"Unicorn Fever"
The young woman woke from her sleep, opening her bright blue eyes. She sat up and stretched, holding her arms high up above her curly brown hair. Her hair was tousled from sleep and covered part of her face, obscuring her soft features and a stubborn chin. The woman closed her eyes and yawned loudly, showing her white teeth and pink lips. She opened her eyes again and saw reptilian ones peering at her.
"Morning Kit," Veralidaine Sarrasri told her friend Kitten, a tiny dragonet. Kitten cheeped at her and then tugged at her sleeve. She pointed with a delicate silver claw at a visitor in the room. Staring at Daine was a beautiful small bird.
"Hello wingsister," Daine spoke kindly, "come here so I can have a proper look at you."
The bird flew to Daine's outstretched hand and landed lightly on her finger. It tilted its head at her and trilled. So you're the wingchild I heard about. My mate told me about you, the bird said. Daine looked closely at her visitor. She was a small green bird with a creamy white breast. When she moved, her feathers were iridescent between green and blue. Kitten slowly came closer to the tiny jewel, trying not to frighten her. Kitten chirped at her and the bird turned her head and chirruped back. Kitten's scales turned a brighter color and she hid under a pillow. Daine laughed at her friends antics.
"You're a fair pretty tree swallow. What's your name?" Daine asked.
I am called Leafshine. I was wondering if you would like to fly with me? It is a beautiful morning to soar the skies! , she said excitedly. Will you come? Leafshine hopped on her hand and shook her feathers, trying to persuade Daine to fly. Daine looked down at her tiny new friend and laughed at her exuberance.
"I'd love to fly with you! I'll meet you out in the horse meadow in a minute. I have a few things to do first, but then I will be out there to fly," Daine replied happily.
The tree swallow twittered her approval and flew off of Daine's hand to swoop around the room. Kitten took her head out from under the pillow and watched the swallow in her flight. She slid from the bed and scrambled up on a chair, digging her sharp claws into the wood. Pulling herself onto the backrest, she launched into the air, landing head over snout on the floor.
"Are you alright Kit?" Daine asked, trying not to laugh. Kitten grumbled and kicked the floor, her scales turning a rosy color. Leafshine swooped low and hovered in front of Kitten, then took off out the window. Kitten scowled darkly and shook her reptilian head. She craned her head backwards to look at her wings and sighed in disapproval. Her scales became a shad grayer as she sulked.
"Now, now Kit. You know you have a while before your old enough to fly. Just think of all the things you can do right here on the ground," Daine said, trying to cheer up her charge. Kitten looked up at her, and then slowly nodded her head agreeing with her.
Daine walked over to her night stand and washed her face in the basin. She combed out her hair and cleaned her teeth, then hunted for a pair of breeches and a tunic. Freshly dressed and feeling more awake, she whistled and walked out of her room into the morning sunlight. It was shaping up to be a beautiful summer day. The clouds were white and fluffy in the sky. Daine breathed in and smiled, knowing soon she would be flight bound. Kitten followed closely behind and trilled a query at Daine.
"You can go and get some breakfast if you want. I'm sure Onua can help you find something good to eat," Daine said. Kitten nodded her head and galloped off in the direction of the horse stables. Daine continued on to the horse meadow, where she was to meet Leafshine. She also wanted to say good morning to her pony Cloud. Daine kept on walking down the dirt path until she reached the fence. There she leaned against it peacefully, feeling the wind play across her face. She heard a whinny and looked up to see Cloud galloping toward her.
It's about time you got out of bed! Living here has made you soft I think. Cloud told her as she reached the fence. Her dark eyes looked accusingly at Daine as she reached her head over the top rail.
Well Cloud, I think you might have gone soft too. Who was it the other night that wanted to come in the stables because it was too chilly outside? Daine spoke to her in her mind. She 'heard' Cloud sigh mentally and knew that secretly Cloud agreed. Daine climbed through the fence and rubbed on Clouds forehead while giving her a lump of sugar.
Cloud my dear, you are just becoming that old mare that gets testy. Or in your case, testier! She quickly jumped back to avoid Clouds playful bite.
I'll show you an old mare! Cloud then began to chase after Daine. Daine began to run away from her oldest friend, her legs carrying her towards a large tree. Cloud easily caught up though and ran beside her. Told you I'm not an old mare! I can beat a silly two legger like you any day! Then Cloud broke from her canter to a walk, her nostrils flaring.
Daine agreed and stopped by the tree, a beautiful old maple. Daine circled it and then found a low branch. She jumped, grabbing it with her hands. She swung herself up and then climbed up the ancient tree. When she almost reached the crown of the tree, Daine stopped and sat on a thick, knotted branch.
Don't fall from up there! Cloud mind spoke. Daine heard worry in her pony's mind voice.
That's why horses don't climb trees! Daine responded. She then proceeded to pull off her boots and stuck them upside down on a few branches. She stripped off her clothes and laid them in the fork of a big branch. Making sure her clothing wouldn't fall, she crouched on the rough branch. She sat and thought about Leafshine, and the joy of flight. Her eyes closed, she breathed as though meditating and thought of feathers and air. She opened her new eyes and twittered.
