Heartbeat Passage

This is a short work of erotic fiction containing furry, or anthropomorphic, characters, which are animals that either demonstrate human intelligence or walk on two legs, for the purposes of these tales. It is a thriving and growing fandom in which creators are prevalent in art and writing especially.

****

Loving a Unicorn

Heartbeat Passage

Chapter Three

Their second date took them out of the city, close to the outskirts of where Celeste said her home resided without treading into true unicorn territory. Christian exhaled as they reached their destination after a three hour trek, sun dropping towards the opposite side of the sky after an early start. As slow as he walked, Celeste did not leave him for a second, close enough to touch and share breath. He had no doubt that Celeste could cover the distance in no time at all. He wondered if another human would have asked to ride her, yet could not imagine him sitting astride the graceful dip of her back, rising to rounded haunches. She could carry his weight, of course, but it would have felt wrong to do so. As she dipped her head to drink, lips breaking the skin of the lake to soothe a thirsty throat, he knew in his heart that it would be the greatest injustice to ever consider treating her as a mere equine.

No. Celeste was far more special than that. His unicorn was unique. He only hoped that Celeste would keep him by her side for...well... Christian blushed and thrust the thought away for another time.

Their trek had brought them to a lake, capped by distant mountains that towered above the line of trees on the opposite shore. Crystal clear water lapped at the sand, dotted with smooth pebbles, and Celeste left hoof prints wherever she trod, trotting up and down the shoreline with a whicker. Kicking up her heels, she bucked for sheer joy, head down between her knees as she dropped to the sand and rolled. It was so equine that Christian could not stop himself from laughing, bending over double and succumbing to mirth until his sides ached and Celeste giggled her mare-ish nicker, legs waggling in the air.

She needed her knight to save her! Hurling himself down beside her in a sudden fit of haste to lie beside the unicorn in the sand as she rolled herself on to her side, legs angled to the side as her forelegs splayed out before her, poised to drag her body to her hooves once more. He scooted in close to the curve of her side and chuckled as she swung her head around, mane falling over his face to tickle his nose.

"Boo."

Celeste's ears twitched.

"What does that mean?"

"It means 'surprise'!"

Christian laughed as the unicorn shook her head, both amused and despairing at her human's antics. For all her horseplay, she retained a sense of finesse that Christian could not hope to elevate himself to.

It was a good thing that a regal nature was not a requirement for love, or the droplets of water trickling down the river to something deeper and more wonderful than he ever could have expected.

Blowing Celeste a kiss, Christian scrambled up to perch on a log and slung his backpack down on the sand by his feet. Unzipping it, he rummaged through the interior for his supplies - a well packed lunch that he would not have gone without on any hike. Curious as to why he was yet again hauling around saddle bags, Celeste thrust her head over his shoulder.

"Are you turning into a pack horse now?" She teased.

Laughing, Christian shook his head and stole a quick kiss, lips brushing hers for the fleetest of heartbeats. Even though their kisses were becoming more familiar, lips learning the nuances of the other, just a single kiss still made his heart skip a beat. He hoped he'd never lose that feeling.

"Not at all. Or at least I hope not," he said, withdrawing a sandwich. "Would you like anything?"

"Is there anything I can eat in there?"

Christian tapped his nose and dug down to the bottom of the bag, fumbling through snacks and sandwiches until he found the treats he sought encased in clear plastic wrap.

"Not sure if you'll have had this before, but it may be something a little different for you."

Unwrapping the treat, he cupped it in both hands and held it out to the unicorn as if an offering. She sniffed it, ears flicking forwards and back as she tried to make sense of the sweet smelling, orange fruit.

"What is it?"

"Mango and pomegranate seeds. It won't turn your stomach, will it?"

"We are more resilient than your average horse, Christian," Celeste said, taking a delicate bite of the fruit and chewing experimentally. "I doubt it will cause me to be unwell, as long as it is not of flesh." She shuddered. "Meat or even fish will never sit well in our stomachs, although I understand the order of the natural world. It is not for us herbivores."

Christian made a mental note, thankful that he had packed vegetarian meals and snacks that day. He had done well to think ahead. But did her vegetarianism mean that he should abstain from eating meat? Taking a bite of his cheese sandwich - would that be okay too? - he munched thoughtfully, palm dipping as Celeste thrust her nose into it to lick up the last mushy bites of deliciousness. She crunched the seeds between her blunter, flatter teeth and licked her lips.

