Talon wrapped his father in linen the colour of dead grass. The smell hung on the humid air. Kala raised the canvas that covered the hut`s doorway and held it for her husband to follow.

　　Talon was hesitant. They`ll talk.`

　　It isn`t fadi, they can talk.` Kala coaxed him out and allowed the canvas to settle. They can sit in there while they do it.` She slid an arm around his waist. Besides, no one but your father`s ki will know, and he`d be the first to tell us to get some air. We don`t have to be away long.`

　　They meandered towards Midstream where the river that bisected the village widened and slowed. Passing villagers gave doleful nods. No one demanded to know who was with his father. A woman bathed chest deep and teased at her hair while two youngsters laughed and splashed. As the couple approached she silenced the children with a word and departed leaving Kala and Talon alone. They removed their skirts and waded to the middle until only their heads stood proud. Talon worked water through Kala`s hair.

　　Thank you,` he whispered. I could not have done all this without you.`

　　She shuffled back until his chest brushed her shoulders. You did the same for both my parents.`

　　Talon closed his eyes and held her, listening to the flitting birds, burbling water, the insects, and behind it all - way out in the trees - the ever present scream of the bodaki. Talon rolled Kala`s hair, attempting to tie it up but it unspooled about her shoulders.

　　She raised a hand to catch the giggle. I`m sorry, I shouldn`t laugh.`

　　Talon placed a finger on her lips, leaving droplets in its place. My father liked your laugh, I don`t think he`d mind.`

　　No.` She sobered. Others might.`

　　To the roots with anyone who condemns a laugh.` The rebelliousness surprised him.

　　They followed the bank of the river all the way to Lowstream, letting the water cool them as it dried, then rinsed their skirts at the water`s edge before dressing.

　　Do you think we should collect the others?` Kala asked.

　　Sosa will have her hands full with Halo and Grammawe, but better that than sitting in the hut.` The three day vigil was only half over. If Grammawe wants to come back sooner, she can, but when she`s not there I think she forgets her husband is dead. Better like that.`

　　They took up the vigil from just outside the hut, resting under the dappled shade of the banefruit tree that had fed Talon as a child.

　　#

　　What about these?` Sosa`s fingers trailed over the old boxes and their carved pictures. They`re made of darktree, aren`t they?`

　　They are. Your pawe`s father carved them.` Kala leaned in. I think that one`s supposed to be your pawe.`

　　Sosa studied it. I`ll be honest, Pawe, I`m not seeing it.` Talon smiled at his daughter.

　　Can you carve, Mmawe?` Halo asked Kala. You can write, so&?`

　　Never tried.` Kala was encouraging Talon`s mother to drink her water.

　　We don`t need them,` Talon said. Leave them for whoever takes the hut next.` His mother was to move in with the family, there was no way she could live alone.

　　Sosa smirked at the engraving. You`re giving up this beautiful artwork?`

　　Hey! This is Grampawe`s funeral, stop making jokes.` Halo pouted at his sister.

　　Talon opened his mouth but Sosa beat him to it. It`s okay to smile and laugh, twiglet. It`s okay to feel sad too.` Sosa would remember Kala`s parent`s funeral ceremonies, Halo was too young. Grampawe liked to laugh, didn`t he?`

　　Halo bobbed his head.

　　And do you think he`d want to see you sad?`

　　I`d want people to be sad if I died.` Halo said

　　I would be very sad if you died, Halo, but I would smile and remember all the happy things too. Wouldn`t you want me to smile when I remembered you?`

　　Talon didn`t know where his daughter gained such wisdom. She was growing fast.

　　Remember when Grampawe made you the mask out of bark and told you it made you invisible?`

　　Halo fought to keep his face pulled, but Talon could see the corners of his mouth twitch No.` He folded his arms.

　　Yeah you do, twiglet.` Sosa continued lightly, ignoring his strop, Then he borrowed it to sneak up on Mmawe.`

　　Halo finally smiled. I kept telling him it didn`t work.` Then he chuckled. Mmawe threw water at him.`

　　They all laughed.

