They gathered in small groups at first, appearing one or two at a time. Soon however, there were hundreds of them. The starlings gathered in the graveyard, answering a call they could not consciously hear, yet knew they had to answer. As they began singing an ancient song, they saw what appeared to be a young girl walking among the crypts and tombstones.
The starlings watched the girl with fascination. She walked as if she had not used her limbs for some time, which was true; after all, until a few moments ago, the body of this girl had been dead.
She walked through the graveyard, and into the city, yet none saw her, for she did not wish it. Yet the starlings did, they could sense her, and followed her, singing their ancient song all the while.
The people of New Orleans could not hear the song, not consciously, yet they could feel in on a deeper level, and, though beautiful, it filled them with unease.
The great werewolf packs, coming in from far and wide sensed it, and if fill them with a sense of awe.
The few remaining vampires sensed it, and crouched a little further into the chosen hiding places.
And in their compound, frozen with the shock of defeat and the grief of loss, the Originals too sensed the song, and, though they could not place it, it filled them with great unease.
The girl walked to the charred remains of an old home, barely left standing after the fires had consumed it. She spared the home only a brief glance, for it was not her purpose.
Finally, she reached her destination just behind the home. An open field that segued into the forests, and the bayous beyond lay before her, with only one mark of artificial make upon it.
A tombstone, of simple, yet elegant design jutted out from the Earth
And she found that she was not alone.
A young boy, no more than twelve, was lying down on the grass before the grave, his black hair melding into the darkness of the night. While his face was impassively watching the stars, his emerald eyes shown with an unknowable emotion.
The girl stared at the young boy for a long time, wanting, yet unable, to say so many things.
After a time had gone by, she turned from the boy back to the tombstone, reading the words engraved upon it.
Beloved Mother
The girl smiled ruefully, despite herself. She wondered; had it been Elijah who had chosen those words? He was the eldest of the remaining children, and he would have thought it appropriate, if only for appearances sake. Or perhaps had it been Rebekah? She still found it in her heart to love her mother, despite everything. Yet, she heavily suspected that it was Niklaus, the words would have, in his eyes, been a form of ironic taunt. The more she thought of it, the more she could hear his mocking tone in the words.
'Definitely Niklaus', she though to herself.
"So much for resting in peace," a voice came from behind her.
She did not turn to meet him, she knew who he was.
"It would seem it was never meant to be so, for us," she answered as the newcomer walked to stand beside her.
The young boy paid no more heed to the newcomer than he did to the girl when she arrived, seemingly content to simple stare at the sky.
The newcomer was a man with dark skin and aristocratic features, and with him and the boy, only one other was missing.
They waited, unmoving, for the final member to join them, but none did.
Finally, the girl, annoyed despite her outward impassiveness, uttered.
"So be it," and waved her hand.
A chill filled the air, and a force attacked the stone, erasing and removing the words, until only a blank rock stood in the ground.
"Come along," she said, turning and walking away, this time more sure of herself in her new body, "we have much to do."
The boy finally stirred, rising from his position to stand by the other, and both uttered at the same time two words that seemed to cause the winds to move, as if nature itself was shuddering at them.
"Yes mother."
And still the starlings sang, happy that their mistress had returned to the after so long, content that soon it would begin, and end.