Fleet didn’t like Yuma entering the bear’s cave alone—this was supposed to be his job—but at least the man had weapons. Hopefully, as Yuma supposed, the guardian would be hibernating and the feathers easily retrieved.
Roaaarrr!
Fleet sprang to the cave entrance. He hesitated.
Hooves clattered behind him.
A mighty unicorn burst along the trail, fury belching from his nostrils. He charged, his lowered head pointing a horn like an ancient branch from a whitebark pine, twisted and knobbly. His crimson coat dripped with sweat, in stark contrast to his black mane and tail, crusted with icicles.
Fleet’s mind whirled. A horse with a twisted horn! Was this Shadow? But he was supposed to be trapped at Obsidian Caves. This equine had only one horn. That’s what unicorn meant. Or was it two twisted together?
Their bodies crashed, chest to chest.
Fleet pawed the air and screamed, his eyes rolling, showing the whites.
His assailant backed off, bunching for another attack.
Fleet charged.
They smashed together. Rocks tumbled from the hillside, pelting down like hailstones.
Fleet ignored them, all his attention on his adversary, far stronger than him.
They dodged and parried and dodged. Fleet ducked sideways to avoid the brutal horn before spinning and kicking out. As quick as he made contact, he leapt back and reared, thrashing his forelegs. His opponent met each onslaught with equal vigour, crashing his hooves against Fleet’s shoulders and rump.
Fleet feared for his life. Not the bloodwolf, the bog, or the scorcheel scared him like this.
He summoned his courage and fought back. He hadn’t come so far to fail now. He must get the feathers. He wouldn’t let Sapphire down. He reared and struck.
His enemy lashed back.
The contorted horn struck Fleet’s shoulder. A blast of pain coursed through his body. He stepped backwards towards the edge of the cliff. Stones clattered as his hooves scrambled. He teetered on the edge.
Yuma rushed from the cave, ears tuned to any pursuit.
Fleet tottered on the edge of the path, his hind legs scrabbling at the cliff, stones flying from his front hooves as they sought purchase on the rock.
A massive crimson horse was trotting away down the narrow trail; it turned, preparing to charge, aiming straight at Fleet.
Yuma leapt forward and dropped the feathers, waving his arms and shouting.
The horse—no—unicorn, showed no sign of slowing.
Yuma dashed out of the way. How could he stop it? He had no arrows left. He whipped his slingshot from his waistband and grabbed a handful of stones.
The missiles made no impact on the advancing unicorn.
Fleet continued to scramble, panic in his eyes.
Yuma grabbed a golden feather and hefted it in one hand. Could he throw it like a spear? The rigid vanes ran smooth along the shaft. Unslinging his bow, he loaded the feather and pulled the bowstring taut.
The unicorn sprinted towards Fleet.
Yuma let the feather fly. Brilliant gold shimmered as it flew straight at the unicorn’s chest.
Fleet threw his weight forward. Every sinew in his legs screamed. Sweat erupted from every pore. He lurched over the lip of the hillside, grazing his muzzle on the sharp rocks, and clambered to his feet.
The smell of blood permeated the air. He must have damaged his foe. This was his chance! He gathered himself to renew his attack, searching for his opponent’s weak spot.
A golden shaft protruded from the crimson chest. Ichor oozed from the wound. The horned horse shuddered and retreated, head sagging and lungs pumping. Skin rippled along his neck, across his flanks, and over his rump. Within moments, his whole body quaked on splayed legs.
Fleet stared in amazement, exhausted from the confrontation and by the scramble that had saved him from a fatal fall over the cliff’s edge.
Yuma stood nearby, bow in hand, gaping.
Groans sounded from the cave.
Yuma hastened to retrieve his pack and raced towards Fleet, four golden feathers clutched underneath one arm. “We need to get out of here before the bear recovers.”
Fleet quivered under Yuma’s touch. “We can’t go yet. I must know who he is. Look, his horn is straightening.”
