If Only, If Only - Unicorn Wars Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Common Grounds

((I'm walking on sunshineeee - yeahhahh))

((Note: The Art Above is mine- I finally revamped and gave the troupes of Lone Owl names and designs. Save for Scruff. RIP everyone who is dead ;'( 

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Eventually, there was a consensus reached. Both the soldier bears and the unicorns were facing each other on the field- Gordi carrying his still ailing but stabilized brother in his arms. He looked up to the unicorns, and smiled a little bit, seeming to cheer up even if it were just for a meager second.

They were all tired.

Five traumatized troupe members from the Lone Owl. His own traumatized troupe. Himself and the Father both being on edge, and creatures that are bigger, stronger and more aware of their own surroundings than they all were combined.

Somewhere deep inside himself, Caricias was convinced that this was some sort of universal vengeance. Some payback for everything that had been happening in their extorted, messed up world and society. Maybe it was a way to try and prove a point. Separating family just to hold an un-moving war with a collection of creatures that had never initiated violence before the bears did.

No matter the circumstances.

All of this pain and misery. This suffering and confusion. Nothing ever amounted to anything, no matter how much the sergeant tried to convince himself that 'Maybe there will be fruits to our labors tomorrow' and that started months and months ago. When he was less pessimistic.

He took no time to change at all.

Sargento Caricias even remembered the time when he was more interested in learning about unicorns than taking them down. To be young and uninformed was bliss. To be old, informed and unsure of who is lying to you was painful. There simply was no difference when it came down to it. Ignorance was bliss. Whether that ignorance be because you are blindly trusting, uncaring, or simply too untainted by the knowledge that you had yet to learn.

Caricias reminisced on just how many things could have went even worse than they already has. The lingering feeling that something was wrong with the entire world. Maybe even, at some point, a feeling of deja-vu.

Something that could continue to nag and nag at him.

He knew he wasn't the only one. Padre seemed to be questioning more and more of his actions- and padre was one who was constantly confident in what he believed to be just or 'right'. Nearly all of it began after the point in the forest where Azulin had went on that horrible trip and stabbed himself during his lashing out.

The bears and the unicorns made a truce- even if they could not communicate as clearly as they wanted to.

The only thing both sides ever had in common was the fact that they were all there to protect something. Be it for reasons they knew, or reasons unknown. They had something they were working for or toward. Peace, freedom, less stress. Anything, really. As long as it ended the useless deaths and chaos that both sides were stuck enduring. It was never worth it in the first place.

"I hereby declare that none of us saw each other here in this field tonight. If there are any questions about unicorn sightings, we will deny all knowledge of them. This is a truce between us and the unicorns and us alone. We need to swear silence here, and now- before we separate and depart our own ways." Caricias announce- holding up his hand. He formed a symbol for '3' with his three thumb, pointer finger and middle finger- giving a new kind of solute. "We will honor it- for as long as we can."

With some hesitance from a couple of the troupe members, all of the younger bears eventually made the symbol with their hands- bringing their hands up to their foreheads to mimic Sargento. Padre, after long minutes of odd, and tense consideration- put his book with the words of the creator down on the grass before hesitantly walking over- and slowly mimicking the gesture

They had no idea what any next gestures would be- what they did know- was that they had basically just betrayed their own populous and that they needed to keep it a secret. Somehow- some way.

If not for everyone else- then for themselves.

The unicorns- in return, bowed their heads, closing their eyes in a way of making a peaceful gesture back.

From then forth, the bears and the unicorns departed. Th unicorns galloping back into the forest- and the bears waiting in the tall grass until dawn.

The walk back to the camp was just about as long, aggravating, and exhausting as the rest of the trip was. None of the bears found the will to talk with each other for longer than a few minutes. However- with a little bit of bribing- Gordi did manage to get one of the soldiers to come out of their shell- a tiny soldier.

The little bear was just to small- but it was clear that he was a crafty and skilled little soldier indeed. His fur was white and cream brown- patchy and random. Eyes black and brownish purple. Despite being small and tired- the little bear was quite spunky and alert.

If Gordi had heard him right this last time- when the smallest remainder of Troupe Lone Owl passed out- the small soldier's name was 'Mouse'. An apt name, for a little soldier. It looks like he was quite skilled, too. The little bear made the claim he was at least 17 years old. However.. Gordi had his doubts. He seemed younger than that...

It was a matter of a few more hours... but a little bit of hope was regained when all of the soldiers saw the quickly approaching flags of the camp, and smelled the common scent of scorched wood and expended gunpowder from bomb practice in the field.

It seemed it was training time with the grenades. After all- those were tools that should always be handled with the upmost care and steady hands.

Gordi spotted a bear in the middle of the mock trench that was built for 'obstacles' and he looked paranoid. The bold yellow coated bear had big hazel eyes- and seemed to struggle pulling the pin out before accidentally dropping it to the ground. The pin clacked to the dirt below- before the grenade went off.

There was no need to worry, though. The grenade was a mock item. The only thing it did was splatter red paint within a designated radius.

The pink bear could not help by feel empathetic for the yellow furred recruit. He was still a stumbling mess- taking a moment to regain his nerves.

On their way in through the gates- Gordi mentally took the scene in before himself one more time. Part of it felt like he had seen it before... somewhere and somehow.

That surely wasn't the case though... was it?

No matter... they were quickly approaching the door to the nurses office. Knocking on it, Sargento Caricias announced medical attention for all of them- as well as urgent care for Azulin, Coco, and the few recovered troupes. The night was new- and the air was crisp... the one thing that they all could do- was appreciate a good meal after such a long hellish travel and awful mission.

((To Be Continued))