A few moments after Oaktail and Dawnpaw left, Fireblossom thought she should go and help them if a cat went to attack them. She raced over to Hollystar, "Can I go and watch over Oaktail and Dawnpaw?"
"I think they can handle themselves," Hollystar meowed.
"Please," she pleaded, "in Oaktail's condition, he can't even catch a mouse so what if that cat who attacked him goes and kills them?"
"I'm sure Dawnpaw can protect him if that happens."
"But Dawnpaw's a medicine cat," she protested, "she doesn't have the best warrior training. She only has enough to defend herself until she can get away."
"They can handle themselves!" Hollystar snapped and walked away.
Fireblossom jumped back at the amount of anger in her voice. She shook her head to clear it. I have to go no matter what Hollystar says. She thought. But I don't want the clan to think I went missing. She searched the camp until she found Nightfall.
She raced over to him, "Can I go and make sure Oaktail and Dawnpaw don't get attacked?"
"Why don't you ask Hollystar?" he wondered.
"I did," she explained what Hollystar said to her.
He said, "She's just mad that her son almost died. I think it's a good idea for some cat to make sure they don't get hurt."
"So I can go?"
Nightfall nodded and she raced to the lake. As she slowed down, she realised there was a third scent, not just Oaktail and Dawnpaw. She couldn't figure out whose it was but it was definitely another cat. She walked a little further and hid in a bush close enough t hear voices.
"Hey, 'warrior.' How'd you like being beaten back at the waterfall?"
She knew that voice but she wanted to make sure she was right. She quietly stuck her head out of the bush and looked where the voice came from. Treeheart!
"So you were the one who attacked me," Oaktail spat.
"I never said that, did I? I was just asking how you liked it," Treeheart meowed, "but to answer your question, since you won't be going back to your clan, yes I did attack you."
"What do you mean I won't go back to my clan? You're the one who isn't going back," Fireblossom could tell he was trying to hold his anger in for a little bit longer.
Treeheart let out a mrow of laughter, "Do you really think you're in the best condition to fight me?"
"I can fight you!" Dawnpaw hissed.
He purred with amusement, "A medicine cat doesn't have enough fighting skills to fight me."
She waited for her moment to pounce.
"Enough of this!" Treeheart growled, "I'm tired of hearing you kits acting like warriors!"
He pounced on Oaktail, who clearly wasn't expecting it that early, and Oaktail fell over and didn't move. Fireblossom pounced out of the bush and landed on Treeheart, knocking the wind out of him. "Dawnpaw, run back to camp and get Hollystar and Snowstorm!" she opened her mouth to protest but she stopped and raced back to camp. She dug her claws into Treeheart's flank and bit down on his neck, not enough to kill him but enough to weaken him. She could taste the blood pouring from his neck until he was too weak to fight back and she jumped off of him.
"That was easier than I thought it would be," she meowed, "you act tough but you're as weak as an apprentice on his first day of training."
He hissed with hatred at her and stood up with his claws unsheathed, "Awe, does little Treepaw want more?" she said in a teasing voice. She swiped out at Treeheart and raked her claws across his face and he fell back over.
"Bring him back to camp," she heard Hollystar meow as she came over to Fireblossom, "You were right to come here even if it meant disobeying my orders."
"I knew you were just upset over Oaktail."
Oaktail slowly stood up and limped over to them, "Thanks for coming Fireblossom."
"It's what any sister would do for her brother."
"No, Treeheart!" she turned to see Tigerstripe racing over to Treeheart.
Fireblossom went over to him, "So you're betraying us to?" she tried to hold back a growl.
"No, but he was the only cat who actually became my friend here." Tigerstripe meowed
She moved closer to him so their pelts brushed, "What about me?"
"I didn't think you wanted to be my friend," he mewed.
"Well I'm sure every cat in the clan knows by now that I love you."
He looked at her in surprise then purred, "I love you to."
