It was a few days later when we had a funeral for Lord Third. I started to call him that after his death because I realized how much I actually respected him. During the time between his death and the funeral, we found out that May is actually Naruto's twin sister who was accidentally transported to the future, and now he's been clinging to her 24/7. I haven't talked to her about Kurama, but I will soon. In my hands, I held seventeen white roses, one from me and the rest from my lions, who were especially devastated. Right now, I am standing next to Naruto and May. While Sophie, Ali and Luna are somewhere on my left. I don't see the point of funerals. THEY'RE DEAD! Of course you wouldn't, you have no heart. Soon, we all had to put our flowers atop the grave. We trudged silently towards it and put our flowers on top, before making way for the next. I nearly cried during the funeral, but ninja don't cry, so I didn't. The rest of the day everyone was still mourning and it was definitely going to stay that way, so I went back to my compound, and found my animals preparing their own kind of funeral, using the elephant burial ritual. They didn't have the body so they used a small tree and started by inspecting the tree and trying to lift it, before burying it under a pile of leaves and grass, all while doing their own unique versions of crying, causing quite the ruckus as they sat by the pile. Yet, my heart was warmed, and soon even more so, when they all started yowling one at a time. To others it would sound like they randomly started yowling, but in actuality they were saying their final goodbyes to Lord Third. When they finished they did what elephants don't do, set the pile on fire. They then turned to me, the only one who hadn't said anything. I smiled sadly, and began singing.
It changes everything you've been
And all that's left to be
Is empty, lonely, broken, hopin'
I'm supposed to be strong
I'm supposed to find a way to carry on
I don't wanna feel better
I don't wanna not remember
I will always see your face
In the shadows of this haunted place
I will laugh
I will cry
Shake my fist at the sky
But I will not say goodbye
They keep saying time will heal
But the pain just gets more real
The sun comes up each day
Finds me waiting, fading, hating, praying
If I can keep on holding on
Maybe I can keep my heart from knowing that you're gone
Cause I don't wanna feel better
I don't wanna not remember
I will always see your face
In the shadows of this haunted place
I will laugh
I will cry
Shake my fist at the sky
But I will not say goodbye
I will curse
I will pray
I'll relive everyday
I will shelter the blame
I'll shout out your name
I will laugh
I will cry
Shake my fist at the sky
But I will not say
Will not say goodbye
I will not say goodbye
Will not say oh
I was in tears by the end, emotion poured into the voice. Just as I finished, the fire went out, and the waterworks amped up, my animals coming to console me. I felt the old man smiling down at us from above.
This is not goodbye.
A/N: Sorry for only two chapters, but I couldn't finish anymore after writing the funeral, next week we'll be back on a normal schedule.