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!”
Chapter 30
The Mountain Peak
They rose the next morning to a perfect day. The sun shone through white, wispy clouds, and a soft breeze blew across the meadow.
“When are you planning on going back?” asked Danae before tearing off a mouthful of grass.
“Soon,” said Ulysees.
Danae chewed and swallowed. “You know you don’t have to, if you don’t want to, now that you know it’s safe here.”
“Unfortunately, the humans are likely on our tail. We need to keep moving. Besides,” Ulysees said, shooting a mischievous smile at Téo, “there’s a filly who’s probably pining away for Téo back home.”
“Ohhhh,” said Danae, sending an impish look Téo’s way.
“Why don’t you come back with us?” Ulysees asked.
Danae shook his unruly mane. “You know I can’t.”
“But you’re alone here,” said Téo. “And you’re not getting any younger.”
A loud chuckle escaped Danae. “I may be long of tooth, but I’m happy here – far away from Icarus.”
Téo laughed. “Yeah, we get it.”
Danae’s expression changed, his brows wrinkling. “You know, there’s something I want to show you before you go.” His eyes wandered up the slopes of the mountain that towered above them.
“What?” asked Ulysees.
“The peak,” he said, pointing his horn at the snowy tip of the mountain. “It took me a while, but I broke a trail up there. It’s cold and there’s snow, but I want you to see what lies beyond our world.”
“You mean it’s not all forest?” asked Téo, his ears pushed forward at attention.
“No. There’s far more. More than you could ever dream.”
The young unicorns and Xavier shared inquisitive looks. They whispered together, and then nodded in agreement.
“We’ll go,” said Ulysees.
They followed the stallion as he led them up the steep trail, his pace slow, but steady. Ulysees’ sides heaved as it grew steeper and steeper. The trail was narrow and littered with small rocks. His hooves slid on the small pebbles. He caught himself, drawing a sharp breath when he saw how high up they had traveled and how far down the valley lay below. Looking back at Xavier, he marveled at the precision of his big hooves, his weight pushing the small stones down as he walked. The
horse might not know the unicorns’ three skills, but he was a lot steadier than they were.
After a time, the land leveled. Ulysees sighed with relief, but the respite was short-lived when the trail led to scree where giant boulders littered the slopes. The unicorns’ hooves skidded on the slippery surfaces. It was treacherous going for all except Xavier whose long legs picked through the rocks with ease.
When they finally arrived at the summit, their breath white puffs of steam in the cool air, and their sides coated with sweat, they gazed in wonder at what lay at their feet.
“That’s the biggest lake I’ve ever seen!” exclaimed Ulysees.
“It’s not a lake,” said Danae, his voice strangely quiet. “I’ve watched it for days. The water recedes great distances and then returns later on. It breathes. It lives. And it’s always in motion, rocking back and forth, breaking over the shore. I call it the Living Sea.”
Ulysees stared in awe at the emerald green waters, white foam riding the crests of its waves. How different from the turquoise lake and the small blue lake in the valley of the bones. It seemed to have no end, stretching out to the horizon, its colour fading until its waters met the sky. His eyes ventured further to a long, snake-like thing that touched the sea, losing itself somewhere far away in the forest.
“What’s that?” he asked
“It’s the river,” Danae said, “Gaelan told me about it a long time ago. Our ancestors lived on its banks in the time of Azaria.”
Ulysees’ mouth dropped as he imagined the stories he had heard all his life about his forefathers. “So that’s where it all happened?”
“Yes,” said Danae.
A thrill ran through Ulysees.
“I wonder how far it is from here,” said Alannah.
“I don’t know. I’ve learned that distances from a great height are much farther than they seem,” said Danae.
Ulysees retraced the river with his eyes back to the Living Sea. Then he saw something that took his breath away – a wide, ivory tower with jagged peaks that loomed over the green waters, stretching far across the horizon. “What’s that over there where the sun rises?”
“It’s a giant wall of ice,” said Danae, his voice low.
The young unicorns stared, speechless.
“Why is it frozen? Doesn’t the sun melt it?” asked Alannah.
Danae shook his head. “Not this one.”
Alannah shivered. “Just looking at it makes me cold.”
“Could be because your sweat’s drying,” said Danae. “The sun’s nearing the horizon. Let’s travel to lower ground where you’ll be warmer and where we can find grass.”
“Alright,” said Alannah.
They picked their way down the steep slope, careful of the drop beside them. As their path moved onto scree, Ulysees turned one last time to view the massive ice. It glowed a fluorescent pink in the dying embers of the sun.
“So beautiful,” said Alannah.
“Yes, it is,” said Ulysees, mesmerized by its majesty. “Beautiful, but ominous.”
Chapter 31
The Pursuit
Drachen and his brothers pushed up the incline that led to the valley. They grunted with each step, their breath heaving as they struggled up the trail, dragging rebellious horses behind them.
“This is takin’ far too long,” growled Ike. He sucked in his cheeks and forced out a large loogie.
The spitball flew across the trail, bounced off of one of the horses, and landed in Drachen’s hair. Drachen’s face wrinkled with disgust as he plucked it out, wiping his hand on wet leaves he passed by.
“Why are we goin’ to that stupid valley anyway?” complained Kayden, giving his horse a yank. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Yeah. I don’t wanna be someone’s supper,” said Ike.
“No, me neither.”
Drachen’s patience stretched to its limits. “Then why don’t you two find an old woman to look after ya?” he said sarcastically.
