Chapter 28: Marcus's Funeral


Meanwhile back at Victor's cave, Leo was so angry and full of rage.

"This is all your fault!" Leo accused both wolves.

"Excuse us?" Carlotta gasped.

"If it wasn't for your stupid plan Victor. We would have grabbed Carrie when we had the chance" Leo snapped.

"Now wait just a minute you selfish ignorant sloth! We lost our most of our pack because of your stupid obsession with that stupid female sloth" Carlotta snarled.

"I don't care about your worthless pack you crazy old hag! I want to be leader of that village and it's not happening because of you two!" Leo yelled.

"ENOUGH!" Victor roared

Leo and Carlotta halted and looks at Victor who was glaring at Leo viciously.

"Now you listen here Leo. I am tired of your whinging and whining about you not being the leader of your precious village! Now if you want to be leader, you'll do as I say now...Clear?" Victor growled as he walks up to Leo and grabs him by the throat.

"O-OK...I'll do a-as you say" Leo nervously chuckled.

"Good" Victor snapped

The alpha wolf then drops Leo on the ground as Carlotta was deviously laughing at him.

"Poor little Leo! He can look tough but he's just a wuss" Carlotta mocked.

"Oh shut up!" Leo snapped at Carlotta.

"Now! Here's what we do" Victor began as he grins evilly.

The next day in the Sanctuary, Everything was so quiet ever since the herd returned after what happened to Marcus.

Dodger and Niamh told everyone that they were dating and they are happy about it but they were still worried about Toby for he didn't slept all night last night as he was still silently crying over the recent death of his brother.

As the herd watches Toby lying on the ground, crying softly, Manny, Diego and Sid came back as Ellie and the others walk up to them.

"How did it go?" Ellie asked.

"Well...We did as Toby wanted us to do, I dug a hole near the tree that has the clear view of the sky" Diego sadly replied.

"I put Marcus in it" said Manny as he looks sad.

"And I engraved his name on the tree" said Sid as he walks to Carrie and hugs her.

"We decided to do Marcus' funeral tonight" said Carrie.

"How is Toby? And where's Rosy?" Sid asked as he looks at the wolf.

"Here" Niamh replied as she was holding Rosy for Carrie.

"As for Toby, Well...He's like me when I found out about my parents and what Leo did to him" Carrie sadly explained.

"Diego, you should comfort him. He looks up to you more than us" said Dodger.

"OK" Diego replied.

Soon he walks up to Toby as the sad wolf looks up at Diego and sobbed

"H-Hey Diego"

"Hey Toby...Are you feeling OK?" Diego asked.

Toby just shook his head as he continues to weep.

Diego sadly sighs and walks closer to Toby and sits next to him.

"Listen Toby, I know how you feel" said Diego.

"No you don't...You don't know how I feel right now" Toby sobbed as he looks up at Diego with tearful eyes.

"Believe me Toby, I do" Diego replied.

Toby then grew angry and stood up as he yells

"No! You don't know! You have no idea what I'm feeling right now! I could have saved my brother! But I just stood there and watched in horror as Victor injured Marcus and now because of me, Marcus is dead!"

"No it's not your fault Toby! Don't say that!" Diego exclaimed.

Toby looks down on the ground for a moment until Diego notices that Toby was silently crying again.

"I could have saved him" Toby wept as tears went down on the ground.

"Toby, I'm so sorry but there was nothing you could do to save him and besides, your brother gave his life up because he wanted you to be OK because he loves you" Diego softly replied.

Toby then looks up at Diego and sobbed

"I feel lost and so alone Diego...I don't know if I can move on...I love my family and they're gone because of Victor"

Diego sadly looks at Toby and pulls him into an embrace.

"Listen to me Toby, You're not alone anymore...You have us and I promise your brother that me and Shira will protect you and look after you...That's a promise that we will keep Toby, I swear" Diego softly said as Toby pressed his head onto Diego's chest and wept.

"Poor Toby" Shira sadly sighed.

Later at night, the herd was ready for Marcus's funeral as Diego looks at Toby who was looking away from the others.

"Toby...We're ready" said Diego.

"I don't know if I can do this" Toby sadly replied.

"Please Toby, Come to the funeral...For Marcus" Shira softly pleaded

Toby looks at the others and finally replied

"Alright...Let's go"

Soon the herd went to Marcus's grave and each of them are holding a flower as they all sadly looked at the grave.

"Well...Who's wants to start first?" Manny asked.

"We will" Carrie replied as she and Sid walks up to the grave and places their flowers down on it.

"Marcus, You were a very brave wolf till the end, even though you kept your care for Toby away for so long but I don't blame you for that. You would anything to keep Victor from hurting Toby and I believe that you're a great mammal and I will miss you Marcus" Carrie sadly said.

