“What can I do without you? SISTER! WAKE UP! I should have enjoyed time with you more! Now you are gone, forever!”

Sobbing, he closed Kiara’s eyes and sat there, creating a puddle of blood and tears. Raven cried over his sister’s dead body for days. Others tried to offer him food, but he refused it. He wouldn’t drink anything. Eventually, he got up. With the last of his waning strength, he dug two graves. One for his sister, and one for his friend.

“I will never forget you!” he cried out. “You will remain with me, in my heart, until I die. Arefe, you were a good friend. You were always there for me and never let me down. I could trust you.” The word ‘trust’ rolled from his tongue as he reflected on his last moment with his friend. “Kiara, you will always be my guide. I continue to learn and grow up the way you wanted me to. If you were still alive, I you would be proud.” He rolled the bodies into their holes. Wearily, he filled them up, until there were only two heaps of fresh earth, with melted rocks on top, giving the graves quiet beauty.

Raven returned to his home. It was so empty. He applied for the town academy, it was hard without Kiara there. He tried to hang out with some of his friends, but it wasn’t the same without Arefe. He honored his promise and grew up to become the strongest guard of the city. Eventually, he moved on to join the war, which was close to ending since the Grous’ leader is dead. Raven never forgot Arefe and Kiara, though. Each year, on their birthdays, anyone passing by their graves would hear a wailing voice rise up from the place where Raven’s sister and friend were buried. This carried on for years, until, eventually, Raven joined his friends in his own grave, covered in scars and buried with bloody feathers, just like the others. All with stained feathers.