Once again, I don't own anything except the plot. But I will soon! Maybe Thianc will come next chapter...

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The next morning, Atalanta woke with an odd feeling in her heart. As she blinked the sleep from her eyes, she became aware of the large bronze figure beside her. Puzzled for only a moment, she saw the dark ebony horn and all of the events of the night flooded back to her. As she remembered, the cause of her heart's confusion became evident. She had betrayed Numinor, her mate; suddenly she didn't feel so comfortable around the Sunchaser. So, carefully as to not wake him, the purple mare rose and left the small cave that they had found refuge from the rain in.

Outside, a light rain was all that remained of last night's storm; the grass was covered in water droplets, and the rivers ran quicker and stronger than usual. Leaving a trail of hoofprints in the wet grass, Atalanta galloped across the Celestial Valley, back toward the Crystal Pool. She had to find out more about the green unicorn the pool had shown her the previous day.

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Meanwhile, Numinor stood in his cave, deep in thought. He had meant to find Atalanta and apologize, but the storm had forced him to remain inside. Though he had tried to remain on the subject of the Shadow Unicorns, his thoughts kept wandering to the mare and her odd request. Why was she inquiring about having a foal so suddenly? It isn't like her, the Golden One thought.

The Golden One was an appropriate name for the head of the Celestial Herd. His coat was the color of the sun, gold and brilliant. His horn and hooves were of the purest gold, and his jewel was a yellow diamond, the rarest of all stones. He radiated light and brilliance, and carried with him an air of importance.

"Maybe I was wrong in saying no to her," Numinor thought out loud. "It would be nice to have a young one to teach and look up to me." The more he thought about it, the more mating with Atalanta seemed like a good idea. Finally, he agreed with himself, and, shoving the inscriptions into the corner, set out to find his mare.

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Show me the green unicorn, the Dreamspeaker instructed. The clear waters of the pool swirled, but showed nothing. Atalanta's eyes searched them hungrily, eager to find out the tiniest detail about that mysterious stallion with the sharpened horn, but the waters wouldn't give up their secrets.

Frustrated, the purple unicorn sighed. "I don't even know his name." She tried again: Show me the green Celestial with the sharpened horn. Still no response from the water.

After trying countless more times, the Dreamspeaker was about ready to give up her pursuit of the mysterious unicorn. She decided to try once more; she looked down into the pool and began to make one last connection, when suddenly, Numinor's face appeared in the waters of the pool. Finally, I'm getting somewhere! she thought to herself.

"Atalanta," the Golden One's bell-like voice rang out behind her.

Startled, she whirled around to face him. It wasn't an image of his face in the pool, just his reflection; he had been standing behind her the whole time. "Numinor!" she gasped. "Sorry, I was just..."

"It's okay," he interrupted. "I just wanted to apologize for not listening yesterday. I let my duties come before our relationship, and for that I am truly sorry."

Atalanta had been prepared to be mad at the stallion, to yell at him and then storm away. But as she heard this, she was forced to rethink her response. He seemed so sincere; maybe she had judged him too soon. She gazed into his mahogany-gold eyes, and saw the sadness in them. But, being the Dreamspeaker, the mare could "see" things that others couldn't, and in Numinor's eyes she saw something else, something that looked almost like hunger, or lust. She bit back a cry, and instead responded, "I am sorry as well, Golden One. I should have left as soon as I saw that you were busy. My request was not that important."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong," the stallion said. "The more I think about it, the more important your request seems. So important that I was considering honoring it not next Spring, but now."

The Dreamspeaker's lavender eyes widened in shock. Now! This was such a change from the previous day; what had come over him? The mare groaned inwardly. There was no way that she could refuse his advances; he was the lead stallion, and would mate with who he pleased. She was just so tired from last night.....

That was it! the mare realized. If she agreed, there was the chance that she would carry Numinor's foal rather than the Sunchaser's, and then the prophecy would never be fulfilled; that strange green stallion would never be born.

Having made up her mind, Atalanta turned toward Numinor. She nuzzled him, and whispered, "Now would be wonderful."

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It was two weeks after those eventful days. The entire Celestial Herd had discovered about her and Numinor, and eagerly awaited to hear if conception had occurred. The Sunchaser was the only member of the herd who didn't rejoice with the news. Whenever Atalanta tried to talk to him, the bronze stallion turned away, unwilling to hear her side of things. Finally, she gave up trying.

The Dreamspeaker approached the Crystal Pool, looking through the clear water to the bed of amethyst underneath. She sighed, tired of this insane routine, and closed her eyes. But instead of making the connection, she let her mind wander to the baby. I wonder what color it will be? she asked herself. She knew that if it was Numinor's it would be golden; all of his children are. But what if it was the Sunchaser's? At this thought, the purple unicorn opened her eyes and stared at her hooves. "It would be hard to have a foal without being able to talk to it's father."

"Why wouldn't you be able to talk to me?"

Atalanta spun around, and saw Numinor standing behind her. Realizing that he thought she was talking about him, and that he expected an answer, she looked down and said, "Oh, nevermind. I was just thinking."

"Have you looked yet?" the stallion inquired.

"Not yet," the mare responded. "I was just about to."

"Well, don't let me stop you," Numinor said.

Atalanta smiled weakly, and turned toward the Crystal Pool once more. Show me my foal, she asked. The waters swirled, and she scanned them for a picture. The past two weeks hadn't resulted in an image, and Numinor was getting impatient.

Suddenly, something appeared. The Dreamspeaker saw it and gasped; for once, she was glad that only she could see what the waters revealed. In the pool before her, in response to the request of seeing her foal, was an image of the mysterious green unicorn with the sharpened horn.

"Well?" the Golden One asked, almost out of patience.

Atalanta turned from the image to face him. She took a deep breath and said, "I am pregnant."