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MY LITTLE JEWEL

The northern sun caught the child's blonde hair and made her glow. She stood feeding Astaria, the matron unicorn on the farm, sugar cubes. Her parents raised unicorns and typically unicorns were aloof when it came to humans. Yet with Jewel, they adored her and when she came to the pen; the unicorns gathered around. Jewel had a gift, a gift of the unicorn. Not many had this gift. Folklore said that the person didn't really have a "gift" but it was only a reincarnated unicorn.

Jewel spent whatever time she could with the unicorns. Her mother let her nap in the stables on hot summer days. Her mother never worried about the calm, complacent almost otherworldly three-year-old; knowing the unicorns watched over Jewel.
Astaria moved her head to the child to be petted. The oldest of the unicorns in the pen, she boasted a gold horn and a gold star on her forehead. The child reached up. Astaria spoke to her but no one else could hear the mare.
"I know you can't understand but I must leave tonight. I'm sorry my little Jewel. As far as humans go, you are my favorite."
"Where are you going?" Jewel asked aloud.
"Home."
"You are home," the child rebutted.
"My soul's going home."
"Why?"
"It is time."
"Why?"
"It's just the way it is."
Jewel patted the animal, "wait for me."
"No. you have to stay here. Take care of the other unicorns," Astaria said sternly.
Her blue eyes welled with tears. Astaria nuzzled them away.
After her mother put her to bed, Jewel watched the unicorns from her window. She loved how they shimmered under the spell of the moonlight. She hugged Ramara, her dolly. Then she spied Astaria leaving the pen. Jewel knew that Astaria had to stay in the pen. The child held onto Ramara and climbed out the window and landed with a soft thud on the dewy grass. Astaria drifted into the forest. Jewel ran after her favorite unicorn.
Soon, she found herself deep in the woods. Scary and spooky noises and called into the thick woods. Yelling for Astaria, she hugged her dolly tighter. The forest frightened Jewel during the day; it was even scarier at night. She saw a gold horn.
"Astaria come back here," the child hollered and ran after the unicorn. Jewel lost sight of the light. Fear enveloped her. She heard someone calling her name but couldn't tell where the sound came from. She missed her mommy and daddy and wished she stayed home. Jewel tried to help her daddy by getting Astaria back. The sounds died away. Not knowing how to go home, she walked holding Ramara

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