Disclaimer: I do not own the Unicorn Chronicles, the name Hunter, or anything else but my ideas and my computer.
It took a week for Tessan to get bored with exploring the inside of the house. She had found the attic, the basement, even a strange locked room that she had tried unsuccessfully to sneak into quite a few times before giving up. As quiet as a mouse, she had listened to a few conversations between her new parents, noting the name 'Beloved' often. At first, she had thought they meant her…But then it became mention of 'Beloved grows impatient' and 'Beloved desires it now'. The young girl came to realize that this 'Beloved' person was someone else; someone who obviously wanted something from the Hunters.
Once, Tess accidentally interrupted Jasper at his desk, poring over what looked like a map. He snapped at her so sharply that she had scampered back to her room, hiding for nearly an hour before finally coming out again. The next day, instead of bothering him, she snuck out the back door, aiming for the woods behind the house. It was time to explore the grounds.
The large yard was well manicured and trimmed, with artful bushes and flowers sprouting around stone pathways, and even a small faked pond. The fish were funny looking orange critters with large eyes. Tess spent the better part of the afternoon wandering the plains, before heading into the woods. Thankful at having worn shorts, she scaled a tree, hanging upside down from a branch happily. Her chestnut braid dangled towards the ground, and she finally got down, nearly toppling over at first step.
A shout of her name from the house brought her racing back, meeting Rose on the porch with an innocent look, as if she hadn't just wandered away. Although she could tell the woman was suspicious of her, the older brunette simply brought Tess in for dinner
Less than a mile away, hidden deep in the forest, something felt Tessan's happiness and was drawn closer.
Tessan's daily trips into the forest became routine, although she always managed to make it back before Rose and Jasper missed her. Each day, she got farther from the house, sometimes making a full circle around the property, other times only getting a short ways away before coming back. Only once did Jasper catch her sneaking back into the house – she swore she saw fury in his eyes, masked by concern. She had to promise never to wander outside alone again.
There were dangerous beasts in that forest, he insisted, in a tone of voice that nearly made Tessa roll her eyes. Instead, she nodded seriously, signing a heartfelt apology and a promise to never do it again. Seemingly satisfied, he nodded. "Run along now," he said, and she obeyed quickly, trying to ignore the niggling sense that something wasn't right with his eyes. His eyes, which followed her closely until she finally turned out of the room.
Those eyes that had suddenly seemed so ferocious and cold enough to give frostbite. The warm chocolate had turned nearly black during his rant about danger, and Tess didn't have to be told twice to go away. But that wasn't enough to stop her from going back into the forest.