“I was buried alive,” was all the young buck murmured and then he stood quietly, head bowed, as he remembered…
He could feel the earth shifting above and around him, settling into position. Rocks grinding, until they too had found their place with one last groan. Pressure on his back, his sides, his head, his legs, everywhere. Darkness, absolute.
Despite it all, he felt no fear. They sung for him, the sound passing down through the layers of dirt and rock, their words indecipherable but the intent clear. Buried alive, he gave his spirit to the earth.