Despite the humidity, the air was cool, gentle on the lungs that drew it in in slow, steady pulls. Dark sides swelled, expelled short, nearly-melodic intonations, from a lowered head, the shaggy mane obscuring the doe's pale face. One flowed into the nest without interruption, delicate hooves keeping the rhythm. Motes of light- fireflies- danced about the shallow waters, herded haphazardly by an oversized bee with vibrant wings that caught the glimmers and intensified them just so.

Frogs croaked, wind whispered through the trees, and, slowly, the circling doe dug into the marshy soil, and the hollow filled with warm, murky water. When her feathers were thoroughly soaked, and her knees nearly sunk in, she shifted into calmer, longer notes, and the doe settled. She tucked around another figure quietly- a long, elegant crane with beautiful, pale feathers, its dark legs sprawled indelicately back from its body- and she stayed like that, simply offering her wordless lullaby to the unhearing creature for a moment more. As the last somber tone faded into a lull, she gathered the crane into a semblance of slumber, and nosed it into the waters of the hole she'd made.

A pair of curious paws padded through the trees, a wiggling nose finding a path through the underbrush. A short muskwolf peered at the doe through the dim light before disappearing back into the trees, silence following for a few minutes.

When a noise came again it was steady, sure hoof beats on the damp ground combined with the excited pattering of paws. A kin emerged from the darkness, bright blue eyes standing out more than the rest of him due to his coloration and the dark lightning. Vigil Keeper observed the doe as she reverently sang to a deceased crane beside a grave and he remained silent as she did so, Solace taking a page from his master's book by calming his panting and excited wiggles to sit motionless by Vigil's side.

Once the tune faded and she began to nudge the crane into its final resting place, Vigil decided now would be as good a time as any.

"Would you like some assistance?" he asked, his somber voice fitting the occasional perfectly. "I am happy to help, should you need it."

Solace remained where he sat, though his tail was wagging very slightly behind him. He was ready to help as well.

seru_ame wrote:

The bee lazily trailed after the muskwolf when it stuck its nose out of the bush, landing and resting its wings a moment. Whether or not it knew what the fox was about, who but the MotherFather could honestly say? It did, at least, neither follow, nor flit back to Ghost Lullaby to try for her attention.

When Vigil, however, stepped out, it rose once more into the air, and began to circle around the glow of his eyes. The buck's somber, gentle voice drew up the doe's head, and wide, silvered eyes sought, if not his, than at least to rest in his direction. Her ears perked forward, twitching after the bee. She lowered her head again, tracing her muzzle around the lip of the shallow hole. "I don't need much. It seems to be all in, no? Perhaps a few berries or flowers to take with it back to the MotherFather, if you wish to gather some up with me?"

Lutz wrote:

Vigil surveyed the work the doe had done already. The crane was indeed in the grave that had been dug, a feather or two sticking up from the murky water that had filled it, but everything was compact and ready to be seen off.

"It is, yes. I would be happy to search with you. Solace," he said, looking down at the muskie, an ear flicking as the large bee hovered by. Solace looked up expectantly at Vigil Keeper, ready to do whatever was asked of him.

"Stay with the grave while we look. We'll stay close," he added, both for Solace's benefit as well as the doe's. He wasn't sure if this crane had been known to her prior to its passing or if she was just laying to rest a corpse she'd come across, but either way it wouldn't do to think that they were leaving it unfinished.

"Solace will guard the crane's resting place," Vigil said, stepping forward toward the doe. "I believe I saw a small bush back the way I came that had a few nice flowers near it. Perhaps we can start there?"

seru_ame wrote:

Ghost Lullaby picked up her head properly, and offered him a smile that had her eyes crinkling closed. She had to squint to make out the small form of the... Fox? No, wrong overall shape. Perhaps it was some kind of wolf pup, but it was far better behaved than most of those that she'd had the dubious pleasure of coming across. She puzzled over it for only a moment as she carefully picked her way over to him.

Closer, she could see his eyes glowing pretty blue, and she tried to get a good look at him, so she could sort him from the shadows if they got separated. Her bee's buzzing helped, of course. His step forward was almost missed, but she caught it in time to give him proper space. "That should do- just a few, I think." Her antennae bobbed as she nodded, mostly to herself. "I don't get help often." It was half a question, her head tipping curiously.

Lutz wrote:

As the doe came a bit closer, Vigil realized that despite her large, bright eyes, she might have a bit of trouble seeing him. Perhaps that was what the bee was doing, helping its master locate the kin speaking with her. It was always nice to see when familiar and pets could help their chosen kin with their tasks, whether it was being an extra set of eyes or ears or simply a companion to walk with.

"Wonderful," he said, the cheerful word still spoken in his rather somber tone. He flicked an ear as the drone of the bee continued to hover near him, but he truly didn't mind.

"Mm, death is not something many care to help with," he agreed, blue eyes almost a bit sad looking as he spoke. "I am of a very different mindset. Come, let us find the flowers." He turned slowly, hopefully to help his companion find the direction they were going to head in.

"You were singing a very lovely song when I arrived," he said, curious just as much as she was. "Is that something you do often for the deceased? It was very beautiful." Sorrowful or poignant to some, but Vigil had found it respectful and unique.

As the two kin slowly moved away, Solace went to stand guard beside the grave, waiting for the two to return.

seru_ame wrote:

Droning Note turned slightly too sharply, and bumped against Vigil's neck. It smooshed against him for a second, and then it landed clumsily, before coming to a rest on his back. From time to time, the bee's wings fluttered, and Ghost hummed softly back.

The buck was oddly calm, melancholy- somber. Soothing. Did he sing, too? What would it sound like? Perhaps he would offer his own song to the crane. "Mmm... I suppose that's true- enough, but... I think that it's, one of the two unifying things all of us have, kin, beast, or plant," she murmured haltingly. She did not stray too close or too far, a full body between them with her head level with her shoulders ahead of her. "Ah, thanks be to you- any time I find something unresting, unburied," she admitted. "Usually... if it's not been.... killed, then a short verse. The crane will rest well, I think."

Lutz wrote:

Vigil nodded in agreement as the doe spoke: all living things would come to an end at some point or another. Some things lasted longer than others, but death was inevitable.

"I think it will as well," he agreed, stepping around a particularly soggy patch in the path. "The flowers are just here," he added, guiding the doe to the bush he'd come to. If she couldn't see perhaps she could smell them and pick the best ones that way.

"I'm Vigil Keeper," he added as he paused by the flowers. "What may I call you?" The buzzing bee on his back was no burden to him and he found it quite endearing. It was always nice to see that kin that might normally be alone had friends in one way or another.

seru_ame wrote: