Untitled EIKOSITREIS - ANOTHER FUNERAL

"A funeral?" asked Richard. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Richard, Gadget's parents had their funeral. Maybe an owl ate my parents, but they at least deserve some sort of ceremony. Please? Let me just say good-bye to them. I never did, and——that may just be what has been eating at me all this time." Otis shook his head,
"But Foxy, that owl lady might still be in that park!"
"Or she might be dead. It's been twenty years, you know. Either way, it doesn't matter now. We'll go during the day." If Otis didn't know better, he could swear that this was practically a suicide mission. Foxglove's reactions at The Nutshell several days ago were very unsettling, even if she and Dale had parted on friendlier terms. Now she wanted to do this. It seemed natural, to attend a funeral, and yet so suicidal to have it near a place where a *known* predator lived. Perhaps they shouldn't go alone. Perhaps this might be another opportunity to do something about her and Dale—
"Foxy, are you sure you don't want to bring the Rescue Rangers along? After all the time they spent with you, they *may* want to say something on behalf of your parents—"
"No, Otis," she replied firmly. "The Rangers and I have parted our ways. This is not their world anymore. This is *ours* now. They never knew my parents, and neither did I, so this is something I must do myself, with your help, of course."
"Do you want me and Richard to keep our distance?" asked Rosie. "If that's the way you feel, we don't want to interfere with anything."
"No, no, it's okay, Rosie. You two and the other elder bats are the closest thing to parents that I've ever had, so it's okay if you come along." It was true. This was more or less what Dale wanted: her finding someone else. And she had found others who loved her. So she had decided that after the funeral she would sneak back to the Ranger's Headquarters and leave Dale her final note. He, too, must find someone else, and the note appeared to be the only possible way of making that happen. Dale had his life to live, and now she had to live hers, in this cave outside of New Jersey. It wasn't all that bad, it had all the comforts of a typical chiropterid home, including customised furniture that was bolted to the roof of the cave. She went to a cabinet and prepared her prescription again.
"Sess, are yew shewre yew wann tew dew theyes? Ah'm worrey'd 'bout yew."
"Don't be, Feyyanna. I'm all right, really." Foxglove then took another pill and drank some water.
"Nowe, yew AIN'T!!" she finally exclaimed, tail and ears stiffening, trying to knock some sense into her adopted sister. "Yew're dayen'!! Ann yew HAYAVE BINN dayen' sennse yew'n Dayel splett!!" Foxglove swallowed and echosounded at her.
"Feyyanna, Foxglove is already DEAD. I'm no longer Dale's wife. I am now your sister! Please, let me say good-bye to my parents. Maybe things will get better after that." Feyyanna calmed down a trifle and relaxed her ears and tail.
"Oh, awl raght. But are yew shewre yew'll bay fann ayefter theyes?"
"Yes. I will—maybe—" The others hoped. They could only hope…