The unicorn convulsed with a final shudder. Sweat mingled with his blood, streaking and matting his coat. The golden feather tinkled as its fronds shivered. Black streaks ran up the shaft to accumulate in the tip. As the gold dispersed, the unicorn stood taller with his ears pricked. The blackened feather dropped from his chest and fizzled into ash. The wound closed, leaving no scar.
No-one moved or spoke. Even the air stilled.
A flock of geese honking overhead broke the spell.
The unicorn tottered forwards.
Fleet blocked his progress, ready to attack.
The unicorn veered and bowed to Yuma, his soft nose scraping the rocky track as he bent one foreleg. “I must thank you. I’ve never been free of pain before.”
Yuma grasped Fleet’s mane to mount. “We really need to go. The bear is very angry.”
The unicorn tilted his head towards Fleet before returning his attention to Yuma. “I’m Jasper. Who are you? How did you get past the guardian? Why do you want the feathers?”
Fleet straightened to his full height and arched his neck. “I’m Fleet of Foot and this is Yuma Squirrel. We’re on a mission to save Equinora from bloodwolves and scorcheels. Moonglow’s prophecy says I must use the goddess’s feathers on Shadow.”
Yuma glanced towards the cave. “Fleet, we must go. I used all my arrows on the bear. We need to move before it recovers and attacks us.”
Jasper flattened his ears. “You shot him? I must help him. Kodi won’t attack me. Give me one of the feathers.” He snatched one in his teeth and disappeared inside the cave.
Yuma headed off down the track at a jog. “I’m not hanging around for an angry bear.”
Fleet hesitated. “Perhaps we should wait. Jasper might be able to tell us more about Shadow.”
“And risk being torn to shreds when he heals the bear?” Yuma continued on, breaking into a run.
Fleet couldn’t risk parting from Yuma and the three remaining feathers. He clattered after him on the treacherous track.
They reached the stream and both guzzled the icy water.
Tatuk flickered into view and hovered in front of Fleet. “Jasper wants to speak with you. He promises the bear won’t harm anyone.”
Fleet dropped to a halt. “Do you trust him?”
The dragon alighted on a boulder and folded his wings. “He’s a unicorn! They’re all friends of dragons. Please, he begs you to wait.”
Torn between the need to keep going and the desire to understand what had transpired, Fleet sniffed the grass. “We’re not going back to the cave. I’ll graze for a while if he wants to come here. But if I smell bear, we’re off.”
He nudged Yuma. “You’d better rest. That was a hard run. I’ll keep watch.”
Yuma removed his pack and cleared the snow around a boulder. “I guess we have to trust Tatuk. I could do with a breather. If you’re going to eat, I may as well too.”
Fleet kept one eye on the path as he picked at the little vegetation free of snow along the waterway.
Yuma finished his meal and stretched out on his bedroll, his hands clasped behind his head. Tatuk flittered down and landed on his chest. The little dragon’s colours brightened as he nestled above the diamond hung around Yuma’s neck. He curled into a ball, tucked his snout under one wing, and fell asleep.
Fleet relaxed.
Before long, Jasper arrived and bowed from a respectful distance. “You have nothing to fear from me or Kodi.”
Fleet nickered to Yuma, who stirred and joined him.
Jasper greeted him too. “The guardian forgives your attack in return for straightening my horn. I was unable to heal his wounds with the feather. I guess it needs to penetrate the skin, and I couldn’t make it do that, but he’ll be alright. He’s one of the goddess’s creatures.”
Not reassured, Fleet remained a distance away. “I’m glad you’re cured, but I suspect we needed all the feathers. I don’t know if three will be enough.”
“Tell me more about this mission of yours.”
Fleet shared the story from when his dam had been killed. “Sapphire’s vision seems to be true.”
At the mention of the chestnut mare’s name, Jasper gasped in surprise. “Your dam was Queen Sapphire?”
Fleet coughed. “Yes, she was originally from White Water Cliffs.”
