Rain Walker throws back his head and howls. A long, tired, wailing howl. ~Djeret-n-Sekhmet. Jeremy of the Silent Striders. Your place with us will always be assured. May the spirit of our totem guide your steps, wherever they will walk. Your memory will be honored.~ He stops. After a long moment of silence he takes up the howl again. ~Itunkala of the Uktena. Your voice too will be remembered. And I promise you, now, that I will do my best to fulfill your last wishes and find the one you sought.~ He stops again.
Rain Walker takes one step back, into his place.
Oaken steps forward, hands clenched at his sides. ~Velasquez saved my life several times. Saved my sanity. More than that, he taught me a lot. He never, ever backed down from a fight once he was sure he was right, no matter who was on the other side. He never lost his pride in who he was, never lost his faith in what he could do. He was a fine man, a fine friend, a fine teacher. His loss is the Sept's. Is Magpie's. Is mine.~
Duskreader comes up the trail from the west.
Duskreader has arrived.
Ned Briggs steps forward into the slightly embarrassing silence. ~Few here knew Walker well, and I suppose I knew him better than most. Let not his passing be observed in silence. This was a brave warrior of his own people, and true to Gaia as any other.~
Ned Briggs turns towards the Marker, and cries, ~Hail Walker, Warrior of the Uktena!~
Elizabeth swallows and closes her eyes as Ned howls.
Duskreader pads stiffly in from the west, joining the Gathering.
Ned Briggs steps back, respectful and solemn.
Duskreader rumbles into the silence. He was of my people. He died in Glory. He shall be remembered.
Quiet steps forward, shifting as she does so.
Quiet contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Quiet shifts into Crinos form.
Quiet says ~Several of these that we are seeing to their final rest had been here since before I had. Some I did not know well, and for those I simply give my well-wishes on their final path: Wind-In-Trees, Strikes-Twice, Djeret-n-Sekhmet. Of the others, I will keep the memory of their actions, of their strengths and weakness, to keep them alive with us. Shana Eyes-Glow-Green, for her aid in the slaying of Valentine. Itunkala, though he may never believe I am true-named, even in the next life.~ A small smile touches her broad lips, ~Velasquez, fellow child of cunning.~ She sobers, ~And Flying Bear, who I challenged for Fostern. You I grieve most of all, tribemate, for you had a strength under your hate that most never saw.~
Quiet steps back again, shifting downward.
Quiet contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Quiet shifts into Lupus form.
Crimson Tears rumbles and leans proudly on her haunches. ~Strikes-Twice-yuf was good warrior. One was only Guest with him, yet Honorably he took duty to fight for Caern and fell with honor among his war-brethren.~ She pauses briefly. ~Wind-In-Trees, one did not know. Though one remembers sharp axe of Weaver fly to strike many times. He died knowing he had done all he could against the fiend. Let his actions live in our Hearts that we know that no matter what odds are, Caern must be safe, and Wyrm must die.~ She howls a sharp dirge into the cool eve.
Crimson Tears lowers her muzzle and settles back down.
Waters leans against his tribemate as she retakes her previous place.
Elizabeth's hands tighten until white knuckles show.
Elizabeth steps forward, and takes a deep breath. Her voice is a little shakey as she starts.
Arantxa comes up the trail from the west.
Arantxa has arrived.
Elizabeth turns slowly on her heel, first looking at each of the watchers faces, then turning to the gravemounds. Then, in a light, feminine voice, she begins to sing.
Gone from the Mother's white blanket,
Gone as the Word is gone on the wind,
For the Wendigo, Wind, no homecoming.~
Elizabeth bites her lip and turns to a different mound.
This will be Walker's farthest,
You walk now to the other shore,
A gulf of death between us.~
Elizabeth looks over her shoulder at where Samhain should have been, shivers, and turns back.
Sing we your song, Fianna,
Shana, may you see light and love,
And joy beyond all knowing.~
Elizabeth's voice drops, and acquires a bit more of a quiver as she sings.
Chosen Strider, now you meet her,
In verdent forests now you dance,
Light on wings of silver.~
Elizabeth swallows, and her voice firms.
With the Uktena I sing your praises,
Laugh at the Wyrm for us beyond...
So we may all have laughter.~
Elizabeth sighs, and then sings simply,
Control even his pride,
Velasquez, in glory your deeds raise you up,
From the city to the sky.~
Tears trickle down Elizabeth's cheeks, and her voice gets a jammed-up quality, but she keeps singing.
Elizabeth's gaze drops to the next Mound and she looks regretful.
The Wyrm's foul eye, Farewell.
The Children's Claw, I hope to see,
Thee beyond the Third Dying.~
Elizabeth sings, loudly and clearly as best she is able, raising her voice.
Go, mantled in glory.
Go, and we will track your star,
When we fall from the story.~
Elizabeth falls silent, and rubs her arm against her face as she steps down.
D'siaH nods thankfully to Elizabeth and looks around the circle of the living, for any more that have words to speak.
Elizabeth swallows and her shoulders quiver slightly as she looks at the ground.
