Out of the muck and grime of the swamps I was raised, summoned by the Lord Cerunnos, a messenger spirit, sent by him to be a watcher of men. I came to watch only, but became entangled in men's affairs. A strict disobedience to the command of my Lord and God Cerunnos, I sought a path that was fitting for a spirit made flesh, from the woodlands, devotee of Cerunnos. I was a hunter, a hunter of men, and those that would harm Cerunnos' creatures. I defend the nature he created, and if necessary, use that nature as a force against people that would harm it.

In the forest, on a moonlit night, a wanderer entered my woodland dwelling, from the village to the east, a man in red robes, with a raven on his shoulder. I sensed his presence and approached him. From tree to tree my spirit flew, undetected, or so I thought. I was weary of this man, carrying a creature on his shoulder, poor bird, enslaved by the wicked creatures. His eyes were closed, like a blind man's; he did not grope for his way, but made his way gracefully through my forest, unimpeded.

He continued through my forest, and I let him. I would not let him come out again though, for his enslaved bird. I followed him through, and he seemed to make his way, as if he knew the way, to the forest's mother tree.

The man in red robes reached the tree, and stopped in front of it. I drifted around behind him, and was about to possess the tree nearest him to strike the man down where he stood. The man turned in my direction, and spoke (or perhaps it was the raven who spoke), "Beware young dryad, I am not as helpless as I look. Peace to you." He lifted his and a bright light sprung from it, dispelling the shadows that hid me, and I fell to the earth, helpless. "I mean neither you nor your forest harm, young one, I seek only to pray at this tree for a short while, before I continue my journey."

In a sneer I spoke back," Worship? You are nothing but a poacher come to enter my forest and do harm to my tree, and my God's creatures. You have enslaved a creature, and I can not give you quarter for even that transgression. Why would you think I would spare your life?"

"My life? I hold you helpless where you stand, it is your life I possess, I could slay you where you sit, but I do not. Know this; I seek to do you no harm." With those words being said, he released me from the bindings that held me. "Now then, spirit, what be your name?" he questioned.

"I can not give my true name, but I will tell you what I am called, Kaney Sophia, the wise one, now leave my forest like the wind the raven can call its will, or forever perish, lost in these forest. I have more influence than you think here, even in my death. Flee, every herb that you consume in this forest will spell your doom, leave now, and be well," I said in a monotone, and disappeared into the tree tops, nothing but a bit of wind, perhaps no more than a dream. The man turned and kneeled at the tree, then continued on his way.

Year's later, the man came into the forest again, this time I did not let him take more than 10 paces inside, before I commanded the trees to close around him. I swiftly approached him, coming from the mists behind him, like a rushing wind, knocked him to the ground, sending the raven up squawking. "I warned you, now you shall not feel the warmth of the sun on your hide again," I said, and began to wrap him in veins, tying him to the ground," you will be eaten by the very birds that you keep as your slaves."

"No, no," gasped the man," I again did not come to harm your forest, but I came to ask for your help, young dryad. I need someone like you, and you need someone like me. You seek to preserve the balance of nature at any cost, as do I. So let us do it together, let us help each other!"

"Your feeble begging will get you no where, I am resolute. Your fate has been sealed. I have nothing to offer a mortal. I could not leave this forest unguarded. Your doom, the ravens will feast on your corpse and pluck out your brain from those empty sockets."

"I can help you. Your forest need not go unguarded. I am part of an orginization- an organization pledged to the worship of nature! My raven is not a mere slave, indeed, it gave me my sight and my life. It offered my help. With him as my witness, speak raven, tell her."

With a squawk, the raven spoke, in an unsteady tone, "I am no slave. I am his eyesss, I am hisss ssight. I ssee for him, and give him hisss life. He worships and sseeks to presserve nature as you do. He needss your exsspertise and knowledge and wissssdom. Do not kill him, for the your God'ssssake."

I released him then and there. "I apologize, for my.. conduct, I acted impetuously, and out of my place," I muttered, shamed, in a wavering voice, " I... I.. acted out of place, I didn't sense your raven's magic, like I should have. Truly, this bird could be the goddess herself, but I say, I apologize, I should have consulted your creature first. Now tell me, how can I help?" With that, I joined Morteus' family bonding with humans, a past of hate for a species, changed over to a hate for most, and a distrust of all but the one human. I joined his family, and continue to live in it now, as his advisor and master of herbal and venom lore.