On his way to Snakerocks, Fireheart finds a trail of dead rabbits leading back to the ThunderClan camp, which ends with the body of Brindleface, the gentle ThunderClan queen, who had been slaughtered by Tigerstar in order to give the dogs a taste for cat blood. Fireheart orders a patrol to get rid of the rabbits. Brindleface's death shocks everyone, and after her hasty burial, the camp is evacuated to Sunningrocks to protect them from the dogs. With Bluestar still mentally unstable, it is up to Fireheart to decide how to get rid of the pack and protect ThunderClan. He and the senior warriors decide that a patrol of cats will lead the dogs to the nearby gorge and knock them off the edge. The plan works; each cat successfully leads the pack closer to the gorge, breaking away from the group once they lead the dogs to a certain spot, where a fresh runner lies in wait so they can lead the dogs to the next point. Fernpaw and Ashpaw took part in the chase, as Brindleface was their mother and they wanted to honor her memory. Fireheart, the last in line, keeps a good distance between him and the pack leader, until Tigerstar jumps from some bushes and pins Fireheart down, so that the pack can catch up. As the pack's leader gets dangerously close, Tigerstar leaps away, leaving Fireheart to be killed by the pack. Just as it seems that Fireheart is going to die, Bluestar, her mind clear once more, slams into the dog, causing it to release its grip on Fireheart, and knocking it–and herself–over the side of the gorge.