THE UNICORN'S GIFT

THE unicorns Gift 
There was a time when unicorns pranced and the Waterfall of Warriors flowed black down Scarlet Gorge. 

Unicorns ruled the planet with rigor. Their horns hardened by these black bubbling waters were the most powerful weapon on Earth.. able to pierce any animals hide no matter how thick ,even the huge jawed Mastorts. Once pierced the black poison killed within seconds. 

Where Unicorns strode,every creature trembled. All stood aside and trembled in fear and fled to Mountain caves , scampered up trees or just ran into it till they dropped. Unicorns were Majestic.... and deadly.

Scarlet Gorge was guarded day and night by the most fierce and Powerful unicorns .   Only the unicorns ruler was more mighty. Leadership was established by battle. Champion and Challenger charged across the Unicorn lined Royal path of giant pine trees.. till their horns met in a thunderous lightning Spark and clashed.. echoing against the granite cliffs.

 Whoever's horns arrived was the victor. The other combatant was relegated to the thankless tasks of the hornless forever to the Gorge's confines.

No unicorn killed another. It was the way. The way lasted for Endless days till the time of the zig zag comet when Gus and Equene were born.

Gus was weird as all unicorns. Runs up the steep, twisting rocks mock duels, attack strategies and the awards also. The scrumptious snacks from the berry bushes growing wildly up the cliffs, and of course the daily showers and swims in the sacred Black Waterfalls that had hardened his sprouting horn. There he first Equene, the Queen's daughter. ..bumping heads under water as they dove simultaneously. They both took this as a sign of their future being intertwined.

They grew up sneaking away from the pack.. away from the strict conduct code to legally play amongst the hidden flower beds, beyond the falls. Gus, placing a pedal Crown upon Equene.  Equene, picking a pine cone on his horn, they were always late, always missing, always scolded, but they did it anyway. Their bond grew as they did. 

The future became the present, as the young unicorns saw the world change over their sharp, fully matured horns. A Warrior's View. Their second year marked their Maiden pilgrimage to the valley below a journey designed to show The Chosen all their lands and creatures they ruled. And how it was that they ruled.

The passage, was all wondrous and exciting following a Royal Parade of magnificent aristocratic unicorns in a slow gallop through the fields of deer, past huge bears, long tooth tigers, long jawed marmorts, as the howls of the hyena like dogs warned all to be wary and clear the way.

Gus and Equene legged behind as usual, captivated by all the new, fragrant plants and colorful insects.. in this new spacious world. They finally caught up to witness something that froze them. Their eyes did not blink. In a meadow, at the edge of the forest, amongst a scattered heard of deer, stood a giant book. All the deers of his charge watched. Maybe those hundreds of eyes made him too proud to move, to yield, in their admiring, adoring, vision. He stood his ground.

It was over with lightning quickness. One swift stab of the horn by bicus the lead unicorn and the Giants stag lay still. The other unicorns arrogantly galloped by as if only a log lay in their path. None looked back. After the sound of hoof's quieted, the other deer came closer. Does frantically licked the Stag to no avail. They could not accept the reality that their leader was no more. 

Equene and Gus could. Their Eyes Were pinpoints. They were the victors, the blood was on their horns too. They shared uncomfortable emotions, as they walked apart in small circles, unable to look no more. When they finally met, they touched torns. It was an oath not to spill innocent Blood on the Earth that they Strode on. 

They turned, and head spout started back to Scarlet gorge. They needed to be far away from the herd, the gore, the blood, alone again in their private world...their shelter.

That evening in their special place, under a sky of flittering stars and a full moon, They carried out their oath, with one final nod, one final look they butted horns. Again and again.. till the black dust littered the flower bushes and both were hornless.

Night came and all the tales of excitement of the passage was soon overshadowed by the sight of Gus and Equene, moving hornless, amongst the? When? Buzzed along the unicorns. It could not be, never before, what?

A huge circle of unicorns formed in the Great Meadow. A circle of horns, with Vargon and Equene at the center. With their nostrils extended, hoofs tapping Gus and Equene moved slowly past them...eyes downcast. They stopped within a few feet, surrounded by an eerie silence and twinkling stars that seemed to join the countless eyes piercing the darkness.

Finally Varcon spoke, the unicorns horn is his treasure. Anytime even one is lost in battle it is a loss felt throughout the kingdom. One loss always could be explained, two lost at once is unprecedented in our history. Varcon moved closer, hovering over the two. "Do we have new enemies to deal with ...what did this ...who could have done this?"

Both stood, shivering in silence. Every unicorn Drew closer, they're breathing could be heard louder and louder. Equene and Gus looked at each other, waiting for the other to speak.

"My poor baby!" Equene broke the heavy silence,moving towards Equene, tears in her eyes."

"Let them speak!" Varcon's voice echoed. We must know of this new danger!"

Finally

Equene spoke, a small voice floating through the fragrant air, settling upon the eager ears of all the herd. "There is nothing for anyone here to fear. But fear was responsible for our condition... our fear alone."

"Riddles-Unicorns have no fears!"Varcon's anger rose with his voice. "Riddles are for young upstarts". Vargon pressed his horn to Gus ignoring her. "This is not your past play times. Answer me now! How did you lose your horn?! 

Gus shifted to Shield her. She speaks the truth. Gus glanced at her, then stood tall, Our Truth.. we feared killing the creatures below, so we removed our fear!"

"Your horn. YOUR HORN IS YOU!" VARCON   rose even higher. His nostrils flaring. "You dared to..."

" young, young fools disgraces to every unicorn that ever roam this Earth. To every Warrior!. He moved to the center of the herd, his horn glistening in the Moonlight." They do not belong.. they are banished to the valley below. He turned towards them." You didn't respect the glory of the unicorns, then you won't live with the unicorns... tomorrow you both are banished. You are no longer unicorns.!"

He raised up on his hooves and let loose a king's whale that reverberated to the heavens. He then moved through the herd, toward his cave, the sign of dismissal. 

Tge queen slowly and unwillingly started to follow him. She looked the last time at Equene. She was her mother, but still the queen. The other slowly dispersed, heads hung, low, not making eye contact.

Soon, only Gus and she remained alone in the field. They stood many minutes, not knowing where to spend the remaining hours before Darkness.

They finally seek shelter under a large, heavily branch tree, nestling close to each other on a bed of Fallen leaves. She shivered now and Gus moved his head towards her, both were amazed. Is there noses touched, it was a sensation neither had ever felt before. Tenderness.. somehow sleep finally came.

Daybreak first rays and Equene's sharp horn awakened them.

"You must go..." Through her stern tone, warm filtered through. Varcon will not let another creature kill a unicorn.. even a hornless

One."

"Does he still care? "Equene asked.

"Unicorn prude or caring...he will still protect you." She stepped back. "Now go!"

Go, they did. And survive they did in the valley below. Never again did they make contact with the other unicorns who shun them on their pilgrimages to the valley. Distance was maintained and enforced. Between visits the fleeting glimpses of the unicorns in the valley made potential enemies wary..

Soon Speed and Agility became their assets, as they flourished in the coming seasons. And eventually a cult was born, who they named Equius.

Equis, the first born of the valley raised with constant parental noslings. A white star on his forehead, not a hint of a horn. Equius roaming, free of fear all his days, loving all the valleys creatures and having his love returned.

Days turned into years and eventually Equis' descendants filled the valley and enriched the planet. 

Surprisingly, the mighty unicorns gift to the Earth's animals and Mankind came, not from their  invincibility, nor from their majesty and power ,but from their Love.💘