Disclaimer: Kiesha'ra characters, kinds, and universe are not mine; they belong to Amelia Atwater-Rhodes'. The only things I claim are Maya, Calene, Kaine, Kale, and Zeke (I know its a lot). If anyone wishes to use these characters, they can ask me. And please no crude comments or harsh suggestions...I know it sucks, so you dont have to tell me…this is just a prologue however short it may be, k?

Summary:

Daughter of a rogue python, Maya is a dancer who knows nothing but to hate avians. But when she finds a fallen crow, her views on the avians change. Conflicting feelings trouble her as the youngest prince, Gregory, starts to court her. Will she choose the crow over the serpiente prince? Or will Ahnleh interfere?

Prologue

The stars danced in the sky as a lone mother gasped past the pain in the meadow. Calene never wanted her child to be born in conditions like this but she had no other choice. She was a rogue from her own kind, banished for her love of a falcon. The cold autumn air stung her lungs with each intake of breath. She feared for her life and the life of her daughter. Even though she loved the falcon, her child would be a pure viper. She would not give birth to her lover's child for there had been no child between them. The child she was having was that of another man's, the one Calene swore loyalty to, Kale. She wished she hadn't destroyed his trust and loyalty, but she had no control over Ahnleh, fate.

And as fate would have it she was but a few months pregnant when Calene fell in love with a falcon representative. He was a representative in the avian Keep but she had found him on the edge of the serpiente/avian border at a stream. There she fell in love. Though she loved her mate, her love for the feathered suitor was greater. Eventually her mate got curious about her daily disappearances and followed her to the stream. There he condemned her for her dishonesty. Since then Calene has been on the move, never staying in one place for too long for any avian would kill her on sight.

A battle raged on a few fields away from the clearing she was currently using. She hissed as another contraction came and past. The contractions were getting closer and closer with each passing minute. Luckily for her, the battle wouldn't get any closer since her babe would be coming soon. The war between the avians and the serpiente had been raging for too long, and the blood shed between the two kinds was immeasurable.

After a long, painful hour, her babe had finally entered the world. Her little tuff of hair was dark like coal and her emerald eyes sparkled like the jewels they were, she resembled her father greatly. It pained Calene to know her babe would never see her again for she wanted her child to live with the other serpents. So she made her way to the sha'Mehay in hopes the dancers would raise her as their own. She prayed to Kiesha and Anhamirak they would.

Darting around the trees she made her way through the forest. Upon entering a clearing, she saw two fighters engaged in a fierce fight. One moved with deadly grace, making him the serpent, the other swiftly guarding her back with the precision of someone who was used to protecting wings, making her the avian. Shifting into demi-form, Calene was ready to defend herself and her babe to the best of her abilities. She let out a sigh as the taipan, in one graceful movement, sank his fangs into the avians forearm. The heat radiating from the avian slowly stop and the satisfied taipan moved towards her in a lazy dangerous movement meaning he was still prepared to fight. His body went rigid as he recognized the python, "Calene?"

"Kyler. Oh thank goddess it's you," she answered heavily, tears streaking her cheeks. She walked out into the clearing still holding her child that shifted into a viper. "Help me, please. I have to get to sha'Mehay. Please," she begged. He sighed, "Fine, but you better hide that child better. The battle's still going, you know."

Kyler silently walked through the forest gently pulling Calene along. Her babe shifted back into human form, crying. She bounced her lightly as she shoo-ed her softly until she fell asleep. "Here we are," He said as the nest came into view. "Be safe," he gently kissed her cheek before continuing, "I will miss you, Calene." He disappeared in the night as she opened the doors to the sha'Mehay.

The dancers of the nest greeted Calene respectfully for she was once part of the guild until she took Kale as her mate. She told A'isha her story and begged her to take her babe and raise her as she had raised her decades ago. "Please A'isha. I don't want her to live without the chance to dance in the market or perform in the synkal during the fall equinox. Please, if not for me than for her," she pleaded while her babe began to cry.

"I wouldn't like to keep anyone the dance, so I guess I will. But only cause you were my favorite dancer. You will be missed. What is the babe's name?" A'isha gently lifted the babe from Calene's arms. The babe's eyes widen as she saw the viper coo her.

"Her name will be Maya," Calene smiled as her babe responded to the name with widening her eyes. She caressed Maya's soft ebony hair. "Good-bye Maya. May you dance with Ahnleh."

At that parting she left sha'Mehay forever as she disappeared out of Maya's life. Calene took one look back at nest knowing that someday Maya would dance with fate.

Walking in the woods was dangerous for her. She was still weak from earlier and fatigue was battling for control. Calene didn't even realize that she had crossed the border and wandered into avian territory. Suddenly a screech issued from the treetop and she came face–to–face with an avian solider. She quickly shifted into her demi–form and retaliated by sinking her fangs into his forearm. The dirk he held in his hand sliced her side and she felt the burn from the poison on the blade. Then she felt her heart slow and her vision grew black. That was the last moment Calene ever saw.

A/N: Suggestions are welcome but please dont downgrade my story...leave a comment...c'mom, you know you want to...XD

Allie