Author's note: I've been announcing this is several places, and some of you may have already heard, but for those who have not yet, my Grandpa died recently, I am in no longer need of comfort or well wishes, life goes on, but I wanted to tell everyone that because it influenced the direction this chapter/filler has taken.

Warning: POV of Dodge and Burn, completely making up the method of how Yautja honor their dead. This chapter is dedicated to the memory of my Grandfather. Rest in Peace…

Disclaimer: You know the drill

Haven

The loss of a family member, even one you do not know particularly well, is always a shock, maybe even more when you didn't know them well. Dodge and Burn stood beside their father, thinking about the few memories they really had of old Yi-saCh, their Grandfather. He had left to join the Hish clan while they were still pups, and a visit from him was rare, but always fond.

The Hish had sent a ship with a few of their members to bring Yi-saCh's body, persevered in a pod for the ceremony. The Yautja exchanged nods in condolence for the loss the family had recently received, but words were not spoken.

Wrath stood forward over his father and growled mournfully. Predators did not shed tears for the dead in front of others, even their own loved ones. Tears were signs of weakness, if any crying needed to be done, it was done in private.

The ceremony of the dead was in silence as each Yautja present thought of their fondest memories of the deceased. For Wrath it was the day he had proudly shown his father his hunter's mark as proof of his adulthood. Dodge and Burn had never gotten the chance to show their grandfather their marks, nor share with him their chosen paths.

The twins shared a memory, the last time they had seen Yi-saCh, when his illness had first become noted. That day, they had stood, still training for the great hunt, at their grandfather's bedside as one of the medics explained how he had gotten sick, and in a way influenced the choices they had made. Yi-saCh had received an injury when a Bad Blood Yautja had attacked the Hish clan, inadequate armor had allowed the wound to be made, spurring Burn's desire to work in the forges, designing more efficient armor, while a medic overlooked the injury and allowed it to become infected; which encourage Dodge to train in medicine.

Yi-saCh had looked at his only living grandson's, for his line had produced mostly females, and Dodge and Burn had lost an older brother before they were born, with pride as he saw them for the first time in many years. "Soon you will be men." He'd said, the two were never felt such a well of confidence as then in that moment when their Grandfather compliment on how strong they had grown to be.

Wrath growled to Dodge, snapping him out of his memory. Dodge and Burn stepped forward to take part in the ceremony. Burn unhooked the armor that covered Yi-saCh and set it side, trading it in for ceremonial armour. He moved out of line, admiring the way his grandfather looked in it, even though it was for decoration only, the armor he had molded himself made the old lifeless body of the Hish clansman look and dangerous and powerful as he had in youth.

His part done, Burn let his brother take over. Dodge's job was a lot harder emotionally, but also meant more spiritually, and as he was training in medicine his hands were steadier than his twin's, or his father's when it came to handling the surgeon's tools. Dodge kept it slow as the tool in his hand screeched and kept his eyes on his grandfather's fingers as he cut them off, one by one. To any other culture this might have seemed barbaric, but in Yautja custom, if a warrior lived a full life and received enough honor for his family's name, their final tribute was to have a piece of themselves left behind.

Dodge distributed the fingers amongst the Yautja present and each cleaned the flesh away until there was nothing left but bone. The bones were then passed along to Wrath, who would later sew them into a necklace to be placed in the room of legends where the most respected of the clan's member had a piece of themselves stored. The Ooman warrior, Fisher's skull was kept there among them.

Dodge stepped back and once again Wrath came forward, holding in front of him a lit torch which he placed on Yi-saCh's body and stood at his sons' sides as they watched the remains set aflame. The fire cleansed the body of impurities, and once it was out, the ashes would be sent back with the Hish clansmen to be delivered to the Yautja home world where his spirit would follow the Hunter's trail into the next life.

Wrath put his arms around his sons, it was okay to be sad, but more importantly it was better to be proud to say that they were related to Yi-saCh, and to hope they could be half the warrior he had been.

They stood there for a very long time, reigniting the flames every once in a while until there was nothing but ashes. The three gathered it into a capsule, and as the last funeral rite, they bit a thumb and smeared a drop of blood onto it so that if Yi-saCh's spirit happened to get lost on the Hunter's trail, the sent of his family could guide him back to where he began.

Dodge and Burn stood to the side while Wrath made the final arrangements for the ashes to be sent. Burn reached for Dodge's arm and squeezed slightly, "Do you think Grandfather will get lost?" he asked.

Dodge didn't answer right away, he watched the Hish clansman disappear on their ship, and as it launched, with Wrath turning and heading back toward them Dodge squeezed his brother's arm in return and trilled, "Not a chance."

Author's end note: Rest in peace.

Editor's Note: Also we must apologize for the lateness of this chapter, it has been difficult for us, but as Zae noted earlier, we are no longer in need of sympathy so please hold on tight for the next chapter where we will hopefully get back on track for Lex and Scar's hunt.