The Raven's Song

This is my first book/novel/story.

Cover by: SilverMoonShadow

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-The Raven symbolizes death-

~Prologue~

Raven DeLaurent watched carefully from the patio as her father chopped down the giant oak tree from their backyard. With every hit the tree took Raven flinched intentionally. The oak tree that grew in the DeLaurent's backyard was Raven's favorite tree. For five years Raven had grown up around the tree. Her mom use to throw tea parties under the tree and hang lanterns from the thick branches so that Raven could continue to play once it got dark outside. According to Raven's grandmother, Raven's parents had gotten married under the tree. There were many happy memories under that tree so why was her father cutting it down?

Raven hugged her china doll tighter as she watched her father take another swing at the tree. Why was he hurting the tree? Raven took a step closer to the patio's steps. Maybe she could make her dad stop. "Daddy," Raven called out. Raven's father looked up at his daughter and wiped his forehead. "Don't move Raven. You stay right there," he ordered. Raven bit her bottom lip nervously. She was wrestling with the idea of ignoring her father and protecting the tree. Raven gripped her doll tighter and took another step closer to the stairs. Raven's father wasn't paying attention now. He had gone back to chopping at the tree.

"Daddy!" Yelled Raven. Raven's father growled loudly making her jump back. Raven's cold black eyes looked at his small daughter gripping the china doll her mother had bought for her when she was one. Her small black eyes stared at him with horror.

Drake DeLaurent stared at his small daughter and sighed. He needed to get rid of this tree and fast, but Raven needed to be out of the house for him to do so. He knew this tree was important to Raven, it was important to him too, but it was no longer safe to keep the tree. Rave looked down at her bare feet and he sighed. Right now they would be having their usual Saturday morning breakfast while watching cartoons. Maybe he could call his sister to take her for a while.

"Raven go inside. Daddy will be right there," he said softly. Raven looked at him from beneath her betty bangs. She looked unsure. Drake threw the ax to the side and Raven smiled. "Go inside please baby." Raven nodded and ran inside the house.

Raven DeLaurent had just turned her back and went inside the house when she heard it. The sound of the tree crashing. Raven turned around and looked outside. Her father wasn't anywhere in sight. Raven dropped her doll and ran outside.