thehometree | Unicorn Grove

Owain's first thought upon spotting the graceful white creature drinking from the stream was that this was one very odd-looking pegasus. It had a horn, like the ones Falcon Knights rode... but where were its wings? He flew closer for a better look. Its tail was all wrong, too. More like a griffon's than a horse's...

...Hold on. Could this possibly be... a unicorn? Legends spoke of the beautiful and elusive guardians of the woodlands, but he didn't know of anyone who'd actually seen one... or who even believed they were real, for that matter. But there it was, right in front of him, and it wasn't a pegasus or a horse. Yes, it had to be a unicorn! Wait'll he told everyone back home about this!

He landed on a low branch, grinning with barely-contained excitement but forcing himself to stop and consider how best to befriend the creature. The last thing he wanted to do was spook it. But just how did one go about taming a unicorn, anyway? Was there some mystical ancient incantation that would summon it to his side? 'Purity' had something to do with it, if he recalled the legends correctly (and he always did), but what did that even mean? Man, why couldn't centuries-old children's tales have been more specific?

...Well, he had to try something.

"Here, unicorn! Heeeere, unicorn! Come on," he called quietly, followed by kissy noises. That worked for calling pretty much every animal, right?

OH MY GOSH IT'S A UNICORN

Agitha also wanted a closer look, because what ten-year-old wouldn't want to pet a real, live unicorn? She ran to approach it, and slowed as she came nearer so not to spook it. It was then that she heard someone else trying to lure it closer, and she couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

The unicorn turns her head, long ears raised and eyes wide at the sound of the tiny fairy's voice and the attempt to call her. Although she seems spooked at first, when she sees where it comes from, she relaxes again and raises her head, blowing gently on Owain and Aghita with a soft whinny.

Owain looked briefly indignant as Agitha laughed at him, but that look was very quickly replaced with a triumphant grin when the unicorn responded. Aha, success! Or... more success than his hastily-improvised ideas usually yielded, anyway. This was awesome!

He turned to Agitha, still beaming. "What, it's working, isn't it?"

Crouching down, he crept along the branch, slowly drawing closer to the beautiful creature. He had to pet it. He had to. Who knew what mysterious unicorn powers it might impart unto him if he could befriend it? Maybe it would even let him ride it into battle!

He held out a hand as he approached. "That's a good unicorn... Come on, don't be afraid..." That it had no reason whatsoever to fear a tiny fairy apparently did not occur to him.

Agitha had heard a lot of stories about unicorns, but she had never heard about being able to summon one like you would call a puppy.

"Oh gosh, she's so pretty, isn't she?" She gasped. "Oooh, do you think she'll let us pet her lovely fur?"

"Of course she will!" Owain replied confidently, still inching closer. "There is no magical creature alive that can resist my charms! The unbridled power in my blood calls to them, and they know me at once as a kindred spirit!"

Now hopefully the unicorn wouldn't make him eat his words. Almost there... just a little closer...

A little closer, perhaps, but the shining beast moves her head up a bit and pushes her muzzle gently against the little fairy. Blowing a bit more of warm air on them, she almost seems to smile.

Two 'innocent' people had no problem getting her attention.

Fuu had spotted the radiant white horse as well. To think, a unicorn...! Not that she could rightly claim to be shocked. She at least was familiar with unicorns (well, familiar with what people said and wrote about them--not actual first-hand familiarity), unlike half-rotten violin men and hollow women who could shift dead trees like they were made matchwood.

Still, the sight of one in the flesh was really quite something. Fuu had always found ordinary horses to be quite beautiful, and this unicorn seemed to multiply it tenfold.

She almost ran into Owain on the branch while hopping around, trying to get a closer look. "Oh! Sir Owain--" Was he making kissy noises? "Has Miss Unicorn noticed you yet?"

Yes, Owain was most certainly making kissy noises, and he displayed absolutely no shame at being caught in the act. Because if it was stupid but it worked, then it wasn't stupid, and he was pretty sure it was working. He could swear he saw one of the unicorn's ears twitch in his direction.

"Indeed, with charm and charisma the likes of mine, it's impossible not to be noticed!" He gave Fuu a confident grin. "Even mythical guardian spirits of ancient forest sanctuaries stop and take note of my approach! Look, it's taking note as we speak."

Sure it was.

