Written
in “three word format” by Karen, Maria, Dani,
Annapx, Nina, and MrsCross
The sun was just coming up over the horizon when the rider woke up from
the
night's sleep. Yawning, he started to break camp when something caused
him to
turn around and look into the trees behind him. Standing still and
moving
carefully so as not to attract attention Buck gazed admiringly at the
wonderful
creature before him.
The unicorn raised its head, startled and wary of something not quite
right.
Buck moved his head carefully not to scare the unicorn off. He'd never
seen one
before, he'd vaguely remembered the stories he'd heard as a child, but
he'd
never actually seen one. Now, seeing this magnificent creature he was
awestruck
by it moving towards him surrounded by a halo of shimmering light and
color.
"Running Buck Cross today you will be given the key to your many
questions
concerning your destiny." Buck couldn't believe his ears, or eyes for
that
matter. He pinched himself, just to make sure he wasn't still asleep
dreaming
this magnificent creature.
Destiny? What was so important about his destiny? "Why have you come?”
he
began questioning, but was stopped when the creature moved towards him.
"Your destiny is great my son," the unicorn said softly. "You
are a very important to my kind as well as a great leader for your own.”
"I don't understand?"
"In the years that lay ahead you will understand more about how our
worlds
will come together. But for now you must be willing to take the chance
to live
each day to the fullest." After saying this, the unicorn vanished.
Buck stood staring at the empty space now a misty vacancy where the
vision had
once been. The place where the unicorn had stood was now filled with a
sense of
emptiness. Buck once more turned expecting to see the creature.
When he didn't, he turned his attention towards picking up his camp,
and
wondered what the others would say if he told them what he had just
seen. They
probably wouldn't believe him so incredible was the vision, so instead
of
sharing it he decided to keep it to himself. Buck was ready to mount
his horse
when three men rode into the camp.
"Have you seen anything unusual around these parts?"
Buck hesitated before answering. "Nothing unusual has happened," he
finally replied, deciding that it was safer not to mention what he had
just
seen.
"You sure?" one of them asked.
Their unkempt looks made Buck wonder if they had been out here long. He
simply
nodded.
The unicorn hunter shrugged and turned away, not sure what to think of
the
Indian and whether or he should believe him.
Buck calmly mounted his own horse and left hoping the hunters would
leave the
area right behind him alone. He rode for about an hour before he felt
like
things were being oddly quieter than normal. Stopping his horse, he
dismounted
and carefully studied the area around him; glancing back the way he had
traveled earlier Buck sensed that something was up.
He decided to retrace his own path just to assure himself that nothing
had happened
to endanger the unicorn that had appeared before him. An overwhelming
sense of
urgency forced Buck to return to the spot where he had seen the
glorious
unicorn.
Once there he spotted blood colored silver grey pooling on the ground
in the
clearing where he had first seen the creature. Checking for signs of
the
hunters he heard laughter coming from somewhere on the other side of
the trees.
Moving slowly and quietly, he made his way towards the camp of the men
he had
talked to earlier in the day. What was it they were so happy about? he
wondered.
A twig snapped under his foot and he froze hoping they hadn't heard
him. When
he realized one of the men had turned towards where he crouched Buck
realized
that the man had spotted him easily. When the man raised his rifle,
Buck
quickly took cover in the surrounding brush.
"You better show yourself!" the man hollered.
Buck held his breath, then slowly began to move out from his hiding
spot. Once
he emerged, the man stepped closer. With a sickening grin, he said,
"Looking for this?" as he revealed something resembling the unicorn
lying on the ground dead.
Buck felt sick to his stomach. He stumbled forward and fell to his
knees,
feeling the silver blood with his fingertips and wondering what had
become of the
mystical powers of the unicorn.
Tears blurred his vision as he angrily glared at the man in front of
him.
"Why?" Buck demanded, as he struggled to control his rage and hurt.
The man simply stared at him and aimed his rifle at Buck's third eye.
