Charity was busy in this distressful thought pattern when she noticed a shadow coming near her. It was horse like and had a tail with silky hair only at the tip. She almost thought is was her father when the silhouette moved closer.
She breathed a sigh of disappointment when she found out that "father" was not a horse, but a 2-year-old Kiangicorn filly — close to our human age of 13 years. (Charity was a young mare about 3 years old —16 years.) Charity was about to limp away when the filly was drawing closer and closer.
She didn't zap Charity with her horn. She didn't kick Charity. She didn't even seem to want Charity to go away. All she did was say a few words:
"Hi, ni hao, hello, I am Aurora the Kiangicorn, or the Horned Kiang! I am so pleased to meet you!" and she said it as if she really meant it with a huge grin. "I really want to have a playdate!"
Charity wished she could tell Aurora to leave, since she didn't like Kiangs. But as she was about to leave, she tripped over a rock and fell.
"Ooh, are you okay? What happened to your front limb? Is that why you fell? It's kind of crooked. May I fix it?" Aurora seemed to be saying. Then she noticed Charity's folded wings. "I-I don't believe it! You're a Pegacorn! C'mon, can you please fly me over the mountains?"
"It's an alicorn, but I can't fly," Charity answered in a deadpan voice. "I was run over by a Karkadann, like a rhinoceros, and that is why I have a limp. I can't walk normally, and I will never run again."
"I'm so sorry!" Aurora said in sympathy. "I'm not a fast runner either, so I understand." Seeing Charity not wanting to talk about it, the young Kiangicorn filly switched the topic. "Have you ever seen Shenmi Hu—the lake of mysteries? Many have found goldfish the size of birds, and even some treasures in there. I'd like you to find the lake."
"I do not have the time for it," replied the Alicorn in the same tone as before. Wait, why am I talking like this? She thought suddenly. Even if she is a Kiang, I shouldn't reject her. She is a very nice unicorn who accepts me. All the others either just ignore me, tease me, or just give me pity, which I really hate. But this one doesn't judge me by her limb. She just wants to be my friend. Even when I am about to exclude her, she will include me.
"Sorry, I do have time!" she said to Aurora, who was starting to walk away. "My name is Princess Charity, and I too am pleased to meet you. I would love to see that lake, and--" the paper rolled out of her bag onto the ground.
"I'll get it!" Aurora said as she pick up the paper with her mouth, but it rolled out flat. "Wait, what is it?"
Charity looked alarmed. This paper is a secret! No one else should know about it else it would fall into the wrong hands!
"Things to heal the land? Maybe I can help, or more importantly, my parents can help!" Aurora exclaimed. "But can we please go to Shenmi Hu? Please?" she begged. "If you help me find the treasures in the lake, I'll help you solve this paper!"
"Alright, Sunshine, I will help you find the treasures," Charity said, before doing something she hadn't done before.
She smiled. Her happy self was coming back. Her coat was now turning a bright blue with a hue of gray. She knew that her and Aurora's friendship was about to begin.
YOU ARE READING
Hopeful Hooves: A Unicorn Friendship Tale
FantasyThe word "unicorn" comes from the Latin word meaning one horn, so did you know that not every unicorn with one horn is a horse? It can be a donkey, an antelope, a deer, a goat, or even a rhinoceros? So some have existed in the past, some still exist...
