Sasha belongs to me. Everything else: nope.

19 years after Donovan took Sasha home

The following years after my arrow incident passed without a problem…okay, maybe there were a few mishaps dealing with Zane's stubbornness, but for the most part…no.

After my incident, I finally understood exactly what I was. An outcast on the inside. Accepted yet not part of the whole. Treated as a serpiente, yet not one. That's who I was.

And I accepted it. I knew it wouldn't change. I had family and my people, and that's all I needed. Yet, sometimes, I would long for someone to relate to; someone to run with, not slither.

But I ignored this longing and just went on with my life. Alone as the only leopard. The only mammal in a kingdom of snakes. I could deal.

Then, one day, I was laying around the house, just wanting to sleep, when Zane slumped into the room right beside me. I raised an eyebrow at the company, yet he still didn't respond. I cleared my throat, hoping to catch his attention that seemed to be miles away. Still, nothing. Finally, I just pushed him. Oops, maybe a little too hard, since he fell off the sofa.

I grinned sheepishly at him, "Sorry about that. What's up with you?"

He looked at me, caught between resigned and amused, and said, "I just want it to be over, the war. I don't want any more suffering, hurt, or deaths. For God's sake, I just want peace. Is that so hard to ask for?" He took a breath after his little rant, to calm himself.

I glanced at him, he wasn't usually this depressed. I mean, nobody likes the war, but no one is so absorbed in it either…

He looked at me, looking even more depressed, sighed, and said, "Do you even get what I'm saying?"

I stared at him and replied curtly, "I can understand English, you know. I was educated, just like you and Irene and all the others. I just don't have an answer for you. If I could end this war, I would, but I can't unfortunately and neither can you unless you have a super-secret plan that you've been hiding away from me all this time. So, yeah, deal with it."

He rolled his eyes at me, "No, I do not have a super-secret plan, missy. I just have a dream. I want peace. By the way, do you know what happened today?"

"Um. Nope. I've been inside all day waiting for pigs to fly, Mister Peace Plan. What happened?" I said.

His only reply was, "Gregory died."

I gasped. WHAT??? My little brother? Dead? No, it couldn't be possible! Not him!!! He was only a couple years younger than me!! Not him! Though all these thoughts were rushing through my head at the moment, all I could squeak was, "What???"

Zane nodded solemnly and said, "Yes, he's dead, dead on the battlefield trying to prove himself. Though what surprised me was that, right before he died, an avian sung him to the end. Sung, not stabbed. And can you guess who that avian was?" He paused and said quietly, "Danica Shardae, the heir to the Tuli Thea herself. She sang our brother to sleep, Sash."

Please review pretty please!!!! Need some encouragement!!! Yupper depper do!