Unicorn Lost

Presents

W	hatever trepidation Kathy might have felt over surrendering to the ferrets was soon confirmed, as it became apparent that they were not being led back toward the town of Mustillidae, but away from it, further into the deep, dark, and mist-enshrouded woods.

As the horizon began to glow with the corals and crimsons of impending dawn, Kathy dipped her muzzle near to Florence's ear and whispered, "Next time, let me kick the snot out of 'em."

"And they would have killed the chipmunks, and the Queen," Florence whispered back.

Kathy glanced over her shoulder at the chipmunk party, which was at that moment arguing amongst its members in hushed and hissing voices. "I'm not so sure they're not in on the plot to capture us," Kathy murmured to Florence. "Pretty handy, to bust us out of the klink only to let us get recaptured."

"It's obvious we've stumbled into something bigger than our own quest," Florence answered, shooting surreptitious looks at the margins of the marching mass of ferrets. "I just hope Kamida has the good sense to keep a low profile."

"She's a skunk," Kathy sighed. "You tell me how low a profile she can keep."

"SILENCE!!" the captain of the guard bellowed, jabbing Kathy's flank with his spear.

Florence, in a well-trained motion, bared her fangs and threw herself between the captain and the unicorn. "Touch her again," the wolf snarled, "and I'll feed you your lungs!"

A frisson of anxiety rippled through the troop as it came to a stumbling halt. All the ferrets fixed their beady eyes on the wolverine, who, although he barely came up to Florence's chest, stood his ground. The greasy hair on his neck and back standing out at all angles.

"Uh, psst--Florence?" Kathy whispered, nudging her friend. "Um...I appreciate the sentiment, but it's generally not a good idea to piss off the guy with the weapon."

"We have a weapon," said Florence calmly.

"We do?" asked Kathy, blinking her aquamarine eyes.

"Yes. You," Florence said, with maddening calmness.

Suddenly, like St. Elmo's Fire, little serpents of lightning began to dance and play around Kathy's horn, which glowed with the light of a thousand moons. The glow intensified until it seemed to be a jet of blue-white fire shooting out of Kathy's brow. The ferrets all screamed as one and, toppling over themselves in their haste to escape, dropped their weapons and fled willy-nilly into the trees.

The wolverine was not as swift to flee. Whether driven by personal boldness, stupidity or allegiance to his master, he stood his ground--only to be rendered into a pile of smoking ash as the lightning erupted from Kathy's horn and seared him to a crisp. Then the night was dark again.

"Whoa-ah," whimpered one of the chipmunks. "That was awesome!"

"I didn't know I could do that," Kathy said, blinking to clear the spots from her eyes. She was getting a wicked headache.

"He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword," Florence whispered, almost as an incantation.

Florence looked at Kathy and there was an ineffable sorrow in Kathy's eyes. She suddenly looked eons old.

"None but a virgin may approach a Unicorn without fear," she said, putting her paw on her friend's withers. "All others will pay the ultimate price, for defiling the divine being." Then she turned to the chipmunks and the ferret Queen, who were cowering together, staring goggle-eyed at the pile of ex-wolverine. "Come on. We'd better get moving. I think if we continue along this way, we shall find what we seek."

And the adventurers resumed their trek, as the sun peered over the far horizon.

-page oo26-
written by Nightstar

Copyright and Credit:
  · Florence from "Freefall" © Mark Stanley.
  · Magic Gardener © Hortmage.
  · Jeanette © Jeanette Isabelle.
  · Kathy from "Carry On" © Kathy Garrison.
  · Kamida © Guest #1.
  · ToraKiyoshi - Writer.
  · White Pony from "Cross Time Cafe" © S.Kidwell.
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