To Catch a Unicorn [DragonSong]

[Juno]

Friend. She kept using that word. Every time he felt more guilty for it, realizing she had a much more positive opinion of him than he really deserved. If he really had such a friend it would be thoughtful to find a healer for them but it was such a big, fat lie and she was showing herself to be so caring for a stranger's sake.

"Thank you," he sighed, squirming to lie down more comfortably but careful to not push at her too much in doing so. It was certainly odd for him, but she was welcome and he didn't want to push away even a small source of warmth since he wasn't comfortable resting with the others.

[DragonSong]

She blinked at him slowly, the glow around her dimming some as she eventually let her eyes slide closed.

"Of course," she murmured easily, dropping her head to rest beside him. "Sleep well."

Perhaps most telling of her naivety was how easily she fell asleep surrounded by strangers, for it only took a few minutes until she was out.

[Juno]

Despite how exhausted he was Kynton waited until it seemed she'd fallen asleep. Only then did he allow himself to get some proper rest.

As he expected the chill of night settled deep in his bones. Bella's presence helped take the edge off but he still woke with a fitful start once he awoke in the morning. He moved tensely, limbs flailing awkwardly as he tried to orient himself and remember where he was and who he was with and why. He wheezed pathetically for his efforts, only stopping once he'd managed to crawl to his hands and knees where he remained, trembling and just trying to gather his composure.

[DragonSong]

A fairly light sleeper, Bella jolted awake as Kynton began thrashing about and got quickly to her hooves.

"Kynton?" She pressed her nose to his cheek, huffing softly, forgetting his warning not to speak. "What's the matter? Are you hurt?"

[Juno]

He was tense even with her presence but he cast wide eyes at his companions across the camp to make sure no one had noticed them. "I just... It's nothing, I had a bad dream," he lied grumpily, instinctively shying away from the touch to his cheek, gentle as it was.

With a sigh he turned to sit, rubbing at his face a bit before tugging his coat closer around himself. "Did you sleep okay?" he asked, not really curious but wanting to keep himself distracted for the time being.

[DragonSong]

Bella hesitated a moment, then picked her way over to stand beside him, her body sort of curved around his, and let her muzzle rest on his shoulder. "I...was comfortable," she murmured.

Honestly, her sleep had been a little restless, but she didn't want to complain, didn't realize the instinctive wariness attempting to warn her away from these strangers. Or if she did recognize the feeling, she dismissed it offhandedly.

[Juno]

While he felt she meant well he couldn't help being little tense still even with her resting against his shoulder. Kynton eyed her warily, green eyes blinking slowly as he mentally talked himself down, convinced himself she meant no ill by the gesture and wasn't going to hurt him.

"That's good," he finally mumbled, relaxing a little and tilting his head to look across the clearing to his companions. None of them seem concerned with him or the unicorn, probably didn't care to since it was obvious enough they were both alive and still there.

"You can walk, right?" he asked, turning a thoughtful glance to her almost impossibly small hooves as he fumbled through awkwardly, "I mean, long distances. I guess I'm asking...do you need me to carry you?"

[DragonSong]

The unicorn tossed her head with that same chiming, tinkling sound of laughter, though she did try to keep it quiet.

"Could you?" she asked softly, eyes sparkling. "I'm not sure I'm very...portable." It summoned an amusing mental image, at any rate.

Sobering a bit, she nodded and huffed at him, rather touched by his apparent concern. "Yes, I will be fine, thank you."

[Juno]

Kynton bristled defensively, gritting his teeth at the thought that she was laughing at him instead of the idea itself. It set him in a foul mood at any rate, arms crossing tensely over his chest as he turned his head away from her to try and hide the growing flush of embarrassment the small creature was inspiring.

"Good," he huffed, suddenly in a hurry to scramble to his feet and brush dirt and leaves from his clothes. His stiff behavior was nothing new to his human companions who didn't bother to pay attention to the pair across the clearing any longer than to confirm that the small unicorn was still with him.

"Are you hungry?" he asked with a sigh, hoping he wouldn't have to go to great lengths to keep her close and happy. He'd never given much thought to the transport of such a creature back into civilization, thinking any hooved animal would do fine on a bit of grass every now and then.

