It was a solemn day to be sure. It was one that all in the clan knew was coming, but now that it came it all felt so surreal. Oushi-Ouja Suzume stood at the head of the gathering, the few dozen of her clansmen surrounding the wrapped body as it made its final rest upon a stack of dried wood. The man had been harsh, but kind to her and her people for much longer than she had been alive, and the thought of him not serving as the guiding light for her people was a terrifying thought. The grim expressions of those around her shared in that worry, some more than others.
Mechanically, she walked through the speech to honor his memory. She knew it by heart enough to memorize it, but as the words came out they felt hollow to her, as if she barely was connected to them or her body. Time seemed to rush past her, leaving her frozen a few feet away from the body as she continued her speech. With a sudden roar of fire, the kindling took to the flame and the rest of the pyre soon joined in. The smell of burning wood and then flesh momentarily silenced her as she tried to refocus herself. It was rare to give an honorable shinobi a parting ceremony such as this, bodies were not often recovered, but Nabushin had passed due to complications from his age while resting within the walls of the village.
Pushing onward she spoke a few more concluding lines, attempting to weave hope and confidence into her words that she did not feel. With her vision dimmed by the roaring flame just a few feet ahead of her, all of the faces of her family were cast into shifting shadows. Shadows that, to her, only seemed to veil contempt, fear and sadness. She couldn't blame them, even after the few years of training, she was not ready to serve as a leader. How could a rock compare to the majesty of a mountain? It was an insurmountable task to be sure, but she was going to at least try to give it every last bit of dedication and determination that she could muster. If she did not, then it was possible that the clan would slowly erode away into nothing but dust.
Strength to Storm Lord Suzume, for she will surely need it.
Mechanically, she walked through the speech to honor his memory. She knew it by heart enough to memorize it, but as the words came out they felt hollow to her, as if she barely was connected to them or her body. Time seemed to rush past her, leaving her frozen a few feet away from the body as she continued her speech. With a sudden roar of fire, the kindling took to the flame and the rest of the pyre soon joined in. The smell of burning wood and then flesh momentarily silenced her as she tried to refocus herself. It was rare to give an honorable shinobi a parting ceremony such as this, bodies were not often recovered, but Nabushin had passed due to complications from his age while resting within the walls of the village.
Pushing onward she spoke a few more concluding lines, attempting to weave hope and confidence into her words that she did not feel. With her vision dimmed by the roaring flame just a few feet ahead of her, all of the faces of her family were cast into shifting shadows. Shadows that, to her, only seemed to veil contempt, fear and sadness. She couldn't blame them, even after the few years of training, she was not ready to serve as a leader. How could a rock compare to the majesty of a mountain? It was an insurmountable task to be sure, but she was going to at least try to give it every last bit of dedication and determination that she could muster. If she did not, then it was possible that the clan would slowly erode away into nothing but dust.
Strength to Storm Lord Suzume, for she will surely need it.