Firestar & Sandstorm/Spottedleaf

4

  It had been a few seasons after Firestar had joined StarClan, and the two cats had grown closer.

  Firestar yawned as he uncurled from his nest, stretching. Spottedleaf stirred beside him and yawned. "Who-?" She sat up quite suddenly, not quite believing that her love was in StarClan and was right next to her! But while she sat up, she accidentally knocked Firestar's head back.

  "OW!" Firestar yowled. 

  Whitestorm and Snowfur looked up from eating their fresh-kill. 

  Firestar rubbed his chin and looked at Spottedleaf with an amused expression. "Oops! Sorry, Firestar." Spottedleaf raised her head and licked his ear fondly. Spottedleaf turned and said, "I'll make up for it by catching us something..." Spottedleaf disappeared through some bushes and came back almost a heartbeat later with a squirrel in her mouth.   

  "Here." Spottedleaf dropped the squirrel in front of Firestar. "Eat." 

  Firestar gratefully bent his head and started eating. Eventually he stopped and nudged the rest of it to Spottedleaf. "There, your part." 

  "No thank you. You must ravenous!" Spottedleaf's eyes twinkled with happiness and laughter.

  Firestar found himself lost by looking deep into her mesmerizing eyes. Suddenly it softened when it caught sight of Firestar looking at her, and Firestar thought she was lost in his eyes as well. He stepped one paw-step forward, and distantly he heard himself say, "No. I insist." 

  Spottedleaf almost blushed-if that was possible-but held eye contact. "Nah, you eat it." She replied back. 

  Firestar stepped closer and their flanks brushed. 

  Abruptly Spottedleaf grabbed the squirrel and ran away. "Hey!" Firestar called after her, a purr rumbling inside him. He chased after her. Finally he caught up, stretching his muscles when she slowed down for a bit near a hill, getting a better grip on the squirrel. He crashed into her, and they rolled down the hill, purring uncontrollably. 

   They finally stopped rolling down the hill and landed on their four paws.  Firestar was panting from exertion and suddenly realized Spottedleaf was eating the squirrel. "Hungry," Spottedleaf explained when Firestar looked at her, amazed.

   Firestar purred, and touched his nose with hers again. His tail found her tail and they entwined it together. Firestar rested his muzzle on her head.

  "Firestar?" Spottedleaf asked timidly. 

  "Yes?" 

  "Do you want to see how Sandstorm is coping?" She asked. 

  Firestar felt touched. Spottedleaf was caring? She's such a sweet cat, I'm starting to like her...He thought, then shook himself. No.Sandstorm's my mate.But Sandstorm wasn't here, while Spottedleaf was. He could just spend time with Spottedleaf, couldn't he? "Of course." He purred back at Spottedleaf. 

  Spottedleaf quickly padded out into the clearing where the pool was. Firestar leaned forward and touched ThunderClan's territory. "Camp," Firestar breathed into the pool. 

  It zoomed into the hollow, and Firestar searched the camp with his eyes for her. "Where is she?" He asked curiously. He knew she went to the elders den, but...Graystripe and Purdy were the only ones outside the elders den. Panic begin to bloom in him. "Where is Sandstorm?" He yowled into the sky. 

  Spottedleaf crouched beside him, looking into the pool. Her eyes became distant, and then suddenly, with a gasp, came back to StarClan. Turning urgently to Firestar, she looked deep into his eyes and said, "I'm sorry, Firestar. She's beyond StarClan's reach. But just previously, she joined a group of cats on a journey to SkyClan. I can locate her, though."