Chapter 2 - The Funeral

Cole woke first, the others were still in his bed, sleeping. He stretched his aching limbs and got up, walking directly to Mike's room out of habit. His father's body still lay pale and unmoving in his bed. It had been no nightmare, this was really happening to them. He felt the pain taking over his heart again. He had to face it. Next, he turned to Wade's room - the same picture - and finally Bastian's.

Cole tried to lock his emotions away. Someone had to think straight now. There were things that needed to be done. They would have to prepare the bodies for the funeral, inform the Brotherhood members, reach out to George Harris, visiting the Liberty headquarters.

Tanner turned to the stairs and went down to start the fire in the oven. The basket for firewood was empty, so he grabbed it and headed outside. An ice-cold wind blew through the front door and made him stop. He would need a jacket. Turning to the rack next to the door he grabbed for his jacket but stopped mid-movement. Mike's fur coat hung right on the hook next to his. He swallowed hard and grabbed Mike's coat instead, pulling it around him. Wrapped into the warm embrace of his father's clothing he went to the ground sobbing again. Sky was instantly at his side. "God, baby, I don't know how to do this. It hurts so badly." Sky answered with a slight whine. Sniveling, he wiped his tears away. He had to be strong now. Mike had wanted him to be strong. His father counted on him to watch out for the others. He could do this - he had to.

Cole closed the coat, grabbed the basket, and headed out into the nasty weather. The wind was blowing cold and some spots on the pasture were covered by the snow that had fallen during the night. When he came back in, he started the fire and brewed a strong coffee. The others were still asleep when he filled his first cup, adding a good amount of whiskey to it. The hot brew felt good, spreading through his cold body.

*** The Wild West Triad - prequel ***

Now

Sam woke with aching muscles. Cole was already up, he heard him downstairs as he put a new log into the fire. He had at least to be up for half an hour. Daniel was still sleeping next to him. He touched his friend's cheek who responded with a grunt and opened his grey eyes a crack wide. "Hey…"

"Hey," Daniel answered, lethargic, averting his gaze.

"How do you feel? You gonna get up with me?" Sam wanted to know. He knew Daniel. He couldn't let him alone, not today.

Daniel didn't answer but got up, searching for his boots which he had slipped off yesterday evening. "Is Cole in the kitchen?"

"Yes, he was already downstairs when I woke up." He looked at his friend pitifully. Sam had lost his family too. Though not blood related he had lived with Wade since he had been twelve. Bastian and Mike had been close to him too. They lived here for the past six years with them. When they had come home from that hunt two weeks ago, everything had gone wrong.

Canaan had grown into a small town during its six years of existence. Bastian had become sick during the ride home. They had cared for him as best as possible. George Harris, their Advisor, had brought the doctor from Canaan the next day. The men didn't know which fever had taken over the Triad, but the doctor told them he had a few cases in Canaan too. He left them Laudanum and ordered calf wraps and fluids like soup, tea, and water.

Fever meant nothing good to Cole. When Mike and Wade got sick the next day, Cole had been on the edge. Not because his friend had been scared they could get it too - no, Cole had told him how scared he was to lose his family. Now Sam had to deal with his broken Brothers as well as his own grief.

"We have to prepare the funeral," Daniel proclaimed deadpan and walked downstairs, leaving Samuel sitting alone in the room. He sighed heavily while watching Daniel leave but followed his friend soon.

*** The Wild West Triad - prequel ***

Cole sat at the table. At first sight, Sam thought Mike was sitting at the table, but then he realized it was Cole wearing Mike's coat. He was fidgeting with a coin or something, his head bent over his coffee cup. He looked up when they came downstairs. "Here, drink a coffee," Cole addressed them, already filling two more cups with the steaming dark brew. He didn't ask if they wanted whiskey but poured it into every cup. "To our lost family." Cole raised his cup.

Daniel as well as Sam took their cups. "To our family."

They didn't speak much though Daniel said again to prepare the funeral. Sam knew they barely were holding it together. "I will prepare the bodies, no discussion, you two are too close."

Neither Daniel nor Cole said something against it. The two went over to the barn to get a stretcher to bring the bodies into the barn. Sam would prepare them there. He thought it better to separate each of them from their fathers. He took Wade's body out with Cole and Mike's with Daniel.

Now he was sitting in the barn wrapping the three bodies into death linen while Cole and Daniel prepared the logs for the funeral. He cried during the process and even had to stop several times until it was done.

The clairvoyance even took off his crystals in the hope to speak to one of them a last time but nothing came through the veil. At least it gave him hope they were in a safe place.

*** The Wild West Triad - prequel ***

In the afternoon they were gathered around the logs drenched in oil. The three bodies of the Triad rested in the middle - united.

Daniel felt numb. He would be The Guardian soon. He didn't feel ready at all. At the young age of 22, he was sure he would be the youngest Guardian in history. The burden of responsibility threatened to crush him under its weight. And it was not the only thing that was throwing him under the train. To lose his father was one of the things he had feared the most. And the way it had happened - man - not during a hunt like he had always thought it to happen - no he had been forced to sit helplessly beside his bed, watching him fade away. It felt like all control slipped through his fingers.

Wade had told him his last secret on his deathbed. Told him the Lady of the Lake would visit him soon in his dreams. Daniel hadn't told his father that he already knew the mysterious Lady, though he had only met her once when he had nearly drowned in that pond. Like always, Cole had been his solid rock and had saved him then. Like then he was here for him now, though he had lost quite as much as Daniel - if not more. Daniel knew how much Cole had loved Mike even before he knew he was his father. How should they ever survive this?

Daniel still was holding the torch in his hand. He had to choose the moment to ignite the fire. No one urged him. He wished Shewa would be at his side. She would help him carry his loss. But he couldn't risk bringing the fever to their friends in the Absarokee camp further north. Shewa was pregnant with his kid. He wouldn't put his son's life at stake. He could do this - he had to.

Bravely he walked closer to the stack and pushed his torch between the logs. They instantly conflagrated and he retreated from the heat. Cole already was there to steady him. He knew his cousin would hold him as long as it was needed and Daniel allowed himself to break down crying in his cousin's embrace.

TBC

A/N: I have more chapters - even darker in store for you. Please favorite for getting a notification when the next chapter is online and leave a review if you liked it.