Launching herself into the air, Daine felt exhilaration. The wind brushed past her feathers and helped her gain height. She dove and dipped through the horse meadow and searched for Leafshine. Suddenly a green blur shot past her and flicked her tail feathers at her mockingly.
Come prove you are wingkin! Follow me if you can! Daine laughed and took up the challenge. She raced after the tree swallow and used all her skill at flying. Leafshine dipped and looped and darted like a mad thing. Daine tried hard to keep up with her, but realized she was clumsy! With embarrassment, Daine tried harder to fly as agile as her friend was. With disdain, Daine realized how close they were getting to the Royal Forest. In there, she would probably lose Leafshine! Daine clacked her beak in annoyance and beat her wings as hard as she could. She had to beat Leafshine to the forest! She slowly gained on her friend, and laughed triumphantly.
I'm catching up to you! Daine said wildly. She beat her wings a bit more and reached the forest just before Leafshine did. Then they both flew side by side through the trees, trying to catch their breath.
You truly are one of us. I wondered if my mate was right. Leafshine said. Daine landed on a tree branch and rested her tired wings. She twittered a little song and tried to sound real. She rose a few octaves and then stopped with an ear piercing screech.
That was horrible! Leafshine said.
Shhh for a second, I hear something! Daine said quickly. She heard it faintly in her mind, like small ripples in a pond. A jangling chord was at the edges of her awareness. It was an immortal, of that she was sure. But it didn't feel familiar. What is it I wonder? It feels nice, but at the same time it feels almost mean. It's like a hurrok maybe, but a lot better. I better go and get Numair. Strange immortals could be fair dangerous
Daine turned her head to Leafshine and spoke to her. I'm not sure what is up ahead, so I must go and get my teacher. Thanks for letting me fly with you, but I must be off! Daine shook out her feathers and launched into flight. Leafshine quickly followed, worried about her new friend.
I will fly with you to the big stone house. Then I must go and find my mate, Leafshine told her as they flew back.
Daine was tired from their race, but she knew that she had to hurry to find Numair. She just hoped that he was in his workroom and not wondering around with a fellow mage. If he was, she didn't know how quickly she could find him. She crossed her fingers in her mind and flew onward. Daine looked ahead and saw the beginning of Corus, with the lower subjects and market stalls. She continued on and found herself swooping over the King's Own as they were making their way to the palace. She was getting closer! Soon she passed the temple of the Great Mother Goddess and the Sun God Mithros in the Temple District. Finally! She thought, there's the palace!
Good luck Daine, Leafshine cried out. It is my time to leave. These two legger places make me nervous. With a detailed loop she turned and flew back toward her home.
Daine felt very tired now, but she had to hurry. Numair always told her if she thought she heard a new immortal to find him quickly. He said not much was known about special groups that kept hidden, and it was of utmost importance that they find the immortals and try to observe or talk to them. Daine was the best person to learn more about immortals because of her wild magic and her skills with both animals and immortals.
Daine saw the royal palace up ahead and roughly flew to where Numair's room was located. She darted in front of the windows to try and find it, peeping a look into what laid beyond. This one isn't it. Neither is this one. Where is it? Oh! There it is! She thought. She flew in through the open window and landed on the window sill. The curtains were blowing outward with the breeze and it was dark in the room. Daine sat and transformed back into her normal self, then jumped onto the floor. She walked into the room and said, "Numair? I need you! Where are you?" She looked around his living quarters and saw no sign of him. She sighed, and then made her way into his workroom.
He sat at his desk, with papers scattered all around him. His back was to her, and by appearances he was deeply absorbed into a large, faded scroll. He was humming a little tune to himself, oblivious to his student behind him.
"Numair!" Daine said as she walked in.
He turned around and saw her, turned red, coughed and turned back around.
"Daine, I'm sure you have a logical reason for being, well, wearing only the badgers claw. I think there's a cloak lying by bed you can use."
"Odds bobs!" Daine scowled at herself. She blushed bright red and hurried back into his living quarters. As she looked for Numair's cloak she yelled across the room to him.
"The only reason I'm like this is cause I just got done flying! I was near the Royal Forest with a tree swallow named Leafshine when I heard something." Now wrapped in Numair's cloak, she went back into his room.
"What did you hear? Physical or magical?" Numair asked with concern.
"Oh. It was with my magic. It's an immortal I've never met before. Of that I'm sure! It feels magnificent, but underneath there's something I'm not sure of," she said as she bit at her thumbnail.
Numair reached forward and pushed her thumb from her face. "Well, we best be on our way. I'll meet you at the stables and saddle our mounts, you go ahead and get changed. Quickly now, mind," he said seriously.
"Of course," she replied. With that last note, she walked back to the open window, dropped the robe, and leapt outward into the air.
Numair watched her go, awed in spite of himself. He himself was a shape shifter, but to see her do it, with so much grace, he was spellbound. It took him a moment to realize that his heart was beating faster.