[Trade] Hunting - Yokourin and the white Unicorn

A WHITE PELT


Yokourin was sitting in a tavern, where humans and Vayrons were working together to serve some good food to all the travellers that had stopped to rest.
The Haedian wasn't really a traveller, but he had heard of a very nice female Empyrian appearing in that same tavern, singing like a marvellous bird, with pure black feathers that shined in the dim light of the place.

Of course, he had so see that lady for himself. He waited and waited, a bit impatient, and finally she appeared: she was truly as dark and shiny as a piece of obsidian, with deep and enchanting blue eyes.
The Empyrian walked on the small stage, and sang for hours, never stopping.
Money was thrown at her like seeds were thrown to birds.

She smiled and collected her prize, smirking when she counted all the coins. A couple of Vayrons approached her, and she simply signed with a talon and some ink two pieces of paper, smiling once more.
Seeing how she was kind and stuck around to talk to her fans, Yokourin decided to get closer.

“Oh my... I have never seen someone like you...”

The Empyrian started, blinking slowly. Yokourin felt a bit too drawn to those blue eyes, to the point that he didn't even notice how the owners of the place shook their heads, or how some older Vayrons smirked and chuckled.

“Mh, short on words, I see...”

Yokourin had forgotten to speak. Something felt weird, but the Haedian couldn't understand fully what it was.
Only later he would have understood what happened: the obsidian Empyrian was a skilled Mentalist, and was projecting some feelings in his mind. The other Vayrons knew, but no one moved a nail to stop it. For them, it was fun to watch.

“My dear, I am quite cold this time of the year. Why don't you find me a nice and white pelt, so I can adorn my shoulders and stay warm?”

Yokourin nodded, and in his mind, a Unicorn appeared: it was white, with light blue eyes and pink skin. It would give him the perfect pelt...
The Haedian slowly walked away, as if hypnotized, and exited the tavern.

***

Oremizume was tired. He had to work hard to get a guild started, and travelling all the way to Vitalus had been exhausting.
He watched the interaction between the Empyrian Mentalist and Yokourin, observing how the others acted. It seemed that no one cared much for the newcomers in that small town.

But... Sending someone who didn't seem to be an expert on a hunt for something didn't sit right with him. He was worried that the Haedian could be too hypnotized to properly hunt, focussed only on the lady.
Scowling, the pinkish Vayron got up and followed the Tyrian. He wouldn't let the other die of a gruesome death only for a stupid pelt.

***

Yokourin's mind was a bit hazy, he had to admit. He was cold, but only one thought filled his head: he needed to hunt the white Unicorn and return with its pelt.
Something was missing, something was not right. But he couldn't stop.

He reached the forests of Ebrus, and slowly entered in the deep woods, only the moonlight filtering from the foliage and the bioluminescent flowers let him see where he was walking.
At some point he felt someone following him, not talking or calling out to him. The Haedian felt a bit annoyed and anxious at the same time.
Yokourin wanted to turn and send away that smaller Reosean, but as he turned, he saw it.

Near a small river, perfectly white pelt shining in the soft light, there was the Unicorn.
The Unicorn didn't seem bothered by the presence of the two, the large and sharp horn on its head was the reason.
No one in their right mind was going to try and catch it... But unfortunately, Yokourin was not in his right mind.

The Haedian charged, silently, and Oremizume cursed loudly: the Unicorn was large, smaller than Yokourin, but still large and powerful.
Yokourin and the Unicorn clashed, smacking against each other chest, the sharp horn way too close to the Haedian neck for Oremizume's comfort.

“Oi! Stop that!”

The Vayron hissed, and ended up attacking the Unicorn too as the Haedian was deaf to his barks.
Yokourin snarled, fighting as if on autopilot. His talons though, never scratched the back of the beast: he couldn't ruin it, or he would have been unable to give it to the Empyrian.

“Snap out of it!”

Yokourin vaguely heard someone shouting at him, but right then the Unicorn drove its horn up, scratching the chin of the Haedian.
The pain alerted him, and blinking, Yokourin realized what he was doing and that he really didn't want to be there.
But unfortunately, neither of them could fly away like an Empyrian.

“You good?!”

“Erh... Yes.”

Yokourin answered, shaking his head and taking some distance from the now furious white beast.
His head felt a bit empty and weightless, the memory of the tavern and the Empyrian who tricked him quickly fading away.

“Good. Now, attack it from behind. I'll take the front.”

Oremizume snarled, and ran up to the Unicorn. Yokourin, grumbled something under his breath, following the Vayron.
He wasn't a hunter, and he hadn't that much experience.

The Vayron jumped at the throat of the Unicorn, who started kicking and snorting angrily, as the Haedian tried to sneak behind it. The long and thin tail of the beast flew in the air like a whip, hitting anything in its path. That included Yokourin talons, and the Haedian hissed in pain as it hit his knuckles.

The Unicorn, seeing how the Haedian esitated decided to take down the Vayron first: it shook its body and head, before throwing itself against the trunk of one of the trees.
Oremizume, still dangling from the beast neck, hit his shoulder and let go with a loud gasp, before getting kicked harshly in the back.

“Ouch! Help me!”

“I-I DON'T KNOW HOW!”

Screamed Yokourin, seeing the Vayron getting stomped. The Unicorn had a sharp horn in the front, and strong cloven hoofs along with a whipping tail in the back. That left only the sides, but as the Unicorn had a large field vision, it was going to be difficult to jump on it from the side.

But after seeing another hoof hit the back of the poor stranger that only tried to help him, Yokourin decided that it wasn't the time to chicken out.
The Haedian snarled, with his fluffy tail all puffed in excitement and fear, charging toward the Unicorn.
The beast huffed and turned, ready to transform the Haedian in a Reosean skewer with its horn.

Like at the start of the battle, the two charged at each other but this time Yokourin was a bit more ready than before, when his mind was fogged by the commands of the Mentalist.
His talons wrapped around the horn, as he dodged to the side of the beast, redirecting its attack.
Then, he pulled with all the strength he had.

The Unicorn's front hoofs lost purchase on the ground, and the beast slipped forward while his head was pulled back.
A very loud snap echoed in the forest, and the Unicorn fell sideways, dead.

Yokourin appeared surprised and a bit nauseated by the sound of the Unicorn's neck breaking, but at least the threat was gone.

“Ouch, ouch... Well, for being with little to no experience, you handled it well.”

Said Oremizume, limping to the Haedian. Yokourin was still staring at the pristine white creature, that had only a few scrapes and blood under its throat.
He couldn't remember why he tried to hunt it, but...
That white pelt was very beautiful, and he bet it could become a nice shawl to put on his own shoulders.