"Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death."
-Omar N. Bradley


Blazepaw's POV

I caught a squirrel with ease feeling my heart anticipate the final assessment that was coming anyday now. Especially since I've seen Spidermoon talking to our leader.

I heard a sound in the bushes...what was it?

Suddenly I felt some creature knock me on the ground off my four paws and landed on top of me and snarled. Flintpaw?!

"I heard your conversation with your stupid rock-brained mentor!" Flintpaw snapped. "I never wanted to be a warrior! I just wanted to be with you! But you just wanted to be 'friends'! You disgusting spoiled she-cat! I'mthe only one who will ever want you! And I'm going to show it to you-"

"You're not going to be showing anything."

I was shocked to see Oakbranch arrive. Why did he think he could take on Flintpaw? He'd tear him apart!

Flintpaw suddenly leaped off my back and dived straight for Oakbranch and slammed him into a tree. Oakbranch shoved him off and Flintpaw charged at him again.

"HELP!" I screamed.

"You shut up!" Flintpaw growled before he leaped at me. Oakbranch ran in front of me and took the attack and Flintpaw slashed his left eye.

Oakbranch gave a heart-stopping scream of agony as his left eye starting gushing blood. But he didn't stop, he slashed his claws across Flintpaw's throat and pushed him aside.

"Augh! Blaze...paw help me!" Flintpaw gasped over the blood gushing from his throat. But I didn't move.

Flintpaw was finally dead.

Oakbranch's POV

I put a paw over my left eye and hissed in pain before I collapsed. But I saved Blazepaw from being forced on by Flintpaw and protected Redblossom for Flyfur. That was enough.

"Oakbranch!" I heard Blazepaw cry. But the world was fading...disappearing...into a darkness that was welcoming me and my injured self.

I felt several paws on my fur and knew other cats had arrived. Then I saw Owlmask's...gentle beautiful eyes. Oh how I loved those eyes.

"Oakbranch! Don't go please! I need you!" Owlmask yowled. Or maybe it was just my imagination, no cat truly needed me. Everyone would live another sunrise after sunrise without me. What mattered was that I saved the Crimson Heroine.

And that alone made me proud as I finally gave in to the darkness.

Flyfur's POV

"Oakbranch! Please no my baby!" Spidermoon sobbed prodding his face desperately. "Stonestar he's passed out! We need to get him to camp!"

Spidermoon and Owlmask put Oakbranch on their backs and fast walked back to camp. I was surprised to feel Blazepaw lean against my pelt.

"He did it for you and Redblossom y'know." Blazepaw meowed.

"Did he tell you that?" I asked.

"No, but I could see a determination that was more than just protecting a cat from a monster." Blazepaw explained. "Redblossom still loves you, she's never stopped."

"And who are you then?" I asked, where is my flower in Blazepaw?

"I'm Blaze and Redblossom...fused into one cat." She tried to explain. "Blaze isn't interested in you but Redblossom wants to be with you again."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" I asked.

"It's a big deal...I've never heard of two cats minds fusing from a reincarnation." Blazepaw admitted. "Just please don't tell anyone."

"I won't, I still love Redblossom too and I'll never stop waiting for her." I said. But how would she come back to me as 100% her? I'd have to ask Rowanpelt to seek StarClan about that.

"You can't have her." Blazepaw growled defensively.

"Wait what?" I hissed. "If she wants to be with me why wouldn't we become mates?"

"I...it was nothing." Blazepaw sighed before running back to camp. Things seemed a lot more complicated than the nice carefree days me and Redblossom were apprentices, and I had no idea if I'd actually get to be with Redblossom again.

It hurt my heart but I wouldn't give up.

Oakbranch's POV

Oh great StarClan I'm still alive?! I felt my paws brush against the dirt and herbs and knew I was in the medicine cat's den. Would my sister even visit me? She had to, she wasn't that cold towards me.

I heard a gasp of delight and a nose nuzzle me. That wasn't Blossomheart was it? I realized that it wasn't her, but it was someone even better. Owlmask.

"You're awake!" Owlmask purred. "I was afraid you wouldn't wake up in time for the Gathering!"

"How long was I out?" I muttered, my vision still mostly black.

"Only two sunrises thank StarClan." Owlmask answered. "Oakbranch, how're you feeling?"

"Really blurry for some reason." I answered. I noticed Owlmask put a paw over her mouth and looked away.

"Rowanpelt I thought he knew..." Owlmask whispered. Thought I knew what?

"Oh Oaky my son!" I heard Mom shout before she and Dad entered the medicine cat's den with me and Owlmask. "Never go out in harm's way again!"

"He's a warrior, he's going to get hurt again." Rowanpelt pointed out. "But he was extremely brave I have to admit."

"Yeah he even lost-"

"Morningpool not now." Brownpelt meowed sternly. How could I have lost anything? I'm alive!

"How long before Rowanpelt takes the poultice wrap off my left eye?" I asked. Silence. "Well?"

"Oakbranch I took the wrap off a sunrise ago while you were still unconscious." Rowanpelt finally said.

"You're still one of the bravest warriors in this Clan Oakbranch. Redblossom would be proud of you." Spidermoon meowed sympathetically.

"Haha Rowanpelt funny joke. Now take the wrap off my eye please." I muttered.

"Oakbranch I don't make jokes." Rowanpelt pointed out.

Then I saw that Stonestar was hearing the whole thing as he joined the slightly crowded medicine cat's den.

"Oakbranch, Rowanpelt isn't kidding. There's no medicine wrap on your left eye." Stonestar explained. "You lost your left eye when you bravely protected Blazepaw from Flintpaw and then he clawed that side of your face. You can't see there anymore."