Stonelark's Revival {Warrior Cats} [OLD]

-Nine-

Robinsky

Thistlestar glanced over his shoulder, his blue eyes paranoid and watching carefully for any movement in the forest behind him.

Rainmoon shuffled her paws, her head bowed and looking at the ground. Her right eye was glassy and sightless, and a pink scar rippled through it. "What is this meeting about, Thistlestar?" She meowed quietly, but Robinsky knew that she knew exactly what it was about.

Thistlestar returned his gaze to the three cats settled around him, Snakestep, Rainmoon and Robinsky. "We need to do something about Stonelark." He hissed bluntly. His voice was shaking.

"What?" Rainmoon exclaimed. "We can't just kill him!"

Snakestep stamped her black paw on the ground. "He's already killed six cats, Rainmoon," she whimpered in a panicked and impatient voice. "And he also took one of Thistlestar's lives. He can't live any longer!"

"He's my brother!" Rainmoon spat, the fur on her neck bristling.

Robinsky laid his tail over her shoulder. "No, he isn't," he said softly. "Not anymore. We can't let him hurt more cats."

Rainmoon's good eye connected to his and her fur laid down, but her voice was still in shock. "Please." She whispered to Robinsky.

"I'm sorry." He whispered back. "But they're right."

Rainmoon flopped back in defeat, her eye heavy with grief and regret. She stared off into the distance, zoning out.

Snakestep looked at Rainmoon with worry in her green eyes and said to Thistlestar, "What do we do?"

Thistlestar sighed. "We have to be careful, but we need to find a night to attack him."

Robinsky frowned in doubt. "That'd take the whole Clan, and who knows how many he'd kill. He's stronger now, remember."

Thistlestar glanced every cat in turn, ending on Rainmoon. He held his gaze there for a beat and said, "It's the only chance we've got."

•••

The next day, Robinsky was sorting herbs in his den. The plan that Thistlestar had laid out for them was to act natural while the leader let everyone in the Clan know of the plan separately and secretly so that Stonelark didn't find out.

He heard soft pawsteps behind him and turned his head to see Buck, a former kitty pet who was now a warrior of MoonClan.

"What is it, Buck?" Robinsky asked, turning completely to face the tom.

Buck's amber eyes glinted in the dim medicine den light. He shifted his paws. "Thistlestar just explained the "plan" to me. I was the last one he needed to see," he glanced at a pile of red berries that Robinsky had made and muttered, "It's time for phase two."

Robinsky took a deep breath and shook his head. "What have we gotten ourselves into, Buck?" 

Buck gave a nervous laugh. "That's a good question."

Buck dipped his head to Robinsky and turned to leave. "Buck, wait," Robinsky said quickly. Buck looked back at Robinsky and tipped his head. "If you see Applepaw, can you send her to me?"

Buck gave Robinsky a searching look and finally said, "Uh, yeah. Of course." And he was gone.

Robinsky sat and stared at the medicine den wall. All the memories he'd had there was too good to be wasted. After this final fight, he might not be around to give Applepaw her full name, as he wasn't only a sitting duck to Stonelark, he was an obese duck with no legs, no ways to fight back. So he was going to give his apprentice her name now. 

All the memories... he remembered when Rainmoon and Stonelark were kits. Rainmoon - or, Rainkit - would always sneak into the medicine den and sniff through all the herbs, but for Stonekit it was the exact opposite. He would find some warriors to train with. They were easy on the kit, of course, but Stonekit didn't know that. Robinsky was sure that Rainmoon would train to be a medicine cat.

He was snapped back to reality when Applepaw stuck her head through the entrance of the den and her green eyes landed on Robinsky. "Sorry," she said, scurrying in. "I was training with Maplepaw."

Robinsky smiled and stood up. "Is she good?"

"Very," Applepaw confirmed. "Well, she's a good sister in general. Did you know that she's getting her warrior name tonight? I'm so happy for her!"

Robinsky began to sort out moss and yarrow flowers, which medicine cats wear when they get their full name. Applepaw must've noticed because she yipped, "Am I getting my full name, too?"

"You are tonight, after Maplepaw's ceremony."

Applepaw began to bounce around wildly. Realizing how immature she looked, she froze and meowed in a sophisticated voice, "Thank you, Robinsky."

The two cats burst into laughter, but the moment only made Robinsky wonder: Will she be okay without him?

•••

Night had fallen and the stars were twinkling in the sky. Thistlestar was on the highrock and Maplepaw had her golden brown fur all smoothed out. Her eyes glittered; Robinsky remembered what he felt like when we was made a full medicine cat.

Thistlestar cleared his throat and looked to the sky. "Looks like StarClan has gathered to watch your ceremony, Maplepaw." 

Maplepaw stood taller, if that's even possible, and held her gaze on Thistlestar.

Thistlestar lowered his blue gaze to meet Maplepaw's. "Tonight, Maplepaw has completed her training and is now ready to become a full warrior of MoonClan. Maplepaw," Thistlestar smiled. "Join me."

Maplepaw leaped onto the highrock with Thistlestar. Behind her calm face and attitude, Robinsky could see the excitment in her eyes.

"I call upon my ancestors to help me in deciding this apprentice's name," Thistlestar called. He paused for a beat and then continued, "Maplepaw, do you promise the Warrior Code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Maplepaw nodded. "I do."

Thistlestar stood taller, looming over the gathered cats. "Then from this day on, you shall be known as Maplestone. May StarClan light your path as a warrior."

As the Clan cheered for Maplestone, Robinsky looked over at Applepaw and nodded, and the two medicine cats set off to the Starstone for Applepaw's ceremony.