The unicorn blew a spray of mist from his nostrils. “So, I was right, she was a warmblood.”
“You knew her?” Fleet couldn’t imagine his dam meeting this strange and powerful unicorn. She’d certainly never said anything. Yet she hadn’t told him about many things.
Jasper made his way towards the creek. He took a long drink before answering. “Now I understand how you entered my territory. You’re more than half hotblood. No wonder the unicorns entrusted this task to you.”
Fleet was tired of mysteries. “Echo believes he’s my great-grandsire.”
A look of surprise glinted in the unicorn’s eye. “So that’s where Sapphire got her hot blood. That makes her Gemstone’s niece.”
Fleet couldn’t take in all these family trees. “How do you know my dam? What does it mean? She and I are warmbloods, if what you say is true. And how can I be more than half hotblood? Are you saying my sire was also a noncorn?”
Jasper took a deep breath and led Fleet to a sunny spot. “It’s a delight to revel in the warmth after a lifetime of seeking the cold to alleviate my pain. Forgive me this luxury before I tell you what’s going to be difficult to relate.”
Fleet flicked his tail in impatience. “We can’t linger here. It’s a long way to Obsidian Caves and every moment sees bloodwolves and scorcheels wreak havoc.”
Jasper acknowledged the threat. “I’ll try to make it short. You have to understand I’ve wandered this land for many horse generations. I’ve never been free of pain. Like any male, I have urges. When the lust builds to a point I can no longer ignore, I go in search of a mare, preferably one with warm blood.”
Understanding how powerful a force lust could be, Fleet remained quiet. His daydreams of Gem stirred his loins making him shuffle his back feet.
Jasper appraised him. “I hadn’t picked up that before!”
Embarrassed Jasper had heard his thoughts, Fleet stepped away. “Isn’t it rude to read my mind?”
“Sorry, you need to learn to shield yourself. Didn’t Gemstone teach you?”
“No. There wasn’t time.” Fleet wasn’t sure being a warmblood had any benefits.
The unicorn returned to his story. “In my travels, I came across a mare with deep blue eyes, a sign of hot blood. She ran with King Thunder.”
Fleet threw up his head and half-reared. “That’s my sire. Was it you who murdered him?” Shocked at the revelation, Fleet retreated, scared the familiarity was part of a ruse to lull him into security.
“Wait, wait, wait. I’ve promised I’m no threat. How could I hurt a horse of my blood? Thunder wasn’t your sire.”
“What? Sapphire never mentioned unicorns to me until just before she died. You lie!” His head spinning, Fleet galloped off, throwing up stones as he tore alongside the creek, his hooves pounding like the implications of what Jasper had said. It couldn’t be true. Could it? Maybe that was why, unlike other horses, he could fight the bloodwolf poison and enter Gem’s territory without her knowledge. Those abilities had surprised her even after discovering Echo was his great-grandsire. And what of Cirrus, the old stallion at Silverlake? This would mean he hadn’t found his grandsire after all.
Fleet slowed. The bitter chill froze the sweat on his chest and neck. Nobody pursued him. Hatred for Jasper killing Thunder bubbled deep in his gut. Even so, he was desperate to hear the full story.
He returned to find Jasper grazing in the same spot. “Is it true? I’m more than half unicorn?”
Jasper continued as if nothing had happened. “It would seem so. I admit your dam wasn’t willing. Thunder fought valiantly to protect her. But I was convinced if she was no longer a maiden, she would come into healing powers and help me manage my pain. As it happens, she wasn’t a maiden anyway, and her power was of sight, not healing, so I needn’t have forced her to mate with me.”
“You raped her! How dare you?” Fleet thought back to the many moons he had wandered with Sapphire. No wonder she’d never told him about Jasper. “She would have helped you without that. She knew a lot about plants and their special purposes.”
“Maybe so, but it was power I needed, not herbs. Eventually she disappeared into Dark Woods and I didn’t pursue her. It never occurred to me she would be in foal.”
