The body is to support the mind. Duster doesn’t need that body anymore.
It was my intent to fully return his body to nature. I wanted a physical place to tie me to a physical object of comfort.
But it is Duster’s higher order attributes that make him special. The product of long term, continuous learning, combined with magical instinct, and intuition.
After 49 days, it is said the spirit has transitioned the bardo, and begun a new life. The body in above freezing, dry dirt will be almost mummified. Most of the higher order physical attributes have already returned to nature. What is left is Duster’s final act of physical compassion, and generosity. His first was to put his arm over his worried sister in their new forever home.