　　An old man cleared his throat at the doorway and Talon felt a new tension stretch across the air. Elder Jode,` he said, bowing his head.

　　The old man paused before entering. Omaki,` he said in greeting, I came to pay my,` another pause, respects to your father.` He stood silently by the wrapped body for some moments. The family waited in silence.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

　　The Elder spoke slowly, still with his back to them. I can understand the laughter of the children. This is a difficult time and children find ways to cope. I always feel that we learn best by example.` Now he turned and looked at Talon. Don`t you agree?`

　　Yes. Yes, Elder Jode.` Talon said, his eyes not rising to meet the Elder`s.

　　Good. It is important we teach our children the traditions of our village. They are the reason we flourish. If I might suggest,` Elder Jode leaned closer to Talon as if in confidence, though his voice did not soften, you begin with the traditions of our funeral ceremony. Unless you need reminding? I`d be happy to oblige.`

　　No, Elder Jode,` Talon intoned. Apologies.` The moment the word was out he hated himself for saying it, but it was too late to take it back.

　　We will come again tomorrow for the procession. I expect everything to be in order by then.` Not waiting for acknowledgement or offering thanks or wishes, Elder Jode strode from the hut.

　　Halo sank back into a sullen silence while Sosa busied herself opening more boxes.

　　Kala said, quietly. Ignore him.` She squeezed Talon`s shoulder. He gave a sigh and pulled himself from the deep thoughts and mouthed a thank you to his wife. Then he turned to the box Sosa was searching.

　　He`s not nice, is he?` she asked after a few moments of removing and re-folding a linen sheet.

　　Talon shrank down and glanced at the doorway. Be careful, Sosa. He is chief Elder. We do what the council says, we don`t question. You know that.`

　　Doesn`t mean we have to think he`s nice though,` Sosa said into the box.

　　No. No it doesn`t.` Talon tried to put Jode from his mind and joined his daughter sorting the contents of his father`s boxes. Some could be used, the rest left for the hut`s next family. Tomorrow we will have the procession just before sunset. I need you to help your mother with the flowers, okay?`

　　Sosa nodded.

　　Talon turned to his son. That leaves you and me to take Grammawe`s things to our hut, okay Halo?`

　　Halo gave a reluctant nod, but had also begun to take an interest in the boxes. He reached in and something heavy clunked against the side. What`s this?` He lifted it out. Oh, wow. Can we keep this?`

　　It was metal, quite the novelty even without its dirty yellow colour. At one end was a hollow cylinder that flattened out into a broad head. The two sharp edges tapered to a point. Talon took the object carefully.

　　Is it a tool, for cutting?` Halo asked, mimicking how the flat spade-like blade might be used.

　　It`s sharp,` Sosa said. You could dig and cut through roots at the same time maybe?`

　　I`m not sure.` Talon turned it over. Beautiful swirls were etched into the flat of the metal on either side. He traced one to the point. His finger came back bleeding. Could it be a weapon?`

　　A weapon?` Kala scoffed. For what? I think Sosa`s got it.`

　　Then why isn`t it with Grampawe`s tools? Or in the fields with mine?` Talon asked. Looks like it sits on the end of a wooden stave.`

　　Where did he get it? I don`t remember ever seeing it.` Kala came for a closer look.

　　I`ve never seen it before. Maybe he found it? Either way he`s kept it hidden.` He turned to his mother who hadn`t moved. Mmawe?` She looked at him. Do you remember this?`

　　She looked away again, not seeing, recognising or caring.

　　A fishing spear?` Sosa suggested. Can I take a look.`

　　It`s really sharp.` Talon showed his finger. It`s too broad for fishing and too big for anything in Highstream.` He turned it over, wary of handing it to his daughter.

　　Sosa bounced impatiently, her hand outstretched.

　　No, Sosa, it`s dangerous.`

　　Pawe, I`m not stupid. I just want a closer look at the marks on it. It`s bronze. The hearthers showed us bronze.` Sosa had done her turn with the hearthers. She`d enjoyed it but ultimately had chosen the fields like Talon, another reason to be proud of her. It`s really rare if it is.`

　　Talon handed it over with the hollow cylinder first and as Sosa studied the carvings on the bronze, Talon retrieved the spare stave his father had used as a walking stick.

