Disclaimer! Sadly yes, I still do now own these lovely characters. Tamora Pierce is a pure genius and I am merely trying to do these characters justice and fill in a part of series she left out. I always wondered what happened when Daine had unicorn fever before the Realms of the Gods.

Please read and review! If you all like this yarn I'm spinning, please say so. This is my first fanfic and I'm busy in college, so if this is worth pursuing, please tell me! If I see that more people are interested, I will definitely continue. I hope you enjoy my little story…

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Cloud stamped impatiently, still tethered to the tree at the edge of the Royal Forest. Spots grazed contently, swishing his tail at the occasional nuisance of a fly. Cloud stood rigid though, sensing that something was not quite right. Her ears were pricked forward with interest, and if she was a bovine she would have been ruminating, physically and mentally. As it was, however, she shifted weight on her hindquarters and ground her teeth with irritation.

Spots, do you feel something in the air? Cloud asked.

He looked up from his grazing, a few tall strands of grass bouncing on his lips as he chewed. I only feel the wind. Why? Do you feel something? Should we go to Daine? Being the nervous horse that he was, he began to get antsy. He knew Cloud was a smart pony and he would always listen to her. After being in Dunlath, he respected Cloud for not being afraid of Brokefang or his pack. She also had shown dominance in their revolt against Tristan and Yolane, and he looked to her as his herd leader.

I'm not sure what I feel Spots. It is like that time me and Daine felt that rabid bear. It might be those immortals Daine spoke of. I feel her nerves. She is worried. Cloud said, sounding troubled. She inhaled deeply, trying to smell the wind for signs of strange beings. She exhaled sighing. Nothing came to her sensitive nostrils. Yet a nagging feeling kept pulling on her tail, making her think more unhorse-like things. Daine needed taking care of, but she wasn't sure if this was the time for her to play nursemaid. She trusted the storkman more than any other two legger, but he lacked good solid horse sense at times.

Crashing sounds echoed through the trees in front of the horses. Twigs were snapping and the undergrowth was being trampled by some creature. Cloud and Spots threw their heads up in alarm, not sure of what this newcomer would be. A deer came charging through the forest edge, her breath running ragged. She was a young doe, no more than several seasons old. Her side has a nasty slash across it that sluggishly bled across her hide. She saw the horses and stopped, unsure of whether to come towards them or not.

Oh no, not more of you! She cried in fear. She turned and began to run off, her tail flagging up bright white against the dark undergrowth.

Cloud quickly spoke to her. Wait hoof sister! I am a part of the People, just like you. Come back here, we'll do you no harm! She pulled on the tether hard, releasing herself. She trotted into the woods after the young doe, trying to not look intimidating. What happened to you, white tail? Cloud asked.

The doe turned back around, her white tail drooping in defeat. She pawed the earth angrily and looked at Cloud, her brown eyes smoldering. She searched Cloud's gaze, looking at her accusingly.

Your kin stole my fawn! We were grazing in a clearing with lush clover, when out of nowhere your kin came. I was not afraid at first, since you are grazers like deer. But they charged us. I tried to protect my fawn, but there were too many of the horsekin. We ran deep into the forest, trying to hide from them, but my fawn is too young and his legs too short. He could not keep up. Then the horsekin found us. One attacked me, and hurt my side, but they stole my fawn! I could not save my fistborn. My poor fawn! I want my spotted Cloverbuck back! The doe looked in apprehension at Cloud, her nostrils wide and smelling for her fawn all the while.

I don't know where your fawn is, but how did a horse slash you? Our hooves can hurt but not cut like the one in your side. Did this horse have a horn? Cloud asked, worried. Daine had told her about unicorns and how she wanted to meet them. She said that they were like horses, but had an ivory horn protruding from their forehead. Cloud always thought they were nonsense, not true horses. Now she wasn't so sure anymore.

Yes! The doe said angrily. They had strange antlers, not properly atop both sides of their head like a proud buck. They were misshapen and crude looking. I once saw a poor little buck who had one antler like these horsekin did. He was kicked out of his herd and left to wander alone. She shuddered and added, I think the wolves got him.

Cloud turned and ran back to Spots, still at the edge of the forest. She stopped abruptly and yanked out his tether with her teeth. You must go back to the stables! Get Onua or Stefan, there is trouble. I will go after Daine and Numair. Daine will find those one horn horses and they will attack her. Make sure they bring help, she spoke firmly. Spots neighed in worry then began to run across the meadow and towards the stables. Cloud then spun on her hindquarters and went back to the doe.

Can you run? I must look for my friend and your fawn. You will be able to find him better than me. Cloud asked quickly, not wanting to waste time. She looked at the wound on the doe and noticed it was still bleeding. Cloud was unsure as to whether the doe could keep up.