"Do you have any more?"

Her muzzle smeared orange, a crimson seed clinging to her lip as she licked and licked, trying to clear where the mess had spread. Christian chuckled and dabbed at her nose with a tissue while the unicorn grumbled at being cleaned like a 'foal with her dam', one front hoof jigging up and down in midair.

A howl tore apart the sky, slicing through the clouds like an eagle's talons. Christian froze with a sandwich halfway to his mouth, heart pounding and mouth dry, stillness battling with the urge to leap up and run. But Celeste was right there, ears pricked and eyes bright. She didn't seem scared. Rubbing his knuckles across his face, he swallowed and listened hard, watching the unicorn out of the corner of his eye. Why did her expressions have to be so difficult to read? With not even a flick to her tail, he could not tell if she was agitated or completely unconcerned by the unearthly shriek.

In the trees, not a single bird chirped. He shifted, squeezing his forearm and releasing it again. The silence was unbearable. He stared skyward, narrowing his eyes. Was that a shadow he saw? His mind played tricks on him and Christian pressed his palms together, both hands slick with sweat.

"Celeste..." Christian straightened his back slowly from a hunch he had not even known he had sunk into, eyeing his surroundings as his eyes darted from sky to earth as if belonging to a caged animal. "What...was that?"

The unicorn stood stock still, head high and ears pricked as she whuffed and scented the air.

"We are not alone here, Christian."

The man gulped, sensing the gravity of the situation through her tone, grave and low as she lowered her head to the sand, nostrils flaring.

"Not alone? What do you mean? What the hell made that noise?"

She whirled about, mane and tail flying as she rounded on him, hooves slamming into the sand. The impact sent stinging grains into Christian's face and he spluttered, flying backwards off the log to land hard on the sand, the wind knocked from his body. He rolled over on to all fours, coughing and retching as he struggled to heave breathe into lungs that no longer wanted to work.

A shadow flashed high above and he dropped to the sand. Too big. Much too big to be a bird, even a bird of prey. Yet those had definitely been feathers he'd seen, a wickedly hooked beak designed for rending meat from bone.

Christian gaped as a creature that could not have been a bird, and yet flew like one, soared overhead, sunlight glinting off deep sapphire feathers. From an eagle-like head, its plumage extended down to its forelegs, which boasted dagger-like talons, and past its shoulders, from where a pair of similarly coloured wings sprouted to carry its weight through the skies. The resemblance with an avian ended there as feathers melded seamlessly into ashen fur and the hind legs of a feline, claws tucked away mid-flight. A leonine tail tipped with a tuft of dark blue fur completed the monster's ensemble and it strung out behind the creature as it circled, watching them below with a lazy, orange eye.

Snapping back to reality, Christian lunged for Celeste, heart hammering so quickly that beats seemed to blur into one thrum of pain and urgency. Sand flew from his heels and he gasped without breath.

"Celeste - get down!"

Christian scrambled, grabbing her tail in his haste as if he could haul her away from danger through brute force, panic fumbling his actions. The unicorn pawed the sand and nickered, pushing him back firmly but gently so that he was out of the way. Christian's hands tightened into fists and he shoved, trainers skidding through the sand as he fought for purchase. His actions had as much effect as his hands would have had upon pushing a brick wall, shoving to no means or end.

"Celeste!" He growled, voice taking on a gravelly edge as if that would make her move. "You have to get back! That thing -"

"Do not fear for me, Christian." Her eyes were warm, if serious with a rim of white. "Please - back. Please go behind me. Now."

He shook his head, standing his ground. How could he just leave her? No!

"I'll never allow harm to come to you, Christian," she said, setting her horn aglow. "From these unsavoury characters, you have nothing to fear while I am around."

Her gaze hardened, horn shooting off sparks.

"I'll make sure of it."

Putting her body between Christian and the beast, Celeste shot a beam of white light from her horn in challenge as the bird descended, a lazy spiral that brought it closer and closer to earth at its own pace. It landed on its hind legs, running a few paces until it controlled its speed and smoothed down ruffled feathers to the back of its neck. The creature lifted a forepaw and tapped its beak with two talons, a low croon rolling from its tongue like syrup drooling into water. The sound hung in the air between them and Celeste dipped her head, putting her horn on show. Laughing, the creature peered around her, meeting the human's eyes. He shuddered.

There was intelligence behind those eyes.

