Sorry for the long delay. I was updating my other fanfics and finishing some of them. Enjoy! :)
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Syrena walked to the top of a lush green, grassy hill, observing the landscape with candor. She looked back at Whipstaff's tree house, wondering what made the painted Tree Unicorn so interesting. Sure, he had this rough exterior about him! There was something about him that seemed off to her, as if he was trying to entice her, to bring her into a world that was not her own.
Hmm… maybe she should stay away from him. She didn't know if she could trust him right this moment.
She turned her gaze to the hilly landscape, admiring the starry night sky and the pale full moon, as its shimmering silver light poured down across the landscape. It was beautiful, as were the chirping cricket sounds and the owls hooting in the near distance, close to where the lush green forest stood out, surrounding the hilly landscape.
She loved being outdoors! She loved seeing nature at its work. The lightning bugs glowed with their yellowish bulb color, floating in the air and sometimes circling about her. These insects were beautiful to look at! She wondered, if she became human, that she could catch these insects and put them in a jar with airholes on the lid, for the lightning bugs to breathe in the fresh air.
It was just a thought. She didn't know if she would become human. So, maybe it was better that she thought through her decision to catch lightning bugs or going off on journeys, while in her human form. Which reminded her: what would it be like to be human? It was this one thought she couldn't stop thinking about. She wanted to be human! She wanted to know what it felt like to have hands and feet, instead of hooves.
Being a unicorn was nice and all, but she wondered what she would turn into if she dared shapeshift into another creature or being.
She sighed, her thoughts returning to the present. She looked at the hilly landscape, deciding to move on. She walked down the hill, making her way for the next taller hill, all while making sure that she didn't fall down the slope.
So far, so good. Now, she just hoped there weren't any wolves around. Then again, she was in a realm filled with unicorns. It was doubtful she would ever meet a wolf or a werewolf in these parts.
Whatever the case, she was lucky to be alive. That was all that mattered.
.
Syrena ran across the hills, minding her steps and her pacing as the cool, fresh air breezed through her white coat, mane, and tail. It was nice outdoors at this hour. And it wasn't even midnight yet, so that worked wonders for her self-esteem. It meant that she could keep herself active, before heading back to her thatched house by the stream, close to the border between the Hills and the Valley.
She sighed in relief when she recognized the stream. Ah yes, there was her thatched house with its rounded roof and potted plants, nestled on the windowsill. Just as she reached the door to her house, she stopped and looked at the golden-brown Lion drinking from the stream. The Lion perked up, smiling at her. She nodded to him before heading inside.
The Lion wasn't bugging her; so, she didn't bug him. That seemed to be a wise decision. Besides, this could be the day when she faced battle against a Lion and, quite possibly, lost. Who knew? Maybe she would win a battle, but the odds were stacked against her.
She sighed in relief upon seeing her house's interior. The kitchen stood next to her dining room with its long, rectangular wooden table and wooden chairs, complete with a curved back and soft, fluffy red pillows, with golden ropes sewn into the fabric, serving as cushions for the chairs. Her bedroom was open and in a corner of her house, there was a wooden ladder leading up to the loft, where a second bedroom lay. The living room was the largest room in the house, for it had a brown leather couch, a coffee table, and an assortment of potted plants and colorful flowers nestled along the walls, bringing a flowery fragrance to the house. A bathroom stood next to her bedroom, giving her an easy access whenever she was in her room, in case she needed to do her business as well as take a bath.
She sat down on the couch, reclining, before looking at the vial Whipstaff gave to her. She wanted to believe he gave her a healing potion, but even she couldn't deny this potion could do more than just heal. Whatever the case, she figured she might as well try it and see what happened. She sighed, uncorking the vial, and drinking its green contents. Once it was all drunk, she corked the vial, and set it down on the coffee table for safe keeping.
For a moment, nothing happened. Maybe nothing would happen!
She coughed vehemently, finding it hard to breathe and hard to think. She didn't know what was happening. Her mind became clearer, more focused, and easier to shapeshift. Shapeshift? Oh no! What was she turning into?
She lay down on her couch, allowing herself to cough freely until she fell asleep. As she slept, she transformed, hardly noticing she was already wearing a red blouse, a brown belt with a gold belt buckle attached, blue knee-high jeans, and red slippers. When she woke up, it was two hours before midnight. She looked at herself in a hand mirror, finding she wore red lipstick, pink blush and eyeshadow. She had straight brunette hair, brown eyes, pale skin, and fair features.