“What?” cried Kayden.
“Ya heard me. Yer a couple’s wailin’ babies.” Drachen hissed.
“Hey, who ya callin’ a baby?” Ike wiped his nose on his sleeve. “Haven’t we come with ya everywhere ya asked?”
Drachen swung around. “Yeah, but all ya guys ever do is complain. Ya wanna make money from unicorns, but ya bellyache if you gotta go look fer ’em. Yer either too hot, too tired, or too scared. I gotta push you guys into everythin’. Yer big, snivelin’ babies!”
“Am not,” growled Ike. “It’s just I’m not too comfortable climbin’ hills. I get all puffy an’ sweaty, an’ my clothes stick to me. Then my feet hurt afterward.”
“Yeah, and there’s never enough food to eat neither,” added Kayden.
Every bone and every muscle in Drachen’s body seemed to ache as they climbed the hill, and his stomach rumbled constantly. They hadn’t had meat for days and their near-petrified bread was almost gone. If only their stupid horses weren’t so stubborn, they’d have found the unicorns and Xavier by now and gone home.
They had followed the trail for days, the path leading them farther and farther into the depths of the forest. Then that morning, when the sun had risen, it revealed the tall peak towering above them. Seeing Xavier’s tracks headed for the valley where the giant bones lay hidden in the long grass, Drachen had let out a low whistle. That was where he’d seen the apparition of the unicorn. He gulped.
Maybe Kayden was right, and they should just turn back and resume their lonely little lives living in a shack without wives, but visions of the gold that people bestowed on him for the magical touch of a unicorn horn cleared his mind of doubt. He’d been such an important man that day. A smile crept to his lips. He’d even noticed a woman admiring him. Then Xavier had to go and free the unicorns. How he cringed at what must have happened the next morning when the townsfolk returned to find an empty farm. Did they laugh? Were they angry? Drachen let out a frustrated sigh, his gaze moving up to where the pinnacle of rock marked the entrance to the valley. No, he wouldn’t go back. He had no choice but to find the unicorns and that stubborn colt, Xavier.
As they neared the giant stone, his brothers began complaining again.
“I’m not goin’ in that valley,” said Kayden
“No, me neither,” said Ike.
“Way too dangerous,” grumbled Kayden.
“Yup.”
Drachen huffed. “Are we not men? Are we not smarter than animals?”
“Well, yeah,” said Ike. “I guess we are.”
“Most o’ the time, anyway,” said Kayden.
“Well then, let’s find our unicorns. What else can we do?”
Grumbling, they moved forward, yanking and smacking their horses. As they approached the rock, Drachen stooped to examine the ground. Fresh nuggets marked where the unicorns had slept under the giant canopy of a tree.
“They’re in the valley,” he said. “And judgin’ by these droppings, I think they got here yesterday.”
His heart pounding, he entered the meadow and scanned the area for monsters. His gaze fell on the lake where he had seen the apparition of the unicorn. Rippling blue water reflected back at him. Taking careful steps, he ventured further, checking over his shoulders repeatedly.
“I don’t see no unicorns here,” said Ike from behind him.
“No. Me neither, but look.” Drachen bent down. “Xavier’s hoof marks – they lead down to the lake.”
Exchanging excited words, the men followed the prints to the water’s edge where several sets of tracks left patterns in the muddy shore.
“They were here,” said Drachen. “And they went that-a-way.”
They traveled farther into the meadow until they found the beginning of a little traveled path that led toward the high peak.
Kayden let out a screech, and began jumping, his blubber jiggling up and down. Drachen flashed him an exasperated glare.
“Look!” Kayden cried. “On the mountain. I think I see ’em!”
&n
bsp; Drachen swung around. For a few seconds, all he saw was snow and loose rock until he caught a glimpse of movement – very tiny movement. Something white. Unicorns? He counted, “One, two, three … four?” Blinking hard, he counted again. This time there were only three, plus Xavier. Sweat formed on the back of his neck. The phantom unicorn? His legs grew mushy, but he forced himself forward, keeping his eyes focussed on the small white dots up high.
“Let’s go!” he cried.
Chapter 32
Almost Home
The day was cool as the unicorns descended the last stretch of mountain, chattering in the chill morning air.
“You know, I might take you up on that offer to live here,” said Téo to Danae. “With Lilia. That is, if she’ll agree to it. And then maybe in time, others will realize there’s a better life away from Icarus and will come to the valley too.”
Danae’s mouth turned up in a toothy grin. “I’d love that. It’d be great to have new foals around.”
Téo rolled his eyes, embarrassed, while the others laughed, their voices ringing in the surrounding mountains.
Then Ulysees grew serious. “We need to spread the truth so the others will be brave enough to leave.” A faint smile graced his lips. “I can’t wait to see them. They’ll be so surprised to find out you’re still alive and well. Do you want me to say hello?”
He waited for Danae to respond, but no answer came. Stealing a quick look back, he realized the stallion had disappeared.
“Danae? Danae? Where did he go?” Ulysees turned about, searching.
A voice rose from a tree on the edge of the trail. “I’m right here.”
“What are you doing?” asked Ulysees.
“Humans – down the mountain,” said Danae. “Three of them – where the trail begins.”
Ulysees swung around. His eyes followed the path until he spied the tiny beings who had just begun to climb the mountain path dragging along strained horses. “What should we do?”
Danae transformed back. “You’ll have to take another route. Follow me back to the scree,” he said. “Quick! There’s a goat trail that descends from there.”
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