Robinstar's Courage

Chapter 4

Robinstar opened his eyes to darkness and his lungs filled with an ice cold liquid. Fear quickly raced through his entire body. I'm drowning! Someone help me! He wanted to scream for help but he knew no cat would hear him. Robinstar thrashed his paws around in an attempt to find air. He shut his eyes tightly as the need to breathe got harder and his chest tightened. I'm going to die. Robinstar could feel his energy slowly leaving and his legs started going numb. He opened his mouth and let the black liquid snatch him away.

Robinstar jerked away only to be met with Snakekit's back paw and tail over his face, covering his mouth and eyes. He shook the kit off of him and watched as Snakekit opened his eyes wide and sped towards the den entrance. "Wait, Snakekit," Robinstar stood up quickly and followed in pursuit. It was still very dark outside. The kit was about to race into the nursery when Robinstar stopped him by stepping on Snakekit's tail firmly. The kit stopped with a jolt and plopped down.

"What are you doing Snakekit?" Robinstar asked.

"Dustkit- Cottonkit- really tired- paws- hurt- water everywhere!" Snakekit answer came out in a panic.

"Dustkit and Cottonkit are asleep with Mintglare." Robinstar explained.

Snakekit paused for moment, then looked up, over his shoulder at his father. Robinstar was slightly taken back by the look of anxiety and fear spread across Snakekit's face. His eyes were wide and looked as if he was in a trance. His whole pelt stood up on end. "The other queens and kits are in there two and Cloudtail and Nightwatcher are guarding the camp. Nothing is going to happen to any cat." Robinstar said softly but did not remove his paw from Snakekit's tail fore fear the kit would still run into the nursery. Snakekit only blinked at him but the look in his eyes did not leave. Robinstar wondered if the kit just had a bad dream. "Is there a problem Robinstar?" Robinstar looked up from Snakekit to Pathwalker standing outside the medicine cat den.

"I think Snakekit had a nightmare." Robinstar told him.

"Those are not uncommon among kits." Pathwalker smiled.

"Snakekit won't speak though." Robinstar glanced at his son.

"Snakekit, look at me for a moment." Pathwalker told the kit.

Snakekit quickly turned his head back around to face Pathwalker. Robinstar assumed his son still had the same look on his face because Pathwalker looked disturbed. The medicine cat stared at the green eyed kit for what felt like moons to Robinstar. Pathwalker then glanced from Snakekit to Robinstar a couple times before speaking, "Just give him a few licks."

"Should we get Mintglare?" Robinstar asked.

"You'll end up waking up the whole nursery and stressed out queens are bothersome." Pathwalker grumbled.

"I'm not a she-cat." Robinstar meowed.

"You're a father, we know this." Pathwalker rolled his golden green eyes.

Robinstar bent down, wrapped his tail around Snakekit and started licking the kit's head, between his ears like he had done before when the kit was upset. "He should calm down eventually. I want to speak with you about this tomorrow, Robinstar." Pathwalker told him before turning and slipping back into his den. Robinstar kept licking Snakekit until the kit's fur lay flat. He then picked up Snakekit by his scruff and carried him back into his den. He set the kit down and curled around him. Snakekit's bright green eyes were now clouded and he yawned once before curling up and falling back to sleep. Robinstar wrapped his tail around the kit tightly. "I won't let anything happen to you", he mumbled as sleep started taking over him once again. Robinstar fell asleep knowing he would wake up tired from the night's events.