I shall come, she said, I know his scent well and I will search with you.

A strange pair, a pony and a deer, began to run through the forest side by side. A curious hunter watched the whole spectacle in awe from a distance. He rubbed his eyes with a grimy hand and looked again. The white tail was bounding along a pony all right. He looked ruefully at the ale sitting at his feet, and slowly put his arrow back into his quiver. Ale and hunting did not mix, he decided. One sees strange things while drunk. Smiling at his own stupidity, he propped his feet up on a log and took one long draught from his ale bottle. He set it down against the log and laid back on the forest floor with his arms crossed behind his head. He drowsily closed his eyes and fell asleep beneath the trees of the Royal Forest.

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"Goddess bless," Daine said, with a strangled cry.

The sight before her was so strange that it seemed out of a dream. A clearing was in front of her, and several horses loosely stood in a circle, looking at something. The horses were a strange breed; they had long, slender legs and a willowy look about them. They were gray in color with varying shades. Most of the horses had light gray coats, with dappling along the croup and withers. Long, silvery manes and tails hung like silken waterfalls. Their eyes were bright blue and they had white faces. What was more remarkable was what was on their foreheads. Spiraling up from the center was a delicate, silver horn. It was pearly white in color and reflected the dappled light from the trees.

In the middle of the circle lay the fawn, dead. His eyes were open with shock and his tongue protruded from his mouth. One of the unicorns was nudging him with his nose, slowly rocking the fawn back and forth as though trying to get him to waken. This unicorn was different from the others. His coat was dark gray, the gray of a thunderhead. His horn was dark too, unlike the milky white horns of the others. He also had dark eyes, not the shining azure orbs like the other unicorns.

The unicorns stood a good distance away from her in the clearing. Daine stood up from the ridge and walked towards them, finally finding her unknown immortals. She wanted to get close, but not so close that the unicorns felt uncomfortable. She shaped her feet and hands back into human flesh and realized only a small amount of her wild magic was left. She hoped she wouldn't need it.

"Hello, my name is Daine. I am of the beast People and I would like to talk to you," she said, still holding her injured shoulder. "What happened to the fawn?" she asked slowly. "Can you heal him?"

The unicorns slowly looked up at her, disinterest in their gaze. Their blue eyes bored into her but they did not answer. The dark one was even more oblivious to Daine. His delicate neck was still curved downward and he was still rocking the fawn back and forth. The other unicorns turned their heads and continued to watch the dark unicorn. The only movement was the occasional flick of the tail and the rocking of the dead fawn.

Daine looked in puzzlement at them and stood still, unsure of what to do. Her shoulder was still throbbing and her feet were blistered from her boots. She kept looking at the fawn, trying to understand what the dark one was doing. The fawn didn't have a mark on his young spotted body. He looked like he was scared in his last moments of life, but Daine couldn't figure out how he died. She shifted the weight of her feet and then felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Numair had come up behind her.

"Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith," he breathed gently into her ear. "Unicorns," he said simply. "What is the dark one doing to the fawn?" he asked curiously in a whisper.

"I'm not sure, they won't answer me," she replied, just as silent. "I think he might be healing him, he keeps rocking the fawn back and forth. Didn't you say that they have healing magic?" Daine asked, her eyes still looking forward at the scene before her.

"In 'Mammalian Immortals' they claimed unicorns did if fact have healing magic. However, an unknown scroll in the King's library disputed it and said that unicorns have no healing magic, only the power to calm and obscure, and to occasionally cause illusions. They are an elusive subject, for very little research has been done on these shining beauties," he said in awe.

They both stood there a short distance away from the spectacle. The unicorns looked up at them both again, this time focusing more on Numair. The dark one snorted, and their heads quickly looked back towards him. The fawn looked more and more pitiful as the unicorn continually nosed him. Daine and Numair took a few steps forward, trying to get a better look at the dark one.

"What is the fawn lying on?" Numair asked Daine. She looked closer and noticed darker vegetation was underneath the fawn. "Is it a special plant, perhaps?" he mused out loud.

Daine looked but her eyesight wasn't keen enough to tell what exactly the darker plant was. She slowly tried to change her eyesight to one of an eagle's; just enough so she could see, but she realized her reserves were too low. She couldn't risk using up the last bit of her magic.

"I can't see either, Numair," Daine said regretfully. "My magic's almost used up." She squinted again below the fawn, trying to focus on what was beneath him.

Just then, the dark unicorn shuddered and shook his long mane. He slowly raised his beautifully carved head from the fawn's spotted body. As he raised his head, the other unicorns pawed the ground with their silver hooves and neighed in unison. Daine looked squarely at the dark one's face and swayed backwards, her face white.

"Horse lords," Daine sobbed. "It was blood."