[DragonSong]

Oh dear. It seemed she'd offended him. Bella lowered her head slightly and fluted a soft, apologetic breath through her nostrils.

"I'm quite alright, thank you," she murmured, glancing up at him through tendrils of her forelock. "I probably won't need food until this evening, perhaps tomorrow." Her kind ate little, with large gaps in between meals.

She glanced over at the other humans, then lowered her voice even more. "Should I stop talking now?"

[Juno]

Well that was a relief. Though, he couldn't help but feel like she might not be telling him the whole truth.

At her question he glanced across to the other humans, studying them for a moment before waving dismissively. "Nah, humans don't hear that well," he explained with a shrug. "Maybe stay quiet once we're closer, walking together," he mused, not really liking the idea of forcing her into silence but still thinking it better than his companions finding out she was more intelligent than they'd all believed unicorns to be.

"Stay close to me and you'll be fine," he added, rummaging in his pack for a waterskin. He splashed his face a bit before gulping practically all of the rest down. It was enough to help him feel a bit more himself but he was far from at-ease.

[DragonSong]

"Very well." Seeming to take him quite literally, the unicorn took a few prancing steps closer until she was almost brushing against his side.

"Are you well?" she asked quietly, tilting her head at him, eyes large and concerned as she could feel the tension almost radiating from him.

[Juno]

"Mostly," he sighed, peering down at her. He actually smiled a bit at the comical way she looked with her rather innocent concern.

"I'm restless here," he admitted quietly, looking around them before lifting his pack onto one shoulder. "I don't like new places. Always too cold or too hot." Kynton pursed his lips slightly in thought, drawing them firmly together at the realization that she'd gotten him to speak again. He wasn't used to that and wasn't really sure what to think of it.

He settled on the short explanation of "not good for my kind."

[DragonSong]

"What is your kind, exactly?" Bella pressed, leaping at the chance to sate her curiosity now that he's given her an opening, however slim it was. "You don't feel quite...human."

[Juno]

As soon as she asked he knew he'd slipped up, eyes widening in surprise and just blinking at her in silence for a long time.

"I'm human!" he insisted, not wanting her to get the wrong impression. "I just have some...modifications." Kynton sighed heavily, feeling rather defeated that he didn't last longer before coughing up an explanation to her. "Not by choice, mind you. I had a bad run with a mage a long time ago. She...messed me up."

How could he even begin to explain the rather personal nature of his problems? "She mixed up some snake in me. Never been able to get rid of it." There, that was good enough, right?

"Don't go telling anyone that, though. I'm human as far as they know," he said, gesturing across the clearing at the others.

[DragonSong]

"Oh." Bella's eyes widened and she snorted in surprise. Well, that explained a lot of things.

With a small sigh, she nuzzled at his hand back mumbled, "I'm sorry. If it were a simply curse or an ailment I may have been able to help, but this...sounds like she did something to the make of you. I can't change that."

Another snort and she tossed her mane in a glitter of silver. "I won't tell."

[Juno]

"Thank you, but-" Kynton huffed and rolled his eyes at the idea of him seeking out such a small creature for help with such a large problem. "I never asked, did I?

"Besides," he shrugged, toeing his shoe against dead leaves on the ground to crush them distractedly. "I've learned to live with it. This kind of...thing. It's rare for me to be out here like this, so don't worry or anything."

[DragonSong]

"I know you didn't ask," she said easily. "I offered. It's what I do." Well. What she was supposed to do, at any rate.

She tossed her head again and nudged his arm with her nose lightly. "I will not worry, so long as there is no need to." She couldn't very well help it if she became concerned for him, there would be a reason for it she was sure.

[Juno]

Her reminder only served to make him feel bad, reminding him in a rather uncomfortable way that he was being too harsh with her especially for how she'd already helped him a little in easing his discomfort.

"There is already no need to. I'm a stranger to you. I'm not the one who needs your help." It was a bit of a lie considering how he wouldn't be paid without her but he had to keep stoking his other lie about the man who'd hired them.

[DragonSong]

Bella gave a brisk shake of her head and pawed at the ground. "Right. Forgive me, we should not be dawdling."

She glanced to the other three humans and found herself shifting a little closer to Kynton's side almost unconsciously.