Chapter 11
A patter of small paws could be heard once the noise of the attacking eagles died away. Glancing around, I saw Mosskit and Windkit dashing across the blood-spattered grass to their mother.
"Leafwhisker!" Mosskit screamed and flung himself onto her body, sobbing. Windkit, a pace behind his brother, placed a paw on Mosskit's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him, burying his muzzle in Leafwhisker's cooling fur as he did so.
Mistpaw, an eagle feather caught in her back claw, bounded over to the two grieving kits and curled around them, keeping them warm and safe.
As the other apprentices landed, Skypaw looked over at me, grief flashing in her green eyes. "This camp is much too exposed," she murmured, glancing at Leafwhisker's motionless body.
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. I moved closer to my deputy to hear her next words.
"We have to move to a different camp. The eagles know we're here. If we move, there's a lot less of a chance that something like this will happen again."
I could hear the truth in her words, but where else was there a place suitable for a camp? The great Airstar, founder of AirClan, had picked this spot as a camp for a good reason. I expressed this concern to Skypaw, who merely smiled grimly.
"I know of a few caves we could check out tomorrow," she replied.
Nodding ascent, I turned back to my Clan. "Blackpaw! Rainpaw!" I called.
The two apprentices looked around as I spoke their names.
"Could you help Mosskit and Windkit bury Leafwhisker in the morning?"
They nodded and I smiled. Settling down into a crouch beside Skypaw, I prepared to stay up all night in a silent vigil for Leafwhisker. I knew Mosskit and Windkit would be furious if anyone in the entire Clan went to their dens to sleep tonight.