"Marcus, from the moment you told us the truth. I wanted to be friends with you and Toby and to be there for you because I care for mammals like you. But I guess it's true that nothing lasts forever but I know that our friendship will never die...it'll always live in our hearts forever. Farewell Marcus and rest in peace" Sid sadly sniffed

The yellow sloth holds her wife close to him as she was carrying their daughter with them.

"Wave goodbye Rosy" Carrie sniffed as she gently took Rosy's paw and wave it up and down for Rosy to say goodbye to Marcus.

Soon they walk back and they each hug Toby as the wolf said "Thank you guys"

"If you need to talk to someone, I'm right here" Sid assured Toby.

"Thank Sid" Toby sniffed.

As soon as Carrie and walks back, Niamh and Dodger walk up to the grave and place their flower down.

"Marcus, you were a true friend until the end and we're proud of you. You would never let anything happen to Toby and that to me is being a great brother" said Dodger.

"W-We will 'sniff' miss you Marcus...I'm so sorry! I'm not good at speeches" Niamh sobbed.

"It's OK Niamh...I understand" Toby assured as he was trying to hold back his tears.

Soon Niamh and Dodger each hugged Toby and went back to where they stand.

Toby sadly watches as the rest of the herd took their turns in bidding Marcus farewell until Shira has finished her speech as Diego then said

"Toby...It's our turn now"

"I...I don't if I can" Toby sobbed.

"It's OK Toby, You can do this! We're right here sweetie" Shira comforted.

Soon Diego and Toby walks up to Marcus's grave as they put their flowers down.

Diego looks at Toby who was in tears and sadly looking down on Marcus's grave.

"Do you want me to start Toby?" Diego softly asked.

"Yes please" Toby sobbed.

Diego sadly sighs and looks at the others then he begins his speech

"Marcus, I gotta say that you are a true brother to Toby and you would never let anything harm to your little brother. I know that we didn't get along at first but after we got to know you those few nights ago, I now see that you're a caring brother that truly regrets doing those bad things to Toby and I feel really sorry for you and Toby for living your lives with that monster. You and Toby deserved better and that's the truth, you'll always remain as part of our family forever Marcus and I'm glad that we became friends with you...I will keep your promise Marcus and look after Toby for you. Goodbye Marcus and rest in peace"

"Thank Diego" Toby sobbed.

"It's your turn Toby" said Diego..

Soon Toby takes a deep breath as tears pour down from his eyes and then he begins

"Marcus...I'm so sorry for everything I thought about you...I always thought that you were cruel and cold hearted but now I see that you are a caring, kind and wonderful brother to me...If only you told me this but I guess it's what you had to do to protect me...I'm really sure mum is really proud of you Marcus...I know I am...I will try and move on with my life for you Marcus...I promise I will try! I'll remember the times we spend together as brothers before Victor came to our lives...One last thing before I go...no matter what happened in the past, You will be my big brother...I love you Marcus and I will miss you so much...Goodbye Marcus...I love you"

Toby then cries as Diego goes to Toby and pulls him into a hug.

"That was really beautiful Toby. We're all really proud of you" Diego comforted.

"T-Thank you Diego" Toby sobbed.

The herd then begins to weep for Marcus as the clouds clears and the herd can see the moon up in the sky as Toby lets go of Diego and stands near Marcus's grave and softly said

"Marcus...This is for you"

Soon he howls as the moon shines its light down on the herd and the grave.

The others proudly yet tearfully watches Toby howling to the moon for his brother as Diego walks to Toby and lets out a roar.

"What's Diego doing?" Carrie asked.

"Joining in with Toby" Shira replied.

The herd watches Diego roaring and Toby howling at the moon in honour of Marcus.

When Diego and Toby finished, they hugged each other as Toby cries for his big brother as Diego sadly look down at Marcus's grave.

After the funeral, the herd went back to the Sanctuary and they all went to bed except for Toby who lying on the ground not far from Diego and is silently crying.

Peaches woke up and sees Toby looking crying and soon she walks up to him and said

"Toby?"

The wolf tearfully looks up at Peaches and sobbed

"Oh...H-Hi Peaches"

"Are you OK?" Peaches kindly asked.

"Not really Peaches" Toby sobbed.

"Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?" Peaches kindly offered.

"T-That would be so kind of you Peaches" Toby sobbed.

Soon Peaches lies next to Toby and wraps her trunk around Toby.

"Thank you Peaches" Toby sobbed.

"You're my best friend Toby and I really care for you" Peaches smiles at Toby.

"And you are a true friend Peaches" Toby replied.

"Try and sleep well Toby" said Peaches.

"I'll try" Toby sobbed.

Soon Toby went to sleep as Peaches smiles at him and went to sleep as well.

Diego then opens his eyes and smiles at Peaches and Toby who are asleep together.

Soon Diego went up and Toby and gently stroked his hair as he whispered.

"I'll keep my promise Toby. I will look after you for Marcus"

Then Diego walks back to his resting spot and soon drifts off to sleep.


Poor Toby

At least now, Marcus is at peace

And Diego and Shira will protect him

What happens next?

Stay tune to find out