What? What had she become? A human woman? And a young one at that. No! How could she become a human? Who would do this to her? She glowered. Whipstaff! How could she go out in public like this? It made no sense!
She panted, trying hard not to faint. There had to be something she could do, but what? How was she going to transform back? She panicked, unsure what to do.
"Need any help?" the golden-brown Lion asked from her open front doorway, shocking her. Syrena looked at the Lion in wonder. It was almost as if she knew him. "We don't have much time. We must reach Whipstaff's house and leave the Land of Unicorns. Whipstaff will know how to stabilize your shapeshifting ability, so you can shapeshift at will whenever you want."
"Who are you?" Syrena asked the Lion, standing up for a second, before collapsing on the floor. She pounded the floor with her fist. She knew how to stand up on two legs. She was used to doing so in her Unicorn form. Okay, she would try again.
She looked up, right as the Lion approached her, blowing on her, and allowing her legs to heal. She sighed, standing up again and finding it easier to walk. She moved next to the Lion, petting him. His fur was so soft, but rough. She wanted so badly to stay with him and sleep. Before she knew it, she and the Lion were outside her house. The Lion allowed her to sit on his back. She did just that, right as the Lion propelled across the hills and back to Whipstaff's house.
.
The moment the Lion stopped, Syrena stared at the tree house in wonder. It had only been two hours since she left Whipstaff's house. Already, she was transforming back into a Unicorn with her white standard coat, mane, and tail. She looked back at the Lion as she approached Whipstaff's house, knocking on the door, and making her way inside, pushing and shoving Whipstaff as she entered his tree house.
"What? What is it?" Whipstaff asked, stunned to see Syrena transform back into a human and back into a Unicorn. "Um… I know how to fix this!" He rushed towards his desk, making another potion fast, blue this time, before handing the goblet with the potion over to her. "Here, drink this. It'll stabilize your shapeshifting, allowing you to shapeshift much easier this time."
"Thank you," Syrena said, drinking down the potion, before handing the goblet back. She sighed in relief, the moment she was in her human form again. She hadn't expected that. Maybe it was because she wanted to transform into a human.
She looked at Whipstaff, noticing he too transformed into a human. This time, into a young human man with short, ruffled brown hair, blue eyes, rough features, pale skin that was tanned, due to being outdoors, and donned in a brown tunic, grey trousers, a brown belt, and black boots. Whipstaff smiled at her, knowing it was time for him to transform into a human.
Syrena stared at him in wonder. She hadn't expected him to be this handsome! "You look so handsome!"
"And your voice is lighter," Whipstaff said with ease. He added, calmly, "That healing potion was no ordinary potion. While it will heal you, allowing you to heal over time—your wounds will naturally heal, now that you have the potion coursing through your veins. Even you cannot escape death though, whenever death come—there is a twist," he leaned in closer, whispering in her ear, "when Tree Unicorns give the Unicorns who they are destined to become their companions, the healing potion triggers something inside those Unicorns who were given the healing potion. In your case, it was shapeshifting. The fact that I, too, transformed on your first birthday means that we're meant to be companions." He leaned back, allowing Syrena time to think.
Syrena's head spun. She didn't know what was right! Did any of it make any sense? Was she meant to be a shapeshifter?
"I don't understand," Syrena said, confused. "I didn't know!"
Whipstaff shrugged. "All the Tree Unicorns know this. We often select which Unicorns we will travel with on their first journeys. In your case, you're stuck with me. I chose you the moment you stepped into this tree house for the second time." He sighed in wonder. "To think that a Hill Unicorn can shapeshift, too. It's unbelievable." He stood up, walking back to his desk, while Syrena stared at him.
"I'm sorry!" Syrena said, stunned. She added, annoyed at him, "Not all Hill Unicorns are bad, you know!"
"I know, I know!" Whipstaff said, softly, chuckling in delight.
"It's not funny," Syrena told him, thoroughly annoyed with him.
"Well, you're stuck with me, Syrena," Whipstaff said, smiling at her.
Syrena sighed. She didn't like being the last one to know these things. Maybe she should have Whipstaff as her companion, but then he would annoy her. Honestly! Why did she have to be stuck with Whipstaff?
"Here," Whipstaff said, grumpily, helping her stand, "let's sit over here." He moved her to his couch, allowing her sit on the soft cushions. He wanted to make her as comfortable as possible. "Is this better?"
"Yeah," Syrena said, calmly. She wanted to sleep, but found she was unable to do so. And yet, Whipstaff's tree house was so nice and quiet that she could sleep in for however long she wanted. Maybe that was the perk of having him as her new companion.
