A Dash of Demise

Ch 49: Common Knowledge

Wolf funerals were odd.

They do not bury their dead.

The do not burn them.

No the wolf people place the dead body of the beast upon a raised dais of stone for some strange reason.

I peered at Zander from the corner of my eye as I stood beside him.

He was making a strange sort of speech about this wolf returning to the earth and becoming part of the nights sky to forever watch over their pack with the Goddess Luna, Lady of the moon and lover of the Wolves."

Some of the wolves were in human form. Others like the dead man, in wolf form.

They stay in whichever form they died in.

"And..." Zander continued, "with this death we are reminded to cherish every moment we have with those who hold our hearts. We are a people who live graciously long lives, although we should not take such a thing for granted, for even ours are as fragile as all others. Let him be remembered in not his death, but his life and the joy he brought those who loved him."

There was a chorus of howls from those in wolf form and Zanders palm rested on the small of my back.

I gazed up at him confused.

He whispered softly to me, "it is time for his family to have a moment alone with him. I will say my goodbyes and they will stay with him until the moon raises and Luna takes his spirit into her arms. Tomorrow morning we will partake in his favorite meal as a celebration to him. Then there will be plenty of wine."

Oh.

This is much different than human funerals.

Zander led me to a small group of people. An older woman and two men. "Daliah, Vernan. I wish there was something that could have been done." he looked to the yonder man, "Deblin, your brother will deeply be missed."

He nodded, looking beyond tired, "thank you Alpha. He would be honored to hear it."

The woman sniffled as I watched, "my baby..."

I glanced at the wolf corpse once more. The cut was crude and Zander was likely correct.

The wolf would not have died quickly.

I could feel eyes upon me.

Slowly I removed my gaze from the corpse to meet that of the woman.

She growled at me, "how can you possibly live with yourself. With what your people do."

I cocked a brow at her, "the man who killed him was not under my control of even part of my sector. My guards are not so crude. This was one of the kings guards. Barbarians that they are."

"You are all the same!"

Zander let out a low warning growl as her mate tried to get her to calm, her son reprimanding her, "mother. She is not responsible to what happened to Kondan. He knew not to venture near the palace. She did not cut his throat, another did."

If I had it likely would have been much less painful for the dog.

But, I did not voice this. "We all lose people we love.. Daliah. At one point or another they will disappear. And we all mourn in different ways. But I will say, anger is never the best way to honor those who loved us. I did not kill your sun, nor did any guard. He was nothing more than an over zealous recruit who right about now has likely drowned due to a buildup of fluids in his lungs."

There was silence as all four wolves looked at me, Zanders brows furrowed, "Red?"

"He was not suitable to be a guard and I had a new poison to test, when applied to an inanimate object such as a fan it will last for no more than three hours. But if any piece of flesh such as a mans left cheek came in contact with the poisoned fan the his skin would absorb the toxin and he would die painfully within three hours."

Deblins brows rose, "will you not get in trouble for that?"

I hummed, "they all want to kill me anyways I do this sort of thing at least twice a month. Now. If it is my understanding you lot are supposed to sit here with your deceased for a while. The sun is much to bright and I did not bring an umbrella to stay and chat. Farewell."

I separated from Zander and started off.

His voice drifted on the wind after me as he spoke to them, "Red is not a warm woman but her heart is generally in the right place. If you need anything at all during this difficult time do not hesitate to call on me."

Their response was lost to me as I continued on, Zander catching up soon after, "thank you Red."

"whatever for?"

"Not slapping her with a fan? Not pointing out how much more efficiently you would have slaughtered her son? For being considerate in your own way even though you do not understand our funerals processions?"

"I also did not point out that if it were me or mine who killed she never would have even gotten her sons body back."

"Thank you Especially for not mentioning that."

I giggled a bit, "I expect a reward of an extra apple tart during our meal for holding my tongue when faced with her rudeness."

"You accompanied me even though we both know you rather would have been doing practically anything else. You can have as many tarts as you wish."

I hummed, "have your spirits been lifted then?"

"I will feel this loss physically for days to come Red, but I find having you near is blaming to my wounds."

"Well of course. I am very cute."

He slid an arm over my slim shoulders, "the absolute cutest."

Oh look, he has become more intelligent since knowing me.

Although that fact is simply common knowledge.