He turned back to the unicorn. "Just watch; ere the sun sets on this day, I shall have the beast at my beck and call! 'Owain, Unicorn Whisperer' has a pretty nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Fuu giggled. Now, she could believe that quite easily. "It's true, it's very hard not to notice you at any time."

Owain, Unicorn Whisperer. It had something to it, but Fuu wasn't sure it was the ring of plausibility. If she remembered correctly, though, unicorns were attracted to young maidens, weren't they? In that case, she might have some success, too. "Sir Owain, would you mind if I lent you a hand? I'm afraid I don't have any personal experience with unicorns--or horses, sadly--but if Miss Unicorn is capable of speech, she might be able to tell us a lot about Sir Guardian and the forest."

"You think she can speak? I dunno..." Owain looked rather skeptical. "Wouldn't she have at least said hello or something by now?" The thought of being able to speak and not doing so was a difficult one for him to wrap his head around.

Yet he gave Fuu an exaggerated bow and moved aside for her at her request, smiling once again. "But of course milady may have a turn! I got things started for you, so all that remains is to reach out and pluck the sweet fruit of victory that hangs so tantalizingly low upon the branch of aspiration!"

He acted this out for emphasis, swiftly plucking an imaginary fruit from the air and taking a huge imaginary bite out of it.

A pause, and then he frowned thoughtfully as something occurred to him. "Hmm, she's gonna need a better name than Miss Unicorn once we tame her, though..."

"Perhaps she's shy? Or simply taciturn," Fuu suggested. She smiled at Owain's exaggerated bow. "But if not, I'm sure we'll be able to find something suitable to call her by."

...Personally, Fuu thought 'Miss Unicorn' was sufficient, but maybe Owain had a point in his own way. She wasn't sure how she herself would feel about being called 'Miss Human.' Probably not too kindly. Still, Fuu was optimistic about being able to make friendly contact with the unicorn, and about its intelligence--she wasn't an expert on unicorn lore, but it was hard to picture one as an unintelligent creature.

She stepped forward, waving politely. "Excuse me, Lady Unicorn!" (Might as well go all the way with the formality.) "Would it be all right if we said hello?"

Unlike some others, Kit has no mental reference for what the unicorn could be. This doesn't diminish its beauty in the slightest, though, and she hovers by the stream watching her drink. The hair, though, she recognizes.

"So you're where the Hollow Lady got that special hair from," Kit says. "Or from another one of... whatever you are maybe."

Edited 2015-10-31 00:36 (UTC)

Meanwhile, the branch over their heads has accumulated another leaf… or just a blond boy wearing a golden leaf tunic. Orcelito peeks out from the autumn leaves, watching the unicorn move closer to the stream. He knows what she is – the legends have reached his world – but he never imagined she'd be so much more than a white horse. She carries a holy presence much like Saber's sword at the lake… and truth be told, that is more unsettling than he’d care to admit.

A familiar voice diverts his attention and he looks down. Ah, those are Kit’s wings! For once, he does not fear she’s in danger. But he’ll stay and watch silently for now as he awaits a reaction.

Today, another horse-creature arrives... one not so pretty.

OH MY GOSH IT'S ANOTHER UNICORN

Okay, so maybe this one wasn't a unicorn but it was still clearly some kind of magical horsie, so despite its fearsome appearance, Agitha tries to approach this one, too.

"Hello, pretty one! Are you looking for your friend?" Because obviously all the magical horsies are friends.

The sure are friends, the way the watery kelpie nuzzles the unicorn happily.

He, however, cannot enter the mist and therefore stands outside it every time the unicorn walks in and visits.

That's so sad though.

"Why can't you come in, Mr. Horse? I would so love to have you for a visit."

The kelpie watches the unicorn as she interacts with the Adventurers, and then stomps his hooves a few times to make her come back so they could cuddle once more.

Gosh they're such a perfect couple! And yet, Agitha still feels bad Mr. Horsie can't come in to visit. So, she flutters up to their eye level and waves to them.

"Miss Unicorn! May I ask you a favor, pretty please?"

The unicorn turns her head to look at the tiny fairy with her bright blue and intelligent eyes.

"Would you be so kind as to deliver a small gift to your friend?" Agitha asked sweetly.

While she may look a bit surprised at that, the unicorn bows her head just a little bit to the small girl. Of all the people here, Agitha was the most innocent - so how could the magical creature deny her anything?

"This is for him," She said, then gave the unicorn a small kiss on her snout.

"And this one is for you!" Another smooch.

Unicorn Grove

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