"What's wrong with that one?" It said, head cocked to the side. "Hasn't it ever seen a gryphon before?"

Celeste reared, striking out with her front hooves.

"Your kind is not welcome here!" She proclaimed, dropping back to all fours. "What business have you so close to the herd?"

The gryphon clacked the edges of his beak together and, though a good head and shoulders shorter than Celeste, strode forward with a confident, easy lope to his stride.

"My dear," he said, for the gryphon was certainly male, "why would you ever think I require business of some sort to take a leisurely flight? Is this not a time to relax as well as conduct business?"

"I would not know the work of your kind," she answered bluntly. "Leave. You are not welcome here."

"Oh, but my friends were oh so looking forward to meeting you, princess," he chuckled, shaking his head; a loose feather drifted to the sand. "Would you leave us so deprived of your company?" He parted his beak, eyes wickedly bright. "I'm confident none of my brethren have seen a human so close either."

The unicorn stamped but the gryphon paid her no mind, sending an eerily bird-like cry up to the sky where no doubt the black dots so high above that Christian had mistaken for birds of prey took shape. Plummeting to the earth, a dark green gryphon and a smaller, more agile russet brown gryphon with feathers the colour of a burned sunset folded their wings in close to their bodies in a sheer, reckless dive. Wind whipping past their bodies, they shrieked in pure joy at their speed, spiralling as they rocketed closer and closer to the ground, birds scattering from the trees on their approach. At the last possible second, they pulled up, wings flared and trembling, to clatter over the pebbles closer to the shoreline, squabbling between each other as their landing brought them within snapping distance.

One eye on Celeste, the sapphire gryphon welcomed them with a soft purr, unnervingly like that of a domestic cat. Christian was abruptly back in his ramshackle childhood home with the adopted ginger tomcat curled up on his lap. Yet his stubborn pet had never been the hunter these creatures of sky and earth resonated with every step.

"Sharptalon, so good of you to join us..."

The sapphire gryphon purred, butting his head against that of his fellow in a comradely fashion, tail whipping back and forth. The third gryphon - a female, from the lither sway of her body - shrieked and flapped her wings, drawing back on to her hind legs as if to mimic Celeste's threat. Refusing to rise to the bait, she stood stoic as the gryphons bantered amongst themselves, waiting for them to conclude their ostentatious display. She had no need of such frivolities when her status spoke for itself. Subtly, she shifted her bulk closer to Christian, shielding him completely from view.

"I am Sharptalon," the green gryphon introduced himself unnecessarily, blue eyes kinder than that of the first gryphon who was showing such an interest in Christian. "This is my sister, Sunwing. Are you the unicorn princess of the forest?"

Celeste did not dignify them with an answer, locking her gaze on the blue gryphon whose eyes never left Christian, legs barely visible below the curve of her stomach. Her horn crackled with sparks and a cloud, wispy yet viable, passed in front of the sun, casting their affront into grey gloom. Celeste angled her head towards the gryphon, who would have smirked if his beak allowed the expression.

"And yourself?"

She kept her tone carefully bored, though Christian was pressed close enough to her side to feel her pulse racing. The blue gryphon squawked and pranced, dancing on his paws and talons as if he had become an equine himself. He pushed his chest out.

"I would have thought you would have heard of a great hunter such as myself." He fluffed up his feathers, strutting back and forth. "I am Nighthunter, the strongest hunter in the forest. No," he corrected himself, "the fiercest hunter in all the lands."

Christian rolled his eyes, tucked safely at the point where Celeste's barrel met her hindquarters, tail flicking and catching his side every few seconds, the only outward sign of her agitation. With three gryphons staring him down, it seemed like a ridiculous idea to have tried to protect Celeste. He was abruptly aware of how small he was in her world, one where creatures he had once deemed mythical thrived. He shivered. Did they hunt humans? Would mankind have ever allowed that? Would they have been able to stop the gryphons at all - creatures of magic? They were beyond human comprehension. There was no telling whether or not mankind would have found out about the odd hiker disappearing. Or if they would care beyond the headline.

"A brag, but he is the greatest hunter we know," Sharptalon confirmed; Christian swore the gryphon rolled his eyes. "I would not have it denied."

Nighthunter preened, sinking back on to his haunches.

"And I have set my sights on fresh prey."

He licked the edge of his beak with a very pink tongue, moistening it like a human being would if faced with the annoyance of a dry mouth. Christian struggled not to mimic the motion.

