Cora, A Sidelines Story from Clayton

The Grove

The Characters of Clayton, Rya, Kennedy, Dallas, and the Valentines belong to Rachelle. The character of Cora is expanded on with Permission from Rachelle, and is written for the pleasure of the International Wildflower Pack, the WhiskeyQueenn fandom. #WildflowersUnited #iwp

::Thanks to Rachelle Whiskeyqueenn for letting me expand the fringes of her world::

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The funeral traditions of many cultures are beautiful, 

Celebrate Life and Be Grateful for the Time We Are Given,

AND DO NOT let Grief become a Wall between Yourself and Life.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Part 4 

The Grove

Everything the Noble pack did took time, it was their most valued commodity. When I lived with my Grandmama's pack, I learned quickly that nothing worth doing or having, came quickly or easily. Everything was about patience and diligence. In the 5 days it took to prepare, Mark and I stayed in Grandmama's house and became reacquainted on a more intimate level. It felt amazing, but also horrible. Mark nudged, suggested, cajoled, and outright demanded we return to Big Sky as soon as the service was done. I was having none of it. I had my duty to do  while he believed I owed them nothing. He wanted his solitary life as a lone wolf, away from being a potential Alpha, but I was trained to be a Luna or Beta female and liked it. There was no middle ground, in spite of how we felt about each other. So at night, we made love, and in the day, we made war. Finally everything was ready for the memorial and we could head home. But I didn't know to which home or if we would be going together...

~

We took Gretchen's ashes to the Grove. At dawn, Grandmama Coraline carried them as we all followed. Hundreds and hundreds of wolves in various shades of green, representing the Eternal Fields of the Moon. Noble's traditions concerning the death of an elder were poignant and beautiful. As each elder passed, they were placed in a large area above the river where untold generations of wolves had been buried. The Elder's ashes would be placed around the root ball of a young tree, their family would add the dirt. In twenty years, their name and deeds would be carved into the tree and every tenth year after, the words would be re-cut for the next century to create a permanent tribute. Like grief, the tree's scars would be opened, heal, and reopen to heal again. 

The trees of the Grove were tributes to the Elders' honor carved into the living wood for future generations to read and remember. A growing lesson, its roots in the rich earth reaching for the water of the river below, its branches and leaves reaching for the Moon, its trunk scared with the acts of living, reminders of  a dutiful and purpose-driven life. The lawns between the trees were diligently manicured as the trees were carefully maintained, representing the Goddess' Fields. There were natural looking water features and even a few waterfalls hidden among the trees, bridges to cross, and benches for a weary wolf to rest upon. The Grove had a feeling of sacredness to it. Being chosen as one of the Keepers of the Grove was one of the highest honors in the Noble pack. As soon as I called Luna Millie with word  of the midwife's passing, The Keepers began their work. A hole was prepared and a tree of the type she selected was chosen. Her wished would be honored so she could be honored. Remembered for centuries to come as the She-wolf whose hands had birth generation after generation after generation. Moon-blessed and a blessing, a bringer of life.