Two sunsets after Applepaw had been found, the five Clans set to work. No matter who they were, they all agreed that anyone who harmed an apprentice should be taken down. Feathertail and Crowfeather, still giddy from their ceremony, crept through the undergrowth in an encirclement patrol, tails brushing the mud. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight were in a small 'head' group that would lure the kittypets out.
"You ready?" Squirrelflight whispered.
"Always." Brambleclaw whispered back. The rest of the patrol backed into the woods, completing the encirclement.
"Blackstar will kill us if he finds us here!" Squirrelflight hissed, loud enough that the kittypets would hear. At the head of the ring, Blackstar's whiskers twitched in dry amusement.
"We're just investigating those kittypets, it's not like we're hunting!" Brambleclaw mock-whispered back, after a moment of confusion.
Then the kittypets sprang. For a bit they tussled before reinforcements came – the five leaders and Tawnypelt, hissing and spitting.
"Still mad about your wittle kit? How's the mama doing?" The female kittypet jeered, not willing to let on that she had been taken off guard.
"We've not come and settled here to let a group of wild, underfed fleapelts boss us around." The male added.
They fought with ferocity, but in the end, it was the patrol that got the upper hand, spilling blood onto the needle-laden turf.
"This won't be over! We can wait until you're alone." The female hissed menacingly. She made to run, but the ring of cats showed themselves, pressing ever closer in.
"You need all this for a couple of housecats? We're honoured." The male drawled, even as his eyes darted around, looking for a weak point.
"We're not here for a run-of-the-mill battle. When you harm our youth, it's personal." Tallpoppy stepped out of the ring of cats; if the kittypets had expected to be able to exploit that momentary gap they were disappointed.
"So, you're going to make us promise to be good little kittens?" The female laughed bitterly.
"Either you stop harming our youth, or we make sure you'll never be able to again." Blackstar stepped out of the crowd, voice hard as flint.
The two kittypets looked at each other.
Then they sprang for Tumblepaw.
They were swiftly intercepted by the crowd and consumed by it. While the kittypets were skilled fighters, they were no match for the righteous fury of a crowd of Clan cats.
The two, battered and bloody, were ejected into the middle of the ring of cats, where Tallpoppy and Tawnypelt each took command of one.
"You've made your stance clear." Blackstar nodded at his warriors, and together, they ended the kittypets' lives.
It was silent in the clearing; only a lark's call broke the eerie calm.
"Thank you for your assistance." Blackstar said.
"This goes far beyond rivalry within a Clan. What kind of a leader would I be if I hadn't helped?" Gorsestar asked.
"I have two kits on the path to become warriors. Hopefully this will keep them safer than they otherwise would have been." Leafstar added.
"Even I will admit that the Clans must work together in instances such as this to protect our common interest." Leopardstar said.
"I would die ten times to protect the futures of the Clans." Firestar's tail flicked.
"I'll let you know when Applepaw wakes." Leafpool told ShadowClan.
"I wish to know as soon as it happens. You have my permission to enter ShadowClan's camp to inform us when Applepaw has awoken."
"Am I dreaming?" Squirrelflight asked.
"If you are, I am too. Blackstar giving permission for another Clan to go on their land?" Brambleclaw whispered.
The patrols broke up; there was no jubilance like in a battle for their lives, only cold satisfaction that justice had been done. Blackstar ordered a few of his warriors to bury the kittypets shallowly so as not to attract foxes.
Leafpool got back to the medicine den where Cinderpelt resided, looking after their patient. "How did it go?" She asked.
"The kittypets are dead. We tried to reason with them first."
"Good." Cinderpelt held a spark of vengeance in her eyes. "I had my own fight trying to keep this one stable. Thankfully she seems to be on the mend; the bleeding's stopped and her breathing has deepened."
"That's promising. Blackstar said we could go to his camp to inform them when Applepaw has woken up."
Cinderpelt's jaws gaped as she tried to stifle a yawn. "That's unusual, but if you don't mind, I'll grab some good prey and a good rest."
"'Night, Cinderpelt."
Leafpool decided to stay up awhile longer; she checked in the elders' den, where Whitestorm was asleep, and made a mental note to get comfrey for him in the morning, then checked the nursery, where queens and kits were asleep or at least trying to get to sleep. The apprentices' den was filled with quiet chatter, but as she walked nearby it quickly hushed. She chuckled, moving on to the warriors' den. There, warriors with fresh scrapes dozed. Towards the edge of the den, Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight were curled tightly together, dead to the world. The leaders' den held the same scenario for her parents, and Leafpool was satisfied. She supposed she wanted to check on the Clan after the battle; there was always a contingent of warriors who tried to hide their pain, only to get their wounds infected. The mental toll of battle and the incident would have been bad as well – and...
She was rambling to herself. Chalking it down to tiredness, she headed up the gentle incline to the medicine cat den.
Applepaw was falling. No, not falling, she only felt like she was falling. She felt soft moss under her paws; she could faintly detect a dripping noise coming from the other side of... wherever she was. Was this StarClan? Had she messed up by trying to follow her mentor? She had tried so hard to be brave when they attacked, but they still overwhelmed her. Pungent herb-scents assaulted her nostrils, and she felt a spark in her chest. This wasn't ShadowClan's medicine den, but why would any afterlife have need of healing herbs?
She tried to open her eyes and felt light hit them – too bright. She squeezed them shut again, opening them just a bit at a time until the hazy light grew more natural. A flash of brown fur came into view.
"Uh, excuse me?" She rasped. StarClan, when did her throat get so dry?"
"Oh, you're awake!" This was Leafpool, the ThunderClan medicine cat, she realised.
"How long? Anything happened?" She pressed on, curiosity getting the better of the throbbing pain in her torso.
"Roughly three sunrises. We took you to camp after you tried to follow Tawnypelt and got ambushed by the kittypets. The Clans launched an attack on the kittypets; we failed to scare them straight, so they're dead now." Applepaw's head swam for a second; stars seemed to dance in front of her eyes.
"Any pain?" Leafpool asked.
"My chest... my head is also spinning."
"I'll re-dress you; the head is nothing to worry about. Can you walk?"
"Think so." She stood, feeling wobbly on her legs, and took a tentative paw forward. While she was off-balance, she could still make the step.
"I think you'll be well enough to make it back with a bit of support." Leafpool surmised. "I'll get you a drink and some prey, then we can head off to ShadowClan if you wish. I'm sure your medicine cat has some poppy seed."
"Thank you."
Kittypets: We won't be driven out by Clan scum!
Clans: *Kills them*
Kittypets, as ghosts: Technically, we weren't driven out.
Applepaw: *Stream of consciousness/Panic*
Leafpool: Welp, time to go into Cat Has Just Woke And Is Panicking mode.