Rating:

K+ (for now)

Pairings:

SquirrelXBramble, FireXSand, LeafXBilly, CrowXLeaf (and a few more)

Disclaimer:

Warriors doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Erin Hunter.

Information:

This is set after The last Hope, however that whole thing with the Dark Forest never even happened. They were blocked the moment Brambleclaw killed Hawkfrost. Lionblaze, Jayfeather and Dovewing still have their Powers and Hollyleaf is still with the Clans.

Summary:

One day Firestar, Blackstar, Mistystar, Onestar and Leafstar disappear from their clans. Everyone is shocked, even StarClan. Three moons later, the clans follow them to a place where they have to learn to survive. A bid City. Not just that, but they all get turned human. Can the Clans find their leaders and a way home?

They're almost done with the surgery. Where are you? – Onestar.

We're on our way. – Mistystar.

With a deep sigh, Onestar put his phone away and looked at Leafstar and Blackstar, who both looked at him expectantly. "They're on their way", explained the WindClan leader. The other two nodded in understanding, then all of them looked back into the surgery room. They'd all seen their fair share of blood and death throughout their lives, but now watching how a fellow leader had to be cut open and poked around inside hit all of them hard.

Each of the three breathed out in relief when the doctor finally picked up a needle to sew the ginger haired man closed again. Now everything went fast. The wounds got closed, the blood washed off and Firestar got put in new hospital-clothes. Onestar's phone went off once more and he pulled it out.

The Taxi arrived now. You know where they put him yet? – Mistystar.

They're just wheeling him out. Leafstar will get you and Sandstorm the moment we know where he'll be – Onestar.

Alright, we're waiting in the Foyer. See you. – Mistystar.

See you – Onestar.

With that he followed Blackstar and Leafstar, who walked after a nurse. She made Blackstar eyes and tried to flirt with him, almost having Onestar burst out in laughter. Especially when Blackstar cringed away from her. Finally she stopped next to a room and stated: "Remember, till visiting hours are over, only a maximum of five people in the room. At night only one."

Onestar nodded, then turned to Leafstar and said: "I told Mistystar you would be getting her and Sandstorm from the Foyer once we know where he is." Leafstar nodded in understanding and walked off. Turning back to Blackstar, he followed the ShadowClan leader into the room, to frown.

Firestar didn't look good.

He was hooked up to any machinery you could imagine and had an IV. His normally lightly tanned skin was pale, almost white, his lips were dry and he had dark rings under his eyes, despite the fact that he'd barely been awake the past few days. A strange numbness hit Onestar and he simply slumped down in a chair. He wished to cry, but the numbness kept the tears at bay, if just barely. Next to him he heard Blackstar's breathing speed up.

Glancing up, he found Blackstar leaning against a wall, pressing his lips into a firm line. He seemed to struggle with the tears, just like Onestar with this strange numbness. Seeing Firestar like this felt just wrong.

Looking back at Firestar, Onestar got lost in his thoughts, before a chocked sob jerked him out of it. He jumped to his legs and spun to the door, to find Mistystar and Leafstar stare at Firestar in shock. Mistystar had her hand clasped over her mouth and silent tears ran down her face, while Leafstar seemed just empty. Onestar understood why. Besides him, Leafstar was the closest with Firestar, since he'd brought her clan back together.

Finally both moved and gave sight of a third female. Onestar would've recognized Sandstorm even without knowing Mistystar got her. She had long dirty-blonde hair, her cat-ears perked out of a headband, making them look like an accessory. She wore fitting pale-blue skinny jeans and a white long-sleeved T-Shirt. She also wore simple black boots that went to her mid-shin and a simple black jacket.

The ThunderClan Queen looked at all of them, her green eyes shining with confusion and finally Onestar realised that he blocked her view on Firestar with his body. Slowly the WindClan leader moved away, keeping his eyes locked on Sandstorm's face.

Her eyes widened once Onestar had started to move and the moment he'd given her full view on her mate, she suddenly collapsed and Mistystar caught her. Onestar glanced at Blackstar and Leafstar, who watched her with pity.

After a few more minutes, Mistystar managed to seat Sandstorm next to Firestar's bed and the female stretched her hand slowly, running her fingers carefully over his cheek, before she burst out in new sobs.

Sandstorm couldn't help herself. When she saw the twoleg Onestar had stepped away from, she'd immediately known it was Firestar. But he'd never looked so fragile and weak. He was too pale and he looked so tired. Then Mistystar had sat her down next to him and Sandstorm had finally gotten the courage to stretch her arm out to him.

The moment her finger-tips touched his cheek, a jolt had rushed through the female, chasing her last doubts about this man being Firestar away. However, with that recognition, her despair of seeing him like this flared up once more, resulting her to break down again. She felt ashamed to show the leaders of the other clans such weakness, when she heard it.

Other sobbing than her own.

Glancing up, she bit back a gasp. Mistystar sat nearby, her face hidden in her hands, her shoulders shaking from sobs. Onestar had his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down, while silent tears ran down his face as well. Leafstar simply stood there, her empty eyes gazing out of the window, but tears streamed down her face as well. What shocked Sandstorm the most though, was that Blackstar often wiped over his eyes, obviously trying to hide tears.

So close, he became so close with the other leaders, thought Sandstorm.

Now Mistystar's actions on the clearing made more sense as well.

