Third floor common room, Friday evening

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

Jan hadn't been in a common room since the incident with the amorous skunk, but found he wanted the company of humans. Given his recent encounter with the only other one of his kind he'd seen since he arrived, right now, he preferred humans.

There was no one in the common room, but the box with the pictures and the sound was turned on, so he lay down on the floor next to the couch to watch it. He perked up a little when he realised it was showing a story about horses.

[ooc: open, of course - it's a common room.

...one of these days we need to have an uncommon room. /random]

Comments

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

Bored out of her mind after a day of reading and replacing the batteries in her portable CD player no less than three times, but not quite ready to go back outside, Molly limped her way into the common room, carrying a pillow.

She froze in place when she saw Jan.

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

Jan lifted his head, ears pricking forward. "Are you hale?" he asked curiously, rising to his feet.

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

Molly didn't move. "Are you...you?"

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

His ears curved to the sides and he stared at her in confusion. "Am I me?"

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

"Were you on the new island yesterday?" She asked, still not coming closer, but to her credit, she felt, not running in terror either.

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

And then it all became clear. Jan's ears wanted to flatten but he held them straight. "No, there is another. Molly, what did he do? Are you hurt?" He stretched out his nose towards her, but otherwise held himself very still.

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

That was what she'd been hoping. Molly felt her shoulders relax and she gave Jan a little smile. "I'm okay. Are all unicorn horns so sharp?"

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

"Yes, we sharpen them so we can fight." He took a cautious step towards her, and another, snuffling her to try and find where she was hurt. Furious, his tail lashed, and he stamped one rear hoof.

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

Molly winced and hissed as Jan's nose brushed against her hip, then jerked, spooked, when he stamped his foot. "Who--who is he?"

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

"His name is Korr," he replied quietly, and nuzzled her hand. "I will not hurt you. I would never hurt you or any human."

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

She stroked his nose. "I know. That's why I was so surprised when he attacked me."

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

"He smells wrong," Jan said, nudging her hand. "I am to compete against him tomorrow."

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

Molly, still scratching and stroking his nose and moving on to his neck, figured he was probably right about that, though she hadn't been able to tell the difference, smell-wise. "Compete? Doing what?"

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

"Dancing." That was nice and his ears drifted sideways. "The ancient dances of the unicorns."

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

"That doesn't sound so bad," she commented, scratching his ears.

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

"I do not remember them." He snorted again. "So I will simply have to outlast him."

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

"You don't--oh." Of course. Molly started scratching and rubbing his neck with both hands, hoping she'd be able to stop thinking. "Do you think you have a chance?"

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

Jan was relaxing under the attention. "All I have to do is move as he moves until he can no longer move at all."

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

"You'll rest, or stretch, or do whatever you need to do beforehand?" Yes, she was still worried, not convinced Korr wouldn't cheat.

[firebringerborn.livejournal.com]

"I will," he promised. "I must not lose."

[grasshopper-mol.livejournal.com]

"No, you must not," Molly said, flinging her arms around him for a hug.