The unicorns and Xavier traveled on, each night growing cooler than the last. They followed the tail of the cloud of stars in the sky. It was slow going traveling with a horse, but they didn’t mind.
On one such night, they caught sight of the tall mountain peak that marked the entrance of the valley they had once fled. “There it is,” Ulysees said, pausing to gaze up, “The valley of the bones.”
Xavier let out a low rumble. “I remember. We passed through it, too.”
“Did you see all the skeletons?” asked Ulysees, his coat rippling.
“Yes,” said Xavier, “and Drachen was so scared he tried to force me into a gallop. I couldn’t since I was so loaded down.” He turned his head and reached to a rough patch of skin on his backside. “He got so mad, he whipped me. I still couldn’t gallop, and so he beat me harder until his brothers stopped him.”
The unicorns stared at the deep scars in the moonlight, and then turned away, clicking their tongues in disgust.
“Looks to me like the monster was Drachen,” said Ulysees.
Xavier nodded. “That’s why I had to leave.”
The moon rose higher in the indigo blue sky, illuminating the mountain peak a dusty rose. Frogs croaked and night birds called. Mist rose from the ground, filling the air with the tangy smell of ferns.
“It’s breathtaking!” Alannah sighed. “If only we could have stayed.”
“Like Danae did,” said Téo. He gulped. “Do you think maybe he’s still alive?”
“Who’s Danae?” Xavier’s brows furrowed.
Téo shifted his weight from one hoof to the other. “He was an old stallion who always stuck up for us no matter what. He knew Icarus was wrong because he remembered the old days. Then when he started to tell us all about it, Icarus tried to …” He choked on his words.
Xavier’s head tilted to the side, his eyes compassionate.
“He was like an uncle to us,” said Ulysees, retelling the story of Danae’s battle with the Great Stallion, and how they had been forced to leave him, bleeding from his wound.
“Why don’t we see if we can find him?” asked Xavier.
“Because of the giant beasts,” said Ulysees, his ears flicking.
Téo shook his head. “But Darius said he was the last of the dinosaurs.”
“What if he’s wrong?” said Ulysees.
The four of them stood quiet, eyes wide.
Alannah’s hoof thumped decidedly. “I say we at least try.”
“Me too,” said Téo.
“Alright, let’s do it!” said Ulysees.
Their decision made, they settled for the night under the wide canopy of a tree. When the sun rose, bringing the forest to life, they fed on the flowers and grass that grew alongside the trail, and then set about on their way. They trudged along the path that ran next to the creek until, from a distance, they could see the large slab of stone that signalled the entrance to the valley.
“That’s where we came through the first time,” said Ulysees. “And if I’m not mistaken, there should be a lake on the other side of this.” His heart beating fast, he led the others past the monolith and entered the sunny meadow where they had last seen Danae.
All was quiet save for the hum of insects and the soft twitters of birds.
Téo bounded forward, his head turning each way, searching the valley. “He’s not here.” His forehead wrinkled. “He must have …” His voice caught.
“We just got here.” Ulysees frowned at his friend. “Let’s look some more.”
Wandering further afield, they searched amid the giant skeletons that rested in beds of green grass and flowers, careful to step over the relics of long ago. When they found no signs of the old stallion, they headed toward the lake’s shore where Icarus had impaled him.
Téo stopped in his tracks. “You go. I’m afraid of what we’ll find.”
“Alright, my friend,” said Ulysees. “You stay here.” He walked down to the lake’s edge with Xavier and Alannah to the spot where he’d last seen Danae. Relief swept through him when all they found was mud.
“He might have moved further away to die,” whispered Xavier, looking back at Téo.
“Then let’s look along the shore,” Ulysees whispered.
Walking slowly through soft mud, they continued, their heads lowered to examine the ground. Convinced Danae’s bones weren’t there, Ulysees turned and shook his head at Téo. “Not here.”
Téo’s chest heaved with relief.
“You know, we’ve been looking so hard for his bones, yet none of us has even called him,” said Alannah. “Let’s try.” She raised her head and let out a long whinny. Her voice bounced off the surrounding mountains and came back.
“Let me try,” said Ulysees. Like Alannah, his voice echoed through the valley, growing softer with each repetition.
They all began to call at once, their voices rising in desperation.
From far away, a very faint but familiar scratchy neigh answered them back.
“He’s here!” cried Téo, his hooves dancing. “Danae?” He circled about, searching for the source of the call. “Let’s go find him.” He charged forward.
“No,” said Ulysees. “Let him find us. He knows the valley better than we do. Besides, we don’t know which direction he’s calling from.”
Téo stopped. “You’re right.”
They waited in anticipation as the sun traveled further across the sky. Ulysees’ eyes swept back over and over across the meadow, searching, but never finding. His head ached, and his eyes burned from the brightness. Finally, as the sun began to set, he spied a white spot moving toward them, a soft light in the surrounding greenery.
“It’s him!” cried Ulysees, leaping forward. “He’s coming!”
The others burst into excited chatter. Breaking into a canter, they raced the distance until they reached the old stallion.
“Danae!” Alannah called.
“You’re still alive,” said Téo. “I was so worried.”
“Aw, I’ve been here all along,” said Danae, lazily swishing his long tail, a wide grin spread across his face.
Ulysees marveled at how white Danae’s coat was, and how the spirals of his horn glowed in the fading sunlight – so relaxed and happy. The old stallion had never looked so good. He looked for the mark of Icarus’ horn. A round scar was all that remained.
“How did you survive?” asked Ulysees
“Well,” Danae began. “Icarus tried to kill me the same way he killed Sampson long ago. Problem was – he missed my heart.” He threw back his head and let out a loud bray. “I knew it, but figured I’d better fake it. That’s why I motioned you guys to keep going when you stopped.”
Téo broke into a small smile. “Ohhh.”
“You see, I knew we weren’t in any real danger in this valley because I’ve been around long enough to know old bones when I see them. Plus, there was no way I was going to follow that old puff of air anymore.”
The yearlings laughed.
“Besides, I have a pretty good idea who these creatures were,” said Danae.
The unicorns shared a look, and then Ulysees cleared his throat. “We do too.”
Danae’s brows shot up. “You do?”
“Yes,” said Ulysees.
He retold his story of Darius and how Icarus forbid them to ever speak of him, how Drachen had captured Alannah, and how it was Darius who told them where to find her, and finally, about how Xavier freed them from the humans.
“So Darius is still alive?” Danae gasped. “After all these years?”
“You knew about him?” asked Ulysees.
“Of course!” Danae said. “Remember my great-grandfather, Gaelan? He knew Darius personally. That’s what I was trying to say when Icarus tried to kill me.”
“You mean the truth?” asked Ulysees.
“Yeah. I was going to tell the young mares and stallions all about what really happened, and Icarus knew it. He was aware that a lot of the older folks would remember things too, and might mutiny against him.” Danae let out a huff. “He was terrified.”
“And he didn’t want me to tell anyone about Darius for the same reason,” Ulysees said.
“That’s right,” said Danae. He turned to Xavier and bowed his head. “And you, Xavier, I want to thank you for saving my kin. I knew all along you were a noble being.”
Xavier broke into a smile. “Thank you.”
“Shall we invite him into our quest?” asked Danae, turning to the other.
“The quest?” asked Xavier.
“Yes.” Danae turned to the unicorns and raised his horn in the air. The young unicorns in turn lifted theirs, their tips joining in the middle.
“To the truth!” shouted Danae.
“To the truth,” the others replied.
Xavier reared up. “To the truth!”