text: "Why have you called me here, brother?" Death whispered, irritated beyond measure. "There's a plague ravaging central Africa, I'm quite busy you know." Life simply extended his wooded hand to his left, patting the side of the mountain's edge beside him, beckoning his sister to sit with him. "I know." He said, quietly. "This won't take long, I promise." Death hesitated, wondering what could be so important that would halt the life-death cycle that day, she looked behind her at the Ferryman, tempted to simply leave and get back to work. The Ferryman nodded to her. She sighed and relented, sitting beside her brother, looking upon the towns and villages below, watching for a moment the daily lives of the tiny people they both cared for before Life spoke once more: "I'm dying, sister." Death snapped out of her day dream and looked at her brother, he did not meet her gaze, instead looking mournfully at the people below. "But that's not-" Death started before Life interrupted her "Look at me. I've changed have I not?" Death looked at her brother more closely, he was right, where he once had flowers budding across his body, there were only a few wilted stems, the right-most horn adorning his head was broken and parts of his left leg were charred. Death raised her head and met his gaze, his once glowing, amber eyes were sunken and pale. Life reached out to his sister and brushed the tear from her cheek. He turned his head slowly back towards the setting sun. "I don't have long. I'm sorry, sister. Do not scorn them for what they are doing, we promised father that we would care for them. Some of them remember, some of them still practice what they were taught long ago; how to give back a little of what they take. Those few are what sustain me, those few and that which hasn't yet been cut, killed or burned, but it won't be long. Once I'm gone you'll have much more work to do so please don't get too stressed." Death continued to look at her brother's wilted figure, she knew that she couldn't save him, not now. "Is there anything I can do?" She whimpered, brushing another tear from her eye. Life raised his branch-like hand and showed her two of his fingers, "firstly, when I'm gone, I want you to bury me somewhere nice, somewhere fertile. That way I may regrow one day once the dark days have passed." Death nodded as she knew of such a place. "Lastly..." Life took her hand and squeezed, gently. "Would you watch the sunset with me?" Death nodded once more and lowered her hood, exposing her red eyes and flowing black hair to the setting sun. They both watched as the distant star slowly disappeared below the horizon beyond before death felt her brother's grip loosen. She lowered her head and closed her eyes, one final tear escaping and dropping off the edge of the cliff. She looked over to her brother, his sunken eyes finally closed with a smile on his countenance. The Ferryman approached, bowing respectfully. "My lady, shall I carry him aboard?" Death raised her hood once more and nodded to her faithful companion, she watched as he carefully picked him up and set him down in the ferry. "You go on" she whispered. "I need a moment..." The Ferryman bowed once more and stepped into the ferry, lighting the lantern and picking up his oar. Though there was no water atop the mountain, the ferry glided through the air, gently rocking as if small waves were lapping against the sides. Death turned back towards the sunset, towards the towns and villages below and sat back down at the cliffs edge. "That plague can wait a while longer...