Title: Dying Embers
Author: landofthekwt
Rating: PG-13
Prompt: Ember
Word Count:250
Genre: Funeral Dirges
Warning: Character Death
Summary: Kaede watches Kikyou's funeral pyre burn itself out.
The ray of the morning sun illuminated the smouldering embers of the funeral pyre. Soon there would be nothing left but ash. She had watched the pyre in fascination and horror as her sister turned from a beautiful young woman to the glowing embers that remained
The fire had been beautiful and terrifying. More than once she had wanted to leap into the inferno and rescue Kikyou from the doom which awaited her. Now it was too late. The coals, the smoke, and the ashes were all that remained of her sister.
When the embers cooled the priest would come to collect her and place her ashes in the urn prepared for burial. A few words would be said for her and then she would be returned to the earth.
She would join the millions of ancestors who watched over mankind not the big sister who loved her and cared for her People who never cared for her in life would come and pray at her shrine. Where were they before she died?
Once the fire was dead, her sister would truly be gone. The thought of going on without her was truly terrifying. She stirred the fire hoping to keep the embers burning for a little longer. At last she screamed what had been in her heart all night.
"How could you leave me, big sister?", but Kikyou had vanished in the flames and would never return to her. There was no one left to hear her cries.