Arantxa steps forward, and her eyes range the crowd, then fall regretfully to the graves of Mouse and Walker. ~I led you into battle at the Claw's request, and you fell at my side, not without honor or Glory. Mouse-yuf, your deed against the Ice King will be part of stories from now on...Walker-yuf, your strength of body was the same as the strength of your heart. We will slay this thing in your memory, and the memories of all that died with you.~ She steps back and vanishes into the forest.
D'siaH resumes her place in the circle of graves, before the white stone The Strider Seer's soft voice takes on a ringing, rhythmic cadence as she speaks her own words for friends and comrades.
D'siaH says, ~I saw an ally and honored guest of caern standing burned yet still fighting alongside its oldest members, a promise of tomorrow--acorns--in his hands.~
Dylan lowers his head.
D'siaH says, ~I saw a Bear tearing into the wind with his battle-rage, teeth sunk into the ice.~
D'siaH says, ~I saw black and white of Magpie gleaming red battle-bright as a pack alpha stood his ground.~
StrengthBringer remains silent, eyes lowered respectfully.
D'siaH says, ~I saw a Wind-speaker bearing the circle of seasons on his brow to challenge the rule of an unyielding winter.~
D'siaH says, ~I saw a smallest warrior whose hands tell stories with sand wielding dagger-teeth to mock his foe.~
D'siaH says, ~I saw a green-eyed drummer fighting one-armed yet raging on, fighting for her caern.~
D'siaH says, ~I saw a young winged lion burning the foe with fury of the sun's eye.~
D'siaH says, ~I saw an owl fly in the face of the storm with claws and beak outstretched.~
D'siaH shivers, but says firmly, ~I saw a caern that still stands, because Garou and spirit sold lives in the most dear of duties.~
Dylan lifts his head to look first at D'siaH, then at Eligio.
D'siaH says, ~I see tomorrow, which they have given us. We howl to salute them, and send their spirits forth.~
D'siaH tilts back her head and begins a high, defiantly joyous howl that seems to reach for evening's first stars.
Elizabeth contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Noor contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Elizabeth changes rapidly from Homid to lupus form.
Noor shrinks in on herself, contorting painfully into the form of a jackal.
Arantxa contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Arantxa shifts into Lupus form.
Anpwhotep throws back his head and joins the howl.
Dylan contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Crimson Tears raises her head to Luna and howls a long rumbling, deep dirge-lilting into the evening air.
White Veils tilts her head back, and raises her voice in a powerful, light howl that spirals upwards into the night. It starts low, and works upwards in song.
Dylan shifts into Lupus form.
Rain Walker throws back his head and howls, a harsh and rasping cry, voice strained to breaking. What comes out is an empty sound, filled with the loneliness of the desert mesa, the call of the lone wolf throwing his pain to the stars above and watching it rain down over the dry lands of death.
Duskreader raises his muzzle. His howl is primal, at once a resigned acceptance of all life's pain, and at the same time a savage denial of them.
Ned Briggs remains manformed, head raised and the high, long-keening 'Oooooodhiiiiinnnnnn!' his cry.
Aset joins the others in an howl speaking of her anguish, her love and her loss.
StrengthBringer lifts her head and howls along with the others.
Andrew, contorting and transforming into the furry form of a wolf, adds his unsteady voice to the howl.
Tommy contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Tommy twists and stretches into Lupus form.
Bounder shifts to join the howl, sounding not only out of duty, but of thankfulness.
Alexis howls high and clear, her voice singing to the distant hills.
Quiet's voice cries out under the others, her deep-throated cry weaving unharmoniously among the others to join them in the expression of farewell.
Deathjester begins her howl, deep and pure, determined to give the fallen their proper due.
Travis sorrowfully joins the howl as much as he can in the form he's in. When finished he offers a silent farewell, and leaves quietly.
Dylan tips his head back and joins the howl, his voice deep and full of pain.
Out of the night sky, a great owl descends, silently, and lands lightly on Jeremy's body. Its head swivels to meet each Gatherer with a familiar, piercing gaze, lingering on Gauntlet and the Striders. Then it rises again, into the night sky, until it disappears from view.
White Veils's eyes track the great Owl, and she then lowers her head.
D'siaH weaves the symphony of hails and mourning with soft bell-like coyote yips and the eerie keening of the desert, and hangs in the air til the last howl fades before dropping her eyes from the sky. She turns to owl and inclines her head, murmuring a soft thanks to the Gathering.
Rain Walker watches it come and go, reserved, a frightening look on his face. His voice drops, lowers, then stops, abruptly as he shifts to a less awkward form.
Rain Walker contorts and blurs as he is transformed.
Rain Walker ripples and changes, slipping into Homid form.
StrengthBringer drops to all fours and shifts.
Quiet's voice falls silent, her mismatched eyes watching the silent departure of the owl's flight.
Aset watches the owl go with a look of wonder and respect, then nudges her alpha.
Anpwhotep sighs heavily and looks down at Aset.
Quiet stays until the last Child of Gaia is gone, then heads to the north.
