His loneliness in Cetus, his wanderings, the silence, it had all furrowed deep within him. He had thought that he had been with Sizzle the snake. But when she had disappeared he had tried to find his way back to the Children. And when he could not do this, he wandered. He was lost. For cycles, forever, it seemed. He could not find his way back. And he cried alone, afraid, in silence. Serek needed someone, anyone, to come for him. To protect him as mother once did. To have companionship as Skeena and Vinea once gave. And so Serek began to look for some power, any power, invisible or real that could help him survive and stay sane.

So here he was, in front of the tree, and Serek saw it with new eyes. The eyes of a lost, wandering soul with nowhere to calm home, no one to call family, and no guardian to call parent. He stepped towards the tree, that towering, twisted tree and leaned his head against it. "If you're there," he whispered, his voice shaking, "if anyone is there, please...help me. I want to know...if you're here with me. Who you are. Please..." He felt his magic heat around his neck and flow into his head, connecting with the tree. He shivered a bit as a tear rolled down his cheek. He pressed closer, his thick, matted, grimy fur pressing against the old, rotting bark of the Divine.

Serek shivered as the breath of wind caressed his fur and he leaned into the embrace. His eyes opened, as if by some other will and he looked back at the trees. He watched, wide-eyed, as they came to life. There were whispers and he strained his ears trying to pick up what they were saying but they were so distant he couldn't hear. Someone was there. There with him. They were here. He didn't know who it was but there was someone here. "Please," he begged, "please don't leave! Speak to me!" The grief rolled over, so strong that he gasped and stepped back as if struck. And then it was over, the silence returning, retreating into the mist.

Serek stood as still as stone for what seemed like forever before a chill went through his body. He looked up at the Divine and a feeling, an alien emotion washed over him. This wasn't just a tree, this was someone. And they had been here with him. Cetus was more then just a cave, more then just a swamp. Cetus was alive. "Are you watching me now," he whispered to the ancient bark. "Please, lead me home."

He pressed himself again against the tree and turned away, setting off into the swamp. He needed to find the Children of Rot again.

*exit