Finally Sandstorm looked back into the face of her made, and bit her lips to not cry again. Tears still streamed down her face, but she kept silent and moved her hand once more. It shook terribly, but she still managed to place her fingers back on his cheek. Immediately she felt consoled and believed to have heard a relaxed sigh from Firestar as well.

To occupy herself, and also to give the others something else to think about, she asked what everything in the room was. They managed to explain most of it to her, except for a few machineries they didn't know about by themselves. Then they explained something else. Only one person was allowed to stay with Firestar in the room during the night. She waited for any of them to say who of them it would be, but they were silent. Finally she looked up, to find Blackstar looking back at her and saying: "We thought about you Sandstorm."

"Really?", asked the female, unable to hide her joy for being able to stay with her mate.

Everyone nodded and Leafstar explained: "Onestar will be just outside the room the whole night, so if any problem arises, you can just talk to him. But inside this room, there will only be you and Firestar."

Sandstorm nodded in understanding and turned back to her mate. He hadn't moved one bit ever since Sandstorm came, but the continuous beeping of one of the machines, she'd forgotten the name, assured her his heart was still beating. Still, she wished he would wake up. It had been so long since she'd truly seen his eyes. "Sandstorm?", asked Onestar. "What's wrong?"

She realised then that she'd sighed at her thought. "I just…I wish I could see his eyes Onestar. It's been so long", whispered the female. She got no answer, so turned around and found Onestar rummaging through a bag she hadn't seen earlier.

"Leafstar brought them for you a day ago", explained Onestar and handed her some strange shiny leaves. She looked at it, to gasp. The one on the top showed Firestar. He wore black pants, but nothing else and he had cat-ears and –tail.

"What…how…what is this?", whispered the female and traced the shiny surface gently. "Those are photos", explained Mistystar. "They're…I guess like your reflection in a lake, only much clearer and you can safe them, freeze them if you wish to say so, to always look at them later." With that she got up and said: "Enjoy them, and have a good night Sandstorm. Visiting hours are almost over, so we'll leave you and Firestar now."

With that she and the other leaders disappeared. Sandstorm stared after them, then back at the photos in her hands. Gently she removed the one on the top, to see the next. A smiled appeared on her lips when she saw it. It showed Firestar, sitting somewhere and drawing. That wasn't the reason for her smile though. No, he was drawing her. She looked back at her mate and gently ran her fingers over his cheek once again, before whispering: "I love you too Firestar. Please, please wake up soon."

The next few hours Sandstorm spent with looking at every picture clearly, trying to memories them all. One she'd placed to the side, because she loved it very much.

It showed Firestar, standing atop something and leaning against it. He wore black pants and shoes, a white shirt and had his ears and tail. His head was raised to the sky, his eyes reflecting the stars and the moonlight. It reminded her of every time she'd seen him on a gathering. Suddenly she heard a gasp.

Looking to the source, she dropped the photos in shock.

Firestar was moving.

The beeping in the room picked up a bit and Sandstorm rose to her legs. She leaned forward and watched how Firestar seemed to struggle with himself, before his eyelids fluttered. Slowly his eyes opened, the normally bright emerald green being hazy because of his injury and exhaustion, yet Sandstorm was overjoyed to see his face again.

With a small sob, she stretched her hand and drew her fingers over his cheek once more. His dull eyes focused on her and recognition flashed through them, before he raised his arm and placed his fingers atop hers. The dull green lightened a bit and his eyes lit up, when he felt her hand and he whispered: "Either I'm having a very realistic hallucination right now, or you're…really here."

Sandstorm smiled and finally started sobbing. She took his hand in both of her own and squeezed it tightly. "No, I'm here. I really am here Firestar."

He still looked unsure, but then whispered: "Come closer."

"Why?", asked Sandstorm.

"I-I need a proof…a proof that I'm not still asleep. That my mind isn't toying with me and bittersweet memories."

Sandstorm froze for a second. She'd never heard him sound so unsure. How often had he dreamed of her being here, only to wake up and realised it hadn't been true? With a deep breath, she leaned closer. Firestar raised his other hand and gently traced her cheek with it. Sandstorm nuzzled into it, like she would do with his neck as a cat.

He smiled a bit more, but pulled her closer once more. Sandstorm followed and soon she found herself lying on the bed next to him. He still gazed in her eyes, his clearing up with every passing second and Sandstorm saw something in it, she hadn't seen since Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight had left with Feathertail, Stormfur, Tawnypelt and Crowfeather.

It was real panic.

Acting on instinct, she leaned closer and nuzzled into his hair. "Shhh, don't be afraid Firestar. I won't disappear. I really am here."

"I…want to believe that but…", began the ThunderClan leader, then broke off. Sandstorm moved from his hair and locked eyes with him, their noses almost touching. He raised his hands and placed them on either side of her face. "Do you trust me?", asked he.

Sandstorm just nodded and gulped. It had been so long since she'd been close to him. He smiled softly, then tilted her head and pressed his lips to hers. Sandstorm sucked in air through her nose in shock, not having any idea what to do now, when a new instinct, a twoleg-instinct overtook and she answered the gesture, pressing her lips tighter to his. After a long while he pulled back and Sandstorm looked at him again.

He smiled now, no doubt left in his eyes.

Sandstorm smiled back, then buried her head in his shoulder and allowed her eyes to close. Firestar held her and before sleep fully overtook her, she heard him whisper: "I-I love you Sandstorm."