The three figures now stood vigil.

There had been digging, all bare hands and hard toil, for it had to be done. It was but the smallest of sacrifices for the male that they had each loved in their own way. One single male and three females, who were now brought together as sisters. The four who were now three as his body lay nearby. They had returned him to what was left of his home and the task of funeral rites was now begun.

They stood together, each holding the hand of the other sister. The first sister, a masked face and immaculate dress looking between shoulders and into the sunset, poetic sadness framing what little showed of her face. A second sister, head slightly bowed and eyes of angry fire, looked towards the rising Moon. The third stood in full armour, her dark brown furred face a knot of hardness. Her eyes were closed.

Noone spoke. There were no words. Just memories and the gentle occasional press of one hand against another in comfort. Grieving sisters who were there for one another and had promised to be so for as long as they all were able.

As the Sun dipped below the horizon, the masked Sister nodded slightly and squeezed her sisters’ hands gently. The three moved wordlessly towards the bier containing his body. Faces remained somber but there were no tears as they sat down beside him, the same way that they had sat beside him when his body was first returned by the Gnolls.

They shared stories and memories as they sat around the male until it grew dark and in the distance, they each knew that there were things occuring in these lands that should not have been. A land being taken from the Tritoni.. a great injustice but a few hours distant. Something that they could not set right alone and something for another time… yet it gnawed deeply at their insides.

The full moon passed the height of the trees, slowly bathing the clearing in Her light. The time for stories was now passed and the three were set with the rest of the task. Gently lifting the bier they moved towards the ground that had been prepared, setting him down again beside but not yet in the hole.

Foreheads furrowed in emotion as each kissed his forehead silently before lifting him once again. They placed him carefully in the hole and stood once more. Three flowers were thrown into the hole, each a symbol of what they had loved and lost.

Each sister then took a handful of soil and sprinkled it carefully over his form. Long into the night they continued, white fur bathed in the light of the full moon slowly being covered as he was returned to the land that had once belonged to his people.

As the last of that whiteness disappeared, their strength seemed to slowly drain away. Arms ached and the burden of loss that they shared made their hearts heavy with the pain. Still they continued, though tears threatened to spill. Not until the task was finished…

The armoured sister whispered, the wind seeming to carry it away. “Be strong, my sisters. Be strong.”

It was not until the last of the soil was replaced, and the ground smoothed by all three sets of hands, that the last of the strength left them. Together they held onto one another, each providing the other two with comfort and quiet words.

And above the three, the Lady Moon shone, her light bright upon the Tritoni male’s grave and upon the sisters who had buried their love deep within.

It was not until sunrise that they rose once more. Each whispered but two words to the ground before preparing to leave.

"Goodbye Paradox."