Buck sat down, intent on learning more about why these people were
here, and
why they felt so strongly towards having to kill the one thing of
beauty and
wisdom. What did these men hope to gain by killing the creatures that
possessed
magical and mystical powers? Once more Buck attempted to speak to the
hunters,
"Could you please explain to me why you shoot unicorns? They are
harmless,
and full of wisdom. They would never hurt anyone," he said. Tears were
trying to fall from Buck's eyes. Fighting to maintain his composure, he
angrily
clenched his fists, and then moved forward, not caring what happened to
him
now, only the existence of the unicorns occupied his mind.
Drawing his gun, the Kiowa once more demanded an answer.
"You don't know what you've done, and what will happen, now that you've
killed it," his voice sounded strange, even to his ears, but somehow he
knew that he was speaking out for all the mystical and magical beings
of the
world.
Although he faced certain death, Buck stepped closer, gun in hand and
said,
"Give me one good reason not to kill both of you right now." His
opponent studied him his own gun not as steady but still aimed in the
general
direction of Buck's head.
When Buck without fear, stepped even closer, the man began to waiver,
and finally
brought his gun to his side. His face looked pale, and his dark eyes
widened
when Buck didn't show any sign of backing down.
Buck began feeling a strange energy pulse through his veins. It seemed
his body
had suddenly been filled with a strength like none he'd ever felt
before. As
the strange feeling engulfed him, Buck was overcome with compassion for
the two
men who had first been the object of his anger. "I need to be alone
with
the unicorn," he hoped they understood.
Both men simply lowered their weapons, and quietly began to move away
from
where Buck crouched beside the dead body of the magical animal. Buck
turned his
eyes skyward, and began to softly pray in Kiowa, chanting the words
that would
purify not only him but the area where the unicorn was slain, hoping
that he
could still somehow feel the wonder he'd felt earlier, when he'd first
encountered the unicorn revealing the path that fate had chosen for
him.
As Buck continued praying, a new sense of calm claimed him, and he
began to
drift into oblivion where all his cares started to vanish. The unicorn
spoke
through Buck's mind and once more words of wisdom were shared with
Buck. He sat
quietly and listened intently to the wisdom the unicorn had to offer -
forgiveness and patience, which Buck still had not given his life to.
As the unicorn's word's filled him, Buck felt the aching in his soul
begin to
subside, and an overwhelming sense of peace moved within him. He opened
his
eyes, seeing the beauty of everything the unicorn had stood for.
Knowing that
harming such a mystical creature only led to sadness and that harming
those who
had brought it's life to an end would only be bittersweet, and
dangerous
because revenge briefly lasting for a painful second, always brought no
real
satisfaction, so he decided to bury the carcass with the required
ceremony to
do so would require him to prepare himself for a task of great
difficulty.
Buck stood and looked around him. He noticed that a mist had started to
form
around him, making everything hazy and seeing difficult. Buck stayed
calmed as
he glanced around to see the mist forming an almost circular blanket
surrounding him. Buck moved slowly toward a faint shadow of an
unmoving, but
standing silver gray unicorn. It seemed to be waiting for Buck to
release the
spirit of its soul, so Buck began digging. He chanted as his hands dug
in the
soft soil. His hands soon had dug far enough that the mighty unicorn
could be
properly honored and put to rest.
He carefully lowered the body of the unicorn into the ground. Rays of
sunlight
began to shine into the hole in the mist filled circle and mysterious
warmth
wrapped itself around Buck. He stood slowly and raising his hands,
lifted his
face until he was drifting, his mind lost in a dreamlike state. Closing
his
eyes, a stillness fell over him, allowing only his mind to absorb the
aura of
the unicorn and it's mystical powers. As the hunters were getting
prepared to
flee, Buck allowed himself to separate from the awareness of his body,
floating
above the area where the healing of his spirit was beginning to take
place.
Soon the heavy weight he'd been feeling lifted, and he smiled as he
realized
his soul was no longer his alone, but belonged to the spirit of the
unicorn as
well. Buck once more raised his hands and slowly began to chant. Buck
was soon
lost in the power of his trance.
The End