Artist’s Description
 
“What did her mother say..?”
 
“To feed her body to the sharks… the woman has no heart..”
 
“What of the rest of her village…?”
 
“They refuse.. Her own kind refuse to mourn her.. To bury her…. It’s all me~~”
 
“Do not blame yourself, Brother… Remember what she told you.”
 
“…. Yes… Of course……….. Sage… If the Clan would allow it… I’d like to do as we do with our own… She deserves more than a watery grave…”
 
“……. The Clan was very hesitant at first once word of this union reached them…. But after all you have endured… Surely they can’t turn you away….”
 
 
Torches of bright blue stood in a clearing at the center of the dense forest. Many dragons with dark eyes that gleamed different colors shown from the darkness before they stepped forward at the edge of the light cast by the fire. Each one dressed in fabrics with colorful prints, wearing beads and feathers, gems and chains dangling from their horns. Although humming soft tunes quietly, each voice came together in one song as the Elders came into view. Wearing antlered crowns upon their shoulders and heads, they gathered around a small patch of straw and dried grass. At the center of the group of elderly dragons stood a slender black dragoness. Her yellow gaze thought stoic at first, turned soft with pain burning in them at what stepped towards them.
 
Walking on hind legs in a compressed form, the dragoness saw her son carrying his deceased mate’s body. He kept his head bowed to hide his eyes from the surrounding crowd, his ears flat to his head. Behind him were two smaller whelps, following close behind. Both differed greatly in form and species, but stayed close and held hands as if they were of the same blood. The son’s fallen mate was bare naked with the exception of the feathers and beads she around her neck and hip. Her long pure white mane barely touched the ground as he walked.
 
Gingerly the son laid her body on the bed of grass, setting her hands just below her chest and curling her tail in neatly. The feathers were set the lay correctly on her body, and her mane cleared from her face. Her eyes were closed, the very expression on her face showing peaceful rest. The son gave a slight jerk as he looked her over and let out a choking sob. Once more he leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her cheek to say goodbye, then backed up. He used his wings to give a slight nudge to his children who were curled around each other, both a bit shy to part. They quickly made their way to the small bed of grass and straw to give their mother a hug, small whimpers escaping them as they said their goodbyes.
 
The soft song from the surrounding Nocturnals grew a little louder as the children returned to their father and clung to him as he stayed knelled to hold them close. Flowers were sprinkled over their mother’s body by the Elders as the song carried. At least, the black Elder spoke..
 
“Ancestors… Children of our past. We pray to you, to guide this departed soul to you in your place among the stars. We welcomed this mare into our clan as one of us, and so she shall run with you in the fields of stars above….” She took a moment to pause, looking down at the father. “Claudis, my son… I am so sorry for your loss… The clan cries and mourns with you and your children..”
 
Claudis only bowed his head in response.
 
The singing grew louder once more as the bed of straw was set ablaze by the Elders along the edges, slowly traveling to the mare’s body. As soon as the flames got close, her two children clung to Claudis to hide their eyes from the sight. After a few minutes they peeked, to see the bed completely engulfed in flames. Claudis stepped away from them to stand by the bed of fire, opening his large wings wide. With a single beat, he made a breeze that sent blue embers up into the sky.
 
“Let the voice of our clan guide you, Crystal… Let their song show you the way, so you may be free.” the Elder said softly.
 
 
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Gosh this hurt a bit to write… New canon; Crystal was not buried, she was cremated by means of a ceremonial funeral in the Nocturnal clan that Claudis was from. His mother Nightingale was one of the Elders that lead the ceremony.
 
The ceremony starts with the surrounding group humming and singing a soft song as the deceased is brought forward and set on a bed of dry grasses, dressed in traditional jewelry. After the initial goodbye said by an Elder, the bed is then lit. After it is completely covered in fire, the mate, child or next immediate family of the deceased uses their wings to cause a breeze and send the embers into the sky. The surrounding crowd will sing louder. The singing is to help guide the departed to the sky in a calm way.
 
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