Long Road Ahead // Sebastian Sallow x Reader

15

I woke up for the first time in week without the sound of rain hitting my window. I quickly got dressed and ran outside to the sun coming over the mountains. That familiar smell after the rain hit my nose as the sunbeams began hitting my face. Today's the day. I quickly fed all of the beasts and put the pales away. Sebastian walked out of his house and met me by his garden.

"You ready for a rescue?"

"Is it going to be easier than the graphorn rescue?"

"Well, this time we may have to fight poachers."

"Sounds fun, shall we head out?"

"I just need to grab my nab sack and we can go." I walked inside my home and grabbed my nab sack and regrouped with Sebastian. "We are still about two hours away from when the sun will be at it's peak, but that should give us enough time to start tracking it. We will need to be on the lookout for footprints and hopefully a den."

"Footprints, den. Got it." We walked over to the floo flame and used it to get to the entrance of the dark forest.

I followed the path deep into the woods, Sebastian right on my heels. The path was full of twist and turns, but we finally made it to where unicorns inhabited the dark forest. I found many tracks, but they were all groups.

"What are we looking for?"

"It'll be a single set of tracks. Black unicorns never travel with others."

"Why is that?"

"There have never been enough of them to figure out why. Whenever one is found or sighted, they are always alone." We walked for a few more minutes and the sun started shining through the tops of the trees.

"We need to hurry."

"Look, there!" I pointed to a single set of tracks. "That has to be it, come on!" We followed the tracks a few minutes and I stopped to kneel down. "Shit... we aren't the only ones following it. There's four sets of human tracks starting here."

"What do you want to do?"

"We continue to follow. The unicorns tracks are older, a little faded even. They were probably made overnight. These ones though are very recent. Maybe within the last hour or two."

"Watch out!" Sebastian flung his body at me as an arrow flew into the tree that was just next to me. He rolled off of me and we both looked in the direction the arrow came from. Three centaurs with their bows readied emerged from the bushes.

"Y/n, we apologize. We didn't see that it was you." They lowered their bows and put their arrows away. I stood up and wiped the dirt off of my knees.

"It's alright, neither of us are injured." I took the arrow out of the tree and returned it to the biggest one. "I see you received my owl Marcus."

"Yes. We've been trying to help with the location of the black unicorn, but as you know, they are not the easiest creature to find."

"We found these tracks and have been following them for a little. Some human tracks begin following it here as well."

"You will need help fighting the poachers. Please allow us to assist."

"We would appreciate the help, thank you." I started following the tracks again with Sebastian on my tail, Marcus and the other two centaurs following behind. 

We continued for about five minutes before Sebastian and I ducked behind some bushes.

There were tents and a campfire spread out in front of us. Cages for smaller beasts were tucked in a corner. Everything was set up in front of  a big cave entrance.

"That must be where the unicorn has been living. We need to take the poachers outside out."

"Hold on Sebastian. Look." I struggled to correct my vision at the entrance, but I could see some movement.

Two poachers emerged fr9m the cave dragging a rope behind each of them. As they got further out you could see them tied to black legs. Then the body revealed itself in the sun. The poor unicorn had it's legs bound and a small streak of blood was left behind in the dirt where they were dragging it. It lifted its head to look at its predators before slowly dropping it down.

"We will distract the poachers while you grab it. Afterwards, I will quickly escort you and Sebastian back home so you can get back inside your protective barrier. My two friends here will continue to hold the poachers back while we make your escape."

"Thank you Marcus. We are ready when you are." Marcus nodded his head at the other two centaurs and they jumped over us. The poachers were yelling and the sounds of arrows flying were blending into the battle. I looked for an opening, watching the two poachers who had the ropes. They finally dropped them and joined the battle. Once the unicorn was by himself, Srbastian and I ran around the bush and I quickly got my nabsack out. I safely rescued it and looked behind me for Marcus.

Sebastian got hit with something and fell down, accidentally knocking me to the ground as well. "Sebastian, are you all right?"

"Yes, one of their spells must have hit me, but I should be alright." We both got up and Marcus was rushing towards us. He grabbed each of our hands and threw us on his back. He then ran all the way to the forest behind Feldcroft.

"You two should be safe now. Please save the life of that unicorn. I suggest that you put him in the vivarium under your house you built for the snidgets."

"That was my plan."

"Oh, and before I forget." He pulled out his bag that he had and reached inside. He pulled out two snidgets that immediately started peeping at me.

"You had them in here the whole time?"

"They were well protected, don't worry. Just make sure you take care of them. After you get done breeding them, make sure that we centaurs release them to the wild. We will make sure they are safe."

"I will. Thank you Marcus." He galloped away and Sebastian and I made our way down the hill to our homes.

"I'll need help accessing the injuries on the unicorn. Do you mind helping me?"

"No I don't mind. I'll just put my things away first, then I'll be right over."

Sebastian held my hand and we crossed the bridge. The sun was just beginning to fall behind the mountains and I got a whiff that rain might start soon.  I walked through the protective barrier and felt Sebastians hand release mine. I looked back at him, but he had stopped his movements.

"Sebastian?"

"I can't get through. The barrier won't let me."

"What? But it only keeps out bad intentions?"

"I don't understand. It's always let me through be-" The sun was completely gone now and we stood in the darkness, but I could still see his expression change and his eyes fogged over in green. He held up his wand and pointed it at me. "Mr. Cromwell wants you dead and his black unicorn returned to him."