"Hey, Pretty Girl, Ready To Go?" I Asked As I Rubbed My Púca's Ears.

“I thought the goddess of love would look…different.” The wrinkled old woman waved a dismissive hand, leaned closer, and smiled. “You are thinking of my daughter, the goddess of passion and romance. Dearie, I am the goddess of LOVE.”

The unicorn pawed the ground, aggrivated. I didn't know much about animals but I was taking this as a warning.

"It's okay," my stranger soothed, walking forward slow enough to not spook the oakwood unicorn.

It grunted and looked like it was about to charge and skewer him to a tree.

"Hey!" he snapped at the sentinel. He had guts to even think about doing that to a sentinel.

The unicorn reared its head in a way as if to ask, "What are you going to do?"

The highwayman walked forward with the same commanding presence that he just used. My best guess is that he needed the unicorn to know that he was in no mood for funny business.

"Hey, there," he murmured when he could pet the unicorn's mossy head. "Do you want a snack? Snack?" He pulled an apple out and presented it to the sentinel.

The oakwood unicorn, much calmer now, ate the apple.

"Come on, let's sit down," the highwayman suggested while he guided the unicorn down.

It nickered as it lied down beside him. Just as he put his hand in its hair, it laid it head down on his lap.

"And here I thought that only pure maidens could do that to a unicorn," I commented.

The highwayman just smiled up at me, "I have a horse like this one back at home." He looked down at the unicorn. "Mine has beautiful black fur and a sweet temperament."

The unicorn grumbled.

"Hey, I'm a little biased since she is my horse. You are a very handsome boy for a unicorn but you can't let my horse know that I said that, okay?" he told the resting unicorn.

The unicorn rolled so its head rested on the highwayman's abdomen. As the unicorn was moving, my highwayman made it so he was on his back.

"I'm very uncomfortable," he told me. I think he was on a decent sized, dull rock.

The unicorn nickered.

"Oh? Are you comfortable?" the highwayman asked the unicorn in possible sarcasm.

It had the audacity to nicker again.

His head hit the ground as he mumbled, "Of course you are." His troubled gaze found me again. "You better get comfortable, too. We might be here for awhile."

I couldn't help but giggle a little.

As I walked out under the night sky, I muttered a prayer. It wasn't continuous but mainly when ever I saw something that caught my eye, I'd say a quick little thank you prayer for it being created.

When I'd get back from my walks, I always felt better and ever grateful.

A small kid ran into my arms, whimpering.

"What's wrong?" I kept my voice gentle and level. There was something that scared the poor kid and he trusted me enough to run to me with that problem.

"I had a nightmare," he answered as he tried buried his face further into armor.

I took the boy's arms off of me long enough for me to sit before he latched on to my neck.

Rubbing his small back, I asked, "Do you want to talk about it?" If he did, that would give me an idea of exactly what nightmare I would be looking for. If he didn't, I would have to try to find the right one and hope that it wasn't a dream that I was going after.

"I don't know," he whined as he clutched me a bit tighter.

I held him so he could look at me as I started, "Do you not know how to word it?"

He nodded.

I let him go as I stood up. "Well, I don't know which one I'm looking for but I'll do my best." I looked down at him, he couldn't be more than four years old. "Would you like to come?"

His eyes grew wide. "Really?"

I didn't try to stop the smile coming on. No matter the age, the reaction was always the same and it was adorable. I only offer if they aren't able to tell me about the nightmare.

"I don't want to hunt the wrong one and you would recognize it," I answered him.

He almost grew a smile but it died to a concerned look. My brows furrowed.

What was wrong?

"Would I be safe?" the little boy asked me in a small voice.

"It could be dangerous but you would be helping me stop a nightmare from terrorizing anyone else." I crouched to his level again. "However, if you want to go home, I won't think any less of you and thank you for bringing this concern to me."

"If I went to my mommy, would you stop the bad dream?"

I smiled. "Pinkie promise."

"I want to go with you. I want no one else to get any more bad dreams," the brave little boy told me.

"Alright," I said standing up before offering my hand to him, "hold on to my hand and stay by my side at all times. Okay?"

He beamed as he took my hand. "Okay."

"The day will be saved by it dying." - 13 hour clockwork soldier

time lapse of all the birds yesterday

The golden crescent of the beloved moon hung peacefully in the ebony star dusted sky. Here, alone with the night, I could forget all of my problems, all of my duties, my regrets and mistakes, everything. I watched for I don’t know how long now but it was worth it, staying up and loosing sleep. As time slipped by, the moon sank closer and closer to the horizon. I didn’t want to but I pulled myself away from the window, feeling an awful feeling that nagged me that I was abandoning one of the only ones who listen to my problems. There were things I had to do in the morning. I carried myself off to my bed of starlight and fell into a dreamless sleep.

You are the first ever completely ethical vampire: you post the terms and conditions of trespassing, make it clear in the memo that said people are subject to be fed on… You can safely say that humanity’s stupidity has kept you alive for thousands of years.

🟢 You are still a writer even when you haven't written in a while.

🟢 You are still a writer even when you feel like you aren't writing enough.

🟢 You are still a writer when you feel like your work isn't good.

🟢 You are still a writer when other people don't like your work.

🟢 You are still a writer when you aren't published.

🟢 You are still a writer when you only have works in progress.

🟢 You are still a writer if all you write is fanfiction.

When we passed a sick rosebush, I sacrificed some life force, only enough for it to get back to perfect health.

The nymph hugged me as tight as she dared. I could see that she was on her way to become compost while she was sick.

"Did you help another plant?" the highwayman questioned after I convinced the nymph to go back to her plant.

"How could you tell?" I didn't bother trying to lie. He always knew when I was being honest and when I wasn't.

"Your breathing is labored and you're slightly shaking," he just as easily answered while he started setting up camp. He looked up at me and with some hidden compassion requested, "Have a seat."

I sat on a slightly slopped rock and waited for him to say or do something.

We sat for a few moments in silence while he cooked some fish. Was he cooking for himself?

"Here," he said after pulling out a ceramic plate and a fork before handing the plated fish to me.

I knew he knew how I regain lost life by eating cooked animal meat. Being gracious and grateful, I nibbled on what he prepared for me. I also wondered when he was planning on leaving.

"I'm not going anywhere until you've finished your meal," the highwayman assured me.

"Aren't you hungry?"

He gave a small smile, "I can wait until dusk for a meal." He looked like he has been in this situation before.

"Do you have enough for yourself?" If he was going to go hungry, then I wasn't going to have all of the fish.

"I'm always prepared, so yes, I have food for myself as well." His eyes drooped a little, his posture slouched, and his head nodding off a little.

I nibbled slowly enough that he fell asleep while he waited for me. When I finished my cooked fish, I have took off my cloak and tucked it around him.

It has been a long day for him.