Fleet’s emotions roiled. “Did you kill the unicorn enabling Gem to be conceived?”
“No!” Jasper trembled in rage. “It was the one you seek, Shadow, who murdered Dewdrop. Not even in my wildest pain would I harm a unicorn mare, especially her.”
“So it’s okay to rape a warmblood mare, but you wouldn’t touch one of your own. I hate you! I wish we hadn’t cured your horn. Why don’t you go and stop Shadow instead of me? Maybe that’s what the goddess intended, why the prophecy sent me here.”
Jasper blocked Fleet’s path. “Wait. Please. There’s more you need to know. Stay with me tonight and let me explain.”
A cold shadow fell across the resting spot as the sun sank behind the peak. Yuma tried to calm Fleet with a stroke to his neck. “Fleet, we need to find shelter. I don’t want to sleep out under snow.”
Fleet fought his indecision. Part of him wanted to leave Jasper and this place far behind. Another part wanted to hear more, no matter how painful. In the end, Yuma’s needs swayed him. He wouldn’t let down a friend.
“Alright, we’ll stay one night. I trust Tatuk to warn us of any threat.” Relieved for the excuse to do something normal, Fleet waited for Yuma to pack his bag and mount. Although Jasper suggested they go back to the bear’s cave, promising Kodi would welcome them, Fleet didn’t find that comforting and knew Yuma would prefer somewhere safer. Instead, they agreed to follow Jasper to a spot he recommended. As they meandered along a narrow track, the valley opened up. Pockets of white flowers nestled in lush pasture. An area large enough for a whole herd of horses bloomed amid a ring of snowdrifts.
Jasper led them to an overhang large enough to shelter them all. “This is my home. Here I can enjoy good grazing yet still have the cold numb my pain. Not that I need the cold any more. I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done.”
Yuma gazed around. “How does this valley stay so lush when the surrounds are cloaked in snow? Is that your power?”
Jasper shrank, his eyes half-closed. “No. This is where Dewdrop died.” He straightened up and turned to Fleet. “I must avenge her death! I believe your quest for the goddess’s feathers may in fact have been a mission to save me, not to fight Shadow. I doubt the feathers will be of any use against him. Aureana tried to use her wings many times to overcome his powers. She couldn’t eliminate his evil, which is why she locked him at Obsidian Caves.”
Fleet’s anger grew. He stamped his hoof. “I’ll do what I came for. I must get rid of the poison in my veins. Maybe the feathers are different now. Maybe it needs Yuma’s bow to force the feathers through his skin, like he did with you. I only hope three are enough.”
Yuma rubbed Fleet’s ears. “Do you think I should try one on you to rid you of the poison? Is that why we’re really here?”
The idea had occurred to Fleet. “Not yet. If I can overcome Shadow, his beasts and their poison may disappear. We can’t risk losing another feather until we find him.”
Feelings Fleet didn’t understand bubbled beneath his skin like boils threatening to erupt. Why did he feel so compelled to save Equinora? All he wanted was to settle with a herd, and one day have his own territory and breed strong foals. If the goddess couldn’t change Shadow, what chance did he have? He’d be better off returning to Dark Woods and risking his life with the bloodwolves. But if no-one saved his world, no safe place to live would remain.
Tatuk drooped on his perch and his eyes glazed over. Yuma straightened Fleet’s forelock and pointed out the effect his anger was having on the dragon.
Fleet struggled to calm down. He needed time to sort out this new knowledge. “I’ll head to Obsidian Caves tomorrow. Maybe I’ll learn something useful along the way.”
Jasper studied each of the three companions in turn. “It’ll take more than determination to overcome his evil, and I have a score to settle. I’m going with you.”
“No!” Fleet shuddered. Jasper had murdered Thunder, raped and crippled Sapphire, and sent her into exile. His crimson coat and black points reminded Fleet of bloodwolves and scorcheels. Red and black, like in the prophecy. Dread slithered down Fleet’s spine. Maybe Jasper was the one who threatened Equinora.