　　Sosa slipped it into the hollow tube and held it up. You could be right, you know. But why would anyone have a spear other than for fishing? And in bronze?`

　　Maybe for hunting something bigger than fish?` Talon suggested, motioning for Sosa to take it off the wood before she turned too fast and sliced someone open.

　　Looks like a big leaf,` Halo said, pressed against his sisters side. Maybe Grampawe made it for Grammawe? As just decoration or something.`

　　Out of metal? Doubt it, twiglet.`

　　It would be fadi, Halo,` Kala told him. Halo looked disappointed.

　　Sosa was back in the boxes looking for more unexplained treasures. Oh, Mmawe, Look! It`s sheets of writing. It looks like the record.`

　　Kala dropped the bowl of water and was at her daughter`s side in a moment. No. No, it can`t be.`

　　But Grammawe was a chronicler too,` Halo chimed in, It could be.`

　　No, no it isn`t. It isn`t.` Kala snatched the sheets from Sosa and quickly flicked through them. It isn`t.` Only when she had leafed through them all did she say, it isn`t,` in a convincing tone.

　　But&` Halo began.

　　Twiglet, hush.` Sosa said, though her eyes didn`t leave her mother. Mmawe is the chronicler. She would know.`

　　Can I see?` Halo craned his neck.

　　Don`t go telling people you looked at it.` Kala handed a page to each of them. Halo wouldn`t have seen the written word before, not that he ever should, but it was good practice for Sosa who would one day take her place.

　　Talon caught her eye behind the children`s backs. Is it?` he mouthed, but she shook her head.

　　Isn`t this fadi too?` Halo asked.

　　Kala nodded. Well if it was the record it would be, and nothing else gets written down, so probably best to keep quiet about this anyway.` She took the sheets and buried them at the bottom of the box.

　　Grammawe?` Halo whirled around, the sheets forgotten in favour of the shiny metal.

　　No, leave her Halo, she`s just eaten,` Kala said.

　　I don`t want to make her run round or anything but if Grampawe made the spear thing for her, she might remember.`

　　Talon shrugged his shoulders with an expression of doubtful permission. Okay, but no need to shout right into her face.`

　　Grammawe?`

　　She stirred. Sosa took the spearhead carefully so her grandmother could see.

　　Don`t let her touch it.` Talon said, but his mother didn`t seem interested.

　　Where did it come from, then?` Sosa asked. If it`s a spear it can`t have been made in the village.` With their limited metal, only vital tools were ever made by the hearthers.

　　He must have traded for it at some point.` Talon suggested.

　　Yeah,` Sosa screwed up her face. Talon recognised this looks as her struggle to be diplomatic. But it must have been made somewhere. Like maybe, I don`t know, outside the village?`

　　Where?` Talon said, there isn`t anything outside the village.`

　　He watched as Sosa carefully felt around her words for barbs before speaking again. It must have come from somewhere. What about all the children`s stories? Those are far-off places. I know they`re made up, but& Grammawe?` Sosa leaned in gently.

　　She moved on before someone told her off for arguing.

　　Clever girl, thought Talon.

　　Was Grampawe ever a soldier, like in the stories?`

　　Oh, do you think he might have been?` Halo asked, looking over at the wrapped body, his eyes wide.

　　No, I-I don`t remember.` Grammawe spoke in a rare moment of coherence.

　　Soldiers are only from the stories.` Talon didn`t want to quash her too much, but Halo tended to get excited. They`re not real.`

　　But you`re the one who said it was a weapon!` Sosa turned back to him.

　　Sosa!` Kala reprimanded, and glanced toward the uncovered door.

　　Sosa sighed. Sorry. It`s just that-`

　　A blanket hit Sosa in the head and unravelled, covering her and the spear.

　　No!` Talon`s mother was standing. What do you think you`re doing?`

　　They stared back. Sosa pulled the blanket from her head, uncovering the spear.

　　Grammawe`s voice became fierce. Put it away!`