"Good," he said, making his way back to his wooden desk.
Syrena looked around the tree house's interior, noticing how many pillows were nestled in the house, as well as a rounded half-couch, half-bed that served as a wide bed for Whipstaff. The bed looked so nice, like a half circle that looked so soft and welcoming to her. It made her not want to leave this tree house.
Still, Whipstaff's couch was comfortable enough for Syrena's back, making her adjust to laying down and relaxing until she fell asleep. It felt so good that she transformed back into a unicorn. To her surprise, the couch changed size with her, making her comfortable until she rested, getting a good night's sleep at last!
.
Syrena woke up, stunned to see she was in her human form again. She hadn't expected this! She still wore her red blouse and blue knee-high jeans, which must have shapeshifted with her sometime in the night. She looked towards the windows, discovering it was dawn. There was Whipstaff, also in his human form, working on making breakfast inside his open kitchen. She hadn't expected to see him in his human form. And yet, her stomach grumbled, letting her know it was time for breakfast.
She sat up, right as Whipstaff returned with a wooden tray filled with an assortment of food. There were plenty of fluffy, yellow scrambled eggs, as well as sizzling bacon, cooked, meaty sausage links, and a stack of three pancakes on the wooden tray. There was a glass of milk and another glass filled with orange juice on the tray. Syrena looked at the food in interest, lost in its delicious smell. Was this really what humans ate? It looked yummy.
She dug into the food, munching on it without delay. Granted, the sausage and the bacon tasted different to her, nearly making her sick, and yet, she found she liked it. She watched Whipstaff eating his food on a wooden tray, too. She wondered how he got used to the meats.
"Is that good? How are you eating the meats?" Syrena asked, between bites.
"I've grown used to human food." Whipstaff shrugged. "I like it."
"Well, that works for you, I guess," Syrena said, surprised.
Whipstaff chuckled. "Hey, it does for you, too!"
They laughed softly, enjoying their meal.
.
Syrena gazed at Whipstaff, wondering how such a mysterious, complex human could become so bold and upfront with her! Granted, she knew they didn't get along, but maybe there was hope for them. Maybe they could form a companionship… that is, if she didn't upset at him first.
"So, when is Aslan coming?" Syrena asked, curiously.
"Oh, the Lion you encountered, who brought you to me, is Aslan," Whipstaff said, shocking her.
"What? That was Aslan? No!" Syrena cried, looking at the front windows. She spotted the same golden-brown Lion just outside the tree house. She stared at him in wonder, knowing she would have to follow him out of the Land of Unicorns, if she wanted to get to her next task. She asked Whipstaff, curiously, "So, what do we know about Aslan? He seems… ancient, but knowledgeable."
"He is," Whipstaff said, flat out. "And knowing him, he'll make an entrance."
"What?" Syrena asked, right as Aslan entered Whipstaff's tree house. Syrena stared at the golden-brown Lion in wonder, curious about what he would do to her and Whipstaff. "Aslan."
"Syrena," Aslan said, nodding to her. "How are you? Better now?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Syrena said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Good," Aslan said, nodding again. He looked at Whipstaff, telling him, "We should get going. I will be accompanying you both on your journey out of the Land of Unicorns. Since the Land of Unicorns is cut off from the other realms, or rather hidden from them, it'll be better, when traversing through this realm, that I come with you. How does that sound?"
"That sounds nice," Syrena said, curtly. She didn't know where her journey would take her, but she hoped it was for the best.
"When do we leave?" Whipstaff asked Aslan, curiously.
"Oh, after you're done eating. When you're finished and ready to go, we can leave," Aslan said, heading out through the front doorway.
Whipstaff eyed Syrena suspiciously. Was there something on her mind? "What?"
Syrena smiled, shaking her head. "Nothing."
"You're weird, you know that?" Whipstaff asked, teasingly.
"Yes, well, when we take off, I may be your mate," Syrena said, coyly.
"You're not my mate or I would have felt it," Whipstaff announced, softly. Syrena lowered her head in shame. She truly couldn't feel anything towards him, but friendship. If that was what he wanted. Whipstaff faced her, telling her, promptly, "But I consider you my friend."
Syrena breathed deeply. This was good. This was what she was hoping for.
"Good. I wouldn't have it any other way," Syrena said, returning to her meal. Whipstaff chuckled, doing the same until his food and drinks were gone. Syrena had to admit, it was good to be a human. It made the world brighter.