Unicorns and Sirens pt 2, A Shy Lover
Jola had set her heart on finding an immortal lover for the lonely siren, but it was just as important to her that she find the right one. Someone who would love her for the rest of ever, and who would attract her love for just as long. With Uni and the children helping her she could see no difficulties, even in this strange world.
But Uni was not so sure, within seconds he had spotted the spoor of minotaurs, the most feared pack creature in this world, only the mightiest of centaurs dared to challenge them, and on such occasions many died from each side. On a creature to creature basis only ogres, like their friend Bruce, were stronger, but they were rare, solitary creatures, mostly just as evil as the minotaurs themselves.
Uni was on high alert, knowing that with their enormous strength, and deadly horns, his small herd would stand no chance, but Jola refused to listen to reason, she had made her mind up, and nothing was going to stop her now.
Leading the way Uni sniffed the air with each step, testing for scents. Everyone was now in unicorn form, ready both to fight and to run, Uni had decided that the danger was too great to travel further in human form.
They followed the river, with Jola pointing out a similar scent to what she had smelled on Chenny, until finally they came across a merman, trapped behind a huge rockfall, where he must have been for many years. His upper body was superb and his face so handsome that Jola instantly knew this was the man for Chenny.
The merman readied himself for battle, until he saw the unicorns and he said in surprise, “ I thought the unicorns had long since been destroyed in this time? But be warned, there are minotaurs nearby.“
Uni changed back to human form so he could lift the merman from his prison, but before he left the water he grabbed a large, three headed weapon, that he called a trident, and carried it with him as Uni took him back the way they had come. He was very excited when Jola told him about Chenny the siren, it had been a long time since he had company of any kind, especially a siren of the beauty Jola described.
As they walked back to where Chenny had been sitting, the minotaur jumped them. Uni put the merman down in as safe a place as he could find, then changed back to his white unicorn form, ready to fight. He called desperately to his herd to run and began a dance to avoid the minotaur’s fists and horns, he knew his agility was the only thing that would save his life.
It was a deadly dance, a dance that could mean Uni’s life with a single misstep, but I was not a choice. Suddenly he stepped inside the minotaur’s huge fists and pushed his horn deep into the creature’s belly. The minotaur bent and roared in pain, but with a twist of his head, he disembowelled Uni, his intestines spilling out onto the ground from the terrible wound.
Jola ran to the merman and changed to human form to grab his trident from his outstretched hand, and called to the children to distract the minotaur, but not to get too close, and they both ran straight in, barely being missed by his fists as he tried to crush them. Jola circled behind him and stabbed the trident with all her might into the back of it’s neck, killing him instantly.
She knelt beside Uni, trying desperately to push his intestines back inside his belly, and then tore her dress into strips to bind his wound as best she could.
Uni, still awake, did not make a sound despite the intense pain, asked her to take the merman back to Chenny, and despite her arguments and her fears, Jola did just that, and told Chenny of the mortal danger Uni was in.
Chenny looked at her tears, and already knew of her love for Uni, and she suggested they all go to where Uni was lying, beside the river, and when she arrived she began to sing. Uni changed to human form before her song clouded his mind completely, and then the dying man staggered to his feet with Jola’s help, and while she readjusted his bandages, he started to stagger after Chenny, as she swam back towards the door they had entered through, leading him to safety.
They had almost reached safety when they heard the loud squawking above them, and only the trees they were passing through saved Uni from the massive talons of the pair of griffons as they attacked.
