Dust rose in whisps around sturdy hooves as they stammered against the terrain. Her heels clicked into the ground, shedding layers of caky mud. And, as she danced upon the earth, her soft white tail swished violently, and her nostrils huffed and snorted with anger and victory. She jolted her head back restlessly, and her eyes gleamed with narrow contempt. The spiraled horn between her ears dripped with blood.
Just before her lay the body of a beautiful turquoise unicorn. It glistened in the sunlight against her dull white fur.
“Beware of beauty,” she cautioned to her young colt who was standing behind her, trembling. “For in beauty, there is much room for deception.”
Then, the frightened young unicorn turned around and ran swiftly into the forest.
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“Petunia?” called a high pitched voice. “Petunia, is that you? Did you come to play today?”
Petunia, the same young unicorn who had watched the slaying of the turquoise, slowly peeked out from behind a tree. Her eyes dropped forward in guilt.
“Petunia,” laughed the yellow colt, “I’ve been looking for you. Let’s go chase butterflies.”
“I can’t,” the white colt stuttered. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. Anyway, I didn’t come here to see you. I wanted to be alone.”
Daffodil cocked her head to the side and then giggled. “Come on, you silly girl. We can go sit somewhere quiet. You can tell me anything.”
“Not this time,” Petunia answered, as one shiny tear drop floated down her nose. “This time, even you can’t fix it.” Then, she slowly picked her heels up and traveled further into the wood.
“Petunia,” the lonely unicorn called. “Petunia, come back!” But Petunia said nothing and Daffodil didn’t follow.
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“I thought I’d find you here.” Petunia awoke to the stern voice of her mother’s snort. “Have you been sleeping here long? I’ve been worried.”
Petunia sleepily rolled over and then suddenly sat up in Priscilla’s presence. “Mother?” she asked in surprise.
“Come along,” said Priscilla, as she turned and walked away. Quickly, Petunia got up and followed.
Priscilla walked back over to their family dwelling part of the field and approached an apple tree. With a firm shake of her horn, she jolted several apples from the tree, which Petunia pranced about to catch in place as they rolled towards her.
“Petunia, it’s time you come to understand that there are forces in this forest who do not celebrate in the goodness and peace of the water king that we follow. Not every creature in this wood is safe. You must promise me that you will stay away from the rainbow horses of evil. For it was a rainbow horse who took the life of your father.”
“But mother,” Petunia asked curiously, “how do we know that we are fighting on the side of good? Why do we defend a king we have never seen?”
“Dear, it’s something you just come to know in time. Although the king lives in a different realm, he is very much alive in our forest. We feel him in our hearts, and he touches us when the rain falls. He puts the rainbow in the sky to remind us that he will open our eyes and protect us from deception. And he speaks through us when we cry.”
Priscilla gazed over the edge of the mountain and took a step forward. “Daughter, you must resist the horses of rainbow colors. They are beautiful and very clever. When they come to you, you must know what to do. It is time you become a warrior. Tomorrow, your training will begin. Sleep softly this one last childish night.”