Answering some questions: Fireheart and Darkstripe are both bisexual in this AU. Darkstripe doesn't care what gender his partner is as long as they meet his standards. Fireheart is sexually attracted to males and females in different ways. He does not feel complete without both.

When I referred to mental illnesses in previous chapters, I was referring to Darkstripe's hallucinations and when Fireheart had self-destructive tenancies. These are not proper mental illnesses, but they were what I was referencing.

Chapter 48: In An Instant

Fireheart made his way over to Sandstorm while Darkstripe moved to lounge in the center of what was left of the camp. Sandstorm looked somewhat excited to see him.

"Sandstorm. I've thought about your confession, and I am willing to be your mate on one condition. Darkstripe is also with us."

Sandstorm looked startled then furious. Fireheart didn't know she misread what he said.

"I will not be some kind of pass around cat! I don't even know him, and you want to share me with him!"

Fireheart immediately knew he screwed up with how he worded his condition and was backpedaling fast.

"No! It's not like that! I wouldn't force another tom on you. I'm not sharing you with him. I'm trying to say you'd have to share me with him."

Sandstorm froze while she tried to process what Fireheart said. She thought back on the two's interactions and how they always drifted towards each other. How did she not see it before? It was so obvious! She couldn't stop herself from laughing. He swung both ways.

Fireheart was confused by Sandstorm's sudden outburst of laughter. It froze him. Then his curiosity won him over and he began approaching her.

"What's so funny?"

"I just never realized. I never thought you and Darkstripe were a thing."

"Well, it only happened today. He's the one who told me to confess to you and tell you everything."

"Really? Him? I guess with how often secrets have been blowing up in his face, he isn't too keen to have more. I think I can accept your proposal. At least I won't be seeing you having kits with any other cat."

"But do you think you can get along with Darkstripe?"

"He's good with kits. He's sneaky and clever. He keeps you out of trouble. Why wouldn't I?"

"Ok. If, you are sure. Just remember that he is part of us. You don't have to mate with him but try to like him. He's a good cat most of the time."

There was suddenly a commotion.

"Hawk!" Some cat screeched.

Fireheart ran to cover with Sandstorm before noticing Darkstripe still wasn't under cover. He seemed to be looking for something. Then he stopped. His head pointed straight at Snowkit. Even from a distance, Fireheart could read Darkstripe's thoughts. Snowkit hadn't heard the warning. He was deaf. He couldn't hear it in the first place. Fireheart got a glance at the hawk straight above them and realized it had found a target.

Darkstripe heard the warning. He knew hawks were the type to snatch animals, so looked to see how big it was. From what he was, the hawk would only be a real threat to some cat apprentice sized or smaller. Also from his experience, hawks tend to grab whatever is the stillest or easiest target available was. The cats moving under cover were safe, and he was too big. He frantically looked for what cat could possibly be the target. Was an apprentice asleep? Had a kit not heard? It was all made clear when he saw Snowkit still playing despite all the warnings. He hadn't noticed the signs. The kit was never interested in stories and reacted mostly to visual stimulus. The kit was deaf and now was an easy target for a hawk. There was little time left and catching a hawk after a dive had an extremely small window. Luckily one of Darkstripe's few excellent skills was pattern recognition. He could time it.

Fireheart rushed out preparing to fight the hawk that would inevitably make its appearance. He could only watch as Darkstripe prepared to pounce on a foe who hadn't struck yet. His eyes dilated as he anticipated the strike. The window would be a fragment of a second. Too soon would leave him bearing the hawk's attack and too late would mean the kit would be gone. His muscles tensed as he waited for the perfect moment. The kit was totally unaware. It was like the world was still as it waited for the fateful strike. Then everything burst into motion. Darkstripe flung into the air. Something that could be described as a brown blur plummeted at the kit. It struck the ground grabbing the kit and tried to lift off. Darkstripe met it in the air. Unfortunately, he was a little off and didn't instantly kill the beast. Instead, he hooked his claws into it to keep it from leaving. He knew he could only keep it in his grip for a heartbeat and hoped some cat would jump in.

Fortunately, two cats had started rushing in at that moment. Brackenfur was not about to lose his future apprentice. He flung himself at the hawk pinning it further. It franticly tried to escape the two cats, but neither would give it the room to escape. Darkstripe lunged and got a wing in his maw. There was a sickening crack as he shattered it leaving the bird flightless. Fireheart then arrived and got a grip on the hawk's neck. He bit down hard. He wasn't going to allow the hawk any more time to harm his clanmates. It went limp dropping the frightened kit that it had in its grip. Speckletail came running out to comfort her kit. Brackenfur joined her. Meanwhile Fireheart and Darkstripe stood panting. That had been too close.

"Well, that was something."

"You really need to stop jumping into life and death situations! You didn't even try to get under cover!"

"I saw the hawk. It couldn't take a cat as big as me. I wasn't at risk. I just reacted. There was only one viable target."

"And what if you jumped too early? You would have been hit. Why do you risk yourself?"

"Your kittypet heart is infectious. I acted without thinking. I guess you get to call me the mousebrain this time."

The two then began laughing. It was morbidly amusing. The thing Darkstripe had warned Fireheart against so much, he now committed. The laughter was also a means of diffusing all the stress the two had built up. For so long, a sort of distance had been maintained. Even becoming mates hadn't removed it all. Somehow the small realization that Darkstripe was just like any other cat and being like Fireheart was attainable just removed that distance. They weren't cats of two worlds pining for each other. They were just cats. Finally, their laughter settled. Darkstripe looked more content than he'd ever known.

"So, tell me how your confession went."

"She accepted after some clarification."

"Oh?"

"At first she thought I would us share her, like we were some kind of super best bros or something."

Darkstripe was thrown into another laughing fit. Sandstorm made her way over.

"Oh, har har. Like me misunderstanding is as funny as you look mister cobwebs."

That just set off Darkstripe laughing again. He really was half cobwebs at this point. He'd probably be told off by a medicine cat soon for pulling a bandage loose again and getting in a fight again. The other two couldn't help joining him in laughter as a certain silver blue cat watched on from a distance. She was glad he was healing and had some cats to fall back on now. She was content to watch from a distance with a feeling of pride burning in her chest.