Custos Unicorium 1 ~Longe Aluid--Something Very Different~

Chapter Seventeen: Unexpected Surprises

I'd been unsure about riding Koriun when I couldn't see him, but so far it had gone okay. I don't know what it was, the fact that I couldn't see him, or that I'd done it once before, but I managed to decently be able to sit up. It was still weird, and I was sure I'd eventually go flying off, but if it'd happen it would happen. I wasn't focused on it anyways. 

The trail had lead back and forth, it wound closer and closer to the haven. There were a few places where I saw familiar markings crossing the trail. They were marks unique to trails of each of us trackers. They're not hard to pick up among tracking groups...and almost all of ours were there. We had all crossed the trail at some point. 

Damn. Nearly everyone had followed it for a short length at some point. Even mine was there. Dammit, dammit, dammit. I'd thought it was just a deer. Everyone had thought it was just a deer.  

Edgar had even followed it, but not for long. So young, so new of a tracker. The only mark I'd seen that hadn't followed it was Olivenia. She had crossed it, but never followed it. So inexperienced... 

Why wouldn't she check out a deer trail? It's good practice, even if we know nothings there. A few steps. It's common practice. 

Deverell had followed it the longest. Suspicious of even a deer. That's Deverell for you. Too bad he'd never realized he was really onto something. I was so lucky I'd figured it out... 

Umph! Koriun stopped suddenly. My top half balked, running into his neck, and almost sent me falling to the side. 

"What the hell Koriun!" I said. Once I looked up I figured it out. Fence. We were at the haven. This trail was really fresh. He'd been through here already. At the haven. Damn. Glad I figured it out. He moved sooner than I'd predicted. The unicorns were gone now, so I wasn't as worried about that, there was something else. Older tracks. Much older. He'd been to the haven before! 

"Hold on!" Koriun neighed. I'd only just grasped his mane before he jumped. I swear I was hanging from his mane by only my arm. I was flying, and a have no idea how I ended up back on him. Anyway, I did, and we set back on the trail.  

It lead along through the haven and out the other side. The forest, even more familiar than most of it, signaled the approach of Allistair's tiny grouping of houses. Luckily, the trail led past, not through, the houses. 

"Koriun! Go left!" I called, and he did, but quickly hesitated when he saw the houses. 

"Why are we here?" he asked. He pranced around and I just loosened up, half falling off him. "Regina! What are you doing?" 

"Something," I called over my shoulder as I raced up the steps to my--our--house. Flinging open the door revealed that Allistair was there.  

"Regina! What are you doing home? I thought--" 

"Have you seen anyone go past recently?" 

"Maybe, I don't really know. Why, is a unicorn missing again?" 

"No. I found the little brat. He's right outside. We're trying to catch up to the others, but I found the guy's trail. It leads right past here." 

"He's outside here? Right now? The unicorn?" Something strange filled Allistair's voice. Fear? 

"It's okay," I reassured him. "He's very nice." 

Unease still shone clear on his face. "You found a trail?" 

"Yeah. He's been following deer trails. And he's been to the haven before." 

"Shit." I had no idea why Allistair was so understanding of haven well, everything recently. "You'd better get going then...Quick," he added with a nervous glance.