Chapter 1: Finding

The girl closed her eyes, willing herself to rid her mind of the images of death. She was only thirteen summers old, yet had seen more of cruelty than many clan elders had.

Little mistress, what is wrong? The snake slithered up her knee.

Nothing, Loki, nothing. Loki was now thirteen summers old, and it had been seven summers since... No, she shook her head, her midnight tresses flying all over the place, it was better not to think about it.

Do you still miss master and mistress? Loki knew she had said something wrong, for her mistress immediately stood up and stalked away to her favourite hideout - the old raft which she and her mother made had used to get to this small island in the first place. It was now old and tattered, and could not be repaired. Her mother had died six summers ago. Now she was alone on this small island with none but Loki for company. How could she do the things told to her, her heritage? She sighed. Fate had a way of working things out.

Her lip curled. Yes, fate would always help. It ran in her blood, the snake charmer. It was her destiny.

The girl - Aletyys - had blossomed from a little girl to a beautiful young woman. Before her mother died of the same disease that brought so many prey down, she had struggled to her feet for the last time to attempt to retrieve the snake tooth charm from the forest that they had dropped behind so many years ago as a last gift for her little girl.

Her mother had failed, but what did it matter anymore? Her parents were dead. Aletyys longed for it. It reminded her of happier days, with the rest of the clan. Briefly, she let her thoughts wander. How were they now? Were the prey abundant? Although she herself had some skill in hunting, ever since her mother passed away, she preferred eating plants and what they could give.

She was weak. Her father died to protect her and her legacy. Her mother passed away because she couldn't do anything to help her. Instead, all she did was sit and weep while her mother wasted away, day by day. She was useless. Useless. Inwardly she cursed herself. Fool, fool! Being useless never did anything! If I had just known… then they wouldn't have died. You are a useless fool, Aletyys! No… it's Seshru. You are not Aletyys any longer. Aletyys was just a child who knew nothing.

Squaring her shoulders, she made a resolution to herself. No one else will suffer because of my inability to act. I will do anything for them. I will not be weak.

Under the guidance of wise, and now relatively old, Loki, she had learnt the arts of healing and poison. Snakes may not be very good teachers, but they knew more secrets than anyone else.

This day, something special was going to happen. Seshru could feel it.


They were on their daily lesson-cum-walk through the forests, where Loki would teach her about the plants and herbs of the forest. Occasionally, they would, by mutual consent, go by the shore which was closest to the Forest. It was possible to see the deep green of the Forest from the island, and she longed to be back in the Forest, around people. Although some would avoid her back then, she was cared for. There were always people. She had never felt so alone as she was on the island.

Loki was the first to notice the person lying on the beach.

Little mistress, there is someone here!

I'm coming Loki, do you know who that is?

To that, the snake was silent. She did not know who it was.

If Loki had not pointed it out, she could have easily mistaken the person for a pile of debris. Now that she had a closer look, she could see a shocking mob of deep red hair covering a boy's face. No, not boy, she thought, he is no more a boy than I am still a girl.

Loki!

Yes little mistress?

We should bring him to the shelter and then ask him how he got here. Maybe he'll even find a way to get us back to the Forest! Seshru's eyes gleamed in anticipation.

Loki was worried. Seshru had never shown so much interest in the Forest until this… boy-child turned up. It was a problem which she was resolved to fix.


She watched as her mistress brought the boy back to her shelter, laying him down to rest while preparing a simple potion for him to take when he woke up. She slithered up to him, watching him. Those tattoos… Raven clan, she hissed in disbelief.

This was the boy-child who would ruin them all. This was the one who was foretold to mislead her mistress from her destiny. The raven watches as the viper falls, dead. The vision would not come to pass. She was, after all, the one who was created to set them straight. Her mistress could not deviate from the plan. She would not allow it.


A/N: I actually like this chapter! I was trying to convey Loki's ideas of sticking to the rules, in the sense that she must allow Seshru to be 'what she must be'. Also, this will be an introduction to the more manipulative side of Loki.