"Hand the human over, Celeste," Nighthunter growled, body stiff and tense. "This is the prey I wish to hunt. You evidently have no need of a human. Place him into our talons."

Stiffening, Celeste held her head high, a tight arch to her neck. Christian shrank in closer to her, hoping that she could not feel him shake. But there was a gryphon over there talking about hunting him. Swallowing, he twisted his fingers into her mane for courage, reality increasingly more fragile. Celeste was his anchor. She would protect him. He hardened his gaze. And he would protect her.

"I hardly believe that is going to happen," she said coolly, turning her body side-on to the gryphons and raising a hind hoof. "It is outlawed to hunt humans. You know this as well as I. We have no business with the humans and they leave our lands alone."

Well, that answered that question of his and raised twenty more. He wanted to be brave - so badly! - but how was he supposed to stand his ground when such a beast looked him over as if he was a slab of steak? He supposed that, to the gryphon, that's all he was.

Summoning the dregs of courage he did not know he possessed, Christian clenched a fist and stepped around Celeste, despite her shuffling protests, the unicorn struggle to keep an eye on him and the gryphons. Standing tall, he set his gaze on the gryphons, larger than he and exuding a confidence he could never hope to match. Something in them told him that they embodied a force beyond his human comprehension. Yet he steeled himself. Predators had their weaknesses too.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Christian said, voice shaking, one hand just below Celeste's withers. "Even if I was alone, do you think I would come easily?" Emboldened once he'd begun, Christian ploughed on. "Must you hunt in a pack to take down the weakest of prey, without even a single weapon to raise against you?"

Sharptalon bristled but Nighthunter stilled him by raising a claw like a human would lift a hand to stay a sharp comment.

"Some would consider it an honour to be taken by a gryphon, boy," he commented.

"Not me." He laughed, dark humour returning colour to his cheeks. "Some hunter you are if your style of hunting is talking prey to death."

Nighthunter tensed, muscle taut beneath fur and feathers. Christian caught his breath and Celeste pawed the ground, kicking up clods of sand from the frog of her hoof. Muddied grains, no two the same shade, clung to the hoof and Christian watched the grains spray back as if in slow motion, power constrained within a single limb. Adrenaline pumped through his veins and, for a moment, he believed the gryphons would back down, claiming it was all a big misunderstanding.

The problem was that gryphons were not known for their diplomacy.

Nighthunter snarled, the sound ripping from his throat with barbs to rival the tongue of any serpent. Celeste neighed a warning, lifting her front hooves a few inches from the sand: stay back! He laughed at her defence, slinking down low to the ground as his fellows shuffled their wings and clacked their beaks, paws shifting.

"No matter then," Nighthunter growled, tail lashing restlessly. "It is far more entertaining to take prey by force. In what else does the thrill of the hunt lie?"

Christian took a step back, unwittingly leaving the safety of Celeste's side as the gryphon approached, his stance deadly. Far from the cocky feline he had appeared on first landing and engaging with Celeste, there was a new, hungry glimmer in his eye that struck a chill into Christian's heart.

Celeste! She was away from him - too far away! He felt all too acutely the empty space between them and flung his arm out to her as the gryphon sank back on his hind legs, power building like the coil of a tightening spring, prepared to pounce.

"Stay away!"

Celeste reared, a quick twist of her body throwing Christian off his feet and out of reach of her flashing hooves. Sapphire flashed through the air, too quick for the eye to see, and, winded, Christian rolled out of the way as his protector leapt over him. A shriek to match the gryphon's emanated, somehow, from Celeste as the white unicorn spun with the greatest finesse to slam her back hooves into the gryphon's gut as he lunged, eyes blazing.

It was a crude blow, yet an effective one. Nighthunter recoiled, hacking, but recovered and spread his paws for balance, warier than he had been on his first attack. The unicorn was not a feral horse to be taken down without a fight. He should have known that. The gryphon snarled and attacked fiercely, feathers flying as he lunged, beak a black, yawning gape. One snap of that beak and Celeste's neck would be cracked like a twig underfoot. Christian's heart drummed, aching to help yet knowing he'd be helpless. As Celeste spun, batting the gryphon away, Christian dragged his gaze from left to right, looking for anything - anything at all! - that may be used to help her. Yet all he could do was stay out of the way, more vulnerable as a human than she as a unicorn.