Batten couldn't stop the gasp she let out as she tried to ignore the wet feeling in her eyes.
She knew that kid had an explosive side to him, but she never thought it would've ended like that.
The bat was ready to fly straight over to the crater Sails' bomb had left, but a big, purple paw on her chest stopped her.
She turned to find Catfish looking at her sadly. His large ears were folded against his head as he numbly shook his head, turning around to return to the task at hand.
Batten glanced between the cat and crater, fighting with herself on what to choose.
She hesitantly flew after Catfish, quickly swiping at her eyes. She knew she didn't show it in the best way, but she loved that kid. She had practically raised him on her own before they stumbled upon Dread, Black Rose, and Catfish.
She didn't think losing him would ever really impact her. Losing people never had before. But despite it all, tears continued to gather no matter how many times she wiped them away.
She was more attached to Sails than she even realized. But it didn't matter anymore, did it?
Sails was gone.
Batten would never get to give him another flying lesson ever again. She'd never get to snatch away his sea dog when he stopped paying attention to it just to end up giving him her own one anyway.
She wouldn't get to have another quick spar with him, having to learn how to work around his gizmo. She wouldn't be able to sit on the mast to watch over him after he curled up for a nap in the crow’s nest.
They were all little things, but it was their little things. It was things she enjoyed doing with that little fox, one of the few highlights in their otherwise boring, repetitive lives.
But now they were gone and Batten’s world grew darker. Her cheerful sunrays the kit gave her were now blocked out by the cloud of dread that settled over her body at the realization she lost what was probably the most important thing to her.
She couldn't even remember the last time she had cried.
Batten lost Sails. And it felt like a piece of her died with him.
