The Raven and the Viper

Chapter One - Our Goodbye

-Kathrine Vane- 

"Are you sure your ready? I mean, you could always stay here and finish high school, maybe even enroll in one of the colleges near by later on?" Aunt Letrice worriedly asks.

"Come on Letrice, I'll be fine. I need to go now or I'll miss my flight. My cousin Alice has already said that I'm welcome to stay at her place until college." I explain. Aunt Letrice has been taking care of me ever since a few years back when my family had died from an accident. Letrice has taken care of me just like her sister had. I will forever be thankful to her for looking after me during the tough grieving period of my parents death. 

"Yeah Letrice, we have to give her some space. If she believes it's time for her to go back to her home town then we have to accept that. Scratch that, you need to accept that." A deep familiar voice says from the doorway. Looking to see who it is, my best friend Jake was there. Moving to Chicago wasn't exactly easy for me. I had to leave New York, not that there was much I was leaving behind after my friends turned out to be not my friends after all. He never pushed me to try and make more friends unlike my aunt. He too helped me beyond measures getting through the death of my parents. 

I rush over to Jake and pull him into a hug. Jake has been there for me through thick and thin and to me he's been like a brother but something tells me he doesn't feel the exact way after these last 2 years. 

"I'm going to miss you, squirt." He says burying his head in the crook of my neck. He hugs me intensly as if his life depended on it. Feeling Letrices stare and strong smile watching us I back up a little.

"I'm going to miss you too Jake. While I'm gone don't you dare try and start slacking on your studies. If we're still going to be going to Princeton together then you're going to have to push yourself, mister." I say. Ever since I met Jake my first day in Biology we both planned to go to either Harvard or Princeton. 

"Haha, I'm still shooting for Harvard before Princeton, Kat, but I might make an acception." Jake goes in for another hug but I quickly grab my bag. If I hug him once more I won't be able to let go. Then again, I probably will remembering my mission.

"Okay, Kat," Aunt Letrice sniffles, "i-it's time for us to start heading out. Jake would you mind helping me get Kathrine's bags to the car?" 

Jake looks from me to Letrice and weakly smiles. "Sure." When they exit my room I make my way over to the bed and sit. Taking a deep breath my eyes scan the room. The first night I stepped foot in this room I cried my heart out not wanting to believe that my parents were really gone. Staring at the teal wall in front of me I make my way over to the black-painted wood vanity. 

Looking at myself, this is it. Today is my final day in Chicago until I avenge my parent's death. From this day forward New York will be my home. The people I left behind, the people that betrayed me, the people that caused me pain, they will pay.

"Kat! You comin'?" Jake shouts from the living room. I head over to him and together we exit the apartment building. Tears start to fill my eyes while I look at Jake. 

"Goodbye, Jake," I begin, "I'll miss you. You have been so amazing and kind to me ever since my transition to Chicago and I couldn't be more grateful. No matter what I'll never forget you in New York." One by one tears start to fall down my cheeks.

"Kat," Jake comes closer to me and pulls me into a choking hug. "This isn't goodbye. We'll see each other again in two years for college. Honestly, I don't know how I'll survive without you but I'll make it through." Looking into Jake's eyes I see him watering up too as we say our final goodbyes. Slowly, he leans down inching closer to my face. Before anything could happen a cough interrupts us.

"We should get going, Kathrine. Your flight leaves soon." With that Jake and I let go of each other and I got into Letrice's Red Ford Escape. As she started the vehicle she said, "That boy has had a thing for you since the day you first arrived. Promise me you won't break his heart on purpose." 

"Aunt Letrice, he's the closest thing I've ever had to a brother. Hurting him is the last thing I ever want to do." I reply truthfully. I've always had a suspicion that Jake had more feelings than I have for him but I never wanted to reveal it. I guess I didn't want to ruin our meaningful friendship that we've built. 

"Okay, okay, whatever you say, dear. Are you sure your going to be alright in New York by yourself? Defending yourself in a city bigger than Chicago will be different and difficult, Kathrine." Letrice tells me in a worriedly, motherly tone. 

"Letrice, you have to remember that I've learned to defend myself from the best." I start, winking, "If it wasn't for you I would've never learned how to fight like my family had intended me to. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have grown strong and become a better, undefeated version of myself that I like way better than the shy and innocent girl I was before I moved to Chicago. If it wasn't for you, Aunt Letrice, I would've never learned about my family's legacy of New York's former strongest gang since the 1800s. Through all of this I'm beyond grateful that I now know who I really am." 

"Kathrine just please promise me that you'll watch yourself in New York. I moved to Chicago for a reason. I missed the city feeling but I didn't miss the bigger population of New York. It's a big place for a 16 year old girl, Kat." Letrice explains, "There are other gangs and last time I was over there the Viper Gang of New York were pretty strong. Over two years they must've grown stronger and moved up in ranking but that doesn't mean you can bring back the Raven Gang."

"I'll stay safe, Letrice. Don't go and underestimate my intelligence or my fierceness." I reply. 

Over the time span of the last two years I've learned to defend myself well. Even Letrice's last boyfriend was a gang member who taught me pointers. Not to sound full of myself or anything but a few weeks before Letrice broke up with him he asked me to try and fight one of his gang's strongest members. I, surprisingly to them, defeated him in under 5 minutes. They offered me a spot but I had to decline with my mission and all.

"I don't underestimate you one bit." She said and left it at that.

After a while of searching and checking I finally made it to my gate. 

"I'll see you soon, Aunt Letrice. This isn't goodbye." I say hugging her one last time. 

"I know, Kathrine. I'll miss you though." She weakly says, trying hard not to let any tears fall. "One tip before you go, when you arrive in New York find a man named James Lind. Tell him you know me and tell him about your legacy."

"Who is he?" I ask, was James someone important to Letrice or maybe my family?

"James was your father's second in command. He can help assemble the old gang and their descendants together to reform the Ravens. Seeing your age and your parents the other former members must have children who are involved as well. Together, you will achieve your goal and complete your mission." Letrice explains. "One last time, stay safe."

All I do is nod. Parting from the hug I make my way to the gate. Turning around I wave goodbye to my Aunt whose been there for me for the last two years, whose made me the strong and independent woman I am. I turn back around, smile, and walk down the aisle to the plane. 

As I make myself comfortable in the plane I notice no one takes the seat next to me, giving me more room. Opening up my book the intercom starts up as the pilot says, "Please prepare for take off as we are ready to fly."

As we ascend higher and higher into the sky I look out the window. Kathrine Vane, you better be ready because New York here I come.