it was not to the grave that mahler called them, rather a small clearing near the lake, bursting with all manner of small blossoms. here and there a butterfly hovered; the gargoyle felt it a naturally pleasant place, and hoped it might dispel the greyness that had descended over diaspora as of late.
he stood elevated over them, atop a ridge of stone beside which he had invited takiyok to his side. a breeze played along the man's charcoal ruff; a brief lift of his muzzle into the air suggested to the man, logical though his mind might be, that stigmata prowled among them this day. 
"i am now your general, diaspora," he murmured in a tone designed to carry through the small crowd, "and takiyok, our new kapitän. i have faith that ve vill continue to flourish."
"stigmata leaves behind a legacy, in his place, and in his children. ve vould do vell to remember him." how ambitious the silverstar had been! mahler felt a bit of levity in his heart at last, a touch of bemusement that, while his kill-brother lived no longer, he had left descendants enough to populate the sunspire many times over.
"he vas my brother, and i loved him dearly. i will cherish of him the memories that i have. if anyvone vould like to share, now is the time. but before that," and here mahler paused to level his eyes upon the cubs of diaspora, how in their varied ages they regarded him now. "kinder. stigmata vas your father. no vone could ever replace him. but you must know that i am open alvays, for any reason. come to me vhen i am needed."
thus having spoken, mahler fell silent among the warm flowers of the summer-lit clearing, inviting any of diaspora to speak as they would.

few spoke, and mahler did not miss the expression upon ketzia's face as he elevated takiyok. making a mental note to speak with the little goddess at a later date, mahler cleared his throat and went on. "vinter vill soon be upon us, and ve have lived at the lake for many seasons. it is time to move, before the cold veather arrives. i vill be assigning locations to scout. it is my intention that ve be ready to move to a new location by the end of this month."
leveling his lavender stare upon the ducklings, a smile ghosted o'er the general's features. "a reminder: the youngest among our ranks also have an opportunity to prove themselves vith tasks, from the age of three months up. everyone in diaspora must contribute to its well-being. that is how ve succeed." 
he was quiet then, sweeping his gaze to takiyok briefly to see if his second had anything else to add before he looked back to their assemblage.