Spellbound Hearts

Prologue

     The ravens had heard of no such thing as a child's cry in the magical forests.
     The beasts that lived there did not cry, nor were they pink or chubby. They could feel the change in the air, they hid in their nests with their flock, hiding from the magic that they could feel.
     For a long time there had been an imbalance in the forest, it did not recede or grow, it was simply there. And on this night of the Witch's moon where rituals are made, and gatherings are held, the imbalance has fled: quietly and quickly and in a manner that only the ravens and their arcane bloodline could sense. The magic balance is changing, it is dangerous to be out at this time, and it was odd-at least to these ravens, who've never had the misfortune of seeing a child, no less one in their own forest, that this thing had made its way so deep into the forest.
     The child was odd, coddled in a simple forest green blanket, she was uninteresting yet the seven ravens perched on their branch couldn't leave, or look away. One crept closer, daring to look the child in the eyes.
     It smelled of something dusty and old, yet crisp and new all at once.
     How interesting.
     Cries broke out once more, loud enough to wake any dangerous beast from their slumber. The child fussed and kicked, restless and alone. The raven then noticed a glint of pure gold. Shiny, and far more interesting than the weird smelling child.
      A pendant, a very, very, shiny new pendant with markings, simple but so complicated at the same time. What interesting balances this child presents. The ravens knew balance, craved a balance that they once had. And this craving suddenly became sharper than before, hope becoming a sharpening tool for this deep hunger.