favorite she-cat."
The ginger tom snorted and shook his head before heading to the fresh-kill pile. He stopped halfway, then veered toward the camp entrance with a frustrated sigh. He didn't bother to see if Sandstorm had noticed, but Bluestar had a smug gleam in her eyes.
Whatever.
"Any particular reason you've been avoiding the rest of us?" Sandstorm asked. They padded on in silence for a few fox-lengths before she spoke. "Your sister's something else, standing up to Bluestar that way. I guess a fiery spirit runs in the family." She chirped.
"Yeah," Fireheart mumbled. "I uh, I don't want you to feel weird about this or anything, because I know I've been keeping you guys up to date with the stories from my dreams-."
"The ones about us in that other world? I like them, what of it?"
"I love you!" He blurted out. "And it's not just because of the dreams. There are things I love about you that the version of you in my dreams never did, and I've been wondering how to tell you but I didn't want you to freak out or assume that it was an because of the dreams, because they have nothing to do with this. I just… I love you, Sandstorm. Can we be mates?"
Sandstorm stood frozen, eyes wide and staring at him.
Fireheart fidgeted a bit and focused on staring at the ground. The tan she-cat turned to her ginger companion and lifted his head up with her own.
"I love you too, mouse-brain. You're amazing and that life you had in your dreams sounded so wonderful that I imagined myself living it with you… and if we ever do get around to seeing Leafpool and Squirrelflight, I'm sure they'll be the best cats ever."
Fireheart closed his eyes and savored the moment.
"Thank you." He purred. "Thank you so much, Sandstorm, I swear I'll be the best mate ever!"
"Just keep being you, soft-heart, and I'll keep on being me. We just get to be ourselves together."