The Water Unicorn

5. A Freak Of Nature (part 2)

A lamenting wail was what woke Sabo up from his restless slumber.

Startled, he shot up before falling back down again thanks to his shoulder which burned in protest. Right. I fought the Water Demon and got hurt, he reminded himself, wincing slightly.

He looked over at Ezra, who had startled awake as well. Wide blue eyes met his own, and immediately, Ezra's ears lowered when they realized what that cry and the thundering hooves outside probably meant. He placed his head on Ezra's shoulder, closing his eyes and trying to gain comfort from his presence and warmth, Ezra leaning into him as well and trembling. He could hear a heartbeat. Ezra, who was alive and got back safely, was right here.

Ezra was alive and safe. As were the other unicorns, but Tuva was dead. That wailing cry belonging to his mother upon learning her son had passed away during the night. His wounds were too deep and blood too much to the point where even the wyverns couldn't help him. They'd never see Tuva again. Sabo would never have the small pegasus use him as a pillow again, or help calm him down when he felt too scared or nervous.

A larger body pressed closer against them in comfort, and Sabo did not need to look over to know it was his mother. He easily recognized her scent which wrapped around him. Uncle and aunt were near too, as was grandfather. His aunt must have arrived sometime when he was asleep.

After returning to the Clan and getting his wound looked over, and after the other young unicorns were found, mom and uncle had brought him and Ezra to grandfather so that the entire family could stay together in silent support - and Sabo was sure that the adults wanted to keep an eye on them as well. Because of his position in the clan, grandfather's cave was much larger than the one Sabo shared with his mother, and it was easily able to hold three adult and two teenage unicorns with room to spare. It was higher off the ground as well, and if one looked out of the entrance one could see most of the valley spread out before them. The Viceroy's room was close as well, Sabo knew.

Hearing the clanging of metal, he looked up to see that grandfather had risen from the ground. Still very much wearing his armor, even if he had cleaned off the blood in the meantime. The older unicorn had spent the night watching the entrance, making sure his family was safe, which was the only reason Sabo had been able to sleep at all. He knew that his grandfather was one of the strongest within the clan, so there was hardly a safer place than where he was right now.

"Will you be going now?" Mom asked grandfather, green eyes sad upon hearing the echoing wail which was still going.

"... My duty calls me," he said, looking at Ezra and Sabo. "The two of you are welcome to stay here today. I'll make sure no one will disturb you. Rest if you can... tonight you'll have to say goodbye." And then he left, the clicking of his hooves slowly fading as he walked further away.

"... How do we say goodbye?" Ezra asked, ears flat and eyes on the ground.

Sabo looked away from Ezra who was being comforted by his parents and looked at his own mother, who was looking at him worriedly. His ears twitched. He didn't want to worry mom. "I'm fine, mom," he tried to convince her, but it did not seem to be working well. He wasn't sure he was convincing himself either.

"You don't have to be fine. It's alright to cry or be sad," mom whispered to him, reaching over to adjust his soft mane. "Even if your grandfather might try to say differently, no one is strong all the time. It's never easy to lose someone dear."

He looked at his mother. "How do you deal with it?" He asked, remembering that his mom had lost her mom as well. "It hurts. When will it go away?" He asked in a small voice, feeling like it might have gone differently if he had done something different. They shouldn't have gone in the first place... he should have tried harder to stop them from going... as well as stop Nika from approaching the kelpie. They should have started running much sooner.