I also would have also stepped in if they had tried to get me involved. Consider how the conflict is affecting the whole group. Amie and Mandy kept it basically between themselves. One youth leader friend of mine wasn t so fortunate when two of her group members faced conflict. Each of those members started encouraging friends to take sides and soon the whole group was split over the conflict.
Some kids quit coming to the group.
As leaders, we should nip the problem in the bud by intervening when students try to make others get involved. In our often volatile society where kids are killing kids over supposed disrespectful looks and over tennis shoes, this proves to be the safest course. It is better to err on the side of overprotectiveness than of passivity. Most of the time, such conflicts are passing and your group members will solve them on their own. They also learn more valuable lessons from doing so.