Ravensblood Forest The white owl in the belfry sits.

Unaware that Stryx had slipped from the den, Raleska awoke to unnerving darkness.

At first, she assumed it was simply her vision taking time to adjust. As the minutes passed, she saw little clarity in her vision -- clouds seemed to obscure along her sight-lines.

There was a squirming besides her -- with a start, Raleska realized for perhaps the most lucid stretch of time, all that had transpired.

Feeling enormously alone despite the lives that stirred besides her, Raleska stared off towards the distant opening of the mouth while above her, somewhere, Stryx was disposing of a small bundle of life that had never seen the light of day, or known pain.